[{"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-506":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},1205795,1561,"Chapter 506: Reporting Victory","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-506",506,"\u003Cp>After the merits were debated and the offenses judged, what followed was a celebratory banquet for all the officers and generals. During the feast, Hong Chengchou, Zhang Ruoqi, and others spoke with fervent passion, urging every officer and general to redouble their efforts and continue winning new merits for the Great Ming. To the Loyal and Brave Count Wang Dou in particular, Hong Chengchou spared no words of praise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>News of the victory spread through the court like strong wine down a man's throat. Although this great battle had encountered some twists and turns along the way, overall the campaign had gone smoothly, and the strategy laid down beforehand had been achieved point by point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially after the news spread that Ajige had been slain in formation, the morale of every unit, from top to bottom, soared to its peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding the battles to come, all the officers and generals felt optimistic about the prospects. In particular, some officers and generals who had not yet seen action were holding their breath, hoping that when their turn came, they too could earn some merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this banquet, Wang Dou happened to sit at the same table as Wang Pu, Yang Guozhu, Fu Yingchong, Cao Bianjiao, and Wang Tingchen. Watching Wang Pu and Fu Yingchong beam with delight, Wang Dou could not help nodding to himself. In this battle, the performance of their two commands had been commendable. Wang Pu especially had behaved completely differently from his historical reputation — could this be what they meant by \"he who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and he who stays near ink gets stained black\"?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the feast, both Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen toasted Wang Dou vigorously with congratulations, and expressed their envy at the Jingbian Army's latest great merit. Wang Tingchen grinned from ear to ear and said, \"A pity! I didn't get to fight the enemy shoulder to shoulder with General Wang this time, or else old Wang here could have basked in some reflected glory too!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whole table roared with laughter, drawing constant glances from others nearby — especially the attentive gaze of Wu Sangui at the neighboring table. Wang Dou also laughed heartily, then stopped and said to Wang Tingchen with solemnity, \"Elder Brother Wang and the others garrisoning Xingshan actually bear no light burden. This campaign has only just begun; there will be plenty of great and bitter battles ahead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Bianjiao set down his chopsticks and said gravely, \"Indeed. These days the slave-bandits have been probing more and more. I expect that after their setback at Songshan, they will set their sights on our Wudaoling and Daxingbao, aiming to sever our supply route!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou nodded. \"That is certain. In truth, in today's battle, the fighting power of the slave-bandits cannot be underestimated, especially given their massive troop strength. And now they possess large numbers of musket and cannon troops. Therefore, none of us must ever entertain the thought of underestimating or despising the enemy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After today's battle, although the Ming army had achieved victory, the drawback of uneven fighting strength among the various commands was also laid completely bare. By Wang Dou's judgment, with equal troop numbers, men like Ma Ke, Tang Tong, and Bai Guangen would all struggle to be a match for the Qing troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Fuming was also in a precarious position. Zuo Guangxian led Qin troops, who could fight peasant soldiers, but against Qing troops it was hard to say. The rest might manage a draw; Wang Pu held a slight upper hand; Yang Guozhu would emerge victorious. As for the Jingbian Army, though it could fight, it could not be everywhere putting out fires at once — there would always be times when it was tied down and entangled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the Ming generals were not of one mind; each pursued his own agenda. Looking around at the banquet guests, Wang Dou could see them clearly divided into several factions according to their seating order: the Xuan-Da army led by himself; the Liaodong army led by Wu Sangui, plus Ma Ke, Tang Tong, Zu Dale, and others; and the neutral faction of Li Fuming, Zuo Guangxian, and Liu Zhaoji.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking further at the table where Hong Chengchou and his group sat, although they all spoke in low voices and smiled as they discussed how to draft the victory report, it was obvious that Hong Chengchou, Zhang Ruoqi, and Wang Chengen each had entirely different thoughts in mind. How would the situation unfold in the future? Wang Dou found it hard to estimate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing was certain, however: he would not permit a repeat of the historical Songshan catastrophe. Even if a great victory could not be achieved, he would not allow defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he was deep in thought, Wang Pu and Fu Yingchong were slapping each other's shoulders and laughing uproariously — the two of them could be said to share the same rotten tastes. Yet even while beaming with delight, Wang Pu did not forget to pour out his woes to Wang Dou, saying that once this battle started, his powerful musket ammunition was being consumed far too quickly, and he hoped the Loyal and Brave Count could supply him with some more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou nodded. At the time, he had sold Wang Pu two thousand bird guns, each gun supplied with fifty rounds of ammunition. For the scale of ordinary peacetime operations, that would have been sufficient, but no one knew how long the great battle at Songshan would drag on. With only fifty rounds per gun, it would likely prove insufficient in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, in today's battle, his Jingbian Army's pre-packaged paper cartridge ammunition had held up well enough, but their \"Ten-Thousand-Man Repellers\" and similar munitions had been expended in considerable quantities. With the need to heavily support allied forces and no local means of replenishment, the Ten-Thousand-Man Repellers and other munitions carried by the supply battalion would likely only last for one or two months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, the Staff Department had long since taken this point into account. The army's supplies and logistics would flow in continuously from the Eastern Route. A number of military depots and trading posts had also been set up along the way. As long as the supply route was not severed, weapons and provisions could be kept in steady supply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Wang Dou said, \"As for the matter of ammunition, Brother Wang need not worry. Just devote yourself to fighting with a calm mind. To leave your name in the annals of history — the moment is now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What constrained the use of firearms in this era was the production of gunpowder. If gunpowder were abundant, the production of pre-packaged paper cartridge ammunition and the like was actually no difficult matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking the Eastern Route as an example, under assembly-line working conditions, a single worker in a gunpowder factory could package several hundred pre-packaged paper cartridges in one day. One factory could produce tens of thousands in a day — and how many in a year?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bird guns forged on the Eastern Route now all adhered to strict standards, so lead bullets could be made using molds. Each molding produced a large batch with minimal deviation, eliminating the trouble of hand-selecting and polishing, and also speeding up the production of pre-packaged paper cartridges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the gunpowder supply kept pace, the production of weapons on the Eastern Route was no difficult matter. Moreover, the Eastern Route now employed the nitrate-collection method. Although it was subject to seasonal considerations, producing several hundred tons of black powder a year was no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was also the reason Wang Dou had the confidence to use firearms on a large scale. Nor did he fear weapons leaking outward — without gunpowder, the bird gun in each man's hand was nothing more than a fire-stoking stick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having secured Wang Dou's assurance, Wang Pu was overjoyed and said, \"I shall rely entirely on the Loyal and Brave Count. The Loyal and Brave Count's lofty honor moves your younger brother to tears of gratitude. Henceforth I shall bend my back to the task until my dying day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The company burst into uproarious laughter. Wang Dou also laughed in spite of himself. He glanced at Fu Yingchong beside him, who was also chuckling, his grin revealing two large front teeth. Wang Dou pondered for a long moment, then still said, \"Big-Teeth Brother, in this battle our army captured quite a number of Tatar armor sets. After returning to camp, select some suitable armor and have your men change into them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou knew well the Ming army's shortcomings, such as inferior equipment, but he had not expected the same to be true of the Divine Machine Battalion. Their armor had been pierced through by a single volley from the Qing troops, far beyond Wang Dou's expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Yingchong looked somewhat embarrassed and said, \"I've made a laughingstock before the Loyal and Brave Count. Those lads under my command are truly a disgrace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew the affairs of the Divine Machine Battalion well. Setting aside their peacetime neglect of training, even the maintenance of their weapons and armor was merely superficial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, the armor and weapons issued to them, as well as those passed down from their ancestors, were all quite good. But after years without upkeep, the armor plates inside had all rusted. And in order to cope with inspections by their superiors and the Emperor, they only put effort into the outer fabric covering of the armor. Thus, while they appeared imposing on the surface, they were in fact mere showpieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only that, many of those who had horses and mules directly embezzled the fodder. They would not feed their own horses but instead sell it to merchants. This practice was universal from top to bottom, and was one of the reasons Ming army horses were so scrawny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, Fu Yingchong had never concerned himself with these matters in the past. The greater part of his energy had been spent on socializing. Only when faced with the battlefield did the entire Divine Machine Battalion, from top to bottom, realize that this would cost them their lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The captured Qing soldier armor, on the other hand, was exquisitely crafted, every set of it. Although some had been pierced or shattered by the Jingbian Army's bird guns and cannons, the majority could be used after minor repairs, causing many a Ming officer and general to look on in shame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Wang Dou had yielded a considerable number of heads, the Qing army horses, armor, weapons, and even some horse meat captured in this battle were all at Wang Dou's disposal. Even Wu Sangui could not easily contest him for them. And since the Ming army had a long-standing military regulation that spoils belonged to the officers and generals who captured them, Hong Chengchou could hardly interfere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Counting iron-plated cotton armor, chain mail, and the like separately, these sets of armor amounted to over three thousand in total, all stored in the Jingbian Army's barracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Armor and horses were, in the eyes of every Ming officer and general, vital resources of wealth. Wang Dou's generous gift of a batch to Fu Yingchong — how could Fu Yingchong not be moved? From the capital all the way to Liaodong, he had already owed Wang Dou far too many favors. He stood up, thumping his chest, his voice somewhat choked: \"Loyal and Brave Count, your younger brother, I… this…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou raised a hand to stop him and fixed his eyes on him. \"Big-Teeth Brother, we are comrades-in-arms, are we not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Yingchong said repeatedly, \"Yes, yes, comrades-in-arms, comrades-in-arms.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Pu watched with burning envy; he wanted those sets of armor too. But he had already asked Wang Dou for the powerful musket ammunition. To ask for armor as well would be tactless, and would also damage the bond between himself and Wang Dou — and he now placed great importance on his friendship with Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tossed his head and rose to his feet with an air of nonchalance, saying, \"Brother Fu, you know the Loyal and Brave Count's character well enough — don't be so fussy! Come, it must be fate that has brought us all together here. Let us drink a toast to our friendship.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, a toast!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Tingchen, who loved a lively scene, was the first to second the motion. The whole table stood up. Fu Yingchong raised his cup and said, \"When we were coming from the capital to Liaodong, your younger brother heard the Loyal and Brave Count sing a song that I felt truly touched the heart. At this moment and in this setting, your younger brother shall use this song to express his surging emotion!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly began to sing in a voice that could frighten ghosts and gods to death: \"How can we forget old friends, and not hold them in our hearts? Old friends can never be forgotten — may friendship last forever!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Pu and the others had also heard Wang Dou sing this song before. At the time, they had found the melody quite pleasing and had all quietly memorized it. Now, the whole company joined in with fervor, raising their wine cups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long live friendship, my friends, long live friendship!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We raise our cups and drink deep, singing together in praise — may friendship last forever.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long live friendship, long live, my friends, long live friendship.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We raise our cups and drink deep, singing together in praise — may friendship last forever…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They laughed uproariously, pounding the table. Whether Wang Dou or Yang Guozhu, all raised their cups and drank deep, singing together in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their laughter and singing left the onlookers utterly dumbfounded. Wu Sangui turned his eyes toward them; Hong Chengchou's gaze flickered, his thoughts unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the great victory celebration banquet ended, Wang Dou and the others emerged. Yang Guozhu had been very silent throughout the hall, as if pondering something. Now, seizing a quiet moment, this great general suddenly said to Wang Dou, \"Guoqin, what do you think of my going to Ji Garrison?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou halted abruptly in his steps. He saw Yang Guozhu's eyes burning bright, fixed solely on him. Wang Dou focused his thoughts for a long while, then met Yang Guozhu's gaze frankly and said, \"Ji Garrison is a fine place. If Marshal Yang were there, he would surely be able to put his talents to full use!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A smile spread across Yang Guozhu's face. He said, \"Guoqin thinks the same as I do!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lowered his voice and barked, \"Guoqin, help me seize those ten thousand Ji Garrison troops!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou pondered for a long moment, then shook his head. \"Marshal Yang, what use are those camp riffraff and old soldiers? Bai Guangen is a lesson right before our eyes. What Marshal Yang can rely on are your own fifteen thousand fine and honest troops. Soldiers are valued for their quality, not their numbers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guozhu sank into deep thought for a long time, then sighed. \"So be it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at Wang Dou and said, \"I won't stand on ceremony with you then. When the time comes, I'll take all those new army troops with me. It's just…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hesitated somewhat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou knew what he was thinking and said, \"Marshal Yang need only rest assured. When the time comes and I take charge of Xuan Garrison, if anyone dares to lay a finger on the new army's farmland, I won't mind doing as I did on the Eastern Route — killing until the rivers run red with blood!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guozhu looked at Wang Dou and said with solemnity, \"Guoqin, to have met you is truly Yang Mou's good fortune!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou smiled faintly. \"Dou feels the same. As the song just now said — let our friendship endure forever!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two walked side by side. Yang Guozhu suddenly said, \"A letter has come. My daughter is with child.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou was taken aback. He had not expected Xu Yue'e to be pregnant so soon — one shot, right on target. She was truly a woman who bore children easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, the Ming army not only celebrated victory among officers and men; the Viceroy of Jiliao, Hong Chengchou, also ordered the three armies feasted. Every camp boiled with jubilation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On that very day, the separate victory reports of Hong Chengchou, Wang Chengen, and Zhang Ruoqi, along with a joint victory report, were dispatched by eight-hundred-li express to the capital — to report the victory to the Chongzhen Emperor, and to report the victory to the entire court and country.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ming army rejoiced, but in the Qing army camp, there was only oppressive gloom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between Mount Shimen and the Xiao Ling River, stretching along both banks of the river, dense and endless, lay the tents of the Qing army camp, banners snapping in the wind. Around the camp perimeter, one deep trench and wooden palisade after another, and at intervals, arrow towers rose high — the defenses were strict and severe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Large columns of camp followers came and went, drawing water from the river to cook, a clamor of noise. And amid these sounds, from every camp, mournful howls rose from time to time, grating on the nerves and breeding restlessness — one could say it deeply shook the army's morale and spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those howling were the Qing wounded who had been struck by cannon or arquebus fire. Perhaps for these men, those who had died on the spot were the fortunate ones. To survive, to be dragged back by comrades — that was a torment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For those struck by arquebus fire: first, the lead ball had little penetrating power. When it struck the human body, it was like a massive iron hammer smashing down — instantly the flesh at the point of impact was beaten to dead pulp, the internal organs and such smashed to pieces. When digging out the lead ball, one also had to ensure that no residual gunpowder, shot fragments, or cloth scraps remained in the wound. One moment of carelessness, and infection set in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For these Qing soldiers, if the arquebus ball struck the limbs, amputation was the only course. If it struck any other part, there was nothing to do but wait for death — and one still had to guard against wound infection during amputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those struck by cannon fire fared worse. The howling solid iron balls smashed many men's sinews and bones to splinters, their flesh a bloody pulp. Even a graze was a massive trauma. The mud on the iron ball, the gunpowder it carried, the iron fragments, all manner of residue and filth — the slightest scrape against the body brought a cascade of severe conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in this era, wound infection was a major lethal factor. Without antibiotics, and in such sweltering weather, septicemia, infection fevers, massive blood loss — the combined effects of these factors were enough to kill, especially given the backward medical conditions of the Qing soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same was true for those struck by the Ten-Thousand-Man Bomb, ash bombs, poison bombs, and the like. The manifold agonies were truly beyond words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, for those Qing soldiers, to die on the spot was a blessing. The rest would wail for days and nights on end, struggling toward death in pain that was fated to double and redouble.\u003C\u002Fp>",3257,"2026-06-03T14:05:53.320Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","40a9bb8c26400d48bb0c90c56ee9134b560d76b9d407326147cd042842f9f77d","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-507","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-505",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]