In Jianzhou, the Huifa tribe set a precedent by voluntarily accepting surrender and launching a counterattack, allowing the Ming army to easily capture the city of Hetuala at a very small cost.
But in the entire Liaodong battlefield, the Huifa tribe was not the first.
Two days earlier, both gates of Liaoyang City were opened, and Huang Long's troops rushed in, annihilating 3,000 enemies and recaptured the important city. However, the meritorious service was reaped by Yehe's lieutenants, Wu Bahai and Ge Baku.
When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. Faced with the counterattack of the powerful and highly motivated Ming army, the splits of the Later Jin bandit group became more and more obvious and frequent.
The trench defenses built by the Jiannu south of Shenyang also collapsed under the fierce attack of the Ming army. The captured Han soldiers showed bravery and, supported by dense artillery fire, killed and wounded many Jiannu.
The reason for the final collapse of the defense line was not just the fierce attack of the Ming army. The Ming navy suddenly appeared in the Hunhe River, sailed upstream and headed straight for Shenyang, which was also equivalent to cutting off the retreat of the Jiannu who were blocking the Ming army.
Yue Tuo and Fan Wencheng did not dare to fight again and led the remaining troops to retreat in panic. After escaping the Hun River, they set fire to the bridge in an attempt to stop the Ming army.
But their attempt did not have much effect. The Ming army had a complete range of naval and land forces. After building a pontoon bridge, they crossed the river in large numbers and headed straight for Shenyang.
Yuetuo's troops retreated back to Shenyang and did not dare to stay any longer. They guarded the last batch of Jurchen people and retreated eastward.
The end of a dynasty?!
As Fan Wencheng rode eastward with the army, he saw nothing but the panicked and terrified Jurchen civilians. They rode with their families, drove carriages and horses, and meandered through the cold wind, occasionally hearing cries of weeping.
Things change over time, and it is true that good things will come to those who deserve them.
After Lao Nu rebelled against the Ming Dynasty, he attacked cities and seized land in Liaodong, causing many Liao people to lose their families and be separated from their wives and children.
In order to strengthen control over the Han people in Liaodong and prevent them from defecting, Lao Nu had repeatedly ordered the relocation of the Han people.
On November 12, the first year of the Tianqi reign, Lao Nu ordered that all Han people living in villages along the Yalu River, such as Changdian, Yongdian, Dadian, Xindian, and Guhe, be moved to the castles where the Jurchens lived and live together with the Jurchens.
On November 18th of the first year of the Tianqi reign, Nurhaci sent Amin with thousands of troops to Zhenjiang, Kuandian, Aihe, Tangshan, Zhendong, Zhenxi, Xincheng and other places to relocate residents to Fushun, Sarhu and other areas.
In the fourth year of the Tianqi reign, the old slave sent Li Qigu to transfer the people of Daheishan to Hupiyi.
The Liao people who were forcibly relocated received the migration order on the first day and were driven on the road the next day.
Starting from Daling River in the west, ending at Yalu River in the east, Jinzhou in the south and Pu River in the north, Han people from the west of Liaohe River went to the east of Liaohe River and then went north along the river to the mountainous area.
The inhabitants of the towns and villages were relocated to the villages, the elderly and children carried along, and the houses and yards were swept away. The city walls were empty, the fields were abandoned, the cries of the people shook the wilderness, and those who had any attachment to their homes were brutally massacred.
The relocated Liao people suffered whipping of their men, humiliation of their wives and daughters, the old and weak thrown into ditches, and the children abandoned on the roadside. They endured hunger during the day as they traveled, and slept in the open at cold nights.
They were driven to strange villages, suffered unbearable hardships, and were forced to become serfs of the Later Jin.
Now, the Jiannu also tasted this pain. Leaving the cities and houses they had plundered and seized, they braved the cold and headed for their destination, where they did not know where to stop.
"The Ming army is still on the move, and we must achieve our goal in one battle." Fan Wencheng leaned close to Li Yongfang and spoke in a low voice.
Li Yongfang was left in Shenyang to support Yuetuo's troops, which was to say that he was the rear guard. This decision also showed that Dorgon, Daishan and others did not trust him.
At this moment, not only the Han officials and generals, but even the descendants of the various Jurchen tribes had to be on guard. Besides, Li Yongfang seemed to have no further use.
Li Yongfang sighed softly and said slowly, "Since this is a national effort, how can we give up halfway? It's not easy for the Emperor of Ming to raise enough money and supplies."
Fan Wencheng nodded and said, "If they can hold out for another year or two, I'm afraid the Ming Empire won't be able to hold on any longer."
Li Yongfang looked at Fan Wencheng strangely, wondering why he had such an idea.
Fan Wencheng saw Li Yongfang's confusion and slowly explained, "Over the past few years, we've spent a lot of money on training and maintaining the troops, adding equipment, and even food and supplies. Where did the money come from?"
After a pause, he continued, "How can we sustain the seizure of property from corrupt officials, wealthy merchants, gentry, and landlords in the long run? In my opinion, the Ming emperor will have no other choice but to take action against the powerful and the vassal states."
Li Yongfang thought for a moment and said, "You mean to say that if the Great Jin can hold on, the Ming Dynasty will be in civil strife?"
"It should be." Fan Wencheng gave an affirmative answer, but it was not definite and he was a little uncertain.
Li Yongfang raised his head and looked at the soldiers and civilians marching forward. After a long while, he smiled bitterly and said, "I disagree with your judgment."
Oh? Fan Wencheng looked over, also puzzled and bewildered.
Li Yongfang narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "You only saw the Ming emperor confiscate property and seize wealth over the past few years, but you didn't notice that he didn't increase taxes, right? Not only did he not increase them, he actually reduced them. What does this mean?"
Fan Wencheng frowned. The answer wasn't difficult. He said, "This means the finances can still support it, and it won't dry up the pond and cause civil unrest."
"The Ming army is so powerful, who would dare to rise up?" Li Yongfang shook his head and said, "Although this Ming emperor is young, he is very insightful and ruthless, not afraid of being tarnished. He is truly difficult to deal with."
Deal with it?! Is this a misnomer?
Fan Wencheng smiled a bit awkwardly and said, "He's not afraid of what's recorded in history books, nor does he fear the resentment of scholars. He's only focused on amassing wealth and strengthening the army. This foolish ruler is truly remarkable."
"A tyrant emperor..." Li Yongfang smiled bitterly and sighed, "No matter how much the gentry and scholars curse him, no matter how much the history books write about him, it will be of no use!"
Fan Wencheng also sighed heavily. It was all useless to talk about it. It was of no help in changing the current downward trend.
Unless the Ming emperor died suddenly, the Ming army might stop its counterattack and give the Jin Dynasty some time to catch its breath.
But even if this fantasy could come true, the Jin Dynasty, with its greatly reduced military strength and shortage of food and supplies, would have to spend a very difficult winter.
At this moment, a messenger came on horseback and reported to Yuetuo. Soon, Yuetuo's order was passed down to speed up and not stop in Fushun.
From the direction the messenger came from, Fan Wencheng and Li Yongfang knew that it was a letter and order sent by the great beile Daishan who had retreated north first or the new Khan.
Since there was no news of pursuers behind them, they suddenly accelerated their retreat, not even stopping to rest in Fushun. Could it be that the Ming army blocked the route of retreat to the north?
Could it be that Jianzhou had fallen, and Dongjiang Town copied Sarhu and wanted to cut off the retreat route to the north?
Fan Wencheng and Li Yongfang exchanged glances, each seeing the panic in the other's eyes. But neither spoke, expressing this most terrifying conjecture.
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