After hearing this explanation, Yue Tuo became even more confused.
“Father, you can fool him for a while, but what will you do if Mangultai doesn’t see any reinforcements after eight days?”
Dai Shan rolled his eyes, thinking that his son was indeed smart, but also too honest.
He shook his head and said, "Who cares what he thinks!"
"After eight days, his Plain Blue Banner was probably almost wiped out by the Ming army."
"Even if he discovers the truth and surrenders to the Ming army, it won't affect the overall situation."
Yue Tuo was stunned for a long time after hearing this, and then nodded.
"Father, you are truly... incredibly insightful."
"Alright, stop being sarcastic," Dai Shan said with a laugh, before getting serious again.
"We can't be idle during this time!"
"The Ming army launched a series of strong attacks on Guangning, and the casualties must have been considerable."
"Moreover, I also know that in addition to the tens of thousands of Beijing garrison troops, the Ming army also has the White-Spear Soldiers and other backup plans."
"After the fall of Guangning, the Ming army will inevitably continue eastward and attempt to cross the Liao River."
"Go and spread the word that all the men of the Eight Banners and bondservants, regardless of age, should be incorporated into the army."
Yue Tuo shook his head directly.
“Father, the autumn harvest is just around the corner. If we conscript all the men now, this year’s harvest will definitely be less.”
"Moreover, after losing Guangning, the Ming army can harass us at any time."
"If we take precautions, the cost of supplies will be even greater."
"If we really do as you say, then we'll be in trouble from now on..."
Daishan was truly angry this time.
"At a time like this, what are you thinking about the future for!"
"If we can't get through this crisis, everything else is meaningless!"
After thinking for a moment, Yue Tuo smiled wryly and said, "Father, you are right. I was indeed wrong."
He sighed and said, "How did our Later Jin suddenly get to this point?"
Dai Shan quickly said, "Alright, alright, don't think about it so much."
At this point, it was Dai Shan's turn to persuade his son.
"Our Later Jin dynasty went from being at its zenith to being on the verge of collapse in just one or two years."
"Do you dare say that the Ming Dynasty can always have smooth sailing?"
"Maybe in a few months, something big will happen to them and they won't have time to care about us."
"Don't be too pessimistic."
Yue Tuo then nodded.
After Yue Tuo left, Dai Shan finally showed a hint of weakness.
He didn't actually have a good outlook on the future of the Jurchens.
But he dared not show it in front of his own son.
"Let's just get through this year first. As long as we make the Ming Dynasty suffer a bit, even if we surrender to the Ming Dynasty later, we can still have a peaceful end."
Dai Shan sighed deeply and sat back down in his chair, trembling.
"If we can't even make it through this year, then it's all over."
It turns out that he didn't think about the future, nor was he particularly decisive.
Rather, he had long been prepared to surrender and lose half of his investment.
"What? The reinforcements won't arrive for another eight days... no, seven days?"
Mangultai was furious when he saw the letter that had finally been delivered into the city.
"It's easy for Dai Shan to talk when he's not the one suffering!"
"Just seven more days, and my Plain Blue Banner will be completely wiped out!"
Not only was Mangultai angry, but the Ejen of the Plain Blue Banner were also very dissatisfied.
"If we had known it would be like this, we shouldn't have come to Guangning in the first place!"
"That's right, that's right! If all else fails, why don't we just surrender to the Ming Dynasty!"
Mangultai was somewhat tempted by their words.
"That's true. The Ming army outside the city clearly has more than a dozen of those Italian cannons, but they haven't used them. Isn't that just trying to get us to open the city gates and surrender?"
Although he thought so, he didn't dare to say it directly.
Mangultai knew that his men's talk of surrendering to the Ming Dynasty might just be a momentary outburst.
That's not what I really thought.
If he speaks his mind before understanding the situation, he will be at a disadvantage.
So Mangultai deliberately shook his head and said, "How can that be?"
"Back then, when the Khan raised his army, he had a blood feud with the Ming Dynasty."
"If we surrender to the Ming Dynasty, how will we face the Khan after we die?"
Upon hearing Mangultai's words, the other Ejen all fell silent.
Although the Jurchens are currently in a precarious situation, Nurhaci's name still carries considerable weight.
Seeing this, Mangultai asked the Eight Banners soldier who had brought the message, "Are you sure the Khan's reinforcements will arrive soon?"
Sending a message to Guangning was a mission with a very low chance of survival.
In reality, Daishan sent seven or eight messengers, but only one of them managed to rush into the city.
The Manchu bannerman, unaware of the truth, nodded and said, "That's what Lord Daishan said."
"If Khan Hauge is to return from Goryeo, he will certainly have to travel day and night."
"At the fastest, it will take eight days."
Upon hearing this, Mangultai deliberately picked a fight.
"Can it really be that fast?"
"I remember that before I arrived in Guangning, weren't the Khan's troops still in Kaesong?"
"It takes seven or eight days to get from Kaesong to the Yalu River."
The Manchu soldier was taken aback for a moment before saying, "This... I don't know."
Mangultai became somewhat suspicious upon hearing this.
How could you not know?
"Hauge has an army of over 20,000. If they really want to get here quickly, won't they have to make preparations along the way?"
Mangultai may not be particularly clever, but he is a veteran general.
He was well aware that even for their Eight Banners, if they were to march hastily, not only would provisions be a problem, but many people would inevitably fall behind.
So if Hauge really does rush over, then the Jurchens will have to start making elaborate preparations.
The grain and fodder should be transported to Hauge's marching route in advance.
In addition, manpower should be drawn from the Eight Banners to patrol along the way and bring back any soldiers who have fallen behind.
At first, Mangultai only asked the question casually.
But he didn't expect that his question would bring such a pleasant surprise.
Mangultai suddenly frowned and angrily said to the Eight Banners soldiers:
"Could it be that Hauge never brought his troops back at all, and that Daishan is lying to us?"
Not only Mangultai, but all the other Ejen had the same idea.
They grabbed the man and demanded, "Tell the truth right now!"
The Eight Banner soldiers were almost in tears.
"Banner Master, my esteemed lords, I truly know nothing."
Seeing that he really didn't know much, Mangultai didn't press him any further.
Instead, he waved for him to leave.
After that person left, he beckoned to the other Ezhen people, asking them to come to the side with him.
Mangultai asked in a low voice, "Do you think Hauge can still come?"
Did Daishan lie to us or not?
Those who heard this didn't know how to respond.
However, a few clever people noticed Mangultai's intentions.
"If our leader doesn't believe it, why would he ask for our opinion?"
"Isn't this blatantly an attempt to demoralize the troops?"
"So... the banner lord also wants to surrender the city?"
They deliberately looked up and asked Mangultai, "What do you think, Banner Chief?"
Mangultai gave them a cold look: "Isn't that what I'm asking you?"
His words revealed even more of his true intentions.
Mangultai is usually not such an easy person to talk to.
If you say he was completely lost and unable to make a decision, then so be it.
But judging from his appearance, he clearly hasn't lost his mind.
"So, it seems the banner lord truly has ulterior motives!"
After hesitating for a moment, the group spoke in unison: "Banner leader, we think that Dai Shan is definitely trying to trick us."
"I'm afraid the Khan's reinforcements won't be coming!"
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