[{"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-338":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},1205627,1561,"Chapter 338: Advancing to Suppress","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-338",338,"\u003Cp>On the second day of the sixth month of the twelfth year of the Chongzhen reign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deadline set by the proclamation issued a month ago had arrived. According to the Intelligence Division's reconnaissance, most of the several hundred bands of bandits, large and small, within the territory had obediently surrendered or abandoned their strongholds and fled elsewhere. After all, the intimidating might of the Shunxiang Army was no trivial matter — even the ferocious Tatars fled at the sight of them, let alone these shrimps and crab soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there were still some obstinate and unrepentant ones. Although they had not descended from their strongholds to plunder during the proclamation period, they were barring their stockades and watching, quietly waiting for the storm to pass. This was also their experience — the strict orders of the government offices never lasted long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For these people, Wang Dou had already sentenced them to death in his heart. Even if they now wished to surrender and be pacified, Wang Dou would no longer permit it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the Intelligence Division's scouts, there were still over a dozen bands of obstinate bandits within the Eastern Circuit territory. The largest band was led by a man called \"Tyrant Tian,\" whose followers reportedly numbered nearly a thousand. The mountain stronghold they occupied was not far from Baoan Guard, near the Chang'an Battalion on the northern route of the Xuanfu Garrison's Branch Inspection Circuit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Intelligence Division had learned that \"Tyrant Tian's\" original name was Tian Dabang, a notorious career bandit of the Xuanfu Garrison. It was heard that during the Wanli reign, his family had once been a Squad Commander in the area. Why later generations of descendants became bandits generation after generation could no longer be verified. In any case, this Tian Dabang came from a bandit family, deeply \"steeped\" in its influence. From childhood, he had been constantly exposed to it, and had long since mastered the way of banditry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sources of his followers were motley: horse bandits, blade-wielders, local ruffians and hooligans, career bandits, army riffraff, and so on. Their mountain stronghold had high peaks and dense forests, with sparse human habitation, favorable for their activities. Against them, whether the troops of Baoan Guard or Chang'an Battalion, they had launched encirclement campaigns many times, yet could do nothing about them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Tian Dabang was very cunning. He understood the principle that \"a rabbit does not eat the grass by its burrow, a hawk does not strike the prey beneath its perch,\" and did not permit his men to commit outrages in the Baoan Guard and Chang'an Battalion area. Otherwise, he would investigate to the end and never let them off lightly. The troops' repeated failures in encirclement campaigns were not necessarily without the result of locals tipping them off. Perhaps both garrisons had their informants planted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would often enter Huailai, Yanqing Department, Longmen Guard, and other places to plunder. Sometimes they gathered into a large gang, sometimes they split into small bands, seizing and slaughtering pigs and sheep, raping civilian women. The common people suffered deeply from their harm. Wang Dou resolved to exterminate them and return a bright, clear sky to the Eastern Circuit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As early as last month, the Staff Division had already formulated a detailed bandit-suppression plan. Wang Dou decided not to rely on the troops of the various guard battalions, but to dispatch his own Shunxiang Army for the operation. After the main force set out, it would split into multiple routes. Exterminating Tian Dabang was only one of them. And according to the Night Scouts' reconnaissance, Tian Dabang and his men were still leisurely idling inside their stronghold, utterly unaware that a great calamity was about to befall them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wang Dou signed and issued the order, at that moment, on the broad training ground of the Western Mountain military camp at Yongning City, bursts of cheers were erupting. A great many soldiers had formed a thick circle, watching two men compete on the field. On the high platform sat Company Commander Gao Shiyin and Company Commander Zhong Xiancai. The several Squad Commanders under them stood behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the dense mass of heads below the platform, this contest seemed to have attracted more than half the soldiers in the military camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two competing on the field at that moment were a soldier under Gao Shiyin and a soldier under Zhong Xiancai. The soldier under Gao Shiyin was named Zhao Rongcheng. He was not old, probably just over twenty, but he was built very robustly, seeming a full size thicker than the average man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, he had stripped off his upper garment, and the muscles of his entire body bulged like rock. His roars were like thunder, and his pair of fists were incomparably fierce and powerful, beating his opponent until he had no strength to parry. Watching from the platform, Gao Shiyin roared with laughter. This Zhao Rongcheng was a seed he had newly discovered — highly skilled in martial arts and extremely adept at hand-to-hand combat. Indeed, he did not disappoint his expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, what Gao Shiyin slightly regretted was that this Zhao Rongcheng came from the New Army, the batch of troops trained in the tenth year of Chongzhen, a pikeman. It was also Zhao Rongcheng's bad luck. After Han Chao led the New Army out to battle, over six hundred of them had remained in Baoan Department all along, without the chance to participate in the grand and stirring campaigns of the eleventh year of Chongzhen, let alone earn any merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Gao Shiyin's esteemed rank of Company Commander, if a man under him had no military merit, even promoting a minor soldier would invite a flood of criticism. The Pacification Commission would be the first hurdle he could not pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this reorganization, those original six-hundred-plus New Army soldiers who had been trained but never seen combat were successively assigned to the various Company Commanders. Both Gao Shiyin's and Zhong Xiancai's companies each received one platoon of the New Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Zhao Rongcheng's physical prowess was indeed quite good. Although he was a New Army soldier who had never been on the battlefield, he beat the veteran soldier opposite him into steady retreat, until the man finally clasped his hands and conceded defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hoots arose from below the platform. The officers and soldiers of Gao Shiyin's company all cheered and shouted, while the officers under Zhong Xiancai beside him all felt their faces had lost all luster. Though it was only an ordinary contest, it still concerned the honor of the two units.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To encourage a martial spirit within the army, Wang Dou had pondered back and forth and finally opened up the regulations for military contests. From formation drills to individual combat, the variety was numerous. Moreover, soldiers could now challenge those of a higher rank — though, of course, only one rank higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Rongcheng, as a soldier of middle-grade skill, had defeated an opponent of upper-grade skill — especially an opponent who was a veteran who had seen battle. This instantly made people look at him with new respect. And having succeeded in his challenge, he immediately squeezed into the ranks of upper-grade soldiers. Not to mention anything else, his food and provisions treatment immediately changed, and he was more admired in the army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surrounded by his comrades, Zhao Rongcheng came before the platform and shouted to Gao Shiyin, \"Reporting back to Company Commander Gao, your subordinate is fortunate not to have failed his mission and has not brought shame upon our brothers of the Ren Unit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin laughed heartily: \"Lad, well fought. I reward you one mace of silver. Work hard, and in the future, when you earn military merit, becoming a Squad Commander, Platoon Leader, or Squad Commander will be no difficult matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Rongcheng joyfully caught the one mace of silver thrown at his face. His grandfather loved to drink most of all. In the future, when he had saved up money, he would buy the old man a few jugs of fine wine to enjoy. He only hated his own poor luck that he could not join the battle last year. Otherwise, following behind General Dingguo, he would have long since earned countless merits, and his whole family would be eating well and drinking richly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Zhao Rongcheng withdrew, Gao Shiyin cast a smug glance at Zhong Xiancai beside him. Behind him, Squad Commanders Tian Zhijue, Shen Shiqi, Lei Xianbin, and others of the Bing Unit all had extremely ugly expressions. Only Zhong Xiancai's fair, round face still wore a gentle smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Company Commander Zhong, want to compete again? Battle formation, pike, fire lance — take your pick.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin said with immense self-satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Xiancai said softly and gently, \"Fine, let's compete again with fire lances. From...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused his words and looked toward the direction of the camp gate. Seeing him do so, Gao Shiyin also looked that way. After a moment, he said, \"It's Old Wen. Didn't the General summon him for a conference? How did he return so quickly?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the military camp entrance, several riders were just entering the camp. The one at their head was an exceptionally handsome officer — it was Wen Fangliang. According to Shunxiang Army military law, except for scout riders conveying intelligence and Company-Commander-level officers with their escorts, riding horses was strictly forbidden within the camp. Wen Fangliang, Gao Shiyin, Zhong Xiancai, and others, as Company Commanders, had this qualification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very quickly, Wen Fangliang arrived at the martial arts platform and said with a smile, \"All the brothers are here. Old Gao, you've dragged Brother Zhong into another contest. Is your competitive spirit too strong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin shouted, \"I say, Old Wen, when are you going to compete with me, brother? You always push it off, saying you're too busy. When will you ever be free?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Fangliang smiled: \"Rest assured, once we finish the official business, the brothers of our two units will have a good competition.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly his face fell, his expression turning solemn. He unfurled a document in his hand and shouted: \"Order of General Dingguo!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone on the platform, whether Gao Shiyin, Zhong Xiancai, and the others, or all the soldiers below the platform, uniformly dropped to one knee, clasped their fists in both hands, and shouted: \"Your subordinates receive the order!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several thousand men on the field shouted in response at once, the sound like thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Fangliang unfurled the document in his hand and declared loftily: \"Bandit troubles run rampant, bringing harm to the common people. Now there is the bandit chieftain Tian Dabang's band, obstinate and unrepentant, defying the imperial court. For the sake of the myriad common people's lives, it is hereby commanded that Company Commander Gao Shiyin of the Ren Unit lead his troops to advance and suppress them, to annihilate them. Seven days is the term. This is of the utmost urgency.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin, overjoyed, received the document. His expression even turned savage: \"Excellent! Finally, we sortie to battle. Drilling in camp every day, I've been stifled to the point of growing mold.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like him, the officers and soldiers under his command were all elated, all cheering: \"We're going to war, we're going to war, finally, we're going to war.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early on the morning of the third day, Gao Shiyin led the soldiers under his command and set out. Like all the other Company Commanders in the rest of the Shunxiang Army, Gao Shiyin had eight hundred combat soldiers under him, including one platoon of the New Army from the tenth year of Chongzhen. There were four hundred fire-lance combat soldiers in total, among them one hundred Luzon arquebusiers. Wang Dou had obtained one thousand Luzon arquebuses from the Chongzhen Emperor, and each infantry company commander was allocated one hundred. Although they had not been converted to the flintlock pattern, those fire-lance soldiers were exceedingly fond of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the main force left the military camp, it advanced swiftly in the direction of Baoan Guard. The Shunxiang Army was well-trained, and its marching columns were strict and orderly. Gao Shiyin's Ren Unit was no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the previous infantry companies, now every man in each infantry squad of the Shunxiang Army had been issued a horse. Wang Dou had already made up his mind: except for the artillery and logistics troops, he would turn all his infantry into mounted infantry, increasing their mobility, regardless of whether they could become true cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, although most of the soldiers in the army had horses, in terms of equipment, Li Guangheng's cavalry company still differed slightly from the infantry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their cavalry all wore cotton armor and were equipped with sabers and hand cannons. In the future, when flintlock hand cannons were mass-produced on a large scale, each cavalryman would be equipped with two to three hand cannons. To improve the armor-piercing capability of the hand cannons, their caliber would be enlarged so that within thirty paces, they could pierce the cotton armor of the Qing soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for long-model flintlock guns or matchlock guns, there was no need to equip them. Cavalry could not properly aim and fire during a charge. Later ages were also full of battle examples where cavalrymen often found firearms cumbersome and discarded them before charging. Although they would later face financial penalties for losing their firearms, the cavalrymen still considered it worthwhile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although long firearms were very necessary for cavalry defense or when fighting dismounted, Wang Dou believed that cavalry was an offensive arm. If defense was needed, he would just use his infantry to defend. For cavalry to discard long firearms, the advantages outweighed the disadvantages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tactically, the future combat method of the Shunxiang Army's cavalry would also be to use sabers during the charge and hand cannons in melee — this was wisdom drawn from battle history. Only the cavalry in the front rank would additionally carry a lance. Of course, the Shunxiang Army's current opponents were mainly cold-weapon armies. To protect against bows and arrows, each cavalryman would be equipped with a small round shield, which could simply be strapped to the left arm with a leather belt during combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The result of increasing the army's mobility was a great increase in Wang Dou's burdens, since horses consumed quite a lot of grain and fodder. Therefore, Wang Dou planned to set the number of regular troops at only under fifteen thousand. In the future, the garrison-farmer able-bodied men would farm when busy and drill when idle, existing only as a reserve force.\u003C\u002Fp>",2442,"2026-06-03T14:05:36.780Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","7671e4c86181fea77b1186adb27b46199ed1a04651e14ca41c8ed81af993d0e9","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-339","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-337",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]