036 Strategizing Behind the Scenes (History Becomes Restless from This Point On)

Two months ago, Yuan Zongdi led a massive army of one hundred thousand on a southward expedition, sweeping through everything in his path until he reached Anqing Prefecture. This news almost caused Zhu Yousong, who had just proclaimed himself emperor in Nanjing, to abdicate. At the time, Ma Shiying was conspiring with a group of generals about retreating toward Hangzhou. Not long after, they suddenly received a military report from Liu Zeqing claiming that the Shun rebels had suffered heavy losses at Huaining City. This allowed Zhu Yousong to heave a sigh of relief, and Ma Shiying even boasted about the event, as Liu Zeqing was originally his subordinate, and he felt entitled to a share of the credit.

Thus, the fact that Liu Zeqing had looted the Anqing treasury and fled in panic remained unknown, and no one investigated it further; instead, he was promoted and rewarded.

Now, Zhu Yousong, who had just appointed the legendary "Martial Top Scholar" as the Nanjing garrison commander and thought he could finally sleep soundly in Nanjing, was suddenly deflated upon hearing that the accursed Li Zicheng was attacking again. In his heart, he cursed Li Zicheng a thousand times: "Why are you back again, you brat? Wouldn't it be better if we just coexisted in peace?"

The Emperor's despondent expression soon spread throughout the imperial court. The officials were thrown into a state of panic, shaking their heads, sighing, and whispering to one another in confusion.

Wang Lanping looked at the crowd, then at the eager and expectant gaze of Zhu Yousong on the throne, and thought to himself: It seems the Chongzhen Emperor was truly right—all these civil and military officials deserve to be executed. If you were to pick any one of them out and cut them down, it would only benefit the future of the Ming Dynasty, never harm it.

Ma Shiying also seemed at a loss, instinctively looking toward Wang Lanping. The forces under Huang Degong on the Anqing front totaled only thirty thousand, and having just arrived in Hezhou, they were likely ill-prepared, making the defense extremely difficult.

Wang Lanping truly wanted to see if Ma Shiying possessed any real talent. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the Senior Grand Secretary is filled with profound strategies. With a mere band of rebels invading, the Senior Grand Secretary surely has a plan to repel the enemy. How could I dare to display my meager skills before him?"

Zhu Yousong nodded blankly. "Ah, yes. Senior Grand Secretary, do you have a good plan?"

Ma Shiying was taken aback. He knew that if he admitted complete ignorance, he would lose face. He hurriedly said, "When soldiers come, we block them. I believe we should immediately mobilize troops to meet the enemy."

"Mobilize troops from where, and send which generals?" Wang Lanping pressed further.

Ma Shiying looked at Wang Lanping with great annoyance. "Mobilize? Distant water cannot quench a near fire. Naturally, we should mobilize troops from nearby. Fengyang Regional Commander Liu Liangzuo’s troops are only six hundred miles from Hezhou and can arrive within ten days."

Wang Lanping smiled. "As far as I know, Liu Liangzuo’s forces also number only thirty thousand. Including Huang Degong’s troops, that is only sixty thousand in total. The rebel army also has sixty thousand; we have no advantage. Furthermore, the Central Capital, Fengyang, is the cradle of the Ming Dynasty’s rise. If Wu Sangui leads the Qing forces southward again, would we not be handing the Central Capital over on a silver platter?"

Ma Shiying’s face turned pale and then green. Stung by this question, he stammered, "This—this—Scholar Wang, didn't you just say that after the Battle of Tongguan, the Qing forces retreated to Beijing due to a lack of provisions, and that they would not come south for three to five months? What is wrong with me mobilizing Fengyang’s troops to reinforce Hezhou?"

Wang Lanping chuckled softly and bowed. "Senior Grand Secretary, that was merely my deduction based on the current situation. Whether the Qing forces come south does not depend on me. But Fengyang is the barrier of the Huai River. With General Liu Liangzuo there, the Qing forces will never rashly head south while they are short-handed. But once we withdraw the troops from Fengyang, whether the Qing forces will come south is beyond my knowledge. However, I assume you must have a foolproof plan for making such an arrangement, correct?"

Ma Shiying had only just learned of Li Laiheng’s renewed attack on Anqing and his approach to Hezhou; he had no plan at all. His only "strategy" was to shuffle his four regional commanders back and forth until the army was exhausted.

"I—I naturally have arrangements. But as Minister Shi just said, since you can predict the enemy, why not share your own thoughts?" Seeing the tide turning, Ma Shiying immediately shifted the focus.

The officials widened their eyes and instinctively turned toward Wang Lanping.

Ma Shiying was boiling with rage at Wang Lanping, thinking: I want to see what you are truly capable of. If not for the Battle of Tongguan and Yuan Zongdi’s northward march, how could you be standing here putting on airs today? Defeat the enemy? What will you use to defeat the enemy?

Wang Lanping bowed. "Since the Senior Grand Secretary has commanded it, I will display my meager skills. Whether it can defeat the enemy, I leave to the Emperor’s holy judgment."

Zhu Yousong heard this and hurriedly signaled the eunuchs to help him up. Grinning, he said, "Look, I was right about him. Quickly, quickly, relieve my worries!"

Wang Lanping had spent the last few days speculating on how to deal with Li Zicheng’s comeback. The current situation was grim. The main force of the Ming army consisted of the Four Garrisons of Jiangbei, with a total strength of nearly one hundred fifty thousand. There were also smaller garrisons in Chizhou, Huizhou, Ningnan, and Suzhou, totaling over one hundred thousand. However, these troops were different from the Four Garrisons of Jiangbei; their military power was controlled by local governors, and Zhu Yousong and Ma Shiying in Nanjing could not mobilize them. The most powerful among them was He Tengjiao, the Governor of Hunan, with over one hundred thousand troops, and Zheng Zhilong, the Regional Commander of Fujian, who commanded two hundred thousand naval and land troops.

In addition to these commanders, there were others driven south from Jiangbei by Li Zicheng, temporarily stationed on others' territory. The most powerful was the former Wuchang Regional Commander, Zuo Liangyu, who had been pushed to Jiujiang Prefecture by Li Zicheng’s southern expeditionary army, where he had occupied the territory and refused to leave, commanding over one hundred fifty thousand men.

By this calculation, the total strength of the Ming Dynasty exceeded seven hundred thousand, but the tragedy was that the imperial court could only command the Four Garrisons of Jiangbei. Wang Lanping knew well that the strategic positions of these four garrisons were vital, and none could be easily moved.

Wang Lanping walked closer to Zhu Yousong and bowed. "Your Majesty, the rebel Li Laiheng’s return was expected. With Huaining City lost, Anqing will surely fall. It can be inferred that the rebels have targeted the weakness of our defensive line along the Yangtze. Li Laiheng wants to seize the Yangtze, but he must fear General Huang Degong, who is stationed in Hezhou. He fears that if he crosses the river while his rear is empty, Huang Degong might seize Anqing, cutting off his retreat. His sixty-thousand-strong army would be trapped on the south bank of the Yangtze, leading to certain death. Therefore, Li Laiheng will definitely defeat General Huang Degong’s thirty thousand men first, then cross the river at his leisure."

Zhu Yousong did not understand any of this; he only wanted to know how to stop the bandits, and he stared intently, waiting for the rest.

Ma Shiying sneered dismissively, "This is common knowledge. The Emperor is asking how to repel the enemy."

Shi Kefa interjected, "Do not be impatient, Senior Grand Secretary. I believe Scholar Wang has more to say."

Wang Lanping nodded. "To repel the enemy, yes. The rebels lost Tongguan, and the gateway to Xi'an is wide open. Li Zicheng must open a path to the south to avoid the Manchu offensive. This will certainly be a fierce battle. However, Your Majesty, Senior Grand Secretary, Minister Shi—have you calculated the timeline? From the Battle of Tongguan to Li Laiheng’s renewed southern advance, it has been less than twenty days. In the Battle of Tongguan, the rebel leader not only lost men and generals but also a massive amount of supplies and provisions. Where could he have obtained the supplies for sixty thousand men to march south in such a short time? Therefore, I conclude that Li Laiheng is fighting and looting as he goes, sustaining the war through war; otherwise, his army would soon run out of food."

Shi Kefa nodded in agreement. "Indeed, that is correct. The rebels fear the Manchu barbarians will strike Xi'an while emboldened by their victory at Tongguan. Li Zicheng fears having nowhere to turn if he is defeated again, so he had no choice but to rush south. Yes, Scholar Wang’s reasoning is sound."

The other officials couldn't help but cast admiring glances at Wang Lanping. As expected of a top martial scholar, his analysis was logical and clear.

Wang Lanping continued, "Furthermore, once Li Laiheng’s sixty thousand men enter Anqing, he will immediately fall into a dilemma."

Ma Shiying asked, "Why?"

Wang Lanping paused to consider how to phrase this, then smiled. "This is all thanks to General Liu Zeqing’s foresight. When he withdrew his army from Anqing, he cleared out every granary and treasury in the city, leaving not a single grain for the rebels. Li Laiheng likely counted on Anqing, a great city of three hundred thousand, to provide him with supplies, never imagining that the city now contains nothing but three hundred thousand starving, red-eyed people."

Shi Kefa turned to look at Ma Shiying. A city had been emptied, and the imperial court had no idea—the audacity was staggering.

Ma Shiying knew about this; not only did he know, but he had accepted a one-hundred-thousand-tael hush-money payment from Liu Zeqing, and the other three regional commanders had received fifty thousand taels each. Only the Emperor, Zhu Yousong, had been kept in the dark.

Seeing this matter brought to light, Ma Shiying knew that defending Liu Zeqing now would only invite disaster. He coughed a few times, tried to remain calm, and shifted the topic. "So, are you saying that Li Laiheng will retreat without a fight?"

Wang Lanping said, "Of course not. I have dealt with Li Laiheng at Huaining City. He is a man of both courage and strategy, not one to easily admit defeat, and he possesses a strong competitive spirit. Since he has come, he will not retreat easily, nor can he. If I am not mistaken, there are two possible outcomes: first, Li Laiheng intends to win a quick victory to defeat General Huang Degong and replenish his supplies; second, he will hold his position while calling for urgent grain shipments from Xi'an. However, I believe a quick victory is more likely, because Li Zicheng does not know when the Qing forces will attack Xi'an, so the sooner he opens the path to the south, the better."

Zhu Yousong, growing anxious, stepped down from the platform. "Scholar Wang, you have said so much, but how exactly are we to repel the army?"

Wang Lanping straightened his posture and bowed. "Your Majesty should immediately issue a decree ordering General Huang Degong to divide his forces into two routes: one with twenty thousand men to hold Hezhou, and the other with ten thousand to enter Luzhou City and reinforce its defenses. The two cities are a hundred miles apart and can support each other. No matter which city Li Laiheng attacks, the other can send reinforcements. If he divides his forces to attack both, he will not be able to capture either. Within half a month, Li Laiheng will exhaust his grain and will certainly retreat to Anqing."

Shi Kefa nodded repeatedly. As the Minister of War, he understood these matters better than others; this strategy was indeed the most advantageous at the moment.

Ma Shiying, seeing that the others were leaning toward Wang Lanping’s side—a sign that the tides were turning—pulled a long face. "Defend? In your view, Scholar Wang, can our brave Ming army only passively take a beating? General Huang Degong should seize the opportunity while the enemy is unsteady and strike them by surprise. They are merely sixty thousand remnants; they are nothing to fear."

Wang Lanping could tell the old man was losing his nerve. Anyone could see that the Ming army had never taken the initiative against the Shun army; they had been retreating all the way from the Yellow River to the Yangtze. The old man was simply incapable of tolerating any opinion that wasn't his own; he was bound to oppose whatever Wang Lanping proposed.

Wang Lanping said, "Senior Grand Secretary, you are right. Li Laiheng’s troops are indeed remnants, but they are also battle-hardened survivors. General Huang’s thirty thousand men haven't fought a single battle since Zhang Xianzhong raided Fengyang in the tenth year of the Chongzhen era—that is seven years ago. Seven years without stepping onto a battlefield; some new recruits don't even know what a battlefield looks like. Have you considered the chances of success if we take the initiative? If we cannot win in one blow, the consequences would be unimaginable. A routed army collapses like a mountain; they might not stop until they reach Nanjing."

Zhu Yousong was terrified upon hearing this. He retreated and waved his hand. "Defend! Hold the line, and I shall reward you!"

Seeing that Ma Shiying was genuinely angry, Wang Lanping stepped forward and bowed, not wanting to push the old man too far. He knew that most of the court were Ma’s men; if he really threw caution to the wind and insisted on a confrontation, it would be a major problem. He put on a smiling face and whispered, "Senior Grand Secretary, I am also considering your interests. Think about it: General Huang Degong was your old subordinate. If this battle is won, will it not bring glory to you as well? Besides, I am only a minor garrison commander. Today, I only spoke in court to relieve the Emperor’s worries. You are the one who makes the final decision."

After speaking, Wang Lanping stepped back and bowed solemnly to Zhu Yousong and Ma Shiying. "I await the decision of the Emperor and the Senior Grand Secretary."

Hearing this, Ma Shiying regained some confidence. He looked at the Emperor, and Zhu Yousong was staring at him with great anticipation. Everyone knew the Emperor had no authority to make such decisions; it was up to the Senior Grand Secretary.

Ma Shiying smoothed his official robes and spoke to Zhu Yousong in an affected manner. "Your Majesty, after careful deliberation, I believe Scholar Wang’s words are feasible. I await your holy judgment."

Zhu Yousong was overjoyed. He ran back to the dragon throne and shouted, "Draft the decree..."

This was only Wang Lanping’s first step. Defense alone would not make Li Laiheng retreat. In the battle for Huaining, even after half his men were killed or wounded, he had not considered giving up, so more bait was needed.

Wang Lanping stepped out of the ranks again. "Your Majesty, for the sake of caution, I request a decree to concentrate all the garrison troops in Nanjing to a location fifty miles outside the city. We shall build a training ground and drill the soldiers. This will not only train the troops but also show support for the Hezhou defensive line, paralyzing the rebels and preventing them from attacking General Huang with full force."

There was another benefit to this that Wang Lanping did not mention: seizing the military power of those generals.

Zhu Yousong could decide this, as the fifteen garrison units inside and outside Nanjing were filled with factions that refused to obey each other or Ma Shiying. However, in name, they all respected one person: the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. That was why Zhu Yousong dared to appoint Wang Lanping as the supreme commander of the fifteen garrisons. It was true that Zhu Yousong held imperial power, but the prestige of his decrees depended entirely on the whims of others.

Zhu Yousong was very generous. "Approved!"