I

The commander-in-chief of the Sarhu garrison is called Mulima, with a yellow flag and comes from the Guarjia family.

This guy is Obai's younger brother, and his fighting skills are quite satisfactory.

In history, there are only two major military exploits he made for the Manchu Qing Dynasty. The first was to follow the traitor Jin Shenghuan and seize the entire territory of Jiangxi. The officers, soldiers and gentry of Jiangxi surrendered without any hard fighting. The second is to lead an army to conquer the remnants of Li Zicheng's troops, force the general Li Laiheng to death, and then surrender his troops.

Due to the repeated defeats of the Eight Banners Army, too many generals were killed or captured. Then there were internal fights, a number of nobles were killed or imprisoned, and the Eight Banners Army was depleted in terms of generals.

People like Mulima turned out to be the mainstay of the Qing Dynasty.

Of course, Mandahai is still alive now, but he just led the army away and doesn't obey Dayu'er's orders very much.

"Your Highness, the enemy army is divided into three and is besieging the two acropolis. Our army should take the opportunity to attack their camp at night," said the deputy general Tuhai. "Otherwise, if we delay, the two acropolis will inevitably fall. When the enemy forces unite, With our troops in one place, our army doesn’t even have a chance to leave the city to fight.”

Mulima said: "Don't act rashly, just stick to Sarhu and wait for reinforcements."

"Your Highness, this opportunity must not be missed, it will never come again!" Tu Hai urged.

Although Tuhai belongs to the Zhenghuang Banner, his origin is from the Huerha tribe of the savage Jurchen.

Many of his tribesmen have moved out, but those who stayed in the Heilongjiang Basin are now rebelling and seeking independence. These independent tribes were the main targets of the Eight Banners Army to arrest slaves.

Tu Haicai doesn't care about the life and death of his compatriots in Heilongjiang. Although he comes from the Barbarian Jurchens, he is deeply influenced by Confucian culture.

This guy is a standard cultural person. He started his career as a pen-tie type (mid-to-high-level civil servant) and served as an attendant of the Academy of National History (a close minister of the Manchu emperor). Due to Da Yu'er's appreciation, in just two or three years, he was promoted to a bachelor of the Secretariat Academy, and then to a bachelor of the Hongwen Academy.

The civil and military affairs of the Qing Dynasty were not easy to separate, and this cabinet minister actually came to Saarhu to serve as deputy commander.

Historically, this guy was also a man of talent and military prowess. While serving as the Minister of Punishment, he was transferred to conquer the remnants of Li Zicheng's army. When he was the Minister of Rites, he was transferred to quell the Chahar Rebellion, then led troops to quell the Gansu Rebellion, and finally participated in quelling the San Francisco Rebellion. After he died of illness, he was given a posthumous gift to a first-class public servant, who was entitled to enjoy the Imperial Ancestral Temple of the Qing Dynasty.

It's a pity that no matter how powerful she is, she is just a wild Jurchen, and cannot compare to a Jianzhou Jurchen like Mulima.

Mulima was unwilling to take the initiative. He knew that the Eight Banners Army at this time no longer had the combat effectiveness it had a few years ago. Putting aside the political infighting in the Qing Dynasty and the Eight Banners Army's consecutive defeats, the decline in combat effectiveness of the Eight Banners Army can only be explained by the lack of military rations.

The inspection of smuggling here was too strict. Not even a grain of rice could be transported out of the Liao Great Wall, resulting in famine every year in the Manchu territory.

The nobles of the Eight Banners are still enjoying their wealth, but the soldiers of the Eight Banners are full and hungry.

How on earth can a soldier fight if he doesn't have enough to eat for a long time?

Mulima could only choose to defend. He was afraid that if he took the initiative to go out to fight in the city, he would collapse as soon as the fight started.

Tu Hai, a man of culture, patted his sleeves and knelt down on one knee: "Your Highness, please select 500 warriors, and I will personally lead them to a night attack!"

"That's not necessary." Murima shook her head.

Unlike her brother Obai who is brave, Mulima has a calmer character. Moreover, even if 500 people succeed in a night attack, how much results can they achieve? It's nothing more than a slight boost to military morale.

No matter how much military morale is boosted, it will only remain the same unless the soldiers can be fed every day.

"Your Majesty, it's not good!"

Just as the two were talking, there was a sudden loud noise from the west, and then a soldier came to report: "Your Majesty, the Western Acropolis has fallen!"

The Western Acropolis of Sarhu was forcibly blasted open by artillery. It only lasted three days before the city wall collapsed.

Mulima and Tuhai were helpless and silently went to the outer city wall to observe the movements of the Datong army with telescopes.

The Datong Army in the west of the city raised the hot air balloon again, but did not come directly to attack the main city.

Some of them continued to stay in the west, and some of them bypassed Sarhu Mountain and went to the east to join Lu Xiangsheng's troops.

As for the artillery, all the artillery was transferred to Lu Xiangsheng, and the same tactics were used to force the East Guard City to collapse.

The next day, the roar of artillery sounded in the eastern acropolis of Sarhu. This time, before the city wall collapsed, the defenders surrendered directly and opened the city gate to welcome the Datong Army.

The Manchu reinforcements were still missing.

…

Meihekou (Meihekou City).

This was originally the territory of the Haixi Jurchen Huifa Tribe, but was annexed by Nurhachi by force. In the past two years, the remaining tribesmen of the Huifa tribe also declared independence from the Manchu rule after the Yehe tribe successfully became independent.

Unfortunately, this place was too far away from the Datong Army and too close to the Manchu territory. After the uprising, it was brutally suppressed.

Daishan and Dorgon died of illness one after another, and Da Yu'er took full control of the power. Man Dahai chose to lead his troops away and took the land of Huifa Department as his private territory.

Just when the Datong army was besieging Sarhu, several fast horses galloped to the mouth of the Meihei River.

"Did that evil woman send someone here?" Mandahai sneered.

The second son, Leng Saiyi, said: "Father, I'm here to deliver an edict and reward you. I guess the Nanmanzi have sent out troops."

The conflict between Daishan, Mandahai and Da Yuer is very simple. It is the two red flags they control, and their strength has not been greatly damaged, which seriously threatens the status of the royal family.

Zhao Han used a divorce tactic again, saying that he would only accept the surrender of Daishan and Mandahai, and the rest of the Tatars would be beheaded even if they surrendered.

This clumsy strategy actually worked wonders. This gave Dayu'er and the Manchu nobles a perfect excuse to divide military power between the two red flags and prevent the Eight Banners from becoming dominant.

Of course Daishan and Mandahai were not willing to do so. They believed that they had made meritorious deeds and had never heard that they were sent away for meritorious service.

While Dai Shan was alive, Dayu'er didn't dare to take action.

As soon as Daishan died, Dayu'er found an excuse to let Jie Shulai inherit Daishan's title of Prince Li. Jieshu is the grandson of Daishan and the nephew of Mandahai. He is directly divided from the two red flags.

Mandahai was furious because of this, and he didn't bother to talk nonsense with Dayu'er. He directly pulled his troops away and ran to the mouth of Meihei River to seize control.

"Emperor Fengtian Chengyun made the following announcement: Prince Aixinjueluo Mandahai of Shuncheng County. He has been fighting for many years and has made many military exploits... He is specially named Prince Li. This is your honor!" The eunuch said with a smile, "Prince Li, please accept the order. "

Mandahai was originally in a happy mood, but after receiving the imperial edict, he suddenly became furious.

Hereditary and irreplaceable ****, Prince Li is ranked first, and he is the one who should inherit.

Unexpectedly, the imperial edict actually said "Prince Li".

Etiquette and reason are both called Duoluo in Manchu, which actually means the same thing, but Dayu'er is playing tricks on the Chinese language.

Da Yu'er had no choice. In order to separate the two red flags, Mandahai's nephew had been given the throne as the prince. There was no way he could go back on his word and do it again. You can only choose the difference between Chinese and make a prince, but Manchu is exactly the same.

Man Dahai threw the imperial edict back to the eunuch and sneered: "I have little education and have never heard of Prince Li, only Prince Li. It is a courtesy based on etiquette and law, not a courtesy based on principles!"

The eunuch then said: "My lord, don't be anxious, there is still a second imperial edict."

The second imperial edict was to restore Mandahai's status as minister of political affairs, and at the same time, he was appointed Grand Master, and concurrently Crown Prince Grand Master. And the old land of the Haixi Jurchen Huifa tribe was officially given to Mandahai as a fief.

Mandahai fell into deep thought and did not express his position immediately.

After a long time, he asked: "Did the Nanmanzi send troops?"

The eunuch immediately cried and said: "The barbarians have surrounded Sarhu, and the capital is in panic. Now only the prince can calm the army. Please lead the troops quickly to take charge of the overall situation!"

"You go to rest first and let me think about it." Mandahai said.

The eunuch was immediately taken away, and Leng Saiyi said: "Amma, the Han people have an idiom, which is called lip death and tooth coldness. If Salhu is lost, Hetuala will not be protected. If Hetuala is lost, we will be the next to be beaten. Unless Please surrender to the Nanmanzi, otherwise we must send troops to rescue you this time!"

Mandahai sighed and said: "I understand this truth, but I'm afraid that after this battle, the evil woman will come again to kill the donkey."

Leng Saiyi said: "If we lose this battle, there will be no future. If we win this battle, Amma will bring the power of victory. How can I be afraid of that evil woman? Even if Amma ascends the throne and becomes emperor, the little emperor can only meditate. Bit."

As soon as these words came out, Mandahai suddenly had a clear mind.

Dayu'er took action against Mandahai and his son mainly to balance the power of all parties. The two Blue Banners accounted for more than 70% of the remaining main force of the Eight Banners Army. A single dominant force could kill the emperor at any time.

Mandahai and his son did not usurp power, firstly because of the resistance from the Eight Banners nobles, and secondly because Daishan was old and did not want to rebel.

There is no need to think too much now. As long as he can lead the troops to repel the Datong Army, no one will dare to object to Man Dahai usurping the throne and proclaiming himself emperor. Everything is a matter of course.

Mandahai immediately said: "It is not advisable to delay the troops. I will immediately lead the cavalry to help Sarhu. You can catch up with the remaining troops as soon as possible!"

Mandahai's eldest son Chang Adai has been killed by the Datong army, and now only his second son Leng Saiyi is still useful.

After the father and son discussed it, Man Dahai led the cavalry troops and ran towards the front line at full speed. Leng Saiyi summoned the infantry and ordered the requisition of grain and grass, and rushed towards Sarhu.

Leng Saiyi only led his troops to march for more than ten miles when he received news from the rear: "Beizi, the Southern Barbarians are coming from the northwest!"

To the northwest is the territory of the Yehe tribe.

At this moment, Wang Tingchen and his cavalry division had detoured southward from the edge of the grassland. On the way, they gathered the soldiers of the Ye He tribe, and gathered the Huifa tribe and other Haixi Jurchen tribesmen along the way, and killed them in a mighty manner towards Mandahai's lair.

The main battlefield on the Sarhu side is full of mountains and rivers. The cavalry division is of little use. It is better to attack and outflank the Mandahai side.

Leng Saiyi was shocked and said to his soldiers: "Hurry up and chase my Amma and let him come back with the cavalry!"

After sending someone to deliver the message, Lenseyi immediately led the infantry home. His whole family is at the mouth of the Meihe River, and all his belongings are stored there. There are the ruins of Zhaosan City of the Liao Kingdom there, and Mandahai even built a simple city on this basis, intending to operate it as a core base.

The Datong Army has many soldiers. Not only the cavalry division is engaged in running attacks, but Yang Zhenqing's independent regiment is also conducting surprise attacks.

North, south, center, three roads bloom.