Chapter 68: The Royal Enterprise Knows No Complacency
In the 7th month of the 31st year of the Shu Tian Calendar, south of Yongji Pass. The rainfall still matched the seasonal Yao Calculation forecast, and the amount was about the same as yesterday. This showed that the Southern Border region had not been affected by the Central Plains Evil Moon destruction of mountains and rivers incident.
Wu Fei glanced at San Gu under the eaves; her beautiful face was as gloomy as water. Wu Fei said, “Hmm, probably her aunt arrived.”
Wu Fei, the chief accountant of the Wu Family Army, received the Northern Army’s request for military supplies and provisions, and sighed.
Regarding the Northern Army’s current reason for sending troops to support the realm under heaven, Wu Fei took a deep breath and commented, “It’s really both simple and complex.”
By comparison, the Southern Route Army’s current troop dispatch was even more plain and unadorned.
Under Wu Fei’s “distribution according to labor” principle, all Southern Route Army officers and soldiers had a crude and uniform understanding of exiting closed-door cultivation: ensuring the Southern Border’s free and open market.
Because the reasons “for what they fought” for the northern and southern route armies had been completely different in recent years, and the Northern Army required twice the grain and grass supplies of the Southern Route Army, people in the Southern Border whose families also had disciples in the Northern Army mostly had some complaints about the Northern Army’s use of troops.
Many women at village entrances, upon seeing those women whose men had gone north to drift, whispered to each other on both sides and shook their heads with sighs.
Especially the words of some big-mouthed village women: “Tell me, what’s so good about protecting that Imperial Court? These years, soldier disasters every year, earth dragons rolling, and that old emperor hasn’t even come out to admit a mistake.”
These village women did not know that saying such words under the Son of Heaven’s feet in the north would likely get them locked up by clerks and imprisoned in the big prison, followed by rectification of public morals. But now, who could blame Lingnan here for the lack of royal transformation! The Imperial Court’s officials here turned a blind eye to the increasingly rebellious words of the foolish people below.
In the three commanderies in the south of Da Yao, Da Yao’s signboard was still shining gold among officials and powerful clans. But among rural folk? After Wu Xiao Que’s years of constant “small favors” to bribe them, in the field ridges and grass mats, the Yao Lord’s grace had been thrown into the cellar to sit at the same table with the rats stealing miscellaneous sweet potatoes.
Xuan Chong’s note on the notebook: When a group’s ruling class fails to meet its own “ritual and music” standards, then do not delusionally try to continue using “ritual teachings” to drive the people like firewood willingly into the stove.
The common people in the middle and lower strata seem “blindly” obedient, waiting to aggregate like flowing sand; but in reality, everyone has their own account in their heart. When the ruling class only focuses on the growth of their own speculative account books without reconciling with the accounts in the people’s hearts, the split begins.
…Wu Fei’s class is ultimately different from the small folk; as a lord, he must have some awareness of loyalty to the dynasty…
In recent years, Wu Fei still provided the Northern Army with sufficient military supplies in quality and quantity. Carload after carload of wooden oxen and flowing horses, their wide single wheels pressed unique wide ruts on the round-trip roads.
Regarding this set of supporting the realm under heaven, Wu Fei’s “not wanting to do it” did not mean “holding back.”
Supporting the Imperial Court is this “stock” that every local force with such thoughts in their hearts should invest in now—what if it succeeds? What if the Imperial Court is really supported?
Stepping back ten thousand steps, Da Yao has not completely lost the people’s hearts. Even if his direct armed forces are completely wiped out today, there are still plenty of forces willing to come support it, such as Wu Fei being one of them.
The reason is that the current nominal titles of all armed factions in Da Yao territory are too low. The new nobles who rose through military merit also hope that Da Yao will recognize their status.
According to the rhythm of the Han dynasty being replaced, armed factions must first obtain the title of “king of different surname,” then kings of different surnames replace the Imperial Court and begin to win over talents under heaven, thoroughly turning the Imperial Court’s ritual system into an outdated old version, before they can take its place.
What are the elements for unifying under heaven? Sima Zhao’s wrong answer of “the one with strong soldiers and robust horses gets it” was blindly copied by later uncultured underachievers, resulting in a pile of failing papers in the Northern and Southern Dynasties.
Because in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, “strong soldiers and robust horses” were always confined to one commandery; in some decade-long phase, they were stronger than other war-torn commanderies, but once using one commandery’s troops temporarily suppresses under heaven, as time passes and other commanderies recover, it becomes your court’s turn for weak soldiers and horses.
Using Zhu Yuanzhang’s suppression of the Huai Xi nobles is the standard answer: the emperor relies on one commandery’s troops to seize under heaven, but to guard under heaven, he must win the hearts of all commanderies.
Therefore, before the old legal tradition is completely smashed by some fool, new ambitious men must obtain sufficient legal authorization within the old legal tradition system.
The old dynasty’s legal tradition is a problem that all rebels—no, all replacers—must face.
The “previous dynasty” that Xuan Chong experienced before transmigration was militarily weak, with too many unequal treaties externally, hearts scattered, even reverse ethnic trends appearing, and the upper class of the previous dynasty openly willing to serve foreign races as servants, belonging to one of the weakest legal traditions in five thousand years, so at that time the big shots could kick aside this legal tradition and directly create heaven and earth anew.
After Da Yao established the state by conquering the unrighteous, it enfeoffed, established the ritual system, unified the mountains and rivers calendar, continuing to now, belonging to a strong legal tradition. This legal tradition is now recognized by plenty of people in all strata of scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants under heaven.
Wu Fei summarizes: Our family is still at the marquis level now. To participate in the game of contending for hegemony under heaven, this status is far from qualified. We must continue supporting Da Yao to ensure our side’s rank keeps rising.
More directly, the talents recruited by the Wu Family with marquis status are only medium talents limited to a corner of the Southern Border, but if we obtain Da Yao’s single-character king title, when Da Yao itself cannot bear responsibility, relying on the “single-character king” signboard, we can recruit top talents from under heaven.
This is Da Yao’s “genuine” copyright.
…Has awareness but lazy to exert effort…
Now Wu Fei finds the Northern Army’s personnel situation troublesome, with internal idealism unstable like a bomb; that’s Wu Fei’s own “lying flat” mindset at work, not wanting to labor. But that doesn’t mean short-sightedness, directly giving up dividends.
Note: Yuan Shikai’s father died early, his clan kicked him out without travel money; after Yuan became successful, he didn’t give dividends to his old clan, so in modern history, the Beiyang relative to the Huai clique was progressive; Yuan Shikai unlike Li Hongzhang had no clan involvement in politics.
The Yuan family couldn’t see Yuan Shikai’s future achievements, that’s fine; Wu Fei currently firmly believes. Wu Hengyu’s that branch of the Northern Army will definitely stir up big things in the north, and in the future will surely obtain a king rank.
Wu Fei happily thinks: Once Wu Hengyu gets the king rank, he can get dividends to obtain a rank.
And without risking life, why dividends? Just because the current Northern Army, during its founding, stably supplied grain and grass under the family name without discount. And even if Wu Hengyu’s side fails! He still has forces preserved here in the Southern Border.
At that time, raising Wu Hengyu’s banner, whether gathering talents from half under heaven unwilling to accept defeat for another fight? Or taking the world’s common people as heavy, ending the saber disasters, using the previous dynasty’s nominal title and existing military strength in hand as chips, demanding the new dynasty enfeoff duke of the founding, thoroughly integrating into its merit order, and marrying alliances, all are done with ease.
Wu Fei looked ahead to a century later, then commented on the strategic choice he faced today: If abandoning the Northern Army today, discarding the king enterprise, playing self-seclusion, at most it would be a southern “small Central Plains.”
Imitating Central Plains in everything, but in the true Central Plains people’s eyes, that is failing to imitate the tiger but becoming a dog.
King enterprise does not corner itself! Once under heaven is settled, cornering here, talents under his own system will set their hearts on under heaven, drawn away like a water pump by powerful forces rising in future Da Yao central, no need for several generations and the system will thoroughly rot.
Xuan Chong empathizes with dissatisfied intellectuals in Southern Border a century later: In the cornered area, the family property is the Wu Family’s family property, but the talents have their own great ideals—why let my ideals protect your family property? Why not go seek office in the Han court, conquer the disloyal Wu Family, seek merit in opening borders and reclaiming land.
…Wooden ox and sailboat transportation dividing line…
Sent along with Wu Fei’s grain and grass was a “deeply affectionate” family letter.
Wu Fei: “Uncle, be careful outside, prioritize your health. You’re unfamiliar with life in the north; don’t rush ahead in matters, wait until things are clear before acting.”
However, Wu Fei’s “emotional card” did not work.
The reply letter sent back by Wu Hanluan was very simple: Give you one year deadline.
Obviously, Wu Fei’s little scheme to “lie flat” could fool outsiders, but family saw through it at a glance.
Wu Hanluan and Wu Hengyu’s attitude was very firm: “If you’re nephew (brother), come chop!”
…Laboring dividing line…
Entering summer in the 31st year of the Shu Tian Calendar, the situation gave Wu Fei very tight time.
Several years ago, Wu Fei’s life planning was very simple.
Wu Fei: I’m just garrisoning the border for Da Yao, spending ten years to sort out the Southern Border situation clearly. Firmly suppress the barbarians, be a border garrison general.
But the era changes too fast; first the Southern Border Evil Sect came to send heads, feeding him a wave of military experience, then Da Yao central region had mountains and rivers mutation, his northern trip could not be escaped.
Wu Fei looked at the lightning and thunder in the sky, sighed: “Great change!”
Beside Wu Fei, San Gu wore blue clothes, holding a cloak as she walked over and said, “My lord, it’s cold.”
Wu Fei glanced at this master; speaking of it, ever since the last nonsense talk, this demoness really acknowledged it, and followed him back to the Wu Family together, with that uncle grandfather in the clan presiding, entering a concubine status—he didn’t know what she was plotting.
But now they treated each other with propriety.
Wu Fei: “San Gu, you go back first; I’ll go down to look at the fields.”
…Walking down the city tower dividing line…
Rainwater by the city wall trickled down the wall corners; outside the city wall, the potato fields were incredibly green, the tubers in the soil rich with fresh juice. Oh, at this season, sweet potatoes are still crisp; eating them barely masks hunger. A few months later, when the army exits closed-door cultivation, this potato field can just be harvested.
Speaking of the outside the pass potato fields’ growth this year, it was thanks to that great war the year before last; the mountains and rivers received sufficient sacrifices, land irrigated with blood was extremely fertile! Even the fish in the mountain springs were fatter than previous years.
And in even more distant Fen Xing City, by the ditches, the Wu Family Army stationed there also scattered potato pieces, implementing military colonies on several thousand hectares of fields obtained after fire burning, each plot managed by different camp teams.
With millet shipped north on a large scale via convenient transportation to support the Northern Army’s offense, the Southern Route Army must strengthen the strategy of “living off the enemy border.”
Grain not crossing mountains from Yongji Pass saves a lot of consumption for people and horses.
This strategy is two-pronged: first, purchasing from those tusi-ized tribes; second, farming outside the pass themselves.
The tusi side exchanges cloth and salt, but limited by merchants chasing profit, this portion’s price is unstable.
As for these fields opened by outside the pass military colonies, the logistics department acquires at 1.5 times the price of grain inside the pass.
When setting this grain acquisition price, the accountant’s office sent by the Wu Family thought it was too high; these managers of tenant farmers thought potato grain should not be acquired at millet prices, but Wu Fei insisted he absolutely wouldn’t lose! Because the accountant’s office didn’t consider that this grain is mostly for southern expeditions, and all southern expedition grain has transportation costs in expenses.
At that time Wu Fei stared wide-eyed at this excellent accountant’s office sent by the main family. Then, feeling his thinking was problematic, transferred that accountant’s office away, replacing with another accountant’s office whose son was reclaiming outside the pass to handle it.
Inside and outside the pass separated by one wall, but some people inside the pass cannot bring outside the pass thinking, just like in his previous life some who felt “peaceful years” couldn’t empathize with “carrying burdens forward”; they could even produce a TV drama about poor people. Because people living easily truly don’t understand hardship.
Wu Fei: This grain field is outside the city wall’s protection! Currently only those holding knives have the guts to tend this plot. In a sense, the grain fought out this way also carries blood reward.
Under Wu Fei’s system, wartime merchant contributions can obtain ranks, let alone supplying strategic materials at the frontline.
Wu Fei scolded some fools in the logistics department: Want to acquire at inside the pass prices, fine—unless one day those powerful clan great merchants inside the pass dare to buy houses south of Yongji Pass and settle land. Then Wu Fei would surely sell to them at inside the pass grain prices to support their reclamation.
Wu Fei didn’t think the family old accountant’s office was bad, but felt he was unaware; transferring him away was fearing that this mister used to “peaceful days” would have his old teeth knocked out by the hot-blooded youths under him who lick blood from knife edges.
…Dragon horse knights escorting the march dividing line…
After Wu Fei arrived at Fen Xing City, the rain would continue for a while until the dry season; Wu Fei stationed in Fen Xing City, issuing this round’s troop mobilization orders to Yongji Pass side.
And staying in Fen Xing City afterward, Wu Fei participated in this round’s potato grain harvest work.
Over a thousand soldiers digging food in the soil, occasionally rats and snakes appearing, causing a round of chaotic shouts in the team. In the back, wooden oxen continuously loaded and transported the dug potatoes away. Hmm, why not let wooden oxen plow? Wu Fei tried; horse power insufficient, wood torque strength insufficient. This thing can ram people, but plowing soon breaks.
Soon, the harvests from each plot were piled on the drill ground according to each team’s responsibility fields.
Last October, the grain harvesting steps were: publicly grade the harvest in the main camp drill ground, then each team carries out the “volume boat,” piles potatoes in it, pushes into the pond for measurement, settles accounts on the spot; each camp team’s camp leader divides money with the brothers that night.
The “volume boat” is public in the city pass; after use, it’s painted, the boat’s waterline scale unchanged under all camp leaders’ witness, then sent to warehouse sealed for next year.
The volume boat is not conducive to precise measurement, but this object is big! Only four total, not easily swapped like big dou units; as for the scales on the volume boat, thousands of eyes watch. Impossible to cheat!
Don’t think soldiers are all rough men; over 90% literacy rate not over 100, but now each main camp’s latrines are clearly divided like Chu River Han boundary, camp leaders even require each soldier not to shit in other camps when visiting.
In the army, for anything involving bottom-level interest distribution, Wu Fei’s designed major steps do not allow a “quarrel” phase.
Fen Xing City’s first wave of stored grain appeared in the warehouse; the second half of the 31st year of the Shu Tian Calendar’s exiting closed-door cultivation began. This time, Wu Fei was to operate even higher-level military strategy.
