[{"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-825":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},1206114,1561,"Chapter 825","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-825",825,"\u003Cp>Zhong Susu had dressed up a little, but she was the General of the Ferocious Tiger, one of the five great generals of the Pacifying Frontier Army, so naturally she had to wear the Pacifying Frontier Army's winter ceremonial uniform to attend the military council.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wore a yisan robe with fine wool trim at the lapels, a three-peaked winter hat on her head, felt boots on her feet, and then a cloak fastened over it, a sharp sword at her waist — spirited and confident, proud and self-assured in every glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, in the past Zhong Susu had always bound her chest tightly, so even though she had delicate features, not many people thought twice about it — after all, the Pacifying Frontier Army was full of men with fine, handsome looks, like Gao Xun, like Wen Fangliang, both more beautiful than women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now Zhong Susu had let her chest free, swelling and high, unmistakably a daughter's, so when Zhong Susu appeared before her own guards, some faces showed expressions of understanding, while others could not hide the astonishment in their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, they were all professional soldiers, bound by strict discipline, and would not gossip because of this; each man merely exchanged glances for a moment, then focused on his own guard duties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They rode their horses forward, holding high the banner and insignia of the General of the Ferocious Tiger — armor and banners alike bore the mark of the White Tiger Army — and in the wind and snow every one of them sat ramrod straight, heroic and tough, confident and proud, bearing an utterly captivating heroic presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These soldiers were the dream lovers of countless young women in Xuan Town and Anbei; to marry, one must marry a Pacifying Frontier soldier — in the Xuanfu Garrison and the Anbei region, this was practically truth. It was utterly different from the notion elsewhere in the Great Ming that a good man does not become a soldier, just as good iron is not made into nails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu rode her horse just the same, snowflakes swirling and falling ceaselessly onto her cloak, soon turning it a sheet of white, but her eyes remained bright, and in every glance there was authority. As she rode through the main street, she left a trail of gasps in her wake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General of the Swift Cavalry, General of the Soaring Hawk, General of the Leopard Strategy, General of the Ferocious Tiger, General of the Fierce Tiger — among the five great generals of the Pacifying Frontier Army, although Han Chao's General of the Swift Cavalry was the most honored and esteemed, as one of the five great generals, as the General of the Ferocious Tiger, Zhong Susu was still the focus of countless attentive eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now Guihua City was extraordinarily bustling, people coming and going, so when they saw Zhong Susu pass by, there was a chorus of astonished cries and exclamations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heavens, the General of the Ferocious Tiger is actually a woman.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Truly, the fair sex yields nothing to bearded men.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unbelievable — a remarkable woman indeed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cast off my wartime armor, put on my old-time dress. By the window I combed my cloud-like hair, before the mirror I applied the golden flower. I went out to see my comrades in arms, and my comrades were all shocked. Twelve years we marched together, and none knew Mulan was a girl... A living Hua Mulan has appeared in this age — this shall be a fine tale...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How can this be, my Zhong-lang...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were the lamentations of some ignorant young maidens or young wives; in truth, in Xuanfu Garrison and Anbei there were plenty of foolish literary women who harbored inexplicable yearnings for Zhong Susu, and now each of their heart's fancies lay shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon Zhong Susu entered the Grand Protectorate government office and stepped into the council hall, startling eyes all along the way — some were shocked, some understood without a word. And at that moment the hall was bustling with people coming and going, especially staff officers flowing in an unending stream; on the wall hung a huge map, and in the center stood an equally enormous sand table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around the map and the sand table, many people sat or stood, speaking with confidence and ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those in military posts were dressed just like Zhong Susu — yisan robes, three-peaked hats, felt boots on their feet, swords at their sides, cloaks fastened — fierce and spirited, as if a great host of Embroidered Uniform Guard had descended. The civil officials wore soft head-wraps, close-fitting robes and tunics, with short-sleeved greatcloaks over them, and swords also at their waists — refined yet bearing a heroic air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The quality they all shared was that confident, spirited sharpness, brimming with drive, emblematic of this group's vigorous vitality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now many of the Protectorate's important generals and senior officers had already arrived, such as the General Who Guards the North, the Regional Commander of Xuanfu Garrison, the Protectorate's Chief of Military Administration, the General of the Swift Cavalry Han Chao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chief of Civil Administration Zhang Gui, the Chief of Inspection Chi Dacheng. Also the Chief of the Staff Department, the General of the Soaring Hawk Wen Fangliang. The General of the Fierce Tiger Li Guangheng. The Chief Superintendent of the Pacification Office Huang Shibian, the Chief Pacifier of the Comfort Office Li Jinpei, the senior staff officer Qin Yi, and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Zhang Gui's subordinates — the Vice Chiefs of Civil Administration Zhong Rong, Zhong Zhengxian, Tian Changguo. Han Chao's subordinates — the Vice Chiefs of Military Administration Sun Sanjie, Qi Tianliang, Lin Daofu, and others had all arrived. There was also the Artillery Battalion's commanding general Zhao Xuan, who was speaking with Sun Sanjie and Qi Tianliang about something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for the moment there was no sign of the General of the Leopard Strategy Gao Shiyin, the Vanguard Scout Battalion's commanding general Xie Yike, the Loyalty Battalion's commanding general Shen Shiqi, the New Auxiliary Battalion's commanding general Ceng Jiuyi, and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Intelligence Department's chief Wen Daxing, the Staff Department's deputy chief, and the Guard Battalion's commanding general Zhong Diaoyang were also nowhere to be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Zhong Susu entered, the council hall fell quiet for a moment; Han Chao and Wen Fangliang were gathered together discussing something, and perhaps because this period had been extremely busy, both men's faces had grown considerably rougher and darker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Zhong Susu's appearance and attire, both were taken aback, and then noticing her slight awkwardness under the gaze of the crowd, Han Chao immediately called out in a loud voice, \"Sister Zhong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and Wen Fangliang strode over, and Zhong Susu, somewhat bashfully, cupped her fists: \"Brother Han, Brother Wen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao smiled and said, \"This is very good — it should have been this way long ago.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Fangliang also said with a grin, \"Not bad, not bad — the fair sex yields nothing to bearded men; our Pacifying Frontier Army has another fine tale.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Zhang Gui also came over beaming to greet her: \"Ha ha, isn't this our army's very own Hua Mulan, the great General Zhong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Rong and the others smiled and saluted; Li Guangheng and Sun Sanjie smiled and nodded at Zhong Susu; only Zhao Xuan stared in shock, his eyes wide, rubbing them again and again as if he could not believe his own eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the warm greetings of her brothers, their friendliness and warmth nourished Zhong Susu's heart; her eyes reddened slightly, and she saluted solemnly: \"This little sister thanks all you elder brothers for the care you have always shown.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Zhong Zhengxian studied Zhong Susu for a moment with a scrutinizing gaze, and then, as if something occurred to him, his expression softened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's all the excitement about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the sound of Gao Shiyin's voice, there came Gao Shiyin, Xie Yike, and Shen Shiqi swaggering into the council hall, and beside them was the New Auxiliary Battalion's commanding general Ceng Jiuyi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they heard Gao Shiyin declare loudly: \"Today my three Crab Generals are assembled — the realm trembles!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ceng Jiuyi said, \"It has already been upgraded to four generals.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin pushed his way forward, greeting as he went: \"Old Han, Old Wen, Old Li — yo, the ever-diligent one is here too? Eh...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin looked at Zhong Susu, his expression exceedingly colorful, and stammered: \"Brother Zhong... Sister Zhong...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hastily changed the subject, touching his face and saying: \"Ah, the wind and sand of Dongzhen are too fierce — look, my ruggedly handsome face has been tanned black.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao laughed: \"You were black to begin with.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu said: \"Old Gao, with that honored face of yours, does it matter whether it's black or white?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yike had been watching Zhong Susu the whole time, his eyes darting constantly, and then, as if something dawned on him, a smile spread across his face, and he said with a grin: \"Sister Zhong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Susu shot him a glare: \"Little Ke'er, got any offerings for me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment footsteps sounded, and Chi Dacheng, who had been sitting in silence all along, suddenly bellowed: \"Silence!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone jumped in fright and immediately took their places, sitting quietly and upright; they sat tall and straight, bearing an imposing presence all their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, footsteps came from behind the screen, and then Wang Dou appeared before the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was dressed in a python robe, advancing with a dragon's stride and a tiger's gait, his bearing calm and commanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following behind him were the Guard Battalion's commanding general Zhong Diaoyang, the Secretariat Office's chief Ye Xizhi, and the Intelligence Department's chief Wen Daxing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Wang Dou entered the great hall, the crowd rose with a roar, and all bowed together, shouting: \"We greet the Grand General.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou seated himself in his place, resting his hands comfortably on the armrests on either side, and said in a deep voice: \"Officers and generals, dispense with formalities!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd roared: \"We thank the Grand General!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the crowd thunderously take their seats, Wang Dou said evenly: \"Today I have summoned the officers and generals to deliberate on our future strategy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not waste words, but went straight to the subject, first having Wen Daxing recount the matter of Sun Chuanting's defeat, which had been the talk of the town some time ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although everyone knew that Sun Chuanting had been defeated and killed, and knew that the Grand General had summoned them largely because of Sun Chuanting's affair, they were unclear on the internal details; now their spirits were roused, and they all listened intently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Daxing nodded slightly to the crowd; he had only one hand left and could no longer cup his fist in salute, so he acknowledged them all with nods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Daxing unfolded a dispatch in his hand and read aloud: \"On the twenty-first day of the tenth month, under the urging of imperial edicts, the Regional Commander Grand Secretary Sun led nearly one hundred thousand troops from Kaifeng, marching south toward Nanyang. The roving bandits initially employed a strategy of feigning weakness to lure the enemy, but after the army entered Xuzhou, the bandits began incessant harassment, setting ambushes to exhaust them. Because this autumn and winter had much rain, and the weather was bitterly cold and the ground frozen, the roads were extremely difficult to traverse, and the transport and supply of provisions for the government troops was exceedingly hard; the troops' sharp edge gradually dulled.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou rose and walked to the sand table in the center of the great hall, where mountains and rivers were distributed and waterways crisscrossed, like a miniature geographical and topographical map of the Great Ming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wang Dou rise, the officers and generals also came one after another before the sand table, concentrating and studying it closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Daxing also came to the sand table. He continued, “The government troops had two supply routes. When Grand Coordinator Sun first arrived in Kaifeng, their provisions were transported from Luoyang to Kaifeng. Later, when the main army moved south, the supply route was changed to transport from Luoyang to Ruzhou, Jiaxian, and other places. Only a small amount of grain from Shanxi, Beizhili, and Shandong was first shipped to Kaifeng and then forwarded south.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said in a deep voice, “Perhaps because the imperial edict was so stern, Grand Coordinator Sun advanced too hastily. They carried at most ten days’ worth of provisions with the army, and follow-up supplies could not keep up. That is to say, perhaps even before the eleventh month began, they had essentially run out of food, and then endured bitter days of feast and famine, with soldiers and horses starving and emaciated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone looked at the sand table and sighed — such a deeply isolated lone army, such an endlessly long supply line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao pondered and said, “Was there no foraging at all on the ground? Could the government troops not procure provisions locally?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had also fought in the campaign beyond the northern frontier and knew the terror of having no food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Daxing shook his head and said, “According to intelligence, the roving bandits fortified the walls and cleared the fields. Many cities and villages were burned to ashes in a single blaze, making it utterly impossible to obtain a single grain of rice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, “The government troops, a lone army deep in enemy territory, grew farther and farther from their rear supply bases. Coupled with frequent torrential rains and muddy roads, their grain transport was extremely slow, and the officers and men suffered from hunger and cold. Only when they reached Yexian did they break the city and seize a few hundred mules and horses, but nearly a hundred thousand soldiers quickly ate them all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, “According to intelligence, at this time a staff officer advised Grand Coordinator Sun to turn the army back to seek provisions. Grand Coordinator Sun replied: The army has already marched; even if we turn back, we will still go hungry. So they continued south.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, “When the southward army reached the borders of Yuzhou, the main force of the roving bandits gathered, intent on forcing a decisive battle. The Chuang bandit even wrote a challenge on a large placard, specifying a date, but he secretly dispatched the bandit general Liu Zongmin with thirty thousand veteran camp troops to take a side route and circle behind the government troops, cutting off their supply line at Ruzhou, Jiaxian, and other places. The garrison troops left behind could not withstand a single blow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy grief welled up in everyone’s hearts. They knew that the southward army was finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, Wen Daxing said, “At this time, Grand Coordinator Sun was locked in a great battle with the roving bandits. His new army was sharp, and with the support of the cart and cannon battalions, he had achieved considerable success. But when word came that the supply line had been severed, army morale immediately wavered, and the entire force erupted in uproar. In particular, the commanders of the various garrison battalions all demanded to withdraw back to Shaanxi to seek provisions. Many battalion soldiers fled in droves, and though the commanders beheaded some, they could not stop it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Daxing said, “The roving bandits seized the moment to launch a general assault. I have not yet determined which garrison battalion fled first, but they triggered a total collapse. The various garrisons fled one after another, and the estimated casualties in the chaos reached forty thousand. Only the new army and the Viceroy’s personal battalion held firm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone sighed deeply. Hearing of yet another disastrous rout of government troops, the feeling was anything but pleasant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao said, “I have heard that Grand Coordinator Sun treated Shaanxi Regional Commander Gao Jie quite generously. What became of him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Daxing said flatly, “He fled — the second, or perhaps the third, to flee. He was in charge of the cart and cannon battalions. To save their lives, the battalion soldiers even unhitched the horses pulling the carts and cannons, mounted them, and fled. They even overturned the war carts onto the road, blocking the path, just so they could escape with their lives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those rats!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guangheng cursed bitterly. Everyone present also looked grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Daxing finally said, “The outcome is something everyone can guess. The roving bandit army surrounded Grand Coordinator Sun in dense rings and attacked, even using cannons, and also brought in those newly captured firearms and cannons. In the end, it was a repeat of the Battle of Cao-Wang, and Grand Coordinator Sun died in battle on the spot. This time, the Shaanxi grand army suffered more than half its strength in casualties and lost countless weapons, armor, and equipment. It can be called a crushing defeat — to say the entire army was wiped out would not be an exaggeration!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the silence, Zhong Susu said, “I recall that Grand Coordinator Sun’s personal battalion was selected from the new army, and every man was provided with a horse. Even if the battalion soldiers fled, he could still have escaped if he wanted to, could he not? Just like Cao-Wang — though his subordinates suffered grievous losses, they still escaped with their lives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Daxing said, “That, this lowly general does not know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, Wen Fangliang sighed and said, “Grand Coordinator Sun would not have fled. For him, this outcome — perhaps dying in battle on the field was better than fleeing back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said quietly, “Grand Coordinator Sun had too many enemies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the commander of the Monan Western Garrison, his jurisdiction was not far from Shaanxi, and he knew a great deal about Sun Chuanting’s various affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao nodded. “Everything he did in Shaanxi was nothing short of shocking to the world. If he returned in defeat, those opponents would not give him another chance, and he might even be thrown into prison!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said softly, “I do not know him well, but I also know that at his core he was a proud man. He had already been thrown into prison once. To be imprisoned again would be a fate worse than death for him — better to die on the battlefield and be wrapped in horsehide for burial!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Daxing said, “Indeed, after Grand Coordinator Sun returned, the likelihood of facing the prison wardens again was very great. Even if he had gathered the defeated troops and returned at this time, and the Emperor did not pursue the matter, once the situation eased slightly, it was extremely likely he would be arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and taken to the capital.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, “News from the capital says that regarding Grand Coordinator Sun’s great defeat, the Emperor was both furious and anxious, and placed all the blame on Grand Coordinator Sun. Here are his words.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He unfolded the dispatch in his hand and read: “Edict to the Ministry of War: Chuanting advanced rashly with little strategy, and the troops he commanded were routed. He is hereby stripped of his posts as Regional Commander and Minister, and as Qin Viceroy shall bear his crime by gathering the remaining troops to defend the pass, seeking to redeem himself through merit. Should he allow the bandits to enter Qin, his previous crimes shall be judged together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, “At this time, the Emperor did not yet know that Grand Coordinator Sun had died in battle, thinking he had also retreated back to Tongguan with the defeated troops. He merely sternly instructed the Ministry of War that the routed troops must defend Tongguan to the death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, “But later, when it was learned that Grand Coordinator Sun might have perished, because his body had not yet been found, the court even suspected that Grand Coordinator Sun had surrendered to the roving bandits. Therefore, the matter of posthumous honors and a posthumous title was never discussed. Later, Grand Coordinator Sun’s loyal servant, his personal attendant Ma Weizhong, narrowly escaped death and carried Grand Coordinator Sun’s body back to Tongguan. Once the matter was clarified, the court officials then began deliberating on a posthumous title.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, “Intelligence from the capital indicates that he may be posthumously titled ‘Zhonglie,’ the same as Viceroy Lu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone sighed deeply. Gao Shiyin said, “Loyal ministers and righteous men — they always make one sigh with regret.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou was also silent. He was certain that even if Sun Chuanting had not died, there was a ninety percent chance he would have been arrested and thrown into the imperial prison after returning to Shaanxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Chongzhen Emperor had always been lenient toward military men, he killed civil officials as easily as slaughtering chickens. How could Sun Chuanting’s defeat be tolerated? Moreover, he had too many enemies. All his past actions had been built on the foundation of “victory.” With this defeat, he could no longer withstand the reckoning of his opponents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How proud a man he was at his core — just as he had said to Wen Shiyan: “How can a true man face the prison wardens again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be imprisoned again was a fate worse than death for him — far better to die in battle on the spot!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be posthumously titled “Zhonglie” — this outcome was already very good. Historically, Sun Chuanting died in battle, but because his body was never found, he received no posthumous honors whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was for the best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A loyal minister at last received a good end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And during the Chongzhen reign, the Great Ming suffered continuous drought, yet the decisive battle Sun Chuanting commanded after his return — both historically and now — was plagued by continuous rain, which became one of the contributing factors to the defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This truly was a matter of time and fate.\u003C\u002Fp>",3668,"2026-06-03T14:06:27.906Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","40b15c49e7786ab84b40a6accc4079374a602aa4814643706af7337e86ac68df","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-826","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-824",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]