A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 463
When the great Ming army marched from the capital, Shengjing, the capital of the Qing Dynasty, was also arguing endlessly about the Jinzhou war.
The Qing government's detailed operations in Ming Dynasty were pervasive. They kept sending information, such as the number of reinforcements, the composition of the troops, which generals along the way were brought in, and so on, which were continuously sent to Shengjing.
The Qing people always attached great importance to intelligence, and the intelligence collection was also very detailed. The important generals and officials of the Ming Dynasty, their tendencies, and abilities were all recorded one by one.
Their intelligence transfers mainly entered the Liaodong Peninsula from Tianjin, Shandong and other places.
At this time, in the western Liaoning area, strict precautions are being taken, and soldiers and horses are gathered, and it is not easy to transmit information. It is best to proceed by sea.These Qing people work carefully, and a large number of Ming officials will cover them, so that the information can be transmitted smoothly.
The intelligence of Wang Doujing's frontier army is the focus of collection and attention by the Qing people.
In the detailed report, Wang Dou had about 5000 troops, including [-] cavalry (they used the [-] first-class troops from the second battalion as cavalry), as well as a huge chariot battalion and artillery battalion, the number of artillery in it was unknown , it is estimated that there will be no less than one hundred doors.
The participating generals also have detailed explanations on their attitudes towards Wang Dou.A detailed analysis shows that Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, Wang Tingchen, Cao Bianjiao and others who marched together with Wang Dou also formed a close royal group.
In particular, Wang Pu, the commander-in-chief of Datong, Fu Yingchong, the deputy general of the former battalion of the Shenji Battalion, and Zhang Ruoqi, the supervising army, in the detailed description, their attitude towards Wang Dou: "They all look forward to the king's thief, and they are as powerful as eagles and dogs."
"Is Wang Dou here?"
Everyone in Shengjing was talking like this.
The Qing Dynasty attached great importance to the arrival of the members of the royal family group, and Huang Taiji repeatedly summoned the ministers to worship the government hall.
In June of the 14th year of Chongzhen, shortly after Wang Dou joined Wang Tingchen and Cao Bianjiao, Huang Taiji also urgently recalled Dorgon and Jierhalang from the front line of Jinzhou to inquire about the front line.
When all the ministers complimented him on his strategy of Jinzhou and saw great results, the elites of the Ming Dynasty really came from all corners of the country. If the encirclement was successful and the main force of the Ming army was wiped out, and the world was left to the Qing Dynasty, Huang Taiji just waved his hand.
With a worried look on his face, he said: "Ming's army is huge, especially the big army is fighting against the king. The army is extremely strong. The battle of Jinzhou will be a bitter battle. If you lose, you will have the disaster of annihilation, how to deal with it, all the ministers will come together."
Dorgon and Jierha Lang have been on the front line for a long time and know the local situation in Jinzhou best.When they besieged Jinzhou, Hong Chengchou, governor of Jiliao, organized several Jiliao reinforcements to rescue them. Although they were temporarily defeated and retreated, they waited and watched Ningyuan.But the Qing army on the front line had some difficulty dealing with them.
Now that there are [-] more powerful troops coming, and the famous Jingbian army is here, both Dorgon and Jierhalang feel great pressure.
Both of them hoped that the emperor would send out reinforcements as soon as possible, and the total strength should not be less than [-]. In particular, Jierhalang suggested that Huang Taiji should personally conscript.
He said: "Our army occupies Jinchang Fort and Rufeng Mountain area. There is the Ming Camp in the front and the enemy of Jinzhou in the back. This is the situation of being attacked by the enemy. Hong Chengchou went to the rescue several times, and he often fired from Nanshan to the north. Zu Dashou went from Jinzhou The head of the city fired artillery to the south. Our army was hit back and forth, and there was no place to shelter. However, we did not set up two camps, and there was no sign of siege. Now the Ming masters are pouring over the country, and the frontline army is not enough. The situation is very dangerous! This battle It is related to the fate of the Qing Dynasty, and I implore the emperor to personally conquer."
Ji Erhalang, the owner of the Xianglan Banner, was over forty years old at this time. He had always been calm in the Qing Dynasty, brave and resourceful, and prudent and prudent.
However, he asked the emperor to personally conquer, and also demanded that Jinzhou's military strength should not be less than that of the Ming army. In the eyes of the officials in the palace, he suspected that he would strengthen the ambition of others and destroy his own prestige.
After all, since the rise of the Qing Dynasty, it has always been more powerful with fewer troops. It is easy for [-] troops to fight against [-] or [-] troops of the Ming army. He asked that the total number of troops on the front line should not be less than [-]. What does this mean?
Facing the attacks and criticisms from the crowd, Jierhalang patiently explained: "The current situation is different from the past, and the combat power of the Ming army cannot be underestimated. Our Qing soldiers besieged Jinzhou and attacked Jinzhou, Songshan, and Xingshan cities no less than a hundred times. Fight hard, dig tunnels, blow up the city with gunpowder, and the Ming army will not retreat. The Liao people guard the Liao soil, and their fighting spirit is no less than that of our Qing warriors. Now tens of thousands of elites are here, and there are even more Wang Dou, How can you take it lightly? If you know that if you lose, our Qing Dynasty will be in danger of subjugation, so how can you belittle it?"
Everyone in the hall was silent, even Hauge and the others who criticized the loudest were silent.
Although the Qing people besieged Jinzhou and did not really want to capture the castles, but since the fifth year of Chongde, the Qing people have attacked the Songshan forts many times, sometimes falsely, sometimes real. It can be seen that the Liao army is very different from previous years. When Hong Chengchou was the governor of Jiliao, he really had his own way, and now there are countless elites from the Nine Frontiers...
Facing Jierhalang's request, Huang Taiji just waved his hand: "I understand."
He asked: "I just want to know, if the Ming army's tens of thousands of reinforcements arrive, how will my Qing Dynasty respond?"
Dorgon said: "As long as the emperor personally conquers, under the mighty power, the Ming captives will surely be wiped out."
Huang Taiji's eyes turned cold, and then turned to Jierhalang's head.
Since last year, Jierhalang was ordered to fight against the Ming army in Jinzhou area. He also tried his best to understand the situation in Jinzhou and paid close attention to the movements of Ming reinforcements.
He had learned about Hong Chengchou carefully, he knew that he had a lot of experience in war, he was very prestigious in the Liao army, he was not an easy man to deal with, and now that he was even more famous as Wang Dou, he became more cautious.
After thinking for a while, he said: "Ming has a strong army and sufficient food and grass. To deal with them, we need to be cautious. When I was in Jinzhou, I also knew the terrain of Jinzhou."
At his request, Huang Taiji unfolded a huge map of western Liaoning in the Chongzheng Hall, which was also drawn precisely. Even Huang Taiji and the officials in the hall all circled around to watch the map.
Jierhalang said: "I have found out in detail that Hong Chengchou's rescue strategy is the strategy agreed with Zu Dashou of 'establishing a salary road, step by step, advance while fighting, and rescue Jinzhou'. Hong Chengchou is cautious. In the past two years, He has been saving Jinzhou from Ningyuan, and every time he gathers his troops in one place, forcing them to camp with chariots, and does not talk about fighting lightly, if he still gathers his troops in one place at that time, our Qing Dynasty will have an opportunity to take advantage of it."
He pointed to the castles of Songshan Fort, Xingshan Fort, and Tashan Fort on the map, and said: "Most of the grain and grass in the Ming Dynasty are gathered in Xingshan and Tashan. However, as in Jinzhou, a long trench was dug to cut off the contact of the Ming army, making Jinzhou, Songshan, and Ningyuan three isolated castles, unable to rescue each other. In this way, the Ming army was doomed. "
Everyone in the hall discussed it loudly, and they all felt that Xianglan Banner's strategy was very clever and very feasible.
Huang Taiji just shook his head: "If Hong Chengchou was the only one in the Ming army, this would be feasible, but now that Wang Dou is here, they must pay attention to the way of food. The king's lineage has [-] troops, and Wang Dou's intention will be supported by all the Ming generals. I'm afraid it won't work."
All the ministers in the hall sighed in unison, they have studied Wang Dou painstakingly for these years, and they know that Wang Dou is a man who attaches great importance to food and Taoism to the point of insanity.Even in their own supply camp, there are often food and grass that accompany the army for a month. Want to cut off his food supply?Disaster!
Huang Taiji looked at Xingshan Fort on the map for a long time, and said with a sneer: "However, it is still feasible to cut off its food supply!"
Seeing that everyone didn't understand, he said: "My strategy of the Qing Dynasty can be divided into two steps. If the Ming army is still like Hong Chengchou's strategy, fighting and defending, gathering in Songshan, our army will take the opportunity to sneak attack on Xingshan and Gaoshan on the back road. The bridge and Tashan cities cut off their grain roads. If they divide their troops and garrison Xingshan, Tashan and other places one by one, our Qing Dynasty will follow the strategy of Sarhu and defeat them one by one. They will be divided one by one, and the troops are weak. , There are too many opportunities for our army to take advantage of."
Huang Taiji's words ignited the excitement of all the ministers in the hall, everyone rushed to offer advice, and the leaders of the Mongolian banners said that they could continue to attack at night, attacking their grain roads, making them exhausted.
The Manchurian banner owners said that they could lure the Ming troops in Xingshan, Songshan and other places to fight, and set up ambushes continuously to wipe them out one by one.
After all, although the combat power of the Ming army has improved over the years, it is still inferior to the Qing army in terms of field combat.After going back and forth many times, the Ming army in Songshan, Xingshan and other places must be exhausted. If they don't want to go out to fight in the city, the defense line of food and road will be wiped out.
All parties were in high spirits, Huang Taiji looked at Dorgon and Jierhalang: "Prince Zheng, Prince Rui."
The two hurriedly said, "The servant is here."
Huang Taiji said: "You don't have to worry about reinforcements. The two of you will go back to Jinzhou and build a fort at the foot of Xiwangbao Mountain and beside Tanghezi. You think that you will attack Xingshan and other important places for troops to be stationed in the future. You must hunt down the Ming army. Scouts, especially Wang Doujun's scouts, don't let them discover their intentions!"
"After the reinforcements of the Ming army arrive at Ningyuan, they can attack Jinzhou and the forts in Songshan. The red barbarians bombarded them day and night to force the Ming army to advance faster. When most of them arrive, they can set up ambushes in Xingshan and other places to lure their troops to fight. , must dampen its spirit!"
Dorgon and Jierhalang took orders respectfully.
Dorgon was jealous in his heart, and Huang Taiji's strategy was to be better than himself. If Jinzhou wins again, there will be no place for him in the Qing Dynasty in the future.
Afterwards, the monarchs and ministers of the Qing Dynasty carefully discussed and deliberated about the Jinzhou matter. Huang Taiji thought that he had considered all aspects, so why was he still a little uneasy?
He subconsciously glanced at the Mongolian tribes in western Liaoning. Will Wang Doujun attack from that side?
Then he shook his head inwardly, since the middle of Ming Dynasty, the Ming army rarely had the ability to fight outside the fortress, and with Qi Jiguang's prestige back then, they were only not far from the fortress.
From the perspective of the Manchu and Mongolian ministries, hundreds of miles away from the border wall of the Ming Dynasty, it is the world of the Hu people outside the Great Wall.The outside of the Great Wall is no better than the inside of the Pass, and there are dangers everywhere. How can the Ming army dare to go out of the Great Wall?The monarchs and ministers of the Qing Dynasty would never think of going here.
So this thought flashed through Huang Taiji's mind, and then he was relieved.
From June to early July of the 14th year of Chongzhen, the reinforcements from the Qing Dynasty continued to head to Jinzhou.At the beginning of July, Huang Taiji ordered all men over the age of 15 to set off in the Eight Banners of Manchuria and Han Dynasty. On the [-]th, he personally led the army to set off and came in full force.

(End of this chapter)