The Rogue

I felt that the early depiction of the lives of ordinary people struggling to survive amidst the natural and man-made disasters of the late Ming Dynasty was quite compelling, and their eventual being swept up by the tides of history was ultimately quite remarkable. It ranks among the best historical novels and is well worth reading.

My name is Lei Feng. 😁

Since it's called "Stubborn Bandits," it's definitely a rebellion for power. The last ten or so chapters by the author are really dragging, and abrupt, utterly inexplicable. My elder brother is a master of military strategy, steady in battle; I'm a superhuman fighter, top-notch in both infantry and cavalry, with dozens of soldiers who can form ranks, and Brother Cao's gang of thugs beside me.

To be honest, among the many historical works about the late Ming Dynasty, this book is a refreshing one. Leaving aside light novels, historical fiction is gradually moving away from superficial descriptions and beginning to depict history in greater detail. This is a good thing, as it prevents readers from being trapped in shallow descriptions of famine and cannibalism.

Could the author please explain the protagonist's role in this book, specifically what role the protagonist plays in this historical period? Is he assisting someone to ascend the throne, ruling the world himself, or forging a new path with the help of modern knowledge? No need to say much, just a little hint will suffice.

Following the previous post ----- Rest stops and main roads in western China

Many criticize sending troops to Qinghai, but it was actually the only solution for the late Ming Dynasty without any major plot twists. Even then, it was only with Emperor Chongzhen's personality changed and a minor boost provided—a small golden finger. If they had truly made a name for themselves in the mainland, Chongzhen wouldn't have let them off the hook.

This book is destined to flop; its pacing and premise are extremely problematic. In terms of pacing, let's not even talk about the three golden chapters; dozens of chapters are still going with the flow, which is painful to read. Moreover, despite being a half-soul transmigration story, it's written like a native character.

I'm approaching 40 and haven't read many books because most are unreadable—they're all about wishful thinking and uninteresting plot devices. The first time-travel novel I read was *Stealing the Ming Dynasty*, with its Spanish phalanx, Lingbao fortress, and historical elements, which I found excellent. I haven't read much for almost 10 years, until I encountered *The Deer-Snatching Marquis*.

Having read over 140 chapters, I've noticed that the protagonist's strength increases dramatically after each battle, lacking any sense of dramatic ups and downs. For example, in the battle against Li Bei, he could clearly have been routed. Even after nearly ten years of Li Zicheng's rebellion, he was still reduced to only eighteen riders fleeing to the mountains, essentially back to square one.