[{"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-688":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},1205977,1561,"Chapter 688: The Fair One","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-688",688,"\u003Cp>As September drew near, the Mantaoer region was at its most beautiful — vast broadleaf and coniferous forests, wide grasslands, all like one richly colored oil painting after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Central Plains had boiled into a seething cauldron of war, and the main army was campaigning against the Mongols of Guihua City while the Manchu Tatars had massed over twenty thousand troops at Hongyazi Mountain, the area around New Yongning City remained utterly peaceful; merchants and civilians went about their business as usual — to them, this place was paradise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Traveling northeast from New Yongning City, following winding mountain paths past the Luan River and the Yimatu River regions, on the banks of the Yixun River in what later generations would call the hunting grounds, stood a frontier fortress — barely two hundred li from Hongyazi Mountain. After the stronghold was built, Zhong Susu named it Zhenhu Fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clop clop clop...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heavy sound of horse hooves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the mountain road from New Yongning to Zhenhu Fortress, a column of cavalry rode at speed. They carried banners, their armor bore the White Tiger Army insignia, each man sat straight-backed in the saddle, expressions cold and stern, exuding the hard, heroic quality of battle-hardened soldiers — confident, spirited, intensely striking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jingbian Army had become a professionalized force; the army stressed military bearing, and every soldier and officer who stepped out appeared brimming with heroic vigor, as if possessed of an iron will, utterly unlike ordinary Ming troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The autumn wind blew crisp and cool; the red maple forests on either side of the mountain path rustled, leaves falling in profusion, scattering over them, carrying a sense of secluded, distant stillness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu rode at the very front. A few days earlier she had returned to New Yongning City to handle some matters, but her mind remained on the front lines; the moment her business was done, she immediately hurried back toward Zhenhu Fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now she sat on horseback, a cloak draped over her, beneath her iron-tipped helmet a pair of gleaming eyes — authority in every glance. As someone who commanded an entire army, she had unconsciously developed a presence, a quality that radiated from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, within Xuanfu Garrison, quite a few young maidens and young wives harbored inexplicable yearnings toward Zhong Susu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she seemed preoccupied, brows faintly furrowed, silent, lost in some unknown thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warhorses were divine steeds, galloping as if flying; the party simply spurred on at speed, sometimes threading through forests, sometimes bursting out onto open grassland where shallow grasses submerged the horses' hooves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Luan River and Yimatu River region was where the submitted Mongol tribes grazed their herds, but there were also fortified villages one after another, locking down the key communication routes. Many Mongols could be seen pasturing on the various grasslands, and beside water sources, scattered felt tents dotted the landscape; some Mongols had even begun building houses and settling down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet observing their dwellings, there was always a sense of poverty and disorder. In construction, the steppe nomads were weak — back then, Dongjing had been the most flourishing city under heaven, but after the Jurchens occupied it, within a few years they had turned it into something resembling a pigsty, barely one percent of its former charm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was also why many herders yearned for life in places like New Yongning City. Still, compared to before, their lives had improved considerably, and many faces now bore joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, news of Han Chao's western expedition army's repeated great victories had arrived, and the people of every tribe were delighted. On the steppe, ethnic consciousness was faint — they did not mind slaughtering their own kind, only rejoicing that they had followed the right person and that their tribe had chosen correctly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the White Tiger Army had established Zhenhu Fortress on the Yixun River, preventing the Qing cavalry at Hongyazi Mountain from riding south, protecting the safety of the tribes along the Luan River and elsewhere. This filled their hearts with gratitude and also proved that the Jingbian Army truly had the ability to protect them, letting the newly attached Mongol cavalry on the western front campaign with peace of mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Zhong Susu and her party approach — a column of elite cavalry, at their center a tall White Tiger Silver Eagle grand banner — many herders reverently knelt and kowtowed from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu's expression stirred. She had once heard the Grand General say that the barbarians beyond the frontier feared might but did not cherish virtue; now their expressions were truly ones of heartfelt awe and submission. The frontier once again witnessed the dignity of Han officials — this was the result of a strong army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She also recalled that when she had been troubled, her \"wife\" Li Yunluo had told her: her true identity, the Grand General had likely long known, but he kept it to himself while pretending ignorance. Her feelings — her sister understood them too. But she had asked: how should you, elder sister, position yourself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had asked: \"Can elder sister do embroidery and needlework?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had answered: \"Long forgotten. I can still handle blade and spear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked: \"Can elder sister play the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She answered: \"No longer. But I can discuss military texts and strategy at some length.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said: \"Even so, would the Marquis truly treasure such a woman? Not to mention that his household already possesses a peerless beauty of wisdom and grace — with his current status and prestige, what kind of beauty could he not have? Gather them in his residence, merely to admire for a time — how would that make him look at you with different eyes, remember you in his heart?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time she had been distressed. Indeed — with the Grand General's current standing, he need only beckon, and beauties of every type would line up from Yongning City all the way to Xuanfu Garrison City. To be lost among the crowd — she did not want that either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her distress, Li Yunluo said: \"In truth, there is a kind of woman whose attraction to men is utterly fatal. Elder sister happens to possess this advantage — there is no need to seek far for what lies close at hand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pressed: \"What is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the lamplight, Li Yunluo's eyes were gentle. She pressed her lips together in a smile and said: \"It is the impassioned, heroic woman of war.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said: \"One who does not cling to men, who has her own true nature, who goes to war like a man, building her own achievements amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. You seem to belong to him, yet do not belong to him — you have your own independent dignity and soul. In military affairs, you two rely on each other like left and right hands; even when there are disagreements, you argue on the merits, demonstrating your worth, making him depend on you, unable to do without you. In quiet moments, you are his confidante, listening to his words, hearing the troubles he cannot tell his wife — hearts and souls intertwined.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gestured toward the mirror, revealing her own face flushed crimson, and continued: \"From then on, you shed all traces of powder and rouge, your bearing free and gallant, your character generous. In this age of chaos, you command heavy troops, your prestige well-established, pacifying the realm for the sake of the man in your heart. In that time, the world will sing of it — commander and general knowing each other, the fair one cherishing him — that is the extraordinary woman whom history books praise. Even if your heart burns with passion, to bear a child like Lady Xu, would that not also be happiness?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes — at that moment, Zhong Susu felt she had been enlightened. Truly, having a worthy wife at home was so important. She said with emotion: if one day, this good thing came to pass, she would certainly not forget her sister Yunluo, and would surely share a cup of the feast with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Yunluo first started, then her jade face flushed red. Under the lamplight, her eyes were like rippling water, her expression alluring. Seeing this, Zhong Susu could not help but engage in some pretended passion with her — she could not help it; there was always a stirring within her, especially when Li Yunluo's words had set her heart ablaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, riding on horseback, seeing those barbarians' respectful and reverent expressions, Zhong Susu felt a jolt — even more, a sense of clouds parting to reveal clear skies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had once heard the Grand General say that his greatest joy in life was to see the Han army's might, its heroic spirit spread across the realm. Then let her be, as her sister Yunluo had said, the impassioned, heroic woman of war who follows the man in her heart to conquer the world, making him hold her dear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having made this decision, Zhong Susu felt as though she had changed, matured, and now had her own purpose and path forward. Perhaps shyness was only her outward appearance; within, she too had her own fire and passion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this thought in mind, Zhong Susu felt that many troubles had vanished. What remained, for her present self, was no longer a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spurred her horse on like the wind. Over the years, Zhong Susu's riding skill had become quite excellent. The party traveled through mountain wilderness, grasslands, and rivers, their hoofbeats dense as drumrolls. When they reached the banks of the Yixun River, they saw a fortress standing tall beside the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the plains near the mountains, there were likewise many encampments, above which White Tiger banners snapped and rustled in the wind — an aura of armored warhorses sweeping over heaven and earth, carrying a sense of lethal severity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The White Tiger presided over slaughter and warfare, famed for ferocity and sharpness; the entire White Tiger Army was filled with a suffocating keen edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu's heart swelled with pride — this was the great army she commanded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Zhenhu Fortress was actually formed from two strongholds, one on each bank, with a pontoon bridge spanning the two shores, linking the twin forts into one — much like the layout of Xiangyang City and Fancheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the fortress was completed, Zhong Susu led her troops to garrison it, guarding against the eastern slave cavalry from Hongyazi Mountain. An army of several thousand required vast quantities of provisions and supplies; every day, all manner of materiel was transported unceasingly from the rear, much of it provided by the various fortified villages of Mantaoer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the training shouts from each encampment shook heaven and earth, drums thundered — even with Zhong Susu absent, the army trained just the same. The Jingbian Army had developed to the point where all its systems were mature; every officer and soldier performed their duties. Even if the commanding general was temporarily away, operations continued normally. Zhong Susu, this White Tiger Army general, actually had it quite easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A vigorous rider galloped from the encampment toward Zhong Susu. On his cap-style helmet was a small blue-white flag bearing the character for \"order\" — he was a dispatch rider from the army headquarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the Jingbian Army established the Five Armies, each guard unit, besides protecting the army headquarters, also doubled as banner-and-drum guards and dispatch riders. Now dispatch riders had been established as a separate unit; their distinctive dress was the absence of tassels, with a small flag inserted on the helmet instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And because their primary function required them to run fast, each wore only a blue waist-length armored vest, not even lined with armor plates inside — light and flexible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ninth lunar month was approaching. At Zhenhu Fortress, not to mention the cold nights, even the days were quite chilly. In a while, it might even snow, so they wore winter-style padded garments as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, following the White Tiger Army's distinctive style, not only the trim but even the fur on the collars was dyed white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dispatch rider arrived nearby; a guard brought him before Zhong Susu. He cupped his hands from horseback and reported loudly: \"Reporting to Metropolitan Commandant Zhong: by your order, I have summoned the officers of each battalion to convene in the White Tiger Hall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the dispatch rider's chest was an exquisite bronze insignia — he was a Senior Sergeant, bearing an order of merit. According to the newly established military regulations, no matter what superior officer he faced, he need only bow with clasped hands and was not required to kneel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, to elevate the dignity of the soldiers, after the Five Armies were established, Wang Dou had decreed that terms like \"this lesser one,\" \"subordinate,\" and \"humble office\" be discarded. Those of Right Metropolitan Commandant merit rank, Mobile Corps Commander rank, or above, when addressing a superior, used \"I, the officer\"; the rest used \"I, the soldier.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those of equal rank, in public settings, were also required to address each other by military rank or merit rank; superior officers addressing subordinates did likewise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu returned the salute and looked at him: \"Mm, I am informed. You have worked hard. Dismissed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dispatch rider saluted again, stole a glance at Zhong Susu, and felt that the Metropolitan Commandant seemed somewhat different today. He did not dwell on it, pressed his horse's flanks, and galloped back toward the encampment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Zhong Susu rode back to camp. Her main camp was situated in the southern hills, commanding a high vantage with a broad view. Beside the mountain hollow grew a stand of bell-trees, and there was a trickling mountain spring. Around the main camp, sentries stood every three paces, guard posts every five — security was tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her White Tiger council hall was likewise spacious and imposing. Before the main seat stood a great desk, upon which lay command arrows, the great seal, cinnabar brushes, and other items — symbols of the commanding general's authority and power. On either side were rows of seats; on one wall hung an enormous map, and on the wall behind the desk hung a great White Tiger banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the seats on both sides were filled with armored, helmeted officers wearing cloaks and capes: officers of the central army, officers of the left battalion, officers of the right battalion, as well as the army headquarters' disciplinary officer, morale officer, staff officer, and others — battalion commander-level officers from every unit, a full assembly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They sat upright with dignity, each bearing their own heraldic insignia and rank badges upon their chests, motionless in their seats, exuding a weighty presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Greetings to the Chief Commandant!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Zhong Susu entered the great hall, the assembled officers rose with a roar, all bowing with clasped hands and bellowing their salute, their iron armor clanging like sudden thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu settled into her seat and said in a deep voice, \"Officers, dispense with formalities!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officers roared, \"We thank the Chief Commandant!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They sat back down with a crash, another wave of clanking armor plates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu sat comfortably, her hands resting on the armrests on either side; though she had campaigned for many years, her hands were still fair, those long, slender hands seeming to hold immense power — the strength brought to her by the military authority, prestige, confidence, and pride of commanding an army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officers felt a stir in their hearts; in the past, when the Chief Commandant faced them, there had always been a sense of flustered unease, but now something seemed different — though her speech was still gentle and soft, it carried more force and bearing than before, as if she had found her own path, adding much to her charisma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu swept her gaze over everyone; among the three main battalion commanders of the White Tiger Army, Rear Battalion Commander Tian Zhijue had remained on the eastern route, while Central Army Commander Yin Yijin, Left Battalion Commander Yang Guodong, and Right Battalion Commander Gao Gui were present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Gui lived up to his name — prosperous in appearance, with an outstanding bearing, his three-strand beard meticulously trimmed, looking every bit like a noble scion from an aristocratic family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, he had once been nothing more than a tofu seller on the street, but one must not underestimate him, nor be deceived by his upright appearance; he was not only fierce in battle but also cunning as a fox, full of stratagems, profoundly demonstrating the saying that one cannot judge by appearances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guodong, formerly under Lu Xiangsheng's command, had after many years since defecting to Wang Dou become a qualified and mature officer of the Pacification Army, and now led the feathered cavalry of the White Tiger Army's Left Battalion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Yijin, a veteran of a hundred battles, had risen to his current position step by solid step; as the Central Army officer, his status was distinguished, ordinarily assisting the commanding officer in arranging military affairs, and when Zhong Susu was absent, he could issue orders to the entire army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the battalion commanders and the various army staff officers sat the company commanders and battalion staff officers of each battalion, all sitting solemnly behind their commanding officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Intelligence reports that the slave cavalry at Hongyazi Mountain are stirring restlessly; it seems that after Chief Commandant Han Chao seized Guihua City, they can no longer hold back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu spoke slowly, turning her gaze to Yang Guodong: \"Right Chief Commandant Yang, how goes the training of the feathered cavalry?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guodong rose and clasped his hands: \"This officer believes that the feathered cavalry of our White Tiger Army will not lose to those of the Black Tortoise Army; with equal strength, our battalion will certainly not be at a disadvantage in cavalry combat against the slave cavalry, and if we dismount for infantry combat... just as one Han soldier of old could match five barbarian troops, our forces can do the same.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold gleam flashed in his eyes; back in the Battle of Julu, the Viceroy's Personal Battalion had suffered grievous losses, and Viceroy Lu had died for his country; day and night he had thought of nothing but killing more Tartars to avenge his fallen comrades, and now, from a mere company commander of those years to commanding the feathered cavalry, one of the realm's famed elite forces — the turns of fate in life could be no stranger than this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu was very pleased; she slapped the desk and laughed joyfully, \"Good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although she admired Han Chao, when news of the Black Tortoise Army's feathered cavalry victory had arrived, Zhong Susu had privately sighed, \"Brother Han is truly formidable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time she was glad; in the Pacification Army, cavalry had once been a weak point, but now the feathered cavalry had a trump card, and the entire Pacification Army effectively possessed twenty thousand elite cavalry, perfecting its own system in all aspects — how could anyone within this group not be excited?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, Han Chao had written his battle report without holding anything back, sending the feathered cavalry's successful combat insights, lessons learned, and so forth to Wang Dou in the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou, upon receiving it, took it very seriously and immediately distributed the report throughout the entire army; every army commander and every feathered cavalry battalion was to study it thoroughly, and the White Tiger Army was no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pacification Army's advantage lay in being adept at learning and summarizing, and because of its systematized troop training, successful experience was easily disseminated, so no matter what enemy they faced or what style of tactics the enemy used, they quickly devised countermeasures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Zhong Susu also had a competitive spirit; with her allies achieving success, how could she sit still? The feathered cavalry of her White Tiger Army wanted to achieve the same kind of success.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After their usual training, and then a period of concentrated assault drills on the cavalry wall tactic, the White Tiger Army's feathered cavalry, from top to bottom, were brimming with confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Yang Guodong had spoken thus, Zhong Susu was pleased, and the officers were equally pleased; the Black Tortoise Army's feathered cavalry had won renown, and their own White Tiger Army would win renown as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing his report, Yang Guodong did not sit down, but loudly petitioned Zhong Susu for battle, hoping to take the initiative and attack the Qing cavalry at Hongyazi Mountain; with the great army here, how could they allow the Tartars to threaten their doorstep? Just as the enemy was about to move, they should strike them a good, hard blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words reached Zhong Susu's lips but she swallowed them back, recalling that the Grand General had once said that as a commanding officer, one must listen more to the opinions of subordinates — listening more brings clarity — and what she had to do was firmly grasp the decision-making power: how to decide, and when to decide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The twenty-thousand-strong Manchu-Mongol army under Jirgalang, Dudu, and others stationed at Hongyazi Mountain had been lingering there for many days; apart from small cavalry detachments, the bulk of their forces remained still, neither attacking Mantaoer nor going to relieve Guihua City — no one knew what they were planning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, they had sent several thousand cavalry to attack a few of Mantaoer's fortified villages, but all were repelled by the village defenders; unlike elsewhere, taking a Pacification Army fortified village was no easy task, and they feared relief from the White Tiger Army even more, so the moment an attack failed, they immediately withdrew, thereafter not daring to move rashly, much less make a detour to penetrate deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, there were roads around the fortified villages, but the attacking Qing cavalry were simply afraid — with these rear-area strongholds untaken, what if they advanced deep and suddenly had their rear route cut? What of their baggage and spoils? Thus, the significance of the strongholds lay precisely in this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of sheer fortification, the fortified villages under Wang Dou's command were far inferior to the military forts built along the Great Ming frontiers, but they had one advantage those lacked: they possessed powerful field forces; without the ability to fight in the field, without relief troops, no matter how solidly built the forts were, each would become an isolated dead end, ultimately doomed to fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liaodong Garrison, the Ji Garrison, and many other frontier garrisons of the Great Ming had repeatedly suffered Qing cavalry raids and sieges precisely for this reason; with the enemy at the walls, the defenders could only fight on their own and were broken one by one — thus, fortress tactics had their prerequisites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the many fortified villages of Mantaoer, a land of plenty, the Qing cavalry could only gaze at it longingly; who knew what they felt in their hearts? The Mongols of Guihua City were fighting for their lives, yet they still delayed going to their aid, clearly worried that once their army moved west from the old Kaiping Guard, the Pacification Army's main force at Xinghe Post, Shacheng, and elsewhere would strike at their flank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the most convenient route to Guihua was this very road; to avoid the Pacification Army and make a detour through the Mobei desert? That would pose a severe test to their logistics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twenty thousand infantry and cavalry, men eating and horses chewing — that was no simple matter; when the Qing state sent out its troops, it too had to consider logistics, especially in campaigns where there was no plunder to be had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the eastern front was largely quiet, with only some skirmishing between the two sides' scout cavalry — minor clashes; seeing the enemy so close, every man in the White Tiger Army, from top to bottom, was itching with frustration, burning to fight a good, satisfying battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jirgalang and the other slave bandits are all old, crafty, and wily characters, so this officer believes it is better to observe quietly and watch closely; if the slaves do not move, we do not move — this battle on the eastern front is a contest of patience. They are on campaign, weary troops on a distant expedition, while we are on home ground; in a war of attrition, they cannot outlast us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Yijin, rich in battlefield experience and cautious and steady by nature, believed it was better to wait and observe, to see what the Tartars were planning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His opinion was seconded by Gao Gui, who thought that the Tartars' movements were suspicious and that they must clearly discern their intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the battalion staff officers seated in the second row, for the most part, leaned toward Yang Guodong's view, believing they could take the initiative and strike to eliminate the threat to the western expedition army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the White Tiger Hall deliberations, they too had the opportunity to speak; as frontline officers, they likewise possessed genuine insight and sound judgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest as she listened to the officers' arguments; emotionally, she very much wanted to lead the army and have a fierce fight with the Tartar cavalry — if it really came to battle, although the White Tiger Army currently had only two battalions, she was not afraid — but rationally, she knew she should be cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the council of war, she had the authority to act at her own discretion in this eastern sector, but she had to exercise that authority prudently, guarding this foundation and capital in her hands for the Grand General; every step required careful deliberation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, during the council of war, the officers had judged that the intent of Jirgalang and the other slave troops was likely to move in response to their own movements, so they should do the opposite and carefully observe the enemy's vulnerabilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intelligence reported that the slave cavalry at Hongyazi Mountain were stirring restlessly, that they could no longer hold back — which meant she herself should all the less make any rash moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, Zhong Susu raised her voice: \"No hurry, let us wait a little longer; wait for the Tartars to move, see clearly what they are up to. If they head west to relieve Guihua City...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She slammed her palm heavily onto the desk with a resounding crash and said fiercely, \"Find the right moment, and give them a hard strike from behind!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officers were momentarily stunned, then burst into uproarious laughter; although Chief Commandant Zhong's authority had been steadily growing, she had always given the impression of being genteel and shy — now that she had spoken so crudely, the officers instead felt a sense of closeness, as if the distance between them had suddenly narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Yijin laughed even louder: \"Good, good — 'a hard strike from behind' indeed! If it truly comes to that, the Tartars will wish they were dead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the words left her mouth, Zhong Susu's face flushed slightly; had her words just now been a bit too vulgar? She had never been like this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then she thought, as Sister Yunluo had said, she wanted to be a remarkable woman who was in no way inferior to any man — so what did it matter if she spoke a little crudely in front of her brothers?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She laughed heartily along with them, and the hall was filled with heroic spirit; sunlight streamed in, spilling over Zhong Susu, hazy and blurred, as if draping her in a layer of radiance. (To be continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Novel Network\u003C\u002Fp>",4659,"2026-06-03T14:06:10.567Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","d77551ddfd2452cb87f5211eabbafb473096df679e422165ed821422d827ca4b","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-689","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-687",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]