Di Ming

Chapter 246 So it turns out I was overthinking things?
Ding Hongying suddenly remembered that several years ago, when Uncle Hu treated her father, he also said that it was the last precious medicine.

But the thought was fleeting, replaced by extreme joy. How precious were Uncle Tiger's ancestral medicines? Yet he was willing to use them to save Deyu.

First he saved his own father, and now he's saving his own husband. Uncle Tiger, you're so kind!
Zhu Yin, with a solemn expression, took out a delicate, oval-shaped pill from his robes and said:

"This last precious medicine is extremely valuable and must not be wasted. Hongying, you should personally feed it to Deyu."

Ding Hongying carefully accepted the last pill, treating it as if it were a precious treasure.

She felt that this tiny precious medicine weighed a thousand pounds, carrying the life of her future husband and her own happiness.

This precious medicine is a bit soft, red at one end and yellow at the other, and it is engraved with extremely fine runes, so it is obviously not simple.

Ding Hongying felt her heart pounding, afraid that she might accidentally ruin this extraordinary precious medicine.

She helped Cao Wenzhao up, letting him lean against her chest. Then she pried open his mouth, carefully placed the precious medicine inside, and rinsed it down with water. Only after he had swallowed the medicine did she breathe a sigh of relief.

She had complete faith in Uncle Tiger. If Uncle Tiger couldn't save Deyu's life, then no one in the world could.

Zhu Yin was naturally even less worried. In ancient times, people didn't develop drug resistance; cephalosporins were truly miraculous drugs, curing diseases instantly if used correctly.

Pack it well, pack it well.

The military medical officer stared intently at Zhu Yin's family heirloom medicine, wishing he could snatch it away and study it immediately.

Does the Zhu family also have ancestral treasure medicines?

He didn't know if it was a precious medicine, but the appearance of the pill was exquisite and beautiful like never before seen. This little pill seemed to hold great secrets.

"Mr. Zhihu," the physician couldn't help but ask curiously, "this... Zhu family pills..."

Zhu Yin coughed to interrupt him, "The Zhu family is fine, they won't be finished."

The physician's lips twitched, and he quickly changed his words, saying, "Sir, can your family's secret medicine really cure this poisoning?"

Zhu Yin smiled slightly and said ambiguously, "Then it depends on whether it's the right medicine for the illness. If it's the right medicine, it's a precious remedy; if it's not, then we've done our best."

The physician then discovered that Mr. Zhihu, who was famous throughout the land and deeply trusted by the soldiers, was actually a bit cunning.

After feeding Cao Wenzhao his medicine, Ding Hongying wiped the sweat from his face and back. Her hands, usually so sharp and ruthless, were now as gentle as water. It was astonishing how such a fierce woman could be so attentive and caring.

Ding Hongying was a woman who dared to love and hate, and was unrestrained. After being with Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei for several years, she was deeply influenced by them, and her temperament became even more generous and unrestrained. She didn't care that she was only engaged to Cao Wenzhao, and took the initiative to take care of Cao Wenzhao like a wife.

Zhu Yin was very pleased to see this. His eldest niece hadn't wasted her years with him; her behavior was becoming more and more like a modern girl, and she had been completely groomed.

The physician, knowing the two were only engaged, was somewhat taken aback. He could only say:
"The matchmaker has become like a person influenced by their surroundings; she truly has the air of the Wei and Jin dynasties. Ahem."

Ding Hongying wasn't stupid. Hearing the physician's sarcastic words, she immediately raised her eyes and glared at him.

What do you mean? Are you mocking me for not adhering to the proper separation of men and women?
The physician was startled by her glare.

He dared not offend Ding Hongying. Who in the army didn't know she was the governor's niece? They politely called her Lady Hong, but privately they called her Rouge Tiger.

Fortunately, this Rouge Tiger was focused on taking care of her fiancé and didn't bother arguing with him.

Zhu Yin said, "Hongying, you stay here and take good care of Deyu. When he wakes up, come and tell me."

After saying that, he left the tent with the physician, leaving only Ding Hongying and Cao Wenzhao behind.

The physician turned around, looking troubled, and said, "Mr. Zhihu, this... this man and woman alone in a room, if word gets out, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it will be detrimental to Miss's reputation..."

Zhu Yin paused, turned to look at the meddlesome physician, and said calmly, "What's it to you?"

"Huh?" The physician was taken aback and speechless as Zhu Yin had already drifted away.

The physician could only shake his head with a wry smile as he watched Zhu Yin's retreating figure.

Zhu Yin, of course, didn't blame the physician. Because at that time, the established moral code was a formidable obstacle in the hearts of the ancients. It wasn't that the physician was meddling; it was that many people were consciously or unconsciously upholding the established moral code.

It was already 5:52 AM, and smoke was rising from the chimneys throughout the camp as the soldiers, who were taking turns cooking, were preparing breakfast.

The white rice they brought wasn't even rinsed; they were simply put directly into a pot to cook. A mobile steamer was then placed on top, containing pickled vegetables and dried meat.

The cavalrymen took black beans and dried hay bundles from their supply wagons to feed their warhorses. They also fetched water for the horses and even bathed and brushed them.

In the hot summer, the warhorse gets covered in sweat every day. If it's not washed, the smell will be unbearable for it.

Zhu Yin returned to the central command tent behind the high carriage, where the guards were already cooking.

As the commander-in-chief, Zhu Yin's meals could certainly be exquisite. Even in the main tent in Hexi, he could eat seasonal fruits, fresh fish and meat, and even delicacies from the mountains and rivers, with beautiful women singing and dancing in his tent.

But Zhu Yin did not do that.

As soon as he arrived at the army camp, he demanded that his food be the same as that of the soldiers. He ate whatever the soldiers ate.

If there's any difference, it's that Zhu Yin can drink milk powder and good tea every day.

There's nothing special about it.

Qi Jiguang was the same.

The best food was actually given to Black Tiger and Flying Tiger.

When the generals learned that the governor-general and the marshal ate the same food as the soldiers, they did not want to make special arrangements, so they simply shared the hardships with the soldiers.

As a result, the morale of the Ming army was even higher, the soldiers were more united, and their cohesion was much stronger than before.

Two quarters of an hour later, it was the fourth quarter of the hour of Mao (5-7 AM).

"Clang clang clang—" The bell for breakfast rang out, and the soldiers came out of their tents in groups, each taking out their bowls and chopsticks from the mule carts.

Many people also took out salt from their small waist bags.

According to the daily routine of the Ming army, soldiers carried their own salt when marching, which was generally an essential military supply. Soldiers who were particular about their diet also carried seasonings such as pepper.

Each squad was equipped with a supply mule cart carrying five days' worth of rations for each soldier, as well as cooking utensils such as pots and pans. In special circumstances or during a forced march, they could only carry three days' worth of rations.

The Ming army's field rations mainly consisted of cold, dry food such as fried rice and noodles, pickled vegetables, dried naan, and dried biscuits. However, they couldn't always stay away from cooking, so when conditions allowed, they would cook to provide the soldiers with hot meals and hot water.

Especially after Zhu Yin took command of the army, as long as they could find firewood, cow dung, or other fuel, the army would try their best to cook hot meals.

In addition, he used his power to contract part of the logistics to Ning Caiwei's trading company in the Northwest, so the food for the Ming army participating in the war was much better than before.

Take the Ming army camp right now, for example. The soldiers' meals not only include refined rice and flour, but also various kinds of cured meat, smoked meat, salted fish, and salted meat. These kinds of meat were things they rarely had the chance to eat before.

The aroma of food mingled with the smoke from cooking firewood, filling the Ming army camp with the warmth and life of everyday life.

Every platoon's cooking pot was steaming hot. In front of each cooking pot stood a platoon of soldiers. The soldiers on duty took turns using long ladles to scoop food into the soldiers' bowls.

Immediately, each squad, led by its squad leader, sat down on the ground around its own cooking pot and began to eat.

The soldiers ate with gusto, and the entire camp was soon filled with the sounds of bustling activity as they ate. They chatted and joked as they wolfed down their food, completely oblivious to the custom of not speaking while eating.

"It smells delicious! And there's meat to eat. I've been a soldier for seven or eight years, and this is the best food I've ever had since I came here to fight alongside the Governor!"

"Isn't that right? The Governor eats the same food as us. This is the first time I've ever seen a governor like this."

"Alas, what a pity. After this battle is over and the Governor-General returns to the capital to report on his duties, we will all return to our respective military garrisons. We will no longer have such good food."

"Yes. If the governor-general were the most powerful and influential person in the country, able to govern all the soldiers and ensure that all the poor soldiers could have enough to eat and receive their full pay, that would be wonderful."

"Shh—how can you say such things? Aren't you afraid…"

"What's so hard to say? Did I say something wrong? I've served in the army for many years, and these past few months have been the only time I've been able to eat my fill and receive my full pay!"

"Alright, alright, let's not say anything taboo. Everyone understands, even though my husband is a reincarnation of a star lord, he must have his difficulties..."

Leaving aside the soldiers' discussion about this, Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang were also having a meal at this time.

Dried meat, pickled vegetables, dried radish, and white rice.

Even so, this was already considered very good food for the border troops.

Zhu Yin ate with great refinement and elegance, maintaining the poise of a scholar-official. Even when picking up a piece of dried radish, he ate with a certain grace.

Outsiders say that Zhu Zhihu had the demeanor of the Wei and Jin dynasties, and that's not an exaggeration.

Qi Jiguang, on the other hand, ate with much more heart. This veteran general, over sixty years old, devoured the rice in a flash, crunching the dried radish in his mouth.

By the time he finished eating, Zhu Yin hadn't even finished half of his meal.

"Child Tiger, you eat too slowly." Qi Jiguang looked at him with some anxiety. "The enemy army could attack at any time. There will definitely be a tough battle today. Don't eat so slowly."

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "I am just a civil official with a banner, and I still rely on my father to fight battles. With my father around, I am happy to have a peaceful life."

"Then you can use it at your leisure, my lord." Qi Jiguang shook his head and got up to go on patrol.

For decades, he had made it a rule to patrol the camp every morning after breakfast and check for any leaks.

Zhu Yin quickly finished eating and followed Qi Jiguang to inspect the camp.

Seeing that the soldiers were eating heartily and hearing some of their comments, he couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.

The Ming army's logistics system was originally quite good. During wartime, each person received one and a half liters of refined rations per day, and the menu regularly included dried meat and poultry eggs. There were specific regulations for the rations of both soldiers and warhorses.

However, systems need people to implement them. When the Kaizhong system was functioning well, the Ming army's rations were guaranteed. But later, the Kaizhong system collapsed, official corruption and rampant embezzlement occurred, and the Ming army's soldiers not only failed to receive their full pay, but also could not guarantee their rations.

Civil officials, generals, nobles, and eunuchs colluded with wealthy merchants involved in logistics, forming a massive, semi-public interest group by profiting from the soldiers' blood.

The Sino-French trade system was ruined, and the merchant and military settlements were also destroyed, becoming tools for the powerful to enrich themselves and enslave the soldiers. Large private estates sprang up in the border towns, while the soldiers guarding the borders often lacked food.

The Ming court had military expenditures of up to 20 million coins and grain, but less than half of that was actually used for the soldiers.

After the Chenghua era, the military grain reserves in the border areas became increasingly strained. When the emperor punished officials and merchants, he often fined them by requiring them to "transport a certain amount of grain to the nine border regions" to make up for the shortage of military grain.

In the early Wanli period, things could still be managed, but by the later Wanli period, the border army's logistics had completely collapsed.

By then, let alone receiving full pay, many border soldiers would starve or freeze to death, either becoming refugees, mutinying, or defecting to the Jurchens.

Now that he is the governor of five garrisons, he has powerful connections in the court, the Ministry of Revenue can provide good support in terms of food and pay, and with Ning Caiwei's trading company involved in logistics, the treatment of his soldiers has finally improved significantly.

But this is only temporary.

Once he left and the army that had been suppressing the rebellion disbanded, the soldiers who had enjoyed "good days" under his command returned to their original state.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but feel sorrow for these soldiers guarding the frontier.

Emperor Wanli was a money-grubbing emperor who was obsessed with money. His ministers followed suit and only cared about making money. Even after Wanli was buried in Dingling, he still owed the Ming army soldiers their food and pay!

While Zhu Yin was inspecting the camp, Cao Wenzhao finally woke up.

"Your Majesty!" Ding Hongying, who had been by Cao Wenzhao's side, was overjoyed to see him wake up.

She knew that as long as Cao Wenzhao woke up, he would definitely have survived the ordeal.

“Red Lady…” Cao Wenzhao did not expect that the first person he would see after waking up would be Ding Hongying, the woman he was engaged to.

He was actually in the same room as a beautiful woman!
He was only sixteen years old after all, and faced with this beautiful older sister who was three years older than him, he was so happy that he couldn't speak for a moment.

"You're injured, don't move around." Ding Hongying lowered her head, her bright eyes filled with joy as she looked at Cao Wenzhao, smiling gently.

"You...I..." Cao Wenzhao could fight fiercely against thousands of enemy troops, but when he saw the beautiful and charming Ding Hongying and smelled her fragrance, he blushed and stammered.

"Hehe!" Ding Hongying found it quite amusing to see Cao Wenzhao's handsome face turn red.

Does someone like this "Little Lu Bu" blush?
"Your Majesty," Ding Hongying said, her expression a mixture of relief and lingering fear, "you almost lost your life. Uncle Hu saved you. He gave you the last of his family's heirloom medicine..."

Upon hearing this, Cao Wenzhao's gratitude towards Zhu Yin deepened to an unbearable degree, and he couldn't help but shed tears.

The governor not only promoted him exceptionally and entrusted him with important responsibilities, but also acted as his matchmaker, marrying Hongying to him. This time, he also saved his life.

Cao Wenzhao, what virtue or ability do you possess to deserve such kindness from a noble person? Even if you were to serve like a cow or a horse, even if you were to be shattered to pieces, you could never repay such a debt in this lifetime.

Ding Hongying knew Cao Wenzhao's feelings, and she whispered sweetly in his ear:
"Deyu, don't be upset about this. You're not an outsider, you're one of us. Uncle Hu treats me like a daughter, so he treats you like a son-in-law. Since we're family, don't think about it so much."

Cao Wenzhao smiled and said, "You're right, we're family, so I won't stand on ceremony. I won't thank Uncle Hu."

We're family! Cao Wenzhao knew the weight of those three words. He knew what they meant.

Ding Hongying tossed her hair and smiled sweetly, "Of course you don't need to thank me. Uncle Hu said I'll tell him as soon as you wake up."

Cao Wenzhao suddenly sniffed, "It smells so good, so delicious."

Ding Hongying blushed slightly, moved a little further away, and asked somewhat shyly, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Cao Wenzhao's throat bobbed. "Is this breakfast? It smells delicious! I'm so hungry just smelling it. Hongying, aren't you hungry?"

Ding Hongying couldn't help but roll her eyes.

You mean the food smells good? It seems I'm overthinking things, aren't I?

She stood up and walked outside.

"You can go hungry for now, I'll go tell Uncle Tiger!"

P.S.: I was busy out today and didn't have time for lunch, so I bought two grilled chicken wings on the street. I'd only taken a few bites on a roadside bench when an elderly man who looked like a scavenger came up to me and said he was very hungry and asked if I could have his leftover chicken wings. I could only give him the empty wings. He thanked me profusely and left. This is truly the first time I've ever encountered something like this in my life, and I don't know what to say.

(End of this chapter)