Chapter 195: Pacification

On the twentieth day of the first month of the fourth year of Chongzhen, the various ministries in the capital began resuming official business, starting another year of arduous maintenance. They had fought for half a year last year, and only in the latter half did they have the energy to restore some production near the capital region. The overall shortage of funds remained unchanged, so the Liaodong Tax was increased once more. On the first day of the twelfth month, it was formally proclaimed to the realm, rising from the original nine li to one fen and two li. The Emperor hoped this year would be somewhat easier.

Within the Forbidden City, behind its many layers of palace walls, the Chongzhen Emperor convened a court conference with officials from various ministries in the Qianqing Palace. The officials' expressions were grave. What they were discussing was not the Eastern Bandits, but the ever-growing tide of roving bandits in the mountains of Shaanxi.

After Wu Zhiwang died of illness in the second year of Chongzhen, Yang He took over as Viceroy of the Three Frontiers. The situation after he assumed office was not too dire; although the roving bandits were numerous, they were largely confined to certain areas and had not yet formed a prairie fire. But it was precisely at this time that the Jianzhou Bandits invaded. The garrisons of Yansui, Gansu, and Ningxia on Shaanxi's three frontiers, along with nearby military towns like Guyuan and Shanxi, mobilized a total of over thirty thousand frontier troops to reinforce the capital.

After these troops departed, Yang He had no elite forces left to deploy in Shaanxi. The severe drought of the second year of Chongzhen worsened the situation. The roving bandits, seizing the power vacuum left by the Ming army's departure, began moving everywhere. By year's end, some of the eastern-route bandits had entered Shanxi. Shanxi, suffering the same severe drought, became another breeding ground for the bandits. Large numbers of impoverished commoners joined the rebels, further destroying production and creating an even greater vicious cycle.

Among the various frontier armies that marched to reinforce the capital, the Gansu and Shanxi contingents became routed troops. Wu Zimian's Yansui soldiers also deserted in large numbers along the way. The vast numbers of scattered frontier soldiers dared not return to their original units. Some became bandits in the hills, while others joined the roving bandit bands to scrape by. This gradually strengthened the roving bandits' combat capability. Although they still harbored a deep-seated fear of government troops and mostly fled at the mere rumor of their approach, they began daring to proactively attack small Ming detachments or assault larger county seats.

After the Four Cities campaign ended, the Three Frontiers armies began returning to Shaanxi one after another. The pressure on the roving bandits suddenly intensified. The various eastern-route bandits began shifting en masse to the even more vulnerable Shanxi. In the tenth month, Old Hui captured Hequ, a strategic town between the two provinces, seizing a critical Yellow River crossing. Large numbers of roving bandits began pouring into Shanxi, including dozens of factions such as the Eight Vajras, Wang Zishun, Shangtian Hou, Wang Jiayin, Zhang Xianzhong, Hengtian Wang, and Yizi Wang. Among them, the most renowned and powerful was Wang Jiayin.

To deal with the roving bandits, the Ministry of War, besides ordering the various frontier armies back to their units, also transferred a cavalry force from the Guanning Army to curb the rebels' mobility. Because of his outstanding achievements in the Four Cities battle, and partly because he was somewhat ostracized by other generals, Cao Wenzhao was cast out by Guanning. The Ministry of War appointed him Vice Regional Commander of the Eastern Route of Yansui. Cao Wenzhao, who even dared to fight the Jianzhou Bandits in open battle, did not take these rebels seriously at all. He soon led his own troops to Shaanxi, routing the various roving bandits and sending them fleeing in chaos. Often, a few hundred of his men could chase tens of thousands of bandits with nowhere to hide. This famous general, a slaughterer of refugees, began to make his mark.

Although the Ming army won continuous great victories, there was still a sense of fighting an endless tide. Yang He believed that suppression also cost money; it would be better to use the military funds to pacify and recruit the roving bandits, thus avoiding excessive killing that went against the harmony of Heaven. He therefore submitted several memorials, hoping the court would provide some silver and grain.

What was being discussed now in the Qianqing Palace was precisely this pacification strategy of Yang He. The Chongzhen Emperor glanced at Liu Jiayu, the Shaanxi Administration Vice Commissioner attending the court conference, and asked calmly, "I understand the Viceroy of the Three Frontiers' intent. Do all of you officials from Shaanxi share this view?"

Liu Jiayu lowered his head and said, "In reply to Your Majesty, there are also those who advocate suppression, such as Administration Vice Commissioner Hong Chengchou. However, the prefectural treasuries are depleted, often with only a few thousand silver taels remaining. Once a large army is deployed, supplies are insufficient. Tracing the origins of the rebels, it is ultimately due to extreme famine, making life unbearable for the people. If there is no way to survive, they will simply scatter here and gather there, with no end in sight. If we meet them with military force, we cannot suppress them all. Therefore, Minister Yang believes that ending the situation through suppression is not easy; both suppression and pacification must be employed. Yet, ending the situation through pacification is equally difficult. It still comes down to insufficient funds and provisions. Empty promises of pacification lead to them rebelling again shortly after."

He spoke at length but still did not say whether the Shaanxi officials were unanimous. The various lords in the court did not press the question. The Chongzhen Emperor felt a slight displeasure. Liang Tingdong, as Minister of War, could not play dumb at this moment. He stepped out of line and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, dealing with rebels has always involved two strategies: suppression and pacification. It is merely a question of which is primary. Relying solely on pacification would also be inappropriate."

Wen Tiren was about to step out when Zhou Yanru preempted him, stepping forward to say, "This minister also believes that suppression and pacification are mutually dependent, like the outside and the inside of a garment; neither can be lacking. When to suppress and when to pacify requires careful consideration by the Viceroy of the Three Frontiers. The roving bandits now number dozens of large and small bands. For each band, one must carefully discern which can be suppressed and which can be pacified. For the stubborn and unrepentant, strike with thunder to intimidate the petty criminals. For those with a remaining conscience, extend gentle kindness. Only then can the true effect of pacification be achieved, displaying both Your Majesty's benevolence and Your Majesty's majesty. Moreover, during suppression and pacification, one must not be confined to a single province. Now the Shaanxi bandits have entered Sanjin. Shanxi borders Henan and Northern Zhili, and these two places are also close to Shandong. Henan is the Central Plains; chaos there would shake the realm. Shandong is the throat of the capital; chaos there would sever the Grand Canal. Under no circumstances can we allow it to spread. When employing pacification, orders should be given to Henan and Zhending to strictly increase patrols and defenses, to prevent a prairie fire from forming."

The Chongzhen Emperor nodded repeatedly as he listened. Every time Zhou Yanru spoke on practical matters, he had insightful views, making the Emperor increasingly satisfied with him. Wen Tiren, meanwhile, kept his head lowered. Zhou Yanru had said everything he wanted to say, but Wen Tiren could not show any displeasure, because Zhou Yanru had been promoted to Senior Grand Secretary in the eleventh month. With the imperial favor at its peak and great power in his hands, Zhou Yanru was no longer as courteous to Wen Tiren as before.

Qiu Weizhen, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of War, stepped forward from the lower ranks. Dealing with roving bandits was the Ministry of War's affair, and it was precisely his duty as Supervising Secretary to identify omissions and deficiencies. He said composedly, "The bandits in Qinzhong were originally famine victims. They gathered into bands merely to seek a day's survival. They have spread to Jin, massacring cities and plundering forts, with reports everywhere. If local officials had diligently performed their duties, how could the situation have come to this? Minister Yang of Shaanxi says that both suppression and pacification face difficulties in resolution. This minister observes that his intent leans heavily toward pacification. This minister has repeatedly pondered this. The military circumstances in Qin and Jin differ slightly. The bandits in Jin are originally men of Qin. They arose in Qin and now cause chaos in Jin. Recently, the rich spoils from their plundering have been used to recruit, and only then have some Jin people risen to join them. Now, the assembled troops will reach Hequ any day. The Privy Councilor has also ordered You Shilu to counter-suppress from Pingyang and other places. Shilu is a valiant general; the bandits will surely fear his arrival. Taking advantage of their fear, pacifying them will certainly be easy. Moreover, since the Viceroy of Qin has taken pacification as his responsibility, he should also widely recruit and accept the famine victims causing chaos in Jin, so that Jin has an army too formidable to challenge, thereby stripping away their courage."

What Qiu Weizhen proposed was to use military force as a backing and, through pacification, simultaneously root out the chaos in Shanxi. It was more detailed than Zhou Yanru's high-level strategic overview, fitting his role as Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of War. The Chongzhen Emperor praised him, "What you have said greatly accords with my intent."

Seeing that the Emperor was about to approve Yang He's pacification policy, Liu Jiayu quickly added force, "Minister Yang once said: using funds and grain for suppressing bandits means the gold and silver are gone forever, and too many beheadings harm the harmony of Heaven. Spending them on pacification means the money is gone but the people remain. Saving one person gains that person's life. Bandits cease, the people are at peace—there is no greater benefit."

The Chongzhen Emperor sighed and said, "The bandits are also my innocent children. They should be pacified."

All the ministers bowed together and said, "His Majesty is sagaciously wise." In truth, they had all spoken of using both suppression and pacification. If anything went wrong, no one could be caught with a handle against them; the responsibility would ultimately fall solely on Yang He.

The Chongzhen Emperor said to them, "Transmit my decree. Shaanxi has repeatedly reported famine; the common people have lost their livelihoods, some even driven to join the bandits, bringing blades upon themselves. Who are not my innocent children, suffering such hardship? My heart aches with compassion, overwhelmed with pity. Now, I specially issue one hundred thousand taels of silver and order the censor to go there, assess the disaster-stricken areas, and distribute relief in order. Still, instruct the ignorant people: even if you have been coerced or mistakenly joined the bandit gangs, if you are willing to return to the righteous path, you shall be considered law-abiding subjects, commended and given a fresh start, all accepted and cared for."

On the grand parade ground of Wendeng Camp, three hundred cavalrymen of the cavalry unit were drilling. Chen Xin and other officers stood on the command platform, watching intently. Wendeng Camp's cavalry was also organized into squads of twelve men. Previously, Wendeng Camp had a small number of cavalry, mainly used for tasks like reconnaissance patrols and securing positions during the Jisi Campaign. They had some small-scale reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance skirmishes with the Jianzhou Bandits, but were far from capable of confronting the Jianzhou Bandits in open battle. Coincidentally, they had captured several hundred warhorses during the Jisi Campaign, so Chen Xin decided that the next element to strengthen would be the cavalry.

Chen Xin divided the cavalry into two parts. The cavalry unit was primarily for pitched battle formations, while the rest were used for reconnaissance and communication. The central army headquarters directly commanded a scout cavalry squad, and the others were distributed to the various Company Commander departments. Each existing Company Commander department was now augmented with an additional Si, so each Company Commander oversaw three Si—one more than before—with a strength of nearly a thousand men. In the future, each Company Commander department would also have an attached artillery unit. This way, each Company Commander department would have its own fire support and reconnaissance capability, possessing independent combat ability, allowing Chen Xin greater flexibility in deployment.

The unit training on the parade ground now was Zhu Guobin's cavalry unit. Chen Xin had simplified the cavalry's weaponry to only two types: the cavalry lance and the Qi-family saber. The cavalry of the three Ju were arrayed in three wide horizontal rows. The first row carried lances, the second row Qi-family sabers, and the third row also Qi-family sabers. These unskilled riders finally managed to align their formation with difficulty. At the sound of the horn, the Company Commander in the front row pointed his saber forward, and the entire unit began to accelerate. The formation was still fairly orderly, but after thirty paces, disorder began to show. The soldiers moved at different speeds, and some horses veered off sideways. Before a hundred paces, they had become a scattered mess. Zhu Guobin signaled with a flag, and the training Company Commander had no choice but to sound the assembly horn again. The cavalrymen once more began to reform their ranks.

Zhu Guobin looked at Chen Xin with some embarrassment. Chen Xin smiled encouragingly and said, "Guobin, just go ahead and do it. It's never easy at the beginning."

Dai Zhenggang watched the cavalry for a while and asked Chen Xin, "My lord, training the cavalry this way makes them just like our infantry units. Wouldn't these 'combined-arms troops' just become infantry on horseback?"

Zhu Guobin listened intently, waiting to hear what Chen Xin would say. He had been training according to Chen Xin's methods for some time now, which differed greatly from his traditional understanding of cavalry combat. But he did not question Chen Xin's decision; he only constantly sought ways to meet the requirements.

Chen Xin's voice rang out, "Precisely infantry on horseback. My first requirement for them is formation. They must maintain the same tightness and strict order as infantry, ensuring that when any enemy charges, they always face a situation of few against many. After the first row of lances comes the second and third rows of sabers. Guobin, you must test and perfect the distance between each row. Ideally, before the enemy can recover from the first attack, he will immediately face an attack from at least two sabers in the second row. Even if he is exceptionally lucky, there is still the third row. Once you've trained well, the scout cavalry will also join the combined drills. They can form a fourth row in a loose formation, freely engaging and disengaging to attack the remaining enemy riders."

Although Chen Xin spoke with full confidence, Zhu Guobin still lacked conviction. After all, this had never been done before. He had personally selected some men to test it, and so far, the results were not obvious. Perhaps it would be better once the training was complete, but it might not be as effective as Chen Xin claimed.

Chen Xin looked at the Mongol horses beneath those cavalrymen, which resembled mules, and felt helpless. He very much wished he could have the tall, powerful horses of Europe to train a truly formidable modern cavalry. Since Frederick the Great could transform the Prussian cavalry from utter disgrace to the envy of Europe within two or three years, he believed he could do the same using similar methods. Even if he could not match Frederick, he could at least narrow the gap with the Manchu Qing in cavalry. In fact, modern cavalry was more akin to cavalry that fought using infantry tactics, emphasizing discipline and scientific training. It sounded simple, but the training actually required countless meticulous efforts. Everything, including the horses, needed careful selection and cultivation. These details had to be slowly explored.

Once they truly matured, all traditional cavalry would become obsolete, including the famously fierce North African cavalry. The Later Jin's Manchu Eight Banners actually fought mostly on foot, so Chen Xin was even more confident that, with equal numbers, they could gain the advantage.

Zhu Guobin still said, "My lord, fighting this way involves no long-range attack at all. Should we issue each soldier in the front row a flintlock, and place the lancers in the second row?"

Chen Xin hesitated. He was not entirely sure either. Cavalry would certainly primarily use cold weapons. A volley of gunfire first would, of course, be more effective, but in that case, the first row would have to be saber cavalry, whose shock power was far inferior to lancers. After thinking for a long time, he said, "First, equip the saber cavalry with short flintlock pistols. As for how to arrange the ranks, you must test it yourselves more. Once the tactics are set, the organization must also be adjusted according to the tactics. If it's three rows, then each Ju should be changed to three Qi teams to facilitate command and deployment. In short, everything must be adjusted around the tactics."

Lu Chuanzong said carelessly, "The problem is we have no opponent. If the Jianzhou Bandits come again this year, we could test it out. You can't really test it just on the parade ground. What I want to try most right now is that cannon that fires three-catty iron balls. Just touching it feels satisfying, and it's faster than a matchlock."

As Lu Chuanzong spoke, he couldn't help rubbing his hands together. Dai Zhenggang also grinned. These infantry commanders were most looking forward to the four-pounder cannons.

Chen Xin smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, at least one cannon per Si. In the future, the cavalry will also be equipped with a few. The artillerymen will also ride horses, always following the cavalry's movements, firing a few rounds before a charge. And don't worry about the cavalry lacking opponents. The Jianzhou Bandits go without saying. The chaos in the mountains of Shaanxi has already begun. If the day comes when the roving bandits break into the Central Plains, our Wendeng Camp will certainly be called upon to suppress the bandits. There will be plenty of opportunities for training."