98: Chapter 8 Winning Hearts and Minds

## One

On the fifth day after entering the capital, Li Ling began to win over the hearts and minds of the people on a large scale.

He was not a saint, nor was he a philanthropist, but he understood one principle—where the hearts of the people go, victory follows. In these chaotic times, to achieve great things, military might alone was not enough; one also needed the support of the people. And the hearts of the people were not won by shouting slogans, but by tangible actions.

His first step was to open the granaries.

The food crisis in the capital was much more severe than anticipated. When the rebel army retreated, they had taken all the food they could carry, leaving the major granaries empty. The common people in the city had been without food for three days, and if it dragged on any longer, lives would be lost. Li Ling drew 300,000 jin of grain from the military supplies and set up porridge stalls at every street corner, serving porridge twice a day, morning and evening. At the same time, he sent men to search outside the city for any grain the rebels might have hidden, leaving not even a single grain of rice behind.

Long lines formed in front of the porridge stalls. The common people held their bowls, shivering in the cold wind, waiting for that bowl of hot porridge. Some were so hungry they couldn't stand, needing support from family members; some held children who were crying from hunger, their tears streaming down uncontrollably; others, elderly folk, clutched their broken bowls tremblingly, standing at the very back of the line, afraid of being scolded for cutting in.

Li Ling would visit the porridge stalls every day, personally serving porridge to the people, chatting with them, and listening to their grievances. He was not putting on a show; he genuinely wanted to know what the people were thinking and what they needed.

"Young Master Li, you truly are a living Bodhisattva!" an old woman said, holding her bowl of porridge, tears streaming down her face. "I've lived for sixty years, and I've never seen an official like you!"

Li Ling smiled and shook his head: "Old lady, I am not an official, I am a soldier. Fighting is my duty, and saving lives is also my duty."

"Then you are much better than those officials!" the old woman said. "Those officials only know how to squeeze the blood and sweat out of the people; they don't care whether the common folk live or die!"

The surrounding crowd echoed her sentiments, chattering and cursing the corrupt officials.

Li Ling listened, sighing inwardly. This imperial court was rotten to the core. Without a complete blood transfusion, mere patchwork wouldn't save it.

His second step was to reduce taxes.

Li Ling issued a decree in the name of the Prince Regent: for the capital and its surrounding areas, commercial and land taxes were exempted for three months. At the same time, all "protection fees" forcibly paid during the period of rebel occupation were to be refunded.

Once this decree was issued, the merchants in the capital cheered. Those businesses that had been extorted by the rebel army flocked to the government office to register and reclaim the silver that had been taken. Although the amount was not large, this gesture gave them hope.

"Young Master Li is going to change the world," an old shopkeeper stroked his beard and remarked. "I've lived for fifty years and have never seen an official like this. Not collecting taxes and even giving money back—this isn't a government office; it's a charity!"

The person next to him laughed: "Old man, don't talk nonsense. Young Master Li is the Prince Regent; he is even bigger than the government office!"

"Yes, yes, yes, the Prince Regent, the Prince Regent," the old shopkeeper nodded repeatedly. "Our Qingxia Kingdom has hope!"

His third step was to restore public order.

During the rebel occupation, public order in the capital had collapsed; thieves were rampant, and murder and arson happened every day. After entering the city, Li Ling immediately dispatched troops to patrol and crack down on crime. Anyone caught looting, killing, or robbing was severely punished without exception.

Within three days, he had arrested over a hundred criminals and executed more than a dozen of the most heinous ones. Public order in the capital improved rapidly; the common people dared to go out at night, shops dared to open their doors, and the streets regained their vitality.

"Young Master Li is using an iron fist," a scholar remarked. "In chaotic times, one must use heavy codes; in extraordinary times, one must use extraordinary laws. Brilliant, truly brilliant."

The person next to him asked: "Sir, what do you think Young Master Li is trying to do?"

The scholar looked left and right, then lowered his voice: "Does this even need asking? A change of dynasty, of course."

"Shh! Keep your voice down! Do you have a death wish?"

"What are you afraid of?" the scholar laughed. "If Young Master Li can really change the dynasty, that's a blessing for us common folk. Look at everything he's doing now—which of these things is for himself? Distributing grain, reducing taxes, suppressing bandits—which one isn't for the people?"

The man thought for a moment and nodded: "That's true. This Young Master Li is different from those old officials of the past."

Such discussions echoed throughout the streets and alleys of the capital. Li Ling's reputation soared like a rocket. The people called him "Li the Upright," "Living Bodhisattva," and "Savior." Some even set up longevity tablets for him in their homes, burning incense and praying every day.

Li Ling heard these things but just smiled, not taking them seriously. He knew that the hearts of the people were fickle; they came quickly and went quickly. Today you are a savior, but tomorrow, if one policy goes wrong, you could become a street rat that everyone wants to beat. Therefore, he did not dare to slack off, living each day with caution, as if walking on thin ice.

## Two

Besides winning over the hearts of the people, Li Ling was doing another major thing—recruiting talent.

Although the Qingxia Kingdom was rotten, there was still talent to be found. Those capable officials sidelined by the imperial court, those scholars disappointed by the current situation, those reclusive experts living in the wild—they were all still there. It was just that the imperial court didn't use them, so they could only remain idle at home or live in seclusion in the mountains.

Li Ling sent people to inquire everywhere, listing these people one by one, and then personally visited them.

On the first day, he went to a dilapidated small courtyard in the east of the city to visit an old scholar named Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai. This man was over sixty, profound in his learning, well-versed in the classics and histories, and had once served as a Hanlin in the imperial court. He had been dismissed and returned home for offending powerful figures, making a living by teaching.

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai initially refused to see Li Ling, having his family convey the message that "a rustic villager dares not meet a noble person." Li Ling was not annoyed; he stood at the door for an hour, his nose red from the cold.

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai's family felt bad and went in to persuade him for a long time; finally, Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai came out.

"Young Master Li, I am but a commoner, not worth such courtesy from you," Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai said, cupping his hands. His tone was indifferent, neither cold nor warm.

Li Ling smiled: "Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, you are a senior, and I am a junior. It is only right for a junior to wait while visiting a senior."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai glanced at him and stepped aside: "Come in."

The two sat down in the simple study, and Li Ling got straight to the point: "Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, I have come this time to ask you to come out of retirement and help me."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai picked up his teacup and took a slow sip: "Young Master Li, I am old and lack the energy; I fear I cannot be of much help."

"Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, you are only sixty-two this year; you are not old," Li Ling said. "Besides, I don't need your physical strength; I need your brains. The imperial court is currently a complete mess, and it needs someone with your experience and insight to offer strategies."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai set down the teacup and looked at Li Ling: "Young Master Li, I dare to ask—what exactly do you want to do? Support the Emperor? Or change the dynasty?"

The question was direct, but Li Ling did not evade it.

"Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, I do not want to lie to you," he said. "Supporting the Emperor is true, but changing the dynasty... is also a matter of time."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai's eyes narrowed: "Young Master Li is quite frank."

"With a sensible person like you, I will not speak falsehoods," Li Ling said. "Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, look at the current imperial court; is there any salvation left? The Emperor is willing but lacks the power, the ministers scramble for power and profit, the Imperial Guard collapses at the slightest touch, and foreign powers are eyeing us covetously. How long can such a court last? Instead of letting this mess continue to rot, it is better to tear it down and start over."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai was silent for a long time.

"Young Master Li, are you not afraid that I will go and report you?"

"Not afraid," Li Ling smiled. "Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, if you wanted to report me, you would have done so long ago; you wouldn't have waited until now."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai also smiled: "Young Master Li, you are a very interesting person."

"Then, Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, are you willing to help me?"

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai stood up, walked to the window, turned his back to Li Ling, and remained silent for a long time.

"I can help you," he finally spoke, "but I have one condition."

"Please speak."

"You must promise me that in the future, after unifying the country, you will practice benevolent governance and rule by virtue; you cannot rely on force to oppress people. The world is won by force, but it is governed by virtue."

Li Ling stood up and bowed solemnly: "Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai, I, Li Ling, swear to heaven: if I am fortunate enough to unify the country in the future, I will surely practice benevolent governance and rule by virtue, and I will not fail your trust."

Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai turned around, looked into Li Ling's eyes, and after a long while, nodded.

"Good, I believe you."

The next day, Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai moved into Li Ling's headquarters and began helping him handle government affairs. Although the old scholar was advanced in age, his mind was sharp; he processed official documents quickly and accurately, to the point that even Li Ling felt inferior.

After the news spread, the intellectual circles in the capital were in an uproar. Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai was known for being aloof and arrogant, not even giving the Emperor face, yet he had been moved by Li Ling. What did this mean? It meant that Li Ling was not an ordinary warlord; he had vision and magnanimity and was worth supporting.

Consequently, people came to join Li Ling one after another. There were old officials who had resigned, scholars who had failed the imperial examinations, recluses living in the mountains, and young people who had come from afar out of admiration. Li Ling accepted everyone, but he didn't take them all blindly. He let Minister of Rites Shen Zhibai handle the screening; those with real talent stayed, and the pretenders were sent away.

Within a week, Li Ling's staff team had expanded from a dozen people to over a hundred. Although it couldn't compare to the vast bureaucratic system of the imperial court, these people were all elite, and their efficiency and ability far exceeded those of the corrupt court officials who occupied posts without doing any work.

## Three

Li Ling's "winning of hearts and minds" was not just directed at the common people and intellectuals; it also included the army.

He was always generous to his own troops; military pay was distributed on time and never delayed; the food standard was high, with meat at every meal; weapons and equipment were supplied with priority, and the speed of re-equipping was faster than any other unit. But he was also not stingy with the reorganization of the Imperial Guard.

After the reorganization, every soldier in the new Imperial Guard regiment was issued a new uniform, a pair of new military boots, a new rifle, and one hundred rounds of ammunition. Military pay was raised from two taels of silver per month to five taels, and meals changed from two bowls of thin porridge a day to three meals of solid food with meat. The treatment for officers was even higher, ranging from ten to fifty taels per month, depending on rank.

When the news got out, those soldiers who had been cut from the Imperial Guard regretted it so much they beat their chests and stamped their feet, while those who remained were moved to tears.

"Young Master Li treats us too well!" a new recruit said, holding his newly issued rifle, unable to put it down. "I served as a soldier in the Imperial Guard for three years and never even touched a decent gun. Now it's great; not only do I have a new gun, but I also have new clothes, new boots, and my pay has been raised!"

The veteran beside him laughed: "Are you satisfied with just this? Young Master Li said that there will be rewards for good performance in the future. There are even rewards for meritorious service. Following Young Master Li is much better than following the imperial court!"

"That's for sure! That bunch of masters in the court only know how to squeeze our pay; they don't care whether we live or die!"

Li Ling would occasionally go to inspect the new regiment, chatting with the soldiers, asking if their training was tiring, if the food was good, or if they had any difficulties. The soldiers were flattered, each one standing tall and straight, afraid of leaving a bad impression on Li Ling.

"Young Master Li, don't worry, we will definitely train hard and not lose face for you!" a new regimental commander promised, patting his chest.

Li Ling patted his shoulder: "Train well. When you perform meritorious service in battle in the future, I will personally award you."

The new regimental commander was so excited his face turned red: "Yes!"

Such scenes happened every day. Li Ling was like a magnet, attracting all kinds of people to his side. The people supported him, the intellectuals joined him, and the soldiers were loyal to him. His power was expanding at a speed visible to the naked eye.

And the royal family could only watch helplessly.

Prince Qing said to the Emperor in private: "Your Majesty, this man Li Ling cannot be controlled. Rather than being his enemy, it is better to be his friend."

The Emperor was silent for a long time and sighed: "I know. I just wonder what he really wants."

"What does he want?" Prince Qing smiled bitterly. "He wants the world."

The Emperor's face turned pale, but he quickly returned to normal.

"The world..." he murmured, "then let's give it to him. My reign as Emperor has long been a mere formality."

Prince Qing did not speak, only sighed deeply.

The snow in the capital had stopped, and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds; golden sunlight spilled onto the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City, shimmering.

Li Ling stood in the courtyard of the headquarters and stretched. He had been so busy these past few days that he hadn't even had time to sleep, but the results were significant. The capital had stabilized, the hearts of the people had been won, order had been restored, and his power had taken root here.

"Next, it's time to get down to business," he murmured.

He turned and walked back to the study, spread out a map, and began to formulate the Northern Expedition unification plan. The map on the wall was marked with the spheres of influence of various warlords across the country, with red and blue markings densely packed. He used a red pen to circle several key locations—Shanxi, Zhili, and the Northeast—and then drew attack routes one by one.

"First attack Shanxi; Warlord Yan Xishan is the weakest and easiest to crack," he muttered to himself. "Then attack Zhili; Yuan Shikai is a tough nut to crack and will require some tactics. Finally, attack the Northeast; Zhang Zuolin's territory is large, but his forces are scattered, so they can be defeated one by one."

He became more and more excited as he spoke, his pen drawing rapidly on the map. Arrows, routes, and plans were gradually taking shape under his pen.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Li Ling said without looking up.

The door opened, and Empress Su Wanqing walked in. She was wearing a light cyan cotton-padded jacket, carrying a food box in her hand, with a faint smile on her face.

"Brother Ling, you haven't eaten yet, right? I brought you dumplings."

Li Ling looked up, saw Empress Su Wanqing, and smiled: "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to wait for me in Jiangning Prefecture?"

"I was worried." Empress Su Wanqing put the food box on the table and opened the lid. The aroma of steaming dumplings immediately filled the air. "Her Highness the Princess asked me to come and see you, fearing that you would forget to eat when you got busy."

Li Ling picked up a dumpling and took a bite; it was pork and cabbage filling, the taste exactly the same as when he was a child.

"Delicious," he gave a thumbs up. "Your dumplings are still the most fragrant."

Empress Su Wanqing blushed: "Then eat more."

Li Ling wolfed down more than half the plate before slowing down. Empress Su Wanqing sat beside him, watching him eat, her eyes full of tenderness.

"Brother Ling, how are things in the capital going?" she asked.

"Almost done," Li Ling wiped his mouth. "In a few more days, I'll be able to go back."

"That's good." Empress Su Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief. "Her Highness the Princess and Emily both miss you very much."

"I miss them too," Li Ling smiled. "When I go back, I'll take you all to see the sea."

"You're lying again." Empress Su Wanqing pouted. "Last time you said you'd take us to see the sea, but you ended up running off to fight a war yourself."

"This time, for sure." Li Ling raised his hand to swear. "I promise."

Empress Su Wanqing giggled and stopped pursuing the matter.

The two chatted for a while, and Empress Su Wanqing got up to leave. She walked to the door and looked back at Li Ling one more time.

"Brother Ling, take care of your health; don't work too hard."

"Don't worry," Li Ling smiled. "I'm in good health."

Empress Su Wanqing left, and Li Ling continued to look at the map. But for some reason, Empress Su Wanqing's smiling face, the Princess's gentleness, and Emily's playfulness kept appearing in his mind. He shook his head to banish the distracting thoughts and refocused.

"Unify the country, then marry them," he said in his heart. "This is my promise to them."

Outside the window, the sun was setting, and the evening glow dyed half the sky red.