Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 370 Training
Li Guo and Gao Yigong looked at each other and had different plans in mind.

The current situation is like a deep chess game, where every step is full of unknowns and risks, and their choices will directly affect the future fate of the old brothers of Dashun.

Gao Guiying sighed deeply, a complex worry flickering in her eyes. The current situation had far escalated beyond her initial control. The power struggles within the court and the factional strife within the army had profoundly affected Li Guo and Gao Yigong. They shouldered the responsibility of carrying on the last bloodline of their old Dashun brothers, and she couldn't help but worry about their future.

"It's been almost four years since the late emperor passed away," she whispered, her tone heavy. "I know that Dashun is no longer the same nation it once was. We are now dependent on others. If we don't unite, division will only hasten our downfall. No matter what, the saying 'divided we fall, united we prevail' is always true."

She cast a glance at the two generals sitting beside her, a glimmer of desperate hope in her eyes. "The remnants of the Dashun army are practically nonexistent now. You two hold the last remaining strength. If you can't work together, I'm afraid you won't even be able to hold on to this last glimmer of hope. You must not be like Zheng Sen, who lost sight of the overall situation and ended up harming himself."

She paused, looking somewhat worried. "If the Dashun bloodline isn't preserved, it will likely be devoured sooner or later, especially with the growing external pressure. Although Zheng Zhilong commands a large army, he harbors ulterior motives and is extremely ambitious. His power cannot be underestimated, and we must be wary."

At this point, Gao Guiying's tone suddenly became more serious: "So, no matter what conditions Zheng Zhilong puts forward, you must not be alienated, and certainly not get involved in their fight. You should also not have anything to do with the emperor. Zhu Cilang has a plan in place. Anyone who gets too close to him will end up in a bad situation."

"Of course." She paused, her eyes determined. "The most important thing is that you two work together sincerely. Only by establishing a strong foundation in the court and becoming strong yourself can you seize the initiative at critical moments. Especially Li Guo, you must consult with Yigong frequently and never act rashly."

Li Guo listened to her words and nodded silently. Although he knew these principles, he still felt a little heavy.

Gao Guiying continued, "Since Zhu Cilang has allowed us to retain our army and appointed Yigong as Minister of the Interior, he can't simply weaken us. Regardless, he needs our support and cooperation. We will continue to follow his orders, proceed steadily, understand the situation, and move forward pragmatically."

Gao Yigong nodded heavily, cupped his hands and said, "I understand."

Li Guo also clasped his fists and said, "I understand."

Gao Guiying glanced at the two men and saw that they had no objections, which made her feel relieved. She knew that Li Guo and Gao Yigong were both steady and stable people. Although they had their concerns, they had never wavered in their stance.

For them, the most important thing at the moment is not to pursue higher power, but to ensure that the remaining Dashun forces can survive and grow steadily in this turbulent world. However, to achieve this is by no means easy.

At the same time, in the north of Nanjing, at the headquarters of the Ming army's Shenwu Camp, Li Tiezheng walked into the barracks with a tired face.

With a "bang", he fell heavily on the bed, not even bothering to open his eyes.

Over the past few days, Zhao Zhengdong had received orders to increase the amount of training for his soldiers. The once elite troops were now gradually showing signs of fatigue. The new recruits in particular often fell during training, gasping for breath and unable to walk.

But even the veterans complained about the excessive intensity of the training and couldn't help but criticize the commanders in private, saying that these new orders were like a "life-threatening" curse.

After dinner, all soldiers were allowed to move freely on the training grounds to improve their physical fitness and martial arts skills. However, there was one iron rule: they were absolutely not allowed to leave the camp. If caught, they would be punished lightly or severely.

Most soldiers were exhausted. Unless there were any unexpected incidents, they were eager to take advantage of the moment to rest and return to the barracks early, even muttering curses among their comrades at the military law enforcement officers assigned to patrol. Some exhausted soldiers simply hoped for a slightly easier time the next day, a peaceful night, and the sound of the bugle call in the morning.

However, although the soldiers were exhausted physically and mentally, Zhu Cilang showed no signs of relaxing.

As the situation in Fujian became increasingly tense, he had to speed up his deployment. He originally planned to give his army some time to breathe and recuperate, but the movements of the Zheng family forced him to re-examine the situation.

Zheng Zhilong's intentions became increasingly clear; he seemed ready to declare himself emperor before his death, putting Zhu Cilang under immense pressure. While Zheng Sen was no longer as powerful as he once was, he still commanded a capable and well-trained army. If he had the ambition to become emperor, he would undoubtedly become a threat that could not be ignored.

In order to prevent the situation from getting further out of control, Zhu Cilang had to strengthen his surveillance of the Zheng army and quickly mobilize troops to prepare for any changes that might occur.

Zhu Cilang was well aware that only strict military management and strong combat effectiveness could ensure the stability of the new dynasty and future victory.

To further strengthen the army's discipline and combat effectiveness, he personally inspected the army numerous times. Wherever he went, he would strictly demand that the troops maintain a strict work and rest schedule and reiterate the importance of discipline. Within the barracks, corrupt behaviors such as gambling and alcoholism were particularly intolerable. Despite his repeated prohibitions, these hidden dangers remained difficult to eradicate, and there was no shortage of soldiers who dared to defy military law.

Faced with this situation, Zhu Cilang had to take more stringent measures - he dispatched a special military law team to conduct inspections throughout the army every day to thoroughly rectify these stubborn problems.

After more than ten days of vigorous crackdowns, those officers and soldiers who had been so bold and reckless finally began to rein themselves in. Military discipline finally began to improve somewhat, and no one dared to flout military law. This was especially true for officers who had been drinking and gambling without permission. After several visits from the military court, they gradually calmed down.

However, this is just the beginning, and the Central Army's military discipline rectification is just a pilot project.

The Liaodong Campaign had just ended, and the reorganization of the entire army was far from being fully implemented. If we want to unify the organization, supplies, and even weapons and equipment of the entire army, it will inevitably require time and systematic adjustments.

At present, Zhu Cilang can only gradually implement it starting from the Central Army under his control. In his view, the improvement of military discipline and military strength must start from the details, especially those bad habits that have accumulated for a long time and cannot be allowed to continue to breed.

Zhu Cilang strictly prohibited all officers and soldiers from gambling, drinking, withholding military pay, disturbing the people and dominating the market, and any other behavior that would affect the image of the army. He never showed any mercy to these issues.

Although the central Ming army generally enjoyed good discipline and gradually standardized training, a few officers and soldiers still developed unhealthy habits during the long years of warfare. These habits severely impacted the army's cohesion and effectiveness, and also damaged its image. Zhu Cilang knew that if these problems were not addressed swiftly, they would become a serious problem for his government.

Against this backdrop, the "Military Court" emerged, commanded by the experienced and highly respected Chen Fu. In addition to the Military Court, Zhu Cilang also established the "Inspection Bureau," personally appointing Li Banghua as its director and Zhang Huangyan as the chief officer, specifically tasked with combating corruption within the military and among officials.

The "Inspection Bureau" actually led by Zhang Huangyan not only carried out strict supervision of the military, but also cracked down on corruption among officials and civilians. All these measures were important means for Zhu Cilang to consolidate his personal authority.

Through this in-depth rectification, Zhu Cilang hoped to eliminate all potential risks that were detrimental to the stability of the country and the army, and ultimately lay a solid foundation for the entire new dynasty.

That morning, Li Tie was resting in the camp when he saw Zhao Dong suddenly walk in. He asked, "Captain, when will we be assigned to repair the water conservancy project?"

"It's almost there, probably in about ten days," Zhao Dong continued, wiping the sweat off his face. "I heard General Chang has already started arranging supplies."

Li Tie nodded, feeling a little bit of anticipation in his heart. He had long been accustomed to these complicated affairs in the army. Although water conservancy construction seemed simple, it was actually an arduous task.

Zhao Dong continued, "Don't think water conservancy work is easy. It's even more tiring than training, and the military discipline is even stricter. You know, when I was in Shandong, I saw someone stealing alcohol and was beaten with thirty military sticks."

Li Tie raised his eyebrows, obviously knowing that although water conservancy construction was a physical job, if the constraints of military discipline were lost, it would definitely affect morale and combat effectiveness.

Strict military discipline is precisely the core of maintaining military stability.

This is true in the military, and it is also true for the adjustment and reorganization of the entire army. As long as a strict and effective management system can be established, the combat effectiveness of the entire army can be greatly enhanced.

"It's better to train in the barracks!" a nearby recruit grumbled softly, his voice filled with dissatisfaction and fatigue. "I don't even know if I'll be going back to my hometown to help people repair houses. I don't even know if I'll be able to eat and sleep well like I do in the barracks. Why suffer this for nothing?"

Before he finished speaking, a hint of impatience and helplessness towards this mission flashed in his eyes. Another new recruit beside him nodded in agreement.
"Yes, we are training here now. Although it is hard, at least there is a guarantee. It is not like outside, with so many uncertainties. If I go to work in someone else's house, what if I can't eat or sleep well? Wouldn't that be more trouble than it's worth? I would rather stay in the barracks. At least there is a guarantee."

When he said this, the people around him nodded, their eyes filled with doubts about future tasks and dissatisfaction with the current situation.

Listening to these words, Zhao Dong shook his head helplessly and quickly interrupted, "Alright, alright, stop complaining. His Majesty must have his reasons for setting up this military court. It can't be wrong."

His tone was a bit serious and firm: "If the military court patrolling the camp hears you saying this, you will be in trouble."

He glanced at a few soldiers around him who seemed somewhat absent-minded, reminding them to be mindful of their words and actions. The Military Law Enforcement Corps, as the disciplinary force for the entire army, held a special status, independent of the combat system. All officers and soldiers were required to adhere to strict military discipline; if they failed to do so, the consequences would be disastrous should the Military Law Enforcement Corps discover their actions.

The command structure of the military law team is extremely strict. All officers from the captain to the lower level, even ordinary soldiers, will be arrested immediately without mercy if they violate military regulations.

Even senior figures in the army, veterans like Zhao Dong, dare not offend the military court easily. The impartiality of the military court is an important guarantee for the army to maintain a high degree of discipline.

Although he loved his men and cared about the lives of his soldiers, as an outstanding officer, he knew that military discipline must be strictly enforced. Zhao Zhengdong was particularly supportive of reforms in military discipline and training.

Even so, he did not dare to openly support this reform in public. After all, excessive support might affect the mentality of the soldiers and make them no longer obey orders.

Behind this series of military laws lies the army's overall strategy and goals. Only through strict training and discipline management can this army have sufficient combat effectiveness to resist foreign enemies.

The existence of the Military Law Corps is part of this strategy. It is not only an enforcer of discipline, but also a warning to all generals and soldiers, reminding them to always be vigilant and self-disciplined.

Li Tie said nothing more, simply lying back on his bed, feeling powerless. The intensity of the training in recent days had been so intense that he felt he could barely hold on. Every training session was a tremendous test for his body, and the muscle aches were almost unbearable. However, every time he felt like giving up, he forced himself to grit his teeth and hold on a little longer.

Li Tie knew that the first ten days of training were the easiest, but the initial relaxation and freedom soon gave way to rigorous training and endless rules. He still remembered that discipline in the barracks was so lax that even at midnight, people could climb over the wall to buy some sesame cakes and meat.

At that time, the people around saw that the soldiers in the barracks were hungry, so they quietly sent their homemade pancakes to the base of the barracks wall, and even prepared ladders for the soldiers to climb the wall to get food.

The atmosphere in the barracks was very relaxed for a while, and everyone was enjoying a moment of comfort in this relaxed atmosphere. However, later, some soldiers, relying on their status as soldiers, acted recklessly and even clashed with local people outside the barracks, causing considerable unrest.

The situation became increasingly serious, eventually sparking a dispute with the prominent families in the surrounding towns. That conflict almost became the fuse of the entire incident, arousing the attention of all parties. The situation escalated to the point where even the emperor began to intervene.

In order to curb the development of the situation, His Majesty quickly planned and deployed the military law team, allowing it to officially enter the army and begin to implement strict disciplinary supervision and management.

(End of this chapter)