[{"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-38":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},1205327,1561,"Chapter 38: Private Estate Lands","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-38",38,"\u003Cp>Everyone entered the main hall, where several glowing braziers were burning, and a wave of warmth greeted them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the braziers, two had iron frames set over them — one warming wine, the other heating a tea pot. Madam Zhong went smiling to the kitchen, saying repeatedly she would make everyone something good to eat. Xie Yike went over to check the tea pot, poured a cup of hot tea for each person, and then was about to go out to sweep snow and refill the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she poured the tea, Han Chao and the others all stood up and said, \"How could we trouble the young lady?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang also rose and said, \"We've put you to trouble, cousin's wife.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Xian sat steady as an old-timer, watching Xie Yike's figure, and chuckled, \"This girl is quite clever, just a bit thin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he said to Wang Dou, \"Nephew, your status is different now. You should consider taking more concubines to carry on the family line.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said flatly, \"That matter can wait.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yike's figure paused briefly. After hearing Wang Dou's words, she lifted the warm curtain and went out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou then asked Zhong Xian, \"Uncle, what brings you to Bao'an Prefecture this time?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Xian sighed. It turned out the Zhong family now had many mouths to feed but little land, and with the fields parched by drought, life was growing harder and harder. Hearing that his sister's side was doing well, that his nephew had been promoted to Platoon Leader and had even built a fortified village, he had brought his son to seek refuge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Xian said, \"Your uncle here is nothing special, though I did study writing for a few years. If my nephew could help find me a clerk's post, some calculating and record-keeping work would do! As for your cousin, I must trouble you to take more care of him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang stood, clasped his hands toward Wang Dou, and then sat down in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou, however, knew that this cousin, like himself, had trained in martial arts and letters since childhood and was skilled in fist-fighting, staff, and spear. With his own fortified village having a hundred tasks to undertake, such a man was exactly what he needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rose and said to Zhong Diaoyang with a smile, \"I know Cousin has practiced a fine set of fists since childhood. Any interest in exchanging a few moves?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang's eyes lit up. He said, \"Good, then I beg Cousin for your generous guidance!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two went into the courtyard, and Han Chao and the others eagerly rushed out to watch the excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang assumed a boxing stance and said steadily, \"Cousin, please!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hands were covered with thick calluses — clearly the hands of a man who had trained for many years. His right foot stepped forward, his eyes looked straight ahead, and both fists were poised to strike. It was the orthodox Taizu Long Fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said, \"Cousin, here I come!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without further words, he took a stance, then suddenly burst forward with force, striking straight at Zhong Diaoyang's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fist shot out with a whooshing sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang's face grew solemn. He sank his whole body downward, blocking with his left arm. Fist met arm with a loud crack of flesh and bone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang's body dropped sharply into a bow stance, while his right hand darted out in a hook and his legs swept in a chain of kicks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, the two clashed several times, meeting hardness with hardness, producing sharp cracking sounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both attacked fiercely. Wang Dou's fists drove straight in and straight out, wide and sweeping — it was the military's \"Splitting-and-Hanging Fist,\" famed for its ferocity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang's boxing was likewise bold and powerful, yet his sequences were precise and his movements extended. The two exchanged many blows and still neither gained the upper hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this was no life-or-death fight. The two sparred for a while, then broke apart at the same moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou laughed heartily and said, \"Cousin truly has fine skill. I'm impressed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inwardly, he felt that Zhong Diaoyang's boxing had surging momentum, combining long strikes and close-range grappling with explosive power — very effective in close-quarters combat — but it was orthodox and proper, lacking the sharp killing edge of the military.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A smile spread across Zhong Diaoyang's face. He clasped his fists and said, \"Cousin was holding back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Xian had long been watching from the side, grinning from ear to ear. He came over and said, \"You two brothers can stop being so modest with each other.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked hopefully at Wang Dou and said, \"Nephew, can your cousin's skills be of any help to you? Not only is he versed in fist-fighting, his spear and staff work is formidable too, and his archery — back where we come from, he's a famous hunter known far and wide.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou smiled and said, \"Uncle is too polite. A talent like Cousin is exactly what I've been hoping for. As it happens, I'm short a squad leader over on my side — let him take that post.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Xian was instantly overjoyed. Han Chao and the others watching nearby were also impressed; for Zhong Diaoyang to hold out so long against Wang Dou's fierce assault was truly no simple feat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang also gave his thanks. Just then, Madam Zhong's voice rang out: \"Aiya, how is it that you two brothers start fighting the moment you meet? Hurry up and come eat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the main hall, a large table had been set. In the center sat a charcoal brazier with a bubbling pot of mutton soup on top. Around it were several dishes — fish, meat, and eggs, all present. To the side was a big basket of white-flour steamed buns, plus a large basin of hand-pulled noodles. There were also pastries like cloud cakes, red dates, chestnuts, and assorted candies. On the brazier not far from the table, wine was being heated with a bubbling sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the sight of such a lavish spread, Zhong Xian's mouth watered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone took their seats. As they sat down, Wang Dou suddenly remembered something. \"That's right, Mother, Xiuniang — the other day when I went to the prefectural city to buy New Year's goods, I picked up some gifts for you along the way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao brought a bundle over to Wang Dou. Wang Dou opened it — inside were some brocade and satin clothes, jewelry, and rouge, powder, and other items for women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou took out a diagonal-buttoned jacket of emerald-green silk, a small brocade cap, a silver hairpin, some powders, and a pair of phoenix-head shoes with gold-thread embroidery on the uppers for Xie Yike. He took out a white damask sleeveless jacket, a bright red outer coat, and several hairpins and clasps for his mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yike and Madam Zhong were both surprised and delighted. Xie Yike accepted shyly and said happily, \"Thank you, Brother.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam Zhong held the sleeveless jacket and hairpins, examining them from every angle, and said, \"You child, you are thoughtful. I never thought that in my old age I'd end up dressed so finely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she added, half in happy reproach, \"These things must have been very expensive?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou smiled and said, \"Not expensive at all. I just saw they were nice and bought them on the way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, these items had not been bought by Wang Dou. That day he had instructed Qi Tianliang and his wife, Madam Tao, to go to the prefectural city to buy New Year's goods and had them pick these up along the way. Madam Tao, being a woman, naturally knew what women liked. Her sharp eye had even figured out what shoe size Xie Yike wore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, both were very pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after a long while did Madam Zhong carefully put the things away. She called to everyone, \"Eat, everyone, eat while it's hot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Xian had been watching enviously from the side the whole time. Now he chimed in, \"Right, right, eat — everyone eat while it's hot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Father and son both wolfed down their food, especially Zhong Xian, who devoured the white-flour steamed buns in huge mouthfuls while constantly fishing meat from the pot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a rare treat — it had been so long since they'd eaten this well. For ages, the Zhong family had been eating black-flour steamed cakes and black-flour flatbread. White-flour buns, white-flour noodles, and all this meat — it seemed like ancient history. Even this New Year's season, things at home were just as hard. Zhong Xian thought to himself, Fourth Sister's side really lives well. Good thing we came here — from now on, we'll just stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Zhong and Gao Shiyin were also drinking wine and eating meat in great gulps, not standing on ceremony at all. These two had already come to treat the Wang household as their own home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, a rustling sound arose. The snow, which had already stopped before Wang Dou and the others entered the estate, now began falling again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, it fell harder and harder, like pear blossoms dancing wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the heavy snow drifting outside, everyone sat indoors eating steaming food and wine — it was cozy and contented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mother, you toil every day. Should I buy a few servants and maids to attend to you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the meal, Wang Dou brought up the matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Xian's face was full of approval, and he was about to speak, but Madam Zhong quickly objected. \"Don't. Apart from wasting money, your mother has a hardworking fate and couldn't bear it. The moment I'm idle, I get sick all over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou nodded. He knew that someone used to being busy, if made to rest, would instead feel lost and easily fall ill with all sorts of ailments. Anyway, the heavy work at home was now shouldered by him, and his mother and young wife could hardly end up overworked in the future, so he let the matter drop for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that he brought up another matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What, Dou’er, you plan to buy land?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Wang Dou say this, Lady Zhong was very surprised, and Xie Xiuniang and the others also looked toward Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Mother.” Wang Dou nodded. “Your son intends to buy some land to build a manor estate, so that later I can provide for Mother’s retirement. As for the silver, Mother need not worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Establishing his own private manor estate was Wang Dou’s idea. Han Chao and the others also approved and were willing to join in. Building a garrison farmstead was still, on the surface, an official duty with an uncertain outcome, whereas a private manor estate would be entirely under Wang Dou’s own control, and it would also be easier to purchase and annex land — it was another path to developing his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou needed to prepare for both possibilities. Furthermore, Wang Dou had another thought: in a military garrison farmstead, each person would be allotted a certain amount of land, and in the end rent and grain would be collected. But for this private manor estate, he planned to use hired labor for cultivation, similar to the farms and manors of later ages. Wang Dou wanted to see which of these two methods possessed greater superiority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the west bank of the Dongfang River all the way to the Xinzhuang area, the land there belonged to civilian fields and government land. Part of it was already cultivated farmland, and part was wasteland. At the current land prices in Bao’an Department, one mu of good farmland was about twelve taels of silver, and no one was willing to sell anyway. Wasteland was much cheaper, only a few taels of silver per mu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou first planned to buy some civilian fields and wasteland. Even if he did not intend to cultivate them for the time being, leaving them there would drive a stake into the ground for the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Wang Dou’s plan, Lady Zhong sighed, “You, child — what you do now, your mother understands less and less. But your mother will always support you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time she was happy. When the Wang family was prosperous, they had over a hundred mu of good land; later, after the family’s fortunes declined, only twenty-some mu of poor land remained. Now that her son had made something of himself and knew to buy fields and acquire land to build a manor estate, having such a son, she was also comforted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Zhengxian had been listening at the side the whole time, his eyes glittering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two days later was New Year’s Eve. That day Wang Dou passed a joyful new year. The seventh year of Chongzhen was finally over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the first several days of the first month, Wang Dou was again busy paying New Year’s visits, especially to Xu Zhongjun and Zhang Gui — to both he sent lavish gifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the fifth day of the first month of the eighth year of Chongzhen, Wang Dou sought out the village head Jiang An to discuss the matter of buying land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>※※※\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old White Ox: There is still one more chapter tonight, to be posted before midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>。\u003C\u002Fp>",2237,"2026-06-03T14:05:19.908Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","f073fece4a1a0b86aaeb116072a53f74889d5dcb271624e7cd31b03b68a9fd35","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-39","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-37",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]