[{"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-13":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},1205302,1561,"Chapter 13: Victory Report","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-13",13,"\u003Cp>After Wang Dou and the others left, Zhang Gui returned to the rear courtyard and asked Zhang Tanggong, who was inside: \"How is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Tanggong replied: \"Congratulations, my lord — they are all genuine heads.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and Zhang Gui walked over to some water buckets in which human heads were soaking, all facing upward. Zhang Tanggong pointed at the heads and said: \"The faces are all upward, every one a man, and the braids are not freshly shaved. Judging by their teeth as well, this humble officer is certain they are all genuine Tartar heads!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Gui's last trace of worry vanished. He burst out laughing: \"Excellent! There is no time to lose. Tanggong, ready a horse at once — I shall go in person to Shunxiang Fort and report this happy news to Defense Commander Xu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Zhang Gui arrived at Shunxiang Fort, Garrison Commander Xu Zucheng was overjoyed at the report. All this time he had been fretting over how to obtain the post of Garrison Commander of Bao'an Department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Bao'an Department city Garrison Commander died alongside the department magistrate last month, he had set his sights on that post. But the competitors were many — how could it be easy to obtain? Now, with this military merit, and given his good relations with Bao'an Guard Garrison Commander Li Yian, his confidence in securing the garrison commander post was greatly strengthened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two men deliberated for a long while. Xu Zucheng had his subordinate clerk Feng Dachang draft the victory dispatch that very night, and the brush flew swiftly to completion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shun Fort victory report: On the twenty-sixth day of this month, scouts discovered slave caitiff sentries plundering Bao'an villages. Garrison Commander Li Yian devised the strategy from headquarters, Garrison Commander Xu Zucheng directed operations with unshakable calm, and Dong Family Fort Unit Commander Zhang Gui shared a common hatred of the foe, dispatching night scouts and death-defying warriors to raid them... Battle cries shook the heavens. Soldiers Wang Dou, Han Chao, and others, wielding long spears and short blades, charged forward with valor, fighting fiercely for dozens of bouts. Relying on His Majesty's heavenly might, they thoroughly smashed the bandit lair, taking ten caitiff heads... including one Tartar slave heavy-armor soldier, one caitiff squad leader, and eight Tartar slave foot-armor and horse-armor soldiers. They seized twenty-three slave horses, ten slave caps, fifteen slave armor sets, and over thirty barbarian implements — bows, arrows, swords, spears, banners, and signals. They recovered more than twenty captured men and women. Truly a great and victorious triumph, blunting the caitiffs' sharp edge... The details of merit are as follows...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the victory dispatch was written, Xu Zucheng immediately sent it by relay horse to Guard City Garrison Commander Li Yian to report the victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the victory report reached Bao'an Guard City, Garrison Commander Li Yian was extremely pleased. He had Guard City Clerk Jia Zongyu polish the text slightly, then sent it by relay horse to Huailai Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ji Shiwei to report the victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Shiwei was instantly overjoyed upon receiving it. This victory report was timely rain for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of the Later Jin army's invasion, the Chongzhen Emperor was furious and strictly investigating the crimes of local defending officials who had failed in their duties. Not long before, Regional Commander of Xuan-Da Zhang Zongheng, Xuanfu Provincial Governor Jiao Yuanqing, Datong Provincial Governor Hu Zhan'en, and Shanxi Provincial Governor Dai Jun'en had all been dismissed and detained on charges of ineffective frontier governance and failure to resist the caitiffs. The three garrison regional commanders and the supervising eunuchs were likewise dismissed. A great earthquake had struck the Great Ming officialdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the assigning of blame on all sides, Huailai Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ji Shiwei was likewise caught in the vortex. A few days earlier he had submitted a memorial defending himself, arguing that when the eastern slaves pressed close to the imperial tombs, Mobile Corps Commander Mao Bin had boldly coordinated support, Assistant Regional Commander Zhang Guowei had discussed the proper course of battle and defense face-to-face, and his own withdrawal to Liugou had involved no negligence whatsoever, requesting the Ministry of War to conduct a thorough investigation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, he had rendered meritorious service, not fault!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the news coming from all sides was far from optimistic. Just as he was sunk in worry, receiving this victory report was undoubtedly like charcoal delivered in the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten caitiff heads taken, twenty-three slave horses captured, and supplies beyond counting — in the midst of the army's general gloom, this could be counted as a splash of eye-catching brilliance. Moreover, the Bao'an Department Guard fell under his own Huailong Circuit jurisdiction, so the merit of effective troop command naturally included a share for him. With this merit, perhaps he could keep his official post after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his delight, Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ji rewarded the victory messenger with a set of clothes and two taels of silver. He then dispatched men to relay the victory news by express: one report to the provincial governor, one to the Regional Commander, and one to the Ministry of War. He also prepared a memorial, sealed for delivery directly before the throne. After all this was done, in a cheerful mood he had his most beloved youngest daughter, Ji Junjiao, play the flute and zither for his enjoyment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newly appointed Regional Commander of Xuan-Da at this time was Yang Sichang, with Chen Xinjia as the new Xuanfu Provincial Governor and Lu Baozhong as Xuanfu Regional Commander. The Emperor's earnest expectations weighed heavily, and the examples of their predecessors were not far behind — all three men were under enormous pressure. When they suddenly received the victory report from Huailai Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ji Shiwei, all three were overjoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A victory report arriving just as they took office — this was an auspicious sign! What would His Majesty think upon hearing it? At once, all parties demanded that the merits be verified as quickly as possible. If the verification proved true, the verification roster was to be submitted promptly and a recommendation for promotion and reward immediately memorialized, lest the hearts of loyal and valiant officers and soldiers grow cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xuanfu Regional Investigating Censor Liu Bangzhen had long been on good terms with Yang Sichang. At the newly appointed Regional Commander's behest, Liu Bangzhen hastened toward Huailai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the intercalary eighth month of the seventh year of Chongzhen, which was already late October by the later solar calendar, the weather in this northern frontier region of the Great Ming had already turned cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The several garrison soldiers inside Jingbian Watchtower had already changed into the Great Ming frontier army's winter uniform: leather jackets on top, padded trousers below, felt boots on their feet, and felt caps on their heads. The clothes were as tattered as ever, but after a month of good food and care, each man's spirit and bearing were vastly different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It seems the Tartars have truly left the border. This frontier pass can finally quiet down for a while.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou and Han Chao stood atop the watchtower platform, gazing into the distance. The cold wind of late autumn whistled in, making Wang Dou involuntarily tighten the leather jacket around him. In two more days it would be Frost's Descent, and the Start of Winter was not far off. Up on this high watchtower platform, the chill wind cut straight into the face, truly carrying a bone-piercing bite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weather in this Great Ming era turned cold earlier and far colder than in later ages. Wang Dou's former self had lived in the warm Jiangnan region, and in his heart he truly could not get used to this northern cold. Yet when he glanced at Han Chao, the man seemed completely unbothered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Han Chao who had spoken. Wang Dou responded thoughtfully. From his understanding of history, the Xuan-Da frontier region would indeed quiet down for some time during these two years — until two years later, when the Later Jin army invaded again, by then already called the Qing army. That would be a military invasion on a scale of a hundred thousand men. Countless frontier soldiers and civilians would suffer brutal slaughter, and Bao'an Department would be in its path. Could he survive that calamity?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He murmured absently, gazing far toward the Julu Watchtower direction — not a trace of smoke or fire signal stirred. Ever since Wang Dou and the others' great victory the previous month, the Dong Family Village area had maintained strict alert and defense for a period, guarding against Later Jin army retaliation. But there had been no sign of Tartar troops. By the middle of the intercalary eighth month, the empty smoke signal had come from Datong Garrison announcing the Later Jin army's departure from the border. Huang Taiji's tens of thousands of Later Jin troops had already exited through Datong Left Guard. All sides finally breathed a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over this past month, Wang Dou and the others had been waiting for the military merit rewards from above. But given the Great Ming bureaucratic system, how could rewards come down so quickly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At every frontier of the Great Ming, it was the investigating censors who verified and reported merits. Major merits were to be verified within two months, minor merits within one month. After they completed their investigation and compiled the roster of meritorious personnel and the register of fallen soldiers for submission to the Ministry of War, the Ministry would then verify the facts and resubmit a recommendation for promotion and reward. The fastest this could happen was several months later. They would just have to wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, over this past month, Wang Dou's days inside Jingbian Watchtower had been quite pleasant. Compared to before, it was heaven and earth. Now the watchtower was dominated by Wang Dou. The Han Chao brothers and Qi Tianliang all deferred to Wang Dou. Now Zhong Dayong had only Yang Tong as his lone follower. Seeing Wang Dou's prestige and martial prowess, and with his promotion imminent, no matter how dissatisfied Zhong Dayong might be, on the surface he still had to treat Wang Dou with courtesy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The funeral affairs for Ma Ming and his wife, Tan Jinrong, Zhang Ruchun, and the others had already been settled, and silver had been delivered to their families. Every household was moved to tears of gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this time, Wang Dou still went home from time to time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike before, now when Wang Dou returned to the village, everyone treated him with warm familiarity. The current Wang Dou had long become renowned throughout Dong Family Village and Xin Village, and even in Shunxiang Fort many people had heard of Wang Dou's great name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had killed several Tartars in succession and paraded his merits through Dong Family Village. With such martial glory, once the military merit was processed, promotion was surely inevitable — and the appreciation of superior officers was even more important. Not to mention Dong Family Village Unit Commander Zhang Gui, even Defense Commander Xu of Shunxiang Fort was said to greatly admire Wang Dou. Of course, the ten fine captured horses that Zhang Gui had delivered played a part in this. His backing was very solid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although many people wondered how that fool Wang the Big had changed so much, on the surface everyone greeted him with smiling faces. Moreover, with the silver Wang Dou brought home, the Wang family's livelihood rapidly improved, and the villagers' envy and jealousy were naturally unavoidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wang Dou went home, the Han Chao brothers also went along to help. Gao Shiyin, too, often came over from Julu Watchtower to find them for drinks and meals — he was now a man of means. Wang Dou, of course, unceremoniously roped him into working as well. With three free strong laborers helping, the farm work was naturally much easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time the four of them rode back to the village on their sturdy horses, they would always draw a large crowd of envious onlookers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mother, Madam Zhong, and his young wife, Xie Xiuniang, were naturally overjoyed. When Wang Dou went out to fight the Tartars, they had been terrified and worried after learning of it. But Wang Dou had won military merit and brought glory to the ancestors, and they felt equally proud. Moreover, Wang Dou had brought back fifty taels of silver, which solved a huge problem. Now the family had spent twenty taels to dig a deep brick-and-stone well, so fetching water for the fields was no longer such a hardship. They had also bought a plow ox and an iron plow, so the family's prospects quickly became hopeful. In addition, the Chongzhen Emperor had exempted Bao'an from this year's autumn grain levy, so the Wang family could finally have a good New Year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Madam Zhong was long accustomed to frugality. She carefully hid away the remaining silver and said to Wang Dou: \"Now you have made something of yourself, but there will be many places in the family that need money in the future. We cannot spend lavishly. Save up this money, and in the future we will arrange a grand and respectable wedding for my son!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, Wang Dou still had a sum of silver on his person, and there were still some silks and fine goods yet to be disposed of. Buying fields and land for the family in the future was a certainty, but he had a series of plans in mind that could only be put into action once his promotion was confirmed — there was no rush. As for Qi Tianliang, that fellow had always dreamed of owning a piece of good farmland of his own. All this time he had been actively and enthusiastically searching for an ideal plot, but had not yet found one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the remaining days in the watchtower, Wang Dou would frequently call Han Chao to go practice horsemanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that all was quiet near and far, the two were about to descend from the watchtower platform — Wang Dou was still thinking of practicing his riding a while longer — when they spotted several riders approaching from the south. Han Chao let out an exclamation. He peered carefully and said with delight: \"It's the men of the Dong Family Village unit commander... Could it be...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two exchanged a glance, and a flash of surprised joy crossed both their hearts: \"Could the rewards from above have come down? So soon?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2438,"2026-06-03T14:05:19.908Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","e15b590374a7cdbcb3c00e7085067d9c7e0574c81146f2ac5f007a5b49552ac2","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-14","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-12",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]