[{"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-822":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},1206111,1561,"Chapter 822: Marching Out of the Pass","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-822",822,"\u003Cp>In the ninth month of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, at Xi'an in Shaanxi, inside the Viceroy's government office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by now the Viceroy's office had already been renamed the Regional Commander's office, because at the start of this month the Emperor had promoted Sun Chuanting, Viceroy of the Three Frontiers of Shaanxi, to Minister of War, simultaneously giving him supreme command over military affairs in Baoding, Shandong, Shaanxi, Henan, Sichuan, Huguang, and the regions of Jiangnan and Jiangbei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting became Regional Commander, reaching the pinnacle for a civil official of the Great Ming, taking the seat once occupied by men like Sun Chengzong, Yuan Chonghuan, Yang Sichang, and Hou Xun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His honorific title now had to be changed to Grand Secretary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongzhen Emperor granted Sun Chuanting such high honor and power because his patience had run out; the Chuang bandits had completely encircled Kaifeng and were assaulting it, and the more desperate Kaifeng became, the more the Emperor feared its fall, yet the Great Ming had no troops to spare, so the Emperor had no choice but to pin all his hopes on Sun Chuanting, vainly attempting a desperate gamble, hoping for a fluke victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time dragged on, he grew more and more inclined to let Sun Chuanting march out of the pass, so upon entering the ninth month, he further appointed Sun Chuanting as Minister of War, Regional Commander of military affairs in Shaanxi, Henan, and other regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every few days, an envoy from the capital would arrive in Xi'an, asking Sun Chuanting how the training of his troops was progressing, when he could march out of the pass to break the siege, or even defeat the roving bandits in one sweep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This mentality was just like when Jinzhou and other places were besieged — knowing full well that marching out to the rescue meant near-certain death, they still had to send troops in wave after wave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bandit tactic of besieging a point to strike the reinforcements truly left the Great Ming's ruler and ministers helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, Sun Chuanting saw off yet another wave of urging envoys; as they departed, the envoy's rather hostile tone left Sun Chuanting standing frozen for a long while. After returning to the reception hall, Wen Shiyan, who was sipping tea while sitting in a rosewood official's armchair, saw his troubled expression and joked, \"What worries the Grand Secretary?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting looked at him, slowly sat down, remained silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, \"If the court urges us again next time, I may have no choice but to march.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Shiyan sat there stunned and said in alarm, \"Brother Baigu, are you certain?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting nodded firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Shiyan looked at him. Compared to when they first met, Sun Chuanting's face had more wrinkles; his three thick tufts of beard were streaked with strands of gray, his expression rather haggard, yet his eyes still brimmed with sharp spirit, and his back was ramrod straight!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, a feeling of pain suddenly rose in Wen Shiyan's heart. He was cold and calm by nature, fond of scheming, and in truth not easily swayed by emotion; only when bidding farewell to Chen Yongfu and the others at Kaifeng Prefecture had he felt such heartache and sorrow, but now that feeling came again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed and stood up: \"Brother Baigu, you know the state of the realm. Though the roving bandits run rampant, as long as the Shaanxi troops do not move, the bandits — whether they march north or south — will act with caution, and the Chuang bandits will not dare make any major moves. But if we march... the supply lines are long, the army will be isolated deep in enemy territory, and now the autumn rains fall endlessly, the roads a morass of mud, the government troops' grain carts moving slowly. If anything untoward happens to the army, the realm's situation will deteriorate beyond repair. Brother Baigu, do not move. Delay the march out of the pass as long as possible, seize the time to train troops and store provisions... I can reveal a sliver of news to you: just wait until next year, and crushing the roving bandits and the eastern caitiffs will be as easy as reading the lines on one's palm!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting abruptly stared at Wen Shiyan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Shiyan continued: \"Brother Baigu also knows that suppressing bandits has never been purely a military matter. Civil unrest arises from hunger and cold; military unrest arises from lack of pay. If civil affairs are not handled, if grain and rice are insufficient, can starving people be killed to extinction? Brother Baigu should act with prudence, drag this out, keep dragging until next year — that is the wise course!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting looked at Wen Shiyan for a long time, his expression shifting between shadow and light. After a long while, he sighed, \"Do you think I don't know what you're saying? It's just...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head and said, \"We can't drag it out any longer. His Majesty is impatient by nature, his tolerance limited, and Kaifeng is in its current state. I am now even more honored as Regional Commander, overseeing military affairs in Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong, and other regions. If Kaifeng falls...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of the consequences, Sun Chuanting's body trembled. He suddenly roared, \"How can a true man face the prison warden again?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His emotions seemed to erupt like a volcano: \"I know His Majesty was not this anxious originally. Behind this, it is some officials of Shaanxi origin who are adding fuel to the fire. They hate me! They hate me for investigating the back taxes the gentry have owed over the years! They hate me, hate that during the summer tax and autumn grain levies, all Shaanxi gentry must pay grain equally! They hate me for forcing them to contribute money and labor during the plague! These petty men, they all wish me dead!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his words was a despair and anguish of the deepest kind: \"Do they not know that everything I do is for the Great Ming! For the Great Ming!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice, his words, every single one seemed wrenched from his chest. Something hot and bloody surged up his throat; Sun Chuanting forcefully swallowed it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Shiyan watched him quietly, watching this man tormented by the affairs of court and state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting panted heavily. After a long while, he calmed his emotions, and a confident smile reappeared on his face as he surveyed all with pride: \"I know well that battle may not bring victory, yet if there is a one-in-ten-thousand chance of success, then fight we shall!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, \"The new army has been drilled; the battle at Tongguan proved they are truly usable. These past months I have also formed a new army Supreme Command Battalion, and within the battalion troops, an artillery train camp has been established. Though the roving bandits are numerous, most are a motley mob. When my Shaanxi soldiers march out of the pass, it is not impossible to give battle!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes held confidence, held hope: \"His Majesty's nature is somewhat impatient, yet he is diligent in governance and loves the people, not unworthy of being a wise sovereign. If by marching out this time we can defeat the roving bandits, relieve the crisis at Kaifeng, and then follow our sage lord to root out corruption and ills, it is not impossible to bring about a restoration of the Great Ming!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting murmured to himself; he bit down on the words \"Great Ming\" very hard, very hard, within them an indescribable depth of feeling, that deepest kind of fervent love.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Shiyan was silent and speechless. After a long while, he said, \"In that case, we can only march out of the pass.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pondered and said, \"But after leaving the pass, you must be extremely cautious. Brother Baigu, I hope you will advance step by step, especially resolving the supply line problem, not seeking undue credit, not advancing rashly... This is also the opinion of the Protectorate's General Staff.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting nodded and laughed heartily: \"Brother Wen worries too much. After all, I, Sun, am a man seasoned by military life; I can still grasp the weight of these matters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Wen Shiyan nodded, Sun Chuanting looked at him eagerly again: \"After the Shaanxi troops march out of the pass, the defense of Tongguan will still need to trouble Brother Wen and the gentlemen of the Jingbian Army.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting's contract with the Jingbian Army mercenaries actually only ran until the ninth month; especially after Sun Chuanting selected strong men from the new army to form the Supreme Command Battalion, the mission of Wen Shiyan and the others was complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Sun Chuanting earnestly sought to retain them. He had long considered the matter of marching out of the pass, but looking across all the battalions of Shaanxi, he saw that only if the Jingbian Army mercenaries helped them hold the rear route at Tongguan could he march to war without worries behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Jingbian Army mercenaries, Sun Chuanting was of course very much at ease. He understood Wang Dou's current thinking very well: to use Shaanxi as a shield to protect the safety of his Protectorate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when it came to the safety of Shaanxi, the Jingbian Army mercenaries actually cared more than anyone else, were more dedicated than anyone else; they would defend the safety of Tongguan with their lives. Because protecting Tongguan, guarding Shaanxi — that was the will of their Grand General.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nor did Sun Chuanting worry that the Jingbian Army staying in the rear would cause any waves. If he were present, a mere battalion of troops could stir no waves; if he were not, then the affairs of Shaanxi would have nothing to do with him anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if he were defeated in battle, it would be better for Shaanxi to fall into Wang Dou's hands than into the hands of the roving bandits. Deep in his heart, Sun Chuanting actually greatly admired and respected Wang Dou; he would certainly not mistreat the common people of Shaanxi. Speaking of who in the realm treated the common people best, who else was there but the Marquis of Yongning?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding Sun Chuanting's request to stay, Wen Shiyan, Wu Zhengchun, and the others had also reported to the Protectorate's General Staff; Wang Dou agreed that they should remain temporarily within Shaanxi's borders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two days later, the envoy came to urge again. This time Sun Chuanting did not make further excuses; harboring a faint hope, he submitted a memorial reporting the date of the army's departure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>— The twentieth day of the ninth month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting's memorial agreeing to march out of the pass was, of course, forced by the court's stern decrees, and he himself did indeed harbor a considerable degree of wishful thinking, but he had no other choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon receiving Sun Chuanting's definite date for marching out, the Chongzhen Emperor was overjoyed and immediately instructed the Ministry of War to strictly order all parties to cooperate. Apart from Shaanxi and Shanxi localities coordinating to supply rice and beans and ensuring sufficient fodder, he also ordered Yunyang Provincial Governor Gao Douxu, Fengyang Viceroy Ma Shiying, and others to be sure to coordinate closely in the campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the twentieth day of the ninth month of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, today was the day of the expedition. Early in the morning, Sun Chuanting rose; his wife, Lady Zhang, personally attended him, helping him put on each piece of armor, along with a cloak and greatcoat, and girding a fine sword at his waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching his wife bustling before him, a look of guilt rose in Sun Chuanting's eyes. These years he had been so busy with military and political affairs that he had neglected her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the wrinkles at the corners of his wife's eyes, Sun Chuanting suddenly realized that the flower-like maiden of those years, like himself, had grown old. He sighed and said, \"My lady, war is perilous; I know not whether this journey bodes ill or well... If the worst should happen, I would leave only you all behind...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhang stopped his words. She gazed at him tenderly for a moment, then with dignified and proper bearing, performed a grand ceremonial bow and said, \"A husband serves his country; do not worry about me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at his wife bowed on the ground, Sun Chuanting's eyes suddenly reddened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His personal attendant Ma Weizhong led over Sun Chuanting's horse, his eyes full of reverence: \"Grand Secretary, please mount.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting mounted his horse. He turned back for one last look at his wife, cracked his riding crop in the air with a sharp snap, and without looking back, rode out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this expedition, Sun Chuanting would hold an oath-taking ceremony at the Temple of Guan Di, seeking the martial sage's divine protection for a great victory. By the time he arrived, countless troops had already gathered, layers of helmets and red tassels stretching beyond sight. For this expedition, besides the drilled Shaanxi new army, there were also the forces of Regional Commanders Ma Kuang, Qin Yiming, Gao Jie, Niu Chenghu, and others, totaling one hundred thousand troops. They would all march east out of Tongguan — it could be said the entire force was deployed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting rode straight to the front of the Temple of Guan Di. He was greeted all the way by overwhelming cheers. Before the assembled officials and troops, Sun Chuanting swore the oath, and also read aloud His Majesty the Emperor's imperial edict. He abruptly drew his sharp sword and pointed it forcefully to the east: \"Gentlemen, march out of the pass and slaughter every last roving bandit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ten thousand victories!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ten thousand victories!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ten thousand victories!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was met with frenzied shouts, the sound blotting out the sky and covering the earth, wave after wave rising higher, as countless soldiers cheered him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The village elders came forward to offer wine. Sun Chuanting drank, then fiercely smashed the cup on the ground and shouted, \"March out of the pass!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mighty army rolled eastward, flanked by tidal waves of cheers, as countless Shaanxi elders saw off their sons and brothers, even beating clamorous gongs and drums that filled the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Shiyan finally came before Sun Chuanting's horse and said with solemn gravity, \"Brother Baigu, advance step by step and fortify as you go!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chuanting nodded. He spurred his horse and cast one last glance at the city walls of Xi'an and the magnificent landscape of Shaanxi, laughed heartily, and then rode away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him stretched a vast host of men and horses, a sea of banners stretching endlessly before and behind, pressing ever onward... (~^~)\u003C\u002Fp>",2481,"2026-06-03T14:06:27.906Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","864aab43fd9bc5c9a46cd76a37757b30e28bcbd95ed2a48d19f9579a6a51973f","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-823","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-821",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]