Chapter 1, General of Datong

"Even if we can't hold on, we must try to endure," Wang Pu said coldly. "Tell the brothers, if they want to survive, they must risk their lives!"

Zhao Wuzhu responded sharply and turned to leave

Amidst the heavy breathing of the warhorses, another cavalryman from the Jian army charged in from behind, his over one hundred jin wolf-toothed club striking fiercely against the back of the Ming army commander. The robust body of the Ming commander trembled violently and then fell straight down.

Suddenly, a loud neighing of horses echoed from a distance

If everyone thinks that Wang Pu is a valiant son of a military family who rose to the rank of general due to his bravery and achievements in battle, then they are gravely mistaken. In fact, Wang Pu's position as general was purchased with money; this fellow is actually a cowardly and debauched young man.

I didn't expect that Wang Pu actually has a bit of luck

Wang Pu, 24 years old, General of Datong Town in the Ming Empire

Wang Pu graduated from a third-tier university six years ago

Hurry, push the war chariot up

Three years ago, in the autumn of the eleventh year of Chongzhen (1638), shortly after Wang Pu was appointed as a guerrilla general, the Manchu Prince Dorgon led an army of one hundred thousand into the capital, engaging in widespread plundering. Emperor Chongzhen ordered the stationed troops from the nine borders to march to the capital to support the throne. Although Wang Pu was afraid of death, he had no choice but to accompany the then Governor of the Three Borders, Lu Xiangsheng, to the capital.

Xiao Qi said: "If this continues, it can only lead to a dead end"

"No hurry, let's wait a bit longer." Wang Pu's gaze crossed over the Jianzhou cavalry and fell upon the distant valley, as he said, "Our reinforcements should be arriving soon."

When Wang Pu awoke once more, he found himself lying on a verdant green meadow, surrounded by a group of soldiers clad in ancient battle armor, encircling him like stars around the moon. Wang Pu almost thought he had ascended to heaven

"Little San, don't die, you can't die!" Ming Jun frantically shook the already lifeless Little San, weeping loudly, "Mother told me to definitely bring you back to Datong, ahhh..."

Amidst the piercing sound of an arrow slicing through the air, a sharp arrow struck the throat of a Ming soldier. The soldier's frail body suddenly stiffened, and then he fell forward, straight and lifeless. Not far away, another tall Ming officer rushed forward, lifting the wounded soldier and holding him tightly in his arms, shouting hoarsely, "Xiao San, hold on! You must hang in there!"

Damn the treacherous invaders, I will fight you to the end

Heaven does not assist our Great Ming!

Beneath the dim and gloomy sky, the fierce wind howls, and the vegetation stands desolate

The two embraced and fell heavily from the horse, crashing to the ground. After landing, the Jian soldiers remained motionless; long before they hit the ground, the Ming general had already bitten through his throat. The Ming general rose from the corpse of the Jian soldier, laughing maniacally towards the sky, with bright red blood clearly flowing from his stark white teeth, looking as fierce as a demon

The knight on horseback is clad in iron armor, wearing an iron helmet. The armor and helmet are primarily bright yellow, adorned with striking red edges, and the helmet is topped with a high, flamboyant tassel, crimson as blood. The knight raises his saber and pulls it forward, and thousands of cavalrymen emerge from behind him, all in bright yellow armor with vivid red edges.

Two months ago, the situation in Liaodong became critical, prompting Emperor Chongzhen to urgently summon the commanders of Datong, Miyun, and Xuanfu to provide assistance

Wang Pu turned back in surprise, as the dazzling lightning illuminated the earth once more, and in the distance, a solitary figure emerged ghost-like from the barren ridge of the mountain.

As the cavalry of the Jianzhou Jurchens was about to enter the range of the cannons, the Ming soldiers were ready to ignite the cannon fuses when suddenly a torrential rain mixed with hail fell from the sky. The relentless downpour soaked the fuses and extinguished the fire in the hands of the Ming soldiers. As a result, not only did the powerful Dutch cannons become mere decorations, but even the firearms of the arquebusiers and the artillery were reduced to mere fire sticks.

The cavalry of the Jianzhou bandits advanced with great momentum, yet the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty remained unafraid.

The invaders have arrived

In the distant and desolate sound of the horn, the leading cavalryman of the Jianzhou raised his saber forward, and behind him, thousands of Jianzhou cavalry surged forward like a flood that had broken through its dam

Prepare the artillery

Brothers, our reinforcements have arrived, kill them, wipe out these damned traitors!

Amidst the thunderous sound of iron hooves, tens of thousands of cavalry from the Jianzhou army have charged to the front of the Ming army's formation. The cunning Jianzhou cavalry did not directly assault the solid chariot formation; instead, they circled around the vast array of the Ming troops, continuously shooting arrows and throwing javelins to kill the Ming soldiers behind the chariots. Lacking the protection of iron armor, the Ming soldiers fell in rows.

Reinforcements

Due to the inability to find a job, Wang Pu became a ne'er-do-well and a drifter. Relying on the skills he had honed since childhood and his ruthless approach to matters, Wang Pu quickly made a name for himself in the underworld and established his own territory

As for the current fierce battle, it was Wang Pu leading his army on the way to Songshan who was ambushed by a large group of Jianlu cavalry. Due to the impact of the weather, the firearms of the Ming army were unable to exert their full power, and the situation had become extremely precarious

expansion

That ancient person also had the surname Wang, and his name was pronounced the same as Pu; he was called Wang Pu

Indeed, not long after, the sound of the Ming army's horns echoed from afar

A piercing sound pulled Wang Pu's thoughts back to reality

Not far ahead is Songshan Castle. Such a large-scale battle could not possibly escape the notice of the Ming army's scouts. Hong Chengchou, the Ming commander stationed at Songshan, must have already received the news. If we can hold on for just a moment longer, reinforcements will surely arrive.

"Nonsense!" Wang Pu shouted sternly, "Right now, the brothers are all holding on by sheer will. If we give the order to break out at this moment, once their resolve falters, it will lead to a complete rout."

"Hoo Hoo."

Xiao San's body gradually became stiff, and the Ming army general finally realized that he could no longer awaken his brother.

This is how it is; this is the entirety of Wang Pu's journey to this world

It was unclear when the wind had ceased, the rain had stopped, and the dark clouds in the sky had dispersed. Wang Pu gazed around and saw that all around him were the Jianzhou cavalry clad in bright yellow armor, launching frenzied attacks on the Ming army from several breaches. Although the Ming soldiers fought desperately to resist, they were still being pushed back step by step, and it seemed they would soon be unable to hold on.

The mistress's gaze is vacant, and she will never be able to speak again

Three days ago, Wang Pu was involved in a shootout with his brothers and another group of thugs. As a result, he was struck on the head with an iron rod and lost consciousness.

Wuwuwu ... ...

A dazzling flash of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the earth

The arrival of reinforcements greatly boosted the morale of the Ming army. The defense line, which was on the verge of collapse, became as solid as a rock once again. In several locations, the Ming troops even launched counterattacks, driving the invading Jianzhou cavalry out of their positions. Realizing that further entanglement would yield no advantage, the Jianzhou forces quickly began to retreat. By the time the vanguard cavalry of the Ming army arrived on the battlefield, the last of the Jianzhou cavalry had already crossed over the southern ridge.

Karak!

After a fierce battle lasting half an hour, the Jurchen troops finally breached the Ming army's chariot formation, simultaneously penetrating through more than a dozen gaps in an attempt to destroy the last resistance of the Ming forces. The Ming pikemen, who were on high alert, surged forward, willing to use their bodies to block the breaches. This is the Liao West Plain; once the Ming army loses the protection of the chariot formation, they will become lambs to be slaughtered by the Jurchen cavalry

It is the reinforcements of our Ming Dynasty

A dull sound echoed as the Ming army's general collided heavily with a cavalryman of the Jianzhou.

Worse still, the dim sky and the white, misty rain severely affected the visibility of the Ming army's archers. They could not see the gestures of their commander and could only fight independently. The arrows they shot were hindered by the triple onslaught of fierce winds, heavy rain, and hail, significantly reducing their lethality and rendering them incapable of inflicting substantial damage on the sturdy iron armor of the Jianzhou cavalry

"General, we should break through quickly," said the trusted guard, Xiao Qi, stepping forward and speaking loudly. "If we wait until the enemy breaches our outer defenses, it will be too late for anything."

It is the Jianzhou!

Secure the iron stakes firmly

Whoosh

Later, Wang Pu came to realize that he had already died in his original world, yet his soul had traversed to the fourteenth year of the Chongzhen era during the late Ming Dynasty, inhabiting the body of an ancient person who had possibly just died.

Wang Pu sat astride a white horse, coldly observing everything around him. He was originally not a person of this world; an accident had brought him back to ancient times.

The sound of the flute... ...

Do not slack off, I am talking about you. Did you not have lunch?

General

In the Battle of Julu, Lu Xiangsheng died on the battlefield, while Wang Pu, who had narrowly escaped by hiding in a ditch, managed to earn the reputation of being "brave and skilled in battle" by collecting a few Manchu braids. Officials from all ranks eagerly submitted recommendations, and under the great delight of Emperor Chongzhen, he decisively promoted Wang Pu from a guerrilla commander in Datong to the position of General of Datong.

The Ming general suddenly stood up, looked up at the sky, and let out a long roar. He then hurriedly took a few steps and leaped onto the chariot, before pouncing like a hungry tiger onto the fleeing Jianzhou cavalry outside the formation.

Three days ago, when Wang Pu led an army of twenty thousand to Lianshan, a fierce tiger suddenly sprang out from the thicket by the official road, injuring several people. Wang Pu's steed was also frightened, galloping wildly and ultimately tumbling down a cliff with both rider and horse. Wang Pu died, but he was resurrected; however, the Wang Pu who returned was no longer the same as the original Wang Pu.

Amidst the continuous sound of horns, the dark mass of the Ming army has surged forth from behind the northern ridges. Leading the charge are thousands of Ming cavalry, their thundering iron hooves trampling the muddy ground, splattering mud into the air. The resounding sound of their hooves reverberates through the heavens and the earth, deafening in its intensity. Both the Ming soldiers, engaged in a desperate battle, and the Jianzhou warriors simultaneously look northward.

Wang Pu's father, Wang Dayou, is the richest man in Shanxi. Due to the Wang family's wealth but lack of power, they have suffered greatly at the hands of the authorities. Therefore, Wang Dayou spent a considerable amount of money to secure a position as the Inspector of Datong for his second son, Wang Hua, and also arranged for his third son, Wang Pu, to become a guerrilla officer in Datong Town.

Suddenly, the sound of a horn echoed from the distant mountain ridge

Wang Pu raised her head towards the sky, her expression becoming more serious than ever before. Is that damned old heaven really going to rain?

Wang Pu lowered his head, and Deputy General Zhao Wuzhu had already stumbled and rushed to his horse's front, exclaiming in despair: "Brothers, we can hardly hold on any longer"

The warhorses are neighing in sorrow, the soldiers are roaring in anger, and the entire battlefield resembles boiling water, surging and rolling.

The sounds of angry scolding and reprimands echoed incessantly. Wang Pu surveyed his surroundings, where twenty thousand Ming soldiers were nervously forming ranks in the wilderness. Sturdy war chariots were being pushed to the periphery, while archers expressionlessly organized their arrows in the quivers. The gunmen and artillerymen were busy loading gunpowder and lead balls into their cannons and guns. Meanwhile, rows of infantrymen sat on the ground, resting with their eyes closed, and the air was thick with the tension of impending battle

The alert sounds rose and fell within the ranks of the Ming army, as archers, gunmen, and artillerymen quickly formed their lines in preparation for firing. The pikemen, who had been resting on the ground, also hurriedly stood up and, under the scolding of their commanders, moved to the rear of the chariots to form their ranks. The angry shouts of the commanders, the heavy breathing of the soldiers, and the clashing of weapons intertwined, creating a chilling atmosphere of impending slaughter that spread like poisonous weeds.

The sky is overcast with thick clouds

The matter dates back to three days ago

Yes

The sky trembles, and the earth quakes