[{"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-878":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},1206167,1561,"Chapter 878: The Grand Formation","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-878",878,"\u003Cp>(Brother cd, your rocket battalion organization is quite good. I've always been a reader. A twelve-strength bow has a draw weight of 158.7 pounds, roughly equal to the upper-strength bows in the Ming army. Li Guang and Yue Fei could draw even stronger tiger-strength bows on horseback, with draw weights exceeding two hundred pounds, and could shoot ambidextrously. In later ages, shut-ins play with 35-pound or 25-pound bows, and anyone who can draw a 50-pound bow is considered a god — yet they don't even meet the standard of the Ming army's lower-strength bow (eighty-pound draw) or the Qing army's six- to eight-strength cavalry bow (eighty to one hundred pounds draw). It's very hard to imagine the combat power of elite soldiers in ancient times.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn on the nineteenth, Gao Gui, a general of the White Tiger Army's Left Battalion, and Zhuang Huizu of the Central Army's Cavalry Left Battalion led thirty thousand troops out. In the end, Wang Dou approved Han Chao's revised proposal, sending the large flanking force against the roving bandits out early, and even increased the force by ten thousand men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reaching West Mountain, they would lie concealed at the foot of Cuifeng Mountain near the massif. Then, at the appointed hour on the twentieth, they would immediately strike straight for the capital thirty li away, swiftly entering the inner and outer cities through Fuchengmen and Guanganmen, exterminate the roving bandits within the city, and seize the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Gui and the others bid farewell to Wang Dou and departed with firm resolve. The troops they led, from cavalry to infantry, from B-grade troops to C-grade troops, every man departed with resolute expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces were solemn, harboring no doubt whatsoever that their mission would succeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also at dawn, the twenty-thousand-strong army for the large flanking attack against the Tatars concealed itself in the Mount Jundou area of Changping. Compared to the force flanking the roving bandits, they had more elite troops — even the one C-grade battalion among them had horses for every man. The force flanking the roving bandits had departed early, reducing the requirement for mobility, so the horses and mules they freed up were exactly reallocated to this side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, they would set out at a certain moment during the battle on the twentieth. The Tatars were not like the roving bandits — their sentry riders were densely spread, and such a large body of troops on the move could not possibly escape their notice. This army's entire purpose was to exploit the time gap in the Tatars' reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, at this moment, General Bao Tao, the Regional Commander of the large flanking force Gao Shiyin, still remained at Wang Dou's side, accompanying him as he inspected potential battlefield positions at Dang'er Ridge, Huilong Temple, and other places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ascended Dang'er Ridge and gazed into the distance. Ten li away, the Shun army's encampment stretched boundlessly, extending over twenty li east to west and many li in depth, with fluttering banners of every color dense as a forest. And on the open wilderness between them, squad after squad of cavalry fought and skirmished, probing each other's camps while covering their own side's construction of defensive lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of firearms was frequently heard in the field, and eye-catching white smoke rose in bursts. The ongoing reconnaissance battle involved not only the mounted troops from Shaanxi and Gansu, but the Border Pacification Army had also committed large numbers of elite Night Scouts, as well as the swift cavalry and hunter cavalry from every army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was obvious that their own side's sentry riders held a great upper hand. The roving bandits' side prevailed through sheer numbers, and since formal battle had not yet begun, both sides maintained a state of fighting without breaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou peered through his telescope, watching the densely packed Shun army busying themselves several li in front of their camp. They seemed to be piling up earthen platforms. He counted — there appeared to be ten of these earthen platforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The roving bandits are constructing artillery bastions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Fangliang said, \"According to Intelligence Division reports, after the roving bandits entered the capital, because of their enormous haul of captured materiel, they established a massive artillery camp. It contains one hundred fifty standard red-barbarian cannons, fifty four-wheeled millstone red-barbarian heavy cannons, three hundred grand-general Frankish cannons — over five hundred large cannons in total. There are also several wagon battalions using Frankish small and medium cannons.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued, \"Those four-wheeled millstone heavy cannons are the Qing state's heavy cannons captured back then. Each can fire three to four li, and they fire cannonballs of ten catties or more. The roving bandits constructing artillery bastions within their formation clearly intend to bombard our army's grand formation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou nodded slightly. The roving bandits were indeed growing increasingly clever in their use of artillery. When two sides faced off, they could not be too far apart — generally around two li, and three to four li was extremely rare. He recalled that back when he had no red-barbarian cannons, facing an enemy formation meant being one li apart, or even just two hundred paces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he lacked sharp rocket artillery, or even lacked intelligence on the enemy, caught off guard, he would indeed very likely suffer a great loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yike said, \"Grand General, the brothers of the Sharp Reconnaissance Battalion have already scouted it clearly. The roving bandits' artillery bastions are divided into three tiers. The top tier holds the four-wheeled millstone heavy cannons, five heavy cannons per bastion. The second tier holds standard red-barbarian cannons, fifteen per bastion. The third tier holds grand-general cannons, thirty per bastion. And in front of the artillery bastions, they will deploy wagon battalions and firearm battalions for protection.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Shiyin cursed, then beamed with delight and said, \"The roving bandits grow craftier by the day. Fortunately, our army has heavy cannons and rockets — from four or five li away, we can clean up their artillery positions, wagon formations, and firearm formations all at once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone around Wang Dou revealed knowing smiles. The roving bandits believed their cannons that fired three to four li were invincible, yet never imagined that their own side possessed weapons even more devastating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, unlike the roving bandits, although their own side was also building artillery bastions on the open plain, these were several extended artillery platforms at different distances — the farthest four li from the enemy bastions, then three li, and the nearest two li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four-li distance was just right. The roving bandits' cannons claimed to fire three to four li, but given their terrible gunners and firing standards, this distance was actually very safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With rockets and heavy cannons mounted on these artillery bastions, they could leisurely bombard the enemy's artillery bastions and military formations. Especially when the heavy rockets were brought up, they would achieve total coverage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the range of the Border Pacification Army's heavy rockets, they could actually be placed on Dang'er Ridge, but the closer the distance, the more accurate the fire. These artillery bastions could also accommodate heavy rockets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, after the enemy's cannons, wagon battalions, and firearm battalions were struck, the rockets and heavy cannons would be pushed forward to the artillery bastions two to three li from them, and from there leisurely bombard their grand formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, all the above referred to rockets and heavy cannons. Ordinary cannons, red-barbarian cannons, and the like would all accompany the infantry formations, advancing gradually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao pondered and said, \"Judging from the roving bandits' deployment, their old camp's main force is positioned here in the frontal center. Their strategy at that time will likely be to attack on both wings, defend in the center, watch for the opportune moment, and then strike with their main force like a thunderbolt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Fangliang laughed and said, \"Perfect. Our main force will defend on both wings and strike straight for their center. Once we destroy their old camp, the remaining roving bandits will instantly collapse. Even if they bring another million, it will be useless.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone nodded. Both sides were making roughly the same calculations — placing their elite main forces in the center formation, differing only in their approach to offense and defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the primary objective of this battle was to annihilate the roving bandits' old camp. History had proven time and again that killing hordes of miscellaneous troops was useless; what mattered was destroying their old camp soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They inspected the defensive positions on the flanks, then moved to the eastern side of Dang'er Ridge. This side, however, faced the defensive line positions against the Qing army. In this area, the southeastern core was Huilong Temple, a place that might simultaneously face attacks from both Tatars and roving bandits — a critical location indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the defensive conditions here were also quite favorable. Centered on Xuanfu Palace, the surrounding area had villages formed by the military horse-herding soldiers who had lived there since the early Ming. For the Border Pacification Army, skilled in defense, whether roving bandits or Tatars, trying to breach the defensive lines here would be harder than ascending to heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in the central area and along the Sha River, there were actually villages. In particular, this village in the center called Zhuxinzhuang had a ridge to its south. The hill was not high, its elevation only a dozen or so meters, but it was quite broad, spanning roughly two li across, and its top was very gentle and flat — highly suitable for placing rockets and cannons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to intelligence from the Night Scouts, the Qing army that had entered the pass had also brought cannons — specifically, four-wheeled millstone heavy cannons hauled from Shanhai Pass and other places, roughly forty to fifty of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was estimated that when the time came, they too would deploy their formation three to four li away, and would just happen to suffer the same tragedy as the roving bandits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ascended the ridge at Zhuxinzhuang and watched as squad after squad of Qing sentry cavalry galloped in the distance — from previously sneaking around to now making no effort to conceal themselves. Wang Dou observed through his telescope and recalled how yesterday Dorgon had sent sentry riders to deliver a letter, saying that this entry into the pass was to avenge his sovereign and father, and expressing willingness to cooperate in jointly exterminating the roving bandits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking of this matter, Wang Dou laughed and said, \"Dorgon thinks I'm as foolish as Li Zicheng.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the generals burst into hearty laughter. Their scornful laughter spread far and wide, echoing over this stretch of land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whether we can deceive the roving bandits doesn't matter. In any case, Wang Dou will certainly fight the roving bandits, and they cannot possibly unite. Our Great Qing is the side with the greatest advantage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The banks of the Sha River were filled with dense encampments, with Qing army banners of every color fluttering. Inside a gilded great tent, Dorgon looked at the map on the table and spoke to the Qing sovereign and ministers beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around him were packed Manchu, Mongol, Han, Korean, and Japanese banner ministers; Grand Secretaries Fan Wencheng and Ning Wanwo; various Outer Vassal Mongol ministers; and the recently surrendered Wu Sangui, Tang Tong, Fan Zhiwan, Li Yutian, Liu Liangzuo, and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening to Dorgon speak, Wu Sangui's face was expressionless. Fang Guangchen beside him was even more wooden in expression. He had no idea how the situation had come to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But clearly, Dorgon did not care about their feelings. At this moment, he spoke with great enthusiasm: \"Scholar Fan's strategy has already shown results. Although the roving bandits are somewhat wary, they have made no major moves. A great battle between him and Wang Dou is unavoidable. Our forces can simply play the fisherman while the snipe and the clam fight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Wencheng hurriedly knelt and said, \"This is all the achievement of Your Majesty's strategic planning. Your humble minister dares not claim credit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorgon laughed heartily and warmly bade Fan Wencheng rise. He continued pointing at the map and said, \"It is very clear that neither the roving bandits nor Wang Dou will drag this out any longer. Tomorrow they will fight a great battle. Therefore, our Great Qing's strategic deployment is to firmly tie down Wang Dou, make him and the roving bandits fight to mutual destruction, and at the same time watch for the opportunity to pluck the fruit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said, \"Thus, tomorrow's deployment will be: the Grand General Who Pacifies the Distant, Prince Zheng Jirgalang, shall lead the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner to oversee the battle, commanding half the banner troops of the Han Eight Banners, Japanese Eight Banners, and Korean Eight Banners, along with Gushan Ejen Liu Liangzuo — a total force of roughly sixty thousand, carrying ten heavy cannons and numerous shielded carts — to press directly on Changping and threaten the Border Pacification Army's rear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sentry riders had reported back that the Border Pacification Army's defensive line on the two hilltops east of Changping, combined with dozens of li of low walls and trenchworks, was yet another Julu and Changling Mountain. With the lesson of past failures before them, Dorgon would have to be a fool to send Manchu and Mongol bannermen to assault it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, sending the Han, Japanese, and Korean banners, plus the newly surrendered Liu Liangzuo, to attack was acceptable. Jirgalang's Manchu elite troops would merely oversee the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Liangzuo stood dumbly to the side. Hearing Dorgon's arrangement, he groaned inwardly. Indecisive and cowardly, he had surrendered to the Qing precisely to preserve his strength. He never expected that he would soon have to gnaw on hard bones. He cried out in his heart but dared not voice any protest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And for the battlefield facing the Border Pacification Army, We shall divide it into left, right, and center sections. On the right wing, near the Sha River, the Prince of Raoyu Commandery of the Second Degree, Grand General by Imperial Mandate Abatai, shall oversee the battle, commanding the forces of Prince Who Pacifies the West Wu Sangui and Prince Who Stabilizes the West Tang Tong — a total force of over thirty thousand — to press forward and threaten, quietly awaiting the central army's orders.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at Wu Sangui, Dorgon decisively continued his arrangements, ensuring that tomorrow both Wu Sangui and Tang Tong would have work to do, and furthermore requiring them to produce a pledge of loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Sangui remained expressionless. Tang Tong, however, turned pale and wanted to speak but dared not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorgon said, \"On the left wing — that is, the wing facing the roving bandits' right wing — Prince Yu, Grand General Who Pacifies the South Dodo, shall oversee the battle, commanding the remaining half of the Han Eight Banners, Japanese Eight Banners, and Korean Eight Banners to threaten and press, likewise quietly awaiting the central army's orders.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Dorgon said, \"The remaining Manchu Eight Banners, Mongol Eight Banners, Khorchin tribe, and various Outer Vassal Mongol tribes — roughly one hundred thousand iron cavalry — shall be personally led by Us, positioned in the central army, waiting for the opportune moment to act. And we must prepare a great number of horses, to be used at that time to break through the Border Pacification Army's formations!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Using horses to charge formations?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dodo cried out in alarm, \"The Border Pacification Army's firearms and cannons are devastating. If we drive herds of horses to charge their formations, we will lose a great many horses.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorgon said sternly, \"If we do not destroy Wang Dou, our Great Qing state faces the peril of national destruction and racial extermination. What are mere horses in comparison?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swept his gaze over everyone and said coldly, \"We all understand Wang Dou. If he wins, he will certainly not let us go. At that time, when he invades Liaodong, he will surely slaughter every man, woman, and child of our Great Qing without mercy. If we do not eliminate this hidden danger now, when shall we?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dodo fell silent as a winter cicada, not daring to say another word. His emperor elder brother was right — if Wang Dou won, other outcomes were uncertain, but the Manchu Eight Banners would certainly be exterminated to the last man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that the Qing emperor actually held Wang Dou in such high regard, Wu Sangui’s expression finally changed a little; Tang Tong’s mouth hung wide open, and the all-silent Fan Zhiwan and Li Yutian exchanged a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the awe-struck looks throughout the tent, Dorgon softened his tone: “Of course, if this battle can eliminate both Wang Dou and the roving bandits, then no one under Heaven will be a match for our Great Qing. The Southern Dynasty’s boundless lands and wealth will all be ours for the taking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Wanwo suddenly raised his arm and shouted: “I swear to live and die with the Great Qing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in the tent shouted along with him, a chorus of savage, piercing howls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the council, Wu Sangui stepped out of the tent. He was silent and dejected. How had things come to this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps he had no road left; he could only help the Great Qing win the fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Tong, meanwhile, sighed to his trusted general Tang Zong and the others: “What rotten luck. Is Wang Dou an easy man to strike? Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His subordinates were also full of regret. Maybe they should never have surrendered to that so-called Great Shun; it would have been better to flee west and throw their lot in with the Marquis of Yongning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Tong sighed: “Riding a tiger is hard to dismount. Let’s watch and see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed slowly as each side made its calculations and plans. Nightfall gradually descended. All three sides were striking camp against the Ming, so the land became a sea of lamplight, like a sky full of stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, Wang Dou tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He threw on a robe and rose, staring blankly at the brilliant starry night. Tomorrow was the battle that would decide the fate of civilization and the nation. Even with his resolute will, he felt a little nervous and uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pacing for a long while, he went to see his several sons. Watching their peaceful sleeping faces, his heart slowly grew calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, everything was fully prepared. There was nothing to worry about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dorgon woke with a violent start. He sat up, hair disheveled. That dream just now…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he comforted himself: no problem. When the snipe and the clam grapple, the fisherman reaps the profit — and he was the fisherman!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again he sighed inwardly. How good it would be if there were no Wang Dou. Why did the Ming state have to produce a Wang Dou?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zicheng turned over. He was in the middle of a sweet dream. In the dream, the battle was fought: the Jingbian Army was utterly routed, and that so-called Great Qing state bowed its head and declared itself a subject. Then, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of soldiers, he returned to the capital, formally proclaimed himself emperor, and took the reign title Yongchang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Sangui was also having a sweet dream. In the dream, he had recovered the capital, and the masses lined the streets cheering. In the dream, he smiled and clasped his hands in salute. Outside the dream, a smile also appeared on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Tong sat in his tent, thinking blankly: “Can I still switch sides again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the tent, snoring rumbled like thunder. Kong San tossed and turned, listening to Old Hu beside him mumbling in his sleep: “Wife, wife, your husband is coming, haha, this place has grown…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head, calmed his mind and spirit, and slowly fell asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the twentieth day of the fourth month, the sky slowly brightened. A clamor rose from every camp. Zheng Tianmin forcefully suppressed his nervousness and shared a hearty breakfast with his brothers. Not far away, Battalion Commander Li Zhengjing was shouting and yelling: “Eat up, children. Eat your fill so you’ll have the strength to kill the traitors for the nation, hahaha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four Company Commanders of the Vermilion Bird Army’s Forward Battalion — Ju Yiwu, Han Kaihui, Chen Sheng, and Mou Dachang — were all proper men. Battalion Commander Li Zhengjing, though his name contained the word “proper,” was exceedingly improper. Yet it was precisely his jesting that calmed much of the nervousness Zheng Tianmin and the others felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When all preparations were complete, everyone assembled beneath the battalion commander’s great banner. Mounted on his horse, Li Zhengjing looked at them with martial solemnity. Then suddenly he opened his mouth: “Hey…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sang loudly: “O beautiful great grassland…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four Company Commanders — Ju Yiwu, Han Kaihui, Chen Sheng, and Mou Dachang — sang in response: “I will come, I will come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Tianmin and the others sang in unison: “Ayo ayo, ayo ayo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhengjing sang loudly: “I will make the Tartars’ skulls into my drinking cup.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Tianmin and the others sang in unison: “Ayo ayo, ayo ayo.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhengjing sang loudly: “Their wives shall be my concubines, their children shall be my servants.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Tianmin and the others sang in unison: “Ayo ayo, ayo ayo.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhengjing sang loudly: “My horsewhip shall flog them heavily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Tianmin and the others sang in unison: “Ayo ayo, ayo ayo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhengjing sang loudly: “Over high mountains, over plains, treading across the great earth, treading across the grasslands!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Tianmin and the others sang in unison: “Ayo ayo, ayo ayo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhengjing sang loudly: “Until the very ends of the sky, hey… hey… hey… hey hey hey hey…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone sang in unison: “Kill kill kill kill, kill kill kill kill!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the song “A Man’s Journey,” the Vermilion Bird Army’s Forward Battalion marched forward in great strides. The sounds of horns and drums rose and fell everywhere. An unending stream of troops emerged from every encampment, converging into dense marching columns and advancing toward their respective objectives. The red armor surged like a rolling sea, and the dense forest of bayonets and spears glittered endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They pressed forward. The band led the way, drums beating a salute. The drums rumbled, the horns blared — a scene of jubilation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A morale officer galloped over on horseback, shouting: “Victory! Victory!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The response was a wave-like roar of cheers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hoofbeats thundered. Amid the splashing sounds, countless horses forded the Qingshui River. Old Hu looked ahead at the unbroken line of cavalry, the gleaming weapons, the dazzling red tassels on felt hats, the loud curses, and the rhythmic work chants of the men pushing the artillery and war carts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The banners were a dark, oppressive mass like black clouds. Before his eyes, there was nothing but heads upon heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Hu drew a deep breath: “Hah, today this old man is going to have a real fight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hummed under his breath: “Wife, Village Chief Hu is coming.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spurred his horse and charged down into the Qinghe River before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Dongsheng Ridge, Li Zicheng sat astride his horse. Beside him, his great banner of black satin with white tassels flew high. Beneath that banner, Li Zicheng, brimming with pride, surveyed his grand battle formation. It stretched for over ten li in an unbroken line — banners like a sea, blades and spears like a forest. A powerful confidence surged in his heart: with such a vast host, who could stop him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially his central army: all veteran camp soldiers, cart camps, musket camps, artillery platforms, and his proud “Three Walls” — thirty thousand cavalry arrayed in columns, five hundred riders per horizontal row, twenty vertical rows forming one “wall” of ten thousand riders, and thirty thousand riders making three walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If each wall were to deploy, given the four to five meters of width needed per horse for combat, the horizontal frontage would stretch four to five li long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A four-to-five-li-wide sweep, and three walls deep — very few armies could withstand that. This was his vaunted Three Walls tactic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, aside from the portion of his sixty thousand veteran camp troops assigned to oversee the battle on the left and right wings, the rest were concentrated on the flanks of the central army, free to maneuver at any time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed out at his own positions, brimming with confidence. The central army went without saying. As for the two wings, although many units could not even fit into the formation, his abundant manpower allowed him to use wave tactics akin to storming a city — one wave after another. No matter how many died, he would seize Wang Dou’s two wings. Then his central army would deliver a thunderous blow, and the overall outcome would be decided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked across at the opposing Dang’er Ridge and thought that after all this time, the Jingbian Army still had not finished deploying its troops and formations. A trace of contempt could not help but rise in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just at that moment, the ground suddenly trembled — it seemed to be the sound of orderly tramping feet. Suddenly, a sea of banners appeared atop Dang'er Ridge, followed by a dazzling red glow, and then an ocean of armor and sharp weapons. The spreading battle formation slowly descended; they seemed to blanket the mountains and fields, and their deployed formation was actually longer than his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their footsteps were heavy, their formation extremely orderly and neat. The fluttering banners were like a silent sea before a storm. As they descended from the ridge, their armor and weapons rose and fell with the mountain contours, wave after wave — a sight that was utterly shocking and powerful to behold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They came down from the mountain, tramping in unison, their rhythmic sound as if ten thousand men were one. That strict precision, that power, that imposing momentum left people dumbstruck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they were still far away, that irresistible momentum, that intensely powerful visual impact, seemed to declare that they were the truly invincible army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy, oppressive killing aura surged over like thick black clouds, silencing the Shun army on this side section by section.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zicheng stared blankly at that ocean of armor. It seemed every common soldier among them wore fine iron armor. What kind of army was this, what kind of financial resources?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this Wang Dou's Jingbian Army?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly recalled something: \"Could it be that the two hundred thousand troops Wang Dou spoke of were not a nominal claim, but an actual number?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",4466,"2026-06-03T14:06:27.906Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","9671aa51a95c8439bb99166888f6891e1c9d580de15ba777b8ec444ecf4b2079","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-879","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-877",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]