Chapter 151: Badly Startled

Watching this shocking scene, the several hundred government troops under Company Commander Tian Changguo turned especially pale. Every time the volley guns roared, their entire bodies collectively shuddered violently. While they rejoiced that they had not joined the mutiny, they were also terrified to the extreme by Wang Dou’s thunderous methods. Several hundred men — half the garrison of the prefectural city — killed at a word. What kind of heart did that take?

The volley guns sounded three times, and three hundred men had already been executed. Among the executed were many squad officers such as Company Commanders and Platoon Leaders, as well as small headmen like squad leaders. Though they were officers, they received not the slightest mercy, shot dead by firelocks atop the corpse pile just like the common mutineers.

The surrounding commoners had already knelt one after another, thanking the Grand Defender and the Department Magistrate for upholding justice for them. This troop uprising over pay had mostly involved the prefectural city’s drill-ready government troops and various household retainers; many of their dependents did not live inside the prefectural city. Yet among the mutineers were also many miscellaneous-duty troops and garrison-farming troops. Over a hundred of their dependents resided within the city. Watching their own men executed one by one, many wept silently.

“Bring the next prisoners.”

A voice like a death summons rang out. The last eighty-seven mutineers were hauled over by the burly long-spearmen of Shunxiang Fort like eagles snatching chicks. None of them could walk any longer; their whole bodies limp, they let those long-spear soldiers drag them over and line them up in front of the mutineer corpse pile. Their eyes stared blankly; few could stand steady.

“Ready…”

Another row of black, dense firelocks rose.

A long moment passed. The gunfire everyone expected — or dreaded — did not sound. They all turned their gazes toward Wang Dou and saw a young officer reporting something to him. Wang Dou nodded repeatedly and said flatly, “Escort them up.”

After a while, shouts and curses broke out. Chi Dengshan, Huang Xianen, and Zheng Yu were being escorted over by several burly iron-armored soldiers. Their heads and faces streamed with fresh blood, their steps staggering and unsteady. Beside the three men followed a dozen or so of their escorted retainers, driven forward as well.

Countless eyes watched them being marched forward. Suddenly a storm of curses erupted — from the dependents of the executed mutineers.

They wept and cursed: “Chi Dengshan, Zheng Yu, you dogs! You killed our men! May you die a wretched death!”

“Hack these curs to pieces!”

The mutineers’ dependents had no grounds, nor dared they, to blame Wang Dou and the others who had carried out the executions. All their pent-up fury fell upon Chi Dengshan, Zheng Yu, and the others who had stirred up the trouble.

“Kill them!”

A wave of furious denunciation, followed by large chunks of stone and clods of mud hurled at Chi Dengshan and the others’ heads.

Huang Xianen only hung his head and wept. Chi Dengshan, Zheng Yu, and the others, however, flew into a rage. A tiger driven from the hills is bullied by dogs — these lowly military households, who used to grovel and cower before them, not daring even to breathe loudly, now dared this? They raised their heads and shouted curses, but their voices were drowned in a sea of fury.

The closer they were escorted, the more their hearts quailed. They had already seen the corpses of the executed mutineers. They had never imagined Wang Dou could be so ruthless. These several hundred men — he had killed them all. For a moment, Chi Dengshan and the others were overcome with regret. Even if by some fluke they escaped punishment this time, without these soldiers, they would be reduced to men of no consequence.

Their party was escorted before Wang Dou and stood wretchedly in front of him.

Looking at them, Wang Dou said coldly, “Chi Dengshan, Huang Xianen, Zheng Yu — as leaders of government troops, you were duty-bound to restrain your soldiers and strictly uphold military law. Yet you incited your troops to riot and brought calamity upon the people. What crime should you answer for?”

Chi Dengshan said, “My lord, your subordinates are wronged. Of this troop mutiny, your subordinates knew nothing whatsoever, still less took part. I beg my lord to investigate clearly.”

Zheng Yu said, “We had reported illness and remained at home. We learned of this matter only just now. That we failed to enforce strict discipline is a fault for which we shall of course beg punishment. But the charge that we incited troops to riot is truly a malicious accusation meant to condemn us!”

Wang Dou sneered. “You speak glibly with artful expressions. Yet this official has interrogated widely, and all evidence clearly shows that this troop mutiny was instigated and plotted by you three. Though you stayed behind the scenes, every cause of the riot originated with you.”

He said sternly, “You three have monstrous gall. For your private gain, how many commoners have you harmed? If you are not brought to justice, where is Heaven’s principle? Where is justice?”

Chi Dengshan, Zheng Yu, and the others were greatly alarmed. Wang Dou had executed the mutineers — and now he meant to kill them too?

They cried out, “We did not take part in the mutiny! We did not take part!”

Wang Dou said coldly, “Your crimes are heinous and beyond pardon. Guards, take them away and execute them together with the mutineers, as a warning to all!”

Several Shunxiang Fort soldiers, fierce as wolves and tigers, surged forward and dragged them away by force. Chi Dengshan and the others panicked even more. Even the onlookers were stunned. Wang Dou had killed several hundred mutineers — and now he was going to kill Squad Commander Chi Dengshan and the others too?

The field fell silent; no one dared even to breathe. Even the mutineers lined up in the last row were stupefied, staring in disbelief at their officers being dragged up by force.

Zheng Yu struggled and shouted, “Wang Dou! This is personal vengeance! We refuse to accept this! We refuse!”

Huang Xianen wailed desperately, “My lord! This humble one knows his error! I beg my lord to spare this humble one!”

He shouted toward Company Commander Tian Changguo and Department Magistrate Li Zhenping, “My lords! I beg you to plead with the Grand Defender on our behalf!”

Tian Changguo’s face was extremely grim; he simply turned his head away and ignored them. Li Zhenping gave a cold snort and looked up at the sky.

Chi Dengshan struggled with all his might and shouted curses: "Wang Dou! I am a legitimate Battalion Commander of the Great Ming, a full fifth-rank official! Even if convicted, I must be tried by the proper authorities! You have no authority to dispose of us!"

Wang Dou said coldly, “You incited your troops to riot. This official needs no trial by the proper authorities to execute you on the spot. Drag them away. Carry out the sentence.”

In judicial matters, the Great Ming extended special privileged treatment to military officers. Military officers of rank three and above who committed offenses had to be memorialized to the throne for an imperial decree. Those of rank four and below who committed offenses were to be arrested and interrogated by the responsible offices, their guilt determined, and then a request for judgment submitted to the throne. In frontier cities, if soldiers plotted rebellion, a joint trial by the three offices — the Regional Military Commission, the Provincial Administration Commission, and the Provincial Surveillance Commission — was required, after which the case was reported to the Five Chief Military Commissions and memorialized to the throne.

However, those captured and executed on the spot before the battle lines were not subject to this restriction; no trial whatsoever was required. It was on this point that Wang Dou relied.

Amid the shouted curses and wails of Chi Dengshan and the others, they were dragged away and lined up together with the last few dozen mutineers.

“Execute!”

The field again rang with waves of shouted orders.

“Ready…”

The dense black firelocks rose once more. Staring at those clustered muzzles, Zheng Yu and Chi Dengshan gaped blankly. Suddenly they let out hoarse, piercing screams.

“Fire!”

The deafening roar of volley guns sounded again.

…

On the twenty-seventh day of the tenth month of the ninth year of the Chongzhen reign, the government troops of Baoan Department rioted over pay. Wang Dou, then serving as Grand Defender of Baoan Department City, led troops to suppress it. He captured and executed on the spot the mutiny leaders Chi Dengshan, Huang Xianen, Zheng Yu, and others. The mutiny was extinguished in an instant. Soldiers and civilians were at peace, and the people of the department praised his virtue.

When word reached Baoan Guard City, Guard Commander Li Yian was badly startled and hastily summoned Acting Guard Commander Xu Zucheng to confer. At this time, Xu Zucheng’s duties in the guard city, aside from assisting Li Yian in governing various matters within the city, mainly involved managing the guard battalion’s drill and training affairs. His subordinate Wang Dou had fought so fiercely — it must surely be the result of his superior officer’s training. In view of Xu Zucheng’s outstanding troop-training ability, both Guard Commander Li Yian and Huailong Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ji Shiwei had decided to let Xu Zucheng manage all drill and training affairs of the Baoan Guard Battalion.

After Xu Zucheng entered the guard city, he had been locked in open and covert struggles with the various local factions all this time. Only in the last couple of days had things finally relaxed. Just as he was about to catch his breath, he heard about the events in Baoan Department City.

Hearing this news, Xu Zucheng was dumbfounded. This Wang Dou — always stirring up such huge commotions. As Garrison Commander of Shunxiang Fort, he had expelled Xu Lu and the other four squad officers. Shortly after arriving at the department city, he had killed half the government troops under his command. This Wang Dou… Yet he handled affairs so effectively — able both in battle and in administration. Ah.

The two men studied the official dispatch Wang Dou had submitted. Li Yian’s illness was visibly worsening by now. After carefully reading the dispatch, he coughed a few times and said, “This matter poses no problem. The department city is already calm. Since the affair is settled, I believe His Excellency the Military Intendant will not wish to stir up further trouble.”

By this Chongzhen era of the Great Ming, troop riots over pay had become common everywhere. Yet most erupted fiercely and could not be pacified for many days. Cases like Wang Dou’s, settled within a single shichen, were rare. Although quite a few heads had been chopped, it also demonstrated outstanding ability and strict military discipline. Handled well, this was also a form of meritorious administrative achievement.

Xu Zucheng said, “I only fear that Wen Shiyan and Wang Captain will make a great fuss over this. Chi Dengshan and those others have always been on friendly terms with them.”

Li Yian sneered. “What fuss can they make? That Chi Dengshan and the others incited soldiers to riot is a fact. Executing them on the spot is also perfectly justified. Wang Captain and the others are clever men; they know to avoid suspicion.”

Privately, he was secretly shocked by Wang Dou’s ruthlessness. Any other officer would want as many troops under his command as possible — who would be willing to kill them the way Wang Dou did? He also worried about one point: “After the mutineers in the department city have been executed, the city’s defensive strength will be quite insufficient. We must still have Wang Dou fill the troop quota and properly handle the aftermath. No further trouble must arise.”

Xu Zucheng said, “Wang Dou has many military stalwarts under his command. The department city’s guard strength should not be a problem.”

Li Yian nodded slowly.

…

In the early days of the eleventh month of the ninth year of the Chongzhen reign, the official dispatch concerning the mutiny in Baoan Department City reached the hands of Huailong Military Defense Circuit Intendant Ji Shiwei.

At present, His Excellency Ji Shiwei was in very good spirits. After his trip to Baoan Department and Guard, he had successfully latched onto the thigh of the newly appointed Grand Coordinator Lu Xiangsheng — his future prospects were limitless. Originally, during this Qing army incursion, a considerable amount of population and wealth had been plundered from His Excellency Ji Shiwei’s jurisdiction. By law, he was to be punished for this. However, his jurisdiction had also achieved the great merit of two hundred and eighty-one severed enemy heads. After the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel deliberated on the merits, the merits and offenses canceled each other out, and he was even promoted one grade, to Right Assistant Administration Commissioner of the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission, while still concurrently serving as Huailong Military Defense Circuit Intendant of Xuanfu Garrison.

This promotion was an encouragement to His Excellency Ji. Not long ago, he had only wanted to keep things peaceful and leave when his term ended. He had never expected to be promoted, and his ambitions stirred back to life. Besides the promotion, his performance evaluation this time was also rated “Competent.” He must know that when he first arrived at the Huailong Circuit, his evaluation had been merely “Adequate” — a hair’s breadth from “Incompetent.”

Officials of the Great Ming served nine-year terms, with evaluations every three years. The evaluation grades were “Competent,” “Adequate,” and “Incompetent.” After the full nine-year evaluation period, those in busy posts with many days of service would be promoted two grades. Those in simple posts with many days of service would be promoted one grade. If his next evaluation was also “Competent,” he would be securely promoted two grades, and perhaps even have a chance to be appointed Provincial Governor of Xuanfu Garrison.

So for Magistrate Ji right now, stability and good governance within his jurisdiction come first. When he received the official dispatch about mutinous troops rioting for pay in Baoan Department, his first reaction was to suppress it. But on closer inspection, he breathed a sigh of relief — the matter had already been settled, and within a single day at that. Now the place where it happened was already calm and quiet.