The battle at the head of the city of Jinzhou continued, seeing that the resistance of the Ming army was getting weaker and weaker, many of the generals of the Houjin were also smiling, and they were talking about the fact that as long as they fought for another day, they could directly launch a general attack, but what they did not want to admit was that the price paid by the Houjin was also huge.

Behind the hillside two miles from the city, Nurhachi looked at the murderous city and was silent for a long time. Around them, dozens of Houjin generals were also silent, twelve days, Houjin had been attacking for twelve days in a row, but taking Jinzhou City still seemed like an unattainable dream. The 30,000 siege troops composed of Baoyi and auxiliaries had been killed and wounded, but the Ming army at the head of the city still resisted stubbornly.

A general with a sling on his arm knelt in front of Nurhachi and wept: "Great Khan, those clothed minions and auxiliaries are now dead and wounded, and there are less than 5,000 people left, and even the remaining ones are mostly wounded, so you can let them withdraw." ”

Nurhachi looked at Tong Yangxing, who was kneeling on the ground and begging bitterly, and was silent for a long time, Mang Gurtai, who had been the supervising team for twelve days and killed at least hundreds of defeated soldiers, was already red-eyed, and he said coldly on the side: "Tong Yangxing, don't forget, those auxiliaries and Baoyi are just the minions of our Dajin Kingdom, these wastes have been fighting for twelve days and can't even take Jinzhou City, instead of keeping and wasting food, it is better to let them die with Ming Dog, so that they can still have some value." ”

Huang Taiji, who was standing on Nurhachi's left, glanced at Mang Gurtai, his fifth brother really has no brains, can he say such things casually? There are some things you can do, but you can't say them, and when you say them, it's very offensive.

Sure enough, as soon as Mang Gurtai's words came out, the faces of the Han officials present all changed slightly, although they only dared to be angry and did not dare to speak out due to the situation, but no one knew what they thought in their hearts.

However, in addition to Huang Taiji, there are several people who have this kind of worry, in their opinion, what Mang Gurtai said is not inappropriate, the success of the war against the Ming over the years has made them feel that all the people of the Ming Kingdom are cowardly, and such people are born to be enslaved by them.

The siege was brutal, and after twelve days, the siege force of 30,000 auxiliaries and coats was left with less than 5,000 remnants. Such a cruel battle loss rate even the Jurchens themselves were frightened, but at the same time, they were glad in their hearts, because they were not the ones who died, so they would not feel distressed and would not care.

But now the question is, those auxiliaries and Bao Yi are almost dead, who will go next? All eyes were on Nurhachi.

Nurhachi's expression was still cold, for him, the life of the Han people was not much better than that of livestock, even if he died, he would not have any distress, he said to Tong Yangxing who was kneeling on the ground in an emotionless voice: "Tong Yangxing, you continue to attack the city today, and you don't have to attack the city again from tomorrow." ”

"Great Khan!" Tong Yangxing's eyes widened and he wanted to speak, but then a knife was placed on his neck, and Mang Gurtai's voice sounded in his ears: "Tong Yangxing, if you don't want to die, lead the army to attack the city immediately, otherwise I don't mind another person to replace you." ”

What else could Tong Yangxing say, feeling the coldness and sharpness coming from his neck, he knew that as long as he dared to say half a word, the knife would cut his neck in the next moment. He stood up and wept bitterly as he watched the soldiers climb the walls and fall from the top of the city.

Looking at the weeping Tong Yangxing, many Han officers and some literati who had taken refuge in the Jurchens showed sad looks in their eyes, while those Jurchens were all watching from the sidelines, and for them, even if there were more Han people, it was none of their business.

Perhaps it was Tong Yang's cry that made Nurhachi, who had always been hard-hearted, have a trace of compassion, he looked at Tong Yangxing and said lightly: "After today, all the clothed minions and auxiliaries who can survive can carry the flag, and Ben Khan will organize them into a separate banner, which is called the Han Army Banner, and the status is second only to Dajin's Eight Banners, which will be led by you." ”

"What?"

Everyone was stunned, Nurhachi actually wanted to set up a banner for the Han people alone, was he crazy?

Many young generals looked at Nurhachi in surprise, what happened to the Great Khan today?

Unlike the Jurchen generals, all the Han people, including Tong Yangxing, were all excited after being surprised, and then their faces flushed with excitement, Nurhachi's words were as beautiful as fairy sounds, and their masters finally began to lift them up! Even Huang Taiji's eyes showed appreciation, and it could be seen from the eyes of those Han people that Nurhachi's move eliminated their resentment just now in one fell swoop, not only that, but those Han people also began to be grateful to Dajin, and they would work better for Dajin in the future.

Tong Yang gave Nurhachi three kowtows, and said excitedly: "Please rest assured, master, even if the slave is broken today, he will take down this Jinzhou City." ”

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Nurha's red mouth: "Okay...... Then I'll wait for your good news. ”

"Huh!"

Tong Yangxing answered loudly, and immediately went away with the rest of the officers under his command.

Looking at the figure of Tong Yang beating the horse away, Mang Gurtai showed a sarcastic smile on his face, turned his head and said to Nurhachi in admiration: "Father Khan is wise, but he threw out a bone to make these minions grateful to Dade, it seems that this Tong Yang is going to work hard today." ”

Nurhachi said quietly: "You have to remember that although these minions are lowly, we can't blindly suppress them, and sometimes we have to give them some sweetness, so that they can better work for us, after all, even if you raise a dog, you have to give them bones from time to time." ”

Mang Gultai laughed: "Father Khan is right, but you are also too exalted to them, in the eyes of the sons, these minions are cheap, and they must be spurred from time to time." If they forget that a whip will solve the problem, if the whip doesn't work, use a steel knife, in short, you can't give them a good face, otherwise these minions will kick their noses in the face! ”

Nurhachi has no objection to this remark, he has a heartfelt hatred for the Ming people, which is also the reason why he slaughtered the Han people in Liaodong after he raised his army, but as a leader, he naturally thinks about much more things than Mang Gurtai, he glanced at his reckless son with a faint slant glance and reprimanded: "These words are just said here, and they must not be passed on, otherwise Ben Khan's whip will not recognize people." ”

Mang Gurtai smiled and knelt down on one knee and slapped a thousand: "Father Khan rest assured, the son remembers it." Just looking at his appearance, everyone knew what he had just said, and he definitely didn't listen to it in his heart.

Nurha squinted his eyes at the rekindled battle in the distance, and said: "Judging from the battle situation these days, there is a good chance that Yang Feng has not come back yet, it is a pity, if Yang Feng is also here, Ben Khan can see with his own eyes the Jiangning army that can make us deflated repeatedly." ”

Thinking of this, a strange feeling suddenly surged in Nurhachi's heart, and he turned his head and shouted, "Wei Qi! ”

"The minions are here!" A middle-aged man with a thin figure strode over and knelt down towards Nurhachi: "Slave Wei Qi knocks on the Great Khan!" ”

Nurhachi asked, "Wei Qi, you are the Jiala Ezhen of my Yellow Flag Detective Camp, what is unusual around me recently?" ”

Wei Qi said respectfully: "Great Khan, the minion is about to report this matter to you. The outposts sent by our army to the west and south yesterday have not returned, and the minions suspect that something may have happened there, so this morning another team of outposts was sent to investigate, and I believe that news will come soon. ”

"The sentry didn't come back?"

Nurhachi's face immediately sank, what was the most important thing in the battle between the two armies? There is no doubt that it is intelligence, and many times the role of intelligence is even higher than that of the commander-in-chief, without whom the commander-in-chief will become deaf and blind and unable to do anything.

"Wei Qi, the outpost sent out yesterday hasn't come back today, why don't you report to Ben Khan?"

Wei Qi hurriedly knelt down: "Great Khan, it's not that the minions and infantry don't report to you, but our outposts are sent far away, and according to the convention, the outposts can only report to you after three hours after they lose contact, so the minions don't dare to disturb you without permission." ”

"Humph!" Nurhachi snorted lightly and stopped talking, Wei Qi's words naturally made sense. Thinking about how many things he had to be busy with every day as the commander of the whole army, if he didn't even report to him if a few outposts didn't come back on time, then he wouldn't be able to keep himself busy even if he was exhausted.

Huang Taiji immediately chuckled in his heart when he heard this, he stepped forward and bowed down and said, "Father Khan, the detective didn't come back on time, something must have happened." Erchen thought that it might not be of much use to just send a spy post over, and that a team of soldiers and horses should be sent to search and advance, and if they encountered a large group of Ming troops, they would have enough troops to deal with it. ”

"Brigade Ming Army?"

Nurhachi's expression became solemn, this time the army dispatched 80,000 troops, and the Ming army in the Liaodong area was still too late to shrink in the castle, where did the Ming army come from in this generation, is it?

"You mean, Jiang Ningjun?"

"Exactly!"

Huang Taiji said cautiously: "Erchen calculated, it has been four or five months since the Jiangning army arrived in the Horqin tribe, and now that the weather is getting warmer, they should also come back." Now that we are attacking Jinzhou, if the Jiangning army suddenly appears, the child is worried that something will go wrong. ”

Nurhachi looked at him for a moment before saying, "That's just your guess. ”

"But it's possible." Huang Taiji hurriedly said: "Father Khan, it is not too careful to be careful except for the army, this time the outpost failed to come back on time, maybe it was the Jiangning army!" ”

Seeing that Huang Taiji looked like he was facing a great enemy, many of the Houjin generals around him showed disapproval on their faces. Since he went to the Horqin tribe to unsuccessfully ask for relatives, Huang Taiji's vigilance against the Jiangning army can be said to be to the point of a cup bow and snake shadow, he not only asked Dai Shan and Amin many times for all the details of the last Jinzhou battle, but also interested in anything about the Jiangning army, and now he swears that the Jiangning army may appear, this guy's suspicion is too serious, right?

Nurhachi touched his beard under his chin, and thought for a while before saying: "In the past few days, news of that Yang Feng has also come from within the Ming Kingdom, this person is said to be a Nanyang merchant, and by chance bribed the eunuch Cao Dazhong to become the Qianhu of the Thousand Households, and then had a conflict with the Wei Mansion guarding Nanjing, and then climbed to the throne of the commander step by step, and was named the Nanjing General Soldier by their emperor a few days ago, all in all, this is indeed an interesting guy, If I had the chance, I would have loved to have him come and meet him. ”

Seeing Nurhachi say this, Huang Taiji's eyes showed a look of joy, and he hurriedly said: "Father Khan, the son is willing to lead the five thousand men and horses of the headquarters to the southwest direction to investigate, and I hope that Father Khan will be gracious!" ”

"Five thousand?" Mang Gurtai was not happy on the side, and blurted out: "Since you are so afraid of death, why are you in the past, it is better to send someone over and stay by yourself." ”

"You!" Huang Taiji's face flashed with red tide, and there was a look of shame and anger in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, and he said to Nurhae: "Father Khan, Erchen is not afraid of death, but for the sake of prudence, the strength of the Jiangning Army is obvious to all, and their firearms are extremely sharp, if they really encounter the Jiangning Army, there are not enough cavalry to pose a threat to them at all, so Erchen will say so." ”

"It's not that I'm afraid of death!" Mang Gultai muttered to the side, but his voice was not loud, but it was enough for everyone around him to hear.

"Alright then!"

Nurhachi finally agreed, "You can lead the 5,000 cavalry king with the white flag to the south, I hope you can find something, but if you encounter the Jiangning army, do you know what to do?" ”

"Erchen knows." Huang Taiji's eyes flashed with a hint of resentment, and he gritted his teeth and said: "Erchen will not act rashly, the biggest weakness of the Jiangning army is the lack of cavalry, and then Erchen will lead the cavalry to consume him alive." ”

"Well, that's right." Nurhachi nodded with satisfaction, "Originally, Ben Khan was worried that you would be blinded by hatred, but now it seems that Ben Khan is worried in vain, so you can go." ”

"Erchen understands!"

As soon as Huang Taiji gave up his hand and wanted to say goodbye, there was a rapid sound of horses' hooves in the distance.

Soon, more than a dozen people rushed to the front of the battle, knelt down with a puff, and said loudly: "Qi Great Khan, Ming army...... A large group of Ming troops is coming! ”

"What?"

"Brigade Ming Army?"

The lieutenant generals were all in an uproar, but it was Nurhachi who was the calmest, and he calmly asked: "Which Ming army, have you seen it clearly?" ”

"The slave saw clearly, it was Jiang Ningjun...... They're coming! ”