Chapter 230 Battle of Liaocheng

In December of the 16th year of Chongzhen (1643), the Central Army of the Ming Dynasty advanced to Liaocheng, seriously threatening the security of Beijing. In addition, Jiang Xiang, Wang Chengyin, Tang Tong and other former Ming surrendered generals were ready to move. Dorgon had no choice but to order Wu Sangui to retreat to Taiyuan and recall the 100,000 Eight Banners army from Shanxi to Beijing.

At the same time, 50,000 Mongolian cavalry were urgently recruited from the southern desert.

In the first month of the first year of Longwu (1644), Dorgon left 20,000 Eight Banners troops to station in Beijing, and then personally led the 170,000 Eight Banners army and 60,000 Ming surrendered troops in the south. On the 19th day of the first lunar month, he met with the 20,000 Eight Banners army in Boluo in Liaocheng, and the battle of Liaocheng, which concerns the fate of Jiannu and the Ming Dynasty, officially kicked off.

This is a truly strategic decisive battle. Both the Ming and Jiannu wanted to do their best to completely solve the other party in one battle.

For the Ming Dynasty, as long as the Battle of Liaocheng can be won, Jiannu will betray all relatives and be seriously injured, and the recovery of Beijing and Liaodong will be just around the corner. The same is true for Jiannu. As long as the Battle of Liaocheng is won, more than 200,000 troops will be able to go down to the south of the Yangtze River and completely destroy the Southern Ming regime.

Jiannu had an absolute advantage in military strength. In order to ensure that the battle of Liaocheng could win, Dorgon mobilized 50,000 Jiannu Eight Banners, of which 20,000 were the most elite Eight Banners cavalry! In addition, there were 100,000 Mongolian cavalry, 20,000 Korean Eight Banners, 20,000 Han Army Eight Banners, and 60,000 former Ming surrendered troops, with a total force of 250,000!

However, in the Ming Dynasty, there were only Wang Pu's 40,000 Central Army, including two musket battalions and one artillery battalion. In addition, Shi Lang's 5,000 navy divisions, Jiannu was almost six times that of the Ming Dynasty's Central Army. Moreover, Jiannu also had the benefits of cavalry, with 20,000 most elite Eight Banners Iron Cavalry and a total of 100,000 Mongolian light cavalry.

However, the Ming army also has its own advantages, that is Shi Lang's navy!

Shi Lang's navy had a total of 5,000 people, and had fifty large warships. Each warship was equipped with a Flang machine cannon ranging from ten to twenty. The navy soldiers on the ship had been replaced with the Datong-made flintlock rifle eliminated by the Central Army. Although the range was not as good as the latest Nanjing-made flintlock rifle used by the Central Army and the accuracy was poor, the bows and arrows used to suppress Jiannu were more than enough.

These fifty large warships are like fifty moving water fortresses. Jiannu has no choice but to do anything about it. No matter how cavalry and infantry are, they can't rush into the water. Use the red cannons to bomb. When you set up the cannons, the warships will have already been far away. Use rockets to burn them. The range of bows and arrows is not as far away as the other Flang machine cannons and muskets. They don't burn the warships but pile up their archers.

After several tests, by the end of the first month of the first year of Longwu, Dorgon and Wang Pu had almost figured out the facts of each other's opponents. Both sides gave up the meaningless harassment at the same time and began the final preparations before the decisive battle. The war is always impermanent, and you can make the most complete preparations, but the enemy will never play with you according to the routine you set. A truly wise commander must make timely tactical adjustments based on the ever-changing battlefield situation.

Liaocheng, Dorgon's residence.

Dorgon was summoning Fan Wencheng, Ning Wan, my two confidant aides, including Duoduo, He Luohui, Boluo, Sahalian, Abatai and other Jiannu generals to discuss matters.

Duoduo said: "Fourth brother, Wang Pu is too cunning. He set up the camp by the canal and dug a five-meter-wide trench in front of the camp, diverting water back into a moat that the cavalry cannot cross. He also has the benefits of naval artillery with the canal. If we launch a strong attack, we will suffer heavy losses."

Abatai said, "Then we will surround it, for a year or two, starve him to death!"

"This is impossible." Duoduo shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Before the canal is cut off, the Ming army's food and supplies can be continuously transported through water."

Abatai said: "Then we will cut the canal!"

"It's not easy." Duoduo shook his head again, "The Ming army has a navy, and we have no way to deal with them."

Dorgon turned his gaze to Fan Wencheng and asked, "Mr. Wencheng, what are your opinions?"

Fan Wencheng smiled slightly and said, "The two princes are right. The Ming army is in danger and defends. If our army attacks strongly, the tragedy of the Battle of Datong will repeat itself. Our army will inevitably suffer heavy losses. Even if we win the Battle of Liaocheng in the end, we will lose the strength to compete for the Central Plains. Therefore, the slaves do not agree with the attack."

Dorgon nodded softly and said, "If you can't attack forcefully, you can only be surrounded for a long time."

"That's right." Fan Wencheng said, "But as Prince Yu said, if the canal channel cannot be cut off, there is no way to talk about the siege of the Ming army, and if the Ming army's navy cannot be annihilated, there is no way to talk about the canal channel. Therefore, there is actually only one key to the victory or defeat of Liaocheng."

Duoduo, Abatai, Sahalian and others said in unison: "Ming Army Navy?"

"No," Fan Wencheng said in a key point, "Whether it can annihilate the Ming Navy is directly related to the success or failure of the Battle of Liaocheng."

Ten miles south of Liaocheng, the Central Army camp on the left bank of the canal.

A temporary large sand table was placed in the center of Wang Pu's tent. The terrain of Liaocheng was simulated, and the two-color small flags representing the Jiannu army and the Ming Central Army were inserted on it. The black small flags representing the Jiannu side were densely packed with large areas, and the red small flags representing the Ming Central Army were surrounded in the middle.

Scarface, Li Benshen, Wu Shengzhao, Gao Jinku, Li Chengdong, Liu Konghe, Liu Hongji, Li Huajing and other generals of the eight towns, Shi Lang, Zhang Yanlin and Li Ang, were surrounding the sand table to discuss the situation of the two armies, and the discussion was very lively, just like a lively vegetable market.

A burst of rapid footsteps passed, and Wang Pu's figure appeared outside the tent.

The heated discussion stopped abruptly, and the eyes of more than a dozen generals fell on Wang Pu, and he respectfully said: "I am a member of the Marquis."

"Continue." Wang Pu walked to the sand table and stood still, smiling, "You will continue to talk about the topic just now."

Scarface smiled and said, "I just said that Jiannu's troops are at least 200,000, and there must be more than 100,000 cavalrymen alone. We will definitely not get any advantage when we pull out the camp to fight them in the field."

Li Chengdong said: "So, I thought our army should have deep ditches and high bases, and fought attrition with Jiannu. Jiannu had many soldiers and more than 100,000 war horses. The amount of food and grass consumed every day was huge. As long as it was delayed for a long time, they would definitely be the first one to not be able to hold on. Just wait for Jiannu to withdraw, and our army's opportunity will come!"

"I don't think so."

As soon as Li Chengdong finished speaking, Liu Konghe expressed different opinions.

Wang Puxinran said: "So what do you think?"

A trace of pain flashed across Liu Konghe's face and said in a low tone: "Jiannu is all inhumane beasts. Without food and grass, they will go to steal the people from the common people. Therefore, they are humble and think that the longer our army confronts Jiannu here, the more suffering the people in Beizhi will suffer."

"Well." Wang Pu's face became equally solemn. He stepped forward and patted Liu Konghe on the shoulder and said, "As a citizen of the Ming Empire, it is rare for you to think about the people of Beizhi. However, as a leader, you cannot be ruthless! We must not save the people of Beizhi at the cost of losing the people of the entire Ming Empire."

A trace of shame flashed across Liu Konghe's face and said ashamed: "I am ashamed of my humble duty."

Wang Pu sighed and changed the topic: "Now we will discuss another topic. If you were Dorgon, who had an army of more than 200,000, and there were more than 100,000 cavalry among them, how would you fight this battle?"

This question stumbled almost everyone. These martial artists from the ranks are best at leading people to charge into battle. After years of war, they have learned some simple but very practical tactics, but they have never considered war from the perspective of the enemy.

Only Li Chengdong pondered for a moment and said, "If Dorgon had been the humble official, he could only adopt the siege tactic in this battle."

"Yes, Jiannu's usual trick is to siege!" Wang Pu nodded and said, "This is the battle of Daling River, this is the battle of Jinzhou, and this is the battle of Ningyuan. But I want to know, how do you plan to siege our army? You must know that our army has the benefits of a navy, and the canal channel is completely under the control of our army!"

Li Chengdong said: "Then find a way to eliminate Shi Lang's navy first, and then cut off the canal waterway!"

"Nonsense!" Shi Lang said unhappily, "Although there are many Jiannu people, can they still ride horses into the canal? If they don't come, they will come and dare to come, hehe, I will definitely teach them that there will be no return!"

Li Chengdong said: "Shi Lang, although your navy is powerful, it is not without a way to deal with you."

Shi Langhuo said: "What tricks do you have? Tell me."

Li Chengdong said: "I burn it with a fire boat."

"I'm delusional." Shi Lang said coldly, "My navy fleet is not Cao Cao's serial warship. Can you burn it with fire?"

Li Chengdong said: "Then I'll set the rockets."

Shi Lang sneered: "That's asking for death. Everyone has seen the range of Jiannu's bow and arrows these days. It's not as good as the Datong muskets made by the water master. It's even less capable of being with the Folang machine cannon. Before your rockets could be shot on my ship, I'll have a few rows of artillery fires, and your archers will be killed."

Li Chengdong said again, "I use the red cannon to bomb!"

Shi Lang said: "Just bomb, if you don't hit it if you are far away, my Folang machine cannon is much more than your Red Barbarian cannon, and the firing rate is faster than you. Let's see who will kill whom."

"Then..." Li Chengdong scratched his head and said, "I will use the iron cable to block the river to cut off the canal, trapping you in the camp and unable to move!"

"Haha." Shi Lang laughed, "Not to mention whether you have the chance to set up the iron chain on the river. Even if you set up the chain, won't I set up the stove to burn it? First, burn it red with a charcoal fire, and then smash it with a big hammer a few times. The iron chain on the river that I have worked so hard to build will die."

Li Chengdong was speechless and had no choice but to do anything.
Chapter completed!