Section Twenty-Six

The Han Army’s command headquarters was established in a small town called Boming, northeast of Xinzhou. Backed by the Hutuo River and nestled between the cities of Xinzhou and Dingxiang, the location was strategically vital. With accessible roads, reliable supply lines, and a steady water source, it was an ideal position. To the front, it was a mere fifty miles from the Dzungar defensive line at Xinzhou, reachable by cavalry in half a day. To the rear, it featured a wide river wharf, allowing for the rapid transit and stockpiling of supplies. Even more satisfying was the tactical flexibility: should the battle take an unexpected turn, the main body of the army—consisting mostly of infantry, artillery, and slow-moving units—could move west onto the Xinkou highway to pursue the enemy across flat terrain, or head east to use the Hutuo waterway to shift toward the Muma River, maneuvering parallel to the Taiyuan road. It was, in every sense, a position convenient for all directions: capable of both offense and defense, and in the worst-case scenario, providing a means for rapid withdrawal by boat. Therefore, once Lin Feng issued the order to advance, the Imperial Guard General Staff immediately selected this site as the Han Army’s theater headquarters.

Since the main force entered Shanxi, the various major units of the Han Army had gradually deployed. Zhao Guangyuan’s 1st Cavalry Army had separated from the main body at Wuniu Mountain to link up with the vanguard, the 5th Army under Zhao Liangdong. Later, due to the southward transit by boat, Ma Ying’s 6th Cavalry Army took the land route, following the path of the vanguard from Daizhou to Yuanping, then to Xinkou, and finally to Xinzhou. Along the way, they repeatedly cleared out local threats such as landlord militias, newly surrendered troops, and even bandits, serving the task of guarding the center. Consequently, the main forces Lin Feng kept directly under his command were only Rick’s 1st Guard Infantry Army, Zhao Yingkui’s 2nd Guard Cavalry Army, and the artillery and civil administration units left behind by the vanguard.

Zhao Liangdong and Zhao Guangyuan were the last generals to arrive at the command camp. Naturally, this was not an intentional slight against the Han King’s order; rather, when the Han King’s messenger reached the front, the two were secretly observing enemy fortifications under the protection of their guards. Thus, despite departing immediately upon receiving notice, they were still slightly late.

Fortunately, the military council had not yet begun. As soon as they entered the command tent, they saw Rick and Ma Ying. Since they were all old subordinates brought by Lin Feng from Linji County in Fujian, Zhao Guangyuan was on very familiar terms with Rick. As he stepped into the tent, he checked in with Li Ergou while loudly joking with Rick: "Old Russian, you son of a bitch have it easy staying by the Lord’s side! Unlike me—damn it, I’ve run my legs off!" After checking in, he tossed his brush to Zhao Liangdong and introduced him to Rick: "This kid is Zhao Liangdong—see, you saw him at Wuniu Mountain, right? Now the people in Shanxi call this bastard the 'World-Confusing Demon King,' the reincarnation of a baleful star!"

Rick took off his military cap, bowed slightly to Zhao Liangdong with elegance, and said with a smile, "I am 'Old Russian' Rick. Greetings, General Zhao!"

Zhao Liangdong hurriedly cupped his hands. "I have heard of the Yulin General for a long time—your name is like thunder to my ears!"

This was not merely polite flattery. Rick was absolutely famous in China now. Of course, this was not because of his illustrious military achievements, but because of his race and status. As a European, Rick Russell’s rise to such high office in a foreign land was extremely rare, not just in China but in human history. He held the rank of Lieutenant General in the Han Army and was in charge of the security of the Han King’s residence. Although his official title was merely Commander of the 1st Guard Infantry Army, everyone knew he was effectively the Garrison Commander of the Han Empire’s capital, comparable to the "Nine Gates Admiral" of the former Qing Dynasty. He was an indisputably important official. Often, when Rick appeared in public alongside the various officials of the Han court, his physique, which towered over the others, his shimmering golden hair, and his exotic appearance made him highly conspicuous. With the rapid expansion of the Lin-Han military group, the names of the Han generals were already known throughout the world, and given Rick’s unique profile, it was inevitable that he would be talked about from the north to the south of the Yangtze.

"Haha, General Zhao Liangdong, please allow me to introduce you," Rick smiled at Zhao Liangdong, turned slightly, and pointed to Ma Ying and Zhao Yingkui. "This is General Ma Ying from Nurgan, and this is Colonel Zhao Yingkui, the acting commander of the newly formed 2nd Guard Cavalry Army!"

"A pleasure, a pleasure. I am Zhao Liangdong from Datong. Greetings to you both!" Zhao Liangdong was not accustomed to dealing with colleagues, so he offered a shy, awkward smile.

"Nonsense! We’re all warriors—why be so formal?" Ma Ying walked over with a casual wave of his hands and clapped a heavy hand on Zhao Liangdong’s shoulder. "I’ve been to Daizhou; you’re not bad, kid—you know how to fight!"

Zhao Liangdong smiled bitterly, unable to respond. Nearby, Zhao Yingkui laughed: "Greetings, General Zhao." Because his arm was disabled from a past injury, he rarely cupped his hands in greeting, opting for a slight bow instead.

"General Zhao, you did a beautiful job in Northwest Shanxi, routing the Tatar western army. His Majesty appreciates you; it looks like you’ll be getting another star on your shoulder soon!" Rick smiled, then changed the subject. "How is the situation at the front? His Majesty refused the peace talks, and I hear the Tatar leader is furious. You must be under immense pressure!"

Zhao Liangdong bowed slightly and cupped his hands. "Reporting to the General, when I arrived, scouts reported that the Tatars had lifted the siege of Taiyuan and reinforced the Xinzhou front. Furthermore, Galdan’s khanate tent has moved from Yangqu to Xilingjing, dozens of miles closer to Xinzhou. By my estimation, there are now over forty thousand Tatar troops along the Xinzhou line. They have dug deep trenches and rely on sturdy fortifications to resist us, so the situation is not optimistic."

"Not necessarily, not necessarily!" Ma Ying shook his head repeatedly. "I say, Old Zhao, you’re an experienced veteran, how do you not see this? The Mongol Tatars rely primarily on cavalry. The fact that they’ve been scared into hiding behind city walls shows they aren’t much to worry about!" He laughed and held up a palm, making a crushing gesture in the air. "Can their city defenses hold out against the Han Army? The Lord has hundreds of cannons here. When the time comes, we’ll push them all up and blast them—it’ll be like pouring boiling water into an ant hill. We’ll wipe these grandsons out in one go!"

Zhao Liangdong stared at him, almost unable to believe his ears. Ma Ying was a renowned general under the Han King with glorious military exploits. How could he look like such a brute upon meeting him?

Seeing that the others were silent, Ma Ying looked triumphant. He nudged Rick and winked at Zhao Guangyuan. "Hey, Old Russian, I hear you’re an expert with cannons. Why don’t you take this battle? We’re colleagues, we’ve got to look out for each other. I guarantee no one will fight you for the credit. If anyone tries, I’ll have words with them!"

Zhao Liangdong finally realized he was joking and couldn't help but laugh. The colleagues were witty and unconstrained, a far cry from the rigid atmosphere of the Qing army, and a sense of warmth welled up in his heart.

Rick waved his hands at Ma Ying. "I’m not talking to you. You’re a horse bandit, I’m a pirate—we’re not the same breed. Keep such 'good things' for yourself!" Unlike his conversation with Zhao Liangdong, his tone now was thick with a Beijing accent, surprisingly fluent.

Ma Ying laughed heartily and was about to tease him further when Li Ergou walked out and addressed the generals waiting outside the tent: "The Lord has ordered that you all be invited in!"

The group immediately stopped laughing and filed in according to their military rank. Lin Feng was already seated at the head of the room. Inside the hall, massive candles burned. The guards were fully armored with hands on their scabbards, all bowing their heads, not daring to make a sound. The atmosphere was solemn and chilling, enough to make one’s heart tremble.

"Cavalry General Zhao Liangdong?" Lin Feng flipped through a military report and asked casually.

"Yes," Wang Shirong bowed and turned to address the colleagues. "Gentlemen, the Dzungars have invaded Shanxi in three columns. The eastern column, about 15,000 men, consisted of Hui and Khalkha troops under the command of Baci. However, they have already been defeated by our army; the remnants are low in morale and can be disregarded for now. The western column, numbering over 12,000, was a joint force of the Torghut and Ikezhao tribes, commanded by a man named Borichina..." Here, he smiled and explained, "In the Mongol language, 'Borichina' means 'Blue Wolf,' implying cunning and ferocity. Because this column was operating in Shaanxi, they are quite far from us, and communication with spies is difficult, so our intelligence is limited. We only know the general situation. According to reports, once our army entered Shanxi, Galdan sent urgent messengers to recall this force. However, we do not currently know where this enemy force is, so I ask all of you to remain vigilant against a sudden raid!"

"As for the main Dzungar central column currently occupying Xinzhou and facing us directly, they consist entirely of Dzungars. They have always been Galdan’s core troops. Since Galdan rose in the western desert, he modeled his forces after Genghis Khan’s 'Kheshig' guard, selecting elite warriors from the various Mongol tribes, equipping them with sturdy armor and sharp blades, and supporting them with artillery and musketeer units. Each soldier is provided with three horses, and their supplies far exceed those of other units. Thus, they are fierce in battle and fear neither arrows nor stones; their combat effectiveness is extremely formidable," Wang Shirong said with a solemn expression, warning the generals. "Galdan rose within a few years, successively crushing the three Khalkha tribes, defeating Tushetu, and subjugating the Torghut and Ikezhao tribes—all of which he accomplished using this 'Kheshig' army!"

"Lord Wang," Rick smiled, "then how many troops does the Tatar central column actually have?"

"Reporting to the Yulin General, Galdan’s central column totals over 42,000 men, divided into two parts, with the main Kheshig force numbering over 20,000 cavalry," Wang Shirong bowed slightly to Rick. "Including the thousands of remnants from the eastern column who fled here, the enemy force currently stationed along the Xinzhou line numbers 50,000—a force equal to our own!"