[{"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-883":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},1206172,1561,"Chapter 883","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-883",883,"\u003Cp>At that moment he urged his horse forward, flanked by the various Army Ministry officers, the Guard Regional Commander, the relay cavalry, as well as the army’s First-Class battalions, the Elite Cavalry, the Hunter Cavalry, the Loyalty Battalion horse troops, the mounted contingents of the Shaanxi-Gansu generals, and so on — roughly twenty thousand riders in all. They formed a vast column, likewise advancing behind the infantry formation on both wings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In particular, the Loyalty Battalion and the Shaanxi-Gansu generals’ horse troops massed on the two wings with great depth, tightly shielding the infantry formation in a shape resembling an “H.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were also the army’s logistics division and the engineering corps, busy hauling and swapping equipment for the main force; when idle, they would also help the medical corps carry the wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them were several hundred grenadiers, each carrying ten-thousand-man bombs; if needed, they could assault the enemy together with the infantry formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that the roving bandits’ central army had already dispatched horse troops on both wings — roughly two to three thousand riders each, with several more contingents preparing behind them — Wen Fangliang ordered the cavalry on both wings to meet them. After the artillery bombardment, under the cover of smoke and dust, they would charge the enemy riders and smash these harassing troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out on the open field, some scout riders had been skirmishing and chasing one another. After both sides formed their battle arrays, the two forces largely returned to their main formations. But now, seeing that small bands of bandit horse troops were again showing a tendency to run forward and harass, Wen Fangliang ordered some of the army’s Elite Cavalry and Hunter Cavalry to move out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were to wipe out those small groups of bandit riders charging toward the infantry formation, shielding the foot soldiers, as well as the safety of the artillerymen and archers advancing before the formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed into the distance. On each wing of the roving bandits’ central army were roughly over ten thousand riders; in the rear core were about thirty thousand riders, including Li Chuang’s ten thousand-strong central guard army, directly commanded by the bandit general Liu Zongmin as Quan General, with Li Yan as Deputy Quan General of the command staff, and Dang Shousu, Xin Sizhong, Gu Kecheng, and others serving as Weiwu General and Guoyi General.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Together with the over ten thousand veteran camp troops overseeing the battle on both wings, these were the cream of their forces. As long as these veteran camps were wiped out, the roving bandits who had plagued the Great Ming for so many years would be utterly annihilated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their original battle line had been about four li deep: the chariot and musket battalions took up one li of depth; each of the three walls of ten thousand riders, twenty ranks deep, took up roughly one li; the thirty thousand riders were three li deep. Now that the chariot, artillery, and musket battalions had collapsed and hastily withdrawn to the rear to regroup, the distance between their own infantry formation and the enemy cavalry formation was already less than five li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A six-pounder red-barbarian cannon shuddered violently; its muzzle spewed dense smoke, and amid a fierce flash of fire, a solid iron ball weighing over five jin hurtled viciously toward the horse troops before it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sickening cracks of snapping bone, severed limbs and stumps, flesh and blood flying everywhere, human legs and horse legs — the killing power of a solid cannonball was truly horrifying. Even though the bandit horse troops were spread out wide and their ranks were not dense, as the iron ball plowed through, it still carved out a bloody alley, sending all manner of limbs flying into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Acrid smoke spread thickly, and the roar of cannon fire rumbled in wave after wave. It was not just this single cannon firing; before the Azure Dragon Army’s formation were one hundred ordinary red-barbarian cannons with a range of two to three li, fifteen of them placed on each wing. Now, the thirty red-barbarian cannons on both wings were firing furiously, pounding the charging veteran camp horse troops relentlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only that, the heavy cannons on some of the artillery platforms already positioned behind the formation were also roaring to life, howling with tremendous noise as they viciously smashed heavy shells weighing over a dozen jin down upon the heads of the onrushing bandit horse troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Shilu clicked his tongue in astonishment at the gruesome scene over there. The Jingbian Army’s rockets had already greatly broadened his horizons, but these cannons were even more accurate, more devastating, faster-firing, and longer-ranged than any red-barbarian cannon he knew of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by their rate of fire, they were probably firing a shot in less than ten breaths, and they could even keep up a continuous bombardment of ten shots before pausing briefly to rest and cool down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the storm-like barrage of cannonballs, You Shilu could see that the charging bandit horse troops over there had been completely stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, You Shilu and his men were positioned on the right wing of the central army. Their ten thousand riders had been further divided into three waves by You Shiwei, with You Shilu in the forward echelon leading the first assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that the opportunity must not be missed, You Shilu roared, “Soldiers, follow me and kill the bandits!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brandishing his great hammer, he was the first to charge out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten thousand victories!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only his own retainers, but even Regional Commanders Li Changling, Gao Ruli, and others in the formation bellowed in response, each spurring their horses forward. Dressed uniformly in red coats with gold trim, with rolling momentum and hoofbeats rumbling like thunder, over three thousand riders charged the enemy without a backward glance. Even though they faced the bandits’ veteran camps, they showed no fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill the bandits!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two sides charged at each other ferociously. The rumbling hoofbeats seemed to set off a violent earthquake across the land. That charge of thousands upon thousands of horses, that surging stampede, that trembling earth, that countless fluttering banners and streaming pennants — it made one’s heart feel ready to leap out of one’s chest. The faint-hearted even shut their eyes, not daring to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cavalry clashes always make one’s blood boil like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching from Dang’er Ridge, Wang Dou took in the scene before him, which reminded him of past years, when he too had spurred his horse and charged like that. He could never forget that intensely virile spectacle. He watched as the two cavalry forces raced closer and closer, like surging tidal waves, and then slammed viciously into each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, Wang Dou nearly closed his eyes. Cavalry combat was exceedingly brutal; life and death for both sides hung on a single moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou saw it very clearly: after the two sides collided and passed through each other, all along the path, men, horses, banners, and weapons were flung into the air. Then, once both sides had charged through and separated, the ground was littered with pitifully neighing warhorses, dismounted soldiers trampled into bloody pulp, and wounded men wailing one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cavalry combat was just that brutal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it was also plainly evident that their own horse troops had gained the upper hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from their own formidable fighting prowess and resolute combat will, the fact that their own artillery had already shattered the enemy ranks’ momentum and spirit beforehand was also a crucial factor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dou said, “Fight just like this. The cavalry will provide cover; the infantry formation will press forward, with archers and artillery following. Once we are one li from their position, open up with all rockets and cannons, and carry out a carpet bombardment of their wings and rear formation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Diaoyang, the central army and guard commander, promptly relayed his order to the sector commander, Wen Fangliang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a volley of musketry, a large swath of the opposing bandit horse troops tumbled over. They rolled on the ground shrieking; the agony of being shot made every one of them wish for death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several dozen Elite Cavalry soldiers swept past their flanks. At a distance of twenty to thirty paces, each drew a hand cannon and pulled the trigger at them. Another wave of screaming men and neighing horses followed, as blood blossoms erupted ceaselessly from the bandits, who shrieked and tumbled from their mounts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or their horses were hit, going mad with fright and throwing their riders off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or, from time to time, Jingbian Army cavalrymen would gallop past them at no great distance, carrying lit fragmentation ten-thousand-man bombs. Borrowing the speed of their swift horses, they viciously hurled the bombs into the enemy ranks, blasting the bandit riders into howling chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The roving bandits who could shoot from horseback were still few. Even those with the skill generally used horse bows, which were weak in draw strength and short in range, utterly incapable of competing with the horse carbines and hand cannons of the Jingbian Army’s Hunter Cavalry and Elite Cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From far away, they were picked off one by one by the Hunter Cavalry’s carbines at a distance of fifty to sixty paces. Then the Elite Cavalry struck from their flanks. In a single engagement, the exchange ratio was astonishingly lopsided; even with equal numbers, the opposing bandit riders found themselves in a situation where they could only take hits without being able to retaliate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White smoke hung thick over the battlefield, and the crack of firearms was incessant. Through the efforts of the Elite Cavalry and Hunter Cavalry, the various bands of bandit riders that had come to harass the infantry formation were quickly driven off and wiped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the Jingbian Army’s infantry formation continue to press relentlessly forward, about to enter within four li, while their own horse troops repeatedly sallied forth only to be tightly entangled by the enemy cavalry on both wings — these were their own most elite veteran camps, yet they were only fighting the enemy horse troops to a standstill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, and more than that: the enemy cavalry massed on the left wing of their infantry formation was estimated at only about five thousand riders, while their own horse troops massed on the right wing of the central army numbered over ten thousand, yet they were still only fighting to a standstill. The ferocity of their fighting strength was truly astonishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those elite riders of theirs who fired muskets from horseback were even more deadly. No matter how many detachments of their own horse troops were sent to harass the enemy infantry formation, they were all stubbornly driven off, unable to hinder the advance of the enemy infantry formation in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was to be done?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the opposing Jingbian Army Azure Dragon Army infantry formation draw nearer and nearer, Li Zicheng and the others furrowed their brows tightly. Only now did they feel that, although their own forces were numerous, they seemed to be of little use; at the critical moment, they could not produce any elite troops to hold them back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They looked toward the two wings of the great formation: the crack of musketry shook the heavens, and cannon fire howled. Both sides were locked in a fierce, indecisive struggle, seemingly unable to gain the upper hand over the other. Yet the most crucial point was still here at the central army; this was the decisive factor that would determine victory or defeat on the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tianwang, your humble general believes we must continue to commit the veteran camp elite riders. Right now, the two wings of the central formation are locked in a stalemate. Perhaps if we throw in another twenty thousand horse troops, we can break through their wings and then circle around to the rear of their infantry formation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan observed for a long while, and finally offered his own solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zicheng neither agreed nor disagreed. Liu Zongmin shot Li Yan a sidelong glance and said in a strange, mocking tone, “And if we can’t break through? You donkey’s ball, what does Mr. Li propose we do then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He went on, “It was clear from the fighting just now: they placed a lot of cannons on the wings of their infantry formation. When my veteran camp brothers charged, they were scattered halfway by the bombardment. Then their horse troops charged out, formed ranks against our unformed ones, and defeated our horse formation every time. Damn it all, who knows if they won’t pull the same trick again? They might even use those strange rockets that can shoot so far. My veteran camp brothers might lose all cohesion before they’re even halfway there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added, “Moreover, their infantry formation is very thin. Even if we circle around to their rear, they’ll just turn around or form a square formation. My tens of thousands of horse troops would be even less likely to gain any advantage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zicheng, Li Guo, Liu Xiyao, and the others all changed color. Speaking of this square formation, they could not help but recall the incident years ago when they attacked Cao Wang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That year, Cao Bianjiao had also formed a square formation, and their horse troops had charged it. The painful lesson remained fresh in their memory even now. They did not believe that Wang Dou’s Jingbian Army was ignorant of this tactic. If they fought until their morale collapsed, and then the enemy horse troops charged again with a thunderous blow, the consequences would be too dreadful to contemplate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, there were still several thousand riders behind the enemy infantry formation, possibly even stronger than the horse troops on the wings; that too had to be taken into account.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guo said admiringly, “The older the ginger, the spicier it is. In matters of battle strategy, we must still rely on the planning of our Chief Scout, Master Liu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Xiyao also said, “Just tell us plainly how we should respond, Ruhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan fell silent. After entering the capital, Liu Zongmin’s lust for power had grown immense; he often intentionally or unintentionally squeezed Li Yan’s influence within the central elite troops, and from time to time targeted him outright. The old forthrightness and closeness were completely gone, making him constantly feel as if he were sitting on a bed of needles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he had to admit that Liu Zongmin’s words were very reasonable. Whether they failed to charge through or the Jingbian Army formed a square formation at that time, neither would be easy to deal with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zicheng also looked toward Liu Zongmin, wanting to hear what good countermeasure he had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zongmin rubbed his full-cheeked curly beard. This veteran general of the Chuang camp also found it hard to decide. He pondered for a long time, and finally said: “We can only charge their infantry formation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said: “Also a charge by twenty thousand horse troops. As long as we can endure the bombardment of their cannons and rockets and charge up close to them, their thin rows of infantry will surely collapse. Then we drive their routed troops to break their formation, and we win this battle. The key is to charge through.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guo and Liu Xiyao’s faces changed. The two wings could not move; otherwise, what if the Jingbian Army horse troops charged in for a flank attack? And to send out twenty thousand horse troops, they could only use the front two walls of their Three Walls formation. The central elite troops would not be committed to battle casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They looked at the infantry formation ahead and instinctively felt it would not be easy to charge. Many men would die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, after the strange weapon strike by the Jingbian Army just now, and with the collapse of the front line still vivid in their minds, even the old camp in their formation showed considerable fear. It was only because the two-wing horse troops had sallied, and because the advancing Jingbian infantry formation had not fired those strange weapons, that their battle line had barely managed not to collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, to go and break that infantry formation, they did not know if the brothers in the formation had the resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, they harbored a sliver of hope. In the melee just now, their cannons had fired and then the cavalry had immediately come out; the coordination of cavalry and artillery had shown astonishing power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But against an infantry formation, after their cannons fired, the infantry would surely wait in place. Combined with the horse troops’ advantage over foot soldiers, it seemed they might be able to charge through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep down, they believed more in the horse troops, and facts had also proven that very few infantry formations did not collapse under the earth-shaking charge of cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should they charge? They all looked toward Li Zicheng, and Li Zicheng was also pondering in silence, hesitating and unable to decide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should we make our move?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Hu looked left and right and whispered to Kong San.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, they were positioned on the right wing of the central army, with about three thousand horse soldiers around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their Mountain Patrol Camp had five thousand men. Although every man now enjoyed old-camp treatment and had a horse, having a horse did not mean every man could fight on horseback. Some could merely ride. So in this great formation composed purely of old-camp veterans, they had also carefully selected three thousand riders to come out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the melee just now, they had been arrayed in the third line. After dealing with it, they returned, sending some who deserved death to their doom, fighting with fierce bravery and tenacity. After seeing this, Li Chuang had even specially sent men to commend and console them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No rush.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong San gazed at the position opposite. An excited look flashed in his eyes: “The Grand General’s troops are even more numerous and sharper.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said: “Wait until the roving bandits are thrown into greater chaos and their losses are heavier. That will be the time for us to act.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Tatars are about to begin charging the formation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao put down his telescope and thought silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw a large mass of Outer Vassal Mongol troops gathering four li away. It looked like they would launch an attack soon, and judging by their movements, this was only the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The army staff officer beside him, Zheng Zonghui, said: “The Outer Vassal Mongol Aohan, Naiman, Kharchin, Tumed, and other tribes — according to intelligence, they have contributed ten thousand banner men, including three thousand armored soldiers. Given their status within the Eastern Slave state, they have been placed in the first wave to charge the formation. Judging by their deployment, these ten thousand riders are roughly divided into two waves. Calculated at five thousand riders per wave, the slave chieftain may arrange ten to twenty waves of continuous assault.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battalion commanders beside him — Lei Xianbin, Xie Shangbiao, Tian Qiming, Zhang Tanggong, Xu Youyu, and others — all wore grave expressions. The slave bandits were coming with ferocious momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Pu listened nearby and could not help but swallow hard. Seeing the large number of cannons in front of the formation and the large number of rockets on the Zhuxinzhuang Ridge, his heart settled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Chao nodded silently. He looked toward his own army formation: two Yi-grade battalions of the Xuanwu Army, Wang Pu’s new army battalion, and two Bing-grade battalions formed the front line. Their sixteen thousand infantry combat soldiers were divided into eight rows, with four rows of arquebusiers and four rows of pikemen inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, in front of the formation were arrayed one hundred and fifty ordinary Dutch-style great cannons, fifty Grand General Frankish cannons, and two hundred and fifty medium and small Frankish cannons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were also forty heavy Dutch-style cannons, forty heavy mortars, three light rocket battalions, and two and a half heavy rocket battalions placed on the Zhuxinzhuang Ridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was absolutely no problem with defensive firepower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, behind the front line were his own Jia-grade battalions, the Biao Cavalry, the Hunting Cavalry, the horse troops of the newly attached battalions, and the surrendered Mongols — twenty thousand riders in all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression turned solemn: “All officers to your posts. Meet the enemy in dense formation. Tell Zhao Xuan on the ridge: all rockets and cannons are to concentrate their bombardment only after the slave cavalry enters within two li.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, the ground trembled faintly. The Outer Vassal Mongol troops had already begun to advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They surged forward like a tide. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but densely packed, boundless cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>",3477,"2026-06-03T14:06:27.906Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","45a7dcb32b9f1f56730acd505ab097f5f4cf9ebaa3a0c3b36656208a2b08a5fe","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-884","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-882",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]