Chapter 729: Ideology

Wang Dou stayed at Xinghe Post for two days, planning to return to Xuanfu Garrison after the winter solstice. During these days, the area around Xinghe Post and Shacheng Fort had become a sea of joy. Everywhere, opera troupes and musical performances brought by merchants from the Three Jin regions entertained the garrison soldiers so much they forgot about home.

With so many officials and generals gathered, it was also an excellent opportunity for many Shanxi merchants and magnates to socialize and get close to them. They pulled out all the stops, hovering around the officials and generals, and especially many people wanted to get close to Wang Dou.

But for Wang Dou, he preferred to spend time with his family. Only during the evening banquets would he entertain people from all circles. During the day, he mostly went hunting and sightseeing with the generals around him, or with Xie Xiuniang, Ji Junjiao, Xu Yue'e, and the others, thoroughly relaxing himself.

Then came the winter solstice. The grassland was a blanket of withered yellow, and wherever birch and maple forests stood, the leaves blazed in patches of gold and fiery red.

Swift horses galloped amid bursts of wild howls and shouts. By the shores of Miehu Lake, several hundred riders came charging, startling the swans, wild geese, hares, and roe deer into frantic flight — full of the wild animals' fear and fury toward these human intruders.

Xie Xiuniang clung tightly to Wang Dou's waist, shrieking like a little girl, with none of the Marchioness's usual reserve.

She still could not ride a horse, so every outing she sat in Wang Dou's embrace, letting her husband carry her as he galloped. At moments like this, her small heart was filled with contentment, just like the first time Wang Dou took her riding, and she wished this moment could last forever.

Ji Junjiao, on the other hand, was an accomplished rider. She wore a bright red fur-lined coat that made her cheeks look even more rosy and dewy. Like Xie Xiuniang, she was shrieking with excitement.

Her close friend, the young madam Chu Wanyun, had been keeping Ji Junjiao company these days and also followed Wang Dou everywhere to sightsee, like a giant lamp bulb. Wang Dou could hardly shoo her away. Her horsemanship was also decent, and now she rode a chestnut horse beside Ji Junjiao, cheering nonstop, her face exquisitely alluring.

Xu Yue'e stayed by Wang Dou's side, wearing a large crimson cloak, a headscarf, and a martial outfit, looking coldly proud and heroic. Her horsemanship went without saying, and these past few days her mood had improved considerably. Her face bore more smiles, no longer as icy as before, revealing a hint of a naive, girlish charm.

But truth be told, although Wang Dou accompanied them sightseeing everywhere during the day, at night he still returned to his own military camp. They were nominally out with the morale delegation, which was full of officers' wives and concubines. He had to lead by example and could not be the one to break military discipline.

Of course, if various officers took their wives and concubines off somewhere for field exercises, that was beyond Wang Dou's control — just like Gao Shiyin, who spent all day carrying Miss Zheng around mysteriously. Wang Dou had no idea what he was up to.

Zhong Diaoyang led the guard battalion soldiers, scattered far around the perimeter. Han Chao, Wen Fangliang, Xie Yike, Zhao Xuan, and the other generals also galloped about, bending bows and nocking arrows, shouting and yelling as they shot at whatever game they spotted, keeping some distance from Wang Dou's group.

Then there were the civil officials — Zhong Zhengxian, Zhang Gui, Qi Tianliang, Fu Mingqi, and others — riding far behind, conversing leisurely about something.

Watching the joyful sight of Wang Dou and Xie Xiuniang up ahead, Zhong Zhengxian stroked his beard and smiled in a self-important, elderly manner. But when his gaze swept over to Ji Junjiao nearby, his expression darkened. Then, looking at Xu Yue'e and Chu Wanyun, he frowned even more deeply.

When they reached the lakeside, Wang Dou jumped off his horse and then lifted Xie Xiuniang down. Her face was flushed pink, and glancing at the people nearby, she looked rather embarrassed.

"Ah, it's so beautiful."

The ladies all dismounted, and the young madam sighed with emotion.

The lake before them was vast beyond compare, covered with swans, cranes, and wild geese. Looking around, the grass and trees had been dyed golden by the autumn wind. When the wind blew, the soft grassland became an endless golden cushion, full of the poetic charm of "boundless sky, vast wilderness."

Wang Dou glanced at Chu Wanyun. This young married woman was now clasping her hands to her heart, gazing at the lake with a look of infatuated intoxication. Even on this outdoor excursion, she still wore her hair in the goose-heart bun, with dangling ornaments and a deep red jacket. Beautiful, yes, but hardly convenient for riding, was it?

Truth be told, Wang Dou was not particularly fond of this foolishly sentimental literary woman, and only tolerated her for the sake of Ji Junjiao and Li Zhenping. He said flatly, "Once you're tired of looking, it's no longer beautiful. The bitter cold beyond the frontier is no idle talk."

The young madam ignored the latter half of Wang Dou's words and simply fixed her gaze on him, a faint smile at the corner of her lips. "By those words, my lord Marquis, are you the sort who loves the new and loathes the old?"

Her words were rather sharp. Xie Xiuniang and Xu Yue'e both looked over; only Ji Junjiao giggled.

Wang Dou glanced at her and smiled faintly. "Clothes are never as good as new; people are never as good as old."

He slowly recited a line: "If life could always be as the first meeting, why would the autumn wind grieve over the painted fan..."

He opened his mouth, but had forgotten the lines that followed. The young madam trembled slightly and murmured, "If life could always be as the first meeting... If life could always be as the first meeting..."

She cast a peculiar glance at Wang Dou, then toyed with the hem of her clothes, seeming somewhat bashful.

Ji Junjiao burst out laughing, wrapped her arm around the young madam's slender waist, and rolled her eyes at Wang Dou. "Husband, please stop reciting poetry. Back then, your 'Han Zhongjun' captured my heart, and now you come up with 'If life could always be as the first meeting.' How is a maiden supposed to survive?"

These words made the young madam even more bashful; a refined and noble young married woman was acting like a little girl. Seeing her like this, Xie Xiuniang smiled, while Xu Yue'e turned her head away in displeasure and gave a cold snort.

Wang Dou shook his head. Truth be told, he always felt this Chu Wanyun was extremely calculating, with a very deep mind, deliberately getting close with some purpose in mind, which he disliked.

Suddenly, a chorus of praise came from behind: "Fine poetry! The Grand General is truly brimming with talent!"

It turned out Zhang Gui, Qi Tianliang, and the others had arrived from behind and overheard. Wang Dou thought to himself, what utter nonsense.

Zhong Susu sat on her horse, casting a cold glance over. She muttered, "All of them, fox spirits."

She pulled a firearm from her saddle, and while still mounted, aimed at a running gazelle, pulled the trigger, and with a boom, brought the gazelle down.

Wang Dou and the others all looked over. Zhao Xuan even spurred his horse and galloped toward her, shouting, "Brother Zhong... Big Brother Zhong, let me have a look at that firearm of yours."

Zhong Susu ignored him and rode smugly up to Wang Dou. "Grand General, what do you think of this firearm of mine?"

Wang Dou took the firearm in surprise. Han Chao, Wen Fangliang, and the others also gathered around. The firearm was dark and heavy, its stock and body made of fine walnut wood, lacquered with a faint flowing sheen, and its barrel was slightly shorter than those used in the army. It was actually a short flintlock firearm.

Wang Dou took aim briefly and said to Han Chao, "What do you think of the hunting cavalry using this firearm?"

Han Chao took it, equally reluctant to put it down. He said, "Indeed, although its range and firepower are inferior to infantry firearms, its value lies in being usable on horseback. We could mass-produce cavalry firearms based on this."

Wang Dou smiled and asked Zhong Susu, "Xiancai, how did you come by this firearm?"

Zhong Susu said proudly, "I made it myself."

Her favorite hobby was making firearms. Not content with just shooting, she also loved handcrafting them — and this very firearm was one she had personally made.

Wang Dou laughed heartily. "Xiancai, you have rendered great merit. I truly never realized our army had so many experts."

He said, "This firearm can be designated the Zhong-style Cavalry Firearm Type A and distributed throughout the army."

The generals all nodded, and at the same time felt envious. With this firearm, Zhong Xiancai would have a rolling stream of wealth from now on — a legitimate form of wealth that Wang Dou had always encouraged and strongly supported.

As for wealth, Zhong Susu did not care. What delighted her was that the Grand General valued the fruit of her labor. Beaming, she said, "Grand General, I have also made several other firearms, all capable of being fired on horseback. One of these days I'll bring them out to go hunting and shooting with the Grand General."

Wang Dou laughed heartily. "Since Brother Zhong puts it that way, I naturally must respectfully accept."

Xie Xiuniang and Xu Yue'e ran happily across the grassland holding hands. Xu Yue'e even stopped to stroke a wildflower, then turned back and smiled at Wang Dou.

Ji Junjiao and the young madam were also chasing a few wild hares, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Watching their joyful expressions, Wang Dou sighed. He had owed his family far too much. It seemed that ever since arriving in the Great Ming, all that had accompanied him was war, war, and more war. The time he could set aside for leisure was far too little.

The generals had also scattered around to amuse themselves. Wang Dou clasped his hands behind his back and strolled slowly across the grassland with Fu Mingqi.

Looking over at Ji Junjiao, Fu Mingqi sighed mournfully. "This goddaughter of mine has the physiognomy for bearing sons. Back then, I, Fu, judged that she could give you seven or eight sons. How is it that to this day, she hasn't produced a single one?"

Wang Dou laughed heartily. He and Fu Mingqi had been friends for many years. This Confucian Director of Schools was full of learning yet unconstrained by petty formalities — one of Wang Dou's rare, perhaps now his only, true confidants. Over the years, their friendship had never changed.

Although Fu Mingqi held the post of Education Commissioner, Wang Dou did not actually treat him as a subordinate. If everyone around him were only subordinates and attendants, that would be far too lonely.

He said, "Boys and girls are all the same."

Fu Mingqi muttered, "Only you have such strange and peculiar ideas."

Then his expression turned serious. "Do you realize that our Jingbian Army now faces a critical threshold it urgently needs to cross?"

Wang Dou also grew serious. "Speak."

Fu Mingqi pointed to his own head and said, "Right here — the mind, the ideology. We must make the officers and soldiers understand what our Jingbian Army will fight for going forward, and what direction our officials should advance in!"

Wang Dou nodded. Just as a political party in later ages needs a platform — only with a unified ideology, a clear political purpose, and a correct guiding direction can officers and soldiers know what to do and understand what their ultimate goal is.

Without these, the entire group would eventually become lost, then fall into internal strife and corruption, just like the decadent officialdom of the Great Ming, and finally sink into ruin — something he was unwilling to see.

He pondered for a long time, then said slowly: "All things in heaven and earth are originally one with me. This is called the unity of knowledge and action — within knowledge there is action, within action there is knowledge. Investigate things to extend knowledge!"

Fu Mingqi nearly laughed, then said flatly: "Very pleasing to the ear, but the School of Mind is insufficient to govern and administer a state."

Wang Dou said: "I understand. This is only one of the slogans!"

Wang Yangming was a grand master of his age, yet his School of Mind doctrine was truly too idealist — not engaging with the world, much like Daoism, idle and reclusive, unable to compete with world-engaging religions like Buddhism. If the School of Mind were widely propagated within the group, it would cause frequent strife among factions, each with their own mind, thereby creating ideological division — this Wang Dou was unwilling to see.

Wang Dou said: "Establish the heart for heaven and earth, establish the destiny for the common people, continue the lost teachings of past sages, and bring peace to all ages!"

Fu Mingqi laughed: "Too grand in spirit, but also too vague and empty — the same flaws abound within it. Yet using Neo-Confucianism as guidance, this is inevitable!"

Wang Dou nodded: "It will depend on how the gentlemen of the Education Department extract its essence and discard its dross!"

Confucianism naturally has its essence — "propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame," "revere the emperor and expel the barbarians," "barbarians with rulers are worse than a China without one," "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness" — these are the essence among essences. Later generations that expelled and destroyed Confucianism simply lacked ability themselves and blamed their ancestors for their faults — this is base character, an act of shirking responsibility.

For several thousand years, China was governed entirely by Confucianism, and it created all manner of profound and brilliant cultures. Though one cannot deny there is dross within, on the whole, the flaws do not obscure the jade — the ancestors left behind a mountain of gold.

This is also unlike many civilizations of the world that, once overthrown, vanish into the dust of history with no chance of revival. Though Chinese culture has its limitations, it cannot be denied that it rises again after repeated falls, possessing an extremely tenacious vitality.

For several thousand years, Confucianism has contributed greatly to the cohesion of Chinese ideological consciousness. The spiritual chaos of later generations' countrymen may well be the result of overturning Confucianism while being unable to form a new ideology themselves — facing the invasion of Western thought, they were easily penetrated.

The key lies in how later people improve it, how they retain the essence and discard the dross. Japan has done very well in this regard — they governed with Neo-Confucianism and ultimately developed Bushido. During the Meiji period, that nation's education was entirely based on Confucian principles. The Meiji Emperor specifically stated in the Imperial Rescript on Education:

"We deem that Our Imperial Ancestors founded the empire on a broad and enduring basis and deeply implanted virtue; Our subjects, ever united in loyalty and filial piety, have from generation to generation illustrated the beauty thereof. This is the essence of Our national polity. And the source of education also truly lies herein. You, Our subjects, be filial to your parents, affectionate to your brothers; as husbands and wives be harmonious, as friends be trusting; bear yourselves in modesty and moderation; extend your benevolence to all; pursue learning and cultivate the arts, thereby developing your intellect and perfecting your moral character; furthermore, advance the public good and promote the common interest; always respect the Constitution and observe the laws; should emergency arise, offer yourselves courageously to the State; and thus guard and maintain the prosperity of Our Imperial Throne coeval with heaven and earth. So shall you not only be Our good and faithful subjects, but render illustrious the best traditions of your forefathers."

Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness should be the highest code of conduct for the people and the military. The key lies in how these five points are interpreted internally and externally — how to treat one's compatriots, and how to treat foreign peoples.

Of course, Wang Dou could not exclusively revere Confucianism alone — excessive monopoly inevitably leads to destruction. It was best to have a core, and then let a hundred streams flow into the sea, forming an ideology of extreme cohesion and offensive power. (To be continued...)