sovbooks Chapter 106 Fire Horses Breaking the Formation: No Survival
Chapter 106 Fire Horses Breaking the Formation: No Survival
Chapter 107 Fire Horses Breaking the Formation: No Survival
In Chapter 106, Nurhaci didn't actually intend to attack Yongning. He was actually trying to establish his authority. Attacking the ordinary people of Yongning Port wouldn't have the desired effect of establishing his authority.
However, Shuangchengwei City is an impregnable fortress, and it is extremely difficult to take it by force. With more than 20,000 troops, it is actually possible to leave the camp quietly.
Every day during the attack, hundreds or thousands of cavalrymen were dispatched. They were completely undetectable among the tens of thousands of troops. Nurhaci's real purpose was to lure Chen Boying out of Shuangchengwei, which was like a tortoise shell.
Just as Chen Ying gathered more than 8,000 draft horses, he tied them together in groups of ten, linking them together with cowhide ropes, and attaching grenades and gunpowder to their backs.
This was actually quite a significant move. Nurhaci received a report from the sentries lying in ambush outside the city and quickly learned that Chen Boying was preparing to launch a night attack outside the city.
Nurhaci looked at Huang Taiji and said, "Eighth Prince, you have a lot of ideas. Do you really think that brat Chen Boying would dare to launch a night raid on my camp?"
"I have a strange feeling!"
Huang Taiji analyzed, "In the past, the Ming army dared not engage in open battles with our Great Jin. This Chen Boying is acting out of character; something is definitely amiss!"
"Old Eight is right!"
Nurhaci said, "Everyone should be careful, lest we fall for Chen Boying's tricks!"
"twitter!"
Nurhaci couldn't believe that Chen Boying would dare to launch a night attack on his camp, even though it was mentioned in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".
There were many night raids in the game, but in reality, night raids were extremely difficult.
Such a surprise attack as Li Jing's night raid on Yinshan is rare in military history because it cannot be completely replicated. This requires night raiding troops, who must not have night blindness. In the Tang Dynasty, this was naturally not a problem.
Because the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty were not ordinary people. The armies of the Han and Tang dynasties were all composed of men from good families. The practice of conscripting bandits into the army only began in the Song Dynasty. Although the Tang Dynasty did not stipulate that only those with a family fortune of more than 100,000 yuan could join the army, the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty were all landlords.
Even the poorest soldiers had a hundred or two hundred acres of land. The Ming army was too poor, and most of the soldiers could not see clearly at night. Nurhaci had dealt with the Ming army many times and was very familiar with them. He knew that only a small number of elite soldiers in the Ming army could fight at night.
But that's how war is. When an opportunity comes, you have to be prepared no matter how low the chance of success is. Even if you fail, at most you've just wasted your time. But if a battle opportunity arises and you're unprepared, you'll miss it. You don't know how many people will have to die to get another chance like that.
Nurhaci ordered Mangultai and Amin to lead more than 20,000 elite troops from the two Blue Banners to march south in a great show, covering fifty or sixty miles before quietly returning and detouring to the Suifen River. On both banks of the Suifen River, dozens of elite scouts were deployed to observe whether there were any Ming spies. If any Ming spies were found, they were to be annihilated.
The main force of the two Blue Banners advanced slowly towards Shuangchengwei from the surface of the Suifen River, along the river channel. This army was responsible for blocking the return route of Chen Boying's night raid army.
Just as Nurhaci was busy setting up the ambush, Chen Ying encountered Hamutai and stepped forward, saying, "My lord, this servant is willing to lead the Xibe tribe as the vanguard!"
Chen Ying remained silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "The Xibe tribe has lost too many warriors. This battle is my chance to establish my authority, to let all the Haixi Jurchen tribes and the Wild Jurchen tribes see that our Great Ming is still the same Great Ming. Wherever our sun and moon flags go, those who do not surrender will perish!"
Seeing Chen Ying's resolute attitude, Hamutai didn't say anything more.
Zhou Bin was somewhat puzzled: "General, why don't you deploy the Wolf Cavalry to join the battle?"
Chen Ying said calmly, "Because they can't be relied upon!"
"Ah—General? You—"
Do you still remember the Three Guards of Duoyan?
Chen Ying laughed and said, "The Three Guards of Doyan made great contributions during the Jingnan Campaign, but afterwards, they turned against the Ming Dynasty. In this battle, we cannot rely on the Wolf Cavalry or the various Jurchen tribes of Haixi. Only we can fight. The reason is very simple. Regardless of their attitude, as long as they win the battle, shouldn't I reward them handsomely?"
"That's right, they must be rewarded handsomely!"
Chen Ying continued, "But the most fertile area in Nurgan Commandery, no, in our Daning Commandery, is the Sanjiang Plain!"
The Sanjiang Plain, as defined in later historical records, is only 10.89 square kilometers. This calculation method is actually incorrect. The Sanjiang Plain in a broader sense includes the surrounding Xingkai Lake Plain and the area east of the Ussuri River. However, Russia controls the Outer Sanjiang Plain, which totals 6.6 square kilometers.
This means that the actual area of the entire Sanjiang Plain is 17.49 square kilometers. The outer Sanjiang Plain and the inner Sanjiang Plain have the same soil properties and similar climate, making them suitable for mechanized farming. They are mainly used for growing cold-resistant crops such as soybeans.
By this calculation, China's largest plain is actually the Sanjiang Plain. If we include the outer Sanjiang Plain and the coastal plain downstream, the total area exceeds 260,000 square kilometers. Unfortunately, the Manchu Qing dynasty lost half of the Sanjiang Plain and all of the coastal plain.
This area is not only arable but also rich in resources. Chen Ying is already developing a steam engine. Once the steam engine is successful, mechanized agricultural machinery can be invented. At that time, Chen Ying will be able to turn the Sanjiang Plain, also known as the Great Northern Wilderness, into the Great Northern Granary. The Ming Dynasty will never lack food. Only by possessing the entire Sanjiang Plain can the Ming Dynasty's grain supply fully feed the people of the world.
More importantly, just two or three years after the fall of the Ming Dynasty, the temperature began to rise, and even with low grain yields, it was still possible to feed tens of millions of people.
"I, the commander, do not want to hand over this fertile Sanjiang Plain to them, so this battle must be fought by us!"
Chen Ying laughed and said, "Besides, they can't be relied on. Even if we don't mobilize them, if our night raid succeeds and the Jurchens are thrown into chaos, they will come to take advantage of the situation without my orders. If we are defeated, the Wolf Cavalry or the various Haixi Jurchen tribes will defect and stab us in the back!"
Chen Ying's smile appeared somewhat sinister in the firelight.
"Order all soldiers of the Da Ning Army to prepare for battle, take all available grenades, ten for each soldier. The Imperial Guard will select one thousand elite soldiers to accompany me on the attack. The rest will remain to defend the city and await Zhou Bin's command."
Zhou Bin was shocked: "General, are you going to leave the city personally?"
"If I, the commander, don't go myself, who will?"
Chen Ying smiled faintly and said, "If I had a Su Dingfang, I wouldn't need to fight this battle myself. Zhou Bin, remember this: after tonight, either I will defeat Nurhaci and return victorious, or you will lead the rest of the men to retreat to Sakhalin Island. There is no third way."
Zhou Bin opened his mouth but couldn't say a word. He wasn't known for his martial prowess. Wang Gui and he together were nearly a hundred years old. Let alone fighting, they could easily lose their lives if they fell off their horses.
More importantly, the Da Ning army did not have generals skilled in cavalry warfare, nor did they have the ability to defeat tens of thousands of soldiers with only a thousand men.
Xiang Hu stepped forward, and Chen Ying patted him on the shoulder before turning and walking down the city wall.
Below the city walls, eight thousand draft horses were ready, arranged in groups of ten, linked together with leather ropes. Each horse's back was strapped with grenades and gunpowder pouches, all connected to a single main rope. Oil-soaked strips of cloth attached to the horses' tails emitted a pungent odor.
A thousand guards stood solemnly on both sides. They were the old guards that Chen Ying had brought from Yongcheng. They were not promoted to officers, mainly because many of them were illiterate.
More importantly, they did not suffer from wild blindness. As Chen Ying's personal guards, they enjoyed the best treatment, eating meat at every meal, and were all as strong as oxen.
At this moment, each of the thousand guards had ten grenades hanging from their waists, a loaded flintlock pistol in hand, and two revolvers at their waists. There was no fear in their eyes, only determination.
Chen Ying walked up to them and laughed, "Brothers, are you scared?"
"Don't be afraid!"
A thousand people roared in unison.
"Good, very good. I promised you that I would give you a good life, that you would all become wealthy landlords with hundreds of acres of land and an endless supply of grain!"
The guards also recalled that when they migrated from Yongcheng to Changping, Chen Yingke had not made any promises to them along the way. In fact, they were already living a good life, a life they never dared to dream of before. They not only ate rice and wheat flour, but also meat, fish, mutton, and beef. They were indeed living a life that even landlords and rich people had never lived.
"I am willing to die for the Commander-in-Chief!"
Chen Ying nodded and said, "Tonight, I'll lead you on a major mission: burn down Nurhaci's stronghold and kill that old dog!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Chen Ying nodded, looked around at his soldiers, and said, "This battle is a fight to the death. But I assure you, if we win, Nurgan will be ours. If we lose, I will walk with you to the underworld!"
"I am willing to fight to the death with you, sir!"
The generals roared in unison, and at three-quarters past midnight, the north gate of Shuangchengwei quietly opened.
Eight thousand draft horses filed out, their hooves wrapped in thick cloth, making it impossible to move silently. Behind the draft horses were a thousand guards, each with ten grenades hanging from their waists and a loaded flintlock pistol in hand.
Chen Ying took the lead, wearing a black cloak and a sword at his waist. He looked at the brightly lit Jurchen camp in the distance, his eyes showing no fear, only determination.
"Brothers, follow me! Charge in and kill this old slave!"
The sound of horses' hooves suddenly rose, like thunder in the dark night, sweeping towards the Jurchen camp.
Meanwhile, at the Jurchen camp.
Nurhaci sat upright in his Khan's tent, with a secret report that had just been delivered in front of him.
"Reporting to the Khan, the Ming army is making unusual movements. A large number of horses have gathered outside the north gate, seemingly preparing for a night attack!"
A cold smile appeared on Nurhaci's lips: "As expected, they've come."
The elite Eight Banner troops on both flanks of the main camp were already in ambush, waiting for the Ming army to fall into their trap. Directly in front of them were more than 20,000 Mongol and Han soldiers, unaware that they had become bait.
"Pass down the order."
Nurhaci whispered, "Once the Ming army charges into the front camp, we'll flank them from both sides and cut off their retreat. Tonight, I will capture Chen Boying alive!"
"Well!"
Huang Taiji stood to the side, his brow furrowed slightly: "Father, I feel something is amiss. Chen Boying is not a reckless man; he dared to launch a night attack, he must have something to rely on—"
"rely?"
Nurhaci sneered, "What can he rely on? Just those eight thousand cavalrymen cobbled together from various sources?"
Huang Taiji wanted to say something more, but Nurhaci waved his hand to interrupt him: "Eighth Prince, you are just too cautious."
On the battlefield, when it's time to gamble, you have to take the risk.
Huang Taiji remained silent.
In the distance, the faint sound of horses' hooves could be heard.
Eight thousand draft horses galloped wildly toward the Jurchen camp under the cover of night.
The sound of hooves was like muffled thunder, shaking the earth. Each group consisted of ten draft horses, with one soldier sitting on their backs. There were eight thousand draft horses, which meant eight hundred groups.
Chen Ying led two hundred personal guards, riding in chariots, and followed closely behind.
Five hundred paces later, the Jurchen cavalry scouts had already charged over. At the same time, the first row of draft horses began to ignite the oil on their tails, and the horses, stimulated, began to gallop wildly.
The Jurchen scouts shot arrows at the draft horses, but unfortunately, the draft horses were wearing cowhide vests on their heads, which only covered the horses' heads and forelegs and weighed only about ten pounds, so they did not affect the speed of the draft horses.
The Jurchen scouts saw the horses pulling the carts together charging towards them and were so frightened that they hurriedly took cover.
Three hundred steps.
Two hundred steps.
One hundred steps.
For a draft horse, five hundred paces is only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. The Mongol soldiers in the Jurchen vanguard who heard the commotion only put on their clothes and came out of their tents. When they saw the warhorses swarming towards them, they panicked and shouted. Some grabbed their bows and arrows, while others turned and ran, but it was too late.
The first rank of eighty soldiers from the Da Ning Army drove groups of draft horses toward the Mongol army that was gathering, while simultaneously pulling the tinderboxes in their hands to ignite the fuses.
The fuse, still igniting sparks, spread rapidly forward. Before their warhorses clashed with the Mongol cavalry formation, they quickly dismounted, whether they would be injured or killed in the fall was a matter of fate.
"boom!"
The first rank of fire-horse horses charged into the front camp, grenades exploding one after another, flames shooting into the sky, smoke billowing everywhere, Mongolian soldiers were blown off balance, their screams deafening.
Immediately afterwards, the second and third rows of eight thousand fiery horses, like demons bursting out of hell, rampaged through the camp. Wherever they crashed, there was an explosion, tents caught fire, food supplies caught fire, and people caught fire.
The Mongol soldiers completely collapsed. They cried out and fled in all directions, not knowing where to go. Some were knocked down by fire horses, some were blown up by grenades, and some were trampled to death by their comrades.
Chen Ying led his personal guard battalion close behind, firing shots and throwing grenades at anyone they saw. Their sole objective was to drive the fleeing soldiers toward Nurhaci's main camp.
"Charge! Push them all inside!"
Gunshots, explosions, and shouts of killing mingled together.
More than 20,000 Mongol and Han soldiers were completely disorganized under the impact of the fire horses. Like a flock of frightened sheep, they were driven wildly into the depths of the camp, which was Nurhaci's main camp.
Nurhaci's expression changed in front of the Khan's tent.
He originally thought that Chen Boying would bring in eight thousand cavalrymen cobbled together from various sources. He prepared ambushes, traps, and a hundred ways to ensure that Chen Boying would never return.
But to his utter surprise, what charged in was not cavalry, but fire horses—eight thousand fire horses strapped with grenades. When these fire horses reached the Jurchen soldiers' lines, they would ignite the grenade fuses. Many of the Jurchens were skilled horse trainers, so the fire horse formation might have some impact on them if there were no grenades, but it would be very limited.
The problem was that with grenades, things changed. More than 20,000 Mongol and Han soldiers collapsed in a short time. They were driven by Chen Ying to rush into the traps prepared by Nurhaci. These traps included tripwires, chevaux-de-frise, and horse pits. However, the problem was that these collapsed Mongol and Han soldiers rushed into the trap array like headless flies.
The trap originally prepared for Chen Ying was instantly destroyed by these Mongol and Han soldiers. Of course, they also suffered heavy casualties. The elite Jurchen ambushers on the left and right flanks also tried to intercept these defeated soldiers, and they all shot arrows.
Just when they finally managed to wipe out all the Mongol and Han cannon fodder, the fire horse formation charged up. The draft horses, their rear ends on fire, could only run for their lives. Even if they were shot down by the Jurchens, the other draft horses would drag their dead horses and continue running wildly. More importantly, as soon as the fire horses rushed into the Jurchen formation, the grenades would detonate.
The Fire Horse Formation perished along with the elite Jurchen troops.
"Father! Retreat immediately!"
Ajige shouted urgently.
Nurhaci did not move. He stared intently at the fleeing soldiers who had been driven over, at the streaks of fire behind them, his eyes filled with resentment and anger: "I am the Khan of the Great Jin, how can I—"
Before he finished speaking, the first wave of fleeing soldiers had already rushed in front of him. They were terrified and didn't care who was in front of them. They just ran for their lives. Nurhaci's guards tried their best to stop them, but they were scattered and broken by the fleeing soldiers.
Immediately afterwards, the fire horse also rushed over.
"Boom boom boom!—"
Explosions continued, the Khan's tent collapsed, and guards were blown away. Nurhaci was dragged by Ajila and ran desperately backward. He looked back and saw that the Khan's tent, which he had built up over many years, had now become a sea of fire.
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