Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 371 Jinling Academy
The intervention of the military court was undoubtedly a huge shock to the entire army.

The originally relaxed environment was completely changed. Soldiers had to abide by stricter discipline from then on, and any violation of the rules would be severely punished.

For those generals and officers who do not abide by discipline, the existence of the military court is like a sword hanging over their heads, ready to fall at any time.

Within the army, the relaxed atmosphere that had gradually developed due to the end of the large-scale war has disappeared, replaced by an invisible pressure. Everyone must be extremely cautious for fear of making any mistakes.

Although the existence of the military court makes the entire army more orderly, the training and life in this high-pressure environment do make many recruits feel unable to adapt.

Even in the minds of many soldiers, the military court's iron-fisted approach has become a shadow in their daily lives, reminding them at all times that if they make a mistake, they will face ruthless punishment.

"However, this is also for our own good." Li Tie thought silently in his heart, his eyes gradually becoming firm.

At this moment, Zhao Dong's voice rang out again: "Don't just complain. We have a great responsibility. If we don't do well, the military court will punish us at any time. Remember, only by being strict with yourself can you get more opportunities."

When he said this, his tone was still serious, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes, as if reminding everyone.

Li Tie never had any doubts about the Emperor's decisions. He knew very well that the Emperor was wise and brave, and everything he did was in line with justice, especially after that devastating battle in which he defeated hordes of Tartars. Naturally, his actions could not be wrong.

Therefore, even though the increased intensity of training makes people exhausted, and even the harsh military law enforcement makes people disgusted, the price paid is ultimately worth it.

Li Tie once experienced a hard and poor life. He worked in the fields day after day. Every year there was not enough rice to eat. He was often hungry and could hardly guarantee enough food and clothing.

However, since he joined the army, his life has undergone tremendous changes. There is enough food in the army, and he can receive a certain amount of military allowance every month, which makes Li Tie feel secure.

He no longer worried about food and clothing, nor was he the farmer who could only toil on the land. He could eat well, wear warm clothes, and even taste meat sometimes. This satisfaction made Li Tie cherish it very much. He also deeply recognized that joining the army was a world apart from farming.

The next day, Zhao Zhengdong walked out of the barracks and looked around. A moment later, Li Tie stretched, took off his heavy armor, drank a few sips of water, and then collapsed on the mat, closing his eyes, his mind empty.

Zhao Zhengdong didn't go back to his room directly. Instead, he walked around the nearby barracks and checked the order of the camp. By the time he was ready to leave, it was already getting dark. When he reached the training ground, he stopped and saw a tall, dark figure still standing there.

A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he walked over quickly: "Old Sun, are you on patrol again tonight?"

The tall black figure stopped at the sound and turned to look at Zhao Zhengdong. He panted slightly, his voice low but with a bit of a rough smile: "Yes, lately it's me who has been keeping a close eye on those good-for-nothing pups for you!"

Sun Hai spoke as he waved his hatchet with a hint of disdain. He wasn't a general from the old Ming army system. In fact, Zhu Cilang had every intention of inserting a group of outsiders into the military court to break up the internal factional struggles.

These foreign soldiers were not allied with any party in the court, and their loyalty was only to the person who paid their military pay - Zhu Cilang himself.

Therefore, generals like Sun Hai are particularly important because they are far more loyal to the new dynasty than anyone else, and Zhu Cilang's heavy use of these foreign generals also reflects his far-reaching considerations on military construction.

When Zhao Zhengdong met Sun Hai, he knew that this guy was not only straightforward, but also never vague in his work. He had mostly learned about the new changes in the military through the sources close to him, but people like Sun Hai had almost nothing to hide.

Zhao Zhengdong then quietly leaned over and whispered, "I heard that His Majesty plans to continue adjusting the military system in the near future. The training model will also have new changes, especially in the strength of each battalion."

Sun Hai frowned when he heard this and interrupted Zhao Zhengdong: "Don't ask about this matter, I don't know either. Those generals have their own ideas. How can we, the soldiers, know so much?"

The firmness in his words made Zhao Zhengdong feel that it was not only that Sun Hai was unwilling to say more, but perhaps some sensitive topics were involved.

Zhao Zhengdong smiled slightly upon seeing this. He knew in his heart that since these matters were beyond his ability to find out, there was no need to discuss them further. He was curious because there had been a lot of discussion within the military recently regarding military system reform, especially regarding training models, with many people expressing different opinions.

But since Sun Hai didn't respond, I can only put this topic aside for the time being.

Sun Hai patted Zhao Zhengdong on the shoulder and said, "Okay, Lao Zhao, after a few days when we have some rest, let's go into the city and have a drink and relax."

As he spoke, he raised his hand to wipe the sweat off his face and smiled innocently. Zhao Zhengdong also smiled after hearing this: "Okay, it's settled! If I don't drink some more, my mouth will be so dry that it will burn!"

At the same time, after the hard work of tens of thousands of recruits and the superb skills of nearly a thousand craftsmen, the expansion project of Jinling Academy was finally completed.

After over a month of final renovations, meticulous planning and construction have transformed the academy's landscape, showcasing a vibrant mix of pavilions, terraces, and towers, complementing the natural beauty of the landscape. The expansion has transformed the originally modest buildings into a magnificent spectacle, elevating the academy's overall layout to an unprecedented level. Furthermore, the academy's functions have been further enhanced, seamlessly integrating its three main functions: teaching, book collection, and rituals.

However, despite the expansion of the academy, the country had just returned to stability, and the people were in urgent need of rest and recuperation. The Ming Dynasty urgently needed to focus on restoring the economy, improving military equipment, and even repairing water conservancy projects, and dispatching a large number of new soldiers to participate in post-disaster reconstruction across the country.

Most craftsmen were sent to weapons workshops to produce weapons and carry out military construction.

Therefore, Zhu Cilang made it clear that he did not want to waste too much manpower, material resources and financial resources on such "image projects". The top priority was to restore the country's productivity and combat effectiveness and avoid affecting people's livelihood and military due to excessive consumption of resources.

Therefore, he adopted the suggestions of Zhang Mingzhen, Li Banghua and others and decided to compress the expansion project of the academy, keep it simple, and not make too many luxurious decorations.

Zhu Cilang's decision not only took into account the urgency of the current situation, but also reflected his deep understanding of the people's expectations of the country. Because of this, the completion of Jinling Academy, while not as extravagant and flashy as some powerful people had expected, was particularly solemn and practical in its simplicity.

As Jinling Academy gradually completed its construction, scholars and students from all over the Ming Dynasty came to visit and participate in academic exchanges. For those young talents who aspired to achieve great things, Jinling Academy was undoubtedly the best stage for them to showcase their ambitions and talents.

Ning Haisheng was one of them. He had placed fifth in the Yunnan provincial examination. While not the most outstanding, he was a man of great ambition, with ambitious goals already in mind. His primary purpose in coming to Nanjing was to participate in the upcoming joint examination at Jinling Academy, thereby showcasing his talents and securing a place in the Ming Dynasty's civil service system.

Ning Haisheng, accompanied by two servants, walked steadily up the steps of Jinling Academy, his heart filled with excitement. Although he had heard of the fame of Jinling Academy many times, seeing its magnificent exterior in person still shocked him.

The academy's main gate stood before him. The majestic white walls and green tiles matched perfectly, giving it a majestic and generous appearance, seemingly symbolizing the institution's lofty status. Ning Haisheng followed the crowd and slowly walked up, passing through the main gate and continuing through the second gate.

The door frame was carved from solid granite. Left and right aisles led to the academy's north and south halls. Several pine and cypress trees lined the passageways, creating a sense of tranquility and tranquility. Passing through the second gate, Ning Haisheng finally arrived at the lecture hall, the heart of Jinling Academy and the venue for teaching activities and important ceremonies.

By then, hundreds of students from all over the world had gathered in the lecture hall. Some were discussing in low voices, others were silent and thoughtful, their faces brimming with passion and pursuit of scholarship. What surprised Ning Haisheng was that among this group of students, there were quite a few from other regions. They wore robes unlike those of Ming Dynasty scholars, and their speech carried a strong foreign accent.

He even noticed a few tall, fair-skinned people in the corner. They were the so-called "red-haired monsters," missionaries from the West. These Western missionaries were rare, and their presence shocked Ning Haisheng.

As the top scorer in the provincial examination in Yunnan Province, Ning Haisheng had been exposed to some Western learning and learned some fragments about Western culture, but when he saw the words and behaviors of these "red-haired monsters" with his own eyes, he still felt mixed emotions.

Those missionaries were explaining their thoughts and ideas to a group of students. Although the language barrier made the translation process a bit cumbersome, the determination and perseverance in their eyes still infected many people present.

Ning Haisheng stood at the side of the lecture hall, his eyes involuntarily scanning the students around him, a surge of pride welling up in his heart. Although he came from far away Yunnan Province, every moment he stood here felt like a new beginning. The ideals and ambitions surging in his heart filled him with an unprecedented excitement.

Yunnan's cultural and educational endeavors were clearly far behind those of Jinling and other places. Jinling Academy brought together elites from over a dozen provinces, and the exchange and collision of knowledge became particularly frequent here.

Ning Haisheng's fifth-place finish in the provincial examination was a source of pride. At the time, he felt his path to the capital was smooth sailing, his future promising. Whenever he thought of the exam in Kunming, he was filled with pride.

However, as time went on, the gap between ideal and reality gradually became apparent, and this once surging confidence gradually faded, becoming increasingly heavy. Although his previous achievements were regarded as glorious honors by others, facing the upcoming imperial examination, Ning Haisheng's heart was no longer as resolute as it had been when they first met. Pressure and anxiety had unknowingly invaded his heart.

Just when he was confused and feeling a little depressed, suddenly, his eyes fell on several familiar figures.

Ning Haisheng's mood suddenly brightened, and a long-lost sense of relief returned. Walking up ahead were two friends he had met during the Kunming exam: Ye Wen and Hu Du. Seeing familiar faces, the uneasiness and melancholy in his heart vanished instantly. Ning Haisheng couldn't help but walk over quickly and greeted them with a smile on his face.
"Brother Ye, Brother Hu, we meet again!"

The two tall, handsome men looked up at the sound and smiled when they saw Ning Haisheng. Ye Wen, the older and slightly thinner man, but with a scholarly look in his eyes, said in a gentle and elegant manner, "Brother Ning, you're finally here. We've been waiting for you here for two days."

Hu Du was more direct. He smiled and said half-jokingly, "Yeah, I never thought there really were 'red-haired barbarians' in this world. I didn't believe it when I heard about it before."

Hearing Hu Kuangdu's words, Ning Haisheng's heart trembled slightly, then he smiled and said, "Yes, I heard that these 'red-haired' people have quite unique knowledge, but I'm more concerned about the imperial examination. Brother Ye, Brother Hu, what important things have you heard these past two days? I just arrived at the academy, and things are still a bit unclear. Could you give me some advice?"

Ye Wen and Hu Kuangdu exchanged glances, apparently not taking the Red Hair issue to heart. Ye Wen smiled faintly and said:

"It's nothing serious. When we first came here, we thought it was novel, but after staying for a while, we realized it was just like that."

He paused, then added with a hint of pride, "As for those 'Western learning' and 'red-haired' knowledge, we can't believe it. Western learning is nothing more than these barbarians stealing things from our ancestors and piecing them together."

Hu Kuangdu couldn't help but let out a sarcastic smile upon hearing this. He whispered, "Those 'red-haired' people are truly bizarre. All they do all day is to deceive us, urging us to get baptized. You know, I heard that converts have to divorce their concubines. It's simply outrageous. I argued with one of them yesterday, but in the end, neither of us could convince the other, and I felt quite embarrassed."

(End of this chapter)