Chapter 1423: Ready for Great Use

Sun Chuanting spoke in a roundabout way, but Shi Manqiang merely glanced at Zhao Jin and remained silent. Ji Xiang, however, widened his eyes and spoke bluntly: "Your Ming army personal troops against our cavalry — one on one, your personal troops might win five or six times out of ten. Ten on ten, you'd have only three chances in ten. A hundred on a hundred, you'd be utterly defeated. What use is that?"

He spoke without the slightest courtesy, yet Sun Chuanting showed no trace of anger. As someone who understood the Xuzhou system deeply, he naturally knew Ji Xiang's standing. Sun Chuanting smiled and said, "General Ji is not wrong. Your army is strict in discipline, orderly in advance and retreat, and indeed invincible in formation battle. But these Ming elite troops make their living by risking their lives on the battlefield. Without military pay and formal organization, they have no other means of livelihood. Nine out of ten would turn bandit, or be recruited by those with ulterior motives — and that would become a problem for Xuzhou."

The address "General Ji" immediately dissipated much of Ji Xiang's anger, and Sun Chuanting's explanation was also quite reasonable. Ji Xiang had no further words.

"Brother Sun, how many men in your New Army cannot be moved?" Zhao Jin asked, coming straight to the point.

Zhao Jin had never quite grown accustomed to the deep reserve and cultivated restraint of the Ming dynasty's officials and gentry. All this beating around the bush and hinting without stating outright made communication troublesome. Sun Chuanting's words had actually been quite direct. The matter of personal troops and guards was an issue, yet also not much of an issue. Under heaven, even the personal troops of the Xu family, the Duke of Wei in Nanjing, numbered no more than a thousand, let alone the forces of others. But this New Army in Sun Chuanting's hands was different — it was a strong force trained according to the Zhao family army's system, supported by the financial power of the Shanxi merchants, and had also been tested in real combat.

Such an army had already taken shape, and its strength was acknowledged by all. If left unchecked, it would certainly cause trouble — real trouble.

The reason Sun Chuanting asked about this was not so much to ask on behalf of others or out of concern for Xuzhou, but rather to ask for himself.

To go deeper, this New Army in Sun Chuanting's hands, along with the elite forces held by Sun Chengzong, Wang Zaijin, Hong Chengchou, Zheng Chongjian, Xiong Tingbi, and even Lu Xiangsheng — these were the basis on which they negotiated terms with Zhao Jin. Defeating the Zhao family army was certainly impossible, but they could cause Xuzhou and the Zhao family army a great deal of trouble, possibly even major trouble.

Until they were certain Zhao Jin would fulfill those promises, they would not give up the troops in their hands. Every dynasty had seen countless examples of surrender and switching sides, and everyone naturally understood how to act to gain more advantage and greater security.

"This Sun's New Army consists of three regiments, totaling over four thousand three hundred men. As for what Elder Sun and the others hold that cannot be moved — each man has at most two thousand..."

By headcount, this was roughly the size of one provisional division of the Zhao family army. Combined, it came to about five thousand cavalry and over four thousand infantry trained in the new methods — already a considerable force. Though this existed only on paper and was divided under different leaders, this strength was already worth negotiating over.

Even Ji Xiang and Shi Manqiang's faces took on a somewhat solemn expression. But at this moment, a smile appeared on Zhao Jin's face, and he said leisurely, "Brother Sun, have you perhaps underreported? Do those eight hundred-odd cavalry kept among the merchant house guards not count as part of the New Army?"

Eight hundred was not a large number, but eight hundred cavalry was roughly the force a Regional Commander-level general could command. On the battlefield, if employed properly, it could be decisive.

Watching Ji Xiang and Shi Manqiang's expressions suddenly grow cautious, Zhao Jin said with a smile, "Brother Sun hides soldiers among the people and gathers soldiers from the people. From the guards of every major merchant house in Datong, Shanxi, he has recruited all those who can ride and shoot well, and he has won them over thoroughly — they are all willing to sell their lives and die for him. Brother Sun, this force cannot be left out of the count!"

Ever since Sun Chuanting had arrived, he had spoken of the vicissitudes of life and spoken plainly and honestly. Coupled with the high regard Zhao Jin had always shown him, their impression of him had been quite good. They had never expected such concealment. The two exchanged a glance, their expressions turning somewhat cold.

Not a trace of embarrassment appeared on Sun Chuanting's face. He merely explained, "Lord Zhao, that is not quite fair. Provisions and pay provided by various houses, household servants of various families — how can these be counted as part of the New Army? Would that not be borrowing others' strength to boast of one's own, stooping to a lower level?"

Zhao Jin looked at the unfriendly expressions on Ji Xiang and Shi Manqiang's faces, then turned back to Sun Chuanting — and actually laughed aloud. The others rarely saw Zhao Jin behave this way, and for a moment no one could tell whether he was pleased or angered. Sun Chuanting, however, sat up straighter. He did not know what consequences this concealment might bring, and he knew even more clearly that in these negotiations, he held no real leverage.

"From our first meeting in the capital, I have greatly admired Brother Sun. Among all the scholars under heaven, so many are either wretches struggling merely to make a living, or mediocrities who know only fame, fortune, and official rank. Only Brother Sun, born to wealth and status yet bearing the realm's concerns in his heart, and possessing both the ability and the resources to act on those concerns — such scholars are far too rare in this world. Judging from Brother Sun's subsequent actions, I was not mistaken. Brother Sun is precisely such a hero."

Hearing Zhao Jin speak so sincerely, Sun Chuanting instead found it strange. Ji Xiang and Shi Manqiang also looked surprised — when had they ever seen their elder brother praise someone to their face like this?

"However, Brother Sun is overly rigid. Such a character is good for being a person, but somewhat lacking for getting things done. That is why I have been pondering what position to give Brother Sun in the future."

Only now did Sun Chuanting's expression reveal something of his true feelings, clearly quite astonished by Zhao Jin's words. The other party had long intended to employ him, and had even considered a specific position?

"Rigidity is not a fault in itself, but rigidity often becomes pedantry. If Brother Sun were like that, he could only be set up as a tablet on an altar. But seeing you today, Brother Sun clearly understands flexibility, and carries it out with perfect composure — this is the bearing of the Nine Ministers. In my service, you can now be put to great use."

These words left Sun Chuanting stunned, and then he broke into laughter. Only then did Shi Manqiang lean close to Ji Xiang's ear and say, "Only now has this Sun Chuanting truly opened his heart."

"Lord Zhao, I speak insincerely and with concealment, yet instead of taking offense, Lord Zhao judges me thus — truly amusing." Sun Chuanting said with a laugh.

Zhao Jin shook his head, smiling as well. "There is nothing wrong with this. Holding high office and wielding great power — if one were truly pedantic and rigid, consistent in word and deed, that would be an incompetent. Was Xiong Tingbi truly so irascible by nature? It was merely to make a name for himself, to ensure he was remembered. After he took command in Liaodong, did his temper ever harm the affairs of state?"

At this point, Zhao Jin paused, then shook his head again. "The Donglin faction may be an exception. They support one another, share information and influence, and whether genuine or feigned, they must always put on a show of incorruptible integrity. Feign it long enough, and it becomes real. It was not so when Ye Xianggao and Zhao Nanxing were still around, but Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou truly think this way."

Sun Chuanting was speechless for a moment, then finally shook his head and said, "Lord Zhao sees things with truly penetrating clarity."

The Ming official system placed the highest value on the jinshi degree. Once past the threshold of the jinshi, the highest value was placed on the Hanlin Academy. At every step, one's examination results mattered, and then one's luck. If you never misstepped — from juren to jinshi, from jinshi to Hanlin — then it was naturally a smooth path straight to the top. But such figures numbered no more than five or six per examination cycle. What of the other several hundred jinshi? None were willing to be posted out to prefectures and counties to endure bitter toil. Even serving in the Censorate or the Six Ministries was likewise a form of bitter toil.

To rise, to gain wealth and rank, besides currying favor and relying on backing and family support, you also had to make a name for yourself — make your superiors remember you, make your superiors' superiors remember you. Otherwise, every three years brought several hundred new jinshi, every ten years nearly a thousand. Everyone crowded onto this single path of official career — who would remember you?

Under such circumstances, everyone exhausted every means to make a name for themselves, to create deeds and stories so others would remember them. The "pure critics" were fond of grand pronouncements and startling words — this was where it all began.

By relying on this to be remembered, one climbed step by step. But upon reaching a certain position, one could no longer continue in this manner. Whether a man was a treacherous minister or a loyal one, he would no longer have too many personal preferences. All he considered was whether something should be done, and what the gains, losses, advantages, and disadvantages would be after doing it.

Yet under the Ming system, many people climbed up step by step by making a name for themselves. Even when they reached high office, even if those character traits and words were feigned, over time, having pretended so long, they came to believe it themselves. Thus they stumbled and clashed at the top. Outsiders saw such a man as loyal, righteous, pure, and upright; those above found him absurd, unable to distinguish what mattered from what did not.

Those who could tell the difference and adapt at the right time could get things done. Those who could not tell the difference and believed the pretense were, at best, mere ornaments. As things stood, Sun Chengzong, Hong Chengchou, and the others all belonged to those who could get things done. The Chongzhen Emperor, on the other hand, could not see clearly or penetrate deeply — though then again, given the Chongzhen Emperor's position, he had no way to see clearly or penetrate deeply.

With the conversation having reached this point, there was no more concealment between the two sides. Sun Chuanting still did not commit himself absolutely, merely saying, "If Lord Zhao feels that this one should count these eight hundred cavalry, then these eight hundred cavalry are this one's — there is nothing to dispute."

"Not counting the Shaanxi border troops, if you gather the elite forces of the northern provinces, there are still some ten-odd thousand. The south won't have many — Nanjing has two or three thousand, Yunnan likely has a few thousand. Leaving these troops scattered and unchecked would indeed be a disaster, but keeping them in the interior is also impossible. That said, apart from your New Army and some cavalry units, even if the rest have fighting skills, they cannot adapt to my military system. I will arrange a settlement for them."

Sun Chuanting nodded and listened attentively. Communicating with Zhao Jin was always easier than with others — Zhao Jin never concealed anything and spoke plainly. Though this was also a function of his power; only with such confidence and assurance could one speak this way.

"They cannot be placed within the current territory of the Great Ming, nor can they go beyond the passes, to Mongolia, or to Goryeo — those are places I can directly control. If they are willing to garrison Tibet for ten years, I will give them family estates and future prospects upon their return. If they can undertake expeditions to the Western Regions or the Southern Seas, I will provide funds, provisions, weapons, and equipment. The territories they conquer can be granted to them with favorable terms, as fiefs that can be passed down through generations. I can even provide them support." Zhao Jin spoke slowly.