Moreover, because a large amount of sand from the upper reaches of the Liaohe River caused the riverbed to rise continuously, a large amount of water flooded the river channel, and the west side happened to be a swampy low-lying area, the "Liao Ze" recorded in the literature was formed.
Liaoze does not have large lake bodies like the ancient Yunmengze and Juyeze, but is a natural complex formed by swamps, lakes, rivers, etc.
By the Ming Dynasty, in addition to the area from Beizhen (Guangning City) to Liaozhong, "Liao Ze" had two other parts: one was from Shenyang to the Liaohe River west, and the other was from Liaoyang to Niuzhuang south, both of which were east of the Liaohe River today.
The interweaving of lakes, wetlands and swamps was naturally not conducive to marching and fighting, especially for the Jiannu people who were mostly cavalry, the obstacle was particularly huge.
The Guangning defense line was able to hold its ground thanks to the blocking of the "Liaoze", which prevented the Jiannu from easily crossing it.
But in winter, the rivers in Liaodong were frozen for several months, and people and horses could walk on flat ground. It was also the time when the Jiannu often launched attacks, and the Ming army had the most difficult time to defend.
Similarly, crossing the Liaohe River, Hunhe River, Taizihe River and other rivers and wading through the "Liaoze" was not an easy task for the Ming army.
Given the practical difficulties faced by both sides, Nurhaci believed that even if the Liaoxi Ming army recaptured Guangning, it would be difficult for them to launch an offensive immediately. With their own army's advantage in mobility, they would have plenty of time to seize the opportunity and launch an attack.
However, the new intelligence made Nurhaci's analysis and judgment almost fail, and he had no choice but to take it seriously and think hard about countermeasures.
The intelligence was sent by the Khorchin tribe, which was asking the Later Jin to send troops for assistance. The Chahar and Inner Khalkha tribes dispatched troops and launched an attack on the Khorchin tribe.
Nurhaci was not surprised by this. Based on his reconnaissance and investigation of Ligdan Khan, he naturally understood Ligdan Khan's intention to unify Mongolia.
Among the various tribes on the left wing of the Mongols, the relationship between Obataiji's Khorchin and the Chahar tribe was the most tense. The reason was simple: the Khorchin had close ties with the Later Jin and abandoned Ligdan Khan to ally with Nurhaci.
Unlike the Inner Khalkha, which was forced into an alliance, the Khorchin took the initiative to form an alliance with the Later Jin, clearly targeting Ligdan Khan. It was only natural that they bore the brunt of Ligdan Khan's unification cause.
Although the five Inner Khalkha tribes were forced to form an alliance, they always harbored hatred towards the Later Jin and waited for an opportunity to take revenge.
In particular, Ang'an, the Taiji of the Zalut tribe, had always been a hardliner against the Later Jin. It was not surprising that he accepted the order from Ligdan Khan to send troops to assist in the war.
Nurhaci could ignore the Khorchin tribe's call for help, or he could bluff and not necessarily protect his tribe at all costs.
However, Nurhaci, considering the overall strategic situation, discovered that the joint attack on Khorchin by Chahar and Inner Khalkha might have hidden intentions behind it. If not handled properly, the consequences could be serious.
Because the Khorchin tribe was a barrier, or buffer, between the Mongol tribes and the Later Jin. Once the Khorchin tribe was destroyed, the Later Jin would have to face the hostile Mongol tribes directly.
What was even more worrying was the pro-Ming inclination of the Chahar and Inner Khalkha tribes. If the Ming army attacked through this route, they could enter Liaodong from the upper reaches of the Liao River, avoiding the obstacle of the Liaoze.
Liaozhen, Dongjiangzhen, hostile Mongolian tribes, and Korea, Nurhaci looked at the map and felt the heavy pressure coming from all directions like a mountain.
The situation is getting worse and worse, but the current Later Jin army and Nurhaci are very different from last year.
The Later Jin army had suffered setbacks in the sieges of Guangning, Ningyuan and Lushun, and had suffered considerable losses in both manpower and morale, which had also eroded Nurhaci's confidence in the battle.
Psychological changes occur unconsciously, and even the person himself may not be aware of it.
When Nurhaci first started his rebellion against the Ming Dynasty, he was determined to fight to the death.
When the Ming Dynasty gathered a large number of troops and pressed forward from all sides, a desperate situation of either victory or death broke out. Not only Nurhaci, but other Jiannu also had the same mentality.
The Battle of Sarhu strengthened Nurhaci's confidence and also revealed the weakness of the Ming army in Liaodong. The victory over Liaoshen forced the Ming army in Liaodong to take a defensive stance and no longer dared to engage in field battles.
At that time, Nurhaci was ambitious and did not take the incompetent Liaodong Governor Wang Huazhen seriously. Although Xiong Tingbi was powerful, he was not well-liked and had no troops under his command.
Through Li Yongfang's operation and the internal support of the rebel general Sun Degong, Nurhaci felt that he was sure to win the Battle of Guangning.
But when he confidently led his army to the city of Guangning, he was greeted by Xiong Manzi and tens of thousands of mobilized soldiers and civilians.
It was also at the city of Guangning that Nurhaci suffered his first defeat since he started his rebellion.
Of course, one setback was nothing. It was no secret that the Later Jin army lacked the strength to attack, and Nurhaci knew it very well.
But the subsequent changes in the situation shocked Nurhaci greatly. The Ming court quickly stabilized its position, blockaded and besieged the Later Jin, and launched a war of attrition with the Later Jin.
With the financial resources of the Later Jin Dynasty, it would be tantamount to seeking death to compete with the giant Ming Empire.
When the weak fight against the strong, the weak takes advantage of the advantage of speed, while the strong takes advantage of the wrestling match; when the rich sues against the poor, the poor is happy to end the dispute quickly, while the rich is happy to persist.
How could Nurhaci not know that trying to maintain a long-term relationship with the Ming Empire with just a corner of Liaodong was like the weak wrestling with the strong, or the poor competing with the rich for wealth.
Therefore, after careful planning and preparation, Nurhaci personally led the army and launched the Battle of Ningyuan.
However, the result not only did not improve the situation of the Later Jin Dynasty, but it fell into a more passive position due to the loss of troops and generals.
What frightened Nurhaci was not only the sharp muskets and artillery of the Ming army, but also the fact that the performance of the combat officers and soldiers was very different from that of the previous Ming army, which made him realize the difficulty of future battles.
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