Chapter 107: Volume Three: Shunxiang Fort Garrison Commander, Chapter 107: Furious Rage

Volume Three: Shunxiang Fort Garrison Commander, Chapter 107: Furious Rage

According to Lin Daofu, the Shunxiang army had also captured one hundred and twelve sets of Qing armor. All were top-quality ironless cotton armor, iron-studded cotton armor, willow-leaf iron armor, chain mail, and the like. The Qing soldiers' artisan workshops outside Shenyang city stretched for over ten li, and with their strict management, all the armor they forged was of excellent quality.

If these armor sets were counted separately as cotton armor and iron armor, the number would double, because many Qing soldiers wore double-layered armor. Regrettably, many sets had been smashed and torn in battle and needed repair before use. Some captured round shields, sabers, and spears were also full of holes and notches, all requiring repair.

Nevertheless, the spoils from this battle could already be considered extremely rich.

Hearing Lin Daofu's words, everyone was overjoyed. One hundred and forty-seven heads taken, countless spoils captured, and among them several Tartar officers. With such conspicuous battle achievements, when the military merit rewards came down... every face beamed with delight.

In the Great Ming, merit for capturing or beheading Mongols was originally weighted most heavily; after the Later Jin rose, capturing or beheading Manchus became the most heavily weighted. An ordinary soldier who captured or beheaded one Later Jin soldier — now Qing soldiers — would be promoted one substantive rank, with silver and cloth rewards, up to a maximum of three ranks.

For commanding officers: a Squad Commander or Company Commander leading five hundred government troops whose subordinates took ten enemy heads would be promoted one substantive rank, with one additional rank for every additional ten heads. One leading a thousand men would be promoted one substantive rank for every twenty heads, with one additional rank for every additional twenty heads. Three ranks maximum in total, two substantive ranks and one acting rank, with silver and cloth rewards.

Wang Dou, serving as Garrison Commander with the rank of Battalion Commander, was in effect a Defense Squad Commander. Shunxiang Fort had a quota of just over three hundred soldiers; the rest counted only as military auxiliaries and had not yet been entered into the Baoan Prefecture guard battalion rolls. For this battle, Wang Dou would naturally be credited with the chief merit. With so many heads taken, he might well be promoted three ranks in succession. Even if his seniority was shallow and he had just been promoted, with such abundant military merit, he could at minimum receive an acting appointment as Vice Guard Commander, serving as the drill and defense commander of some major city.

Han Zhong and Sun Sanjie would have no problem rising several ranks either, and everyone else would receive some degree of reward. For a moment, all were jubilant.

Wang Dou also had Lin Daofu instruct the head artisan Li Maosen to immediately repair the captured armor. Whether cotton armor or iron armor, wherever there were holes, thick iron plates were to be riveted on at once as patches. These armor sets might, perhaps very soon, serve again to protect the lives of Shunxiang Fort's soldiers.

Lin Daofu assented solemnly, but then his voice sank low: "My lord, our army's casualties from this battle have already been tallied."

He flipped through the register in his hand and said: "Including the able-bodied auxiliaries, the Left Sentry and Rear Sentry soldiers who defended the city and joined battle suffered a total of seventy-four casualties. The Left Sentry soldiers defending the barbican and the left-side wall suffered forty-nine casualties, of whom twenty-seven were killed in action, nine were severely wounded, and the rest had wounds of varying severity. The Rear Sentry soldiers defending the right-side wall suffered twenty-five casualties, of whom fifteen were killed in action, four were severely wounded, and the rest had wounds of varying severity. I have already ordered that the wounded be well treated."

According to Lin Daofu, the greatest number of casualties occurred during the Qing soldiers' first volley of arrows. In just that one volley, over twenty men on Shunxiang Fort's wall were killed or wounded.

Moreover, the Qing archers were vicious; many of their arrows struck the vital points of Shunxiang Fort's soldiers. Their arrowheads were long and heavy, penetrating extremely deep with strong armor-piercing power. Many soldiers struck in the body bled uncontrollably and quickly lost any chance of being saved.

The close-quarters fighting on the wall and at the parapets that followed was also extremely brutal. Squad after squad suffered men killed and wounded. The Left Sentry's First Squad soldiers were hit especially hard — their entire squad of just over fifty men suffered seventeen casualties. They had already been mauled and needed to be reorganized and replenished with soldiers.

Listening to the words coming from Lin Daofu's mouth, everyone's hearts grew heavy. Han Zhong slammed a fist onto the table, seething with hatred.

Wang Dou also fell silent. In this defensive battle, their own casualty rate had reached one-seventh, and the estimated exchange ratio with the Qing soldiers was about three to one. In field battle, that exchange ratio would be even larger. Although the battle results were brilliant, his own capital was small and could not withstand such attrition.

In truth, some of the casualties could originally have been avoided, but there was no helping it — the experience of war must be accumulated through human lives and blood.

After a long silence, he looked at Lin Daofu and said: "The soldiers who fell in battle must be properly compensated with pensions. The wounded must be properly treated. Those who earned merit in battle must be promptly rewarded and promoted!"

Lin Daofu saluted solemnly: "My lord, rest assured, this subordinate understands."

Wang Dou rose to his feet: "I am going to visit and comfort the wounded soldiers."

Leaving Han Chao and Lin Daofu to patrol the wall, Wang Dou took Han Zhong, Sun Sanjie, Wen Fangliang, and the others down from the gate tower.

By now, the interior of Shunxiang Fort had become one great construction site. The streets were full of able-bodied military households who had taken part in the defense. They assisted the combat soldiers in defending, manufacturing and transporting defensive equipment, rushing back and forth without pause. Even many sturdy women were no exception.

Shunxiang Fort had already organized all of them. The old Shunxiang Fort originally contained over three Company Commander, with more than six hundred males and over four hundred able-bodied adult men. The majority of their males had already been organized into two sentries of new troops for Shunxiang Fort's Left and Right. In addition, Wang Dou had taken in refugees and established the new Shunxiang Fort. Aside from the one hundred new military households sent to Jingbian Fort, the new fort had a population of over 2,700, with more than 1,300 males. From them, five hundred able-bodied men were selected and again organized into two sentries of new troops.

With this clearing of the fields and strengthening of the walls, Shunxiang Fort had also taken in two Company Commander from various forts and hamlets — over a thousand people, with more than five hundred males. The old Shunxiang Fort already had no surplus adult males, so the males of the new fort, together with the males of the two relocated fort hamlets — all their able-bodied men — were organized into auxiliary troops. They were formed into squads of fifty men each, most of the squads bearing sabers and spears, for a total of over twenty squads. They were led by the Company Commanders and Platoon Leaders of the new fort, as well as the hamlet heads of the relocated hamlets, under the unified command of Lin Daofu, jointly assisting the combat soldiers in defending the city and fighting.

Every squad had an officer Squad Commander leading it, and every squad had its own assigned tasks. The sturdy women were likewise organized into squads, with squad leaders appointed, and set to work alongside the men, making defensive equipment and the like. The more delicate women washed clothes and cooked for the soldiers and civilians, and made some simple implements — equally busy without pause.

Their supervision was the responsibility of the Fort Inspector Chi Dacheng. Should anyone be found slacking, Wang Dou ordered Chi Dacheng to behead them on the spot according to the Great Ming's wartime military discipline and law. Furthermore, with Qing soldiers massed outside the city and everyone's life or death at stake, no one dared be negligent.

The whole fort, high and low, pooled their wisdom and efforts to overcome the crisis together.

For those two hundred newly arrived hamlet households, they were settled in the vacant areas between the old and new forts to build shacks, and then organized every day to work and defend the city. After arriving at Shunxiang Fort, their originally anxious and fearful hearts relaxed. The military households inside the fort and the brothers of the four combat sentries strictly observed military discipline; there was no bullying of newcomers, nor any lawless rampages. No one seized the meager belongings they had brought from their original hamlets. They had full meals every day for their work. Compared to their former lives in their own hamlets, it was like heaven and earth.

Were it not for the Tartar soldiers outside the city, this life would already be utterly perfect. Many began to harbor thoughts of staying in Shunxiang Fort after the war.

Through a series of bandit-suppression campaigns and seizures, Wang Dou had over four thousand taels of silver and over a thousand dan of grain and rice in stores, plus several hundred head of pigs and sheep. The earlier construction of the new Shunxiang Fort and Jingbian Fort walls had cost him over a thousand taels of silver and some grain and rice. But the remaining silver, grain, and rice were enough to supply the entire fort for this year's use.

Wang Dou's painstaking efforts had finally paid off in a major way. The four combat sentries could eat and drink freely every day, with meat supplied in abundance. All the auxiliary military household men and women in the fort could eat their fill. With effective organization and shared hatred for the enemy, although Qing soldiers massed outside the fort, morale within was high — especially after the victory just won.

Surrounded by his guards and officers, Wang Dou strode through the streets. Seeing Wang Dou approach, the combat soldiers on patrol and the busy auxiliaries in the streets all saluted him respectfully, their eyes full of reverence. It was precisely because of Wang Dou's leadership that Shunxiang Fort could withstand a great foe and protect the safety of all the fort's soldiers and civilians.

At the East Street intersection, Jia Duonan, the hamlet head of Zhouzhuang, was loudly directing his squad of able-bodied men to carry rolling logs and stone missiles up to the wall. Under the sunlight, his scalp gleamed even more brightly. Sharp-eyed, he spotted Wang Dou and hurried over, bowing and scraping, repeatedly addressing him as Lord Garrison Commander.

Wang Dou glanced at him and remembered the man. He said: "So it is Hamlet Head Jia. How is the morale of the military auxiliaries in your squad?"

Jia Duonan said loudly: "High, extremely high! Especially after hearing the news of the great victory of our brothers on the wall, the brothers in the squad are all rubbing their fists and palms, hoping to go up the wall and fight the Tartars too."

Wang Dou nodded and said: "Very good. Keep up the good work."

Jia Duonan said repeatedly: "This humble officer understands. My lord, please be fully at ease."

After Wang Dou left, Jia Duonan said smugly to Lu Xianyang, the hamlet head of Chafang Fort beside him: "Brother Lu, how was my performance just now? It seems His Lordship was praising me."

Lu Xianyang co-managed a squad of able-bodied men with Jia Duonan. He rubbed the large tumor on his chin and said: "Judging by his expression, His Lordship was quite satisfied with Old Brother Jia. This is Old Brother Jia's quick wits, and also our good fortune — we were just working diligently when His Lordship happened upon us."

He mused: "It seems His Lordship has already taken notice of us. If this continues, perhaps we two brothers may have hopes of rising high in the future."

Both men laughed heartily, then loudly urged the military auxiliaries back to work.

Wang Dou arrived in front of the Battalion Commander's official hall. This area was open ground with several large banyan trees, their branches and leaves lush and dense, providing considerable shade, so the place for treating the wounded had been set up here. After their wounds were bandaged, soldiers with less severe injuries were carried into the barracks to rest, with their dressings changed every few days thereafter until the wounds healed completely.

When Wang Dou arrived, beneath the banyan trees on the grounds, rows of simple cots had been laid out. A smell of blood and intermittent groans of pain wafted through the air. Inside, Wang Tianxue and numerous medical apprentices were bustling about. They had long prepared plenty of vessels for boiling water, along with wound medicines, sharp blades, and the like, to cut and extract arrowheads from these wounded soldiers, cleanse their wounds, apply medicine, and bandage them.

There were over thirty severely wounded men being treated here. Seeing Wang Dou and the others approach, many wounded soldiers struggled to sit up. Wang Dou hurriedly bade them lie down. Wang Tianxue also came forward and saluted Wang Dou.

Wang Dou asked: "How are the soldiers' wounds?"

Wang Tianxue shook his large head and sighed: "The rest are manageable, but those dozen or so severely wounded — I fear they cannot be saved. This student is powerless to help."

His voice carried a note of exhaustion, and the Confucian robe on his body was extremely wrinkled. Since the battle began, he had been busy without pause and was already very weary. These past two days, he had also, uncharacteristically, not touched a drop of alcohol.

Although the weather was sweltering, thanks to timely treatment, the wounds of most of the lightly wounded would not become inflamed. After cleaning and bandaging, many could survive. These soldiers would become a precious asset to the army.

But for those thirteen severely wounded, some had been struck in the eye, throat, or neck by arrows, others had been deeply slashed or stabbed by Qing weapons during the melee on the wall. Their wounds were extremely grave, with little chance of survival. Several had even breathed their last the moment they were carried in.

Wang Dou stepped forward to comfort the wounded, telling them to rest easy and recover. The soldiers all nodded vigorously, deeply moved. Wang Dou looked at the severely wounded before him. They groaned loudly; many were already on the verge of death. Wang Dou's heart was heavy with grief. These were all good soldiers he had painstakingly trained, and to think they were about to pass like this — especially having to watch them die helplessly before his eyes. For the first time, he felt his own powerlessness.

Low sobbing rose nearby: two of the severely wounded could hold on no longer and slowly breathed their last. Wang Tianxue sighed and waved a hand, having several auxiliaries carry their remains away to be gathered in one place for a unified burial later.

Wang Dou stared blankly. Suddenly, he heard a soft call: "My lord... my lord..."

It was a severely wounded arquebusier from the Left Sentry's Second Squad. Eight sharp arrows had struck him from the forehead to the face; his face was densely covered with arrows, and even both eyes had been shot blind. In his condition, there was naturally no hope of saving him, but he was extremely tough. After being carried in, he had struggled all along, refusing to let go of his last breath.

His hands groped with difficulty. Wang Dou stepped forward, took his hand, and said gently: "I am here."

The severely wounded arquebusier gripped Wang Dou's hand tightly. With a sharp arrow lodged beside each side of his lips, speaking was very difficult. He said haltingly: "...My lord divided land for my humble family... this humble one is willing to die in battle for my lord. Only... only my young wife remains at home, and a daughter not yet one year old... I earnestly beseech my lord to look after them..."

Han Zhong wiped away a tear, suddenly leapt up, and said loudly: "This brother, set your heart at ease. The wife and daughter in your home — I will take care of them on your behalf."

Wang Dou also said gently: "Set your heart at ease. I will..."

At this point, his words suddenly stopped. The severely wounded arquebusier had already breathed his last, though the faint trace of a smile lingered at the corner of his lips.

Wang Dou rose with a long sigh. After this battle ends, who knows how many more brave men must die.

……

Outside Shunxiang Fort, on the level ground by the hills south of the city, the Qing troops had already set up a large camp. Vast rows of tents, all in pure white bordered with red banners, with strict sentry patrols. Squads of Qing scouts moved in and out of the camp, and teams of unarmored attendants shuttled between the Dongfang River and the Qing main camp, carrying water, cooking meals, and tending the horses.

The Eight Banners army pitched camp with considerable discipline. Since the days of the old chieftain, when they marched and hunted, in winter they set up stockades, in summer they dug trenches, and they grazed their horses within the stockades and trenches, passing horns, watch arrows, and sentry tokens to mark the night watches, so that neither men nor horses ever strayed or scattered. Now, before the great tent where a tall banner pole stood raised high within the camp, roars of rage and the sound of whipping came from inside the tent.

Inside the tent, that Jia La Zhangjing was brandishing a leather whip, lashing furiously and without pause at the Niu Lu Zhangjing who was prostrate on the ground. The several other Niu Lu Zhangjing standing nearby were all silent as winter cicadas, not daring to move in the slightest.

The outcome of this battle had far exceeded that Jia La's expectations. The casualties were so severe — those lost warriors were all the elite of the banner, yet they had been buried here beneath the walls of this tiny Battalion Commander's fort. That Jia La Zhangjing could well imagine the rage of Rao Yu Beile Abatai. Thinking of that terrifying scene, a surge of fury rushed straight to that Jia La Zhangjing's head.

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Old White Ox:

Some readers have asked for more updates. Because I am busy with shop matters, and because I am always very slow when writing battle scenes — many numbers need to be counted and assessed — I cannot speed up. I will do my best to write a bit more while ensuring quality.

Furthermore, aside from occasional daytime power outages, I generally do not update at night now, to ensure good rest and condition.