I was living at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and I dealt a brutal blow to the Eight Banners!

Donghai Fort is located more than 200 li east of Jinzhou.

To the west and north are broad plains, to the south are the Linghe River floodplains, and to the east is the northern part of Liaodong Bay.

Located in a remote area with no natural defenses, it was not a strategically important location.

The Qing army was already at a disadvantage in terms of troop strength, so it would not spare any troops to garrison such a useless place.

The Ming army did want to occupy it, since Donghai Fort could directly threaten the Qing army's supply lines to the north, like a nail, forcing the Qing army to divide its forces for defense.

However, since Donghai Fort is surrounded by wide plains to the west and north, it is almost impossible to defend. Once it is surrounded by the Qing army, it will be extremely difficult for the Ming army in Jinzhou to come to its aid. The only way to survive is to escape by sea.

Therefore, no matter how fiercely the Qing and Ming armies fought in Jinzhou, Donghai Fort was not greatly affected, remaining like a paradise.

Hong Chengchou set his sights on Donghaibao because of its strategic location at the sea outlet.

Transporting grain and supplies from within the Great Wall to Donghai Fort by sea takes one-third the time and one-fifth the time compared to the land route. This not only eliminates concerns about harassment from Qing cavalry but also serves as a bridgehead for future counterattacks.

Fighting a war is just like playing chess.

Every seemingly casual move, though seemingly insignificant, can become the final straw that breaks the opponent's back at crucial moments.

"I said, why is there so much straw piled up here?"

Zhang Jingchuan, riding on horseback, asked Li Daniu beside him.

“It gets cold early outside the pass. In another two or three months, it will snow. There is plenty of moisture in the forest, and the roads are prone to icing. Not to mention that people and horses will easily slip on them, even carts will have a hard time traveling on them. So people in the nearby villages will prepare straw in advance to spread on the roads to prevent slipping,” Li Daniu replied.

“That’s not what I’m asking,” Zhang Jingchuan said, pursing his lips. “The fighting in Jinzhou has been going on for almost a year, and there are refugees everywhere. How can there still be people farming here peacefully?”

Li Daniu scratched his head, chuckled twice, and said, "Sir, Donghai Fort should be just ahead. You'll know once we get there."

"It wasn't easy. We walked all night in the dark, and we've finally arrived. Let's tell the brothers to keep up the good work and get to the fort for lunch and rest before noon!"

The voice just fell,

Zhang Jingchuan then spurred his horse forward.

Li Daniu shouted to the crowd behind him, and the more than four hundred people quickened their pace.

For a time,

There was a rustling sound in the woods, and dust was flying everywhere.

But not long after, things slowed down again.

Because the vanguard of the column had just left the woods, Zhang Jingchuan had to order a slowdown in the march.

Once out of the woods, the view opened up dramatically, without the desolation and decay of a border fortress, or the tension and oppression of being deep in a war-torn land.

Instead, the fields stretched out in abundance, presenting a thriving and prosperous scene.

even,

Many farmers who were busy working in the fields heard the commotion from the woods and put down their work, straightened up, and curiously looked at Zhang Jingchuan and his group.

Zhang Jingchuan couldn't help but turn around and look at Li Daniu, who was riding up beside him, and asked:

"Brother Niu, are you sure we haven't taken the wrong road?"

Is this Liaodong?

Is this Liaodong, which was occupied by the Qing army?

The area around Songshan is full of ruins, and there is not a soul in the surrounding villages and towns. How come this place, which is only about two hundred miles away from Songshan City, is a fertile land?

Moreover, looking at the rosy complexions of the farmers and women here, they hardly seem like people who have been starving for three days and nine meals a day in a war-torn land.

What a day!

What a sight!

Even within the Great Wall, there is no scene like this.

After a brief discussion with Li Daniu, Zhang Jingchuan instructed Li Daniu to lead two banners of men to Donghai Fort ahead to investigate the situation.

……

Inside Donghai Fort,

Ao Bai, shirtless, was feasting in the hall.

An old man dressed in plain clothes stood to one side, his eyes cloudy, his face showing a look of resignation to death.

"What's your decision?" Ao Bai didn't look up at the old man, but instead continued chewing the mutton in his mouth.

The old man acted as if he hadn't heard anything, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Ao Bai put down the small knife he was using to cut meat, picked up a silk cloth from the table to wipe his mouth, and said indifferently, "Xu Fuzou, His Majesty thinks highly of you by asking you to serve the Qing Dynasty. Don't be ungrateful!"

The old man looked up at Ao Bai, meeting his fierce gaze without fear, and said, "Back when I was following Governor Yuan (Yuan Chonghuan) to kill you bandits in Jinzhou, you were lucky you didn't run into me on the battlefield, otherwise you wouldn't have the chance to sit here eating meat now!"

"Hehehe," Ao Bai was not angry at Xu Fuzou's sarcasm, but just laughed and said, "Yuan Chonghuan was considered one of the capable soldiers in your Ming army, but where is he now?"

Xu Fuzou choked, a bitter look appearing on his face, and lowered his head.

Seeing Xu Fuzou's gloomy face, Ao Bai grinned and said, "A tiger is inherently weak and sickly. It can't kill the wolves in the mountains. Instead of blaming itself for being incompetent, it blames itself for not having sharp enough teeth and claws. In the end, it pulls out its teeth and grinds down its claws."

What's the difference between a tiger without teeth and claws and a cow or sheep?

Xu Fuzou was pale and remained silent.

Ao Bai smiled and continued, "Our Emperor knows you are in Donghai Fort. Because he respects you, he has not sent troops to disturb you in recent years. Don't take yourself too seriously!"

As I said before, as long as you, Xu Fuzou, pledge allegiance to the Qing Dynasty, we will not touch a single blade of grass or tree in Donghai Fort.

If you remain obstinate, not only will you die, but everything in Donghai Fort will be buried with you.

Xu Fuzou frowned, his face showing a struggle.

at this time,

A Qing soldier entered and reported:

"Captain, a Ming army has arrived outside the fort!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Fuzou's eyes lit up, and he immediately turned his gaze to the Qing soldiers who had come to report.

Ao Bai glanced at Xu Fuzou and asked the soldiers, "How many troops have come?"

"The vanguard of sixty men has reached the outside of the fortress, and there are more than three hundred men behind them," the sergeant replied.

When Xu Fuzou heard that only four hundred Ming soldiers had come, his face stiffened, and he sighed with regret.

Although Ao Bai only brought three hundred men, these three hundred Qing soldiers were the elite of the Bordered Yellow Banner. Not to mention that the Qing army could defend the fort, even if they were to take all three hundred men out to fight the Ming army in the open field, the four hundred Ming soldiers would not be a match for them.

Moreover, Ao Bai was so brave and fierce that Huang Taiji bestowed upon him the title of Baturu.

Moreover, Ao Bai was a master of military strategy. Even if the Ming army had sent a thousand men, let alone only four hundred, they probably wouldn't have been a match for Ao Bai.

Xu Fuzou shook his head and sighed inwardly.

Seeing Xu Fuzou's dejected expression, Ao Bai was in high spirits. He wiped his hands with a silk cloth and then said loudly:

"Put on your armor and follow me to kill the enemy!"

……