[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army":3,"chapter-a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-123":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","A Little Soldier of the Late Ming Border Army",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1205412,1561,"Chapter 123: A Great Enemy Approaches","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-123",123,"\u003Cp>Especially those military households originally from Jingbian Fort. When they saw Wang Dou, their expressions grew even warmer; they all joyfully came forward to greet him, calling out, \"It's my lord! My lord has come over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They crowded around one after another, excitedly greeting Wang Dou. Wang Dou smiled and nodded to them in acknowledgment. These men were the earliest subordinates to follow him; they had offered up their own sons and younger brothers, yet he himself had been forced to give the order to burn their homes to the ground. Fate plays cruel tricks — that it should come to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou also spotted Qi Tianliang and his wife among the crowd. The two were directing squads of able-bodied men and sturdy women from the fort, carrying defensive equipment like rolling logs and stone missiles up onto the city walls. The military households from Jingbian Fort were assisting in defending the eastern wall of Shunxiang Old Fort, the section under Zhong Diaoyang's command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wang Dou, Qi Tianliang and his wife Tao hurried over to greet him. Wang Dou smiled faintly. \"Brother Qi, Sister-in-law Qi, have you been settling in well inside the fort?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wang Dou treat them so warmly in front of everyone, the two felt their faces glow with pride. Qi Tianliang said repeatedly, \"Well, very well. Officer Lin has arranged everything excellently. All the brothers in the fort have shelter, and there's hot soup and hot water to drink. We're all very satisfied.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then his eyes brimmed with tears. \"It's only a pity that Jingbian Fort was burned — all of it was your painstaking work, my lord... Those heaven-cursed Tartars...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou's expression also turned somber. \"As long as the people are safe, that's what matters. The fort was burned, but the day will come when it can be rebuilt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wang Dou grieved and sorrowful, Qi Tianliang and his wife in turn comforted him. They both said, \"My lord, set your mind at ease. No matter how many Tartars come, we will all follow at your side — through mountains of blades and seas of fire, at my lord's single word of command.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people from Jingbian Fort nearby all chimed in: \"Right, right! We'll follow my lord to fight the Tartars and never furrow our brows.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou bowed deeply with clasped hands. \"I am indebted to all of you, brothers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou walked on into the street. Every road he passed was densely packed with people. After the military households from the three forts had been moved in, there was not the slightest empty space left inside Shunxiang Fort; even every household within the fort had been assigned numerous additional people to lodge. It was plain to see that the military households from the three forts were all brimming with fighting spirit. Though their homes had been burned, the people were instead united by a shared hatred for the enemy, roused to a single purpose. Under the leadership of their respective squad leaders, they were all busily toiling in tense preparation — an atmosphere of readying for battle pervaded Shunxiang Fort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone he encountered, upon seeing Wang Dou, saluted him with respect. Their eyes were full of hope and expectation. Five thousand Tartar soldiers — just thinking of it made one afraid. They were all terrified and helpless; fortunately, Lord Wang was here. They could only pin their hopes on their lord to lead them to victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou smiled and nodded the whole way, giving the people confidence. His outward demeanor was utterly composed, betraying not a trace of the pressure and tension he felt inside. Seeing his smile, the soldiers and civilians he met along the road all unconsciously relaxed considerably, and they worked with even greater vigor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accompanying him at this time was Han Zhong. Han Chao, Wen Fangliang, and the others each had their own defensive duties. Lin Daofu and the Judicial Commissioner Chi Dacheng were busy organizing the able-bodied young men and auxiliary troops inside the fort; they were swamped and overwhelmed, and naturally had no time to attend upon Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For all of Han Zhong's rough-and-ready, carefree nature, after hearing yesterday that another five thousand Qing soldiers were coming, he too had felt as if a great chunk of him had died, and he had been mute the entire evening. Now, following beside Wang Dou, even he, usually so talkative, remained silent and wordless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officers like them were different from ordinary soldiers. The more they understood, the more they knew how formidable the opponent was — naturally unlike those common soldiers who grew fearless after winning a battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing the morale and spirit of the military households inside the fort, his vitality slowly began to return. He said to Wang Dou, \"My lord, the army's heart and morale are usable. We can still win this battle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou looked at Han Zhong and said, \"Brother Han, we must win. We cannot afford to lose!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a clamor arose from the street intersection ahead. Wang Dou's face darkened. With a great enemy bearing down, who would dare stir up trouble inside the fort?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He strode forward, and Han Zhong along with a large group of bodyguards hastily clustered around to escort him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they reached the intersection, they saw what appeared to be two groups of people confronting each other there, with many soldiers from the various forts gathered around watching. Shouts and curses continuously rang out from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A shrill voice was heard yelling, \"Xu Yue'e, you cheap slut! You dare injure our brothers? Do you think we'll let you get away with this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A string of voices rose in succession: \"Right, right! We can't let her off! This stinking woman dares to injure men of our Li family — she must be tired of living...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou's face darkened. Seeing Wang Dou approach, the military households on the street hurriedly parted to open a path, all saying repeatedly, \"My lord has come, my lord has come...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou stepped forward and barked, \"What is going on here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the two groups confronting each other. One group was led by Xu Yue'e; beside her were the dozen or so women who had previously trained in spear and staff at Jingbian Fort. The other group consisted of manor servants from Xinzhuang; Wang Dou recognized most of them as household slaves of the Li family within the manor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though those manor servants were shouting and cursing fiercely, they dared not approach Xu Yue'e, and they looked at her with startled, fearful eyes. At their feet lay several manor servants groaning on the ground in pain. Opposite them, Xu Yue'e stood in armor, silent and still, a long spear in her hand, looking at the group across from her with nothing but contempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wang Dou demanded an explanation, the military households nearby hurriedly explained all at once. It turned out that these manor servants had only been transferred into Shunxiang Fort at noon. After entering the fort, they had encountered Xu Yue'e and the others on the street and had grinningly come up to mock them, never expecting Xu Yue'e to give them a sound thrashing. Hence this clash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Xu Yue'e, she had originally had nothing to do inside the fort, but that very morning she had led those women who had previously trained in spear and staff at Jingbian Fort to seek out Wang Dou together, hoping that they too could take to the walls and kill the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou had seen Xu Yue'e's spear technique with his own eyes. Now, when every hand was needed, he naturally would not let a talent like Xu Yue'e go to waste. Taking into account the difference between men and women, he had assigned her to the auxiliary troops — specifically to the auxiliary squad under Zhong Diaoyang's picket. When the fighting grew urgent, she could assist the combat soldiers in defending the wall together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang also knew of Xu Yue'e's skill and had specially allocated a suit of leather armor to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since battle had not yet arrived, Xu Yue'e was likewise helping those women carry rolling logs and stone missiles up onto the wall. She had not expected to run into that batch of newly arrived manor servants from Xinzhuang on the street. They all knew Xu Yue'e's past, and seeing how greatly her appearance had changed — and that she was even wearing armor — they could not resist sneering at her with a few cold, sarcastic remarks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grinning, they had finished their jeers and were about to leave. They never imagined that Xu Yue'e, without a word, would swing her spear shaft sideways and suddenly thrust it into the belly of the man who had just mocked her, instantly leaving him writhing on the ground in agony. The other manor servants, seeing this, were shocked and rushed at her, several at a time, only to be swatted to the ground one after another by her as well. None of those manor servants dared move then; they could only stand across from her, cursing furiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou looked coldly at this gang of manor servants. Most of them were slaves of the Li family within the manor. Back when Wang Dou was in Xinzhuang, he had endured no small amount of their ridicule and contempt. He had no goodwill toward these people, and he had not expected them to stir up trouble the moment they entered the fort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said flatly, \"You have come into the fort — why did you choose to mock Miss Xu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These manor servants coughed. In the past, back in Xinzhuang, they had never thought much of Wang Dou. Although Wang Dou had now been promoted to Garrison Commander, they reminded themselves that their backer was the Li family of the manor — the master was a Government Student, after all, while Wang Dou was merely a military man. Thus their attitude toward Wang Dou was not particularly respectful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them said, \"My lord, this humble one dares to speak a word. That young woman Xu's person is not clean. Keeping such a woman inside the fort is unlucky and may bring ill fortune to the killing of the enemy. We humble ones were only thinking of my lord's interests.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over on the other side, Xu Yue'e immediately bit down hard on her lower lip. Wang Dou roared in fury, \"Insolence! Every military household member in this fort, man or woman, so long as they take up a weapon, is a brave warrior killing traitors for the nation! You dare insult my warriors who resist the enemy? Men! This man has spoken with insolent disrespect — give him fifty slaps across the mouth! If he dares spread bewitching rumors and shake the army's morale again, execute him on the spot!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Zhong, who was nearby, had long been boiling with rage. Moreover, for years he had found these household slaves of the Li family an eyesore. Now he rushed forward, seized the man by the collar, and with a series of sharp cracks, slapped him fifty times across the face, left and right. By the time he finished, the man's face had long since swollen into a pig's head, and Han Zhong's own hand was somewhat numb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Zhong cursed, \"Damn it all, this bastard's skin is thick as hide!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that man beaten into a pig's head, hearing Wang Dou's words about execution on the spot, and then noticing Wang Dou's bodyguards beside him as well as the unfriendly looks cast at them by the surrounding military households — only then did those manor servants recall Wang Dou's authority, the authority to control their very life and death at any moment. An authority that even if their own master was a Government Student, could not shield them from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did terror seize them, and they trembled and shivered from head to toe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Wang Dou heard someone cough, and then a deep, resonant voice spoke: \"Worthy nephew, calm your anger. The servants are ignorant; please, worthy nephew, do not lower yourself to their level.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It turned out to be the head of the Li family, Li Jichen, turning out from the street intersection. He even had a sedan chair, and a crowd of household slaves clustered around him. Accompanying him were the village head Jiang An and the tithing captain Xu Kuan. Xu Kuan stood behind Li Jichen, merely looking at his own daughter over on the other side with a complicated expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yue'e saw him too. She turned her eyes away, her shoulders trembling slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Li Jichen still wore a square scholar's cap and a jade-colored scholar's gown with wide sleeves and black trim, his dignified bearing unchanged. He stepped forward and saluted Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou cupped his hands and smiled faintly. \"So it is Uncle Li. Having arrived in the fort, I have not yet paid you a formal visit — truly discourteous of me. Has Uncle found a place to rest within the fort? Why not rest at my humble dwelling?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jichen replied, \"This old man does have a number of close acquaintances and friends within the fort, so I need not trouble my worthy nephew.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou smiled faintly. \"As you wish, then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression turned stern. \"With a great enemy before us, I must ask Uncle to keep these slaves of yours under control. Should they violate military law, the law is merciless.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he also greeted the village head Jiang An, and then, surrounded by his bodyguards, strode off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jichen watched Wang Dou's retreating figure, a thoughtful look on his face. Only the household slaves beside him had faces ashen with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Lin Daofu arrived in haste. He shouted at those manor servants, \"How dare you! You dare stir up trouble inside the fort? Get out of the fort immediately and go dig earthworks!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou returned to the Battalion Commander's official hall and saw his wife and mother. Xie Xiuniang's belly was already high and round. Counting the days, her due date was still some time off, but perhaps due to the disturbance of cannon fire in recent days, her fetal energy had become somewhat unstable. Wang Dou instructed the midwife to keep close watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhong, seeing Wang Dou, said worriedly, \"Dou'er, the Tartars are coming again. Can this city be held?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou comforted her, saying, \"Mother, it will be fine. Set your heart at ease.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A surge of heroic passion rose in his heart: No matter what, for the sake of his wife and mother, he would do his utmost to defend the city, using his own life to protect their safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the sixteenth day of the seventh month of the ninth year of the Chongzhen reign, early morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as all defenses were prepared at Shunxiang Fort and the troops stood ready in strict formation, wolf-smoke signals rose everywhere across Baoanzhou — large forces of Qing troops were already surging into the prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the beacon fires from the fire-road mounds could relay some information, they could not match the detailed reports of the Night Scouts’ reconnaissance riders. Fortunately, the day before, Wang Dou had already sent Night Scouts to the prefectural city to report the news that a large Qing army was about to arrive. Though Garrison Commander Xu Zucheng was stunned speechless, he still urgently ordered his men to prepare their defenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time the Qing troops entered the borders of Baoanzhou, the entire area was already under strict defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qing troops, cavalry and infantry intermingled, came surging forward in vast numbers — an overwhelming tide of white banners with red borders stretching as far as the eye could see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their elite cavalry scouts cleared the way, followed by the main body of cavalry and infantry, then the baggage train, and finally more elite cavalry bringing up the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the center of the Qing army were also large numbers of Mongol troops. All their armored combat soldiers were cavalry, each man wearing either willow-leaf armor or hoop armor, with red-tasseled hats or braided helmets. Every cavalryman, and every company of cavalry, carried a large black-tasseled sitting banner. For every squad of soldiers, the squad leader wore a small black-tasseled banner on his back. All their infantry wore no armor at all, only red-tasseled hats on their heads, with or without horses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their marching column, a massive gold-threaded dragon banner stood out with striking clarity. Around this dragon banner, densely packed as guards, were all elite White Armor Soldiers and Kabsh soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qing army’s line of march headed straight for Shunxiang Fort!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the hour of Si, they had already reached the outskirts of Dongjiazhuang Fort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing at Dongjiazhuang Fort, still blazing fiercely, expressions of shock appeared in the eyes of the Qing troops from top to bottom. They had already learned from their scouts that not only this Ming military fort before them, but also two large forts to the left and right, had all been set ablaze and reduced to ashes by the Ming forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From beneath the gold-threaded dragon banner came a voice: “Such a ruthless heart, such merciless methods. If this man cannot be used by our Great Qing, he must be eliminated!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.,\u003C\u002Fp>",2908,"2026-06-03T14:05:19.908Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","85b01441712733100d27e0d3250d4a725aa542de65235e24595d0248d05b6d48","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-124","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-122",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]