Stealing the Ming Dynasty [Complete] - 23

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter 42: Returning Home.

According to Tianqi's order, the south gate of the Forbidden City was opened wide. As Huang Shi walked out of the Daming Gate with his head held high, eighteen eunuchs behind him vigorously cracked their whips. The emperor himself ascended the city wall, standing to see him off. Huang Shi exited the imperial city gate, bowing one last time before the emperor on the city wall, shouting with all his might, "Your Majesty, this humble subject is departing now."

Emperor Tianqi, in his square crown and dragon robe, looked down at the wide imperial road beneath his feet, lined with imposing Imperial Guards on both sides. Surrounding these Imperial Guards in golden helmets and silver armor, like heavenly soldiers, were countless citizens of the capital, their faces streaked with black. News of Huang Shi had already spread far and wide; the people who had come had been waiting for a long time, none wanting to miss the opportunity to feast their eyes. It was a rare sight to see the emperor seeing off a general!

As soon as Tianqi appeared on the city wall, the people spontaneously knelt before the emperor, uttering cries as if praying to a god. Seemingly influenced by the overwhelming cheers, even the usually somewhat shy Emperor Tianqi beamed with joy—ruling the world, with millions of subjects, a surge of pride welled up within him. He said with a smile, "On the day of our triumphant return to the capital, I will remove the general's battle robe."

The emperor's soft words were loudly repeated by two eunuchs behind him, then four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two… By the time they reached the Forbidden City, they had become the unified shouts of countless Imperial Guards, a resounding roar that filled the heavens and earth, like thunder from the sky.

After three kowtows, Huang Shi stood up and walked towards the warhorse led by the Imperial Guards. He easily leaped onto it and galloped towards Jin Qiude and the guards of Changsheng Island who were waiting in the distance…

Although the Imperial Guards were desperately clearing the way with gongs, countless people still surged forward on both sides of the Imperial Street, eager to catch a glimpse of Huang Shi's prowess. Many people broke through the blockade lines of the imperial guards on both sides, holding incense and candles high, and prayed to Huang Shi from afar: "Lord Huang, please be sure to repel the Eastern barbarians and protect the people's safety!"

Upon hearing the news, more and more people gathered from afar, desperately shouting their approval to Huang Shi. In any era of history, people always need a hero to guide them and strive to glorify him in their hearts. Huang Shi, with his dazzling achievements, was even more prominent than Mao Wenlong in history. Just as countless literati sang praises of Mao Wenlong's infiltration behind enemy lines during the Tianqi era, Huang Shi, who had now replaced Mao Wenlong's original status, became the focus of the common people's attention. When this man with countless legendary stories appeared before them, fervor spread among the citizens of the capital. Even Huang Shi, who had witnessed many instances of idol worship in his previous life, was moved to tears by the boiling scene before him.

Huang Shi saw one merchant after another struggling and wrestling with the yamen runners in charge of maintaining order. Even as they were pushed back by the runners and soldiers, they waved what they were holding and shouted at Huang Shi, "Lord Gongbao, we've heard the Dongjiang Army is short of pay! We're willing to contribute! We're willing to contribute!"

Storytellers, in order to inspire the masses, always portrayed the Dongjiang Army as poorly clothed and starving, lacking even cotton-padded clothes in the harsh northeastern weather. Over time, the people came to believe this story. The people on both sides of the street were emotional, pulling out bits of silver or a few copper coins to help the soldiers fighting hard behind enemy lines.

Ninth Master had arrived early, holding a large five-tael silver ingot high in the crowd, trying to push his way towards Huang Shi, but he too was blocked by the runners. Although Ninth Master shouted until his throat was hoarse, his voice was drowned out by the crowd. His clothes were ripped in several places, but Ninth Master didn't even notice. He was overjoyed; the day had truly been worthwhile, he hadn't expected to actually meet Huang Gongbao! Watching Huang Shi ride away into the distance, he mustered all his remaining strength to shout one last time: "Gongbao, I, Zhu Lei, will shut down all business here in Zhili tomorrow and head to Shandong. I'll be transporting goods to Dongjiang Town, I'll be there tomorrow!"

After leaving Beijing, Huang Shi and his men rode at breakneck speed, changing horses every ten miles, heading straight for the Bohai Sea. Upon arriving in Tianjin, the local officials told Huang Shi that they had immediately requisitioned many civilian ships after receiving orders, and forty large ships and enough sailors were already on their way. Another dedicated fast ship was waiting for Huang Shi and his party…

December 16th, Tianqi 5th year, Changsheng Island.

The island now had 150,000 residents, including 80,000 men. Huang Shi had concentrated so many people on Changsheng Island instead of the newly recovered Fuzhou precisely to prevent the military households from all going to farm. Under Bao Jiusun's command, these men had already built four more windmills and another kiln on Zhongdao Island. These facilities would be operational once the river thawed next year. Previously, when reporting to Beijing, Bao Jiusun had confidently told Huang Shi that he planned to build two more windmills after spring, and the locations had already been chosen. The reservoir would also be expanded.

Huang Shi jumped off the small boat and returned to his base, which he had been away from for four months. Soon, Wu Mu, Zhao Manxiong, and Bao Jiusun arrived at the old camp to pay their respects. To Huang Shi's surprise, the Zhang brothers, Minghe and Guanshui, were also on the island. Since the Xuanfeng Battalion had voluntarily accepted reorganization, the Zhang brothers had considered themselves his own, addressing him with more familiarity than the old guard on Changsheng Island.

Huang Shi now indeed treated them as his own, because in terms of both officer and troop composition and command structure, the Xuanfeng Battalion was now no different from the Jiuhuo and Panshi Battalions. To build rapport, Zhang Guanshui privately suggested to Zhang Minghe that they change the military flag. This idea coincided with the latter's own plans. Now, the newly changed flag of the Vanguard Battalion also had a venomous snake identical to that of the Firefighting Battalion, the difference being that the Vanguard Battalion changed the background to a sword—equivalent to the cloud pattern of the Firefighting Battalion and the green mountains of the Rock Battalion.

Although he didn't see He Dingyuan and Yang Zhiyuan, Huang Shi still briefly explained the purpose of his return, and then told his subordinates that he hoped to send troops before the fifteenth. A large number of ships from Tianjin Wei arrived at Changsheng Island close to Huang Shi, ready to depart at any time. After speaking, Huang Shi asked Zhao Manxiong, "What is the combat readiness status of each battalion? Where are Guerrilla Commander He and Guerrilla Commander Yang?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhao Manxiong, who was left behind, immediately looked dejected. He first glanced at Wu Mu standing next to Huang Shi, whose face was already flushed. Zhao Manxiong, with a mournful face, said, "Reporting to my lord, these two questions are actually the same thing. Eunuch Wu sent Commander He, Centurion Zhang, and the Panshi Battalion to Fuzhou, and they also took half of the iron armor. Hmm, that's 1,300 sets."

Huang Shi looked at Wu Mu, who was hiding to the side, in surprise. This was the first time the military supervisor had directly interfered in military operations since arriving on the island. "Eunuch Wu, what's going on?"

Ever since Huang Shi finished explaining his purpose, Wu Mu's face had turned ashen. He knew he had messed up his mission again. Seeing Huang Shi asking him directly, Wu Mu shrank his neck and said with a face full of shame, "Commander Mao ordered the Dongjiang Left Wing to be under martial law. I thought there was no threat to Changsheng Island, so I sent the Panshi Battalion to Fuzhou to assist in the defense. And..."

Wu Mu glanced at Huang Shi's face, scratched his head, and stammered, "I also used General Huang's seal to order the troops from Jinzhou, Lushun, and other places to gather in Fuzhou to assist in the defense."

Since Huang Shi had gone to the capital, his deputy general's seal was naturally kept by the military supervisor. Upon hearing that the Later Jin had mobilized 160 Niru (military units), Wu Mu sensed an urgent military situation and immediately dispatched the elite troops of the Dongjiang Left Wing to Fuzhou. After Wu Mu submitted his memorial, Emperor Tianqi became angry, and Wei Zhongxian wrote a letter vehemently criticizing Wu Mu, Wu Mu, though feeling deeply sorry for Huang Shi, also felt a secret joy—he felt his opportunity to prove himself had arrived, and the shining example of Prince Tong Guan seemed to be beckoning him.

“If General Huang had returned a day earlier, they wouldn’t have left yet. It’s quite a coincidence.” Wu Mu stammered, making excuses for himself, then squeezed out another piece of bad news like toothpaste: “I heard that ‘an army marches on its stomach,’ so I had Lieutenant Yang escort all the stored military rations to Fuzhou.”

Seeing Huang Shi’s face growing increasingly grim, Wu Mu hurriedly added, “Commander Deng’s artillery hasn’t all been transported yet. There should still be quite a few waiting to be loaded onto ships at the Beixinkou Wharf!”

“Go and call Duncan back. Once they’re on the ship, unload all the cannons.” Huang Shi immediately sent a guard to deliver the message, then comforted Wu Mu: “Eunuch Wu, it’s not your fault. Deploying the main force to Fuzhou for defense was a prudent approach.”

“Yes, yes, I was just trying to ease General Huang’s worries.” Wu Mu rubbed his hands nervously, a relieved smile spreading across his face. “Wasn’t I afraid the Jurchens from Gaizhou would launch a sneak attack?”

“Are there Jurchens in Gaizhou now?” Huang Shi looked at Zhao Manxiong suspiciously. He remembered that in October, Zhao Manxiong had reported that the Later Jin had basically abandoned Gaizhou, and by November it was practically an empty city. The Later Jin had moved all the people in and around Gaizhou to Haizhou.

Zhao Manxiong looked at Wu Mu, whose face was so red he could play Guan Yu, and said awkwardly, “Reporting to you, sir, basically none. At most, there are fifty Han scouts.”

Wu Mu’s neck turned even redder, and he protested, “I was afraid of being ambushed, so I sent Commander Li to investigate Gaizhou’s situation.”

“Ambushed? What kind of ambush?” Huang Shi felt increasingly confused and was starting to get anxious.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, Eunuch Wu has devised a plan." Zhao Manxiong drew out his words, his tone revealing his deep resentment towards Wu Mu's plan: "It was Commander Chen and Commander Zhang who came up with it for Eunuch Wu. They said that if Nurhaci really went to Liaoxi, they would mobilize 20,000 troops from my Left Wing to attack Gaizhou, which is garrisoned by 50 men. Commander Chen called this tactic 'a tiger hunting a rabbit,' and I couldn't argue with Brother Chen, so Eunuch Wu used his seal."

Huang Shi had been away from the island for some time, and Wu Mu had been very arrogant and self-satisfied. However, he could also see that while Zhao Manxiong and his group were outwardly respectful, they didn't really respect his command abilities. This made Eunuch Wu feel extremely aggrieved. He felt that he had performed well for the past few years—always calm and brave, never shying away from arrows and stones to go to the front lines, and even eating alfalfa with everyone else. According to military texts, he should have been universally loved by the officers and soldiers.

Wu Mu hadn't minded not receiving enthusiastic support before, admitting he was far inferior to Huang Shi. But the lack of sufficient adoration after Huang Shi's departure puzzled him. After several sleepless nights, he concluded the reason: his unauthorized mobilization of the rearguard during the Battle of Fuzhou was a major blunder.

Since this was the reason for the low opinion of him, Wu Mu resolved to turn the tide. After reading in the Dongjiangtang newspaper that the Later Jin were planning an attack on Liaoxi, Wu Mu focused on winning over the troops by recapturing Gaizhou. To ensure victory, he sent his unfortunate intelligence chief, Li Yunrui, to Gaizhou in the dead of winter to scout enemy positions. Furthermore, he arrogantly mobilized every soldier he could muster to Fuzhou. If it weren't for the dire shortage of supplies, he had even considered sending the fire brigade to Fuzhou.

"I'm afraid the Jurchens might launch a surprise attack!" Wu Mu detected a hint of sarcasm in Zhao Manxiong's tone. His voice rose sharply: "I must learn from the lessons of the Battle of Fuzhou. Sun Tzu said: 'Those skilled in warfare first make themselves invincible, then wait for the enemy to become vulnerable. Invincibility lies in oneself, vulnerability in the enemy. Therefore, those skilled in warfare can make themselves invincible, but cannot make the enemy necessarily vulnerable. Hence it is said: victory is possible…'"

"Eunuch Wu, you've done very well…"

Huang Shi, seeing Wu Mu's aggrieved expression and his apparent intention to continue quoting classical texts, quickly interrupted him to offer comfort. Just as they finished speaking, Duncan rushed in.

“General, please allow me…”

Duncan gave Huang Shi a warm hug, and after releasing his arms and stepping back, he said with a hint of embarrassment, “Sorry, General, I forgot this is a military meeting.” He looked Huang Shi up and down, then suddenly uttered a very traditional Chinese greeting: “General, you’ve gained weight.”

Huang Shi couldn’t help but smile, a warmth spreading through his heart: “Duncan, you’ve gained weight too.” In this era, when working outdoors in winter, people would apply a thick layer of grease to their hands to prevent frostbite, and Duncan was no exception. Huang Shi wiped the grease off Duncan’s armor while inquiring about the artillery situation.

"General, the four three-pound bronze cannons were shipped to Gaizhou yesterday, but the two six-pound bronze cannons haven't been moved yet. I've already ordered them to be unloaded."

"Fortunately, there are still two left." Huang Shi nodded happily, then glanced at Bao Jiusun beside him: "Didn't you say you were going to cast new cannons? Are they finished?"

Duncan and Bao Jiusun exclaimed at the same time: "Finished!"

The two exchanged a smile, and Bao Jiusun fell silent. Duncan excitedly told Huang Shi that the new wrought iron three-pound cannons had been cast. The first batch of crucible steel produced on Changsheng Island had been processed into cutting tools, and the hydraulic boring machine had naturally been replaced with refined steel boring tools, so Changsheng Island could now use wrought iron instead of bronze to cast cannons.

Casting cannons with wrought iron did cause some problems, such as the previously accumulated bronze cannon casting technology being significantly affected. But neither Huang Shi, Bao Jiusun, nor Duncan doubted that using wrought iron was the right path, after all, wrought iron was much cheaper than bronze. Now the cost of three-pound cannons had been reduced to 30% of the original cost.

In addition, Duncan replaced many wooden parts on the gun carriage with wrought iron and added a considerable amount of iron machinery. While this increased costs, it significantly reduced the weight of the gun carriage and facilitated the use of the artillery. The wrought iron three-pounder, which had just passed testing, weighed only 300 pounds, and there was still room for further weight reduction, making it more maneuverable. Duncan and Bao Jiusun both believed that this cannon could keep up with infantry marches.

Since this cannon could provide fire support for the infantry, Duncan and Bao Jiusun believed that the super musket Huang Shi had previously requested was unnecessary. Duncan also insisted that the weapon Huang Shi envisioned was a one-pounder. Moreover, Duncan first opposed placing artillery under infantry command, believing it would impose additional, tedious infantry training on the artillery with uncertain effectiveness; a specialized artillery force was the right path. Secondly, Zhao Manxiong and He Dingyuan were even more vehemently opposed to having more than four cannons per thousand men, fearing it would cause the Changsheng Army to lose its long-standing tradition of close-quarters combat, leading commanders to lose their offensive drive and fighting spirit, much like many other Ming generals.

With these almost unanimous objections from the senior officers of Changsheng Island, Bao Jiusun boldly rejected Huang Shi's large-scale musket plan, instead focusing his efforts on supporting Duncan in casting three-pound wrought iron cannons; six have already passed inspection. Their weights range from the early 500 jin to the latest 320 jin.

"It will probably take several days to recall the Panshi Battalion from Fuzhou, and we don't think we have much time left. Loading the troops onto the ships will take another day, and even if everything goes smoothly at sea, it will take at least three days to reach Juehua. Unloading will also take considerable time, and then the troops will need one to two days to recover their strength." Huang Shi remembered the report saying that the Later Jin army would depart from Haizhou on the 15th to attack Liaoxi. Now, the Later Jin vanguard might have already crossed the Sancha River, leaving him with little time.

"The five infantry squads of the Panshi Battalion, prepare to board the ships immediately, and bring the cannons on board as well." After giving the order, Huang Shi turned to look at Zhang Minghe and Zhang Guanshui. Zhao Manxiong had just reported that there were still two infantry squads of the Xuanfeng Battalion on the island. These two squads had just completed training, and Zhang Minghe had come to Changsheng Island to take them away.

"Commander Zhang, I'd like to use your..."

Before Huang Shi could finish speaking, Zhang Minghe bowed deeply, clasped his hands in a loud voice, and said, "If Your Excellency commands, this humble officer will gladly serve to the death."

Sweeping through the army like a whirlwind, Chapter 43: Reinforcing

Huang Shi. While ordering the entire army to immediately begin preparations for the expedition, he also ordered a portion of the winter rations to be transferred from the warehouses. Simultaneously, he ordered He Dingyuan of Fuzhou to reduce the number of troops he was sending, and to immediately send all other camps in Liaonan back to their respective garrisons. Any surplus military rations were to be transported back to Changsheng Island.

Currently, the main objective of Changsheng Island was set in the Ningyuan direction, but Huang Shi still needed to arrange work in Fuzhou. It would be a waste not to utilize Wu Mu's extensive preliminary work. Besides, recapturing Gaizhou seemed like a piece of cake. However, maintaining the defenses in Gaizhou was a major problem, especially since Gaizhou was already on the edge of the hilly region of the Liaodong Peninsula. From Gaizhou to Haizhou, one would enter the Northeast Plain, meaning logistical transport could no longer rely on sea routes.

Once they entered the plains, the Later Jin cavalry would have an easier time utilizing their tactical mobility advantages compared to the hilly peninsula region, but Huang Shi's infantry would still be heavily reliant on the official roads. In Huang Shi's original plan, now was not the time to enter the area surrounding Gaizhou for combat. Seemingly sensing Huang Shi's concerns, Zhao Manxiong cautiously asked, "Sir, should we also go to the horse market to buy some horses? He Youji has always hoped to establish a horse corps."

Mao Wenlong seized the opportunity of Huang Shi's occupation of Fuzhou to petition the Tianqi Emperor, requesting permission to open a horse market in Dongjiang Town for trade with the Mongols, allowing Dongjiang Town to trade horses with the Mongols using sea salt and medicinal herbs. As a result, the Dongjiang horse market opened several months earlier than originally recorded in history. During this period, the Dongjiang Left Army did not replace a single horse. The Shang brothers and Zhang Pan were busy training their spearmen and naturally did not want to spend money on buying horses, while Zhang Minghe had basically integrated into the Changsheng Island system, so he naturally had no intention of changing horses.

In just a few months, the Dongjiang headquarters and the Right Wing had exchanged over a thousand horses. When their horse transport ships passed by Changsheng Island, the escorts would often disembark to ask for a drink. He Dingyuan was extremely envious of these fleets of horses, wishing he could seize them all, so he constantly clamored to buy horses himself. However, Bao Jiusun and Yang Zhiyuan both opposed it, and even Liu Qingyang, who occasionally returned from Japan, disapproved of buying horses. Therefore, the already small cavalry force on Changsheng Island dwindled as the horses died.

According to Changsheng Island's organization, each camp had a cavalry unit, originally consisting of two hundred cavalrymen and two hundred auxiliary cavalrymen. However, during the last reorganization of the Vanguard Camp, Huang Shi also eliminated the two hundred auxiliary cavalrymen. Now, the cavalry units no longer had independent auxiliary units; all the fodder needed for the horses was carried by the camp's auxiliary units, causing each camp's cavalry units to completely lose their ability to fight independently.

Without independent cavalry units, they could only advance from fortified positions on the plains. Huang Shi stared at the location of Gaizhou on the map, and finally shook his head: "No, Changsheng Island can't afford to raise horses. As for Gaizhou, we'll send a troop to drive the Jurchens away, then burn down the surrounding fortresses and remove every Jurchen flag. Driving the Jurchens out would barely count as recovering half of Gaizhou."

According to Changsheng Island's calculations, the cost of raising one warhorse is equivalent to raising seven or eight infantrymen. Before the cavalry auxiliary troops were eliminated, a cavalry unit of four hundred men accounted for almost 40% of the maintenance cost of a field battalion. Gunpowder used for artillery practice was another major expense. Don't underestimate the artillery unit, which only has two hundred men; they still account for 30% of the maintenance cost. The cost of the two thousand infantrymen in the battalion is only about the same as that of the artillery unit. Musketeers consume very little gunpowder, and they don't practice shooting all day long. Pikemen are the cheapest soldiers to consume; apart from food and pay, they don't need any other maintenance costs.

Although Duncan was always extravagant when training artillery, as if gunpowder were free, the improvement in artillery technology was undeniable. However, the warhorses ate better than the people all day long, and in such large quantities, that the cash-strapped logistics officers on Changsheng Island were truly heartbroken. They were among the first to cut cavalry auxiliary troops, and after eliminating these horses, the logistics officers of the old camp finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Raising a cavalry battalion requires at least a thousand warhorses, right? They eat less normally, but during campaigns, to prevent them from losing weight, a 400-pound horse needs 20 pounds of grain a day. And they can't carry their own loads; we need pack horses or auxiliary troops to carry their fodder. With that much money, I could raise at least five infantry battalions without cavalry!" Changsheng Island in Huangshi was not comparable to the Later Jin regime controlling the Liaozhong Plain. The Liaonan region was ravaged by years of protracted warfare. If a few cavalry camps were established, the Changsheng Army could exhaust itself without the Later Jin

even needing to attack. Mao Wenlong bought horses because his elite troops were few in number; he preferred to sacrifice the living standards of ordinary soldiers to strengthen his few elite soldiers. Huang Shi's approach was different. As long as morale and courage were comparable, infantry costs only one-tenth that of cavalry. Like industrialized assembly line production compared to primitive handicraft workshops, it seemed like a better option.

Ultimately, human life was the cheapest commodity. Huang Shi had made up his mind to train a large number of qualified infantry using modern military systems, determined to drown the enemy's small elite cavalry in a sea of modern infantry. Comparing infantry and cavalry, as one military strategist said—the more advanced a country's military system, the more it relies on infantry, and vice versa.

December 17th, 5th year of the Tianqi reign, Changsheng Island beach.

Forty ships bobbed and swayed in the dark blue icy sea. In the boundless expanse of the Liaodong Sea, each massive vessel, capable of holding a hundred men, seemed as small as a child's toy. The ships rose and fell on the surging waves, their masts appearing and disappearing amidst the towering billows.

Hundreds of small boats struggled against the waves, carrying soldiers, weapons, fresh water, and provisions from the shore to the ships. Because Wu Mu had already transported hay and warhorses to Fuzhou, Hong Antong's inner guard was short of mounts, so Huang Shi didn't take any horses to Ningyuan. After all, cavalry wouldn't be of much use in defending the city.

This expedition consisted of seven infantry units totaling 2,800 men, eight artillery groups totaling 160 men, six wrought-iron three-pound cannons and two six-pound cannons, plus a long-spear regiment of artillerymen, and finally, Huang Shi's accompanying inner guard, bringing the total to over 3,100 officers and soldiers. Huang Shi didn't bring any auxiliary soldiers, as the newly trained engineering corps had been sent to Fuzhou by Wu Mu. On Changsheng Island, the only people available for recruitment were ordinary military households.

The sailors sent from Tianjin were sufficient for the hauling and unloading work. Once they reached Juehua, Huang Shi could recruit local auxiliary soldiers, so he didn't plan to mobilize his own military households. These people offered no advantage and were just wasting food. He

could vaguely see Duncan jumping and shouting on the dock. Due to the wind and waves, not only had they failed to hoist the heavy six-pound bronze cannon, but even the wrought iron cannon hadn't been successfully hoisted onto the small boat several times. Huang Shi looked up at the sky, a dark blue like the icy sea. If the cannon couldn't be hoisted onto the ship before dark, they couldn't set sail today.

Huang Shi was very satisfied with the achievement of the iron cannon, but other aspects were less satisfactory. Although he had already spent several thousand taels of silver and employed a large number of blacksmiths, the mass-produced steel armor that Huang Shi urgently needed was still not produced. Changsheng Island has already established the hardness grade of the steel according to Huang Shi's requirements, as he hopes to apply the high-performance new high-carbon steel to various shafts and cutting tools. Unfortunately, steel processing is extremely difficult; the old iron tools are completely inadequate, and the quality of the newly manufactured steel tools is very inconsistent. Bao Jiusun believes that only by completely replacing the old tools with new ones can the crucible steel of Changsheng Island be processed efficiently. He estimates that this will require at least a year of technical accumulation.

At the time, facing Bao Jiusun's apology, Huang Shi generously stated that there was no rush and that he was already very satisfied with Bao's work. Huang Shi understood that Beijing could not be built overnight, and half a year was still too short; it was completely understandable that the technical accumulation for steel processing had not been completed.

Watching Duncan's busy work, Huang Shi couldn't help but recall what simple future tools he could use. He looked at the sliding rods they were currently using for a while and felt that perhaps he could draw a sketch of a pulley and have Bao Jiusun try to see if he could build a pulley system, especially a movable pulley system.

However, this was definitely not a solution for the immediate problem. Suppressing his anxiety, Huang Shi spoke to Wu Mu beside him in as light a tone as possible, "Eunuch Wu, are you really not going to reconsider my proposed strategy of splitting up the operations?"

Huang Shi had originally suggested that Wu Mu command the military operations in Fuzhou. After all, Eunuch Wu had poured several months of effort into recapturing Gaizhou; it would be a shame not to let him reap some rewards. But Wu Mu flatly refused, insisting on sailing with Huang Shi to Juehua and then jointly reinforcing Ningyuan.

Hearing Huang Shi's question, Wu Mu slowly shook his head. Standing beside Huang Shi on the beach, hands clasped behind his back, Eunuch Wu watched the soldiers battling the waves and desperately loading cannons, and sighed with a sense of loss, "I've always wanted to contribute to the country, but I always end up hindering it, always causing trouble for those who are actually doing the work. It's only thanks to Eunuch Wei's protection and General Huang's magnanimity that I can still stand in this position today."

Huang Shi was stunned by these words. Wu Mu sighed again, "Last night I thought about it and realized I owe General Huang a great deal."

Huang Shi then realized what was going on and laughed, "What are you saying, Eunuch Wu? You didn't know I would be returning yesterday, nor did you know I was going to support Ningyuan. Recapturing Gaizhou requires careful planning, and for you to take on such a heavy responsibility on your first attempt is far more daring than I was back then."

"General Huang is truly a generous man," Wu Mu said today with a different kind of depth, even his expression was quite reserved. "However, that's not what I meant."

Huang Shi turned to look at him, completely baffled by Wu Mu's words. But since the other party wouldn't explain himself, Huang Shi didn't press the matter.

“I sent half of General Huang’s army to Fuzhou, leaving him with only 3,000 soldiers to go to Ningyuan.” As he spoke, Wu Mu shook his head again, his expression resolute: “I heard that this time it is the Great Slave Chief Nurhaci personally leading the team, with 15,000 armored soldiers. Naturally, I will stand with General Huang.”

When Wu Mu first came to Changsheng Island, Huang Shi always advised him not to take the risk. Over the years, Wu Mu had almost always stood shoulder to shoulder with Huang Shi, so Huang Shi simply smiled upon hearing this: "Very well, it is a great pleasure for this humble general to fight alongside Eunuch Wu."

"General Huang," a soft voice called out again, and a warm, ambiguous smile suddenly appeared on Wu Mu's face: "General Huang, you've been away from the capital for several months, and you're only back for two days before setting off again. I've heard that you have a confidante on the island; why don't you go and see her?"

Seeing the surprised look in Huang Shi's eyes, Wu Mu became even more smug: "General Huang, there's no need to be so surprised. I know a great deal. That young lady's surname is Wang, isn't that right?"

"Eunuch Wu is indeed insightful." By this time, Huang Shi had grasped the general situation, guessing that Wu Mu had inquired about the Imperial Guard's intelligence work. Before leaving, Huang Shi had instructed Hong Antong and Li Yunrui not to conceal information from Wu Mu, lest it jeopardize military operations. Now that the Imperial Guard's routine reconnaissance of Lady Wang had been discovered by this fellow, Huang Shi stopped hiding. He smiled and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Please keep this a secret, Eunuch Wu."

"Of course," Wu Mu accepted Huang Shi's bow with his head held high. In fact, he had kept his mouth shut ever since seeing the Imperial Guard's records, not even telling Zhang Gaosheng or Chen Ruike. He glanced at the loading speed: "General Huang, you can go and wander around now. I'll keep an eye on things here."

"With a major battle imminent, how could I have the leisure for that?" There was no need for anyone to watch the oysters on the beach anymore, and Huang Shi didn't want to rashly barge into the Wang family's residence, fearing that any rumors might spread that would be bad for either of them.

Wu Mu was silent for a moment, then suddenly said in a low voice, "Before I entered the palace, I also had a confidante. Although I was poor and unable to afford a betrothal, it was still good to have a few intimate words with her before each escort mission."

Huang Shi felt strange talking about romantic relationships with a eunuch. Seeing that Huang Shi didn't respond, Wu Mu continued, "Before each escort mission, even if we didn't have anything to say, even if we didn't know how long it would take to return, even if we were afraid her family would find out, I would always go and tell her, 'Don't worry, I'll be fine.' Although she would still worry, it would be much better, wouldn't it?"

...

After the guard walked away, Huang Shi stared at those expectant dark eyes for a while: "I'm so sorry to have called you out in this cold weather."

There was no reaction from the other side, so Huang Shi smiled: "I'm going to Ningyuan soon, and I'll be boarding the ship in a bit. It will be at most two months, at least a month, but I'll definitely be back."

"Mm." Finally, a barely audible nasal sound came.

Just now, when he had the guard go to the Wang family to bring her here, Huang Shi ran back to his residence. Upon arriving in Beijing, he immediately purchased a batch of gifts to give as gifts, preparing to leave as soon as he completed his audience with the Emperor. Huang Shi took out a beautiful embroidery from his pocket. According to knowledgeable soldiers, this kind of embroidery could be sewn onto the lapels and cuffs of women's blouses, and could also be used to make sewing kits. Huang Shi guessed that sewing kits might be similar to the handbags used by women in the 20th century. He gently handed it to the girl opposite him. The girl loosened her gathered cuffs, slightly revealing her reddened fingertips, and took it. The

petite girl, like a porcelain doll, stroked the bright, shimmering embroidery thread, unable to hide her joy. Huang Shi felt a warm glow in his heart. He smiled and asked, "Did you like the land you bought in the capital?"

Wang Xiaoniangzi lowered her head, fiddling with her new gift, her lips pursed tightly. She nodded quickly, "Yes, I liked it."

"That's good." Huang Shi looked around, his mind already on the docks. "Go home quickly, it's so cold, don't catch a cold."

...

Korea, Uiju.

In a dilapidated thatched hut, four brothers lay stiffly on their beds, each covered with dry straw. Their eyes were wide open, staring motionlessly at the ceiling. This was the typical way for the Dongjiang army households in Uiju to survive the winter. Although people of this era didn't understand the law of conservation of energy, they had discovered that lying down all day and reducing activity slowed their hunger, and that staying warm also saved food.

Last time they went to Zhenjiang to gather hay, the eldest and second eldest brothers each brought back a bag or two of mixed grains, along with many snakes, frogs, and other small animals. These things, combined with the monthly rations from Dongjiang Town, were enough to keep them from starving. But to ensure they could survive the winter, they wouldn't even urinate unless they absolutely had to.

A commotion seemed to be coming from outside, growing louder and louder. The youngest boy, who had been lying in bed for days, strained to listen, but after a while, he became itchy and couldn't resist going out to see what was happening. The noise outside grew increasingly loud; he strained his ears

, trying desperately to hear, but he couldn't make out anything. The fourth boy had barely turned over when the dilapidated wooden bed creaked horribly, shattering the room's tranquility. "Little Fourth, stay put," the eldest boy's authoritative voice boomed, filled with an undeniable force. "Otherwise, you'll be complaining of hunger again soon."

The room fell silent again. The noise outside was already quite loud, but still indistinct, as if countless people were shouting from a great distance.

"Attack..."

"Attack..."

"...Shenyang..."

The sounds entering the dilapidated house gradually began to make sense. The four inside held their breath, listening intently to every sound from outside.

The second brother suddenly shouted, "We'll march on Shenyang and eat pigs and sheep!" He jumped out of bed, throwing the dry straw he was wearing all over the room.

The moment his second brother jumped up and pushed open the door, their neighbors erupted in wild shouts:

"Marshal Mao!"

"It really is Marshal Mao!" "

Marshal Mao is

launching another counterattack on Liaodong!" Like a swarm of butterflies sweeping across the land

, everyone in the thatched huts of Dongjiang Town was busy. The eldest brother had already lit the stove and was blowing hard to make it burn brighter, the smoke from the flames covering his face.

The third brother had already cleaned the three large, pointed wooden sticks and was frantically sharpening the newly forged waist knife. He sharpened the knife with gritted teeth, making it squeak, and said without turning his head, "Brother,

it's okay if we don't have time to bake the flatbreads. Anyway, the commander-in-chief will provide meals on the way." "It'll be ready soon, it'll be ready soon." The eldest brother blew on the oven a few more times, while reaching out to test the temperature of the oven wall. "What's the rush? The army won't be able to get there anytime soon. Let's carry a few flatbreads with us, that way we'll feel more at ease."

The youngest of the four brothers rummaged around for a while and finally managed to find all the relatively intact pieces of cloth in the house. He even dug out the birch bark from the bedding to use for wrapping things. Of course, he didn't forget the cloth bundles either. The second brother helped his youngest brother tie his clothes, and then, while stuffing dry grass into his shoes, he instructed him, "Don't think it's too much trouble, don't worry about hurting your feet, make sure you stuff them in carefully. Every time we go to war, I've seen several people lose their feet to frostbite."

Finally, each of the four brothers had three flatbreads in their pockets, and each of them had three cloth bundles securely tied around their waists. The eldest brother wrapped some straw rope around his scabbardless sword and carefully tucked it into his belt. Then he slung his cleaned wooden shield over his shoulder, and he and the second brother each carried some hemp rope. After looking around his house and at his three brothers who were watching him, the eldest brother asked one last time, "Brothers, you haven't forgotten anything, have you?"

The three answered loudly without hesitation, "No, brother."

"Good, let's get ready to go."

The eldest brother carefully took out a small earthenware jar, opened it cautiously, and then used his hands to scoop out some grease that had been accumulating for who knows how long. It was hard to tell if the grease was lard, vegetable oil, or some kind of tallow or mutton fat, because it contained everything. He divided the grease little by little among his three brothers, watching them carefully smear it on their faces and hands, before finally rubbing the last bit of grease from their hands onto their own faces.

The four men covered their ears with rags, put on old hats to block the wind, and the eldest brother pushed open the dilapidated wooden door. The cold wind rushed in, making him shiver. He squinted at the sky, strode out of the house.

"We'll march to Shenyang, and feast on pork and mutton!"

The marching column roared, and the four brothers, walking towards the column, waved their canes vigorously, joining in the spirited shouts.

"Second Brother Sun!"

After joining the column, the second brother suddenly felt someone tug at his sleeve. He turned around and saw it was the Bai family from next door. The family consisted of a grandfather and grandson, and Bai Youcai, who had tugged at his sleeve, was an exceptionally filial young man. The last time they went to Zhenjiang to hunt for hay, Bai Youcai had traveled with the Sun brothers. Back then, no matter what he caught, he wouldn't eat it himself, insisting on bringing it back to share with his grandfather.

Bai Youcai winked at Sun's second son, then smirked at his two younger brothers: "You four brothers all came this time? Not even one left to guard the house?"

"What's there to see at home?" Sun's second son replied casually, but then suddenly noticed the person following Bai Youcai and quickly bowed: "Grandpa Bai, you're here too?"

"Yes, Er Gouzi." The old man of the Bai family, carrying three wooden javelins and gripping a thick cane, followed the crowd. The old man's withered lips had sunken deeply, and when he grinned, he revealed his last few teeth: "Counterattack Liaodong!"

Another long roar came from afar, and someone shouted in a drawn-out voice: "Fight to Shenyang—"

"Eat pigs and sheep!" Including Grandpa Bai and Sun Er Gouzi, every soldier of the Dongjiang Army excitedly waved their fists and weapons, shouting with great vigor.

Tens of thousands of soldiers from Dongjiang formed a long, winding line. At the head of this seemingly endless serpent, two large red flags fluttered in the north wind, like the tongues of venomous snakes poised to strike.

"General Pingliao!"

"Commander-in-Chief of Dongjiang!"

The knight positioned directly in front of the two flags was none other than Mao Wenlong, the Left Commander-in-Chief of the Ming Dynasty, his gleaming armor gleaming in the winter light. Mao Wenlong held his chin high in the biting north wind, his face etched with deep wrinkles. He was as proud as an invincible war god, as triumphant as if marching on a victorious march.

This confident demeanor drew cheers from the soldiers lining the road, and his loyal guards behind him murmured their admiration. Behind Mao Wenlong, riding slowly, a servant held a Shangfang sword tightly wrapped in yellow silk, imitating his master's mannerisms, practically tilting his nose to the sky.

Flanking the imperial sword were flag bearers, who proudly held aloft their two military flags, guiding the Dongjiang army behind them as they resolutely marched north…

Afternoon of December 17th, 5th year of the Tianqi reign, Guangning Right Garrison.

Not a trace of smoke remained on the city walls, but the red flags of the Ming Dynasty were nowhere to be seen; instead, they were filled with the flags of the Later Jin. Huang Taiji and Mangultai stood atop the city tower, watching with satisfaction the long convoys of handcarts below. These unarmored soldiers, originally responsible for transporting military provisions from Haizhou to the front lines, had turned around, continuously transporting the mountains of grain and cotton cloth piled up in the Right Garrison back to Haizhou.

Three days earlier, Zhou Shoulian, the Ningyuan Central Assistant Commander, had abandoned the Right Garrison and fled, leaving 40,000 shi of rice and beans in the warehouses to fall into enemy hands. Combined with the spoils acquired since crossing the river on the 16th, the Later Jin army's advance had been greatly slowed by these burdens. Just like the Battle of Ningyuan in the original history of Huangshi, Nurhaci had to temporarily order a second mobilization of the rear Niru (military units), requiring each Niru to send an additional hundred men with handcarts to follow the main force. To complete this order, the Later Jin Niru had to incorporate their bannermen and bondservants into the transport teams.

Watching the endless stream of convoys transporting grain to the rear, Mangultai laughed triumphantly and slapped Huang Taiji beside him: "Eighth brother, I told you so. If we want to slaughter pigs and eat meat, we still have to fight the Guan Ning Army. After this battle, this winter will be much easier. A few days ago, I saw those little brats in the banners, they were all starving like monkeys; and those women were all skin and bones. Now we can eat our fill for a few days."

"Oh my gosh~~~ oh my gosh." In his excitement, Mangultai stretched comfortably and twisted his neck, making his bones crack. He even spoke with a hint of Kunqu opera: "This is much better than fighting that poor bastard Mao Wenlong in Liaodong. We could only get empty bundles from the Dongjiang army; killing a thousand Dongjiang soldiers wouldn't even get us a single set of armor."

Hearing him mention armor, Huang Taiji smiled and said, "Fifth Brother, thank you for the armor you gave me last time."

"No problem, no problem," Mangultai waved his hand dismissively. After Huang Taiji returned from Liaodong, Mangultai sent him a batch of spoils from the Yaozhou battle: "Why be so polite with your own brother? Didn't you give me several hundred soldiers and a lot of cattle and sheep when you came back from Liaobei last time?"

Huang Taiji had indeed sent some prisoners to Mangultai after driving away Lindan Khan, but only a little over five hundred. Ligdan Khan wasn't wealthy to begin with, so Huang Taiji didn't get much land, cattle, or sheep from the spoils, and even less for Mangultai: "That little bit of stuff isn't worth so much armor and weapons, Fifth Brother."

"Sigh, I said it's worth it, and it is. Such a trivial matter, and you keep thanking me endlessly." Although Mangultai had given a lot, he felt it was fair to repay Huang Taiji's favor. He didn't want Huang Taiji to keep thanking him. Mangultai said impatiently, "In the future, if you get anything good, just don't forget to give your brother a share. You're too long-winded, just like those southern barbarians. But you've read their books, so you are indeed smarter than us. Those southern barbarians do have some merit."

Huang Taiji smiled and said nothing more. He glanced southwest: "We'll soon cross Guangningwei and enter Ningyuanwei territory, getting further and further away from Liaoyang. Father, and Fifth Brother, you don't listen to me. If Mao Wenlong makes his move now, Amin alone probably won't be able to handle it."

Mangultai sneered, curling his lip dismissively, "If we can't handle it, so be it. Mao Wenlong has already gnawed clean Zhenjiang and Lianshan. Didn't they say the crows there have all moved away? As long as our men hold a few fortresses, let Mao Wenlong do whatever he wants. Anyway, there's nothing left there; I don't believe they can eat dirt. To be honest, I'm more worried about southern Liaoyang."

"The Changsheng Army?"

“Yes.” Mangultai shuddered, his smile replaced by an expression of hatred and fear.

After Huang Taiji returned from Liaobei, Mangultai dug up the cannons again, most of which were still usable. After testing by the two brothers, they found that the Ming army's cannons were only slightly more effective than crossbows, due to their extremely low accuracy and slow reloading speed. Mangultai was so angry he wanted to kill someone, but Huang Taiji stopped him. He reminded Mangultai—in the Battle of Nanguan, the Changsheng army's cannons were only effective at close range. It seemed this thing was only good for defending or attacking cities.

Mangultai pondered for a moment, still shaken, and said with slight worry, “Eighth Brother, will your method work?”

“No problem, Haizhou is safe. Fifth Brother, you have very little faith in me.”

The Later Jin side already knew Huang Shi had gone to Beijing before this expedition, but to ensure a retreat, Huang Taiji still dragged all the usable cannons to Haizhou. The two hundred captured Ming artillerymen, who had always received special treatment, continued to be treated to fine food and wine. Huang Taiji and Mangultai even elevated them to banner status, and this time they were all left in Haizhou to prepare for bombarding any potential attacks from the Changsheng Army.

These new "banner people," suddenly given land, wealth, and large houses, excitedly patted their chests and assured the two princes that if the Changsheng Army attacked, they would definitely destroy all the Ming army's siege equipment.

"I have great confidence in your plans, but what if you encounter Huang Shi… well, of course, your plans won't be ineffective against him, but…" Mangultai tilted his head, thinking for a long time. He was a little embarrassed to directly express his opinion of Huang Taiji, but he stammered for a long time without finding a suitable word from his limited vocabulary.

"Don't worry, Fifth Brother," Huang Taiji chuckled, patting the uneasy Mangultai with confidence. "Chang Sheng Island doesn't have enough horses, and I doubt they have enough rations either. In this freezing weather, they certainly won't last long in the wild."

The area around Gaizhou is now a barren wasteland. Mangultai hasn't been idle these past few months; he's burned down every thatched hut, filled in every well, leaving not a single grain of food or a scrap of cloth.

The Gaizhou garrison has also prepared piles of firewood, ready to burn the castle to the ground at any moment. Mangultai vowed to ensure the Ming army finds no shelter from the cold in the winter, and never encounters any inhabitants or gets a hot meal.

Reflecting on his entire plan, Mangultai believed no one could have done it better. He rubbed his hands together. "It's good that they can't come in winter. We'll go back to Liaoyang in spring. There aren't many people on Changsheng Island, let alone many horses. Hmph, if we can't beat the soldiers of Changsheng Island, surely we can beat their supply train? I don't believe it."

After his impassioned speech, Mangultai laughed heartily, looking around smugly. Huang Taiji didn't say much, but quietly waited for his fifth brother to continue. As expected, the once-proud Mangultai looked around and lowered his voice again, asking, "Do you think the Changsheng Army might take the sea route and block our way?"

"Didn't I discuss this with you, Fifth Brother, last time?" Huang Taiji, who had anticipated this, showed no emotion on his face, his smile still as kind and natural as ever: "According to the news from Changsheng Island, their main force has already gone to Fuzhou, and the elite troops of the entire Dongjiang Town Left Wing are concentrating in Fuzhou. Even if Huang Shi returns to Changsheng Island in the next couple of days, even if he can get enough ships, it won't be enough time to transfer the troops back."

Huang Taiji glanced at Mangultai: "Fifth Brother, do you still remember how many people are on Changsheng Island now?"

"How could I not remember? I remember it all too clearly." Before setting out, Mangultai had practically worn out the intelligence on Liaonan. During those days, he even learned to use an abacus, saying that he would personally calculate the strength of the Changsheng Army from now on, because he didn't feel at ease leaving this work to his staff: "One Panshi Battalion, five infantry units. A total of two thousand officers and soldiers. It seems that there are still two artillery units that haven't left, a total of twelve cannons, two large and ten small. There are no cavalry units, and half a useless Vanguard Battalion."

"Fifth Brother is right, this number of troops is simply no match for our army in open battle. If they want to defend the city, we can just go around them."

Huang Taiji looked confident and composed, his tone even more unperturbed: "Two thousand infantrymen, do you think they would dare to go out of the city to pursue us?"

Mangultai listened and kept nodding. In fact, he had already analyzed what Huang Taiji said, but he still felt a strange sense of unease, and recently he was often awakened by nightmares. The Third Prince, ashamed of his cowardice, scratched his ear: "You're absolutely right, but why do I always feel so anxious?"

Huang Taiji understood Mangultai's reaction and didn't offer any further words of comfort. Instead, he recommended a shaman to his brother. After the Battle of Fuzhou, Huang Taiji had replaced the old shaman. According to Huang Taiji, the new shaman was very capable, always able to summon the gods, and his prophecies were very accurate. He suggested that Mangultai visit his tent that night to prevent him from being so paranoid and constantly scaring himself.

...

December 18th, Changsheng Island.

The weather was uncooperative; the Changsheng army still hadn't left yesterday. However, the wind had stopped this morning, and the waves had suddenly subsided. Duncan seized the opportunity to load cannons and crates of gunpowder onto the ships, while Huang Shi and Wu Mu escorted the last batch of ammunition onto the ships.

Standing at the bow, Huang Shi gazed out at the Changsheng Island, its waters undulating in the icy sea, slowly moving towards his right, accelerating steadily but without pause until it disappeared from his sight. He looked up at the mast behind him; a sailor, strapped to it, was frantically waving a huge red flag.

After Huang Shi's ship had turned around, a sailor raised a long horn. He leaned back, took a deep breath, and then puffed out his cheeks, blowing the horn with all his might. The long, drawn-out horn sound drifted in the sea breeze, sounding like a mournful sob. The officers and men on the deck all looked towards the stern; the hard sails on the mast were already hoisted, and Changsheng Island receded into the distance behind them.

On the sea, ships began to turn around. With the mournful sound of bugles, dozens of ships scattered off Changsheng Island weighed anchor and set sail in an orderly fashion. Soon, their sails were fully hoisted, forming a line across the sea…

The sky gradually darkened, and half the sun disappeared below the horizon. Huang Shi stood at the bow, gazing westward. His warship tossed and turned on the dark brown sea, its bow cleaving through the bluish-gray waves. The shouts of the Imperial Guard officers could be heard intermittently; all the hygiene regulations for maritime navigation on Changsheng Island were being implemented methodically. According to Huang Shi's orders, these regulations also applied to the sailors from Tianjin. The soldiers checked their equipment, knowing how crucial pre-battle preparations were for the fighting on the battlefield.

The wind direction wasn't entirely favorable, but it wasn't completely headwind either. Night had fallen, and Huang Shi could no longer see the ships behind him, only judging their distance by the torches lit on their masts. Before entering the cabin, he raised his hand one last time to feel the sea breeze.

—At this speed, we can reach Juehua in four days. Hmm, by then the ice at Juehua port should have been broken, right?

Chapter 45 of "Sweeping Through the Army Like a Rolling Mat": Siblings,

December 19th, Tianqi Year 5, Phoenix City.

Wrapped in a thick sheepskin coat, with a fox fur collar around his neck and a mink hat on his head, the esteemed Second Prince Amin sat in his warm bed, sipping meat soup, looking like an ordinary nouveau riche. This damned weather was unbearably cold. Last night he'd added a charcoal brazier to his room and heated the kang (heated brick bed) to make it scorching hot, yet this morning he still found himself chilled. The houses here in Phoenix City were terribly drafty. Amin began to miss the grand house in Liaoyang City. But then he chuckled self-deprecatingly; back when he first started conquering the land, the houses weren't even as nice as they were now. He'd been living comfortably for too long and was starting to feel the pinch. He didn't plan to get out of bed this morning unless there was something urgent. Amin felt that a year of fighting across the country had been exhausting enough; taking a day off now and then was perfectly reasonable. In this cold weather, even God wanted everyone to rest.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. A lackey from the Bordered Blue Banner trotted into his yurt: "Master, the Ming army has crossed the Yalu River again. The news from Zhenjiang says there are many soldiers, young and old, even more than last time."

"Has Wenlong already run out of food so quickly? He really doesn't know how to manage his resources." Amin sniffed, comfortably warming his hands on the soup bowl, showing no sign of anxiety or intention to get up: "Let Wenlong cause trouble. There's nothing left outside Zhenjiang. It's freezing cold; let him starve to death."

Zhenjiang Fort has been ravaged by war for five years and has been fortified by the Later Jin army. Now, there are eight Niru from the Bordered Blue Banner in the city, along with more than two thousand Han soldiers. The garrison, both Manchu and Han, clearly know that the Ming army outside the city is starving, so they will definitely stick together and fight to the death to defend the city.

"Master, the Ming army didn't attack Zhenjiang, but went straight to Kuandian."

"Oh..." A layer of doubt flashed across Amin's face. He picked up his bowl, took a small sip of hot soup, and muttered to himself while hugging the quilt, "Could Chen Jisheng's place be very wealthy?"

"Master, Master!" Another servant rushed in, tumbling and scrambling. He shouted hoarsely, "Xianshan Fort is lost, lost! The Han soldiers who escaped said that Mao Youjie of Kuandian has come down the mountain. There are probably tens of thousands of Ming soldiers, young and old."

"Xianshan Fort is so poor. Is it really necessary?" Amin was stunned. Xianshan Fort only had a small number of surveillance troops and very little food. The Ming army was too small to take it, but there was no profit in sending too many. Based on years of experience, Mao Wenlong never considered strategic or non-strategic locations, only whether they could provide him with food and supplies. Therefore, Amin liked to establish surveillance outposts like Xianshan Fort, and for a long time, the results had been quite good, greatly limiting the range of the Dongjiang army's foraging.

There were only a few dozen bushels of grain stored in Xianshan Fort. With tens of thousands of men under Mao Wenlong and tens of thousands under Geng Zhongming, it was clearly not enough to go around. Amin sat there holding her bowl, pondering for a long time. If Kong Youde's attack on Xianshan Fort was for Mao Wenlong's journey to Kuandian, that seemed plausible. But if Mao Wenlong wasn't in a hurry, he could easily have gone to Kuandian from Shuozhou in Korea. Passing through the vicinity of Zhenjiang only had one advantage: the plains roads were faster than the mountain roads of Shuozhou. So why were they in such a rush to escort Mao Wenlong to Kuandian?

Just as Amin was deep in thought, a third messenger rushed in, howling as he lay on the ground, "It's terrible, Master!"

He seemed to have run very fast; after shouting, he took two deep breaths before continuing, "Urgent military news from Xin'an Fort! Chen Jisheng and Mao Yongshi from Kuandian... Kuandian's Chen Jisheng and Mao Yongshi have both come down the mountain! The Ming army includes men, women, and children. They're a dense, uncountable mass, probably tens of thousands. The leader, judging by the banner, is Mao Yongshi; he's leading over a thousand cavalry, heading straight for Jiumaji Fort!"

Behind Jiumaji Fort lay the Liaozhong Plain, beyond which lay Xianning Camp (near present-day Benxi City), and beyond that, Shenyang—a flat plain with no further obstacles.

Amin, dumbfounded, froze, spilling most of the bowl of meat soup onto the quilt. Although he hadn't fully grasped the situation, Amin knew clearly that Mao Wenlong wasn't planning on letting him comfortably spend the winter in a warm house.

...

On the night of the 19th, in Juehua.

Zhao Yingong, the Ningqian Circuit Grain Supervisor, returned home today looking rather unhappy. He hurried into the back hall, trying his best to suppress his emotions, and after paying his respects to his mother with proper etiquette, he went to the central courtyard for dinner, still seething with anger. When the food was served, Zhao Yingong quickly stuffed his mouth, only to choke after a few bites. As he frantically pounded his chest, a cup of hot tea was handed to him.

After gulping down the tea, Zhao Yingong finally let out a long breath, then patted his chest and panted for a while, saying, "Little sister, thank you."

His younger sister took the teacup, smoothed her green skirt, and sat down at the table, asking with concern, "What happened to you today, brother? Don't worry too much, eat slowly, and then get some rest."

"Okay, I know." Under his sister's gentle encouragement, Zhao Yingong ate much more politely. After finishing his meal, his younger sister brewed Zhao Yingong's favorite scented tea and brought it to him.

Drinking the hot tea after the meal, Zhao Yingong felt the chill in his chest and abdomen gradually disappear. He smiled at his sister, "Whoever marries my little sister will be truly blessed."

"Brother is teasing me," Zhao's younger sister said, her cheeks flushed. She picked up the teapot again, filled her brother's cup, and then poured herself a cup as well. She took a sip and smiled, "Brother is a lucky man. Not only is your sister-in-law a wonderful cook, but she's also so beautiful."

Currently, both the Zhao siblings are in mourning, so although Zhao Yingong is engaged, he hasn't been able to marry. His younger sister has been using every opportunity to gather information from her fiancé's relatives and friends, and the information she's gathered is quite positive. Then she whispers praises of her future sister-in-law in her brother's ear, making Zhao Yingong feel sweet inside. In his spare time, he often recalls his sister's words and imagines his fiancée's beautiful figure.

In the past, no matter what unhappy things Zhao Yingong encountered, as long as his younger sister brought up this topic, his unhappiness would vanish. Although the elder brother wouldn't say anything that he considered beneath his dignity, he would lean back comfortably in his chair, listening with a smile to his sister's chatter like a little magpie.

Unfortunately, today his younger sister has misunderstood. When she mentioned her future sister-in-law, the expected happy smile didn't appear on Zhao Yingong's face; instead, his expression immediately darkened. Zhao Yingong snorted coldly, "Little sister, do you know what happened to me today? Humph, that guy who ruined your marriage is causing me trouble again." Before

his father died, Old Master Zhao was already very ill, and the doctor had said something similar about preparing for his funeral. But regardless, Zhang Zaidi's self-righteous move was like kicking the final straw. Old

Madam Zhao constantly nagged: if it weren't for that wicked Huang Shi, Old Master would never have passed away so young. So even though the Zhao family didn't consider Huang Shi their father's killer, they always harbored resentment towards him.

Old Master Zhao's death not only affected Zhao Yingong's eldest sister's marriage but also forced Zhao Yingong and his younger sister to observe three years of mourning when they reached marriageable age, wasting their time. Zhao Yingong's younger brother hadn't yet achieved official rank, so the Zhao family sent him to study in the capital.

A series of pent-up resentments had accumulated to a considerable degree.

Sure enough…

upon hearing Huang Shi's name, Zhao Xiaomei's face also showed resentment. Her elder sister had suffered for over two years from her in-laws because of that mess with Huang Shi. Moreover, her sister hadn't given birth in recent years, which only compounded her misery, causing Zhao Xiaomei to endure endless scorn from her in-laws and cold words from her husband. It wasn't until last year, when Zhao Yingong abused his power for the first time in his life, transferring his brother-in-law to Juehua as a clerk, that her sister's life improved somewhat.

Over the years, Zhao Yingong had worked diligently, and no one could find fault with anything he handled. His superiors always praised him, so he, a mere scholar, had quickly risen to the rank of sixth-grade prefect, and even held the most prestigious position of grain commissioner. This naturally aroused the jealousy of his colleagues. Since Zhao Yingong's work was impeccable, they had nothing to say but nitpick over trivial matters, constantly focusing on the sensitive topic of his elder sister. For years, the sarcastic remarks about their family's reputation had never ceased. Last year, Zhao Yingong was deeply distressed by his sister's mistreatment, and after securing a job for her husband in Juehua, the attacks intensified.

Having suffered so much unjust treatment over the years, the siblings naturally blamed Huang Shi entirely. Zhao Xiaomei angrily said, "That jinx! Did our family owe him too much in our past life? How come we can't repay him in this life? Getting involved with him is bound to bring bad luck. Big brother, you mustn't get involved!"

"Do you even need to tell me? Of course I'd avoid that jinx like the plague. How could I dare to provoke him?" Zhao Yingong snorted again. He told his sister: Today, the emperor's edict arrived in Ningqian Circuit. The edict not only ordered Juehua to break through the ice at the port to prepare for Huangshi's landing, but also required all officials in Ningqian Circuit to cooperate with Huangshi's operation and, if necessary, to voluntarily abandon the outer fortresses of Juehua and Ningyuan.

Why was it an imperial edict and not a document from the Ministry of War? Because Yan Mingtai, the Right Vice Minister of War, firmly opposed any plan to abandon the front-line fortresses. He strongly advocated holding the fortresses built by Sun Chengzong outside the pass, and Juehua was also an important part of Yan Mingtai's overall strategy.

Originally, when Sun Chengzong first took charge of Liaodong, Yan Mingtai believed that it would be better to build Juehua City than Ningyuan City. This time, Yan Mingtai vehemently opposed Gao Di's order for a general retreat. He believed that the main force should hold its ground step by step, and that Juehua's naval forces should seize the opportunity to cut off the pontoon bridge at the Sancha River. Historically, it was under Yan Mingtai's insistence that Emperor Tianqi reluctantly approved the strategy of resisting outside the Great Wall, but apart from Ningyuan Fort, which was personally guarded by Yuan Chonghuan, the Ningqian Military Commissioner who directly received the imperial decree, the garrison in other areas either fled or collapsed.

This time, Huang Shi's proposal also greatly displeased Yan Mingtai. He questioned the cabinet about how this differed from Gao Di's order for a general retreat, and further questioned why Grand Secretary Gu was violating the ancestral system of "using civil officials to control the military."

General Secretary Gu thought to himself, "This wasn't my idea. Go ahead and talk to the Emperor if you dare."

However, Gu Bingqian dared not say this to Yan Mingtai or the officials of the Ministry of War, as he felt that the dignity of the Grand Secretary must be maintained. Of course, he would not accept the label of a major traitor of the civil official group who "supported using military force to control civil officials." Moreover, General Secretary Gu felt that it would be too unfair for him to take this blame.

But expecting Grand Secretary Gu to stand up for the Ministry of War was out of the question. Anyone with eyes could see Tianqi's trust in Huang Shi; anyone willing to risk "slander and defeat" at this critical juncture could go ahead, but Gu Bingqian would never offend the Emperor.

Since he couldn't offend either side, General Manager Gu, determined not to step forward, had no choice but to stall with the Ministry of War… Of course, this stalling was the goal, not the means. General Manager Gu's plan was to evade responsibility through stalling. So, several days passed without a report from the Ministry of War, and the cabinet's draft proposal was out of the question. Finally, Tianqi had no choice but to issue an imperial edict directly to Ning Qiandao.

"No cabinet draft, no Ministry of War document, and no Grand Secretary's signature…" After explaining the whole situation, Zhao Yingong's face flashed a smug smile. He had clearly refused to accept the imperial edict after reading it during the day, a privilege traditionally upheld by the civil service: "I already told the imperial envoy: 'This is a false edict, I dare not obey.' Little sister, it's a pity you didn't see the imperial envoy's expression at the time, it was truly hilarious. Haha."

Zhao Yingong chuckled to himself for a while, but his sister, instead of joining in the laughter, showed a hint of worry in her eyes. After Zhao Yingong's laughter subsided, Zhao Xiaomei cautiously asked in a low voice, "Brother, is it true that Huang Shi petitioned the Emperor to allow all the Juehua people to evacuate to Ningyuan?"

Completely oblivious to his sister's worry, Zhao Yingong readily replied, "Yes, the edict also said something like, um, if he doesn't arrive in time, I should burn all the stockpiles."

"Is that so?" Zhao Xiaomei frowned and lowered her head in thought, her fingers unconsciously tracing patterns on the teacup, nearly slipping and dropping it.

Zhao Xiaomei snapped out of her reverie. She looked up anxiously and asked, "Brother, Juehua is located in the rear. Are we going to become a battlefield too?"

"We? Become a battlefield?" Zhao Yingong was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Little sister, what are you thinking? This is a crucial grain and fodder reserve for our Ningyuan army. Unless the Three Armies are all gone, how could it become a battlefield? Besides, the Jurchens don't have a navy. They can't possibly swim across the sea to attack us. If they do swim across, that would be perfect, in this freezing weather, hehe."

"Then...then why did Huang Shi warn Juehua?" Zhao Xiaomei's face was still full of worry and doubt. Although she also thought Huang Shi was a bad guy, she didn't blindly belittle his abilities like her brother did. Now that Huang Shi was famous throughout the land, it was probably only Zhao Yingong who still ignored him, relentlessly attacking his military capabilities and attributing all his achievements to divine injustice.

Hearing her brother say that Huang Shi had warned Juehua of danger, Zhao Xiaomei felt a shadow fall over her heart, as if a nightmare was about to unfold: "Although Huang Shi is a despicable villain, surely he wouldn't dare to speak nonsense before the Emperor?"

Zhao Yingong sighed deeply after hearing his sister's words. He downed his tea in one gulp and slammed it down on the table: "It's all because of those eunuchs, and those sycophantic sycophants. They've deceived the Emperor." After another heavy sigh, Zhao Yingong shook his head helplessly: "Huang Shi must have colluded with the treacherous officials in the court, joining them in deceiving the Emperor."

After this long lament, Zhao Yingong poured himself some tea and noticed his sister still frowning, looking deeply worried. He smiled and patted her gently: "Don't worry, little sister. From Ningyuan to Guangning Right Garrison..." Along the way, there were three detachments of tens of thousands of government troops, more than ten castles, and hundreds of beacon towers. Let alone the thirteen battalions of Guan Ning cavalry, even if the Eastern Barbarians attacked the cities all the way, it would take at least several months to reach Juehua. Not to mention the imperial decree that the court had already issued an edict to Shanhaiguan, ordering General Gao, General Yang, and General Ma to mobilize five detachments of troops to reinforce Ningyuan

. In that time, they would have arrived long ago; where would the slightest danger be? Because Huang Shi had been sending heads and captured military flags and ceremonial items to Juehua and Ningyuan for inspection for the past two years, many officials in Ningyuan had a very good impression of him. There were also many such people in Juehua, whom Zhao Yingong collectively called "civilian scoundrels." Although most civil officials contemptuously considered Huang Shi merely a brave warrior, some gradually realized that Huang Shi possessed considerable strategy and insight; otherwise, it would be impossible for him to win battle after battle. These different factions of civil officials in Ningyuan often argued endlessly, quarreling heatedly about the strategic capabilities a military general might possess.

However, after seeing Huang Shi's suggestion, the voices that usually supported him suddenly fell silent, while those who always looked down on military generals were overjoyed. As one of the military officials in Ningqian put it, "Even if the Eastern Barbarians were just marching, it would take them at least ten days to get from Sanchahe to Ningyuan. Add to that a few battles along the way, besieging fortresses, and a protracted struggle, and Juehua wouldn't need Huang Shi's warnings, would he? And it's even more ridiculous that they haven't reached Juehua in such a long time. Is Huang Shi some kind of tortoise?" Zhao Yingong vividly described the scene from earlier that

day, and the worry finally disappeared from Zhao Er's face. She gently patted her chest and let out a long sigh, a smile returning to her face: "So that's how it is. Brother, you're truly insightful." Like other departments in Ningqian, people at Ningqian's most important supply depot were discussing and mocking Huang Shi every day. Even the most pessimistic civil officials didn't believe they would encounter an enemy attack within a month. Today, Zhao Yingong refused to accept the imperial edict and even told his colleagues about Huang Shi's absurd predictions. Amidst the laughter, several civil officials who usually supported Huang Shi were so ashamed that their faces turned red, wishing they could disappear into the ground.

December 20th, the fifth year of the Tianqi reign.

Like every scholarly family, Zhao Yingong would first pay his respects to his mother upon waking each morning. Today, as usual, his younger sister was serving their mother breakfast. After exchanging a few words with his mother and sister, Zhao Yingong would eat something hastily in the front hall before heading to his office. For many years, he had been the first among his colleagues to arrive at the yamen. Although he had been promoted to Vice Prefect, Zhao Yingong still maintained this habit.

News of the war was constantly arriving from the front, and Zhao Yingong was very busy these days, personally checking the stored grain and fodder daily and verifying it against the accounts. The heavy work continued day after day, but Vice Prefect Zhao felt fulfilled, having absolute confidence in his duties—"I certainly won't hold back Lord Yuan of Ningqian Circuit, and I certainly won't let the border soldiers lack food and clothing."

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, Mangultai also got up.

On the 15th, the Later Jin army crossed the Liao River at the Sancha River estuary. On the 17th, they entered Guangning Right Garrison (Dalinghe) without bloodshed. On the 19th, they entered Guangning Central Left Garrison (Jinzhou). This morning, they successfully reached Guangning Central Garrison (Songshan), where the Ming troops stationed there knelt by the roadside to surrender.

With Songshan captured, the road to Ningyuan Garrison was now unobstructed. The Later Jin army did not linger. On the afternoon of the 20th, Mangultai led the vanguard into Ningyuan Garrison territory, and by evening they had set up camp on the official road leading to Xingshan. On the morning of the 21st

, the Later Jin army, with high morale, set off again. Shortly after they began their march, a Later Jin scout ran up to Mangultai, excitedly shouting, "Reporting to my lord, the gates of Xingshan Fort are wide open, and the city is deserted. The Ming army has vanished."

Mangultai remained unmoved. Such joy had come too often; none of it had the overwhelming impact of the first time, a happiness that seemed to fall from the sky. He waited until the scouts had caught their breath before calmly asking, "How are the beacon towers? How are the warehouses?"

"Reporting to Master, the surrounding beacon towers are all empty and unlit. The warehouses at Xingshan Fort are sealed off; they should be intact."

"Scout further ahead."

"Yes, sir."

Mangultai sent messengers to report to the rear command, ordering them to send men to move supplies as soon as possible. He then said to Dudu, the commander of the Bordered White Banner beside him, "I will continue south. You lead the Bordered White Banner westward, sweeping through the Ming's Daxing Fort and Dafu Fort, securing the right flank of my army."

"Yes, Third Prince." Dudu responded loudly, then spurred his horse and led his troops westward, heading straight for the left flank of Ningyuan Guard. Upon seeing the Later Jin army's banners, the Guan Ning cavalry stationed at these two locations abandoned their fortresses and fled westward into the territory of the Doyan Mongols seeking refuge.

At noon, Mangultai's army had reached within twenty li of Xingshan. The vanguard reported again that the battalion of Guan Ning cavalry stationed at Xingshan had completely routed. Mangultai laughed heartily and whipped his horse forward: "Accelerate! We'll spend the night at Ningyuan Zhongzuo. We'll make sure our men have a big feast on New Year's Eve!"

At this time, at Ningyuan Zhongzuo (Tashan), the garrison commander was assembling his troops to prepare to leave the city. The adjutant and the supervising eunuch stood side by side on the platform in the drill ground, while the officers and soldiers of the battalion below stood in neat rows, awaiting their commander's instructions. Xingshan and Tashan served as two important barriers protecting Ningyuan Fortress. In addition to the city defense forces, each was protected by a field battalion, with a standard wagon and artillery battalion remaining at Tashan.

Looking down at the 127 officers and over 6,000 soldiers (including 2,400 cavalry) of the entire artillery battalion, the garrison commander declared with fervor, "This morning I received accurate news that the Northern barbarians have already breached Daxingbao. Our brothers in Xingshan have gone to the battlefield to fight back, and now our army is going to reinforce them."

"Reinforcements are urgent," General Zhao declared, waving his hand and shouting triumphantly, "Our army must advance lightly, so there's no need to bring chariots and cannons."

The entire artillery battalion of 6,000 cavalry and infantry, along with a large number of auxiliary troops, filed out of the city gates, heading straight towards the western borders of the Doyan Mongols. Since they were going to "attack" the Northern barbarians, there was no need to burn the warehouses, much less destroy the more than 200 chariots and 88 light and heavy cannons. The Guan Ning cavalry hadn't detected the approaching Later Jin vanguard, so they weren't fleeing in fear; therefore, there was no need to burn the beacon towers.

As the supervising eunuch of Ningyuan Zhongzuo Garrison walked out of the city gate, he took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to a cavalryman: "Go to Ningyuan immediately and tell Ningqiandao that the northern barbarians have invaded, and I have led the army to resist them. Have Ningqiandao send another army to garrison Zhongzuo Garrison."

...

In this timeline, compared to Huangshi's original timeline, the Battle of Ningyuan was brought forward by a month, but the reactions of all parties were identical. Long before the Later Jin army crossed the river, Gao Di, the Liaodong military commissioner, had reported that the Later Jin army's main objective in launching the Liaoxi offensive was to seize the grain at Guangning Youtun Garrison, and that they would cross the river around December 15th (the original timeline's report stated, "The Jurchen bandits covet the grain at Youtun and will cross the river around January 15th.").

In this timeline, Ningqiandao also dispatched Zhou Shoulian, a fierce general of the Guan-Ning army, to defend Guangning Youtun. However, after the Later Jin army invaded Hexi, Zhou Shoulian once again fled first. His actions triggered a chain reaction among the other Guan-Ning cavalry units. The Later Jin army advanced unimpeded, and the large amount of supplies easily seized further fueled Nurhaci's greed. In just three days, they invaded the Liaoxi Corridor.

The Guan-Ning cavalry deployed in the Liaoxi Corridor also collapsed at the first sign of trouble. As recorded by both the Ming and Qing dynasties, the various castles along the Liaoxi Corridor either fled or surrendered. After crossing the river, Nurhaci captured more than a dozen cities and fortresses, including Dalinghe, Xiaolinghe, Jinzhou, Songshan, Xingshan, and Tashan, without firing a single shot. The numerous fortresses and countless supplies that Sun Chengzong had painstakingly built over several years at the expense of millions of taels of silver were all handed over to the enemy.

The garrison commanders of Ningyuan Zhongzuo and other places withdrew to the territory of the Doyan Mongols without giving any warning, and these lands also fell into the hands of the Later Jin army. On the road to Ningyuan, the Later Jin army was left with only one obstacle—Lianshan Fortress.

Just five days after crossing the river, the Later Jin army had marched over 500 li (approximately 250 kilometers) through the icy snow, and the Ming army's defensive system in Liaoxi collapsed in the blink of an eye. Encouraged by the increasing amount of captured supplies, the Later Jin continued their advance, directly threatening Ningyuan, the core of the Ming army's defenses in the Liaoxi Corridor and the location of Ningqian Road.

On the morning of December 21st, the sixth day after the Later Jin launched the Liaoxi campaign, Later Jin scouts appeared unexpectedly near Lianshan Fort. The defending Ming army was thrown into chaos and immediately abandoned the city, retreating towards Ningyuan.

Yuan Chonghuan, the Ningqian Road Commander, was caught off guard. He ordered martial law to be declared in Ningyuan and also ordered four battalions to defend Juehua. At this point, any retreat was too late. Yuan Chonghuan hoped that the four battalions of Guan Ning cavalry could protect Juehua, the large amount of supplies stored on the island, and the people stranded there. Juehua

, this supply center located deep behind the Liaoxi defensive system, was soon to be directly exposed to the threat of the enemy's advance...

On the afternoon of the 21st, Juehua...

Zhao Yingong, the former grain commissioner, rushed home. Two small carriages he had retrieved were parked outside. He ran straight into the house and rushed to the back room, shouting, "Mother, Little Sister, are you there?"

Little Sister Zhao was doing needlework and chatting with her mother in her room. The mother and daughter were enjoying their conversation when they suddenly heard Zhao Yingong's urgent shouts and exchanged bewildered glances.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

Little Sister Zhao had barely opened the door when Zhao Yingong grabbed her wrist. His face was filled with anxiety. He pushed his sister back into their mother's room, shouting, "Quickly help Mother pack her things; you're leaving for Ningyuan soon!"

Hearing this abrupt statement, Old Madam Zhao asked in surprise, "Son, what's wrong?"

"Mother," Zhao Yingong greeted casually, then rushed to the wardrobe. With a bang, he flung open the door and grabbed everything in sight, throwing it onto the bed. "The Eastern Barbarians have reached Ningyuan Fortress. Lord Yuan of Ningqian Circuit has ordered martial law; entry is permitted, but exit is not. The order just reached me. It says the North and West gates are closed, but the East gate will remain open until sunset. Families of Juehua officials can still go to Ningyuan Fortress today. Don't I have a house in Ningyuan? Mother, why don't you and my younger sister stay there for a few days?"

Despite the cold weather, Zhao Yingong's clothes were already soaked with sweat from his frantic run home. Now, with his family asking him questions, he was drenched in sweat, the beads of sweat running down his forehead and into his eyes. Zhao Yingong was so anxious he didn't even have time to wipe his face, hastily wiping it with his sleeve before grabbing the boxes: "Little sister, don't just stand there watching, come and help!"

After a chaotic commotion, Zhao Yingong half-helped, half-dragged his mother onto the carriage, then rushed back into the house to urge his little sister and two maids to hurry up and leave. He then ran back to his bedroom and took down the precious sword hanging on the wall. When Zhao Xiaomei and the two maids came out of the house carrying their bags, they saw Zhao Yingong frantically taking off the jade pendant from his waist, then tightly fastening the sword to it, tying a tight knot.

"Hurry, hurry!" Zhao Yingong grabbed his sister, trying to shove her into the carriage.

“Wait,” Zhao Xiaomei struggled to sit up. She suddenly remembered her eldest sister and anxiously asked her brother, “Where’s my sister? Does she have a carriage? Should we go to her house to pick her up?”

“Oh, no need. I went to my brother-in-law’s house before I went home…” Zhao Yingong’s brother-in-law lived next to the yamen, but Zhao Da Niang refused to leave her husband to seek refuge in Ningyuan Fort. The young woman felt their marriage was already on the verge of collapse, and the only reason it had lasted this long was because of her brother-in-law’s influence.

According to the Ming Dynasty’s marriage law, having no children met one of the “seven grounds for divorce.” Zhao Da Niang was deeply distressed by her childlessness and hoped to use this opportunity to secure one of the “five grounds for not leaving.” If she could meet these five grounds, her husband would not be able to request a divorce later. Her brother and husband both believed that staying at Juehua was not a big problem, so she wasn’t particularly anxious and insisted on staying by her husband’s side. After hearing this, Zhao Yingong admired his sister's ambition and genuinely didn't believe Juehua was in great danger, so he didn't try to persuade her to go to Ningyuan to hide.

After explaining, Zhao Yingong comforted his anxious mother in the carriage: "Mother, don't worry. Juehua has four battalions of Guan Ning Army here; it's safe."

"Son, why do you want your mother to leave? I don't want to go; I want to stay home."

The old lady Zhao's face was full of worry. As she spoke, she tried to get out of the carriage, but Zhao Yingong and his sister quickly helped her up, refusing to let her off.

"Mother, if you go to Ningyuan, my brother will be free from worries," Zhao's younger sister pleaded, finally persuading her mother. She jumped into the back carriage, closed the door, and leaned out of the window: "Brother, see Mother off."

Zhao Yingong readily agreed, "Okay," and urged the driver to start their journey. He gripped the carriage window with his right hand, walking slowly alongside the carriage. His left hand rested on the hilt of his sword.

Old Mrs. Zhao tightly grasped her son's hands on the window, softly complaining, "Why didn't Lord Yuan let everyone evacuate to Ningyuan City? Oh dear, it's really something."

The Grain Supervisor was somewhat unconvinced, but knowing his mother was just worried, he replied, "Mother, Lord Yuan was simply too late. There are over ten thousand military households and merchants on Juehua Island, along with four camps of soldiers; how could they all get in at once? Besides, there are over eighty thousand shi of grain, over one hundred thousand bolts of cloth, and five hundred thousand taels of silver on the island. This all belongs to the state, and is the people's hard-earned money; how can we so easily abandon it?"

Zhao Yingong considered himself the official in charge of the merchants and people of Juehua, and the guardian of these granaries, so he never considered seeking refuge in Ningyuan. Moreover, he didn't think the military situation was particularly dangerous: "Mother, Juehua has so many soldiers, and Dongshan is very steep, what danger could there be? Besides, in this freezing weather, the Eastern Barbarians will only besiege us for a few days at most before they retreat. Food, clothing, charcoal... the warehouses have everything we need, enough to last for several months."

The carriage slowly descended the mountain road. When they passed the mountainside of Dongshan, a soldier from the island ran up in a panic: "Lord Zhao, you guessed right, it's General Huang. They say there are three thousand men."

Hearing this, Zhao Yingong sneered and said nothing more. His mother and sister looked at him with surprise. Seeing this, Zhao Yingong explained to his mother: "Mother, this is a long story..."

This morning, some people on the coast of Juehua Island saw masts appearing on the distant horizon, followed by one ship after another, continuously emerging from the horizon. Zhao Yingong suspected that Huang Shi's troops had arrived, but unsure, he sent men to wait on the ice to communicate with the fleet. Before receiving any news from the fleet, he received orders for martial law to be declared in Ningyuan. Zhao Yingong immediately rushed back to his residence to move his family.

The carriage quickly reached the northern slope of Dongshan Mountain along the mountain road. Zhao Yingong glanced eastward and snorted, "The troublemakers are right there!"

Zhao Xiaomei, following her brother's outstretched arm, looked down at the vast ocean east of the island. Dozens of enormous ships glided slowly across the mirror-like sea. Those in the lead had already furled their sails and lowered their oars, slowly navigating the edge of the ice floes. The fleet behind them was lined up in a straight line, surging towards Juehua.

"Three thousand men, humph, just a battalion. And the Dongjiang Army, like beggars," Zhao Yingong said disdainfully, looking at Huang Shi's fleet. There were currently four battalions of Guan Ning cavalry on Juehua Island, along with tens of thousands of conscripted soldiers. More importantly, in order to urgently deploy defenses, Zhao Yingong believed that every manpower should be used effectively: "If you want to claim credit, go elsewhere. Juehua has many important things to do right now; I don't have time to argue with these scoundrels."

...

Huang Shi paced anxiously back and forth at the bow of the ship. It seemed that Juehua's port still showed no sign of breaking the ice, making it impossible for his army to land. Although many in the ranks had sailing experience, the fierce north winds of the past few days at sea had left many new recruits nauseous and dizzy, some nearly dying. Therefore, Huang Shi was extremely eager to get the troops ashore to recover their strength.

The small boats sent out braved great danger to paddle into the ice floe area and made contact with the garrison on the ice. They maintained contact with Huang Shi's large ship using flag signals. According to the brave soldiers, the other side only repeatedly inquired and confirmed the fleet's strength and the commander. As for Huang Shi's repeated urging to break the ice, the Juehua soldiers said they didn't know when it could begin, let alone when it could be completed.

After waiting for a long time, the contact soldier finally sent another message, saying that the Juehua garrison demanded that Huang Shi land at Ningyuan Zhongyousuo, and that Juehua's manpower was all needed to dig ice trenches to the west, so they didn't have time to dig a port on the east bank.

This news was like a heavy hammer blow, making Huang Shi's vision go black. He staggered a few steps, which startled Wu Mu beside him, who quickly reached out to pull him up: "General Huang, what's wrong?"

"This humble general slipped, it's nothing." Huang Shi covered up. He knew he was the army's courage and couldn't let his subordinates, especially Wu Mu, feel uneasy. Then he asked the flag bearer to ask again if the Later Jin army had arrived, and he received an affirmative answer. Juehua

's side reiterated once again: they had no interest in the refugee militia in Dongjiang Town!

Huang Shi could hardly believe his ears... "Then, let's go, let them die." Huang Shi angrily threw out these words.

The soldiers on board urgently needed hot water, hot meals, a stove, and warm bedding to quickly restore their strength. Now that the Later Jin army had arrived, Huang Shi had very little time left. Given their attitude, the reception they would receive after landing was predictable…

The Changsheng Island warriors risked their lives to reach Juehua, only to be turned away.

Huang Shi was furious and immediately asked the guide where else they could get supplies. The guide told Huang Shi that although Ningyuan Zhongyousuo was not far, its food reserves and supplies were insufficient, and it was too close to Ningyuanbao. If the Later Jin cavalry launched a surprise attack, it would only take a few hours to reach them, and there might not be enough time to rest.

Therefore, the guide suggested that Huang Shi continue south to Guangning Zhongweihou. This place would definitely have enough supplies to allow Huang Shi's army to recover its fighting strength, and if he wanted to attack, he could also get support from local military households. The guide even mentioned Shanhaiguan, but Huang Shi felt that he had made many bold statements before the emperor before leaving Beijing. Although it wasn't his fault, going to Shanhaiguan was still inappropriate, so he ordered all ships to prepare to weigh anchor and set sail for Zhonghouwei in Guangning.

Having made his decision, Huang Shi decided not to deal with the Juehua people anymore. Just as he was about to recall the small boat, a man and a horse suddenly galloped from afar, instantly stepping onto the ice. The horse seemed unaccustomed to ice shoeing, as it immediately began to slip. After slowing down, the horse neighed loudly, its front legs buckling on the ice, throwing its rider off.

This peculiar sight made Huang Shi temporarily postpone his order to recall the small boat. He watched the movement on the ice with hope, hoping that the officials in charge of Juehua Island would abandon their prejudices and send someone to communicate with him. The man didn't seem to have fallen too badly; he nimbly got up and wobbled quickly towards the small boat to rendezvous.

As the person drew closer, Huang Shi's brow furrowed more deeply. Although the distance made it impossible to see the face clearly, the newcomer's clothing was distinctive, and her gait was striking.

Sure enough, the small boat quickly sent a signal, reporting that a woman had arrived. The woman refused to give her name, but offered to guide Huang Shi's army ashore, requesting the boat to take her to Huang Shi's flagship so she could act as a guide.

"A crazy girl who appeared out of nowhere! But since she can ride a horse, she must be the daughter of a military household," Huang Shi thought, both amused and annoyed. How could he, a dignified deputy general, take orders from a woman? Did he not want to maintain his reputation among the officers and soldiers? Besides, what use would ashore be? If Juehua refused to provide supplies or follow Huang Shi's retreat, landing would be like walking into a trap, leading his troops to their deaths.

"A very courageous woman, what a pity." Those left on Juehua Island were likely doomed. Huang Shi remembered that of the tens of thousands on the island, only a few dozen escaped the Jin army's massacre. Huang Shi admired the woman's courage, and for a moment he considered rescuing her. But then he reconsidered; letting the small boat reach the shore amidst the ice floes would be risking the lives of his soldiers. These were extremely loyal and brave soldiers! After all, she was just a stranger.

"Call the small boat back, hmm..." Huang Shi thought for a moment, then spoke a few more words to the messenger: "Since that woman came to me, she must trust me. Tell her... just say it was my order, run quickly, take her family and run as far away from Juehua as possible, run as fast as you can. Staying on this island is certain death."

After the people on the small boat relayed Huang Shi's words, they began to slowly row back. The woman on the ice stood frozen for a moment, then risked running to the edge of the ice, shouting something. She stamped her feet anxiously, cracks appearing in the ice beneath her feet, causing her to take two steps back in fright. Looking up at the small boat that was about to sail away, the woman rushed straight ahead, and in the blink of an eye, she leaped into the icy sea.

The boat stopped abruptly, and the people on board were speechless with surprise, all looking towards where the woman had fallen into the water. Huang Shi on the flagship was also stunned by the scene before him, but he quickly recovered and shouted to the messenger beside him, "Quickly, save her!"

The person who jumped into the water was Zhao Xiaomei.

After hearing her brother's words today, and recalling Huang Shi's warning from a few days ago, she became increasingly alarmed. But no matter how much she pleaded, Zhao Yingong believed that Huang Shi's three thousand soldiers were simply inadequate. Juehua currently had four battalions of troops, not to mention the seven battalions of Guan Ning Army in Ningyuan City. Besides the problem of insufficient manpower, Zhao Yingong also felt that letting Huang Shi ashore would cause conflicts in command among the officials. Zhao Yingong anticipated that Huang Shi, having come from afar, would not be content with merely playing an auxiliary role, nor would he completely submit to his command. He personally felt that the Guan Ning Army was a local force and the main force, and that Huang Shi might cause trouble at this critical juncture.

Zhao Xiaomei's worries resonated with Old Madam Zhao. War was dangerous and fraught with peril, and Old Madam Zhao felt that having more soldiers was always a good thing. She also remembered the rumors that "Huang Shi possesses the strength of ten thousand men." But Zhao Yingong wouldn't listen to anything, ignoring his mother and sister's words. After sending them to the west bank, Zhao Yingong returned to direct the transport of supplies. Besides the manpower needed for ice breaking, the Ming army planned to transport all their reserves to Dongshan.

After Zhao Yingong left, the more Zhao Xiaomei recalled the conversation between her brother and sister that day, the more terrified she became. She secretly glanced at the carriage ahead; her mother sat steadily inside, unaware. Zhao Xiaomei carefully instructed the accompanying maid to ensure Old Madam Zhao's safe arrival at their destination, and not to stop before reaching it. Then she jumped off the carriage, untied the horse, and quietly returned to Juehua.

Relying on the little horsemanship she had learned while fleeing in Guangning, Zhao Xiaomei was still able to control her mount. Juehua was now in complete chaos, with large numbers of troops frantically preparing for battle and deploying field fortifications. The merchants and military families on the island were in a state of panic, with officers shouting anxiously and women and children crying everywhere. This chaotic scene intensified Zhao Xiaomei's unease; she had a vague feeling that her elder brother and sister's future was very bleak.

But once they reached the shore, no matter how much Zhao Xiaomei pleaded, it seemed she couldn't change their minds about leaving. Huang Shi's final warning felt like a thunderbolt. Finally, seeing the ships begin to leave, Zhao Xiaomei desperately jumped onto the small boat…

When the small boat returned to the flagship, Zhao Xiaomei huddled in a ball at the corner of the boat. Her winter hat had already drifted into the water, and her cotton-padded clothes were soaked through with icy water, leaving her almost frozen stiff. She couldn't swim, and once she got into the water, her clothes soaked through, and she sank like a stone. Luckily, the sailors used a grappling hook to catch her and pulled her onto the ship by her cotton coat.

Now that she was on board, they figured they might as well bring her back; they couldn't risk going ashore and putting her on the ship to jump again, could they? But as they approached the flagship, they faced another problem. The girl was shivering uncontrollably, and it seemed she couldn't climb the gangway herself. But men and women shouldn't touch each other, so how could they help her onto the ship?

Huang Shi, standing on the large ship, looked down and saw the soldiers helpless, practically watching the girl freeze to death. He couldn't help but shout, "You guys, bring her up, quick!"

The soldiers responded, but with over a hundred pairs of eyes watching from the ship's deck, none of them dared to move. Upon hearing Huang Shi's command, the young woman struggled briefly, then shakily stood up and attempted to cross the gangway, managing to squeeze out a few words through her trembling teeth: "I can walk by myself."

Since that was the case, Huang Shi didn't waste any more words with her. He leaped over the swaying gangway, swept her up in his arms, and quickly ran back to the large ship, loudly proclaiming, "I apologize for the intrusion, young lady, but this was a matter of expediency; I meant no harm."

Below the narrow gangway lay the turbulent sea of Liaodong. The young woman, Zhao, didn't want to take another cold bath, so she didn't struggle and obediently allowed her rescuer to bring her aboard. But then, hearing her rescuer shout, "Quickly, stow away the small boat; prepare to depart!" she began to struggle violently.

Seeing this, Huang Shi quickly placed her on the deck, then stepped back and bowed, saying, "Please forgive my rudeness, young lady..."

There was no time to lose; time was of the essence. Miss Zhao's teeth were chattering, and her lips were already blue from the cold. "Who...who is Commander Huang...Commander Huang? This humble woman has urgent business to discuss with Commander Huang."

Huang Shi thought—this girl seems a bit strange; she might pester me to rescue her family on shore. I can't cause trouble for my fleet.

Having made up his mind, Huang Shi smiled and gestured for the girl to follow him. "This way, miss. You can speak with Commander Huang if you have something to say." Huang Shi knew that leaving this woman on the deck exposed to the wind would surely lead to someone's death. He planned to take her to the lower deck to change into dry clothes. By the time she changed, the fleet would have already left, saving him the trouble of explaining.

Huang Shi thought his plan was brilliant, but the girl opposite him wasn't fooled. She first turned around and cried out, "Don't sail! Don't sail!"

Then, trembling, Zhao Xiaomei turned back to Huang Shi, trying her best to keep her voice from shaking too much. She stared into his eyes, leaned closer, and whispered, word by word, "I am your General Huang's betrothed!"

As she said this, Zhao Xiaomei was so ashamed she wanted to bury herself. But for the sake of her family on the island, she had to endure it. The perceptive Zhao Xiaomei sensed that the tall man who had saved her seemed to be a high-ranking official with influence, and she hoped he could find Huang Shi for her. In short, the fewer people who knew about her words, the better. Being called "shameless" by one person was better than being laughed at by the entire ship. The

tall officer in front of her was stunned, staring blankly at her. Zhao Xiaomei was very satisfied with this effect—it seemed she hadn't been exposed. So her tone took on a commanding tone: "Go and call General Huang out quickly. I have something to say to him. I'll wait for him here."

Zhao Xiaomei noticed that the big, clumsy man remained motionless, and his expression was extremely complicated. She guessed that perhaps he was thinking about his earlier abruptness towards his superior's fiancée, and he was worried about being punished for it. Zhao Xiaomei quickly added, "General Huang has proposed to me, but I haven't agreed yet... Hmm, don't worry, as long as you go and call General Huang here quickly, I guarantee you'll be fine."

The man seemed to understand upon hearing this, his blank stare gradually returning to normal, and his expression becoming more varied... Zhao Xiaomei noticed that the man still didn't move to convey her order.

The officer in front of her took a step back, then solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute and tentatively asked in a soft voice, "May I ask, young lady, is your surname Zhao?"

This accurate judgment startled Zhao Xiaomei. She blurted out, "How do you know my surname..." But she stopped abruptly before finishing her sentence. Zhao Xiaomei looked the man up and down again and suddenly understood.

...

A large tub filled with hot water was placed in the small cabin. The steam filled the cabin. Soaking in the warm water, Zhao Xiaomei finally felt her numb body completely revive. It truly gave her a feeling of winter passing and spring returning, of being reborn. This was originally Huang Shi's cabin, but Huang Shi had announced that he had moved away, and it temporarily belonged to Zhao Xiaomei.

Although Zhao Xiaomei had seen Huang Shi in Guangning five years ago, she was only fifteen years old at the time, and over the years, that faint impression had long since faded like smoke. Moreover, at Zhao's sister's home, her mother and brother never spoke a good word about Huang Shi. For years, Huang Shi had been a target of slander, a rude and uncouth man.

But today, their first meeting was a completely different story.

So much had happened today that Zhao Xiaomei was practically dizzy.

Because her mother was in poor health, Zhao Xiaomei usually took care of the household chores, but she rarely went out, and she never imagined she would be standing among a group of unfamiliar men like this, interacting with them. It was hard to imagine that Huang Shi, a second-rank official, would be so kind; she had never seen a man so polite to a woman. Thinking back, her heart couldn't help but pound…

Zhao Xiaomei carefully observed the furnishings in the cabin once more:

neatly folded blankets, a clean little desk, and a gleaming oil lamp. Except for the absence of incense, the entire cabin was as tidy as a young woman's boudoir. After all, this was still an era where men preferred to be "unconcerned with details." Let alone a mere warrior, a warrior supposedly capable of defeating ten thousand men, even the humble abode of a scholar might not compare to Huang Shi's temporary lodging.

Now that Huang Shi had promised not to sail away, Zhao Meimei felt somewhat at ease. She had been quite surprised to see the soldiers so quickly bring in a complete set of bathing equipment, as if everyone on the ship was ready to take a shower at any moment. Actually, this was Huang Shi's privilege. The ship had specially prepared some fresh water for him and other high-ranking officers, which was now conveniently provided for Zhao Meimei.

Gently lifting the dry clothes laid out there, Zhao Meimei carefully examined them, slightly surprised to find nothing but a faint smell of cotton and fur. The loose-fitting men's clothes didn't quite fit, but Zhao Meimei couldn't care less. She quietly walked towards the door, intending to call a guard to find Huang Shi.

Just now on the deck, Zhao Meimei had disregarded everything to prevent the fleet from leaving, but now, just thinking about the strange smiles the guard might have on his face made her cheeks burn. Upon reaching the door, Zhao Meimei took several deep breaths before mustering her courage and flung it open.

Huang Shi felt it was best to keep this matter to a minimum; in this era, Zhao Meimei's actions were hardly respectable. Therefore, he waited personally in the next cabin. Hearing the door open, Huang Shi nimbly jumped out and greeted the open door with a smile, "Young lady, I've had some ginger soup prepared; I'll have it brought to you right away."

"You flatter me, Your Excellency," Zhao Meimei quickly bowed and performed a deep curtsy. She understood that Huang Shi was protecting her, and a feeling of gratitude welled up within her. She apologized profusely, "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting, sir."

Zhao Meimei then lowered her head again and said softly, "Just now, up there, I was flustered and spoke nonsense to the Crown Prince's Junior Guardian, damaging your reputation. I deserve to die."

When Zhao Meimei first boarded the boat, her wet clothes were all crumpled, her wet hair was disheveled, and icy water dripped down her strands. Her face was a frightening bluish-gray.

While waiting for Zhao Meimei to finish her bath, Huang Shi secretly rejoiced that their marriage had fallen through. He racked his brains trying to recall Zhao's eldest daughter; in his memory, her older sister was clearly a beauty. How could this younger sister be so much less attractive?

When Zhao Meimei recovered and he saw her again, she was a completely different person. Not only was she clean and tidy, but her hair was as black as silk, her eyes bright, her eyelashes long, and her teeth white and lips red.

When Huang Shi saw Zhao Xiaomei open the door and come out, he felt his heart almost stop, but he maintained a calm demeanor and exchanged some ordinary pleasantries. Zhao Xiaomei's cheeks flushed as she apologized, adding to her beauty. Her voice was both clear and alluring.

Huang Shi felt his heart suddenly race, a sudden, intense feeling of suffocation rising in his chest, escaping his throat and turning into a mouthful of sour saliva. Huang Shi turned his head away, unable to look Zhao Xiaomei in the eye any longer. He said with a hardened heart, "I have some idea of Zhao Xiaomei's purpose, but..."

Earlier,

Zhao Xiaomei had insisted that Huang Shi promise not to sail for the time being before she would go to change her clothes. Seeing how brave the girl was, Huang Shi softened and agreed. However, during this waiting time, Huang Shi felt that going to Juehua was still

inappropriate. With a formidable enemy at his doorstep and internal constraints, this was hardly a good opportunity for battle. He believed he only owed the Zhao family a life, and rescuing this young lady Zhao would be enough to clear his conscience.

Huang Shi looked directly into those hopeful eyes and told her his thoughts in a deep voice.

"The Jurchen army is very powerful this time, already approaching Juehua Island. Time is running out. It's a critical moment. Thousands of warriors from Changsheng Island have risked their lives to come from afar to aid Juehua... If your brother could lead Juehua to fight alongside us, perhaps there's still a chance to defeat the enemy. Since my troops cannot enter Juehua, the safest course of action is to go elsewhere. Miss Zhao, please forgive my rudeness, but your brother has prioritized personal vendettas over official business, putting Juehua in a desperate situation. I truly cannot help you."

Juehua did have four battalions of regular troops, but Huang Shi already knew these defenders were easily defeated and would inevitably collapse like the Guan Ning army elsewhere. Although he wanted to offer some words of comfort, he realized it would be useless and might not reassure Miss Zhao. Besides, this crushing defeat was probably only a matter of days, so there was no point in hiding it from her.

Miss Zhao was very surprised. How could Huang Shi have foreseen Juehua's peril more than ten days ago, and even calculated the timing so precisely? Are there truly extraordinary people in the world who can foresee the future? Zhao Er Guniang had always had a feeling that this person could save her elder brother and sister's lives, which was why she risked everything. Before jumping into the sea, Zhao Er Guniang had already firmly believed in Huang Shi's prophecy; otherwise, she wouldn't have joked about her own life. Hearing Huang Shi's tone, it seemed the Changsheng Island army was really going to Ningyuan, and her expression changed drastically.

Zhao Er Guniang bowed to Huang Shi, who quickly dodged away.

Zhao Er Guniang said, "I heard that when the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince left Beijing, the Emperor entrusted him with the affairs of the Liaoxi border, and the Emperor even opened the Great Ming Gate and personally went to the Imperial City to see him off..."

Seeing that Huang Shi did not deny it, Zhao Er Guniang continued, "Since the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince is acting on the Emperor's orders and carries the accumulated prestige of a hundred victories, how could he fail to repay the

Emperor's favor and allow Juehua to suffer any loss?" Huang Shi did not answer Zhao Er Guniang's question, but suddenly asked, "Has the Emperor

sent an imperial edict to Juehua?" In Huang Shi's mind, it must be that Tianqi had already issued an imperial edict to Juehua, which was why Zhao Er Guniang learned about Huang Shi's trip to Beijing from her brother. Zhao Yingong obviously did not follow the imperial edict, so there was only one possibility. Huang Shi coldly asked again, "Given the hasty time, the Emperor must have issued a decree, and Lord Zhao must have refused to obey it, right?"

A decree doesn't go through the Six Ministries, nor does it have the countersignature of the Grand Secretary or Second Grand Secretary. While military officers and eunuchs dared not disobey, civil officials could certainly consider it a forged edict, and refusing it wouldn't be considered wrong. From the mid-Ming Dynasty onward, refusing such a decree without proper authorization or being flogged was considered an honor for civil officials, a topic they could boast about for a lifetime. Those who had been flogged could hold their heads high afterward, because they could claim, "I once refuted the Emperor of the Great Ming so thoroughly that he had to vent his anger by beating people." Therefore, they enjoyed the admiring gazes of crowds wherever they went.

Historically, during the Wanli reign, someone once submitted a memorial that thoroughly vilified Emperor Shenzong, Guiji, and their sons, a lengthy petition of ten thousand words. It not only compared the Imperial Concubine to an unusually old fox but also established a connection between Emperor Wanli and animals like pigs and dogs. The Emperor was so enraged that his hands trembled uncontrollably, and he managed to squeeze out, through gritted teeth, "This scoundrel... this scoundrel is utterly rude! Is he deliberately trying to trick me into being flogged? I... I will never let him get away with it!"

For a civil official to refuse a decree without authorization was far more worthy of boasting than being flogged. After all, the latter merely rendered the emperor speechless, while the former was a direct slap in the face to the emperor himself.

Even a clay figure has some backbone; the Ming emperors were unwilling and couldn't afford to lose face. Therefore, in the later years of the dynasty, the emperor generally didn't use decrees unless in dire straits, but even then, civil officials often refused them. Seeing Zhao Ergu speechless, Huang Shi knew his prediction was correct. The decree must have mentioned his views and arrangements regarding the war situation, which was why Zhao Ergu believed him to be farsighted and a savior for her family. However, the thought that Zhao Yingong had placed the people in danger for his own selfish reasons filled Huang Shi with disgust. He bowed slightly, saying, "Regarding Juehua's matter, I am truly powerless to help. Miss Zhao, please rest. Once the ship reaches Shanhaiguan, I will personally escort you to the Liaodong Military Command."

With that, Huang Shi turned to leave, but Miss Zhao called out urgently, "Your Excellency, please wait! I have something to say."

Huang Shi said impatiently, "What else does Miss Zhao want to say? Please speak quickly."

Miss Zhao raised her head and said loudly, "I remember four years ago, Your Excellency returned to Guangning, quelled the rebellion, and became famous throughout the land, even sacrificing your own family for the greater good."

Hearing this, Huang Shi frowned deeply. At that time, Miss Sun had made her choice, almost her only possible choice—to help her traitorous father; and Huang Shi had also made his own choice, a choice he would not hesitate to make—nothing could make him betray his nation. However, Miss Sun's death remained a hidden pain in his heart. Several of his former subordinates who knew him well understood this, and they had long since stopped mentioning it.

"If the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince hadn't returned to quell the rebellion, hundreds of thousands of people in the city would have inevitably fallen into the hands of the Jurchens. The old and weak would have been slaughtered, the men enslaved, and the women sold to the Western barbarians. The lives of these hundreds of thousands of families are all thanks to the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince, and their descendants are all a gift from him. Without the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince, how could my brother have achieved his current success, and how could I, a young woman, live peacefully at home? This kindness and virtue are truly difficult to repay even a fraction of."

At this point, Miss Zhao Er's words... His tone became more impassioned, and he said, "Although my elder brother is narrow-minded and intolerant, the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince sent troops to Juehua for the sake of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians there. What have they done to deserve being implicated by my brother! Now, the Junior Guardian's troops are only a stone's throw away from Juehua. How can we stand idly by and watch them die? How can we let them die without offering any help? I hope that the Junior Guardian can be as selfless and devoted to the people as he was in Guangning."

Huang Shi gave a soft "heh" but did not respond, though the indignant look on his face had softened somewhat. Zhao Er Guniang straightened her back and loudly questioned, "My brother harbors personal grudges, placing tens of thousands of lives in Juehua in danger, yet he still clings to wishful thinking, believing he can protect the people and the land. If the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince leaves in a huff today, how is he any different from my brother? If Juehua manages to escape danger one day, the Junior Guardian and my brother will be birds of a feather; if it is as the Junior Guardian says, then you are one who stands by and does not help, making you even worse than my brother!"

Indeed, as Zhao Er Guniang said, Zhao Yingong refused Huang Shi's request to come ashore because of his prejudice against the Changsheng Army and his blind self-confidence—a matter of ability and insight. Huang Shi, on the other hand, knew Juehua was in danger; if he refused to help because of personal grudges, it would undoubtedly be a matter of character.

If Huang Shi were to leave, he could find various reasons to shirk responsibility and absolve himself. Just like when he was interrogated deep behind enemy lines in Guangning, forced to confess certain things, which implicated that merchant. No one could ever blame him for that, but it was a sin Huang Shi would carry for life. In the quiet of the night, Huang Shi still faced the torment of his soul. The question now swirling in his mind was—if he had the ability but didn't save the tens of thousands of lives in Juehua, what difference would he, Huang Shi, be from the Later Jin bandits?

"Zhao Xiaoniangzi is right, I've finally seen the light," Huang Shi said softly.

Then he fell silent, lost in thought. If he hadn't come to Juehua, it wouldn't have mattered, but now Juehua was so close. If the slaughter of the merchant's family was enough to make Huang Shi's heart bleed forever, then how could his soul bear the burden of watching tens of thousands of lives in Juehua suffer? After careful consideration, she finally made up her mind and said, "But there's still no way to get ashore. Unless Miss Zhao can persuade your brother to break the ice, and we need to mobilize all manpower to do it as quickly as possible."

The biggest problem with landing is getting through the ice floes. It's so cold now; if a small boat capsizes, people could easily freeze to death. Transporting cannons will be extremely difficult. As things stand on Juehua Island, we must break the ice on both sides of the harbor and let the ocean current carry away the dangerous large ice floes.

After listening, Miss Zhao hesitated for a moment and said, "I know a place in the back mountains where the harbor current is very slow and there's no wind. I wonder if it's possible to land there?"

If the ice floes aren't moving too fast, it might be possible to clear a passage; perhaps Sister Zhao's suggestion is a good one. Of course, we still need to send someone to observe the geographical environment before making a decision.

However… Huang Shi asked curiously, “How does Miss Zhao know about the hydrology and wind conditions?”

“My brother often handles official business at home, and I help him out. Over time, I've come to know about these hydrological and geographical conditions.” There are many grain ships and merchants passing through Juehua, and Zhao Yingong often asks his sister to help him check documents, and she has indeed helped him a lot. Seeing the strange look on Huang Shi's face, Sister Zhao said, “Your Excellency, please rest assured, I will go and show you the way.”

“Then I will trouble you, Miss Zhao.”

Upon hearing this, Sister Zhao understood that Huang Shi had made up his mind, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Seizing the opportunity, she straightened her back, raised her eyebrows, and said proudly, "Your Excellency, the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince, are truly magnanimous. Without further ado, I am at your service."

Huang Shi looked Zhao up and down, thinking that this outfit would probably be inconvenient on the deck; the wide robes and sleeves made her look like a theatrical performer.

Zhao Er Guniang quickly looked down at her clothes; indeed, her ribs resembled the wings of a large bat, and her trousers were loose and ill-fitting. She shook her sleeves and smiled at Huang Shi, "What's so difficult about that? Your Excellency, the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince, just give me a few ropes."

Zhao Er Guniang hurriedly went back to the cabin with the ropes to tidy her clothes. Soon, she reappeared, her long hair tied into a tight bun at the back of her head, her sleeves and trouser legs rolled up and tied, and her waist secured with rope. Although her men's clothing was quite ridiculous, it looked neat and tidy, allowing for easy movement.

The initial orders had been issued, and the reconnaissance team returned to report the situation. The fleet sailed to the hidden bay behind the mountain that Zhao Meimei had mentioned. There, the wind was gentle at night due to the cliffs, and there were no undercurrents; the ice floes were almost completely still. Long ropes were already prepared on a large number of small boats.

"Your Excellency, I am willing to be the first to disembark and prove your words," Zhao Meimei said, indicating her willingness to be the first to disembark and demonstrate that the ice floe area was safe and to survey the edges to see if the troops could pass.

Huang Shi glanced at Zhao Meimei; her eager expression made him chuckle. "Miss Zhao, you misunderstand. It's not that I don't trust you, but my men need a foolproof plan."

After confirming that this was a relatively safe ice floe area, the staff began to formulate a plan according to military regulations. A large number of small boats were deployed to clear a path through the ice floes. Then, the boats were laid horizontally, the innermost ones attached to the ice floes, while the others were arranged side-by-side to form a pontoon bridge. After the positions were set up, the sailors tightened the ropes to secure the boats, then jumped onto the smaller boats to leave the pontoon bridge, returning to the larger ship to send out more small boats.

This process was repeated for both pontoon bridges without any issues with ice floes colliding with them. During this time, Huang Shi stretched out his arm to test the wind force at least a hundred times. Seeing the ice floes being pushed harmlessly further and further away, Huang Shi sighed with relief.

The first to reach the ice were the provisional engineering corps from Changsheng Island. Because Eunuch Wu had sent all the engineering corps from Changsheng Island to Fuzhou, Huang Shi temporarily drew engineering instructors from the training corps. Although this engineering corps consisted of only forty men, they were all elite engineers from Changsheng Island, many of whom had received at least one commendation and many wore medals.

The commander of this provisional engineering corps was Ouyang Xin, the person in charge of the Fuzhou pontoon bridge. This man from Beizhili had always diligently studied two profound subjects: a feng shui apprentice by day and a tomb raiding apprentice by night. In this era, tomb raiding generally required at least two people. After digging the hole, one person would go down to retrieve the treasure, while the other would stay at the entrance to provide cover.

In short, tomb raiding was a high-risk, high-reward job. The high risk stemmed primarily from the high reward; if the tomb raider at the entrance became greedy, they could easily kill their partner below. Many skilled and daring tomb raiders in the past were betrayed and killed by untrustworthy partners, so later generations of tomb raiders often worked as uncles and nephews. After all, most fathers wouldn't want their sons to follow them into such unethical business, and uncles and nephews had close blood ties, allowing for mutual trust and assistance.

Ouyang Xin was no exception; his maternal uncle taught him these skills. During the day, his uncle taught him the necessary theoretical knowledge while he studied feng shui, and at night he would guide him in applying what he had learned. This uncle, whom Ouyang Xin deeply respected, died during a crackdown by the Ming Dynasty, and Ouyang Xin was subsequently exiled to Changsheng Island.

When Ouyang Xin first arrived on the island, he was assigned to train artillery officers. However, his comprehension of artillery was so poor that he was ruthlessly eliminated. Fortunately, talent always shines through. During the engineering training that began at the end of last year, Ouyang Xin stood out, excelling in various tomb-raiding skills… well, I mean, various engineering skills.

During the Battle of Fuzhou, Ouyang Xin was responsible for overseeing the construction of camps and the building of pontoon bridges, completing all tasks brilliantly. After the Battle of Fuzhou, Huang Shi awarded him a medal and transferred Ouyang Xin and a group of the most outstanding engineers to the training corps, making them honorable engineering instructors. Now, the engineering teams in each battalion are all trained by them.

Regarding the problem of how to allow artillery and large numbers of infantry to cross the ice, Changsheng Island now has readily available engineering regulations, which have undergone multiple tests and revisions at the end of last year and the beginning of this year. Since Zhao Meimei provided such a sheltered location, the remaining tasks were handled with ease by these engineering instructors.

The instructors quickly found a solid spot on the ice, laid out prepared wooden planks all the way to the shore, applied a small amount of grease for lubrication, and then towed the small boats onto the planks. Back on Changsheng Island, according to Huang Shi's orders, the engineering corps' tools were to be replaced with steel ones first, especially ensuring the instructors of the training corps were familiar with the tools. They quickly drove in stakes, installed ropes and pulleys, and then directed the soldiers to chant as they towed the small boats forward. During the work, some soldiers fell into suddenly appearing ice holes, but they persevered silently, eventually creating a makeshift harbor pier and a path on the ice using the small boats and planks.

The ice, unable to withstand the weight, began to break apart. Ouyang Xin, who was prepared, immediately directed the entire team to work together, gradually pushing the spread-out small boats into the ice until they replaced the unreliable edges. After this work was completed, a wooden passage was created in the middle of the solid ice layer on the eastern coast of Juehua Island, leading from the dangerous edge all the way to the solid rear ice.

Next, wooden planks were placed on the small boats as a road and nailed shut, and the Changsheng Army's internal security forces took over traffic control. Under their command, the soldiers on the ships began to systematically transfer to Juehua Island…

As night fell, a sweat-drenched Ouyang Xin returned to the command ship. Chief of Staff Jin Qiude personally handed him a bowl of hot brown sugar ginger soup, praising his work and pointing out that upon returning to the island, he needed to formulate regulations and training manuals for landing in front of the enemy, develop specialized tools, and told him he could go get a good night's sleep.

Now, under the paranoid leadership of Huang Shi, Changsheng Island was perversely formulating all sorts of regulations, and the manuals for various branches of the military were being tirelessly revised and organized. Especially for technical branches like engineers and artillery, Huang Shi's motto was: "Don't improvise, follow the rules." He believed that rather than expecting technical soldiers to come up with brilliant ideas on the tense battlefield, it was better to have them think things through in advance, prepare for possible situations, and write everything down in the regulations.

Ouyang Xin saluted and was about to leave when Jin Qiude suddenly called him back: "Have you noticed any reaction on the island?"

"Reporting to Guerrilla Jin, there's been no reaction, and no one has been sent over."

"Okay, I understand. Go on."

Jin Qiude and his staff officers got back to work. On the ice, the guards continuously waved torches to report on the progress, while the staff on the command ship made frequent minor adjustments to the troops to ensure the smooth execution of the entire landing plan.

It was always the same; once Huang Shi made up his mind, things actually became a little easier. With the General Staff in place, the most demanding tasks would fall to Jin Qiude. The ship's hold was packed with staff officers, all working busily. Prioritizing the transport of personnel, weapons, ammunition, and tents required careful planning and flexible adjustments; the number of sick personnel needed to be tallied; transport operations had to be conducted while ensuring the integrity of the units; emergency preparedness needed to be ensured; unloading areas and campsites had to be arranged for each unit… The staff officers were constantly issuing various instructions to the officers on the ice and on the ship; tonight would certainly be another sleepless night for them.

…

At this moment, Huang Shi had just finished dinner and was leisurely picking his teeth and rinsing his mouth. Although no outsiders knew Zhao Meimei's identity, he absolutely had to send her back to her brother's place tonight; otherwise, spending the night outside would be extremely detrimental to her reputation. A soft knock came at the boat door. With Huang Shi's "Please come in," the cabin door opened a crack, and Zhao Meimei peeked out, her

head partially visible. She asked timidly, "Your Excellency, do you have rouge...? No? Then do you have face powder...? Your Excellency, please calm down, I won't ask anymore." Zhao Meimei's clothes had been adjusted before departure; the loose parts were now pleated, and the drawstrings were tied into pretty bows. Her hair was styled in a bun, with two long, thin strands falling from her smooth face to her chest. That suffocating feeling surged back, and Huang Shi quickly shifted his gaze to the wall before he could control himself. "Miss Zhao, please, let's disembark quickly."

Zhao Meimei carefully put on her dog-skin hat, then took the cotton cloth Huang Shi gave her and wrapped it tightly around her face, leaving only a slit for her eyes. At Huang Shi's insistence, Zhao Meimei, though somewhat apprehensive, obediently walked ahead. She held the ends of her loose hair in her hands, her long, flowing black hair cascading down to her hips. Huang Shi took the opportunity to admire her curves for a moment, then followed her onto the deck, accompanying her as she disembarked from the small boat.

After landing, Huang Shi asked the internal security officers directing traffic about any activity on the island. They replied that they hadn't detected anything yet, nor encountered any patrols from Juehua Island. Huang Shi snorted and said to Zhao Er Guniang, "When we arrive at Dongshan, I'm afraid I might be disrespectful to your elder brother... But given how you treat Zhao Er Guniang, you must know your own character. Once you understand my good intentions, I doubt you'll take it to heart."

As he led his guards towards the summit of Dongshan, Zhao Er Guniang was still somewhat uneasy and asked, "Has the Crown Prince's Junior Guardian already devised a foolproof plan?"

"If I weren't here, but since I am..." Huang Shi's eyes narrowed slightly, his chest filled with a surge of confidence, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Then the Jurchens will only suffer a crushing defeat."

...

Inside the Juehua Dongshan official residence, the lights were still bright. Zhao Yingong had already mobilized the island's soldiers to break the ice, while he personally guarded the Dongshan granary. Besides carrying a sword, Zhao Yingong also had a dagger tucked into his boot, intending to use it to commit suicide in a crisis.

Zhao Yingong led the Juehua civil officials and advisors in a concerted effort, planning everything meticulously. Zhao Yingong had no doubt—even that so-called famous general Huang Shi couldn't have done a better job than him. Moreover, refusing to allow Huang Shi's army to land would ensure the unity of Juehua's military command and prevent internal discord. Zhao Yingong truly felt that the three thousand Dongjiang soldiers were of little use; in crucial moments, they would still need regular troops, not refugee militias.

Before Zhao Yingong lay a map of Juehua, depicting the defensive deployments designed by his civil officials and advisors. Unconsciously, Zhao Yingong pursed his lips tighter and tighter, feeling a fire burning in his chest—"I must be brave, never retreat, strategize carefully, and at crucial moments, go to the front lines to boost morale…that's how we will surely win."

Seeing this, the Zhao family's servants quietly withdrew. They unanimously agreed that their master was most like a grandmaster when meditating; he could usually meditate for hours on end, maintaining a perfectly still posture throughout.

No one had ever dared to interrupt Lord Zhao's meditation before, but today, he had only been in a meditative state for a short while when a violent commotion erupted outside the camp. In the blink of an eye, the shouts of soldiers filled the entire camp. Several servants of the Zhao family rushed in with clubs, surrounding Zhao Yingong: "Protect the master!" "

What's the panic?" Zhao Yingong roared, sword in hand. He had already stood up when the commotion outside started. Now, shouts of "Enemy attack!" were everywhere outside the gate, torches flickered in the chaos, and officers' angry shouts and loud commands were interspersed among the noise.

Zhao Yingong was shocked that the Later Jin army had launched such a covert ambush, but he showed no fear in the face of the situation. He gripped his sword and strode towards the gate: "I will personally beat the drums for the soldiers."

...

When the stirring drumbeats echoed across the eastern mountain, Huang Shi had already led his small squad of guards to the mountainside. They had walked all the way to the camp gate before being discovered by the guards. The guards, after demanding to know who they were, immediately sounded the alarm before even hearing their answer. The Ming army on Dongshan was thrown into chaos. To avoid being caught in the crossfire in the darkness, Huang Shi and his group had to retreat.

Huang Shi calmly observed for a while; now, arrows and stones were flying everywhere above the summit of Dongshan, and the roar of cannons could be heard. He shook his head helplessly and turned to Zhao Meimei, saying, "Let's go up again when they're tired of causing trouble." The cannon fire on the shore ignited the flames of war across Juehua Island. Soon,

the

Ming troops on the west bank and in the valleys also fired signals. In less than half an hour, the entire Juehua Island was filled with the sound of gunfire, and flames rose all around Huang Shi and his group. As time passed, the faint, thunderous roar of cannons could be heard from the direction of Ningyuan Fort, the shrieking of shells cutting through the air piercing the eardrums. The soldiers calmly went about their tasks, knowing from the cannon fire how high the cannons were raised, but posing no real danger to them at close range.

An officer from the Imperial Guard ran back carrying a torch, stood at attention, and loudly reported to Huang Shi, "Reporting to you, sir, I have informed Jin Youji of the situation here. The landing operation will proceed according to the pre-arranged plan."

"What is the reaction of the sailors in Tianjin?" Huang Shi was quite confident in the Changsheng Army. Over the past five years, this army had endured numerous hard-fought battles. Now, the Firefighting and Vanguard Battalions had more veterans than new recruits, and even the new recruits had seen the Later Jin army in Changsheng Island, Jinzhou, Lushun, and Nanguan, confronting them and undergoing the trials and tribulations of war.

"Reporting to you, sir, there has been some unrest among the sailors in Tianjin, but the Imperial Guard has maintained firm control of the fleet, and there has been no chaos or loss of control."

"Very good." Huang Shi glanced again at the summit of Dongshan Mountain, where the unrest was intensifying; it seemed they were beginning to be influenced by other units. After a long time, the noise from the hilltop finally subsided, and it seemed they were also starting to feel confused. So Huang Shi sent another person to contact the garrison. The liaison officer passed through the dense wall of firewalls and arrived at the front of the camp, miraculously unharmed. This time he managed to explain things clearly, but the garrison refused to open the camp gates and let anyone in.

Upon hearing the report, Huang Shi looked dejected. Seeing his expression, Zhao Er Guniang said, "Your Excellency, since no one knows my identity now, it wouldn't hurt to offer me a clean cabin or tent for the night."

Huang Shi initially nodded, but then, thinking that secrets don't stay hidden forever, he asked, "Does Miss Zhao have any other relatives on Juehua Island?" Zhao Er

Guniang hesitated for a moment, then softly replied, "My elder sister's house is not far away."

"I'll escort Miss Zhao there," Huang Shi insisted, seemingly oblivious to anything else, and personally escorted her back. When they reached the vicinity of Zhao Er Guniang's brother-in-law's house, Huang Shi waved for the guards to remain at a distance, lest they overhear something they shouldn't.

When Zhao Xiaomei opened the door, her older sister was naturally surprised. Her husband was out helping Zhao Yingong with his plans that night, so she wasn't home. The eldest daughter of the Zhao family, while holding her younger sister in her arms and softly complaining, repeatedly and suspiciously glanced at Huang Shi at the door. After seeing her sister's clothes by the firelight, her expression changed again. The eldest daughter fumbled with her sister's clothes, and when she looked up at Huang Shi again, her gaze shifted from complex emotions to hatred… like a real knife.

Huang Shi remembered the eldest daughter of the Zhao family as a beauty from years ago, and even with only the dim light of the torch, he had to admit she had grown even more beautiful in the years since he last saw her. Huang Shi knew that the malicious look in her eyes meant the eldest daughter of the Zhao family had some misunderstanding about him, but…

—it was better for the sisters to clear things up themselves; the more he tried to explain, the worse it would get.

Embarrassed, Huang Shi, seeing that the matter was settled, prepared to take his leave. He said to Miss Zhao, "Miss Zhao..."

"My surname is Chen," Chen Zhao interrupted Huang Shi without hesitation, holding her younger sister even tighter in her arms and glaring at Huang Shi warily. At this moment, Miss Zhao also turned to look at Huang Shi, her eyes filled with a hint of apology.

"Miss Chen, Miss Zhao," Huang Shi smiled without taking offense, nodding slightly to the two sisters, "I have official business to attend to, and this matter is finished, so I will take my leave."

The door slammed heavily in front of Huang Shi, splattering dust onto his face. He shook his head with a wry smile, turned, and led his guards back to the campsite. That night, the island's garrison made a ruckus all night...

December 22nd, the fifth year of the Tianqi reign.

With the concerted efforts of the General Staff and the Inner Guard, more than a thousand soldiers from Changsheng Island had landed that night. Although there were many difficulties, Jin Qiude still expressed cautious optimism, believing that most of the soldiers could reach Juehua Island before nightfall.

After getting up early the next morning, Huang Shi led his guards to climb Dongshan for the third time. As dawn broke, the island's clamor gradually subsided, and now all was quiet. When the group from Changsheng Island entered the Dongshan Treasury, Zhao Yingong was panting in a chair in the main hall. He had been pounding the drums for most of the night, sweating profusely, and only in the morning had his servants help him down from his post to rest.

Last night, Zhao Yingong had been fueled by the burning passion in his chest, frantically beating the drums like a machine, completely oblivious to fatigue. But now, Magistrate Zhao was utterly exhausted. When he saw Huang Shi stride in, Magistrate Zhao didn't even have the strength to lift a finger. When Huang Shi drew his imperial sword and took command of the entire island, Zhao Yingong, who desperately wanted to object, only moved his lips but didn't utter a sound.

Huang Shi, understanding the situation, ordered the Zhao family's servants to help their master home to rest, and the servants obeyed without daring to disobey. Having easily seized control of the Dongshan Treasury, Huang Shi immediately dispatched the treasury's garrison to assist the Changsheng Army in landing. Simultaneously, he ordered the Guan Ning Army generals who were currently breaking ice to immediately cease their work and come to the Dongshan Treasury to see him.

There were six generals on Juehua Island: Lieutenant General Yao Yuxian, Jin Guan, Hu Yining, and Guerrilla Generals Ji Shan, Wu Yu, and Zhang Guoqing. Two hours later, they arrived at the Dongshan Treasury. By then, Huang Shi had already dismissed the civil officials to the rear warehouse to count the silver. Huang Shi himself waited with a beaming smile at the treasury's entrance, personally welcoming the six generals into the main hall: "Please be seated, generals."

These were officers from Liaozhen, while Huang Shi belonged to Dongjiang, so he naturally couldn't be ordered around like a deputy general or lieutenant general. As the Vice Commander-in-Chief, Huang Shi was naturally of a much higher rank than these men. In the entire Guan-Ning Army, only Ma Shilong held a higher rank than Huang Shi, and even Man Gui, the General of Ningyuan, was only of equal rank. When Huang Shi presented the Imperial Sword and Silver Command Arrow, the six generals of the Guan-Ning Army were completely subservient, readily declaring their willingness to obey Huang Shi's command.

Huang Shi didn't know the character of the other four, but he did know Yao Yuxian, the Assistant General, and Jin Guan, the Assistant General. A few months earlier, in the Battle of Yaozhou, these two had been the ones who hindered Lu Zhijia and Li Chengxian—failing to send ships before the attack and dismantling the pontoon bridge after their retreat. However, the situation was different now. After all, Yuan Chonghuan, the Circuit Intendant of Ningqian, had issued a death order: anyone who tried to flee would be beheaded. Yuan Shao was notoriously unreasonable, and the six generals of the Guan-Ning Army had received clear orders to defend Juehua. They had no chance to use the excuse of the Mongol invasion to rush west to "fight the enemy." Ningyuan Fort was under martial law, and no one was allowed to enter or leave. Behind them was an isolated island with no way to retreat.

In Huang Shi's original history, General Jin was supposed to die of illness on the eve of the Battle of Ningyuan, and the other generals had also died in the Battle of Juehua. Huang Shi did not intend to argue with these martyrs from his previous life. In the face of a formidable enemy, he hoped that these six generals could cooperate sincerely with him—anyone who wasn't brain-dead should understand what the consequences of infighting would be at this time.

Huang Shi first discussed some military issues with them.

Back when they landed on the ship, Huang Shi had prepared several plans. The first one he proposed was to suggest that the six generals retreat to the sea. Because the ice on Juehua Island had not been broken according to regulations, all the ships on the island were now frozen. Huang Shi not only agreed to let these generals take refuge on ships in Tianjin, but also stated that their servants and relatives could evacuate with them, provided they left their troops under Huang Shi's command. Huang Shi would then issue them certificates of "no desertion in the face of battle." Of course, if they followed this plan, they could forget about receiving any merit in the future.

When Huang Shi introduced this plan, the six Liaodong generals dared not speak, desperately communicating with each other through eye contact. But when Huang Shi finished speaking and asked for their opinions, none of them dared to be the first to speak. Six pairs of expressive eyes were wide open, their gazes piercing through the air. The generals sat upright for a while, not only communicating with their eyes, but also with their eyebrows constantly moving up and down, and their lips occasionally twitching in a mysterious way. This reminded Huang Shi of the wireless telegraphs of his previous life.

After a moment of silent exchange, General Yao coughed lightly, "General Huang, we have some questions."

Huang Shi noticed that he used "we" instead of "this humble general," and politely replied, "General Yao, please speak."

"Does General Huang have any other strategies?" Yao Yuxian looked intently into Huang Shi's eyes, and the other five also perked up and looked over. Yesterday, after discovering that the ships were frozen solid, they were filled with regret. Today, after hearing that Huang Shi had arrived, their minds were filled with thoughts of boarding a ship in Tianjin. But seeing that Huang Shi seemed quite confident, their minds started working again. In any case, even if they didn't get any credit, saving their lives was definitely not a problem. After Yao Yuxian took the lead, they all chimed in, chiming in:

"Yes, Commander Huang, though I am weak, I must do my part for the country."

"Commander Huang, you are wise; I will follow your lead without question."

"If you find me a hindrance, I will pack my bags and board the ship immediately, and I will not cause you any trouble."

"Commander Huang is invincible; I have always hoped to learn a thing or two from you. Of course, if this is your family's secret technique and you do not wish to reveal it, I will hand over my troops to you and board the ship with my servants."

"Commander Huang, that's what I think too."

...

Seeing their high morale, Huang Shi was secretly pleased. Getting their genuine cooperation was better than forcibly driving them away; after all, they still had considerable control over the army. He also didn't need to worry about them harboring resentment and causing trouble for him.

Huang Shi's other plan was to halt ice-breaking, concentrate manpower on repairing field fortifications, and allow soldiers ample rest to prepare for the coming Later Jin army. Huang Shi also suggested that the two armies divide the heads after the battle equally, with Huang Shi's 3,000 direct subordinates taking half, and Juehua's four field battalions of 7,000 Guan Ning cavalry taking the other half.

After hearing the suggestion, the six Guan Ning generals exchanged heated words, their brows furrowed, teeth grinding, their faces displaying expressions that shifted between ferocious terror and utter despair. They even subtly adjusted their finger gestures – wireless telegraphy had evolved into wireless communication. Huang Shi, witnessing such remarkable teamwork, was deeply moved. If he possessed such skill, commanding troops would be far superior to modern armies using radio.

Regarding the ice-breaking, these men weren't entirely opposed. The previous night's work had resulted in over a hundred soldiers losing fingers to frostbite. Moreover, the ice was already too thick; the Juehua Strait, already only a few meters deep, was frozen solid all the way to the seabed. The trenches they had painstakingly dug were constantly freezing, riddled with gaps.

Before Huang Shi's arrival, they had no choice but to continue digging to save their lives. But now, with Huang Shi's confident demeanor and the promise of a sea route, these generals were unwilling to endure that foreign torment.

Yao Yuxian then posed the concluding question: "General Huang, could you please tell me your plans for this battle?"

Huang Shi smiled slightly and unfolded a map of Juehua. This was one of the maps he had "seized" from Zhao Yingong's office. The six generals immediately craned their necks to get closer.

...

Huang Shi suggested building a field fortification behind the ice to keep the Later Jin army at bay on the treacherous ice, thus protecting the island's food supplies, houses, and military households. This would allow the army to receive a steady stream of supplies from the rear.

Conversely, if they only held the Dongshan silver treasury, which was only a little over a hundred meters in circumference, it wouldn't be able to accommodate a large army, let alone store enough food and supplies. Huang Shi believed this was suicidal.

"I have two battalions of three thousand soldiers, and Juehua has four battalions of seven thousand soldiers, which adds up to ten thousand men." To encourage the generals, Huang Shi included the seven thousand Guan Ning cavalry in the count. The number of 10,000 warriors is roughly equivalent to half of the total armored force of the Later Jin regime. This time, Nurhaci's family couldn't possibly be left without a single person, and there would also be guards stationed at various forts along the way. The transport teams stretching for hundreds of miles would certainly also need guards. Therefore, Huang Shi asserted that Juehua's forces would definitely not be less than the Later Jin army's and could be used for a defensive battle: "Moreover, there are seven battalions of 15,000 warriors in Ningyuan City. The main force of the Jurchens will definitely stay behind to monitor Ningyuan Fort. The pressure we can share here will not exceed 3,000 armored soldiers, and perhaps tens of thousands of unarmored soldiers pushing carts will come along as well."

But the generals in front of him still showed no joy or excitement, and their faces remained ashen. Huang Shi sighed, "My troops will fight at the front. You generals only need to supervise your men to construct fortifications according to my instructions. During the war, you are responsible for maintaining order on the island. If you really don't want to do this, leave your troops with me and go to the ship. I will not force you."

Yao Yuxian's eyes flashed like lightning as he swept over his colleagues. They all nodded slowly. Then he turned to Huang Shi and said, "General Huang, you are wise. We have four battalions with seven thousand soldiers, while you only brought two battalions with three thousand soldiers. If we divide it equally, wouldn't it be...that...that..." Yao Yuxian stammered for a long time before finally saying clearly, "Wouldn't it be a 70/30 split..."

Seeing the displeasure on Huang Shi's face, Yao Yuxian quickly added, "General Huang is a guest general, so your merits can be doubled. Isn't a 70/30 split just half for Guan Ning and half for Dongjiang?"

"...Of course I could forcefully suppress them, but if they harbor resentment, they might do something foolish... Forget it, I can't let a small gain lead to a big loss. Victory is the priority; without defeating the Jurchens, everything else is meaningless."

Huang Shi had made up his mind, and smiled, "Alright, let's split it 70/30. Guan Ning 70%, Dongjiang 30%."

Yao Yuxian and the others, who were even more cunning than monkeys, had originally planned to ask for an exorbitant price, and they were all prepared for a protracted war with Huang Shi. They didn't expect Huang Shi to be so naive as to agree so readily. Overjoyed, they invited Huang Shi to drink and eat meat that evening to celebrate the perfect coordination between the two armies.

Huang Shi was also very happy. They had voluntarily given up going on the ship to stay and compete for credit; surely they wouldn't deliberately sabotage him now. With these veteran generals around, the deployment on the island should proceed smoothly. In Huang Shi's plan, this was a crucial step towards victory.

Several men enthusiastically invited Huang Shi to drink, and Huang Shi readily agreed with a smile. He then planned to first confirm everyone's tasks. Huang Shi had barely begun speaking when a man suddenly burst in. This man was disheveled, clutching a drawn longsword tightly in his hand. Everyone was startled. Huang Shi looked closely and

recognized him immediately – it was none other than Lord Zhao Yingong. Lord Zhao's eyes were bloodshot. When he had fled home and run up the mountain, his official hat and hair ornaments were nowhere to be seen. His official robes were clearly unkempt, with half his forearm exposed, the front and hem in complete disarray.

Zhao Yingong stared intently at Huang Shi, panting heavily, his teeth practically grinding together. Suddenly, he roared and charged forward, brandishing his sword. Huang Shi's guards, already prepared, swarmed forward and easily subdued Lord Zhao.

After the guards restrained Zhao Yingong, one of them pulled a rope from his waist, intending to tie him up. Huang Shi waved his hand nonchalantly, saying, "Lord Zhao is tired. Take him to the back to rest properly, and keep a close watch on him to prevent him from hurting himself."

Although Huang Shi remained seated without changing his expression, the other six generals stood up at a loss. Regardless of whether they were resident commanders of Juehua Island, each of them was under the supervision of civil officials and dared not act as recklessly as the Dongjiang officers. Of course, they already hated Zhao Yingong to the core because they had just learned that Lord Zhao had not allowed Huang Shi to go ashore and had even blocked them from hearing about Huang Shi's arrival.

However, these generals still pretended to advise him, trying to distance themselves from Lord Zhao in front of him. Otherwise, even if they were no longer under Lord Zhao's jurisdiction, Zhao Yingong could write a document to the civil official in charge of them, and these generals would be in deep trouble. While the group chattered away, Huang Shi's guards quickly bound Zhao Yingong into a crab-like shape.

"Traitor! Traitor!" Several guards tried to drag Zhao Yingong away, but he struggled frantically, roaring at Huang Shi. He had only heard two words from his younger sister, and he was already enraged, ready to fight Huang Shi. The cries of his two younger sisters behind him couldn't stop him. Thinking of his beloved younger sister, tears streamed down Zhao Yingong's face. He screamed hoarsely, "Huang Shi, you scoundrel, you scum..."

"Lord Zhao has had too much to drink," Huang Shi said, seeing Zhao Yingong's increasingly incoherent ramblings and worried that the fool might accidentally reveal his sister's name, which would lead to Zhao Er's suicide. So he turned and gave the guards a stern look: "Don't let him bite his tongue."

With a rope binding his mouth, Zhao Yingong could only make muffled sounds as he was dragged away by the guards. Throughout this time, Huang Shi calmly instructed the six generals on their tasks, while the men stood ramrod straight, sweating profusely.

In the afternoon, Huang Shi ordered the entire Changsheng Army to rest. Yesterday, scouts from the Later Jin vanguard arrived outside Ningyuan Fort, leading him to estimate that a large number of them would arrive at the city walls today. No matter how arrogant the Later Jin army was, they couldn't possibly bypass the seven battalions of Ningyuan Fort without rest and attack Juehua overnight. As for Nurhaci's main force, Huang Shi estimated they would arrive in Ningyuan on the 24th, needing at least a day's rest after their long march of five or six hundred li.

Men, women, and children in the Juehua military households were mobilized, and the four battalions of the Guan Ning Army also joined in transporting supplies. Accompanied by several generals, Huang Shi inspected Juehua's defenses. To boost morale, the Guan Ning Army generals promptly informed the Juehua defenders of the news.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers and civilian households of Huangshi all stopped their work and kowtowed to the seven generals. Many of the military households' families also burned incense at their doors, shouting to Huangshi, "May General Huang live a long and healthy life!" A large number of merchants from the island also rushed to his horse to pay their respects: "We will never forget the life-saving grace of the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince!"

...

"Danger will begin on the 25th, and at the latest by the 26th, our army will face immense pressure." Huang Shi rode his horse to inspect the west bank of Daojuehua. He knew he had about three days to rest his troops and build defenses. He had to prepare for the worst-case scenario—the entire Later Jin army coming.

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