Chapter 248: To Do What Cannot Be Done

"I respectfully submit that bandit suppression must heed the greater strategic picture, military stipends must be managed with comprehensive planning, and the Supervisor of Military Affairs must be granted full and undivided authority. I humbly restate three critical matters and specially request an explicit imperial decree ordering the ministries to confirm and implement them, so as to advance the grand strategy of punishing the bandits at the earliest..."

Southeast of Dingyuan County in Huaixi, upon the pitch-black wilderness, a few enormous, bright lanterns swayed in the wind through the cold night. Around those lanterns, the dense shapes of camp tents were faintly visible.

Beside the tall pole of the largest lantern stood the command tent. Its door curtain was not lowered. A middle-aged man with a lean face stood erect before the entrance. He was tall and broad-shouldered. Though it was the depths of winter, he wore a scholar's robe and a square cap. His thin attire made him appear somewhat frail and bookish, seemingly out of place in this military encampment in the desolate wilderness. Yet standing amidst an army of thousands, his bearing was composed, his eyes slightly narrowed, as he listened to the low recitation of the subordinate behind him.

The middle-aged man spoke. "Add a few lines here to briefly explain this memorial. Since taking office, I have already submitted five such critical bandit-suppression strategies. After all, the Emperor appointed me as Five-Province Supreme Commander to handle affairs, not merely to discuss them."

The subordinate behind him acknowledged and made the revisions on the writing desk. The middle-aged man at the tent entrance slowly turned and walked back inside. The guard at the door immediately lowered the curtain, blocking the invasive chill.

"Leave it open."

The guard hurriedly pulled the curtain back up. The middle-aged man did not sit. He stood before a small side table, upon which a two-handed sword rested on a rack. The blade was broader than a standard waist saber, its weight likely more than double. Yet he lifted it easily with one hand, though he did not draw the blade.

He was none other than the newly appointed Five-Province Supreme Commander, Lu Xiangsheng. Just two months prior, he had concurrently held the post of Huguang Grand Coordinator. His full official title was "Imperial Commissioner, Supreme Commander of Military Affairs for Zhili, Henan, Shandong, Sichuan, Huguang and Other Regions, Grand Coordinator of Huguang and Other Regions, Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate." The title alone contained thirty-two characters, a full eight times the length of Pang Yu's Anqing Garrison Commander, amply demonstrating the vast disparity in their stations.

The subordinate looked up. "The Supreme Commander has won two victories in Yuzhong. I believe the Emperor will take heed of this."

"Though there were two victories in Yuzhong, afterward the bandits entered Nanzhili. Hanshan, Hezhou, and Quanjiao fell one after another. This is not the time to discuss past merits. We must destroy this large band in Nanzhili." Lu Xiangsheng gently set the sword down. "Continue reading."

"... The bandits have rampaged unchecked for eight years, racing wildly through seven provinces, amassing a force of four to five hundred thousand, splitting into over a hundred battalions. Their momentum is now fully formed. The calamity they bring is truly unheard of in previous dynasties, and they are deemed even more severe than the Bu and Cha tribes. I, your minister, and the Supreme Commander engage in battle but have no means of defense. Yet the provincial administration commissioners of each province should still simultaneously fight and defend. Host and auxiliary, horse and foot, regular and irregular troops — not one can be lacking..."

Lu Xiangsheng stood in the tent. Hearing this, he interrupted, "After 'engage in battle but have no means of defense,' add 'engage in extermination but have no means of containment.' After 'simultaneously fight and defend,' add 'simultaneously exterminate and contain.'"

The subordinate pondered for a moment, then said, "Your Excellency's consideration is indeed comprehensive. Fighting and defending are truly different from exterminating and containing. The local provincial administration commissioners only think of protecting their prefectural and county cities; few ever drive the bandits away. 'Simultaneously fight and defend' becomes merely 'defend.' The lands beyond the city walls are left for the bandits to gallop freely and wreak havoc. The hordes rampage without restraint, and the bandit atmosphere grows ever more rampant. The local provincial administration commissioners must truly devote their efforts and contribute their strength. Otherwise, the Supreme Commander and the Supreme Commander will still be 'exterminating without containing.' Breaking the bandits is easy, but annihilating them is difficult."

Lu Xiangsheng sat down on a square stool. After a moment of contemplation, he said flatly, "The Emperor has already issued explicit decrees on the previous five critical bandit-suppression strategy memorials, sending them down to the ministries for deliberation and then forwarding them to the provincial administration commissioners of each province. Recently, slight results have been seen. But this time, with the bandits entering Nanzhili, the Fengyang Supreme Commander and the Yingtian Grand Coordinator have only shown defense, not battle. Some cities even surrendered without a fight, let alone conducting extermination. They still need vigorous urging."

"Nanzhili has never had heavy troops. Like other places, they only began raising troops when the bandit threat grew large. The Fengyang Supreme Commander thinks only of defending Zhongdu. With Yang Yipeng's past example as a warning, he will not dispatch his troops outward. As for Yingtian, last year they defeated Scorpion Block at North Gorge Pass in Tongcheng, taking several hundred heads. The one commanding the troops was the Military Defense Circuit Intendant, Shi Kefa."

"If he can block Anqing, that would also count as a major achievement. I do hope Jiangpu and Yangzhou have such troops, so that we can annihilate this large band this time. Yuanru, continue reading."

The subordinate acknowledged. He was Lu Xiangsheng's Central Army Mobile Corps Commander, Zhou Yuanru. Previously, he had also been a Mobile Corps Commander, managing the Huguang Training and Capture Regional Military Commission's documents. This man was skilled in both literary and martial arts. When Lu Xiangsheng served as Huguang Grand Coordinator, he greatly appreciated Zhou Yuanru's talents. After being promoted to Five-Province Supreme Commander, he specifically petitioned the Emperor to transfer this man to the Central Army, making him Lu Xiangsheng's most trusted confidant. Although his post was still a substantive Mobile Corps Commander position in the Huguang Regional Military Commission, with Lu Xiangsheng's favor, a bright future was undoubtedly guaranteed.

Zhou Yuanru buried his head, recording Lu Xiangsheng's earlier comments. This draft had already been polished by the clerks. Since it was to be sent to the Emperor, Lu Xiangsheng had to personally review it multiple times before it could be dispatched to the Capital.

"... Since the Supreme Commander and the Supervisor of Military Affairs are both designated as 'Supreme,' this signifies that their responsibilities and authority must be commensurate. Extermination troops must not be divided and dispatched; explicit decrees have already been repeatedly issued. The provincial administration commissioners of each province all bear the heavy responsibility of defending their frontiers. Where there are bandits, there are requests for aid; where troops are needed, there are requests for redeployment. If we do not respond, we become estranged like the states of Wu and Yue. If we respond to all, how can we sustain it? To whitewash peace, one may still compromise and accommodate. But to use troops to exterminate bandits, how can one tolerate equivocation and wavering?"

Zhou Yuanru read up to this point and looked up. "I will still include the Supreme Commander in the writing, submitting the strategy under the joint names of Supreme Commander and Supreme Commander, to prevent those provincial administration commissioners from making Your Excellency their sole enemy."

Lu Xiangsheng nodded. Among all the officials in the realm at this time, the one most similar to him was only the Supreme Commander stationed in Shaanxi, Hong Chengchou. One exterminated bandits inside the passes, the other outside. For such policy-seeking memorials, attaching Hong Chengchou's name whenever possible made it appear he was not acting out of selfish motives, while also slightly reducing the hostility of those local officials.

He stood up, walked to the desk, and picked up the memorial draft. After pondering for a moment, he said, "This section can be written as is. Among the three matters, the one concerning the comprehensive planning of military stipends requires more ink."

Zhou Yuanru said in a low voice, "This humble one understands. The Central Army has recently been struggling to make ends meet. According to previous agreements, each horse soldier is allocated daily salt, grain, and fodder worth one qian and two fen of silver, and each infantryman six fen. Over the years, with bandit chaos and military famine, grain prices in Huguang and Henan have soared. One dan of rice costs two taels, six or seven qian of silver; millet, two taels and one or two qian; fodder beans, one tael and seven or eight qian. Yet the Ministry of Revenue's fixed price remains the original quota, only sufficient for one-third. All these circumstances truly require the Emperor's personal scrutiny."

"The Ministry of War Council resolved to establish a total of one hundred thousand troops across the five provinces. In reality, each province has no more than seventeen or eighteen thousand. Yet the monthly expenditure has already reached two hundred sixty thousand taels of silver, exceeding three million annually. And it may not all be used effectively." Lu Xiangsheng placed the draft back in front of Zhou Yuanru and said calmly, "In ordinary times, civil means are employed; in times of crisis, military means. Using troops to exterminate bandits is to exterminate the bandits of today. Bandits multiply, then troops are increased. Troops are assembled, then stipends are discussed. Stipends have not arrived, yet troops have long been gathered. Every step is already behind the situation. Every moment harbors the seeds of crisis. Once stipends run short, troops instantly become bandits. In these extraordinary times, the court and the provinces must not begrudge expenses, and officials must not fear hardship. Only then is there a sliver of hope for annihilating the bandits."

"Then I will add some writing here. Speaking of this military stipend silver, every request for stipends may not be granted, and even if granted, it is insufficient. Instead, officials use the pretext to impose heavy levies and extort the people, bleeding them dry. This is like carrying firewood to extinguish a fire. Exterminate one bandit, and a hundred join the bandits; exterminate a hundred bandits, and a thousand join the bandits. Until the people are exhausted, the bandits will never be exhausted. What can be done about this?"

Lu Xiangsheng said softly, "Outside this great tent, do not speak such words to others."

Zhou Yuanru paused for a moment. "When I say these things, I feel some trepidation in my heart. But the difficulty of accomplishing anything in this world is the truth."

At that moment, hurried footsteps approached outside the tent. Both men stopped speaking.

A dark figure halted at the entrance. By the firelight inside the tent, seeing Lu Xiangsheng, he immediately knelt and said, "Reporting for the Supreme Commander's knowledge: the Night-Not-Returning scouts intercepted two relay horse riders on the official road traveling from Chuzhou to Fengyang. They report that the Roving Bandits have moved in great force from Jiangpu to Chuzhou, numbering no less than one hundred thousand. Among them are the Eight Bandits, Sweeping King, Scorpion Block, Chuang Tatian, Flying All Over the Sky, and other factions."

Lu Xiangsheng stood steadily in the tent and asked the scout, "Have you verified the relay horse riders?"

"This humble one has separately examined the accents of the two men, their soldier tags, the dispatch report serial numbers, and also questioned them on the details of the document handover procedures with the Grand Coordinator Yamen. There is not a single error or omission."

Lu Xiangsheng listened, then looked at Zhou Yuanru. Zhou Yuanru stood up and responded, "The Roving Thieves have turned their heads north. Gao Bazi likely will not go to Yangzhou after all."

"Prepare meals at dawn. The entire army will advance on Chuzhou. Have General Zu's troops move first, pursuing and exterminating with full force. Not a single soldier is to be detached to any other location." Lu Xiangsheng turned to the scout. "Bring the two relay horse riders to the great tent. I will question them personally shortly."

Zhou Yuanru, seeing this, said, "There are still two watches until dawn. Your Excellency should rest for a moment."

Lu Xiangsheng shook his head. "First, finish reviewing this document. Then question those two relay horse riders. Afterward, inspect and verify the grain and fodder of each unit with me, and finalize tomorrow's marching order and encampment arrangements."

"The bandit menace has risen for eight years. Annihilating the bandits cannot be accomplished in a single day. Your Excellency is a shield and rampart of the nation. Please do not overwork yourself."

Lu Xiangsheng waved his hand dismissively. He went straight to the sword rack, took the sword, and held it to his chest as he slowly walked to the tent entrance. The lantern light above could only dimly illuminate the nearby scenery. On the distant ink-black horizon, the tops of the tents traced undulating curves. The lanterns above each Ming camp emitted different colors, appearing somewhat illusory in the dark night.

"Continue reading."

Zhou Yuanru lowered his head to look at the draft. After a moment, he said in a low voice, "Today, the officials entrusted with the frontiers face ten thousand hardships and ten thousand difficulties. Under the cold rain and bleak wind, beneath the red dust and blazing sun, amidst iron steeds and golden spears, they entrust their lives to the blade's edge at every moment. How can there be any glory in holding office? There is not even the joy of living... (Note 1)"

Amidst Zhou Yuanru's low recitation, the Five-Province Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng stood at the tent entrance, feeling the coldness transmitted from the scabbard with both hands. He murmured softly, "The world's affairs are hard to accomplish, but someone must still do what they know cannot be done."

Note 1: Lu Xiangsheng, "Dang Mouth San Da Ji Yi Shu" (Memorial on Three Critical Strategies for Pacifying the Bandits).