Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 854 A Choice That Must Be Made
"Ugh!"

Wang Yue shook his head with great regret on his face and said, "Firearms research and development is indeed progressing rapidly. The second son of the Imperial Father-in-law's family is truly a genius of his time. One has to admire his intelligence and wisdom, as well as his superb craftsmanship. What a pity, what a pity... I'm afraid I won't live to see that day."

Wang Shouren then realized that even Wang Yue, who was most eager to make military achievements, knew that with the new firearms developed by the second son of the Zhang family, it was only a matter of course for the Ming Dynasty to suppress the Tatars militarily in the future.

Even if the Tatars wanted to imitate it, they wouldn't have had that many craftsmen, and they lacked reserves of resources such as steel, iron, sulfur, and mirabilite, making it extremely difficult.

The technological gap in weaponry between the nomadic tribes and the Ming army will only widen, and defeat is only a matter of time.

but……

Wang Yue couldn't wait that long, because he was pursuing immediate gains: to accumulate numerous military achievements in a short period, causing a stir in the court and forcing the court to restore his title. As for the long-term implications… that was left to those who came after him, including Wang Shouren, who still had the opportunity…

Wang Shouren gave Wang Yue a deep look and asked, "Since our Great Ming will definitely be able to crush the Tatars in the future, why does the court insist on starting this war this year?"

Wang Yue smiled upon hearing this.

It's as if it's saying, "You're just bringing up the very thing you don't want to talk about."

Does the imperial court want to start a war?

It was my reckless and arbitrary act that led me to play this card by taking advantage of the emperor's and the second son of the Zhang family's psychology. The consequences are still unpredictable!

“Bo’an, actually I didn’t have a clear idea of ​​what to do until before the war… When I was talking privately with the second young master of the Zhang family in the capital, he said that it was better to fight the war on the grasslands sooner rather than later, and it was better to fight a small one rather than a large one… Logically speaking, the situation in the court is still unstable, and the chances of winning would be higher if we fought in the future.”

Wang Yue's face was full of reminiscence as he shook his head and said, "However, recently, I have come to some insight into this, and perhaps the crux of the problem lies here."

Wang Shouren cautiously replied, "Please, Your Excellency, speak plainly; I am eager to hear the details."

Wang Yue slowly analyzed: "I'm just speaking off the cuff, so please take it with a grain of salt and see if what I'm saying makes sense... There's currently a hidden cabinet minister in the court, none other than Zhang Yanling's father, Zhang Luan. If he retires, do you think the people in the court would still agree to let a young child lead the army to fight this battle?"

"what!?"

Wang Shouren's eyes widened in disbelief; he never imagined that this matter would be related to that little-known father-in-law of the emperor in the capital.

Wang Yue continued, "Zhang Laizhan suffered divine retribution several times from last year to this year for revealing heavenly secrets, and his body became extremely weak. It is said that the second young master of the Zhang family repeatedly pulled him back from the brink of death. Under such circumstances, as the second assistant minister of the court and the emperor's most trusted father-in-law, Zhang Laizhan did not take the opportunity to consolidate power and monopolize the court. Instead, he neglected his duties and was lazy. It was no secret that he was only half-hearted in his work."

"Moreover, I have personally interacted with Zhang Laizhan, so I naturally understand the mentality of this father-in-law who survived a near-death experience. He is now content with leisure and no longer wants to worry about state affairs. If the current emperor and the second son of the Zhang family want to use Zhang Laizhan's status to accomplish great things, they must do so within the next year or two, before Zhang Laizhan has completely retired."

Wang Shouren was dumbfounded and blurted out, "This reason is indeed unexpected."

"Furthermore..."

Wang Yue added, "Perhaps His Majesty also wants me to contribute while I'm still alive. After all, with me around, the soldiers can work together to accomplish something great. If even a staunch advocate of war like me is gone, relying solely on the Zhang family's influence will ultimately be... a bit too weak..."

Wang Shouren said with emotion, "I understand now. It's not that the young uncle of the Zhang family is incompetent, but rather that his age has led to a lack of prestige. He only dares to fight this battle because you and Zhang Guozhang are backing him up."

"Ah."

Wang Yue nodded heavily and said, "His Majesty has only recently ascended the throne, and now is the perfect time to make a splash. If things are stable for a few years, and then war is brought up again, Zhang Laizhan and I will no longer be in the court. Do you think those conservative civil officials will allow His Majesty to fight such a war?"

"No, absolutely impossible!"

Wang Shouren said confidently, “Civil officials have plenty of excuses, such as wasting public funds by launching a war without authorization, or being wary of military leaders becoming too powerful and repeating the tragedy of regional separatism at the end of the Tang Dynasty. Sending troops will become extremely difficult.”

Wang Yue said, “Your father was in court, and you must have been exposed to it from a young age. You must know a lot about court affairs and be very clear about the current thoughts of the civil officials. Since the Ming Dynasty was established, the ambition of its subjects has long been exhausted. At present, the entire Ming Dynasty is seeking stability. The spirit of seeking revenge against the Tatars for the Tumu Fortress humiliation during the Chenghua era has passed. Now, more people are content with the status quo.”

Wang Shouren asked, "Then... Wang Zhongcheng, what should we do next? Are we just going to sit and watch everything happen? What use are the most advanced weapons and equipment if the soldiers have no fighting spirit? Right now, we still have a chance to completely defeat the enemy and solve the problem once and for all."

“I know where the problem lies.”

Wang Yue gave a wry smile and asked in return, "But look at the army now, how many people still want to fight to the death?"

With just one sentence, Wang Shouren was brought under control again.

Wang Shouren felt very lost because he had witnessed the laxity of Zhu Yong and his son, as well as the soldiers' attitude towards the upcoming battles. They all felt that the current results were already quite good.

Military life is already tough enough, so why risk your life in such a harsh and cold place to do something with no hope of success?
Wang Yue said, "Therefore... if we can no longer achieve any results, we have no choice but to retreat."

"This... what about the troops that attacked from Datong Town on the eastern route after our retreat?"

Wang Shouren asked.

Wang Yue shook his head and said, "The matter of Datong possibly sending troops is just my speculation and cannot be taken as fact, because I do not know the specific arrangements made by His Majesty and the Zhang family's young uncle."

"Of course, they didn't deliberately hide it from me. They only said they would wait for the right opportunity and strike decisively. I sent troops without authorization before because I thought that with the advantage of the new firearms, I could achieve the merit of pacifying the grasslands on my own. But I never thought... I am just an ordinary person after all, and I can't do things that transcend worldly affairs."

Wang Shouren really wanted to ask, "What worldly matters are you unable to transcend?"

But seeing the undisguised disappointment on Wang Yue's face, he suddenly realized that the famous general he admired was actually an ordinary person with a complex inner world.

Wang Yue was also pursuing fame and fortune. Fighting was not entirely for ideals. If the goal was not to restore his title, who would be willing to sacrifice their life for so-called ideals?
Moreover, with the current unfavorable situation, Wang Yue is bound to be hesitant and worried that he will be unable to explain himself if he suffers a defeat.

At that time, even the credit we have earned now will be lost.

"Bo'an, if we really have to withdraw, your troops will stay behind and find an opportunity to break out," Wang Yue instructed.

Wang Shouren said, "Minister Wang, today my student led troops in a charge, but not only did we not achieve anything, we also..."

Why bring that up?

Wang Yue said, "If even you lose faith in the army, who else can I rely on? The credit for this battle was earned by you, and I don't trust anyone else."

As the commander-in-chief, Wang Yue had lost hope in his men, which made Wang Shouren keenly realize that there seemed to be no need to continue the battle at this point.

The achievements we have made so far could easily benefit others if we are not careful.

Wang Shouren was somewhat unwilling and asked, "I still don't quite understand how Datong can reverse the current unfavorable situation."
"Are you just using us as bait to lure the Tatars here? But to pacify the grasslands, we must first annihilate the Tatar army!"

Wang Yue said, "Throughout history, it took decades, even generations, to subdue the grasslands. Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Taizong of Tang, for example, repeatedly defeated the foreign tribes until they were utterly helpless! Actually… I haven't figured out the secret either… But, Bo'an, perhaps I'm overthinking it? Don't worry too much. Tomorrow… prepare to withdraw the troops."

……

……

Despite immense pressure, Wang Yue resolutely sent troops to the grasslands, earning a great deal of military merit from the Tumed tribe. However, seeing that the situation was not going well, he decisively decided to withdraw his troops from the grasslands.

The army set off.

Zhu Yong's rear guard became the vanguard, and they went ahead to occupy the Yinshan Pass.

In fact, Zhu Yong didn't need to specifically target them, because the Tatars already understood how powerful the Ming Dynasty's firearms were, and their chances of winning in a direct confrontation were very small.

Zhu Yongcai occupied the pass for less than half a day before Wang Yue's central army arrived.

"Guo Bao Gong."

Wang Yue jumped off his horse and said to Zhu Yong with a smile, "You've worked hard in this battle."

Zhu Yong said, "It is my great honor to be able to serve the court and fight alongside you, Your Excellency."

Wang Yue smiled and said, "Fortunately, we all returned safely. When we get back, I will ask for credit for you and your son... This time, we owe a lot to Dongyang and Bo'an. Speaking of which... Bo'an is truly a talented person. It's a pity that he hasn't passed the imperial examination yet... But in the future, he will definitely have a place to use his talents in the court."

Zhu Yong asked, "What if the Tatars come after us..."

"Will not."

Wang Yue shook his head and said, "The Tatars also know that they only chose to retreat because our subsequent food and ammunition supplies could not keep up with the consumption, and we could not hold out on the grassland for long."

"In a direct confrontation, the Tatars are no match for us... Since they don't even have the courage to face us head-on, why bother cutting off our retreat and giving us another chance to make a name for ourselves?"

"I'm really not happy about leaving like this," Zhu Yong said with regret.

Wang Yue smiled.

That mocking expression seemed to ask, "Are you really unwilling to accept this, or are you just putting on an act for me?"

I heard from Bo'an that your son has been hoping for the troops to withdraw for a long time!

I'm afraid you're just putting on an act in front of me!
Zhu Yong said, "Now that things have come to this, I hope I can do something... Please, Commander Wang, allow me to be in charge of the rearguard, to cooperate with my son and Young Master Wang, and to ensure the safe retreat of the entire army."

"it is good."

Wang Yue nodded approvingly, "At this point, it is truly rare that you, Duke of Baoguo, still retain a strong fighting spirit... So, as you wish, the rear army will be entrusted to your command."

……

……

The Ming army retreated slowly.

The Tatars followed at a distance, not in a hurry to catch up, or rather, their goal was to drive the Ming army out of the grasslands.

Since Zhu Yong took command of the rear army, he became the Ming duke closest to the Tatars during the Hongzhi reign.

"Father, why did you have to come all this way?"

Zhu Hui didn't quite understand his father's choice. "When we were charging forward, that guy surnamed Wang wouldn't let you be in front, afraid you'd steal his credit. Now that the rear guard has become the front guard, that's why he sent you to cover the rear?"

Zhu Yong said, "Son, don't say that. I can understand Wang Shichang's feelings... Didn't he give you a chance to show your abilities this time?"

“We, father and son, are of one mind. Giving you this opportunity is giving our Zhu family a chance. You have finally made a great contribution this time. Even if Wang Shichang doesn’t praise you, I will personally speak to His Majesty on your behalf.”

Zhu Hui said, "He can provide us with channels? Aren't you afraid he'll take all the credit for Wang Bo'an?"

"hehe."

Zhu Yong laughed and said, "Wang Bo'an is still a commoner, without even an official title. No matter how much Wang Shichang wants to promote and give him important responsibilities, there's nothing he can do. Who can blame him? He's not even a member of the military. Even if he wanted to become a military household, do you think his father, Wang Hua, would agree? We and he are on completely different paths; we can't possibly walk the same road."

"That's true."

Zhu Hui nodded and said, "To give credit to a commoner who accompanied the army sounds absurd... People will ask, what is this person's ability, and why is he ranked first in merit?"

Zhu Yong looked his son up and down: "You've spent a lot of time with him, but you don't know his abilities. This young man is truly a peerless talent. It's just a pity that I didn't give him a few more years to hone his skills. If one day he could be ranked in the imperial court, he might achieve great things... But rules are rules. At least in this battle, the chances of him benefiting from it are very small."

Zhu Hui said, "Even so, I still feel that it won't be easy to earn this credit."

Zhu Yong laughed and said, "Don't forget about the Zhang family, who are related to the maternal relatives. They won't sit idly by and let Wang Shichang's family become too powerful. Besides, Wang Bo'an has never been part of the Zhang family's plans... For the future of our family, I, your father, will shamelessly kneel and lick their boots to get this credit."

Will the Zhang family father and son give us face?

Zhu Hui clearly wanted to gain credit, but he was also afraid that the higher his expectations, the greater his disappointment would be, and that the gap between expectations and reality would be too big.

Zhu Yong said with a hint of confidence, "I know Zhang Laizhan's preferences better than anyone. We can cater to them when the time comes. Besides, he needs to cultivate his power in the army right now, and I can complement his strengths perfectly. If he doesn't use me, why would he use the arrogant and overbearing Zhang Tingmian?"

Zhu Hui said, "The British Duke's Mansion has deep-rooted influence in the capital. We can only be considered a rising star among the nobles. We are probably not strong enough to contend with them. Perhaps we really need to unite with the Zhang family, the imperial relatives."

Zhu Yong looked up at the northern sky, frowned, and said, "Dark clouds are looming overhead. I estimate there will be another blizzard in the next couple of days... Once the snow closes the mountains, we won't be able to retreat smoothly back to the south bank of the Yellow River, and we'll have to fight the Tatars again... That might be another opportunity to make a name for ourselves."

"Father."

Zhu Hui hurriedly reminded them, "The weather is freezing cold right now, and with the twelfth lunar month approaching, the soldiers have lost their will to fight. Moreover, firearms may not be effective in extreme weather conditions, so it would be best to avoid fighting again."

Zhu Yong sighed, "You have made a contribution this time, but you still lack ambition when it comes to seizing opportunities. Listen to your father, fight if you can. If you want to gain the support of His Majesty and the Zhang family, you must at least let them know that we are the ones who are eager to help His Majesty complete the plan to pacify the grasslands... Attitude determines everything, remember that!"

(End of this chapter)