[{"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-369":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},1205658,1561,"Chapter 369: First Battle Against the Roving Bandits (Part 2)","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-369",369,"\u003Cp>On the sixteenth day of the eleventh month of the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, within the borders of Ruzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It seems the bandits intend to set an ambush around Xiaotun and other places.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mm, infantry set an ambush on this side of the river, cavalry set an ambush in the hills on the other side of the river — damn it, these bandits' cunning is no less than those Tartars.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one speaking now was the Shunxiang Army night-scout squad officer \"Bench.\" After the campaign in the eleventh year of Chongzhen, Jie Yifeng, originally an ordinary night-scout trooper, was promoted to squad officer, and the former Squad Commander Long Er had now become a Squad Commander. However, this time he did not accompany the expedition against the bandits, having been sent to Liaodong by the Intelligence Division several months ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Shunxiang Army's night scouts reconnoitered, they never went alone — at minimum a file of five men. At this moment, besides Jie Yifeng himself, there were likewise four others with him. Dressed the same as Jie Yifeng, each wore a white felt hat and a shabby sheepskin robe on the outside, no different from the local people's attire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, on closer inspection, one would discover the cold gleam of iron helmets faintly visible beneath their felt hats, and inside their clothes, each had a fine iron-leaf breastplate, with a suit of chain mail underneath — fully equipped. Each man also had three tall warhorses, and atop the horses were ample supplies of all kinds of dry provisions and gear, enough to allow these night scouts to operate outside for a month without needing resupply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Jie Yifeng received orders from Wen Daxing to go out scouting, his squad of men had already dispersed in all directions, the farthest reaching the Luoyang area. At this moment, only these four remained by Jie Yifeng's side. Where they lay concealed was on the hilly ground south of the Ru River in Ruzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hundred li from Jiaxian to Ruzhou is a stretch of river plain, a narrow corridor wedged between Mount Funiu and Mount Shenwu. The hills on either side are not very far from the official road along the flowing river, and in particular, the local Xiaotun stockade is even closer to the official road. The surrounding hills undulate, making it convenient to station ambush troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As early as several days ago, when Jie Yifeng was operating around Ruzhou, he had already discovered the bandits' strange movements — hundreds and thousands entering the hills on both sides of the river plain. Considering the attack the Shunxiang Army was about to launch against the enemy at Ruzhou, what intentions the bandits harbored became abundantly clear to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Jie Yifeng also found it strange: at that time the Shunxiang Army had not yet reached Jiaxian, and they had already prepared an ambush so early? This bandit style of fighting was truly somewhat disconcerting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jie Yifeng muttered to himself, he used a telescope to carefully observe the movements below the mountain. This was the advantage of having a telescope — standing high, seeing far. The large bandit force lying in ambush on the other side of the mountain had not the slightest inkling of Jie Yifeng and his men over here, while Jie Yifeng and his men could leisurely observe the bandits' movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, telescopes were precious. Wen Daxing's night-scout Company Commander unit was considered well-equipped, yet even so, there was only one per squad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the bandits are planning, what intentions they harbor — we ought to capture a few live ones and question them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng thought to himself, turning the telescope toward the plain below the mountain. Looking around both banks of the river, there was hardly any sign of human habitation; everywhere only broken walls and ruined houses remained, the countryside all around bleak and desolate. If they were to take captives, it would be best to seize them in the area east of Ruzhou. The closer to Ruzhou, the more bandits there were over there, and even if they caught someone, there would be the trouble of tangling with the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, it was best to capture some of the bandits' scout riders. Those scout riders understood more than certain military officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng gazed into the distance for a long while. Contrary to his rough, stocky exterior, he was extremely calm when scouting. The four of them had already lain concealed on this mountain for three days. For three full days, they had constantly monitored the movements in the hills on both sides of the river, never leaving this surrounding area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, there was movement below the mountain. About ten riders burst out from the hills and headed toward Jiaxian. Judging by their appearance, they were definitely scout riders among the bandits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One night scout said in a low voice, \"Master Feng, shall we follow and capture a few live ones?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng let out a strange laugh and said, \"These bandit scout riders have come at a good time — just right for capturing a few live ones to ask for intelligence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The several night scouts beside him all showed expressions of excitement. Although the enemy had ten men and their own side was only five, none of them showed the slightest nervousness or fear. They were the most elite branch of the Shunxiang Army, and having especially gone through that brutal campaign in the eleventh year of Chongzhen, each man, whether in martial skill or psychological quality, had reached a state of perfection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Jie Yifeng's original nickname \"Bench\" was no longer called by anyone in the squad. Aside from the original brothers within his file and squad, the night scouts in the squad now all respectfully addressed Jie Yifeng as Master Feng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng looked around at his several subordinates, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. He lowered his voice and said, \"Brothers, follow those bandits. Let them witness the prowess of us Shunxiang Army heroes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The several night scouts gave a low shout, and Jie Yifeng waved his hand: \"Mount up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The few of them nimbly leaped onto their horses. On their persons and on their horses they carried all kinds of weapons, both long and short fully prepared. Among the five men, there were several different types of weapons: two archers, two pistoliers, and one Rumi arquebusier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strong bows and powerful crossbows were convenient for silently ambushing the enemy, killing without a trace. And the Shunxiang Army's pistols were now all of the flintlock type, convenient to fire, with large caliber. In mounted or dismounted combat, within those few paces or a dozen or so paces, their power was formidable, better than horse bows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Rumi arquebus, it was a very good long-range shooting weapon. The Rumi arquebus carried by Jie Yifeng's subordinate was likewise of the flintlock type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shunxiang Army had already largely determined the combat timing for flintlock firearms: they were not used in formation battles, to avoid the high misfire rate affecting the battle situation. However, they were quite good for use by skirmishers. Even if the misfire rate was high, the soldiers had ample time to pull the trigger again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, because the recoil of matchlock arquebuses or Rumi arquebuses was strong, firing from horseback would cause the arquebusier to fall off the horse, so these Rumi arquebusiers did not fire from horseback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng and his men spurred their horses, galloping among the hills, stopping from time to time to use the telescope to observe the movements below the mountain. The cold wind buffeted their faces but did not affect their dash in the slightest. They hung far back behind those bandit scout riders, yet were not discovered by anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The few men galloped for about a dozen li. In the severely cold weather, the horses beneath them constantly snorted thick white plumes of breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng suddenly raised a hand, and immediately the horses behind him all halted at the same time. Jie Yifeng took out the telescope again and looked. He could see very clearly that those ten bandit scout riders had already stopped by the riverbank, resting briefly and letting their horses drink some water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the telescope, Jie Yifeng could also clearly see the attire of those bandits. Several of them wore red headscarves, with sleeveless jackets over their outer garments, or were draped in shabby sheepskin robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only one bandit among them caught Jie Yifeng's attention. He had a tall, powerful build, a full beard of curly whiskers, wore a white felt hat on his head, and was draped in a protective jacket — that was a shoulder-length cotton armor, the typical armor of a minor officer in the Central Plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining bandit scout riders had only waist sabers and bows on their persons, and the bows were infantry bows, not horn bows. Clearly these men had no ability to shoot arrows from horseback, and their horses were nothing special either. This bandit, however, had both an infantry bow and a horse bow fully ready; besides a waist saber, there was also a long spear on his horse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His bearing was very fierce and intrepid, and he also had two warhorses beside him, the quality of the warhorses being quite good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Could this man be a bandit soldier from the bandits' main camp?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng secretly thought to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These scout riders had stopped by the riverbank, and their vigilance was nothing to speak of — it was precisely a good opportunity for a surprise attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng chuckled darkly and said, \"Good, right here let's do their mothers in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The several night scouts beside him grew excited, a bloodthirsty gleam flashing in each man's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng instructed: \"Everyone get ready. Da Ya, Er Ya, Xizi, check your pistols and arquebus. Change horses!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those two, \"Da Ya\" and \"Er Ya,\" were actually brothers. Because their features were delicate and handsome, they had acquired these effeminate nicknames in the squad. Each was equipped with two flintlock pistols, inserted into leather holsters on the saddle pommel. The powder and shot inside the pistols had long been loaded and were stoppered with wooden plugs. Now the two skillfully drew their pistols, pulled out the wooden plugs inside, took out ramrods, and tamped the contents a few more times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bullets inside the pistols had long been wrapped in linen cloth and tightly rammed into the barrels, so that neither pointing the muzzle downward nor the jolting of the horses would cause the bullets and powder to leak out. However, because of this method of use, the flintlock pistols in the Shunxiang Army did not use pre-made paper cartridge ammunition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Xizi\" was the night scout who used the Rumi arquebus. His Rumi arquebus was slung on his back. While \"Da Ya\" and \"Er Ya\" checked their pistols, he likewise took down his Rumi arquebus, pulled out the wooden plug inside, and used the ramrod to tamp the contents three times. His Rumi arquebus, however, did use pre-made paper cartridge ammunition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that each man had changed horses and all preparations were complete, Jie Yifeng took the horn bow hanging from his saddle into his hand, adjusted the round shield on his left arm, looked around at his four subordinates, and gave a low shout: \"Brothers, kill the bandits, take captives.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kill the bandits!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The several night scouts all let out a low, valiant, and spirited roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kill the bandits!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng urged his horse forward, charging out at the very front, the other four night scouts following close behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when launching a sudden charge, they still maintained their formation. Jie Yifeng and one of the archers attacked from the right as the main assault; \"Da Ya\" and \"Er Ya\" attacked from the left; \"Xizi\" brought up the rear, a gleaming saber in his hand — and it was sharpened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, whether a saber was sharpened or not depended on the individual. If one's skill was insufficient, it was better to use an unsharpened saber. But for those veteran elite cavalrymen, using a sharpened saber was like adding wings to a tiger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hoofbeats sounded, dust billowed. Seeing several cavalrymen suddenly burst out from behind the hills, the various peasant army scout riders resting by the riverbank were all taken aback. Judging by those men's attire, they might be government scout troops, or they might be horse-bandit gangs looking to rob fellow outlaws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the hills to the riverbank was less than three hundred paces. Watching them come rolling in, they would soon charge up to them. Moreover, five men actually had fifteen horses — the momentum was immensely imposing. Caught off guard, these scout riders were all thrown into confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shouts with a Shaanxi accent rang out. It was that man of tall, powerful build, full curly beard, and white felt hat who bellowed a few times. These peasant army scout riders hurriedly mounted their horses, took out their weapons, and rode forward to meet the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Borrowing the momentum of their horses, Jie Yifeng and his men very quickly charged up to the front of these peasant army scout riders. Although these peasant soldiers rode forward to meet them, seeing the oncoming men galloping in like raging waves, they all hurriedly pulled their horses aside. How would their inferior horses dare to charge head-on against Jie Yifeng and his men?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the horses beneath them, seeing that the oncoming horses were tall and robust, felt fear in their hearts — how would they dare charge head-on? Without waiting for their masters' commands, they had already moved aside on their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of bowstrings rang out. Jie Yifeng and one night-scout archer swept past the right flank of these scout riders from several paces away. Along with the ripping sound of arrows through the air, two peasant army scout riders screamed and tumbled off their horses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng's arrow struck one peasant army scout rider in the face; the other night scout's arrow struck another peasant army scout rider in the chest. That scout rider was wearing a sleeveless jacket, which was merely a sort of cotton vest — it could not even stop a horn bow. The arrow hit his chest, and he immediately tumbled into the dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the thunderous roar of a firearm, a peasant army scout rider screamed and fell off his horse. A large hole had been blasted in his chest, from which fresh blood gushed forth. As he rolled onto the ground, the copious flowing blood spattered all over the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two brothers, \"Da Ya\" and \"Er Ya,\" charged past the left flank of these scout riders from several paces away, both holding pistols in their hands. Da Ya fired first, killing one man. This large-caliber flintlock pistol had formidable power. Perhaps one could still survive being hit by a horn-bow arrow, but hit by a pistol bullet, one certainly could not live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Erya\" charged through right behind his brother. He held his hand cannon, aimed at a scout rider approaching from a few paces to the right, and pulled the trigger. The man was brandishing a waist saber and roaring. In his terrified gaze, \"Erya's\" hand cannon boomed, and as gunpowder smoke billowed from the muzzle, a mist of blood filled the air opposite — the turban-wrapped head simply burst apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two brothers spurred their horses through, each having downed one man, then wheeled their mounts and galloped away. They slipped the now-empty flintlock hand cannons into the leather holsters on the saddle pommels, then drew out other hand cannons still loaded with powder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng shot down two men in quick succession. He urged his horse back, and \"swoosh, swoosh!\" — the taut snap of bowstrings rang out as several rapid-linked arrows came flying at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These arrows were both swift and vicious. Jie Yifeng's round shield on his left arm blocked only one; the other two struck him in the chest. Jie Yifeng wore a breastplate forged from fine iron, with chain mail underneath. Given the power of a horse bow, they could not possibly pierce his iron armor, and both arrows tumbled into the dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet those two arrows still slammed into Jie Yifeng's chest with a dull ache. Jie Yifeng was enraged. He looked ahead and saw that bandit scout rider in the white felt hat had thrown aside his horn bow, pulled his long spear from his horse, and was howling as he spurred his mount forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jie Yifeng likewise hurled away his bow, pulled his massive iron hammer from his horse, urged his mount on, and charged desperately to meet him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two men roared as they rushed at each other. When their horses crossed, Jie Yifeng's iron hammer smashed viciously onto the long spear thrust fiercely at him by the man in the white felt hat. The impact split the man's hand between thumb and forefinger, and he swayed several times in the saddle, nearly losing control of his horse. But the man was exceedingly tenacious — he wheeled his horse back, drew his waist saber, and came lunging again with savage ferocity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of fire erupted, and with the report of a firelock, a mist of blood burst from the chest of the man in the white felt hat. He tumbled off his horse just like that, his eyes still full of disbelief as he fell. The armored surcoat he wore offered him no protection whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was \"Daya\" who had ridden over and fired a shot at him, cutting short his ambitions before he could fulfill them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, more than half of the ten peasant army scout riders were dead or wounded, while the other side remained completely unscathed. Watching those fierce enemies circling on horseback around them, one man let out a frantic scream, spurred his horse, and fled. The remaining peasant army scout riders reined in their horses, cried out in terror, and knelt on the ground to surrender.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the fleeing man, Jie Yifeng shouted, \"Actor!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Watch me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Actor!\" jumped off his horse, pulled his Lumi musket from his back, and aimed his long firelock at the fleeing man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a booming report, the fleeing scout rider toppled stiffly from his horse.\u003C\u002Fp>",3063,"2026-06-03T14:05:36.780Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","1b1cd60694be89ad943e2e3c550a867a7008f1cbf5c840a0e0b1185359263733","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-370","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-368",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]