MLMD -Chapter 325 Whispering in the Dead of Night

Exhausted and bleeding from being berated, Huang Taiji was carried back on horseback by Goshha. Upon returning to his own camp, the generals immediately came forward to check on him. Prince Haoge, in particular, turned pale with fright and quickly ordered the imperial physicians to be brought over.

An elderly physician, hair streaked with white, scrambled over to take Huang Taiji’s pulse. Fortunately, Huang Taiji had not fainted; even back at the camp, he remained alert. He weakly waved his hand, signaling everyone not to panic, allowing the doctor to proceed.

After a careful examination, the physician finally relaxed and said, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. There is no serious harm to your body. The blood you expelled has actually purged the congestion in your veins, which is beneficial. However, Your Majesty is not young, and you must rest these days and avoid overexertion. I shall prescribe a remedy to help restore your strength.”

“Good… that’s good,” Huang Taiji replied weakly. “After vomiting this blood, I feel less blocked in my chest. Perhaps this is actually for the better.”

“Father!” Haoge let out a long breath upon seeing his father unharmed, then shouted angrily, “Father, Yue Yang dared to insult the valiant warriors of our Qing. Permit me to lead the troops into battle! I swear I will not return until Yue Yang is executed!”

At these words, Dorgon rolled his eyes as if to say, You? Really? Huang Taiji gently waved his hand. “Today, the Yizhou army is in high spirits. To clash with them now would lead to heavy casualties. Moreover, their weapons are sharp. Until we devise a better strategy, it is unwise to fight head-on.”

“Then what should we do? Are we to allow Yue Yang to shame the Qing openly?” Haoge’s face flushed, green then red. Yue Yang had mocked the Manchus as mere servants of the Ming—a blatant affront Haoge could not tolerate.

The expressions of the Qing generals were equally grim. If Yue Yang had been lying, it would have been different, but he had spoken the truth: Nurhaci had indeed been appointed as a Dragon-Tiger General by the Ming and had accepted Li Chengliang as his godfather. Among the Qing elite, this was no secret, though most of the rank-and-file were unaware. Even those who knew preferred to believe it was a case of Nurhaci “bearing humiliation.” Now, Yue Yang had loudly announced it before tens of thousands—a slap to the Aisin Gioro family in full view of all.

At this time, Qing values were still rooted in a slave mentality: the master is the master, the servant is the servant. A master may strike a servant, but a servant must never betray the master. Yue Yang’s words struck hard.

Though Huang Taiji’s mood was sour, as khan he had to control his emotions. He feigned indifference and told everyone, “All of you saw my encounter with Yue Yang today. This man is determined to oppose the Qing. I hereby promise: whoever eliminates him shall not be denied titles and rank. If captured alive, I shall grant them lands!”

“Ahhh…”

At Huang Taiji’s words, the camp erupted. Titles were one thing; grants of land were extraordinary. It would make the recipient a local sovereign, with Yue Yang’s strength ensuring the reward was deserved. Dorgon watched coldly, silently mocking those whose eyes glimmered with ambition. Gold, women, yes; land? Not in this life.

Seeing the troops stirred, Huang Taiji nodded and slowly stood. “Today, we retreat to camp. Yue Yang has entered our wolf’s den like a flock of lambs. Now, we must carefully plan how to devour them. We will return and strike in a few days. All of you agree?”

“Indeed! We shall devour these lambs!”

With voices of agreement, Huang Taiji began the march back.

“Wuu… wuu…”

The mournful horn signaled the Qing retreat. The Ming troops cheered. Though the earlier skirmish was merely an appetizer, it was a morale-boosting opening victory.

The Qing withdrew, and the Ming did not pursue. Under Yue Yang’s command, they slowly advanced toward the fortified camps of the Chahar tribes. At the gates, Empress Dowager Duoluo Namuzhong awaited, flanked by the tribe’s consorts and dignitaries.

Amid the blaring horns, Yue Yang stepped forward. Seeing these now-familiar-yet-somehow-distant faces, he felt a mix of excitement and worry. His gaze fell on a figure in the center—a familiar yet distant silhouette. Their eyes met naturally, without warning. A gaze, gentle yet resolute, locked onto his like magnetic attraction.

“She hasn’t changed—still so beautiful!”

“He has grown more commanding, more masculine!”

Both thought this almost simultaneously.

“General, your presence honors us. You’ve traveled far,” said Wu Chengfeng, pulling Yue Yang back to the moment.

“Wu Chengfeng, I salute you!”

Yue Yang blinked, seeing the once-familiar Wu Chengfeng standing respectfully. Slightly embarrassed, he nodded. “Thank you for your service, Chengfeng.”

After greetings, Yue Yang dismounted and approached the consorts and dignitaries. “Empress Dowager Duoluo, Consort Siqintu, Consort Wuyunna, Consort Taisina Borqi, General Bater, long time no see. I hope all is well.”

Namuzhong, leader of the Chahar, stepped forward with a deep bow. “Respected General Yue, your journey to our plains honors us. Please accept the sincere thanks of our sixty thousand people.”

“No need. As allies, I simply honor our pact. Fighting the evil Qing is a shared goal,” Yue Yang smiled, briefly scanning her graceful figure. Though subtle, Namuzhong felt a faint blush, hidden well from others.

After greeting the tribe, several gates opened, allowing Yue Yang’s troops to file into a vast valley. The valley was immense, capable of holding over a hundred thousand people. Inside were countless tents, busy women, children, and elders. A small lake sat at the center, with grazing cattle and sheep. Surrounding mountains sealed the valley, leaving only the main gate as an exit.

Yue Yang whispered to General Bater, “This is a fine valley, but also a trap.”

Bater sighed. “Indeed, General. It has protected our tribe for years but traps us as well. If blocked outside, no army can escape.”

Yue Yang nodded. The Qing army outside would think they could starve them here, but he planned to let them in fully. The valley could hold them safely, but also restrict them completely.

Marching further, Wu Chengfeng cautioned, “Master, it’s safe, but we should station some troops outside for emergencies.”

“No,” Yue Yang shook his head. “Huang Taiji wants us trapped. Today, we comply—send the entire army in!”

“Yes, Master.” Wu Chengfeng exhaled, knowing his subordinate role required no further insistence.

A few miles away, Huang Taiji watched through a spyglass, a cruel smile on his lips. “Yue Yang… you’re foolish to commit all your troops. Let’s see if your army can eat dirt!”

That night, in a quiet tent, a man and woman lay entwined on a soft bed. Moans and gasps echoed as Namuzhong raised her alabaster legs, her eyes half-lidded, arms clinging to her lover’s neck, surrendering to passion.

After what felt like forever, her high-pitched cry subsided. She lightly thumped Yue Yang’s broad shoulders, tearfully scolding, “You want to kill me, don’t you?”

“You were asking for it,” Yue Yang replied, laughing and kissing her sweat-damp forehead.

“You rascal! Two years, and except for sending gifts, you never came to see me! You don’t know how much I missed you!” Namuzhong clung to him like a lovesick girl, her limbs wrapped around him, while he whispered tender words in her ear. To any other, they’d be nonsense, but from him, the sweetest language. She rested her face against his chest, hearing his strong heartbeat, feeling complete.

“Darling, I missed you too. But I’m now a marquis with millions relying on me. That’s why I couldn’t come sooner. But see, I still care—you wrote, and here I am.”

After comforting her, Yue Yang asked, shifting to serious matters, “Namuzhong, how much food does the tribe have? How long will it last?”

Namuzhong thought a moment. “Thanks to trade with your forces, each household has surplus. Enough until May. But with your army, supplies may only last until April.”

Yue Yang lightly tapped her nose. “Sharp eyes! Indeed, our provisions are limited, enough for about two more weeks. Caravans carry ammo too.”

She frowned. Even without military knowledge, Namuzhong understood the gravity: Huang Taiji’s campaign was deadly serious.

Yue Yang smiled and kissed her. “Worried your man can’t beat Huang Taiji?”

“Don’t joke!” she snapped, biting his chest. “We’re terrified! You know why he’s here—it’s you. He won’t withdraw until he defeats you!”

“So you wrote to summon me! Do you want to be star-crossed lovers?”

“Wuu…”

Namuzhong suddenly cried, tears soaking his chest. “I didn’t understand at first. When we retreated to the valley, Huang Taiji surrounded us but didn’t attack. I understood too late. I wanted you to come, yet feared it. My heart was torn. And you still tease me!”

“Alright, darling, don’t cry. I was wrong.” Yue Yang softly comforted her, holding her close. Eventually, she drifted into sleep, unburdened.