The Ming army retreated temporarily to avoid the fierce fire, but the action did not stop.
Flying cavalry, spear cavalry, and those Yehe tribesmen who had surrendered, even the commander of the Jianzhou Guard, Nara Zhongming, volunteered to fight. Twenty-six thousand cavalrymen and thirty thousand war horses, carrying several days' worth of food and fodder, took a detour to pursue the fleeing enemy.
The infantry also launched a detour, going around the enemy's rear along the small paths in the wild, and annihilating this stubborn resistance of the Jiannu.
The fire was still burning fiercely, and the Jiannu were still adding fuel to the fire. Only this method could stop the fierce attack of the Ming army.
The smoke, tinged with the smell of burnt barbecue, drifted in on the wind. The Ming army soldiers looked on coldly, anxious and angry for sure, but also filled with contempt.
A few years ago, the Jiannu were so ferocious and brave that the Ming army dared not engage them in open battles. Now, the situation has changed, and the Jiannu are not only fleeing in panic, but can only resist the onslaught in this way.
From the spirit to the body, the Jiannu were completely depressed. In the face of the fierce firepower of the Ming army, they no longer had the will to fight for victory.
As one side gained strength, the other lost. Meanwhile, the morale of the Ming army was high, with not only the generals but also the soldiers determined to win. Even when outnumbered, the generals and soldiers dared to fight.
Mao Wenlong lowered his binoculars and squinted. If the Jiannu remain like this, Liaodong will be safe from now on. The next time we send troops to suppress them, the battle will be much easier.
This is the mentality and momentum. The Ming army had the upper hand, while the Jiannu army suffered a crushing defeat.
"The Ming Dynasty—mighty!"
I don't know who shouted the first word, there was a pause and hesitation, but someone immediately responded, as if they were waiting for someone to start.
"The Ming Dynasty—mighty!"
"Great Ming—everlasting victory!"
"The Ming Dynasty—mighty!"
The sound became louder and louder, and more and more uniform.
The soldiers were either waving their weapons, or beating their breastplates, or stomping the ground with the butts of their guns, as if they were accompanying the music of gongs and drums. Otherwise, they could not show their excitement and high spirits.
Defending the country and defeating foreign enemies is the responsibility of a soldier. Over the past few years, the soldiers have come to understand this more and more.
It is not the great principles of loyalty and patriotism that we hear when we are short of food and money and have to worry about our families' lives; it is not the empty rhetoric of "dying in battle with one's hide" that we hear when we die in battle without any compensation or aftermath.
Sufficient food and wages, excellent equipment, rewards for merit and punishments for faults, compensation for the dead and support for the wounded, preferential treatment for their families, and grants of fertile land after the war...
In addition to the accumulated confidence from repeated victories, it would be strange if it still failed to inspire military morale.
The once ferocious enemy had lost its spirit and fled in panic like wild dogs. Victory was irrevocable, and a soldier's pride and pride rose spontaneously, transforming into a passionate cry that burst out of his throat and resounded throughout the fields.
The Jian Nu army has no more than a million people and no more than a hundred thousand soldiers. How dare they act so rampant in front of the great Ming Dynasty?
The revitalized Ming Dynasty and the Ming army that regained its confidence will crush and destroy any enemy!
"The Ming Dynasty is mighty and victorious!"
The shouts shook the earth, and the Jiannu people looked as pale as death.
Huang Taiji lowered his eyes and sighed helplessly.
The Ming Dynasty was a behemoth. If it had been internally united and had eliminated its accumulated problems, it would have been no match for the Jin Dynasty. Unfortunately, the Ming Dynasty was not like this when my father Khan started his rebellion.
The generals are lazy, the soldiers are exhausted, the factions are constantly fighting, there is corruption, and the superiors and subordinates are alienated... If it were not so, how could my father Khan dare to launch a challenge and sweep across Liaodong?
Du Du gritted his teeth, but what could he do with his anger and unwillingness? He could not make up for the huge gap in military strength, nor could he reverse the outcome of defeat.
Suddenly, Huang Taiji's pupils shrank, and his face turned extremely gray as he looked at the fluttering flags.
Du Du realized that something was wrong. His eyes widened as he watched the changes in the fire and cried out, "Even the heavens are going to destroy our Great Jin!"
The wind direction was changing. Not only the Jiannu saw it, but the Ming army soldiers also noticed it and couldn't help but let out a happy roar.
"Long live the Ming Dynasty, long live the Ming Dynasty!"
Mao Wenlong laughed heartily on his horse, whipped his horse and shouted loudly.
"Long live the Ming Dynasty, long live the Ming Dynasty!"
The passionate shouts rang out again. The Ming army pushed the shield carts, reorganized the battle team, and was about to launch a fierce attack to completely wipe out and bury the stubborn enemy.
……………….
Shenyang was recovered, Liaodong was liberated, the Jianlu fled north in panic, and the Ming army was pursuing them bravely.
The signal tower on the land route from the capital to Guangning was finally completed, and the news of victory was transmitted back to the capital as quickly as possible, adding to the festive and exciting atmosphere of celebrating the Spring Festival.
The great task of pacifying Liao was completed, border troubles were eliminated, there were no more alarms in the capital, and the Ming Dynasty enjoyed peace again.
Whether it is merchants and shops, or wealthy people and ordinary people, they all decorate the place with lights and colors, and those who can afford to buy fireworks and firecrackers are not stingy.
Firecrackers were blasting non-stop, and the streets were covered with more red paper scraps than snow. The entire capital was more lively than during the Spring Festival.
The emperor issued a series of imperial decrees, disbursing 100,000 yuan from the imperial treasury to designate 20 taverns in the capital to provide free wine so that the people could celebrate the victory over the Liao army. At the same time, the Liao army salary was abolished nationwide the following year.
As for the reward silver for the Ming army in Liaodong, the emperor had already taken it out and it has now been transported to Liaodong.
In addition to silver, there were also large quantities of supplies transported by the Maritime Merchants Association and the ships of the Tianjin and Dengzhou navies. This had never stopped since the beginning of the counter-offensive.
The news of victory spread to all parts of the Ming Dynasty at a rapid speed, and wherever it arrived, it caused jubilation.
Whether it was the prospect of peaceful times, the joy of the court canceling the Liao tribute, or the pride of being a citizen of the Ming Dynasty, the pacification of the Liao was the most celebratory and joyful event in the past decade.
"Long live, long live, long live!"
Inside the Great Hall, the first thing to do during the morning court session was for the ministers to offer their congratulations. The emperor's face was filled with smiles, and the ministers were all beaming with joy as well.
This is the happiest thing since I became emperor. Although Zhu Youxiao drank a lot of wine last night, he took advantage of the alcohol and pulled Li Chengcheng and Fan Xiaohui onto the dragon bed and had a wild time.
But today he still felt refreshed, his voice clear and loud, he raised his hand and said, "Gentlemen, please stand up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The ministers responded in unison and stood up and bowed.
"The Jiannu rebels took ten years to quell the Ming." The emperor's voice echoed through the hall, passionate yet heavy. "Hundreds of thousands of soldiers were killed or wounded, over a million civilians were lost, and the cost was tens of millions. It was truly a victory at a heavy price."
After a deliberate pause, the emperor continued, "I don't need to elaborate on the reasons why the Jiannu were able to run rampant. The lessons learned over the past few years have already been published in newspapers or in imperial edicts."
"The completion of the great cause of pacifying Liao does not mean that peace will last forever. History has taught us that if peace lasts for too long, military preparations will slacken, and officials will become lazy, which will inevitably lead to internal strife and external enemies."
"In times of peace, we must be prepared for danger. We are born in adversity and die in comfort. The rise and fall of dynasties over the past thousand years have demonstrated this unchanging truth..."
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