Chapter 1285: Here, We Do Real Work

"Master Jin, sudden wealth and rank do happen, but the moment Wei Zhongxian falls, a subordinate like me would have his nine clans exterminated. That's not great fortune — that's a great calamity. Master Jin, here in Xuzhou the spirit of a new dynasty grows clearer by the day. You, Master Jin, are a true dragon, a Son of Heaven. For a subordinate to be a follower-of-the-dragon here, I dare not dream of a princely title in the future, but a marquis's or earl's rank surely won't be lacking, and that wealth and rank can be passed down. Weighing these two paths, isn't the choice perfectly obvious?"

Zhao Jin picked up a piece of mutton with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly. By rights, grilled meat should be speared with a skewer or short knife to eat for the proper flavor, but for safety's sake, only blunt-ended chopsticks were present. Ma Chonghao picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth, and the two fell silent once more.

"I've said words like this more than once. Though I am young, I know that talk doubting your loyalty shouldn't be repeated so often. Yet I've never quite felt you were reliable. You're too shrewd — from start to finish, you always choose whatever suits you best. A shrewd man like that, I imagine, would never burn all his bridges. He would surely hedge his bets and leave himself a way out. But what I need you to do are the most secret and critical affairs of Xuzhou. That's why I can't set my mind at ease."

"Master Jin, you handle matters with the steadiness of a man of fifty. Your concerns are not unfounded. This subordinate truly doesn't know how to plead his case. If I say my loyalty is plain for all to see, I fear few would believe it. If I speak of the great fortune to be had here in Xuzhou with you, Master Jin, I've said that too many times already. My family is all in Xuzhou. These years I've been ceaselessly busy and had no mind to set up an outside household or sire any illegitimate children. By all accounts, they serve as hostages. But such words cannot deceive you, Master Jin. When the critical moment truly comes, a man like me is not incapable of abandoning his family. How, then, should this subordinate speak to you, Master Jin?"

The two men had spoken to such a degree that it could already be called utterly naked. Yet both knew they had not injured the harmony between them — there was not even any intent to rebuke or defend. Zhao Jin and his own brothers would never speak so bluntly, but with a man like Ma Chonghao, he could speak directly.

The bright moon hung overhead, the sea breeze wafted over, and from below the wall someone was singing, making the atmosphere atop the ramparts quite relaxed. Zhao Jin gazed into the distance. He knew the sea lay that way. The harbor moorings there still berthed the seagoing vessels belonging to Xuzhou, but from the wall top, he could not see them clearly. Ma Chonghao, though deep in thought, did not let his hands idle, and had been steadily refilling Zhao Jin's tea.

"Master Jin surely knows that the ranks of the Brocade Guard commanders were originally not high in grade. Yet those who held the posts of Commander, Vice Commander, and Assistant Commander were only of two kinds: either ennobled ministers of duke, marquis, or earl rank who concurrently held a Chief Commissioner title, or the sons, nephews, and trusted confidants of eunuchs. By rights, a man of centurion background like this subordinate had no chance at such a position. But by a twist of fate, this subordinate climbed his way here. I lack the entanglements of great family background and power. After rising up, on the one hand I thought of great wealth and rank, and on the other, I wanted to get things done."

Seeing that Zhao Jin was listening intently, Ma Chonghao drained his tea bowl in one gulp and continued in a deep voice: "This subordinate has never been one to stay content. If I were satisfied with wealth and rank, I would never have offended so many on behalf of the Zheng family, nor would I have gathered men from Jiangnan to trespass against Xuzhou. Back when this subordinate was still a centurion, I already felt that the realm was sunk in a deep twilight malaise. It looked like an age of peace and prosperity, yet it always left one uneasy, always feeling that peace would not last. By the time I reached the position of Assistant Commander, standing higher and seeing farther, only then did I know how utterly riddled with gaping wounds and appalling horrors this realm truly was."

Ma Chonghao had by now been carried away by emotion, not even noticing that Zhao Jin's tea bowl was already empty. Zhao Jin paid it no mind, simply listening as Ma Chonghao continued: "I had thought that this vast realm, even if rotting, was still an old and mighty empire that could hold on for another century, perhaps even see a revival. But once the Jianzhou Jurchens rose beyond the passes, the Great Ming did not win a single victory. They collapsed in utter rout. Master Jin, whenever this subordinate thought of that back then, I could not sleep at night. Serving in the Depot and Guard, I knew more news than elsewhere. The troops of Liaodong Garrison were already the Great Ming's finest elite, and their pay and provisions were far more ample than other garrisons. Yet such troops were smashed and swept aside by the Jurchen Tartar slaves just like that. What was to be done in the future!"

At this, Ma Chonghao slammed his tea bowl heavily onto the table, drawing a glance even from Niu Jinbao's direction. A smile surfaced on Zhao Jin's face. Ma Chonghao's tone had grown impassioned: "High and low, everyone says they are but a crude and petty tribe, fierce for a time but bound to decline in the long run. Yet a remote petty tribe can mobilize tens of thousands of horse and foot, can assault cities and seize strongholds — how many such armies does our Great Ming possess? There are also those who say the Eastern Slaves have exhausted their strength in internal strife. That too is a joke. The Eastern Slaves have not made any major moves, doing nothing more than what we in Xuzhou are doing: calmly digesting the lands and people they've seized, turning the Great Ming's subjects into their own. Once their strength has swelled, that will be the moment the offensive begins. And when it does, the Great Ming will suffer even more catastrophic defeats!"

Hearing him compare Xuzhou to Jianzhou, Zhao Jin could not help but laugh. Seeing Ma Chonghao about to explain, Zhao Jin waved his hand to indicate it was fine and bade him continue: "Master Jin, this subordinate saw this as far back as Sarhu. I knew then that if this realm was not set in order, it might soon be too late. This subordinate also knew that a mere Brocade Guard Assistant Commander was unqualified to do such things, so I thought to aid others. I made inquiries into quite a few men, but after investigating, I was left helpless. The Pure Stream faction cared only about disputes over legitimate heirs, only about reducing taxes. The Eunuch Faction cared only about collecting taxes, only about arresting people. Every side was locked in factional strife. The rare few who were different were like idle clouds and wild cranes, indifferent to state affairs. No one thought about how to collect taxes and grain from the localities without harming the people or stirring up disaster. No one thought about how to train troops and strengthen the army, how to resist foreign foes."

"For you to think this way is truly rare. In the Great Ming's court and provinces, those who think this way are far too few."

"Master Jin, at the time this subordinate was only gathering men, but I didn't know how to go about it. The Zheng family was single-mindedly fixated on succession struggles and currying favor. The few times this subordinate spoke of it, I was treated as a madman. I am truly ashamed — this subordinate still valued wealth and rank, and so dared not speak further. When the Zheng family declined and this subordinate was reassigned to Nanjing, I came to understand what you, Master Jin, were doing in Xuzhou. Suddenly, everything became clear. So it was possible to collect so much grain tax from a locality without harming its foundations, and even to provide relief to the poor. So it was possible to train such a powerful army. So there were so many brilliant stratagems for generating wealth. This subordinate truly understood then. I had originally thought that the great affairs of the realm were all matters for the civil officials. At that moment, I felt that this subordinate could do them too. I took your silver, Master Jin, and returned to the capital to maneuver for a high post, intending to reform the realm according to these methods of yours. And then, here we are."

Speaking of past events, Ma Chonghao showed no embarrassment. Both found it amusing, and the smile on Zhao Jin's face grew increasingly pronounced. Ma Chonghao's tone was no longer so impassioned: "This subordinate works for you, Master Jin. Wealth, rank, and future prospects are one aspect. The other aspect is that in all the realm, only here with you, Master Jin, is real work being done — the right work. Here with you, Master Jin, everything is orderly and efficient. You can mobilize the people's strength without harming them. You can generate wealth through proper means without exploitation. You can train troops and strengthen the army without making them arrogant and unruly. What I see, hear, and learn every day fills this subordinate with boundless joy. This is why this subordinate will never harbor disloyalty. There is no place under heaven like our Xuzhou, where work is done so earnestly, and where the right things are done and done well."

The lamplight flickered, illuminating the self-mocking smile on Ma Chonghao's face: "In my youth, this subordinate was often laughed at for this, told I had no fate to enjoy wealth and rank. But they did not know that for this subordinate, working under you, Master Jin, working here in Xuzhou — that is the true enjoyment. The joy of doing this work far surpasses any wealth or rank."

When Ma Chonghao finished, Zhao Jin's face still bore a faint smile. In such a setting, Ma Chonghao naturally did not expect Zhao Jin to immediately give a positive response after pouring out his heart. He simply reached for his tea bowl to wet his throat, only to find upon lifting it that it was already empty.

Ma Chonghao's expression did not change, but inwardly he mocked himself. Having spoken words buried deep in his heart for so many years, though he appeared composed on the surface, he had in truth let himself get somewhat carried away. Just as he was about to reach for the teapot, he saw Zhao Jin smiling as he picked it up and then extended it toward him — a gesture meaning he intended to pour him tea.

Seeing this gesture from Zhao Jin, Ma Chonghao's entire being suddenly relaxed. Hastily, he held his tea bowl in both hands, murmuring repeated protests of "I dare not," as he allowed Zhao Jin to fill it to the brim for him.

"From our start until now, our Xuzhou has reached a certain stage. Before, we had tens of thousands of fighting men and a million commoners. All these people are bound to our interests — aside from here with us, they have nowhere else to go. The population of Xuzhou and Pizhou forms the core; refugees recruited from Shandong, Liaodong, and Henan form the backbone. All our soldiers, officers, and administrators come from within this million-strong population. A million people sounds like a lot, but with farming, weaving, soldiering, and managing affairs, we need more and more people. This past year, we have already been straining the people's strength to the utmost. After this peace negotiation, things can ease considerably." Zhao Jin had directly changed the subject. Ma Chonghao showed no surprise whatsoever, merely draining his tea and sitting upright to listen.

It had to be said, conversing with a clever man like this was truly comfortable. Zhao Jin smiled and continued: "After the peace talks, we will hold two provinces' worth of land and a population of ten million. But of those ten million, those who can be of use to Xuzhou are still only that one million. How to make these ten million people thoroughly serve my purposes — how to make them work for Xuzhou, farm and weave for me, go into battle and kill for me — this is no simple matter. To fully digest and absorb them will take enormous thought and effort, and it will certainly require killing and bloodshed. It's just that all of this will be directed inward, not outward."

Zhao Jin paused, stirred himself by the topic: "When we have thoroughly mastered these ten million people and two provinces, that will be our moment to seize the realm. We need time to take control of Shandong and South Zhili. During this time, the Great Ming court and provinces will surely change as well, perhaps even strive upward. But there is nothing to worry about. If they take one step, we will have already taken ten steps, a hundred steps. In this period, they may undergo changes, but those changes will be utterly insignificant compared to ours."

"Master Jin is thinking too well of the Great Ming. The court's infighting never ceases, and the provinces each harbor their own agendas. In this subordinate's view, if the Great Ming does not change, it might still hold on. If it does change, it will likely collapse and perish all the faster," Ma Chonghao interjected with a smile.

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