[{"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-307":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},1205596,1561,"Chapter 307","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-307",307,"\u003Cp>Huang Taiji pondered in silence for a long while, then looked toward Abatai: \"Rao Yu Beile, you were the first to cross hands with the Ming general Wang Dou. In your judgment, how should we deal with Wang Dou's infantry battle formations?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abatai rose, knelt, and said: \"In reply to His Majesty, in this slave's judgment, Wang Dou's troops are not inferior to us in arms, nor in valor. His forces are also adept at coordinating with allied units, with foot and horse relying on each other, so our cavalry's strengths cannot be brought to bear. Moreover, they possess sharp firearms, like adding wings to a tiger.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To defeat Wang Dou, this slave believes we must use firearms to counter firearms, blasting open his formations with equally sharp cannons and arquebuses. Only then do we have a chance of victory!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Firearms?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Taiji narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, firearms were not rare in the Qing army; cannons were even commonly used. Historically, during the Song-Jin Campaign, both Ming and Qing sides deployed large numbers of red-barbarian cannons. In the battle of Songshan alone, the Qing army transported ten thousand cannonballs, forty red-barbarian cannons, and ten thousand jin of gunpowder. After the Song-Jin Campaign, the Qing forces garrisoned at Jinzhou already possessed a hundred red-barbarian cannons, while most of the Ming army's cannons beyond the passes had fallen into Qing hands. Only Wu Sangui's troops defending Ningyuan still retained a dozen or so red-barbarian cannons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The balance of firearms between Ming and Qing had reversed. The Western missionary Tang Ruowang exclaimed in alarm: \"Their men are robust, their horses vigorous, their arrows sharp, their bows strong — already far superior to us. And recently their firearms have become sufficient to match ours. Who would have thought that our wondrous techniques would all fall into their possession? The Western great cannons, which we currently prize in firearms, the enemy not only has, but now possesses in abundance…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet from Abatai's meaning, it seemed he wanted the Eight Banners soldiers to train in firearms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Taiji was still pondering when Abatai's words stirred up a hornet's nest. The Gushan Ejen of the Bordered Yellow Banner, Baiyintu, spoke first: \"Your Majesty, mounted archery is the foundation of our Great Qing's state. Manchu and Mongol sons train in bow and arrow from childhood. To have them switch to firearms would be putting the cart before the horse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Gushan Ejen of the Plain Yellow Banner, Ashan, also said: \"Our Eight Banners warriors sweep all before them; every Ming army they meet loses heart and flees. Even if Wang Dou is stronger, he is but one Ming force. It suffices merely to strengthen the artillery fire of the Ujen Cooha firearms camp.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining ministers of the Two Yellow Banners spoke up one after another, opposing having the Eight Banners troops switch to firearms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Gushan Ejen of the Plain Blue Banner, Hooge, cast a cold glance at Abatai and gave a derisive snort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Taiji slowly nodded. After establishing the Qing state, he likewise regarded mounted archery as the magic weapon for conquering the Central Plains, repeatedly emphasizing mounted archery as \"the root of the Eight Banners\" and \"the foundation of the state.\" He issued multiple edicts ordering princes and beile to personally lead bannermen in archery practice: the able-bodied among the younger generation were to practice with horn bows and feathered arrows, the young with wooden bows and willow arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bannermen skilled in mounted archery were not only rewarded with banquets and prizes, but could even be awarded official hat buttons and peacock feathers, and enjoy the special honor of accompanying the Emperor on inspection tours, hunts, and mounted archery displays. Those bannermen who failed in the assessments faced reprimands and sentences of penal labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In such a national atmosphere where mounted archery was the foundation, suddenly ordering them to switch to firearms would be taking the lives of those Manchu and Mongol bannermen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked toward Abatai, signaling him to continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abatai was somewhat frustrated. He had not even finished speaking, yet those ministers and beile of the Two Yellow Banners had already jumped up as if their tails had been stepped on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abatai continued: \"Your Majesty, and all Beile, mounted archery is the foundation of our Great Qing's state. Of course we cannot have Manchu and Mongol sons switch to firearms. This slave's meaning is that we can expand the Han Army Two Banners, enlarging them to Four Banners or even Eight Banners, increasing the number of cannons in the Ujen Cooha camp, and organizing and training arquebusier troops to counter Wang Dou's musket and cannon formations!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Abatai finished speaking, the hall fell utterly silent. All the Manchu and Mongol banner lords were exchanging glances. Expand the Han Army Eight Banners? And form organized arquebusier units?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those Han troops… they could betray their former masters to surrender to the Great Qing — as for loyalty and character, there was no need to discuss that. Establishing the Ujen Cooha artillery camp was no problem, but expanding them into Eight Banners, giving them the same treatment as the Manchu and Mongol Eight Banners, and letting them control sharp muskets and cannons — that…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their gazes involuntarily turned to the right side, toward Kong Youde, the Prince of Obedience, and Ning Wanwo, the Grand Secretary of the Hongwen Academy, along with the other Han ministers. Though Han ministers, their queues and attire were no different from the Manchus. After Huang Taiji ascended the throne, he had issued strict decrees that all Han people within the realm adopt Manchu-style clothing and hairstyles. From that year onward, Han clothing and topknots were no longer seen within Qing territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong Youde stood impassively, but inwardly he was secretly excited. Not long after he surrendered to Huang Taiji, Huang Taiji had established the Han Army Left and Right Banners, with him, Tong Yangxing, Shi Tingzhu, and others each controlling a Ujen Cooha firearms unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because his army was equipped with large numbers of Western firearms and possessed complete techniques for casting shot and making gunpowder, as well as cannon-aiming knowledge and instruments, Kong Youde was more highly valued by Huang Taiji than Tong Yangxing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, when the Qing army assaulted formations, the opposing Ming troops' firearms performed poorly and their soldiers' combat ability was lacking, so Kong Youde's arquebusiers had no use and mostly served as artillerymen. Now, with Wang Dou on the scene, Abatai proposed expanding the Han Army Eight Banners… Kong Youde's heart surged with emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly sensed Huang Taiji's gaze turn toward him, and Kong Youde's expression grew even more deferential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Taiji's voice rang out: \"Prince of Obedience, if your camp's soldiers were to fight the Ming general Wang Dou, what are the odds of victory?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong Youde stepped forward and knelt: \"When I was in Shandong, I cut down Shandong troops like chopping melons and vegetables. Though they numbered in the hundreds of thousands, they could do nothing to me. The troops of every garrison were no match for me. As for this Ming general Wang Dou…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hesitated, asked Abatai about the range and power of Wang Dou's muskets, and after receiving the answer, continued: \"The three thousand troops I have brought with His Majesty are all arquebusiers, every piece meticulously crafted by red-barbarian master smiths. They can kill the enemy at a hundred paces and should be able to fight Wang Dou. The odds of victory should be around six in ten.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added with great regret: \"It is a pity that the Divine Might Grand General cannons in my camp did not accompany the army. Otherwise, the odds of victory would be eight or nine in ten.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"Divine Might Grand General\" Kong Youde referred to was a type of red-barbarian cannon, weighing close to four thousand jin, with cannonballs weighing around ten jin. His banner's Ujen Cooha artillery camp had forty such cannons. Because they were too heavy, they had not accompanied Huang Taiji when he went south to Shanhai Pass or when he led the army into the interior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Kong Youde, if they had a few such cannons — better yet, all forty — lined up in a row, they could simply blast Wang Dou's formations apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Taiji slowly nodded and glanced at Abatai: \"The matter requested by Rao Yu Beile shall be discussed upon returning to court. Prince of Obedience, withdraw.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Abatai and Kong Youde rose and withdrew, Huang Taiji slowly paced. After a long while, he said in a deep voice: \"We intend to go personally to Pinggu to observe Wang Dou's battle formations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words from Huang Taiji, the surrounding princes, dukes, and ministers immediately erupted in uproar. But before they could speak, Dorgon already said: \"His Majesty is sagacious. Now, under Wang Dou's attacks, our various banners' troops have lost soldiers and officers, their forces wounded and their courage shattered. Even as brave as Rao Yu Beile, with over ten thousand troops, when facing an equal number of Wang Dou's forces, he had no choice but to retreat and evade. But with our Emperor's divine might and the arrival of the celestial army, we can certainly deal Wang Dou a heavy blow and greatly boost the sharp morale of our Great Qing officers and men!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dodo likewise echoed Dorgon's words. A hundred thousand Ming troops were massed at Tongzhou, and Wang Dou had just captured Pinggu. When news spread, their army's morale would rise even higher. If they could not deal the Ming army a heavy blow, especially defeat Wang Dou's forces, then the two hundred fifty thousand captives taken from Tianjin, along with the vast amounts of gold, silver, and valuables, would likely be difficult to transport out of the passes. Therefore, the Emperor personally campaigning at Pinggu was truly a brilliant move. It would certainly greatly boost the army's morale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two brothers sang in harmony. Among the banner lords who had entered the passes, Jirgalang, Dudu, and others all remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the various Mongol Eight Banners lords, they naturally had no standing to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Taiji looked at Dorgon for a long while. Dorgon maintained an expression of deference throughout. Finally, Huang Taiji spoke: \"All ministers, return to Tianjin at once, assemble the troops, and rendezvous with Our forces at Tongzhou within three days.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Huang Taiji issued his orders, the Manchu and Mongol banner lords who had entered the passes acted with swift decisiveness. That very day, Dorgon and the others returned to Tianjin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Taiji's Two Yellow Banners, plus his son Hooge's Plain Blue Banner, totaled over thirty thousand men, with over ten thousand armored combat soldiers. Among them were over two thousand Bayara soldiers and over one thousand Gabshihiyan Cooha soldiers, making a total of over thirteen thousand armored troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accompanying Huang Taiji and Hooge into the passes this time were fifteen thousand banner men from the three banners, plus the Bayara camp and Gabshihiyan Cooha camp, containing over eight thousand armored soldiers. Kong Youde's three thousand Han Army Right Wing troops also accompanied them, making a total of eighteen thousand troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, Oboi, granted the title \"Baturu\" and serving as the Third-Class Meiren-i Janggin of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner, was ordered by Huang Taiji to serve as vanguard, leading five thousand troops toward Tongzhou. Huang Taiji then struck camp and personally led the remaining great army in a mighty advance. The Tongzhou area was immediately shrouded in dark clouds as scout riders galloped to and fro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth day of the second month, in the twelfth year of the Chongzhen reign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the first day of the second month, Wang Dou, Cao Bianjiao, Wang Tingchen, and others spent an evening deliberating how to write the victory report. On the second day, the report was sent to Tongzhou. Chen Xinjia was overjoyed at the news and swiftly reported the victory to the capital. Chen Xinjia also sent word to Wang Dou and the others that he intended to come personally to Pinggu to reassure the people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the afternoon of the fourth day, Wang Dou did not see the arrival of Chen Xinjia's great army, but instead received an urgent plea for reinforcements sent by Chen Xinjia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The messenger said urgently to Wang Dou: \"The slave chieftain Hong Tai has personally arrived at Tongzhou. Tongzhou is in peril. General Wang, please return with all haste to relieve us!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Bianjiao and the others were startled. The Qing Emperor had come?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said in a deep voice: \"What of Army Commander Yang and Army Commander Hu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The messenger sighed: \"When they moved to engage the slave chieftain's vanguard commander Oboi, their troops have already been routed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2133,"2026-06-03T14:05:36.780Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","a59fb83e10e51a75cc990b6c49dcab1c342d7cd054d3daca3c89f74d7b0b934f","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-308","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-306",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]