[{"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-725":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},1206014,1561,"Chapter 725: Vision","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-725",725,"\u003Cp>On the twenty-second day of the ninth month of the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, after staying several days in Guihua City, Wang Dou, anxious about the future planning of all affairs in Monan, left a portion of troops to garrison Guihua City and led the remaining grand army back to Xinghe Suo and Shachengbao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The captured population, baggage, cattle, and horses were still settled near Guihua City. Seeing that winter was about to arrive on the grasslands, the surrounding areas were, after all, vast natural pastures. Whether for grazing cattle and horses or storing winter fodder, it held uniquely advantageous conditions; there was no need to bring everything back to Xuanfu Garrison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Wang Dou still selected some cattle and sheep to accompany the army, both to supply food and drink for the troops on the march and to serve as future rewards for the officers and men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grand army's triumphant return mainly followed the route of the Xiaoheihai Fortress, Xiashuihai Fortress, Jining Fortress, Dongyang Fortress, and Yuanyang Fortress established by Han Chao during his western expedition. Along the way, besides inspecting these five fortresses, Wang Dou pondered future military and civil affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wang Dou returned with his army, the deposed Khan Emubu also accompanied the troops, along with Wang Pu and others, who also planned to reach Xinghe Suo first and then return to Datong Garrison via Huailai Guard and other places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>News arrived that personages from all circles in Xuanfu Garrison and Datong Garrison had already organized a massive consolation delegation, gathering at places like Xinghe Suo and Shachengbao. Someone like Wang Pu, who loved pomp and circumstance, naturally would not miss it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou's incredibly sturdy Yuanrong Chariot, capable of withstanding cannon fire and requiring four tall, strong horses to pull, was also delivered by the Logistics Department when Wang Dou reached Xiashuihai Fortress. He sat inside the Yuanrong Chariot every day, simply thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the windows, the soldiers of the Guard Battalion often saw the Grand General writing furiously. Whenever this happened, an incomparable reverence welled up in everyone's hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew that inside this carriage, under the Grand General's brush, the future of Xuanfu, the future of Monan, would surely be vastly different. To have the honor of witnessing this moment, each man felt a sense of pride in seeing history made with their own eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, with his subordinate group having developed to this point, it was no longer just Wang Dou's personal affair, nor could he accomplish everything alone. Whether when making camp at dusk or on the moving carriage, the various generals would gather around Wang Dou from time to time to ponder together with him, and they would also frequently engage in heated debates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The consequence of so many tall and sturdy men climbing onto the carriage at once was that the Guard Battalion soldiers had to add several more strong horses to pull the Yuanrong Chariot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sparks of everyone's inspiration and fragments of thought were also recorded by the Central Army's clerks and passed to the accompanying military advisors, who transformed them into concrete articles. These were then returned to Wang Dou and the generals to be carefully discussed and finalized article by article.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ideas concerning civil affairs were also continuously transmitted via fast horses to the officials of the Civil Affairs Department, then returned to Wang Dou's hands with their detailed suggestions attached, to be similarly reviewed by Wang Dou and others to consider their future feasibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, many of the civil affairs details were still Wang Dou's rough initial ideas, and a final conclusion could only be reached after returning home and convening all civil affairs officials for discussion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His shogunate had developed to the point where a single move could affect the whole. Military affairs, civil affairs, command, logistics, management, support, and so on—matters were numerous and complex, and many things could not be settled easily or hastily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With numerous staff officers and advisors, their high learning and the institutionalized, regulated results made things much easier for Wang Dou. Often, he only needed a single idea, and his subordinates could transform it into articles, preparing multiple plans for him to choose from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The result of collective wisdom and effort further minimized errors. No matter how capable a single person is, even if Zhuge Kongming were reborn, how could he attend to every aspect of production, training, deployment, logistics, and so on, covering everything comprehensively? Times had changed; the advisor system was a necessity for implementing military and civil affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding civil affairs matters, Wang Dou also spoke relatively little with the generals. After all, in his vision, the future would see military affairs return to the military, civil affairs to the civil administration, and supervision to the supervisors, with the rights of each party more clearly delineated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does the Grand General mean that in the future, Datong Garrison and Shanxi Garrison will, uh, serve as raw material import and product rough-processing sites...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, the grand army reached Dongyang Fortress. Not far away lay the mountain range also known locally as Daqingshan. It was now close to the Start of Winter, and the leaves of the white birch trees at the mountain's edge were constantly changing color. A gust of cold wind blew, and golden leaves rustled down from time to time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou led his generals on a walk across the bleak grasslands while discussing his vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The various generals of the Jingbian Army—Zhong Diaoyang, Xie Yike, Han Chao, Wen Fangliang, Gao Shiyin, Shen Shiqi, Ceng Jiuyi, and others—along with the Central Army officers and advisors, all gathered around Wang Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Sun Sanjie was personally at Wang Dou's side, his baggage battalion continued to transport grain and goods non-stop to Guihua City and the five fortresses along the route. By next year, his baggage battalion would be even busier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing Wang Dou's words at that moment, Gao Shiyin couldn't help but widen his ox-like eyes and speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Simply put, it means we eat the meat, but we have to let others have a sip of the soup too, right? To avoid eating alone and inviting idle gossip and strange talk from outsiders! Old Gao, you're getting dumber and dumber. You need to keep up with the Grand General's pace!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yike said to Gao Shiyin with a smug expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The generals all burst into laughter, and Wang Dou couldn't help but smile. Only Gao Shiyin bared his teeth at Xie Yike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Fangliang said thoughtfully, \"This is the principle of the ironworks and mines that the Grand General spoke of that day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wang Dou inspected the military factories, he had once told Zhang Gui, Qi Tianliang, and others that \"to give the people a way to live, one must diversify industries and classes.\" This statement had deeply circulated among the shogunate personnel, and the more people thought about it, the more they found it profoundly true. Wen Fangliang naturally pondered it in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou nodded and said, \"Correct. Developing Monan is not just the affair of our Xuanfu Garrison; we must mobilize the strength of all the people of Shanxi.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, \"In the past, when we searched and confiscated the Jin merchants' properties, we could see that the officials, merchants, and gentry of Shanxi all had considerable gold and silver in their pockets, only it was all hidden in their cellars. In the current situation, seizing wealth by violent means is no longer viable. We must make them willingly take out their gold and silver. Sharing the wealth together is a necessary prerequisite and method...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze deepened as he slowly said, \"Our Xuanfu Garrison has its own advantages, such as military industry, animal husbandry, mining, and the processing of many products. But we also have disadvantages, such as a lack of cotton, salt, tea, tung oil, and medicinal materials within the garrison. Cooperating with friendly garrisons allows for great mutual exchange.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, \"Actually, mining and such are costly with low profits. We can largely subcontract to friendly garrisons, letting them mine themselves while we simply purchase the ore... We can even have them do rough processing right there in the friendly garrisons, then we buy it back, process it into Grade-A iron, even steel, and then manufacture fine firearms, tools, and farming implements to sell back to them. This way, our profits are greater, and the local people of the friendly garrisons also get a meal to eat, don't they?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his hands behind his back, Wang Dou continued slowly, \"In the future, across various parts of Monan, we will also plant wheat, cotton, and soybeans on a large scale. In terms of wheat, we will plant the most; grain must be controlled in our hands... Of course, we will also greatly encourage and support merchants and commoners willing to grow grain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For cotton and soybeans, we can encourage merchants and commoners everywhere to participate more, as these crops are more troublesome to plant and require extensive manpower. Then we will guarantee the purchase of their harvest. The same goes for soybeans.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Finally, from cotton harvesting to cloth, we can establish large-scale factories, or workshops for bean processing. The people here in Xuanfu Garrison can do the finer work, while the friendly garrisons handle the more tedious tasks...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The animal husbandry in Monan will be the same. No matter what, in the end, everyone has food to eat, and the cooperation between both sides will become increasingly close!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou concluded, \"Only when they see money to be made will merchants and gentry eagerly invest. When we establish a large bank in the future, they will then willingly take the gold and silver from their cellars to deposit. Ultimately, it will be as if the purse strings of the Shanxi commoners are all handed over to us to manage! With such financial power, managing Monan will be like strolling in a courtyard!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The generals all felt boundless admiration. Just look at the Grand General's mind—how on earth did it grow?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advisor Qin Yi said with emotion, \"The common folk ask for little. Truly, just having a mouthful of food to eat is a deed that brings salvation to ten thousand families.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, he somewhat discerned the subtle mysteries within Wang Dou's words, but he did not dwell on it too much. In this current age, no matter how bitter or exhausting the work, as long as starving refugees and commoners had a bite to eat, they would all be incomparably grateful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yi could imagine that once the Grand General's policy was issued, everyone in Shanxi, whether military, civilian, merchant, or gentry, would greatly support it. The Grand General's prestige would silently envelop all parts of the Three Jin, and without shedding a drop of blood. The more he thought about it, the more he admired Wang Dou's methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing everyone's expressions, Wang Dou nodded. In fact, to put it bluntly, his approach was not particularly noble, because in later ages, it had a thunderously famous name: economic colonization!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using relatively gentle methods to control surrounding populations and industries, seemingly tiered, tilting raw materials or industrial methods toward the high end, as if the high end were the ultimate master and the rest merely subordinate service workers—the classic example being hundreds of millions of shirts exchanged for a single airplane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, for this era, this approach was acceptable to all parties and universally praised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, raw material supply and product rough processing required a great many jobs. Only when common people had work did they have hope of survival. Moreover, with the accumulation of wealth, their lives would get better and better, and they would naturally feel grateful to Wang Dou for providing this strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, compared to brutal plunder, this method was subtle and sophisticated, difficult for anyone but the most brilliant minds to easily see through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, the Jin merchants' boycott of Xuanfu commercial goods in Datong Garrison and Shanxi Garrison had also prompted Wang Dou's reflection. Indeed, setting all workshops and factories in Xuanfu Garrison inevitably cut off the livelihoods of merchants elsewhere. Once this plan was issued, it could be considered a satisfaction for all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the surrounding regions became increasingly dependent on Xuanfu Garrison, he could also very easily control these places. His, Wang Dou's, vision, though not the most noble, was the most suitable for this era, especially in this land of the Three Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also imaginable that with the flourishing of commerce and the flow of raw materials, in the future Monan and across the Three Jin, rice towns, iron towns, cotton towns, and cattle towns would gather one after another, with wealth continuously circulating at the high, middle, and low ends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Various classes would constantly emerge, and whether magnates or ordinary commoners, all could find their own way of survival. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian to vote and cast monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m. to read.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>〖∷Fast Updates∷∷Plain Text∷〗\u003C\u002Fp>",2186,"2026-06-03T14:06:10.567Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","6c88382e394106192d49e6b381d1ebf304f3d11ebc5cedcb323bf0320157bf37","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-726","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-724",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]