[{"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-54":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},1205343,1561,"Chapter 54: Private Brawls Forbidden, Wedding Date","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-54",54,"\u003Cp>Wang Dou shouted, \"What's going on here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The military households all started explaining at once. It turned out that this morning while feeding the pigs, several women from the military households had made snide remarks to Xu Yue'e, saying her body was no longer clean and she still had the face to live, that she truly didn't know what shame was. Other women said she could even bear to kill her own child, that her heart was like a serpent or scorpion, and so on and so forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such cold words had been common in the past, and Xu Yue'e had only listened in silence without any reaction. Today, for some unknown reason, she pulled out a shoulder pole and struck one of the women who was talking happily, beating her until her head was bleeding. Several other women nearby, greatly alarmed, went up to scold her, and she beat their heads bloody just the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This stirred up a hornet's nest. These women were originally refugees who had joined, all from the same village or the same clan, and they always acted together whenever something happened. With one shout from them, the military households from their village who were working in the livestock pens or the fields immediately swarmed over. Each person carried either a pickaxe or a hoe, their manner fierce and aggressive, ready to smash Xu Yue'e into meat paste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yue'e was not alone. Inside Jingbian Fort also lived some women who had been abducted by the Later Jin army or violated by bandits. They usually lived inside the fort and had also endured no small amount of cold words from various people, all harboring resentment in their hearts. They could not help but speak out to help Xu Yue'e. Then those military household women likewise cursed them fiercely, cursing until each of them also surged with anger, and each of them likewise took out shoulder poles and clubs to join Xu Yue'e's side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wang Dou and the others arrived, several dozen people on each side were confronting each other holding weapons like clubs, shoulder poles, brooms, and hoes, while trading curses like \"cheap goods, rotten cunt, stinking woman...\" and the like. Country women, naturally, could not curse anything refined from their mouths, and the words that came were extremely foul to the ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou saw Xu Yue'e holding a shoulder pole sideways, her stance and footwork extremely similar to the spear techniques drilled by the regular combat troops, though he did not know how she had learned them. Seeing her like this, although the group of women opposite were cursing fiercely, they did not dare approach her closely, only brandishing their shoulder poles and clubs while cursing angrily. On their side, several women were still sitting on the ground clutching their heads and wailing, and Wang Dou indeed saw that each of them had a bloody head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the mutual cursing and accusations, Wang Dou also saw several able-bodied young men on the military household women's side, also holding clubs and eyeing them menacingly. From their appearance, they were even members of the combat troops. Wang Dou's face darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wang Dou and the others approach, a chorus of voices said: \"My lord has returned.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone parted to make way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou came to the center of the crowd, surrounded by voices of \"My lord, please give justice to this humble one...\" and the like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou did not utter a word, only looking at the crowd with a dark face. Under his sweeping gaze, everyone was terrified and involuntarily all knelt down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou first coldly said to those able-bodied young men from the combat troops: \"You've grown capable. The skills you learned in my army, it turns out, are used for brawling among women.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those combat soldiers were all terrified, prostrating themselves on the ground and not daring to utter a single word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Wang Dou said flatly: \"What happened? All of you, speak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately several women came out from each side, all talking at once, recounting the matter one by one, while accusing the other side and defending themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the accusations and defenses from both sides, Xu Yue'e still knelt with a cold expression, not saying a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Tianxue at this moment, however, praised Xu Yue'e: \"What a fiercely resolute woman.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This drew sidelong glances from everyone, wondering where this impoverished scholar had come from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the voices from both sides rising higher and higher again, Wang Dou shouted: \"Enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately silence fell over the scene again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou pointed at the several military household women on the ground who were still weeping with tears and mucus, their heads bloody, and shouted: \"You several women, why did you make cold remarks to Miss Xu and the others? They are all sisters within the fort, why torment them with ridicule? From now on, if anyone again spreads gossip and slander, they will be severely punished without leniency.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those several women were startled, and immediately their wailing vanished without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou then shouted at Xu Yue'e: \"Miss Xu, if you felt wronged, you could have sought out the fort's stewards and squad leaders to mediate, or even come to this Platoon Leader to seek justice for you. How could you take it upon yourself to strike and injure others?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yue'e knelt on the ground and said quietly: \"Yue'e acknowledges her mistake and willingly accepts my lord's punishment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said flatly: \"Your circumstances are pitiable, but the law is hard to excuse. Men, give Xu Yue'e twenty heavy military rods as a warning to others.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao stepped forward, took a club from a soldier's hand, pressed Xu Yue'e to the ground, and struck the military rods one by one. Xu Yue'e only silently gritted her teeth and endured. Listening to the sound of the rods hitting flesh, the scene was frighteningly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After it was finished, Xu Yue'e calmly kowtowed once to Wang Dou and said: \"I thank my lord for the punishment!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou looked at her flatly for a long moment, inwardly somewhat admiring her toughness. Although he and Xu Yue'e were from the same village and could be considered familiar neighbors, now that he was the master of a fort, he could not show favoritism to anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, footsteps sounded. Qi Tianliang, Yang Tong, Zhong Rong, and also Madam Tao and Madam Liu hurried over. After hearing news of the brawl and armed fight at the livestock pen, they had rushed over. Seeing Wang Dou and the others here, each of them felt uneasy, afraid Wang Dou would blame them, the ones left in charge, for failing in their supervision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou swept his gaze over them, then turned to everyone before him and shouted loudly: \"From now on, private brawls are strictly forbidden within the fort. If military households have disputes, they may seek out the corresponding squad leaders and stewards to mediate, and may even come to me, this Platoon Leader! From now on, whoever engages in private brawls, whether in the right or wrong, will all be severely punished and driven out of the fort!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised his voice even higher: \"If any combat soldier within the fort participates in private armed brawls, they will all be severely punished with one hundred military rods and expelled from the fort!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouted: \"Do you all understand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chorus of voices: \"This humble one understands and will strictly obey my lord's order.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said to Zhong Rong: \"Mr. Zhong, take five dou of rice and ten jin of meat to Miss Xu, so she can recuperate. For this half month, she need not work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides managing the fort's documents, Zhong Rong also managed the fort's grain and rice storehouse. Hearing Wang Dou's instruction, he cupped his hands and said: \"This student understands.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam Tao also hurriedly acknowledged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou added: \"The several women who were beaten and injured, each will likewise receive two dou of grain and two jin of meat, rest for ten days, and still draw their salary rice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those several women hurriedly scrambled up to give thanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the matter handled this way, Wang Tianxue shook his head and said: \"My lord enforces the law like a mountain, strict and clear, considerate and principled. Admirable, admirable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jinglun and those fellows from Wanshenghe all nodded to each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam Tao, Qi Tianliang, and the others loudly ordered those military households and women to continue working. Xu Yue'e and the several injured military household women were helped into the fort to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou also led Wang Tianxue, Zheng Jinglun, and the others, driving the grain carts through the Yongning Gate into the fort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At present, aside from the parade ground outside the fort and the parapets and gate towers on the fort walls that had yet to be completed, the rest of Jingbian Fort was no different from military forts elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this fort was small, its rammed-earth walls were extremely solid, giving people a strong sense of security. Moreover, the houses inside the fort were orderly, and it was especially clean inside, which was very rare. The streets and alleys of Jingbian Fort were all paved with mountain stones, with stone-lined drainage ditches on both sides. There were also public bathhouses and public latrines inside the fort. Not a single piece of trash could be seen on the streets. Although the military households walking inside wore tattered clothes, each person was clean in body, spirited in bearing, and strong in physique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clean and full of vitality — even within a prefectural city, such a vibrant and lively quality was hard to find, let alone here in just a small fort in the countryside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Tianxue's eyes were greatly opened. He sighed: \"I never thought such a paradise-like place could exist in this remote wilderness. This student's eyes have truly been opened.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mood brightened. Perhaps coming here from the prefectural city was not a bad choice after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jinglun and those fellows were also amazed, everyone discussing it animatedly. Seeing this Jingbian Fort, Zheng Jinglun's confidence in cooperating with Wang Dou grew even stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A guesthouse had been built inside Jingbian Fort, not far from the Platoon Leader's official hall, specifically to accommodate outside visitors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou instructed Zhong Rong to first store the grain and rice sent by Wanshenghe into the warehouse, and also arranged for Wang Tianxue, Zheng Jinglun, and the others to stay in the guesthouse, having Zhong Rong keep them company in conversation, and planning to hold a welcoming dinner for them in the evening. As for Wang Tianxue's matter, Wang Dou planned to select a few clever young men from the fort to follow Wang Tianxue as apprentices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao and the others returned to the barracks to rest, while Wang Dou and Zhong Diaoyang went back to the Wang family residence behind the official hall. Ordinarily, although Zhong Diaoyang also stayed in the barracks, Wang Dou had also prepared a room for him in the residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several elderly military household members and a few sturdy women came out to greet them and led their horses to the backyard to be fed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These people were all hired by Wang Dou from the military households within the fort. Each was honest and kind, specifically employed to serve his mother. That these people were chosen by Wang Dou naturally delighted each of them, and their families also considered it an honor. However, there were no robust young men in the Wang family residence now; labor was precious within the fort, and Wang Dou could not bear to use those able-bodied laborers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wang Dou and the other man, Madam Zhong and Xie Xiuniang were both delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the formal greetings, Zhong Diaoyang only sat quietly to one side. Madam Zhong asked: \"Dou'er, I just heard that some military households stirred up trouble outside the fort. How was the matter handled?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou thought to himself how fast news traveled. He reassured her: \"Mother, it's nothing. Your son has already dealt with it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam Zhong sighed: \"That is good then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked again: \"This trip of yours to the prefectural city must have been arduous. Was the matter concerning your uncle settled?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said, “It’s already been arranged. In a few days, the official documents from the department should arrive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang rose to his feet and bowed deeply. “Father’s affairs have caused my aunt and cousin much trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhong sighed and said, “We are all one family — there’s no need for such distant words. But that younger brother of mine has always aimed too high and refused to keep his feet on the ground. As his elder sister, I must give him a good talking-to. He’s an uncle, after all; he can’t keep troubling his nephew with everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sighed for a while, then remembered another matter and said to Wang Dou with a smile, “That’s right, Dou’er — now that you’ve been promoted to Platoon Leader and the garrison affairs are on track, it’s time to arrange your marriage. You’re no longer young, and I, your mother, must not delay this lifelong matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yike and Wang Dou had both reached the age for marriage, but in the past the Wang family did not even have the money for a proper wedding. Lady Zhong was a proud woman and naturally did not want people gossiping when the family’s only son got married. Now the conditions were very ripe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Lady Zhong say this, Xie Yike beside her immediately blushed, though she pricked up her ears and listened carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhong smiled. “Your mother checked the dates long ago. The ninth day of the tenth month — that is an auspicious day. When the time comes, we’ll invite the bride’s mother over and discuss everything properly. We mustn’t let anyone look down on our Wang family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was now the middle of the seventh month of the eighth year of the Chongzhen reign. There were still several months until the ninth of the tenth month, so they could prepare everything carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang also smiled. “My cousin’s wedding is a great event — it must be properly arranged. I can hardly wait to drink the wedding wine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yike finally could not hold back her blushes and fled, her small face crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her retreating figure, Wang Dou smiled faintly. “I’ll leave everything to Mother’s decision.”\u003C\u002Fp>",2419,"2026-06-03T14:05:19.908Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","990ac0648b15732b0b8f739437c240af552805b15bb67bd8d65a3ed2c4621310","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-55","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-53",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]