[{"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-570":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},1205859,1561,"Chapter 570: The Rear Line","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-570",570,"\u003Cp>Old White Bull: Next chapter, six in the afternoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So this is Yizhou?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the three-tasseled, pearl-fringed pheasant-tail banners, beneath the towering fifteen-foot command flags emblazoned with sun and moon, Wen Fangliang, Gao Shiyin, and Shen Shiqi spurred their horses forward, surveying the Yizhou city below the hills not far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They saw that Yizhou was not large, with only one city gate at the south, and the city walls were utterly dilapidated — after all, the Qing state had destroyed them after capturing it, and though they had hastily repaired them when the siege of Jinzhou began, one word still summed it up: \"ruined!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing out over the rivers and mountains, to the west of Yizhou stretched the unbroken Songling Mountains, which was where Wen Fangliang and the others had come from; a dozen or so li southeast of the city lay numerous hills and ridges, and beyond these ridges flowed the Daling River, with Mount Yiwulü on the eastern bank of the Daling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that Mount Yiwulü held the tombs of three emperors of the Liao Kingdom, along with over twenty imperial consorts and high ministers, and that the Liao Crown Prince Yelü Bei had once stored ten thousand scrolls of books there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking further south, the flat plains stretched on, crisscrossed by many rivers, including the Daling and Xihe, making it an important area for Yizhou's military farming and land reclamation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing at this city, Gao Shiyin let out a long sigh: \"It hasn't been easy, but we've finally arrived.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shiqi's expression was ferocious: \"We'd better get some good killing done, to make up for the hardships of our rushing march!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The army beyond the frontier, under the command of Wen Fangliang and his two comrades, had swept through the Left and Right Banners of the Kharchin, then marched north to Longcheng, slashing and slaughtering all the way, sweeping all before them; because they had begun accepting the surrender of some Mongol tribes, countless small tribes had joined them along the way, and the army beyond the frontier now exceeded twenty thousand, every man mounted, still claiming to be a hundred thousand, advancing in a mighty torrent toward the northeast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>En route, Wen Fangliang and the other two received an urgent scout report from the Night Scouts that the Grand General was at Jinzhou and was about to launch a decisive battle against the slave bandits; to coordinate with the Jinzhou decisive battle, after discussing it, the three decided the army would no longer continue north to strike the Khorchin tribe, but would instead turn toward Yizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They traveled day and night and finally arrived today. They still did not know the outcome at Jinzhou, but had already dispatched scout riders to slip through and find out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at this city, and at the Qing troops on the walls arrayed in full readiness, Gao Shiyin remarked: \"The city is not large, but there are plenty of troops. Taking it by assault will likely not be easy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Fangliang said: \"There's no need to storm the city. Our great army will sever the connection between Yizhou and Jinzhou, and cut the grain routes of the two cities; that will suffice. Of course, depending on the situation, we can also put on a show of preparing to assault, to force them to call for help and shake the resolve of the slave bandits at Jinzhou. Best if we also harass the grain routes of the slave bandits at Guangning Central Guard and Youtun Guard...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head. Looking back at the great army behind him, he saw a chaotic throng of merchant militia, carrying all sorts of terrifyingly grandiose banners, chests puffed out and bellies thrust forward, looking as if their martial prowess was the finest under heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because this expedition was so perilous, some of them had dispersed. Around three thousand of the accompanying jianghu braves remained; the rest had gleefully escorted their plunder home. Since the haul was so great, a unit from Wen Fangliang's own camp had been assigned to guard them all the way. In their forced march, they had not brought any cannons either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the expedition to Yizhou, Lai Mancheng and the other great merchants had volunteered eagerly, but several days of urgent forced marching had left them utterly exhausted. Lai Mancheng, carrying his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, gasped for breath as he rode, muttering from time to time: \"This is the death of me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After peering around for a long while, Gao Shiyin burst out laughing and waved his hand: \"Make a show of force!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hastily added: \"Right, let those Mongols go first!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rolling torrent of cavalry poured down from the hills and advanced in formation toward the west side of the city. Several hundred riders broke from the ranks — all of them Mongols in leather caps and fur robes, their horsemanship fierce and superb. They swaggered and blustered, laughing wildly as they dragged half-dead Manchu and Mongol scout riders, or bondservants and camp laborers, behind their horses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They spurred their horses into a wild gallop, and the people dragged behind them wailed in agony as they watched them race around the city. The defenders on the walls, Manchu and Mongol alike, were all shocked and enraged, grinding their teeth in fury — many of those being dragged were their own compatriots. Despicable, truly despicable!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the Han slaves on the walls who had been driven there to defend the city, many strange feelings stirred in their hearts: \"Those Jingbian Army lords are so awe-inspiring. Those fierce northern Tatar brutes are being driven around like grandsons...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luoluo Huan slammed his fist hatefully onto the crenel in front of him, his skin splitting open and blood dripping, yet he was oblivious to it. Word had long since come that a \"hundred thousand\" Jingbian troops beyond the frontier were pressing in. What he saw before him was not a hundred thousand, but ten or twenty thousand at least. The bitter experience at Zhuozhou years ago surged into his heart, and the scar on his face began to twitch uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deaths of his father and elder brother were the most painful memories in his heart. Beyond those, there was also a deep-seated, indescribable terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew the fighting strength of the Jingbian Army all too well. Although the garrison of Yizhou had seven thousand banner troops, plus some supernumerary conscripts and laborers, and had also raised some Aha to banner status, bringing the total defenders to over ten thousand, Luoluo Huan knew that these troops could hold the walls, but if they went out to fight the Jingbian Army in the field, they would die without ever knowing how.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, a glance at the people beside him showed they were all trembling with fear. Especially the troops of the Plain Red Banner — their Jalai Jargun Heshuote was trembling slightly, clearly terrified to the extreme. Only Bayara Jalai Jargun Buyantu had an ugly expression, grinding his teeth at the Mongols swaggering below the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly shouted at Luoluo Huan: \"Prince of the Blood, are we just going to watch them flaunt their might? Especially those Mongols, dogs relying on their master's power — this is an insult to our Great Qing! Your slave is willing to take some troops out and cut down their arrogance!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luoluo Huan suddenly turned to Buyantu, his expression more severe than ever: \"Buyantu, you remember this for me: you must hold this city firmly. Without my order, no one is permitted to go out and fight. Anyone who dares to act recklessly will be executed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Buyantu's face twisted. Heshuote beside him earnestly pleaded: \"Lord Buyantu, the Jingbian Army is too powerful — we cannot risk a reckless battle. Heed the Prince's words: holding the city securely is paramount. We must not, through a single misstep, betray the trust His Majesty has placed in us!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They watched as the surrendered Mongols tormented the captives dragged behind their horses until they died. The city gates remained tightly shut. On all sides of the walls, only dense rows of bows were thrust out, and there was loud shouting as men ran back and forth, moving rolling logs and stone missiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin curled his lip: \"Boring. These Tatars' courage is getting smaller and smaller!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke casually, then suddenly raised his voice in a frightfully off-key, broken-gong roar: \"Hey, beautiful great grasslands, I will come, I will come...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the Yizhou defenders, the entire army sang in unison as if no one else were there, and the surrendered Mongols sang especially loudly: \"Ayo ayo!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shiqi bellowed in an equally hideous voice: \"I will make the Tatars' skulls into my drinking cups.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire army sang in unison: \"Ayo ayo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lai Mancheng shouted: \"I love grain tickets!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin sang: \"Their wives shall be my concubines, their children shall be my servants.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire army sang in unison: \"Ayo ayo...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Fangliang and his two comrades spurred their horses out, galloping before the great army. They raised their weapons, and what greeted them was a heaven-covering, earth-shattering roar of \"Mighty!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A surging murderous aura rose on Wen Fangliang's handsome face: \"Pass the order: encamp south of the city. Search and kill throughout the countryside. Any slave-bandit souls we encounter...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another earth-shaking roar: \"Kill all, burn all, loot all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same mao hour, at Xingshan, Daxing Fort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the seventeenth, after Liaodong Regional Commander Liu Zhaoji, Eastern Coordination Regional Commander Cao Bianjiao, and Qiantun Guard Regional Commander Wang Tingchen had returned from their council at Songshan, they had strictly ordered all positions at Xingshan to heighten their vigilance. Every sign indicated that the Tatars were very likely to launch a general offensive against the Ming army in the near future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tatar forces at Baimiao Fort on the opposite bank of the Nüer River were also unusually active. The Xingshan area was where the Ming army's rear supply lines and grain stores were located, and the Tatars at Baimiao Fort were very likely to come and cut them off and attack. Therefore, not only Xingshan Fort itself, but even Daxing Fort, Dongqing Fort, Wudao Ridge, and Changling Mountain — all had strengthened their defenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officers and men worked day and night, adding more and more defensive equipment for the walls and hills. Patrols and night watches were likewise increased again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early in the morning, the defenders of Daxing Fort had already risen early to light fires and cook. Recently, the grain and fodder supply had improved considerably, and their bowls were even topped with enticing dried fish. Everyone ate with great satisfaction. They had heard it was thanks to the Loyal and Brave Count, and the soldiers all felt secretly grateful in their hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relieving the bleary-eyed night watch, the new wave of daytime defenders arrived at the crenels. Yesterday had been uneventful — would the Tatars come today?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the enemy had been harassing and seizing positions along the southern bank of the Nüer River, all the beacon towers along the way had been rendered useless. Daxing Fort was now the very front line of Xingshan, with at most a few Night Scouts deployed outside the fort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young soldier, who seemed not yet fully awake, rubbed his bleary eyes while adjusting his folded headscarf. Though still heavy with sleep, his ears remained sharp, his eyes still keen. It seemed... there was some strange sound coming from the direction of the Nüer River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He crouched down onto the brick floor of the wall to listen carefully. At that moment, the soldiers guarding the wall beside him all sensed something was wrong. Some strained desperately to peer in that direction, while many others, imitating the soldier, crouched down and pressed their ears tightly to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tatars!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly one man howled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people around him were also staring dumbfounded in that direction. They saw a torrent of cavalry spreading from the edge of the sky, an endless sea of men, as if reaching to the very ends of heaven and earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rumble rumble rumble!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The iron cavalry stretched boundlessly, and the great earth trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the sound of hoofbeats drew nearer, those standing on the city walls felt as if thunderous roars were shaking ceaselessly in their ears. Under the pounding of the iron hooves, it seemed the entire city was shuddering violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They looked at each other, all faces ashen. They knew the Tatars would come, but how could so many come all at once?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ocean of banners spread out. Looking at their armor and attire, most were yellow, bordered yellow. The man who had howled earlier howled again: \"It's the Tatars of the Two Yellow Banners!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Quick, quick, fire the cannon and light the smoke, light the smoke!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Company Commander snapped back to his senses and roared out the order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers returned to their senses and scrambled in a flurry to light the smoke and fire the cannon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bang, bang, bang...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five sharp signal cannon blasts rang out, and five perfectly straight columns of beacon smoke rose high into the sky. At the same time, Ming army night scouts within and beyond the city scattered in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bandit forces exceeding ten thousand — five beacons and five cannon. The Two Yellow Banner Tatars before them surely numbered more than ten or twenty thousand, but this was already the absolute maximum limit for the Ming army's signal cannon and beacon smoke transmissions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the wolf smoke rose from Daxing Fort, all the walled forts and strongholds along the route sounded their signal cannons. Wooden clappers and brass gongs were beaten frantically. Plume after plume of thick smoke climbed into the sky: Wudaoling, Dongqing Fort, Gaoqiao Fort, Tashan Fort, Xingshan Fort, Bijia Mountain, Changling Mountain...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The defenders of Daxing Fort watched, hearts trembling with fear, as the Two Yellow Banner Tatars before the fort surged past in an endless torrent. Amid that cavalry flood, they saw detachments constantly peel off toward the walled forts and strongholds along the route. Though to each fort these detachments seemed an overwhelmingly massive force — as they did to the defenders of Daxing Fort — compared to the vast cavalry torrent, they were so very small.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the hour of the Dragon, the defenders of Daxing Fort saw, far in the distance, an equally colossal mass of infantry and camp laborers escorting a dense, dark mass of equipment advancing forward.\u003C\u002Fp>",2422,"2026-06-03T14:05:53.320Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","1f54f39636a555f1a10b1cc654e696e13331677b53a74bdf9481b4a408a77857","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-571","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-569",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]