Chapter 157: Stabilizing the Rear, Establishing the

On the eve of the Battle of Poyang Lake, the people of Yingtian City were anxious.

Chen Youliang's six hundred thousand troops pressed on the border, and Zhu Yuanzhang personally led the navy to meet the enemy.

The families of the garrisoned soldiers worried day and night.

Madam Ma stepped forward.

She gathered the soldiers' wives and daughters, set up a large cauldron in the square before the commander's mansion, and personally distributed porridge and rice to the garrisoned troops and their families.

She stood on a high place, her voice clear:

"Sisters! Your husbands and sons are now fighting Chen Youliang on Poyang Lake!"

"They fight for the peace of the world, for the safety of our rear!"

"I know you worry, and I worry too. But worry is useless! What we can do is guard the rear so they have no concerns!"

She rolled up her sleeves and pointed to the mountain of cloth piled nearby,

"From today, I and the other sisters will sew winter clothes and hastily make military boots for the front‑line soldiers!"

"They bleed on the front, we sweat in the rear. Yet our sweat must keep them warm and steady!"

"I, Ma Xiuying, swear here: as long as I have a mouth to eat, I will never let the soldiers' families starve; as long as I have a piece of clothing, I will never let the orphans of fallen soldiers freeze."

When her words fell, the hall fell silent, then erupted with earth‑shaking cries.

It was not sorrowful weeping, but tears of moved hearts, tears of exhilaration.

"May we die serving Prince Wu (Zhu Yuanzhang was then titled Prince Wu)! May we die serving the lady!" the soldiers' families shouted in unison.

Thereafter, Madam Ma truly kept her promise.

She organized the women into the "Women's Battalion", weaving and mending by day, studying literacy by night.

She personally recorded the names of fallen soldiers and compensated their families; she founded the "Compassionate Children Hall" to adopt war orphans.

The army's spirit, gathered in the rear, was as solid as iron.

…

The twenty‑third year of the Zhizheng era.

Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhang Shicheng were about to clash, but the army's grain suddenly ran critically low.

The Ministry of Revenue officials were frantic, turning in circles, as requisition documents from the front flew in like snowflakes.

Madam Ma, upon learning this, was silent for a moment, then turned and returned to her room.

A moment later, she lifted a wooden box, walked to the officials, and opened it.

Golden light glittered, pearls and jade filled the view.

It was all her dowry, the personal belongings Guo Zixing had given her, the jewelry she had saved frugally over the years.

"Exchange all these for grain and send it to the front," Madam Ma said calmly.

"Madam! This cannot be done!"

The Ministry official knelt, "These are your personal belongings!"

"The front‑line soldiers are fighting for their lives; what use have I for these belongings?"

Madam Ma shook her head, "Do it. If it's still not enough—"

She paused, looked at her own garments, "Pawn these clothes as well."

"From today, I will wear plain cloth, eat coarse grain, until the world is at peace."

The news spread, shaking the three armies.

The soldiers, learning that the lady had sold her property to aid the army, each had eyes reddened.

"If the lady treats us so, how could we dare not give our lives!"

In that battle, Zhu Yuanzhang crushed Zhang Shicheng; the triumphant report returned, and Madam Ma burned incense in the courtyard, praying, tears streaming down her face.

…

Zhu Yuanzhang had a fierce temper; during campaigns, generals who broke rules were often threatened with execution.

Madam Ma repeatedly offered gentle counsel.

After capturing Taiping Prefecture, Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to execute a group of surrendered generals, believing their fickleness would become a future threat.

Madam Ma advised, "Now is a time for employing talent; killing the surrendered is inauspicious. Moreover, these men have already submitted, recognizing your husband as lord."

"If we kill them, we may extinguish the hearts of those who would submit. Better to show mercy and observe their later deeds."

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a long while and finally accepted.

Among those surrendered generals were later famous commanders who earned great merits for the Great Ming.

On another occasion, Grand General Shao Rong's rebellion failed; Zhu Yuanzhang, furious, wanted to annihilate his entire clan.

Madam Ma again counseled, "Shao Rong is guilty, but his wife and children are innocent. Executing the whole family is excessive and may chill the soldiers' hearts. Better to punish only the chief culprit and pardon the rest, to display your husband's benevolence."

Zhu Yuanzhang followed the advice.

When this spread, the troops felt even more gratitude toward Zhu Yuanzhang's benevolence and held Madam Ma's virtue in higher esteem.

In the scene, Zhu Yuanzhang, now Prince Wu, grasped Madam Ma's hand and said with deep emotion: "The front‑line soldiers risk their lives because the rear is stable thanks to you; the world's talents rally because you have such capacity to accommodate people. This half of the realm owes half its merit to you."

Madam Ma shook her head: "My husband overstates it. I am merely doing my duty."

"This world was won by my husband's sword and spear, earned by the soldiers' blood and sweat; I have only done what needed to be done."

…

Ying Zheng, the First Emperor, solemnly said: "Her talent is not inferior to that of a minister or general. Calming the army's spirit, arranging grain and supplies, protecting talent… every task she undertakes concerns the very foundation of the state."

"Zhu Yuanzhang having such a virtuous inner aid is truly a heavenly blessing."

Liu Bang, the High Ancestor of Han, at this moment was completely convinced: "My Empress Lv can also accomplish things, but… this Madam Ma is simply a polymath!"

"She is adept in both civil and martial skills, capable both internally and externally; Zhu Yuanzhang, that monk, what lifetime of cultivation brought him such blessings?!"

Lv Zhi this time did not glare at him; instead she nodded: "She truly is remarkable. In chaotic times, she can stabilize the rear, rally people's hearts, organize military logistics, protect talent… each to the utmost. I am not as good as her."

Emperor Wu Liu Che sighed, "Wei Qing and Huo Qubing are my military talents; this Ma… is Zhu Yuanzhang's talent for a prime minister."

"No, she is a talent for a chief minister! If she were a man, she would be a renowned prime minister of the age."

Emperor Taizong Li Shimin said to Empress Zhangsun, "Guanyin maid, you see Empress Ma; you have something in common with her."

Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin chuckled bitterly, "If I had such a virtuous empress back then, perhaps…".

Zhuge Liang rose, faced the heavenly canopy, and gave a solemn bow, "Empress Ma's virtue is near saintly. Liang, I prostrate myself."

……

The 28th year of the Zhizheng era, first month.

Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor at Yingtian Prefecture, establishing the Great Ming dynasty, era name Hongwu.

Ma was officially instated as Empress.

The enthronement ceremony was exceedingly grand.

Empress Ma wore the imperial consort robes, a crown of nine dragons and four phoenixes, stood beside Zhu Yuanzhang, and received the homage of the officials.

Yet as soon as the ceremony ended, she changed out of the splendid garments into ordinary plain clothes.

"Empress, this phoenix crown and rosy veil…" the lady official hesitated.

Empress Ma smiled faintly, "The ceremony is over; put away these splendid garments. Plain clothes are enough for daily wear."

From then on, the Hongwu harem was renowned for frugality.

Empress Ma set an example, wearing unadorned clothes and eating simple food.

A single old garment, patched repeatedly, worn over and over.

She used the saved money to aid disaster victims and reward soldiers.

After Zhu Yuanzhang's enthronement, his suspicion grew, especially in his later years, and he would readily slaughter meritorious officials.

Empress Ma repeatedly intervened, saving countless lives.

……

The Crown Prince's tutor Song Lian, now old, retired to seclusion.

His grandson Song Shen became entangled in the Hu Weiyong case; Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and wanted to execute Song Lian as well.

Empress Ma pleaded, "Even common folk, when teaching their children, still observe proper respect for teachers; how much more should the Son of Heaven?"

"Master Song has taught the Crown Prince for many years, diligently. Moreover, he has returned to his hometown; regarding his grandson's matter, he could not possibly know."

Zhu Yuanzhang did not listen.

The next day at the meal, Empress Ma ordered the meat and wine removed, serving only a few vegetable dishes.

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, "Empress, why such simplicity today?"

Empress Ma lowered her head and said, "Master Song has been convicted; my heart is uneasy, so I eat plain food to pray for him."

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned, looking at his wife's calm yet sorrowful face, his heart softened.

The next day, an edict pardoned Song Lian's death sentence, demoting him to Maozhou.

【Save Shen Xiu】

Shen Xiu (Shen Wansan), a wealthy household of Wuxing, Wealth Can Rival a Nation.

He helped repair Nanjing's city walls and voluntarily offered to reward the three armies.

Zhu Yuanzhang, however, raged, "A commoner rewarding the emperor's army—does he intend rebellion? His heart deserves execution!" He sought to kill him.

Empress Ma pleaded, "Although Shen Xiu is rich, he has no trace of rebellion. Law punishes the unlawful, not the auspicious."

"His wealth has nothing to do with the state. If we punish him for being rich, all wealthy people will live in fear; is that good governance?"

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered long, finally sparing Shen Xiu's life, merely exiling him to Yunnan.

Every case, every record, history never ceases to write.

Empress Ma, with her compassion and wisdom, injected a rare warmth into the harsh political climate of the Hongwu era.