Chapter 142: Department City Colleagues and Commoners

Outside the Xunmen Gate at the southern entrance of Baoan Department City, Department City Garrison Farm Officer Zhang Gui and a host of officials, high and low, warmly welcomed Wang Dou and his party.

Speaking of Zhang Gui, his former subordinate Wang Dou had now become his direct superior — one can only guess at his state of mind, though it was surely the same as what Zhong Dayong and the others had felt back then. Word had it that after Wang Dou was confirmed as Defense Commander of Baoan Department City, Zhang Gui lost quite a few nights of sleep; however, he adjusted his role very quickly, soon arriving at Shunxiang Fort bearing lavish gifts and a beaming smile to cultivate ties with Wang Dou, his thousand words boiling down to a single plea: he wished to keep his post as Department City Garrison Farm Officer.

As for Zhang Gui, Wang Dou naturally intended to make good use of him. He had few acquaintances in Baoan Department City, and with Zhang Gui — who knew the ins and outs of the city — assisting him, the relevant matters could be set in motion swiftly.

From a long way off, Wang Dou could already hear Zhang Gui’s hearty laughter; together with the city’s various officials, Zhang Gui strode forward in great, rapid steps to greet him.

Seeing the several hundred men Wang Dou had brought, Zhang Gui and the others were all taken aback, wondering how Wang Dou, without any fanfare at Shunxiang Fort, had managed to develop so many formidable retainers. No wonder he could achieve a great victory with severed heads and rise through the ranks like a rocket — he truly had the capital for it, and it was not merely that his official luck was uniquely strong.

Zhang Gui was still wearing the bear-and-leopard embroidered uniform of a Principal Battalion Commander, a fifth-rank military official’s dress, which was already two grades lower than Wang Dou’s Vice Guard Commander uniform. He hurried forward, his face wreathed in smiles, and said: “We, your subordinates, have been waiting here to welcome you. The Defense Commander must be saddle-weary from the long journey; it has truly been an arduous trip.”

He solicitously helped Wang Dou dismount. Being waited on like this by his former direct superior gave Wang Dou a deep sense of satisfaction. He smiled and said, “Brother Zhang, have you been well these days in the department city?”

Seeing Wang Dou address him so in full view of everyone, Zhang Gui felt immensely honored. He bowed repeatedly and said, “Thanks to your great fortune, my lord, your subordinate is very well. But for you to show such affectionate regard truly overwhelms your subordinate.”

Wang Dou had long known that although Zhang Gui had a rough and hearty appearance, he was extremely glib — he had learned this firsthand years ago when he accompanied Zhang Gui to see Xu Zhongjun or Xu Zucheng. A faint smile on his face, he turned his gaze to Zhang Gui’s retainer Squad Commander Zhang Tanggong, who now wore a respectful, ingratiating expression; his status was now worlds apart from Wang Dou’s. In Zhang Tanggong’s face, Wang Dou seemed to see his own former self before this man. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west — truly, the affairs of the world are hard to predict.

Wang Dou nodded at Zhang Tanggong with a smile, and Zhang Tanggong was instantly overwhelmed by the favor, his back bending much lower at once.

Wang Dou exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhang Gui and then glanced at the group of department city officials beside and behind him. Zhang Gui understood at once and said obsequiously, “My lord, allow your subordinate to make the introductions.”

One by one, he introduced the city’s military officers to Wang Dou. Company Commander Tian Changguo, nearly fifty, held the title of Assistant Guard Commander of Baoan Guard and served as the city’s Assistant Document Officer, in charge of training, troop inspection, and patrol matters for Baoan Department City. The man was gaunt as a stick, with a half-asleep, half-awake look and two large, puffy eyes. Rubbing his bleary, drowsy eyes, he saluted Wang Dou and said, “My lord, your subordinate is Tian Changguo. Has my lord ever heard of your subordinate? My lord truly looks young and promising.”

Wang Dou shot him a puzzled look. Since when had he and Tian Changguo been so familiar that the man addressed him in such an intimate tone? His first impression of Tian Changguo was poor; he felt the man was a time-serving idler waiting to die. If one word could describe him, it would be: befuddled.

Next was Squad Commander Chi Dengshan, holding the rank of Battalion Commander, leading a squad of over three hundred men in the department city. Chi Dengshan was around forty, lean and wiry, but his eyes gleamed with shrewd intelligence; he seemed a slick and calculating man. He scrutinized Wang Dou carefully; Wang Dou’s youth also exceeded his expectations.

Then came Squad Commander Huang Xianen, also holding the rank of Battalion Commander, in his thirties but extremely fat. When he saw Wang Dou looking at him, he hurriedly bowed and scraped, saying, “Your subordinate Huang Xianen pays his respects to the Defense Commander. I have long heard of the Defense Commander’s awe-inspiring name; to be able to see you today is truly a blessing of three lifetimes. My lord’s martial authority is even more formidable in person than in reputation.”

Wang Dou nodded at him with a smile. Next was the department city’s Judicial Commissioner, Zheng Yu, nearing forty, his face tinged with an unhealthy sallow-green. He had been standing to the side carefully studying Wang Dou for a long time. When Zhang Gui introduced him, he stepped forward to salute Wang Dou. Wang Dou’s first impression was that this was a rather cold and sinister man.

Last was Clerk Zhang Xuejiao. Wang Dou exchanged a few words with him — a classic old bureaucratic fox. When people say clerks are as slippery as oil, they probably mean this type.

These before him were the senior military officials of Baoan Department City. To be honest, Wang Dou was very disappointed; he felt there were no men of talent in the city, that the air of decay was too thick. The people he might be able to use in the department city in the future would perhaps be even fewer than those in Shunxiang Fort.

Still, these men would henceforth be his subordinates and colleagues, and he would have to use them whether they were useful or not. Wang Dou smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries with everyone, uttering some polite formalities.

While the group exchanged pleasantries, Wang Dou’s several hundred armored soldiers remained motionless on their horses, only a few mounts occasionally stirring and snorting. Watching their stern, disciplined bearing, one could feel an intimidating aura emanating from them, an aura that seemed to carry a hint of bloodthirstiness — the unconscious prestige revealed after bloody battles with the Qing troops.

This prestige made the pampered soldiers of the department city tremble with fear just by looking, and the city officials present also felt a sense of dread, each secretly alarmed by Wang Dou’s strength.

Under the previous department city Defense Commander, Xu Zucheng, there had never been such formidable retainers; moreover, Commander Xu’s retainers numbered only a little over a hundred. Wang Dou, by contrast, had nearly four hundred retainers. No one knew how he had trained them. It was precisely because of these formidable retainers that he had been able to take so many heads and be promoted to the high post of Defense Commander.

On both sides of the city gate, many commoners who had gathered to watch were pointing and gesturing at the armored troops, exclamations of wonder rising from time to time. Zhang Gui, his face wreathed in smiles, said, “My lord has come a long way and must be weary. Your subordinates and Commander Xu have already prepared a welcoming banquet for you at the Drum Tower. My lord, please enter the city now.”

Company Commander Tian Changguo chimed in as well: “Yes, yes, enter the city, enter the city.”

As he spoke, he kept rubbing his two large, puffy eyes. Seeing his half-asleep, half-awake look, Wang Dou wondered what he had been up to the night before.

……

After passing through the southern gate fort, Wang Dou led his troops into the department city through the Ying’en Gate. Beyond the “Zhengjiao Archway” lay the South Main Street of Baoan Department City. On both sides of the flagstone street, wine shops and tea houses were packed densely together; gaily dressed men and women mingled with numerous military and civilian households in tattered clothes, along with beggars and refugees everywhere, and a constant babble of various accents — this was Baoan Department City.

As Wang Dou led his troops into the city, the streets on both sides were lined with onlookers. Watching this seemingly endless stream of armored cavalry rolling in, the sounds of awe and exclamation never ceased. Everyone was pointing and commenting, buzzing with discussion.

Someone said, “Look, that’s the new Defense Commander, Lord Wang. Lord Wang looks so young, he doesn’t even seem thirty yet. Tsk tsk, truly young and promising.”

Another said, “I’ve heard that Lord Wang is incomparably fierce and brave, that he led his troops to take eighty heads, and that the new Grand Coordinator, Lord Lu, is full of praise for him.”

Another chorus of envious clicks and sighs followed; everyone marveled at Wang Dou’s good fortune — why hadn’t the Grand Coordinator come to appreciate them?

Yet another person said, “That’s not right. How come I heard that Lord Wang took over two hundred heads?”

Another said, “Nonsense, Lord Wang clearly took over eight hundred heads.”

This group began to argue, and then someone else said, “It’s a good thing Lord Wang has come. His troops are so strong, and they make the Tartars flee at the mere sight of them. With his venerable self garrisoning the department city, we can all rest easy.”

A chorus of voices responded, “This brother speaks the absolute truth.”

Wang Dou leading these nearly four hundred soldiers into the city — although these troops all looked incomparably fierce and gave them a sense of fear, having such strong soldiers also bolstered their sense of security. As long as these troops were not too greedy and did not go too far, and could protect their safety when the city’s commoners needed it, everyone would be fully satisfied.

Sometimes, the demands of the common people are just that simple.

Hearing the discussions around them, the first-rate armored soldiers of Shunxiang Fort on horseback held their heads even higher and puffed out their chests even more, striving to look as valiant and spirited as possible. Even Xie Yike became solemn; he sat upright on his horse, looking neither left nor right, so that anyone who did not know his temperament would think him an exceptionally steady young man. Behind Wang Dou, Han Chao also rode in silence, though when he caught sight of a woman’s figure by the street, her fervent gaze made him somewhat uncomfortable.

Riding on his horse, Wang Dou gazed at the great city before him with some emotion. Once upon a time, he had looked up at this city with an attitude of reverence; now, he had become its master.

Zhang Gui had the honor of riding alongside Wang Dou. Listening to the chatter from the streets, Zhang Gui sighed and said, “My lord took over two hundred heads; under your martial authority, the slave-thieves flee at the mere rumor of your approach. With my lord garrisoning the department city, the soldiers and civilians within are all much more at ease.”

Wang Dou glanced at Zhang Gui and said lightly, “Old Zhang, you certainly have a way with words.”

He had very naturally switched the way he addressed Zhang Gui, and Zhang Gui also found it perfectly natural. He said repeatedly, “These are your subordinate’s heartfelt words, heartfelt words.”

The party of men and horses soon reached the intersection of South Street and East Street. At the corner stood a large market archway — the “Cheng’en Archway” of Baoan Department City. Across the street, another towering structure rose nearly thirty meters high: the Drum Tower. This was the Wenchang Pavilion of Baoan Department City; standing atop it, one could clearly see the entire situation of the city.

Back when Wang Dou, Han Chao, Han Zhong, and Zhong Diaoyang had come to the department city, Gao Shiyin had praised the food and wine inside, but in the end they had not gone upstairs for a drink. That opportunity was only realized now, when he himself had become the Defense Commander of Baoan Department City.

……

The banquet hosted by the officials of Baoan Department City to welcome Wang Dou was set right here. This street intersection had long been heavily guarded; to welcome the new Defense Commander, the area had been cleared since early morning and was strictly watched by government troops.

At that moment, beneath the Drum Tower, Wang Dou saw the former Defense Commander, Xu Zucheng, who was about to leave his post and transfer to the guard city. When Wang Dou stepped forward to salute and pay his respects to Xu Zucheng, Xu Zucheng pressed down on Wang Dou’s hand and said with a smile, “Lord Wang need not perform such a grand ceremony.”

He studied Wang Dou for a moment and then said cordially, “Wang Dou, you must be weary from the journey here?”

Wang Dou exchanged a few pleasantries with Xu Zucheng, and finally Xu Zucheng took Wang Dou by the hand and together they entered the Drum Tower. Xu Zucheng was now acting Commander of Baoan Guard and would soon become the next Garrison Commander. Seeing Xu Zucheng treat Wang Dou with such warmth, all the officials burned with envy and hastily followed behind.