[{"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-356":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},1205645,1561,"Chapter 356: Each Gains Something","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-356",356,"\u003Cp>Of the two Regional Commanders, one was excessively young — perhaps the same age as Wang Dou, or perhaps a year or two younger. He had fair skin and a medium build; if Wang Dou stood about one meter eighty-five, then this Regional Commander was roughly one meter seventy-three or seventy-five.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his build was medium, he was extremely sturdy and very handsome. On his head he wore a six-panel iron-tipped helmet, and outside he wore a blue-purple open-chest wide robe that revealed fine mail armor within. His gaze was intense as he looked around, carrying a flavor of authority and depth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clasped his hands behind his back, ignoring the chatter of the large group of officers behind him, and gazed thoughtfully at a newly built garrison fort across the river. When Wang Dou looked toward him, he also looked toward Wang Dou, his eyes sweeping over Wang Dou before he gave a slight nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other Regional Commander was in his forties, with a square face and features as sharply defined as if carved by a knife. He wore a cloud-wing helmet and mountain-pattern armor, with a large red cape tied on, and his every movement was vigorous and forceful — a hardy Great Ming soldier just like Yang Guozhu or Hu Dawei. The two young officers behind him somewhat resembled him in appearance and were likely his sons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two young men argued about something as they walked. When their voices grew too loud, the Regional Commander turned his head and glared at them, and the two young men immediately fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou's mind turned — he could already vaguely guess who these two Regional Commanders were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou went forward with Chen Xinjia and the others to greet them. As the Senior Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, Xue Guoguan stood majestically in front of Yang Sichang and Hong Chengchou, receiving the collective obeisance of the Xuan-Da officials led by Chen Xinjia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xinjia belonged to Yang Sichang's faction; even Wang Dou's father-in-law Ji Shiwei closely followed Chen Xinjia and could also be counted among Yang Sichang's people. Only Wang Dou remained aloof from factional struggles. Of course, anyone who could enter the Cabinet was a shrewd character. Xue Guoguan's bearing was dignified and proper; he personally helped Chen Xinjia up and made a great show of solicitous concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By rights that should have been the end of it, but Xue Guoguan cordially asked Chen Xinjia to introduce the various Xuan-Da officers to him, as he wished to personally offer his encouragement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three Regional Commanders of the Xuan-Da Garrison, along with Wang Dou and the other eastern-route officers, came forward in order of rank to pay their respects as Chen Xinjia introduced them. Xue Guoguan praised each one, making everyone who paid respects feel as if bathed in a spring breeze — a man who could become Senior Grand Secretary was indeed no ordinary figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it was Wang Dou's turn to pay respects, Xue Guoguan fixed his gaze on him for a long moment and, smiling, told Wang Dou to rise. His voice was resonant, carrying a metallic timbre: \"A fine tiger of a general — no wonder you could deal the eastern slaves a great defeat. His Majesty personally decreed praise that your valor crowns the three armies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou felt many gazes cast upon him — some envious, some jealous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He performed a salute and said: \"I dare not presume to trouble Your Excellency with such praise. The battles of Zhuozhou and Pinggu relied above on His Majesty's great fortune and the strategic planning of the various grand ministers. Below, Military Governor Yang, Military Governor Hu, and the other generals made decisions on the field. I merely followed them in slaying the bandits and gained but a trifling merit by luck.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Guoguan, Yang Sichang, Yang Guozhu, and the others all nodded. Xue Guoguan stroked his beard and praised: \"Neither arrogant nor rash — truly rare.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ji-Liao Viceroy Hong Chengchou had been watching Wang Dou the entire time. He was as refined as ever, his beard and attire impeccably groomed. He stood together with the Xuan-Da Viceroy Chen Xinjia, exchanging a few pleasantries about something, and Chen Xinjia wore a smug expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Hong Chengchou smiled at Wang Dou and said: \"General Wang, since we parted in the capital, you have been promoted to Mobile Corps Commander of the Xuan Garrison — congratulations. The officers under my command have heard that you excel at training troops and are all eager to come observe. Come, let me introduce you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He first called out: \"Changbo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the young Regional Commander whom Wang Dou had been watching stepped forward. Though young, he stood with composure, bearing the manner of an aristocratic scion. Opposite him, the imperial-bestowed steel armor on Wang Dou glittered dazzlingly in the sunlight, not only drawing the attention of everyone present but also allowing him to scrutinize it more closely at this nearer distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Chengchou said: \"General Wang, this is the Ningyuan Regional Commander, General Wu Sangui. You two should become well acquainted.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou thought to himself: \"So it is indeed Wu Sangui.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clasped his fists in salute: \"So it is Military Governor Wu, whose valor crowns the three armies and whose filial piety is famed across the Nine Frontiers. I have long heard of the Military Governor's great name — how with a few dozen retainers you rescued your father from the slave bandits' thousands of troops and horses, a deed of filial courage known throughout the realm. I have long admired you in my heart; meeting you today surpasses hearing of your fame.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This young Regional Commander was indeed Wu Sangui. The proudest achievement of his life was rescuing his own father from the Later Jin troops. Now that Wang Dou openly brought it up before everyone, Wu Sangui felt greatly honored, and even Hong Chengchou and the officers behind him showed smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Sangui was also secretly impressed by Wang Dou's eloquence. He smiled and returned the salute, saying: \"General Wang overpraises me. The General has struck the eastern slaves several times, never failing to win — I too have long heard of your fame.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he spoke politely, the arrogance in his tone could not be hidden at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou smiled faintly. The Wu Sangui before him, though young, was an aristocratic scion, so his etiquette and bearing naturally went without saying. He had heard that Wu Sangui had once traveled in the capital and become acquainted with famous lords, great ministers, and refined scholars, earning the fine reputation of \"the fairest and youngest of the titled lords.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Wu family were Liaodong local magnates with deep-rooted influence. His father Wu Xiang was the Jinzhou Regional Commander, and his maternal uncle Zu Dashou was likewise one of the Liaodong Regional Commanders. Because of this background, Wu Sangui had always been highly regarded by all sides. Gao Qiqian had once taken him as an adopted son, and before long, Hong Chengchou would also recommend him to be the Liaodong Regional Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Hong Chengchou introduced him first showed how highly he regarded Wu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike Wang Dou, who had climbed up step by arduous step, Wu Sangui was born with a golden key in his mouth. At birth he inherited his father's post of Regional Military Commissioner — a figure akin to a princeling in later ages, naturally looking down on everyone and holding ordinary people in no regard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Wu Sangui was indeed a man of genuine ability. If he were not a friend in the future, he would be a troublesome and formidable foe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, Hong Chengchou introduced Wang Dou to the Regional Commander in his forties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou solemnly performed a salute: \"I have met Military Governor Jin. Early this year the slave chieftain personally led a great army to Songshan, where cannon fire fell like rain and they assaulted the city several times. It was all thanks to the Military Governor's bitter fighting and stubborn defense that Songshan ultimately did not fall into the slave bandits' hands. That the Military Governor resisted a powerful enemy and ultimately preserved a lone city — I am endlessly moved and admiring.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Wang Dou performed another salute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Regional Commander before him was Acting Commissioner-in-Chief and Ningyuan Regional Training Commander Jin Guofeng. He had originally been the Jinzhou Vice Regional Commander. Earlier that year, Huang Taiji had personally attacked Songshan and was repeatedly beaten back by Jin Guofeng. Unwilling to accept defeat, Huang Taiji sent men back to Shengjing to bring thirty cannons, ten thousand cannonballs, and five hundred hu of gunpowder, and bombarded the city from all sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with ferocious cannon fire, even the city walls and battlements were destroyed, yet Jin Guofeng still held the city firmly. In the end, Huang Taiji had no choice but to withdraw his troops, and Songshan was preserved. Because of this achievement, Jin Guofeng was promoted to Acting Commissioner-in-Chief and appointed Ningyuan Regional Training Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Toward such a man, Wang Dou felt genuine admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Guofeng had not expected Wang Dou to know so much about his affairs, and his tiger-like eyes swept over Wang Dou several times. Even Hong Chengchou, Wu Sangui, and the others looked at Wang Dou in surprise — how did he know so much about Liaodong matters?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like Wu Sangui, holding Songshan without loss was also an extremely glorious matter for Jin Guofeng. When Wang Dou spoke of it aloud, even his two sons shared in the honor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A smile appeared on Jin Guofeng's face: \"I have long heard of General Wang's name. In the great battles at Julu, Zhuozhou, and Pinggu, the slave bandits fled at the mere rumor of your approach, boosting our Great Ming's military morale. The younger generation is truly formidable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke with a Xuan Garrison accent. By native place, Jin Guofeng should be from the Xuanfu Forward Guard — that is, a Xuanhua man in later times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next came old acquaintances. Wang Tingchen laughed heartily and stepped forward to embrace Wang Dou, and Cao Bianjiao likewise smiled and saluted Wang Dou. After the Battle of Pinggu, Wang Dou had forged a deep comradeship with them, and meeting again was an unmitigated joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being introduced to all the Liaodong officers who had come, Wang Dou consciously withdrew behind Yang Guozhu, which inwardly pleased Yang Guozhu. Guo Yingxian also secretly gave Wang Dou a thumbs-up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Wang Dou was so favored by the Grand Secretaries and had even extended his connections to the Liaodong Garrison — Zhang Guowei was shocked and at the same time even more consumed by envy and hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jianming, Wen Hui, Zhang Xinjing, and the others again gave a heavy snort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief rest in the mat shed, the ceremonial procession grandly proceeded toward Yongning City. The Military Defense Circuit Ma Guoxi was honored to be called to walk beside Xue Guoguan, Yang Sichang, Hong Chengchou, Chen Xinjia, and the others, introducing the civil administration matters along the way. Wang Dou, meanwhile, rode together with Guo Yingxian, Hu Zichen, Wang Tingchen, Cao Bianjiao, and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were discussing some amusing matter, and from time to time bursts of loud laughter erupted, causing Wu Sangui, Jin Guofeng, and the others ahead to frequently turn their heads and look back. Jin Guofeng's two sons were fond of lively company; after listening for a while, they too spurred their horses and merged into this group, laughing and chatting merrily with everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering the city of Yongning, its prosperity and cleanliness astonished the party even more. What made the Eastern Road especially different from other guard battalions in the Great Ming was the cleanliness here and the sense of order. Chen Xinjia and Ji Shiwei had both visited Yongning City before, but the city before them now felt quite unfamiliar, as if they had come to the wrong place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two Grand Secretaries, two Viceroys, and numerous Regional Commanders were coming to visit, so lodging was an issue. By the arrangement of Wang Dou and the Military Defense Circuit Ma Guoxi, Xue Guoguan, Yang Sichang, Chen Xinjia, Hong Chengchou, Ji Shiwei, and the others stayed in the Mobile Corps Commander's residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining Regional Commanders and officers stayed either in the Garrison Commander's official hall or in the Yongning Guard Commander's headquarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That evening, after the welcoming banquet, the next day Yang Guozhu and Hu Dawei could wait no longer and demanded to observe Wang Dou's troop training and other matters. Everyone else was equally eager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding the visit of the various officials and officers, Wang Dou had already discussed it with his staff, and they believed that displaying his strength to everyone would bring benefit without harm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the Shunxiang Army was famed throughout the realm, and its military strength and combat power were well known to the outside world. The fact that the various garrisons had come to visit was proof of this. There was no longer any need to hide many things. Seizing this moment to display his strength to everyone would also overawe the various officials and officers, earning him the status and respect commensurate with his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the possibility that the Shunxiang Army's training methods might be acquired by outsiders, Wang Dou was not concerned. His army's formation was the perfection of a whole series of systems. An outsider taking a cursory glance would see only a dazzling blur and would find it very difficult to understand the deep inner core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they trained troops by the same model, it would be even more advantageous to Wang Dou. First-rate civilizations set the standards. If they trained troops according to the standards he set, then given his own speed of development, they would only be able to follow in his footsteps, left far behind by his Shunxiang Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it came to mass-producing soldiers from a template, Wang Dou feared no one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, when Yang Guozhu and the others made the proposal, Wang Dou raised no objection. In response to the strong requests of Xue Guoguan, Yang Sichang, Hong Chengchou, and the others, the itinerary for the next few days was arranged to cover everything from how the Shunxiang Army selected soldiers all the way to how they drilled, giving the brother units a complete impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, the Mobile Corps Commander's office was also to submit an official document, to be distributed by the Ministry of War to all the armies of the realm, for the Nine Frontiers to adopt as a model. This was the result of Xue Guoguan's counsel to the Chongzhen Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first stop of the visit was the recruitment point at the old training field east of the city. Among the accompanying crowd, Sun Chuanting also walked beside Hong Chengchou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this visit to the Eastern Road, he was extremely low-key, often going half a day without saying a word, a stark contrast to his usual proud and sharp demeanor. From time to time he would focus intently and scrutinize his surroundings, pondering something, and then instruct a private secretary beside him to record it quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Wang Dou's impression, Sun Chuanting, like Lu Xiangsheng, was a man whose political skills were a complete mess but who possessed considerable talent for making decisions on the battlefield — entirely different from Yang Sichang. Yang Sichang was formidable in factional struggles and decent at strategic planning, but when it came to battlefield decision-making, he too was a complete mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that losing his post had deeply affected Sun Chuanting; he had grown much more somber. Although his \"great enemy\" Yang Sichang was right beside him, he showed no trace of resentment, often keeping to himself far away, silently pondering something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting was now merely a commoner, and perhaps Yang Sichang had already lost interest in dealing with him, which was why Sun Chuanting could travel with this group to the Eastern Route. Even if he had not come with them, Sun Chuanting had once risen to the rank of Provincial Governor, so given his status, traveling freely across the realm posed no problem, nor could Wang Dou possibly refuse his arrival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surging crowds at the drill ground east of the city astonished Xue Guoguan and the others. This recruitment drive was jointly conducted by Lin Daofu's Training Department and the various Company Commanders and Squad Commanders of the New Army. Since the General's headquarters was now located in Yongning City, Lin Daofu's Training Department had gradually relocated there as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unit recruiting at this moment was Wu Zhengchun's New Army Second Division, a force of less than a thousand men that still contained many veteran officers, so it needed even fewer new recruits. Yet the people gathered here to sign up likely numbered over ten thousand, forming several long, dense, dark lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those surging crowds in line cared only about when their turn to register would come and paid no attention at all to the arrival of the various officials and generals beside them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a grand spectacle stirred varied thoughts among the observing officials and generals. Elsewhere in the Great Ming, aside from some refugees and idlers willing to take pay and rations, what man of respectable background would willingly enlist? But here, those wanting to join the army were as numerous as **.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This stark contrast drew endless sighs of emotion from everyone watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the generals, some wondered whether Wang Dou might be staging a deception, but judging by the scene before them, it seemed impossible to fake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pausing for a moment, the officials' and generals' first impression was that the Shunxiang Army's recruitment standards could only be described as harsh. The selection process involved several stages, with simplicity, honesty, and physical strength as the foremost criteria. There was also a strange recruitment condition: those with families were given priority to enlist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with special skills or martial prowess could also receive priority, but that was not the sole criterion. Many who appeared fierce and skilled in combat were eliminated one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such men, placed in any garrison force across the Great Ming, would always be chosen as mainstays or even as retainers. Yet here, they were discarded like worn-out shoes, a sight that filled the onlookers with regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guowei and Military Defense Circuit Ma Guoxi wore somewhat grim expressions. They had already noticed that some of the eliminated martial candidates looked vaguely familiar, as if they were combat soldiers from their own camps. Had these men secretly slipped away to Yongning City to join the Shunxiang Army?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only that, but these warriors, who were the elite in their own camps, were dismissed with disdain by the Shunxiang Army and ruthlessly eliminated…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Guoguan and Yang Sichang were also puzzled by the rejection of those \"good soldiers\" and summoned Wang Dou over to inquire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou explained briefly: \"Field combat demands disciplined formation and orderly ranks, uniting thousands into one body. Individual prowess is ultimately useless. Therefore, my Shunxiang Army selects only honest men from the countryside. Those martial candidates who were rejected are either slick or too clever. Such men fear death when battle comes, and may even turn their weapons against us, unsettling the troops' morale. Enlisting them brings harm, not benefit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The various armies of the Great Ming often collapse at a single blow, riddled with arrogance and idleness, devoid of fighting spirit — precisely because they are filled with camp riffraff and old mercenaries! Such men, no matter how brave or skilled, I will not keep a single one! A thousand elite soldiers are better than ten thousand weak ones.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou's words were blunt. The generals present wore varied expressions. Xue Guoguan merely nodded, though inwardly he understood little, for he was not well-versed in military affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Yang Guozhu, Hu Dawei, Wang Tingchen, Cao Bianjiao, and others felt a deep resonance with Wang Dou's words. During the days they had fought side by side with him, they had already profoundly experienced the harm that camp riffraff and old mercenaries inflicted upon an army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Sangui's face also took on a thoughtful expression. Only Wang Pu, the Regional Commander of Datong Garrison, remained unimpressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the varied expressions of the crowd, Wang Dou did not know what impact his words might have had on each of them. At this time, the Great Ming was sliding into warlordism, and every military chief valued only troop numbers and a grand, intimidating presence — the thicker one's capital, the easier to make demands of all sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the scramble to pull in soldiers, a mix of good and bad was unavoidable. Take Zuo Liangyu, for example, who later boasted of commanding a million troops. Yet after Zuo's forces surrendered to the Qing, Dorgon's audit revealed that his actual combat soldiers numbered fewer than thirty thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was precisely that grand, intimidating presence that gave Zuo Liangyu the capital to flaunt his power to all sides. No matter how much public wrath and divine fury Zuo Liangyu incurred, the Great Ming court dared not touch him in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps for many military chiefs, it mattered not whether troops were elite, only that they were numerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting stroked his three thick tufts of beard and suddenly asked, \"I have heard that the Shunxiang Army has never had grain pay or silver stipends. May I ask, General Wang, why then do men surge like a tide to enlist in the Eastern Route? Could General Wang resolve this old man's confusion?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This question was also one that Yang Guozhu and the others were keenly interested in. Hearing Sun Chuanting voice it, they all turned their gazes simultaneously toward Wang Dou. Wu Sangui and Jin Guofeng, upon learning that the Shunxiang Army actually had no grain pay or silver stipends, were momentarily stunned and likewise fixed their eyes on Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou glanced at Sun Chuanting and saluted, saying, \"So it is Lord Sun.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting sighed, \"This old man is a disgraced convict and dares not accept such a title. I beg General Wang to resolve my confusion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou pondered briefly, then said, \"In the Eastern Route, we honor military household status. I have granted that new soldiers need only serve five years, and all shall be granted military household registration in the Eastern Route. That is why recruits surge like a tide.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting stroked his beard and smiled faintly. \"And after five years of service, the new soldiers may each receive fifty mu of land, along with plow oxen, farming tools, and the like.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou looked at him. \"Precisely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting mused, \"In this way, the army of General Dingguo resembles the fubing system of the early Tang dynasty, or the guard battalion system when our dynasty first rose. The troops are all able-bodied, virtuous young men, with the benefit of farmland in sight, coupled with strict camp discipline, making them as responsive in battle as an arm to the hand. Compared to the arrogant and idle forces elsewhere, it is no wonder they are ever-victorious.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said impassively, \"One could put it that way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting's face lit up with excitement, and he instructed the private secretary beside him, \"Record everything that the General and I have just discussed, in full.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was astonished, watching the private secretary behind him write furiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xinjia and Ji Shiwei exchanged a glance, each seeing the displeasure in the other's eyes. What a Sun Baigu! How could he so brazenly probe into another's military secrets? He had no regard whatsoever for official decorum or dignity — no wonder he had been dismissed from office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then the two were stunned to see Yang Guozhu and Hu Dawei both wearing solemn expressions, likewise quietly instructing the private secretaries beside them to record something. Looking further, the various Liaodong generals were also whispering among themselves. Wang Tingchen and Cao Bianjiao huddled together, similarly ordering the private secretaries behind them to write furiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Shaofan, an officer under Cao Bianjiao, even more solemnly tucked a slip of paper into his own bosom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, the group fell somewhat silent, each person wearing a different expression, though all their faces faintly glowed with excitement, as if they had just obtained some secret manual or hidden treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou led them past the recruitment point to another part of the drill ground, where several hundred able-bodied young men were gathered — all warriors who had just entered the Shunxiang Army's New Army after being selected from thousands. Their faces could not conceal their joy as they listened to several officers of the New Army's Second Division giving them an impromptu address.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man dressed like a Morale Officer shouted loudly, \"Gentlemen, after rigorous selection, you have the great honor of becoming members of our Shunxiang Army. You must remember, you are now subordinates of General Dingguo, ever-victorious and unstoppable in the Great Ming. Our army has fought from Julu to Pinggu, sending the slave chieftain Hong Tai fleeing at the mere rumor of our approach. In our army, there are only heroes who die in battle and enter the Loyalty Shrine — no cowards who flee from the field. If anyone is afraid, you may roll out right now. Our Shunxiang Army will never detain you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words of that officer over there made Xue Guoguan and the others on this side start in surprise. Who would ever tell soldiers to voluntarily roll out? When recruiting such good soldiers, shouldn't one wine and dine them and treat them like treasures? The Shunxiang Army's conduct was truly baffling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Wang Dou nodded slightly. This Morale Officer's words were indeed quite inflammatory. Sure enough, he saw the faces of those new soldiers over there flush bright red, their blood boiling with fervor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Why do I address you as 'gentlemen'? General Dingguo has said: once you enter our army, you serve the nation, guard His Sacred Majesty, and protect the peace of all under heaven — you are men of noble purpose. You must remember, you are not some worthless, lowly little soldiers. You are gentlemen, gentlemen!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Morale Officer continued to bellow: \"…Becoming a member of our Shunxiang Army means you will be revered by ten thousand in the Eastern Route. When we real men walk down the street, what grown girl or young wife doesn't look upon us with high regard? Handkerchiefs and sweat cloths — which day don't we collect a huge pile… Ahem, for those of you who don't yet have a wife, I can also guarantee: the moment word spreads that you've joined the New Army, matchmakers will surely trample your doorstep. Don't worry about not being able to afford the betrothal gifts, because the women who fancy you will all be willing to pay their own dowries.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A great burst of laughter erupted among the new soldiers, each one standing even more valiantly and proudly, chests puffed out further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officers beside the Morale Officer also laughed heartily, each standing with hand on sword, brimming with high spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Morale Officer even used himself as an example: \"Old Li here is just like that. Back in the day, I was so poor the wind whistled through my pockets, but not long after joining the Shunxiang Army, I was spoiled for choice picking a woman. Those who couldn't make it as the main wife were willing to be concubines — seven or eight of them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another burst of laughter. Guo Yingxian, standing beside Wang Dou, also grinned widely and said to Hu Zichen beside him, \"That brother speaks with great flair. He's worth befriending.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Zichen likewise said, \"Indeed, we should invite him over for a drink.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Yang Guozhu, Hu Dawei, and a few others wore thoughtful expressions. After Sun Chuanting clarified what that officer's role was, he stroked his beard for a long moment. \"Rejoicing at the sound of the army, rejoicing at the sound of battle, troops' morale thus roused — this Morale Officer seems to have a wondrous use.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said to Wang Dou, \"General, your calling the soldiers 'gentlemen' — does it perhaps draw from King Goujian of Yue and his 'Six Thousand Gentlemen'?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said, \"They slay bandits for the nation, so naturally they are gentlemen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, Wang Dou was imitating the \"Gentlemen's Battalion\" established by the Southern Ming Hongguang-era senior minister Du Yinxi, who called them not soldiers or troops, but gentlemen, to enhance the army's sense of honor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting nodded and said, \"With the benefit of farmland, the dignity of status, and the sense of honor, it is no wonder the Shunxiang Army is ever-victorious.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked another question: \"General Wang, in the Eastern Route, are soldiers truly so revered by the people, with not the slightest worry about taking a wife?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said, \"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting again instructed the private secretary behind him to record everything he had just witnessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou glanced at him and silently shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting had, after all, once been a Provincial Governor, yet he assumed such a student-like posture before him, which Wang Dou found somewhat hard to accept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Guoguan and Yang Sichang were also deep in thought. They too had heard of the honored status of military households in the Eastern Circuit. Take Baoanzhou, for example: in the past, there had been many civilian households in the prefecture, but now most had secretly joined the military households. Department Magistrate Li Zhen had once submitted a memorial to the Ministry of Personnel, stating that civilian households in the prefectural city were becoming increasingly scarce, and that perhaps before long, Baoanzhou would become a military prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elsewhere in the Great Ming, military households only ever fled; where else was there such a scramble to join the military rolls as in the Eastern Circuit? The Chongzhen Emperor believed this was a good thing — the more people joined the military households, the more sources of soldiers the Great Ming would have, greatly reducing military expenditures. However, this situation only occurred under Wang Dou's governance, which inevitably gave rise to varied thoughts in many minds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Morale Officer's exhortations over there were already drawing to a close. He shouted, \"Join our Shunxiang Army, and your prestige will be first-rate! All of you, follow me in a mighty roar!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thrust out one fist and howled, \"Our Great Ming!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long live!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the new troops present thrust out both hands and cheered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Morale Officer thrust out two fists and bellowed at the top of his lungs, \"State-Stabilizing General!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ever victorious!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"State-Stabilizing General!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ever victorious!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every soldier's face bore a look of fanatical fervor. Sensing the tidal wave of envious and jealous gazes cast their way from the recruitment area, each new soldier shouted with every ounce of strength they possessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Morale Officer waved his arms, then suddenly flung them wide to both sides, his face entering a state of rapture: \"Our Shunxiang Army!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mighty and powerful!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our Shunxiang Army!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mighty and powerful!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rhythmic shouts rose in wave after wave. Amidst this sound, the various officials and officers beside Wang Dou fell utterly silent, as if an indescribable force was surging toward them — a force that commanded awe and submission, and at the same time, inspired fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for the Shunxiang Army's mere new recruits to possess such martial spirit and morale, Wu Sangui, who had been quietly observing all along, now wore an equally grave expression on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After they exited the parade ground, the day's tour came to a temporary close. Yang Guozhu asked what the role of that lecturing officer was — was he the commanding officer of each unit? Wang Dou replied that he was a Morale Officer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, \"Military training is arduous, and it is hard for soldiers to avoid feelings of resentment and desolation. The purpose of establishing this post is to resolve such inner knots, and it can also be used to boost martial spirit and morale.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone present was lost in thought. Wang Tingchen and Cao Bianjiao whispered to each other, both discussing that as soon as they returned to Liaodong, they would immediately establish Morale Officers within their own troops as well.\u003C\u002Fp>",5409,"2026-06-03T14:05:36.780Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","45586c19f125f0b47f927d37900b1fd2e3a1a543c786f2c5bd284ec42d7662f0","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-357","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-355",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]