Looking at the mess left behind at the Chahar's grazing grounds outside Xuanfu Town, the Later Jin Heavenly Cong Khan Huang Taiji revealed a cold expression.
Lindan Khan, ah Lindan Khan, did you think you could escape?
Even if I have to pursue you to the ends of the earth, Your Majesty will destroy the Chahar.
While secretly seething, the Heshuo Beile Jirhalang stepped forward and reported, "Emperor, the army's food is about to run out.
Can we let the men forage (loot)?"
At this time, Jirhalang had just succeeded his elder brother Amin as the banner lord of the Bordered Blue Banner.
The lesson from his brother's failure was recent, so he acted with extreme caution and prudence.
After speaking, he stood respectfully with his hands lowered and said nothing more.
"Absolutely not," Huang Taiji said sternly.
"My Great Jin is a righteous army.
How can we loot arbitrarily and lose the hearts of the people?
Pass on Your Majesty's military order: Wherever the great army goes, kill those who resist the enemy and flee, do not kill those who do not resist, do not separate husbands and wives, do not rape women, and those who separate husbands and wives or rape women shall die."
"Yes!"
Jirhalang responded respectfully and asked again, "Emperor, but what should we do about the army's food?"
"Organize hunting parties, ask the Mongol tribes who have submitted to us to provide some grain and fodder, and also, immediately send people to scout for news of Lindan Khan.
Once the Chahar are defeated, will we still lack food?"
Huang Taiji's voice was as firm as iron.
The Eight Banners scouts brought news that Lindan Khan had fled to Hetuo.
Huang Taiji did not hesitate and decided to launch an attack immediately.
He divided the army into three routes: The first route, led by Ajige with ten thousand Mongol allied troops, would attack Dading and Xuanfu Town (both places had been captured by Lindan Khan); the second route, led by Jirhalang, Yuetuo, Dorgon, Hauge, and others with twenty thousand Manchu Eight Banners troops, would attack the Hetuo Plain; he himself, along with Manggultai, would lead the main force to continue westward, attempting to circle around to the flank of Hetuo and outflank the enemy.
This large flanking maneuver, once successful, would make the Chahar like fish in a net.
No one wanted to be a fish waiting to be slaughtered.
Lindan Khan also had scouts.
Upon hearing that the Later Jin army had arrived, he immediately fled west again, heading for Qinghai Province.
The pursuing troops of Jirhalang, Yuetuo, Dorgon, and Hauge caught up with the retreating Chahar army at Mulu Halakeqin.
The two wing commanders-in-chief, Tashihai and Huluk Zaisang, were soundly defeated.
Subsequently, Jirhalang and Yuetuo attacked Guihua City again.
Tashihai and Huluk Zaisang had only slightly over a thousand men left by their side.
In despair, they abandoned their weapons and surrendered.
Huang Taiji led his army in a flanking maneuver but only gathered tens of thousands of people left behind by Lindan Khan and did not capture Lindan Khan himself.
In late May, after entering and stationing in Guihua City, he received news that Lindan Khan had already crossed the Yellow River and left.
Because the journey was long and military provisions were insufficient, he stopped the pursuit and ordered the entire army to return via Xuanfu Town and Zhangjiakou.
Along the way, five leaders from the Chahar, including the Thousand-household Badaxi Zaisang, led over a thousand households to surrender.
Ajige strolled along the Great Wall at Xuanfu Town, looking around disdainfully, feeling smug.
Hmph, these Nikan (Han) thought building this long wall could block the advance of foreign troops, how ridiculous!
First the Mongols, then our Great Jin, didn't we both break through?
It's no wonder he was smug.
His route had the fewest soldiers, only ten thousand troops, yet they swept through like bamboo, easily capturing Dading and Xuanfu Town.
"Beile, the Emperor's military order: The entire army is to return via Xuanfu Town and Zhangjiakou," his subordinate's report interrupted his smugness.
"Hmm, withdrawing so quickly?"
Ajige was startled, then immediately ordered: "Take all the Nikan from Dading and Xuanfu Town to Shengying.
As for wealth, let the men take it for themselves."
"Beile, the Emperor did give an order, 'Do not kill those who do not resist the enemy, do not separate husbands and wives, do not rape women, and those who separate husbands and wives or rape women shall die'," the subordinate said, both surprised and pleased, mentioning Huang Taiji's military order.
"Hah, the Eighth Brother's military order is for the Mongols, not for these Nikan.
You all just enjoy yourselves.
If anything happens, this Beile will take responsibility."
As soon as this order was given, Dading and Xuanfu Town instantly became a living hell.
The Manchu and Mongol allied army gleefully stormed into Han homes, robbing money, stealing goods, and seizing women.
The slightest resistance was met with slaughter.
Men, women, and children, young and old, were tied together in strings and escorted to the Northern region.
This time, Ajige made a huge fortune, not only confiscating all the border-rewarding wealth stored by the Ming Dynasty in Zhangjiakou but also plundering a large amount of wealth.
While the Later Jin side cheered for victory, Lindan Khan's side faced a desolate and cold rain.
The Chahar who fled to the great grasslands of Qinghai Province lacked food and clothing, even reaching the point of "killing people for food."
Having no other choice, Lindan Khan could only seek help from his allies while also raiding the Ming border to obtain living supplies.
For survival, he clashed multiple times with the Great Ming Hong Chengchou, Governor-General of the Three Borders of Shaanxi.
His brother-in-law, Huntaiji Shuo Lei of the Khalkha Mongol Chechen, sent some supplies and hoped that he could relocate to Outer Mongolia.
However, Lindan Khan knew that this brother-in-law of his was ambitious.
He called himself "Chechen Khan" internally and, taking advantage of Lindan Khan's weakened state, enticed three of his Otoks to surrender.
Asking him to go to Outer Mongolia might not be with good intentions; perhaps he was planning to "hold the Emperor hostage to command the feudal lords."
Therefore, he accepted his brother-in-law's supplies but firmly refused to leave the great grasslands of Qinghai Province.
It was his younger brother Choktu Khong Tayiji who was good.
His grazing grounds were near Qinghai Lake.
Upon hearing that the Great Khan was in trouble, he immediately sent six hundred cattle and five thousand sheep, allowing the Chahar to catch their breath.
By this time, during Lindan Khan's escape to Qinghai Province, most of his followers had scattered, and the situation became increasingly severe.
But as a direct descendant of Genghis Khan, though his donkey had fallen, his frame refused to collapse.
He sent someone to issue an imperial decree praising him.
Upon hearing that the Great Khan's Envoy had arrived, Choktu Khong Tayiji dared not be negligent.
As before, he greeted the Envoy with great ceremony, setting up an incense table to receive the imperial decree.
Loyalty is revealed in times of hardship.
The Envoy was moved by his loyalty and expressed endless gratitude.
As soon as the Envoy left, Choktu Khong Tayiji ordered his followers to move their grazing grounds near Liangshan Pass (present-day Gangcha County).
"Father Khan (Choktu Khong Tayiji calls himself Qietu Khan), why do you want to move the grazing grounds to Liangshan Pass?" his eldest son Arslan asked in confusion.
Choktu Khong Tayiji stroked his big beard.
"You don't understand.
The Great Khan is our nominal master.
What if the Khan's order he issues goes against our interests?
Should this Father obey, or not obey?
So, it's better to just move the grazing grounds to Liangshan Pass, far away from the Great Khan.
With the sky high and the Emperor far away, this Father can properly be 'Qietu Khan'!"
"Father Khan, since the Great Khan has come to Qinghai Province, he is the common lord of the Mongols.
Issuing orders is inevitable.
Hiding all the time is not a solution," Arslan said.
"What you said makes sense.
Therefore, this Father has decided to stay in Qinghai Province personally and deal with the Great Khan.
You lead ten thousand troops and immediately attack and capture Lhasa, to establish a foundation for generations to come."
"But Father Khan, sending troops requires a pretext.
What name should we use?"
Choktu Khong Tayiji smiled and looked at Arslan.
"How could my son forget?
A while ago, this Father sent a memorial to the Great Khan, requesting to send troops to Lhasa to protect the Red Sect.
The Great Khan agreed to it.
Is there any better pretext than 'Acting on the Khan's order to protect the religion'?"