Chapter 330: Revere the Emperor and Expel the Barbarians; Drive the Wolves to Swallow the Tiger

On the eleventh day of the fourth month of the twelfth year of the Chongzhen reign, the weather slowly grew hot, yet from time to time fierce winds would whip up, and the temperature would immediately plummet and turn cold.

At that moment, inside the mansion of the State-Stabilizing General, Wang Dou sat quietly drinking tea in his everyday clothes. Below him, a tall, lean scholar in a long blue cotton gown sat with a smile, while another scholar stood in the hall, discoursing at length with sweeping gestures.

"This student believes that the statecraft of governing a realm should be used to administer the Eastern Circuit — internally, to cultivate governance and expand military farmland; externally, to connect with the noble houses, appoint men solely on their talent, and draw upon courtly backing. Then the affairs of the Eastern Circuit can succeed. This student has prepared a ten-thousand-word memorial here; I beg the General to peruse it in detail."

The speaker was none other than Ye Xizhi. A few days earlier, he had boldly barged into the General's mansion and spoken wildly; at the time, Wang Dou had paid him no mind. Still, to show that he valued talent, he had politely invited him into the mansion and settled him in a guest room to rest. Several days passed, and Wang Dou had long forgotten the man.

It was his wife, Xie Xiuniang, who happily came to tell Wang Dou that she had found a learned gentleman and wished to hire him as a private tutor for their son, Zheng.

Wang Dou's son, Wang Zheng, was already five years old and exceedingly naughty and mischievous. At such a young age, he actually dared to touch a maidservant's backside — no one knew from whom he had learned that. Upon hearing this news, Wang Dou was startled and at the same time felt that the matter of his son's education should be put on the agenda.

Indeed, Wang Zheng had reached the age to begin his schooling. Although Xie Xiuniang wished to keep their son by her side, Wang Dou intended to send him to the military academy that was about to open. His son would absolutely not be allowed to exist as a flower in a greenhouse.

Sending Wang Zheng to the military academy would also serve as a vanguard and model, encouraging all the officers' children in Baoanzhou to enter the military academy for advanced study.

Although Wang Dou did not plan to hire a private tutor for his son, upon hearing that his wife had found a learned gentleman, he immediately summoned him for an audience. At the meeting, it turned out to be that very Ye Xizhi whom he had invited into his mansion a few days earlier.

After a cursory conversation, Wang Dou felt that this Ye Xizhi was not quite the braggart and self-promoter his outward appearance suggested; he did possess a certain degree of ability.

A few days before, his good friend Fu Mingqi, the Director of the Confucian School in Baoanzhou, had visited and recommended two talents to him. One of those trailing behind him was Ye Xizhi, and the other was a scholar called Qin Yi. After a long talk, Wang Dou secretly rejoiced. Qin Yi excelled in strategy, and Ye Xizhi excelled in civil administration — both were talents he had nearly let slip by.

Over these two days, Wang Dou had summoned both Ye Xizhi and Qin Yi to speak with him.

Having gained Wang Dou's regard, both Ye Xizhi and Qin Yi were inwardly delighted.

Ye Xizhi in particular had long since prepared a ten-thousand-word memorial in great profusion. After revising and perfecting it over these past few days, he was even more confident and assured.

As Wang Dou leafed through the ten-thousand-word memorial, he continued, "This student's strategy is the method of Four Affairs and Six Policies: repairing post roads, building canals and raising silkworms, stockpiling grain, planting cotton, afforestation, animal husbandry, and trade. Our Xuanzhen territory has never been known for grain production, yet it possesses the advantages of coal and iron. To the east lies the capital region, to the west the Three Jin, and it borders the lands beyond the frontier. Agriculture and animal husbandry can be greatly developed, and trade can flow back and forth."

He grew more and more excited as he spoke, nearly gesticulating with hands and feet: "The General has rescued two hundred thousand commoners, whom the court has ordered to be converted into military households. Every few thousand people can be gathered into one settlement, each settlement several dozen li apart. Place traveling shelters in the desolate wastes, clear away the brambles, pick up the rubble, gather grain, and cultivate prestige. Once the foundation is laid, all neglected undertakings will flourish."

"...As for the edification of the commoners in the Eastern Circuit, this student believes that one schoolhouse can be established in each settlement. All young children of the commoners must learn to read. Edify the entire populace, so that in every village there is no household that does not study, and in every household there is no person who does not study, making every commoner understand propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame."

"The General has established the Bureau of Edification; this student offers the strategy of 'Revere the Emperor and Expel the Barbarians'... In these times of national turmoil, with the Eastern Slaves outside and roving bandits within, the people's hearts are filled with fear. The General seizes the moment to rise, takes the teachings of the sages as his guide, makes protecting the home and guarding the realm his rallying cry, upholds the sagely sovereign, and pacifies the chaotic realm. When ten thousand hearts are united, all following under the General's banner, our Shunxiang Army will surely be invincible in battle and unstoppable in assault."

At this point, Ye Xizhi, full of spirit and vigor, bowed to Wang Dou.

"Good!"

Wang Dou could not help but cry out in approval. He set down the ten-thousand-word memorial, personally stepped forward to raise Ye Xizhi up, and said with deep meaning, "Sir, you are a man of high talent. Hearing your words is better than reading books for ten years. Please, take your seat."

Judging by his words, this Ye Xizhi possessed deep and far-reaching strategic thought; his general plans and governance policies were both sound. He was a talent of both strategic vision and practical execution. Wang Dou heard that he was from Luzhou, had studied at the Luzhou Academy, and was quite accomplished in the Yangming School of Mind. In Wang Dou's impression, the Yangming School of Mind followed an idealist path and did not particularly pursue procedural justice and fairness.

For a noble goal, they did not mind employing some minor tricks and considered this reasonable. Back in the day, Qi Jiguang was a disciple of the Wang school. To achieve his goal of suppressing the Japanese pirates and pacifying the northern barbarians, he deliberately cultivated ties with the powerful minister of the time, Zhang Juzheng.

In Wang Dou's view, every person has a yin and a yang side. Qi Jiguang's cultivation and flattery of Zhang Juzheng did not detract from his glorious image as a national hero.

Ye Xizhi proposed connecting with the noble houses externally and drawing upon courtly backing. In Wang Dou's view, for the prosperity and stability of the Eastern Circuit, these matters could all serve as expedient measures. Compared to pedantic scholars, this kind of talent was exactly what Wang Dou needed.

Ye Xizhi sat down, his face beaming with delight. The State-Stabilizing General had given him such an appraisal; it seemed that gaining his trust and fully deploying the learning in his heart was only a matter of days.

Watching Ye Xizhi's excited expression, Qin Yi was also brewing the words in his heart. That his close friend had gained the State-Stabilizing General's esteem was beyond doubt, but what words should he himself use to stir the State-Stabilizing General's heart?

At the same time, he sighed inwardly that even the closest of bosom friends each had their private thoughts. The words Ye Xizhi had just spoken were things he had never revealed to him before.

"Our Eastern Circuit is the left arm of Xuanzhen and the outer gate to the various imperial tombs. It lies three hundred li east of the Divine Capital and eighty li west of the garrison city. The locks and keys are already strict; this is a place where a dragon is trapped in a shallow abyss."

Qin Yi spoke slowly and deliberately, his words startling and unrelenting, immediately capturing Wang Dou's attention and causing the spirited Ye Xizhi across from him to instantly fall into deep thought.

Seeing that the State-Stabilizing General was drawn in by his words, Qin Yi was inwardly satisfied. Still unhurried and calm, he continued, "In ancient times, Duke Xiao of Qin relied on the natural stronghold of the Xiao and Han passes, held the territory of Yongzhou, and guarded it firmly while spying on the Zhou royal house. By the time of the First Emperor, building upon the accumulated might of six generations, there came the act of sweeping across the realm, brandishing the long whip to drive the lands within the four seas."

"Yongzhou is remote; our army would be in a position where the whip is too short to reach. To the north lies the desolate wasteland beyond the frontier, useless to take. This student's intent is to plan for the territory of the Three Jin."

"Shanxi, with its exterior and interior of rivers and mountains, is a place of strategic advantage and natural peril. Merchants gather there, the land is rich. Advancing, one can strike at the capital region and Guanzhong; retreating, one can hold the passes and strategic heights, commanding a position of dominance. This was the foundation of the Li Tang and the Jin Wu. With our Imperial Ming in such peril, if the General contemplates turning the tide in the nation's hour of crisis, then in the days to come, Xuan-Da cannot be left uncontrolled, and the Three Jin cannot be left unoccupied. This student requests that you emulate the posture of Kuokuo Temur and plan for the territory of Shanxi."

Wang Dou looked at Qin Yi in astonishment for a long while. Qin Yi still wore an expression of utter composure. Wang Dou pondered deeply for a long time and sighed, "The time has not yet come."

Qin Yi nodded and said, "This student has another strategy. The northern barbarians beyond the frontier harbor treacherous and divergent intentions toward the Eastern Slaves. We can contemplate attacking and dividing them, severing the Slaves' arms. Over several years, the benefits of cattle and horses from beyond the frontier, and their fierce and brave warriors, will all be used by us. We can drive their tribes in an unending stream to attack the Slave tribes. This is the strategy of 'Driving the Wolves to Swallow the Tiger.'"

Wang Dou slowly nodded.

"The desolate lands beyond the frontier were long ago abandoned by the court. For the General to operate there benefits both the General and the court; one expects there will be little hindrance. Outside, the General can stockpile grain, cultivate prestige, amass cavalry forces, and lay out his plans at leisure. Inside, he can build ties of gratitude with Xuan-Da and the various territories of the Three Jin. In the days to come, when the realm is in a state of leaderless chaos, with one rallying cry from the General, a hundred responses will surely follow, and the great enterprise can be accomplished."

Wang Dou laughed heartily: "For this general to have gained the aid of you two gentlemen is truly a fortunate thing, a fortunate thing."

※※※

Old White Ox:

Welcome, Brother Yamakaki, to visit. Dongning Ji is a masterpiece of farming fiction.

There will be another chapter tonight. ()

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