[{"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-295":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},1205584,1561,"Chapter 295: Unbelievable","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-295",295,"\u003Cp>When the victory messengers from Xuan-Da entered the capital, the Chongzhen Emperor was raging inside the Qianqing Palace. Definite news had already arrived: Dorgon’s main army had breached Jinan. Prince De, Zhu Mobile Corps Commander, and General of the State Zhu Enshang were captured when the city fell, and all the city’s commoners were taken captive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only that, the Qing army was still rampaging across Shandong, their blades thrusting toward Yanzhou, Qingzhou, and other prefectures. The situation was so ruined that the Qing soldiers moved as if entering uninhabited land. Were there truly no civil officials or military officers in the Great Ming who could halt the Qing army’s advance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All of them are useless trash. Issue the decree: arrest Shandong Provincial Governor Yan Jizu, and the reinforcing Regional Commanders Zu Kuan and Li Zhongzhen, and bring them to the capital. Strip them of office for abandoning the fief. Execute them, execute them…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Battle of Julu, on Yang Sichang’s advice, the Chongzhen Emperor issued a decree pardoning the Xuan-Da and Guan-Ning armies for the grave crime of losing their commanding generals in battle. The various Guan-Ning Regional Commanders had since reappeared one after another; only the Xuan-Da army still had no word, and no one knew where they had fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Sichang had already spoken with the Guan-Ning commanders, so their accounts aligned with his: at the Battle of Julu, the Qing forces were overwhelming, and they and the Xuan-Da army were outmatched, fighting a bloody battle and losing. When the military situation in Shandong grew critical, Zu Kuan was appointed reinforcing Regional Commander and ordered to support operations in Shandong. Unexpectedly, he was routed in a single engagement with the Qing army, losing all his troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the Chongzhen Emperor vented all his pent-up fury upon them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Son of Heaven’s thunderous rage made every nearby attendant and palace maid tremble. No one dared even to breathe deeply, terrified of being caught in the collateral disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the Chongzhen Emperor suddenly focused his hearing. From beyond the palace walls came wave after wave of cheering, growing louder and louder, as if the entire capital’s populace were shouting in joy. The Chongzhen Emperor listened intently, but could not make out the words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was inwardly puzzled. Since the Battle of Julu, the endless string of defeats and routs had plunged the capital and its environs into dead silence. What could make the capital’s commoners boil over like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to send someone to investigate when, at that moment, the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial, the eunuch Wang Dehua, came sprinting over. Holding aloft a victory dispatch, he cried out: “Your Majesty, a great victory, a great victory…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wang Dehua rush over, Chongzhen suddenly felt a flutter of panic: “What… great victory?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A great victory, Your Majesty…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What great victory?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dehua was panting and somewhat incoherent. Finally, he shouted it out: “Xuanzhen Regional Commander Yang Guozhu, Xuanzhen Mobile Corps Commander Wang Dou, and Jinzhen Regional Commander Hu Dawei report a victory: at the Battle of Julu and the Battle of Zhuozhou, they took over eight thousand Eastern Slave heads, killed the Plain Red Banner slave chieftain Yoto in battle, and captured his son Luo Luohong alive… The whole city is astir, Your Majesty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongzhen Emperor took the victory dispatch with trembling hands. He read the memorial over and over, and soon he too was panting heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This, this… Right, summon Minister Yang at once to see us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wang Dehua dashed off, the Chongzhen Emperor clutched the victory dispatch and paced back and forth within the chamber, unable to sit still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very soon, Yang Sichang arrived in haste. He had just gone to the Ministry of War to personally receive the Xuan-Da victory messengers, and upon hearing the Emperor’s summons, had hurried over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kowtowed to the Emperor in salute. The Chongzhen Emperor bade him rise and speak, and even granted him a chair to sit on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Toward Yang Sichang, the Chongzhen Emperor extended unconditional trust. The Qing army’s breach of Jinan was, in truth, partly a strategic oversight by Yang Sichang. It was his judgment that Dezhou lay on the Qing army’s southward route, so he sent a directive ordering Shandong Provincial Governor Yan Jizu to lead troops to hold it. As a result, the Qing army bypassed Dezhou, crossed the Huitong River from Linqing, and thrust directly beneath the walls of Jinan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, inside Jinan city there were only five hundred local militia and seven hundred reinforcements from Laizhou. Although the defenders fought to the death holding the city, under the fierce assault of tens of thousands of Qing soldiers, the city quickly fell. Many died in the street fighting, and in the end Prince De and the masses of commoners were taken captive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even so, the Chongzhen Emperor’s favor and trust in Yang Sichang did not change in the slightest. This moved Yang Sichang to tears of gratitude, and he became even more reverent before the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing that Yang Sichang was seated, the Chongzhen Emperor handed him the Xuan-Da victory dispatch and asked anxiously: “Does my beloved minister believe the Xuan-Da victory report to be true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Sichang’s mind raced. In truth, when the first wave of Xuan-Da victory messengers arrived, he had gone to the Ministry of War and personally received those victory-proclaiming riders. The information he obtained was far more than what the Chongzhen Emperor had. Outwardly, he rose respectfully and said: “Your Majesty, the two Regional Commanders of Xuanzhen and Jinzhen, as well as General Wang, have reported victories several times before, and each time it was true!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Taking eight thousand Eastern Slave heads may contain some inflated numbers… However, killing the slave chieftain Yoto in battle, and moreover capturing his son alive — the matter is of such gravity that they absolutely would not dare to falsify it. Moreover, as the victory dispatch states, the two Regional Commanders and General Wang seized the slave chieftain’s banners, armor, and helmet. The Ministry of War can verify this upon inspection.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongzhen Emperor beamed and paced back and forth within the chamber: “What fine men, Yang Guozhu and Hu Dawei, what a fine man, Wang Dou. Previously, we thought they had fled and hidden out of fear of punishment. How could such a great victory suddenly appear, such immense merit achieved? Hah, the great victory at Zhuozhou — the army’s morale and the people’s spirit are boiling over. Let’s see if the Eastern Slaves dare to rampage any longer!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Sichang adjusted his robes and cap, prostrated himself on the ground: “Relying on His Majesty’s divine might, and the officers and soldiers risking their lives, such a great victory was achieved. Your minister respectfully offers congratulations to Your Majesty, congratulations to the Great Ming!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tears rolled down his cheeks, and he could not speak through his sobs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongzhen Emperor was moved in his heart and said gently: “My beloved minister, please rise!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Sichang remained prostrate on the ground: “Your minister deserves death ten thousand times over. Your minister dares not rise!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongzhen Emperor was puzzled: “What crime has my beloved minister committed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Sichang said: “Your minister has committed the grave crime of deceiving the sovereign and father!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued: “When Your Majesty issued the decree pardoning the Xuan-Da and Guan-Ning armies for the grave crime of losing their commanding generals in battle, the various Xuan-Da officers and soldiers had reached the Yizhou area. They sent envoys to contact the Xuan-Da Viceroy Chen Xinjia and placed themselves under his command. Your minister, having scouted that the slave chieftain Yoto had set camp at Zhuozhou, and having received Viceroy Chen’s memorial, knew in his heart that the Xuan-Da army was fierce and valiant. He therefore ordered that army to lie in ambush, to be used as a surprise force. By sheer luck, they achieved great merit. However, your minister did not report the whereabouts of the Xuan-Da army, thus committing the grave crime of deceiving the sovereign and father. I beg Your Majesty to punish me severely!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, tears fell like rain as he repeatedly kowtowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongzhen Emperor was dumbfounded, then burst into loud laughter. Pointing at Yang Sichang, he said: “My beloved minister, you have kept us in the dark so bitterly, kept us in the dark so bitterly…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His brows danced with joy: “You acted out of a heart devoted to the country’s welfare. Military intelligence and documents come and go frequently; it is hard to avoid the worry of leaks that would alert the slaves to be on guard. In this battle, the Xuan-Da army also achieved victory by catching the enemy off guard. So be it. Next time, my beloved minister must not do this again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Sichang rose, his face streaming with tears: “Your Majesty’s heart is merciful and magnanimous. Your minister gives thanks for this grace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongzhen Emperor was extremely satisfied. Yang Sichang indeed possessed great talent, having actually directed the Xuan-Da army to achieve such extraordinary merit. He said: “The three generals have rendered great service. In my beloved minister’s view, how should they be rewarded and encouraged?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Sichang said: “The three generals have achieved extraordinary merit and naturally must be well rewarded and encouraged, so that they may render new services for Your Majesty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added: “However, the victory report has only just arrived, and the military merits have not yet been verified. Your humble minister believes that a careful review is needed before a final decision is made.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued: “Your minister is willing to request orders to personally leave the capital and go to Zhuozhou and other places to verify the merits and to comfort and encourage the great army.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongzhen Emperor was somewhat reluctant to let Yang Sichang leave the capital, but seeing his brimming enthusiasm, he nodded and said: “Very well. You shall leave the capital and, on behalf of the Son of Heaven, commend and encourage the meritorious officers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Sichang withdrew respectfully. After walking a long way, he could still hear the Emperor’s delighted laughter coming from the chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He returned to the Grand Secretariat. The several Grand Secretaries were also buzzing with discussion, and Yang Sichang could discern each man’s hidden thoughts. He summoned a trusted official and whispered secret instructions: “Go to Tianjin. Tell Chen Xinjia to ride posthaste to Zhuozhou. If he wishes to enter the Grand Secretariat in the future, tell him to be diligent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventeenth day of the first lunar month, in the twelfth year of the Chongzhen reign, Tianjin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time in Tianjin, not to mention inside the city, even from the western bank of the Grand Canal all the way stretching to the Jinghai area, Ming army tents were densely packed everywhere. Chen Xinjia’s Xuan-Da army of over fourteen thousand men, plus tens of thousands of Guan-Ning troops, and some local forces, were all gathered here, forming what seemed like an endless sea of banners and encampments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now all these troops were under the unified command of the Xuan-Da Viceroy Chen Xinjia. Originally, the Senior Grand Secretary Liu Yuliang was also in Tianjin as an inspector. However, Liu Yuliang was not only mediocre but also muddle-headed in handling affairs. Earlier, his impeachment of Jinzhou Department Magistrate Chen Hongxu had brought a heap of trouble, earning him an imperial decree of reprimand from the Chongzhen Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After he fled to Tianjin, he submitted memorials criticizing the various generals for retreating, and his memorial touched upon Baoding Regional Commander Liu Guangzuo. When the Qing army crossed the Yongding River, the water was rising and their baggage train had difficulty crossing. Cao Bianjiao and others looked at each other, not daring to attack, and Liu Guangzuo was especially cowardly. Liu Yuliang impeached him, and the Chongzhen Emperor decreed that Liu Guangzuo be executed before the army. Just then, Liu Guangzuo urgently reported a victory at Wuqing, so Liu Yuliang submitted another memorial begging mercy for Liu Guangzuo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongzhen Emperor issued a decree of reprimand. Liu Yuliang was ordered to be dismissed and remain idle, while Liu Guangzuo was still sentenced to death. After Liu Yuliang departed, the troops in the Tianjin area were all placed under the overall command of the Xuan-Da Viceroy Chen Xinjia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, within these Ming army encampments, a wave of commotion arose. A shocking piece of news spread: “The Xuan-Da army won a great victory at Zhuozhou, taking over eight thousand heads, and even killed the Plain Red Banner Gushan Ejen Yoto in battle and captured his son Luo Luohong alive…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This news came out of Chen Xinjia’s personal battalion camp. After the Shunxiang Army night scouts, who had galloped over three hundred li since setting out on the fifteenth day of the first month, entered the Viceroy’s camp in Tianjin, this astonishing news soon spread. Immediately, the news traveled at lightning speed to every Ming army encampment throughout Tianjin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the officers and soldiers who heard it could not believe it. Taking eight thousand heads — how was that possible? Given the combat effectiveness of the Great Ming’s official troops, taking eighty heads was already a rare victory, let alone killing the Qing state’s Duoluo Beile, the Plain Red Banner Gushan Ejen Yoto, in battle, and even capturing his eldest son Luo Luohong alive…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impossible, absolutely impossible!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a single officer or soldier believed the Xuan-Da army’s report. Everyone thought they were wildly exaggerating and boasting, and that this boast was far too enormous. From the mouths of the various Guan-Ning commanders, they already knew that after the Battle of Julu, the Xuan-Da army that had accompanied Viceroy Lu to Julu was nearly annihilated and had fled without a trace. How could such a great victory suddenly appear? It was definitely boasting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Guan-Ning encampment, several Regional Commanders were also holding an emergency council inside the tent of Shanhai Pass Regional Commander Ma Ke. Their conclusion was also that it was unbelievable. They all felt the Xuan-Da army had exaggerated far too much and that it would be difficult to clean up the mess in the future. In their words, there was a tone of schadenfreude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the Battle of Julu, they had watched others die without lifting a finger to help, yet they felt not the slightest guilt. After their own rout, they instead blamed the Xuan-Da army for not providing support, harboring deep resentment in their hearts. They were all quite willing to see Yang Guozhu, Hu Dawei, and the others suffer some hardship in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the various Regional Commanders dispersed, Qiantunwei Regional Commander Wang Tingchen stopped Yutian Regional Commander Cao Bianjiao: “Young General Cao, do you think the report from Regional Commander Yang and the others is true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Bianjiao said: “I think…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head, and in the end gave no conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet throughout the Ming army encampments at Tianjin, everyone was spreading whispers, and the commotion reached its peak after the messengers from the capital galloped into Chen Xinjia's camp. Soon the various commanders heard the urgent drumbeats summoning officers to the central army tent, and the officers and soldiers were still passing the word: \"Viceroy Chen's personal battalion seems to be striking camp and moving out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Bianjiao and the others looked at each other in bewilderment: \"Could it be that the news of a great victory by Yang Guozhu, Wang Dou, and the others is true?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2595,"2026-06-03T14:05:36.780Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","1ae40ad9a4e0a07756e7f7e3288681943830a937a3ea9f78a31c581c190ac3ab","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-296","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-294",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]