Chapter 1303: Spirits Soaring High

"Brother Hong, now that you are entering the capital this time, a brilliant future lies ahead of you. Your humble brother here offers his early congratulations."

"Worthy brother, though I do not know the details of your situation, surely entering the capital at this moment is not difficult for you? If you delay any longer here in Shandong and wait until the time comes to select the realm's finest talents, it will be seen as deliberate."

Hong Chengchou's words were spoken plainly. The court intended to implement new laws and promote young talents by exception, yet everyone knew that when the time for exceptional promotion and selection truly arrived, those chosen would certainly be the scions of wealthy and influential families with backing and pedigree. Anyone entering the capital at that point, regardless of whether they possessed genuine talent and learning, would always be seen as having risen through connections. In the official career and bureaucratic arena, they would be regarded with a different eye—enjoying brief success but unable to sustain it. Thus, the young men promoted and appointed before the formal exceptional selection were the ones truly destined for great employment.

This was an unspoken understanding among all. To state it plainly face-to-face was also a gesture of intimacy, and a clever man would naturally grasp this show of goodwill. Zheng Chongjian rubbed his forehead, and after a moment of deliberation, said, "I understand Brother Hong's kind intentions. To be honest with Brother Hong, someone also made arrangements for me to enter the capital, but I declined on my end."

Without waiting for Hong Chengchou to ask why, Zheng Chongjian continued directly, "Brother Hong comes from Zhejiang, so you likely have not seen or heard much about this Zhao the Bandit of Xuzhou. I have been serving in Shandong for several years now and know quite a bit. The Great Ming has over ten provinces, a populace of a hundred million, and a million soldiers and horses. The Mongols on the steppe number barely over a million, while the Jurchen of Jianzhou and the southwestern tusi chieftains have perhaps two hundred thousand. Why then do we suffer defeat after defeat?"

Hong Chengchou was taken aback. Weren't they speaking of Xuzhou? How had the talk turned to the Mongols and Jurchen? Zheng Chongjian continued, "The population of Xuzhou is just over two hundred thousand. That is the capital with which this Zhao the Bandit built his power. Xuzhou is a critical hub of the realm, yet also a poor, desolate, and remote place—this Brother Hong surely knows. Relying on these few tens of thousands of households, relying on this barren and impoverished land, how did he achieve such a situation? There are many rumors about him here in Shandong. From the moment this Zhao the Bandit rose to power until now, every battle he has fought has been a victory of the few over the many. In his early days, with a thousand men he crushed a hundred thousand rebels. In these recent battles against the court, his troops have likewise fought one against ten. If we say the barbarian caitiffs and Tatar slaves still possess untamed wildness, that they are fierce and ferocious, then how could Xuzhou, whose people are likewise subjects of the Great Ming, train such mighty soldiers?"

"... Your elder brother came through Linqing and has seen the troops of this Xuzhou bandit. Such a powerful army I have seen but once in my life. I wonder if the soldiers of the western bandits and eastern caitiffs are of such a caliber..." Hong Chengchou remarked with a sigh.

"Brother Hong, by all reckoning, to command such elite troops, each soldier would have to be on par with the personal retinue of a Great Ming military officer. The spectacle of maintaining twenty thousand personal retinue soldiers—Li Chengliang, at the height of his power in Liaodong, had no more than that. Yet that was propped up by the wealth of Liaodong and the money and grain from the central government. This Zhao Jin is barely in his twenties. Relying on a single impoverished prefecture, how did he accomplish it? On this journey north, did Brother Hong ever visit Xuzhou to look? How is the people's livelihood there?"

Although the words seemed to leap from topic to topic, Hong Chengchou understood. He reached up and stroked his thick beard, saying slowly, "Such a state of peace and prosperity—even Hangzhou does not see its like."

"I once sent men to look over there. The reports they brought back nearly made me think they were fabrications. Only after questioning many people did I dare to confirm it. To train such a mighty army, to lay out such a grand situation, and yet still bring prosperity to the region—not even the books of the sages speak of such a thing. These days, while handling military affairs with the men from Xuzhou, I originally thought that since these bandits came from the wilds of the rivers and lakes, they would surely be ignorant of governance. I thought I could use that to employ some tricks and make preparations for the future. I never expected the men from Xuzhou to handle matters with such meticulous care and detail. Not only was I unable to play any tricks, but they even pointed out things I had never considered before."

At this point, Zheng Chongjian realized he had lost his composure and quickly stopped, smiling apologetically. Hong Chengchou, who had been listening intently, also smiled and gestured that it was no matter.

"Neither the classics and principles of the sages, nor the historical records and canonical texts, can explain how this Zhao Jin has done it. Some say it is the Legalist methods of Qin, but Qin law only emphasized agriculture and war. How could it lead to flourishing industry and commerce like Xuzhou? I began confused, and now I am more and more baffled. Yet I feel that if Zhao Jin wishes to seize the realm, the first thing he must do is to reorganize Shandong. And when he reorganizes Shandong, he will inevitably use the methods by which he rose to power and prospered. If one could learn these methods, then even if the Great Ming loses Shandong and the Southern Metropolitan Region, it would still have a chance to rally and recover, perhaps even achieve a restoration..."

Hong Chengchou and Zheng Chongjian were both presented scholars of the same examination cohort, both in their early thirties, and both had already risen to the rank of upper fourth-grade regional commissioners. Though considered young in officialdom, to have fought their way to such positions in local government at such a young age, neither was an ordinary man. Both possessed ample self-restraint and depth. For what was essentially a first-meeting courtesy call, the two had spoken somewhat too much and somewhat too deeply.

Perhaps it was because Shandong was no longer the king's land. The government offices and yamens of Shandong had become mere empty shells. The clerks and runners handling official business were now being ordered about and evaluated by the Zhao Family Army of Xuzhou, while the officials themselves were in a state of panic, with no one above or below paying much heed to one another. That was why they could speak so freely. But it stopped there. For the remainder of the visit, the two merely exchanged polite pleasantries.

Hong Chengchou had originally harbored some other ideas in coming to the city of Jinan. But after seeing at the city gates and within the city a situation similar to that of Jining and Linqing, those ideas all vanished like smoke and cloud. After delivering his letter, he was unwilling to delay even a single night's lodging and immediately prepared to hurry north. The Jinan Military Defense Circuit Intendant, Zheng Chongjian, more or less understood his state of mind. After a few words of urging him to stay, he saw him out, unable to resist a few self-deprecating, rueful remarks.

"In the past, if Brother Hong were in such a hurry to leave, I would have insisted you stay until tomorrow no matter what, and would have arranged an escort of guards. Otherwise, the roads were far too dangerous with so many bandits and bold brigands. Now that this Xuzhou bandit has come and massacred a few villages and stockades, the region is greatly pacified, and there is no need to worry so much anymore."

"How so? In times like these, shouldn't bandits be swarming up like hornets?"

"That Xuzhou bandit is skilled at making arrangements. These bandits and local strongmen were long ago suppressed into submission. Those who refused to submit have long since had their heads roll. If I may be so bold as to add a word, if Brother Hong seeks lodging, go only to the Cloud Mountain Inn run by Xuzhou. It is safe and secure, and the food and accommodations are quite satisfactory."

At this, both men felt somewhat awkward. This exchange was truly rather delicate. When the time came to part, Hong Chengchou bowed with great solemnity, cupping his hands in salute, and said gravely, "Worthy Brother Zheng, we who have read the books of the sages must serve the state with utter loyalty. Though the nation's affairs are difficult at present, they are not beyond remedy. His Majesty has repented and is rousing himself. Now it falls to us, his ministers, to show our resolve."

Zheng Chongjian returned the salute with equal solemnity, saying, "The Great Ming has a hundred million subjects and a million scholars. So long as we have the heart to serve the country, how could we fear this Xuzhou bandit who rose from the wilds..."

At present, appearing too close to the government always invited trouble. Zheng Chongjian should have seen him off to the city gate, but at this moment he could not be bothered with such formalities. They parted before the entrance of the government office. Hong Chengchou and his party rode out of the city. His household attendants had expected their master to have many reflections, but to their surprise, he remained silent the entire way.

Only when they were about thirty li from the city did Hong Chengchou rein in his horse and turn back to gaze in the direction of Jinan. He brooded for a long while before saying in a muffled voice, "This realm will not change!"

The attendants could vaguely grasp the meaning of these words, and so did not dare to chime in with questions, merely waiting respectfully at the side. After his sigh, Hong Chengchou turned his horse and continued onward, saying offhandedly, "That Xuzhou bandit's main army should have left Linqing by now."

On the third day after the grand review, the Zhao Family Army began to withdraw from the city of Linqing. However, the Second Regiment of the First Brigade and two cavalry companies were stationed in Linqing. Cloud Mountain Trading also began setting up encampments there and planning the logistics of grain supply routes, because in the next phase, the First Brigade would be garrisoned in Dongchang and Jinan Prefectures, while the defense of Yanzhou Prefecture would be handled by the local patrol regiment and newly established regiments.

Ma Chonghao was transferred, and the Jining Patrol Regiment was renamed the Yanzhou Patrol Regiment, with Lei Cai concurrently serving as regiment commander. This order was issued internally, but most within the organization only knew of the transfer. The establishment of the Intelligence Division was extremely secret, known only to those at the rank of regiment commander and above.

When the Zhao Family Army was in Linqing, it needed to display its strength to the local gentry and powerful families of all Shandong. But after entering Yanzhou Prefecture, there was no need for so much fuss. Those there had long known the strength of the Xuzhou Zhao Family Army. Having been cut down time and again, the lesson of blood was the most profound. The most awkward now was the Confucius Manor of the Duke of Yansheng in Qufu. They truly did not know what to do.

By all convention, whoever won the realm, the Confucius Manor would kowtow and declare allegiance to them, adorning the new ruler's legitimacy with a veneer of orthodoxy. But now, Zhao Jin had only taken Shandong and half of the Southern Metropolitan Region—at most two provinces' worth of territory. The Great Ming still had over ten provinces and seemed to retain its vitality. Moreover, the title, wealth, and family property of the Duke of Yansheng's manor had all been bestowed and granted by the Great Ming court. The choice should have been easy. Yet, as ill luck would have it, Qufu lay within the borders of Yanzhou Prefecture, right in the territory of this Xuzhou bandit. How to navigate this, how to preserve themselves—this truly vexed the Kong family.

The current Duke of Yansheng sent his eldest son, the next-generation Duke of Yansheng, to pay a visit. The intention of hedging their bets was already quite obvious. Such behavior could not be concealed. The officials and scholars of Yanzhou Prefecture heaped scorn upon it. Before the literati who read the sages' books had even made a move, you, the descendants of the sage, were the first to bend the knee and kowtow. Have you no shame left?

But Zhao Jin refused to see this heir apparent of the Duke of Yansheng. This left Yanzhou Prefecture and all other places that received the news utterly dumbfounded. Could it be that this Security Chief Zhao did not understand the significance of the Kong family? Though these descendants of the sage lacked moral integrity and were exceedingly greedy, they represented the great cause of righteous legitimacy. The acknowledgment of the Kong family signified that all the scholars under heaven would have a stepping stone by which to bow their heads and submit. And you refuse to see him? Do you even have any intention of conquering the realm? Do you even want to properly sit on the throne?

Zhao Jin did not see the eldest son of the Kong main line, but he did see Kong Zhang. What Kong Zhang requested in the audience was also quite interesting: he asked the Zhao Family Army to uphold justice for the Qufu Kong family, to survey their lands and audit their properties. When Zhao Jin took Shandong, all the wealth and rules of the Great Ming ceased to exist. The Qufu Kong family thus became a large piece of fat meat. So many fields and properties—they had relied on the Duke of Yansheng title, on the protection of the government. Now that these were all gone, who would still care? Local figures with power were all moving to seize a share.

Of course, Zhao Jin agreed to Kong Zhang's request, because Kong Zhang had stated very clearly during the audience: it would suffice to retain enough fields to sustain the Confucius Manor's livelihood; the rest was all to be placed under Xuzhou's jurisdiction.

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