Chapter 144: An Initial Victory

Splendid! Wonderful!

Watching the city-wall artillery’s salvo obliterate Bolod, a fierce Oirat commander, not to mention Yu Qian and his two companions who pounded their tables in applause inside the watchtower, even the Ming soldiers who witnessed the spectacle burst into cheers of joy.

Of the dozen-odd cannonballs fired in the volley, at least half plunged directly into the Oirat cavalry formation. Apart from eliminating Bolod, the barrage sent dozens of horsemen flying and horses tumbling, instantly filling the air with heart-wrenching screams and the frantic neighing of steeds.

Consequently, the charging Oirat cavalry in the rear could not check their momentum and tripped over the fallen horses blocking their path. Even the few riders who miraculously skirted the obstacle had to haul fiercely on their reins, forcibly halting their charge.

In the blink of an eye, three thousand iron cavalrymen ground to a complete halt, bunching together in a chaotic mass along the main thoroughfare.

This sudden turn of events threw the Oirat cavalry into a panic. Instinctively, they looked toward Bolod at the vanguard.

To their horror, the tall, stalwart steed ridden by their commander was riderless!

Ahead of them remained only a dozen of Bolod’s personal guards, who were already spinning their horses around and fleeing wildly back the way they came.

Seeing this, the Oirat soldiers knew at once that their commander had been blasted to pieces, and the formation dissolved into total chaos.

"The general has been killed by cannon fire!"

Who knows who shouted first, but the Oirat army exploded into turmoil. In an instant, the news spread through the entire force as if it had grown wings.

Disturbing as the death of their commander was, the Oirats were far more focused on the activity atop the city wall.

Trapped within the effective range of the enemy firepower, the bunched-up soldiers had become sitting ducks for the Ming artillery. Should another salvo follow, heaven only knew how many unfortunates would be torn to shreds!

Seeing the Ming gunners atop the wall clearing their bores and reloading their charges, the Oirats' terror overwhelmed their reason. They wheeled their horses around and fled, ignoring all commands, curses, and beatings from their officers, completely powerless to stop the rout.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Another volley crashed down from the ramparts. The cannonballs bloomed like deadly flowers across the military formation, sweeping away vast swathes of men and horses.

This terrifying spectacle instantly revived the terrifying legends of the destructive power of Ming artillery among the Oirat cavalry.

These cavalrymen were strapping young Oirat men who had never experienced the campaigns waged by Emperor Taizong of Ming, Zhu Di, against the northern desert, and thus understood very little of the true might of artillery.

Though the Oirats had occasionally clashed with Ming border garrisons in recent years, things had rarely escalated to the point of deploying heavy artillery.

Around the time of the Battle of Tumu Fortress, the Ming forces had been thoroughly routed by the Oirats, leaving their anti-cavalry firearms with no opportunity to prove their worth. Consequently, the Oirat soldiers were utterly unfamiliar with these gunpowder weapons.

Whatever they knew of Ming firearms came mostly from the fireside tales of tribal elders reminiscing about the piercing lethality of Ming cannons.

Without personal experience, it was impossible to truly appreciate the helplessness of cavalry facing modern firearms. Having now tasted the terrifying power of Ming artillery firsthand, the fear planted in their hearts was magnified infinitely.

Flee!

Only by fleeing could they avoid death!

Only by fleeing would they escape being pulverized!

Only by fleeing would they live to reunite with their wives and children at home!

Such thoughts undoubtedly flashed through the minds of a majority of the three thousand Oirat cavalrymen. They shrieked at the top of their lungs, lashing their mounts mercilessly in a frantic bid to escape this earthly purgatory.

Yet, to their even greater horror, as they stampeded back the way they had came, a Ming detachment of no less than five hundred men cut off their retreat.

"Charge the line! If we don't charge, we die!"

Though leaderless, the basic instincts of the Oirat cavalry told them that only by smashing through this intercepting Ming force could they escape the artillery's killing zone.

Fortunately, the opposing Ming force numbered only five hundred. Against three thousand formidable Oirat elite cavalry, their odds of victory were exceedingly high.

As a people born on horseback, the Oirats were naturally exceptional cavalrymen. Without waiting for orders from their superiors, they instinctively consolidated their formation and resolutely accelerated toward the front.

However, the front-rank Ming soldiers simply raised their matchlocks.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Following a flurry of gunfire, a massive cloud of white smoke billowed from the Ming formation.

As the shots rang out, the Oirat cavalry charging at the vanguard fell from their saddles amidst agonized cries, tumbling like harvested wheat.

Whether startled by the gunfire or struck by lead balls, their mounts bolted wildly to either side, plunging deep into the nearby muddy fields.

Compared to heavy artillery, matchlocks possessed a much smaller shockwave, yet their lethality in a direct clash was far more terrifying. This single volley alone cost the Oirats no fewer than seventy or eighty riders.

Before the smoke cleared from the Ming ranks, the Oirat cavalry watched in horror as the front-rank Ming soldiers who had just fired stepped backward in unison, while the second rank stepped forward to replace them, raising their weapons to take aim.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Another volley cracked through the air. The wheat-harvesting scene repeated itself, and the Oirats' charge faltered once more.

The Oirats finally realized that this rotating volley-fire method employed by the Ming forces possessed an overwhelming restraining effect on cavalry.

Because they were bunched together, they could not effectively retaliate with bows and arrows. Furthermore, the effective range of archery from horseback fell far short of the range of firearms. Consequently, during this entire engagement, they could only use their flesh and blood to absorb the enemy's firepower.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

When the Ming matchlocks thundered for the third time, the two-thousand-plus Oirat cavalry completely broke. They leaped wildly into the water pools and muddy fields on either side of the road in a desperate bid to escape the killing zone.

"The battle is won!"

Witnessing this, Yu Qian, whose heart had been lodged firmly in his throat, finally exhaled a massive sigh of relief.

The crux of victory or defeat in this engagement hinged on whether those five hundred Divine Machine Division soldiers could shatter the Oirat cavalry. Once intercepted and left with no way out, the Oirats would have no choice but to seek survival by fleeing through the muddy fields on either flank.

Though those fields appeared vast, to the Oirat cavalry, they were graves deliberately chosen for them by the Ming forces.

Because the northern region was currently in its winter-irrigation period, the fields were a morass of deep mud. When warhorses plunged into them, their hooves sank deep, drastically slowing their pace.

Desperate to escape first, numerous Oirat cavalrymen chose to abandon their mounts, scrambling on hands and knees toward the opposite bank.

"Charge—!"

At that very moment, a heaven-shaking battle cry erupted from the main camp outside Xuanwu Gate.

Yu Qian and his two companions turned their heads to see Tang Jie personally leading a vast, mighty host surging out from the camp.

Xing'an slapped the windowsill and exclaimed excitedly, "Commander Tang's sortie comes at the exact right moment! The Oirats will lose at least half their forces today!"

After observing for a moment and noting that many Oirats had already scrambled ashore where Tang Jie's cavalry could no longer reach them, Yu Qian immediately summoned a messenger. He ordered Li Rui and Liu De, the garrison commanders of Zheng阳 Gate and Chongwen Gate respectively, to dispatch additional cavalry to pursue the fleeing Oirats from the flanks.

Watching the two cavalry detachments streak into the distance, Yu Qian and his companions finally stepped out of the watchtower.

Standing atop the city wall, Xue Rui felt a mixture of excitement and lingering emotion. He had never expected that the opening battle of the Defense of Beijing would unfold in a manner entirely divorced from historical records.

In actual history, the Ming forces' first victorious skirmish involved the troops of Regional Commanders Gao Le and Mao Fushou, who had been marching to reinforce Zijing Pass. They had happened upon three hundred Oirat cavalry probing the Ming defenses, and after a fierce engagement, the outnumbered Ming troops had driven the enemy off.

Yet that minor triumph had been heavily embellished by the imperial court, painted as a decisive battle that turned the tide of the war.

This time, however, the initial clash between the Ming garrison and the Oirat forces was not only greater in scale, but tenfold in intensity, and the fruits of the Ming victory were remarkably substantial.

This prompted Xue Rui to reflect: at what precise juncture had the trajectory of history begun to diverge along such subtle paths, and were these subtle shifts connected in any way to himself?

As Yu Qian and Xing'an exchanged thoughts on the battle, Yu Qian turned back to see Xue Rui standing deep in contemplation, gazing blankly into the distance with a solemn expression, as though pondering some momentous issue.

Xing'an asked curiously, "Lad Xue, we've won a magnificent victory, yet you wear such a gloomy face. Have you discovered some hidden peril?"

Rousing himself from his thoughts, Xue Rui hurriedly shook his head and replied, "This student was merely thinking that this single battle will undoubtedly restore confidence to the millions of soldiers and civilians inside and outside the capital, banishing the psychological shadow cast by the defeat at Tumu Fortress."

"Indeed. What the capital's soldiers and civilians lacked most was unwavering confidence in victory. Today's battle will unite them further, and those fifty thousand Oirat troops currently stationed at Liangxiang will no longer pose a serious threat," Yu Qian nodded in agreement.

Xing'an chuckled and turned to Yu Qian, saying, "Lord Yu, since the battle is won, this eunuch shall return to the palace immediately to report this monumental good news to His Majesty, so he may set his mind at ease."

As Xing'an was an imperial supervisor dispatched by the emperor, Yu Qian had no authority over his movements and merely cupped his fists. "Please do as you wish, Official."

Xing'an looked at Xue Rui and praised, "Lad Xue, you deserve the utmost credit for this great victory. When I return to the palace, I will faithfully report this to His Majesty and request an imperial reward for you."

Xing'an waved his hand dismissively. "You flatter me, Official. This student merely spoke a few idle words; the victory is entirely thanks to the grand coordinator and your brilliant strategic command, Official. If this student has any merit at all, it is no larger than this..."

As he spoke, he raised his little finger, pinching the tip to show the two men.

"Hahaha, you certainly have a way with words! Just wait for my good news!"

Xing'an let out a hearty laugh, exchanged parting bows with Yu Qian, hoisted the hem of his robes, and hurried down the ramparts.

When Xing'an had departed, Yu Qian turned a warm gaze upon Xue Rui.

"You already held favor in the emperor's heart. Coupled with this fresh merit, we might petition His Majesty to grant a special act of grace, allowing you to participate in the imperial examinations under the status of an astrology household. Once you attain a high rank on the imperial roster in the future, you will be able to serve as an official at court, achieve great things, and simultaneously continue your research in astronomy and calendar calculation to fully display your talents. What do you think?"

"This..."

Xing'an had to admit that for a fleeting second, his heart fluttered.

As a transmigrator, achieving great things and leaving one's name in history like Yu Qian to be praised through the ages was undeniably a wonderful prospect.

Yet, the moment he imagined the tedious eight-legged essays required for the imperial examinations—and the distinct possibility of repeatedly failing—he instantly dismissed the thought, deciding that lying flat to live as a happy slacker was far preferable.

As for becoming an official, it was best not to force it.

Noticing his hesitation, Yu Qian pressed on persuasively, "If you agree, I can put in a good word and ask His Majesty to break precedent just this once. Even ancestral dynastic systems laid down by Emperor Taizong are not necessarily immutable; after all, since the founding of our dynasty, successive emperors have violated ancestral precedents more than once."

As he spoke, Yu Qian instinctively lowered his voice and glanced around their surroundings.

If these words leaked out, they would undoubtedly be deemed treasonous. That Yu Qian uttered them openly before Xue Rui was a clear testament to his absolute trust.

Deeply moved, Xue Rui nearly agreed on the spot.

However, a sudden thought occurred to him, prompting him to lower his voice and ask, "Lord Yu, would it be possible for me to accumulate these merits and wait until I am later appointed as an official in the Bureau of Astronomy through regular selection, and then petition His Majesty to grant a special act of grace allowing me to transfer to another government office? Wouldn't that achieve two birds with one stone?"

"Hmm?"

Yu Qian's eyes widened as he stared at Xue Rui as if looking at some rare and exotic flower.

One had to remember that Emperor Taizong Zhu Yuanzhang had decreed in the sixth year of the Honghua era: All officials and students of the Bureau of Astronomy are permanently barred from transferring posts; their descendants shall study only astronomy and calendar calculation and are forbidden from pursuing other occupations.

This single regulation had severed any possibility of astrology households' descendants participating in the imperial examinations.

The solution Yu Qian had proposed was to have the emperor grant a special dispensation allowing him to study astronomy while simultaneously studying for the civil service examinations.

With Xue Rui's intelligence and diligence, he would eventually pass the metropolitan examination and become an official, allowing the court to acquire a versatile talent who was both capable of administrative work and proficient in astronomy, thus preventing Xue Rui's exceptional intellect from going to waste.

Yet Xue Rui had conceived a whimsical notion: to utilize his genuine proficiency in astronomy to secure a post within the Bureau of Astronomy, accumulate merit over time, and then petition the emperor for a special exemption allowing him to transfer to another branch of government while retaining his official standing. That way, he could become an official effortlessly without enduring the civil service exams, while still fulfilling Yu Qian's expectations—truly killing two birds with one stone.

After glaring at Xue Rui with furrowed brows for a long while, Yu Qian huffed, "I truly underestimated you! To think you would dare hatch such a clever scheme. Let me tell you, that is absolutely out of the question!"

"Why ever not?" Xue Rui asked, slightly disappointed. Although he had conjured up this plan in mere seconds, it promised faster results than Yu Qian's proposal, offered much better security, and spared him a mountain of grief. Yet, since Yu Qian had rejected it outright, he wanted to hear the reasoning.

Yu Qian shook his head. "It is not that I disapprove, but rather that it is virtually impossible to pull off. Even if His Majesty wished to show grace, he would likely face far greater resistance than he would in granting you permission to take the examinations.

"Just think: official positions at court are strictly limited. If an official from the Bureau of Astronomy suddenly barges in to seize a post meant for another department, do you think those officials would not resist?

"Furthermore, entering officialdom without taking the imperial examinations is considered irregular. You would inevitably be branded an opportunistic upstart, looked down upon in official circles, and your future career path would undoubtedly be fraught with obstacles. Even if you wished to accomplish practical deeds, you would be stonewalled by court officials for no reason. Do you consider that kind of official career to have any future?"

"So that's how it is!"

Xing'an had an epiphany. If things truly unfolded as Yu Qian described, even if he managed to transfer to another government department, he would undoubtedly suffer unprovoked ostracization. That outcome would be far less comfortable than remaining an official safely ensconced in the Bureau of Astronomy.

Yu Qian sighed. "You are a young man with your own mind, so I will not press you further. If you ever find my proposal agreeable, you may bring it up at any time, and I will help you find a way."

"Very well."

Seeing how much effort and care Yu Qian was investing in his future, Xue Rui decided not to let down the older man's good intentions and began to seriously reconsider the previous proposal.

Meanwhile, Xing'an galloped back into the palace precincts, racing swiftly toward the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

"A great victory! A magnificent victory!"

The moment he reached the palace gates, Xing'an raised his high-pitched eunuch's voice, shouting continuously and drawing curious glances from nearby palace maids and eunuchs.