Chapter 140: Bestowing a Courtesy Name, and Promotion

South of Shunxiang Fort, at the foot of Mount Fushan, before the sun-facing slope.

After Lu Xiangsheng, Ji Shiwei, and the others offered incense and paid homage to the fallen soldiers and civilians, they gazed at the densely packed spirit tablets enshrined in the hall, where incense smoke curled before it. Lu Xiangsheng remained silent for a long while, then asked Wang Dou, "Wang Dou, does this shrine hall honoring the soldiers and civilians have a name?"

Wang Dou replied, "Not yet. I venture to request that the Viceroy bestow a plaque to comfort the heroic spirits and bloodlines of the fallen soldiers and common folk."

Lu Xiangsheng gave a long sigh: "Yue Wumu once said, 'When civil officials are not covetous of wealth and military officers do not fear death, then all under Heaven will be at peace.' When the slave horsemen invaded, the many high lords folded their hands helplessly, and the armored warriors cowered, daring not advance. All one sees under Heaven are men of empty talk and reckless debate, men who sit whistling and paint their promises. Those who charge forward heedless of self and follow through unto death are what the ancients called true heroes. We who have read the sages' books to the full have actually been outdone by the common folk of little Shun Fort."

He shouted, "Bring brush and ink!"

In moments he finished writing — the two characters "Honoring Loyalty". The strokes were bold and powerful, carrying the force of one who would pluck the heavens and seize the moon, and beside them were Lu Xiangsheng's signature and seal.

After writing, Lu Xiangsheng was quite satisfied, looking at it from left and right. Beside him, Huailong Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ji Shiwei wore an expression full of admiration.

Lu Xiangsheng said to Wang Dou, "Battalion Commander Wang, this shrine hall shall be named the Shrine of Honoring Loyalty."

Wang Dou was overjoyed and thanked him. He ordered Lin Daofu to find a craftsman inside the fort and have the calligraphy quickly mounted and made into a plaque to be hung.

Amid the envious gazes of the assembled men, Lin Daofu carefully carried the calligraphy away. Yang Zhichang, the Garrison Commander of the Five Forts beside him, was so jealous his eyes nearly bulged out, wishing he could snatch the calligraphy plaque and claim it for himself.

Lu Xiangsheng then said to Ji Shiwei, "Lord Ji, this Shun Fort lies within your jurisdiction. Would you be willing to leave a piece of your calligraphy for those common folk who died in battle?"

Leaving one's own calligraphy was something every literatus delighted in doing, and since it was Lu Xiangsheng's instruction, Ji Shiwei hurriedly said, "To be able to inscribe a plaque for these loyal and righteous commoners is this humble official's honor."

Soon he too finished writing — the two characters "Righteous Commoners". The script was elegant, graceful, and refined, different from Lu Xiangsheng's bold and vigorous style.

Thereafter, the shrine halls enshrining the fallen commoners were called the Shrine of Righteous Commoners. Together with the Shrine of Honoring Loyalty, the authorities offered sacrifices of sheep and pigs every mid-spring. Combined with the daily worship of soldiers and civilians, the incense offerings were exceedingly vigorous.

……

Outside Shunxiang Fort, Lu Xiangsheng looked at the assembled soldiers and civilians and nodded repeatedly. It could not be denied that the military households and commoners of Shunxiang Fort were just as impoverished as those elsewhere — many wore tattered clothes, with no decent garments to speak of.

But what set them apart from other places was their spirit. Not that every face glowed with health, but they were all full of vigor, brimming with vitality, each standing ramrod straight, full of hope for the future. The numbness and despair toward life that one saw in the military households and commoners elsewhere were completely absent among those of Shunxiang Fort.

Ji Shiwei also stroked his beard in approval, his inner estimation of Wang Dou rising yet another level.

However, it seemed the military households and commoners of Shunxiang Fort were somewhat too numerous — after all, this was only a small Battalion Commander post. The gathered population had already far exceeded the scale of a single Battalion Commander post.

Lu Xiangsheng noticed this too. He briefly questioned Wang Dou about it, and Wang Dou answered, "Some days ago when the slave bandits invaded, this humble officer ordered the strengthening of defenses and the clearing of the countryside. All soldiers and civilians within the territory were transferred into Shun Fort. Last year we also took in some refugees and registered them as military households, sparing them from hunger and cold and from falling into banditry."

Lu Xiangsheng nodded and said, "Commoners turn to banditry mostly because of hunger and cold; soldiers turn to banditry mostly because of missing pay. Wang Dou, you have done well in this. Only when the people have a way to live will they not turn to banditry and rebellion. But with so many mouths, how do you support the soldiers and civilians under your governance?"

Wang Dou said, "By building waterworks and opening up farmland and wasteland. Only when soldiers and civilians have their own fields will they settle their hearts to farm and drill. When military agriculture flourishes in the future, it can also sustain the soldiers and civilians."

Lu Xiangsheng said, "The funds for military agriculture — are they not considerable?"

Wang Dou said, "This humble officer has sought funds through many channels. The superior officers have also shown compassion for our hardships and exempted the newly opened wasteland from grain levies for three years. All of Shun Fort, high and low, are endlessly grateful."

Lu Xiangsheng sighed, "Wang Dou, for you to have achieved this step is truly rare."

Wang Dou said, "In ordinary times, the Garrison Commander and the Drill Officer have taught this humble officer to be loyal and devoted to duty, saying this is the teaching of the Military Defense Circuit Intendant. This humble officer has taken it to heart and finds it very reasonable. Though I am but a military man, I know I have received deep grace from the state and should repay it with liver and brains!"

Garrison Commander Li Yi'an and Drill Officer Xu Zucheng both beamed. Ji Shiwei, watching Wang Dou speak with ease, also nodded repeatedly. He felt that although Wang Dou outwardly appeared a rough military man, he was extremely well-spoken, and the more he looked at Wang Dou, the more agreeable he found him.

Lu Xiangsheng looked at Wang Dou for a long while, then asked him, "Wang Dou, do you have a courtesy name?"

Wang Dou said, "I have none."

Lu Xiangsheng said, "Then I shall bestow a courtesy name upon you."

Ji Shiwei and the others behind Lu Xiangsheng, as well as his several younger brothers, were all startled. What had come over the Viceroy today, that he was willing to bestow a courtesy name upon a mere Battalion Commander of a small Battalion Commander post? This was a rare honor indeed. They once again scrutinized Wang Dou carefully.

Lu Xiangsheng pondered for a long moment, then said, "Let the courtesy name be Guoqin."

Wang Dou loudly prostrated himself in thanks. Lin Daofu, Han Chao, Han Zhong, and the others standing behind Wang Dou also held their heads high and puffed out their chests, feeling extremely honored.

Finally, Lu Xiangsheng addressed and comforted the soldiers and civilians of Shunxiang Fort before departing. The several hundred taels of silver he had brought were all left behind inside Shunxiang Fort.

It was plain to see that Lu Xiangsheng was in very good spirits when he left. At his departure, Eastern Route Assistant Regional Commander Zhang Guowei and Eastern Route Mobile Corps Commander Mao Bin both summoned Wang Dou for a few words. Their manner was cordial, but both asked Wang Dou for one of the new-style arquebuses before leaving — and how could Wang Dou refuse? Garrison Commander Li Yi'an also tottered over to praise Wang Dou a few times, then hastily spurred his horse to catch up.

After seeing off Lu Xiangsheng and his party, Wang Dou realized his whole body was drenched in cold sweat. Still, the gains this time were very substantial.

……

After Lu Xiangsheng left, word that Wang Dou had won Viceroy Lu's favor spread like wildfire, and even more people came to offer congratulations and seek his acquaintance.

At the end of the ninth month, Huailong Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ji Shiwei, acting on the troop register submitted by Shunxiang Fort, allocated a portion of equipment and provisions. The troop strength Wang Dou had reported was eight hundred men: three hundred regular soldiers and five hundred military conscripts. Due to Lu Xiangsheng's instructions, those five hundred conscripts also received the treatment of regular soldiers.

Word had it that Viceroy Lu thought highly of Wang Dou. Mindful of this connection, as the provisions and equipment were allocated down through the layers, surprisingly little was skimmed off, and what reached Wang Dou's hands amounted to as much as seventy percent. Among these equipment and supplies, a portion consisted of armor and military uniforms. Shunxiang Fort had no cavalry. According to the Great Ming's equipment situation, all cavalry had armor, while among infantry only officers and junior officers wore armor; ordinary soldiers merely wore mandarin-duck battle jackets.

This batch of mandarin-duck battle jackets numbered over seven hundred sets. They were the standard battle dress of garrison soldiers, somewhat better than the uniforms of the defensive troops in the various forts.

Wang Dou, along with the fort's officers, had watched with great interest as they were unpacked. These mandarin-duck battle jackets were still bright red on the outside, with narrow sleeves and a front-opening style, their length reaching roughly from the shoulder to the knee. The jacket body was made of red cotton cloth, with a white lining inside and a fine square-mesh net woven from thin iron wire, the rest stuffed with cotton. Below the waist, they were also equipped with iron-mesh skirts or iron-mesh trousers, paired with iron-mesh boots. The sleeves, however, were not filled with iron mesh.

As for the mandarin-duck battle jackets of the junior officers, the iron mesh inside their jackets was double-layered. Beneath the jacket hung a blue cloth battle skirt reaching to mid-calf. Outside the jacket was a sleeveless single-layer iron-leaf cuirass extending to the waist, with heart-protecting mirrors front and back. They also wore iron-mesh boots, and on their heads were red-lacquered military caps.

Only men of squad-leader rank and above had a set of bronze or iron helmet and armor.

It must be said, the Great Ming's military uniforms were still very handsome. The color was a vivid, eye-pleasing red, and wearing them gave one a dashing, heroic air. Wang Dou distributed these mandarin-duck battle jackets to the three picket units of Han Chao, Han Zhong, and Sun Sanjie — after all, it was their three picket units that had been reviewed at the parade.

Wang Dou considered that in the future, when his own funds and grain were ample, he would also have military uniforms made for the soldiers to wear when not in combat, so that they would not walk about looking like beggars, utterly lacking in proper decorum.

……

At the end of the ninth year of the Chongzhen reign, after much haggling and dispute, the Ministry of War's decisions on promotions, rewards, and punishments for all parties involved in this Qing incursion were finally issued.

On the eighth day of the tenth month, Wang Dou received notice and hurried to the Baoan Guard city to receive his commendation and reward. Before leaving, Wang Dou had already gotten word that this time he might be promoted to Vice Guard Commander of Baoan Guard and transferred to the post of Drill Officer of Baoan Department City. Regarding Wang Dou's commendation, there had been debate within the Ministry of War. Although Wang Dou had rendered great merit, he was too young and his seniority was shallow, especially having just been promoted to Battalion Commander not long before. Some in the Bureau of Military Appointments felt it should be delayed to let Wang Dou build up some seniority.

However, when the list of meritorious personnel for Xuanfu Garrison was being drawn up, not only the Garrison Commander of Baoan Guard but also a host of Xuanfu Garrison's senior figures — such as Huailong Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ji Shiwei, Xuanfu Garrison Provincial Governor Chen Xinjia, and even the newly appointed Viceroy of Xuanda, Lu Xiangsheng — had all vigorously argued on Wang Dou's behalf. Taking into account the views of the local grandees, and especially hearing that His Majesty had inadvertently mentioned Wang Dou's deeds again, the Ministry of War immediately made a swift decision and granted Wang Dou a major commendation and promotion.

When Wang Dou arrived, the Guard city's Garrison Commander's official hall was packed. Not only were officials great and small from the Guard city and Department city present, but also officials from the Route city, and even officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War had come. The investiture ceremony for promotion to Vice Guard Commander was indeed on a different scale — when one rose to Guard Commander, one had to go to the capital in person to express gratitude to the Emperor.

Amid the emotional and envious gazes of the crowd, an official from the Ministry of War announced to Wang Dou: "The Bureau of Military Appointments of the Ministry of War has examined the case of Wang Dou, Senior Battalion Commander of the Left Battalion Commander Post of Baoan Guard. He has been loyal and devoted to duty, and has rendered great merit to the state. It is hereby ordered that he be promoted two substantive ranks and conferred the title of Vice Guard Commander of Baoan Guard. It is expected that this officer will exert himself wholeheartedly and prove worthy of this appointment!"

He then handed over a large bundle of official robes, seals, waist tokens, and commissions, saying with a smile, "Lord Wang, congratulations."

The crowd surged toward Wang Dou like a tide to offer congratulations. Garrison Commander Li Yi'an also looked at Wang Dou and chuckled. He ordered his servants to take Wang Dou to the rear courtyard — once he had changed into his official robes, he would host a congratulatory banquet for the newly appointed Vice Guard Commander Wang Dou.

Wang Dou went to the rear courtyard and changed into his official robes. He now held the rank of Vice Guard Commander, of the lower third grade, and every aspect of his treatment was now vastly different. The official robe he wore was embroidered with tiger and leopard insignia. At his waist hung a gold-and-silver waist token of the "Righteousness" designation, carved with crouching tigers and coiling cloud patterns — above were twin cloud dragons, below were twin crouching tigers. The token had round perforations at both ends, threaded through with a red silk cord, and could be hung at the waist.

Previously, when he was a Battalion Commander, he had worn only a gold-plated silver token of the "Propriety" designation, carved with a xiezhi and coiling clouds — above was a single cloud dragon, below a single crouching tiger. The designation character differed, and so did the rank and status it represented. The Great Ming's highest-grade waist token was of the "Benevolence" designation, carved above with a single dragon coiling among clouds, worn by dukes, marquises, counts, and commanders-in-chief. He wondered if he would ever have the chance to get his hands on one of those.

He looked left and right in the bronze mirror, and even he himself felt he now possessed considerable official authority.

He stared dazedly into the bronze mirror and thought: Starting from the body of a lowly soldier, I have finally reached this step. What will my life be like from here on?

*End of Volume Three*