MLMD -Chapter 139 To Dispatch Troops or Not

In the seventh year of Chongzhen (1634), the Great Khan of the Later Jin, Huang Taiji, undertook a second western expedition against the Chahar to unify the southern Mongols. In the autumn of that year, the Later Jin army returned, and citing the excuse that the Ming generals along the border had harassed their territory, killed their people, and hidden fugitives, they entered Shangfang Fort on the eighth day of the seventh month and advanced to besiege Xuanfu. The garrison of Xuanfu opened fire, causing them to retreat to Yingzhou, plunder Datong, and capture Desheng Fort. The capital was shaken, and an imperial edict ordered General-in-Chief Chen Hongfan to defend Juyong, and Inspector Ding Kuichu and others to guard Zijing and Yanmen Pass.

Chongzhen 7th year, 18th day of the 7th month, noon – Datong Governor’s Mansion

Lu Xiangsheng sat in the front hall, staring at the ten or so military officers before him, their expressions as cold as water. After a long pause, he said, “Gentlemen, the Jurchen Tatars have violated our border, looting everywhere in Shanxi. His Majesty has decreed that we must drive them out. What strategies do you propose?”

Facing him were the Grand General of Xuanda Yang Guozhu, Left Commander Wang Pu, General Tang Tong, and more than a dozen other officers. Yet, all of them remained silent, as if Xu Shu had entered Cao Cao’s camp.

“What’s this? None of you have anything to say?” Seeing their heads lowered in silence, Lu Xiangsheng’s face grew colder.

Sensing Lu Xiangsheng’s rising anger, Yang Guozhu—the most senior and highest-ranking among them besides Lu—spoke cautiously: “Governor Lu, it is not that we have nothing to say, but the garrison of Xuanzhen currently has fewer than forty thousand troops. These forty thousand are barely sufficient to defend Datong and the surrounding passes, making it impossible to spare forces to reinforce other areas. That is why your generals have nothing to offer.”

Lu Xiangsheng sighed lightly. Having been in Datong for several months, he naturally understood the strength of the troops in Xuanzhen. According to the official rosters, he should have had sixty thousand infantry and eight thousand cavalry, but in reality, he had only around thirty-six thousand. Nearly half of the officers at various levels were drawing salaries without actually commanding troops.

By the mid-to-late Ming period, empty salaries had become extremely common. Even Lu Xiangsheng, as governor, could do little about it—it was a “win-win” situation for everyone to pocket some silver. In times of peace, this was fine, but when real combat came, it left everyone helpless. For example, now the Tatars had already entered Shanxi, yet Lu Xiangsheng, as the commander, could not dispatch troops to assist elsewhere and could only watch the Later Jin forces loot at will—a truly frustrating situation.

Technically, with the original ten thousand soldiers in Datong, plus the few thousand Tianxiong troops Lu Xiangsheng brought, they should have been able to confront the Jurchens. But the Tianxiong troops were not fully trained; they could manage to defend the city, but facing the Tatars in open battle would be like throwing eggs against rocks.

At this moment, Right Commander Wang Pu cautiously suggested, “Governor, why don’t we send an urgent report to the court, requesting reinforcements?”

“Save your breath.” General Tang Tong shot Wang Pu a glare. “Let’s not even discuss whether the court can send reinforcements. Even if they did, by the time they arrived, it would be too late.”

Wang Pu panicked: “Then what do we do? With only a little over ten thousand troops in Datong, if we engage the Tatars in the field, it’s a death sentence. At that point, we wouldn’t even be able to drive them out—Datong itself might fall.”

“Reinforcements… reinforcements… where would they come from?”

Lu Xiangsheng muttered from his seat as commander. Suddenly, a bright idea struck him. He slammed the armrest of his chair, producing a loud clap, and shouted, “I’ve got it! I know where the reinforcements can come from!”

The sudden noise startled the generals. Yang Guozhu was the first to react, eyes wide: “Governor, where are these reinforcements?”

Lu Xiangsheng thought for a moment and then said, “Before I assumed command in Xuanzhen, I once visited Yingzhou Prefecture and met Yue Yang, who at the time was the garrison commander of Yingzhou and the Guerrilla General of Western Shanxi. Yue Yang is quite capable; he has turned the small Wulizhai into a thriving stronghold, and reportedly commands several thousand elite troops. These men could prove useful!”

“Wulizhai? You mean Yue Yang, the one famous for his high-yield fields?”

Wang Pu immediately realized, nodding: “Governor, I have also heard of him. He excels at agricultural management. Thanks to his Wulizhai, this year’s harvest was abundant, and he has gathered tens of thousands of displaced people, keeping grain prices stable in Shanxi. From that standpoint, he has done a great service for our region. But… agricultural skills aside, does he really know how to train troops?”

Yang Guozhu stroked his beard thoughtfully: “Indeed. Good at farming doesn’t mean good at warfare. In my humble opinion, farming and fighting are two entirely different matters. And several thousand men would not alter the broader situation.”

Lu Xiangsheng hesitated. Though he had met Yue Yang and accepted his help previously, he did not know the combat capability of Yue Yang’s troops. If he dispatched them recklessly against the Tatars, he might endanger them.

After some time, Lu Xiangsheng finally spoke slowly: “Very well. I shall issue a military order to Yue Yang, allowing him to decide whether to dispatch his troops. What do you think?”

The generals were dumbfounded. What kind of command was this? The commander-in-chief letting a local officer decide whether to send troops? This was unheard of.

Seeing their shocked expressions, Lu Xiangsheng explained: “Gentlemen, the Tatars have invaded our border, besieged Datong without attacking directly, and spread out across Shanxi to plunder. As the governor of Xuanda, I cannot ignore this. Yue Yang has several thousand men, but he must also defend Yingzhou. I fear he cannot spare troops to reinforce other areas. Therefore, I issued this order, allowing him to decide whether to send troops to assist elsewhere.”

Upon reflection, the generals understood. As a northern guerrilla commander, Yue Yang had several thousand men but was already stretched thin defending Yingzhou. Moreover, Wulizhai had just had a bountiful harvest this year—news the Tatars would surely know. Wulizhai would likely be a prime target. It would be difficult even for Yue Yang to protect his base, let alone send reinforcements.

Thus, the seemingly strange order landed in Yue Yang’s hands.

Looking at the somewhat contradictory order, Yue Yang scratched his head. What on earth was Lu Xiangsheng thinking, letting me decide whether to dispatch troops? He stood, walked over to the wall map, and examined it carefully.

After marking the areas where the Tatars had appeared as described in the courier report, Yue Yang noticed that the Later Jin forces were moving in two columns across Shanxi. One column, led by Prince Daishan’s son Yuetuo and the Red Banner troops, was advancing along Shaguo Fort and Hunyuan Prefecture into Shanxi’s interior. The other column, led by Prince Raoyu Abatai and the Blue Banner troops, was advancing along Pingluwei toward the frontiers of Shaanxi, poised to swallow Shanxi whole.

After studying the situation, Yue Yang issued orders for his subordinates to gather at the General’s Mansion immediately.

An hour later, the generals assembled. Yue Yang looked at them and said loudly, “Gentlemen, urgent news from Datong: the Tatar chief Huang Taiji has invaded our borders. Datong is now besieged, and over twenty thousand Tatars are advancing in two columns into Shanxi’s interior. Our province is in grave danger. Governor Lu has sent a letter, allowing us to decide whether to dispatch troops to assist other areas. What are your thoughts?”

“What? The Tatars have entered the passes?”

Yue Yang’s announcement caused an uproar among the generals.

After a moment, Commander Feng Xiaoyun spoke: “Sir, the Tatar invasion is serious. Datong is besieged, and reinforcements cannot be spared. I suggest we concentrate on defending Yingzhou. Sending troops elsewhere is unwise.”

“Indeed, Commander Feng’s advice is sound!”

“Yes, our forces are insufficient. We should manage our own area first!”

Listening to their discussion, Yue Yang frowned and turned to Hu Laosan and Shunbao, the next highest-ranking officers under him: “Hu Fangshou, Yue Fangshou, do you share this view?”

Shunbao replied without hesitation: “Sir, the Tatars are strong. With our current forces, Yingzhou can be defended. However, the greatest issue is that besides Yingzhou, there is one place we absolutely cannot lose—that is the most critical matter.”

“Ah, yes! How could I forget Wulizhai?”

Hearing Shunbao, the others suddenly remembered. Wulizhai gathered tens of thousands of farmers and merchants, and stored hundreds of thousands of loads of grain and supplies. If the Tatars captured Wulizhai, years of hard work would be destroyed.

Everyone drew a sharp breath.

Seeing their reactions, Yue Yang sighed: “You all realize it too. Wulizhai is an open plain, impossible to defend. If the Tatars attack, all our labor over the past years could vanish overnight. What should we do?”

“…This…”

The generals fell silent. Hu Laosan took a deep breath and said: “Sir, in that case, our only option is to take the initiative and strike. Otherwise, if Wulizhai falls, our years of effort will be wasted.”

Hearing this, Yue Yang nodded approvingly. It seemed Hu Laosan’s study of military texts had not been in vain.