Pan Zongyan, the commander of Kaiyuan Soldiers, heard that Juniper sent a messenger to ask for help, but Ma Lin was afraid of the ferocity of Jiannu and hesitated to go to aid Salhu-

At this time, an inch of time is the lives of hundreds of Ming soldiers, and rushing to Salhu a moment earlier may be able to prevent the Juniper Department from being completely annihilated, Pan Zongyan rushed to see Ma Lin, and urged to rush to help, the cavalry went first, and the infantry and the artillery of the car battalion followed.

Last month, Pan Zongyan wrote to Yang Hao that Ma Lin was cowardly, unworthy of the big responsibility, if he used Ma Lin as a general, he would be defeated, and asked for a change of general - this matter was somehow known by Ma Lin, he was ashamed and resentful, and said: "Pan Jian Army, this place is fifty miles away from Salhu, and it is mostly mountainous, and most of our army is foot soldiers, and the car camp is heavy and burdensome, so leave immediately, and it will be afternoon at the earliest, Pan Jian Jun dares to guarantee that Du Zongbing can hold on until then?" ”

Without waiting for Pan Zongyan to answer, Ma Lin said again: "If I ride a long distance to Salhu, General Du's army has been defeated, can my tired division fight against the morale of Jiannu?" ”

Pan Zongyan said: "Du general soldiers can send a breakthrough here, that means that there are omissions in the siege of Jiannu, Du general soldiers 28,000 soldiers and horses are mostly from Yansui, Yansui sergeants are known for their fortitude and courage to fight, and now they are sticking to the Salhu Heights, the main force is not damaged, the car battalion is there, it is impossible to defend until today's afternoon, and our army can make the cavalry go first, beat the drum and sound the gun, and make a big fanfare, so that the Salhu defenders know that our troops are coming to help, and the army will be greatly inspired, and fight bravely to the death. ”

Ma Lin sneered, thinking that a civilian official like Pan Zongyan was just talking on paper, and he didn't know that the Jianzhou Jurchen was fierce, and the main force of the Eight Banners Army had been concentrated in Salhu, and the total number should be about 60,000. Juniper's 28,000 men and horses attacked in turn through the night. Even if they are not completely wiped out, I am afraid that there will not be much left. His Kaiyuan army has a total of 25,000 infantry cavalry, how can he fight with 50,000 or 60,000 Eight Banner Army, he can't take this risk, Juniper is doomed to defeat all the way, he only wants to save his soldiers and horses along the way, then he is not guilty, and said: "Pan Jian Jun has not forgotten how General Zou of Qinghe was defeated, if my department rushes forward, it will be a treacherous plan of the slave chieftain." In my opinion, our department should immediately build fortifications on the spot, and on the one hand send people to contact Commander Han and General Liu, and strive to join forces in one place, which is the strategy for victory. ”

Pan Zongyan said sharply: "General Ma, the Fushun army sent an envoy to ask for help, but you did not move, delaying the fighter plane and causing the friendly army to be trapped, what should you be guilty of?" ”

Since Pan Zongyan had torn his face, then Ma Lin was not welcome. He said coldly: "Master Pan, if I listen to your foolish opinion. To open the original army in a place of no return, the responsibility is even greater. ”

Pan Zongyan was extremely angry, he was the supervisor of the army, in charge of the army's meritorious rewards and punishments, but he did not have the power to dispatch troops, although he commanded 7,000 people with firearms and baggage logistics, but they were all foot soldiers, if there was no main force led by Ma Lin, his army rushed to Salhu, then it was really said by Ma Lin that he would be defeated with Juniper's army!

Yang Hao was far away in Liaoyang, and it was too late to report the emergency for 800 miles, Pan Zongyan was so anxious that he and Ma Lin had a loud argument in the military tent, and then the guards came to report: Yehebu Beile Jintaiji and Buyangu asked to see General Ma.

Jin Taiji and Buyangu brought a few personal attendants into the military tent of Marin, Marin and Pan Zongyan got up to greet each other, and Marin saw that the hundred households surnamed Mu were also following Buyangu, and couldn't help but be a little strange, only to hear Buyangu say: "General Ma, hurry up and help, my four thousand iron horsemen from Yehe are willing to be the forerunner." Jin Taiji couldn't speak Chinese, but nodded repeatedly.

Ma Lin was stunned for a moment, Pan Zongyan on the side was overjoyed, and hurriedly said: "General Ma, the soldiers are noble and fast, the Beiguan cavalry is not inferior to Jiannu, the two Baylors are even more brave and invincible, the main force of General Du's soldiers is still there, and the defeat of Jiannu is not a miracle today." The tone was earnest.

Now Ma Lin is embarrassed, the two leaders of Beiguan Yehe are all in charge of rescue, if he, the commander of the Northern Route Army, insists on standing still, no matter what the final battle situation is, he will be impeached and punished-

Mu Jingyan, who was following behind Buyangu, flashed out and knelt down and said, "General Ma, saving soldiers is like fighting a fire, and you can't delay." ”

Buyanggu said: "If you wait for Tong Nu'er to defeat General Du's army, you will come north to attack General Ma and my Yehe department, and its momentum is incompatible, and it is better to fight late than early." ”

Ma Lin finally relented and promised the whole army to come to the rescue, with the 4,000 cavalry of the Yehe Department as the vanguard, the deputy chief soldier of Kaiyuan, Ma Yan, led the 6,000 cavalry of the Ming army to follow, and the rest of the brigade of chariots and horses followed, and at the same time sent people to Qinghe all the way to seek Han Yuanshan's southern route army rushed to Salhu to participate in the general battle-

On the fifth watch, the sky in the area from Tieling to Fushun was still only cloudy, the cold air in the mountains and wilderness was still heavy, and the birds in the forest were startled by the surging sound of horses' hooves, and then they circled in the air and then scattered to the valleys on both sides, and the four thousand cavalry of the Yehe Department of Beiguan had already set off.

Yehebu and Jianzhou Jurchen grievances have been entangled for hundreds of years, more times for enemies, less time for friends, thirty years ago there was a short period of harmony, so Yehe Beyler Jintaiji's sister became the biological mother of Huang Taiji, but now, these two Jurchen tribes are already not together, Jianzhou is strong, so that Yehe must seek the protection of the Ming Dynasty to survive, this time the Ming Dynasty four-way army attacked Hetuala, Jintaiji and Buyangu were very excited, thinking that the time for revenge had come, and they actively participated in the war. Because the time to send troops was relatively hasty, he only brought 4,000 cavalry to go out with the Kaiyuan Ming army, and another 10,000 cavalry to fortify the city in the Kaiyuan Road——

Mu Jingyan rode a horse and followed Yehebel Buyangu's side, answering Buyangu's question in a low voice, behind him, the stubborn and stubborn Angzang man was Keguangxian, Keguangxian's real identity was Buyangu's cousin Niyaha, and also Keyinyue's cousin, this time Yehebu actively participated in the war, of course, it had a lot to do with Keguangxian.

An hour later, the forward cavalry of Yehebu had bypassed Tiebei Mountain and arrived on the north bank of the Suzi River, at this time they heard the sound of muskets on the Salhu Heights in front, the supervising army Pan Zongyan and the Tieling guerrilla Zheng Guoliang led a team of musketeers to walk with Yehe forwards, hearing the sound of gunfire and fighting in the distance, Pan Zongyan was sure that Juniper's army was still holding the high ground and was not defeated, but only heard the sound of muskets and did not hear the sound of artillery, obviously the artillery has been exhausted, and the first camp may have been broken, and immediately ordered the musketeers to shoot at the sky, so that the Ming army on the Sarhu Heights would know that reinforcements had arrived—

……

Juniper, who had been fighting fiercely all night, was exhausted at this time, and more than a thousand Franc short cannons had all become squibs before dawn, and the first line of camp had been broken. The Jiannu Infantry can rush very close and shoot arrows at high ground. Inflicted great casualties on the Ming army. And the muskets of the Ming army pose little threat to the armored Jiannu, and the Jiannu cavalry constantly crossed the trenches dug by the Ming army and rushed into the camp of the Ming army, and the disadvantages of the Ming army were more obvious when the short soldiers met, and the casualties of the Ming army were roughly estimated to be nearly 10,000 people, all over the mountains, and the blood flowed like a river, Zhao Menglin, the general soldier of Liao, was killed by a cold arrow, and Wang Xuan, the chief soldier of Baoding, was also injured——

Yansui guerrilla Wang Hailong, who was known for being fierce and not afraid of death, also became afraid at this time. He said to Juniper: "General, there is no danger here, and if we continue to defend it, our whole army will be killed, why don't we concentrate our forces to break through?" ”

Juniper wiped a handful of blood from his face, his expression was a little hideous, and he shouted: "Hold on, wait for help." ”

Zhang Quan, the supervising army, also said: "This place is surrounded by the Hunhe River, and the four fields are full of enemy troops, if you abandon this hill and go down to the valley, it will be more difficult to resist the impact of the Jiannu cavalry." There is only a stubborn defense, waiting for the rescue of the Kaiyuan soldiers. This is the only way to live. ”

A large number of Eight Banners soldiers crossed the second trench and rushed into the camp of the Ming army, and the melee began, with Jun Song and Wang Xuan each leading their own guards to fight to the death......

At this time, Nurhachi's eyes were red, his tiger generals were also injured by the Ming army's artillery fire, and had been carried down for treatment, even if he did not die, he was a wasted person, he witnessed one of the legs of Eyidu being blown up, and the forehead was also the head of the five ministers of Dajin, with him for many years, and his achievements were impressive, and today he was seriously injured in Sarhun, Nurhachi's heart was painful, and what made him even more frightened was that his soldiers of a hundred battles had suffered more than two thousand casualties in this night, and the losses of the white flag and the yellow flag were particularly heavy, and the two Niu Lu of the yellow flag were almost killed and wounded, This is really a loss he can't afford, these armored soldiers are all warriors who fight with him in all directions, one by one is skilled in bows and horses, and one is a hundred, but now they are killed in this valley one after another, and the Ming army on the high ground is still stubbornly defending-

The sentinel cavalry came to report that a large number of Ming troops were coming from the north, and the vanguard would soon arrive at Tiebei Mountain!

Dai Shan, Amin, and Huang Taiji were all shocked and discolored, this way must be the Northern Route Army led by Kaiyuan Marin, why did they approach here so quickly?

Nurhachi has experienced countless battles in his life, and has never been defeated, although his heart is full of turbulence, his face is fierce and fierce, and he shouted: "It is just in time, lest my Eight Banners soldiers trek to find him, let Tiebei Mountain be their cemetery." "Immediately ordered Huang Taiji and Amin to lead Zhengbai and 5,000 cavalry with blue banners to intercept the Marin army, and the remaining elite of the six banners continued to storm the Ming army on the Salhu Heights-

Juniper on the high ground heard the sound of gunfire coming from the side of Tiebei Mountain, and then saw the Jiannu cavalry in the valley moving towards the Suzi River under Tiebei Mountain, Juniper was ecstatic and shouted: "Soldiers, our reinforcements have arrived!" Reinforcements have arrived! ”

The morale of the Ming army who were stubbornly defending the high ground was greatly boosted, and the soldiers who were already exhausted also had new strength at this time, and fought to the death against Jiannu regardless of their lives-

Although reinforcements arrived, they were not yet able to alleviate the crisis of Juniper's army, and the offensive of Jiannu became more and more fierce, the camp had been broken on all fronts, the Ming army suffered heavy casualties, and blood became popular on the Hunhe River.

……

Ye He and the Kaiyuan Road coalition army was temporarily stationed on the north bank of the Suzi River, and the main general Ma Lin rushed to the horse, and saw the Eight Banners Army on the opposite bank covered with mountains and fields, and could not help but be frightened, and immediately ordered to set up a formation near the water, dig three trenches around the camp, and set up a fence to block the impact of the Houjin Iron Cavalry, while the artillery of the Cheying Battalion was lined up outside the trench, ready to shell the Eight Banners soldiers on the opposite bank across the river.

Marin was also a veteran, and this infantry phalanx tactic was very sophisticated, and he didn't plan to save Juniper on the Sarhu Heights five or six miles away, but only to protect himself.

The prison army Pan Zongyan was anxious, but when he saw the orderly Houjin Tieqi on the other side, he didn't dare to rashly lead the army across the river, which was a big taboo, but could he just watch Juniper being annihilated, and then let Jiannu calmly turn around to deal with them?

Steeply saw a ride galloping across the Suzi River, the Suzi River here the water flow is gentle, the water depth is only two feet, the river is twenty or thirty zhang wide, the man quickly crossed the Suzi River, holding a spear in his hand, and rode alone to meet the galloping iron horse of the Jin Zhengbai and the blue two flags——

"It's Mu Baihu! It was the Mu Baihu who came to report the news. ”

The Ming army on the north bank shouted one after another, and the Yehe cavalry, who was eager for revenge, also rushed across the Suzi River to meet the Jianzhou cavalry, and the deputy chief soldier of Kaiyuan, Ma Yan, led three thousand Ming cavalry to closely follow the Beiguan cavalry to cross the river and fight, and the main general Ma Lin refused to defend the river.

Yehebu and Jianzhou Jurchen have been fighting for many years, although the combat effectiveness is not as good as Nurhachi's hundred soldiers, compared to the Liaodong Ming army is much stronger, this time with Jintaiji, Buyangu expedition of 4,000 cavalry is the elite of the tribe, riding and shooting, for a time, the horses on both sides neighed, feathered arrows like flying locusts, galloping war horses rushed head-on, the huge impact sound was shocking-

Seeing that the two banners of Zhengbai and Blue could not quickly defeat Yehe who crossed the river and the Ming army who opened the original road, Nurhachi immediately sent an additional 1,000 cavalry to strengthen the offensive on this road, and the soldiers of Juniper on the Sarhu Heights breathed a sigh of relief.

After 7,000 years, the Jin Armored Army quickly suppressed the cavalry led by Ye Hebu and Ma Yan, the deputy chief soldier of Kaiyuan, and the Ming army continued to retreat, and soon retreated to the Suzi River, where some horses and sergeants fell into the river.

"Bang bang" loud sound, the artillery of the Ming army car battalion on the north bank began to fire, Ma Lin ignored the cavalry of Jintaiji and Ma Yan was still fighting with the Jiannu cavalry on the opposite bank and ordered an artillery bombardment, Ma Lin was worried that the Jiannu cavalry would rush across the Suzi River in one fell swoop when the coalition cavalry retreated, and at that time the enemy and us would be chaotic, and the Ming army's defense line would collapse.

Last night, the artillery of the Juniper Department caused a lot of casualties to the Eight Banners Army, so Huang Taiji saw that the artillery was fired on the other side, and immediately ordered his subordinates to withdraw from the range of the artillery, and the battle on the bank of the Suzi River was stalemate for a while.

……

Before the afternoon of March 12, he sent to monitor the sentinels of the Liu Wei Department on the East Road to report that more than 20,000 people of the Liu Wei Department and more than 10,000 North Korean gunners penetrated Hetuala from Kuanju and Huairen, and the 500 golden cavalry responsible for intercepting the Ming army could not resist, only to fight and retreat, and a Niu Lu Ezhen was killed, this army advanced very fast, and last night its vanguard had reached Abu Darigan, which was one hundred and twenty miles away from Hetuala. At this pace, tonight will be approaching the southern outskirts of Hetuala—

Also, the 5,000 soldiers and horses of He Shixian, the vanguard of Han Yuanshan's good department on the south road, have already passed through Hulangang, Hulangang is only eighty miles away from Hetuala, fortunately, this road is a rugged and dangerous road, and the army is not moving fast, but it will also arrive at the southern suburbs of Hetuala before noon tomorrow, the Jurchens in Hetuala City have panicked, some are ready to flee, and some Han slaves have begun to rebel-

Nurhachi's face was red, and he had to make a decision now, or he would face a desperate situation where the capital would be breached.

———————————————————— (To be continued......)