Chapter Twenty-Two: The Manchu Invaders Retreat

Terrified out of their wits, Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and Shang Kexi scrambled to Dorghon's side, clinging desperately to his leg and wailing, "Save us, Prince Rui, spare us! We are innocent! We have never betrayed the Great Qing! Please, Prince Rui, judge fairly!"

"Enough, stop crying," Dorghon said with a furrowed brow. "I will investigate this matter thoroughly."

"Investigate?" Jirgalang said unhappily. "What do you mean by that, Prince Rui? I saw and heard it all with my own eyes and ears. Do you think I would deliberately slander these three? Are these dogs worth slandering, hmm?"

"Of course, I don't mean that," Dorghon replied.

Hogg said sternly, "Then what do you mean? Are you trying to shield these three traitors?"

Bayintu added, "Prince Rui, Kong Youde and his ilk are the chief culprits behind the fall of Shengjing to the Ming, the abduction of the Emperor, Prince Li, and the two consorts. What is your intention in protecting them?"

At these words, Dorghon's face changed dramatically.

Bayintu's words were venomous. If Dorghon continued to defend Kong Youde and the others, suspicion would fall on him as their secret mastermind, suggesting he had used the Ming to eliminate Hong Taiji and thus seize the Qing throne for himself.

Before his death, the old chieftain Nurhaci had bequeathed the throne to Dorghon. Unfortunately, Hong Taiji's power was overwhelming at the time, and he seized the throne that rightfully belonged to Dorghon. Thus, the current situation was highly delicate. Dorghon's support for Kong Youde could easily be interpreted as ambition to reclaim the throne.

If Dorghon were accused of regicide, he would be utterly ruined. He wouldn’t even be able to keep his current position, let alone claim the throne, and his life could be at stake.

Dorghon would never risk his own ruin for the sake of three Han lackeys. He immediately changed his tone and said, "Prince Zheng, don't misunderstand. I do not seek to exonerate Kong Youde and the others, but rather to clarify the details of their collusion with the Ming before executing them."

"The facts are perfectly clear," Hogg said impatiently. "How else could Wang Pu's army pass through our Songshan encampment without help from within? How else could the Ming breach Shengjing's formidable defenses? How else would Wang Pu know the Emperor had returned to Shengjing? Not to mention Prince Zheng's eyewitness testimony from inside the enemy camp. Isn't that evidence enough?"

"Guards," Jirgalang barked, slapping the divan. "Drag these three dogs out and execute them!"

"Yes, sir!"

Six guards responded, seizing Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and Shang Kexi.

Though the three wept bitterly, clinging to Dorghon's leg and refusing to let go, Dorghon was unmoved. After all, they were nothing more than insignificant servants, and he would not jeopardize his own plans for their sake.

Soon, three agonized screams rang out from outside the tent, and in moments, three bloodied heads were delivered inside.

Tong Yangxing, Ning Wanwo, Li Yongfang, Fan Wencheng, and the other Han officials cowered in the corner, trembling with fear. They knew full well that Kong Youde and the others had been wronged. Anyone with any sense could see this was a crude ruse, no different from when Hong Taiji had used the Chongzhen Emperor to execute Yuan Chonghuan. But none of them dared reveal the truth.

If they claimed it was a ruse, that would make Prince Zheng a Ming spy returned by the enemy. Would they dare make such an accusation?

Though they had joined the banners, they were, at heart, still servants. The Manchu lords never hesitated to kill their lackeys.

Jirgalang waved his hand, signaling the guards to remove the heads. He continued, "Shengjing has been destroyed, the Emperor abducted, the Empress and royal children missing, and most of the elderly, women, and children left in Shengjing are dead or fled. The Great Qing has suffered a grievous blow!"

"The worst part," he went on, "is that news of Shengjing's destruction has spread. Among the hundreds of estates around the city, over seven hundred thousand slaves are showing signs of revolt. If the situation slips beyond control, the native tribes along the Amur River and the Koreans may seize the opportunity to pillage. Then, the tens of thousands of old, young, and women we left in the rear will face utter annihilation. At that point, the foundation of the Great Qing will truly be lost."

"Therefore, I believe there are three urgent tasks before us. First, dispatch elite troops to Lianyun Island and, at any cost, recover the Emperor. Second, the Eight Banner army must immediately withdraw from Songshan and return to Shengjing to stabilize the situation. Third..."—here Jirgalang's voice became grave—"if the Emperor cannot be recovered, or if he has suffered misfortune, we must swiftly enthrone a new emperor to take command."

This last point was the heart of the matter.

In truth, everyone knew that Hong Taiji was beyond rescue. Sending troops to Lianyun Island was mere pretense; the real priorities were returning to Shengjing and selecting a new emperor.

Dorghon and Hogg both nodded. "What Prince Zheng says is right. It shall be done."

With their agreement, no one else objected. The withdrawal from Songshan was settled.

Though Dorghon regretted abandoning Songshan and Jinzhou, compared to the looming struggle for the throne, such concerns were trivial. If Jinzhou couldn't be taken this time, there would be another chance. But if the throne was lost, it was lost forever.

Moreover, with Shengjing fallen and the rear in chaos, the Eight Banners had no heart left for confrontation with the Ming at Songshan and Jinzhou.

---

Within the walls of Songshan, Hong Chengchou was sighing heavily in the governor's residence, when his trusted retainer, Tang Shijie, burst in, beaming with excitement. "My lord, great news! Tremendous news!"

"Good news?" Hong Chengchou's heart leapt. "Has the relief army arrived?"

Tang Shijie shook his head. "No, the relief army isn't here."

Hong Chengchou frowned. "If not that, then what news?"

Tang Shijie exclaimed, "My lord, the Manchus have withdrawn!"

"Oh?" Hong Chengchou was startled. "The Manchus have withdrawn?"

"It's true," Tang Shijie affirmed. As he spoke, Generals Cao Bianjiao and Bai Guang'en also rushed in, exclaiming, "The Manchus have really retreated!"

Hong Chengchou felt as if in a dream. After a moment, he waved his hand and said urgently, "Come, let's see for ourselves atop the city walls."

Accompanied by the generals, he hurried to the battlements. There, over ten thousand soldiers had already gathered, cheering loudly. Leaning on the parapet, Hong Chengchou looked out—sure enough, the enemy camp outside the walls was deserted. The tens of thousands of Manchu soldiers had vanished overnight.

That very evening, a messenger from General Zu Dashou in Jinzhou arrived with even better news: the Manchus had also withdrawn from outside Jinzhou! Hong Chengchou could scarcely believe it and even wondered if it was a trick. But scouts reported that they had ridden more than fifty miles beyond the Daling River without seeing a trace of the enemy.

He turned incredulously to Bai Guang'en. "So the Manchus have really withdrawn to Liaodong?"

"Yes," Bai Guang'en said, nodding firmly. "Something major must have happened to force such a sudden retreat."

"Never mind what happened for now," Hong Chengchou said, waving his hand. "Dispatch a courier to the capital immediately and report that the sieges of Jinzhou and Songshan have been lifted without a fight!"

Just then, General Cao Bianjiao hurried in and reported, "My lord, my scouts have captured two Manchu spies by chance. Upon questioning, it turns out something truly momentous happened on their side!"

Hong Chengchou asked eagerly, "What happened?"

Cao Bianjiao replied, "According to the spies, Datong's General Wang Pu did not flee with his thousand bodyguards, but instead secretly bypassed the Manchu encampment and struck into Liaodong!"

"Wang Pu went to Liaodong?" Hong Chengchou was astonished. "That would be a forlorn venture—surely a suicide mission."

"On the contrary," Cao Bianjiao said excitedly, "General Wang not only broke through the Manchu stronghold of Shengjing, but also captured their chieftain Hong Taiji and two princes alive. It is said that he is now leading his troops and prisoners towards Lianyun Island."

"Lianyun Island?" Hong Chengchou quickly unrolled a map and frowned. "Isn't that the stronghold of those three traitors, Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and Shang Kexi?"

Cao Bianjiao replied, "My lord, there's more good news. Those three traitors—Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and Shang Kexi—have been executed by the Manchus!"

"Executed?" Hong Chengchou blurted out. "Why?"

Cao Bianjiao explained, "The Manchus claim Kong Youde and the others were undercover agents sent by His Majesty, and that they helped General Wang capture Shengjing and seize Hong Taiji."

"His Majesty's secret agents?" Hong Chengchou was skeptical. "Is that possible?"

"I don't believe it either," Cao Bianjiao said. "Most likely, the Manchus needed scapegoats and pinned the blame on those three. After all, they were mere lackeys."

"But as for General Wang Pu of Datong," he added, "I'd always heard he was a pampered young master, but who would have thought him so bold and spirited! He is a true hero!"

"That proves seeing is believing," Bai Guang'en said sincerely. "General Wang has taken the Manchu stronghold and captured their chieftain alive—this is the greatest Ming victory in all the years of the Liaodong conflict. My lord, you must report this triumph to the capital at once!"

Hong Chengchou paced back and forth, then asked abruptly, "General Cao, how credible do you think this news is?"

Cao Bianjiao replied, "I believe it at least seventy percent. Otherwise, why would the Manchus retreat so suddenly?"

"But it is still unconfirmed," Hong Chengchou said.

"My lord," Bai Guang'en urged, "you should still send this uplifting news to the capital as quickly as possible. If there is any uncertainty, you can specify that it is yet unverified and suggest the court confirm it through Korea or the Mongols."

"Very well," Hong Chengchou said, clapping his hands. "It will be done!"