Chapter 12: Victory Parade Through the Streets

Wang Dou's words drew a chorus of cheers, and Zhang Gui also shouted his approval.

He addressed everyone loudly: "You are all fine men, to have achieved such great merit. I shall hold a victory parade through the streets for you, so that all the soldiers and civilians within my Dongjiazhuang Fort know that under my command, Zhang Gui's, there are bold fellows like you who dare to slay the enemy for the nation!"

Han Zhong and the others listened, their eyes shining. A victory parade through the streets — that was a matter of tremendous glory. Wang Dou clasped his fists again and said: "Company Commander, my lord, this humble one has a request. Nine of us went out to fight last night, but sadly four brothers perished. This humble one hopes that my lord will report to the imperial court and secure comfort and compensation for these fallen brothers."

Zhang Gui shouted: "If I cannot secure that compensation, then take this head of mine and kick it around like a ball!"

Everyone burst into laughter. In that moment, Wang Dou's goodwill toward Zhang Gui soared. Though rough and brash, Zhang Gui was a good officer who cared for his subordinates.

Wang Dou and his five men returned briefly to the watchtower to tidy up. Apart from the dozen or so taels of loose silver on their persons, the silver, valuables, and soft goods they had divided had long since been hidden along the return route. Aside from those horses, weapons, and heads, the Tartar grain and the chickens and sheep Wang Dou's group had seized were also moved back into the watchtower. Zhang Gui said nothing about it.

Finally, under the envious gazes of everyone in the watchtower, Wang Dou's five men, Zhong Dayong and Wang Youjin, and the several women they had rescued all mounted horses together and accompanied Zhang Gui to Dongjiazhuang Fort for the victory parade. Presumably, after this immensely glorious affair, the names of Wang Dou and his comrades would surely spread far and wide throughout Shunxiang Fort's territory.

Before setting out, Zhang Gui gave an order. Immediately, his retainer squad leader Zhang Tanggong passed the command down, and a rider broke from the column, spurring his horse toward Dongjiazhuang to deliver the news in advance.

The party headed south. Not long after crossing the river, Dongjiazhuang Fort appeared before their eyes.

Dongjiazhuang Fort lay ten li southwest of Jingbian Watchtower. It was originally the administrative seat of a hundred-household battalion under Shunxiang Fort. The fort's walls measured one li and two hundred twenty paces in circumference, brick-faced during the Wanli reign. Inside the fort were barracks, horse stables, and other facilities. It was garrisoned by over fifty government troops under Company Commander Zhang Gui, and had four watchtowers under its jurisdiction.

Besides the government troops inside the fort, there were also the military households of the original hundred-household battalion, and the families of the watchtower troops from the four watchtowers also lived within Dongjiazhuang. The entire fort had a population of several hundred.

Dongjiazhuang Fort had only one entrance: the Ying'en Gate on the eastern side. By the time Wang Dou and his party reached the fort gate, the area from outside the east gate to the barbican, and all along both sides of the streets inside, was already packed with crowds of military households and civilians who had gathered to watch.

Cheers rang out one after another, and some people even set off firecrackers. The residents of Dongjiazhuang were very poor, soldiers and civilians alike. Many people's clothes were covered with patch upon patch, and their faces bore the sallow, malnourished look of hunger. Many children, like the children of Xinzhuang, ran about naked with no clothes to wear. Yet everyone cheered for Wang Dou and his men with genuine hearts.

Wang Dou's five men sat on their horses with heads high and chests out. Even Zhong Dayong and Wang Youjin wore broad smiles, cupping their hands repeatedly to those around them. Han Zhong even used his spear to hoist a Later Jin soldier's head from beneath his horse, riding a circle in front of the fort gate, drawing cheers that were even more fervent.

Zhang Gui stroked his beard and laughed heartily. Han Chao smiled and said to Wang Dou: "That brat, always loves to fool around!"

Wang Dou laughed: "He's happy, so let him be. Don't you see the Company Commander is happy too?"

Smiling, he sat on his horse and looked around. On all sides were the sincere admiration and praise of the common folk. They pointed and gestured at the Later Jin heads hanging from each man's horse, and gasped in wonder at the large herd of fine horses behind them and the supplies seized on horseback.

Seeing all this, Wang Dou felt an extraordinary sense of fulfillment in his heart. All of this had been bought with his life. Looking further, Qi Tianliang was also grinning from ear to ear, and Gao Shiyin's face, full of coarse flesh, was smiling like a flower in bloom.

Just as they were about to enter the fort, they suddenly heard the sound of piping and drumming coming from the north. Then they saw a procession of common folk carrying pigs, sheep, wine, and rice, beating gongs and drums as they headed this way. Everyone was puzzled, and Zhang Gui sent a soldier to inquire.

Before long, the soldier returned, happily clutching a few copper coins in his hand. He reported to Zhang Gui: "Company Commander, my lord, that procession of commoners comes from Luanzhuang. They have come to thank my lord for saving the lives of their daughters!"

Wang Dou knew they must be the families and villagers of the women he had rescued the previous night. He had not expected them to come and give thanks so quickly. They did not fear outsiders gossiping about their wives and daughters being abducted — from this alone, it was truly a rare and precious thing.

Zhang Gui uttered an "Oh," and hurriedly straightened his clothing, armor, and helmet. His expression became solemn and dignified, while his eyes glanced gently toward Wang Dou and his men, knowing in his heart that these commoners had surely been drawn here by them.

Very quickly, the procession of commoners arrived before the fort gate, beating gongs and drums. Among the commoners, several women with sharp eyes spotted Wang Dou's five men at once. Immediately they rushed out, calling them benefactors, and knelt down to kowtow repeatedly to Wang Dou, Han Chao, and the others.

Wang Dou saw that these women were among those he had rescued the night before. Seeing them kowtow, the five men hurried to help them up, but the women stubbornly continued kowtowing until blood appeared on their foreheads.

Listening to the women's tearful thanks, and hearing the praise of the surrounding Dongjiazhuang soldiers and civilians, with people shouting at them from time to time: "Heroes, heroes!" — Wang Dou's heart was filled with a myriad of emotions. He could also see Gao Shiyin beside him with a dazed expression, the coarse flesh on his face twitching uncontrollably. After this, Wang Dou observed that he remained silent the entire time.

At this moment, a commoner leading the Luanzhuang group came forward to bow and thank Zhang Gui, expressing gratitude that the government troops under Zhang Gui's command had saved the lives of his young daughter. His voice was choked with sincerity, and many who heard it were moved to tears.

Zhang Gui's face was calm, and even the iron-hard stubble at his lips seemed to soften considerably. He walked steadily before the commoner, personally helped him up, and said kindly: "This fellow villager need not stand on ceremony. This official has always loved the people as his own children. Seeing the people suffer, how could I not extend a helping hand? In daily life, I also teach my subordinates to be loyal, righteous, and to love the people…"

He spoke volubly, drawing waves of cheers, and Wang Dou listened with growing admiration.

When Zhang Gui finally finished, the leading commoner from Luanzhuang bowed again in thanks: "My lord is most righteous. To have a loyal and righteous army like my lord's that protects the people — this is a blessing for us fellow villagers!"

He then presented a gift list, saying it was a token of the Luanzhuang villagers' regard, specifically to thank the soldiers for rescuing their daughters, and begged the Company Commander to accept it.

Zhang Gui declined for a short while, then happily accepted the wine, rice, pigs, and sheep that the Luanzhuang villagers had carried over.

…

After this interlude, the atmosphere grew even more intense. Wang Dou and his party entered the fort, and Zhang Gui also invited the Luanzhuang villagers inside to be entertained.

Inside Dongjiazhuang Fort, there were three main streets and fourteen lanes. On East Street stood the hundred-household commander's official hall; on Northwest Street were the barracks and horse stables; on Southeast Street were the granary and fodder yard. Additionally, numerous temples, theaters, and the like were scattered among the fort's streets and lanes.

Like Xinzhuang, most of the houses and courtyards inside the fort were dilapidated. The streets and lanes were pitted and uneven, littered everywhere with garbage and mud. But now these streets were filled with commoners and children chasing after Wang Dou's procession, a scene of bustling commotion everywhere. After parading through all three main streets, Wang Dou and his group were arranged to rest in the official hall, yet many soldiers and civilians still gathered excitedly at the doorway, discussing and unwilling to disperse for a long time.

Zhang Gui had his retainer squad leader Zhang Tanggong entertain the Luanzhuang villagers, while he himself hosted a banquet for Wang Dou and his men in the main hall. The wine and rice the Luanzhuang villagers had brought were just right to be consumed, and a pig and a sheep were slaughtered for the feast.

The main hall's architecture was very old, and many of the tables and chairs were rickety and askew. Yet now the hall was filled with the fragrance of food.

Large steamed buns, big bowls of meat, big bowls of soup — Wang Dou and his men devoured everything ravenously.

Zhang Gui kept urging them: "Come, come, drink up! Come, come, eat more meat!"

He himself ate with great relish, his cheeks and beard covered in soup and meat juices. The court's grain and pay were often in arrears, and Zhang Gui had a band of subordinates to support, so he too rarely got to eat meat. By contrast, Zhong Dayong and Wang Youjin ate with somewhat better manners.

Qi Tianliang was also in his element. Though lean and wiry, his appetite was astonishingly large — he alone ate as much as several men combined.

During the banquet, Zhang Gui also had Wang Dou and his men recount the previous night's events in detail. In his manner, Zhang Gui was quite warm toward Wang Dou's group.

It was obvious that the credit for the previous night belonged entirely to Wang Dou's five men, especially Wang Dou, who had single-handedly killed five Tartar soldiers. Looking across the entire Bao'an Guard, no one possessed such valor. Seeing also that Han Chao and the other three all deferred to Wang Dou as their leader, Zhang Gui's desire to win Wang Dou over grew even more fervent.

Moreover, after this battle merit, Wang Dou and his men would certainly be promoted, making them even more worth winning over.

According to the Great Ming's military merit system, a soldier who personally took a single head could be promoted one substantive rank. Wang Dou had taken five heads, along with so much plunder. Although he had given away two heads, it was still highly likely he would be promoted two substantive ranks. This meant he could rise from an ordinary watchtower soldier directly to the rank of Platoon Leader. Each of the others could be promoted at least one substantive rank, and the Han Chao brothers might even be appointed to Platoon Leader.

If such men were not worth winning over, who was? And because of the achievements of Wang Dou and his men, when the merit rewards came down, Zhang Gui himself was guaranteed a promotion of one rank. Zhang Gui was already a full hundred-household commander; rising to vice thousand-household commander would be effortless. For all these reasons, the more Zhang Gui looked at Wang Dou and his men, the more pleasing they appeared to him.

At the banquet, Zhong Dayong and Wang Youjin became supporting characters. Yet there was no use in them being angry; a man like Wang Dou could not be suppressed by them. And when the merit rewards came down, the two of them would also gain considerable benefits.

Zhong Dayong was already a Platoon Leader; with his subordinate achieving merit, after sharing in the credit, he was guaranteed at least a probationary hundred-household commander rank. Similarly, because of Gao Shiyin's kills, Wang Youjin was guaranteed a capped-and-sashed Platoon Leader rank.

Everyone talked loudly about the previous night's great battle and the future merit rewards, all of them excited and full of longing.

Emboldened by wine, Zhang Gui was already calling Wang Dou "Brother Wang," which made Zhong Dayong burn with jealousy. Every year he paid his respects and offered gifts to Zhang Gui, yet he had never seen Zhang Gui treat him with such warmth.

Zhang Gui said to Wang Dou: "This time, brother, you have seized a great deal. I won't mention the armor and weapons, but regarding the Tartar horses you captured — could we perhaps discuss letting a portion of them go to your elder brother here?"

Under the Great Ming military merit system, all captured persons, livestock, and goods were to be given to the original captor. But that was the rule in name; if it were anyone else, Zhang Gui would simply seize them outright. Yet the Wang Dou before him was no soft target. If pushed too far, who knew what might happen? So, for the first time ever, Zhang Gui adopted a negotiating tone with a common soldier.

In truth, Zhang Gui also knew that Wang Dou and his men had not reaped only this much. Those Tartars had plundered the countryside — how could they not have looted silver, valuables, and soft goods? None of that was on the inventory list. But he turned a blind eye to all of it. He simply looked at Wang Dou, waiting to see what he would say.

Moreover, he addressed these words directly to Wang Dou, affirming that Wang Dou was the owner of these goods, without any intention of consulting his superior Zhong Dayong. In the past, Zhong Dayong had held some value for him, but now, compared to Wang Dou, his value could be ranked at the very bottom.

Wang Dou pondered briefly. Twenty-three warhorses — to be honest, he truly could not afford to keep them. Those horses, each one ate more per day than six strong men. Where would he get so much money to feed them? Keeping one per man would be fine. And by cultivating goodwill with Zhang Gui, his direct superior, he would have a backer in the future, which would be good.

He glanced at Han Chao and the others. Han Chao nodded slightly. Han Zhong called out: "Everything is up to Big Brother Wang."

Qi Tianliang also responded: "Yes, yes, whatever Brother Wang says, we'll do."

Gao Shiyin also nodded silently.

Wang Dou clasped his fists and said: "Company Commander, my lord, you are too kind. Those horses should have been given to my lord in the first place. How about this: my four brothers and I will each keep one warhorse, and the remaining eighteen horses will stay here in the fort."

Zhang Gui shouted: "Good! Truly magnanimous! Brother Wang, I count you as a friend. Come, come, everyone, drink up, drink!"

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