Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2299: Three Victories (XI) Decisive Battle in the Western Regions (IV) Tips

Inside the Ming army headquarters in Aksu City, candlelight illuminated the generals' thoughtful faces, but no one answered immediately.

Admiral Liu Jing of the Western Expedition looked around and asked again in a deep voice: "There is something unusual on the battlefield today. The main force of the Mongolian army has not appeared, and the Chahar cavalry has withdrawn. There must be something strange. What do you think?"

This time, they had to answer. Deputy General Liu Tianfeng spoke first: "I think that Burihatu may be implementing a strategic retreat, abandoning secondary cities and concentrating troops to prepare for a major war."

Liu Jing nodded slightly and looked around at the other generals.

Lieutenant General Liao Wenyao was glanced at by him and raised his doubts: "I am worried that this move may be a trick by Burihatu to lure the enemy deep into our territory. Our army has been victorious all the way since Hami. If we underestimate the enemy and advance rashly, and continue to advance westward when Aksu is not yet firmly established, we may be ambushed by the Mongolian army."

Guerrilla General Wang Hualong had a different opinion. He said, "Perhaps there is a change within the Mongolian army. The withdrawal of the Chahar cavalry is a sign of civil unrest? If so, our army may be able to use this opportunity to divide the enemy."

General Bian Zhiyuan shook his head slightly and said, "What you said is all based on facts. However, according to the previous intelligence of Jinghua Commercial Society, Buyan Khan is seriously ill and cannot manage affairs for a long time, and his son died young, and his grandson Lindan Batur is less than ten years old. No one in Chahar can threaten the stability of Buzhihatu's power, so there is unlikely to be any internal changes. In my humble opinion, we need to strengthen our intelligence to see the enemy's true intentions and avoid being confused by false illusions."

After listening to this, Liu Jing took a deep breath and said firmly: "Everyone has their own merits. However, our army's combat power is now confirmed to be stronger than the Mongolian army. Therefore, no matter what tricks the Mongolian army has, as long as our army is steady and solid, consolidates Aksu, and advances steadily, we have nothing to fear.

"Everyone, our soldiers are brave and good at fighting, well-equipped, and the court has given us more than a year to adapt to the climate and environment of the Western Regions. The soldiers of each army have long had an indomitable will. Therefore, as long as we advance step by step, any trick will be defeated."

Since Liu Jing had set the tone, the generals of the Ming army began to formulate detailed city defense consolidation plans and logistical support measures. Liu Jing and the generals knew that the stability of the city defense and the smooth flow of food supply were the key factors for victory in the war.

First, in order to strengthen the city defense, Liu Jing ordered the deputy general Liu Tianfeng to supervise the repair of the city wall. They mobilized the craftsmen and some soldiers in the city to start a comprehensive inspection and repair of the city wall. For those parts that were seriously damaged, they used solid stones and bricks to reinforce them. At the same time, observation posts and arrow towers were set up on the city wall to better monitor the situation outside the city.

In order to give full play to the power of the artillery, Liu Jing arranged for Lieutenant General Liao Wenyao to be responsible for the layout of the artillery positions. They set up artillery positions at key locations on the city wall to ensure that each artillery could cover all directions outside the city.

The gunners conducted intensive drills to improve their accuracy and reaction speed, short of actually firing their guns, and they also prepared enough ammunition to ensure that they could continue to fight even during a long siege.

In terms of logistics support, guerrilla general Wang Hualong was assigned to ensure the safety and smooth flow of food routes. He dispatched a team of skilled scouts to patrol along the main supply routes to prevent harassment from small enemy units. At the same time, they also set up multiple hidden food and grass storage points along the way to quickly replenish the supplies needed by the front line.

General Bian Zhiyuan was responsible for coordinating resources from all parties, such as ensuring sufficient food supply in the city and the safety of water sources, etc. They dug more wells and protected the original water sources to prevent enemies lurking in the city from poisoning or destroying them.

Liu Jing personally inspected all the preparations to ensure that every detail was properly handled. Wherever he went, he would say to the soldiers: "Now the city defense of Aksu is like a copper wall and iron wall, and the food supply route is carefully guarded. As long as you stick to your posts and stay vigilant, both the city defense and the food supply route will be indestructible."

As the plan was implemented, the defense system of Aksu City was quickly improved within a few days, and the morale of the Ming army was also high. They knew that as long as the city was safe, they would be able to lay a solid foundation for subsequent military operations. In the rear, the safety of the grain route ensured the supply of the front line, allowing the Ming army to maintain a strong combat effectiveness in the protracted war. With such a double guarantee, the Ming army was ready to meet the upcoming challenges.

After the defense system of Aksu City was stabilized, Liu Jing decided to adopt an aggressive strategy to further reduce the space for the Chahar Mongols to operate. He carefully planned a two-pronged offensive operation, aiming to cut off possible reinforcements for the enemy while also launching a decisive attack on the enemy's heartland.

First, Liu Jing ordered a vanguard force of 3,000 elite soldiers to advance northwestward, aiming directly at Wushi. The main task of this force was to quickly occupy Wushi and block the important passage from the Kazakhs to the Aksu Basin, thereby preventing possible reinforcements from the Kazakhs.

Wushi's geographical location is extremely critical. Once it is controlled, it is equivalent to cutting off the most likely lifeline for the Chahar Mongolian Army to obtain foreign aid. Kazakhstan has a vast territory. Although the main area it faces is the old territory of the Oirat tribes that has fallen into the hands of the Ming army, there is also a narrow passage in the south, Wushi, to enter the Western Regions. These 3,000 people were sent by Liu Jing to completely block the possibility of Kazakhs intervening.

At the same time, after leaving 5,000 men to defend Aksu, Liu Jing personally led the remaining 40,000 main forces to attack Balchuk in the southwest. Balchuk was an important hub connecting Aksu and Kashgar. Controlling it would lay a solid foundation for the Ming army to move further west. Liu Jing planned to immediately march westward and attack Kashgar after capturing Balchuk.

As an important city in the western part of the Western Regions, Kashgar was not only an economic stronghold, but also a military stronghold. Liu Jing knew that if Kashgar could be captured, it would have a significant impact on the war situation in the entire Western Regions. By then, the Mongolian army in Yarkand would be completely isolated, completely without external aid, and would become a prey to the Ming army.

At the mobilization meeting before departure, General Liu Jing said to the soldiers passionately: "Today's battle is about the honor and disgrace of the country and the rise and fall of our nation. We soldiers should dedicate ourselves to the country and fight bravely. Wushi and Barchuk are the only way for us to win. Kashgar is the trophy for us to achieve success and to have our wives and children honored. As long as we work together, there will be no city that cannot be conquered and no enemy that cannot be defeated!"

The soldiers were greatly encouraged by the news. They shouted slogans and vowed to prove their loyalty and bravery with practical actions. As the horns blew, the two armies set out on their journey. Their figures looked particularly majestic in the vast Gobi Desert, as if they were an unstoppable force, galloping towards victory.

However, things did not go exactly as Liu Jing had imagined. When the Ming army's scouts brought back news of a large number of Mongolian troops active in and outside Kashgar, Liu Jing was not only frowned, but also sent more scouts to determine the situation in Kashgar.

Soon after, the intelligence he obtained revealed a grim fact: the Chahar tribe not only mobilized all its combat forces, but even non-combat personnel - including the elderly, the weak, women and children of the entire Chahar tribe - also moved to Kashgar. It seemed that Buzhihatu was prepared to hold on to Kashgar for a long time.

After confirming the concentration of the Mongolian army in Kashgar, Liu Jing did not rush to launch an attack, but adopted a more prudent strategy. He understood that facing the full resistance of the Chahar tribe, a simple strong attack might cause unnecessary losses. Therefore, he decided to stop advancing and instead look for a suitable location to the east of Kashgar to set up camp and build a field defense line to wait for the right time.

Of course, there were other reasons for his cautious response. The main reason was that he found it difficult to understand why Burihatu was posing as if he wanted a decisive battle in Kashgar.

This is not to say that Kashgar is not important. From a geopolitical perspective, Kashgar is very important. But the problem is, even if Kashgar is important, it seems unnecessary for you, Burihatu, to move all the people, young and old, here, right? After all, the Khanate that you have ruled the Western Regions for many years is located in Yarkand City.

In Liu Jing's view, Burihatu's move was like giving up the inner city of Yarkand and putting all his belongings into a decisive battle on the outer line with the main force of the Ming army led by himself. However, the problem was that Yarkand would not be free of threats because of this - as long as Erdemutu on the southern line conquered Khotan, the next stop would be Yarkand!

Although he was a little confused, Liu Jing still felt that no matter what Burihatu planned, at least the Ming army was not in danger now. In this case, Liu Jing put aside Burihatu's intentions and tried to figure it out.

His plan now was to wait for Erdemutu on the southern front. The current situation was clear, and he planned to form a pincer attack with Erdemutu's troops from the north and south, exerting pressure on Kashgar and Yarkand from two directions, forcing the Mongolian army to disperse its forces, thereby weakening its defense in a single direction.

At the same time, Liu Sui was well aware of the advantages and disadvantages of his bayonet musketeers and artillery when fighting against cavalry. Although musketeers and artillery had strong firepower, they were not as mobile as cavalry, and their impact was almost nonexistent. Therefore, he needed to make up for this shortcoming through a stable battle formation and fortifications to ensure that he could exert the greatest combat effectiveness in the battle with the Mongolian army.

Liu Sui ordered a series of favorable terrains to the east of Kashgar to begin building camps and other fortifications. He ordered his soldiers to dig trenches, set up chevaux de frise and deer fences, build artillery positions, and arrange firing points for musketeers in key locations. These fortifications were designed to maximize the range and power of firearms while reducing the threat posed by cavalry charges.

While waiting for Erdemutu, Liu Sui did not relax his surveillance of the Mongolian army. He sent the elite Yebushou to closely monitor the movements of the Mongolian army so that he could adjust his tactical layout at any time. He also strengthened the connection with the rear to ensure that the supply of food, grass and ammunition would not be interrupted.

In just two days, the Ming army's defense line was almost completed, which also showed that his army was indeed worthy of the title of "elite of the Ming army", and the morale of the soldiers became increasingly high after the defense line was stabilized.

As experienced warriors, they all knew that although they had temporarily stopped advancing, every step was paving the way for the final victory. As long as Erdemutu's Tumed cavalry arrived at the designated location and the two armies formed a siege, the Ming army's offensive would be like thunder, giving the Mongolian army a fatal blow.

While the Ming army was preparing for the upcoming war, the Mongolian army in Kashgar was calm and composed, and their daily actions were almost the same, which seemed very methodical. Liu Jing's current trouble is that he can't contact Erdemutu - this is not surprising, unless Liu Jing can send scouts to bypass the entire Taklimakan Desert, there is no way to contact him. Because the only passable land route is through Kashgar, Yarkand-Hotan, and these three places are in the hands of the Chahar people. Perhaps some people will find it strange that Jinghua didn't equip Liu Jing and Erdemutu with carrier pigeons? Yes, there are, but there is a key point of "carrier pigeons": the destination is fixed (the location itself can be changed, but the destination cannot be changed).

The current situation is that no matter where Liu Jing goes, he can send pigeons to Hami, but Hami cannot find Liu Jing through pigeons. In other words, the same is true for Erdemutu, he can also send pigeons to Hami, but Hami cannot send pigeons to him.

In short, the carrier pigeons in their hands are a bit like pagers in later generations, also known as BP machines, which are one-way communication rather than two-way instant messaging.

Liu Jing waited patiently for another three days, but still could not get in touch with Erdemutu, nor did he find any unusual movements in Kashgar ahead. In other words, Burihatu was waiting leisurely for Liu Jing to take the initiative to attack.

Liu Jing could understand Burihatu's calmness - the Ming army was the attacker, and it was a good thing for Burihatu that the attacker delayed launching the attack. First, Burihatu could use this time to strengthen the city defense, and second, he could sit back and watch the Ming army continue to consume the supplies in the rear.

Burihatu could wait, but Liu Jing couldn't. No matter how much supplies Gao Yuanfu prepared for him, the distance he had to travel was too far. Going too far meant huge losses along the way. If Liu Jing waited foolishly for a year in the east of Kashgar, then Yuanfu would probably have to consume the annual rations of one million people for his 50,000 men.

This is definitely not possible, even if Yuanfu has an old relationship with me.

Liu Jing knew that he had to launch an attack. He personally led his elite cavalry to conduct reconnaissance and found that the current situation was quite unfavorable. The Mongolian army seemed to have learned their lesson and now built a double wall for Kashgar. Even if the artillery destroyed the gap in the outer wall, the Ming army would not dare to rush in with infantry, because the second wall was well-equipped and the Mongols would certainly not hesitate to give these infantrymen a continuous and dense rain of arrows.

No matter how he discussed with the generals, he couldn't find a good solution. As a last resort, Liu Jing took out the magic bag that Gao Fusi had given him before the war, and with the mentality of "something is better than nothing", he saw whether Gao Yuanfu could really predict the future.

Unexpectedly, when Liu Jing opened Gao Youshi's brocade bag in front of all the generals, there were only four words written on the proposal inside: Unpack the box and raise the flag.

"Unpacking" is easy to understand. Gao Youshi sent a batch of wooden boxes sealed with wax to his army before the war, which were not allowed to be unpacked. As for when to unpack them, he would wait for his subsequent orders.

  Now it seems that there is no follow-up order, but just waiting for the treasure bag to be opened. So the question is, what does it mean to raise the flag?

This problem soon disappeared, because when Liu Jing ordered people to bring the boxes and opened them, he found that the boxes contained neatly stacked large banners and war flags.

  There was nothing strange about these flags, they were all standard Ming army flags. What really made all the generals realize the truth was the words on them: "Da Ming Zheng Xi Jing Lü Nan Ning Hou Gao"!

All the generals were stunned at the same time, and then glared at each other, as if trying to get a message from their colleagues: Is this the flag of the prime minister? Oh, no, the prime minister did not serve as the "Great Ming Western Expedition" at all!

"I see!" Liu Jing was the first to react. He said, "Even though Burihatu is a native of the grasslands, he has never gotten any favor from Yuanfu in his life! Yuanfu means that as long as this flag is unfurled, Burihatu will think that Yuanfu is here in person and will be shocked and lose his composure. Then we will have an opportunity to take advantage of him!"

Everyone suddenly realized what was going on. Not only did no one think it was wrong, but they all celebrated and said, "This is a great idea by the Prime Minister! As long as the Mongolian army thinks that it is the Prime Minister himself, they will be scared before the battle even begins!" Liu Jing didn't say anything more and immediately ordered his own flag to be removed and replaced with Gao Youshi's fake flag - "Ming Dynasty's Western Expedition Commander Nanning Hou Gao".

Then, the entire Ming army immediately started to move. Although none of the soldiers had seen the arrival of the Yuanfu, everyone would find excuses for themselves - Yuanfu was a very important person, and his arrival in the army at this time was naturally a secret. Would he have to greet an unknown person like us for such a big event?

In any case, with Gao Youshi's flag hoisted high, the entire Ming army seemed to be reborn, and the morale was so high that the Mongolian army, which was twenty miles away, felt the murderous intent, and Burihatu also quickly got the news.

As Liu Jing expected, Burihatu was extremely shocked. In front of many Mongolian generals, he was stunned for a long time before he suddenly took a breath and shouted, "Something bad is happening!"

Although the Mongolian generals were still in fear of Gao Youshi's reputation, they were not as frightened as Burihatu. They all asked the Grand Tutor what had gone wrong.

Bu Rihatu said nervously: "Gao Rixin never fights a battle without preparation. Since he is at the front line in person, he must have a perfect plan."

His face suddenly turned serious, and he made a sudden decision: "Generals, listen up, all preparations must be accelerated, and the action must begin before three o'clock tonight. Those who can't make it... May you be lucky!"

The generals also knew why it had to be "tonight". Although the Ming army moved immediately after Gao Youshi's flag was displayed, the Ming army was mainly composed of infantry and artillery. Now it was 20 miles away from Kashgar, and it was too late to get in position and start the battle today. If the battle was to start, it would have to be tomorrow, so their own plan could be implemented tonight.

Liu Jing obviously didn't know about these things. He only knew that his own morale was high, and the scouts also reported that the Mongolian troops in Kashgar were being mobilized, but it was unclear how they were going to mobilize.

Liu Jing was not in a hurry. In his opinion, after he had arranged his battle formation tomorrow, he would naturally be able to see any changes in the Mongolian army. Therefore, there was no need to rush this matter, and the outcome would naturally become clear tomorrow.

However, the next day, it was Liu Jing's turn to be stunned - Kashgar played an empty city trick, unexpectedly adopted a strategy of escaping from the city, and all the Chahar Mongols in the city disappeared overnight. Liu Jing quickly sent night patrols to conduct reconnaissance, only to find out that the Mongolian army had quietly withdrawn westwards last night, and their target seemed to be directly towards Andijan.

  Ran away? The Grand Tutor Burihatu, who was feared by the Western Regions, actually led his army to flee overnight just because he saw the flag of the Prime Minister?

When the Ming army's night guards discovered the unusual movements of the Mongolian army, Liu Jing immediately realized the seriousness of the situation. He did not have time to sigh, and quickly assembled an elite cavalry unit and personally led them to pursue the retreating Mongolian army, hoping to intercept them and prevent them from reorganizing their forces and continuing to fight with the Ming army.

However, Burihatu had already made preparations. He set up an ambush in a strategic location and personally led a group of elite soldiers to fight against Liu Jing who was rushing to attack. Facing Liu Jing's pursuers, Burihatu did not choose to take the initiative to attack, but calmly waited for Liu Jing to arrive.

When Liu Jing's cavalry arrived, Burihatu stood on the high ground and called out to Liu Jing from a high position: "Admiral Liu, I have long heard of your great name."

Liu Jing glanced at Burihatu on the high slope and thought to himself that it was not good: this man led the elite cavalry to occupy the high ground, and our army was not only in a much lower terrain, but also squeezed into a narrow place. If the Mongolian army charged, our army would be...

Liu Jing took a deep breath, tried his best to pretend that nothing had happened, and answered loudly: "Grandmaster Burihatu, I have heard of your great name for a long time. What's the matter, Grandmaster, do you suddenly not want to run away, or do you know that you have no way to escape from the Prime Minister, so you just come back to surrender?"

"I am the Grand Master of Mongolia. How can I surrender?" Burihatu knew that Gao Youshi was not a military general, at least he could not appear in front of him at this time, so his usual demeanor returned to him.

"I know that you, Admiral Liu, have an important mission to recover the land lost by the Han Dynasty for six hundred years. However, I have already returned the Western Regions to you. Why do you have to fight me to the death here?"

Liu Jing looked at the advantageous terrain occupied by Burihatu and knew that a forceful attack under such circumstances would only result in unnecessary sacrifices. He pondered for a moment and decided to take a temporary measure, responding: "Since the Grand Master is so generous and willing to give up this land, I naturally do not want to cause any more trouble here. Let's say goodbye and wish each other well."

Bu Rihatu heaved a sigh of relief, but still couldn't help but say, "Gao Yuanfu and I are old friends. I wonder if I can have a chance to meet him today so I can say goodbye to him?"

"Uh..." Liu Jing coughed lightly and replied, "How can a mere warrior like me control the actions of the Prime Minister?" After saying that, Liu Jing immediately ordered a retreat without saying anything else and returned to Kashgar with his cavalry. At this time, the Ming army had successfully taken over this important city, and the Mongolian army was able to evacuate safely and retreat towards Andijan.

  As he retreated, Burihatu could not help but look back and muttered in a voice that only he could hear: "In ancient times, Guo Jia left a plan to conquer Jiangdong, and now Gao Xiang is using a false flag to take over the Western Regions... Gao Rixin, Gao Rixin, you are the only one in the world who can deceive me for a whole day and night."
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PS: Not to mention it’s a 6K chapter, but there shouldn’t be any extra space, right?