Chapter 1422: Less Bloodshed

Ever since Zhao Jin founded the Zhao Character Battalion and grew it step by step to its present strength, outsiders have either dismissed it or feared it. Some think the Zhao Family Army's training methods defy military doctrine and must be utterly fragile; others, after suffering defeat, believe the Zhao Family Army possesses ghost-god power and is invincibly fierce.

But such treatment left the Zhao Family Army's commanders deeply uncomfortable. They had clearly done so much and endured countless hardships, yet outsiders chalked it up to luck or attributed it to ghosts and gods, completely denying their own efforts. Now, however, this renowned governor-general of the Great Ming truly understood them — such an account, with its praise and affirmation, was genuinely gratifying.

Sun Chuanting straightened his posture and said with solemnity: "The reason I have come to you, Lord Zhao, is to ask you to lay out a framework — exactly how can the Great Ming bring this to a dignified and amicable conclusion? If blood must be shed, I beg that it be kept to a minimum. After all, we are all of the same Huaxia bloodline; why should we slaughter one another?"

This was getting to the heart of the matter. Only now did Ji Xiang understand the skill in the other man's approach — by this point, both sides were calm, their guard was down, and many issues could be discussed openly and directly.

Zhao Jin paused thoughtfully, then spoke: "That is a broad statement. Is Brother Sun speaking for himself and Shanxi, or is he speaking on behalf of certain others?"

"Lord Zhao values commerce and industry, which has greatly won the hearts of the Shanxi merchant guilds. Before I had even entertained this notion, people were already going to great lengths to persuade and sound me out, telling me to consider the greater picture — that the Great Ming has lost virtue, that I should follow the people's will. Shanxi is the least of our worries this time. Had I stubbornly clung to my own views, I fear I might have met an... unclear end."

Everyone laughed, but the joke was not really funny. In the eyes of the world, Sun Chuanting had trained a new army in Shanxi and could act as he pleased in Datong, Shanxi — raising his own military funds, levying his own taxes, effectively ruling like a separatist warlord. But the Zhao Family Army understood more deeply: the reason Sun Chuanting had been able to do this so smoothly was that he had the full backing of Shanxi's merchant circles. Without the merchants' money, grain, and even manpower, the tax revenue of Shanxi alone could never have supplied a new army. One had to understand that the authority the court had granted Sun Chuanting to reform policies was not merely a grant of power — the supply of the Datong border garrison was also his responsibility, meaning they had dumped a burden on him.

The reason Shanxi's merchant circles were so willing to part with money and grain was also out of self-preservation. Originally, they had deep collusion with the border garrisons and the steppe, which brought them many advantages. But in recent years, the situation had deteriorated badly and changed too quickly. The border garrisons abandoning all rules was one thing, but worse, Ligdan Khan of the Chahar had driven the third-generation Altan Khan of the Tümed out of Guihua City, throwing the steppe into chaos. Whether it was trade caravans heading onto the steppe or border markets at the passes, the risks had grown enormously — either being directly plundered by Mongol horse-bandits or tribes, or facing invasions by large Mongol cavalry forces. Any of these would affect business, and could even lead to the ruin of families and loss of life.

Moreover, the Shanxi merchants had learned much from the Xuzhou experience. Whether one valued commerce or agriculture, in times like these, one always needed a reliable protector. Otherwise, merchants were nothing but fish and meat on the chopping block. A man like Zhao Jin, with his miraculous Midas touch, was one you could not seek out even if you wanted to, but someone who could safeguard peace and security was not hard to find.

Everyone was willing to offer up money, grain, and benefits — as long as there were rules, as long as there was no extortion and plunder without warning that endangered their very lives and fortunes. They were all willing. Sun Chuanting, moreover, conducted affairs with method and discipline, and he came from a prominent, established family of Shanxi itself. Such a man was naturally trustworthy. Even more rare was his willingness to listen to everyone's advice and his endorsement of Zhao Jin of Xuzhou's new policies. A figure who brought mutual benefit like this naturally deserved full support.

Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it — there is truth in that saying. Sun Chuanting knew whence his present achievements came, and naturally he also knew what risks lay within.

Shanxi's stance was now clear. But Shanxi alone, with Sun Chuanting's own weight, was sufficient — yet this plea for less bloodshed and fewer deaths seemed far too sweeping.

"The various gentlemen of the Grand Secretariat are largely of this view. The Governor of Baoding and the Governor of Shuntian have both exchanged letters with me, and they are roughly of the same mind."

Originally, Northern Zhili had no governors. But because of Zhao Jin's rise, Daming Prefecture in Northern Zhili first established a Daming Governor. Then, after Zhao Jin took Shandong, a Baoding Governor was established in Baoding and a Shuntian Governor in Shuntian Prefecture, to command the large armies stationed in the capital region. Their existence served not only to defend against the Zhao Family Army but also another purpose: to check the troops controlled by Grand Secretaries Sun Chengzong and Wang Zaijin within the capital, and to guard against the border army of Xiong Tingbi of Liaodong Garrison. This scheme of balancing power with power was etched into the very bones of the Great Ming's rulers and ministers.

The Shuntian Governor, Hong Chengchou, concurrently held the title of Vice Minister of War. The Baoding Governor, Zheng Chongjian, concurrently held the title of Vice Minister of War. And Lu Xiangsheng, the Daming Governor who had withdrawn to the vicinity of Xuanfu, was now the Governor of Xuanfu. These were the three governors guarding the capital region; the military authority on the capital's periphery was all in their hands.

According to Sun Chuanting, those who controlled four-fifths of the troops in Northern Zhili agreed with him. As for Lu Xiangsheng, stuck in a peripheral corner, he need not be overly concerned.

And given the Great Ming's current system, once these few agreed, it was tantamount to a decision made for the entire realm — even though what they actually controlled was no more than Northern Zhili and Shanxi. But if these two places offered no resistance, the other regions had little possibility of defiance. Under all heaven, only the border army of the Three Frontiers of Shaanxi could cause trouble, and even that would be merely trouble.

As for Sichuan, Huguang, Yunnan, and other places, they had never gathered many troops to begin with. Even if a province scraped together some forces, geography, local culture, and other conditions would prevent any long-distance raids; they could pose no threat whatsoever.

Sun Chuanting's statement indicated that the Great Ming's core power was already prepared to surrender, or at least to seek a dignified resolution. Yet that Northern Zhili and Shandong were so close, and they had sent Sun Chuanting from Shanxi to negotiate — there was a subtlety here as well.

Perhaps it was because Sun Chuanting's Datong New Army was the strongest among the Great Ming's various military forces, and had recently won a victory against the Altan Khan on the steppe, giving him a somewhat stiffer spine before Zhao Jin and sparing him from groveling servility. Of course, they had not realized that it was precisely because Sun Chuanting had grown strong using Xuzhou's new methods that he understood Xuzhou's strength and fearsomeness better than anyone else.

"Does the Emperor know?" Zhao Jin pressed. Some had already advised Zhao Jin that, with the great matter about to be settled, he must rectify names and titles — that in all settings he should not say "the Emperor" directly, but rather "the Emperor of the Ming State," to show distinction. Others paid close attention to this, but Zhao Jin paid it little heed.

Hearing Zhao Jin ask this, Sun Chuanting's expression showed a trace of embarrassment. He coughed and said: "Since all have agreed, His Majesty can hardly defy the people's will."

Indeed, once those below had decided, what could the Chongzhen Emperor do even if he opposed it? In the Tianqi era, the Tianqi Emperor could still grasp the court's real power through Wei Zhongxian, using the Depot Guard and the eunuch faction to control the realm, and none dared disobey. But the Chongzhen Emperor could not do this. After purging the eunuch faction and distancing himself from the Brocade Guard, the Chongzhen Emperor had no real power of his own left to wield. The court seemed filled with righteous officials, but in truth, he could decide nothing on his own.

Zhao Jin nodded and asked bluntly: "In that case, what do you want?"

Sun Chuanting shook his head with a rueful smile and said with emotion: "Lord Zhao's words are as direct as ever. After we discussed it, we found there are not many conditions we can propose to you. Without the capital to fight a battle, what room is there to bargain?"

The atmosphere in the command tent was truly quite good at this moment. Sun Chuanting had a clear grasp of the situation, knew who was strong and who was weak, and spoke with complete candor — that made negotiations very easy. Ji Xiang and Shi Manqiang wore expressions of smug satisfaction, while Zhao Jin's demeanor remained calm and composed. He spoke: "Brother Sun, please speak. You say your piece; whether I agree or not is up to me!"

Sun Chuanting's words and bearing placed him in a position of weakness. Whether genuine or feigned, if this continued, the other side might be flattered into a euphoric state, allowing him to secure more interests and benefits for his own side. Zhao Jin had directly and pointedly called this out.

"... If one follows Heaven's mandate, then whatever he may have done against Lord Zhao and Xuzhou in the past — that was all public duty, not personal enmity. I beg Lord Zhao to spare their lives, and to preserve their families and family property..."

"This can be agreed to. But if, hereafter, they do not act according to my rules, or if there is any grumbling or seditious activity, then this promise shall no longer be valid."

"... For the family of His present Majesty, and for the imperial clan line under all heaven — if they can abide peacefully and keep to their place, I beg Lord Zhao to preserve their lives and family property..."

"How is their family property to be reckoned? Does the gold and silver hidden in their mansions count? Does the gold and silver stored in their villas count? Do the estates spanning prefectures and provinces count? For those who can abide peacefully and have stirred no public wrath locally, I will do my utmost not to touch their movable wealth, allowing their entire families to maintain a warm, decent life. But the properties and lands they seized by relying on their ancestors must be surrendered."

The Great Ming's princedoms and commanderies had seized far too many properties and lands across the realm. Even the gentry and local magnates had to yield and sidestep them. Because of the imperial clan's exploitation and squeeze, the gentry and magnates in turn had to oppress the common people even more brutally, creating all manner of vicious cycles. But when dynasties change, the nobles of the former dynasty have no chance of preserving their privileges and wealth. Zhao Jin's handling of this was already granting them a way to survive.

So after this was said, Sun Chuanting replied with only a sigh: "Lord Zhao is merciful and gracious."

The expressions of the men in the command tent varied; only Zhao Jin remained expressionless. Sun Chuanting paused in thought for a moment, then asked: "May I ask how Lord Jin intends to deal with the Great Ming's official army?"

"Disband, reorganize, and settle on farmland." Zhao Jin's answer was very simple.

Sun Chuanting sighed and said slowly: "Lord Zhao's arrangement is good. Those who cannot fight should go farm."

"I know Lord Zhao looks down on the Great Ming's official army, and I do not blame you for thinking so. The common soldiers have their pay and rations skimmed year after year, and no one enforces military discipline. In battle, they are like rats, rabbits, pigs, and sheep; when garrisoned, they are like tigers and wolves. They bring a hundred harms and not a single benefit to the realm — disbanding them is for the best. However, there are also elite troops within the Great Ming's official army. The personal guards and retinue soldiers belonging to officers at every level are all battle-worthy warriors. In my humble observation, Lord Zhao's troops, though peerlessly fierce, are somewhat lacking in cavalry. Beyond the main forces, not every unit is of fine quality. These personal guards and retinue soldiers, along with their commanders, could be of great use to Lord Zhao. I wonder what Lord Zhao thinks?"