Chapter 207: Military Law and Human Rule, Stir-fried Pork with Sprouts and Roasted Pork

Wuying Hall is located on the north side of Xihuamen Road, west of Xihemen and Duanhong Bridge.

It faces south and is five rooms wide and three rooms deep.
The yellow glazed tiles shine with golden light under the sun.

Below is a Sumeru pedestal surrounded by white marble railings. In front of it is a platform with a corridor leading directly to Wuying Gate, lined with green trees.

Inside the hall, Zhu Yuanzhang and Crown Prince Zhu Biao sat opposite each other, with all kinds of exquisite tableware and delicacies placed on the table.

But at this moment, their attention was not on the food, but on their heads down in thought. The atmosphere in the hall was somewhat silent.

After a long time, Crown Prince Zhu Biao shook his head and smiled bitterly, then slowly spoke:
"I don't know much about the military, please explain to me why this method doesn't work in the Ming army."

Seeing the prince's solemn look, Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and waved his hand:

"Biao'er, I'm not picking on you.
It means that many things in the military are not as simple as they seem.
Now everyone in the court is bragging about how good the military system was when the rebellion began, and how the superiors were willing to make concessions, which was better than Zhang Shicheng, Chen Youliang, and the old Yuan Dynasty. "

Crown Prince Zhu Biao looked thoughtful and nodded slightly:
"After the Northern Expedition, there were indeed such rumors in the court, and I think there is some truth to them."

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly and waved his hand:
"These are all bullshit I am trying to make up for after the fact. Although I started the rebellion with some fanfare,
But it is still a long way to go before we can conquer the world. How can we think so far ahead when we have no food to eat?

It doesn't matter whether it's a military system or not, as long as it can be used,

The officials brought up the past just to prove that I was able to accomplish things by relying on the law, not people.

Then I pulled down all my old brothers, wishing they could put their weapons into storage and let them go to the mountains."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao looked solemn and nodded slightly:
"Father is right. This is a veiled attack, and the person behind it deserves death."

Zhu Yuanzhang showed a somewhat dry smile on his face:
"Prince, this is what I hope you understand.

Marching and fighting depend on people, not laws.

Back then, all the old brothers were able to gather together.
Because I have the ability to feed them and win battles, not any laws or military systems.

If there is a way to make the soldiers strong and everlasting,
Wouldn't it be possible for this world to have a dynasty that could last forever? But is there one now?"

Crown Prince Zhu Biao looked thoughtful. After a long while, he slowly raised his head with a serious expression:

"I understand now. If you don't have an outstanding general, you will never win the war."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded:

"Any general with some achievements has a set of methods to win over the hearts of the people, so that the soldiers are willing to follow you and fight to the death.
At that time, my father was trapped in Lianghuai, and he saw enemies everywhere.

He spent the whole day thinking about going to some other place and bringing in some people to strengthen himself.

Because Dad knows that with our abilities, we can definitely win over a group of people and attract many people with lofty ideals.

When the Yuan Dynasty weakened further, my father attacked from all sides, attacking Zhang Shicheng and Chen Youliang.
After we defeated them, the local soldiers and civilians heard of our Red Scarf name and rushed to surrender, and we conquered the place with just a letter of proclamation.

At that time, Dad understood that we had won the hearts of the people and that the method we had thought of was right.
So my father thought about going to the north and bringing in some people from the Yuan Dynasty.

Let them join us in the war, and the Yuan will have nothing to fear as they gain strength while the others lose strength. "

Zhu Yuanzhang's slightly hollow voice echoed in the Wuying Hall.
Crown Prince Zhu Biao looked thoughtful and serious:
"Father, are you saying... this method will make it easier for some ambitious people to recruit followers?"

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and nodded:

"Originally, each army had one general, and the general could only take care of his own little piece of land.

With the imperial military system in place, they were powerless even if they wanted to expand their army.

The ability to rotate generals might be helpful to the Ming Dynasty's control over the military, but it would also create great hidden dangers.

If there is a general who loves his soldiers like his own sons, respects the virtuous and is not stingy in sharing the credit, and is also a famous general in the army,
With this kind of exchange, I wonder how many people he will have.

In this way, chaos in the world is imminent.

By then, he will be like Song Zu, unable to rebel even if he doesn’t want to.”

Zhu Yuanzhang said this with a calm expression. He picked up the wine glass and drank the wine in it. He said calmly:
"I heard that Lu Yunyi is very kind to his soldiers and often buys meat for them. I think he is such a person."

The atmosphere in the Wuying Hall suddenly turned cold and became chilling in an instant.

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke calmly:
"Prince, you have never fought a war.

I don’t know how popular a general would be who can lead his soldiers to victory, earn military merits, and treat his soldiers well.

If this method is implemented in the army, within twenty years, the army will be full of Lu Yunyi's former subordinates.

Prince, think about it, if you can't make any progress in the army, have no chance to make achievements, and no chance to get promoted,

Will you remember this old superior who has been so supportive when the time comes?"

The prince was startled, and suddenly realized that he had understood the key point. He pursed his lips:
"The father taught me, and the child understood."

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression was calm:
"There is no perfect law in the world. Everything has its pros and cons. When an emperor acts, he does not look at the best, but the worst.
If we are not careful, the Ming Dynasty will fall back into chaos and war will break out again. The world will be in turmoil and the people will suffer.

I have lived in troubled times, and those days were really hard to endure."

"My son, please remember this."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao had a serious expression on his face, and it was obvious that he had taken these words to heart.

The father and son were speechless. After a long while, Zhu Biao slowly spoke:
"Father, the telescope is of great help to the Ming army.

The Governor's Office said that with this item, the chances of winning the war would increase by 10%. How does father plan to reward him?"

"Isn't it enough to spare his life?" A cold voice suddenly sounded.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao was stunned:

"Father, Lu Yunyi did this just to win the war, and there is nothing wrong with that."

Seeing his serious expression, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but laugh and waved his hand casually:
"You, you've been playing dumb with your father all day, what does this have to do with anything?"

"Then what did my father say?" Crown Prince Zhu Biao smiled embarrassedly.

Zhu Yuanzhang put down his chopsticks and pursed his lips:
"I am talking about his private withholding of the seized goods. Others withhold 20% or 30%.

I know that the soldiers have fought hard, so it is fine to share some money, and I do not intend to pursue it.
Fortunately for him, Lan Yu instigated him to take away half of the two large carts of jewels."

The prince was stunned, and then he heard Zhu Yuanzhang continue:
"Lan Yu also gave him a house right at the foot of the imperial city, so that others thought he bought the house with the confiscated property, and they even brought the case to me."

The prince thought for a moment and smiled bitterly:
"Father, it is clear that my uncle gave him that house because he values friendship and loyalty. Who is spreading such rumors and slandering our Ming generals?"

Zhu Yuanzhang also laughed, with wrinkles all over his face:
“The child is so simple-minded that he doesn’t even know he’s been sold.

There was a banquet in the palace that day, and he had nowhere to go after it was over.

Just as Liu Sanwu called him, he got on the carriage and actually spent the night at Liu Sanwu's house.

Now the dispute between civil and military officials is becoming more and more intense. What would others think if they saw him, a military general who was ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth, spending the night at the home of a literary leader?

That day, there were still quite a few people standing in front of the palace gate. "

Crown Prince Zhu Biao's eyes widened slightly, revealing a trace of astonishment:
"Is there still such a thing?"

The prince's eyes rolled, and then he understood, and said thoughtfully:

"No wonder Yu Tongyuan and his people are making trouble, and the Ministry of War is also joining in the fun. It seems that Lu Yunyi is now caught between a rock and a hard place."

"It's both sides who are disgusted."

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at the table and continued:
"Children are impatient and ignorant of the seriousness of the situation.
Thanks to his dedication to his original aspirations after his achievements, he married his childhood sweetheart.
Otherwise, he will be labeled as disloyal and unfilial, and we will see how he can turn things around."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao was somewhat helpless and smiled bitterly:
"Father, please don't be angry. We are from the northern border, and your Excellency is not around, so it is understandable that we don't know these things.

I will talk to my uncle and ask him to tell me."

"Well, this boy is not bad. He spent all the gold, silver and jewelry he seized on the soldiers, and he didn't spend them recklessly. Otherwise, I would not have forgiven him."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao cast his eyes over and knew at a glance that his father was very satisfied with this good family boy, so he struck while the iron was hot:

"Father, why don't you give him the title of the Crown Prince's guest and keep him in the capital? He can train the soldiers of the capital guards on weekdays. Yun Gong told me a few days ago that he is also very good at training soldiers."

Zhu Yuanzhang was somewhat tempted, but soon shook his head:
"You can get a title, but forget about being a person. Go out and try your luck while you're still young. It's not a bad thing to suffer a little when you're young.
It would be nice to go to Daning. A commander is enough for him to deal with. When the time comes, let him look after the Yellow Book of Fish Scales.
I have seen clearly that when it comes to my own life, the local guards in Daning are unreliable, and I still have to rely on these young fools."

At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang's face became serious:
"How is Yun Gong's succession to the title going? There is no plan yet?"

After hearing this, the prince felt somewhat helpless and sighed softly:

"Things have been tentatively decided, and there will be a result this year.

But the court officials now want Yun Gong to change his name because it offends Yun Wen. "

Crown Prince Zhu Biao had a gloomy expression and spoke in an irritable tone:
"As the Book of Filial Piety says, 'Our bodies and hair are given by our parents, and we should not damage them. The same is true for our names.
My Great Ming ruled the world with benevolence and filial piety, but the court officials now forced me to tell Yun Gong.
Only by changing your name can you inherit the title, otherwise there is no way. How can this have anything to do with loyalty and filial piety?"

The atmosphere in Wuying Hall was solemn, and Zhu Yuanzhang's face also turned gloomy:
"The censor heard the news and reported it, and even the court officials followed suit. They really deserve to be killed!"

I don't know what he was thinking of. His expression became uglier and he pointed at the dishes on the table:

"Look, Biao'er, pork fried with sprouts, the steamed pig's trotter I ate yesterday,

When I first ascended the throne, I didn't know who spread the news.
They said that I forbad people to say the word "pig" because it was a taboo, and they even named the pig something like Feifei.
There are still rumors that the pig should be called the master of the family.

You even said that it was my order. That's just nonsense. You're putting the blame on me."

The prince pursed his lips, feeling somewhat helpless, and said unhappily:

"To be honest, father, the roast pork I ate yesterday was
There must be someone behind these rumors, using the name of the royal family to cause trouble for the people."

"Well, you should think carefully about Yun Gong's matter and ask more questions. Don't hurt the feelings of the meritorious officials.
Even if we want to change it, we must make it clear, otherwise there will be more rumors among scholars and the public, saying that we are unreasonable. "

"I know, kid."

In September, as night fell, Puzikou City was lightly shrouded in a layer of mist.

The moonlight shines through the sparse clouds and sprinkles on the ancient city walls, making them look mottled and colorful.
On top of the city wall, the beacon tower stood silently, and the night wind blew through the gaps between bricks and stones.

At this moment, a low and orderly sound of horse hooves came from afar, breaking the tranquility of the night.

Five thousand soldiers from the front army's scout unit returned slowly after a day of military practice.

Their shadows lengthened in the moonlight, interweaving with the flickering light of lanterns on the city walls.

The sound of horses panting, armor clashing, and low conversations intertwined.
The soldiers looked exhausted. A day of martial arts training was far less exciting than going into battle and killing the enemy.
The soldiers were very unhappy because they had to accept arrangements in all aspects and were restricted.

"Finally home"

Liu Heiying, who was in front of the soldiers, couldn't help but sigh.
Li Jinglong, who was standing on the side, saw him lying on his horse and stretching lazily, and secretly envied him.
I also stretched myself lazily and sighed:

"Finally home"

Lu Yunyi, who was standing on the side, smiled:

"That's what a ceremonial soldier is like. They feel uncomfortable all over. They still need to train for two more days. Once they get through it, they'll be fine."

This time, it was not only Liu Heiying and Li Jinglong,

The other generals couldn't help but sigh and looked dejected.

The training was completely different from the limelight they had imagined, and it could only be described as physically and mentally exhausting.

At this moment, the gate of Puzikou City slowly opened.
The soldiers guarding the city had been waiting for a long time. They stood on both sides of the road with torches in their hands, making way for the front scouts and other troops to pass.

Soon, the soldiers passed through the city gate in an orderly manner and returned to the familiar camp, and instantly smelled the aroma of meat in the air.

Some of the firemen had been waiting in front of the military camp long ago. When they saw them coming back, they couldn't help but burst into laughter:
"Today we have braised pork. We also bought some spine bones from the merchant. There is meat on them too. Brothers, chew them hard!"

This word spread from mouth to mouth, and it immediately caused a sensation among the scouts in the front army, who couldn't help but get ready to take action.

Lu Yunyi could sense the soldiers' enthusiasm and couldn't help but shout:
"Just like usual, drink salt water first, then rinse your body, eat cleanly,
You must wash your hands clean. If you get sick, I won’t have the money to treat so many people!”

For a moment, there were loud laughter one after another, and the soldiers scrambled to drink the salt water.

At this moment, Lu Yunyi suddenly saw a familiar figure walking away from the entrance of the military camp.
He hurried over, and before he got close, he burst into laughter:

"Brother Shi, long time no see!"

The person who came was Shi Zhengyu, the deputy commander of Lan Yu's personal guards. He was still as strong as before, with a warm face and a "water bag" hanging around his waist.

"General Lu, how are you?" Shi Zhengyu also greeted him with a smile.

Walking closer, Lu Yunyi sniffed and joked with a smile:

"Brother Shi, it's been a while since we last met, and you still smell like alcohol."

Shi Zhengyu touched his head and laughed:
"Now that the war is over, I've drunk a little more. It's okay, it's okay. Hahaha."

As he spoke, Shi Zhengyu's face turned serious and he said in a deep voice:

"General Lu, the general ordered me to invite you to have a chat."

Lu Yunyi was stunned and asked:
"The general? The general is in the city?"

Shi Zhengyu nodded solemnly:

"I'll be here in the afternoon and wait for you in the city."

"wait for me?"

Lu Yunyi was even more surprised. After careful thinking, he still couldn't figure out the key point, so he moved closer and asked:
"Brother Shi, is it a good thing or a bad thing? I am worried."

Shi Zhengyu laughed and said frankly:

"Don't worry, the general likes you very much, it must be a good thing."

After hearing this, Lu Yunyi felt relieved, took a long breath, and said:
"Then please wait for me for a moment, Brother Shi. I'll go change into some clean clothes. It's a bit undignified to train today."

"Okay, go ahead. By the way, your food is so good? I can smell the aroma of braised pork."

Seeing his greedy expression, Lu Yunyi understood and smiled:

"Brothers, you have been training for a long time and need to eat some good food to replenish your body. Brother Shi, come and have some.

I hired this military cook specially for you. He is an expert at making big pot meals!"

"Hey, I'm so sorry."

Shi Zhengyu rubbed his hands but did not refuse.

Lu Yunyi smiled and called over a soldier and ordered:
"Take General Shi to dinner and treat him with good wine and delicious food."

　Rumors are debunked. In the Ming Dynasty, pigs were replaced by shu and zhu. These are all groundless rumors.

　　The "Shanxiu" records the menu for June of the seventeenth year of Hongwu:
　　“Pork fried with yellow vegetables, braised vegetables with clear sauce, steamed pig’s trotters and tripe”!
　　The Nanjing Guanglu Temple Records records the menu for October of the first year of Yongle:
　　"Roasted pork, pork in white soup".

　　The Imperial Code of the Ming Dynasty records
　　"On that day, the eunuchs set up sacrificial offerings, wine, and silk in the Fengxian Hall. Each temple has one pig, one sheep, two pieces of silk, and one jar and one basket."

　　The Zhuozhongzhi records:

　　"Locally, we have roast goose, chicken, duck, pork, sliced lamb tail, stir-fried lamb tripe, pork sausage, large and small sausages..."

　　In addition, in ancient times, "朱" and "猪" are not pronounced the same way and do not match at all.

　　As for Wuzong's ban on pigs, it is indeed recorded in the Ming Shilu.
　　"On the 12th day of the 12th month of the 14th year of the Zhengde reign, the emperor arrived at Yizhen. During his tour, he prohibited the people from raising pigs wherever they went."

　　Why there is no specific explanation?

　　There are two sentences in "Wanli Yewaibian":
　　"Raising and slaughtering pigs is common, but it is inconvenient to eat pigs that are not related to one's birth name, and the surname and characters have different pronunciations. Moreover, eating pigs will cause sores and diseases, which is very inconvenient."

　　Finally, eating pork can easily cause sores.
　　Considering that the ban on pigs only lasted for three months,
　　I suspect that the ban on pigs is due to swine fever.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)

previouscatalognext