RPAGF Chapter 17 Triumph
Chapter 17 Triumph
Li Wenzhong put down his wine bowl. The candlelight cast flickering shadows on his face, adding a touch of solemnity to his usually composed expression.
"I ask you, why did His Highness, outside the capital, risk angering the entire army to strictly prohibit looting?"
He said...it was to win people's hearts and lead an army that would follow the path of benevolent rule.
Chang Yuchun recalled Zhu Mu's words at that time.
"That was said to the entire army, and also to the people of the world."
Li Wenzhong said slowly,
"But for us generals, there is a deeper meaning."
"Think about it carefully, what will become of an army once it opens the floodgates of burning, killing, and looting?"
Without waiting for Chang Yuchun's reply, he continued speaking to himself:
"If you seize one city today, you'll be thinking about seizing another tomorrow."
"Once they tasted the sweetness of success, their hearts became wild and military discipline collapsed."
"Those who are audacious will embezzle military merits for gold and silver; those who are afraid of death will lie about military intelligence to save their lives and avoid battle; and those who are ignorant, like today, will die a violent death in a muddle..."
"An army without iron discipline is just a mob, incapable of fighting tough battles, much less able to defend the country. That's the first point."
Chang Yuchun nodded repeatedly as he listened. He understood these principles, but he had never thought about them so profoundly.
Li Wenzhong's tone became even more somber:
"This second point is the most crucial one."
"Yu Chun, you and I have been leading troops in the field for many years, holding the power of life and death over tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Over time, the soldiers in the army only know about the general and not about the imperial court."
"If we continue to tolerate their burning, killing, and looting, and let them feel that their wealth and glory are all bestowed upon them by us, they will gradually lose their reverence for the imperial power far away in Yingtian Prefecture."
"By then... do you think the rulers will tolerate such arrogant and unruly soldiers as us?"
These words struck Chang Yuchun like a thunderclap.
Li Wenzhong didn't stop. He stretched out his finger, dipped it in the wine, and drew a circle on the table:
"Let me ask you again, how many generals in our army have adopted sons or stepsons?"
Chang Yuchun answered without hesitation:
"There are plenty of those! In war, there are always comrades who die in battle, leaving behind orphans. Taking them in as adopted sons is both a matter of loyalty and a way to ensure one's own future."
"it is good."
Li Wenzhong then drew a few more small circles around the edge of the main circle.
"How many adopted sons does your Duke of E have? How many do I have? And then there are Xu Da, Fu Youde, and the rest of the army... How many adopted sons and stepsons do all the high-ranking officers in the entire army have?"
"These children grew up with us from a young age, influenced by our presence and protected by us. When they grow up, they will have their own adopted children... generation after generation, how many will there be?"
Li Wenzhong's finger tapped heavily on the large circle representing generals, his voice low but each word piercing:
"Yu Chun, tell me, do these people have more faith in the generals who bestowed upon them all wealth and glory, or in the Emperor whom they have almost never seen and who only exists in imperial edicts?"
"boom!"
Chang Yuchun felt a buzzing in his head.
The alcohol on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a fine layer of cold sweat.
He thought of his dozen or so adopted sons in his household, all of whom were obedient to him and utterly loyal.
He thought again of His Majesty's all-seeing eyes...
A bone-chilling cold shot straight up from my tailbone to the top of my head, even more intense than when I had almost died from the wind.
That was the fear of not being able to control one's future destiny.
"so……"
Chang Yuchun's voice was dry and trembling.
"Therefore, what His Highness the King of Chu did today, though seemingly heartless, was in fact a great act of compassion."
Li Wenzhong picked up his wine bowl and, this time, drank it all in one gulp.
"He used an iron fist to cut off the possibility of the army sliding into the abyss."
"He is telling us all: military merit is earned by serving on the battlefield, not by plundering the people; wealth and honor are bestowed by His Majesty and the court, not something we can take or discard at will."
"He's setting rules for the future military discipline of the Ming Dynasty, and he's also drawing a red line for us military officers... to save our lives!"
Inside the tent, there was a deathly silence.
Chang Yuchun sat there blankly, the wine bowl in his hand had slipped from his grasp at some point, spilling wine all over the floor, but he was completely unaware.
He finally understood that the boy had now reached a height that he could only look up to.
What he saw was no longer the outcome of a battle, but the long-term stability of the entire Ming Dynasty and the final fate of these founding heroes.
That night, Chang Yuchun sobered up completely.
……
July of the second year of the Hongwu reign (1386), Yingtian Prefecture.
As the autumn breeze brought a refreshing coolness, the streets of Nanjing were deserted as people flocked to catch a glimpse of the triumphant return of the Northern Expeditionary Army.
When the royal banner embroidered with the character "Chu" appeared on the horizon, the crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.
Zhu Yuanzhang was dressed in simple everyday clothes, but he could not hide his majestic aura as the emperor.
He stood side by side with Crown Prince Zhu Biao outside Jubao Gate, personally going out of the city to welcome him.
This is an extremely high honor for soldiers.
"Your subject Li Wenzhong (Chang Yuchun) pays his respects to Your Majesty and Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Your subject Zhu Mu pays his respects to Father Emperor and Elder Brother!"
Li Wenzhong, Chang Yuchun, and Zhu Mu dismounted and knelt on one knee, their voices shaking the heavens.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Zhu Yuanzhang exclaimed "Good!" three times, then personally stepped forward to help the three men up. His gaze swept over the dust still clinging to their clothes, his eyes filled with approval and satisfaction.
"Rise, all of you heroes of the Great Ming Dynasty! No need for such formalities! In this battle, you have demonstrated the might of the Great Ming army! Well done!"
Just then, a figure suddenly darted out from behind Zhu Biao and rushed towards Zhu Mu like a small cannonball.
"Second Brother!"
The clear, childlike voice was filled with excitement.
Zhu Mu looked closely and saw that it was his fifth brother, Zhu Di, who was now ten years old.
The little guy was dressed in a smart outfit, his face flushed red with excitement.
Zhu Mu felt a warmth in his heart, laughed heartily, bent down, and picked Zhu Di up in his arms, easily weighing him in his hands.
"Fifth brother, why did you come out too? There are so many people here, aren't you afraid of getting crowded?"
Zhu Di hugged Zhu Mu tightly around the neck and said loudly:
"My eldest brother said that my second brother returned victorious and will be incredibly brave on his return. I want to see him! Second brother, I want to be like you someday, a great general, and expand the territory for Father and my eldest brother!"
Children's innocent words reveal their most sincere aspirations.
Zhu Mu felt a surge of pride. He laughed heartily, grabbed Zhu Di with one arm, and with a nimble flip, sat steadily back on the back of the black horse.
"Come on! Let your second brother show you how to ride! This is the great general's warhorse!"
The black horse seemed to know that there was a little master on its back, and it simply trotted along steadily.
Zhu Di showed no fear whatsoever; instead, he excitedly waved his little fists, his eyes sparkling with boundless anticipation for the future.
Zhu Yuanzhang watched this scene with a smile. The brothers were harmonious and the order of seniority was maintained. This was the scene he most wanted to see.
He waved his hand and said in a deep voice:
"Prepare the carriage and return to the palace! Let's welcome our heroes of the Great Ming Dynasty back with a feast!"