Huang Taiji's gentle approach to the soldiers of the Eight Banners finally received some results. After a day of repair, the soldiers of the Eight Banners finally had a lot of complaints.

However, Huang Taiji's plan to induce the Ming army on the Western Road to attack encountered many problems. The main force of the Ming army on the west road never had the intention of advancing eastward, and the Ming army's scouts, who had been entangled with the Houjin sentinel detectives, also stopped at the middle line between Baozizhai and Shimenxia after Huang Taiji asked the Houjin sentinel to retreat, and did not continue to investigate to the east.

Huang Taiji thought that this was the previous fierce sentinel battle that frightened the Ming army in the west, so after consulting with the Jurchen generals, he completely withdrew the Later Jin army from Baozizhai, showing the illusion that the Later Jin army was ready to withdraw from Guannei and retreat to Shenyang.

Huang Taiji and all the Jurchen relatives and nobles were patiently waiting for the Ming army to take the bait, if the Ming emperor found that they had signs of retreating and fleeing from the pass, it was very likely that he would urge the main force of the Ming army in the west to advance eastward, and complete his feat of rescuing the soldiers and civilians of Zunhua City with his imperial conquest.

Whether it was Huang Taiji or those Jurchen relatives and nobles, they all felt that since Chongzhen dared to attack Shimen Village with a Ming army under the unclear situation, there was no reason why when they gave up the fort village and the passage to Zunhua City, the Ming emperor would stay where he was.

At noon on the 29th, the Ming army reconnaissance cavalry arrived at the dividing line determined by the flesh and blood of the soldiers on both sides, but in the field of vision of today's Ming cavalry, no Houjin cavalry was found.

The Ming scouts did not rush forward, they just followed the previous patrol route to the east for 2 miles, and when it was almost dusk, these Ming scouts retreated without hesitation.

On the 30th, the reconnaissance range of the Ming cavalry advanced another three miles to the east, but as soon as the sun began to set westward in the afternoon, these reconnaissance cavalry resolutely retreated to the old camp in the west.

The caution shown by the cavalry of the Ming army made the Jurchen relatives and nobles fall a little blindly, is this still the Ming army scout who fought desperately with the sentinels they sent before, and refused to retreat?

According to the efficiency of the Ming army's reconnaissance cavalry in the past two days, it is estimated that it will take another 2 or 3 days just to wait for these Ming cavalry to touch the edge of the fort. When they find that there are no Houjin troops in the fort, and then report to the Ming Emperor in the rear, God knows how much time it will take.

Three days were wasted in vain, and Dai Shan and Mang Gurtai were already a little out of breath. On the afternoon of the 30th, Mang Gurtai and Dai Shan, who came from Zunhua, went to see Huang Taiji.

The main battalion of the Houjin Eight Banners was stationed on a hillside 10 miles west of Zunhua, and it was only an hour's journey from Baozizhai. Because a group of Ming craftsmen were recruited to accompany the army, the camp here was obviously much more orderly than the camp built by the Jurchens themselves.

Huang Taiji's big tent is located in the middle of the camp, and countless small tents erected on the side are guarding this big tent like stars and moons. Although Mang Gurtai was quite unimpressed with the layout of this large camp, he looked at the orderly tents set up in a queue, leaving space between each row of tents that could accommodate three people in parallel, and digging a drainage ditch to collect sewage, Mang Gurtai also admitted that this camp was indeed much neater and neater than his camp in Zunhua.

Dai Shan, who welcomed Mang Gultai into the camp, looked at him constantly looking around, and knew that this younger brother, who was fond of military affairs, seemed to be quite interested in the layout of this camp.

He couldn't help but say to him: "This is built in accordance with the regulations of the surrendered Ming army to provide what field marching camp, the old eight likes it very much, and has successively asked people from which surrendered Ming troops to record the regulations they know, these days I have time to study this, saying that it is very simple and feasible to educate the children of the Eight Banners to lead the army in this way, and I plan to issue a regulation in the Eight Banners after the end of this expedition." ”

Mang Gurtai, who was still watching it with relish, immediately said disdainfully after listening to Dai Shan's words: "When something comes to the hands of the eighth child, it has changed its taste." He always pretended to be for everyone's good, and in the end he didn't intend to cut our military power.

Second brother, you really have to make up your mind this time, and you can't let the eighth child lead the way anymore. When he succeeded to the throne of Khan, he vowed to govern the Houjin Kingdom with the three of us, and what happened? He made the big decisions, and the small things made us decide.

In Shenyang, the four of us decided to move westward to Lin Dan Khan for this expedition, but halfway through the attack, he changed his mind and wanted to change his goal. If he wants to continue to act so arbitrarily, won't it become an empty word for the four Baylors to govern the government together? ”

Dai Shan looked left and right, and then lowered his voice and said to Mang Gultai: "It's better not to say this here, if someone hears it, I think you and I are conspiring against the eighth."

Lao Ba is indeed a little out of line in this expedition, but at this moment, the Eight Banners are all in this army, so let's first consider bringing the Eight Banners back to Shenyang safely, and then discuss this matter is not too late. Arguing with Lao Ba at this moment will inevitably mess up the morale of the army, and it is not a good thing for us or the Eight Banners. ”

Mang Gurtai glanced at his brother, who was a little twilight, and finally changed the topic and asked about the detailed movements of the Ming army on the opposite side in the past two days.

When the two walked not far from Huang Taiji's big tent, they saw Huang Taiji, who had already received the news, walk out of the big tent and personally went out of the tent to greet the two. Dai Shan immediately walked a few steps quickly, stood in front of Huang Taiji and respectfully saluted, while Mang Gurtai took a few steps back, and only straightened his upper body to Huang Taiji, arched his hand perfunctorily and said, "I've seen the Great Khan." ”

Regarding Dai Shan's perfunctory attitude towards his salute, Huang Taiji's eyes flashed with a trace of dissatisfaction, so he stepped forward with a smile and took the hands of the two and said: "They are all their own brothers, why bother to see each other like this, let's all go in and talk." ”

After entering Huang Taiji's big tent, Mang Gurtai, who had not yet sat down, had already said to Huang Taiji: "Old eight, we don't have time to sit here with the Ming army on the opposite side now.

There are nearly 60,000 horses in the army alone, and 60,000 bunches of grass and 15,000 liters of beans are required every day. Now in this season, wherever there is any forage around Zunhua that can be cut, it is just the little essence we carry with us, and some materials seized from the customs are just supporting it.

Although you have ordered several times after you entered the customs that the soldiers below are not allowed to take the cooked food provided by the Ming people, nor are you allowed to feed the horses with the dry food you bring with you, but how many people are willing to obey it now..."

Speaking of excitement, Mang Gurtai couldn't help but stand up and pointed his fingers in front of Huang Taiji. Huang Taiji quietly listened to Mang Gurtai's complaints, and then asked calmly: "So what is the plan of Sanbeile to come to see me today?" ”

Mang Gurtai looked into Huang Taiji's eyes and said: "Old eight, everyone knows in their hearts that now the soldiers of the Eight Banners have lost confidence in winning, and this battle can no longer be fought, and now we have to consider the matter of withdrawing troops."

We made a detour from Shenyang to enter the customs, and the journey took more than 20 days, and there was still pasture grass for the army to use along the way. But now it is said that there have been several snowfalls north of Yanshan, and we may have to rely on the little food we carry with us on our return trip.

Taking advantage of the fact that the food is still sufficient now, and the heavy snow has not yet covered the mountain road, we will return to the army for the first time, and the Ming people will not dare to pursue. Although the return journey is more difficult, you can also return to Shenyang safely.

Our army came thousands of miles away, destroyed the pass into the Ming Dynasty, and won more than a dozen battles, but there was only a small setback at Shimen. Even if the tribes of the steppe heard about this war, they would think that this time we had won. What else are you not satisfied with? ”

Huang Taiji suppressed the anger in his heart, and said to Mang Gurtai with a sincere face: "Fifth brother, I didn't think about this expedition, I fought this battle to improve my reputation, I was completely out of public intentions, and I advocated this for the future of our Houjin Kingdom and the Jurchens.

When the first Khan was alive, he told us that once the army was raised, we should not stop halfway. If it stops, the morale of our people will gradually lose, and the Ming country has a vast land and a large population, as long as we slow down, our Jurchen clan will be the end of the country's ruin.

The defense line established by the Ming people in Ningjin is already strong and unshakable, and if we continue to attack the Ming State all the way from Ningjin, we will not gain much except for the loss of the soldiers of the Eight Banners.

Since the detour into the customs, the seizure of people's property in the border villages along the Great Wall alone has exceeded the seizure in the vicinity of Jinzhou in the past two years, and the morale of the soldiers of our Eight Banners has been greatly boosted. But when I divide these war profits, will I have an extra share of the two yellow flags in my name?

Therefore, I tried my best to persuade the two brothers to change the goal of the expedition, firstly, in order to inherit the Ming government when the first khan was alive; Second, in order to reduce the casualties of the children of the Eight Banners, I wanted to change the route of conquering the Ming Kingdom. Are the two brothers so distrustful of me? ”

Dai Shan finally couldn't sit still, he immediately got up and said in a round game: "We naturally understand the intention of the Great Khan. However, although Sambel was a little offensive to the Great Khan in his words, he also said it out of public interest.

Judging from the current situation in the army, if we continue to wait, I am afraid that more and more soldiers will want to go home. Whether it is to calm the morale of the army or to ensure the supply of food, it seems that we cannot allow this Ming army to delay like this.

Since it can't be used in a plan, it is better to attack. If we can defeat the Ming army in front of us, we will have room to advance or retreat. If the attack is unfavorable, then please make up your mind to evacuate, you can't trap my nearly 20,000 Eight Banner soldiers here, otherwise the Houjin Kingdom will be really dangerous. As for the idea of capturing the Emperor of the Ming Kingdom, it is still put aside for the time being. The more greedy we are at the moment, the more likely we are to get nothing. ”

Huang Taiji looked at Dai Shan, then at Mang Gurtai, and finally said firmly: "Okay, just do what Erbeile said, tomorrow the main force of our army will go west and directly attack the Ming army camp east of Shimen Gorge." After we have tried the quality of these Ming troops, we will decide on the next step. ”

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