Zhang Pan certainly didn't know that the old slave had been injured and rushed out of the camp, leaving this Jiannu group behind to cover the retreat. With their core members unaware of their fate, their morale was shaken, and they naturally lost their spirits.
Despite this, Zhang Pan did not underestimate the enemy. He still used his firepower advantage to kill the enemy in order to minimize his own army's losses.
Victory in the decisive battle and the pacification of Liaodong were just around the corner. If possible, Zhang Pan hoped that all the soldiers could survive, reunite with their families, and return home alive.
But the cruelty of war is so inhumane. It doesn't care whether you have parents, relatives, a wife, or children. Death doesn't choose, and it often inflicts the deepest pain.
Portuguese guns and muskets spewed flames, and arrows shot into the air. Both sides used their strengths to engage in a long-range battle.
Although the Ming army had a clear advantage and had more casualties than the Jiannu, this fierce battle ended when the flying cavalry and spear cavalry encircled and outflanked the enemy and appeared on the enemy's flank.
The remaining Jiannu retreated in panic, mounted their warhorses and fled for their lives. With only a thousand or so men left, they were no match for the overwhelming charge of the Ming cavalry.
The flying cavalry and spear cavalry chased after them at high speed. Zhang Pan commanded his troops to rush out of the camp and follow behind.
The battle in the Jiannu camp continued, but only a few remnants of the enemy were holding out. More Ming troops regrouped briefly before pursuing northward.
Infantry cannot catch up with cavalry, and two legs cannot outrun four-legged war horses. This is the normal situation.
However, infantry also has its own advantages: it can advance continuously. Warhorses, carrying people on their backs, cannot run for long periods of time. Long-distance maneuvers like those of the Mongol cavalry required the use of two or three spare warhorses, which they would ride in rotation.
Of course, Xiong Tingbi had no plan to let the infantry run straight to Fushun or Liaoyang, but supporting the cavalry and forcing the Jiannu to flee in panic was still a good choice.
When Xiong Tingbi entered the Jiannu camp under layers of protection, the battle was basically over, although sporadic gunshots and howling could still be heard.
All he could see were corpses scattered all over the place, broken swords, spears, and armor, bloody limbs and arms, smoke rising from the earth, and destroyed shield carts...
The main force had already pursued northward, leaving only a small number of troops to clean up the battlefield.
Some soldiers roughly threw the bodies of the Jiannu soldiers onto carts, while other soldiers carefully carried the bodies of their comrades to a cleared area, as if they had fallen asleep and were afraid of being woken up.
Xiong Tingbi quickly turned his gaze away, not because he was heartless, but because his heart was as hard as iron and he had a deeper understanding and feeling about the war.
"The ammunition and supplies must be shipped up as quickly as possible," Xiong Tingbi instructed without turning back. "Send someone to report to Commander Yuan that our army has defeated the main force of the Jiannu army and will advance towards Anshan and Liaoyang tomorrow."
"Use the signal tower to send a message to Liaoxi." Xiong Tingbi pondered for a moment, calculating the time, and said, "Have them receive the order and march out of Huangniwa in three days."
"Send a message to General Mao of Liaodong: our army has won a great victory. Please be on guard. The Jiannu might flee to Jianzhou and Haixi."
After a pause, Xiong Tingbi decided to write the secret report himself so that he could report the victory to the emperor faster than the normal military report.
Xiong Tingbi stretched out his hand and said, "Count the remains of the Jianlu as soon as possible to determine the remaining enemy forces."
The staff and officers took notes, nodded repeatedly, turned around and left.
"The Jianlu army has been severely weakened by this battle and will undoubtedly never recover," He Kegang said. "Our army will seize this victory and advance to capture Liaoyang and attack Shenyang, striving to achieve another major victory before the Spring Festival."
Xiong Tingbi nodded slightly, bowed towards the capital, and said, "Your Majesty, please give us your full support and mobilize the entire nation to launch the campaign to pacify Liao. We will strive to advance vigorously, live up to the Emperor's orders, and repay His Majesty's grace."
The emperor appointed and used patriotic and loyal generals who were recorded in history as loyal and brave generals. But it was not enough to just use them, the emperor also knew that the generals were pursuing fame and fortune.
Galloping across the battlefield and fighting bloody battles in exchange for success and fame, and being appointed as a general and a noble, this is human nature and can further inspire the fighting spirit and courage of the generals.
Not to mention the noble sentiment of regarding fame and fortune as dirt, the emperor believed that clear rewards and punishments were the way to control his ministers.
In a few years, men like Zhang Pan, He Kegang, Huang Long, Kong Youde, and Huang Degong, even the youngest of them, held the rank of general. Given their age, it wouldn't be difficult for them to be promoted to general.
Of course, military merit should be earned whenever possible, the more the better. Everyone knows that pacifying the Liao and destroying the slaves is the best opportunity to gain merit and promotion.
Not only the generals, but also the ordinary soldiers were rewarded for their bravery and military merits.
Every victory brought a generous reward, and this was only the immediate benefit. Military achievements were recorded, and after retirement, land and tax concessions were granted. Not only did the individual benefit, but the entire family benefited.
But if you are afraid of death and don't obey orders, then I'm sorry, all the preferential policies will be gone, and you will be severely punished according to military discipline.
Besides rewards and punishments, there were also benefits and disadvantages. As long as he grasped these two points, the emperor believed he could control his ministers and generals. By extension, as the chairman of the Ming Dynasty, he could use people as easily as using his own arms, saving him a lot of trouble and effort.
Faint sounds of gunfire were heard in the distance. Xiong Tingbi was still a little worried, so he ordered his men to bring over the war horses and rushed over with a group of men.
The one who engaged in fire with the Ming army was Yangguli, who had set up a blocking position on the official road, while Daishan had already walked far away with his unconscious father Khan.
What to do? What to do? Daishan was in a state of panic. He was worried that the Ming army would seize the opportunity to attack and would be difficult to resist. He was even more worried that something bad would happen to his father, and the Later Jin would be plunged into chaos.
A general mobilization, a decisive battle, only to end in a disastrous defeat. This was completely different from the setbacks in Guangning and Ningyuan, when the Ming army still had the ability to counterattack. Now—
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