Chapter 236: The Commander

"What Minister Lu says fits my intent perfectly — dividing our forces is the greatest taboo in war, and this is the primary principle for next year's campaign! Furthermore, I have heard that the barbarian chieftain, since more than a month ago, has already dispatched troops to subjugate the Khorchin, Chahar, and other Mongol tribes. If my expectation holds, his aim is to seize able-bodied Mongol men to expand his army; if we do not respond effectively, once he has built up a fighting force in a few years, our official troops will pay far greater sacrifices when campaigning against Jianzhou! Therefore, the northern expedition next year is an absolute necessity!"

After the beginning of spring in the tenth year of Chongzhen, Hong Taiji, disregarding the still-bitter cold weather of the northeast, ordered the Manchu Eight Banners to dispatch heavy forces to attack the various Mongol tribes, plundering people, livestock, grain, and supplies to replenish the so-called Great Qing state, whose resources were daily growing scarcer.

This was intelligence provided by the Four Seas Trading Company last month. Because the Eight Banners' campaigns had gradually extended westward, some tribes beyond the border wall that conducted normal trade with the Four Seas Trading Company had, upon hearing the news, begun migrating west or north to evade the plundering of the Jianzhou Eight Banners.

At Zhu Youjian's direction, the Four Seas Trading Company, in its trade with these tribes, would also provide them with grain, salt, prepared medicines, iron cauldrons, and other daily necessities, which gradually made life better for these tribes. Since they could obtain supplies without raiding, why risk their lives opposing the Ming?

Zhu Youjian had already ordered the Four Seas Trading Company to suspend trade with the Mongols beyond the wall to avoid possible danger, and had the Ministry of War send dispatches to border garrisons such as Xuanfu and Yansui to strengthen vigilance and guard against possible surprise attacks and plundering by the Jianzhou barbarians.

"Since Your Majesty has resolved to campaign north next year, and my position as a flank commander is settled, I beg Your Majesty to appoint the supreme commander of the northern expedition, so that he may begin planning early and determine the detailed strategy for the use of troops. I intend to remain in the capital for now, and will proceed to my post at Xuanfu and Datong once Your Majesty issues the decree appointing the supreme commander!"

Lu Xiangsheng was utterly determined in his resolute opposition to Zhu Youjian personally leading the campaign — even at the risk of incurring the Emperor's displeasure, he would stop this from happening.

Wang Cheng'en could not help but secretly give Lu Xiangsheng a thumbs-up: Grand Secretary Lu was forcing His Majesty to make his position clear. Given the merits the Grand Secretary had established, His Majesty would have to show face to this important minister; besides, the man was acting for the safety of the state, not for private gain — His Majesty did not even have grounds to be angry.

As long as a supreme commander for the northern expedition was appointed, His Majesty would have no reason to campaign in person.

The commander for such a great matter as the northern expedition would certainly be a senior court minister — if a commander were appointed and you still insisted on leading personally, would that not put that minister in an awkward position?

"Ah, this... haha! The northern lands have been drought-stricken for long, and this timely rain today comes just at the right moment, hehe! I hear that Minister Lu is exceptionally strong, and the weapon he uses in battle weighs over a hundred jin — I am most curious, is this rumor true or false?"

Zhu Youjian laughed and deflected the topic: it was not that he wanted to lead the campaign himself — for the sake of this book's satisfying moments, he had no choice.

"Your Majesty is the sovereign of the realm — how could you lightly believe the words of ignorant folk! In my daily practice I use a great saber of over a hundred jin to build my strength, but the long saber I carry into battle weighs only a dozen or so jin! Since Your Majesty finds it difficult to decide on the supreme commander for the northern expedition, I recommend Hong Hengjiu for the post! In strategy and decisiveness, he surpasses me several times over; Sun Baigu of Shaanxi may serve as his deputy — the man is steady, resolute, and far-sighted in counsel, and the Qin army he has built is supremely elite; with these two men leading the northern campaign, Your Majesty may rest easy without worry! I beg Your Majesty to decide soon!"

Lu Xiangsheng utterly dismissed Zhu Youjian's childish attempt to change the subject, and directly, without mincing words, put forward the candidate he had in mind for commander, further pressuring the Emperor.

In fact, Lu Xiangsheng's proposal coincided perfectly with Zhu Youjian's own thinking — both Hong Chengchou and Sun Chuanting were the best candidates for supreme commander of the northern expedition. The two were evenly matched in ability, but Hong Chengchou, who was about to take up his post at Ji-Liao, would hold the advantages of terrain and popular support; moreover, his methods were more flexible and polished, making him better suited than the stern, strictly disciplined Sun Chuanting to serve as supreme commander of the army.

If Hong and Sun were to lead the campaign, one as principal and one as deputy, one playing the stern role and one the lenient, with both carrot and stick applied, those military commanders would have no choice but to obey obediently.

Yangwu Marquis Xue Lian and Xuancheng Earl Wei Shichun would participate in the campaign as army supervisors and grain transport overseers — their transcendent status would serve to mediate between and monitor both civil officials and military commanders.

Although the two had, over the past several years, brought the Capital Camps into preliminary shape and demonstrated no small ability, Zhu Youjian would not hand command of the army to them — after all, drill and the real battlefield were fundamentally different, and a single subtle error of judgment could doom the entire campaign.

As for the fighting strength of the various official troops participating, the Yongwei Camp and the Capital Camps went without saying — both were elite forces with strict discipline and obedient to command; generals such as Zuo Liangyu and He Renlong had served under Hong Chengchou for years and could be directed with ease; the Qin army was a powerful force built single-handedly by Sun Chuanting, and the loyalty and ferocity of the White Pole troops needed no elaboration — these several official forces presented essentially no problems.

Although He Renlong historically bore the infamous reputation of abandoning his commander and fleeing first, that had occurred when the entire Ming dynasty's defeat was already sealed and the great edifice was on the verge of collapse, when morale among the official troops had so dissolved that nothing could be salvaged. Judging by his performance in the present, He Renlong, Zuo Liangyu, and other generals with poor historical reputations had still played very important roles throughout the campaign to suppress the roving bandits, with no particularly bad word spread about them; in next year's northern expedition they would only serve on the flanks and in support roles, unable to affect the overall course of the war — they could be employed with confidence.

Seeing how resolutely Lu Xiangsheng opposed his personal campaign, Zhu Youjian ultimately had no choice but to compromise — after all, he had to let this great loyal minister save face, did he not?

"Since Minister Lu insists so firmly, I shall follow good counsel and abandon the thought of leading the campaign in person! The candidates you recommend are most fitting, and I shall have someone inform Ministers Hong and Sun so that they may prepare early for next year's great battle! Minister Lu must not spread word of the northern expedition, lest it be discovered by those with ulterior motives!"

"Your servant obeys the decree! Your Majesty is sagacious!"

Lu Xiangsheng finally relaxed — since the Emperor had personally conceded he would not lead the campaign, he could now proceed to his post at Xuanfu and Datong with peace of mind.

Wang Cheng'en, standing nearby, also finally let go of the worry in his heart: His Majesty had now changed, no longer as suspicious and stubborn as before.

After being kept by Zhu Youjian for a simple midday meal, Lu Xiangsheng took his leave of the Emperor and left the palace. Zhu Youjian escorted him all the way to the outside of the hall, then stood on the steps before the hall gate, watching Lu Xiangsheng depart.

The first rain of the tenth year of Chongzhen fell without cease. Watching Lu Xiangsheng's thin yet upright figure beneath the umbrella held by the young eunuch, Zhu Youjian felt a sudden surge of warmth in his heart and called out loudly: "Minister Lu, take care!"

Next spring, Lu Xiangsheng would lead tens of thousands of cavalry across thousands of li deep into enemy territory. That campaign would be extraordinarily perilous, and accidents could strike at any moment on the battlefield — deep in his heart, Zhu Youjian was extremely worried for this loyal minister's safety, fearing this might be their last meeting.

Lu Xiangsheng, already several dozen paces away, heard the voice from behind and halted. He slowly turned around, and disregarding the rainwater pooled on the blue brick pavement, knelt slowly to the ground. Facing Zhu Youjian, who was clasping his hands in salute, he knocked his head heavily three times, then rose and made a deep bow before walking into the curtain of rain — the rainwater on his face mingled with tears as they slid slowly down.

This timely rain at the turn of spring and summer fell for a full two days, greatly relieving the drought in the northern lands.

On the second day after the rain stopped, once the surface of the official road had dried somewhat, Lu Xiangsheng, accompanied by Lu Xiangtong and others, departed through Desheng Gate, heading straight for Xuanfu.

Just a few days after Lu Xiangsheng left the capital, a convoy of more than twenty horse-drawn carriages arrived outside Chongwen Gate of the capital. Leading the way were several dozen armored riders, with two horsemen bearing wooden placards galloping at the very front — one placard read "By Imperial Decree, Supreme Commander of Ji-Liao," and the other read "Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, Hong." Hong Chengchou, soon to take up his post as Supreme Commander of Ji-Liao, had returned to the capital for an audience with the Emperor.

Compared to Lu Xiangsheng, who had never cared for ostentation, Hong Chengchou's entry into the capital was conspicuously high-profile.

In truth, this was the most normal behavior in the officialdom of the Great Ming.

Even a seventh-rank County Magistrate had people clear the road when he traveled; as one of the few top-tier Grand Secretaries of the Ming, a first-rank senior official, if you were excessively low-key, someone might well say you harbored treacherous intentions.

Hong Chengchou, who understood the psychology of officialdom well, naturally would not make such a childish mistake. Surrounded and attended by his personal guards, the renowned Hong Hengjiu made his dazzling entrance.