In the second year of Chongzhen, Huang Taiji led the Eight Banners to raid the Ming Dynasty for the first time, and set up a counter-plot to induce Emperor Chongzhen to arrest Yuan Chonghuan, who came to the rescue.

Zu Dashou was Yuan Chonghuan's general, he was so frightened when he saw that the lord was about to be arrested, he ignored King Qin, led his troops to flee Beijing, plundered Shanhaiguan, and returned to Ningyuan. He dared to leave Beijing and go out of the customs because he relied on his power in western Liaoning in order to protect himself. According to the law, escaping from the battle is tantamount to rebellion, and must be punished with capital punishment, surprisingly, Chongzhen did not blame him, nor punished him, but also issued an edict to comfort him.

Huang Taiji launched the Battle of Daling River and besieged the city, and Zu Dashou defended the city and was forced to surrender because of the hunger strike. He escaped by returning to Jinzhou to welcome his family and outwit the city, and after returning to Jinzhou, he also exchanged secret letters with Huang Taiji. The matter of his surrender was soon detected by Qiu Hejia, the governor of Liaodong, and secretly played the imperial court, but Chongzhen did not mention the matter, pretended not to know, and tolerated it.

The Ming army and the Qing army fought a decisive battle in Songshan, the Ming army was defeated, and Zu Dashou led the troops to surrender Jinzhou City. According to the law of the Ming Dynasty, their relatives must be implicated, and Wu Sangui, who participated in this battle, led the troops to escape with the general soldier Wang Pu and others as soon as the battle began, so that the Ming army was completely annihilated. Afterwards, Chongzhen ordered Wang Pu to be executed, and only Wu Sangui was demoted.

Outside the Shanhaiguan, both sides of the Liaohe River, east to the Yalu River, north to Kaiyuan, south to the shore of the sea Lushun, this vast area known as Liaodong is the place of heroes since ancient times, the so-called tiger step dragon Xiang, high and low in the heart. Historically, this has always been a place where soldiers come into play, and how many generations of entrepreneurial kings have risen up and won the Central Plains; how many capable ministers and fierce generals who can conquer and fight have grown here, fought here, and made earth-shattering achievements.

On the occasion of the Ming Dynasty and the Ming and Qing dynasties, before Wu Sangui, the famous general Li Chengliang and his son who shocked Liaodong, Xiong Tingbi, who had a good plan and commanded thousands of troops and horses, Yang Hao, Sun Chengzong, Hong Chengchou, He Erjian, the iron-faced imperial history, Yuan Chonghuan, the brave hero Yuan Chonghuan, the generation of generals who dared to fight and dare to win, Man Gui, Zu Dashou, Zhao Shujiao, Mao Wenlong, who pioneered the sea hero, Wang Zaijin, who once presided over the Liaodong plan, etc., as well as the entrepreneurial kings of the Qing Dynasty such as Nurhachi, Huang Taiji and their brothers and nephews, a large number of famous monarchs, famous ministers, Famous generals have all displayed their talents and strategies on the military stage of Liaodong, and have performed a living drama of history.

Liaodong in the Ming Dynasty, the northwest and west were adjacent to the powerful Mongolia, and the northeast and east were bordered by the Jurchens, which was the most dangerous area for its border defense. From the beginning of the founding of the Ming Dynasty to the end of the year, for more than 200 years, it did not hesitate to pour hundreds of millions of dollars to repair side walls, build castles, build thousands of piers, and send heavy troops to defend.

Also on the top of the mountain every five miles or ten miles to build one, each one is about a few zhang high, looking up at the top of the mountain, such as in the cloudy sky. Looking into the distance, there are many piers and platforms, like majestic sentinels, vigilantly watching the actions of the Mongols and Jurchens, and the entire Liaodong is full of the atmosphere of war.

At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, there was a man named Wang Yiyuan, who witnessed these relics of the Ming Dynasty and said with emotion: "The Ming Dynasty defended the border well, and I don't know how much money it costped. ”

The Ming Dynasty was so well guarded that it still couldn't stop the Mongol and Jurchen iron cavalry from attacking. Armed conflicts, large-scale engagements, almost ending with the Ming Dynasty, the Liaodong region is a real battlefield.

The local soldiers and civilians have lived in the environment of war for a long time, and they have become accustomed to seeing the light of swords and swords, and the iron horses are galloping, even if they see the smoke billowing from the alarm and hear the neighing of war horses, they have become accustomed to it, and they are not surprised or panicked. Any war will bring loss of life and property to the people, but it also teaches people how to defend themselves.

Therefore, the people of Liaodong regard the practice of martial arts and serving in the army as a part of their own lives, and it has become one of the professions engaged in by young adults. Li Chengliang, a famous general in Liaodong, had five sons, all of whom joined the army and grew up to be a general commanding the three armies in the war. Their father and son have been in Liao for more than 20 years, and they have been in the army, and they are all veritable military families.

There were constant armed conflicts between the military and civilians of Liaodong and the Mongols and Jurchens, but there were also peaceful exchanges. Mongolian, Jurchen and other ethnic minorities live a life of nomadism, fishing and hunting, everyone is good at riding and shooting, good at galloping, whether in the mountains and cliffs, or in the plains and wilderness, can endure hardships, have endurance, and move forward.

These superior national skills and customs have also been integrated into the lives of the Han people, and everyone loves horses and rides horses has become a habit of the local Han people. Boys and girls are only two or three years old, and whenever they see a horse, they dance and are eager to try. When the adults put them in their saddles, they were overjoyed, laughing, shouting, urging the horses to go quickly, and whipping them with their hands.

When he was five or six years old, he began to practice horseback riding, and his father made a small wooden frame, put it on the saddle, carried the child up, held the wooden frame, and slowly exercised. In Liaodong, not only men can ride horses, but women are also good at riding, better than men, whipping and galloping, fearless and timid, and the posture is elegant. There are a few women who can't ride horses and will be laughed at, so it's unbelievable that men and women can't ride horses here.

The special social environment in eastern Liaodong has cultivated a kind of martial spirit among the people, who are particularly capable of fighting. In the army of the Ming Dynasty, the Liao soldiers were known for their fierce and daring to fight, and were known as a strong force, and after the outbreak of war with the emerging Houjin, the Ming Dynasty transferred the army from Jiangnan to Liaodong to fight, and almost every battle was defeated. Yuan Chonghuan, who had twice passed through Liaodong, changed to the strategy of raising the Liao people with Liao soil, and the Liao people defended the Liao land, and completely used the Liao soldiers, which not only withstood the fierce attack of the Later Jin, but also defeated them and won great victories, highlighting the heroic style of the Liao people who dared to fight.

From Shanhaiguan, through the middle and back to the east of Ningyuan, arrive at Jinzhou, look at the hills and mountains in the north, stretch endlessly, the forest is luxuriant, there are many birds and beasts, tigers, leopards, wild boars and other fierce beasts, all the time do not haunt the depths of the forest. Hunting is the source of food and clothing for local hunters, but for dignitaries, it is a pastime.

Wu Sangui took his family into the mountains to hunt in his spare time, went into the mountains and forests alone, and dealt with birds and beasts, and every time he had a harvest, which developed his habit of hunting in the fields. This kind of life with a military flavor cultivated his ideological character of being brave, fearless of hardships and dangers, and resourceful. He has mastered the skills of riding and archery, he has practiced all kinds of weapons, and he likes to make a big sword the most, and he is very good at kung fu. Since then, this broadsword has become his winning weapon in the southern and northern wars in the years to come.

Wu Sangui took the martial arts test and won the martial arts. The state set up a martial arts field, through the examination of technical bravery, the selection of generals, in accordance with the provisions of the martial arts examination at the end of the Ming Dynasty, generally with nine arrows to shoot the target as the champion. Wu Sangui won the martial arts in the competition of strong players, which is quite rare. After he won the martial arts, he obtained the qualifications to serve in the army and began his military career.

Under the command of Zu Dashou, he participated in the war against Houjin, and soon he rose to prominence, increasingly showing the qualities of a fierce general.

Wu Sangui has a keen mind, full of energy, full of vitality, big earlobes, high nose bridge, shiny face, a pair of eyes blazing, looking forward to it, and dignity like a god. His arm strength is unrivaled, and no one can match his strength. Those who had seen him praised him with words of beauty and beauty.

In the second year of Chongzhen, Huang Taiji launched a surprise attack on Beijing, he personally led an army of 50,000 or 60,000 to avoid the Ningjin defense line built by the Ming Dynasty, detoured through the Inner Mongolia region, broke into the Great Wall from Da'ankou, Longjing Pass and other places, and went straight to Beijing, giving the Ming Dynasty a surprise blow. Unfortunately, Chongzhen mistakenly fell for Huang Taiji's counter-plot and arrested Yuan Chonghuan and imprisoned.

Zu Dashou was frightened, and took Wu Sangui and 15,000 Liao soldiers to withdraw from Beijing in a hurry, and hurriedly returned to Ningyuan in order to protect himself. Chongzhen listened to the advice of the scholar Sun Chengzong, and quickly sent someone to appease, and the envoy galloped to Shanhaiguan to catch up with Zu Dashou, and announced the court's condolences in public, stating that only Yuan Chonghuan was arrested, and it had nothing to do with the generals. The Liao soldiers received the leniency of the imperial court, and the people's hearts settled down.

In the following year, Zu Dashou was ordered to be stationed with Sun Chengzong in Santun Camp and Fengrun to contact each other, and Zu Dashou ordered his troops to be stationed in Leting, Changli, Funing, Shimen, Taitou Camp, and Yanhe Camp in various towns to block the return of the Houjin soldiers. However, the Houjin soldiers were full of submersible divisions, and their actions were very secretive, and the Ming officials and soldiers often could not catch any news of it. In order to find out the whereabouts of the Houjin soldiers, he often sent as many as 300 scouts to the distance.

Zu Dashou led the troops out of the Great Wall and marched north to Jianchang, which was surrounded by mountains and hills, and was connected to the Karaqin and other tribes in Inner Mongolia in the northwest. Huang Taiji detoured through Inner Mongolia to enter the customs and return to the north, Jianchang was the place he passed, and the Ming soldiers gathered here in an attempt to cut off the return route of the Houjin soldiers.

Wu Sangui went out with the army, he did not leave Zu Dashou's left and right, and did not take up specific military affairs in the army. Zu Dashou loved him very much, and he didn't want him to do anything risky, so he wanted to join the army because he wanted to train him and increase his knowledge.

One day, Zu Dashou looked at the city tower from afar, knowing that the Houjin army was strong, and the Ming soldiers attacked, such as hitting the stone with an egg, if the whole army was annihilated and the city was lost, he would commit an unforgivable crime. Wu Sangui saw that he was surrounded, and he was anxious, Wu Sangui placed a general on the left and right, and he was in the center, and he was divided into eighteen people to charge for the two wings. Seeing that there were very few Ming soldiers and daring to fight easily, the Houjin soldiers were very suspicious, so they dodged a formation and wrapped Wu Sangui's twenty people into the formation.

Wu Sangui entered the battle and rushed to the Houjin soldiers at a speed-like speed, shooting two arrows in a row, and the Houjin soldiers fell in response. A member of the Houjin general rushed towards him with a banner, Wu Sangui immediately took an arrow, used all his strength, and an arrow hit, and the general fell off his horse.

Wu Sangui galloped forward, dismounted and cut his head, but this person was seriously injured and did not die, he saw Wu Sangui raise the knife, said that it was too late and that was fast, pulled out the short knife he carried, jumped up hard, and stabbed Wu Sangui in the face, Wu Sangui was defenseless, and slashed the bridge of his nose with a knife, and immediately the blood flowed. He ignored the wound, took up his knife, cut off the head of the general, and quickly picked up the red flag that the deceased had thrown on the ground, tore off a piece, wrapped his nose indiscriminately, flew on the horse, and shouted to kill.

shouted: "Come with me!" Hundreds of Ming soldiers followed him to break out, at this time Zu Dashou looked at the city tower and ordered the Ming soldiers in the city to beat drums and cheer. Above and below the city, inside and outside the formation, the sound of shouting and killing and the sound of war drums sounded together, and it seemed that there was a galloping trend of thousands of troops and horses.

Hou Jin always suspected that the Ming soldiers rushed into battle with less, which might be a trick to lure the enemy, and he didn't dare to intercept it forcefully, plus Wu Sangui charged ahead, fierce and unstoppable, where he and hundreds of Ming soldiers rushed to, they dodged one after another. So Wu Sangui led the Ming soldiers to rush out. Hou Jin soldiers were afraid of the trick of luring the soldiers, and did not dare to chase after them, and watched this small group of Ming soldiers fly away.