Chapter Six, if it benefits the nation, one should live or die for it

Wang Kefan felt somewhat troubled; from the perspective of the Ming Dynasty scholars, Xu Bingzhong indeed had good intentions. His repeated persuasion was ultimately for his own benefit, and to stubbornly hold onto one's own views was somewhat lacking in understanding of human feelings.

Xu Bingzhong is indeed able to take things up and put them down, maintaining the demeanor of a senior. Since he was countered by a remark from a junior, he chose not to continue the debate and advised: "Although my dear nephew has the ambition to practice and implement his ideals, it is not necessary to pursue a military career; one can start from a civil service path. The bandits have retreated far away, and Huguang is now a peaceful land. Moreover, the new army organized by the provincial governor's office is not a desirable place to be..."

Wang Kefan stood up, placed his hands behind his back, and approached the window. He furrowed his brows as he gazed at the ancient cypress tree in the courtyard, and suddenly, with a flick of his green robe, he began to chant leisurely.

The gentry holds sway over public opinion and discourse. Zuo Liangyu aligned himself with the Donglin Party in the court struggles, naturally becoming a loyal and valiant general. He Tengjiao and Zuo Liangyu not only share a close personal relationship but are also political allies, with one serving as a governor and the other as a general, and the two are currently in a honeymoon period.

If one serves the country with life and death, how can one avoid fortune and misfortune!

Well, since you are so stubborn, I will speak about the origins of the Gongyi Camp. However, this is a matter under the jurisdiction of the Inspectorate, and there are some details of which I am not fully aware.

In fact, this is also a good thing, as the responsibilities and powers of the new army in the Gongyi Camp are unclear, and the management is ambiguous. Once one becomes involved, there will be more opportunities for operation...

The gentry places great importance on the cultivation of virtue. Wang Kefa elevated the act of joining the military to the height of national righteousness, making it naturally unstoppable and rendering any persuasion futile. If it were not for Xu Bingzhong's quick wit and his calm acceptance of the situation by acknowledging his mistake, he would have been unable to show his face in the gentry community thereafter

Wang Kefan turned around and bowed, replying: "I am ashamed; these are merely fragmented lines I happened to come across, expressing my lifelong aspirations."

This is also a special phenomenon that occurs during the transition of dynasties. If this had happened ten years ago, which governor would have dared to do so? They would certainly have been imprisoned and executed.

There is a pragmatic superior like this, the new army of the Gongyi Camp in Wuchang Prefecture should be quite good

With the handwritten recommendation letter from Xu Bingzhong to Du Yinxie, as well as a letter to the Liu family, Wang Kefa contentedly went to find Master Zheng, leaving Xu Bingzhong in a daze in the inner hall

Is the current governor of Huguang Zuo Liangyu? Wang Kefan inquired

Regardless of the circumstances, Wang Kefan is not the type to stubbornly adhere to rigid conventions; it is quite rare for him to articulate such reasoning.

Xu Bingzhong provided an overview of the situation in the military and once again advised: "Yuntai, the military is filled with those who vie for strength and courage, rough and uncultured warriors who know nothing of loyalty, filial piety, propriety, and righteousness. The virtuous and honorable avoid them at all costs; how can you willingly lower yourself to associate with them? Furthermore, swords and guns are unpredictable, and the battlefield is perilous. You are still young; how can you comprehend the dangers involved? Should anything unfortunate happen, what would become of your parents? Joining the military is a matter that requires careful consideration!"

Wang Kefan cannot possibly be using himself as a pawn, can he? This person is detestable

Zuo Liangyu is actually a loyal and valiant general? Wang Kefan appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly he was secretly scoffing.

In the aftermath of their revelry, the relationship between the two quickly deepened. Wang Kefan entrusted both families to Zheng Xuan, allowing them to return to Hengshili to sell their land. He then bid farewell with a handshake and made his way alone to the dock

After bidding farewell to Xu Bingzhong, Wang Kefan found his mentor Zheng Xuan and invited him to the best restaurant in the county town, where they reserved a private room to enjoy a few drinks.

... ...

Xu Bingzhong's eyes brightened, followed by a flush of red on his face, which instantly turned pale. After a moment of daze, he stammered and asked: "Is there the complete poem?"

There is no other way; I can only hurt Xu Bingzhong's pride this once.

... ...

Xu Bingzhong explained everything in detail from beginning to end, and only then did Wang Kefan understand that this Gongyi Camp was a new army established by He Tengjiao himself, which was not part of the regular army of the Ming Dynasty and therefore was not under the jurisdiction of the Capital Commander's Office, but was instead subordinate to the Inspectorate.

This viewpoint is closer to Wang Yangming's concept of the unity of knowledge and action, and it also resembles Wang Tingxiang's practical learning, which were both popular academic ideas during the late Ming dynasty. Xu Bingzhong was momentarily at a loss as to how to refute it

However, he understood even more that the opportunity to train a new army was extremely rare, and he had to take this step no matter what

Can Wang Kefan do it? Xu Bingzhong actually feels a bit hopeful

"Shouldn't the military affairs of the Inspectorate be under the jurisdiction of the Capital Command?" Wang Kefan expressed some confusion. In the Ming Dynasty, provincial-level local institutions were divided into three departments: the Department of Revenue, the Inspectorate, and the Capital Command. The heads of these departments were similar to modern governors, presidents of provincial courts, and commanders of provincial military districts. The Gongyi Battalion was clearly a military unit, yet it was under the court system, which was indeed quite perplexing

Indeed, General Zuo is a loyal and valiant commander. It is said that He Junmen (He Tengqiu) shares a close personal relationship with him. However, most of his subordinates are unruly and behave more like bandits than soldiers. If it were not for General Zuo's suppression, there would have been chaos long ago

It is truly impossible to refute; the relationship between knowledge and action is exceedingly complex. Countless sages and wise individuals have devoted their efforts to this matter, and a casual exploration of it could easily fill a substantial volume, which cannot be adequately explained in just a few words. Wang Kefa uses this to respond to his critics, having already established himself in an invulnerable position

However, He Tengjiao could not have anticipated that Zuo Liangyu would soon stage a splendid performance of "Eliminating the Corrupt Officials"

Wang Kefan, however, goes against Zhu Zi's teachings. In plain language, what he just said means that scholars should prioritize both knowledge and action. On one hand, they should pursue the principles and virtues of the world, and on the other hand, they should also emphasize practical implementation and lead by example.

This question is too big, trying to take shortcuts, and the heart of the Yun Tai can be condemned!

The translation result is: 明朝文贵武贱,投笔从戎是一件惊世骇俗的事情,家中刘氏等人肯定不能理解。许秉中是一县父母官,更是父亲的知交好友,如果能取得他的支持,就可帮助说服刘氏,减少家庭带来的阻力。

Wang Kefan nodded. Du Yuxi was very famous in history and was an outstanding figure among the officials of the Southern Ming Dynasty. He was known for his practicality and adaptability. Unfortunately, he was suppressed by He Tengjiao and others throughout his life, unable to fully realize his ambitions, and eventually died of illness in the military.

With such excellent phrases, even embarrassing matters become elegant. The elders are open-minded, while the younger generation is as resilient as bamboo. If Wang Kefan can truly achieve something in the military, it would be a great story to spread today.

Speaking of this matter, it's a long story. We have to start with the origin of the Gongyi Camp. Xu Bingzhong picked up the teacup, took a sip, and then slowly said, "Since the reign of Jiajing in our dynasty, most of the military households in the guard posts have been unable to withstand a battle. The endless troubles in Huguang have made the military preparations even more lax..."

These words can be considered heartfelt; given Xu Bingzhong's position, he could only speak to this extent. For scholars, enlisting in the military is a serious blemish, highly detrimental to personal development, and carries the risk of life, making it truly unworthy and not worthwhile

In traditional Cheng-Zhu Confucianism, which has always advocated the priority of knowledge over action, Zhu Xi once said, "If the principles of righteousness and reason are not clear, how can they be put into practice?"

However, those two lines of poetry are truly remarkable, exuding a resounding spirit that leaps forth!

Lake Guangdong is a peaceful world? Wang Kefan smiled without commenting, and said with a bow, "The conscription notice is unclear. The junior only knows it as the Gongyi Camp. There are still many perplexities about this new army, and I was just about to ask for the teacher's guidance."

"It seems that I have been petty, sigh..." Xu Bingzhong murmured to himself, suddenly standing up, adjusting his collar and clothing, and bowing deeply to Wang Kefa: "With such aspirations as yours, I, Bingzhong, pay my respects!"

Boarding a night ferry, leaving Juanshui, entering the Yangtze River, flowing downstream for three hundred miles, arriving at Wuchang Prefecture in the afternoon of the next day, and heading to the military office of the Bingbei Road to submit a letter to join the army.

Xu Bingzhong continued, "However, to return to the point, the newly established army of the Gongyi Camp has many threads to untangle, and some matters need to be handled in coordination with the Commander's Office. For instance, the training of the new army in Wuchang Prefecture is overseen by the esteemed Lord Du Yinxu of the Wuchang Military Preparations Department."

He Tengjiao's ambitions were considerable; while he was cultivating relations with Zuo Liangyu, he was also busy recruiting new troops. He deliberately bypassed Zuo Liangyu, the governor-general of Huguang, and had the inspection department responsible for training the Gongyi Battalion, aiming to create a force that would be loyal to him.

Xu Bingzhong suddenly had an awakening.