[{"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-322":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},1205611,1561,"Chapter 322: A Heroic Lord","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-322",322,"\u003Cp>“Brother Gongfu speaks truly — General Dingguo is about to assume his post. The eastern territories lie in ruins awaiting revival. With our talents, we can surely aid the General in bringing prosperity to the people, securing the realm, and leaving our names in the annals of history.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Qin Yi’s words, Ye Xizhi’s spirits soared. He resolved to spend these days thoroughly exploring and touring every corner of Bao’an Department, then find an opportunity to offer his counsel to Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two chatted a while longer. As they spoke, a sudden commotion arose inside and outside the inn. Through the window they saw the street thronging with clamorous commoners, countless people shouting and calling out. Qin Yi and Ye Xizhi exchanged a glance, neither understanding what had happened, when a voice rang out: “General Dingguo is making his inspection tour.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heads crowded thickly from windows on both sides of the street, and the streets themselves were packed with dense crowds, everyone craning their necks to look ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Dingguo on inspection tour?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Xizhi was overjoyed: “Speak of Cao Cao and he arrives. Brother Gongfu, this is a heaven-sent chance — we can see for ourselves the true face of the hero whose fame shakes both north and south.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yi said nothing, but the eagerness in his eyes betrayed his urgent mood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two stood at the window and gazed out. Ahead, the mass of commoners suddenly bowed in unison, many even kneeling in prostration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a grand procession of banners and insignia approached — “Wanquan Regional Military Commissioner Assistant Regional Commander,” “General Dingguo,” “Guard Commander,” “Yongning Defense Assistant Regional Commander,” “Hereditary Bao’an Guard Commander,” and other dense arrays of banners held high. Those bearing the placards and flags were all tall, powerfully built horsemen in full helmets and armor, their expressions stern and imposing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the banner officers came several hundred more riders clad in iron armor and iron helms. These were all battle-hardened warriors who had survived a hundred fights. Divided into front and rear contingents, they rode in formation, their iron armor glinting coldly, their proud, self-assured bearing enough to strike awe into any onlooker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Iron hooves thundered, a murderous aura spreading. As the procession drew near, the commoners on both sides had long since fallen silent. Ye Xizhi and his companion watched in wonder, feeling that with just these several hundred iron-clad riders under his command, General Dingguo could already dominate the Xuanfu Garrison region — to say nothing of the nearly ten thousand fierce warriors he led.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon the several hundred iron-clad cavalry ahead passed by, revealing a large group of officers in fine armor at the center. One among them, surrounded like stars cupping the moon, instantly seized the attention of Qin Yi and his companion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That officer looked very young, seemingly not yet thirty, yet his bearing was steady, his gaze sharp, and his every gesture carried an indescribable, awe-inspiring authority that made one’s heart quail. He rode a jujube-red steed and wore a suit of fine steel armor. Sunlight reflected off the armor plates, each one gleaming, making him look like a celestial being descended to earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As this officer approached, a tidal wave of cheers rose from the street: “General.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officer smiled and waved from horseback to the commoners on both sides, his expression exceedingly warm. At this, the cheers on the street grew even louder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Xizhi wagged his head in admiration: “Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger. When the sage arises, all things look to him. General Dingguo’s fame is truly well-deserved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said to Qin Yi beside him: “A dragon’s stride, a tiger’s transformation — a lord of heroic talent. Brother Gongfu, we have found a worthy master, a worthy master indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yi remained silent, only staring intently as Wang Dou’s figure passed by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around them now gathered the inn’s staff and guests, a steady murmur of hushed voices: “The General on inspection tour — truly magnificent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With his venerable self in Bao’an Department, we department folk can rest easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See that suit of armor the General wears? That’s an imperial gift, personally bestowed by His Majesty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Dingguo’s valor leads the three armies. The officers attending him are all heroes too. See that guard officer? They call him Master Tiger. He once went alone to the Tartars’ Bordered Red Banner to deliver a message — faced a host of thousands without changing expression. A true brave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And those officers beside the General… Company Commander Han, Company Commander Wen, Company Commander Zhong, Company Commander Li — all outstanding talents of the age. They followed the General in campaigns north and south. From the capital they fought to Julu, from Julu to Pinggu — renowned and illustrious. Even the Tartar Emperor dared not face them in battle. Such heroes — other commanders have not a single one, but around the General, fierce warriors fall like rain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else could it be but that our Bao’an Department is a blessed land…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waves of excited discussion rose around them. Slowly Wang Dou’s procession receded into the distance, and calm returned to the street. Ye Xizhi said excitedly to Qin Yi beside him: “Brother Gongfu, I can wait no longer. I wish to go to the General’s residence and offer my services.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the first day of the fourth month of the twelfth year of Chongzhen, from early morning a steady drizzle fell, yet the streets of Bao’an Department still bustled with crowds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the xun corner of Bao’an Department city, the former Garrison Commander’s residence had long since been renamed the General’s Residence. Now before the gates of this mansion — the focus of attention for the entire department and even the whole Xuanfu Garrison — carriages and horses streamed like water. One after another, officers surrounded by attendants dismounted here and hurriedly entered through the two heavy vermilion-lacquered gates. The clatter of hooves and the calls of greeting were unceasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The xun corner had always been the prosperous heart of Bao’an Department. The General’s Residence and the Bao’an Department administration were both located here, and this street had thus gathered many shops, tea houses, and wine shops, dense with merchants and crowds. In one such wine shop, Ye Xizhi and Qin Yi sat at a window-side table. Through the crowds on the street, they could faintly glimpse the ceaseless flow of people before that imposing mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hear that General Dingguo has returned to the department city and is holding his first council today. Those who can enter the General’s Residence are all the officers and civil officials closest to him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Xizhi was well-informed and had quickly found out the reason for the bustling activity at the General’s Residence today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pointed out to Qin Yi the officers passing by outside the window one after another, each riding with a retinue of attendants: “Brother Gongfu, look. That steady, composed Ming officer who passed earlier is General Dingguo’s most trusted great general, Han Chao. During the Battle of Julu, his younger brother Han Zhong died in battle. The court posthumously enfeoffed his brother as General Mingwei, granted an official burial, and extended titles to his wife and sons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because of that battle, he too was rewarded with the post of Bao’an Guard Commander. There is word that he will be transferred to be Garrison Commander of Laishui County, guarding a territory of his own.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That equally steady officer is Zhong Diaoyang. I hear he is General Dingguo’s maternal cousin. In this campaign he was promoted to Bao’an Guard Assistant Regional Commander. Rumor has it that after General Dingguo takes up his separate command at Yongning, he intends to appoint Zhong Diaoyang as Garrison Commander of Bao’an Department city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That handsome, dashing officer is Wen Fangliang. He was originally a Battalion Commander of Shunxiang Fort. In this campaign he was promoted to Bao’an Guard Commander. There are also rumors that General Dingguo intends to appoint Wen Fangliang as Garrison Commander of Bao’an Department. When the time comes, whether Zhong Diaoyang or Wen Fangliang takes the post, it will be quite the struggle between dragon and tiger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That one is Gao Shiyin, and that one is Zhong Xiancai. These great generals are all old hands who rose with General Dingguo from a single beacon tower and fort. He relies on them deeply. If we are to enter General Dingguo’s service, we must in the future cultivate good relations with these trusted officers…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Xizhi rattled off his knowledge like counting family treasures, introducing to Qin Yi one by one the figures and information he had gathered. Qin Yi, meanwhile, gazed thoughtfully at several civil officials passing by outside the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One civil official in particular drew Qin Yi’s attention. He was in his forties, with a three-part long beard, his clothing and hair impeccably neat. He rode on horseback, a composed smile on his face, occasionally exchanging a few words with a civil official beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These civil officials also caught Ye Xizhi’s attention. He lowered his voice: “That civil official in the middle must be Feng Dachang, the clerk whom General Dingguo deeply relies upon. The one beside him is surely Zhong Rong. Among the civil officials of Bao’an Department, these two are the most valued by General Dingguo. Brother Gongfu, if we are to serve under General Dingguo in the future, we must pay close attention to these two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hear there is also Fu Mingqi, the Confucian Instructor of Bao’an Department, a close friend of General Dingguo…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lowered his voice further: “Provincial Governor Ji’s daughter, Young Lady Ji, has already acknowledged him as her adoptive father. This Fu Mingqi — we must find an opportunity to pay him a visit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Xizhi’s words continued, but Qin Yi remained deep in thought, his gaze fixed intently on the distant, solemn, and imposing General’s Residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over there, officers dismounted one after another at the gate, clapping each other on the shoulders and laughing heartily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the window a light rain pattered. Within the spacious main hall of the General’s Residence, voices rose one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In this campaign, our Shunxiang Army recaptured a total of eight hundred taels of gold, over four hundred eighty thousand taels of silver, seven thousand bolts of silk, over two hundred ten thousand captives, over two hundred sixty thousand shi of grain and rice, over one hundred eighty thousand pigs and sheep, over twenty-five thousand head of cattle, over twenty-two thousand horses and mules — of which about five thousand are warhorses. We seized over nine thousand five hundred sets of Eastern Slave armor, over nine hundred seventy bird-beak muskets, and countless blades, spears, and baggage…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The court has also granted fifty thousand taels of silver for pensions, three thousand sets of armor, ten red-barbarian cannons, and one thousand Lumi muskets…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speaker was Garrison Supervisor Chi Dacheng. Before the eight-panel screen at the east and west sides of the main hall sat civil and military officers from all over Bao’an Department. All were members of Wang Dou’s core group — military men like Lin Daofu, Han Chao, Wen Fangliang, Wen Daxing, Zhong Diaoyang, Zhang Gui, and Chi Dacheng; civil officials like Feng Dachang, Zhong Rong, and Zhong Zhengxian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every face beamed with joy and exultation. The hall blazed with the red of official robes. Not only were the spoils of war abundant, but every officer who had taken part in the campaign had received promotion and reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting aside Han Zhong and Yang Tong, who had died in battle — Wen Fangliang had risen three ranks in one leap, from Battalion Commander to Guard Commander. Though Han Chao had joined the campaign late, his great merit at Zhuozhou and Pinggu was conspicuous, and he too was promoted to Guard Commander. Zhong Xiancai and Wen Daxing were promoted to Vice Guard Commander. Zhong Diaoyang, Sun Sanjie, Gao Shiyin, Li Guangheng, Zhao Xuan, Chi Dacheng, and others were promoted to Assistant Guard Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yike, too, was promoted to Battalion Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Daofu and Zhang Gui, though far away at Shunxiang Fort and the department city and not participating in this campaign, were recommended by Wang Dou, and the court also promoted them in acting capacity to Assistant Guard Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though not substantive appointments, this greatly heartened the two men, who felt that following Wang Dou held boundless prospects. Now they sat in their places, participating in the council. Zhang Gui in particular felt deeply honored — this signified his entry into General Dingguo’s core group, a matter of no small significance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Wang Dou had been appointed as Yongning Assistant Regional Commander on the Eastern Route, he had three months to assume the post. With a host of follow-up matters to settle, Wang Dou was in no hurry to proceed to Yongning. He had led the great army back to Bao’an Department, paid homage to the fallen soldiers, and only after several days of rest had everyone recovered their breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was also Wang Dou’s first council since returning to the department city. Now he sat upright in his huanghuali official’s armchair, listening to Chi Dacheng’s report, his eyes half-closed, occasionally lifting the teacup beside him for a sip. On the rear wall hung that enormous painted mural, imposing and solemn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>※※※\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old White Ox:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day before yesterday I flew from Nanning to Xiamen, then at nine-thirty in the evening transferred from Xiamen to Wuyishan. Yesterday I took a bus back from Wuyishan and arrived home in the afternoon. I dealt with a huge backlog of matters, and today I resume updating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many readers say this book will be abandoned — that’s unscientific. Old Ox is a man with a family and career, and with a completed work like “Back to the Ming Dynasty as a Battalion Commander” as a guarantee, how could I possibly abandon it? ()\u003C\u002Fp>",2324,"2026-06-03T14:05:36.780Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","2fe93431a3843b1f5cbd2b83b85a946e298a0538e1fc8963f53ce94d643a7ce2","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-323","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-321",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]