[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-stealing-ming":3,"chapter-stealing-ming-stealing-ming-chapter-242":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Stealing Ming",{"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},1220859,1614,"Chapter 242: Section Fifty-Seven: Harvest","stealing-ming-chapter-242",242,"\u003Cp>The Dongjiang Army’s pikemen opened a path for these axe-and-blade men, and those Guan-Ning soldiers climbed over the palisade, intending to take heads. Just as this group crossing the right-flank palisade was about to start, they saw a man push aside the corpse on top of him and struggle to his feet from the pile of dead in the trench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That man’s face was covered in reddish-brown mud, and only his darting black eyes showed he was still alive. A rasping hiss came from his throat; his armor was soaked through with blood. The five fingers of his left hand were splayed wide, straining forward, while his right hand still gripped a blade tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those Guan-Ning soldiers preparing to go take heads were originally peasants — not long before the battle they had still been farming at home. Seeing that Later Jin soldier, like some ghastly specter, trudging forward step by heavy step, every one of those Guan-Ning troops before him, who had never been on a battlefield, felt their mouths go dry and their throats tighten. Involuntarily, pushing against one another, their faces pale, they all fell back in retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After receiving a nod from squad officer Wang Qinian, Dugu Qiu vaulted over the palisade with one hand, casually flipped up his mask, and strode briskly toward that Later Jin soldier. His arms hung naturally, his long spear held loosely across his thighs. Dugu Qiu walked with light, quick steps until he stopped less than two meters in front of the man, his face still wearing a dismissive, contemptuous expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That gravely wounded Later Jin soldier bent his waist, summoned his last strength to draw his blade back behind him in a ready fighting stance, his black eyes fixed unblinkingly on Dugu Qiu’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dugu Qiu slowly leveled his long spear to his chest, then swept his arm in a swift motion. The horizontal spear shaft lashed like lightning into the opponent’s lower abdomen; then, reversing the spear, he rapidly drew it back and thrust it forward into the enemy’s chest. That Later Jin soldier crashed to his knees with a thud, the blade dropping from his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, the Changsheng Island standard-issue long dagger was simply a spearhead with a short handle added. Dugu Qiu had already killed men with a dagger when he was an auxiliary soldier. Now, before a crowd of dumbstruck new recruits, Dugu Qiu strode up to the kneeling enemy’s side. Gripping the front of the spear shaft, just as he had once held a dagger, he placed the spearhead against the hollow at the back of the enemy’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That man was still bent over the ground, utterly incapable of resistance. Dugu Qiu thrust once, driving the spearhead into the opponent’s neck, then twisted and turned it before pulling the spear out. The Later Jin soldier’s cervical spine was severed, his head lolling to one side. Dugu Qiu took a chopping blade from the axe-and-blade men, expertly grabbed the queue, and cut off the head. The headless corpse fell like a heavy sack, crashing heavily to the ground, its final agony ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Changsheng Army did not need to keep its own heads. Dugu Qiu tossed the head aside, turned around, and walked back toward his own unit without looking back, his chin thrust skyward before the Guan-Ning new recruits. As Dugu Qiu walked toward his wooden palisade, he could not help thinking: “These Tartars really are utterly feeble!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After crossing back over the railing, Dugu Qiu was met with a ripple of low cheers; his comrades all felt he had once again earned a bit of face for the Dongjiang Army. His current squad leader, Li Gen, happened to be the very instructor who had once taught him how to take heads. Squad Leader Li even slapped palms with Dugu Qiu and shouted: “Truly well done!” This kind of comradely atmosphere was something Huang Shi vigorously encouraged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those peasant axe-and-blade men of the Guan-Ning Army watched this killing scene with wooden expressions. As Dugu Qiu walked toward them with a calm face, these raw recruits parted in awe to make way for him. After that Dongjiang soldier vaulted lightly back over the palisade, the dead man’s blood had by then more or less finished draining. Only then did those soldiers who had never seen a battlefield snap out of their daze and begin vomiting violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi watched the new recruits below vomiting and staggering every which way; their dawdling would waste considerable time. Huang Shi raised his head and gazed westward. Nurhaci’s princely banner was receding into the distance, and the Later Jin army was gradually about to withdraw behind the white mist. Huang Shi then ordered his pikemen to form up and move out, to cooperate with Assistant Regional Commander Yao’s axe-and-blade men in clearing the battlefield. After issuing these orders, he turned to Zhao Yingong and said: “Lord Zhao, as the defending official of Juehua, I must trouble you to submit a memorial on my behalf, confirming today’s battle results.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a guest general, this battle merit memorial naturally did not need to be written by Wu Mu. Gazing at the brilliant victory before him, both astonished and delighted, Zhao Yingong repeatedly agreed: “No problem. Leave it to me, your humble subordinate. Once the heads are counted, I shall immediately write a memorial and report directly to the Son of Heaven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the Ming army begin to clear the battlefield, and seeing that their own forces had already withdrawn until not even a shadow remained, those Later Jin soldiers still breathing their last on the ground all understood that begging for mercy from the Dongjiang Army — especially from Huang Shi of Changsheng Island — was useless; this man never took prisoners. Knowing death was certain, many gravely wounded and dying Later Jin officers and soldiers struggled to prop themselves up and, pointing at the Ming army, cursed loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the exits of the three passageways, masses of corpses had piled into high walls of flesh. Since they could not crawl away anyway, those Later Jin officers and soldiers with shattered legs simply stopped and rested. Leaning back against the walls of flesh, they gasped their final breaths before death. With all hope extinguished, they stared blankly at the Dongjiang soldiers closing in to kill them, too weary even to struggle or resist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the Changsheng Island officers and soldiers thrust their spearheads into their bodies, these men awaiting death all pointed toward where Huang Shi stood — the command tower — and shouted in various tongues: Manchu, Mongolian, even Chinese. For a moment, the dying cries of several hundred men intertwined, surging overwhelmingly toward Huang Shi, the Dongjiang and Guan-Ning officers and soldiers, and the spectators watching the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Huang Shi appeared utterly unconcerned. Beside him, Wu Mu listened and burst out laughing, then clutched his chest and sighed: “Who would have thought the Tartars were so afraid of death? I had thought their hearts were not made of flesh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yingong and Yao Yuxian exchanged a glance. The latter cautiously asked Wu Mu: “May I venture to ask, Ambassador Wu, what are those Tartars saying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Zhao, General Yao, if you cannot understand the words of the Jianzhou slaves, can you not understand what those Han troops are saying either?” After so many years of fighting the Later Jin in Liaodong, not only could Huang Shi now understand and speak some Manchu, but even Wu Mu, who had arrived later, could curse in Manchu. First, he smugly repeated a few of the opponents’ phrases, then translated them for Vice Prefect Zhao and Assistant Regional Commander Yao. The gist was much the same as what the Han men were cursing: “In my humble opinion, those western barbarian Tartars are cursing much the same thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well said, Ambassador Wu. Your insight is profound, Ambassador Wu.” Assistant Regional Commander Yao naturally bobbed his head obsequiously in agreement. Zhao Yingong heard that the Chinese curses were extremely venomous — besides imprecations of severed bloodlines and mutual destruction, there were oaths to become vengeful ghosts and pursue souls to exact retribution. Looking again at the battlefield before him, Vice Prefect Zhao for a moment felt as if he were no longer in the world of the living. Beads of sweat involuntarily seeped from his forehead, and his heart palpitated with wave after wave of dread. He could not help glancing again toward Huang Shi, a trace of fear showing in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This small gesture was immediately noticed by the sharp-eyed Eunuch Wu. He now felt an especial sense of superiority before these men, and so paid double attention to their every move. Seeing the change in Zhao Yingong’s expression, Eunuch Wu was inwardly delighted. Again clutching his chest, he laughed and said: “Is Lord Zhao perhaps worried that after death these Tartars will turn into vengeful ghosts and trouble Military Commander Huang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pointing at the two long swords at Huang Shi’s waist, Wu Mu eagerly began to peddle his erudition: “This one is the Imperial Sword bestowed by His Majesty. Military Commander Huang is commanded to wear it at his waist. The kingly, domineering aura of this sword fills heaven and earth — that goes without saying…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Vice Prefect Zhao and Assistant Regional Commander Yao both nodding along as they listened, Wu Mu grew even more smug. But the Imperial Sword would eventually have to be returned; it could not insure Huang Shi for a lifetime. So Wu Mu then pointed at Huang Shi’s other sword and continued his eloquent discourse: “Even Military Commander Huang’s own sword here — though its aura of slaughter cannot compare with His Majesty’s Imperial Sword — still, its sword qi shoots straight up into the clouds…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With utter seriousness, Wu Mu extended his arm and pointed straight at the firmament, his face full of solemnity as he repeated: “Straight up into the clouds! Let alone mere wandering ghosts and wild spirits — even a thousand-year-old fiend that has become a spirit, let alone approaching Military Commander Huang’s side, if it encountered the sword qi of Military Commander Huang’s treasured blade even from several li away, I fear it would have its soul scattered and its form utterly destroyed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This speech drew great admiration from Zhao Yingong and Yao Yuxian; their gazes toward the treasured sword at Huang Shi’s waist were now filled with reverence. Huang Shi listened as Wu Mu’s words grew more and more fantastical, secretly amused. But he did not wish to spoil his mood. The senior officers of Changsheng Island all knew that Eunuch Wu had a taste for this sort of thing; after every major battle, he would never be content until he had boasted for at least two rounds. But in the past, everyone had humored Eunuch Wu’s temperament. Everyone knew exactly how much Eunuch Wu was really worth; though they said plenty of flattering things to him, it was merely to keep him happy. This time, Eunuch Wu had rarely encountered two such perfect foils as Assistant Regional Commander Yao and Vice Prefect Zhao, who actually took his words as divine truth. In his great delight, Eunuch Wu naturally bragged more extravagantly than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Later Jin army had already withdrawn. By the time the soldiers below had finished collecting the heads, Wu Mu had become the absolute center of attention on the command tower. He stood before the railing, gesticulating wildly as he analyzed the strategy and tactics of both armies, even bringing up past battle examples for comparison. Huang Shi had long since sat down to rest in the sheltered area behind, sipping tea as he listened to Wu Mu expound on the state of the realm up front, bamboozling Zhao Yingong until he was lost in clouds and fog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Assistant Regional Commander Yao of the Guan-Ning Army had no real combat experience, he had at least read some military treatises. He was gradually beginning to feel that Eunuch Wu’s words were unreliable. But Vice Prefect Zhao was already utterly prostrate with admiration; the more he listened, the more he felt this was a eunuch of great ability and profound insight. When a soldier came up to request that Vice Prefect Zhao go inspect the heads, Zhao Yingong was still reluctant to leave and said to Eunuch Wu with great regret: “Ambassador Wu, your humble subordinate is entangled by official duties and must take his leave first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Mu was unwilling to let go of Zhao Yingong, that rare and excellent listener, so easily. With a magnanimous wave of his hand, he said: “Let’s go together, together. Lord Zhao may not know this, but on Changsheng Island, the work of counting heads has always been done by me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, the smug Wu Mu turned around and said to Huang Shi behind him: “I am going to help Lord Zhao count heads. If Military Commander Huang has any urgent business, you may send someone to find me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi hastily stood and returned the courtesy: “Eunuch Wu, please suit yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the great victory, everyone present was in excellent spirits. Eunuch Wu and Vice Prefect Zhao descended the ladder, deferring to each other, their relationship now as warm as a pair of brothers. After they left, Assistant Regional Commander Yao’s face was plastered with an ingratiating smile as he incessantly flattered Huang Shi on his achievements. Huang Shi, resting on a stool, invited Assistant Regional Commander Yao to sit and talk as well. Yao’s face full of earnestness, he repeatedly waved his hands: “I dare not, I dare not. Before Military Commander Huang, how could there be a seat for a lowly general like me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Huang Shi’s insistence, Assistant Regional Commander Yao sat down with a beaming smile. While his mouth kept up a stream of sycophantic praise for Huang Shi, his hands slapped his thighs in excitement, his mind rapidly calculating how much battle merit he could claim this time. Originally, Assistant Regional Commander Yao had felt he was already, in a vague way, the foremost among the Juehua generals. This time, it was again thanks to him overriding all objections, insisting that everyone stay off the boats and remain to share Huang Shi’s fate, staking everything to seize wealth and rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the preparatory phase, Assistant Regional Commander Yao, whose nose had always been keen, had supported Huang Shi with all his might. When everyone else was timid and shrinking back, afraid to stick their necks out, only old Yao had accompanied Huang Shi to ask Zhao Yingong for silver, cheering him on. During the battle, Yao Yuxian had clung to his position like a mountain, taking Huang Shi’s lead as his sole guide, and had even stood with Huang Shi on this command platform — where, had they been overrun, there would have been no time to flee. Now that great merit was in hand, Yao Yuxian reckoned that he was bound to get the largest cut of the meat. Otherwise, not only would he himself not agree, the Dongjiang Army officers and soldiers would not agree, and Guardian Huang would absolutely not agree either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of these gratifying prospects, the delighted Assistant Regional Commander Yao grinned so wide his teeth showed but his eyes disappeared, and he could not even get his flattery out smoothly. While Huang Shi conversed with Yao Yuxian, several other Guan-Ning Army generals also grew restless. The group led by Oboi had raided the position of Assistant Regional Commander Jin Guan. As soon as Assistant Regional Commander Jin saw that the fighting had reached a lull, he immediately sent over several dozen heads all together. Although Assistant Regional Commander Jin had been feeling somewhat unwell these past few days, now that great merit was secured, no matter how unwell his body felt, he had to stiffen up and secure his share of the credit first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Assistant Regional Commander Jin and several personal guards dragged a large pile of heads up to the command tower, he personally scooped up a dozen or so heads and hurried over to Huang Shi, his eyes already narrowed into slits from smiling: “Your humble general, following Military Commander Huang’s order to hold the near end of the left flank, has taken thirty heads. Fortunate not to have failed in my duty, fortunate not to have failed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi asked with curiosity about the course of the battle. Assistant Regional Commander Jin nodded hastily and, clutching the heads in his arms, was about to begin his account. Huang Shi quickly ordered a guard to find him a seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Assistant Regional Commander Jin was greatly alarmed at these words. Clutching the large pile of heads in his arms, he retreated two steps, his face instantly turning pale: “Before Military Commander Huang, how could there be a seat for a lowly general like me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi rose, personally took the spoils of war from Jin Guan’s hands, and then invited Assistant Regional Commander Jin to sit. Assistant Regional Commander Jin said repeatedly: “This is too great an honor, too great an honor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once seated, Assistant Regional Commander Jin launched into an embellished account of the battle on the left-flank cliff. In his description, it became a truly heaven-shaking, spirit-weeping great battle. Jin Guan’s personal guard captain, Bai Zhangfa, also interjected a line or two at key moments: “…Relying on Military Commander Huang’s tiger-like might, our lord led from the front, and in the end we beat the Jianzhou slaves back down, thus ensuring the left flank was not lost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi listened with a solemn expression, then let out a long breath as if a great weight had been lifted: “All thanks to Assistant Regional Commander Jin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Military Commander Huang flatters me, flatters me.” Assistant Regional Commander Jin’s grin stretched all the way to his ears, and his eyes narrowed again into thin slits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Assistant Regional Commander Jin’s words had barely faded when the men saw another red-tasseled helmet crest emerge from the ladder. It turned out to be Hu Yining, who had been responsible for guarding the rear right flank of the Changsheng Army, arriving as well. After Assistant Regional Commander Hu clambered up panting, he did not even pause to catch his breath before hastily bowing and scraping as he asked: “Military Commander Huang, was your humble general able to render even a tiny bit of help in this battle?” Like Jin Guan, Hu Yining, seeing that the main event was over, had promptly abandoned his troops and post to rush eagerly to the command tower where Huang Shi was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, of course.” Although both Assistant Regional Commander Hu and Assistant Regional Commander Jin had left their posts without permission, Huang Shi did not wish to pour cold water on them at this moment. Besides, the Later Jin army had indeed withdrawn until not even a shadow could be seen. Huang Shi gave Hu Yining a thumbs-up: “With Assistant Regional Commander Hu and Assistant Regional Commander Jin on the left and right flanks, I could be free of worries to my rear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with more and more people arriving, the stools on the command tower were becoming insufficient. Huang Shi’s eyes swept around and he called out: “Someone, bring a seat for Assistant Regional Commander Hu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah～～～～～～～” Assistant Regional Commander Hu let out a cry of shock. With an expression of utter disbelief, he shouted at the top of his lungs: “Before Military Commander Huang, how could there be a seat for a lowly general like me!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After much earnest persuasion, Assistant Regional Commander Hu very reluctantly sat down. Before Huang Shi could even return to his own seat, he saw several more people come up the ladder in one breath. It turned out that the three Mobile Corps Commanders — Ji Shan, Wu Yu, and Zhang Guoqing — also could not sit still and had hurried over here to gather information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi naturally offered another round of encouragement. But as he was pondering where to seat these three, another chorus of alarmed cries erupted on the command tower: “Before Military Commander Huang, how could there be seats for lowly generals like us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the fighting stopped, the black-clad political workers from Changsheng Island promptly surged to the front of the ranks, waving their wide sleeves and shouting to the officers and soldiers: “Victory, victory! For the Great Ming favored by God, for the Dongjiang Army beloved by God…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaplain corps was an important brainwashing tool for the Changsheng Island troops. The so-called absolutely confidential personal confessions were also one of the key channels through which Changsheng Island gathered intelligence on the ideological trends of its officers and soldiers. Of course, Huang Shi would not do anything as shortsighted as killing the goose that laid the golden eggs; the soldiers’ confession records were all anonymous. No matter what treasonous thoughts were found within, Zhang Zaidi would never investigate who had spoken them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To better protect this tool, all slogans of the Changsheng Island chaplain corps had to first be reviewed and approved by Eunuch Wu before they could be used.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With sincerity, revere God —”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dense mass of men on the defense line simultaneously raised their weapons high and shouted, baring their arms: “Then no prayer goes unanswered.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With loyalty, serve the sovereign —”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three thousand Dongjiang Army officers and soldiers stood ramrod straight. Their armor gleamed more brilliantly than ice and snow, and the fighting spirit emanating from them shot straight into the heavens: “Then no task goes unaccomplished!”\u003C\u002Fp>",3607,"2026-06-04T07:54:54.057Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","393aa653af59b14d7180807d6e79dc49a9ec8931bd590b44556ad475cba1027b","stealing-ming-chapter-243","stealing-ming-chapter-241",323,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstealing-ming-cover.jpg"]