Qian Wei had no objection to this, but after pondering for a moment, he suddenly asked, "The court's key to starving the rebel army to death is to leave them like trees without roots, water without a source. But what if the rebels seize civilian men and fill their ranks with them?"
Those words laid bare the Grand Secretariat's hidden concern, and silence fell for a moment.
Indeed, fortified cities could be defended, but the vast countryside had nowhere to defend and no troops to resist with—yet it held millions upon millions of commoners.
Luo Pei looked up, only to see the Emperor smiling as he drank his tea. After taking a sip, he gently set the cup down. Luo Pei's heart tightened, and he smiled. "Lord Qian has not personally experienced military affairs, so he does not understand."
"When the court selects soldiers, physical build is paramount. Among the common folk, only one or two in ten qualify, and even then they must be fed and trained before they can fight. That takes three years. Even if the rebels seize civilian men, it will be hard for them to form an army."
His words were vague, and the Grand Secretariat could not be convinced at once. Su Ziji knew that though Luo Pei had been through warfare, he was ultimately a civil official commanding troops and could not see matters thoroughly.
Nor did he wish for the Grand Secretariat to worry and divide its attention where it should not be divided.
So he said mildly, "I do understand this matter."
Everyone was startled. They all knew the Emperor's background. He had merely been a scholar in a county town and had never served in the army. What real insight could he possess?
"First, an army's fighting depends on rules