The Great Song Dynasty's Soul-Forging in Progress

When Empress Xiao, the most remarkable woman of the Liao Dynasty, personally led the expedition, Emperor Zhenzong, under pressure from Kou Zhun, also personally led the campaign. While this appeared resolute, it was merely a face-saving gesture based on the Treaty of Chanyuan. Paying tribute annually—100,000 taels of silver and 200,000 bolts of silk—and pledging suzerainty year after year, this was hardly a treaty; it was a pillar of shame hanging over the Song Dynasty! Yet the court officials called it "valuing peace," a phrase that truly disgusted Wang Zhonghua.

His Majesty is now benevolent and a wise ruler, but benevolence cannot fill the bellies of hungry wolves. As long as the lands of Yan and Yun remain unrecovered, the Song Dynasty will remain a crippled giant. The barbarian cavalry can march south at any time to graze their horses, while the Central Plains offer no natural defenses. Worse still, factional strife in the court intensifies, the border troops are corrupt, gentry are seizing land, and the people are displaced—this so-called "prosperous age" is nothing but gold leaf pasted on a dilapidated roof; a gust of wind will cause it to rustle, and a single fire from the barbarians could reduce this paper-thin prosperity to ashes.

Wang Zhonghua's entry into the camp today is to build a true "hidden arrow" to protect his family. Without sharp claws, the people will have no peace. If he does not make preparations early, when the great edifice collapses, Qin Tiehua's gentleness, Liu Xinyi's resilience, Qin Tiedan's life, and even the entire Wang clan or the entire Song Dynasty, will be nothing more than sighs glossed over in history books.

Thinking of this, he glanced at Ouyang Xiu and Di Qing, and did not overlook generals such as Zhang Biao and Li Xin. His voice was steady and clear:

"Ouyang Xiu, General Di, and all generals, in my opinion, warfare is a inferior strategy. To resolve the predicament of Chenzhou and even the Song Dynasty, we must first answer this question: How can peaceful people become ruthless bandits?"

"The core of the Zoroastrianism may be long-time bandits, but seven or eight out of ten of its followers were probably still obedient subjects of our Great Song Dynasty a few years ago." Wang Zhonghua spoke slowly, striving for precision in every word, "There are three reasons for this."

"Firstly, livelihoods were cut off, and officials forced the people to rebel." He pointed to the empty space outside the tent. "Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, successive emperors have worked diligently to govern, but as Ouyang Xiu said, under internal and external pressures, local areas inevitably became negligent. In places like Chenzhou, floods were frequent, and water conservancy was neglected; land was confiscated, and all the fields were taken over by the powerful. The people who lost their land were like rootless duckweed. On the Grand Canal, tax checkpoints were like forests, and clerks were like jackals. The common people toiled and struggled, but could hardly make ends meet. When all other avenues of survival were cut off, the Zoroastrian promise of 'sharing food' became the only 'gate of life'." When he mentioned "Grand Canal" and "clerks," Zhang Biao and the others' expressions changed slightly, clearly having experienced it firsthand.

"Secondly, with the lack of effective education, heresies take advantage of the situation," Wang Zhonghua continued. "The government's education is limited to the city walls; in the countryside, the people's hearts are like a wasteland. Zoroastrianism, with its mysterious rituals and strict rules, provides the confused with an illusory sense of order and belonging. Its so-called 'world of light' is better for those groping in the dark than any empty rhetoric."

"Thirdly, there is no way to seek justice, and the law is dead." His voice carried a hint of sorrow. "Local tyrants collude with petty officials, bullying men and women, seizing land and property. The common people have no recourse and are instead persecuted. If this continues, where will the imperial court's authority be? The Zoroastrians, under the guise of 'acting on behalf of Heaven,' commit plunder, yet they attract a large number of followers precisely because they are implementing a distorted form of 'justice'!"

He concluded: "Therefore, to suppress bandits, we must first pacify the people; to destroy their hearts is better than killing them. Using force to suppress them is like trying to stop boiling water by adding more water. Only by rectifying officialdom, surveying land, dredging canals, and building water conservancy projects, so that the people have stable property and a way to make a living, and then supplementing this with righteous education, can we eliminate the problem at its root and eradicate the banditry forever."

Ouyang Xiu slowly nodded, a glint of insight flashing in his eyes: "'To stop boiling water by adding more water, it's better to remove the firewood from under the pot.' Young friend Wang's insight into this shows he already possesses the qualities of a statesman. General Di, having experienced much on the frontier, what do you think?"

Di Qinghu's body trembled slightly. He clasped his hands tightly, his voice hoarse: "Your words, Your Majesty, are like a wake-up call! In the Northwest, I have often seen border people forced to trade with the Western Xia for a meager ration, even becoming their spies. It's not that they are disloyal, but they have no choice! The Chenzhou incident is the same. To only know how to kill and not understand politics is indeed the shortsightedness of a warrior. I... have learned my lesson!" This iron-blooded general now spoke with a hint of sighing and admiration. Seeing their commander's reaction, Zhang Biao, Li Xin, and the others looked at Wang Zhonghua with less contempt and more seriousness.

As the conversation deepened, Di Qing's face revealed long-suppressed resentment. He slammed his fist on the table, making the teacup bounce: "However, it's easier said than done! The court values ​​civil officials over military ones, and the accumulated problems are immense! Civil officials, who hold the Privy Council, are frequently used as pretexts for obstruction under the guise of 'overbearing.' Are generals in the field obligated to obey the emperor's orders? Now that they have a little autonomy, impeachments are immediately imposed! This is the first problem; it's like being shackled!"

"Secondly," he said, his tone even more sorrowful, "the soldiers are of lowly status, known as 'bandit convicts'! Good iron isn't used to make nails, and good men don't become soldiers! The army is mostly made up of exiled prisoners and those who have nowhere else to turn. Their rations are skimmed off at every level, leaving less than half; their armor and weapons are tattered and worn. Such an army is muddle-headed and demoralized; how can they have any morale? How can they have any fighting power? I can still command the young men under my command, but this garrison in Chenzhou..." He shook his head, his unfinished words revealing a deep sense of powerlessness. Zhang Biao also snorted coldly, clearly deeply disgusted by this.

Wang Zhonghua felt the same way and said in a deep voice, "What General Di said is exactly the stubborn rock that must be shaken on the road to building a strong army. If you don't believe me, give it a try. There are always more solutions than problems."

"Regarding the shortcomings of both civil and military affairs," Wang Zhonghua looked at Ouyang Xiu earnestly, "this is national policy, not something we can change. But here, at this time, we might be able to carve out a territory. Ouyang Xiu's presence here is like a sword of Damocles bestowed by His Majesty. It must be made clear that during the bandit suppression, both military and political affairs will revolve around military matters. Any local government affairs, grain and fodder allocation, or personnel requisition that hinders military operations must be unconditionally conceded by the prefectures! This is an extraordinary measure for extraordinary times, and Ouyang Xiu and the Di Defense Commissioner must work together to establish authority."

Ouyang Xiu stroked his beard, his gaze sharp: "When I left the capital, His Majesty secretly decreed, 'In matters of suppressing bandits, one may act expediently and need not adhere to conventional procedures.' Tomorrow, I will jointly issue a document with Defense Commissioner Di to the prefectures, establishing the wartime system. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures!"

"Ouyang Xiu is brilliant!" Wang Zhonghua cupped his hands and continued to present his core ideas, "As for boosting morale and changing the derogatory term 'bandit convicts,' although it's not something that can be accomplished overnight, we can achieve immediate results by starting with the following:"

Wang Zhonghua's eyes shone brightly as he laid out the blueprint in his mind one by one:

"First, establish a correct reputation and authority, and rebuild the military spirit."

"First, rectify names. A clear order was issued to the entire army to abolish the terms 'bandit convicts' and 'convicts,' and to uniformly address them as 'soldiers' and 'brothers.' Those who disobeyed this order would be flogged!"

"Secondly, establish authority. Establish concise military regulations and publicize them to the entire army. In particular, reiterate: it is strictly forbidden to withhold military pay, it is strictly forbidden to humiliate soldiers, and it is strictly forbidden to desert in the face of battle! Violators, regardless of rank or status, will be severely punished! At the same time, establish a merit book, record even minor merits in a timely manner, and reward them regularly, so that soldiers can see that their efforts will be rewarded!"

"Thirdly, we must forge a soul," Wang Zhonghua said firmly. "We must give this army a soul! Not one that fights for a particular general, not one of the 'Wang Family Army,' 'Yang Family Generals,' or 'a certain family's soldiers,' but the 'Great Song National Protection Army' that 'defends the homeland and protects the people's hometown!' They must understand that they are protecting their parents, wives, children, and fellow villagers! Every day before drills, officers at all levels must preach this message! What we need is an army that knows for whom they fight and why they fight!"

"Secondly, ensure their food and pay, treating them as brothers."

"Announcement to the entire army: Effective immediately, rations and pay will be directly distributed by the Defense Commissioner's Office, or a supervisory office with representatives of the soldiers will be established to jointly oversee the distribution, ensuring that it is sufficient and on time! At the same time, we will do our best to improve the diet, ensuring that there is meat every day; we will update the clothing to ensure that the winter clothes are warm; we will establish a medical camp, recruit doctors, and treat the wounded. Those who die in battle will be given compensation and a monument will be erected in their memory! We want the soldiers to feel that they are not useless, but brave warriors worthy of respect and cherished by the country!" When the "medical camp" and "compensation" were mentioned, Zhou An, the military advisor, nodded slightly, as if praising the thoroughness of the measures.

"Third, rigorous training and practice, survival of the fittest."

"Abandon all superficiality; training is solely for battlefield survival and combat. The curriculum includes: long-distance, heavy-load raids; squad formation coordination; hand-to-hand combat; precision archery; and stealth and combat in mountainous and forested terrain. Monthly assessments will be conducted; those who excel will be rewarded and promoted! Those who fail will be placed in the reserve team for intensive training; those who repeatedly fail will be discharged or demoted to auxiliary soldiers. We need elite soldiers who can fight, not mere figureheads!"

Fourth, advanced tools and new techniques.

"To do a good job, one must first have the right tools." Wang Zhonghua said, drawing half of his "Snowy Serenade" sword from his waist with a clang. The flash of its cold light attracted everyone's attention. "For example, this sword, though not a divine weapon, is designed to be tough and sharp. I will draw up more blueprints as soon as possible so that the ironworks in Lüjia Village of Sanyi Village can try to improve the crossbows, strengthen the armor protection, and design some easy-to-carry offensive and defensive weapons. In addition, we must attach great importance to reconnaissance and intelligence."

I suggest establishing a "reconnaissance battalion" directly under the Defense Commissioner's office, specializing in infiltration, reconnaissance, capture, and counter-espionage, to ensure "knowing the enemy" before battle. As for the instructor, I recommend my subordinate Lü Maoyi, without favoritism.

The crowd roared with approval, their eyes burning with unprecedented intensity.