Chapter 7, A word awakens the dreamer

My lord the supervisor, how shall we proceed next? We still have one hundred thousand brothers under our command, we cannot simply let them perish in Henan

Gao Jie felt a sudden jolt in his heart and urgently asked, "My Lord Supervisor, do you mean to say that we have truly fallen into a predicament?"

Sir Supervisor, does the Ming army not realize that it is on the brink of utter ruin?

To sustain war through war

Sun Chuanting looked at Zhu Jie and said in a low voice: "Hero Zhu, no, General Zhu, how shall we face the current perilous situation? I kindly ask the general to instruct me..."

Zhu Zhuangshi, are you not being alarmist? Even if Henan is out of grain, there is still some in Shandong and Shaanxi. This governor would only have to go through a bit of trouble at most

Zhu Jie smiled

Zhu Jie continued, "Your Excellency, the times have changed. Originally, Li Zicheng could be considered formidable, a fierce general, but that is all there is to it. Whether it is you or Lu Xiangsheng, both have the capability to annihilate him. However, now Li Zicheng has first recruited Song Xiance, then Li Yan and Niu Jinxing, and his wings have been fully formed. These three individuals possess extraordinary talents. Can we compare the current Li Zicheng to that of two or three years ago? Previously, he was merely engaged in plundering, but now they are gradually encroaching upon and devouring the provinces, establishing solid bases, and have secured strategic space and logistical support in the rear. To eliminate Li Zicheng, how easy is that?" Previously, he was merely engaged in plundering, but now they are gradually encroaching upon and devouring the provinces, establishing solid bases, and have secured strategic space and logistical support in the rear. To eliminate Li Zicheng, how easy is that?

Gao Jie, who was standing nearby, changed his expression, and even Sun Chuanting's face appeared somewhat unnatural. Under normal circumstances, such words would be enough for the Jinyiwei to dismember this foreigner into eight pieces. What does it mean to be the hound of the court?

Sun Chuanting barely suppressed the turmoil within himself and forced himself to justify his actions

Sun Chuanting nodded and replied: "Indeed, it is a predicament. If it were not for this victory, I fear that within a few days, we would find ourselves in dire straits. With this victory, we have seized several thousand stones of grain, yet it is merely a matter of prolonging our survival. Advancing, we lack sufficient provisions; retreating, the Emperor has issued a strict order to advance. This is a deadlock..."

Sun Chuanting was momentarily at a loss for words

Sun Chuanting waved his hand and replied, "General Gao, you must understand that while a thousand troops are easy to obtain, a single general is hard to find. Not to mention anything else, just the vision of Zhu Zhuangshi alone surpasses anyone in our army. As for his abilities, you are well aware of them, aren't you? Can you compare? You may not feel the sense of crisis, but I, as the supervisor, have already sensed it. The situation appears to be one of continuous victories, yet in reality, we have fallen into the trap set by Li Zicheng. His strategy of fortifying defenses and clearing the fields to lure the enemy deep is indeed formidable, leading us unknowingly into a snare. Zhu Zhuangshi is right; Li Zicheng has capable individuals assisting him..."

Zhu Jie furrowed his brows and replied in a measured tone: "In such a perilous situation, we have no choice but to take a risky gamble. To overcome the dire state of our supplies, there is only one way—fight to sustain the fight"

Warrior, since you are a subject of the Ming Dynasty, you should understand the two words of loyalty and righteousness. In life, if one does not know loyalty and righteousness, nor knows shame, how is one different from beasts?

Gao Jie

Superintendent!

Gao Jie felt a chill in his heart, not expecting that the situation had become so severe!

Sun Chuanting quickly stopped Gao Jie and turned his face to continue speaking: "Zhu Zhuangshi, although General Gao's words are disrespectful, they still hold some truth. You have been deeply taught by the esteemed Gao, how could you not understand loyalty, filial piety, integrity, and righteousness? Are you testing me, the governor..."

Sun Chuanting replied calmly: "Zhu Zhuangshi, I only care whether you possess true talent and knowledge. As for high official positions and generous salaries, that is absolutely not a concern, as long as you demonstrate your abilities."

Zhu Jie felt as if he were looking into a clear mirror, as Sun Chuanting was assessing whether he was worthy of a strong recommendation.

Sun Chuanting was momentarily taken aback and asked, "What does this mean?"

Sun Chuanting felt a surge of joy upon hearing this; there was a way forward. It seemed that this extraordinary individual intended to enlist his strength to deal with the intruders. If he could truly gain a powerful ally, would he not be like a tiger with wings?

In critical moments, even someone as brave as Gao Jie cannot help but engage in scheming. In this chaotic era, military power is the true path to dominance. Only with military power can one act without restraint; without it, one is nothing at all

Zhu Jie nodded, acknowledging that Sun Chuanting truly deserves his reputation as a renowned general. His broad-mindedness and depth of character are indeed beyond what Gao Jie can compare to, possessing at the very least the demeanor of a great commander

Zhu Jie stood up and replied: "My Lord Supervisor, it is quite simple. Your forces have advanced eastward from Tongguan, marching southeast, and have already strayed a thousand miles away from the heart of Shaanxi. You are isolated, and your army does not exceed 100,000 men. However, the forces of the rebel leader, Li Zicheng, have already surpassed 300,000. This is the first point; second, Henan has suffered from years of disasters, leaving the land barren for miles. All the treasuries in the prefectures and counties within Henan have been completely plundered by the rebels. What will you do about your logistics and supplies? Without provisions, Li Zicheng can simply wear you down, exhausting the imperial forces; third, if Li Zicheng sends capable generals to advance northwest, cutting off your army's supply lines and retreat routes, will your forces not become like fish in a barrel?"

Zhu Jie chuckled and said: "My lord, the supervisor, do not deceive yourself any longer. Currently, the enemy outnumbers us, and almost the entire Henan is under the control of Li Zicheng. Even if your army wishes to transport grain from Shandong or Shaanxi, can it really be done? At this moment, do you still dare to divide your forces to protect the supply routes? Wouldn't that play right into the hands of the bandits, allowing them to defeat us one by one?"

Gao Jie had not yet come to his senses, but Sun Chuanting could no longer sit still. He had been feeling a vague sense of unease these past few days, though he could not quite grasp where the problem lay. As for the several generals, they were even more muddled. Little did they expect that the Ming army was already at the end of its strength, and this predicament was unexpectedly revealed by the unusual person before him.

Zhu Jie said in a deep voice: "My lord, the reason we are in a passive position is that we are the official army and cannot plunder indiscriminately. However, the bandits have no such scruples; wherever they go, it is as if not a blade of grass can grow. All the food has been taken by them. If we want to turn the situation around, we cannot rob the common people, so we must seize from those damned bandits instead"

Gao Jie, who was standing nearby, was taken aback. Was this Inspector General being too generous? Right from the start, he appointed Zhu Jie as the camp commander, a left-wing camp commander no less, which meant overseeing three thousand men and managing three thousand households

Zhu Jie smiled and said: "Do not take offense, Supervisor, it is merely a jest. Serving the court is naturally a matter of course. Acquiring both literary and martial skills is essential for serving the imperial family. However, if you wish for me to follow you closely, it is necessary to demonstrate a certain level of sincerity..."

Sun Chuanting inquired: "What does it mean to sustain war through war?"

Sun Chuanting no longer defended himself and replied: "Zhu Zhuangshi, welcome to join my Qin army. From today onwards, you will be my military advisor, commander of the left wing battalion, leading three thousand main forces of the Qin army. How does that sound?"

Alright

In that case, Zhu Zhuangshi, I, the governor, intend to invite you to join my great army to serve the court and together confront the bandits. What are your thoughts on this, Zhu Zhuangshi?

Zhu Jie looked at Sun Chuanting with a smile that was not quite a smile and replied, "Are you, my lord, intending to become the court's watchdog?"

Gao Jie exclaimed angrily

Sun Chuanting quickly said