[{"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-7":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},1205296,1561,"Chapter 7: White Armor","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-7",7,"\u003Cp>Han Chao studied it carefully: “One cannon shot, one column of smoke — looks like the Tatars number under a hundred, probably no more than twenty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouted at Han Zhong: “Second Brother, fire the cannon, light the smoke, hoist the yellow flag!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, the signal cannon at Jingbian Dun boomed, and a thick column of smoke shot straight into the sky. Han Chao pounded the alarm clappers even harder, passing word to everyone around the dun. One passed it to the next, and soon the beacon smoke rose from Proprietor Zhuang Fort, ten li south of Jingbian Dun; then the signal cannon at Chafang Dun fired, and the warning traveled on to Shunxiang Fort farther away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everywhere the shrill clappers kept sounding. Soldiers and civilians caught outside hurriedly gathered their people and livestock and fled for their lives back to the nearest fort or smoke-dun. Zhong Dayong, Ma Ming, Qi Tianliang, and several women who had been working near Jingbian Dun also snatched up their loads and drove their oxen, dashing back inside Jingbian Dun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou and the Han brothers climbed down the rope ladder from the dun platform. When they reached the suspended tower by the perimeter wall, squad leader Zhong Dayong and the others were still in shock, though everyone was thankful they had fled fast. After a long moment, Zhong Dayong finally shouted: “Everyone and all the livestock inside the dun are accounted for — who still hasn’t come back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a pause, dun soldier Ma Ming let out a panicked cry: “My wife still hasn’t come back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone hurriedly counted heads, and sure enough, Ma Ming’s wife, née Shi, was nowhere to be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Ming’s face crumpled, and his voice caught: “When we were plowing this morning, my wife said she wanted to go back to Proprietor Village to see the children, so she wasn’t with me. She… she… she must still be on the road — she couldn’t have run into the Tatars?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every face on the suspended tower turned grim. Suddenly Qi Tianliang shouted: “Look, the Tatars are here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone rushed to look. Sure enough, several plumes of dust rose in the northwest, growing larger and larger. Then wave after wave of beast-like howls and shrieks came through, and out of the dust several Later Jin cavalrymen appeared before their eyes. Ahead and around them, a dozen or so Great Ming commoners were fleeing in all directions in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among these commoners were men and women, old and young, all crying out in panic, their faces filled with despair. The several Later Jin cavalrymen seemed to be playing a cat-and-mouse game, in no hurry to strike, merely whooping as they rode back and forth, relentlessly herding these men and women toward Jingbian Dun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly Ma Ming wailed: “It’s Erya! Heavens, oh heavens, how could she have run into the Tatars…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone looked — sure enough, the woman fleeing at the front of the commoners was none other than Ma Ming’s wife, née Shi. Her hair bun had come loose, the shoes on her feet were gone, and she was crying out as she fled straight for the dun. Her faint, desolate voice drifted over: “Husband, save me, quick…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Ming shouted desperately: “Erya! Erya!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He yelled at Zhong Dayong: “Squad Leader Zhong, open the gate, quick, let Erya in — it’ll be too late if we wait!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Dayong said angrily: “What nonsense are you talking? What if the Tatars seize the chance to charge in? Our own wives and children are all in here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Ming dropped to his knees and begged Zhong Dayong desperately, but Zhong Dayong only kept a livid face and said nothing. The rest of the people inside the dun also remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The several Later Jin soldiers charged up close and circled around Jingbian Dun, flaunting their prowess without cease, loudly pointing and jeering at the dun platform while lashing the commoners around them with their whips. Aided by the momentum of their horses, every stroke tore away clothing and flesh in a spray of blood. Shi, in particular, was lashed until blood streamed from her wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the dun, the commoners’ cries were a chorus of desolation and despair. Shi’s screams, especially, wrenched at the heart. Inside the dun, every face was grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou clenched his fists. He steadied his mind and carefully observed the several Later Jin cavalrymen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, there were five Later Jin soldiers in all, each with two horses. Two of them wore cotton armor studded with copper nails, their leather helmets topped with a tall lightning-rod spike, and they carried fine-iron sickles. Two more wore bright helmets over concealed armor; one of them had a black tassel on his helmet tube, a two-foot-square back banner on his back, and a tiger-spear in his hand. The most eye-catching was a Later Jin knight clad in gleaming iron armor; his iron helmet bore a long-tailed red tassel, a colored banner was thrust slantwise into his back, even his horse was covered in cotton armor, and he held a long-handled iron slicing blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without exception, all five were short and stocky, superb horsemen. The silver-armored knight, in particular, displayed horsemanship so exquisite it seemed almost inconceivable. He controlled his mount, constantly laughing loudly at the dun platform, shouting something in a barbarian tongue no one understood, his arrogance utterly unbridled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao’s calm voice came through: “Five Tatar soldiers, ten horses — two foot armor, one horse armor, one corporal, and one White Armor. All tough customers. If we sally out, our odds are slim.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, everyone inside the dun turned ashen. A sharp glint flashed through Wang Dou’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Later Jin army, soldiers were divided mainly into three grades: garrison soldier, foot armor, and horse armor. An ordinary Jurchen male, starting at age ten, took an examination every three years; if he met the standard, he became a garrison soldier, then foot armor, and later horse armor. Above horse armor was the boshioku, chosen from the best among the horse armor — the Han people called them corporals. Above the boshioku was the daizi, also called fende boshioku, which later became the Manchu Qing’s company lieutenant. Above the fende boshioku was the niru i janggin, the commander of a Later Jin niru of three hundred soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And among the Later Jin horse armor troops, the most outstanding were further selected as Red Bayara soldiers and White Bayara soldiers — the predecessors of the later Manchu Qing’s guards and vanguard battalions. A single Later Jin niru had only a few dozen Red Bayara and a dozen or so White Bayara soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though there were only five Later Jin soldiers before them, every one was an elite. That White Bayara soldier, especially, was the elite of the elite. Inside the dun, the only combat-capable people were Wang Dou and the Han brothers — three in all. The rest were women and the infirm. Their odds were indeed slim. Given the people currently inside the dun, being able to shut the dun and hold it was already good enough; forcing a sally would only be a path to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Ming knew too that his wife could not be saved. He could only weep in despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly several piercing screams rang out. Everyone inside the dun hurriedly looked out — the several Later Jin soldiers had spurred their horses back and forth, cutting down those commoners. It seemed the Later Jin soldiers had had their fill of sport and were finally moving in for the kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Ming leaped up and shouted toward outside the dun: “Erya, run! Run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi fled desperately toward the dun gate. Suddenly she let out a terrible scream, a spray of blood burst forth, and she crashed heavily face-first onto the ground. Behind her a horse emerged — it was that Later Jin silver-armored knight, his smug, cruel grin piercingly stark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Ming wailed, pounding the perimeter wall with both fists until they were a bloody pulp, yet he seemed not to feel it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone inside the dun was desolate. Qi Tianliang silently patted Ma Ming’s shoulder but did not know what to say; only a long sigh remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Later Jin silver-armored cavalryman wheeled his horse and charged toward the dun gate with a strange cry, let out a howl, then smugly turned his horse back. He repeated this several times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Zhong said through gritted teeth: “Brother, the Tatars are too brazen. Is there any chance of putting an arrow into him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao shook his head: “This Tatar soldier always wheels around beyond sixty paces. The odds are slim.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a word, Wang Dou drew the great bow in his hands, slowly pulled the bowstring back, and quietly watched that White Armor cavalryman as he spurred his horse forward once more. The large, slightly recurved Kaiyuan bow in his hands was a stiff bow passed down from his ancestors. His forebear Wang Hu had once used this very bow to campaign across the land; its draw weight reached over two dan, and the long arrow nocked on the string was a specially made heavy arrow with an iron head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou waited calmly, his thumb lightly pressing against his middle finger. On his thumb was a bronze thumb ring. Watching Wang Dou’s demeanor, everyone on the suspended tower couldn’t help but fix their eyes on him. This Wang… what was Wang Dou trying to do? Even the night scouts Han Chao and his brother inside the dun had no confidence in hitting that Tatar — did he, Wang Dou, have that confidence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou’s mind was as still as an ancient well. He waited as that White Armor cavalryman charged closer, closer still — one hundred paces, ninety paces, eighty paces, seventy paces — now!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a great shout, Wang Dou drew the bow to a full moon. “Whoosh!” The Later Jin White Armor cavalryman only had time to dodge his vitals before Wang Dou’s arrow sent him tumbling from his horse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone on the suspended tower couldn’t help but cheer. Not to mention Zhong Dayong and the others, even Han Chao and Han Zhong looked at Wang Dou in shock. This Wang Dou… to possess such archery skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Later Jin White Armor was struck near the right side of his chest, close to the shoulder. The arrow carried such tremendous force that it blasted him straight off his horse, and he crashed heavily to the ground. The arrow and the fall together knocked half the wits out of that Later Jin White Armor, but what he felt most was a burning sense of humiliation and rage. He had rampaged across the lands of the Great Ming, never expecting to capsize at this tiny fire-signal dun. It seemed the Southern Court was not entirely without capable men — he had truly been careless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was hardy enough, though. Gritting his teeth, he scrambled up, reached over, and snapped the arrow shaft. By now the other Later Jin soldiers had also seen what had happened. Abandoning any further slaughter of the Great Ming commoners around them, they hastily spurred their horses over and surrounded him, helping the Later Jin White Armor to a relatively safer position behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They jabbered in their barbarian tongue for a while. The boshioku with the back banner stayed behind to tend the wounded man and direct the others, while the remaining three whooped and spurred their horses forward, circling the dun gate and loosing several heavy willow-leaf arrows. Wang Dou, Han Chao, and Han Zhong returned fire from the suspended tower. The two sides traded shots for a spell. Finding no advantage to be gained, the several Later Jin soldiers let out a cry, each switched to his spare horse, and in a rolling cloud of dust soon vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the bodies of several Great Ming commoners on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the way everyone inside the dun looked at Wang Dou was different. Yang Tong touched his mouth where his front teeth were missing, and the look he now directed at Wang Dou was full of fear. Han Zhong split his big mouth in a grin and gave Wang Dou a thumbs-up. Han Chao, too, nodded at Wang Dou in a friendly manner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Dayong gave a dry laugh and said: “I never imagined Brother Wang had such skill. Today you bravely crushed the Tatars’ morale — I will report your merit to our superiors!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou gazed silently at the bodies of the commoners outside the dun. Blood stained the ground everywhere. Especially the fallen body of Shi in the distance — it was so piercing to the eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked into the distance. Every dun and every fort was utterly still. It seemed no Ming troops dared to come out and intercept this band of Later Jin raiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ground outside the dun, Ma Ming clutched his wife’s body and wept bitterly. Everyone stood watching in silence. Several women now and then softly offered him words of comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou’s heart was heavy. Shi had been a good woman, always friendly toward him inside the dun. Just yesterday she had been fine; today she was a cold corpse. In these times, human life was as cheap as grass. At this moment, he missed Xie Xiuniang and his mother back in Xinzhuang with particular intensity. They were inside the village… they should be all right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, several commoners who had survived beside the dun timidly gathered around. A few threw themselves onto the bodies on the ground and wept. Among them was an old man in his fifties, his face full of misery. He led a few people in bowing to Zhong Dayong: “Many thanks to the military lords for saving our lives. This great kindness, this old man will never dare forget!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou saw that these several commoners were all in tattered clothes, their faces sallow with hunger, their expressions still full of the terror of having barely escaped death. But judging by their accents, they did not seem to be locals of Baoan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Dayong caught that too. Puffing out his fat belly, he asked the old man: “By your accent, old man, you don’t sound like a local. Where are you from?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man wept: “We came from the Huailai area. Our home region was struck by disaster and then ravaged by the Tatars. We truly could not go on living there, so we had to go to Weizhou to seek refuge with relatives and friends. We never expected to run into Tatar soldiers again today. Had the military lords not rescued us, we would all have died here today!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he kowtowed heavily several more times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Dayong grunted an indifferent “Mm.” Stroking his sparse, scraggly beard, he seemed to be mulling something over, his narrow eyes merely roving over the old man and the several surviving commoners. A flash of viciousness even flickered through them. Yang Tong, beside him, glanced at Zhong Dayong’s expression and also let his gaze linger on the old man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing something amiss from Zhong Dayong and the others, the old man and the several commoners grew uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>",2557,"2026-06-03T14:05:19.908Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","11ca8b1efb0ee8f8b9cec19b1e4e563180333fdc744b678c81efbcd36df49589","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-8","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-6",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]