Chapter Nineteen: Capturing Hong Taiji Alive

Twenty li east of Shengjing.

The Manchu cavalry’s frontal assault and pincer movement from both flanks had been crushed by the Ming troops one after the other. Unwilling to accept defeat, Tajian organized yet another fierce attack, but it too ended in failure. In this battle, of the two thousand Manchu cavalry that charged in waves, over four hundred were killed, and more than a thousand were severely wounded, lying helpless on the battlefield. Fewer than two hundred escaped in panic, while the Ming army suffered just over a hundred dead and several dozen seriously wounded.

“General, we’ve won! We’ve won!”

Scarface rushed to Wang Pu, leaping and shouting in excitement. Having been both a bandit and a household retainer, he’d been marching and fighting for nearly twenty years, but had never before experienced such a sweeping, exhilarating victory. It was said that Manchu cavalry were invincible in the open field, but this time, the Ming regulars had utterly annihilated them.

Zhen Youcai crawled out from beneath his horse, his face still bearing the shock of survival. Seeing the Manchu wounded groaning all around, his eyes nearly popped out in disbelief. It was simply inconceivable—six hundred infantry had defeated three thousand Manchu cavalry in a pitched battle. Victories like this were unheard of, let alone ever witnessed.

Wang Pu, however, had neither the mood nor the time to revel in victory. He was pondering a grim problem.

The feint east and strike west strategy devised by Zhen Youcai was clever, but how had the Manchus seen through it? Not only did they see through it, they even set up an ambush outside the east gate. If not for Wang Pu’s preternatural sense for danger, it would have been his nine hundred retainers lying groaning on the field, not the Manchus.

Who had seen through Zhen Youcai’s ruse? Who could it be?

The Jurchens were indeed fierce warriors, but few among them were literate, and even fewer were skilled in strategy. Aside from Nurhaci and his son Hong Taiji in the early days, later there would only be Dorgon, Duoduo, and Emperor Kangxi. As for Han turncoats who had pledged themselves to the enemy, there were some talented men—Fan Wencheng, for example, was a master schemer—but he was not favored by the Manchus at this time.

Wang Pu beckoned to Zhen Youcai and called out, “Zhen Youcai, come here.”

Zhen Youcai hurried over, bowing and scraping. “General, you wanted me?”

Wang Pu said gravely, “Zhen Youcai, tell me, how many among the Manchus are skilled in strategy?”

“Er… not many, I think. Their chief, Hong Taiji, is the most formidable.”

“Hong Taiji?” Wang Pu mused, then suddenly exclaimed, “Hong Taiji! Of course! How could I have forgotten him?”

Zhen Youcai was startled and asked carefully, “General, what about Hong Taiji?”

Wang Pu quickly stilled his expression. “The Manchu chief Hong Taiji is right outside Shengjing, and now he has less than two hundred guards left!”

“What?” Zhen Youcai stared in disbelief. “How do you know that, General?”

“That’s a secret!” Wang Pu snapped around and shouted, “Scarface!”

Scarface was searching the battlefield with the retainers, dispatching any Manchu who could still breathe. At Wang Pu’s call, he hurried over. “General, you called?”

“Leave the wounded Manchus. Gather all the brothers—follow me back to Shengjing!”

“What?” Scarface gaped. “Back to Shengjing?”

“Yes, back to Shengjing.” Wang Pu’s tone was fierce. “This time, we’re taking Hong Taiji alive!”

“To capture Hong Taiji alive?” Scarface shouted. “Excellent! I’ll rally the men at once!”

---

Outside Shengjing, the Manchu camp.

The imperial palace was ablaze, the entire city a ruin; six of the eight city gates had been blown apart. Hong Taiji had lingered inside for only half an hour before returning to the camp.

Just before dawn, news finally arrived—not of victory, but disaster.

Hong Taiji had barely lain down when hurried footsteps jolted him awake. Supported by attendants, he had only just sat up when Tajian, covered in blood, staggered into the tent and collapsed, wailing, “Your Majesty, I am useless, utterly useless…”

“What happened?” Hong Taiji forced himself to remain calm. “Speak!”

Tajian dared not rise, but knelt and wept, banging his head against the floor. “Your Majesty, it’s over. The two thousand Mongol cavalry I led with Ebilun to ambush the Ming army are lost—Ebilun has fallen…”

“What?” Hong Taiji could scarcely believe his ears. “All… all lost?”

“All lost.”

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

Hong Taiji erupted in fury, startling even Manzhu Xili who had just entered.

Tajian sobbed, “It’s true, Your Majesty. The Ming’s firearms were devastating. We hadn’t even reached their lines and suffered heavy casualties.”

“The Ming’s firearms? How powerful could they be? Huh?” Hong Taiji panted, cursing, “Have we not faced Ming firearms before? Even the Hongyi cannons at Ningyuan couldn’t stop us. How could the weapons of fewer than a thousand Ming troops do so much?”

“Your Majesty!” At that moment, a guard rushed in, panic-stricken. “Your Majesty, something’s wrong!”

“What’s the panic?” Hong Taiji roared, murderous. “What happened?”

“The Ming… the Ming army…” The guard pointed outside, voice trembling, “A large force of Ming troops is attacking!”

“What did you say? The Ming army!?”

Hong Taiji’s face changed. He strained his ears and indeed heard the thunder of hooves approaching.

“Quick!” Tajian, blood-soaked, leapt up. “Protect His Majesty—break out!”

Two guards rushed in to support Hong Taiji. His body was heavy—over three hundred jin—and though the guards were strong, carrying him at a run was no easy feat. As his entourage emerged from the camp, they ran straight into Wang Pu and his nine hundred retainers.

Were it not for the burden of Hong Taiji, the two hundred Manchu guards could have easily disengaged. Had the Ming pursued, they might even have inflicted heavy losses in the running battle, perhaps turning the tide.

But Hong Taiji was the Manchu sovereign, and his people would die to protect him. His presence not only slowed their movements but weighed on their hearts, preventing them from fighting at full strength. They could only form a desperate shield around him, taking the Ming’s gunfire and arrows with their own bodies rather than dodging.

What should have been a brutal skirmish turned into a one-sided slaughter. Under the relentless Ming assault, the two hundred Manchu guards were swiftly wiped out. The Ming, however, paid a dear price—over fifty retainers killed by Manchu arrows and sabers, and more than a hundred badly wounded and rendered immobile. Yet the sacrifice was worth it—they had captured Hong Taiji alive.

The palanquin was split open. As the cold steel blade pressed to his throat, Hong Taiji displayed a calm dignity, striving to maintain the bearing of a sovereign.

Gazing around, he saw himself surrounded by fierce Ming warriors—a force utterly unlike any Ming troops he had ever encountered. Their eyes held no confusion, no fear, no hesitation, and certainly no dread—only burning bloodlust. They were a pack of warlike beasts.

Hong Taiji soon spotted Wang Pu—the Ming general he had dreamed of capturing. Instead, he himself had been captured.

Hong Taiji realized who stood before him. His breath quickened as he asked, “Is it you?”

Unlike Nurhaci, Hong Taiji had received a good education from an early age, studied many Chinese classics, and was fluent in the language.

Wang Pu smiled faintly. “Wang Pu, General-in-Chief of Datong Garrison, Great Ming Empire.”

“General of Datong?” Hong Taiji frowned. “Wang Pu, I cannot understand. Since you had escaped, why return with your men? Are you not afraid of missing the chance to retreat, letting me muster my forces and destroy you?”

“Afraid? Of course I’m afraid, but to capture you alive, any risk is worth it.”

Hong Taiji asked, “How did you know I was in Shengjing?”

Wang Pu laughed. “You really want to know?”

Hong Taiji nodded.

“It’s simple—because of your consort, Hailanzhu! In Datong I often heard that the Manchu chief Hong Taiji had a beautiful and charming favorite named Hailanzhu. Now she’s gravely ill; naturally, you’d hurry back to see her one last time. Also, our breakout plan was intricate, but we nearly fell into an ambush. Among the Jurchens, who but you, Hong Taiji, could devise such a scheme?”

“Consort Chen?” Hong Taiji’s face turned anxious. “Where is she? Is she well?”

Wang Pu sighed. “To be honest, Hailanzhu’s condition is dire. When we first captured her, she was barely alive. After being jolted all night with the army, she is likely gone.”

“She is Consort Chen! You are not to call her by name!”

Wang Pu’s repeated use of her name enraged Hong Taiji. After all, Hailanzhu was the cherished consort of the Emperor of the Great Qing, and not to be addressed so familiarly by a mere Datong general.

“Why not?” Wang Pu retorted coldly. “Understand, Hong Taiji, you are no longer the Manchu chief. Now, you are a prisoner in my hands!”

Hong Taiji’s face turned livid. “I wish to see Consort Chen.”

“No hurry,” Wang Pu replied icily. “We’re still far from the passes. If Hailanzhu survives, you’ll have plenty of time to see her.”

“Back to the passes?” Hong Taiji laughed. “You think you can get back? The Eight Thousand Iron Cavalry of the Bordered White Banner have already ridden from the Songshan front, crossed the Liao River, and are now at most a hundred or two hundred li from Shengjing. Wang Pu, you won’t escape even if you sprout wings!”

“The Bordered White Banner? Eight thousand cavalry? That sounds frightening,” Wang Pu smiled. “But if even you couldn’t stop me, no one else can. With a bit of cunning, I’ll have them chasing shadows a thousand li away.”

“Oh?” Hong Taiji sneered. “I shall wait and see.”

“You’ll know by tonight,” Wang Pu said, then barked, “The army will rest here. In half an hour, we march. Scarface, gather and cremate the bodies of our fallen—bring the ashes with us. Xiao Qi, find a strong horse. Hong Taiji is in your charge—guard him well.”

…

To capture Hong Taiji alive—what a thrill! If you enjoyed this, vote for the novel!