[{"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-163":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},1205452,1561,"Chapter 163: Infants","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-163",163,"\u003Cp>Li Guangheng drew back his spear in astonishment. He had not expected Xu Yue'e to fight him to a standstill — her spear-and-shield offensive and defensive tactics kept him constantly on the back foot, and he had never imagined that spear and shield could be used together in such a way. Li Guangheng had served in the army for many years and had never seen anything like it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In particular, her spear momentum was fierce and sharp, nearly every move a life-for-life, mutual-destruction style of fighting that chilled him to the bone. He had heard that the Shunxiang troops all fought with such desperate ferocity; no wonder they could send the Tartar soldiers fleeing with their heads in their hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guangheng's face was full of admiration. He loved warriors above all, and even though his opponent was a woman, he could not suppress his appreciation for Xu Yue'e. He shouted, \"Good! Exhilarating! With Miss Xu's skill, she is fully qualified to join my Ji-Zong C Company. Miss Xu, from now on you are my brother and comrade-in-arms.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The several women around were overjoyed. Xu Yue'e quietly bowed. \"Thank you, Company Commander, my lord.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guangheng bellowed, \"Brothers of C Company, listen well. From now on, Miss Xu is a brother in our company. She and her sisters are marching to war with the army. You had best treat her with respect. Otherwise, I, Li Guangheng, will not let him off.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers of C Company all clamored in a jumble of voices, \"Understood.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the soldiers of the original A Company and B Company under Ji-Zong still whispered among themselves at the side, though everyone's expression remained excited. They had just watched a splendid show of combat, a real eye-opener — well worth it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin let out a breath. The matter was finally settled. As long as Li Guangheng was willing to take in Xu Yue'e, that was fine. Whatever came after, he could have his own headache over it. Thinking this, he slipped away without a sound. Yang Tong followed behind him and also quietly left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the days that followed, Li Guangheng heard quite a few stories about Xu Yue'e's past. His heart filled with tender affection, and he repeatedly said, \"What a woman of fierce integrity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had the intention of taking Xu Yue'e as his sworn daughter, but she coldly refused. \"My lord's kindness is great, but Yue'e dares not presume to climb so high.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The matter became a laughing topic around Shunxiang Fort. Li Guangheng was rather embarrassed. Privately, he said to Gao Xun, \"Brother Gao, I meant only goodwill. Why would Miss Xu not accept my regard?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could Gao Xun comfort Company Commander Li? He could only smile wryly and remain silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the tenth day of the third month of the tenth year of Chongzhen, the Night Scouts who had gone out beyond the border to reconnoiter returned. On the eleventh, Wen Fangliang's Bing-Zong troops, along with Gao Shiyin's Ji-Zong troops, by Wang Dou's order, left the borders of Bao'an Prefecture and headed in the direction of Weizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ji-Zong soldiers under Gao Shiyin numbered only a little over two hundred, comprising three companies of troops. Yang Tong led B Company, a full complement of seventy-four men including officers and guards. Gao Shiyin, as Squad Commander, concurrently served as A Company's Squad Commander. In addition, there were the newly formed C Company soldiers. Because Xu Yue'e had brought six sworn sisters onto his company strength, his C Company was essentially at full complement. That group of Xu Yue'e's naturally took Xu Yue'e as their Squad Commander and chief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before departure, Gao Shiyin's Ji-Zong also went to the Shunxiang Fort storehouse to draw armor, helmets, mules, horses, and other supplies. Not only the soldiers of Ji-Zong's A and B Companies, but even Li Guangheng's C Company, each man received a set of iron armor. Stroking this fine-quality iron armor, everyone was reluctant to put it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Great Ming army, foot soldiers, apart from their mandarin-duck battle jackets, had never been entitled to wear armor. Among those who had come down from the prefectural city, apart from Company Commander Li Guangheng, there was Gao Xun, and even he had only a suit of leather armor. They had never imagined that the common soldiers of this Shunxiang Fort could all wear iron armor. Everyone found it inconceivable, and were also utterly delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guangheng was also deeply moved. All his life he had loved iron armor most of all. For the ten retainers under him, he had once wanted to outfit each with a set of iron armor, but the plan fell through for lack of funds. He had never expected that a mere Shunxiang Fort would possess such financial resources and equipment, which made him feel an even deeper sense of unfathomable mystery about the Garrison Commander, Lord Wang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Xu Yue'e and the several other women refused the iron armor. Although the meticulously crafted iron armor of Shunxiang Fort was slightly lighter than the iron armor in the Ming army, a full suit still weighed thirty jin. Every soldier, whether spearman or arquebusier, also had a waist saber and a head-taking knife, plus other items to carry on their backs. The women were physically weaker; wearing iron armor and equipment, they felt their strength could not sustain it. So they each chose a suit of cotton armor — the iron-free cotton armor captured from the Qing troops, weighing less than twenty jin. Xu Yue'e still wore her own suit of leather armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides armor and equipment, accompanying the Ji-Zong soldiers on the march were several medics and veterinarians, and several dozen mules and horses, carrying some tents, baggage, and ten days' worth of grain, rice, fodder, and provisions for the Ji-Zong troops. Any further provisions would have to be obtained outside the border. This time they were going out to make a fortune. They hoped to return laden with spoils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Bao'an Prefecture to Weizhou, the route passed through Shunxiang Fort, Huiyao Fort, Meiyu Defense Battalion, Taohua Fort, and other places before entering Weizhou territory. The entire way was narrow passes and ancient roads — the journey was not easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the march, Li Guangheng and Gao Xun keenly felt that the soldiers in their company and squad could not keep up with the marching pace. It seemed even Xu Yue'e and those several women ran faster than them. Li Guangheng felt deeply humiliated and could not help but want to curse and beat his men. The military discipline officer accompanying Ji-Zong came over and shouted an order to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the gaze of the brother companies and squads, the C Company soldiers felt deeply ashamed. They could not even match a bunch of women. But they had no choice — they were new to Shunxiang Fort, and the improvement of their overall quality could not be leveled out in just a day or two. In the end, their armor and weapons were placed onto the mules and horses to be carried, while the rest of the Ji-Zong soldiers still marched carrying their own armor and weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Going out to fight, even if the opponent was only bandits who could not withstand a single blow, the C Company soldiers were still anxious at heart. They did not know whether they would return alive from this expedition. Only the old brothers of Ji-Zong all looked utterly unconcerned, as if they were not going out to battle but going out on a spring outing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When this group of theirs passed through Huiyao Fort, the Meiyu Defense Battalion city, Taohua Fort, and other places, the local garrison troops, seeing them in a mighty procession of several hundred — all in their prime, with fierce and vicious looks, every man armed — did not even have the courage to descend from the fort and interrogate them. They could only watch helplessly as this group swaggered past beneath their fort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, Gao Xun paid close attention to observing the terrain and topography of the route. He believed that if one wanted to secure the safety of the passage between Bao'an Prefecture and Weizhou, controlling the Meiyu Defense Battalion and Taohua Fort was very important. Li Guangheng also agreed with Gao Xun's view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taohua Fort was already within Weizhou's borders. The jurisdiction of Weizhou was rather peculiar: its civilian administration belonged to Datong Prefecture, while its military administration belonged to Xuanfu Garrison. The same was true for Guangchang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of topography, the whole of Weizhou was like a basin: mountainous in the south, river plains in the center, and hilly uplands in the north. Because it lay deep in the interior of Xuanfu Garrison, it was relatively safe, and was said to have a warm and fertile climate, a dense and prosperous population, and a convergence of merchants and trade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by now, the prosperity of Weizhou's population was a thing of the past. After passing Taohua Fort, they had already entered the plain region of Weizhou, yet along the road it was rare to see any trace of travelers. Occasionally they passed some village forts and hamlets, where there were only women in rags and children with the sallow complexions of starvation. Even more shocking, the roadsides were strewn with corpses and bodies of those who had starved to death, yet no one cleared them away. Everywhere, bandits occupied the hilltops, and wealthy households and local gentry fortified their stockades for self-protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they approached Jijia Fort, they saw refugees in scattered groups of three or five, supporting the old and carrying the young, bearing simple household belongings on shoulder poles, heading full of hope toward Bao'an Prefecture. Gao Shiyin ordered several personal guards to beckon some refugees over for questioning. Seeing Gao Shiyin's several hundred men — all fierce and tough-looking, fully equipped with mules, horses, and weapons — these refugees thought they had encountered bandits blocking the road to rob them, and each was scared out of their wits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, although these lords with non-local accents looked fierce outwardly, their expressions were kindly. They said that if the refugees would tell the truth, they would give each of those questioned several sheng of rice. Several sheng of rice! Just for answering a few questions — why wouldn't they talk?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, an old man said, \"We humble folk come from Baishu Fort. We heard that Lord Wang of Bao'an Prefecture is benevolent and righteous, and we hope to find a way to survive there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wept. \"We truly cannot go on living. Since last year, there has been no rain for a whole year. This spring, still no rain. Everywhere, the grass and trees are parched and withered. Last year, the mountain folk fought to gather wild herbs to eat. When the herbs were gone, they stripped tree bark to eat. When the bark was exhausted, they dug up stones from the mountains to eat. That stone tastes rank and greasy; a little of it gives a feeling of fullness, but after a few days the belly drops and one dies. The officials and wealthy households refuse to release grain. Among the people, those unwilling to eat stones band together and become bandits. Though this old man and his family have not read the sages' books, we are unwilling to follow the bandits and do such shameful things. We only hope that in Bao'an Prefecture, there may be a path of survival for us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin and the others sighed endlessly. Drought — from the early years of Chongzhen onward, the drought stretching across Shanxi had no end. After drought came locust plagues, and possibly accompanied by pestilences such as the plague. When would these calamities ever end?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The military discipline officer said, \"Venerable sir, rest assured. The Garrison Commander of Bao'an Prefecture, Lord Wang, is benevolent, righteous, generous, and kind. Once you reach Bao'an Prefecture, you will be able to live days of peace and happiness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gave the old man and the others several sheng of rice each. These people thanked him profusely and departed, overjoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching that group of refugees disappear into the distance, everyone was filled with emotion. Although Bao'an Prefecture was still poor, it was at peace. The soldiers and civilians could mostly eat their fill, and within its borders it was hard to find even a single bandit. Compared to Weizhou, Bao'an Prefecture was heaven. This made each of them spontaneously feel a sense of superiority and a sense of mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fierce flesh on Gao Shiyin's face twitched a few times. Suddenly he said, \"This Weizhou was originally called prosperous, yet now the common people are so impoverished. This is all because of the improper governance of the local officials and commanders. Only when Weizhou comes under our lord's governance can the local people enjoy peace and prosperity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Tong said, \"Lord Gao speaks the absolute truth. This subordinate thinks the same.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others around chimed in one after another, a shrewd glint shining in everyone's eyes. Among Wang Dou's subordinates, a certain idea had already quietly spread: that under the Garrison Commander's command, the troops were strong and the horses sturdy, and they should not be confined to the territory of a single prefecture or a single fort. They should spread his benevolence to more places, allowing more common people to live peaceful and happy lives. Of course, the more common people who lived peaceful lives, the more territory under the Garrison Commander's governance — and they, his old subordinates, would naturally rise accordingly, with the opportunity to hold high positions, even to control a prefecture or a fort of their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guangheng and Gao Xun at the side also nodded repeatedly. Although they had not been under Wang Dou's command for long, they had unconsciously come to regard themselves as part of Wang Dou's forces. If Wang Dou did not conquer more and larger territory, latecomers like them would have little chance to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as they were discussing, two Night Scouts came riding from the east. The Night Scouts in Wang Dou's army were all incomparably fierce and tough. They were excellently equipped, each man with two horses, all well-fed and sturdy warhorses. As these two Night Scouts passed by the soldiers of Ji-Zong's C Company, their sharp, fierce gazes swept over them, and several timid soldiers unconsciously averted their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After these two Night Scouts dismounted, they spoke a few words with Gao Shiyin. Gao Shiyin nodded, took out a map and looked at it, and said, \"Pass the order to the troops: quicken the march. We will rest outside Jijia Fort and rendezvous with the Bing-Zong brothers coming from behind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, the Ji-Zong soldiers of Shunxiang Fort arrived at a grove of trees not far from Jijia Fort and halted. Nearby there was a river that was nearly dry, barely enough to replenish the drinking water for the soldiers and the mules and horses. Only here could some signs of human habitation be seen. Although there were many fields around, most were parched and barren. A gust of wind brought a cloud of yellow dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone saw that in the villages and civilian forts a little farther from Jijia Fort, there were also many broken houses and collapsed walls. The more chaotic the times, the more the residents of the surrounding villages and small forts concentrated into a few large fortified settlements, the better to resist the harassment of bandits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men sat down to rest, ate some dry rations, and drank some water. The C Company soldiers who had come down from the prefectural city all felt as if a great burden had been lifted. Looking at the nonchalant demeanor of the A and B Company soldiers, and seeing that even Xu Yue'e and the other women looked better than they did, Li Guangheng frowned again and again. A gap — it seemed that after returning from suppressing the bandits, he would have to intensify the drilling of the brothers in his company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin, Yang Tong, and Li Guangheng sat together. The three were drinking water and eating dry rations when suddenly they faintly heard the sound of infants crying from the south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone concentrated and listened carefully. Gao Shiyin frowned. \"What is that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood up and strode in that direction. His guards and soldiers all followed behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emerging from the grove, Gao Shiyin drew a deep breath. At the edge of the trees was a manure pit. Beside it, corpses and bodies of the starved lay strewn in disorder, each resembling a skeleton. Even more shocking, soaking in the liquid manure were several living infants, still struggling desperately. None of these infants were very old; they seemed to have been abandoned only recently. Two were wailing loudly in tears, crying out indistinctly for their parents. Two other infants were gulping down mouthfuls of the manure water. Looking more closely, there seemed to be as many as a dozen infant corpses inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Drowned infants…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Tong said in a trembling voice, \"I have heard that some families who cannot afford to raise their infants drown them. But to throw them into the manure water like this — how can they bear to do it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Gao Shiyin could speak, Xu Yue'e's voice suddenly rang out: \"I will go and pull them out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin shouted at those around him, \"Go, go, go! All of you, go and pull them out! What are you all standing around stupidly for?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone scrambled to pull the four infants out. Fortunately, there was a chance they might survive — one male infant, three female infants. Each infant was covered in manure water and stank unbearably, but they were wailing loudly. Xu Yue'e was also covered in manure juice. Her face was full of tender pity as she gently soothed them: \"Good little babies, don't cry. Auntie will take you to wash up, and later give you something tasty to eat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Gao Shiyin and the others looked at each other in bewilderment, Xu Yue'e and several female soldiers, laughing and chatting, took the infants to the riverside to wash them. Gao Shiyin sighed. \"We haven't even suppressed the bandits yet, and now we've rescued several infants. Marching to war with several infants in tow — how are we supposed to fight?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Tong said, \"It just so happens that Miss Xu and the others are here. Let them take care of the infants — that would be fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin said, \"So be it. Bringing women along is troublesome, but it has its advantages after all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",3122,"2026-06-03T14:05:19.908Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","2f4c6404720cd13799939674c572af0246d97c8d856a2a74906e25d61e6abeae","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-164","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-162",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]