Chapter 1540: Each Has Their Own Difficulties

"Advisor Ning is right, and the court sees it the same way. Placing such a vast territory under the direct jurisdiction of a single Grand Coordinator will inevitably leave them stretched too thin. So the court's intent is to divide it into three or four provinces, each with its own Grand Coordinator to govern."

On the surface, he was the Grand Coordinator of Liaodong, and carving his jurisdiction into several provinces—even if he could serve as Grand Coordinator of one of them—would look like a loss. In reality, however, he did not oppose the court's plan, because all these years his title of Grand Coordinator had been in name only. Both military and civil affairs in Liaodong had always been dictated by the army. He could only bow obsequiously to Duke of Ji, never daring to voice the slightest objection. Although the military had always treated him fairly well, deep down he still felt stifled.

Once the redivision into provinces was complete and civil administrative structures were established, he would finally be able to truly enjoy the authority of a Grand Coordinator. Even if the territory under his jurisdiction shrank drastically, that would still be a good thing.

"So that's how it is…" Ning Zeguang nodded slightly, his expression unreadable. He simply lowered his head, pondering. "Once the provinces are divided, our operations will likely become far more troublesome… Each province will have its own provincial capital, requiring us to split our troops for garrison duty. And each will bear its own responsibility for protecting its territory and people. Coordinating and communicating between them will become a real headache…"

"How so? Advisor Ning, you worry too much!" Li Jingsi's expression shifted at these words. Terrified that the military might oppose the plan to establish provinces in Liaodong and demand a delay, shattering his fond dream, his tone grew even more deferential. "Liaodong was conquered by the Great Han army, and it will rely on the Great Han army to maintain it in the future. Whether provinces are established or not, and however many are created, the provinces will still heed the army's opinion. Furthermore, our dynasty has always separated military and civil administration—even a Grand Coordinator cannot deploy troops at will. When the time comes, even if provinces are divided, the local garrisons will still have to obey orders from Shenyang. Military affairs will never be delayed! Besides… Duke of Ji's achievements are so monumental, his prestige so towering—which Grand Coordinator would dare to oppose the Duke? Advisor, you need not worry!"

He spoke with absolute conviction and apparent sincerity, so Ning Zeguang also seemed to gradually set his mind at ease. "If Duke of Ji were here, then naturally we would have nothing to worry about. But Duke of Ji will eventually leave Liaodong one day, won't he? Whether things could remain the same then is hard to say."

Li Jingsi froze.

He did not understand why Ning Zeguang would suddenly say such a thing. Duke of Ji himself was present and could hear everything; ordinarily, no one would discuss their superior's comings and goings to his face. Yet when he stole a glance at Duke of Ji, he found the Duke still standing quietly, gazing out at the sea, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Could it be that the Duke himself instructed him to question me? The thought suddenly flashed through Li Jingsi's mind.

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Otherwise, how would a shrewd man like Ning Zeguang dare to discuss such a critical issue right in front of the Duke?

If that were the case, then the matter became even more complicated. What exactly did the Duke want to learn from him?

The new dynasty separated civil and military authority and exalted the status of soldiers. In Liaodong, this situation was even more pronounced—one could even say that military officers completely overshadowed civil officials. Even if provinces were established in the future, Li Jingsi did not expect to stand on equal footing with Shenyang. He was aware that some within the Grand Secretariat harbored considerable misgivings about the military's expanding power, but he absolutely dared not involve himself in such disputes.

When the Grand Secretariat solicited his opinion, he simply answered honestly and factually, never writing a word of complaint or attack against the military, terrified of being dragged into the struggle between the Grand Secretariat and the army and becoming a thorn in the military's side.

It was precisely for this reason that, when Ning Zeguang put the question to him directly, a sudden panic rose in his heart.

Has there been some change at court? Is Duke of Ji going to be recalled to the capital? But I haven't heard the slightest whisper of that!

"Duke of Ji is a pillar of the state and a mainstay of the Great Han army, admired and revered by all. Whether he is here or not, I imagine no one would wish to make trouble for Duke of Ji." After hesitating for a long while, he gave an ambiguous reply. "…Naturally, no one would make trouble for the court's army either."

"Hard to say, hard to say… At present, everything in Liaodong is under Duke of Ji's hand—to be frank, power is concentrated in one grip. If provinces are established in the future, this situation certainly cannot continue indefinitely. Otherwise, wouldn't the Grand Coordinators of each province still have to seek the Duke's instructions on every matter? What difference would establishing provinces make then? So, even if the Grand Secretariat doesn't say it openly, I suspect the Duke may not be able to remain in Liaodong forever." A faint smile appeared on Ning Zeguang's face, but then he suddenly sighed. "Commanding troops has its own difficulties. Although you are a wise man, Lord Li, you are after all a civil official, and I fear you cannot fully appreciate our difficulties…"

"What do you mean by that?" Li Jingsi asked cautiously.

He was now certain: this was definitely Duke of Ji himself speaking with him, only because the topic was somewhat awkward, he had authorized Ning Zeguang to convey it. Otherwise, Ning Zeguang would never speak so bluntly. To be honest, it was only natural for Duke of Ji to have such concerns. After all, even if he was His Majesty's trusted old brother, the court would not be fond of leaving a commanding general in one place, holding a large army, indefinitely.

"When we soldiers wage war, we value those below following the example of those above, uniting with a single purpose. This holds true in wartime, and it remains so in peacetime. Thus, we are accustomed to banding together, advancing and retreating as one. You know Duke of Ji—he has long since achieved both merit and fame. His Majesty has already granted him everything he deserves. Whether he stays or goes when the time comes, he will have no regrets either way… Even someone like me, having received His Majesty's and the Duke's favor, has been granted Silver Orchid and a noble title. My life is already worthwhile—what more could I seek?" The smile on Ning Zeguang's face slowly faded, and then he let out another long sigh. "It's just that we cannot set our minds at ease about the lads under our command…"

This long sigh made Li Jingsi feel even more puzzled, but he understood that what the other party was about to tell him next was surely even more important.

"Advisor Ning, if there is anything you need me to do, please speak freely. So long as I can help, I will absolutely not refuse. Moreover, the great army under your command has rendered tremendous service to the nation and His Majesty. No one would dare act against them—I would not, and I imagine no one else would either!"

He delivered these words with absolute firmness, laying his sincerity completely bare. Ning Zeguang nodded with a smile, and when Li Jingsi glanced from the corner of his eye, he saw that Duke of Ji himself had also smiled faintly.

Whether it was Ning Zeguang or Duke of Ji himself, they both surely understood that incorporating Liaodong as provinces into the Great Han civil administration system was an irresistible trend, and also His Majesty's own will. They would voice no open opposition, nor would they openly make trouble for the Grand Coordinator or other local officials—but when it came to throwing up obstacles behind the scenes, the methods were plentiful.

Li Jingsi knew that, both now and after the provinces were truly established, there would be many areas where he needed the military's cooperation. He wanted to exert every effort to curry favor with and ingratiate himself to Duke of Ji. Whether Duke of Ji and Ning Zeguang remained here or not in the future, as long as they left behind a few words, it could bring Li Jingsi considerable benefits.

"Grand Coordinator Li, this sentiment of yours truly moves us deeply. We risk our lives in bloody battle to protect our homes and defend the nation—what do we seek? We seek nothing more than peace under heaven, so that all people may live and work in contentment." Ning Zeguang's face was full of emotion. "It's just that some people fail to understand this sincere heart of ours and insist that only by making things difficult for military men can one be loyal to the state. Think of the Song and Ming dynasties—what great calamities arose from the strife between civil and military officials? The warning is not far in the past; we absolutely must not repeat those mistakes."

"Naturally so, naturally so." Li Jingsi kept nodding in agreement while inwardly trying to fathom the deeper meaning behind the other's words.

"Liaodong is land that the officers and soldiers won through blood-soaked battle. Many of those soldiers have now remained here, settling down to live and work, and have more or less acquired their own fields and properties. Soldiers, in the final analysis, are also part of the people. If they are safe and prosperous, is not the state also safe and prosperous? I beg Grand Coordinator Li to look after them well in the future, and not to make things difficult for everyone…" At this point, Ning Zeguang suddenly rose and made a deep bow. "But Grand Coordinator Li can also rest assured. Soldiers of the Liaodong army have already begun retiring, and likely more will retire in the future. Once retired, they are civilians and must certainly submit to governance. If anyone relies on old connections to defy the authorities, we will be the first to not let them off!"

Li Jingsi's expression shifted slightly; it was clear he finally understood the other party's deeper intent.

As the other had said, Liaodong had been conquered in one stroke by the great army under Duke of Ji's command, and it still relied on that great army for its defense. However, after so many years of evolution, this great army, besides being conquerors and defenders, had also become the builders of this vast land of Liaodong—one could even say it had gone beyond the level of mere construction.

Much of the newly reclaimed land in Liaodong had fallen into the hands of soldiers. Some soldiers farmed it themselves; others, officers of relatively high rank, hired immigrants from the interior to cultivate it, becoming landlords. Beyond land, military personnel were involved in every emerging industry in Liaodong. To name a few: the newly developed mines, the ginseng and timber trades, even this very port of Jinzhou—in all these trades and places, the merchants who had recently risen to wealth were, to varying degrees, connected to people within the military.

To prevent the army's combat effectiveness from being corrupted, the court had repeatedly issued strict orders forbidding soldiers from engaging in commerce and had set high pay and provisions for officers and men. Yet here, the actual results were far from satisfactory.

In the interior provinces, there were watchful eyes everywhere, and the army had to behave with far more restraint. But in Liaodong, the court's prohibitions were heavily discounted. Although on the surface high-ranking officers did not directly participate, in reality… Liaodong had previously been a wild and uncivilized land, and its current order was entirely maintained by the army. Without connections to the army, who could conduct business in peace and stability? Every merchant house and tycoon of any note in Liaodong today had a backer you could trace behind them.