[{"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-828":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},1206117,1561,"Chapter 828","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-828",828,"\u003Cp>In late November, when Right Assistant Censor-in-Chief, Provincial Governor of Huaiyang, and Grand Coordinator of Grain Transport Lu Zhenfei learned that the roving bandits had again besieged Kaifeng and their vanguard was even pressing eastward, he concluded that the bandits intended to besiege Xuzhou, sever the grain transport route, and raid Huai'an.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately dispatched his generals to defend the river in separate sectors, setting up layered defenses from Pizhou, Suining, and Suqian to Shuyang, Taoyuan, and Qinghe, with mutual support and linked momentum. He sent troops to hold every strategic point securely, and ordered the organization of local militia between the two Huai regions, recruiting village braves and rewarding them with cattle and wine. He also established regulations: the village braves would not be entered into military registers, would not be subjected to forced drill, and would not be deployed elsewhere, serving only to defend their homeland. In this way, he quickly organized a force numbering in the tens of thousands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Zhenfei was a man of distinct character and principle. In general, matters requiring higher approval he reported fully; matters he could decide on his own authority he enacted by regulation. Affairs that should be reported to superiors were invariably reported for instructions before handling, never overstepping his authority or bypassing levels. Matters that fell within his jurisdiction to resolve were never delayed or shirked, but handled immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under his decisive leadership, although the bandits' momentum grew daily, the morale of both the military and civilians in the two Huai regions remained high, and they swore to the death not to let the roving bandits enter Huai'an.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the twelfth month of the fourteenth year of the Chongzhen reign, Viceroy Zhu Dadian was dismissed and placed under investigation for ineffective bandit suppression, and Gao Douguang was appointed Regional Commander of Fengyang. However, in the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, when the roving bandits seized Hanshan and raided Wuwei, Viceroy Gao Douguang was impeached for failing to supervise the troops effectively. In the sixth month of that year, Ma Shiying was appointed Viceroy of Military Affairs for Lu and Feng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, he was stationed at Fengyang Prefecture. Although Xuzhou was directly administered by the Southern Metropolitan Region, its military affairs also fell under Ma Shiying's command. When roving bandits poured continuously into Xuzhou territory in late November, Ma Shiying grew deeply worried. In early December, he led Vice Regional Commander Yang Zhenzong, Zhuang Chaoliang, together with Imperial Guard Regional Commander Ma Degong and Assistant Regional Commander Wang Jingong, with a total force of five thousand, crossed the Huai River and advanced from Fengyang Prefecture to Suzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as large bands of roving bandits pressed closer, all the commanders grew fearful and dared not advance. They garrisoned near Fuli Bridge and maintained a wait-and-see attitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the tenth day of the twelfth month, Ma Shiying received a stern edict from the Ministry of War, ordering him to command the troops of Feng, Lu, and other regions and rush to the relief of Xuzhou. Ma Shiying hesitated somewhat, but still, in accordance with the edict, sent dispatches to Sun Kewang, Huang Degong, and others, ordering them to intercept and coordinate an attack, and to lead troops to the rescue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When his envoy reached Shouzhou, Sun Kewang was brimming with confidence, touring the territory under his jurisdiction with Li Dingguo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before accepting amnesty, he had declared he would emulate Wang Dou: build high walls, amass grain widely, and garrison a strong army. Sure enough, after arriving in Shouzhou, he immediately demonstrated extraordinary administrative ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, he began suppressing bandits. Although he himself came from a roving bandit background, he showed no mercy to the local bandits and roving outlaws, without the slightest sentiment of \"shared origin.\" Under his ruthless methods, local banditry vanished completely, which not only gave the region a fresh new atmosphere but also brought in considerable revenue, grain, and supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, he actively sought the support of the local gentry, particularly favoring impoverished scholars. He also dealt respectfully with Fengyang Viceroy Ma Shiying, never failing to offer seasonal gifts and tributes. He won unanimous praise from local officials, merchants, and scholars, and the stain of his bandit origins was swiftly whitewashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Economically, taking advantage of his proximity to Huai'an Prefecture, he actively engaged in smuggling salt, trafficking large quantities of Huai salt under military escort. The troops he dedicated solely to smuggling numbered as many as five thousand. The silver and grain thus obtained were used to supply his soldiers' needs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Every soldier shall be issued one large sheng of rice daily; each dependent household shall receive one large dou of rice monthly. Infants born under one year of age shall receive half that amount monthly, and upon reaching three years, shall be counted as a dependent. Soldiers with dependents shall each be issued one winter robe; those without dependents shall, in addition to the robe, receive one pair of shoes and socks and one large hat each.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In land reclamation, he exploited the widespread abandonment of local farmland to establish military farms, providing monthly grain rations and attracting large numbers of displaced civilians. Moreover, the military farm system, resembling collective farms, was inherently far more effective at resisting famine than scattered private fields.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In legal matters, he imposed strict laws and harsh punishments. Whether officials, generals, civilians, or soldiers, anyone who broke the law was caned for minor offenses and beheaded for major ones, with no room for personal leniency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Kewang opened military farms in his jurisdiction, recruited refugees, sought out wise and capable men, and busied himself tirelessly from dawn to dusk. Under his management, in just one short year, the people of Shouzhou lived in peace and contentment, a scene of thriving prosperity, as if a golden age had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even wealthy households were willing to relocate here. Though the rule of law was strict, this place possessed something the rest of Fengyang Prefecture lacked: order!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is not scarcity that is to be feared, but inequality; not poverty that is to be feared, but instability. Chaos is often more terrifying than poverty. Here, as long as one abided by the rules, one could receive protection and find stability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said: \"Sun Kewang and his ilk enforce laws with great severity; soldiers and civilians live in mutual peace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stable environment exerted a powerful attraction on the surrounding areas. Even wealthy households from Fengyang Prefecture moved in droves to live in Shouzhou. They might not lack silver or grain, but they lacked a sense of security. And a sense of security was all too rare in the chaotic environment of the late Ming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Achieving such results in just one year gave Sun Kewang immense confidence. Gazing at the vast expanse of military farms before him, he said excitedly to Li Dingguo at his side, \"Second Brother, just give your elder brother three years. Three years, and I can build a great foundation!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waved his hand forcefully and clenched his fist, as if grasping a magnificent expanse of mountains and rivers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the excited Sun Kewang, Li Dingguo hesitated. The Sun Kewang before him felt somewhat unfamiliar. He glanced around and said in a low voice, \"Elder Brother, do you intend to do as Father Marshal did in Gucheng?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Xianzhong had once accepted the \"pacification offer\" of Minister of War Xiong Wencan, then gathered fodder and grain in Gucheng, forged weapons, recruited soldiers and bought horses, trained his troops, and ultimately rebelled again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Kewang's current actions closely resembled what Zhang Xianzhong had done in Gucheng back then—though, of course, Zhang Xianzhong's administrative ability could not compare to Sun Kewang's.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of Zhang Xianzhong, Sun Kewang's expression grew somewhat complicated. Then he sneered, \"I won't be as foolish as Father Marshal. Second Brother, do you know what my greatest realization has been during this year in Shouzhou?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without waiting for Li Dingguo to answer, he continued, \"Apart from a foundation, it is the name of righteousness. Righteousness and legitimate succession—these few words are worth a thousand armies and ten thousand horses! The title of 'bandit' will never be associated with me again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elder Brother speaks truly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Sun Kewang's criticism and distancing from Zhang Xianzhong made Li Dingguo somewhat uncomfortable, he had to admit that his elder brother seemed to have undergone a complete transformation over the past year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he decided to accept amnesty, he immediately changed the excessive and indiscriminate killing that had occurred under their Father Marshal. He strictly disciplined the troops, issuing a special order: \"Henceforth, unless engaged in combat, no killing is permitted!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, after this reorganization, when the great army entered Fengyang Prefecture in the Southern Metropolitan Region, they committed no offense against the people wherever they passed, and the civilians remained undisturbed. The amnesty was accepted very smoothly. Then he employed his political skill to bring every commander in the army completely into line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their army was of mixed composition: there were men from the original Xianzhong camp, newly joined men from the Cao camp, and quite a few from the Ge-Zuo forces. Yet all were respectful and obedient before Sun Kewang, and many administrative and governance tasks were smoothly delegated and carried out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was something Li Dingguo could not accomplish himself. Although he delighted in reading military treatises and possessed considerable strategic acumen in military affairs, earning him the nickname \"Little Prince of Chai,\" apart from fighting, his grasp of governance and management was somewhat lacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking of military affairs, Li Dingguo recalled the recent matter of the roving bandits pressing toward Xuzhou. He was about to speak when, at that moment, the envoy dispatched by Ma Shiying came galloping toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing the envoy off, Sun Kewang's gaze inadvertently swept over Li Dingguo beside him. He said slowly, \"What does Second Brother think?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing Sun Kewang's gaze, Li Dingguo felt a chill in his heart. He felt his elder brother's thoughts were becoming increasingly unfathomable. After a moment's thought, he said solemnly, \"Since we are now officers and soldiers of the court, we must naturally serve the court! The roving bandits are pressing on Xuzhou, and Viceroy Ma has issued a summons. We should muster all our troops and, as our bounden duty, race day and night to Suzhou to relieve Xuzhou!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, then added softly, \"We committed too many sins in the past. It is time to repay the court and rescue the people from their misery.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recalled the tearfully grateful gazes of the Shouzhou commoners over the past year. What they wanted was so simple: merely that one not act lawlessly, not endanger their lives and safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke with emotion, but saw Sun Kewang wearing a faint, enigmatic smile. Sun Kewang slowly shook his head. \"Repay… given the Great Ming's current state, we must be obedient, we must repay. But being too obedient is also not good… Delay for three days, then we will set out with five thousand cavalry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elder Brother!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dingguo cried out in surprise. Sixty thousand troops, and they would only dispatch five thousand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Kewang explained, \"The roving bandits are powerful. One strong army after another has been destroyed. And you and I both know those Chuang bandit forces. What use is bringing tens of thousands of infantry? Better to take only crack troops and swift horses. If things go badly, we can still get away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed with emotion. \"Only after settling down do I realize that in this realm of the Great Ming… no matter what, as long as you have elite troops and strong generals in hand—with soldiers, land, and people—great things can still be achieved.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Li Dingguo wanted to say more, Sun Kewang's gaze turned slightly cold. Yet he still said earnestly, \"Second Brother, if we want to repay the court, we must first survive this difficult period. I'm not saying we reach Wang Dou's level, but we need at least half of what he has accumulated. And during this period, we must endure. Yichun, you are my sworn brother, my right-hand man. I need your support.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Sun Kewang call him by his childhood name, Li Dingguo's heart softened. He opened his mouth, but only mumbled, unable to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance, the mountains rose and fell. Mount Bagong was covered in red, its layered forests fully dyed, interspersed with vast expanses of white snow—a scene like a painting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as the winter north wind swept past, Li Dingguo's heart felt desolate too. This elder brother of his was becoming more and more of a stranger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wind and snow howled across Xuzhou city, and from that direction came a trembling voice: \"…My lord personally leads a million troops behind him, committing no offense wherever they pass. This advance notice instructs all civil and military officials: assess the hour and the situation, surrender your cities and offer your seals, and early seek rank and emolument. If you stubbornly resist, you are permitted to bind and deliver up your officials; not only will you be doubly rewarded, but the lives of all everywhere will be preserved. If officers and soldiers jointly resist, when the army arrives and the city is breached, jade and stone will be ground together—regret will be too late…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Great Commander, listen, listen—'jade and stone ground together.' Though we should hold this strategic place firmly for the court, we must also consider the lives and families of our brothers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, Great Commander. The Chuang King's terms are not bad. Perhaps we should just surrender.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, let us surrender.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several trusted commanders knelt before Liu Liangzuo, tears streaming down their faces, leaving the Xuzhou Regional Commander's expression hesitant and irresolute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Linqing, this mansion was resplendent in gold and jade, magnificent and sumptuous, as spacious and splendid as a prince's palace. From this grand residence now drifted the strains of string and bamboo music. Amid the clamor of song and entertainment, a sinister, disdainful voice suddenly rang out: \"The Ministry of War wants me to go south? Are all those gentlemen fools?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice continued: \"This is clearly the roving bandits' tactic of besieging a point to strike the reinforcements. Only a fool would go to the rescue. Whoever goes is a damn fool.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell me, am I, Liu Zeqing, a damn fool?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2397,"2026-06-03T14:06:27.906Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","5577c038db86e41d466d77ae68af8bba41d7f080301c7d9207cd562dd2811bc6","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-829","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-827",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]