Chapter 208: Mobile Corps Commander

September 28, the eleventh year of Chongzhen. Afternoon.

On the official road from Baoanzhou city to Baoanzhou Guard City, Wang Dou led his small escort squad, spurring their horses at a wild gallop.

Just moments before, Wang Dou had received an order from Lu Xiangsheng, Minister of War and Right Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Chief Surveillance Bureau, acting as Viceroy of Xuanda, to meet him at Baoan Guard City. Wang Dou had guessed correctly — with a powerful enemy at hand, Lu Xiangsheng indeed would not let a bold general who dared to kill the foe slip away. This time, Wang Dou going out to fight the Qing troops became inevitable.

On the twenty-second, one hundred thousand Qing troops invaded, claiming two hundred thousand, with Duoergun as Grand General of the Expedition and Yuetuo as Grand General of Martial Prowess, each commanding the left and right wings to raid the Ming. Huang Taiji personally led troops toward Shanhai Pass in a diversionary assault. Soon after the two Qing columns breached the walls, the Ming Viceroy of Jiliao, Wu Aheng, and Regional Commander Lu Zongwen died in battle one after another; the garrison eunuch Zheng Xizhao fled. The Qing army then drove straight in and encamped at Niulanshan.

On September twenty-fourth, the capital was placed under martial law. The Chongzhen Emperor urgently summoned Xuanfu Regional Commander Yang Guozhu, Datong Regional Commander Wang Pu, and Shanxi Regional Commander Hu Dawei with their garrison troops to come to the capital's defense. He also bestowed an imperial sword upon Lu Xiangsheng, ordering him to rush to the capital by day and night to take overall command of all loyalist forces.

By now, the various Xuan-Da garrisons were already under strict defense. Wang Dou also ordered martial law in Baoanzhou — anyone daring to pass through without authorization or to shake military morale was to be killed on the spot. From the twenty-third onward, he waited anxiously in Baoanzhou.

After receiving the imperial edict, Lu Xiangsheng immediately sent dispatches to the Regional Commanders of the three garrisons, discussing the matter of entering the capital's defense. The three Regional Commanders rushed day and night to Yanghe to receive Lu Xiangsheng's handwritten orders. After a tense series of dividing cavalry forces, appointing officers, and increasing rations and fodder, the three garrison relief armies, led by Lu Xiangsheng, hurried toward the capital.

After setting out from Yanghe, Lu Xiangsheng traveled day and night. He led over ten thousand cavalry from the three garrisons ahead, with the infantry following behind. Upon reaching the Guard City, he ordered a brief rest and then urgently summoned Wang Dou, the Garrison Commander of Baoanzhou, to see him. After receiving Lu Xiangsheng's summons, Wang Dou dared not delay. He led a small escort squad and spurred his horse toward the Guard City at full speed.

The distance from Baoanzhou city to the Guard City was only thirty li. Spurring his horse at a wild gallop, Wang Dou soon reached the foot of the Guard City.

Along the southeast side of the city, an enormous temporary encampment had already been set up, with countless large banners flapping loudly in the wind. Though roughly constructed, its intense, somber killing aura was still startling. Most of those moving within the camp were armored and helmeted soldiers. The three-garrison cavalry that Lu Xiangsheng led ahead consisted mostly of the main-force battalions of each garrison's Regional Commander and the elite assault battalions of the Vice Regional Commanders, with cavalry forming the majority.

Among the Great Ming's soldiers, cavalrymen were all armored. Looking across the camp, it was a sea of red and yellow armor. In fact, the practice of lacquering armor was something the Qing troops had learned from the Ming army. Coming to the Great Ming, one would find the armor of Qing soldiers and Ming soldiers very similar — apart from the tall lightning-rod spike on top, both mostly wore front-opening coats of armor.

Outside the main gate, Xie Yike and the other escorts were stopped by the gate guards. The one who had come to summon Wang Dou was Chen An, Lu Xiangsheng's personal general, so Xie Yike and the others were left outside while Wang Dou and Chen An entered the camp. Everywhere the eye fell — iron armor, cotton armor, leather armor — not a man was unarmored, a dazzling expanse of red. Although many men looked utterly exhausted, sitting or lying on the ground to rest, and many wore old and worn armor, at least in terms of sheer presence, the garrison troops from various places were simply not on the same level.

Wang Dou observed that these unruly, untamed soldiers all conducted themselves with discipline; the camp was spread out but not disordered, with inner and outer sections clearly demarcated. He could not help secretly admiring Lu Xiangsheng's ability to lead and manage troops. This was also the first time he had seen the Great Ming's combat troops on such a scale. Calculating that these were all professional soldiers who drew pay to kill the enemy, their individual martial skills were surely not simple.

Very soon, Wang Dou arrived before Lu Xiangsheng's great tent. A central-army command banner flew high, inscribed with a single enormous character: "Lu."

In front of the great tent stood guards clad in iron armor, tall and powerfully built, standing ramrod straight and motionless. These men were surely guards from Lu Xiangsheng's personal supervisory battalion. Arriving here, Chen An said to Wang Dou, "Brother Wang, wait here a moment. I will go in and report to Lord Lu."

Wang Dou hurriedly said, "I am obliged to you, General Chen."

After Chen An went in, Wang Dou gazed at the imposing great tent before him, and an inexplicable surge of excitement welled up in his heart. The guards in front of the tent also stole glances at him from the corners of their eyes, secretly guessing at his identity — who was this young, tall and sturdy officer, brought here personally by General Chen? Chen An was a proud man; it was rare to see him so courteous to an outsider.

Very soon, Chen An came out and said to Wang Dou with a slight smile, "Brother Wang, Lord Lu bids you enter."

Wang Dou gave Chen An a deep bow. Entering the great tent, he swept his eyes around — there were only two people inside. One was Lu Xiangsheng himself, dressed in coarse hemp robes with a white headband, staring intently at a large hanging map, his face marked with worry. In the months since they had last met, his hair had grown even whiter. This attire was his act of mourning for his deceased father.

Beside him stood a middle-aged officer of forty or fifty, wearing a suit of thick, solid iron armor, its plates faintly showing the dark hue of blood. This officer was tall and robust, with a square face, his features weathered by wind and frost, bearing the look of a seasoned campaigner. As Wang Dou entered, his eyes swept toward Wang Dou, carrying a natural dignity and authority in their glance.

Wang Dou stepped forward to pay his respects to Lu Xiangsheng. Seeing Wang Dou, a look of relief appeared on Lu Xiangsheng's face, and he gently bade Wang Dou rise.

Then he pointed to the senior general beside him and said, "Wang Dou, this is Regional Commander Yang of Xuanzhen. Come quickly and pay your respects."

Wang Dou's heart tightened with awe. He recalled the identity of this Regional Commander Yang. It was Yang Guozhu, who in history had taken office in the tenth year of Chongzhen, serving as Assistant Commissioner-in-Chief of the Rear Chief Military Commission, General Who Guards the North, and Regional Commander garrisoning Xuanfu Town — an official of the upper second rank.

Historically, Yang Guozhu died in battle at Songshan in the fourteenth year of Chongzhen. His father, elder brother, and two sons all died in battle before and after him, martyred for the nation — men of loyalty and heroism equal to Lu Xiangsheng. After Yang Guozhu's death, he left behind only a few sets of armor and fifty-three warhorses. His wife, Lady He, donated all of them to the imperial court. Emperor Chongzhen deeply praised and lamented this, bestowing upon Lady He the title of First-Rank Imperial Mandate Lady, with the relevant office providing her with grain and provisions for life.

Toward Yang Guozhu, Wang Dou also felt genuine, heartfelt admiration. He stepped forward to pay his respects and saluted, loudly declaring, "Your subordinate, Wang Dou, Garrison Commander of Baoanzhou, Xuanfu Garrison, pays his respects to Military Governor Yang."

"You are Wang Dou?"

Yang Guozhu's voice was resonant. He looked Wang Dou up and down. "I have heard that in the ninth year of Chongzhen you took eighty heads. Truly a brave warrior."

Lu Xiangsheng smiled faintly. "It was two hundred and eighty heads."

Yang Guozhu was slightly taken aback. Having spent long years in the army, he immediately understood the implications behind this. His sharp eyes swept even more intently over Wang Dou's entire frame. "Just now, Wang Dou, did you say you are merely a Garrison Commander?"

Wang Dou clasped his fists in salute and replied, "Answering the Military Governor, that is correct."

Yang Guozhu slowly shook his head. "That should not be."

After saying this, he said nothing more, his expression seeming lost in thought.

Lu Xiangsheng rubbed his forehead. He felt somewhat weary. Since setting out from Yanghe, he had traveled day and night without pause. Sometimes, when truly exhausted, he would simply close his eyes for a moment in the saddle. After reaching Baoan Guard City, he had ordered the camp pitched to rest. But while the soldiers could rest, he, as Regional Commander, worried about the enemy situation at the front and could not sleep no matter what.

Yang Guozhu, standing beside him and seeing his condition, said softly, "Lord Viceroy, you are tired. You should rest."

Lu Xiangsheng waved a hand. "It is of no consequence."

He looked at Wang Dou. "Wang Dou, how many troops do you have on hand now?"

Wang Dou said, "Following the Lord Viceroy's instructions, your subordinate has trained an additional two thousand troops. Beyond that, there are also a number of militia auxiliaries."

Lu Xiangsheng mused, "That is to say, you have three thousand soldiers on hand."

He looked at Wang Dou, his eyes carrying considerable expectation. "Wang Dou, if I were to order you out on campaign to defend the realm, how many troops could you select?"

Wang Dou calculated briefly, then said, "Answering the Lord Viceroy, your subordinate should be able to field three thousand soldiers."

Lu Xiangsheng was somewhat surprised. "Wang Dou, your total force is only three thousand soldiers. If all of them follow you on campaign, how will the prefectural city be defended?"

Wang Dou said, "The Lord Viceroy need not worry. Of the three thousand soldiers, one thousand are militia auxiliaries. Leaving one thousand soldiers to guard the prefectural city, the strength is sufficient."

Lu Xiangsheng nodded with satisfaction and sighed. "The eastern slaves have invaded. As subjects who have deeply received the state's grace, we have no choice but to repay the nation with our deaths."

He was very pleased with Wang Dou's volunteering. His face full of smiles, he said, "Wang Dou, my original intention was for you to temper yourself in Baoanzhou for two years, and then I would recommend you as Mobile Corps Commander of Xuanzhen. Unexpectedly, the eastern slaves invaded — the matter arose suddenly, so this must be handled with expediency."

He said, "I have already recommended you to the Ministry of War as Mobile Corps Commander of Baoanzhou. Although there will be debate among the court officials, with the military situation urgent and with my personal recommendation, I expect the Ministry of War's official dispatch will arrive within days. In these coming days, make your preparations to go on campaign."

Xuanfu Garrison City originally had four combat battalions — the Main, the Elite Assault, the Left Mobile, and the Right Mobile. During the Wanli reign, the Provincial Governor's Personal Battalion and the Armaments Battalion were added, making six battalions. If Wang Dou's mobile corps battalion were added, Xuanfu Garrison would effectively have seven combat battalions.

Wang Dou was inwardly overjoyed and loudly thanked Lu Xiangsheng for his cultivation and promotion. Yang Guozhu watched Wang Dou from the side, listening to his exchange with Lu Xiangsheng, and finally hearing Lu Xiangsheng even recommend him as the new Mobile Corps Commander of Xuanfu Garrison. Yang Guozhu was inwardly astonished — he had not expected Wang Dou to be so highly favored by Lord Viceroy Lu. A look of surprise appeared in his eyes as he scrutinized Wang Dou up and down.

After hesitating for a long moment, Wang Dou still asked, "After your subordinate is promoted to Mobile Corps Commander, the rations, pay, weapons, and equipment for my battalion, as well as the cavalry and infantry soldiers..."

Being promoted to a combat battalion naturally meant enjoying the treatment and benefits of a combat battalion. In the Great Ming's various combat battalions, retainers received the highest pay and rations — two taels and three mace five candareens of silver per month. Next were the southern troops, who received one tael and five mace of silver per month, plus five dou of rice in kind. The lowest were ordinary northern troops, who received only one shi of rice converted to one tael of silver per month. Additionally, cavalrymen received higher treatment — besides one tael and five mace of silver per month, they also received twenty-four taels of silver per year for warhorse fodder and beans.

However, regarding the infantry-cavalry ratio in combat battalions, among the Great Ming's various garrisons, only the Regional Commander's main-force battalion of five thousand men could include three thousand five hundred cavalry; the Vice Regional Commander's elite assault battalion of three thousand men could include two thousand cavalry. For the rest, the infantry-cavalry ratio for each Mobile Corps Commander was mostly seven infantry to three cavalry, at most five to five. The higher the assigned infantry-cavalry ratio, the more rations and pay one received.

But given the current state of the Great Ming... although Wang Dou did not count on the Great Ming issuing him much in the way of rations and pay, he still had to fight for what he should fight for.

Hearing Wang Dou's words, Lu Xiangsheng's face showed difficulty. He sighed heavily. "Wang Dou, regarding the rations, pay, weapons, and equipment for your mobile corps battalion, I, your Viceroy, will find ways and means."