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The salty sea breeze fluttered the flags of Naha Port in the Ryukyu Kingdom.

Standing on the watchtower of the temporary headquarters, Su Ning gazed across the vast blue sea towards the islands shrouded in mist to the northeast.

Behind him, the troops gathered on the training ground were not all the main force of the Ming army, but also a large number of auxiliary troops recruited from the Ryukyu Islands. Their skin was slightly darker, and their eyes contained a mixture of awe for the Ming army, a desire to plunder, and a trace of unspeakable complex hatred.

"General, the relationship between Ryukyu and the Japanese pirates is a tangled mess." The adjutant reported in a low voice, his tone tinged with helplessness. "Many of the island's nobles have kinship ties with the Satsuma Domain of Japan, and are connected by blood; while the lower-class fishermen have suffered greatly from the pirates' raids, with many families destroyed and people killed. They are relatives, but also sworn enemies."

Suning remained silent.

He was well aware of the key points involved.

It was by exploiting this complex hatred that he was able to quickly recruit this group of vassal soldiers who were familiar with the sea and fearless in the face of death.

That's why he offered them great rewards, promising them revenge and spoils of war.

This is a double-edged sword, and Suning knows it.

The army crossed the sea, its forces aimed directly at the lair of the Japanese pirates.

In the early stages of the battle, the auxiliary troops fought bravely and, thanks to their familiarity with the Japanese pirates' modus operandi, repeatedly achieved remarkable feats.

However, once the main force of the Ming army broke through the outer defenses and penetrated deep into the island's interior, the situation began to spiral out of control.

"Report—!" A scout, covered in dust, rushed into the tent, his voice trembling. "General! The Ryukyu vassal army has completely lost control after entering the town of Nanroku! They... they are not only looting property, but also wantonly slaughtering women and children, burning houses, behaving no differently from Japanese pirates! What's worse, they've even threatened to repay them in kind, leaving no one alive in their wake!"

Upon hearing this, the faces of all the Ming generals inside the tent changed.

A young lieutenant general couldn't help but step forward: "General, such behavior is against the will of Heaven and tarnishes the prestige of our Great Ming army! Shouldn't we immediately suppress it and enforce military discipline?"

Su Ning sat upright in the main seat, her knuckles lightly tapping the armrest, her face revealing neither joy nor anger.

His mind raced through the bloody grudges between Ryukyu and the Japanese pirates, the long-suppressed madness in the eyes of the vassal soldiers, and the ultimate purpose of this battle…

Not only must we defeat them, but we must also completely destroy the Japanese pirates' war potential and will to resist, and establish the unquestionable authority of the Ming Dynasty in this sea area.

The brief silence was oppressive and suffocating.

All the generals' eyes were focused on him.

Finally, he slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the generals in the tent. His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable chill, uttering only four words:

"Pass down the order: never sheath your sword."

There was a moment of silence in the tent, then a knowing look, and even a hint of ruthlessness, flashed in the eyes of several senior generals.

They fully understood the deeper meaning behind those four words...

This is both an acquiescence to the out-of-control behavior of the auxiliary forces and a transformation of this out-of-control destructive power into an organized and extreme form of terror tactics.

This is not indulgence, but rather directing the beast of vengeance toward a more specific enemy, to utterly crush the will to resist of the Japanese pirates and their strongholds in the bloodiest way.

"Understood!" The generals clasped their hands in obeisance, their voices low and menacing.

The order was issued, like opening Pandora's box.

The auxiliary troops, who had initially been somewhat hesitant, have now completely transformed into a frenzy of revenge, and some Ming soldiers have also joined this "hunt" with tacit approval.

The islands of Japanese pirates were transformed into a living hell in an instant.

Flames illuminated the sky, and cries of agony echoed throughout the night.

Su Ning stood on high ground, coldly looking down at the land in the distance that was shrouded in blood and fire.

His face was expressionless.

Mercy is reserved for the people of the Ming Dynasty.

For these incorrigible and treacherous elements that repeatedly harass our maritime borders, only by employing the most ruthless methods to instill in them a deep-seated fear of the "Ming" banner can we achieve true long-term peace and stability along the coast.

This order to "never sheath the sword" not only completely severed the last fragile blood ties between the Ryukyu servants and the Japanese pirates, but also drew a bloody line in the East China Sea of ​​the Ming Dynasty in the most extreme way.

……

The Japanese pirates, who once ravaged the seas and struck fear into the hearts of the southeastern coast, were destroyed faster than expected under the full operation of the Ming Dynasty's war machine.

After all, the total population of the Japanese pirates at that time was only a little over 12 million. After deducting the elderly, women and children, the number of able-bodied men who could actually fight with swords was limited, at most a few million.

Faced with the Ming army's overwhelming superiority in manpower, equipment, and organization, and especially under the guidance of a large number of collaborators who "abandoned the darkness and joined the light," the stubbornly resisting strongholds were uprooted one by one.

The war progressed swiftly, like a whirlwind sweeping away clouds.

The main Ming army advanced steadily and methodically, crushing any organized resistance like an iron hammer; while the bloodthirsty Ryukyu allied forces, like agile fangs, guided by their familiar guides, penetrated deep into the mountains to wipe out the remaining enemy, employing ruthless methods that effectively dismantled the last vestiges of resistance from the Japanese pirates.

In just six months, the once fiercely contested Japanese archipelago gradually fell silent, becoming virtually deserted.

Large-scale resistance has ceased to exist, leaving only sporadic, insignificant harassment.

Inside the command tent, battle reports were piled up.

Looking at the latest statistics, the lieutenant said to Su Ning, "General, the remaining Japanese strongholds that are putting up a stubborn resistance have been basically wiped out. Next, what should we do with these prisoners? There are quite a few of them."

He paused, then said in a low voice, "The order to 'never sheath the sword' may intimidate the enemy, but it cannot last forever and is also against the natural order."

Su Ning put down the vermilion brush in her hand, her gaze calm.

He naturally understood that killing was a means, not an end.

Completely eliminating potential resistance physically is neither realistic nor the best option.

“Of course, we can’t kill them all.” Su Ning’s voice was calm and pragmatic. “The ringleaders, the most heinous criminals, will be publicly and severely punished to serve as a warning to others and to comfort the souls of the soldiers and civilians who died along the coast of our Great Ming. As for the remaining prisoners…”

He walked to the huge map hanging there and pointed precisely to several locations marked with mineral symbols. The most eye-catching of these was the world-famous Iwami Silver Mine.

"Register them all, put them in heavy shackles, and organize them into the mining battalion." His order was clear and ruthless. "The Iwami Silver Mine, the Sado Gold Mine, and all other known mines are in dire need of manpower. Let them spend the rest of their lives in the underworld atoning for the sins they have committed for themselves and their people."

The order was executed swiftly.

Countless Japanese pirate prisoners who survived the war were stripped of their armor and weapons, shackled with heavy iron chains, and driven into bottomless mines like a silent swarm of ants under the close watch of Ming soldiers.

The hands that once wielded katanas to plunder all directions can now only grip rough pickaxes and chisels, mining glittering silver and gleaming gold for the Ming Dynasty's treasury in the dark underground.

These mines, especially the Iwami Silver Mine, have achieved production efficiency far exceeding that of the past, thanks to the cutting-edge mining technology and strict management brought by Suning.

A steady stream of precious metals began to flow into the Ming Dynasty's fiscal system, greatly alleviating the pressure on the national treasury caused by large-scale military campaigns, and providing a solid material foundation for Su Ning's subsequent more ambitious reform plans.

The soil that once bred pirates is now being transformed into a rich mine that nourishes the empire.

As the smoke of battle gradually dissipated, it was replaced by rising dust from the mine and the clanging of picks and chisels, composing the final chapter of conquest and plunder.

……

Before the smoke from the Iwami Silver Mine had even dissipated, impeachment memorials from the Censorate had already flooded into the Forbidden City in Beijing. Inside the Qianqing Palace, the young Wanli Emperor frowned as he looked at the mountain of memorials piled on his desk, while Zhang Juzheng stood beside him, his expression equally grave.

"Sir, look at this..." Wanli pushed a particularly strongly worded memorial in front of Zhang Juzheng. "The censors have repeatedly impeached Su Ning for allowing his troops to plunder and commit indiscriminate massacres on the Japanese mainland, resulting in a sharp decline in the island's population, with only one in ten surviving. Even the Japanese royal family and nobles were slaughtered. Furthermore, it is said that he reduced the two million survivors to slavery and drove them into mines, which is against the natural order and contrary to the teachings of the sages! The censors are outraged and demand that Su Ning be severely punished to set things right."

Zhang Juzheng slowly unfurled the memorial, his gaze sweeping over the shocking words...

“Killing and slaughtering those who surrender is detrimental to the national dignity,” “Being more tyrannical than Jie and Zhou,” and “The Japanese islands have almost become a ghost town.”

He knew perfectly well that although these accusations were not without elements of hearsay and exaggeration by officials, they were not entirely unfounded.

He had long heard of Su Ning's methods on the Japanese islands, and the "never sheathing the sword" order broke many unspoken rules.

Its actions, which prioritize efficiency and deterrence, are indeed incompatible with the Confucian ideals of "benevolent governance" and "the way of the king."

“Your Majesty,” Zhang Juzheng pondered for a moment, his voice steady yet tinged with helplessness, “Su’s contribution to the suppression of the Japanese pirates is undeniable. His efforts to cleanse the seas, expand territory, and increase taxes have been of great merit to the nation. However… what the censor said is not entirely untrue. The population of the Japanese islands has drastically decreased, and the survivors have all been enslaved. This is common knowledge and cannot be concealed. If the court continues to protect them, it may discourage scholars and officials throughout the land and also damage Your Majesty’s reputation for benevolence.”

He paused, looked up at Wanli, and presented the long-considered plan: "Now that the main force of the Japanese pirates has been destroyed, the overall situation is settled. The most urgent task is to stabilize the newly annexed territories and appease public opinion in the court. Perhaps... we should issue an edict to summon Su Ning back to the capital, reward him for his merits, promote him in name only, and actually transfer him away from the Japanese islands. At the same time, we should select a steady and capable general who is knowledgeable in military affairs to take over the garrison duties, rectify military discipline, and ease the situation."

Upon hearing this, a complex expression flashed across Wanli's still somewhat immature face.

He admired and even relied on Suning, because Suning was capable of getting things done and securing money and supplies.

However, faced with almost unanimous pressure from the civil service group and the opinion of his strict teacher Zhang Juzheng, he had no choice but to compromise.

"What you say is quite right, sir." Wanli finally sighed. "Draft an edict! Summon him back to the capital and assign him to another post. As for his successor..."

Zhang Juzheng already had a plan in mind, and replied, "I recommend Li Rusong, the Earl of Ningyuan. General Li is the descendant of a famous general, brave and skilled in battle, enough to intimidate the villains; moreover, compared to Su Ning, he knows better how to advance and retreat, understands the rules, and should be able to handle the aftermath properly, so as not to give others any more leverage."

"Approved." Wanli nodded.

Soon after, an imperial edict, though worded with praise, was actually a demotion in disguise, and was quickly sent to the Japanese islands.

The imperial edict praised Su Ning for "pacifying the Japanese pirates and securing the country, a contribution to the nation," and ordered him to immediately hand over military affairs and return to the capital to report on his duties.

At the same time, General Li Rusong was ordered to take command of the imperial axe and lead a contingent of elite northern troops to the Japanese mainland to take over Su Ning's post as garrison commander.

His mission was clear: to maintain the Ming Dynasty's absolute control over core interests such as silver mines, to rectify military discipline, to ease the overly tense confrontational sentiment, and to bring the governance of this newly annexed territory back to the Confucian track of "civil administration and military achievements."

When Su Ning received the imperial edict, he remained calm and showed little surprise.

He knew full well that his actions on the Japanese islands would inevitably draw criticism.

He readily relinquished his military power, and after a brief handover with Li Rusong, boarded a ship returning to the Ming Dynasty.

Standing at the bow of the ship, looking back at the islands that were gradually receding into the distance, Su Ning's eyes remained calm.

His goal has been achieved—the threat of Japanese pirates has been eradicated, and strategic resources such as the Iwami Silver Mine have been brought under his control.

As for the turmoil in the imperial court, it is merely the beginning of the next move in the game.

He knew that returning to the capital would mean facing another war without gunfire.

……

The capital city, the Forbidden City, the Wenhua Hall.

The atmosphere at the imperial conference was as heavy as a frozen lake.

Several censors from the Censorate delivered impassioned speeches, listing ten major crimes committed by Su Ning on the Japanese islands, including "allowing his soldiers to massacre," "causing harm to women and children," and "damaging the emperor's virtues." They demanded that he be severely punished to uphold the law.

The young Wanli Emperor sat high on his throne, his brows slightly furrowed, his gaze occasionally sweeping over Su Ning, who stood below him, dressed in a qilin robe, yet with a calm and composed expression.

Zhang Juzheng and several cabinet ministers stood on either side, holding their breath and waiting for Su Ning's response.

Just as an imperial censor was citing classical texts and angrily rebuking his behavior as "no less than that of Bai Qi," Su Ning finally made his move.

He did not argue vehemently as everyone expected. Instead, he straightened his clothes, stepped forward, bowed deeply to the throne, and spoke in a clear and steady voice:

"Your Majesty, esteemed Grand Secretaries, what the Censor said... is all true."

When these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked.

Even Zhang Juzheng, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and cast a sharp gaze at Su Ning.

The censors, who were about to continue their verbal and written attacks, were also silenced, as if their throats had been choked.

Su Ning raised his head, his face bearing just the right amount of sorrow and self-reproach, and continued his account, his tone so sincere that it was moving: "On that day, the battle situation was urgent. In order to completely eradicate the Japanese pirates, I led the royal army to pursue the remaining pirates to their main island. However, due to the long distance across the sea, our forces were insufficient. To make up for the shortage of troops, I had no choice but to recruit auxiliary troops in Ryukyu to assist in the battle."

He paused slightly, as if recalling a painful past, his voice lowering: "I am well aware of the deep-seated blood feud between Ryukyu and the Japanese pirates on the main island. However, I... I was negligent and failed to detect the hidden dangers in time, let alone strictly restrain them beforehand. After landing, the Ryukyu vassal army, blinded by their blood feud, and with the situation changing rapidly, actually... actually caused an out-of-control massacre."

His words were filled with words that seemed to admit his mistakes, such as "helplessness," "negligence," and "failure to notice," but he cleverly shifted the main responsibility to the "objective difficulties" of insufficient troops and the "uncontrollable factors" of the Ryukyu feud.

He himself was merely a commander who was forced by the situation and made a momentary lapse in judgment.

"By the time I realized the situation was out of control and tried my best to suppress it, it was already... too late, and the casualties were heavy." Su Ning revealed a touch of regret at just the right moment, then bowed deeply again, his tone resolute, "This is all due to my lack of foresight, inadequate discipline, and poor management of my subordinates! I have no right to deny it, and I am willing to accept all punishments from Your Majesty and the court without any complaints!"

His apology, delivered in a show of retreat and downplaying the severity of the situation, was extremely humble. He successfully transformed a potential military accusation involving "crimes against humanity" into a "tactical error" and "management dereliction of duty."

He readily admitted the "consequence" of the massacre, but cleverly explained the "causes" of the blood feud and the loss of control, positioning himself as a person in charge who "wanted to do good but went wrong".

This statement put the censors, who were originally prepared to fight to the death, in a difficult position...

The person involved has already admitted their mistake and accepted punishment. What more do you want?

Should we really kill this meritorious official who just helped the Ming Dynasty expand its territory by thousands of miles and wipe out the century-old Japanese pirate threat?

Emperor Wanli looked at Su Ning, who was pleading guilty below, and then glanced at Zhang Juzheng, who remained silent. He already understood what was going on.

He cleared his throat, breaking the silence in the hall:
"Since Minister Su has admitted his guilt... considering his great contributions to the country in suppressing the Japanese pirates, and that this was not entirely his original intention, he is hereby... stripped of his salary for one year, removed from the titles of Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent and Governor-General of Zhejiang and Zhili, and confined to the capital for future observation."

This punishment is as light as a feather in comparison to Suning's actions.

The so-called removal of honorary titles and official positions was merely a way to give the censors a way out.

Given Suning's current achievements, he may be promoted to cabinet, but his age is also a concern.

Born in the 28th year of the Jiajing reign, he is only 28 years old now. It is unheard of for him to become a prime minister.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!" Su Ning kowtowed again, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips from an angle unseen by anyone.

He has now overcome this hurdle.

He was better at navigating the rules of the imperial court than anyone else.

Now that he has fulfilled his greatest wish and obsession, he can lie low without any pressure. He only needs to wait quietly, and his path to becoming a powerful minister will surely take him to the next level.

...(End of chapter)