Chapter 830
Prince Zhang Han: One month from now, we will hunt in Dadu!
The news of Ba County being burned immediately reached Jining Prefecture, which was under siege. The two places were about fifty miles apart. When flames were already raging in Ba County, Jining Prefecture immediately noticed the fire.
When the lookout saw flames shooting into the sky over Ba County, his face immediately turned extremely grim. He then shouted, "Quickly, quickly inform the commander-in-chief! Something has happened in Ba County!"
Upon hearing this, the messenger immediately rushed to the commander's residence.
"General, something terrible has happened! Something terrible has happened!"
The voice was urgent and rapid, making one's heart pound. Baidar sensed that something big was about to happen. At that moment, Baidar suddenly stood up, looked towards the door, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Upon hearing Baida'er's voice, a response came from outside: "General, something seems to have happened in Ba County."
"Ba County?"
Baidar was stunned for a moment, then looked towards Ba County. His heart pounded. That was where their 100,000 soldiers stored their provisions. Thinking of this, he didn't waste any words and said directly, "Quick, take me there to see."
With that, Baidar rushed out and quickly arrived at the city wall. His eyes widened as he stared in disbelief in that direction. There, flames were shooting into the sky, clearly visible even from dozens of miles away.
"That bastard Xu Da!"
Baidar roared and immediately shouted, "Organize soldiers and go to Ba County to provide relief! Hurry!"
That place is the food supply for 100,000 people in the city. If Ba County is lost, the 100,000 garrison troops in the city will starve to death. Thinking of this, Baidar roared and immediately prepared to muster his troops to go to Ba County for rescue.
At his command, Baidar immediately gathered more than 40,000 men and left the city, while Jining Prefecture left 50,000 men to guard the city.
At this moment, flames soared into the sky over Ba County, while Xu Da was wiping his sword with a soft cloth at Baima Slope, ten miles away from the county seat.
The sword reflected his sharply defined face—forty-five, with graying temples, but his eyes still shone like cold stars. He wiped it very slowly and carefully, as if performing some kind of ritual.
"Report—!"
The messenger dismounted, knelt on one knee, and his voice trembled with excitement: "Fire has broken out in Ba County, and all three granaries are engulfed in flames! Generals Chen Tun and Chen Quan have evacuated as planned!"
Xu Da did not stop moving, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes reflected in the sword.
He folded the soft cloth and put it into his bosom. When he returned the sword to its sheath, it made a clear "clang" sound. It was silent, but it made the surrounding generals straighten their backs.
"Investigate further on the movements of the Chagatai reinforcements."
"Yes!"
Baima Slope is not a precipitous pass, but rather a rolling hill with an official road winding through it, flanked by gradually rising earthen slopes and sparse forests.
Three days ago, Xu Da led 60,000 elite troops to set up camp here in secret. The soldiers were active by day and rested by night, and had thoroughly explored the terrain within a radius of 20 li. They also set up traps in key locations that were difficult for ordinary people to detect, waiting for Bai Da'er. This plan is the most common strategy in military tactics: besieging a point to attack reinforcements.
"General, is Baidar really coming?" Lieutenant Wang Bi rode closer and lowered his voice, "He's always been cautious; if he takes a detour..."
“He will come.” Xu Da pointed north. “The Chagatai Khanate’s 100,000-strong army is currently relying on 200,000 dan of grain in Ba County for its provisions. If this grain is burned, the army will collapse without a fight. If Baidar, as the commander, sits idly by, he will be watching his 100,000-strong army be trapped and die in Jining Prefecture.”
He paused, then looked down at the official below the slope and said, "Moreover, Baidar's caution lies in avoiding ambushes. But what I gave him was a trap he had no choice but to walk into."
Xu Da reached out, and his personal guard handed him a topographical map. He traced the line from Baimapo to Baxian with his finger: "Baidar has three routes to choose from when he sets out from Jining Prefecture. The eastern route follows the Wen River, which is flat but roundabout; the western route goes through Langshan Mountain, which is dangerous but well-hidden; the central route goes through Baimapo, which is the shortest and also the most likely to be ambushed."
"So he won't take the middle route?" another general asked.
Xu Da's lips curled slightly: "Precisely because he thinks I won't ambush him in the middle, I'm going to wait for him here. The Wenshui pontoon bridge on the east route was burned down before noon today. The narrow Langshan pass on the west route was blasted down in two places with gunpowder. I must ask my son to 'only' take the Baima Slope route."
The generals looked at each other, and each saw awe in the other's eyes. Xu Da never gambled on what the enemy would think when he used troops; instead, he forced the enemy to think in the only way possible.
Therefore, at noon today, an urgent report came from the east: the Wenshui pontoon bridge was on fire, and the hundred-man guard team "scattered" and fled into the mountains.
At 2:45 PM, another report came from the west: a landslide had occurred at Langshan, blocking the road, and it would take at least two days to clear it.
The trap has been set; all that's left is for Baidar to go to jail.
At this moment, Baidar reined in his warhorse twenty miles from Baima Slope. He was nearly fifty years old, tall as a bear, with graying beard, but his deep-set eyes still held a sharp gaze like a wolf on the grassland.
"Baima Slope." He chewed on these three words, as if trying to taste the poison within them.
Lieutenant Aju stepped forward and handed over a water bag: "General, the scouts report that there are indeed Ming troops stationed at Baima Slope, but judging from the size of the camp, there are only three to five thousand men. They should be the rearguard troops left behind by Xu Da."
"Where is Xu Da himself?"
"His whereabouts are unknown. Some say he went to Dongping, while others say he is still in Wenshang."
Baidar sneered: "If Xu Da really wanted to stop me, he should have set up an ambush at Langshan or Wenshui. Although Baimapo is a suitable location for an ambush, the slope is gentle and the forest is sparse, so it cannot hide a large army. The fact that he left three or five thousand men here is just a feint to delay my march."
He paused, looking at the increasingly intense flames on the southern horizon. The grain supplies in Ba County were burning, and every quarter of an hour, the army at the front was one step closer to collapse.
"Order the entire army to speed up the passage through Baima Slope. If small groups of Ming troops harass us, do not engage them; simply disperse them with mounted archery."
"Yes!"
The 40,000-strong army set off again. Among them were 20,000 elite Chagatai cavalry, 15,000 infantry, and 5,000 archers. Their iron hooves thundered as they pounded the ground, raising clouds of dust that blotted out the sun.
Baidar was positioned in the center of the army formation, which was the safest position.
He fought for thirty years, from the Mongolian steppes to the banks of the Danube, and then from Central Asia back to the Central Plains. Besides his bravery, what he relied on was his unwavering caution. Xu Da was a formidable enemy, but even the strongest adversary needs the right timing and location. Baima Slope was not a death trap.
The vanguard has entered the territory of Baimapo.
The hills rose and fell, and birds occasionally took flight from the sparse woods. Along the official road, traces of abandoned Ming army camps were indeed visible; the hearths were still warm, indicating they had recently withdrawn. Everything was exactly as the scouts had reported.
Baidar's unease grew stronger. It was too quiet. Birds would fly away in fright, but why were there no beasts? It was as if the entire forest was waiting for something.
"Stop!" he suddenly raised his hand.
The army slowly came to a stop. The vanguard had already crossed halfway up the slope, the central army had just entered the slope, and the rearguard was still outside the slope.
"Send three scout teams of two hundred men to search the mountains and forests on both sides, up to the top of the slope," Baidar ordered.
Ashu hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself. Such caution was good, but with the raging fire in Ba County, every moment was precious. However, seeing Baidar's ashen face, he ultimately dared not say more. Six hundred scouts split into three groups and rushed into the mountains. Time passed slowly. Baidar stopped his horse at the foot of the slope, his fingers unconsciously tapping the hilt of his sword.
Fifteen minutes later, a short whistle rang out from the eastern forest—it was safe.
A moment later, a signal came from the west as well.
Baidar's brow relaxed slightly; perhaps he had indeed been overthinking things. He was about to order the entire army to continue advancing—
"boom!!!"
A deafening roar, shaking the earth, came from the top of the slope! It wasn't just one place, but a continuous series of explosions, as if the earth itself were turning over, and the entire Baima Slope was trembling! Warhorses neighed in alarm, and soldiers looked around in panic, only to see several columns of smoke mixed with mud rising simultaneously from the top of the slope, and debris falling like rain.
"Ambush!" Baidar roared. "The rear guard becomes the vanguard, withdraw from the slope!"
But it was too late.
The first explosion was not an attack, but a signal. Immediately afterwards, countless black flags suddenly rose from the seemingly calm sparse woods on both sides! Under each flag stood dozens of archers, arrows already on the bowstring, but not aimed at people, but at the sky.
"Launch—!"
With an aged command, thousands of arrows soared into the air, tracing deadly arcs. As the rain of arrows fell, Baidar's pupils constricted—fist-sized earthenware jars were strapped to the arrowheads.
The earthenware jar shattered upon hitting the ground; it contained not gunpowder, but a viscous black liquid that splattered everywhere.
"Oil!" Ashu exclaimed.
The second volley of arrows has arrived, this time it's rockets.
"boom--!"
The inferno spread instantly! The ground, vegetation, and even the soldiers' armor, all soaked in oil, became the perfect fuel. The middle section of Baima Slope was transformed into a living hell in the blink of an eye, with soldiers screaming and writhing in the flames, and warhorses galloping wildly in terror, disrupting their own formation.
"Don't panic! Charge forward, get out of the fire!" Baidar swung his sword and cut down a frightened horse that was charging towards him, roaring like thunder.
But the real killer move was just beginning.
At the top of the slope, Xu Da stood on the makeshift command platform, waving his command flag.
The third wave of attacks came from underground.
At the edge of the fire, the seemingly flat ground suddenly collapsed, revealing a trench two zhang wide and one zhang deep! The bottom of the trench was densely covered with sharpened wooden stakes. The cavalrymen at the forefront were unable to stop in time and fell into the trench along with their horses, their screams sending chills down one's spine.
Beyond the trenches, a chevaux-de-frise suddenly rose from the earth. Three rows of spears pointed diagonally forward, their shafts deeply embedded in the ground, their tips gleaming coldly in the firelight. Behind the spear formation stood heavy infantry, ready for battle, their shields forming a wall and their spears a forest.
Baidar's central army was cut in two by the fire and trenches. The vanguard of about 10,000 men had crossed the danger zone but lost command; the rearguard of 15,000 men was blocked by the fire and could neither advance nor retreat; and the central army of 15,000 men was trapped in the most dangerous strangulation zone.
"Xu! Da!" Baida'er's eyes widened in horror as he finally saw the figure standing with his hand on his sword under the large banner bearing the character "Xu" at the top of the hill.
Xu Da was also looking at him. Their gazes clashed across the fireworks, one filled with furious rage, the other with a calm and unfathomable depth.
"Archers, cover the rear!" Xu Da ordered. "Heavy infantry advance and divide the center. Cavalry flank from both sides, prevent the vanguard from returning to reinforce."
The command flag was raised again.
From the western mountains and forests, five thousand light cavalry surged out like a burst dam, heading straight for Baidar's scattered vanguard. These cavalry did not engage in battle, but merely circled around the perimeter, harassing and cutting off the vanguard with a constant barrage of arrows, preventing them from organizing an effective counterattack.
On the east flank, Xu Da personally led three thousand heavily armored cavalry, crashing into Baidar's central army like an iron hammer! The heavy cavalry's charge was like a landslide. Baidar's personal guard fought desperately, but their formation was already broken; how could they possibly stop a well-rested and fresh force?
Ashu shielded Baidar, slaying three Ming cavalrymen, but was pierced through the chest by a fourth rider's spear. He looked down at the spear tip protruding from his back, opened his mouth as if to say something, but blood and foam gushed out.
"Ashu!" Baidar swung his sword, severing the spear shaft, and caught the fallen body of his lieutenant.
"Great...General...go..." Ashu used his last strength to utter three words before dying.
Baidar roared to the sky, his voice like that of a wounded beast. He looked around; the fire was spreading, arrows were raining down, and the Ming army's encirclement was tightening. The central army had collapsed, the rear guard was pinned down by crossbow bolts, and the vanguard was tied down and unable to return to reinforce.
The 40,000-strong army was shattered within half an hour.
"General, break through to the east! The fire is weaker on the east side!" The captain of the personal guard, covered in blood, shouted hoarsely.
Baidar took one last look at the Xu banner atop the hill, his eyes filled with deep-seated hatred. He turned his horse around and led the remaining thousand or so riders toward the gap in the fire on the east side.
The wall of fire assaulted his face, the heat unbearable. Baidar lowered his body, his warhorse neighing as he charged into the flames. The acrid smell of burning fur was pungent, but he paid it no heed, charging forward relentlessly. Men and horses fell one after another, engulfed by the flames. When he emerged from the inferno, he had fewer than three hundred riders left, all wounded, and most of his horses were burned as well.
"Xu Da... Xu Da..." Baida kept repeating the name, as if he wanted to chew it up and swallow it.
But he dared not turn back, nor linger. The Ming army's light cavalry had already caught up. The three hundred wounded riders fled north, discarding their armor and flags along the way, and even seriously injuring their comrades, all to lighten their load and increase their speed.
When Baidar escaped back to Jining Prefecture, he had only twenty-seven riders left with him. Their armor was tattered, and their faces were ashen. Upon dismounting and entering the city, Baidar staggered a few steps, vomited a mouthful of black blood, and fainted.
The Battle of Baimapo lasted from night until dawn.
Xu Da did not pursue Baidar. One should not pursue a desperate enemy, especially since he had already exceeded his objective.
In this battle, 200,000 dan of enemy grain were burned, 28,000 enemy soldiers were killed, more than 7,000 were captured, and countless weapons and horses were seized. Of the 40,000 reinforcements sent by Baidar, less than 5,000 escaped back to Jining.
More importantly, after this defeat, the Chagatai Khanate's army was demoralized and unable to mount a decent offensive in a short period of time, which would then lead to one-sided suppression.
As dawn broke in the east, the pale light of day painted Baimapo a blood-red hue. This was both the real color of blood and a symbolic one.
Xu Da strolled across the battlefield after the battle, his feet sinking into scorched earth and blood-soaked mud. Soldiers were clearing the battlefield, separating the fallen from both sides. The remains of the Ming soldiers would be transported back to their homeland for burial, while the Chagatai soldiers would be buried on the spot.
"General, this is a great victory! When the King of Han hears of this, he will surely reward the entire army handsomely," Wang Bi said excitedly, following behind him.
Xu Da didn't reply. He stopped in front of the body of a young Chagatai soldier, who was probably only sixteen or seventeen years old. He lay on his back, his eyes still open, staring at the blood-red sky. Xu Da bent down and closed his eyes.
"Ah, war is always cruel. Give these people a proper burial." He straightened up and looked north.
There, Chagatai's northern expeditionary army was struggling with hunger. And further north, deep in the Mongolian steppe, what price would the descendants of the Golden Family pay for this defeat?
War is always a series of interconnected events. Today's victory at Baimapo is the result of yesterday's burning of grain at Baxian, and the cause of tomorrow's peace in the Central Plains. But between these causes and effects, countless lives, like the young man before us, are forever left on foreign soil.
"Return to camp and write to the King of Han: one month from now, our army will meet with the King for a hunt in Dadu!" (End of Chapter)