Dorgon led the Qing troops in a northward flight. While the cavalry fared better, the soldiers and auxiliary troops behind them almost all fell into the hands of the Ming army.
One head, two taels of silver!
Two heads, a promotion in rank!
These were the rewards offered by the imperial court. Now, facing the fleeing Qing soldiers, the Ming army was ecstatic, almost driven mad.
Military merit, it turned out, was so easily gained.
However, soon someone in the army loudly shouted: Surrender and live!
Cao Bianjiao was stunned when he heard this, then realized it was Wang Xuance's voice.
He quickly said to the person beside him, "Quick, shout along!"
His few close attendants quickly followed suit.
Surrender and live!
Surrender and live!
Surrender and live!
More and more people shouted. It wasn't just Cao Bianjiao's subordinates; Wang Tingchen's men were also shouting.
With tens of thousands of people shouting at the same time, these four words, "Surrender and live," echoed like thunder along both banks of the Ling River.
Dorgon, who had already fled far ahead, also heard the calls for surrender amidst the chaotic sound of hooves.
He could already predict the outcome. Thinking of the soldiers who had followed him on campaigns north and south, only to be captured alive by the Ming army, he gritted his teeth in hatred.
Pfft~~
Beside him, Daishan heard the shouts and spat out another mouthful of dark blood.
Cough~ cough~~ cough~
The next moment, he, who had been on his horse, fell off with his eyes wide open, clutching his throat with both hands and coughing incessantly, his face turning purplish from suffocation.
Sunzi Luoluohuan, seeing this, quickly stopped his warhorse and held Daishan.
"Grandpa, what's wrong with you?"
"Cough! Cough!"
"Choked..."
Daishan coughed and pointed to his throat, saying.
The blood in his mouth, which he hadn't fully spat out, had been accidentally inhaled into his throat due to the bouncing of the galloping horse.
Not only was his throat uncomfortable now, but his lungs also felt like they were burning, as if something had been inhaled.
However, the Ming army was in close pursuit, leaving him no time to stop. He could only quickly climb back onto his horse and continue retreating towards Yizhou.
Finally, the Ming army pursued for more than ten li before stopping.
Going further risked encountering Qing reinforcements. It was best to digest what they had already captured.
Zu Dashou stood by the roadside, listening to the reports from Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen.
A total of 1,700 Qing cavalry, 12,000 infantry, and 30,000 auxiliary troops and laborers were captured!
Seventeen Niu Lu Zhang Jing, nine Jia La Zhang Jing, and one Mei Le Zhang Jing were killed!
The third son of Lao Nu, Aisin Gioro, was captured alive.
Seeing this, the others in the tent knew that the battle ahead was not going well. One person stepped forward and asked.
"Your Majesty, has something happened?"
Huang Taiji turned to the person who spoke: "Kong Youde! Since when did the Ming have artillery that could be mounted on carriages and moved around at will?"
Kong Youde was originally a Ming general. He served under Mao Wenlong stationed on Pidao Island. In the fourth year of Chongzhen's reign, he surrendered to the Qing and was later enfeoffed as Prince Gong Shun.
Hearing Huang Taiji's questioning tone, Kong Youde was bewildered.
"Your Majesty, this subject does not know!"
"Yes, Your Majesty, we have never heard of the Ming having such artillery."
This time, it was Geng Jingzhong who spoke.
His name was grand, possibly imitating Grand Marshal Yue, but his actions were such as to bring shame upon that name.
He was also a surrendered general and a former subordinate of Mao Wenlong.
Shang Kexi, standing beside him, quickly echoed his sentiment.
Finally, Fan Wencheng spoke up to ease the situation for the three men.
"Your Majesty, this subject believes that the three generals may truly not know. After all, they have been away from the Ming for so many years, and it is inevitable that some new things would emerge."
Huang Taiji turned his gaze to the soldier who had delivered the message: "Did you personally see the artillery carriage?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, this subordinate indeed saw it."
"Tell me properly!"
"Yes!"
Due to time constraints, Dorgon had not described the tanks in detail in his urgent letter, only stating that the battle was unfavorable and requesting reinforcements with Hongyi cannons.
The messenger soldier faithfully recounted the power of the tanks he had witnessed on the battlefield.
After everyone had listened, Fan Wencheng said, "Your Majesty, Fourteenth Prince is correct. This thing can probably only be countered by Hongyi cannons."
"The Ministry of Works has already transported thirty Hongyi cannons. The Ming army only has a few of those artillery carriages. This subject believes they are not much of a threat."
Huang Taiji, with a grim expression, returned to his chair and sat down: "It's not these few carriages that I'm worried about!"
"Where there's one, there will be two. If the Ming are given a chance to breathe, these artillery carriages might become more and more numerous."
Shang Kexi shook his head: "Your Majesty worries too much. In this subject's opinion, the Ming's financial resources are simply insufficient to mass-produce these artillery carriages."
It was unclear whether Huang Taiji was genuinely uneasy or feigning unease.
Logically, he should have immediately dispatched troops upon receiving the request for aid. Instead, he was discussing tanks with his ministers.
The messenger soldier standing nearby was a confidant of Dorgon. After waiting for a long time and seeing that Huang Taiji had not proposed dispatching troops, he could not help but remind him.
"Your Majesty, please dispatch troops quickly, otherwise, my master fears he cannot hold on for much longer."
Huang Taiji glanced at him, then casually beckoned a close guard and whispered a few words.
The close guard called the messenger aside into a nearby room and covered his mouth and nose.
The messenger was terrified, completely unaware of why this was happening, and struggled in the guard's embrace.
The guard, with a mocking smile, leaned close to his ear and said, "Do you really think no one knows about your master and the Western Consort?"
"His Majesty simply doesn't want this scandal to spread. Letting Dorgon die at the hands of the Ming is already letting him off lightly!"