[{"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-242":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},1205531,1561,"Chapter 242: Intensely Stimulating, Intensely Masculine, Intensely Manly","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-242",242,"\u003Cp>Wang Dou, Lu Xiangsheng, and the others climbed the temporary watchtower inside the camp to look out. Gazing as far as the eye could see, it seemed a large cloud of dust was faintly approaching from the south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earth trembled, and that cloud of dust drew nearer and nearer, until at last everyone saw a vast expanse of white banners come flying toward them. Beneath the banners were riders all clad in white armor, and the fiery red plumes atop their helmets could be faintly seen fluttering. Amid the banners, one exceptionally large white flag danced in the wind, as conspicuous as a crane among chickens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xiangsheng snorted coldly. \"Soldiers of the slave-thieves' Plain White Banner!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They certainly have nerve — a mere thousand troops, and they dare come spy on our camp?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commanders around Lu Xiangsheng all let out sneers, utterly dismissive of the thousand-odd Tatars outside the camp. With Viceroy Lu here, and with Wang Dou, whose valor was renowned throughout the three armies, here — their own Xuan-Da army numbered over ten thousand, bold of heart and united in purpose. Why would they fear a mere thousand Tatar soldiers of the Plain White Banner?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, one could not entirely blame those Qing troops for their arrogance. The Great Ming's government troops were many in number, but those who dared leave the city to give battle in the field were few; those who left the city only to stand by and watch made up a far greater portion. Those who truly fought the Qing troops in bloody hand-to-hand combat, blade meeting flesh, were rare. It was common for tens of thousands of Ming troops to stand by and watch a few thousand Tatar soldiers plunder and haul away wealth and goods without daring to make a move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Qing force had actually come to probe as well. If these Ming troops behaved as usual — merely shadowing them from a distance, not daring to fight — then they would return to the walls of Qingdu City and continue storming that county seat, seizing all its wealth, its women, and its children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even more brazen than this Plain White Banner force were the scouts who came whooping and hollering. These men were all burly of build and superb horsemen. Laughing wildly, they galloped around the camp just a few dozen paces out, and from time to time they even loosed arrows into the camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At such close range, one could clearly see their arrogant, vicious faces. The red plumes fluttering atop their helmets, the copper and iron boss studs on their cotton armor — all were visible in sharp detail. In the bitter cold, both they and the horses beneath them constantly exhaled thick white plumes of breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xiangsheng gazed into the distance. The main body of Plain White Banner cavalry had already halted less than two li from the camp and was arrayed in a battle-ready formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xiangsheng glared at that Qing force for a long moment, then said in a deep voice to all present, \"Generals, return to camp at once and select your most daring cavalrymen!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He jabbed his finger fiercely toward the Qing army outside the camp and shouted harshly, \"All of you, follow your Viceroy into battle! Annihilate them in one stroke — we shall breakfast after!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the signal drums sounded, company after company of Xuan-Da cavalry swiftly assembled outside the camp. At last, beneath the fluttering banners, several thousand riders had gathered. Outside the camp spread a sea of bright red Ming armor. Warhorses, unable to contain their restlessness, neighed again and again, until the sound merged into a single aura of armored steeds and clashing steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those Plain White Banner scouts who had been preening so smugly outside the camp never imagined the Ming troops would actually dare come out to fight. They were all caught off guard, every face showing disbelief. Not daring to linger outside the camp, they galloped back at full speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A ripple of derisive laughter spread through the Ming ranks, growing louder and louder, until at last everyone burst into great guffaws. The laughter of several thousand men seemed to drown out even the howling of the icy wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou was also riding out to battle. Beside him, Xie Yike personally bore his great banner, and a group of standard-bearers and guards pressed close around Wang Dou on either side. Behind Wang Dou, Li Guangheng led his four hundred cavalrymen, their faces brimming with excitement, already impatient to kill the foe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Wang Dou's left was Xuanfu Garrison Regional Commander Yang Guozhu, leading his one thousand cavalry. To Wang Dou's right was Xuanfu Assistant Regional Commander Zhang Yan, leading his five hundred cavalry. On the right flank of Lu Xiangsheng's Viceroy's Personal Battalion cavalry were Datong Garrison Regional Commander Wang Pu and Shanxi Garrison Regional Commander Hu Dawei, each with one thousand cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of organization, the three garrisons of Xuan-Da were essentially the same: each battalion had one Central Army officer and two Company Commanders, under whom were several Squad Commanders, who in turn commanded the files. Squad leaders each had their own identifying flag, clear at a glance. In the most basic unit, a squad of twelve men, the Squad Commander wore a back-banner and carried a curved saber. Behind him were four bow-and-saber men, then four hook-spear men, then two trident men, and finally one firearms soldier, who carried a great club for striking the heads of enemy horses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, among the Xuan-Da reinforcement troops this time, even if a garrison's main-force battalion had brought three thousand men and all were cavalry, at least nearly a thousand of them would be mounted support troops and camp laborers. Under Qi Jiguang's influence, the Ming cavalry had a relatively high proportion of firearms troops; it was estimated that in each army, a thousand were firearms cavalry, and only the last thousand were killer-squad cavalry. And most of these men were the household retainers and personal guards of the various Regional Commanders and officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, after Lu Xiangsheng issued the order for the cavalry to go into battle, the Regional Commanders of each garrison pulled out their household retainers and killer-squad cavalry. These men were all professional soldiers, every one of them battle-hardened. The cavalry's pay and provisions were good, and every face was filled with fierce determination; each man simply tightened his grip on his weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They watched the Qing troops opposite them with seething killing intent. Though the horses in their own camps were daily growing weaker and thinner, and these days, short of fodder, they had been starved badly — while many of the Tatar soldiers opposite had two horses per man — still, the Tatars opposite numbered only a little over a thousand. Those capable of fighting probably numbered only a few hundred. Their own side had several thousand cavalry; they could simply crush them by sheer weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splendid military merit was right before their eyes. These Ming cavalrymen were all rubbing their hands and clenching their fists, burning with impatience to kill the foe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over four thousand cavalry made a vast sea of armor and banners — fiery red lacquered armor, fluttering plumes, dense banners and pennants, and a forest of long spears that seemed to pierce the clouds. An irresistible momentum spread outward. The Qing troops opposite were clearly taken aback; they had not expected the Ming troops not only to dare come out and fight, but to come out in such a massive formation. Hesitant, they no longer dared press forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the various Regional Commanders and officers had led their troops out of camp, each brought a few personal guards and gathered beneath Lu Xiangsheng's great banner. Lu Xiangsheng's Viceroy's Personal Battalion numbered nearly a thousand men; this time he had brought five hundred cavalry out to battle. Behind him and to either side, the commanders all looked upon the Qing troops opposite with scornful eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several days of rest, Wang Pu had regained his handsome, dashing appearance. His armor was once again resplendent. Mounted on his horse, he cast an utterly contemptuous glance at the Qing troops opposite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his right hand he gave his bright red cloak a vigorous shake, making it billow in the wind. Then, with a flourish, he flicked the red plume atop his helmet. Cupping his fist toward Lu Xiangsheng in salute, he called out loudly, \"Viceroy, your subordinate is willing to lead the sons of Datong into battle — to slay their commanders and seize their banners, to seek out the enemy chieftain's head and return with good tidings!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good!\" Lu Xiangsheng shouted his approval, and the commanders around him cheered in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The troops' morale was high and could be put to use; Lu Xiangsheng would naturally do nothing to dampen it. He said loudly, \"General Wang, your Viceroy shall stand here and oversee the battle for you. I await your good tidings!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bellowed, \"Someone, pour General Wang a cup of wine to fortify his journey!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once a personal guard stepped forward and filled a bowl to the brim with wine. Lu Xiangsheng received it with both hands and personally presented it to Wang Pu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Pu took the wine bowl, tilted his head back, and poured the entire bowl into his mouth — though a good half of it spilled down his collar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Pu cried out, \"Exhilarating!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hurled the wine bowl to the ground, then gave the red plume on his helmet another violent flick — making Wang Dou worry his helmet would fly off, though fortunately it did not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face brimming with heroic fervor, Wang Pu cupped his fist toward Lu Xiangsheng, then without another word wheeled his horse and rode off. With one hand controlling the reins and the other gripping a horse lance, he led a few personal guards at a full gallop, racing back to his own formation. In the icy wind, their bright red cloaks could be seen billowing to their fullest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a few paces from his own formation, Wang Pu suddenly reined in. Amid his horse's neighing, his mount nearly reared, its four hooves tilting back into the air. Yet Wang Pu still gripped the reins with one hand, his horse lance in the other, his great cloak swirling about him — a magnificent image of a man leaping his horse and leveling his spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou was full of admiration; he admitted he himself could not manage such masterful horsemanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Pu spurred his horse before his own formation, raised his spear, and shouted, \"My Datong Army!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mighty and fierce!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My Datong Army!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mighty and fierce!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mighty and fierce! Mighty and fierce! Mighty and fierce!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dense forest of spears thrust forth. The morale of the Datong garrison's soldiers was roused to its peak by Wang Pu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sons, kill the slaves!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Pu's eyes bulged wide. He pointed his horse lance toward the Qing troops opposite and roared at the top of his lungs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ten thousand victories!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Pu took the lead, charging ahead with his horse lance. Over a thousand Datong garrison cavalry surged out of the formation behind him, their hoofbeats rolling and booming like thunder, charging toward the Qing troops opposite with overwhelming momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kill the slaves!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The very earth seemed to tremble. The Datong garrison cavalry swept forward like a torrent, with Wang Pu at their head, arrayed in a tight formation, charging straight into the Qing ranks. The Qing troops opposite seemed to stir uneasily; they had not expected this Ming unit to be so fierce. They hurriedly dispatched several hundred men to meet the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon the two cavalry forces crashed together. Even from a distance, one could see the brutal ferocity of the fighting. Wang Dou's blood boiled with excitement. This kind of cavalry combat — one rider galloping forth, ten thousand riders following behind — was all too apt to set one's blood surging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their way of fighting was entirely different from that of infantry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even from afar, Wang Dou could see Wang Pu fighting with reckless abandon, heedless of death. Though the histories recorded this man's misdeeds, anyone who could rise to become the Regional Commander of an entire garrison was no simple figure. I must never underestimate the heroes of the realm, Wang Dou silently warned himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xiangsheng, too, watched the fierce, bitter struggle over there. He saw that Wang Pu fought at the very front throughout, and that under his inspiration, the Ming troops of Datong Garrison fought with equal valor, not a single man showing cowardice or retreating. Lu Xiangsheng was deeply gratified and nodded repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Wang Pu became locked in bitter combat, the Qing troops opposite showed faint signs of pulling back. From the Ming formation came wave after wave of cheers, which at last merged into a mighty roar of \"Ten thousand victories!\" Wang Pu's valiant fighting was an immense inspiration even to the soldiers of the three Xuan-Da garrisons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that the Qing troops were about to retreat in defeat, Lu Xiangsheng bellowed, \"Today we shall annihilate this band of slave-thieves completely! Soldiers, the time has come to kill the thieves and repay the nation! Follow your Viceroy — charge!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tremendous roar seemed to drown out the howling of the icy wind. Another roar of \"Ten thousand victories!\" rose up, and the remaining several thousand Xuan-Da cavalry all surged forward behind Lu Xiangsheng, rolling onward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xiangsheng took the lead. He still wore his hempen mourning garments, mounted upon that extraordinarily fine white steed, Wumingji. The heavy fine-steel blade in his hand, weighing several dozen jin, simply pointed forward. Behind him, thousands of warhorses converged into a surging torrent of steel, rolling inexorably onward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warhorses galloped, their iron hooves seeming to shake the very ground with violent tremors. Upon his speeding steed, Wang Dou likewise brandished his fine-steel long spear, shouting as he charged. It seemed that ever since he had taken up a defensive post, he had not personally led his troops into battle. This fine-steel long spear, since its forging, he had not yet used. For the first time, charging at the very front of his cavalry with ten thousand horses galloping around him, pressing close behind Lu Xiangsheng, Wang Dou felt a tremendous thrill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Shunxiang Army did not advocate this style of fighting — with the commander charging at the very front — one could not deny that this way of fighting was intensely stimulating, intensely masculine, intensely manly. In the age of cold steel, the boost such an act gave to the army's morale and fighting spirit was unparalleled.\u003C\u002Fp>",2457,"2026-06-03T14:05:36.780Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","94634883826f4991ca0a23d1b2f568f7cb910362af993943a87217687f9719de","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-243","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-241",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]