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Volume 13: Reviving the Ming Dynasty Chapter 649: Unstoppable

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    From ancient times to the present, whenever military expeditions are launched in the Central Plains, they usually choose to do so in spring and summer.  Because the climate is the most pleasant in these two seasons, after a winter's preparation, whether the soldiers, weapons, or baggage are all properly arranged, only then can there be no worries.  In winter when the snow is falling like this, the people of the Central Plains usually focus on defense, but it is the nomads outside the Great Wall who like to invade the Central Plains most at this time.  This is because they have to herd and hunt in other seasons. Only in winter, when everything is bleak, will they invade the Central Plains because of the pressure of life.

    But everything always has its special side. This time Tang Feng did the opposite and chose to launch a counterattack against the Jin people in this cold winter.  This was completely beyond the expectations of the Jin people. It was not until the Ming army rushed to the gates of Haizhou City that anyone hurriedly reported the matter to the Jin court in Shengjing.  []

    In making such a decision, Tang Feng not only wanted to make people unprepared, but also had another consideration, which was the hindering effect of the heavy snow on the golden people.  Most of the Jin people were cavalry. Although the Ming army now had artillery and other cavalry nemesis, he still did not dare to take it lightly.  On top of the thick snow, no matter how majestic the horse is, it is impossible to exert 100% of its ability. As a result, the Jin army's combat power will be greatly reduced.  As for the Ming army itself, although there will be certain obstacles, their combat power will not be weakened much as they are mainly infantry.

    It was precisely because of these two considerations that Tang Feng decided to launch a conquest against the Kingdom of Jin in this cold winter.

    His plan can be said to be very successful. It was precisely because of the weather that the Jin people did not know about the Ming army's attack through formal channels until they attacked Haizhou.  And it was precisely because of the snow and wind that those who rushed to Shengjing to report the news could not go as fast as they could. As a result, the Jin people did not know about it until the Ming army captured Haizhou.

    Haizhou is one of the three important places in the Jin Kingdom closest to the current Liaodong region of the Ming Dynasty. The other two are Yingkou and Gaizhou.  In fact, these three cities used to be the territory of the Ming army, and there were also local guards officers and soldiers.  However, after the Battle of Salhu, these cities gradually fell into the hands of the Jin people, and now they have become their gateway.

    Precisely because of its geographical importance, the city still retains its original appearance and looks very tall.  However, the Ming army's attack could not be stopped by just relying on the fortified city, because there were currently less than 3,000 defenders in the city, but they faced more than 100,000 Ming Dynasty athletes.  In this raid on Liaodong, the Jin Kingdom lost a lot of men and horses, so they had to transfer some of the men and horses in these cities to garrison more important places behind. This gave the Ming army more opportunities.  Chance.

    After seeing the insufficient strength of the defenders in the city, Tang Feng immediately asked the soldiers of the three armies to attack the city from all sides without using artillery.  Although the Ming army did not use the sharpest weapons, the huge advantage in military strength still gave them great confidence. They were very good at siege warfare, and soon Haizhou could not be defended.

    During this period, the Jin army also wanted to use cavalry to launch an assault. It would be best to kill the Ming army's central army, thereby delaying the enemy's attack.  However, Tang Feng and the others were well prepared. In addition, the ground was covered with thick snow, which was very unfavorable for the horses to run. The three thousand Jin cavalry who suddenly rushed out of the city not only failed to succeed this time, but even went back.  All the way back was cut off.  After facing such a situation, three thousand people had no choice but to lay down their weapons and surrender.

    The issue of the fate of these surrendered soldiers became a key point after Tang Feng led his troops into Haizhou.  Some people suggested killing them to avenge their brothers who died in the past, while others believed that killing would not solve the problem, but would force the Jin people to become more vicious in future battles, and the price would then be too high.

    For a moment, Tang Feng became a little embarrassed.  Although he is a person with modern thinking and knows that prisoners cannot be tortured or killed, this is ancient times after all, and reconciliation between two hostile countries is impossible, so killing them is also a necessary means to weaken the enemy.  But another argument is also very reasonable. If everyone in the Jin Dynasty fights to the death because of this attack, the subsequent battles will be difficult to fight, and the gain will not be worth the loss.

    Unable to make a decision for the time being, Tang Feng had no choice but to imprison the people and then discuss with the generals.  But the result was the same, and most of the people who advocated killing all the prisoners were Liaodong generals. They had a deep-seated hatred with the Jin people, and they didn't want to see their enemies survive in their hands.  In this regard, Tang Feng had to consider the wishes of his subordinates.

    Before making a decision, Tang Feng went to see the situation of the captured Jin soldiers privately.  At this glance, he discovered something that he had overlooked, that is, most of the captured Jin Army soldiers were Han Chinese.  This is what he heard when he came outside the cell where they were held and listened to the prisoners inside pleading to the guards.

    "Brother, actually we are also Han??, only because of the fall of the city where he lived, he became a Jin man.  We are also forced to help the Jin people in order to survive and make a living. Please tell this to the adults above.  "

    Tang Feng could tell that these words were true.  In fact, thinking about it, the Jurchens have so many talents. Although they have fought against the Ming Dynasty for so many years, although they have won more than they lost, they have always suffered losses. Especially in the past two years, they have suffered consecutive defeats. How can they still have enough troops?  ?  Then they can only recruit and use the people who were originally Han people under their rule. Only in this way can they have nearly 100,000 troops every time they use troops.

    Thinking of this, Tang Feng felt very happy. If he hadn't come here to check, he might have ordered all the prisoners to be executed, and then he would have killed many compatriots with his own hands.  Although some so-called historians in later generations always emphasize that the Manchus and Mongols are members of the Chinese nation, and for this reason even heroes like Yue Fei are no longer called national heroes, the fact is that the two sides are now fighting for each other.  In the relationship between enemies, you cannot ask the ancients to look at future generations.  Therefore, Tang Feng had no mental burden at all about killing these people.

    At this moment, Tang Feng had already figured out a way, and stopped going in to see the prisoners. He turned around and returned to his tent. Then he called some generals over and ordered: "Brothers who are ordered to guard the prisoners."  We will all interrogate them carefully to see how many of these prisoners are our original subjects of the Ming Dynasty, and separate them. As for those who are from the Jin Kingdom, execute them all according to your wishes.  It can save some food.¡±

    "Yes! The general will do it now!" These generals were all guarding Liaodong. When they heard that Tang Feng was going to kill those Jin people, they were naturally overjoyed and worked much more diligently.  In just half a day, those descended soldiers who turned out to be Han people were screened out. This can be easily seen. There are a thousand of them, and the others are all out-and-out Jin people.

    Tang Feng did not change his mind, and immediately ordered all these people to be dragged outside the city to be executed, and then dug a big pit to bury them all.  This was a great deterrent to the Han people who surrendered their troops. They had never seen such a situation before. Even after the Jin people captured the Ming army, they rarely killed people so decisively.  As a result, these people no longer dared to have second thoughts. Not only did they cut off the pig tails behind them, but except for some of them sent back to Liaodong, the rest also joined the Ming army.

    After taking a short rest, Tang Feng divided his troops into two groups to attack Gaizhou and Yingkou respectively.  This time, he not only came to vent his anger, but he came to target the entire Jin Kingdom.  Before the war, he also released the wind and told the entire Jin army that if anyone dared to stop the Ming army, once the city was breached, all Jin people would be killed, and only the Han people would be spared.  This can not only have an intimidating effect, but also drive a wedge between the two forces in the Jin Army.  Under such circumstances, the Han people must have some ideas, and the Jin people will no longer believe in them as before, and then the opportunity for the Ming army will come.

    Just when the two Ming armies sent troops to Gaizhou and Yingkou, the Jin people finally responded.

    Not long ago, Hauge returned in embarrassment after being defeated, which caused a big shock in the Jin Kingdom.  You must know that before sending troops this time, the Jin Kingdom still had reservations. The Ming Dynasty is different from before, and it is not as easy as it used to be to gain some benefits.  However, because of the participation of the Mongols and the consent of Huang Taiji, the entire country's military force was still used this time.  Originally, I expected to get some benefits, but I didn't expect that I lost a lot of people instead of losing a lot of money.  As a result, Huang Taiji's prestige as the Great Khan of the Jin Kingdom was once again wiped out, which made him very unhappy.

    But at this moment, the Ming army suddenly came and killed them. This made the Jin people very panic, because they heard that the Ming army used 200,000 to 300,000 horses this time, which far exceeded the Jin Kingdom's own strength.  Fortunately, at this critical juncture, those nobles in the country who always liked to have trouble with Huang Taiji also knew that they should put the overall situation first and cooperate, so the Jin Kingdom quickly formed an army of 70,000 people.  Huang Taiji personally led his troops to the west to meet the enemy.

    The Jin people were not disturbed by the Ming army's active attack, because they still firmly believed that their own combat power would be more powerful than the Ming army in the wilderness.  Moreover, this is the territory of their Jin people. Even if they face the Ming army whose strength is more than double their own, they are still confident to fight against it.

    Huang Taiji also knew that success or failure depended on this, so even though he was still feeling a little unwell, he went up personally.  Because Dorgon almost rebelled and his son Hauge's failure served as a lesson, he no longer dared to hand over the country's military strength to other people's hands.

    But just as Tang Feng imagined, when the Jin cavalry rushed to rescue them, the thick and soft snow became their biggest obstacle.  Even thoseThe horses are all the best horses, and the cavalry are all experienced in many battles, but it is too difficult for them to gallop in such road conditions.  Many war horses were driven too hard and their hoofs got stuck in the snow nests and broke, which forced the Jin army to slow down their progress.

    But the Ming army would not wait for them because of the Jin army's late arrival. After Tang Feng gave the order, they launched a fierce attack on Gaizhou and Yingkou.  Because of the lessons learned from Haizhou, the defenders of Gaizhou and Yingkou adopted completely different response methods.

    Gaizhou was mostly defended by Jin people. After learning about the tragedy in Haizhou, they suddenly became hostile and defended the city. No matter how the Ming army yelled and cursed, they would not leave the city.  On the snow, the cavalry's combat effectiveness was greatly reduced, and with only a few thousand troops, they had no choice but to defend one road.  However, this was not a problem for the soldiers of the Ming army, who still surrounded the city and attacked from all sides. After several days of strong attack, it was the Ming army that was best at attacking and defending, while the Jin people were not good at defending, and the city soon fell.

    The Ming army had already received Tang Feng¡¯s order, and this time he kept his word.  Since the Jin army in Gaizhou City dared to resist desperately, they did not have to be too merciful. After taking the city, they went on a killing spree and killed all the surviving Jin people in the city.  This time, the effect was more obvious than the previous killing and surrender incident in Haizhou. Not only were these people killed, but their heads were also hung on the city wall.  The four walls are covered with human heads with pig tails behind their heads, which is quite spectacular.

    The situation in Yingkou on the other side is exactly the opposite.  Most of the people there were Han sergeants. After learning the news spread by Tang Feng, these people got together and decided to rebel.  Under the rule of the Jin people, the status of the Han people has always been low, especially in the army. These Han troops, whose own strength is far inferior to the Jin people, are often used as cannon fodder to die. This makes the Han people in the army and the Jin people  The relationship has never been very good.

    Now, since people of their own clan have attacked, they are naturally more inclined to help their own people kill the golden man.  What's more, there is news coming, claiming that as long as Kaicheng surrenders, there will be rewards.  So on the night when the Ming army appeared at Yingkou City, the Han army, numbering 2,000, launched a surprise attack on the remaining 1,000 Jin troops in the city.

    In order not to kill their companions and to show their determination, the Han people cut off the pig tails trailing behind their heads before the uprising.  They used to worry about having to imitate the Jin people's dress, but this time it was finally time to be liberated.

    Although the Jin people in the city were also on guard, they could not withstand simultaneous attacks from internal and external enemies.  Once their military morale was in chaos, they would no longer be a match for the already red-eyed Han army.  There was no need for the Ming army who had been escorted into the city to take action. All the Jin soldiers who had been bullying the Han army were all captured and killed.

    At this point, before the Jin army arrived, the Ming army had captured three cities in a row and killed nearly 10,000 enemies.  This greatly improved the morale of the Ming army. The officers and soldiers of the various guards who were originally worried about fighting deep into the enemy's territory finally had the confidence to compete with the Jin people.

    "Strike while the iron is hot," Tang Feng immediately ordered to continue moving forward while morale was high and the Jin people hadn't arrived yet.  This time, their target is Anshan and Liaoyang. As long as these two cities are captured, half of the Jin Kingdom will be completely lost. At that time, even psychologically, the Jin people will feel withdrawn.

    However, God did not continue to favor the Ming army at this time. In this cold winter, extremely strong winds blew.  The strong wind carrying snowflakes as big as goose feathers blocked the progress of the Ming army. Although they were mostly infantry, the heavy baggage, especially the artillery, still weighed them down. In the end, they had to stop temporarily and wait for the weather to improve.  March.

    But the Jin army on the other side did not stop heading west because of this. This was partly because the wind was blowing from the northeast. Unlike the Ming army, they did not move forward against the wind.  What's more important is that after the fall of the three cities, Huang Taiji became furious and strictly ordered the three armies to arrive in Liaoyang within two days, otherwise military law would be engaged.

    This time it was revealed that the Jin Army was unusual. Even in such harsh weather, although every foot of the war horse would sink deeply into the snow, their speed still did not slow down significantly.  Two days later, they finally arrived at Liaoyang City in time. At this time, the Ming army was still halfway through their march.

    Seeing the original capital city in sight, Huang Taiji breathed a sigh of relief. At least the situation was not irreversible.  Although several cities were lost this time, for the Jin people who made a living as nomads, the cities were actually nothing.  As long as the most important cities are not lost, they can still fight back the invading Ming army. The same scene happened a few years ago, and didn't they successfully repel the enemy in the end?

    However, Huang Taiji was still very angry at the killings caused by the Ming army in his own country.  That was an elite army of nearly ten thousand gold, and they actually died on the other side like this.Hand, he must avenge this.  But he obviously forgot how many soldiers and civilians of the Ming Dynasty had died at the hands of their Jin people over the years.

    Not wanting to be beaten passively, Huang Taiji, after letting the army rest for a day, continued to lead the troops forward. This time he wanted to completely defeat the invading Ming army on the land of Jin using the Jin army's best fighting method.  Seventy thousand elite troops from the Jin Kingdom rushed straight to the west, and everyone was looking forward to the moment when the war would begin.

    "The Ming army over there, after receiving a secret report and knowing that the Jin people had arrived in Liaoyang, completely slowed down their pace.  Tang Feng and the generals who were familiar with the Jin people's fighting style could all imagine that the Jin army would definitely not stay in the city, but would turn from passive to active and attack them.

    In this case, why not recharge your batteries and use your best condition to deal with the upcoming enemy?  So the Ming army began to make preparations in a planned manner. The muskets and artillery used to deal with the Jin cavalry were also taken out from the oil paper that was wrapped so tightly that even such a heavy wind and snow could not damage them.

    On the third day of December, the Jin Army and the Ming Army finally met. In the snowy sky, the two most elite troops in the country were about to start a battle that would determine their final survival
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