[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-stealing-ming":3,"chapter-stealing-ming-stealing-ming-chapter-148":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Stealing Ming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1220765,1614,"Chapter 148: Section Five: Military Law","stealing-ming-chapter-148",148,"\u003Cp>The Staff Department is indeed merely an executive body for the commander, refining and executing the commander’s strategic and operational resolve. Huang Shi expressed approval for Zhao Manxiong’s idea and asked if he had anything else to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are also problems with the Loyalty-to-the-Throne Patriotic Church and the Internal Guard?” Huang Shi’s expression instantly darkened. These two were also his key tools for transforming the Changsheng Army into his private force. “What problems?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hong Antong’s loyalty to you, my lord, is not fanatical enough. That church needs to be led by your fanatical worshippers and absolutely reliable confidants. As for the Internal Guard you established, my lord, it seems to serve as your personal eyes and ears?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.” Huang Shi had already set up the Internal Guard. If the organization led by Li Yunrui was a relatively pure military intelligence agency, then the Internal Guard was a secret police intelligence organ of the KGB type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your younger brother’s relationship with you, my lord, is too close. He is prone to arrogance born of favor, and this must be guarded against. In my humble opinion, it would be best to swap his position with Hong Antong’s.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is easily done. But if your position goes to Jin Qiude, what will you do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wish to do nothing at all, my lord. Just stay by your side and slowly think of ideas.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was also easily arranged. If Zhao Manxiong wanted to be a “minister without portfolio,” then he would be granted that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before the military council begins, first, personnel changes. Mobile Corps Commander Jin has assisted in formulating military plans with outstanding performance, and I am deeply satisfied. Effective immediately, Mobile Corps Commander Zhao is suspended from duty. All work is to be handed over to Mobile Corps Commander Jin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing these words, Zhao Manxiong immediately drooped his head like an eggplant hit by frost and said with a mournful face, “Your subordinate obeys the order.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Qiude glanced at the despondent Zhao Manxiong to the side, stepped out of line, and said, “My lord, Mobile Corps Commander Zhao has been diligent and earnest. Even if he has no merit, he has endured hardship. Your subordinate implores my lord to rescind this order.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi, his face beaming with satisfaction, smiled at Jin Qiude and said, “My decision is made. Mobile Corps Commander Jin, you must undertake this difficult task.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Qiude suppressed the pride and joy in his heart, bowed, and said, “Your subordinate obeys the order.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“However,” Huang Shi shifted his tone, “I believe Mobile Corps Commander Jin cannot always act from public-mindedness, and is therefore no longer suited to continue as military judge. That post shall be handed to Mobile Corps Commander Yang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your subordinate obeys the order.” Before the stunned Jin Qiude could react, Yang Zhiyuan leapt out and accepted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in the tent knew perfectly well what Huang Shi was referring to. Jin Qiude knelt on one knee: “Your subordinate is dull-witted and has failed the trust my lord placed in him, filled with trepidation. Your subordinate ventures to beg my lord for guidance — how exactly should that case have been judged?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi extended a hand in a gesture of support and said gently, “Mobile Corps Commander Jin, please rise.” Only after Jin Qiude had cautiously stood up did Huang Shi withdraw his arm and ask Yang Zhiyuan, “How would Mobile Corps Commander Yang handle this case?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Zhiyuan pursed his lips, drew a long breath, and exhaled as he spoke: “Your subordinate believes the plaintiff and the two offending soldiers should be brought back for questioning, ensuring the plaintiff gains something and the offending soldiers make restitution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi shook his head in silence, clearly disagreeing with this handling opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Zhiyuan hastily bowed: “Your subordinate is dull-witted and ventures to beg — my lord, please instruct clearly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mobile Corps Commander Jin has already judged and punished according to military law, and the offending soldiers have already undergone supervised punishment. Therefore, this case is already closed.” Huang Shi had long made up his mind — he absolutely could not let the soldiers think he was harsh toward meritorious subordinates. The men Jin Qiude had let off this time, he absolutely could not pursue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like giving each side fifty strokes of the board, but everyone, including Zhao Manxiong, was somewhat baffled. Handled this way, neither Jin Qiude nor Yang Zhiyuan would be sincerely convinced. What was Huang Shi’s purpose in doing this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi stepped down from the central position, stood in the middle of the camp tent, and bowed twice in the direction of Beijing: “I am dull-witted and incompetent, relying entirely on the grace of His Majesty and the imperial court to be placed in command of the military affairs of Changsheng, Zhong, and Xi islands, with authority over officers and men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others hastily followed suit and bowed twice as well. Even the resentful Wu Mu hurriedly rose and stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi’s expression was solemn, his deep gaze seeming to pierce through the tent and reach the heavens. His tone was meticulous and reverently fearful: “The Changsheng Army is the army of the nation, the army of His Majesty — it is not my possession. Therefore, from the day I established the military judge post, I have not dared to alter a military judge’s ruling based on personal likes or dislikes. This heart, this resolve, can be witnessed by the sun and moon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By His Majesty’s gracious trust, I have been able to formulate military law to govern the troops. Although military law came from my hand, it is not my law — it is the law His Majesty enforces upon Changsheng, it is the military law of the Great Ming. If today I were to alter the judgment of this case based on my own likes and dislikes, then the Changsheng Army would only know to fear me, and not fear the military law of the nation. I dare not overstep, dare not fail to guard against the sprouting of corruption.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing this emotional declaration, Huang Shi slowly walked back to the central position, letting the men in the tent first digest the logic within these words. Then he took out a stack of papers, held them up with both hands toward Wu Mu, and said, “I believe the Changsheng military law has omissions, and have therefore reviewed and revised it through the night. I request the Army Supervisor to examine it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wu Mu numbly accepted that set of regulations, Huang Shi turned again and addressed the entire tent headquarters: “Once the military law receives the Army Supervisor’s approval, it shall become the common military law for our Changsheng, Zhong, and Xi islands. If there are still omissions, I will make further revisions. But one case shall not be judged twice, one crime shall not be punished twice. If I have transgressions, I shall share the same punishment as a common soldier. Before military law, all officers and soldiers are equal. I ask Mobile Corps Commander Yang to remember this firmly. For military law is fundamentally the law of the nation — it stands above all men, and above me, Huang Shi, as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Mu had always felt that Huang Shi was a very pure military man. Huang Shi’s declaration today was even more resounding. As the commander of an army, to publicly announce that he would not interfere with military law and act as a local tyrant — this was truly unimaginable. He said with emotion, “General Huang’s heart of loyalty to the throne and love for the nation — I have once again witnessed it with my own eyes. General Huang, rest assured, I will certainly examine this military law meticulously and will never let General Huang’s painstaking efforts go to waste.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Many thanks, Eunuch Wu.” Huang Shi chuckled inwardly. This way, the military judges in the army would never again have the opportunity to cultivate private influence. Moreover, the entire army’s command was unified — no private law, no house law existed… Well, it was Huang Shi’s feudal private law annexing his subordinates’ private law domains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Huang Shi had relinquished the power of life and death, he believed that gain required loss. The right to decide his subordinates’ life or death with a single word was precisely the root of feudal power on Changsheng Island. Without toppling this power, the attempt to cut off the tail of feudalism would not succeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Yang Zhiyuan’s loyalty was very reliable, Huang Shi believed that a sound system was more reliable than the flesh-and-blood human heart. It would be even better to disperse power a bit more, and so…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yang Zhiyuan shall administer military law. The duty of carrying out floggings shall be handed to He Baodao for supervised punishment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your subordinates obey the order.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Zhiyuan, He Baodao, and also Li Yunrui all bowed in submission: “The teachings my lord has imparted today — your subordinates will certainly engrave them firmly in our hearts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Qiude had listened until his head spun and his mind swelled, his face full of astonishment. He was tugged by Zhao Manxiong beside him and also prostrated himself along with the others, intoning, “Your subordinate has received the lesson.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having once again stripped his subordinates of feudal power, Huang Shi had effectively unified the territory of Changsheng Island once more. Internal consolidation was complete. Next, it was time to consider how to harvest military merits from the Later Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>",1594,"2026-06-04T07:54:30.907Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","f98e1d6375ec7d5b6263d554c7c7e03ce395145e2a6166e4e8f1fc12ae1e60e1","stealing-ming-chapter-149","stealing-ming-chapter-147",323,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstealing-ming-cover.jpg"]