Iron Dynasty Chapter 665

The fierce winds swept continuously across the steppe, their chilling whispers foretelling the approach of another harsh winter.

Niu Ben naturally understood the thoughts of Lu Fei and the other generals; his presence here was precisely to address this matter.

As an old general of the Great Yu Kingdom, he was well aware that soldiers would violate various laws during wartime, and such incidents could have an extremely detrimental impact on occupied cities.

Over the past year, the war reports he received showed a growing trend of soldiers bullying local civilian women.

Initially, he had been indifferent to this issue, believing that as long as there wasn't large-scale rape and looting by the army, it was proof enough of a disciplined force, and the transgressions of a few soldiers were of no great consequence.

However, when these reports reached Xiao Ming, Xiao Ming became deeply concerned, and thus, Niu Ben received the order to comfort the troops.

His visit this time was twofold: partly to supervise the war effort, and partly to boost morale.

After defeating the coalition of the three kings, Lu Fei and the other generals had led their soldiers in continuous, arduous battles, fighting from one city to the next.

Now that Juyong Pass had been taken, the war against the State of Liang was finally over, but the conflict was far from its end. Chang'an City was still in the hands of Prince Zhao, and many more battles lay ahead.

Moreover, the State of Liang bordered the State of Zhao, and with Liang's fall, Prince Zhao would undoubtedly try to stop their westward advance.

In such prolonged warfare, soldiers constantly facing life and death could easily lose control and violate military discipline.

At first, he had only vaguely understood the idea of comforting the troops, but after Xiao Ming's explanation, he instantly had an epiphany.

According to Xiao Ming, what soldiers needed was not merely their monthly pay; their selfless devotion in killing the enemy stemmed more from a desire for honor and national recognition.

This act of comforting the troops might seem trivial, but its actual implementation could yield unexpected results for the army, even alleviating the dissatisfaction born from their monotonous lives.

Simply put, it was about letting the soldiers know that while they fought valiantly on the front lines, the nation had not forgotten them, and deeply appreciated their contributions to the country.

Thinking of this, a hint of a smile touched Niu Ben's eyes. This theory was entirely new to him, yet he had to admit that Xiao Ming's words resonated deeply within his heart.

After this campaign, not only would comforting the troops become a regular activity for the army, but more policies would also be introduced to elevate the status of soldiers.

Although he had been thoroughly reprimanded by Xiao Ming in court for delaying the war, he had been quite delighted throughout his journey here.

He could see that Xiao Ming intended to raise the status of the military, an unprecedented move in the Great Yu Kingdom's history, as past emperors had invariably prioritized civil over military affairs.

The repeated failures in battles against the barbarians and these policies that displeased the army had consistently fueled discontent among the generals, serving as one reason why they were unwilling to fight to the death.

Lu Fei, though scolded, remained grinning. He said to Niu Ben, "Great General, your concern for the soldiers truly moves us. But will His Majesty not know of this? "

"This matter was His Majesty's own order," Niu Ben did not conceal. "If you wish to be grateful, then thank His Majesty. "

"His Majesty! " Lu Fei's eyes widened in disbelief. "His Majesty has always been strict with the army; why would he give such instructions this time? "

"Hmph, His Majesty is indeed extremely strict in governing the army, but he has also been constantly thinking of you all, saying that your campaigns abroad are arduous, that many soldiers have sacrificed themselves, facing death at any moment, and that since he cannot be present on the battlefield, he can only find ways to entertain the soldiers and relieve their boredom. " Niu Ben relayed Xiao Ming's words.

Upon hearing this, Lu Fei and the other generals felt a warmth in their hearts, and their eyes reddened. For days, from Qingzhou to Yuzhou, and from Yuzhou to Qingzhou, they had fought continuously, feeling as though their lives consisted of nothing but fighting, growing numb day by day, like scarecrows.

And Niu Ben's words suddenly made them feel that all the hardships they endured were worthwhile.

"Alright, hurry and get it done, while the fighting has temporarily paused. " Lu Fei's expression further affirmed Xiao Ming's words in Niu Ben's mind.

Such a simple order had moved a rough man like Lu Fei so deeply.

"Yes, General! " Niu Ben chuckled, then immediately ran off.

Ye Qingyun and the other generals were also beaming with joy. The days of marching and fighting were incredibly monotonous. If it weren't for the Chief Scribe's strict enforcement of military discipline, they truly would have wanted to let the soldiers loot and run wild.

But now, this good news immediately banished such thoughts.

As they spoke, the barbarian cavalry and slave soldiers outside Juyong Pass suddenly turned and retreated deep into the steppe.

This brought a collective sigh of relief from the generals; it seemed the barbarians had no intention of attacking the city.

"General, the barbarian troops have retreated. This Zheng Chengwen probably knows he can't take Juyong Pass," Ye Qingyun said.

Niu Ben nodded. He said, "That's good. If the barbarians were to launch a major invasion now, it would be troublesome. So, let's seize this opportunity, while the barbarians and Jinao are fighting, to swiftly capture Chang'an and eliminate Prince Zhao. "

Luo Hong and Luo Xin exchanged glances. Chang'an was their longed-for hometown, and they were the most eager generals to attack it, for they still had relatives within the city.

After reminding the generals about the upcoming battles, Niu Ben instructed the city defenders not to relax their vigilance. Only then did he and the generals descend from the city walls.

...

Qingzhou.

The excitement brought by the steam locomotive lasted only three days. On the fourth day, during the morning court, he was infuriated by the officials.

The matter that had incensed him this time concerned the status of the military.

"Your Majesty, have there not been enough instances throughout history of generals growing too powerful, accumulating troops, and rebelling against the imperial court? In this humble official's opinion, the status of the army is already significantly higher than before. Qingzhou has also erected the Hall of Heroic Spirits for fallen soldiers. At this point, why is there a need to further increase the rights granted to soldiers? "

In the Council Hall, Fei Ji spoke loudly.

"This subject seconds that. " Pang Yukun also stepped forward at this moment. The policies Xiao Ming proposed this time had displeased all the civil officials to some extent.

"This subject seconds that! "

"This subject seconds that! "

"..."

After Fei Ji and Pang Yukun, one civil official after another stepped out, with Yu Ming, Chao Jun, and others also joining them.

Gazing at the officials who had stepped forward, Xiao Ming frowned. It was truly rare for Pang Yukun and Fei Ji to be in such perfect agreement.

This clearly showed the extent to which the Great Yu Kingdom prioritized civil over military affairs. These officials, seeing Xiao Ming continuously raising the status of military men, finally could no longer sit still.

"Are you trying to force Our hand? "

Xiao Ming's brow furrowed deeply. For some time, he had been inclined to let these officials exercise their talents to assist him in governing the Great Yu Kingdom, which was in urgent need of reconstruction. Therefore, to avoid dampening their enthusiasm, he had even adopted some seemingly harmless suggestions.

But at this moment, he suddenly realized a problem: since ancient times, imperial power and the bureaucratic class have always had an inherent conflict, because strengthening imperial authority inevitably meant undermining the interests of the bureaucratic class.

He had been too amenable recently, and these officials seemed to have developed the illusion that he was just another Xiao Wenxu.