[{"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-439":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},1205728,1561,"Chapter 439: News from Liaodong Learned","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-439",439,"\u003Cp>After the Jingbian Army’s organization, banners, and uniforms were settled, Wang Dou also announced the appointments of the various camp commanders, which everyone cared about most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, Gao Shiyin was appointed commander of the Vanguard Vermilion Bird Camp, with the rank of Assistant Regional Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Fangliang was appointed commander of the Left Guard Azure Dragon Camp, with the rank of Assistant Regional Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Xiancai was appointed commander of the Right Guard White Tiger Camp, with the rank of Mobile Corps Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao was appointed commander of the Rear Guard Black Tortoise Camp, with the rank of Mobile Corps Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the camps under the Central Army: Zhao Xuan, commander of the Artillery Camp, Assistant Regional Commander. Li Guangheng, commander of the Cavalry Camp, Assistant Regional Commander. Wen Daxing, commander of the Scout Camp, Assistant Regional Commander. Sun Sanjie, commander of the Logistics Camp — although Sun Sanjie had not fought much, he had secured provisions for the entire army, a labor of great merit, and was likewise granted the rank of Mobile Corps Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The positions of Zhong Diaoyang and Xie Yike were to be determined again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was nearly the fifth month; the Ministry of War’s promotions and rewards would surely arrive soon, conferring upon the various battle commanders titles such as Guard Commander, Regional Military Commissioner, Assistant Regional Military Commissioner, and the like, but no one in the Jingbian Army cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guard battalion posts were like the National People’s Congress of later ages — places for Great Ming military officers to retire and rest. Many officers relieved of field command duties likewise returned to serve in the guard battalions. For those who wanted to achieve something, actually leading a camp of troops was the real thing, especially in the Jingbian Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the duty assignments within the camps, they were mostly recommended by the camp commanders. Given Wang Dou’s current status, the imperial court could hardly reject them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, on the matter of provisions and supplies, there might be some wrangling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Qing army invaded in the eleventh year of Chongzhen, according to the court’s troop-training proposal, a Viceroy trained thirty thousand, a Regional Commander trained ten thousand, and a Provincial Governor determined numbers based on circumstances. At that time, Wang Dou also received a quota of five thousand, with the court supplying rations and pay for eight thousand five hundred men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now Wang Dou would have twenty thousand men under his command. How could the court provide pay in full? At most, they would give a ration and pay quota for ten thousand men, and even that would often be in arrears. Fortunately, Wang Dou did not depend on the court for his livelihood; he could solve the provisions and pay problem himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At present, for Wang Dou, the vexing issue was the manpower for each camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the camps, Zhao Xuan’s Artillery Camp was easy to handle. Although it was a camp, it could not be organized according to ordinary infantry camp structure. His camp would have nearly a hundred cannons, with one squad of men responsible for each cannon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most critical roles within were the observers and the aimers. The rest — loaders, ammunition handlers, and so on — required little technical skill. Over the years, as Zhao Xuan followed Wang Dou in campaigns north and south, the artillery camp had no shortage of anything except technical experts. So his camp was easy to arrange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Sanjie’s Logistics Camp was also easy to arrange; most of its men only needed to be ordinary soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What vexed Wang Dou were the night scouts of the Scout Camp and the cavalrymen of the Cavalry Camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both of these required extremely high technical skill; they could not be filled by ordinary soldiers. Especially now that every camp was increasing its night scout complement — where could they be found?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the situation at the Shogunate’s Training Department, its commissioner Lin Daofu stated that after the Training Department was established, it was subdivided into infantry, cavalry, artillery, scout, and camp guard sections. Among these, the infantry drill results were outstanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The military-trained able-bodied men from the various fortified villages, who drilled in their spare time and farmed during busy seasons, had, over the past few years, all acquired a certain level of military skill. In particular, the garrison guards of each fort were selected from the best military-trained able-bodied men in the fort; depending on the fort’s size, they numbered from several dozen to several hundred. These men numbered in the tens of thousands. If they entered the camps for another period of time, they would be nearly ready for combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the rest, over the years, only a little over two hundred night scouts had been trained by selecting suitable candidates from the various beacon towers of the Eastern Route and from within the route itself. Cavalrymen were also few.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Daofu further said that, in truth, there were quite a few swordsmen and horse bandits across the Great Ming, and even under the former commanders of the Eastern Route, there were many retainers, some of whom were cavalrymen. Many of these men could serve as candidates for cavalry or night scouts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Lin Daofu said this, it sparked fierce debate among everyone. They argued that under those former commanders were mostly army riffraff and old campaigners. If they entered the camps, they would absolutely corrupt the soldiers in the camps. Better to leave the positions unfilled than to take these men. The reason outside armies often collapsed and fled for a thousand li was precisely because such men led the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Lin Daofu had a different opinion. He said that these men could also be reformed. Just like in the early days of the Jingbian Army, many retainers had enlisted and had now become fine Jingbian Army warriors, without the bad habits of the Ming army. Many had even become officers, such as Tian Qiming, Wen Daxing, Tian Zhijue, and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the Jingbian Army’s current military prestige and influence, it was like a great sea, and they were like a single drop of water. Only by entering the camp and integrating, becoming a part of the army, was there any sense — there was no reason the mass of soldiers would be corrupted by them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among those opposed, Gao Shiyin was especially resolute. He had once had bad experiences, so he deeply understood the nature of such people. Lin Daofu was also a rigid man, believing he was in the right and refusing to yield an inch. The two argued to the point of nearly coming to blows and almost received a military caning on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou himself was inwardly hesitant. Indeed, many retainers in the Ming army possessed outstanding individual skills, and many were excellent candidates for night scouts. Yet many of them were also army riffraff, and he feared they would corrupt the soldiers in his own camps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The matter was tabled for the time being. The camp reorganization still followed the old method: new troops entering the camps became the new B-Class troops. A large number of meritorious A-Class soldiers were transferred down to serve as squad leaders or company officers; it was estimated that a great many would be transferred down. The vacancies in the A-Class troops would be filled by B-Class soldiers who had performed outstandingly, becoming part of the new A-Class troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, Li Guangheng’s Cavalry Camp would select soldiers skilled in riding from the various cavalry and infantry units to fill out a full camp of men and horses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Daxing’s Scout Camp would also select elite soldiers, and together with the night scouts trained over the years, would make up three companies, six hundred men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the night scouts organic to each camp’s establishment, they would not be set up for now and would be gradually filled out later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou’s personal guard camp would also not be expanded for now, remaining at six squads of three hundred men: three squads of Lumi musketeers and three squads of sword-and-shield men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Eastern Route was peaceful, so it was too great a waste for the A-Class troops formerly under Zhong Diaoyang and Han Chao to garrison cities. Therefore, Bao’anzhou would henceforth be garrisoned by B-Class troops. In the Laishui area, except for one company of A-Class troops left behind, the remaining four companies would also be manned by B-Class troops. Henceforth, city-garrisoning soldiers would be called garrison camps, rotated from the B-Class troops of each camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The units of Zhong Diaoyang, Yang Guodong, Wu Zhengchun, Shen Shiqi, Gao Xun, Lei Xianbin, Huang Yujin, Yin Yijin, and others were also incorporated into the various camps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the newly organized camps, another large batch of officers would be promoted. Apart from Wang Dou setting the commanders for each camp, the rest would be selected and carried out by the Staff Department and the Pacification Department, and finally reported to him for approval.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all matters were settled, everyone was inwardly delighted, especially Gao Shiyin, Wen Fangliang, and the others, who would actually lead a camp of over three thousand men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Great Ming camps of that time, the vice regional commanders, assistant regional commanders, and mobile corps commanders under each regional commander’s camp were as numerous as ox hairs, most of them leading only a little over a thousand men. Leading two thousand men was considered very good. In comparison, they were naturally pleased at heart, not to mention that this was the strongest army under heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shiqi, in particular, came out looking immensely pleased with himself; soon, when the promotions and rewards came down, he would inevitably receive at least a Garrison Commander rank. Only Yang Guodong was rather dejected. He had been busy with matters concerning Viceroy Lu and had remained in Yixing. By the time he returned to the Eastern Route, the Grand General had already set out on campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the new army Company Commanders Wu Zhengchun, Gao Xun, Shen Shiqi, and others were about to be promoted. He was still an A-Class Company Commander. Having once served in the Viceroy’s Personal Battalion, how could he be content? He secretly resolved that this time, he absolutely had to accompany the army on campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the council at the General’s residence on the twenty-sixth day of the fourth month of the fourteenth year of Chongzhen, the Shogunate went into full operation, conscripting soldiers from the various fortified villages. The armor factory, uniform factory, and bedding factory on the Eastern Route also began full-scale production, sparking waves of enthusiasm. Countless settlement households cheered and leaped with joy. Their own sons were finally going to join the army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former officers and men of the Eastern Route’s various units were even more stirred, demanding to join the Jingbian Army. The calls to accompany them into battle grew louder and louder. These officers, lacking the qualifications to meet the busy Wang Dou, made the various commanders under Wang Dou the targets of their lobbying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Huizu, the Guard Battalion Commander of Bao’an Guard City serving as Squad Commander, had long been on good terms with Zhao Xuan, and for days on end he visited Zhao Xuan’s place, along with the Guard City Garrison Commander Xu Zucheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zucheng’s original personal officer, Yang Dongmin, was extremely eager to go to war, as was Li Shouqin, the son of the former Guard City Garrison Commander Li Yian — who had defected to Xu Zucheng after Xu Zucheng became the Guard City Garrison Commander. At the time, Xu Zucheng had only about a hundred retainers; Li Shouqin led nearly four hundred retainers under his command. It was because of Li Shouqin’s defection that Xu Zucheng was able to quickly gain a firm foothold in the guard city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could Xu Zucheng disregard the opinions of these two men?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Banking on his past friendship with Wang Dou, Xu Zucheng sent visiting cards to the General’s residence day after day. Wen Fangliang’s uncle, Wen Shiyan, entrusted by various parties in Bao’an Guard, also incessantly lobbied his nephew Wen Fangliang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jinsheng, the Garrison Commander of Yanqing Prefecture, Huang Changyi, the Garrison Commander of Huailai, and Wang Yide, the Garrison Commander of Yongning City, likewise could not sit still. Although they only wanted to live in peace, they had personal officers, sons, and nephews who also sought to earn future military merit. There were precedents long ago: Tian Qiming, the personal officer of the former Department City Company Commander Tian Changguo, and Zhang Tanggong, the former Squad Commander of the retainers under Zhang Gui, were now both serving as officers in the Jingbian Army with limitless prospects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ma Guoxi was worn down and annoyed by Huang Changyi and Li Jinsheng, as were the officers of the Circuit Standard Battalion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, Wang Dou had not reorganized them; the Circuit Standard Battalion was directly commanded by the Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ma Guoxi. This was a face Wang Dou still had to give Ma Guoxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, at that time, Ma Guoxi seized the opportunity to reorganize the Circuit Standard Battalion himself. He was also inwardly sick of the old, weak, and disabled soldiers in the battalion. So, the Circuit Standard Battalion, with a paper strength of two thousand, after reorganization numbered less than a thousand men, but they were mostly able-bodied young soldiers, and their combat strength was somewhat enhanced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, there were mobile troops within Huailai City, but after the Eastern Route Mobile Corps Commander Mao Bin was promoted to Assistant Regional Commander, and Wang Dou was soon after appointed Mobile Corps Commander, Huailai City only had garrison troops and the Circuit Standard Battalion. Because the Eastern Route was peaceful, those officers of the Circuit Standard Battalion had spent these years in Huailai City with nothing to do, and seeing Wang Dou’s success, they developed a strong desire to accompany the army and seek military merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Guoxi was unwilling for the Circuit Standard Battalion to join the Jingbian Army, but the various officers of the Circuit Standard Battalion had different views. They had all seen clearly that being isolated from the Jingbian Army system on the Eastern Route led to no good outcome. If they joined the Jingbian Army, they would surely have a good future. Was the combat strength of the Circuit Standard Battalion not better than those garrison troops, after all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the second day of the fifth month of the fourteenth year of Chongzhen, Wang Dou breathed a slight sigh of relief. That day, in his residence, he looked over the visiting cards and congratulatory gifts from all sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after Wang Dou returned to the Eastern Route, congratulatory gifts had arrived from all sides: from the various Assistant Regional Commanders of the Xuanfu Garrison’s routes, the various externally stationed Vice Regional Commanders, Xuanfu Garrison Regional Commander Yang Guozhu, the various Regional Military Commissioners, officers, and military commanders of the garrison city, even the Prince of Gu’s residence, as well as Datong Regional Commander Wang Pu, the Viceroy of Xuan-Da Zhang Fuzhen, and others — all sent gifts to congratulate Wang Dou on his elevation and enfeoffment as Loyal and Brave Count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou’s father-in-law, the Provincial Governor of Xuanfu Garrison Ji Shiwei, even sent a letter by a trusted man, who came together with his second son, Ji Zhongkun, to pay respects to Wang Dou. Ji Zhongkun was still serving as a Clerk in Yanqing Prefecture. Back then, he had looked down on Wang Dou quite a bit; now his attitude had flipped completely, and he was exceedingly warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Ji Shiwei’s remaining sons and daughters, such as his eldest son Ji Boqing, who was serving as County Magistrate of Guangchang County, and others, all sent people one by one to offer congratulations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was also the “Commission Document Officer,” Zhang Guowei, the Regional Military Commissioner of Xuanfu Garrison, who sent someone with lavish gifts, but the envoy was turned away at the door by Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guowei’s subordinates had dared to come to his territory to rob? What audacity! Wang Dou had poured countless efforts of blood and sweat into the land of the Eastern Route. Anyone who tried to meddle with this land, whether intentional or not, would pay a heavy price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from a large pile of congratulatory gifts, there was a thick stack of visiting cards. The number of people seeking an audience with Wang Dou was enormous. Among the visiting cards were those of Guard City Garrison Commander Xu Zucheng and others. In truth, Wang Dou knew their intentions. He had already made plans in his mind regarding this. Having nothing else to do today, he would receive them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then Wang Dou changed his mind, because there was a more important person to receive — it was Wen Daxing leading in Long Er, the Squad Commander of the Night Scouts dispatched far to Liaodong, along with Night Scout Squad Commander Yu Maoer and others. They had brought back vital intelligence from Liaodong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? The slave-thieves have cast large numbers of cannons and also formed and drilled large batches of matchlock soldiers?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou could not help but be visibly moved.\u003C\u002Fp>",2892,"2026-06-03T14:05:53.320Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","1518136e0c00976717be384b2b327613558d9c5925419739192938c3c93e26bb","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-440","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-438",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]