Chapter 7: Ambushes Emerge
What is going on? Why do you not go up and save your comrades? Are you just going to watch them suffer and be hanged like this?" Daisan said with a stern tone, then his expression darkened. He awaited a response from his cavalry subordinates.
"Come here, convey my military orders, and immediately march into the Birch Forest." This is what Daisan said, but he remained uncertain in his heart. Thus, he altered the usual marching regulations, choosing to follow directly behind the central army, leading the troops into the Birch Forest.
As Daisan's men reached the center of the forest, they heard a commotion erupt from the vanguard, which carried over to them. "What has happened up ahead?" Daisan asked his personal guards with evident dissatisfaction. The guards hurriedly rode forward to inquire.
The cavalrymen moved forward with trepidation, as slowly as possible, as if meandering through the birch forest. Yet their hearts were in their throats, glancing around anxiously, tightly gripping the reins, fearing that a single misstep by their horses could cost them their lives, just as it had for the previous cavalrymen.
As Tang Feng lay on the ground, he suddenly felt as if he had transformed back into a special forces soldier, currently engaged in reconnaissance. In the blink of an eye, noon had passed, and Tang Feng suddenly sensed a violent tremor in the ground, akin to a slight earthquake.
"Regarding the words of Lord Beile, it is not that we, the subordinates, are unwilling to rush forward to rescue; rather, we must understand that we are all bound by blood relations. How can we stand by and watch as they die? Yet, when a few of us attempted to intervene, we fell into an ambush. Thus, we can only helplessly watch them being hanged alive, which is truly a lamentable situation." After the cavalryman finished speaking, fearing that Daisan would not believe his words, he urged his steed forward towards those who were currently suspended in mid-air, still struggling.
Emperor Taiji asked him with a smile, "Have you seen any Ming Dynasty ambush troops in the birch forest?" In response to the prince's question, the forest was very quiet. The subordinate did not see any Ming Dynasty ambush troops here, and moreover, there were no signs of any military presence in this area. After speaking, he urged his horse to move behind Emperor Taiji, waiting for further instructions.
Emperor Huang Taiji rode his horse to the front of Dai Shan and was quite courteous, offering him a bow. However, Dai Shan merely let out a cold snort through his nose. Huang Taiji did not seem to mind and smiled slightly, saying, "Elder Brother, what brings you to a halt here? Our father sent me to inquire about the situation. If you have any concerns, please feel free to express them to me, so I can report back to our father on this matter." After saying this, he could not help but gaze deeply into the depths of the birch forest. Apart from the constantly fluttering flags, there was also the occasional sound of horse bells, but he could not discern anything else. He had come to inquire about the situation, and if Dai Shan had any concerns, he should express them so that he could report back to their father on this matter. After saying this, he could not help but gaze deeply into the depths of the birch forest. Apart from the constantly fluttering flags, there was also the occasional sound of horse bells, but he could not discern anything else. What did he hear?
Dai Shan used his riding whip to point towards the white birch forest ahead and said to Huang Taiji, "Do you not see that there are ambush troops set up ahead? If it were you, would you not have fallen for it long ago, suffering great losses and returning in defeat? I, Dai Shan, may not boast about other things, but I have participated in many military campaigns. How could I possibly fail to notice such an obvious ambush?" After finishing his words, Dai Shan raised his face, looking at Huang Taiji with a proud expression.
This time, Daisan was truly frightened; he really wanted to find Huang Taiji again to let him see for himself who was truly ignorant of military affairs. If it weren't for having heard him say that there were no ambushes here, how could he have led his troops in and fallen into an ambush?
At this time, Tang Feng had already led his men back to Fu Family Village, where he had also prepared the barbecue materials for the Later Jin cavalry, just waiting for the main dish to be served
Before long, the cavalryman sent by Hong Taiji for reconnaissance emerged leisurely from the birch forest, riding his horse. Upon reaching Hong Taiji, he performed a salute.
At present, this Fu Family Village can be described as a volcano, depending on whether Nurhaci's cavalry dares to pursue. Tang Feng ordered several of his subordinates to each take charge of a section of the houses, waiting for the cavalry to enter the village, at which point they would start setting fire to the village in all directions.
However, this confirmed Tang Feng's intentions. Upon seeing Dai Shan leading his troops, blocking the entrance to the birch forest, he realized that Dai Shan had already fallen for his feigned retreat strategy. At this moment, he could withdraw his troops, for if he lingered here any longer, he feared that Nurhaci might catch up. That man had fought battles for half his life, and it was uncertain whether his small tricks could deceive such a seasoned warrior.
One could follow the dirt path straight ahead and see in the distance a grove of white birch trees. Flags fluttered uncertainly among the trees, and faintly, the sounds of warhorses could be heard, adding to the mystery. What was even more perplexing was the sight of a large flock of sparrows suddenly taking flight. Coupled with the swirling dust, it all seemed suspicious. Daisan had been in the military for a long time and had experienced many deceptions on the battlefield. However, regarding the scene before him in this grove of white birch trees, he could not ascertain whether there were hidden troops. He truly found it difficult to comprehend and did not dare to advance recklessly. He could only command his cavalry to halt and send out scouts, but none of the scouts returned; not a single one came back, and for every two sent, there were no pairs. In the end, Daisan did not dare to send anyone else in and ordered his men to encircle the grove of white birch trees. However, to say they had encircled it was only true from their side, as they merely blocked the entrance.
Tang Feng hurriedly leaped up from the ground, mounted his horse, and with a whip struck the horse's hindquarters, causing the steed to gallop into the birch forest like the wind. "Brothers, pick up the pace, quickly tie those branches we just gathered to the back of the horse, and then we can race back and forth here," Tang Feng said. After speaking, he first opened the sparrow cage, and a large flock of sparrows burst out, spreading their wings and soaring into the sky. Then, he quickly secured the branches to the back of his horse, and the six of them began racing back and forth in the birch forest.
Indeed, ever since entering the forest, no trace of the Ming army has been found. What troubled Dai Shan even more was the sight of the flags made by Tang Feng, tied to the birch trees. Each flag was neatly arranged, yet they bore only the words mhetushu.com, without any other markings, simply made from a large piece of coarse cloth. Furthermore, many branches were adorned with strings of majestic horse bells. It was clear that the sound of the horse bells he had been hearing all along originated from these, deceiving him and causing him to wait here in vain for most of the day. Otherwise, he would have already entered Fu Family Village by now. Perhaps he could have reached Ningyuan Xingcheng earlier and showcased his abilities in front of his father. Now, he was left wondering who had set this deceptive military strategy against him.
Before he had walked a hundred steps away, a faint sound suddenly came from the grass. Out of nowhere, a log came crashing down from mid-air, striking the cavalryman squarely in the chest, knocking him off his horse. He immediately spat blood, his limbs convulsed, and he died on the spot.
Immediately, a faint rumbling sound reached his ears, spreading across the ground. Tang Feng's heart flipped as he realized that this time, the enemy had undoubtedly dispatched a large contingent of cavalry to pursue the forty-seven of them. It seemed that he had indeed inflicted significant pain on the cavalry of the Later Jin.
After a while, Dai Shan felt increasingly uneasy and decided to ride ahead to take a look. However, as soon as he arrived at the front, he saw several nooses hanging from a few birch trees not far away. At that moment, each noose was ensnaring a cavalryman from the Eight Banners, whose body was swaying in mid-air, and his eyes were gradually turning white. His hands were still desperately gripping the rope around his neck, seemingly unwilling to accept his fate of being hanged.
Hong Taiji did not argue with him, but turned around to call over a cavalryman, whispering a few instructions to him. The cavalryman nodded, then mounted his horse and galloped directly into the forest. This surprised Daisan, who looked at Hong Taiji with some confusion, only to see that Hong Taiji remained silent, smiling as he gazed into the depths of the birch forest, causing Daisan to swallow the words that had come to his lips.
Dai Shan looked at the figure of Huang Taiji and couldn't help but feel suspicious. Why was it that when he initially sent someone, no one returned to report to him? Yet when Huang Taiji sent someone, they immediately came back to report to him. What was going on here? However, if he continued to remain inactive, coupled with the possibility that Huang Taiji might embellish the story upon his return, his father would surely be dissatisfied with him. At that point, all the military achievements he had painstakingly earned would be in vain. Nevertheless, if he continued to remain inactive, coupled with the possibility that Huang Taiji might embellish the story upon his return, his father would surely be dissatisfied with him. At that point, all the military achievements he had painstakingly earned would be in vain.
Looking at the desolate and dilapidated village ahead, for this small Fuzhijia Village, I, Daisan, have actually lost more than thirty Eight Banner warriors. How am I supposed to explain this to the elders and fellow villagers upon my return? The only way is to regain some face here in Fuzhijia Village, which means killing more Han people. With this thought, Daisan clenched his teeth tightly and loudly ordered the cavalry, "Listen up, all of you! Today, you may do as you please in Fuzhijia Village. No matter what you do, I will not impose military law. Go and enjoy yourselves!" This group of cavalry, who were all related to each other, were at that moment immersed in sorrow. Upon hearing Daisan's words, which expanded the boundaries and allowed them to act freely without military law, their eyes widened in astonishment as they gazed at Fuzhijia Village, eager to leap forward, brandishing their sabers, letting the enemy's blood flow on their pristine blades. They could also indulge in their wives and daughters.
After listening for a while, I raised my head to gaze at the official road in the distance. Clouds of dust were rising, and countless armored soldiers were slowly emerging from the ground. In the blink of an eye, I saw numerous warhorses galloping towards this direction.
The experience of General Dabeile in military campaigns over the years is indeed quite extensive. I, the Eighth Brother, have learned much from it. I must return to report this matter to Father, while you, Elder Brother, should wait here for Father’s rear guard to arrive. After saying this, Huang Taiji called out and ordered his personal guards to return and report this matter to Nurhaci.
Having reached this point, it is of no use to regret. Dai Shan gritted his teeth and commanded his cavalry, "Men, carry out the orders of this Prince. Continue to advance; no one is allowed to hesitate. Anyone who dares to disrupt the morale of the troops will be executed without mercy." After speaking, he ordered his personal guards to ride behind the cavalry, supervising the formation as they moved forward
As Tang Feng had anticipated, Nurhaci received reports that Daisan had surprisingly halted his troops outside Fu Family Village. Confused by this, he dispatched Huang Taiji to investigate the matter. Huang Taiji had always held a certain disdain for Daisan, especially upon witnessing Nurhaci delegate some powers to him, which further fueled his dissatisfaction. This visit presented a rare opportunity for Huang Taiji to understand why Daisan had come to a standstill.
At this moment, Dai Shan finally let out a long sigh of relief, but he was also very frustrated in his heart. He had not even seen a single shadow of a person and had lost more than thirty men here. How would he report this matter to the king upon his return
Tang Feng quietly signaled to a few of his subordinates, and they entered the village quietly. Upon arriving in the village, they found that all the people had already left. The roofs and walls of the houses in the village were piled high with firewood and straw, and some even had several jars of kerosene stacked up. It was unclear where the second-rate fellows had obtained these supplies.
The person leading this cavalry from a distance is Nurhaci's eldest son, Daisan. The initial one hundred men who were eliminated on the spot by Tang Feng were part of his reconnaissance cavalry unit. Later, he sent more men to follow up, but inexplicably, they were completely defeated by an unknown force. Moreover, the cavalry that returned reported to him that the opposing force consisted of only a few hundred men. Naturally, this was also due to the returning cavalry's deep fear that Daisan, upon hearing that the enemy numbered only a few dozen, would, in a fit of rage, enforce military discipline upon them, so they falsely claimed that the enemy had several hundred men. This defeat was unprecedented since the establishment of the Eight Banners cavalry.
Dai Shan was fearful that this matter would be reported to Nurhaci, so he hurriedly led a large group of men to rush over. He wanted to see who this formidable figure was, who could single-handedly defeat his cavalry in such a devastating manner.
Despite being so cautious, Dai Shan still lost more than thirty cavalrymen in this birch forest before finally emerging from it. He then saw the end of the path, the dilapidated village of Fu Family Village.