[{"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-520":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},1205809,1561,"Chapter 520: Ma Ke","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-520",520,"\u003Cp>Not long after passing the western side of Huangtuling, Wang Dou also ran into Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, Fu Yingchong, Li Fuming, and their party, and the group traveled together from then on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like Wang Dou, besides their personal guards, Yang Guozhu and the others all brought along some close officers from their camps — for example, Yang Guozhu always had his trusted general Guo Yingxian at his side. Even before Yang Guozhu became Regional Commander, Guo Yingxian had followed him everywhere, and the bond between them was closer than brothers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Pu brought his trusted officer Wang Zheng, Li Fuming brought Li Yunshu, and Fu Yingchong brought Lin Jinsi. These officers had all gained considerable benefits thanks to Wang Dou during the battle that day, so when they saw Wang Dou, their expressions were very respectful. Only Guo Yingxian remained carefree and still treated Wang Dou like a little brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Fuming laughed heartily and exchanged pleasantries with Wang Dou for a while, his words carrying a clear intent to build friendly ties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had probably thought it through — he was the Regional Commander of Shanxi, counted as part of the Xuan–Da faction. Although he hailed from Liaodong, with the Liaodong officers increasingly distancing themselves from him, he too needed to consider team and faction. Staying neutral would only result in being shut out by both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond that, Li Fuming also did his utmost to draw closer to Zhang Ruoqi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liaodong Regional Commander Liu Zhaoji had the same intention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Chengchou intended to replace him with Wu Sangui, so naturally Liu Zhaoji bore no goodwill toward Hong Chengchou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just that Wu Sangui enjoyed deep popularity in Liaodong, possessed outstanding connections, and had profound backing, so Liu Zhaoji lacked the ability to contend with him. Zhang Ruoqi's arrival, however, let Liu Zhaoji see an opportunity — after all, Zhang Ruoqi counted as a man of the Minister of War, Chen Xinjia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the replacement of a garrison Regional Commander required court recommendation — clearly, the opinion of the Minister of War carried great weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While on the march, Wang Dou brought up the westward-advance strategy drafted by the Jingbian Army. Neither Wang Pu nor Fu Yingchong had any objection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Pu, however, hoped that when the great battle came, the Datong Army could fight shoulder to shoulder with the Jingbian Army. The thought that Wu Sangui had gained so many merit heads because of the Jingbian Army made Wang Pu deeply uncomfortable, so this time he was determined never to leave Wang Dou's side again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guozhu fell into thought, then said, \"Though the bandit enemy at Mount Shimen is currently few, their stockade walls are sturdy and not easily taken. There is even greater fear of being attacked by the slave caitiffs while crossing the river. The candidates will likely not be easy to decide.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was worthy of being a veteran general, spotting the crux at a glance. Li Fuming likewise nodded: \"The slave caitiffs' stockade walls and trenches are indeed not easy to assault.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day when he and Yang Guozhu had jointly attacked Huangtuling, he had deeply felt his own inadequacy — compared to Yang Guozhu's troops, his own Shanxi army was far too weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His troops were all old-style Great Ming armies, relying solely on retainers and elite soldiers to fight. Against the fierce Qing troops, they suffered more defeats than victories. Although Li Fuming often charged at the very front, the effect was not obvious, and this left him deeply disheartened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially in this Song–Jin campaign — not to mention comparing with Wang Dou, even when compared with Yang Guozhu and Wang Pu, the gap was glaringly clear. He and Yang Guozhu were both veteran officers who had fought in the same wars, and Shanxi Garrison was also a major garrison, yet he was being left further and further behind by everyone. How could this not deeply sting Li Fuming?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He resolved that after the Song–Jin campaign ended and he returned to Shanxi Garrison, he would find a way, by any means, to organize and train a new-model army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The area between Huangtuling and Songshanbao was likewise filled with military camps. The group threaded their way among the various encampments and soon entered Songshanbao, arriving before the Viceroy's headquarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the main gate, the group encountered Army Supervisor Zhang Ruoqi. This gentleman greeted everyone with a smiling, genial manner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore his official robes, his three strands of beard still groomed impeccably neat, surrounded and escorted by a cluster of private secretaries and personal guards. Yet despite his cordial words, Wang Dou could still detect a trace of anxiety in his eyes — clearly the war situation at Jinzhou was weighing heavily on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, after the briefest of pleasantries, the medical officer of the Bureau of Operations could not wait to say to Wang Dou: \"The situation is urgent and cannot tolerate further dispute. Might you have any brilliant plan?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time and again Wu Sangui had strenuously requested immediate reinforcement of Jinzhou, and each time Wang Dou had blocked it — but under the present circumstances, further delay truly could not be tolerated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said, \"Sir Zhang, please set your mind at ease. The strategy for Jinzhou can be decided today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ruoqi let out a breath of relief: \"That is good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ruoqi was indeed somewhat anxious. Although he too approved of prudence, if prudence led to the fall of Jinzhou, the consequences were not something he could bear. So upon hearing Wang Dou's words, he could not help but feel greatly relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, although he was nominally appointed to advise Hong Chengchou on strategy, Zhang Ruoqi did not understand military affairs and could not devise anything of substance. Unlike in the original history, Wang Dou would not tolerate him meddling recklessly. Thus, in practice, the war strategy for Jinzhou still depended on the opinions of Hong Chengchou and Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And because Wang Dou had the powerful Jingbian Army at his back, along with the support of Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, Fu Yingchong, Zhang Ruoqi, and others — now joined by Li Fuming — and because Army Supervisor Wang Chengen did not involve himself in military strategy, the weight of Wang Dou's words had, almost imperceptibly, grown heavier than Hong Chengchou's.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without Wang Dou's agreement, no one could make a move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering the main hall of the headquarters, Ningyuan Regional Commander Wu Sangui, Shanhai Pass Regional Commander Ma Ke, and Miyun Regional Commander Tang Tong were already there, gathered to one side whispering among themselves. Reinforcement-and-Suppression Regional Commander Zuo Guangxian sat off to the side, bored and staring blankly into space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zuo Guangxian was of the Qin Army line, counted as a direct subordinate of Hong Chengchou, but he was entirely out of place in the Liaodong circle. Though no one wished to offend him, neither could they be called close friends. Add to that Zuo Guangxian only clung to Hong Chengchou's coattails and paid no attention to outside affairs, and he inevitably found himself shut out of many circles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wang Dou and the others entered, Wu Sangui and his group came over and greeted them with cool indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was plain to see that Wu Sangui's expression was pale and haggard; he was clearly extremely worried about his maternal uncle Zu Dashou. When facing Wang Dou, his smile was very forced. Over the past several days, he had come to truly feel the extent of Wang Dou's influence, and he had overestimated his own ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This tall, rich, and handsome young man of the Great Ming had always sailed smoothly through life, doted on by thousands, and had rarely suffered any setback or blow. But when confronting Wang Dou, he always felt a sense of powerlessness, deeply aware that his own strength was insufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he was a scion of a prestigious house after all. Though he harbored dissatisfaction toward Wang Dou, he was impeccable in his propriety. And it was evident that after a series of blows, his mentality had actually matured considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Tong was all smiles and greeted Wang Dou with great warmth. Only Ma Ke gave a forced, insincere smile, his eyes unable to conceal his resentment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blamed all his losses of troops and officers on Wang Dou. His clansman Ma Fuming had been killed on the Jingbian Army's killing field, and he himself had been given a disciplinary punishment — all these outcomes filled Ma Ke with ill will toward Wang Dou. After the barest minimum of courtesy, Ma Ke kept himself far away from Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment in the hall, Liaodong Regional Commander Liu Zhaoji, Eastern-Coordination Regional Commander Cao Bianjiao, and Qiantunwei Regional Commander Wang Tingchen were absent, as they already had their military assignments and were only defending the rear route at Xingshan. With the addition of Ji Garrison Regional Commander Bai Guangen, the gathering was unavoidably somewhat quieter than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Hong Chengchou and the others came out, the atmosphere in the hall was somewhat stiff. The Xuan–Da faction and the Liaodong faction each chatted quietly among themselves, mutually exclusive. Zuo Guangxian edged over beside Li Fuming. Han Chao and Zhong Xiancai stood behind Wang Dou like door gods, exchanging low murmurs with Guo Yingxian and a few others.\u003C\u002Fp>",1558,"2026-06-03T14:05:53.320Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","1f02eabebdd90c18c8b4c31abcd42dadfbf917059786b31d58d1c8856a90524a","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-521","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-519",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]