Chapter 436: Benevolence Cannot Command Troops

The chariot came to a hurried halt before Fusu's carriage. A dark-faced general in martial attire stepped down, bowed with clasped hands to Fusu, and announced that he had come to welcome the Young Master Army Supervisor. Fusu returned the courtesy, apologizing for his own delay.

But before another word could be spoken, Heifu first begged pardon, then summoned the Colonel in charge of the civilian laborers, Zhao Ben, and rebuked him:

"Colonel Zhao, when you set out from Xianyang, you were scheduled to reach Yiju yesterday, yet there has been no sign of you. The military situation is urgent as fire, and border dispatches come one after another. You are already a day behind — why halt here instead of quickening your pace!"

The Colonel was named Zhao Ben, and as it happened, he was the nephew of Zhao Hai, the Governor of Beidi Commandery. In this campaign, Heifu served as Deputy General of the Beidi army, ranking above Colonels and Commandants, so Zhao Ben could only bow meekly and beg forgiveness...

Seeing Zhao Ben taking the blame on his behalf, Fusu felt a pang of guilt. He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Please, General Wei, do not fault Colonel Zhao. It was Fusu's decision to let the laborers stop and rest."

"The Young Master gave the order?"

Fusu was the Army Supervisor. An Army Supervisor was appointed by the court to control transport and supply, the rewarding and punishment of officers, and other critical military matters, as well as communications between the army and the court. In official rank and status, he was theoretically below the army's commanding general, but the commanding general could not issue orders to the Army Supervisor — the two checked and balanced each other.

Whether the grain convoy stopped or moved did indeed fall under his authority, however...

Heifu had already set aside his dignity and waited an entire day at Yiju Village himself, only to see no one arrive. Left with no choice but to come and urge them on in person, he was inwardly rather vexed, and his impression of Fusu had greatly diminished.

Though the other party was the Eldest Young Master of the Empire, this concerned the chain of command in this campaign and the future matter of grain escort. Heifu did not intend to yield, and so he said, "Heifu wishes to know — why did the Young Master do this?"

Fusu, showing none of a noble scion's arrogance, replied neither humbly nor haughtily, "The weather is scorching. The laborers cannot adjust to the local climate and eat at irregular hours. Several collapse and die each day, and today more than ten fainted from heatstroke. Seeing everyone so exhausted, I thought to let them rest and drink water, and resume the march once the weather cools a little."

Heifu was somewhat taken aback. He looked at the resting laborers, then back at Fusu. Even in the midst of a military campaign, the latter remained a fine young nobleman of exceptional bearing.

By all reason, these young lords raised deep within the palace and nurtured in the hands of women — which of them did not regard human life as weeds and commoners as dung? That Fusu would actually pity these corvée laborers and lament the few who collapsed and died was indeed a strange thing...

But this benevolence had been placed at the wrong time and in the wrong place.

Thereupon Heifu said, "The Art of War states: 'Regard your soldiers as your own infants, and they will follow you into the deepest ravines; regard your soldiers as your beloved sons, and they will stand by you unto death.' That the Young Master does not scorn them because of his noble status, but instead regards these laborers as infants, as beloved sons — Heifu admires this."

His tone then shifted as he continued gravely, "But the Art of War also has a following line: 'If they are pampered but cannot be commanded, cherished but cannot be ordered, unruly but cannot be disciplined, then they are like spoiled children and are of no use!'"

"Commanding troops is not about lacking a heart of benevolence, but about not letting benevolence become excessive. If one is lenient when strictness is required, soft-hearted and tender-handed, indulgent and accommodating, too lax in discipline — then at the critical moment, they cannot be disciplined, cannot be commanded, cannot be ordered!"

"My thanks to the General for instructing me in the Art of War."

Fusu nodded slightly, but then added, "Though the General's words are reasonable, must Fusu then sit by and watch soldiers collapse and die without a care?"

Heifu smiled. "Halting an entire army of over ten thousand for the sake of a dozen or so is hardly a good solution."

He turned to Colonel Zhao Ben and said, "Pass the order: let the severely ill set up camp on the spot for treatment and rest, and have them report to the commandery seat later under escort by a minor clerk. Those with mild heatstroke shall be carried on the carts; those merely fatigued may walk supporting themselves against the cart rails. In this way, none will collapse and die by the roadside, nor will the march be delayed."

He looked back at Fusu. "What does the Young Master think of this?"

Fusu paused, thought it over carefully, and realized that Heifu's method was indeed more thorough than his own. He said, "General Wei's plan is workable."

At the end, Heifu added, "Also, announce to everyone that there will be fish soup to drink upon arrival!"

Zhao Ben glanced at Fusu, acknowledged the order, and left. According to military regulations, when both the commanding general and the Army Supervisor were present, the commanding general's orders took precedence — unless the Supervisor stripped him of command authority by presenting His Majesty's token of credence...

"General Wei is indeed a seasoned commander of illustrious battle honors — thorough in his considerations."

Fusu had nothing more to say. Heifu had not only properly handled the sick and injured, but also provided motivation for those still able to walk. There was simply no fault to find.

"Heifu learned this from the old general Wang Jian as well."

Heifu said, "Years ago, during the bitter fighting north of the Huai, our army pursued the fleeing Chu forces through marshlands. Marching continuously, the men were utterly exhausted; some even ran themselves to death or collapsed from fatigue. Many officers and soldiers wished to rest a while. At that moment, old General Wang said these words: 'Benevolence cannot command troops.' If we let Xiang Yan escape, we would squander the chance for battle and leave endless troubles in the future. When Qin and Chu then regrouped and fought again, the dead would not be a few dozen exhausted soldiers, but thousands upon thousands of officers and men!"

"Therefore, from that time on, Heifu also learned one thing: a commander who leads warriors must possess an iron will and resolve. In directing operations, one must never let a soft heart ruin the greater situation!"

Last time, using the grain convoy to bait the Xiongnu into striking first could also have gone wrong, leading to heavy casualties among the convoy. But after weighing the matter, the gains should outweigh the losses.

If one cannot bear to cast out even the bait in hand, one will never catch the fish.

"By the same logic, if pity for the laborers' fatigue leads you to let them rest, delaying the delivery of grain to the front lines, the soldiers holding weapons against the enemy may go hungry. Fighting on empty stomachs, men who need not have died might perish miserably from weakness in their arms, causing a battle line to collapse, ultimately leading to a total rout with corpses strewn across the field."

At these words, Fusu's expression shifted slightly. This was something that he, in his youth, had truly never considered.

"Heifu humbly believes that allowing such a scenario to unfold would be the greatest cruelty of all! As for today's matter, I hear the Young Master has already fined himself two suits of armor — let that be the end of it. But I hope that in the future, when the Young Master oversees grain transport, he will not delay the march!"

Having been implicitly rebuked by Heifu, Fusu did not grow angry from shame. Instead, he solemnly lowered his sleeves and cupped his hands. "Fusu has received your teaching."

At that moment, under Zhao Ben's announcement, the laborers were all being urged to rise. Heifu then said, "The grain convoy will set out immediately. Heifu will lead the way ahead for the Young Master; what say you to the Young Master bringing up the rear?"

"The commanding general at the front, the Army Supervisor at the rear — it is only proper."

Heifu nodded to Tang Duo and departed with his retinue. Only then did Chunyu Yue, who had tactfully kept silent during the exchange between the commanding general and the Army Supervisor, speak in a low voice:

"This General Wei, though humble and courteous in manner, was rather critical — even reproachful — of the Young Master in his words!"

Fusu, however, shook his head. "General Wei's words do hold some truth. Know what you know, and know what you do not know. Fusu is new to military life and truly does not understand military affairs. I cared only for the laborers' fatigue, forgetting that the soldiers on the front lines are also straining their necks in hope of grain. To attend to one and lose sight of the other — that is Fusu's fault. Should I encounter a similar matter in the future, I shall follow General Wei's method!"

Having said this, he seemed to recall something. He looked at Chunyu Yue and smiled. "Also, General Wei governs his troops with strictness and does not bend to accommodate the Young Master Army Supervisor. In speaking with me, he was neither servile nor overbearing. Observe his words and examine his conduct — if he were a hypocritical, fawning petty man, he would hardly have behaved this way, would he?"

The Mohists held Heifu in rather high regard. Tang Duo was overjoyed. "Exactly so! General Wei is a capable officer and an able official!"

Chunyu Yue was about to speak again, but Fusu raised a hand to stop him.

"Master Chunyu, Master Tang, like you, I do not approve of His Imperial Father's massive troop deployments to wage this war of territorial expansion that harms the people's strength. None of these fifteen thousand laborers from east of the Pass are willing to travel far beyond the frontier. But since Fusu has been given this mission, whether willing or not, from the day the army set out, I must perform the duties of Army Supervisor well! The commanding general and the Army Supervisor check and balance each other, but also assist each other. I hope to cooperate candidly with General Wei. Similar remarks, Masters, please do not make again in the future!"

Chunyu Yue withdrew, tongue-tied. This Young Master, though refined, cultured, and benevolent, had his own stubbornness at his core; he could not be swayed by a few words.

Seeing that the grain convoy was about to set off again, Fusu, as the Army Supervisor bringing up the rear, took the time to visit those few laborers who were severely afflicted by heatstroke — vomiting, feverish, and forced to rest at the waystation.

He put on no airs whatsoever. The jade-like young nobleman walked among the laborers reeking of sweat. While they were filled with respect, they also hastily drew back, fearful of soiling the hem of his robes...

"Fusu will not stand by and let you fellows collapse and die on the road."

Fusu cupped his hands toward the laborers left behind for treatment, not caring whether these men from east of the Pass could understand his words. As he turned around, the steadfastness that had been in his eyes when he recited "The Eastern Hills" remained unchanged.

Watching the long column ahead embark once more upon the endless journey, he leaned against the carriage rail and thought to himself, "General Wei says that benevolence cannot command troops. Those words are reasonable."

"But I am not a general who commands troops; I am the Young Master, the Army Supervisor..."

Having walked among these laborers for the better part of a month, observing their lives and listening to their grievances, Fusu understood: the realm had only just been settled, and the common people in distant lands had not yet rallied to the new order. The people of Shandong simply wanted to live peacefully at home, plowing in spring and harvesting in autumn. No one wanted to fight this war.

But the Emperor's command brooked no disobedience. Fusu felt only that, as a Young Master of Qin and as Army Supervisor, he might perhaps let them feel some goodwill.

If even he turned a blind eye, then these laborers — treated like transported prisoners and slaves by the Qin soldiers, driven onward with whips at the slightest provocation — what reason would they have, besides the harsh laws choking their necks, to peacefully escort the grain and bear the loads, enduring the bitter toil of a thousand-li transport in a war that had little to do with them?

"Thus, the general must not be benevolent. But Fusu must treat everyone with benevolence!"

(End of Chapter)