[{"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-219":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},1205508,1561,"Chapter 219: The Battle of the Stone Bridge (Part Two)","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-219",219,"\u003Cp>The one defending the Yan Dun mound and the stone bridge was Tian Qiming, the officer of the C Jia squad under Han Zhong's command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming had once been the head of the retainers under Tian Changguo, the Company Commander of the prefectural city. In the tenth year of Chongzhen's reign, after Lu Xiangsheng inspected the security prefectural city, Tian Changguo acted decisively and had his own kin, Tian Zhijue, lead a hundred retainers to defect to Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, he did not disappoint Tian Changguo. Now, among the three Squad Commanders under Company Commander Han Zhong — Zhong Xiancai, Yang Tong, and Tian Zhijue — Tian Zhijue held one of those posts, commanding a squad of several hundred men. Although most of them were new troops trained only last year, every soldier in this unit could be said to be stronger than his own retainers of former years. His son and nephew's prospects were bright indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Changguo felt great comfort in his old age and secretly rejoiced that his choice back then had not been wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the new army was trained, Tian Qiming earned much merit in the series of bandit-suppression campaigns and was recommended by Tian Zhijue as a platoon officer. After the recommendation was submitted, approval quickly came down, and Tian Qiming became the officer of the Jia squad of the C platoon in the Yi division, commanding a force of seventy-four men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the defense of the Yan Dun mound and the stone bridge, Tian Qiming consulted with his deputy, Huang Wei. Huang Wei suggested that among the squad's six squads of troops, four squads be positioned behind the bridgehead — one squad of saber-and-shield soldiers and three squads of arquebusiers — while the remaining two squads of arquebusiers be placed on the beacon tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the bridgehead, several single-wheel war carts were set up as a barricade. The carts stood sideways, and on the side facing the bridge, hard wooden protective shields were fixed onto the shafts, enough to block the sharp arrows fired by the Qing troops. From the front of the carts all the way to the bridgehead, the ground was also strewn with iron caltrops, their sharp spikes pointing upward, gleaming with a chilling, dreadful light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terrain on the stone bridge and Yan Dun side, from the left all the way to the river channel, had steep banks on both sides, making passage difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The right side, though gentler and easier to cross since the river water had dried up, was only ten zhang from the beacon tower behind them, whose firepower covered everything within a hundred paces. If the Qing troops dared to come from that direction, the two squads of arquebusiers on the tower would make those reckless Tartar soldiers regret it bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Wei had been a squad leader in the old army and had fought in vicious battles against the Tartar soldiers. Even with Tian Qiming's rank as platoon officer, he had to value Huang Wei's opinion. Moreover, he could find no fault at all with such an arrangement. This kind of defense could maximize the power of the Shunxiang army's arquebuses, so Tian Qiming gladly agreed at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arriving at Yan Dun the day before, the two divided the work. Tian Qiming led four squads to guard the bridge, while Deputy Huang Wei led two squads to guard the beacon tower, and they cooperated quite pleasantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing happened all day yesterday. Early this morning, Tian Qiming rose from inside the beacon tower full of energy. With the help of a few guards, he donned his iron armor, put a small woolen cap on his head, and then put on his iron helmet. With the inner cap, the original bone-chilling cold on his head was greatly reduced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Tian Qiming put on his woolen overcoat, donned his gloves, and properly fixed the back-banner that marked his rank as platoon officer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly shook both fists downward, swept a majestic glance over the four guards beside him, and said, \"Lads, are you ready?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four guards all puffed out their chests and shouted in unison, \"Ready!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imitating the manner of Mobile Corps Commander Wang Dou, Tian Qiming made a very imposing gesture and said sternly, \"Move out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five men strode out of the room with heads high and chests out. A deadly north wind hit them full in the face, and all five shivered in unison. One guard cursed under his breath, \"Damn, what a hellish place, so much colder than Bao'an Prefecture.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmph!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming swept a stern look at him. \"As officers and soldiers of Bao'an, what does a mere chill count for? Let alone frost and snow, even if the general gave the order to face a mountain of blades and a sea of flames, we should not so much as furrow our brows.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four guards said in unison, \"Officer Tian is utterly loyal and devoted; we are full of admiration!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming cursed the damnable weather inwardly, kept one hand on his saber, swung the other arm with a measured rhythm, and led his four guards as they strode imposingly up to the parapet of the beacon tower. Once there, the cold was even more piercing. Traces of frost could be seen on the battlements, and gusts of icy wind came one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the suspended tower, Deputy Huang Wei stood motionless in the cold wind like a clay or wooden statue, simply gazing intently toward Tongzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around him, some arquebusiers were patrolling back and forth along the tower wall. Huang Wei was likewise in iron armor and overcoat, with a back-banner slightly smaller than Tian Qiming's fixed on his back. Hearing footsteps and seeing it was Tian Qiming, he cupped his fists in salute. \"Greetings, Officer Tian.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming warmly helped him up and said, \"How goes it, Old Huang? Any movement?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Wei shook his head. Tian Qiming likewise looked out beyond the beacon tower. An endless expanse of yellow-earth wilderness stretched away, and apart from a few trees shivering in the cold wind, there was nothing at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming felt a secret disappointment in his heart and thought, \"Why haven't the Tartar soldiers come yet?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the new army's drills, Tian Qiming had heard many veterans boast about battles with the Qing troops, and his heart could not help but itch. He had fought horse bandits and brigands many times, but he still did not know what it was like to fight Tartar soldiers, and he was eager to test his own martial prowess. Not to mention that in Wang Dou's army, the greatest merit came from fighting Qing troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exchanged a few words with Huang Wei, then led his guards out the tower gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gate of Yan Dun was on the west side, right beside the official road. From the official road to the stone bridge, the four squads of soldiers guarding the bridge were densely arrayed here. Some were chatting, some gazing into the distance, and some were warming themselves around a few campfires by the roadside. The collected dead leaves and branches crackled in the flames, dispelling some of the chill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from that one squad of saber-and-shield soldiers, the three squads of arquebusiers, while chatting idly, were also carefully tending to their beloved arquebuses, using a soft, light cloth to wipe the dark, sturdy barrels, or wrapping a ramrod in fine cloth to clean the inside of the bores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou's current arquebuses had a self-opening and closing flash pan cover mechanism, allowing them to be used in battle even in this kind of freezing wind. They also used granulated powder. Within a hundred paces, they could kill any Qing soldier wearing no armor or a single layer of armor. Within seventy paces, they could pierce the multiple layers of heavy armor those soldiers wore. If not for still needing a long, cumbersome match cord attached, they would be considered a truly perfect firearm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Tian Qiming stride over, all the soldiers at the bridgehead rose to salute him. Tian Qiming looked with satisfaction at his subordinates. These arquebusiers all wore eight-petaled iron-tipped helmets and red cotton-wool overcoats, with breastplates inside and sabers hanging from their waist belts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to good nutrition and strict training, they were all stout and robust. Having also gone through many bandit-suppression battles, they could already be considered qualified, elite soldiers. If they experienced a few more vicious battles with the Qing troops, their very bearing would surely undergo an earth-shaking transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He warmly patted the shoulders of the soldiers in front of him — a gesture he had also learned from the Mobile Corps Commander. He raised his voice: \"Brothers, all of you keep your spirits up. Don't let a moment of carelessness allow the Tartar soldiers to creep up on us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers laughed loudly. \"Officer Tian, we're only afraid the Tartar soldiers won't come. We've been waiting for them for ages.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the laughter, the four squad leaders guarding the bridge also came forward to pay their respects to Tian Qiming. The three arquebus squad leaders and the one saber-and-shield squad leader each had a small banner fixed on their backs, smaller than the back-banners of Tian Qiming and Deputy Huang Wei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming glanced at the saber-and-shield squad leader, a rough and bold man who had originally been a soldier in the old army. The squad of troops under his command all wore full armor and carried large sabers and large shields, meant for close combat when the enemy drew near. At that moment, those saber-and-shield soldiers were gathered around a fire on the right side of the official road, talking and laughing loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After exchanging a few words with the squad leaders, Tian Qiming gazed intently toward the stone bridge. The field of view was broad. On either side of the official road were only a sparse scattering of trees, and to the left and right stretched yellow-earth wilderness. Faint traces of some surrounding villages could be seen, but there was no sign of the great cloud of dust that would herald the Qing troops' arrival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming muttered, \"Could it be another day of waiting in vain? No matter, let's have breakfast first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept one hand on his saber and paced a few circles along the official road between the stone bridge and the beacon tower. Soon, several mess soldiers from the platoon arrived carrying buckets of steaming hot breakfast. The bridgehead immediately became lively. Hot noodles and dried meat boiled into broth let everyone eat with great relish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Warming themselves by the fire in the cold wind and eating piping hot food, everyone felt especially content. Tian Qiming sat with the squad leaders and ate several large bowls of noodles in a row before setting down his bowl with satisfaction. He patted his belly and said, \"That really hits the spot. These noodles are chewy and have a good bite. The mess soldiers in our platoon are not bad.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The saber-and-shield squad leader was also eating with great gusto, spittle flying, and said loudly, \"Brothers have all eaten and drunk their fill. If the Tartar soldiers come, it'll be just the thing to move around a bit after the meal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other three squad leaders also laughed heartily. Suddenly, one squad leader stared blankly toward the bridgehead and said, \"Old Yang, you really called it. The Tartars are here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming and the others jumped to their feet. Straining their eyes into the distance, they indeed saw a great mass of dust rolling toward them from the far end of the wilderness. Only the rapid gallop of a large force of Qing cavalry could raise such a cloud of dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming barked sharply, \"Stand to! Prepare for battle!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His blood seethed with excitement; he felt the blood in his entire body turn scalding hot. This day had finally come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four squads of soldiers at the bridgehead assembled urgently. The three squads of arquebusiers formed up behind the war carts in the cold wind, while the one squad of saber-and-shield soldiers guarded the right side of the bridgehead to prevent Qing troops from crossing the riverbank. At the same time, an alarm also went out from Yan Dun; clearly, they too had seen the Qing troops approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming heard Deputy Huang Wei's shouted orders, telling the two squads of arquebusiers on the beacon tower to stand to. With a crack, a puff of smoke rose from the beacon tower — Deputy Huang Wei had fired his pistol to warn the village fort behind them. Then the crack of pistols sounded continuously as the ambush soldiers along the road relayed the warning all the way back to the village fort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That mass of dust drew closer and closer. Finally, Tian Qiming saw a great banner, red with a white border, appear before his eyes. Then a vast expanse of red-and-white banners followed close behind, fluttering and snapping in the cold wind. Beneath the dense forest of banners were all riders clad in red armor with white trim. Atop their tall, dark, pointed helmets, fiery red plumes streamed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Troops of the Tartar soldiers' Bordered Red Banner.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One arquebus squad leader cried out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brothers, keep your nerve!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He heard the Qing cavalry's hoofbeats growing louder and louder, as if the very earth were shaking under the pounding of the iron hooves. His heart hammered violently a few times, and he cursed inwardly, \"Damn, these Tartar soldiers really are different from mountain bandits and horse brigands.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked around. Fortunately, although the soldiers were startled and many could not help but let out heavy, ragged breaths, their expressions remained fairly composed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, this stone bridge was the only crossing on the official road. The bridge was blocked full of single-wheel war carts, and the ground was strewn with iron caltrops. Tian Qiming also had great faith in his platoon's arquebuses. The Tartar soldiers could not charge through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those Qing cavalry of the Bordered Red Banner came howling in. Ahead of their army galloped some scouts, who, seeming to see the situation at the bridgehead, were startled and at the same time raced back. Very soon, the Qing riders slowed their horses' pace and finally came to a halt a hundred and fifty paces from the stone bridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, those Qing cavalry could be seen more clearly. Each wore a gleaming helmet over concealed armor, likely with iron leaves riveted inside. Every man's cotton armor was studded with large copper nails, and the officers had shining breastplates on their chests. Apart from the tall iron helmets with red plumes, everyone's uniform was bright red, trimmed with white-bordered cotton edging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all sturdily built, sitting steadily on their horses. One could faintly make out their faces, full of baleful ferocity and covered with expressions of arrogance and insolence. As if tired from the ride, and in the freezing weather, the horses beneath them constantly snorted, thick white vapor puffing from their mouths and nostrils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming made a rough estimate, and based on the intelligence relayed from the beacon tower, those Bordered Red Banner Tartar soldiers should all be troops from the so-called Aliha Chaoha Camp. Before setting out, their superior officers had explained the Tartars’ new military system to them. Now when the Tartars take the field, they no longer organize by the so-called niru, but divide into three main camps: the so-called Bayara Camp, the Aliha Chaoha Camp, and the Gabshihiyan Camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The names themselves are a mouthful — Tartars are just Tartars, unlearned, and even the names they pick are this bizarre. Tian Qiming curled his lip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he cursed inwardly, his eyes watched intently. Across the way were about five or six hundred Tartar soldiers. Their numbers did not seem large, yet they flew the official banner of a jala-i janggin. The superior officers had said before that now when the Tartars go on campaign, those commanding a niru-i janggin’s troops would be given the concurrent title of jala-i janggin. It seemed that across the way was a niru-i janggin holding such a concurrent title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Qiming estimated that across the way there were only two or three hundred armored soldiers, among them at most a hundred mounted armored soldiers. After the Tartars unified their military system, each niru drew seventeen bayara soldiers to the Bayara Camp, drew a few gabshihiyan soldiers to the Gabshihiyan Camp, and drew several tens of foot armored and mounted armored soldiers to the Aliha Chaoha Camp, with the original niru-i janggin and jala-i janggin of each banner leading the troops. Roughly fifty men formed a company, the officer still called a funde bošokū, and every ten men had a squad leader called a juwan-i da.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the way were at most three hundred armored soldiers; the rest were attendants and auxiliary troops. He estimated that each foot armored soldier had one auxiliary, and each mounted armored soldier had two auxiliaries. Among the auxiliaries, some were clearly surplus males of the banner wearing cotton armor without iron plates. Though these men also carried blades and spears, under the fierce fire of their own firelocks, they would only be throwing their lives away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were also various soldiers’ household slaves — aha, booi, and the like — used only as menial laborers and cannon fodder, utterly without combat effectiveness, and could be disregarded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having calculated to this point, Tian Qiming’s heart settled. His own company of seventy-odd men, every one a combat soldier, one against three, with the bridgehead, with the war carts as obstacles, with the deadly firelocks — today he would show these Tartars a thing or two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also watched the Qing cavalry across the way with some surprise. Not only did every one of those armored soldiers have a horse, but even the attendants and miscellaneous troops behind them each had a horse as well. These Tartars were very rich.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Up on the village fort, Wang Dou was also concentrating his gaze on the movements over at the bridgehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Fangliang said, “General, word has come from the fire-road beacon tower that several hundred Tartar cavalry are pressing forward. Should we send some reinforcements?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou shook his head and said, “A mere few hundred slave cavalry, no need to be concerned. I trust the officers and men guarding the bridge and the beacon can handle it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Zhong stood beside Wang Dou and nodded in deep agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou gave instructions to Li Guangheng beside him: “Squad Commander Li, prepare yourself. Once those slave cavalry attacking the stone bridge are routed, you will immediately lead the riders under your command and pursue them on horseback.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guangheng was overjoyed and loudly acknowledged the order before departing.\u003C\u002Fp>",3150,"2026-06-03T14:05:36.780Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","3188be38a21f6b7410b1f336015000e3c8dc67f877804b45f473369cadd6b561","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-220","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-218",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]