[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-stealing-ming":3,"chapter-stealing-ming-stealing-ming-chapter-61":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},1220678,1614,"Chapter 61: Section Nine","stealing-ming-chapter-61",61,"\u003Cp>Repeated looting had brought subtle changes to this Ming army unit. Huang Shi adopted a devious trick he had learned from Huang Taiji — no private looting was allowed. Every time there were \"spoils of war,\" they had to be collected together and then handed over to Zhao Manxiong for distribution. By relying on this method, Huang Shi barely managed to maintain military discipline and kept the unit's order from collapsing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The plan of hiding by day and moving by night had already fallen apart. Even before reaching Sanchahe, Huang Shi had discovered this approach was unworkable. The reason was night blindness — due to severe malnutrition among people of this era, at least half of Huang Shi's soldiers suffered from this condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the large number of horses lessened the difficulty of night marches, the soldiers still needed to hold torches for illumination. So in the current march, Huang Shi only avoided the few hours around noon and tried to cover as much ground as possible during daylight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Problems came one after another. The dwindling number of horses and the lack of fodder gave Huang Shi a severe headache. In the end, he decided to take a desperate risk and attack a Later Jin post station. At this time, a post station was structurally a small fortress, complete with its own enemy tower, observation platform, barracks, and wooden walls, and inside there would be a small storehouse and a well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they assaulted the post station head-on, the casualties alone would be more than Huang Shi could bear, not to mention that the wounded would further slow the marching speed. Moreover, the post station also had a beacon tower — being pursued and intercepted by Later Jin local forces was no joking matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since a direct assault was impossible, they had no choice but to attempt a surprise attack. Today during daylight, Ma Qianzu had gone to scout the target. After returning, his report was quite optimistic: perhaps because it was situated in the safe rear area, this post station seemed to have little vigilance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Qianzu and several other scouts had observed it for a long time during the day and found that the sentries inside were lethargic, and often no one was even standing guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Based on my experience, a surprise attack in the second half of the night is best — that's when people sleep most soundly.\" Ma Qianzu spoke with confidence and ease: \"My lord, when your subordinate was looting manors in Shandong, if not a hundred then at least eighty — the second half of the night is absolutely the best time for a night raid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi's several Company Commanders had no experience in this area and all tended to favor adopting Ma Qianzu's plan. But Huang Shi pondered it over and over — the soldiers all still needed rest, and tomorrow they still needed to march. So now no plan could be considered from a purely military perspective anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the sky turned dark, Huang Shi could not wait any longer and urgently organized the night raid team to attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reporting to my lord, the squad has finished assembling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good. He Baodao, Ma Qianzu, I leave it to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, you may set your mind at ease.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night descended. Forty soldiers who absolutely had no night blindness problem were assembled and, under He Baodao's leadership, stealthily crept toward that post station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi had already noticed that among his several subordinates, the least distinctive was Yang Zhiyuan — he could do anything but was mediocre at everything; He Baodao was a reckless daredevil; Jin Qiude was best suited for supervising battles, killing without blinking an eye; Zhao Manxiong, though full of crafty ideas, always stood far at the very rear in every battle, and his reactions were bizarrely slow — unless he had thought a problem through completely, he absolutely refused to make a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the darkness, Huang Shi strained his eyes as wide as possible and faintly saw four or five dark silhouettes climb over. Soon the post station gate was gently opened. That Ma Qianzu's skill was truly impressive — the post station's wooden gate was thick and heavy, yet when Ma Qianzu opened it, there was not the slightest sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, Huang Shi had not even heard any sounds of fighting or shouting before Ma Qianzu slipped back: \"My lord, not a single person escaped, and not a single person made a sound.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truly worthy of being an old mounted bandit — as expected, he had looted if not a Company Commander, then at least eighty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Very good. Raise torches. The entire army is to enter and rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corpses of the five Later Jin post riders were dragged aside. After the main gate was shut, the soldiers immediately started fires to cook. To Huang Shi's delight, the post station had urgently needed fodder, and also ten horses. The post station barracks had been designed for a hundred men, but by squeezing in to sleep, it was still spacious enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the meal was cooked, Huang Shi, as usual, ordered his personal guards and Company Commanders to supervise the soldiers washing their hands and faces first. Everyone had to drink boiled water, and the few sick cases went without saying. They would be assigned bed bunks just like the officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The devil is in the details. Huang Shi went one by one to comfort the wounded and sick, even tucking in the corners of their blankets and saying a few warm words. In this era, officers were all very harsh toward soldiers. Zhang Pan reported that privately some said Huang Shi showed a bit of \"a woman's soft-heartedness,\" but they were all also deeply moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After ordering Jin Qiude to arrange the night watch personnel, Huang Shi also washed up and went to sleep. Marching day and night without distinction had exhausted him, so Huang Shi fell asleep the moment he lay down. When Jin Qiude shook him awake, Huang Shi felt as if he had not slept long, and he soon discovered that indeed he had not slept long. The surroundings were still pitch black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, my lord, wake up quickly, we have trouble!\" Jin Qiude's voice sounded very anxious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The night sentries spotted human silhouettes moving around outside.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words made Huang Shi scramble up from the bed at once. Outside, the night raid team had all already been roused, and the soldiers not in the night raid team were also waiting in the darkness for orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How many?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can't see clearly. In any case, they have ill intentions. We estimate we've been discovered.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi followed Jin Qiude and climbed up to the wooden wall. Peering out through the gaps in the wall, he seemed to see something in the darkness as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, it looks like there are people on three sides. The numbers are unclear, but it seems we are surrounded.\" Zhao Manxiong slipped over and quietly reported to Huang Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi was both shocked and furious. Although he knew this was not the time to assign blame, he still could not help asking: \"Wasn't it said that not a single person escaped?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, please forgive this offense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forget it,\" Huang Shi said irritably. This was truly not the moment to reproach his subordinates. What worried him most was not knowing the enemy's numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, the enemy is not attacking on their own initiative — they are clearly waiting for reinforcements.\" Jin Qiude slipped over as well and muttered quietly: \"The people outside seem to still be deploying. Should our army take this chance to break out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words instantly made Huang Shi break out in a cold sweat. If the enemy was merely keeping watch on him and waiting for the Later Jin main army to close the encirclement, he would not have the slightest chance. He pulled a few of his trusted men close and together they tiptoed back into the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We cannot break out,\" He Baodao objected first. \"If we break out, what about the wounded and sick?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly. Whether we raise torches or not — if we don't, what about the soldiers with night blindness? If we do raise torches, we'll all be targets.\" Yang Zhiyuan also disagreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi felt someone poke him in the darkness and knew it was Jin Qiude hinting that he should abandon those with night blindness and the sick cases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, if our army does not break out now and gets encircled by the main army, your subordinate fears there will be no chance left.\" Seeing that Huang Shi showed no reaction, Jin Qiude said urgently: \"Break out, my lord. Make the decision quickly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1466,"2026-06-04T07:54:30.907Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","3c50f9e005099c2f3fec9b02b1343abecfe203f2cc16b9ff07ca464fffe097a6","stealing-ming-chapter-62","stealing-ming-chapter-60",323,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstealing-ming-cover.jpg"]