Stealing the Ming Dynasty [Complete] - 11

Volume 8,

Chapter 1: Etiquette.

Completely disbanding the household servants would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar. Both officers and their servants would certainly oppose it vehemently, and even Huang Shi himself would have a hard time explaining it to dozens of "Huang family members." Therefore, Huang Shi took a roundabout approach. As the director, Huang Shi assigned himself the role of the good cop, while Bao Jiusun took on the role of the bad cop.

He suggested that some officers should not receive extra subsidies, meaning that until the situation on Changsheng Island improved, all the servants doing private work would have to be supported by the officers themselves. At the same time, for the sake of management convenience, Bao Jiusun also suggested that officers should not receive private plots or military households for the time being—meaning that the servants would also have no private work to do.

Huang Shi immediately approved these proposals, so that officers and servants would not receive any economic benefits. All servants had to obey Bao Jiusun's arrangements, otherwise they wouldn't receive the soldiers' rations. Then Huang Shi ordered that the soldiers' training must also be unified. The "righteousness" of this order was that the army was newly established, and the soldiers had to use a single command.

If you want others to follow your lead, you have to start with yourself. However, when Huang Shi proposed giving up his private plot of land and servants, even Zhang Zaidi vehemently opposed it. Therefore, Huang Shi knew this was easier said than done. He first announced that he wouldn't take the thousand mu of land himself, but he allowed several officers to keep their rightful half—five mu.

The other officers earnestly persuaded Huang Shi not to make things too difficult for themselves; their efforts to protect Huang Shi's interests were also to protect their own property. If Huang Shi really didn't keep anything, they would feel embarrassed to keep five mu. Because their opposition was so fierce, Huang Shi finally had to back down. He revised the plan—setting aside fifty mu of land, the income from which would go as a welfare fund for officers, including Huang Shi.

This plan was finally approved, and the four captains handed over their land and servants without a word, thus nipping a significant portion of the feudalistic tendencies on Changsheng Island in the bud.

The discontent of the servants also needed to be appeased. Huang Shi gathered nearly a hundred laid-off servants for a talk. He first pointed out that if they wanted to maintain their relationship with the head of the household, they could return to work when their economic situation allowed—in any case, Huang Shi would be the one to judge their situation.

Secondly, these servants would be trained as officers. Huang Shi planned to establish a training system similar to a military academy. Why call it a military academy-like training? Because it would all be conducted under the guise of military training. Huang Shi didn't have the guts to openly run a military academy. The teacher-student relationship was a powerful weapon in ancient times; the Donglin, Qi, and Chu factions all rose to power this way. The ancients might not have thought of it, but they were certainly not stupid. Huang Shi estimated that anyone with common sense would immediately understand the significance of a military academy, so he only intended to take the practical benefits of military academy students and dared not risk his life for the title of "Principal Huang."

"This training team will no longer engage in production. During the day, Commander He will be in charge of drills," Huang Shi began to assign tasks to the training team.

He Baodao seemed to have something to say, but hesitated, finally replying respectfully, "Your subordinate obeys."

"Tonight, I will teach them to read," Huang Shi smiled, noticing the surprised expressions on his trusted men's faces. "They'll only have simple characters, enough for them to understand the most basic military orders."

"Besides that, Commander Jin will be responsible for teaching them military law, making sure they understand the rationale behind each clause." Huang Shi turned his gaze to Jin Qiude.

"Is that really necessary? Just have them memorize it," Jin Qiude retorted dismissively.

“It’s absolutely necessary,” Huang Shi always felt it was crucial for his subordinates to understand the rationale behind orders, and that communication between superiors and subordinates was also essential. He casually gave Jin Qiude an example: “For instance, our military law stipulates that officers can execute deserters on the spot, but if a deserter returns alive, they must be treated differently: the leader is executed, and the followers are whipped. Officers cannot execute them without authorization. Why?”

“Deserting on the battlefield has very adverse consequences, so officers naturally have to do their best to prevent it. But if the rule is that all deserters are executed, then soldiers won’t dare to return to their units. Since the deed has already been done, they should at least try to gather the scattered soldiers.” Jin Qiude answered fluently; he and Huang Shi had already discussed this issue.

“Indeed, soldiers are our army’s most valuable asset, and they should not be sacrificed unless absolutely necessary. The soldiers in the training corps can learn the meaning of our army’s military law through studying it. For example, our army’s military law stipulates that officers who retreat in the face of battle should be executed on the spot. However, if our army is certain of victory, and some new recruits are afraid to go forward to attack the city and kill the enemy, I think we can handle it leniently, after all, new recruits will eventually grow into veterans. I hope that my officers can make judgments based on the battlefield situation, rather than rigidly enforcing military law.”

“Understood, sir.” Jin Qiude also thought that what Huang Shi said made some sense.

“Finally, it is Commander Yang’s job. Every soldier in the training corps must understand the significance of supplies, and have basic knowledge, such as how many kilograms of fodder each warhorse needs to eat every day, how many miles it takes to wear out a pair of straw sandals, etc., and also learn some simple arithmetic.” Huang Shi originally wanted to promote Arabic numerals, but Jin Qiude brought out a set of Suzhou numerals. Huang Shi thought it was also good, so he decided to promote Suzhou numerals first, after all, it was convenient for communication. (Suzhou numerals: 〇〡〢〣〤〥〦〧〨〩〆, the ancient Chinese numeral system for counting from zero to ten)

"Gentlemen, these soldiers in the training team are not being trained as soldiers. Everything we teach them will be tested. Let's call this the 'Commander Qualification Test.' All soldiers who pass will receive the title of Acting Commander. From now on, all officers in my Firefighting Battalion must be selected from those who hold this title."

Huang Shi also prepared numerous battle case studies, including Xiping, Shaling, Guangning, the expedition to Lushun, and the current defense and ambush at Lushun: "Soldiers who obtain the title of Acting Commander will be led by Commander Zhao to study these battles; I will also have Li Yunrui responsible for guiding them on key reconnaissance points. Finally, I will personally test them. Those who pass will be awarded the title of Acting Thousand-Man Commander. From now on, all Thousand-Man Commanders in my Firefighting Battalion must have this title to obtain their positions."

"Do you all understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the four newly appointed commanders replied loudly in unison.

Huang Shi was very satisfied with the plan. Once it was implemented, the feudal foundation of the army would be broken, and his trusted subordinates did not have much opposition, as their respective factions were far from being established.

In May of the third year of the Tianqi reign, Changsheng Island finally welcomed the long-awaited supervisor...

As soon as the small boat came to a stop, Huang Shi, wearing a black gauze hat with square wings, a third-rank official's black bear robe, and short black boots with covered toes, shook his wide sleeves, bowed respectfully to the cabin, and said loudly, "This humble general, Vice Commander Huang, awaits Eunuch Wu."

The military officers behind Huang Shi also shouted loudly at the same time, "We, your humble servants, await Eunuch Wu."

They had practiced this action many times, and this time it was perfect, with every word pronounced clearly, and everyone's tone was both respectful and sincere.

Li Yunrui told Huang Shi that, needless to say, the eunuchs, and even the Jinyiwei soldiers, no longer wore the attire of the emperor's personal guards. In the capital, they always wore black gauze hats with flying fish patterns instead of armor, and no one carried weapons for many years; they only wore the copper badge of the Zhenfu Division on their waists. Over the years, it had become a custom in the Ming Dynasty that officials should wear long robes and black gauze hats when they met, otherwise they would be considered impolite and disrespectful.

Everyone felt that it was best to dress according to their custom and make a good impression on the supervising eunuch Wu and the two Jinyiwei soldiers first. So, the officers led by Huang Shi all took off their military uniforms and put on their respective rank-specific official robes, and each of them carefully combed their beards and hair seven or eight times before daring to appear in public.

These officers, who were usually busy to the point of exhaustion, always wore military uniforms and armor, and only two days ago during the rehearsal did they rummage through their belongings to find matching official robes and black gauze hats. They discovered there were no ready-made garrison insignia; the seventh-rank black dog patterns on Zhao Manxiong and his companions' clothes were all hand-painted—bigger than pig ears and sharper than fox mouths.

Looking down at the ground, Huang Shi caught a glimpse of the cabin curtain being quickly lifted.

"I've long admired General Huang's name; it's an honor to meet you today—" A high-pitched, drawn-out voice rang out, its tone almost like a Peking Opera performance.

The voice abruptly stopped, followed by two loud, boisterous laughs, a deep male voice carrying the generosity and heroism of a soldier: "General Huang, I've long admired you, long—"

The voice also stopped.

"Gentlemen, no need for formalities." The high-pitched voice sounded somewhat hoarse.

"Thank you, Eunuch Wu." Huang Shi bowed slightly again before straightening his long sleeves.

The first person before him wore fish-scale armor, a tiger-head belt around his waist, a helmet with cheek guards and ear flaps, a black belt tightly fastened to his smooth chin, red cloth trousers, but cowhide military boots below the knees, and steel wristbands tightly binding his cuffs… His attire was unimaginably bizarre, utterly incongruous.

The two men behind him wore bright red cloaks, starched military trousers, and leather boots, with long black-sheathed swords tucked into their waistbands. They wore the gold-trimmed silver-scaled armor typically reserved for the emperor's personal guards. Their unkempt beards were also unkempt.

(End of Chapter 01)

Seeing my spear pierce... (Chapter 02) The two officials

stared at each other, and then laughter began to escape, quickly escalating into a loud, booming laugh. The sharp voice stood out prominently in the laughter.

"General Huang is too kind." Wu Mu nimbly jumped off the side of the boat.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you, Eunuch Wu." Huang Shi's mood instantly relaxed amidst the laughter. These men were there to cooperate, not to cause trouble.

The cheerful Huang Shi flattered Wu Mu a couple of times, then gave the two Imperial Guards a full salute. Unexpectedly, the two Imperial Guards immediately stepped aside, repeatedly saying they didn't deserve such respect.

"Two envoys..." Huang Shi was a little puzzled. Weren't the Imperial Guards supposed to be very powerful? Why were they being so polite?

"General Huang, you flatter us. We are unworthy of such praise. We are merely attendants of Eunuch Wu."

The two Imperial Guards addressed themselves as "lower officers," as if the sun had risen in the west.

Seeing Huang Shi's confusion, Wu Mu quickly explained, "Although the Imperial Guards are not under the jurisdiction of the Military Governor's Office, they and General Huang are both military officers. We two minor officers certainly cannot be disrespectful."

The Imperial Guard on the left seemed to sense Huang Shi's unease and smiled, saying, "We are indeed rather presumptuous in front of civil officials, but those scholars themselves say 'civil and military paths are different.' General Huang is a third-rank military officer; how could we allow ourselves to be so arrogant before him?"

In truth, the relationship between these two Imperial Guards and Huang Shi was roughly that of Huang Shi's personal guards and Zhao Manxiong. But with so many imperial guards, the emperor couldn't possibly remember a mere minor officer. Wu Mu refused to attend the welcoming banquet hosted by Huang Shi, instead eagerly wanting to inspect the entire island and the entire army.

The chief eunuch naturally went to Dongjiang Island to monitor Mao Wenlong, but Zhang Pan and Huang Shi of Lushun and Changsheng were making waves, and since they were both military commanders and far from Dongjiang headquarters, two junior eunuchs were sent to monitor them instead.

Wu Mu was a junior eunuch who hadn't achieved much success. He had been in the palace for several years without seeing any future. This time, when the emperor ordered eunuchs to supervise the troops in Dongjiang Town, most were unwilling to come, as everyone knew the place was harsh and dangerous. But Eunuch Wu saw this as a good opportunity to rise in rank.

Wu Mu walked slowly alongside Huang Shi, with an attendant behind them carrying a brocade box wrapped in yellow silk. Huang Shi and the other officers knew what the box contained—it was a symbol of imperial authority, holding an imperial edict bestowed upon Eunuch Wu. In an extremely urgent situation, Eunuch Wu could take it out and kill Huang Shi.

Huang Shi first had He Baodao practice military formations. His previous actions of returning land and disbanding his household servants had brought Huang Shi an unexpected benefit: He Baodao was moved by Huang Shi's spirit of "sacrificing family for the country." He had never imagined that a superior officer would sacrifice personal comfort and family interests for the benefit of the entire army. Deeply ashamed, He Baodao secretly met with Huang Shi, offering to contribute some of his family's secret techniques.

Of course, He Baodao set a condition: the trained soldiers must bow to the He family's ancestral tablets, and before graduation, during training, they must offer incense and prayers to the He family's ancestral tablets on holidays.

After the conditions were agreed upon, He Baodao's original household servants in the "training team" quickly taught the others techniques for exerting force and many tricks for building muscle. Huang Shi wasn't surprised. A few days ago, He Baodao had been instructing his ten personal guards in secret, never allowing anyone to peek. In He Baodao's old family rules, the third rule was that revealing "martial arts secrets" would result in being beaten to death.

Huang Shi, filled with great curiosity, read through the instructions. They were all very practical and simple tips—He Baodao would rather die than teach these things to his friends in Guangning; some training methods showed they had been honed through countless trials—promoting them throughout the army would greatly help the soldiers' combat skills. Breaking down feudal barriers would greatly boost productivity—it seemed this wasn't an exaggeration.

Although the troops were well-disciplined, Wu Mu's expression darkened when he saw there were only about a hundred men (Huang Shi's training squad). After Huang Shi accompanied the three of them for half a day, walking across the entire island, Wu Mu's face showed great displeasure and disappointment.

"So, General Huang, life is this hard," Wu Mu said sullenly, his tone heavy.

A eunuch's favor is entirely based on the emperor's trust. Wu Mu was initially excited before coming to Changsheng Island, thinking that serving as a supervisor for a renowned general like Huang Shi was a promising career path. He believed that if Huang Shi won a few more battles—which Wu Mu thought was easy—the emperor would firmly remember his name as the supervisor. Therefore, despite the arduous journey to Changsheng Island, Wu Mu dreamt of Huang Shi's great victories, hoping that the emperor's elation would also reward his diligent lackey with significant merit.

To secure the position of supervisor at Changsheng Island, Wu Mu even bribed a higher-ranking eunuch. Although the fee was meager, it represented all of Wu Mu's wealth. Having already poured everything into his future riches and honors, betting his meager savings, Wu Mu now saw a bleak future and became heartbroken, all his previous good mood vanishing.

"Eunuch Wu, let's talk this over the banquet."

Wu Mu's attitude at the banquet was very unfriendly. Feeling his future was bleak, he found fault with everything, even criticizing Huang Shi's lavish food and wine, suggesting that the money should be used to buy some pig iron.

Huang Shi, however, was secretly pleased with Wu Mu's behavior. The work of a military supervisor in the Ming Dynasty was actually quite simple: keep an eye on the generals to prevent them from deserting, encourage them with confidence for victory, and ensure they could fight without worries. The famous Yu Qian, the Junior Guardian, did exactly that. Although these tasks sound simple, doing them well was not easy. Just as without Hu Zongxian and Zhang Juzheng, there would be no Qi Jiguang.

But while the work itself was selfless, people had their own selfish motives. If a defeat incurred the emperor's wrath, eunuchs, who had no backing or escape routes, were doomed. Eunuchs without power had even less of a way out than generals; when faced with ordinary enemies or bandits, they might not even be taken in if they surrendered. From this perspective, Wu Mu and Huang Shi were in the same boat.

If anything went wrong, the civil official, with the help of his teachers, sons, and colleagues, might be able to successfully shift the blame. But Wu Mu certainly couldn't do that. Therefore, Huang Shi personally felt that a eunuch supervisor was more advantageous to him than a civil official supervisor, and this eunuch Wu didn't seem like a man of any integrity.

"Military equipment is insufficient. Does Eunuch Wu have any brilliant ideas?" After a while, seeing that the time was right, Huang Shi began to lay the groundwork for his plan.

"I have no choice but to urge the soldiers to cultivate more land and produce more," Wu Mu said irritably.

"Most of the military households on this island were originally good citizens." Huang Shi further probed. Converting good citizens into military households would certainly be condemned by a civil official. If a civil official dared to turn a blind eye to such illegal behavior, he could expect to be impeached for favoritism and abuse of power.

Wu Mu's eyes darted around a few times: "Are they volunteering?"

"Of course, absolutely volunteering." No soldier, no food; of course they volunteered.

"That's good. After my inspection, I can vouch for General Huang." Wu Mu also hoped for more soldiers to win more battles. Even if things went wrong, he wouldn't be impeached. Winning battles was enough to cover up his misdeeds.

Huang Shi thought everything was fine: "Military equipment requires silver. As for silver, I have some ideas. Please advise, Eunuch Wu."

Wu Mu knew something was wrong as soon as he heard this; it couldn't be anything aboveboard, otherwise there would be no need for secrecy: "General Huang, please speak." Huang Shi

waved to a seated officer: "This is one of my subordinates, Deputy Battalion Commander Liu Qingyang."

Liu Qingyang bowed deeply: "Greetings, Eunuch Wu."

"No need for formalities, General Huang. Please speak; there are no outsiders here."

Liu Qingyang took out a cloth-covered plate from behind. Huang Shi casually lifted it; the plate was full of copper coins.

"General Huang, what is the meaning of this?" Wu Mu looked at the plate; there wasn't much money involved. Huang Shi wouldn't bribe him with copper coins, and the plate wouldn't buy much anyway.

Huang Shi picked up a copper coin and handed it to Wu Mu, then gave one to each of the two Imperial Guards. This was a big deal; Huang Shi didn't intend to hide it. He knew he couldn't hide it from the supervising eunuch, and he couldn't create some kind of military restricted area—it wouldn't be able to restrict anyone, not even the supervising eunuch.

The brand-new coins felt heavy and substantial; Wu Mu felt as if they had never been used. As he was pondering this, one of the Imperial Guards suddenly cried out in surprise, dropping the coin in his hand.

The commotion startled Wu Mu, who was deep in thought. He scolded him angrily, "Brother Chen, what's wrong?"

The Imperial Guard surnamed Chen was named Chen Ruike. When Huang Shi saw his profile, he had secretly cursed—why isn't your name Chen Ke?

Chen Ruike, with a full beard, bent down and picked up the copper coin. He exchanged a glance with his companion, who also looked grave. The two of them turned to look at Huang Shi, their expressions extremely serious.

Chen Ruike slammed the copper coin heavily on the table: "General Huang, this is counterfeit money!"

(End of Chapter 02) Indeed, it was counterfeit money. Ming Dynasty coins were 60% copper and 40% lead, while the coin Huang Shi had produced was 40% copper and 60% lead. If examined closely, it was clear that the coin was darker and thicker.

Liu Qingyang was a merchant from Zhili. When Shenyang fell, he and his father and brothers were forced to work in the mines. Last October, he escaped from the mines to Lushun. Hearing of Huang Shi's reputation along the way, he sought refuge on the nearby Changsheng Island. One of his family's traditional businesses was counterfeiting coins. Huang Shi thought this was a quick way to make money, so he decided to develop coin minting into a pillar industry for Changsheng Island. After selling their goods on Changsheng Island, Huang Shi exchanged them for a batch of copper coins. He told Mao Wenlong that he wanted to make musket pellets and had also obtained some lead ingots. After repeated trials and improvements, the quality of the latest batch of coins was quite good. Liu Qingyang, upholding his family's consistent integrity, made the coins even heavier than real coins, so that one would feel they were very good coins just by holding them. "General Huang," Wu Mu already understood what Huang Shi wanted to do, but this matter was far beyond what a lowly eunuch like him could handle: "Counterfeiting coins is a serious crime punishable by the extermination of one's entire family and clan." "Eunuch Wu, please let me explain slowly." Huang Shi was not nervous at all, smiling as he looked at the two Imperial Guards who were on high alert. "These coins are all being sent overseas, to be precise, to Japan..." Huang Shi also planned to do some maritime trade, and Japan was naturally the best target of this era. History is strange; Japan had long been short of money, so it had always imported large quantities of coins from the Ming Dynasty. All the coins circulating in the Japanese market were copper coins from the Ming Dynasty. "...Japan has a large amount of copper and silver..." By the early 17th century, with the continuous development of Japanese mining technology and the discovery of more and more mines, the price of copper bars in Japan continued to fall. This strategic material, which was originally restricted from export, was once even cheaper than coins of the same weight. With the discovery of the Iwami Silver Mine, Japan's silver production once reached one-third of the world's total production. "...Japan uses copper coins from my Great Ming Dynasty..." Although Huang Shi didn't understand why the Japanese didn't mint their own coins sooner, he didn't intend to let this opportunity pass. What business in the world could compare to printing money? Although the initial profits were estimated to be very limited (Huang Shi didn't have enough capital), if he could avoid any shipwrecks, detentions, or production accidents, it would be a snowballing business that doubled every two months. "...Our Great Ming has already banned the export of copper coins overseas..." The quickest way would actually be to directly exchange Ming coins for copper bars in Japan, but coins have always been a state-controlled resource (as have gold and silver). Huang Shi didn't intend to explain to the cabinet why he was hauling shiploads of precious metals to remote islands overseas, nor did he want to create competitors for himself by making the world aware of it. "...Copper is needed for casting cannons, and silver can be exchanged for grain..." The conclusion was that only by manufacturing them themselves could they easily protect their trade secrets. Copper was also a crucial military strategic resource for Changsheng Island in the future, and it would also train a group of technical personnel and provide experience in metal processing—this was also very important. As for the ratio of copper to lead (4:6), that was for risk considerations, and transportation and production costs would naturally be added to the price... Anyway, their Japanese friends were experiencing a severe cash shortage; as long as they didn't notice, it was fine. "...As long as Eunuch Wu agrees, I can definitely handle this matter flawlessly." Moreover, he had a way to solve the sales problem. This solution was even delivered to his doorstep, which was even better. Huang Shi recently felt he was becoming quite the kingpin. Upon hearing that Huang Shi had no intention of selling coins to the mainland, the two Imperial Guards immediately relaxed; the matter was now no longer their concern. Wu Mu, however, pondered for a long time, weighing the pros and cons. Huang Shi looked at him hopefully. If this were a civil official, there would be no hope; a charge of condoning counterfeiting would be enough to ruin his career. But eunuchs didn't care about reputation; they only cared about pleasing the emperor. "General Huang, I don't think there's a big problem. This matter can be secretly reported to the Emperor, without going through the cabinet." Wu Mu finally agreed; he, like Huang Shi, was concerned about the military preparations on Changsheng Island. "What if the Emperor doesn't approve?"—Wu Mu, if the Tianqi Emperor disagrees, the plan will fall through. Without weapons, I can't win battles. You can't complain to the Emperor that he didn't approve the plan. "This is a matter of great importance; it must be submitted to the Emperor for judgment."—Brother Huang Shi, it's not that I don't want to help, but such a big matter can't be kept secret forever. The Emperor will find out sooner or later, and then my life will be over. "This is just an idea. I haven't discussed it with anyone else. Let's report it only if it's truly feasible. Otherwise, what if His Majesty approves it, but it doesn't work here? Wouldn't that be terrible?" — Please keep it a secret for me for a couple of days, brother. "When can General Huang give me a definite answer? — How long do you want me to keep it a secret? " "Before the end of the year." "Before the twelfth lunar month. " "—At most six months." Thank you, Eunuch Wu. "—Deal. " Huang Shi smiled: "This news should be reported along with the victory report." Wu Mu was both surprised and delighted: "There will definitely be a victory report within this year? General Huang, don't tease me." "Don't worry, Eunuch Wu, I'm not lying." Seeing Huang Shi's confidence, Wu Mu and the two Imperial Guards were overjoyed. These three brothers came to this godforsaken place for this very reason, didn't they?

Historically, there will be another victory this year—the recapture of Jinzhou, thus opening up the situation in southern Liaoning. However, Huang Shi has no intention of following Zhang Pan to gain merit anymore; he already has other plans.

"Alright, I have no objections," Wu Mu laughed and began to drink.

Huang Shi felt that, generally speaking, eunuchs were much easier to fool than civil officials. They had no experience in handling specific government affairs, nor did they have the habit of scrutinizing details. When dealing with matters, they were either brutal in their methods or simplistic in their approaches.

For example, the case of Liu Jin, the powerful eunuch of the Ming Dynasty, regarding "widow remarriage" is a very interesting example. Huang Shi grasped the typical mindset of Ming Dynasty eunuchs from this:

Ming law did not prohibit widows from remarrying, but at this time, it was an era without social insurance. After the death of a son, the elderly and children of poor families would face great hardship. Therefore, Ming Dynasty civil officials encouraged chastity, which could be rewarded with tax exemptions and other benefits. If a woman could obtain a chastity arch, her father's family would also benefit.

During Liu Jin's reign, a murder occurred in Beijing. Apparently, a younger brother-in-law, for tax-related reasons, vehemently opposed his widowed sister-in-law's remarriage. He threatened to withhold her dowry if she didn't remain faithful for three years (according to Ming law, a divorced couple or a widow would take her dowry with her upon remarriage). Enraged, the woman hanged herself

. Upon hearing this, Liu Jin was furious: "These scoundrels have driven a person to her death for a few measly coins!" He immediately ordered all widows in the capital to remarry, and anyone who disobeyed would have their father-in-law and father flogged. This decree, of course, turned into a farce. People in Beijing coaxed widows back to their parents' homes, even mothers still breastfeeding were not spared the separation from their children. Their families dared not accept such a burden, but with so few men available for marriage, many respectable women were sold as concubines by their parents.

This absurd decree was only repealed after Liu Jin's downfall, and marriage in Beijing returned to normal.

This time, Huang Shi's simple words were enough to persuade Wu Mu to agree, and he further captivated Wu Mu's attention with a long-term, enormous benefit. Wu Mu didn't bother to consider the details, nor did he realize the immense power Huang Shi would gain from this. A shrewd person could use this opportunity to cultivate influence and establish an independent economic pillar.

After dinner, Huang Shi summoned Yang Zhiyuan and instructed him to direct Bao Jiusun and Liu Qingyang to immediately begin preparations for construction: "Here is Supervisor Wu's military equipment approval document. From our future payments, we can use one thousand taels of silver to buy copper and some coal. We'll be opening the kiln to mint coins soon." In

late May of the third year of the Tianqi reign, Zhang Pan led the Dongjiang Army of Lushun northward to flex his muscles. To avoid the Ming army's advance, the Later Jin garrison at the South Gate deliberately burned down the castle and joined forces with the Jinzhou garrison. After the Later Jin army abandoned the South Gate, more refugees were able to cross the blockade to Lushun.

Upon hearing this news, Wu Mu immediately went to find Huang Shi. His colleague, Eunuch Wang, had submitted a secret memorial to the Grand Eunuch of Dongjiang, and had even written a boastful letter to him, making Eunuch Wu feel as if a group of little mice were scratching at his heart.

"Left turn—right turn—about turn…" It was the busy farming season, and Huang Shi could only train his small squad of reserve officers.

Finally, when Huang Shi had some free time, Wu Mu impatiently asked when the Changsheng Island army would launch their attack.

"We should wait until after July, after the harvest."

"Is it a deal?" Wu Mu immediately held up one finger: "July."

"Eunuch Wu, please don't be impatient. I meant after July, not July itself," Huang Shi explained, half-laughing, half-crying. He needed to find an opportunity first.

"Also, Eunuch Wu, I've already minted the first batch of copper coins. Would you like to take a look?" Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Huang Shi asked Wu Mu quietly.

"If I don't look, I won't know anything!"

Wu Mu hurriedly left, leaving with the words, "Before the twelfth lunar month, wait for General Huang to make up his mind and tell me, then I will secretly submit a memorial to the Emperor."

(End of Chapter 3)

Having

finally gotten rid of Wu Mu, He Baodao approached again: "Have the Jurchens abandoned Nanguan?"

"Yes." This indicated that the morale of the Later Jin garrison was beginning to decline, and Huang Shi guessed that He Baodao was about to urge him to attack again.

"My lord, after the farming off-season, it would be best if we spent another month reorganizing. Deploying troops at the end of August or September would be more reliable."

"Unexpected! Why would Commander He think this way?" Huang Shi was quite surprised that He Baodao would oppose an immediate deployment.

The nearly one hundred soldiers below, each armed with a long spear, were diligently practicing thrusting techniques. He Baodao watched with Huang Shi for a while: "They can use them in July, but the other peasant soldiers should also train for a month. Only then will your spear formation be effective." "

You're confident in my spear formation design?" Huang Shi asked He Baodao with a smile. He had been the most vehemently opposed when the plan was first proposed, saying it was impossible to train hundreds of soldiers to move as smoothly as arms.

"The more I look at it, the more interesting it becomes. I've never seen anything like this before, but it seems possible." He Baodao casually flicked his whip and went back to training the soldiers.

"Don't block! Counter-thrust... Block again, don't block..."

He Baodao whipped the man forcefully. One of his unique skills was that only counter-attacks were allowed, not parries.

"Ordinary spear techniques have eight forms, such as thrusting, picking, parrying, and blocking. My He family spear only has one form: thrusting." He Baodao explained his philosophy to Huang Shi, which was to practice this thrust until it became an unconscious, instinctive action.

"In the end, the spear and the mind must become one, so that when you see the enemy's blade flashing, you can counter-thrust without thinking..."

Isn't this the move of a madman? At that time, Huang Shi asked him, "If you don't block, won't you get hacked to death?"

"If he hits me... he'll be dead too. He can't take my head while I'm still alive. Maybe I'm not even dead yet. Even if I lose, dying at the hands of a swift and brave warrior wouldn't be a regret..."

He Baodao burst into laughter halfway through his answer, clearly very proud: "When two strong forces meet, the brave one wins. Even blocking might not be enough. As long as I'm fast enough, I'll strike him first, and naturally, I'll cut off his head. At least until today, the enemy either tried to dodge or failed to dodge, so I've always won." "Does

your He family's swordsmanship only have one move, a slash or a chop?" Huang Shi asked, a little curious.

"That's right, it shares the same principles as spear techniques." He Baodao claimed that he had practiced the heavy chop so much that he could easily perform it even in his sleep.

"That's definitely a madman's move..." The nobleman you killed was really strong; he actually withstood three of your blows. "

I didn't want anyone to die either." He Baodao seemed a little regretful: "I used the scabbard to strike, and on the back of it."

In June of the third year of the Tianqi reign, Ningyuan Fort was finally completed. Yuan Chonghuan received praise for his efficient work and was promoted to Ningyuan Military Commissioner, with the additional title of Prefect of Ningyuan.

The cheap copper bought from Huangshi for one thousand taels of silver was used to cast five million coins. He didn't expect that such a small amount of money would take almost two months to cast, which made him somewhat worried about the speed of future large-scale production. Fortunately, Liu Qingyang said a lot of comforting words. The main reason was that most of the soldiers in Huangshi were military households rather than experienced soldiers, so there were constant production accidents, and they had to melt down and start over many times, which slowed down the process.

Although the work was somewhat regrettable, it was finally completed. Huang Shi inspected the finished product: "Alright, I'm handing over my entire fortune to you."

"Rest assured, sir, as long as the money is there, I will certainly..."

"No need to say more, call that Japanese pirate over." Huang Shi interrupted Liu Qingyang's pledge of loyalty.

The Japanese man had been waiting on Changsheng Island for half a month. No one had expected the coin-minting process to be so slow. Upon entering, he knelt down, saying, "This humble servant pays respects to the Great General of the Ming Dynasty."

Huang Shi calmly accepted his deep bow. This Japanese man was named Kuroshima Yasuo, and his family had been pirates for generations. During the Korean War, the Japanese army was repeatedly defeated by the outnumbered Ming army, leading to a deep-seated fear of Ming military power and a historical concern that the Ming Dynasty would retaliate. Therefore, after the Tokugawa Shogunate came to power, its envoys were extremely humble. Domestically, they not only pressured the Shimazu Domain to release the King of Ryukyu, but also severely suppressed pirates who dared to harass the Korean coast, to avoid giving China a pretext for war.

As a result, the Kuroshima family, who had made their living through trade with Korea for generations, declined, reaching a point of extreme poverty in Kuroshima Yasuo's generation. At this time, Japan's isolationist policy became increasingly stringent, and most trade routes with China were controlled by the Dutch. Unwilling to return home and become a fisherman, Kuroshima Yasuo decided to find another way, eventually reaching Pishima Island, hoping to trade directly with China.

However, the Korean War hadn't been over for many years, and the Ming army in Liaodong was still quite hostile towards Japan. Mao Wenlong, who came from Zhejiang, had no goodwill towards the Japanese pirates, so Kuroshima Yasuo was turned away. But Kuroshima was a man who wouldn't give up until he reached his goal. To escape the fate of returning to his hometown as a fisherman, he insisted on heading west, refusing to turn back despite repeated setbacks at Guanglu, Changshan, and Lushun. Finally, he arrived at Changsheng Island, where he and Huang Shi, who had long coveted Japan, hit it off immediately. The utterly unpatriotic Kuroshima Yasuo immediately agreed to import counterfeit currency into his motherland.

"I will give you a letter from this general, proving that you are purchasing military supplies for Changsheng Island..."

If he wanted to return to Japan, Kuroshima Yasuo would need to stop at various ports in Korea and the islands of Dongjiang Town for supplies. Huang Shi's letter of proof would save him a lot of trouble, and Korea would not dare to levy taxes on Ming warships.

"...This is my quartermaster, Liu Qingyang, who will go to Japan with you..."

Although this risk was inevitable, Huang Shi still wanted to send his own people to monitor him.

"...There's also a special letter here, you can take it out if necessary..."

Given the prestige of the Ming Dynasty's war with Korea, neither the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan nor the pirates along the Korean coast wanted to provoke China. Historically, the Japanese government had turned a blind eye to smuggling with Ming Dynasty official backing. Huang Shi therefore felt his status as a Ming army adjutant was very useful; he could use it as leverage when necessary. However, this letter was best left unsaid unless absolutely necessary.

"...Easy, I'll entrust all business in Japan to you from now on."

Huang Shi offered a carrot, followed by an even bigger one: "If you achieve merit, I can help you register in the Liaodong army and become a Ming Dynasty officer; it's not impossible." "

Thank you for your promotion, General! I will be utterly devoted to you, even unto death!" Kuroshima Yasuo was immediately stunned by this huge carrot. In East Asia during the Ming Dynasty, registering as a Chinese citizen and obtaining an official position meant being able to live a life of tyranny and lawlessness back home. For Japanese pirates of this era, it meant they could openly engage in maritime trade, completely changing their families' shrouded in seclusion.

Looking at Kuroshima Yasuo weeping bitterly on the ground (likely feigned emotion), and recalling the East Asian people's worship and yearning for the Chinese empire at that time, Huang Shi felt all the resentment from his past life instantly dissipate—yes, I will make them forever submit to the feet of China…or, “persuading” them to join would be an even better idea.

(End of Chapter 4)

See how my spear can pierce through Chapter 5: Refugees.

Navigation in this era was still very backward. Before the advent of steamships, the lives of sailors at sea were extremely terrible. They slept more cramped than sardines, ate food harder than rocks, and the fresh water stored in the wooden barrels on board would quickly spoil and become more foul than foot-washing water. Therefore, the lowest strata of people in the world, unless truly destitute, would not become sailors on ocean-going ships, and even those who did generally refused long-distance voyages.

Huang Shi visited Kuroshima Yasuo's ocean-going vessel. The cabins for the sailors smelled almost as bad as toilets; no wonder sailors in that era were risking their lives at sea, with a mortality rate hovering around 30-40%.

Stored fresh water had to be boiled before being sealed and stored, and a barrel had to be used before it could be opened; boiled water was mandatory, and the deck had to be washed with seawater daily… Huang Shi imposed all his hygiene regulations on Kuroshima, regardless of their practicality. He also sent ten subordinates, including Liu Qingyang, to accompany him, as Huang Shi didn't want them to die of illness on the voyage.

The final reform was the use of hammocks to prevent overcrowding and the spread of disease. Huang Shi did everything in his power to improve maritime conditions.

One historical view holds that the Little Ice Age, which began in the mid-16th century, spurred the Age of Exploration. At this time, European animal husbandry also suffered a heavy blow. The southward shift of the rain belt caused a prolonged drought, leaving generations of European farmers without enough fodder for their livestock to survive the winter. Historically, during this period, Europeans slaughtered all livestock except breeding animals in winter to preserve the meat.

This led to a severe shortage of spices. The large demand for preserved meat made spices more expensive in Europe than the same weight of gold; in winter, one pound of spices could be exchanged for three pounds of gold. Suddenly, ocean trade became so profitable that people were willing to risk their lives.

In the intercontinental spice trade, the navigation technology of England, Spain, and the Netherlands made significant progress, surpassing China's by the early 17th century.

Meanwhile, China did not stop. Decades of disasters during the Wanli Emperor's reign forced him to lose his temper again. He had to both relieve the suffering of his people and fight against foreign powers, so he abruptly overturned the ancestral system of the Ming Dynasty, declaring the complete abolition of the maritime ban. As long as silver was paid to the imperial treasury, maritime trade was allowed to proceed freely. For example, after the war against Japan ended, Emperor Wanli was eager to resume trade with Japan to increase revenue. These incentives led to rapid development in China's naval technology and shipbuilding, and the race between Eastern and Western coastal civilizations had only just begun.

Previously, Emperor Wanli had frantically ordered eunuchs to extort mining, porcelain, and tea taxes to support the nine border garrisons and provide disaster relief… Well, the Donglin Party had a better solution—the emperor should accumulate virtue and do good deeds, so that Heaven would naturally not send down great disasters. In Huangshi's previous life, the compilers of the History of Ming believed that the great disasters were caused by Wanli's lack of virtue, and the relief of the disasters after 1650 was also explained by the literati group using the virtue of a certain emperor.

On this issue, Huang Shi was a sympathizer and follower of the Wanli Emperor and the eunuch faction… In June of the third year of the Tianqi reign, Liu Qingyang and Kuroshima Yasuo set sail with Huang Shi watching them go, slowly disappearing into the horizon. This ship was not only full of Huang Shi's current hopes, but also embodied his long-term expectations for navigation technology: "The race for the inheritance of navigation technology and civilization, and the expansion of coastal civilizations in the East and West, has begun. This will determine the fate of the next three hundred years. I hope that this time China will not suddenly stop."

The time traveler could foresee the end of the global catastrophe twenty years later, when the world would once again become favorable to agricultural civilization. Global grain production and livestock numbers would rise steadily, and more and more areas would be suitable for human cultivation. Navigation technology would support Western agricultural countries in developing North and South America. The interior of the Eurasian continent would also decline to a tribal state during this seventy-year catastrophe, thus becoming powerless to compete with the coastal areas…

In his original history, European agricultural civilization was also being invaded by Russia and Sweden at this time. The only difference was that the West withstood the invasion while China did not. In the subsequent great expansion of agricultural civilization, China tended to move inland and abandoned the ocean.

Huangshi has stood by the sea for a long time, the sun overhead still without a single black blemish, unchanged for fifty years, so perfect: "Whoever controls the present controls the future."

In the same month, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan all received rainfall, alleviating the drought in the nine border military towns.

The severe drought in Jiangxi continued until July, with local officials reporting that all vegetation had withered and the people had no harvest. Emperor Tianqi urgently ordered the allocation of grain for disaster relief, and Jiangxi did not experience famine.

Later that month, after the Later Jin army abandoned Nanguan, the Ming army from Liaodong advanced to the walls of Jinzhou. The Later Jin garrison refused to fight, and Liaodong civilians poured into the southern tip of the peninsula. In July, the number of Liaodong civilians flowing into Lushun was more than three times that of June, and Lushun was almost unable to send more. With Mao Wenlong's approval, a large number of refugees were transferred to Changsheng Island. Lushun initially sent 300 horses, and Huang Shi, based on Zhang Pan's advice, planted a large amount of alfalfa, which is now being harvested.

Changsheng Island has put a lot of effort into welcoming these Liaodong civilians. Huang Shi ordered his soldiers to treat these refugees with utmost courtesy, making them feel at home. He even suspended military training for a few days to build some temporary shelters.

"Everyone must drink boiled water. If any illness is discovered, it must be reported immediately. The Liaodong civilians will be given three days of rest after arriving on the island, and then we will organize them to build houses." Huang Shi repeatedly emphasized some precautions.

"Yes, sir," Yang Zhiyuan and Bao Jiusun replied in unison.

"Anyone who dares to harass civilians will be strictly punished according to military law."

"Rest assured, sir," Jin Qiude assured him confidently.

When the first batch of refugee ships bearing the Lushun flag arrived, Huang Shi rushed to welcome his new subjects. He strictly ordered the soldiers at the port to help the old and young, and to be helpful to others—in short, to force them to emulate Lei Feng in Huang Shi's mind. Now it was time to see the effect. When

he arrived at the port, he found a large group of soldiers crowded there, and the noise was deafening, with everyone offering to help carry people's bags and luggage. Huang Shi was secretly pleased; it seemed the propaganda and education had worked well.

But as he got closer, he realized something was wrong. These soldiers were too noisy and enthusiastic; they hadn't even noticed that he, their highest-ranking officer, had arrived.

"My lord!" Finally, someone exclaimed, and hundreds of soldiers erupted in a flurry of activity, a chorus of prostrations: "Greetings, my lord!"

Huang Shi walked to the edge of the crowd and noticed that among the first group of Liao people, more than half were women, including a dozen or so dressed as young girls.

Women! Huang Shi couldn't help but swallow hard, then noticed that most of them had dark skin, and after a few more glances, he realized they were mostly rough-handed, large-footed peasant women.

After cursing himself for his lack of taste, Huang Shi took a deep breath, his throat still dry: "I am Huang Shi

, the Assistant General of Dongjiang." Hundreds of Liao people kowtowed in unison. They had long heard of Huang Shi's name, and seeing this legendary general for the first time made them all very nervous.

Huang Shi glanced at the surrounding soldiers; his men, some openly, some cautiously, all had their eyes lingering on the young women.

No wonder so many enthusiastic "living Lei Fengs" suddenly appeared, Huang Shi thought to himself with a chuckle, then said to the refugees, "Get up, all of you."

After the refugees stood up, the lecherous gazes of those "Lei Fengs" with ulterior motives remained fixed on the women, making them all lower their heads, their faces showing a mixture of shame and anger. Their relatives also stood intentionally or unintentionally on the periphery. These Liao people seemed casual, but their postures and movements were somewhat stiff, revealing their inner wariness and vigilance.

(End of Chapter 5)

See how my long spear can pierce Chapter 6 August

"For a year, there have only been nearly two thousand soldiers on Changsheng Island. Most of my soldiers haven't seen outsiders for a long time. Please forgive their rudeness and offense, elders." As he spoke, Huang Shi clasped his hands in apology to the Liao people, who all said they dared not accept such an honor.

“My soldiers are all single, and although they are young and vigorous, I guarantee they mean no harm. I will absolutely not allow them to offend your women, and I will keep my word.” Huang Shi’s words reassured the refugees, and their faces showed relief.

However, Huang Shi felt that they had been living in fear and were naturally uneasy in a strange place, so he patted the back of his head and said apologetically, “Don’t even mention them, I was also captivated for a while when I first saw so many girls. Please forgive my rudeness, elders.”

After the laughter subsided, Huang Shi waved for his soldiers to continue helping. This time, the Liao people accepted the soldiers’ hospitality with open arms. Although the young women were still too shy to lift their heads, they all smiled, leaving the soldiers speechless.

Huang Shi shook his head helplessly. Even after the chaotic crowd had gone far away, the port soldiers had not fully recovered and were still watching the direction in which they had disappeared.

"Sir, can we go and arrange the betrothal? Isn't that against military law?" a soldier asked, looking bewildered.

"Of course, go find your officers to arrange the betrothal." Huang Shi had originally ordered that officers were not allowed to marry before half of the soldiers on the island got married, but now he decided to change it: "Each officer can only marry after half of his subordinates have married. Hurry up and go find your officers; they will be happy to arrange the betrothal for you."

"Thank you, sir!" A wave of cheers immediately swept over Huang Shi.

...

The soldier acting as the wedding officiant sang loudly, "Send the newlyweds to the bridal chamber."

The bride, covered with a red veil, was escorted away by her relatives. The groom, beaming with joy, drank a round of wine and then hurriedly took his leave to go to the bridal chamber, leaving behind a deafening chorus of vulgarities and strange cries.

Normally, Huang Shi, as the highest-ranking officer on the island, shouldn't have attended as an elder to the soldiers; if anyone was to kowtow, it should be to their superior. However, for the first few weddings, he felt he should give them some face. Now, unwilling to continue watching the soldiers' antics, he quietly left.

Huang Shi granted all newlywed soldiers three days of leave, exempting them from drills and labor. This leave, which he considered perfectly reasonable, was seen as a great act of kindness by the soldiers.

Before leaving, Huang Shi bumped into an old soldier who had come from Guangning and was now an acting battalion commander. This fellow was eager to go and make a ruckus in the bridal chamber. Huang Shi smiled and grabbed him: "You're not married yet. You have to do drills tomorrow. Don't make too much noise; go back to sleep early."

"I'm too happy today; I won't be able to sleep even if I go back," the soldier reluctantly agreed, but his eyes were fixed on Huang Shi's back, clearly his heart had already flown there.

Huang Shi couldn't help but chuckle, "It's not like it's your wedding, why are you so happy?"

"A new batch of Liao people will be arriving on the island tomorrow. I went to wait early this morning, and I'll pick one for Lord Zhao to act as matchmaker."

Although he spoke eloquently, the soldier's body kept wriggling, and Huang Shi's reluctance to let him go was making him sweat with impatience. Only when Huang Shi released his grip did the soldier dart out like a rocket. Huang Shi could only shout at his retreating figure, "Choose carefully, you little rascal."

"Thank you, sir." The soldier hadn't completely forgotten his manners. Huang Shi watched as he pushed through the crowd at the door, pulled out a water-filled leather bag, and sprayed water through the crack in the door.

Huang Shi suddenly realized he was also grinning foolishly. He quickly composed himself and left, "Luckily, no one noticed… the soldiers' happiness is truly simple."

In August of the third year of the Tianqi reign, the population of Changsheng Island expanded to 4,000 men and 800 women.

In mid-August, over 20,000 mu of land on Changsheng Island was harvested, and over 30,000 shi of corn and peanuts were stored.

On the 22nd of the same month, Kuroshima Yasuo and Liu Qingyang returned from Japan with a large quantity of copper bars and 1,000 taels of silver. Huang Shi was overjoyed to see the gleaming copper bars and immediately ordered Liu Qingyang to begin minting copper coins. Kuroshima Yasuo was persuaded to stay on Changsheng Island to rest.

Wu Mu also gave Huang Shi a permit that 1,000 taels of silver could be used to purchase 6,000 shi of grain at a low price in Dengzhou. Yang Zhiyuan received the permit and immediately set off for Shandong.

Later that month…

"General Huang, it's almost September, and you've been dragging your feet month after month. When are you finally going to send out the troops?" Wu Mu had been visiting Huang Shi frequently lately, his tone increasingly dissatisfied.

"Please take a look, Eunuch Wu." Huang Shi led him to the training ground. Today, five hundred soldiers were practicing spear formations. The one hundred soldiers who had already trained were being dispersed to bring in new recruits. Half of these five hundred men had seen bloodshed in Lushun.

"Chest strike!" With a shout from an officer,

"Kill!" The front-row soldiers simultaneously thrust their spears into the chests of the straw figures in front of them. "Head strike!

" Another command rang out.

"Kill!" The soldiers neatly thrust their spears into the heads of the straw figures.

...

"What do you think, Eunuch Wu?" Huang Shi asked smugly.

"Very neat, but what's the use of neatness?" Wu Mu finally spoke after observing for a long time. "

Were you a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) before entering the palace, Eunuch?"

"Yes." Wu Mu sighed. He was originally the head镖师 of the Zhili Wilderness镖局 (Biaoju, a type of镖局 in Zhili province). He had just become a镖师 on his first mission and, having nowhere else to turn, entered the palace. When Dongjiang Town needed a military supervisor, Eunuch Wei assumed that since Wu knew about bodyguards, he would certainly be competent as a military supervisor as well. Furthermore, the eunuch he had bribed said some good words, and thus Wu was sent to Changsheng Island.

"Martial arts and battle formations are different. Eunuch Wu's martial arts are certainly superb, but soldiers must be properly trained and disciplined to kill the enemy and achieve merit."

Wu Mu sighed again, "General Huang, I've heard you say this countless times, almost a hundred times."

"Does Eunuch Wu think this time is better than last time?"

"It's more organized, but I don't know if it's better." Wu Mu was getting angry. "These past few months, I haven't caused General Huang any trouble. I've helped in every way I could. Shouldn't General Huang do me a favor? Eunuch Wei has been asking why there's still no movement from Changsheng Island."

Wu Mu, a mere eunuch, was not someone Wei Zhongxian should concern himself with. Although Huang Shi knew he was using Wei's name as a pretext, he didn't expose him.

“Eunuch Wu, please give me some more time, let me train the troops for another month, okay?”

“This is the last time, General Huang, you must keep your word this time.”

“Don’t worry, Eunuch Wu.”

After seeing Wu Mu off, Huang Shi breathed a sigh of relief. Li Yunrui came over: “Sir, letters have come from Dongjiang and Lushun, and the military council is about to be held. In addition, I have also investigated the matter you asked me to handle.” (

End of Chapter 06) Huang Shi nodded: “Hold the military council first, and then you can report on that matter.” “Yes, sir.” Changsheng Island had not held such a formal meeting in a long time. The four brothers, including Yang Zhiyuan who had just returned from Shandong, were all there. Li Yunrui also stood at the back. Huang Shi solemnly dismissed the guards before speaking: “The Dongjiang headquarters has issued an order that General Mao intends to take Jinzhou and has ordered my troops to cooperate with the Lushun army in the operation.” Jinzhou was Jin County during the Republic period, located in the northern part of the Lushun Bay. "Without Jinzhou and Nanguan, the Jurchens cannot spy on Lushun, and without Jinzhou, our Dongjiang Army will be confined to a corner of Lushun." Jinzhou is the southern gateway to the Liaodong Peninsula. If the Ming army wants to recover southern Liaodong and then launch a northern expedition against Liaodong, it must take this place to open up the situation. "Li Yunrui, tell us the intelligence." Huang Shi stepped down from the map. "My lord, gentlemen." Li Yunrui bowed to Huang Shi and the four garrison commanders one by one: "Jinzhou Fortress has seven hundred Jurchens, nearly three hundred of whom are true Tartars. The city is well-fortified and has ample supplies. The nearest Jurchen reinforcements are in Fuzhou, about a thousand cavalry. They will not be able to reinforce Jinzhou for at least a day. General Zhang Pan will send a thousand combat troops and a thousand five hundred auxiliary troops in mid-September. This still needs to be confirmed by my unit." Li Yunrui then bowed deeply to the men to indicate that he had finished speaking. “It’s currently the off-season for farming. According to your classification, only the 500 soldiers in my fire brigade’s training unit count as combat troops,” Yang Zhiyuan followed, having always believed the island could muster at least a thousand combat troops, allowing the training unit to be mobilized in full. “My fire brigade can deploy 200 horses, 500 combat soldiers, and 1,500 auxiliary troops. If the target is Jinzhou, the provisions can sustain the army for eight to ten days.” He Baodao scoffed, “Since it’s an attack on Jinzhou, horses aren’t very useful. Sir, at this time, men should fight and women should transport supplies. I believe we should use all the men and women of Changsheng Island to strive for a swift victory, lest things escalate.” “And how confident are you, Commander He, in taking it in one fell swoop?” "My lord," Huang Shi replied, "speed is of the essence in war. My fire brigade and the Lushun battalion have no time to forge weapons, so we can only launch a surprise attack. If we send out all our combat and auxiliary troops, our army will outnumber the defenders by about eight, and we may be able to take the city in one fell swoop. Even if that fails, we can retreat safely." Huang Shi slammed his hand on the table and laughed, "Indeed, our army can advance and retreat at will. I think so too. General Zhang's letter to me mentioned a plan for a strong attack, but General Zhang has another plan..." Since the Battle of Lushun, the Later Jin army in southern Liaoning has been terrified, which is why the defenders of Nanguan took the initiative to retreat and the defenders of Jinzhou closed the city gates in broad daylight. The fact that the Liaodong civilians who fled to Lushun in the past few months have hardly been harassed by Jinzhou scouts further proves that the morale of the local Later Jin army has been extremely low. "...Since the Jurchens in Jinzhou are already like frightened birds, General Zhang Pan plans to make a show of force by lighting fires and shouting at dawn to try and scare the enemy out of the city. If that doesn't work, then a full-scale attack can be launched, which can also avoid casualties." Historically, Zhang Pan's plan succeeded, so Huang Shi confidently asked everyone, "What do you think?" But no one shared this confidence. They exchanged glances, and Zhao Manxiong spoke up, "Success or failure is fifty-fifty." "I think it's a foolproof plan," Huang Shi said without further ado, "I plan to ambush the seven hundred Jurchens who are trying to escape." The Ming army is mostly infantry, which would make it difficult to stop the fleeing Jurchen cavalry. Moreover, Zhang Pan's plan must be executed at night, and dividing the troops in the dark is not a good idea. There would be no time to dig trenches, which would make it even more difficult for the besieging side. Zhao Manxiong also objected to Huang Shi's plan: "Sir, a cornered rat will bite a cat. Not to mention that it would be difficult to resist if they tried to break through at all costs, even if we forced them back to Jinzhou Fort to hold out, it wouldn't necessarily be a good thing." He Baodao also agreed with Zhao Manxiong for once: "Sir, military strategy says: 'Do not block a retreating army, and leave a gap when besieging a city.' It's too much of a stretch for our troops to block six or seven hundred cavalry." Huang Shi just smiled slightly and said to Li Yunrui: "Li Qianzong, it's your turn to speak again." Just as Li Yunrui was about to speak, Hong Antong, who was on lookout, called out from outside: "Sir, Eunuch Wu is here." It turned out that Wu Mu had discovered Huang Shi's secret military meeting. He felt that Huang Shi must be discussing something behind his back, so he rushed over. "Commander Li, tell them about that matter we were going to discuss after the meeting," Huang Shi immediately instructed Li Yunrui and several of his men to coordinate their statements, while he himself rushed to the door. "I'll go greet Eunuch Wu." Huang Shi dared not invite Wu Mu to the military meeting, fearing that this former bodyguard would mistake his bodyguard skills for military competence and offer unsolicited advice that would cause trouble. Just as Huang Shi stepped out of the tent, he saw Wu Mu storming towards him, immediately launching into a tirade: "General Huang, why didn't you invite me to discuss military affairs? Is there some shady business going on?" "Eunuch Wu, what are you saying?" Huang Shi said with a forced smile, "It's just a personal matter for this humble general." Wu Mu snorted and opened the tent flap to go inside, and Huang Shi quickly followed.

Li Yunrui secretly winked at him, indicating that the testimonies had been prepared. Huang Shi then feigned embarrassment and asked Li Yunrui to recount the events.

Because the imperial court had ordered the head of the Dongjiang garrison to be sent to Ningyuan for examination by Yuan Chonghuan, the military commissioner, Zhang Pan, after ambushing a small patrol of Later Jin scouts last month, sent the head to Juehua Island.

One of the soldiers from Lushun, while boasting in Juehua, mentioned Huang Shi and praised him as well. As a result, Zhao Yingong, the Juehua magistrate, found fault with him and whipped him. It's said that Zhao's tone was very unfriendly when Huang Shi's name was mentioned.

The unfortunate soldier and the Lushun officer in charge told Zhang Pan about this strange incident, and Zhang Pan, out of concern, informed Huang Shi. Huang Shi immediately ordered Li Yunrui to investigate, and it turned out that the young woman Zhao he met at Shanhaiguan was Zhao Yingong's sister.

Normally, the Zhao family wouldn't have mentioned this matter, but after Zhao Yingong had a dispute with a colleague, that colleague somehow found out about it and deliberately spread it to mock the Zhao family's reputation. Zhao Yingong was naturally furious, insisting that Huang Shi had been unfairly treated, while his daughter, being very polite, hadn't been taken advantage of.

The unfortunate soldier from Lushun just happened to be caught in the crossfire and was brutally beaten.

Huang Shi explained to Wu Mu with a forced smile, "The results of my fire brigade's future battles will also need to be reviewed by Ning Yuan

. It's never a good thing to have a bad relationship with colleagues, so I gathered my men to discuss how to resolve this. Although I have a clear conscience, it wouldn't be good for Lord Zhao's reputation if word got out, so we discussed it behind closed doors." "General Huang is right," Wu Mu nodded repeatedly. It would be too unethical for him to overhear such private matters. "Then I'll take my leave. Please keep the matter of sending troops in mind, General."

After Wu Mu left, Zhao Manxiong suddenly said, "Since the Zhao family has a younger sister, how about you propose marriage to them, sir?"

(End of Chapter 7)

Watch as my spear pierces... Chapter 8 Strategy

Huang Shi stared at Zhao Manxiong for a long time, and the others looked at him as if he were a monster: "What did you say?"

Zhao Manxiong smiled sinisterly: "Didn't Commander Li just say that the Zhao family has an unmarried daughter? My suggestion is that you, sir, can propose marriage to the Zhao family, saying you want to marry their youngest daughter."

"Are you crazy, Commander Zhao?" Huang Shi looked at him incredulously: "The Zhao family are scholars, and one of their sons even passed the imperial examinations. I'm just a warrior, and they hate me terribly. The Zhao family will never agree; I'm just humiliating myself!"

“I didn’t say the Zhao family would agree,” Zhao Manxiong shrugged. “Your Excellency will definitely be humiliated if you go to propose marriage.”

Everyone was confused, but Zhao Manxiong and Huang Shi had known each other since they met in Liuhe and were quite familiar with each other. When he saw Huang Shi’s expression darken, he knew that Huang Shi had understood his plan. “What do you think, Your Excellency?”

Huang Shi stood with his hands behind his back for a long time, then nodded. “Not bad, a very clever plan.” Then he shook his head. “I haven’t done anything wrong before, but if I do this, the fault lies with me.”

“The Zhao family forced us here, didn’t they? Your Excellency, this is just a counterattack.”

The two spoke as if they were talking in riddles, and everyone else in the room was puzzled. Although they were dissatisfied, they didn’t dare to ask Huang Shi. Besides, Jin Qiude and Yang Zhiyuan knew that someone would eventually wade into the muddy waters, so they waited with hope.

As expected, the outspoken He Baodao got angry: "Brother Zhao, speak your mind."

Zhao Manxiong didn't answer the question directly but kept watching Huang Shi's expression: "Sir, if Magistrate Zhao continues to cause trouble, I'm afraid the officials of Ningyuan Circuit will misunderstand you."

Huang Shi sighed and turned his face away.

Zhao Manxiong felt relieved and turned back to He Baodao: "The imperial court ordered that all the heads of the Dongjiang Town soldiers be transferred to Ningyuan. It can be said that the credit for my fire-fighting battalion is entirely in the hands of the civil officials of Ningyuan Circuit, isn't that right?"

“Indeed, that’s exactly right.”

Zhao Manxiong continued, “If the civil officials of Ningyuan Circuit have a negative opinion of you, sir, and this rumor spreads, it will be very detrimental to our fire brigade, right?”

Although He Baodao didn’t understand what this had to do with a marriage proposal, he still honestly answered, “That’s right.”

Zhao Manxiong spoke indignantly, “Brother Yang and you have both recounted the events, and Commander Li’s report also confirms that it was entirely the woman’s wishful thinking. You, sir, never made any promises. Moreover, it was Zhao’s daughter who stirred up trouble by talking too much. The conflict between Zhao Yingong and his colleagues has nothing to do with you, sir. It’s really unfair that you’ve dragged this rumor into this mess!” Although

everyone felt that Huang Shi had acted somewhat rudely, Huang Shi had indeed not promised anything, and He Baodao knew that Huang Shi was indeed wronged: “Yes, yes, but what does this have to do with a marriage proposal?”

"That Zhao Yingong insists that it's because you, sir, are being dishonest. It's not that their Zhao family looks down on you, but they're clearly trying to smear you and make you take the blame for their family's misdeeds. These scholars have bullied us warriors far too much! It's outrageous!" Zhao Manxiong slammed his fist on the table, his face contorted with rage. "You, sir, lead us in bloodshed and battle, and yet such a despicable person is plotting against us behind our backs!"

He Baodao was completely bewildered by Zhao Manxiong's words, utterly confused and unable to understand anything. "Then why did Brother Zhao insist that you, sir, seek marriage with such a despicable person's family?"

"Going to the Zhao family to propose marriage is precisely to bring the truth to light," Zhao Manxiong said righteously. "The Zhao family looks down on us martial artists so much that they will definitely refuse outright, and will probably even take the opportunity to humiliate our lord. This way, everyone can see clearly that it's not that our lord is being deceitful, but that the Zhao family despises loyal and patriotic men like our lord from the bottom of their hearts. The rumors will naturally fall apart."

Since Zhao Yingong has already torn off all pretense and started smearing Huang Shi, it's inevitable that he will make things difficult for Huang Shi in the future. Zhao Manxiong's calculation is to eliminate this potential threat. If this plan goes smoothly, Zhao Yingong's reputation will be ruined, and if he makes things difficult for the Fire Rescue Camp again in the future, everyone will think he is settling a personal score.

Huang Shi interjected, "Should we send the trap to those three brothers?"

Zhao Manxiong paused, then smiled and said, "Your Excellency is wise."

The others couldn't understand the cryptic conversation between Huang Shi and Zhao Manxiong. If Zhang Zaidi were present, they would understand that Zhao Manxiong was using the same old trick again. Zhao Yingong's family had humiliated Huang Shi, so naturally, they felt they had gotten their revenge and hadn't suffered any loss. Besides, the humiliated party always garners more sympathy.

"If Zhao Yingong is truly the villain Brother Zhao described," He Baodao pondered for a long time before finally asking again, "What if they've agreed to the marriage?"

He Baodao laughed self-deprecatingly as soon as he finished speaking, and everyone in the room joined in the laughter. This was a marriage, not a divorce. For the sake of their daughter's happiness, the Zhao family would have to retract their previous slander, which would naturally benefit Huang Shi. Li Yunrui had just mentioned that the Zhao family had also established connections with a clan in Shaanxi, and supposedly had many members who could be of assistance.

Yang Zhiyuan also teased, "I also hope the Zhao family agrees to this marriage, but unfortunately they definitely won't. Brother He, you're overthinking it."

"That's the end of it," Huang Shi said, making everyone laugh for a while longer. "Leave everything to Commander Zhao. Remember to make the betrothal gifts as generous as possible."

"Don't worry, sir," Zhao Manxiong said with a wicked smile. "This subordinate will definitely prepare a very generous betrothal gift, leaving no room for complaint. Let Brother Zhang perform the 'Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao' act; that way, we'll save face."

"Good, good, good, this small matter is settled. Commander Li, let's continue with the ambush of the Jurchens."

"Yes, sir."

According to Huang Shi's orders, the intelligence network on Changsheng Island closely monitored the Later Jin forces in the Jinzhou and Fuzhou areas, but never attacked or interfered with them; this was part of his established long-term strategy.

"These are the main roads between Jinzhou and Fuzhou. The frequency of Jurchen scouts and messengers' movements has been recorded. Please take a look, sir." Li Yunrui presented a piece of paper with both hands.

Huang Shi barely suppressed his urge to act unilaterally; cultivating independence among his subordinates had always been his unwavering goal: "You make your judgment on which road the Jurchens will retreat from."

"This... I dare not say." Li Yunrui still used the feudal army's methods of intelligence gathering, without analysis or filtering.

"You garrison commanders, go and help him think of a solution."

The men chattered amongst themselves, analyzing the march, reconnaissance, logistics, and road conditions. Soon they were arguing heatedly, their faces flushed. Huang Shi didn't interrupt them, and only stopped them after a long time when they couldn't come up with any new reasons. "Commander Li, you speak."

"Just now, Garrison Commander Zhao said..." Li Yunrui hesitated before he could finish, turning to look at Jin Qiude. "But Garrison Commander Jin said..."

"I don't want to hear reasons," Huang Shi slammed his hand on the table, pointing at Li Yunrui and shouting, "I want to hear your opinion on which route you think is right."

(End of Chapter 8)

Li

Yunrui gritted his teeth, pointing to a route and saying, "This one, because..."

"I don't want to hear reasons, so it's this one." Huang Shi immediately interrupted him. "Li Yunrui, go to the training team and pick six quick-witted men. From now on, they'll follow you in calculating military intelligence. I don't want to see a bunch of messy numbers anymore; I want you to give me an accurate answer, understand?"

"Understood, sir."

"You may leave now."

"Yes, sir. I take my leave."

Everyone has a tendency to distrust others and rely solely on their own judgment, but Huang Shi didn't believe he was a once-in-a-lifetime genius, nor did he necessarily possess an infallible battlefield intuition. He believed Li Yunrui, who had been constantly in contact with and collecting intelligence, should have a more accurate judgment. If he were assigned a few officers with a basic understanding of logistics and supplies, their daily, focused analysis would be more reliable than a general's momentary intuition.

"Commander Zhao, go and select ten men. Once you've chosen, immediately find suitable ambush locations along this road. Prepare for the other roads as well."

Cultivating independent thinking and analysis is one thing; being prepared is quite another.

"Yes, sir."

"What I need to hear are specific plans, with explanations of the advantages and disadvantages of each approach. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. Rest assured, sir."

In addition to intelligence officers, Huang Shi also planned to begin training staff officers. These officers could grow through practical work, becoming increasingly familiar with staff and intelligence analysis.

"Hmm, Commander Li will be temporarily under your command. He will report directly to you, but you must remember that he is only responsible for gathering intelligence and drawing maps, while you are responsible for considering follow-up measures. Your work cannot be mixed."

"Rest assured, sir. I will not let him know what he shouldn't know."

"Hmm, very good." Huang Shi did not want the authority of the intelligence agency and the staff agency to be unclear, but Zhao Manxiong's understanding was not without its merits.

"My lord, what is the ambush plan? How many soldiers do we have available?"

"Find a suitable location, use four hundred infantry to block and rout the fleeing Jurchen troops, then Garrison Commander He will lead one hundred cavalry in pursuit, aiming to annihilate the enemy."

Huang Shi then briefly explained his idea, as it was still necessary to guide the staff officer's thinking: "The ambush point should ideally be some distance from Jinzhou. I hope to see a group of exhausted Jurchens and their horses, then set up some roadblocks to force them to dismount and fight. I will personally command the infantry to rout them and force them to return the way they came, finally joining Garrison Commander He's cavalry in a relentless pursuit."

"My lord, are you sure the Jurchens will definitely escape?" Yang Zhiyuan raised a fundamental question.

“I’m sure.”

“Even so, does Your Excellency intend to use four hundred infantrymen to defeat six or seven hundred cavalrymen?” Yang Zhiyuan cautiously offered his opinion: “Even if we can force them to dismount, it will be very difficult. Returning by the same route means going back towards Jinzhou. The Jurchens will definitely fight to the death to escape this dangerous situation.”

These words reminded Huang Shi of the road to Lushun, where he and Kong Youde’s four hundred infantrymen were chased to the point of having nowhere to run and nowhere to hide by two hundred cavalrymen, and then fled to Lushun like two stray dogs.

It must be admitted that Yang Zhiyuan's concerns were quite reasonable. However, having anticipated the enemy's moves to this extent, the strategy was already flawless. Huang Shi knew that the remaining issues were all tactical: "That's right, we need to use four hundred infantry to defeat six to seven hundred enemy troops. Commander He, you trained these soldiers, are you confident?"

He Baodao replied firmly, "This subordinate is confident."

"Good," Huang Shi laughed and stood up, "You three come with me, let's go see the formation that Commander He is training."

The five men walked to the drill ground, where five hundred soldiers from the training team quickly lined up neatly: "Commander He, have your cavalry advance. Today, only the infantry will be training."

"Yes, sir."

The four hundred infantrymen divided into two groups according to the order. One group picked up all the spears used for training, and the ones in front had thick cotton cloth wrapped around their heads. Duncan led one group with a smug look on his face.

Yang Zhiyuan glanced at them and began to mutter, "They're all spears. How can we fight

hand-to-hand without short weapons?" "The Jurchens are all cavalry. I estimate that most of them carry round shields and long swords." Huang Shi knew what Yang Zhiyuan was worried about. Although spearmen could inflict a fierce attack, many would charge in close combat. Without axemen in the back row, they would be at a disadvantage in melee. "Mr. Duncan doesn't have much experience leading troops. Commander Yang can go down and command another team. They can use the wooden swords and shields they practiced with."

Yang Zhiyuan went down to prepare, looking unconvinced. Huang Shi and He Baodao exchanged a smile, both appearing quite relaxed. After observing for a while, Jin Qiude couldn't help but ask, "Sir, doesn't Mr. Duncan's team use drums and flags?"

"From now on, teams of several hundred men won't rely on flags and drums; they'll be commanded by officers' commands." Huang Shi felt the meaning of war drums and numerous flags was too vague. He planned to use flags only for communication between battalion and company commanders, but he would still equip them with small drums to train soldiers to march in unison to the beat.

Yang Zhiyuan personally beat the drum, and his team followed the usual tradition, with soldiers shouting and charging forward…

After the two exercises, Jin Qiude was pale and covered in cold sweat.

Yang Zhiyuan returned, his face pale, and said with lingering fear, "My lord, I also believe there's no problem; we will definitely defeat the Jurchens."

"In the end, this is just a drill," Huang Shi had seen many such exercises. This one-sided approach had boosted the soldiers' confidence, making them more trusting of orders and more obedient to discipline. "We'll soon find out how it goes."

Yang Zhiyuan took a deep breath, cupped his hands towards He Baodao, and said, "Congratulations, Brother He, for assisting my lord in training this powerful army."

He then looked at Duncan with a complex expression: "Is this method from the West? I've never seen it before."

"No," Duncan smiled awkwardly, "We in the West do emphasize spears and discipline, but the commands and tactics were all devised by the general. As for the soldiers' skills, they were all taught by Commander He."

Huang Shi smiled but didn't speak. This army was based on experience from the next few hundred years and was no longer a product of this era.

He Baodao, however, seemed somewhat melancholy. Jin Qiude asked curiously, "Brother He, what are you worried about? This spear formation looks quite good."

"It is indeed quite good. I'm not worried about your spear formation, sir. I believe the results in actual combat will be excellent." He Baodao's smile looked very sad. He shook his head several times before letting out a long sigh: "Once this army is established, there will be no more generals like Zhang!"

On the night of September 15th, the third year of Tianqi, the entire fire brigade of Changsheng Island was mobilized.

(End of Chapter 09)

See how my spear can pierce through Chapter 10: The Battle

"The two battalions of Lushun Gangfeng and Xuanfeng will attack Jinzhou Fort tonight. They are expected to arrive at the city walls at Chenshi tomorrow, lighting fires and sounding gongs to intimidate the defenders. I am certain that General Zhang's plan will succeed. Therefore..."

The tent was brightly lit, and Huang Shi's officers were gathered together. Wu Mu and the two Jinyiwei, Zhang Gaosheng and Chen Ruike, were also in full military uniform.

"I will lead the fire brigade to intercept the Jurchens on their inevitable escape route to the north, and strive to annihilate the fleeing enemy."

Zhao Manxiong had already chosen the location, and the plan to set up roadblocks had been approved.

After Huang Shi finished speaking, he politely asked, "Eunuch Wu, do you have any advice?"

"I do have some questions for General Huang," Wu Mu felt it would be safer to attack Jinzhou with the Lushun Army: "What if General Zhang fails to scare away the Jinzhou Fort garrison? What if the Jurchens don't take this route? General Huang, do we have a more reliable method?"

Huang Shi pondered for a moment: "Eunuch Wu, I think fighting has something in common with bodyguards. For example, on the escort route, between the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) and the guest, I suppose the head镖师 is more experienced?"

Wu Mu thought for a moment and chuckled: "Alright, I'll listen to General Huang today."

"War is dangerous, Eunuch Wu, your health is precious, wouldn't it be better to wait for good news on Changsheng Island?"

“General Huang, you are mistaken,” Wu Mu thought. He believed that victory would ensure safety, but defeat would likely displease the palace if he hid in the rear. Besides, Huang Shi was a renowned general, tall and strong, and didn't seem like someone who would suffer a defeat. “As the supervisor, I should naturally advance and retreat with the entire army.”

Seeing that Huang Shi was about to persuade him again, Wu Mu said sternly, “General, is there some ulterior motive for not having me accompany you?”

“In that case, please accompany the army, Eunuch Wu. However, you must observe the battle from the rear. If anything goes wrong, I cannot bear the responsibility.”

The fire brigade secretly crossed the river at night. At dawn, five hundred soldiers and three hundred auxiliary soldiers set off together. After arriving at the designated location, Huang Shi continuously sent out scouts to investigate. The soldiers rested on the spot, while the auxiliary soldiers began to set up roadblocks and trenches.

"Reporting to you, sir, a signal fire has been sent from the direction of Jinzhou. General Zhang has captured Jinzhou. Just as you predicted, it seems there was little resistance. The Jurchens have abandoned the city and fled."

As dawn broke, the scouts scattered around finally reported: "Reporting to you, sir, the Jurchens are fleeing along this road, heading straight for our army."

Finally, there was no need for a hasty march to intercept them elsewhere. Huang Shi breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Li Yunrui with a smile: "Commander Li, you have rendered a great service this time."

"You flatter me, sir." Although he said this, Li Yunrui couldn't help but beam with joy.

Huang Shi was very satisfied with the location chosen by Zhao Manxiong. One side was a steep, insurmountable cliff, and the other side was a rushing river. Presumably, the Jurchen soldiers would not be willing to climb mountains and wade through rivers to become targets.

Blocking the Ming army's path was a makeshift fence made of haphazard stones and wood, behind which lay a shallow moat. If the Later Jin army wanted a quick charge, let them ride; even the most skilled horsemen would be caught off guard.

Zhao Manxiong, who was in charge of the defenses, had also frantically dug a large number of semi-circular pits, with gentle slopes facing the enemy's path and a straight, steep side facing the Ming army. This wouldn't hinder the cavalry's southward advance, but a northward charge would be much more difficult.

Removing these fortifications was also impossible; they were only thirty meters from the Ming army's lines, providing excellent cover for archers. Slowly traversing these obstacles would not only expose them to arrows for a long time, but even after passing through, the horses wouldn't have enough time to accelerate.

"The new army's first real battle has forced the enemy to fight at a location I chose, using the tactics I chose. It's perfect."

The last scout reported, "The Jurchens are ten li away from our army, we'll see them soon. Their horses are exhausted, they're moving slowly."

"You haven't been discovered, have you?"

"Don't worry, sir, we've been very careful."

"Good." Huang Shi immediately ordered He Baodao's cavalry to keep a safe distance and rest.

"Line up—"

The fire brigade soldiers, who had been resting for a long time, also got up and formed ranks.

"Count off—"

"One"

"Two"

"Three"

...

When the two sides finally saw each other, the Later Jin army stopped the scouts they had sent. After discovering that the Ming army only had four hundred infantrymen, they continued to advance and stopped a short distance away from the Ming army.

"They won't be able to wait long, because they don't know how many troops the Lushun army has behind them, or when they will catch up," Huang Shi explained to Wu Mu beside him. "They're also taking advantage of our small numbers, so they want to escape by making an escape route."

"We're small?" Wu Mu was taken aback. Huang Shi had told him there were only one or two hundred enemy troops.

"Yes, that's right." Huang Shi had already prepared his explanation: "The earlier reconnaissance was wrong. There are probably about six hundred and fifty Jurchens on the other side."

"Then isn't our army in great danger?" Wu Mu said, dumbfounded. "General Huang, why don't you quickly recall Commander He's cavalry so we can fight to the death?"

"Commander He's cavalry is for pursuit; we can't waste their horses."

As he spoke, the entire Jurchen army came into view. The Ming army blocked the road, forming a three-row battle formation a hundred men wide.

Another hundred soldiers stood in the front row, holding iron bows. Of the hundred muskets brought from Lushun, only seven passed Duncan's testing, so for now, they still had to rely on infantry archers for long-range firepower.

Both sides stared at each other silently, the battlefield shrouded in silence.

Wu Mu, unable to bear the tense atmosphere before the battle, tugged at Huang Shi's sleeve: "General Huang, what are the Jurchens waiting for?"

"They need to conserve their strength."

After a quarter of an hour, still no movement, Wu Mu asked again, his voice trembling with anxiety: "Are they just going to wait like this forever?"

"We can wait, but the Jurchens can't."

A quarter of an hour later, the Later Jin soldiers dismounted, each holding their shields above their heads, advancing slowly in a loose formation.

"Draw the bows—" several officers of the archers called out the order in drawn-out tones.

Huang Shi lowered his raised hand, and a guard beside him immediately struck a drum.

The archers responded: "Fire!"

A hail of arrows felled few, the Later Jin advance slowed slightly, then continued its advance.

"Draw the bows—"

The arm swung down, the drum sounded, the command was given, and the archers released their bows.

The Ming army fired five times slowly, and the Later Jin army had closed to within fifty meters.

"Why is our army shooting arrows so slowly?" Wu Mu was truly a questioning eunuch.

Huang Shi, his eyes fixed on the battlefield, his arm outstretched in mid-air, explained without turning his head, "An archer can only fire a maximum of fifteen arrows before becoming exhausted. The Jurchens want to draw our fire from a distance, so as they advance slowly, we must fire five arrows at a time. The last five arrows against infantry must be fired within twenty-five paces."

"Only ten arrows in total!" Wu Mu's arithmetic seemed quite good, but Huang Shi thought it would be perfect if he had asked the question after the battle.

"Wu Mu is wise." Huang Shi, completely focused on controlling the army, had no time to pay him any attention. His eyes were fixed on the approaching Jurchen soldiers. Suddenly, he swung his arm three times quickly, and the drums sounded rapidly three times.

"Odd numbers, fire horizontally; even numbers, fire upwards." The archer officer gave the order without hesitation upon hearing the drums.

The Ming archers quickly nocked their arrows; half of them lowered their bows to strike the lower body, while the other half fired high into the air. They fired five rapid volleys in quick succession. Although the Jurchen soldiers in the front ranks tried to block and dodge, some were still hit.

However, for the regular army clad in armor and carrying shields, most arrows did not cause fatal wounds. After the dozens of wounded men did not enter the fray, the lightly wounded continued to follow the elite soldiers on the front line, waiting to participate in the close combat.

The Later Jin crossed the roadblock, and Huang Shi's drummer sounded a short gong.

Next came the work of the front-line officers. Slightly nervous, Huang Shi gripped the reins with both hands, let out a long breath, and explained to Wu Mu, "Shooting arrows so quickly is tiring, and we must guard against the enemy standing still and firing back. Although the Jurchens cannot afford to waste time and their bows are mostly weak, we still cannot be careless."

The gong sound brought the archers' final order: "Archers, retreat."

(End of Chapter 10)

See how my long spear can pierce! Chapter 11 Battle

The Ming archers released their last volley of arrows and disappeared behind the spear formation. The Ming army's formation fluctuated slightly before becoming tight again. The bugle call from the opposite side also sounded long, and the Later Jin soldiers quickly formed battle formations.

Then another bugle call sounded. The Later Jin army roared in unison, their swords and shields clanging as they pressed forward. The Ming soldiers opposite them lacked swords and axes; the Later Jin were confident they could rout them in the blink of an eye once close combat began. Seeing the dense formation of the Ming troops, the Later Jin commander wondered if his opponents were idiots. With such close-quarters combat, their spears would become useless in a melee.

"Right half—" the fire brigade officer commanded in the same calm tone he'd used in training—a command they'd given hundreds of times. The

Later Jin soldiers, roaring as they advanced, stared intently at the Ming soldiers before them, their faces contorted with malice as they grinned at the unfamiliar, cold faces. They braced their round shields against their bodies, their entire bodies focused on the spear tips pointing at them. With each step forward, every muscle in their bodies was taut, ready to parry and strike with lightning speed.

"—Turn!"

With the loud command from the fire brigade officer, every Later Jin soldier saw the Ming soldiers in front of them turn halfway around, leaving their sides exposed. Many Later Jin soldiers, their eyes fixed on the spear tips, were even drawn to their left by the moving target.

"Kill!"

The fire brigade soldiers shouted simultaneously, as in their usual drills. Each soldier thrust their spear with all their might. Hundreds of spears shot out like lightning, most deeply embedding themselves in the vulnerable right ribs of the enemy soldiers gripping their swords. Some Later Jin warriors, holding shields in their right hands, had their cheeks or eye sockets pierced directly by the spears…

Painful cries instantly echoed across the land. After He Baodao's patient guidance, the Ming soldiers almost simultaneously and skillfully rotated their spear shafts, then forcefully pulled them out. Countless jets of blood followed the murder weapon, spraying out and transforming into millions of drops of blood in various shapes, some falling limply to the ground, others splattering all over the murderer's body and face.

None of the Ming soldiers dared to wipe their wounds; they all silently held their spears level, just as they had during training, and everyone had resumed their thrusting stance.

Nearly a hundred wounded Later Jin soldiers had their internal organs ripped apart or their heads pierced; many died before even falling, and many more twitched a few times on the ground before dying. Only a few managed to roll, some kicking their legs desperately but making no sound, clearly in excruciating pain.

The Ming soldiers stared ahead, seemingly oblivious. In previous training exercises, anyone who dared to move or even glance to the left or right would be severely whipped, so they all obediently awaited the next command.

Wu Mu and the two Imperial Guards, just like Jin Qiude on his first day seeing the spear formation, stared wide-eyed at this carnage. There was no booming of swords clashing, only the muffled thud of spears piercing flesh; no shouts of fierce battle, only the slaughter of chickens.

Huang Shi saw that although the rear ranks of the Later Jin army were stunned, they only slightly pushed back and did not retreat completely, indicating that the best time to charge had not yet arrived. "The Jurchens are truly brave," he said. "Even such a thunderous attack couldn't break their morale."

The three men beside him had their eyes bulging out of their sockets, their jaws almost dropping to the ground, completely unresponsive to Huang Shi's exclamation. Perhaps they hadn't even recovered from their shock and hadn't heard what

he said. Only when the last Later Jin soldier breathed his last in agony did the bugle call from the Later Jin side sound again. The Later Jin soldiers' unfocused eyes regained their focus after the bugle call sounded several times. They roared and shouted to rouse themselves, then cautiously moved forward again.

Because the Ming soldiers' spears all pointed to their right, except for a very few left-handed ones, the Later Jin soldiers found it difficult to protect their right flanks with their round shields. They swayed uncomfortably from side to side. Although the Ming soldiers were closest in the horizontal direction, the main threat came from the hand holding the sword. Huang Shi saw some Later Jin soldiers even switch their shield-holding hands, but many switched back to their right hands after a few swings.

This was also part of Huang Shi's plan, allowing the advantage of the spears to be fully utilized. The Ming soldiers remained motionless, and the Later Jin soldiers, influenced by this, gradually changed their formation, meeting the cold stares of the Ming soldiers, and slowly advanced with small steps, their backs bent.

"Very strong, really strong. It's true what they say, a cornered rat will bite a cat." Huang Shi watched as the Later Jin soldiers, after such an attack, still twisted their bodies into strange postures, attempting to pounce and fight.

However, this time the Later Jin army's formation was not as dense and orderly as before. The first few dozen men began to stand out, marching with the most determination, while those behind them moved slower, their eyes more hesitant. Huang Shi unconsciously gritted his teeth and grinned maliciously: "The bravest will die first."

The fire brigade officer watched the Jin soldiers' steps, calculated the distance between the two armies, and once again drew out the last syllable of his command...

"Left—"

In previous training, Huang Shi used sacks tied to trees to simulate the enemy. When the sacks swung together, each soldier had to turn and attack the sack next to him according to the command. The safety of any soldier in the gun formation was entrusted to his comrade, and each soldier also had to clear danger for his comrade.

At first, the instinct for self-preservation was difficult to overcome, but the relentless whipping eventually conditioned the soldiers into a conditioned reflex. After this hurdle was overcome, everything became increasingly smooth. He Baodao taught many techniques, making the soldiers' thrusts more powerful and accurate.

Whenever a soldier was hit by a swinging sack during training, the person responsible for his safety would be punished. As time went on, the soldiers trusted their comrades more and more, and their conditioned reflex of obeying orders became increasingly solidified.

"—Turn."

The moment the Later Jin soldiers raised their swords at the Ming soldiers, the Ming soldiers once again ignored the enemy before them and spun ninety degrees in unison.

"Kill."

Just as swiftly and effortlessly as the previous assassination, the Later Jin soldier stared in disbelief as the enemy who had just faced him turned and plunged his spear into his unsuspecting comrade from the side and rear. A sharp pain shot through his own left side...

The dull thud of bone shattering into flesh and the screams of agony echoed once more...

(End of Chapter 11)

See how my spear can pierce through... (End of Chapter 12 )

The Ming soldiers once again lowered their spears and resumed their attacking stance. Blood flowed everywhere, turning the earth into red mud. The Later Jin warriors, not yet dead, writhed and struggled in the mud, breathing their last breath.

The bugle call from the rear command of the Later Jin army abruptly ceased at that moment, as if an invisible pair of scissors had severed it. The Later Jin soldiers staggered backward; even these veteran Jurchen warriors had never witnessed such a massacre.

Attacking the unshielded flank along a right diagonal line is what some call "right-wing phobia" among heavy infantry. However, in the feudal era, where individual bravery was paramount, this tactic was executed through flanking maneuvers. Soldiers instinctively attacked the closest and most threatening enemy. After the emergence of the rudiments of modern armies in the 18th century, long weapons could easily overwhelm short-range charges with a frontal right thrust—a one-sided massacre. Shielded short weapons thus faded into history… If muskets couldn't defend against them, and spears couldn't defend against them, what was the point? Two-handed swords or hand cannons were far superior. (This book was discovered by Huang Shi while watching He Bao's sword demonstration in Lushun, but this technique couldn't be executed without comprehensive training.)

This is the capability that team spirit brought to modern armies, enabling the creation of various flexible tactics and efficient troop control. For example, when the enemy's attention was significantly diverted to the right flank, some Later Jin soldiers dared to attempt the dangerous maneuver of moving sideways—attempting to counter the right-hand thrust tactic. The frontline commander of the fire brigade could skillfully exploit this weakness to attack from behind, without being confined to the frontal right-hand thrust.

Coordination, organization, and discipline—treating the entire army as a unified whole rather than relying on individual combat strength—Huang Shi's excitement was indescribable. The modern army, this war machine that had killed countless people in human history, had finally followed him across time and space to this era… Don't think that just because the modern army wielded cold weapons, your feudal army would have any chance.

Crack, crack…

one after another, swords fell to the ground. Some Later Jin soldiers, retreating, collapsed to the ground, mouths agape, staring dumbfounded at the unbelievable battlefield before them, completely unaware that they were already soiling themselves.

When the modern army, this beast of war, first bared its claws, revealing its ferocious and bloodthirsty face, it wasn't just the Later Jin soldiers who were terrified. Most of the soldiers who had witnessed the battle in Lushun were in the front ranks and cavalry, so the archers at the back of the Ming army were all new recruits. They stared blankly at the carnage before them, their arms hanging limply, their bows and arrows falling to the ground.

The new recruits in the last two ranks of the spearmen were also pale-faced. Several soldiers could no longer maintain their guard, clutching their spears with one hand and covering their mouths, desperately trying to stop themselves from vomiting.

Huang Shi pointed his whip forward with a stern face, and the guards beside him immediately beat the drum three more times.

"All troops forward—look!"

The veteran soldiers in the front ranks of the Ming army stood straight in front of them. Although their breathing had become rapid and heavy, the painful memories of being whipped during training still suppressed the soldiers from letting out excited shouts.

"Forward—march!"

The drumbeats sounded one after another. The officers of the fire brigade issued orders one after another, and the Ming army advanced forward in formation with their spears. Most of the Later Jin soldiers stumbled backward, their shields and swords falling all over the ground. The bugle call from behind their ranks never sounded again.

The Later Jin soldiers sitting on the ground stared blankly, forgetting even to scream before the spears pierced their bodies. Occasionally, one or two Later Jin soldiers would let out inhuman howls, charging forward with chaotic sword swings, but they were all instantly impaled by the spears.

The Ming army advanced unhurriedly, side by side. The Later Jin soldiers scrambled back to the roadblocks, their bugles sounding, but it was too late. The soldiers tripped by the roadblocks fled backward on all fours. The Ming army could only see the backs of their enemies, each clinging to their comrades in front, trying to run faster.

"Light the fireworks!" Huang Shi ordered, seeing the opportunity, and the guards quickly signaled to the cavalry behind.

Theoretically, using infantry to rout the enemy and then using the rested cavalry to pursue them would maximize the horses' stamina for the final victory.

As the sound of hooves thundered behind them, the officers of the fire brigade immediately shouted, "Scatter to the left and right!"

Watching He Baodao lead his cavalry past like a whirlwind, Huang Shi's warhorse stirred, snorted, and took two steps forward. He reined in his horse, and Hong Antong behind him couldn't help but call out, "Sir!" "

Don't worry about me, it's safe here." Huang Shi turned and glanced at his guards behind him. "You all go." He smiled and said loudly, "Go, all of you!"

"Yes, sir!" Hong Antong drew his saber, drawing a cold light in the air. "Thank you, sir."

Several guards also drew their swords, spurred their horses, and joined He Baodao's cavalry. Huang Shi's orders to the cavalry were to pursue the enemy at the front, ignoring those who lagged behind; the infantry would naturally catch up and deal with them.

Huang Shi turned around and saw Wu Mu still in a daze. His mental state was somewhat worrying, so Huang Shi gently touched him: "Eunuch Wu, fighting and being a bodyguard are quite different, aren't they?"

"Hmm?" Wu Mu made a sound like he was talking in his sleep, then suddenly shouted as if waking from a dream: "Different, different, so very different!"

The cavalrymen trotted past the obstacle and immediately accelerated. The collision of the horses and the swinging of their sabers caused the fleeing Later Jin soldiers to fall like wheat in the blink of an eye. The Ming infantry, after the cavalry passed, formed formation and advanced, continuously finishing off the enemy soldiers on the ground. No one dared to leave their ranks to cut off heads. The drums continued to thunder. Some of the new recruits in the back ranks collapsed on the ground, vomiting profusely, while others struggled to their feet, grabbed their rifles, and ran forward to rejoin their ranks.

“Officer Chen, why didn’t you explain this to me earlier? This battle is completely different from what you described.” Wu Mu wiped his mouth, realizing he had drooled a little. He quickly wiped it clean, then, feeling embarrassed, glared at Chen Ruike beside him, his voice heavy with a nasal tone: “Hmm?”

“This, this,” Chen Ruike had never seen anything like this before, and stammered for a long time, “This subordinate, this subordinate has seen the Imperial Guards’ drills, no, no…”

“We are not the Imperial Guards,” Huang Shi came to his rescue, “We are the border troops, the Liaodong border troops.”

…

“Sir, what should we do with the Jurchen Han soldiers?” After the battle, some Han soldiers successfully surrendered alive. Zhao Manxiong pointed to the group of dejected prisoners and asked Huang Shi what to do with them. Huang Shi rode forward and surveyed them. They were all bound, and they looked very securely bound.

"Leave no one alive, cut off their heads and take them away."

"Yes, sir!"

A chorus of cries and pleas for mercy erupted from below, each person desperately claiming they had been forcibly conscripted.

Wu Mu cautiously said, "Wait." His position as supervisor made him somewhat opposed to killing prisoners.

"Please speak, Eunuch Wu," Huang Shi's tone remained as polite as ever.

(End of Chapter 12)

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Stealing the Ming Dynasty [Complete] - 11

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