Chapter 369: Epiphany
While the imperial palace bustled with activity as more women were brought in to marry the Emperor, Han Ruzi was busy at the Weary Marquis’s residence, selecting several qualified naval and infantry generals from among the thousands of officers in Great Chu.
Both the campaign to suppress the bandits of Cloud Dream Marsh and the pirates of the Eastern Sea required large numbers of warships and infantry. Ships could be built slowly, and infantry could be assembled from various regions, but finding qualified commanders was the most difficult task.
Many renowned veteran generals from the Martial Emperor’s era were still alive. If the court were willing to dispatch a large army all at once, they could all command quite well. However, the court was reluctant to spend too much, which made things difficult. When questioned, the old generals all cautiously shook their heads, not daring to give definitive assurances of victory.
Among the younger officers, there were quite a few bold enough to take command of any army, but they could not articulate specific bandit suppression plans. Their talents did not seem comparable to a second Deng Cui, so Han Ruzi was reluctant to entrust them with such important responsibilities.
The sea required large ships, which took time to build, so there was no immediate need for great generals. The bandit suppression campaign in Cloud Dream Marsh had already begun execution, with thousands of Chu army soldiers constructing the first batch of strongholds. Though few in number, they all had their backs to major cities, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack—ordinary generals could command them.
This gave Han Ruzi some time.
The Ministry of War had its own method for selecting generals, preparing to conduct naval exercises on a lake south of the capital city. Lasting over ten days, the exercises would rank the generals according to their performance for the Emperor’s selection.
Han Ruzi also identified a group of promising candidates among the noble attendants around him, planning to send them out in rotation to work alongside experienced generals and learn the art of military command.
Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion. Han Ruzi could feel the cooperation of all Great Chu, though this was only a small trial. The coordination between various parties and the Emperor was not perfect—like an old vehicle getting back on the road, one could hear the creaking and grinding sounds.