Hong Chengchou's 100,000 elite troops, sent to break the siege of Jinzhou, were crushed by the Eight banner armies of the Qing Dynasty at Songshan.

Ming leaders largely spent their energies building fortresses, relying on artillery and cannons as defensive measures rather than going on the offensive.

In the tenth lunar month, Hong Chengchou left Shanhai Pass and summoned eight generals: Wu Sangui, Cao Bianjiao, Wang Tingchen, Bai Guang'en, Ma Ke, Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, and Tang Tong.

The Ming troops under their control, numbering up to 100,000 infantry heavily armed with matchlock muskets and 40,000 cavalry, were ordered to liberate Jinzhou.

Meanwhile, Zu Dashou still maintained the defence of Jinzhou and used Songshan(松山), Xingshan(杏山), and Tashan(塔山) as defensive wings.

On the Qing side, generals Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming and Shang Kexi were ordered to reinforce the troops laying siege to Jinzhou.

Hong Taiji therefore decided to remain on the defensive, conducting only small scale attacks on the Ming army's front line.

Hong Chengchou's other desperate subordinate, Xia Chengde, secretly communicated to Qing and promised to open the city gate.

[3] On the 18th day of the second lunar month in the following year, Qing troops finally broke through and captured Hong Chengchou along with xunfu Qiu Minyang and some other generals.

Hong Chengchou was then assigned into the Yellow Banner and appointed the military governor of Nanjing during the reign of Shunzhi.