novelSusiti Chapter 32 The Proud Lecter
Chapter 32 The Proud Lecter
In the first month of the third year of the Shunzhi reign (1646), the smell of gunpowder in Wuchang City had not yet dissipated, but there was already a faint hint of spring in the air.
Ma Yongsheng lay in the back courtyard of the former Huguang Governor's Office, his wounds stinging with the herbal medicine newly prepared by Aunt Chen.
The sound of children playing could be heard outside the window—they were the children of military dependents, their innocent laughter not yet completely tainted by the cruelty of war.
Deep within consciousness, data flows calmly:
Vehicle status: Recovering from severe injury
Estimated full recovery time: 28 days
The emotion module was detected to be overloaded... Psychological adjustment is recommended.
Psychological adjustment? Ma Yongsheng smiled wryly.
Tie Zhu's death was like a thorn, deeply embedded in his heart.
That honest, simple farmer, his childhood friend, shielded him from a fatal blow.
At the last moment, Tie Zhu shouted "Chang Sheng" (meaning "longevity"), not "Chief".
At that moment, he was not the commander of the Xinghan Army, but just the precocious boy from Majia Village, the younger brother whom Tiezhu had protected since childhood.
"Chief, General Jin requests an audience," came the voice of a guard from outside the door.
"Please." Ma Yongsheng struggled to sit up, and Chen Xiuying quickly placed a cushion behind him.
Jin Shenghuan strode in, still with his usual bold demeanor, but with a hint of respect in his eyes: "Chief Ma, how are your injuries?"
"I'm much better now, thank you for your concern, General Jin." Ma Yongsheng gestured for him to sit down. "If it weren't for your timely assistance, General, I'm afraid I would have perished in the Qing camp. I will never forget your life-saving grace."
"Oh, you're being too polite!" Jin Shenghuan waved his hand. "All those who resist the Qing are one family. Although I, Old Jin, am a rough man, I know the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.' If Wuchang falls, Jiujiang will be the next target. I'm doing this to save myself, and incidentally helping a friend."
He paused, then lowered his voice: "But seriously, Chief Ma, I, Lao Jin, admire your courage in that night raid on Hong Chengchou's camp! Three thousand men dared to charge into a camp of thirty thousand, and almost killed that old thief Hong Hengjiu! Such courage and strategy are rare in this world!"
Ma Yongsheng smiled faintly: "It was just reckless courage, and it cost me my best brother."
Upon hearing the mention of Tie Zhu, Jin Shenghuan's smile vanished, and he said solemnly, "I've heard about General Tie Zhu's passing. A loyal and brave man died a worthy death. Chief Ma, please accept my condolences. We who are alive must live out his legacy as well."
The two remained silent for a moment.
Jin Shenghuan suddenly said, "Chief Ma, besides visiting you, I have another important matter to discuss with you."
"General Jin, please speak."
"I want... to join forces," Jin Shenghuan said bluntly. "My Jiujiang Army and your Xinghan Army will become one. You will be the commander, and I will be the deputy. Together, we can conquer Huguang, Jiangxi, and even Jiangnan!"
These words sounded grand and inspiring, but Ma Yongsheng sensed a probing undertone.
Jin Shenghuan was a warlord by origin. Although he defected to the Qing Dynasty, he still harbored ambitions to establish his own independent regime.
Was his sudden proposal to join forces a genuine display of admiration for Ma Yongsheng's abilities and charisma, or was he harboring other ambitions?
"General Jin's kindness is too much for me to bear," Ma Yongsheng said slowly. "However... your Jiujiang army has 50,000 men, while my Xinghan army has only 30,000 at most. If we combine our forces and I take the lead, I fear the soldiers will not be convinced."
"Don't worry about that!" Jin Shenghuan patted his chest. "I, Old Jin, keep my word! I can control my troops! Besides, in the past few months, your reputation as Chief Ma has spread throughout the country. Passing the imperial examination at eleven, establishing your stronghold at thirteen, capturing Wuchang at sixteen, and severely damaging Hong Chengchou... With such abilities, who wouldn't admire you? My men, upon hearing they're going to work for you, are all itching to get started!"
Ma Yongsheng remained silent.
Joining forces is indeed the best option at present.
Jin Shenghuan's forces were numerous and well-supplied, controlled the strategic Jiujiang area, and possessed a formidable naval power.
If they can integrate their forces, their strength will increase significantly, enough to confront Hong Chengchou head-on. But...
"General Jin, we can join forces, but we must agree on three rules." Ma Yongsheng raised his head, his eyes blazing.
"you say!"
"The military system will be unified. Regardless of whether they originally belonged to the Jiujiang Army or the Xinghan Army, they must be reorganized according to the new military system, with a unified command system, military regulations and discipline, and food and pay standards."
"Unify government orders. Within the controlled areas, my new policies must be implemented: redistribute land equally, reduce or exempt taxes, establish schools, and build a militia."
"Our goal is the same." Ma Yongsheng said slowly and deliberately, "Our goal is not to establish a separatist regime, nor to appoint kings and ministers, but to expel the Tartars, restore China, and then... establish a new world like never before."
Jin Shenghuan was somewhat stunned.
The first two are easy to understand, but the third is a bit mysterious. "An unprecedented new world"? What does that mean?
He didn't ask for details, but simply nodded emphatically: "Alright! We'll do it your way! Although I, Old Jin, am not well-educated, I know that the world can't go back to what it used to be. You, Chief Ma, have ideas and abilities; I trust you!"
The two made a vow by high-fiving.
Over the next month, while recovering from his injuries, Ma Yongsheng worked day and night with Jin Shenghuan, Huang Zongxi, Xu Guangqi, and others to plan the merger and reorganization of the army.
First, they decided on a new military name: "Jingnan Army," which means "to quell national calamities and bring peace to the people."
Ma Yongsheng was appointed as the Grand General, Jin Shenghuan as the Deputy General, and Instructor Sun (after recovering from his injuries) as the Commander-in-Chief of the Vanguard Army. Several key generals from the original Jiujiang Army were appointed as the Commanders-in-Chief of the Left and Right Armies, respectively.
Secondly, reorganize the troops.
The original Xinghan Army, Jiujiang Army, and newly surrendered Hunan He Tengjiao's troops (partially) and Jiangxi Anti-Justice Army were reorganized into ten towns, each with 5,000 men and a general in charge.
In addition, a naval garrison, an artillery garrison, an engineering garrison, and a medical battalion were set up.
Secondly, a new command system needs to be established.
The General's Office was established to oversee the Military Affairs Department, Political Affairs Department, Public Works Department, Medical Affairs Department, Intelligence Department, and Education Department.
Huang Zongxi, Xu Guangqi, Fang Yizhi, Chen Danian, Wang Pu and other original Xinghan Army backbone members were appointed as principals or deputy heads of various departments, while talented and open-minded people from the original Jiujiang Army were also recruited.
Finally, and most importantly: the promulgation of the "Jingnan Military Constitution" and the "New Political Program".
The Provisional Constitution stipulated military discipline, relations between the military and civilians, and policies for prisoners of war. Among them, the two most noteworthy provisions were: "Officers and soldiers are equal. Except for what is required for their duties, their clothing, food, lodging and transportation shall be kept simple. Those who violate this shall be severely punished"; "No killing of surrendered soldiers, no plundering of civilians, no forced conscription. Those who violate this shall be beheaded."
The "New Policy Outline" elaborated on the direction of reforms in politics, economy, and culture: abolishing the eight-legged essay and promoting practical learning; redistributing land equally and limiting acreage; encouraging industry and commerce and developing mining and metallurgy; promoting new agricultural tools and farming techniques; establishing public clinics and schools; and even mentioning the prototype of "establishing a parliament to widely solicit public opinion".
Some of these contents shocked the former Jiujiang army generals, some made the gentry uneasy, but most of them made the soldiers and civilians at the grassroots level jubilant.
In early February, the Jingnan Army held a rally in Wuchang to pledge their determination to fight the rebellion.
On the drill ground, 50,000 soldiers stood in formation, their banners fluttering in the wind.
Ma Yongsheng stood on the high platform. Although his injuries had not fully healed and his face was still somewhat pale, his posture was upright and his eyes were sharp.
He wore specially made light armor, with a black cloak over it—the one Tie Zhu used to wear when he was alive. Now, draped over his body, it was as if his brother was still by his side.
"Soldiers of the Jingnan Army!" His voice, amplified through a specially made megaphone, resounded throughout the arena. "Today, we stand here not for personal glory or wealth, not to carve out our own kingdoms. We stand here because this land is bleeding, because our compatriots are weeping, because our civilization is tarnished!"
The entire venue was silent, save for the sound of the flags fluttering in the cold wind.
"When the Manchus entered the Central Plains, they seized land and farmland to rob our people of their livelihoods; their massacres and slaughters were an attempt to extinguish the spirit of the Chinese people! They thought that swords and spears could conquer a nation, and that iron hooves could crush a civilization. They were wrong!"
Ma Yongsheng raised his voice: "The backbone of a nation lies not in how much land it possesses, nor in how much wealth it has, but in whether it has an indomitable spirit! In whether it has the courage to fight! In whether it has a culture that is passed down from generation to generation!"
"We gather here today to tell the world: the backbone of the Han people remains! The flame of Chinese civilization has not been extinguished!"
He drew his sword and pointed it to the sky: "I, Ma Changsheng, hereby swear: I will not be a human being if I do not expel the Tartars! I will not die in peace if I do not restore China! I will not restoring peace if I do not establish a new world where all people can live in peace and prosperity! I will be ashamed before my ancestors, ashamed before my brothers who sacrificed their lives, and ashamed before this land that gave me birth and nurtured me!"
"Are you willing to follow me on this great undertaking?!"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Fifty thousand people roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.
Jin Shenghuan stood aside, watching the exciting scene with a sense of awe.
He had led troops for many years and had never seen such high morale or such pure conviction.
At that moment, he truly believed that he had chosen the right person to follow.
After the rally, the Jingnan Army began intensive training and preparations for war.
According to intelligence, after the Battle of Wuchang, Hong Chengchou retreated to Xiangyang and was regrouping.
The Qing court sent him an additional 20,000 reinforcements, bringing his total military strength in Huguang back to 80,000.
At the same time, the Qing court appointed Beile Lekedehun as "General Who Pacifies the South" and led 30,000 elite Eight Banner troops south to prepare to join forces with Hong Chengchou to attack the Jingnan Army.
The situation remains severe.
But Ma Yongsheng had a new trump card.
Under Xu Guangqi's leadership, the Public Works Department achieved several breakthroughs:
The first step was the practical application of the steam engine.
Although the efficiency is still low, it is already able to drive small water pumps and forging hammers.
For the first time, the rhythmic clanging of steam-powered forging hammers echoed in the blacksmith shops outside Wuchang, tripling the efficiency of weapon forging.
Secondly, there was the large-scale mass production of flintlock muskets.
Through standardized parts and assembly line operations, 500 flintlock rifles and 100,000 rounds of ammunition can be produced per month.
More importantly, they began trial production of the "Minnie bullet"—a conical bullet with a range and accuracy far exceeding that of traditional round bullets.
The next step was artillery improvement.
Under Johann Adam Schall von Bell's guidance, they copied the Western "Hongyi Cannon" and improved the cannon carriage and aiming device.
They are few in number, but incredibly powerful.
Besides weaponry and equipment, medical science is also making progress.
Based on the "bacteriological theory" provided by Ma Yongsheng, Fang Yizhi and Aunt Chen promoted hygiene measures such as boiling for disinfection and alcohol cleaning, which greatly reduced the infection and mortality rates of wounded soldiers. They even began to try using ether for simple surgical anesthesia.
What concerned Ma Yongsheng the most was the discovery made by the Intelligence Division.
Wang Pu secretly reported that more traces of "abnormal existences" had been discovered in the high command of the Qing army, especially in the Eight Banners army under Lekedehun.
These AI units appear to belong to different factions—some in Hong Chengchou's army, some in Lekedehun's army, and even some within the Qing court in Shangjing.
They seem to be connected, yet each goes its own way, as if competing with something.
"Competition?" Ma Yongsheng frowned. "AIs competing with each other?"
"Based on the few words we gleaned from a low-level unit we captured," Wang Pu whispered, "they seem to be competing for 'observational dominance' and 'intervention authority.' It's like... they're conducting some kind of 'experiment.'"
Experiment? Observation? Intervention?
Ma Yongsheng's heart stirred, as if he had grasped something.
Could it be that... the AI traveled back in time not simply to stop human development, but that different AI factions support different historical paths?
If that's the case, then where is their "main consciousness"?
He recalled the scenes he had witnessed in the black hole network: countless civilizations rising and falling in the long river of time, some as brilliant and fleeting as fireworks, others as enduring and glorious as stars. Could it be... that AI is collecting "data" from these civilizations?
Is the collapse of the sun into a black hole also part of some kind of "experiment"?
Thinking hard.
But right now, he doesn't have time to delve into it.
Lekedehun's 30,000 elite Eight Banner troops have arrived in Xinyang and will soon join forces with Hong Chengchou.
At that time, 110,000 Qing troops would be pressing towards Wuchang, while the Jingnan Army would only have 50,000, and even if He Tengjiao's troops in Hunan were included, the total would not exceed 80,000.
One of the Qing armies must be defeated before the two armies can join forces.
"Attack Lekedehun." Ma Yongsheng set the tone at the military conference. "Although the Eight Banners army is elite, it is arrogant and underestimates the enemy, and is not adapted to the terrain and climate of the south. Hong Chengchou is experienced and prudent, and not easy to defeat. We should concentrate our forces first and wipe out this arrogant army of Lekedehun."
"But Lekedehun is in Xinyang. If we head north, what if Hong Chengchou cuts off our rear by marching south from Xiangyang?" a general worried.
"So we need to be quick." Ma Yongsheng pointed to the map. "We'll use our navy to transport troops north along the Han River, land near Yicheng, and then march rapidly to Zaoyang to set up an ambush. Lekedehun will inevitably pass through Zaoyang on his southward march from Xinyang. We'll wait in comfort and catch him off guard."
"What about Wuchang..."
"Leave 10,000 men to guard the city, with General Jin in charge." Ma Yongsheng looked at Jin Shenghuan. "Wuchang's defenses are strong, and its food supplies are plentiful. It should hold out for a month without any problem. As long as we can deal with Lekedehun within twenty days and return south, Hong Chengchou will not dare to make any rash moves."
The plan is bold and risky.
However, the newly established Jingnan Army urgently needed a major victory to boost morale and consolidate the alliance.
Although Jin Shenghuan was worried about Wuchang, he still nodded in agreement.
On February 15th, the main force of the Jingnan Army, numbering 40,000, boarded ships and headed north along the Han River.
Ma Yongsheng personally led the team, with Coach Sun as his deputy.
In addition to warships, the fleet also included twenty newly modified paddle steamers—though not fast, they were unaffected by wind direction and had a clear advantage when sailing against the current.
Three days later, the troops landed in Yicheng, rested briefly, and then advanced swiftly and lightly towards Zaoyang.
Zaoyang is located in the hilly area of northern Hubei, with undulating terrain and many mountains, forests and ravines, making it an ideal location for an ambush.
Ma Yongsheng ambushed his main force in "Yingzuiyu" south of Zaoyang—a valley shaped like an eagle's beak, with narrow valley roads and steep slopes on both sides.
At the same time, he dispatched a detachment of 2,000 men, disguised as the main force, to march north in a grand manner, making it appear as if he was going to attack Xinyang, thus luring Lekedehun south to pursue him.
Lekedehun fell for the trap as expected.
This Manchu prince was only thirty years old and was the great-grandson of Nurhaci. He was skilled in archery and horsemanship from a young age and had made great military achievements, but he was arrogant and looked down on the Han Chinese army.
Upon hearing that the "rebels" dared to launch a northward invasion, he was furious. Without waiting to contact Hong Chengchou, he personally led 20,000 elite Eight Banner troops south, vowing to "annihilate them in one fell swoop".
On February 22, the vanguard of Lekedehun's army entered Yingzuiyu.
In early spring, the valley was still barren, with the vegetation not yet fully green.
The Eight Banners cavalry galloped through the valley, their hooves thundering.
They were completely unaware that tens of thousands of eyes were hidden in the mountains and forests on both sides.
Ma Yongsheng lay prone behind a bunker on the hillside, observing the Qing troops in the valley through binoculars.
The Eight Banners army was indeed elite—their armor was gleaming, their ranks were orderly, and their cavalrymen were highly skilled horsemen.
However, their marching formation was too dense, and they were crammed together in the narrow valley, which was exactly the opportunity for their firearms to be effective.
"Wait until the central army is fully within the ambush zone before attacking," he whispered the order. "Artillery will bombard the cavalry first, musketeers will target the infantry, and rolling logs and stones will block their retreat. Remember, the first wave of attacks must be fierce; stun them!"
The Qing army troops moved forward slowly.
Lekedehun rode a tall black horse in the middle of the procession, surrounded by three hundred guards. He looked around at the terrain and suddenly felt uneasy.
"This valley is too narrow, and the slopes on both sides are too steep..." he frowned, "What if there's an ambush..."
Before the words were even finished, a sudden change occurred!
"Boom boom boom—!"
On both sides of the hillside, dozens of cannons fired simultaneously! The shells whistled as they fell into the ranks of the Qing army, exploding into bursts of fire and smoke.
The Eight Banners army was instantly thrown into chaos.
Immediately afterwards, countless flags were erected on the hillside, and a dark mass of musketeers appeared at the top of the hill, firing volleys of gunfire! Lead bullets rained down like raindrops.
"There's an ambush! Protect the Prince!" the captain of the guards roared.
But it was too late.
The Jingnan Army had been preparing for too long and was now unleashing its full firepower.
Cannons, muskets, bows and arrows, rolling logs and stones... all available weapons were simultaneously unleashed upon the Qing troops in the valley.
The Eight Banners Army, as expected of a battle-hardened elite, remained calm despite the sudden attack.
The cavalry attempted to charge up the slope, but it was too steep for the horses to make it; the infantry quickly formed ranks, using shields and corpses to create a makeshift defensive line, while the archers returned fire up the slope.
However, the terrain is too disadvantageous.
They were at the bottom of the valley, while the Jingnan Army was on the slope, looking down from a superior position.
Even more fatally, both ends of the valley were blocked by rolling logs, boulders, and explosives, cutting off any escape route.
"Beile! Charge north! Break out of the valley!" the lieutenant shouted urgently.
Lekedehun's eyes turned red. He had fought for many years and had never suffered such a great loss.
Watching the Manchu bannermen fall one after another around him, his heart ached.
"Sound the horn! Assemble! Charge out with me!" he roared, drawing his sword.
The remaining Qing troops began to break out towards the north entrance of the valley.
But they were prepared; the Jingnan Army had deployed a large force and laid landmines.
The Qing troops that tried to break out were repeatedly driven back, suffering heavy casualties.
The battle lasted from morning until evening.
Twenty thousand elite Eight Banner troops were slowly ground to dust in the deadly trap of Yingzuiyu.
Lekedehun's personal guards fell one by one, until only a few dozen remained surrounding him.
On the hillside, Ma Yongsheng looked at the tragic scene in the valley, but felt no pleasure.
These Eight Banner soldiers were also human beings; they had parents, wives, and children.
But this is war, a life-or-death struggle for the survival of our race.
If he doesn't kill people, people will kill him, kill his fellow countrymen, and destroy his civilization.
"Send word to persuade them to surrender," he said in a deep voice.
Shouts urging surrender echoed through the valley.
But the pride of the Eight Banners army made them prefer death to surrender.
Lekedehun roared with laughter, "Manchu warriors, there is only death in battle, no surrender! My lads, follow me in one last charge!"
The last few dozen riders launched a desperate charge up the hillside.
Ma Yongsheng sighed and raised his hand.
A volley of gunfire.
Lecder was hit by several bullets and fell off his horse.
This young Manchu prince kept his eyes open until his death, gazing at the northern sky—the direction from which his ancestors came.
With their commander killed in battle, the remaining Qing troops finally collapsed.
A few surrendered, while the majority died in battle.
In the Battle of Yingzuiyu, the Jingnan Army, at the cost of 3,000 casualties, annihilated 20,000 elite Eight Banner troops of Lekedehun, shocking the world.
When the news reached the capital, the Qing court was terrified.
Emperor Shunzhi was young, and Regent Dorgon was furious and wanted to personally lead an expedition, but was dissuaded by his ministers.
However, the Qing court had to re-evaluate the "rebels" in the south—they were no longer ordinary bandits, but formidable enemies capable of annihilating the main force of the Eight Banners.
When the news reached Xiangyang, Hong Chengchou turned pale.
He knew all too well the fighting capabilities of the Eight Banners Army.
Lekedehun's 20,000 elite troops were wiped out in a single battle... Just how terrifying is that Ma Changsheng?
He immediately contracted his defenses, abandoned the surrounding prefectures and counties, and concentrated his forces to defend Xiangyang and Fancheng. At the same time, he urgently reported to the capital for reinforcements.
Meanwhile, the Jingnan Army was overjoyed.
The victory at Yingzuiyu not only annihilated a major force of the Qing army and captured a large number of horses, armor, and weapons, but more importantly, it proved that the Jingnan Army was capable of confronting and defeating the Eight Banners Army head-on.
The army's morale soared to its peak, and the former Jiujiang army generals, who had some doubts about the combined forces, were now completely convinced.
But Ma Yongsheng was not blinded by victory.
At the victory banquet, holding a water glass (he couldn't drink alcohol due to his injury), he said to his generals, "Although we have won this battle, it is only the beginning. The Qing Dynasty is still powerful, Hong Chengchou is still in Xiangyang, and Jiangnan has not yet been recovered. We cannot stop here."
He announced the next plan: to take advantage of the victory and advance westward to capture Xiangyang and completely control the Han River basin; at the same time, to send the navy eastward to assist Jin Shenghuan in consolidating the defense lines of Jiujiang and Anqing, in preparation for a future advance into Jiangnan.
"Furthermore," he said, looking at Xu Guangqi, "the Public Works Department must accelerate the development of steamships. We need to build a true steam fleet to control the Yangtze River."
"Furthermore," he looked at Huang Zongxi, "the Administrative Secretary must fully implement the new policies in the newly controlled areas. Remember, we fight not to seize territory, but to bring a better life to the people. If the new policies are implemented well, the people will support us, and our foundation will be solid."
The generals solemnly accepted the order.
In early March, the main force of the Jingnan Army returned to Wuchang and joined forces with Jin Shenghuan's troops.
After a brief rest, Ma Yongsheng left Jin Shenghuan to guard Wuchang and manage Jiangxi, while he personally led 30,000 elite troops westward to Xiangyang.
This time, his target was not only the city, but also the person in the city—Hong Chengchou, and the advanced AI unit lurking within him.
He needs to figure out the true purpose of AI in this era.
Hong Chengchou seemed to be waiting for him as well.
On the city wall of Xiangyang, the old general gazed at the smoke and dust rising in the east, mechanically muttering to himself, "Ma Yongsheng... is that you?"
The AI unit within him has realized that he may be facing the "person" who has returned from seven hundred years in the future, bearing the mission of ensuring the survival of the entire civilization.
This showdown will determine the course of this era, and even the next seven hundred years.
The Han River flows eastward, surging onward.
The river of history takes a sharp turn here.