Whenever Ma Xiuying was pregnant, she stayed with Chen Biao.
And since Ma Xiuying was pregnant quite frequently, she actually spent more time learning from Chen Biao than Zhu Yuanzhang did.
Before Zhu Yuanzhang had even realized it, his wife was already capable of picking up a brush and writing reports and official documents in handwriting even more elegant than his own.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked over the three letters Ma Xiuying had sent him.
One was a family letter written in the voice of “Madam Ma of the Chen Family” to her son and Chen Guorui. One was a private letter addressed to Zhu Yuanzhang himself. The last was an extremely detailed report intended to be shared with Zhu Yuanzhang’s subordinates for discussion.
The family letter from “Madam Ma of the Chen Family” was meant to be read together with their son, so Zhu Yuanzhang set it aside for the moment. After hesitating between the personal letter and the report, curiosity got the better of him, and he opened the report first.
The report was thick. Zhu Yuanzhang spent a full hour and a half reading it before he finally struggled through the entire thing.
When he finished, he set the report down, his eyes vacant with bewilderment.
The overall framework and detailed planning behind what Ma Xiuying had done had all been built together by him and Chen Biao. Yet when he saw the actual results, Zhu Yuanzhang was completely dumbfounded.
It was like an architect drawing plans for an elegant little pavilion, only for the completed building to turn out to be a magnificent imperial palace. Who wouldn’t be confused by that?
Everything had still been within Zhu Yuanzhang’s expectations when Ma Xiuying stood on stage calling for women to support the Zhu army.
But after Ma Xiuying raised her arm and called out, the people responded immediately. Women even traveled from Fujian, from north of the Huai River in Henan, and several female bandit leaders had come as well, offering to fight for Zhu Yuanzhang on the battlefield…
Zhu Yuanzhang scratched his head.
With the realm in chaos and war raging everywhere, it took days or even weeks to travel from those places to Yingtian. If someone traveled more slowly, it could easily take over a month.
Working backward based on travel time, some of those women must have set out the moment they heard about the Equal-Field System. Others had probably left home as soon as he issued the decree unbinding women’s feet and openly broke with the mainstream scholars.
Zhu Yuanzhang scratched his head again.
His scalp didn’t actually itch. He simply needed to do something to ease the strange feeling in his heart.
Li Zhen, who had delivered the letters, stayed in the study to tend the lamp and grind ink for Zhu Yuanzhang.
Watching Zhu Yuanzhang scratch his head so vigorously, he couldn’t help thinking that many of Chen Biao’s bad habits had been picked up from Zhu Yuanzhang—such as spacing out every now and then and scratching his head whenever he ran into a problem.
Li Zhen asked, “Guorui, what’s troubling you?”
Still scratching his head, Zhu Yuanzhang replied, “It’s not exactly trouble. It’s just… I just can’t figure it out. No, that’s not right. It’s not that I don’t understand. I’m… not used to it? I can’t really explain it.”
Li Zhen said, “Why not ask Biao?”
Whenever they ran into a problem, they asked Chen Biao. It had already become the family’s habit.
Zhu Yuanzhang said sheepishly, “Even this kind of thing? It feels a little embarrassing.”
Li Zhen laughed. “You’ve already lost face in front of Biao countless times. What’s one more?”
Pulling a long face, Zhu Yuanzhang sighed.
“I suppose that’s true. Forget it. I’ll go to sleep first and discuss it with Biao tomorrow.”
If you couldn’t figure something out, then sleep on it.
Perhaps because his previous violent emotions had finally reached rock bottom and rebounded, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly found himself unusually broad-minded.
After washing up, Zhu Yuanzhang climbed into Chen Biao’s bed, wrapped his arms around his sleeping son, and enjoyed a peaceful night’s sleep.
The next morning, Chen Biao sleepily got up to use the toilet. When he stepped over Zhu Yuanzhang, his short little legs couldn’t quite clear the distance, and he planted one foot squarely on Zhu Yuanzhang’s stomach, waking him up.
Clutching his stomach, Zhu Yuanzhang scolded Chen Biao.
Chen Biao completely ignored the father he’d just stomped on and climbed out of bed to relieve himself.
Ah…
So refreshing.
Rubbing his stomach, Zhu Yuanzhang said, “Kid, have you gotten heavier again?”
Chen Biao replied, “I’m growing. It’s perfectly normal to get heavier every day.”
The father and son squatted beside the well to wash up, then childishly competed to see who could spit their mouthful of rinse water the farthest.
The three adopted sons happened to walk past carrying piles of heavy documents.
Seeing the scene, they all quietly took a detour.
Their adoptive father cared tremendously about appearances in front of outsiders. If they saw him acting this childish, he’d definitely make life difficult for them afterward.
After washing and breakfast, the future Emperor Zhu—whose enthronement was still far away—held his little Crown Prince in his arms as he sat in the grand chair handling official business, while also asking his son about the strange feelings he’d experienced the previous day.
Chen Biao had already finished breakfast but was still nibbling on a piece of fruit, crunching away nonstop.
“The weird feeling you had,” he said between bites, “was the sound of your worldview shattering.”
Zhu Yuanzhang blinked.
“Huh?”
His son was becoming harder and harder to understand.
Chen Biao grabbed Zhu Yuanzhang’s sleeve and wiped the fruit juice from his mouth.
“Did you actually read the Heavenly Book? A worldview means your outlook on life, your understanding of the world, and your values. Dad, I think your reading efficiency is terrible. I suggest you read it fifty times, copy it fifty times, and then memorize it another fifty times.”
Were Qing princes required to read something fifty times or a hundred times?
Chen Biao chewed thoughtfully.
Making his father follow the Qing princes’ study routine…
That would be hilarious.
Zhu Yuanzhang’s scalp tingled.
“We’ll talk about that later. Next time. Biao, what worldview of mine has shattered?”
Chen Biao replied, “You’ve realized that women are people too.”
Zhu Yuanzhang stared blankly again.
“Huh?”
Chen Biao gave an example.
“Take a wealthy merchant family like ours. We exploit the hired workers every day. They endure it silently just to survive. Then one day a worker suddenly snaps and hacks the steward to death with a knife. Only then does the Chen family realize, ‘Oh, so the workers are people too. They have emotions and desires, and they can explode.'”
Black lines appeared across Zhu Yuanzhang’s face.
“Biao, what kind of ridiculous example is that?”
Taking another bite of fruit, Chen Biao mumbled through a full mouth, “As long as you get the point, it’s fine. Close enough.”
“Dad, you’re a wealthy merchant now, so it’s normal that you never thought about it. Commander Zhu probably did think about it, or he wouldn’t have asked Madam Ma to do all this. Commander Zhu was once a monk and a beggar. He must have seen plenty of poor women struggling desperately just to keep themselves and their children alive.”
“…Ah. Mm. Ahem. That’s true.”
Zhu Yuanzhang carefully thought back.
Sure enough, he could remember many women from the lowest levels of society fighting desperately to survive.
But until his son reminded him, he had never once consciously recalled those memories.
After all, once someone finally escaped poverty and lived a better life, who willingly kept reliving their former suffering?
Zhu Yuanzhang fell into another daze.
As he daydreamed, he absentmindedly rubbed his son’s round little head.
Under the rough caress of his father’s large calloused hand, Chen Biao’s head bobbed up and down like a pecking chick.
Fortunately, that didn’t stop him from continuing to eat his fruit—or from wiping the juice onto Zhu Yuanzhang’s clothes.
Chen Biao actually liked being clean.
The problem was that papermaking technology was still primitive. Paper wasn’t as cheap as it would be in later generations, and handkerchiefs constantly needed washing and replacing.
His father’s clothes made perfect napkins.
After spacing out for a while and finishing his nostalgic reflections, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, “Biao, do you think we can use Madam Ma’s methods here in Yangzhou?”
Chen Biao shook his head.
“Something like this only has real power when women themselves take the lead. You can’t rush it. If Uncle Xu weren’t a widower, then his wife could have stepped forward and copied Madam Ma’s approach. Actually…”
He paused.
“If Mother weren’t pregnant, bringing her to Yangzhou would’ve worked too.”
Cold sweat immediately broke out across Zhu Yuanzhang’s forehead.
Right!
Xiuying was pregnant!
Could she really handle all this?
His first instinct was to write immediately and tell Ma Xiuying to focus on her pregnancy and stop worrying about these matters.
But the moment the thought arose, he remembered what his son had said before.
The Commander’s Wife had already done so much for the Commander.
The Commander ought to support her own ambitions.
Pinching his son’s plump cheek, Zhu Yuanzhang said, “Your mother has probably already gotten busy helping Madam Ma.”
Chen Biao nodded.
“Probably. Actually, it’s healthier for pregnant women to move around a bit. Mother is so steady and sensible. Even if she’s working, she’ll take good care of herself. You don’t need to worry.”
Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled.
“Of course.”
He sighed.
“If I’d known, I would’ve sent Tang He instead. Xu Da really is…”
He simply couldn’t understand why Xu Da refused to marry.
Look at himself. A happy family was wonderful.
Xu Da was already getting on in years and still didn’t have a single child.
If he died on the battlefield someday, would Chen Biao really end up wearing mourning clothes and smashing the funeral basin for him?
Dream on.
Zhu Yuanzhang decided he really needed to find Xu Da another wife as soon as possible.
Speaking of Xu Da, Chen Biao’s gossip instinct surfaced.
“Uncle Xu has never remarried. Didn’t Commander Zhu ever try to find him someone? Aren’t they close? And didn’t you ever try? You and Uncle Xu are practically brothers.”
“We both tried,” Zhu Yuanzhang replied. “He just wouldn’t agree. I was even thinking about forcing the issue.”
After a pause, he said darkly, “The girl I’d arranged for Wenzheng had a younger sister. She’ll come of age next year. I wanted Xu Da to marry her so he and Wenzheng would become brothers-in-law.”
Chen Biao nearly choked on his fruit.
His cousin Wenzheng’s brother-in-law?
Wasn’t that Xie Zaixing’s daughter—the daughter of the man who later defected to Zhang Shicheng?
“Dad, what kind of judgment is that?”
Chen Biao laughed.
“Good thing Uncle Xu insisted on staying single, or he’d have been thoroughly cheated by you.”
Looking slightly guilty, Zhu Yuanzhang muttered, “How is that cheating? Commander Zhu is broad-minded. Even if Xie Zaixing defects someday, he wouldn’t punish his married daughter.”
He wasn’t making excuses for himself.
At this point in history, he genuinely didn’t have a habit of indiscriminate slaughter.
Interestingly enough, in the original history, Xie Zaixing really did defect.
It happened in the twenty-third year of Zhizheng (1363), after Zhu Yuanzhang had already defeated Chen Youliang and his power had greatly expanded.
Xie Zaixing defected with his entire army.
His excuse was that Zhu Yuanzhang had married his daughter to Xu Da without consulting him first, showing him no respect.
But by the time he defected, Lady Xie had already borne Xu Da a daughter. If he had truly been dissatisfied with the marriage, he would have objected long before then.
The real reason for his betrayal was that two of his subordinates had secretly sold military supplies to Zhang Shicheng. Zhu Yuanzhang discovered the crime and executed them.
Out of consideration for his relationship with Xie Zaixing, Zhu Yuanzhang chose not to pursue the matter further. He merely returned the two corpses to Xie Zaixing as a warning and temporarily restricted his military authority.
Xie Zaixing responded by defecting with his troops.
Afterward, Lady Xie went on to bear Xu Da several more sons.
Unofficial histories claimed that Lady Xie was a shrew whom Zhu Yuanzhang personally executed.
That was complete fabrication.
In the twentieth year of the Hongwu era, she was posthumously granted the title “Lady of the Prince of Zhongshan Wuning.”
Given Zhu Yuanzhang’s personality, would he personally execute a “criminal woman” and then later grant her an honorable posthumous title?
Absolutely not.
Unofficial histories also contained many other stories about Zhu Yuanzhang killing his ministers’ wives.
Lady Lan, the wife of Chang Yuchun, was another supposed victim.
One tale even claimed Zhu Yuanzhang dismembered her and distributed her flesh among his ministers, giving rise to the saying “the flesh of a shrew.”
But Lady Lan had already been granted the title “Lady of the Prince of Kaiping” while she was still alive.
The title “Prince of Kaiping” itself was bestowed upon Chang Yuchun only after his death.
Clearly, Lady Lan outlived her husband.
Although those were the historical facts, Chen Biao still didn’t believe the current Zhu Yuanzhang was incapable of implicating innocent relatives.
After all, the Zhu Yuanzhang he knew came from the Hu Weiyong and Lan Yu purges.
Didn’t those supposedly kill tens of thousands of people?
Forget married daughters—even cats and dogs weren’t spared.
Xie Zaixing defecting at the exact moment Zhu Yuanzhang most desperately needed security…
Who would believe Zhu Yuanzhang wouldn’t take it out on innocent people?
Chen Biao rolled his eyes at his father.
“Mm-hmm. Your Commander is wonderful in every possible way. Especially his generosity. His heart is so broad I could run laps across it.”
Zhu Yuanzhang glared and pinched his son’s cheeks.
Even with his cheeks stretched, Chen Biao kept eating his fruit.
“The gentry and powerful families in Yangzhou have already fled. The land has already been distributed. There’s no need to rush the propaganda battle. If you really want to do something, send the people from the Chen family’s theaters and storytelling houses over here to gather material. They can create new operas and storytelling performances based on the land distribution in Yangzhou.”
Zhu Yuanzhang immediately released his cheeks.
“Biao, what else?”
Finishing the fruit, Chen Biao jumped down from his father’s lap and stretched lazily.
“Forget it. Dad, you keep handling the land distribution. I’ll take care of the publicity.”
Zhu Yuanzhang grinned.
“So you’re not hiding your talents anymore?”
Looking completely listless, Chen Biao replied, “They’re already trying to make me a little teacher for children’s education. Aside from Commander Zhu probably not knowing I’m the Divine Child, he already knows I’m unusually clever. Don’t tell me you haven’t bragged about me.”
Keeping a straight face, Zhu Yuanzhang said, “How is that bragging? I was simply stating the facts!”
“Mm-hmm. Just stating the facts.”
Chen Biao waved him off.
“The Chen family now controls the commercial lifelines throughout Commander Zhu’s territory. Every channel for public messaging is in our hands. If we don’t produce some real results, Commander Zhu might start getting suspicious.”
“Oh, right.”
Chen Biao pulled out a thick stack of papers from inside his clothes.
Zhu Yuanzhang stared in astonishment.
Then he picked Chen Biao up and gave him a shake.
Chen Biao exploded.
“What are you doing?!”
“My son,” Zhu Yuanzhang said, “you’re only wearing a sleeveless little vest. Where in the world were you hiding all this?”
He shook him again.
Chen Biao lashed out with a flying kick, planting his foot squarely under Zhu Yuanzhang’s chin.
“Put me down! We’re discussing serious business!”
Rubbing his chin, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the papers.
“These are… land deeds?! Biao, what are you trying to do?”
Chen Biao said, “The Chen family has enclosed a great deal of land around Yingtian. Even though we treat our tenant farmers well…”
He waved the thought away.
“Never mind. When you return to Yingtian, hand these deeds over to Commander Zhu and have him distribute all our land. My only request is that priority be given to the tenants already farming our fields.”
Zhu Yuanzhang’s face changed dramatically.
“Biao! What nonsense are you talking about?! Your land is yours. How can you just give it away?”
Speechless, Chen Biao replied, “Dad, after reading the Heavenly Book for so long, this is all the awareness you’ve gained? If we’re distributing land, then the excess land owned by our Chen family has to be returned too. Commander Zhu needs someone to set an example. Our family earned all this wealth because of him, and the Equal-Field System came from the two of us. If we don’t lead the way, who will?”
Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head stubbornly.
“No! Other people are other people. We’re us!”
Chen Biao pinched the back of his father’s hand.
“Even after giving away the extra land, the Chen family will still be wealthy merchants. We don’t make our money farming.”
“Dad, listen to me. Have I ever been wrong? Right now is when Commander Zhu needs reassurance the most. It’s also when the Chen family has the best opportunity to earn his trust. Trade some land for a noble title. Isn’t that a great deal?”
Even after being pinched, Zhu Yuanzhang continued shaking his head vigorously.
A noble title?
What title could possibly be greater than Emperor and Crown Prince?!
He was nearly frantic.
How could he possibly explain this to Chen Biao?
Chen Biao continued.
“Besides, if we don’t want farmland in China, there are endless amounts overseas. Dad, since you like land so much, I’ll let you claim as much as you want in the New World someday, or buy you estates in Europe. You can have as much land as you like. The farmland here should go to ordinary people.”
He scratched his head.
“The Heavenly Book came into this world because of me. Originally, I planned to wait until I was old and close to death before publishing it. But now it has appeared early. The Equal-Field System has appeared ahead of time. Madam Ma has become Lady Xiuying, leading women in fighting for the right to survive. As the Divine Child, if I don’t do something too… it just doesn’t feel right.”
Silently, he added to himself:
Zhu Yuanzhang is creating a land lease system. Empress Ma is launching a women’s liberation movement. If I don’t contribute anything, I’ll feel like I’m letting down my identity as a transmigrator.
He was genuinely puzzled.
Am I really the transmigrator here? Why do Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying feel more like transmigrators than I do?
Sure, he was still young.
And Zhu Yuanzhang was famously ruthless.
Keeping a low profile had been the correct choice.
But seeing everything unfold like this, Chen Biao couldn’t shake the feeling that something was… off.
“That’s settled. I’m the head of the Chen family.”
Chen Biao slapped the table.
“If you won’t hand them over, I’ll personally go tell Commander Zhu. You’re not going to lock me in the house, are you? Actually, it’d be even more effective if Commander Zhu donated his own land right now. But with his personality, he’d happily distribute everyone else’s land while refusing to touch his own. So our Chen family will have to step up instead.”
Zhu Yuanzhang’s heart hurt so much he nearly cried.
The Chen family’s land was his own land!
Chen Biao kept talking.
“You should also tell Commander Zhu to refuse at first. Then the Chen family insists on donating the land, saying we’re merchants and don’t depend on farming anyway. Commander Zhu can then accept it and reward us with fertile land according to our merits. Once the other generals see that, they’ll all start offering up their own land in hopes of getting theirs redistributed earlier. As for the details, figure them out yourself. Don’t expect me to solve everything.”
Suppressing the ache in his heart, Zhu Yuanzhang listened carefully.
He finally understood why Chen Biao wanted to do this.
His territory was still unstable.
He couldn’t simply seize the land his subordinates had already occupied.
If the Chen family took the first step, those loyal to him would voluntarily donate their land. He could reward them, encouraging others to follow.
Once the overwhelming majority voluntarily surrendered their land, the few holdouts could then be persuaded to “volunteer” as well.
And once Zhu Yuanzhang’s own followers had all “voluntarily donated” their land, the local gentry and powerful clans would have no choice but to “volunteer” too.
When wielding the knife, you first had to cut into your own ranks.
Only then would others believe your sincerity.
Zhu Yuanzhang stared at the thick stack of land deeds, then at the utterly unconcerned expression on Chen Biao’s face.
His head began spinning.
As his thoughts blurred, passages from the Heavenly Book suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Sentences he had once only half understood gradually became clear.
No wonder his son had said this book could only truly be put into practice in a future age.
Before then, even emperors who read it would only laugh it off, treating it like fantasies such as the Great Unity or the Peach Blossom Spring.
They would never see it as something to fear.
After all…
Once someone attained supreme power, who wouldn’t want to become one of the privileged few controlling the world’s resources?
Zhu Yuanzhang murmured to himself, “Would anyone who held the greatest power in the world truly be able to carry out everything written in the Heavenly Book?”
Thinking the question was directed at him, Chen Biao answered, “Of course. Didn’t I tell you? Hundreds of years from now, once productivity and ideas have both been liberated, people will eventually do exactly that. China will inevitably move in that direction.”
Zhu Yuanzhang asked, “Biao… would you become that kind of person?”
Without hesitation, Chen Biao replied, “No! I’m nowhere near that noble! I’m just a profiteering businessman!”
Looking at his father, he continued, “You couldn’t do it either. So as long as the two of us can make sure this book survives and gets passed down, our consciences will be clear.”
All at once, an overwhelming sense of unwillingness welled up inside Zhu Yuanzhang.
Why should people of the present be inferior to those of the future?
Could future generations really be more capable than both him and Biao put together?
No…
He also had to include his Xiuying.
More capable than the three of them combined?!
He refused to believe it!
A ruthless gleam flashed through Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes.
Since I, Chen Guorui, am even giving up my own family’s land, the rest of you had better know what’s good for you!
…
Plans, no matter how many he had, still had to wait until the land distribution in Yangzhou was complete.
As soon as it concluded, Zhu Yuanzhang would return to Yingtian to oversee affairs, while Xu Da and Chang Yuchun would once again lead their armies to continue expanding their territory.
But Chen Biao took the initiative and announced that he would not be returning to Yingtian.
Instead, he intended to make a grand display of his talents in Yangzhou and help the Chen family earn even greater merit during the period when Zhu Yuanzhang felt the most insecure.
Within Yingtian, the name Lady Xiuying had already spread far and wide.
Under Zhu Yuanzhang’s banner, two female generals had appeared.
At first, these two women were responsible for escorting the grain convoys transported by the women’s supply corps, traveling back and forth between the various battlefronts.
After fighting several unexpected engagements along the way, Zhu Yuanzhang replaced several of his male commanders with them and sent the two female generals to lead siege campaigns instead.
One of the commanders who was replaced happened to be none other than Tang He, who had once again caused trouble by drinking.
People of this era generally believed women were inferior to men, especially on the battlefield.
Yet these two newly joined female generals were now leading armies into battle, while Tang He—a veteran confidant who had followed Zhu Yuanzhang from the very beginning—had been reassigned to escort grain supplies.
Tang He: I’m really… going to cry…
When Chen Biao heard the news, he laughed so hard he rolled back and forth across the bed.
I wonder if this blow will finally make Uncle Tang quit drinking. This is just too hilarious!
Neither of Zhu Yuanzhang’s two female generals came from obscure families.
Back during the Southern Song, the court had retreated south while fighting, with Fujian becoming its final battlefield. Even into the Zhiyuan era (around 1300 CE), large anti-Yuan uprisings still raged throughout places like Putian and Qingliu in Fujian.
Lady Xu’s real name had been Chen Shuzhen. Both her father and husband had died fighting for the Southern Song. After the dynasty fell in 1279, Lady Xu continued to raise the banner of resistance against the Yuan, recruiting volunteer forces until she was killed in battle in 1282.
Afterward, the Xu clan was hunted down by the Yuan government, and most of its members fled deep into the mountains to survive.
The dark-skinned, sturdy woman who had responded to Ma Xiuying’s call was one of Lady Xu’s descendants. In honor of her ancestor’s legacy, she changed her name to Xu Shuzhen.
The other female general claimed to be a descendant of the famous Qingliu anti-Yuan heroine known as the “General of Mars.”
Like Chen Shuzhen, the original General of Mars had resisted the Yuan alongside her husband. After his death, she continued the struggle alone until she died a heroic death. Because her entire family had been slaughtered, neither her real name nor her life story survived. Only her title remained.
After swearing sisterhood with Xu Shuzhen, this second female general adopted the surname Chen out of admiration for Lady Xu and named herself Chen Huoxing.
Whether she truly descended from the original General of Mars remained uncertain, but she had inherited both that heroine’s title and her mission, as well as her remarkable talent as a commander.
Both female generals possessed first-rate command abilities and tremendous personal charisma. Otherwise, they could never have become leaders of mountain strongholds.
While Tang He was being “banished” to serve as grain transport commander and reflect on his mistakes, he found himself incapable of feeling either jealousy or resentment.
All he could do was hug a wine jar filled with vinegar and sob pitifully.
Kneeling before Zhu Yuanzhang, Tang He pointed toward the heavens and swore, “This time I’ll definitely quit drinking!”
Zhu Yuanzhang remained expressionless throughout.
“Oh.”
Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang remained unmoved, Tang He awkwardly climbed back to his feet.
“Marshal… you’re really leaving Biao’er alone in Yangzhou? How on earth did he convince you?”
Before Zhu Yuanzhang could answer, Xu Da—who was setting out on campaign at dawn the next morning yet had still found time to come laugh at Tang He—said, “Biao’er put on the authority of the Chen family’s head and forced the boss to agree. Hahaha! You should’ve seen it. I nearly died laughing.”
Zhu Yuanzhang said coldly, “Didn’t you say you nearly died laughing? Why aren’t you dead yet?”
Xu Da immediately pinched his lips shut, signaling that he would stop talking.
Zhu Yuanzhang continued, “I’ve appointed Zhu Wenzheng and Li Wenzhong as the generals defending Yangzhou. Song Lian and Ye Zheng will oversee the military farms. Li Zhen is also there. All of them will follow Biao’er’s direction. Compared to Yangzhou, which is already as secure as an iron barrel, Yingtian is the more dangerous place.”
After returning to Yingtian, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately issued an order.
Moved by what had happened in Yangzhou, and unwilling to deprive others of their ancestral lineage, he instructed all his adopted sons to reclaim their original surnames.
Those who did not know their original surnames could temporarily continue using Zhu. He also promised to help them locate their ancestral homes.
The justification sounded perfectly righteous. Coupled with the fact that everyone was currently arguing about the Well-Field System, the announcement barely caused a ripple.
His adopted sons all changed their names.
For example, Zhu Wenzhong became Li Wenzhong again. Chen Ying, who had only briefly been Zhu Wenying, reverted to Chen Ying.
Only Zhu Wenzheng remained Zhu Wenzheng.
It was said that Chen Guorui himself had proposed it, saying that having this nephew keep the Zhu surname was just fine. The Chen family had plenty of descendants already—they didn’t need this one back.
Those who understood knew exactly why Zhu Wenzheng had not changed his surname.
Those who didn’t…
Well, Zhu Wenzheng had now become irrefutable proof that the Chen family had offered him as a “hostage” to demonstrate their loyalty to Zhu Yuanzhang.
After a pause, Zhu Yuanzhang added, “My wife is extremely busy now and goes out every day. Although she’s in disguise, Biao’er could easily discover her identity.”
Tang He scratched his head awkwardly.
“Sister-in-law… Sister-in-law is really incredible.”
Xu Da released his pinched lips.
“It’s not just Sister-in-law. After she issued the call, all the wives of the brothers in the army became incredible too. Tang He, isn’t your wife amazing as well?”
Tang He couldn’t resist running his mouth.
“Of course. Better than someone who doesn’t even have a wife.”
Xu Da smiled coldly.
“Heh. Sure. Better than someone who keeps ruining things by drinking.”
Tang He immediately shut up.
So this was what brothers were like? Wherever you were wounded, they’d stab you right there.
Xu Da continued, “Actually, maybe they’ve always been this capable. They just never had the chance to show it.”
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded gently.
“That’s true. Let my wife spread her wings and see what she can do.”
With Zhu Yuanzhang’s wholehearted support, Ma Xiuying became even bolder.
She gathered literate women, led them out of Yingtian, and had them set up free tea stalls along major commercial roads while carrying copies of the Well-Field System policies.
There, they explained the policies to travelers and distributed pamphlets.
This had been Chen Biao’s idea.
Traveling merchants were the primary channel through which information spread during these chaotic times.
Whether they supported the policy or not didn’t matter.
As long as they knew about it, news of the Well-Field System would travel alongside them to every corner of China that commerce reached.
Chen Biao believed Zhu Yuanzhang lacked neither generals nor civil officials. Even if civil officials were in short supply, they could be trained.
What Zhu Yuanzhang truly lacked were common people who could farm, pay taxes, and eventually become soldiers.
As long as refugees and impoverished people trapped in other territories learned that Zhu Yuanzhang’s Well-Field System would grant them land, they would flood into his domain.
Especially women.
In this era, healthy young men could always fill their stomachs by joining an army, though the death rate was terrifyingly high. Entire villages were often left with nothing but the elderly, women, and children.
The elderly, women, and children still had to cultivate the fields and pay taxes to whichever warlord controlled the region.
But because they had no legal claim to the land, anyone could seize it from them at any time.
If they had to farm and pay taxes regardless, why not move to Zhu Yuanzhang’s territory, where at least the land would truly belong to them?
In these troubled times, women occupied a lowly status and were barely treated as human beings.
Yet they were also an important “resource.”
Where there were more women, more young men would be attracted there, and the population would grow more rapidly.
Zhu Yuanzhang himself had never realized this.
Letters arrived from Chang Yuchun and Xu Da, who were leading separate campaigns.
They reported that countless mountain bandits, river pirates, and scattered soldiers they encountered along the way would immediately kneel and pledge allegiance the moment they heard they belonged to Zhu Yuanzhang’s army.
The reason was astonishing.
Poor women throughout the land were flocking to Yingtian.
If you served in Zhu Yuanzhang’s army, you could get yourself a wife.
Those men clung to Chang Yuchun’s and Xu Da’s horses, howling, “Lady Xiuying said it herself! Zhu Yuanzhang’s territory doesn’t have much, but it has plenty of women who are excellent at farming and weaving! As long as Zhu Yuanzhang’s soldiers are honest, have no bad habits, and treat these good women well, she’ll personally arrange wives for them!”
After reading Chang Yuchun’s and Xu Da’s letters, Zhu Yuanzhang unconsciously tilted his head just like his son.
Something like this could actually happen?
Zhu Yuanzhang was dumbfounded once again.
Ever since his Madam Ma had become Lady Xiuying, not only had his territory flourished and completely shaken off the shadow cast by Xie Zaixing’s defection…
How had this happened too?
What astonished Zhu Yuanzhang even more was that people kept coming every day to the recruitment office in Yingtian asking when the next enlistment would begin.
“Lady Xiuying said so! If you distinguish yourself in the army, she’ll introduce you to a wife!”
Zhu Yuanzhang scratched his head.
Then scratched it again.
“Not yet. We’ll see how much grain we have after this year’s harvest before deciding how many soldiers we can recruit.”
He sighed.
“Don’t be so impatient! Look at Grand Marshal Xu Da—even he doesn’t have a wife. What’s your rush? Getting married next year is the same!”
The applicants immediately protested.
“Grand Marshal Xu has lofty ambitions! He refuses to marry until the realm is pacified! We’re ordinary people! How can we compare?”
Disguised as a clerk at the recruitment office, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn’t help correcting them.
“Rubbish! Grand Marshal Xu never said that! What he actually said was, ‘One person fed, the whole family fed!’ That’s why he refuses to marry!”
The crowd immediately looked at him with disdain.
“What do you know about Grand Marshal Xu? We people of Yingtian know him far better than you do! Judging by your accent, you’re not even from Yingtian! Outsiders should keep quiet! Don’t insult Grand Marshal Xu!”
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed in exasperation.
Of course I’m not from Yingtian!
I’m from Haozhou!
And Grand Marshal Xu is from Haozhou too!
How the hell has even that idiot Xu Da become a legendary figure?
Suppressing his amusement, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, “Since you all admire Grand Marshal Xu so much… what about Marshal Zhu?”
The man replied reverently, “He’s an immortal sent down from Heaven to save the people!”
Zhu Yuanzhang grinned.
“Then you’re mistaken. Zhu Yuanzhang isn’t any immortal. He’s just a farmer who scratched a living from the fields. He was once a monk, and once a beggar. He experienced the suffering of ordinary people himself, and that’s why he understands their suffering—and why he’s willing to stand on their side.”
Silence.
Everyone who heard those words fell silent.
Others noticed the silence and asked what had happened. After hearing the explanation from those nearby, they too fell silent.
Gradually, the entire area became utterly quiet.
They all looked at Zhu Yuanzhang—the man they thought was merely a clerk at the recruitment office—with eyes filled with confusion, yet shining brightly.
“Marshal! What are you doing here? Mr. Li has been looking for you everywhere.”
Tang He strode over carelessly and dragged Zhu Yuanzhang away.
“There’s too much going on lately. Don’t make Mr. Li angry. If he gets fed up and quits, where are you going to find another hardworking fellow willing to clean up all your messes?”
Only after Zhu Yuanzhang had been pulled away did voices gradually return to the crowd.
People murmured among themselves, though no one could make out what was being said.
Then, for some unknown reason, someone knelt in the direction Zhu Yuanzhang had departed.
One person became many.
In moments, the entire crowd had dropped to their knees.
Their faces pressed tightly against the ground.
Tears mixed with the dirt beneath them.
Ye Chen was dressed in coarse commoner’s clothing, holding a charcoal pencil in one hand and a notebook in the other, looking no different from any ordinary government clerk.
While Song Lian and Ye Zheng remained in Yangzhou, Wang Yi, Ye Chen, and Ye Zheng’s three disciples had stayed in Yingtian to assist Li Shanchang.
When Ma Xiuying had called upon women to support Zhu Yuanzhang through practical action, they had joined the movement at her request.
Many of the songs now performed by the women who had once worked in brothels and music houses had lyrics written by them.
Ye Chen’s family had studied history for generations. It was only with Ye Chen himself that the family turned to Neo-Confucianism.
Yet after arriving in Yingtian, he had carefully recorded every change taking place there, voluntarily becoming a chronicler of this era.
Holding the crude charcoal pencil, he wrote today’s events onto rough paper.
“The common people said: ‘Marshal Zhu is an immortal descended from Heaven to rescue all living beings from suffering.’
A minor clerk smiled and said: ‘Marshal Zhu is but the poor son of a farmer. He was once a monk and once a beggar. Only after tasting the people’s suffering did he understand it; only after understanding it could he relieve it.’
The people fell silent.
At that moment, Tang He arrived, addressed the clerk as ‘Marshal Zhu,’ and led him away.
The people remained silent, then knelt facing the direction Marshal Zhu had departed, weeping without end, their devotion surpassing even that shown in prayers to gods and Buddhas.”
After recording the account, Ye Chen let out a long breath.
Then he smiled and shouted, “All right! The Marshal has been gone for ages. Hurry up and get on your feet! Anyone who wants to join the army, register first! When recruitment begins, you’ll be given priority!”
The people hurriedly scrambled to their feet, ignoring the mud covering their faces as they surged toward Ye Chen.
“Hey! Line up! Form a line! Don’t crowd! Someone, maintain order!” Ye Chen shouted as he was nearly knocked to the ground.
The nearby Red Turban soldiers hurried over to restore order, lining everyone up and registering them one by one.
…
In Yangzhou, Chen Biao—having successfully managed to stay behind on his own—sat cross-legged atop a table, staring solemnly at his older cousin and older cousin on his mother’s side.
“Can you two really handle this? Shouldn’t we let Teacher Song and Teacher Ye take charge while you assist them instead?”
Zhu Wenzheng hurriedly said, “Biao’er, you have to help us with this! This is the first time Wenzhong and I have ever been entrusted with defending a city. Our futures depend on it!”
Li Wenzhong also pleaded for perhaps the first time.
“Biao’er…”
Chen Biao waved his little hand seriously.
“Fine, fine. I’ll help you. But will Teacher Song and Teacher Ye really agree to you two fooling around?”
Zhu Wenzheng immediately rubbed his hands excitedly.
“Don’t worry. Teacher Song and Teacher Ye are good people. Besides, they’re busy with the military farms.”
Teacher Song and Teacher Ye already knew his younger brother Biao was the Divine Child. They definitely wouldn’t object.
Besides, they probably wanted to see for themselves just how capable this Divine Child really was.
Though Zhu Wenzheng was reckless, he wasn’t stupid.
Especially in warfare, he could be astonishingly meticulous and possessed keen instincts.
He simply didn’t like using his brain most of the time.
Now that Zhu Yuanzhang had entrusted Chen Biao to his care, Zhu Wenzheng promptly picked his brain back up, dusted it off, and stuffed it back into his skull.
Chen Biao pinched his chubby chin.
“All right. Since you both insist, I’ll give you ideas. How much you accomplish depends on your own abilities.”
“Yeah!”
Zhu Wenzheng and Li Wenzhong slapped each other’s hands in celebration.
With Brother Biao helping them, the enormous merit from defending Yangzhou was practically guaranteed!
Too bad Chen Ying had gone with Marshal Xu to earn military achievements and gain battlefield experience.
He wouldn’t get to share this great accomplishment!
The two young commanders, entrusted with such responsibility for the first time, grinned from ear to ear.
Sitting cross-legged atop the table, Chen Biao began assigning tasks to his two rather dim-witted older brothers.
“Cousin, your face looks terrifying when you don’t smile. You’ll be in charge of labor reform.”
“Cousin Wenzhong, you’ve got a gentle personality. The common people won’t be afraid of you. You’ll handle public opinion among the populace.”
“I’ve already summoned all the opera masters and folk performance instructors from the Chen family to Yangzhou. During their free time, Teacher Song and Teacher Ye have also collected many true stories from the city.”
“Now it’s time for our counteroffensive in the battle of public opinion.”
Chen Biao revealed a soft, utterly unthreatening… cold smile.
Famous courtesans singing songs, talented ladies writing poetry, scholars publishing essays to curse people—that counted as a propaganda war?
Those people in Suzhou and Hangzhou probably thought Lady Xiuying’s campaign had already been the counterattack and had started relaxing by now.
Sorry.
That was only the beginning.
After seeing Marshal Zhu and Lady Xiuying become even more radical than a transmigrator like himself, the transmigrator in him was finally about to show his power.
Ever heard of model operas?
The artists trained by the Chen family carried their trade tools to nearby Yangzhou and began recruiting performers.
The people they recruited turned out to be…
Members of the Qing Army.
The Qing Army soldiers were completely dumbfounded.
“It’s one thing to make us farm… but now we have to learn opera too?”
Zhu Wenzheng grinned.
“You need work points if you want to earn civilian status. Performing in one opera earns one work point. Farming for an entire day also earns one work point.”
“So?”
“Are you in?”
The Qing Army soldiers immediately changed their expressions.
“We’re in! We’re in!”
“I’m great at singing!”
“Before I became one of Zhang Mingjian’s soldiers, every wedding and funeral in my village had me get up and sing!”
Zhu Wenzheng clapped his hands.
“Good. Line up. Test your voices. Auditions begin.”
At Chen Biao’s insistence, Zhu Wenzheng had been forced to wear a strange duckbill cap. Holding two wooden signs marked “Start” and “Stop,” General Zhu temporarily transformed into Director Zhu.
Meanwhile, Li Wenzhong went among the common people recruiting actors, especially actresses.
He had expected to spend a great deal of effort persuading them.
Instead, the moment he mentioned, “The kind of plays Lady Xiuying had performed,” peasant women hurriedly wiped their faces clean and crowded around him.
“Can I do it?”
“If I perform well, can I go to Yingtian and meet Lady Xiuying?”
“I don’t ask for anything else—I just want to see Lady Xiuying once!”
Li Wenzhong: “…”
“I’ll make arrangements.”
Moments later, Li Wenzhong was nearly trampled to death by a crowd of sturdy peasant women.