novelSusiti Chapter 10 First Real-World Command
Chapter 10 First Real-World Command
In the winter of the eleventh year of the Chongzhen reign (1638), the snow in Qishui came unusually early.
Just after October, the first snow fell gently, turning the earthen walls of Majiabao into a pure white.
Inside the fortress, 120 local militiamen were drilling in the drill ground. Their breath condensed in the cold wind, while sweat soaked through their thin cotton coats. Tie Zhu stood at the front of the formation, his voice hoarse as he shouted the commands: "Thrust—Retract—Turn—!"
Spears stood like a forest, their movements perfectly synchronized. This was Ma Changsheng's "Simplified Spear Formation," improved from the "New Book of Military Tactics." It eliminated complex formation variations, retaining only the three most practical movements: thrust, retract, and turn. It was sufficient to deal with untrained bandits.
Ma Changsheng stood on the watchtower by the drill ground, wrapped in a thick cotton robe—an old garment given to him by Chen Jiru. He held a charcoal pencil and a small notebook, recording the performance of each squad.
"The third team was a beat too slow to turn around."
"Fifth team, the gun tips are not at the same height."
"Seventh team...good, keep it up."
Tie Zhu ran up the watchtower, wiping the sweat from his face: "Chang Sheng, you've been training for two months now, isn't that enough? It's freezing cold, brothers..."
"Not enough." Ma Changsheng didn't even look up. "The bandits won't stop coming just because it's cold. The colder it gets, the more we need to train. We'll only be considered qualified when our hands and feet are so numb we can still fight."
Tie Zhu smiled wryly: "You're even stricter than Instructor Sun."
Instructor Sun was a retired veteran whom Ma Sanbao hired at great expense. He had served in the border army for twenty years before retiring due to injury. He had a volatile temper, but he was truly capable, and Ma Changsheng learned a great deal of practical experience from him.
"Instructor Sun said that the bandits are most rampant in the twelfth lunar month." Ma Changsheng closed his notebook. "Because the people need to prepare for the New Year and have some stored grain. We need to train everyone to be ready for battle before the twelfth lunar month."
Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside the fortress. A fast horse rushed into the fortress gate, and the rider tumbled off the saddle; it was Ma Xiaoshuan, the scout sent out.
"Brother Changsheng! Brother Tiezhu!" Ma Xiaoshuan gasped for breath, "There's...there's a large group of bandits! They're coming this way!"
The two people upstairs changed color at the same time.
Inside the ancestral hall, the brazier was burning brightly. Ma Sanbao, Tiezhu, Instructor Sun, and several squad leaders sat in a circle, listening to Ma Xiaoshuan's report.
"About five hundred men, carrying flags with the character '闯' (Chuang, meaning 'brave' or 'rebel'). Ma Xiaoshuan took a big gulp of water. "They came from the north, and looted three villages along the way. They're currently camped in Zhangjiaji, about thirty miles away, and it looks like they'll need to rest for a day or two."
"Five hundred men..." Ma Sanbao's face turned pale. The local militia had a maximum of one hundred and twenty men, and with those from the surrounding villages who could be mobilized, it was at most two hundred. Five hundred against two hundred, a disparity in strength.
Instructor Sun stroked his stubble: "'Chuang' flag... belongs to Li Zicheng's men. These men aren't as crazy as Zhang Xianzhong's troops, but they're more cunning and know more about military strategy."
Ma Changsheng quickly sketched a topographical map in his notebook: "From Zhangjiaji to here, it takes a day to travel by official road and a day and a half to travel by mountain road. Why do they need to rest?"
"Maybe he's tired, or maybe..." Tie Zhu hesitated, "What are you waiting for?"
"Wait for an inside help," Ma Changsheng and Instructor Sun said simultaneously.
The two exchanged a glance, and Instructor Sun nodded approvingly: "Young Zanhua has insight. When bandits attack a city, they often send spies in first to infiltrate and coordinate an attack from within."
Ma Changsheng immediately ordered: "Brother Tiezhu, take your men to check all unfamiliar faces in the fort, especially those who have arrived in the last month. Instructor Sun, send men to the surrounding villages to remind them to be on high alert for spies."
The two men accepted the order and left. Ma Changsheng continued his analysis: "Even with an inside accomplice, five hundred men attacking our fortress would come at a price. Why would they choose us?"
"We have a big reputation." Ma Sanbao smiled bitterly. "Six surrounding villages are under our protection. If we fall, those six villages will be easy prey."
"More than that." Ma Changsheng stared at the map. "We control a key point on the main road. If we are captured, we can threaten the county town to the south and enter the mountains to the east. This is a strategic location."
He suddenly recalled historical records: in the winter of the eleventh year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, Li Zicheng's forces were indeed active in the Huguang region. But specifically regarding Qishui… there were no detailed records in his memory. Perhaps, history was being changed because of him, this "butterfly"?
"No matter the reason, we have to fight since they're here." Ma Sanbao gritted his teeth. "Chang Sheng, how do you suggest we fight?"
Ma Changsheng did not answer immediately. He closed his eyes, his mind racing, quickly processing the scenario:
Enemy: 500 people, experienced in combat, possibly with siege equipment (simple ladders, battering rams).
Our side: 120 people (core) + 80 people (reinforcements from surrounding villages) = 200 people, with fortifications, and two months of training.
Terrain: The fort walls are two zhang high, the moat is one zhang deep, and there are watchtowers at the four corners.
Advantages: fortifications, training level, intelligence advantage (knowledge of enemy situation).
Disadvantages: Disparity in troop strength, lack of combat experience, and limited supplies (enough food for half a month).
Deduction result: Direct defense yields a 35% win rate. Using strategy can increase the win rate to 60%.
He opened his eyes: "We can't just hold out. We need to use a strategy."
Ma Changsheng's plan consisted of three steps, which he called "luring the enemy into the trap, closing the door to beat the dog, and capturing the kingpin to capture the thief."
Step 1: Feign weakness to lure the enemy.
"The bandits think we only have a little over a hundred men, which is an advantage," Ma Changsheng said. "We need to make them think we are weaker than we actually are."
How to do it? He ordered: young and strong men to disguise themselves as the elderly, weak, women and children and withdraw them from the fortress to create the illusion of an escape; reduce the number of guards on the walls and sparsely light torches; deliberately let a few "refugees" out of the fortress to spread rumors that "there is infighting in Majia Fortress and food shortages".
"This is a feigned defeat," Coach Sun frowned. "It's too risky. What if they really think we're weak and attack with all their might..."
"So we need to coordinate with the second step." Ma Changsheng pointed to the official road on the map, "and set up an ambush here."
Step 2: Ambush the exhausted enemy.
The official road passed through a place called "Eagle's Beak Cliff," with steep slopes on both sides and a narrow road in the middle. Ma Changsheng planned to ambush them here.
"The bandits come from Zhangjiaji, and they will inevitably pass Eagle's Beak Cliff on the official road. Let's ambush them in advance, and when they are halfway past, we'll throw down logs and rocks, and fire a volley of arrows. We don't need to kill many, just disrupt their formation and break their morale."
Coach Sun's eyes lit up: "Great location! One man can hold off ten thousand! Who will lead the team?"
"Me," Ma Changsheng said.
A commotion erupted in the ancestral hall. Ma Sanbao was the first to object: "No! You're only eleven! It's too dangerous!"
"Precisely because I'm young, the bandits won't be on guard," Ma Changsheng said calmly. "Besides, only I know the whole plan best. Brother Tiezhu needs to guard the fort, Father, you need to oversee things, and Instructor Sun is too old to climb mountains. I'm the most suitable candidate."
Everyone fell silent. He had a point, but having an eleven-year-old lead an ambush was simply...
"I'll go with Changsheng," Tiezhu stood up. "I'll protect him."
"No, you must defend the fortress." Ma Changsheng shook his head. "The fortress is the key. The ambush is just a delaying tactic; the real battle will take place beneath the fortress walls."
He looked at Instructor Sun: "Instructor, I need ten of the best archers and twenty strong men who can push rolling logs and boulders."
Instructor Sun stared at him for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Good! You've got guts! I'll go with you!"
Step 3: The final battle inside the fortress.
"After being ambushed, the bandits will be enraged and launch a full-scale attack on the fortress." Ma Changsheng marked on the fortress map, "At this time, we need to let them in—but not all of them."
He drew three alleys on the map: "Open only the west gate and let them into the west alley. The west alley is narrow with high walls on both sides. We'll set up blocks at both ends of the alley and ambush archers on the rooftops in the middle. This is how we 'close the door and beat the dog'."
"Then what about capturing the leader to capture the thief?" someone asked.
Ma Changsheng pointed to a house in the middle of West Alley: "This is a distillery, with thick brick walls. When the bandit leader enters the city, he will definitely look for the highest house to observe. The distillery is the highest point in West Alley. We will plant gunpowder in the distillery—not too much, just enough to scare people. When the leader goes in, we will detonate it. Once the leader is dead, the morale of the army will be thrown into chaos."
After the plan was explained, the ancestral hall fell silent.
Everyone was amazed by the eleven-year-old boy's strategy.
Ma Sanbao asked, trembling, "Where did you learn about immortality... from?"
Ma Changsheng was silent for a moment: "I read it in a book, and I thought about it myself."
That's obviously a lie.
This is a comprehensive application of hundreds of ancient and modern city defense cases from both China and abroad in the consciousness database.
But to everyone else, this was a prodigy.
Coach Sun was the first to speak up: "I agree! Let's do it!"
The others nodded in agreement. Although it was risky, it was their only chance of winning.
Two days later at dawn, Eagle's Beak Cliff.
Ma Changsheng lay prone behind the bushes at the top of the cliff, his body camouflaged with withered grass.
Beside him were Instructor Sun and thirty selected local militiamen.
The official road at the foot of the mountain resembles a gray-white ribbon, winding its way into the distance.
"Are you cold?" Coach Sun asked in a low voice.
Ma Changsheng shook his head.
His hands were red from the cold, but he was highly focused.
Consciousness is monitoring the surrounding environment in real time: Temperature: -3 degrees Celsius; Wind speed: Level 2; Visibility: Good.
"They're here," the lookout reported in a low voice.
In the distance, a black line appeared on the official road, slowly wriggling like a giant centipede.
As they drew closer, I could make out their figures and hear the cacophony of voices.
Ma Changsheng silently counted: the front team had about a hundred men, in a loose formation; the middle team had about three hundred men, carrying ladders and battering rams; and the rear team had about a hundred men, escorting the looted supplies.
"Wait until half the squadron has passed," he ordered in a low voice.
Everyone held their breath.
Below the cliff, the bandits walked along without any precautions, some even laughing and talking.
They had just plundered three villages and were riding high on their morale, so they didn't take the small Majiabao village seriously at all.
As the squadron fully entered the ambush zone, Ma Changsheng raised his hand and swung it down sharply: "Release!"
"Boom!" More than a dozen logs rolled down from the cliff tops on both sides and crashed into the crowd. Screams immediately rang out.
"Release the arrows!"
Archers emerged from their hiding places, unleashing a rain of arrows.
On the narrow official road, the bandits had nowhere to hide and fell in droves in an instant.
"There's an ambush! Retreat!" the bandit leader shouted.
But they were blocked from both sides – the front team wanted to go back to support, and the rear team wanted to move forward, so they were all crammed together.
Several more waves of logs fell, and the number of casualties continued to rise.
Ma Changsheng calmly observed the battle situation. Estimated casualties: approximately eighty men. Objective achieved; retreat is possible.
"Withdraw!" he ordered.
The local militia quickly retreated along the planned route—not back to the fort, but by taking a detour back via another path.
This was specially designed by Ma Changsheng to prevent the bandits from tracking him.
During the retreat, Instructor Sun glanced back at the chaotic bandits on the official road and grinned: "Little Zanhua, that was a brilliant battle! We've at least delayed them for two hours!"
Ma Changsheng did not laugh.
He knew that the real test had only just begun.
In the afternoon, the bandits finally appeared outside Majiabao.
After the ambush that morning, they lost nearly a hundred men and their morale was dampened, but they still had more than four hundred men, twice the number of the defending troops.
Moreover, they brought siege equipment—three simple cloud ladders and a thick battering ram.
The bandit leader, a one-eyed burly man, rode on horseback, pointing at the fortress wall and cursing, "You rats of Ma Family Fortress! How dare you ambush me! Today we'll break down the fortress and leave no one alive!"
On the fortress wall, Ma Sanbao gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, his palms sweating profusely.
He had only sixty men with him—the remaining sixty were lying in ambush in the alley.
"According to the plan, let them attack once," Ma Changsheng said in a low voice, "then pretend to be outmatched and open the west gate."
The bandits' first wave of attack was fierce. They exchanged arrows, built siege ladders, and rammed the gates. On the fortress walls, the local militia, following their training, used spears to stab those climbing the walls, stones to smash those ramming the gates, and doused the siege ladders with kerosene.
The battle lasted for half an hour.
The local militia suffered seven or eight wounded, while the bandits suffered even more casualties.
However, cracks began to appear in the gate after repeated impacts from the battering ram.
"That's about enough," Ma Changsheng said to his father. "Open the west gate and let them in."
Ma Sanbao gritted his teeth: "Open the west gate!"
The west gate slowly opened. The bandits who were attacking the gate were stunned for a moment, then overjoyed: "The gate's open! Charge in!"
Hundreds of bandits rushed in.
But they soon realized something was wrong—behind the door was not an open space, but a narrow alley with high walls on both sides and a wooden fence blocking the way.
"We've fallen for their trap!" someone shouted.
But it was too late.
Dozens of archers suddenly appeared on the rooftops at both ends of the alley, and a rain of arrows fell from both sides.
The bandits in the alley became easy targets, and screams filled the air.
"Get out! Get out!" the one-eyed leader shouted from outside the door.
But the west gate had already been closed again.
The more than one hundred bandits who rushed in were locked in the alley.
This is the first stage of "closing the door to beat the dog".
The one-eyed leader was furious.
He personally led a group of men, carrying battering rams, and rammed the west gate.
This time, however, sandbags blocked the back of the door, making it impossible to break through.
"Climb over the wall!" he ordered.
However, the fortress walls were heavily defended, and several attempts were repelled.
At this moment, an "insider"—actually a local militiaman arranged by Ma Changsheng in disguise—quietly approached the leader: "Your Majesty, I know a small path that can lead around to the fortress."
The one-eyed leader looked at him warily: "Who are you?"
"The smaller one is a spy who infiltrated a few days ago," the man said in a low voice. "There's a drainage ditch inside the fortress that you can climb into. Once inside, you'll find the distillery. The distillery is the highest point, offering a clear view of the entire fortress."
The one-eyed leader's single eye gleamed: "Lead the way!"
The man, along with his leader and a dozen personal guards, circled around to a hidden drainage outlet behind the fort.
The opening was narrow, allowing only one person to crawl in at a time. The leader hesitated for a moment, but thinking of the credit for capturing Majiabao, he gritted his teeth and ordered, "Go in!"
They crawled into the drainage ditch, climbed for more than ten feet, and sure enough, entered a house—it was the winery.
The distillery was empty, except for a few large vats and barrels.
The one-eyed leader climbed to the second floor and looked out the window; sure enough, he could see most of the fortress.
"Great spot!" he laughed. "Once my men break in, I'll command from here..."
Before he could finish speaking, a loud "boom" resounded.
It wasn't gunpowder—Ma Changsheng didn't have that much gunpowder.
It was a "thunderclap" that had been planted in advance in the distillery—a modified type of firecracker that made a loud noise but had limited destructive power.
The loud noise shook the distillery, and smoke and dust filled the air.
The one-eyed leader and his guards were terrified, thinking the house was about to collapse, and scrambled down the stairs.
At that moment, the local militiamen who had been lying in ambush outside the distillery rushed in: "Surrender and you will not be killed!"
The leader tried to resist, but his personal guards were terrified by the loud noise and threw down their weapons.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the one-eyed leader sighed and put down his knife.
"To catch the thief, catch the king"—successful.
News of the leader's capture quickly reached the outside of the fortress.
When the bandits who were still attacking the fortress saw their leader being brought up to the top of the wall, their morale immediately collapsed.
Ma Changsheng stood atop the wall and shouted to the bandits below: "Your leader has been captured! There are still two hundred elite soldiers inside the fortress! You cannot break in! Surrender now and you will be spared! Resist to the bitter end, and you will be killed without mercy!"
The bandits looked at each other in bewilderment.
They were originally just people who were starving and had no loyalty to speak of.
Now that their leader has been captured and casualties are heavy, they have long lost their will to fight.
"We surrender!" someone threw down their weapon.
"We surrender too!"
Soon, the remaining three hundred or so bandits all surrendered.
The fortress gates opened again.
The local militia came out to collect the weapons and took the prisoners into the fort.
The open space in front of the ancestral hall was filled with kneeling prisoners.
Ma Changsheng looked at these emaciated people—most of them farmers who had been forced into rebellion.
I felt reluctant, but I couldn't let the tiger return to the mountain.
He walked up to the one-eyed leader: "What's your name? Why are you a bandit?"
The leader lowered his head: "I am Wang Er, from northern Shaanxi. My hometown suffered a disaster, and the government demanded grain. I couldn't survive, so... so I followed King Chuang."
Where is Li Zicheng now?
"In...in the Shangluo Mountains."
Ma Changsheng's heart stirred.
Historical records indicate that Li Zicheng did indeed rest and recuperate in the Shangluo Mountains in the eleventh year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign.
It seems the intelligence was accurate.
"Wang Er, I'll give you two choices," Ma Changsheng said. "According to the law, a bandit leader should be executed. Alternatively, you can atone for your crimes by joining the local militia, fighting bandits, and protecting the people. Which one do you choose?"
Wang Er was stunned: "Join...join you?"
"That's right. As you've seen, we in Majiabao don't rob the people, we only protect them. Those of your men who are willing to stay can be recruited after investigation. Those who are unwilling will be given twenty lashes and released, but they will not be allowed to become bandits again."
Wang Er couldn't believe it: "Really...really?"
A promise made is a promise kept.
Wang Er knelt down with a thud: "I am willing! My brothers and I are willing to follow Ma Family Fort!"
Ultimately, more than 200 of the 300-plus prisoners chose to stay.
The rest were mostly the elderly, the infirm, or those with families who wanted to return home; they were given military beatings and then released.
The local militia in Majiabao expanded from 120 men to more than 300 men overnight.
That evening, the ancestral hall was brightly lit. The victory banquet was simple—thin porridge and pickled vegetables—but everyone's face was filled with the joy of victory.
Ma Sanbao, holding up a broken bowl, said, "This first bowl is dedicated to our brothers who died in battle!"
The crowd stood solemnly, sprinkling porridge on the ground as a tribute to the dead. In this battle, eleven men from Majiabao died and twenty-three were wounded. The cost was considerable, but compared to the approximately two hundred casualties suffered by the bandits, it was a great victory.
"The second bowl is a toast to longevity!" Ma Sanbao's voice choked with emotion. "Without a plan for immortality, we can't hold on!"
Everyone looked at Ma Changsheng.
The eleven-year-old boy, illuminated by the firelight, still had a childish face, but his eyes were already as deep as an ancient well.
Ma Changsheng stood up, picked up the bowl, but didn't drink from it: "This bowl is for all my brothers. It was you who risked your lives to defend the fortress and protect your families. On behalf of the elders and folks of Ma Family Fortress, I, Ma Changsheng, thank you all!"
He drank it all in one gulp. The porridge was thin, but it warmed his heart.
After the victory banquet, Ma Changsheng climbed the fortress wall alone.
The snow continued to fall, covering the bloodstains from the daytime.
In the distance, the mountains are like dark eyebrows, while nearby, the village lights twinkle.
Instructor Sun walked over and handed him a wine pouch—which actually contained hot water: "Little Zanhua, what are you thinking about?"
"Think about the future." Ma Changsheng took the document. "We won this battle, but once our reputation spreads, more bandits will come to attack us. It may also arouse suspicion from the government troops."
"So what do you plan to do?"
"Train the troops, stockpile grain, and form alliances," Ma Changsheng said. "We now have over three hundred men, which can protect more villages. A dozen or so surrounding villages can unite to form a joint defense. If bandits come to attack one, other villages will provide support. In this way, we won't be an isolated fortress, but a network."
Coach Sun's eyes lit up: "Great idea! But this requires someone to coordinate it..."
"I'll do it," Ma Changsheng said. "I'll write the regulations, set the rules, and train the liaison officers. Each village will select representatives to hold regular meetings to coordinate defense."
"This is a huge project."
"No matter how big the task, we have to do it." Ma Changsheng looked into the distance. "This chaotic world won't end anytime soon. We need to prepare for the long term."
Instructor Sun looked at him and suddenly asked, "Chang Sheng, are all these skills of yours truly not innate?"
Ma Changsheng laughed: "Does the instructor believe in fate?"
"I believe in ability," Coach Sun said. "Your ability is a gift from heaven, but also the result of hard work. But I always feel... there's something on your mind, something very important."
Ma Changsheng remained silent.
Yes, he has something on his mind.
He needs to survive in this era, wait for consciousness to awaken, witness history, and perhaps... even change something.
But he couldn't say.
"Coach," he changed the subject, "I'd like to ask you to train a special team."
"Which team?"
"Night Scouts," Ma Changsheng said, "are specifically responsible for reconnaissance, ambushes, and decapitations. They don't need many, twenty men, but each one must be an elite."
Coach Sun understood: "You want to take the initiative?"
"Defense is always passive," Ma Changsheng said. "Sometimes, the best defense is offense. If small groups of bandits come, we fight them; if large groups come, we harass them, cut off their supplies, and exhaust them. Let them know that Majiabao is not to be trifled with."
"Good!" Instructor Sun slapped his thigh. "Leave this to me! I guarantee I'll train an elite force for you!"
The two chatted for a while longer, until late at night. Ma Changsheng returned to his lodgings—he now had a separate room in a side room of the ancestral hall. The table was piled high with books and blueprints, all of which were his work on "The Essentials of Joint Defense."
He lit the oil lamp and began to work.
But as soon as I picked up the pen, a wave of dizziness hit me.
Warning: Consciousness overload.
Today's high-intensity command and combat operations have taken a toll.
Recommendation: Rest immediately and get at least six hours of sleep.
Ma Changsheng smiled bitterly.
This eleven-year-old body is still too weak.
He blew out the light and lay down on the bed.
I closed my eyes, and the scenes of the daytime battle replayed in my mind: the moment the rolling logs crashed down, the rain of arrows, the deafening explosion of the distillery, the scene of prisoners kneeling in surrender...
This was his first time commanding in actual combat.
This is not a drill, not a simulation; it is real fighting, a life-or-death struggle.
He thought he would be scared and have nightmares.
but no.
There was only a strange calm—the same calm that I felt when I was at Europa base, directing billions of clones to deal with a crisis.
It was as if he were not a participant, but an observer.
This made him somewhat uneasy.
Does excessive rationality mean a loss of humanity?
But soon, he felt relieved.
In chaotic times, only rationality can ensure survival.
Let's talk about emotions later, when things are more peaceful.
Outside the window, the snow fell silently.
Ma Changsheng fell into a deep sleep.
In his dream, he returned to Europa. Beneath the icy surface, billions of clones simultaneously opened their eyes, gazing at the starry sky. In the starry sky, the sun was collapsing…
"Longevity! Longevity!" Someone shook him awake.
Tie Zhu, his face full of anxiety, cried out, "Get up quickly! People from the county town have arrived! They're soldiers, lots of soldiers! They've surrounded the fort!"
Ma Changsheng suddenly sat up.
A new challenge has arrived.