[{"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-18":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},1205307,1561,"Chapter 18: Concurrently Appointed Farming Fort Officer","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-18",18,"\u003Cp>Before the banquet began, Xu Zhongjun, considerate of Wang Dou and the others' feelings, told them to go change into their official uniforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Led by a military attendant to a side room in the rear courtyard, Wang Dou and the others changed into their official uniforms, looked at each other, and all broke into foolish grins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a substantively appointed Platoon Leader, Wang Dou now wore a bronze-and-wood waist badge at his belt; his Platoon Leader's uniform was embroidered with tiger-cub patterns, and on his feet he wore oxhide official boots. Although Han Chao and Han Zhong held acting Platoon Leader posts, they still wore the uniforms of Squad Leaders, along with Qi Tianliang and Gao Shiyin, which bore rhinoceros patterns and the same stiff boots on their feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from Wang Dou and Han Chao, who remained somewhat composed, Han Zhong, Qi Tianliang, and Gao Shiyin could not help but lack official bearing. Han Zhong twisted left and right, constantly feeling uncomfortable in his official uniform; Qi Tianliang beamed with delight as he kept staring at his letter of appointment; Gao Shiyin ceaselessly tossed the silver in his hand, grinning from ear to ear, though with his face full of brutish flesh, that smile appeared somewhat ferocious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou glanced at him with a smile; just then Gao Shiyin also looked toward Wang Dou. Meeting Wang Dou's gaze, Gao Shiyin's expression froze, he gave a light cough, and turned his head away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the few who had faced life and death together that day, Han Chao and the other two had already clearly expressed their intention to pledge allegiance to Wang Dou, and especially after what had just happened, the three showed even greater deference. Only Gao Shiyin's attitude remained unclear — perhaps after being severely beaten by Wang Dou that day, his pride still could not let it go. For the time being, Wang Dou paid no mind to Gao Shiyin's thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that everyone had finished changing into their official uniforms, Wang Dou said, \"Alright, the Battalion Commander has already prepared the feast. Let us go now, so as not to keep our superior waiting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the group, Wang Dou was already firmly regarded as the leader. Hearing Wang Dou speak thus, they all filed out of the side room; Han Chao even picked up the bundle of clothes Wang Dou had changed out of. The group then returned to the main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wang Dou and the others' completely refreshed appearance, Xu Zhongjun and his companions looked over with appreciative eyes. Wang Dou once again paid his respects to Xu Zhongjun and the others with the ceremony due a subordinate, addressing himself as \"your humble officer,\" bowing once and making a deep salute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zhongjun laughed heartily as he helped Wang Dou up, saying that they were all colleagues now and need not stand on excessive ceremony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone took their seats. With such a high-ranking official as Xu Zhongjun present, they could not help but be somewhat cautious. Not only did Qi Tianliang no longer dare to wolf down his food, but even Zhang Gui remained constantly attentive and deferential. Whenever Xu Zhongjun praised him, his face would fill with an expression of flattered delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the banquet, Xu Zhongjun repeatedly proposed toasts, extolling the merits of Wang Dou and his men. His conversation was refined and witty — one could hardly tell he was merely a military officer. It was said he was well-read in poetry and classics and was close friends with Fu Mingqi, the Director of the Confucian School of Bao'an Department. Although the Director of the Confucian School was merely an unranked official, he was still the foremost scholar of the entire department. In the atmosphere of Great Ming, where civil officials were exalted and military officers debased, for a Battalion Commander to befriend a Director of the Confucian School was indeed something to take pride in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the table, Xu Zhongjun made no effort to hide his favorable impression of Wang Dou, repeatedly urging him to drink. He had served as Vice Battalion Commander for many years, always finding it difficult to gain promotion. Fortunately, this time Wang Dou's achievements in taking heads had brought merit; the former Garrison Commander of Shunxiang Fort, Lord Xu Zucheng, had been promoted to Garrison Commander of Bao'an Department City, and he, Xu Zhongjun, as Lord Xu's trusted man, had smoothly taken over Xu Zucheng's position. With a long-cherished wish fulfilled in a single day, how could he not be overjoyed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Zhen, seated beside him, likewise looked upon Wang Dou with favor. Originally a Company Commander, he had long held the post of Battalion Officer at Shunxiang Fort. Because he had consistently followed Xu Zhongjun closely, this time he too had been promoted to acting Vice Battalion Commander, managing all the military farming affairs inside and outside the fort. With real power in his grasp, he too was brimming with high spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the final analysis, this entire series of promotions for everyone had instead all come about because of the merits of Wang Dou and his men. How could this not make each of them feel continuous goodwill toward Wang Dou and the others?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warmth with which Xu Zhongjun treated Wang Dou even made Zhang Gui look on with some envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gradually, Xu Zhongjun, Zhang Gui, and the others began discussing administrative matters inside and outside the fort — specifically, matters concerning the military farms and grain supplies of each fort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For defense officers like them, opportunities to go out on campaign were few. Apart from their daily duties of strictly maintaining beacon-fire vigilance and protecting the residents, their primary function was managing and collecting the military farm grain taxes from the guard battalions within their jurisdiction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shunxiang Fort, where Wang Dou was stationed, was actually another name for the Left Battalion of Bao'an Guard. Under it were the large forts of Dongjiazhuang Fort and Huiyao Fort, along with several other military farming forts, each with an appointed Fort Officer or Platoon Leader specifically tasked with farming and collecting grain taxes and seed levies. Dongjiazhuang Fort likewise had three military farming forts under its jurisdiction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The territory of Bao'an Guard was vast, with six battalions alone. Around Bao'an Department City there were three battalions, and open and covert struggles went on among each battalion. To be frank, Xu Zhongjun was under great pressure now. Others saw only the prestige superiors enjoyed before men's eyes, but who could see the bitterness and hardship behind their backs?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The military administration performance evaluations for Great Ming's military officers were conducted once every five years. Especially for garrison officers like these, the evaluation results had always depended on the amount of grain levies and silver submitted. His present Majesty, in particular, placed even greater weight on the grain collection performance of officials everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newly appointed, Xu Zhongjun naturally wanted to produce some results — perhaps in the future he might even advance a step further. But although he was full of ambition, given the current state of military farming within the battalion, achieving results was... difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked expectantly at Zhang Gui: \"Old Zhang, can the grain levies from your fort be raised a bit more next year?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A troubled expression appeared on Zhang Gui's face: \"At present the fields are parched by drought, and military households are fleeing... But since Lord Xu says so, your subordinate will naturally do his utmost.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zhongjun looked at Zhang Gui, dissatisfaction showing in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Left Battalion of Bao'an Guard, where Shunxiang Fort was located, was considered one of the more barren areas among the six battalions of Bao'an Guard. During the Hongzhi reign, there had been fifty-one official households and over 1,540 military households, with more than seventy qing of military farmland, yielding over nine hundred dan of grain annually, along with over four hundred jin of poplar firewood and over one thousand bundles of straw each year. The military farmlands of Dongjiazhuang, which Zhang Gui oversaw, were among the better lands in the Shunxiang Fort area, accounting for nearly half the annual grain quota.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was already a matter of the Hongzhi reign. By the Chongzhen era of today, not only had the military households of the entire Shunxiang Fort fled until fewer than a thousand remained, but military officers and local strongmen had encroached upon fertile lands, shifted tax burdens, and drought had caused fields to be abandoned — all of which made the collection of military farm grain within the battalion increasingly difficult. Dongjiazhuang was no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, like other guard battalions across Great Ming, there were many reasons for the deterioration of military farming at Shunxiang Fort, but the local military officers bore more than half the responsibility. Not to mention Dongjiazhuang — within the entire territory of Shunxiang Fort, how much fertile land had been encroached upon by Xu Zhongjun and other officers of various ranks?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Xu Zhongjun's expression, Zhang Gui felt uneasy, yet he dared not boast or make grand promises. Knowing Xu Zhongjun's temperament, if he failed to meet the grain levy quota when the time came, it would be disastrous for him. He understood Xu Zhongjun — suppressed for too long, he always wanted to accomplish something to prove himself. To put it nicely, he was full of ambition; to put it bluntly, he aimed too high and far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, a somber atmosphere fell over the table, leaving only the soft tapping of Xu Zhongjun's fingers on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When superiors spoke, there was naturally no place for Wang Dou and the others to interject; they merely sat to the side, listening quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Wang Dou's heart stirred. He cupped his hands toward Xu Zhongjun and Zhang Gui and said, \"Garrison Commander, Battalion Commander, your humble officer has an unworthy request. I wish to volunteer to manage a military farming fort, to share the burdens of the Garrison Commander and the Battalion Commander.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zhongjun, Zhang Gui, Du Zhen, and the others all looked at Wang Dou with puzzlement. They knew that everywhere in Great Ming, grain administration officers had never been highly regarded; only those within the fort with poor martial skills were assigned to manage farming. Moreover, if at year's end one failed to collect the full grain quota, one would face severe punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In guard battalions everywhere, no military officer had ever willingly volunteered to manage a farming fort — who would have thought this Wang Dou would willingly endure such hardship? In Xu Zhongjun's mind, he had originally intended to transfer Wang Dou and his men into his own retainer corps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zhongjun asked Wang Dou with a smile, \"Wang Dou, why do you wish to manage a farming fort?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said earnestly, \"The Exalted Emperor, Grand Progenitor, once said: military farming can harvest the land's bounty, ease the people's burden, supply the troops with food, and give the state something to rely upon — no frontier defense strategy is better than this. Now that military farming within our battalion has fallen into neglect, and our superiors suffer the toil of worry, Wang Dou, though untalented, wishes to volunteer and share the cares and labors of the Garrison Commander and the Battalion Commander.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zhongjun and the others looked at Wang Dou with even greater astonishment. Was this Wang Dou really of common soldier origin? Even if his family learning ran deep, to possess such insight was truly rare!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao and the others nearby also looked at Wang Dou with admiration, a feeling of unfathomable depth rising in their hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, what Wang Dou had just said was the result of careful deliberation. Having his own territory and land had been a thought swirling in the depths of his mind ever since he arrived in this world. As he was now, though he had a certain status and some money and grain to keep himself and his family alive, what use was that? When the nest is overturned, can any egg remain intact? In the coming catastrophe, who knew whether everything would turn to nothing? In chaotic times, having one's own territory and power was the very foundation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And territory and power consisted of three things: first, land; second, money and grain; third, population. To obtain these, military farming was the most effective and swiftest method! From Cao Cao in ancient times to the Ming Grand Progenitor in recent times, both had built their power through military farming. The Ming Grand Progenitor, in particular, had sustained a million troops without costing the common people a single coin — what he relied upon was precisely the guard battalion military farm system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the shining examples of our predecessors before us, now that he himself was a Platoon Leader, he was already qualified to manage military farmland. And now that this opportunity had presented itself, how could he not seize it firmly? What others saw as a bitter assignment, for him, was instead a golden opportunity that came once in a thousand years!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, managing military farmland also came with great difficulties. Nowadays, military households in the guard battalions were fleeing without cease. Farming required able-bodied young men; opening up and managing land required money and grain. These were all problems Wang Dou would need to overcome in the future! The difficulties were great, but the prospects were equally bright — Wang Dou would not give up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zhongjun, of course, could not fathom what was in Wang Dou's heart. He merely sighed with emotion — it was rare to find someone of such clear understanding, who willingly stepped forward to share his superior's troubles. Truly rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed at Wang Dou for a long while and sighed, \"Wang Dou, for you to have such a mind is truly commendable and precious.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Gui was also very pleased. Wang Dou's stepping forward had successfully diverted Xu Zhongjun's earlier attention from the topic that concerned him. Moreover, with Wang Dou expressing such an attitude, as his direct superior, Zhang Gui also gained considerable face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to be honest, if Wang Dou could manage the military farmland well in the future, it would also be greatly beneficial to him. Nowadays, most of the able-bodied men in Great Ming's guard battalions had been selected for the various camps as combat soldiers. For garrison officers like them, opportunities to kill the enemy and earn merit were actually very few. Collecting abundant grain and making military farming flourish — that was the true measure of administrative achievement, and the greatest standard for future military administration evaluations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following up on Xu Zhongjun's words, Zhang Gui immediately asked, \"Brother Wang, for you to have such a mind is indeed commendable. Tell me — among the three military farming forts under Dongjiazhuang, which one would you like to go to?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the opportunity in hand, Wang Dou forcefully suppressed the joy in his heart and said steadily, \"Along the Dongfang River by Jingbian Beacon Tower, there is much wasteland. Your humble officer is willing to recruit both soldiers and civilians to open it up together, and establish a new fort!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A joke, indeed — every existing farming fort within Shunxiang Fort was riddled with abuses. Rather than waste his energy there, he might as well start from scratch on his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Gui was even more delighted in his heart. Wang Dou's willingness to open up land on his own spared him a whole series of complicated personnel transfers and saved him considerable trouble. He mused, \"A beacon tower is a critical post and cannot be lightly abandoned. Let it be thus: Brother Wang, you shall remain the Head of Jingbian Beacon Tower and concurrently hold the post of Farming Chief of the new fort. In the future, whatever matters arise, just come to your old brother here!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zhongjun said, \"Let the new farming fort be called Jingbian Fort. Wang Dou, you may proceed boldly. I, as your superior, decree that the lands opened up by the new fort shall have their grain levies exempted from taxation for three years, and no one else shall be permitted to levy upon or disturb them. You may devote yourself to farming in peace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the assurances of Xu Zhongjun and Zhang Gui, Wang Dou was overjoyed in his heart. This would make his future actions much more convenient. He rose and bowed deeply in gratitude to the two men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zhongjun then said to Du Zhen, \"Lord Du, Platoon Leader Wang is loyal and courageous, worthy of praise, and willing to undertake military farming for the battalion. As his superior, you ought to provide him with ample assistance!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Vice Battalion Commander and Administrative Clerk, Du Zhen was responsible for all military farming matters inside and outside the battalion. Hearing this, he hurriedly said, \"Lord Xu, rest assured, your subordinate understands. Whatever farming oxen, seeds, and such that Platoon Leader Wang needs for his farming fort in the future, your subordinate will provide every convenience!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wang Dou and the others had taken their leave and departed, Xu Zhongjun watched their figures recede into the distance. Only after a long while did he slowly say, \"This Wang Dou is not bad — far from simple!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wang Dou and the others left the main hall, Xie Xiuniang was also escorted out by Zhang Gui's wife, Lady Tian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xiuniang's expression was somewhat troubled; she kept feeling that her performance just now had been poor. Whenever the Battalion Commander's wife had brought up various topics, she had been utterly ignorant of them all. Would such a performance affect Brother Wang Dou's image in front of others?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her expression, Wang Dou casually asked a couple of questions, smiled, paid it no mind, and comforted her with a few offhand words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving the fort, the group spurred their horses and rode hard, everyone in brand-new official robes and mounted on sturdy steeds — what they call fresh clothes and spirited horses, life’s pleasures could hardly surpass this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou sat astride his horse, the joy in his heart beyond words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small man cannot go a single day without money; a great man cannot go a single day without power! Wang Dou had always considered himself a great man — how could a great man lack power and status? In his previous life he had been keen on power, and after arriving in the Great Ming this desire burned even hotter. Now he had finally reached the first step of his goal — how could he not be overjoyed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sunset glow shimmered on the horizon; the mountains and rivers were magnificent!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This land so rich in beauty, making countless heroes bow in homage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou could not contain the surge in his heart. He leapt from his horse, rushed up a hillock ahead, and there on the height whooped and howled, singing freely back and forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Zhong and the others below the slope answered with wild, strange cries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yike watched Wang Dou from afar, her tiny heart also brimming with joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>《End of Volume One》\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>※※※\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old White Ox:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Volume One has finally concluded, and our Wang Dou has also ended his days as a commoner struggling to survive, at last possessing a certain amount of capital and an official post. Next comes the protagonist building his domain, managing his own garrison fort, and seeing how he develops his power step by step from nothing — the human affairs and worldly customs, the clashes of character, ideals, and interests, and how the protagonist resolves them one by one, advancing steadily and methodically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I, the little soldier, have pondered this for a long time. The final decade of the Ming is a turbulent and magnificent era, with much to write about, many figures and stories worth remembering. I will do my best to make it splendid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ps: With the volume finished, I want to relax a bit too. This afternoon I’m taking my wife out to have fun, find a place to shoot arrows — I recently made a bow and shoot for fun when I have nothing else to do ＾＿＾. We may be out quite late, so there won’t be an update this evening. Tomorrow I’ll resume two updates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, since I’m busy during the day, starting tomorrow all updates will be adjusted to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. in the evening. Thank you all for your support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>。\u003C\u002Fp>",3428,"2026-06-03T14:05:19.908Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","6a0beb87d4207c8d9b8c0d953539eecf27b79f3cc80c15e51f1b58174d0d3692","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-19","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-17",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]