Chapter 27: The March

Ma Xun set off, leading the troops of two garrisons. The soldiers were well-accustomed to this; having lived through the chaos since the end of the Yuan Dynasty, they were long used to constant warfare and long-distance campaigning. The people of Yingtian Prefecture were equally accustomed to it. Although the Emperor had established his base in Jinling, the city had been breached by enemies several times in the past. The citizens were unfazed by the sight of troops marching out; it was a common occurrence.

According to the Ming Dynasty’s garrison system, each guard unit consisted of 5,600 men, divided into five battalions: front, rear, left, right, and center. Ma Xun knew his own limitations, so he refrained from interfering with the march or route planning, leaving those decisions to Mu Ying. He simply listened and learned. Although the Feathered Forest Guard and the Flying Bear Guard were elite units, they were currently marching at a normal pace of thirty to forty miles a day. A forced march might push them to sixty miles, but anything more would be unsustainable.

Mu Ying explained patiently, "Uncle, look at the scouts riding back and forth. They are organized in groups of five, spaced one mile apart. On this campaign, we must keep track of all activity within a twenty-mile radius."

Ma Xun listened intently as Mu Ying continued, "When we encounter valleys or forests, the main force must not enter blindly. We must have the scouts and vanguards verify the area first."

Ma Xun nodded. Some things could not be learned from books alone; one had to experience them to gain true insight. He gestured behind him and asked, "Do the soldiers march without armor? Are they relying entirely on the laborers and pack horses?"

Mu Ying smiled. "Only a small number of men carry defensive gear. Once the scouts report the enemy's position, it will be enough time for the main force to prepare."

Guo Decheng chimed in, "Armor is too heavy; it exhausts the men during a march. Most of the baggage is kept to the rear. Aside from keeping it safe from the enemy, the main force often clears the path, making it easier for the baggage train to follow."

Ma Xun just nodded. Although he had undergone "training" in the military, he had yet to master even the basics; he was still too timid to gallop his horse at full speed. No one mocked him, however. The high-ranking officers on this expedition knew his situation and had already accepted being led by a military novice.

Ma Xun began to worry again. "Mu Ying, why does our baggage train seem so small? Weren't we supposed to be escorting supplies to the front?"

Mu Ying replied with a smile, "We are clearing the path ahead. The supplies will be escorted by troops from various provinces and prefectures following behind. We are the main combat force; we only need to manage our own immediate supplies."

Ma Xun seemed to grasp the idea. "So, we are essentially reinforcements heading to the front, and the supplies coming up behind us are counted as part of our mission?"

Mu Ying nodded. "Naturally. With you leading the way and pressing forward, the supplies can be delivered safely. Securing supplies is no easy task, and it is all thanks to you that the route remains secure."

Ma Xun blushed. "I am just within Ming territory, and I am not even the one escorting the main baggage train. How can you say I am 'pressing forward'?"

Mu Ying and the others merely laughed. In any case, their uncle was leading the troops on an incredibly important mission. Ma Xun absorbed knowledge like a sponge, striving to become a capable general. However, it was clear he lacked natural talent; he did not possess the keen intuition for war that some others were born with. He decided it was best to simply play his part and rely on his historical knowledge to analyze the situation, perhaps eventually becoming a "strategist" who could guide the course of the empire rather than just commanding troops on the battlefield.

He consoled himself with these thoughts. Were it not for Zhu Yuanzhang, he would not even be a battalion commander. Real combat might last only an afternoon or a few hours, but it required months of marching to reach those moments.

Their destination was Kaiping, the former Yuan capital of Shangdu. General Chang Yuchun had previously routed the enemy there and captured immense spoils; Ma Xun’s group was heading there to take charge of these assets. Earlier that year, while the main Ming forces were attacking the Qin and Jin regions, the Yuan Emperor had attempted to retake Beiping, reaching as far as Tongzhou. Xu Da had hurriedly ordered Chang Yuchun and Li Wenzhong to lead 90,000 men to break the siege, while his general Sun Xingzu held the city with steady nerves. Chang Yuchun had pursued the Yuan army for a thousand miles, finally securing Beiping.

Xu Da was currently short on troops, as he was locked in a standoff with Wang Baobao. The regions of Gansu and Lanzhou were the main theaters of war, and although there were losses and gains, the Ming army generally held the upper hand.

Looking at the ruined city of Bianliang and the desolate, depopulated landscapes of the former Guanzhong region, Ma Xun felt a heavy, indescribable emotion. The south was relatively stable, but the north had been ravaged by years of war between the Red Turban Army and the Yuan. The Northern Expedition had recovered the Shandong region, but it was a cycle of endless conflict. Furthermore, after centuries of Yuan rule, the land had been carved up into vast estates, with local landlords collecting heavy taxes and the Mongols building pastures; much of the land lay fallow, and the population had dwindled.

Seeing a young boy with disheveled hair staring at the army with eyes full of hatred, Ma Xun could not help but sigh. The Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun had been lost for over four hundred years; ruled successively by the Khitan, Jurchen, and Mongol peoples, the local Han population no longer identified as such—they considered themselves "northerners." They had adopted the dress and nomadic customs of their rulers, and to them, the Ming army were rebels who had destroyed their nation and killed their leaders. There was no sense of national righteousness here, only the bitterness of lost homes and kin. Even though Zhu Yuanzhang had ordered the abolition of Mongol customs and the dispersal of certain tribes, the hearts of the people had not yet been won. This was not something that could be achieved overnight.

They say that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles, and traveling ten thousand miles is not as good as meeting ten thousand people. On this journey, Ma Xun had gained much, developing a deeper understanding of the desolation of the north and the state of public sentiment.

Feeling hot and exhausted, Ma Xun said, "We have been marching for over a month, and the soldiers are weary. Should we rest?"

Mu Ying thought carefully before replying, "Uncle, there is no need. The Emperor has set a strict deadline for our arrival in Kaiping; we cannot afford a delay."

Liu Jing also suggested, "My Lord, while your kindness toward the troops is admirable, we are in the military, and we must prioritize orders."

Ma Xun laughed at himself. "Fine, I will listen to you. I was only worried about the men being too tired. I almost made another well-intentioned mistake."

Mu Ying and Liu Jing did not take his self-deprecation to heart. Over the past month, the uncle had barely issued a single military order. He had kept his word: he said he would not interfere, and he truly had not. Initially, they had feared he might act on a whim or make impulsive decisions, but those worries proved groundless. Mu Ying carried a secret decree; if Ma Xun had ever acted rashly, he would have been empowered to strip him of his command. While Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying trusted him and had given him this opportunity, they were understandably concerned about his inexperience.

Ma Xun knew he had to seize this chance, and he was under no illusion that the smooth progress of the march was due to his own skill. He realized the secret decree in Mu Ying’s pocket would likely never be used.

"Uncle, we shall make camp up ahead," Mu Ying said with a smile. "Would you like to oversee the layout today, with me acting as your advisor?"

Ma Xun was tempted. Throughout the journey, he had been observing and learning. He did not claim to be a qualified general yet, but his understanding was growing. Setting up a camp was the most fundamental task, and he felt he could try it. After all, he was a high-ranking general; he could not remain completely incompetent. With no enemies in the vicinity within Ming territory, it was the perfect time to practice.