Chapter 334: The Sub-Prefectural Assistant Regional Commander

At this moment, inside the spacious Assistant Regional Commander’s great hall, a number of high-ranking officials in fine robes had gathered. Every man wore a scarlet official robe, with a gold belt carved with tigers and coiling dragons at the waist, and their rank badges were embroidered with tigers and leopards. Sunlight streamed through the thin window paper, making each man’s official dress glow an even deeper crimson.

Most of those in the hall wore the robes of the upper third rank, all with wide sleeves and full cuts, their attire indistinguishable from that of civil officials — only the embroidered patterns revealed their status as military officers.

Indeed, those assembled in the hall at this moment were the various Garrison Commanders and Defense Commanders who had come from all the cities of the Eastern Route to pay their respects. As the Yongning Assistant Regional Commander, Wang Dou had under his jurisdiction the seven city Garrison Commanders of Huailai, Yanqing, Yongning, Baoanzhou City, Baoan Guard City, Jinghu Fort, and Sihaiye Fort, as well as the Defense Commanders and Guard Commanders of several other cities.

A dozen or so officers and commanders gathered in the great hall, all talking at once, and the subject of their conversation was naturally the newly arrived Sub-Prefectural Assistant Regional Commander, the world-renowned General Who Pacifies the Realm, Wang Dou, whose name was on every tongue far and wide.

He had followed Viceroy Lu into the capital region, fought at Tongzhou, at Pinggu, at Julu, at Zhuozhou — wherever he went, the slave foe fled at the mere rumor of his coming, and he had piled up illustrious military achievements. Everyone had long heard his name like thunder; he was a hot topic endlessly discussed in every teahouse and tavern.

That such a figure had become their superior — whether it was a blessing or a curse, none dared to be certain. They probed one another, hoping only to glean a little more information.

Among those in the hall, the one with the most authority to speak was naturally the newly appointed Garrison Commander of Baoanzhou, Zhong Diaoyang. He was a trusted and beloved general of the General Who Pacifies the Realm, personally promoted by Wang Dou, and private rumor even had it that he was the General’s maternal cousin. If he would reveal a thing or two, everyone’s minds would surely be set at ease.

Yet he only sat there with a faint smile, silent, and after exchanging pleasantries with the various officers he took his seat and made desultory conversation with the Garrison Commander of Baoan Guard City, Xu Zucheng.

Since he was unwilling to say much, the others could hardly press him with questions.

Besides Zhong Diaoyang and Xu Zucheng, another with authority to speak was the Yongning City Garrison Commander, Wang Yide, who had led the Yongning officials in welcoming Wang Dou’s party the day before and certainly had much to say. At this moment he was speaking with Huailai Garrison Commander Wang Changyi, Yanqing Garrison Commander Chen Enchong, and Jinghu Fort Garrison Commander Song Jiaxuan. As he spoke, he rubbed his hands together out of habit.

By all accounts, Wang Yide could be considered broad-shouldered and sturdy-waisted, yet his face was full of wrinkles, his temples were graying, and his back was somewhat hunched. A man in his forties, he looked closer to sixty, and the upper-third-rank official robe he wore always gave off an indescribable sense of awkwardness.

In the eyes of everyone present, this Wang Yide was a spineless yes-man — “echo bug” was the most fitting description of him. He was timid by nature and exceedingly obedient — to his superiors, that is. His pet phrases were: “Yes, yes,” “No, no…”

Whenever a superior questioned him, he would always stand with hands at his sides, stiff and tongue-tied, and when he spoke he would accompany his words with a somewhat fearful, fawning smile.

Though his colleagues held him in contempt, in the minds of his superiors Wang Yide was respectful and submissive, and even if he lacked ability, he still won the regard of many. After the Yongning Garrison Commander Wu Yunsong had suddenly fallen ill and died, the then Military Defense Circuit Ji Shiwei, once Wang Dou had declined the Yongning Garrison Commander post, had without the slightest hesitation promoted Wang Yide to the position.

At this moment Wang Yide kept inhaling sharply to keep his nose from running; there seemed to be something wrong with his nose — whenever he grew agitated, it would start to drip.

“The General Who Pacifies the Realm is famed throughout the land; the eastern slaves scatter like the wind before him. Having met him yesterday, this humble officer finds the man even more impressive than his reputation. The Shunxiang Army is a crack force — truly, its fame is well deserved…”

The shock of Wang Dou’s arrival with his troops the day before still lingered in Wang Yide’s mind. Accompanying Wang Dou to Yongning were the various staff members of his headquarters, as well as several thousand troops from the commands of Wen Fangliang, Zhong Xiancai, Gao Shiyin, Li Guangheng, and Sun Sanjie, along with a mighty procession of several hundred carts and wagons — no one knew what they carried inside.

Their soldiers were uniformly clad in armor: the pikemen in iron armor, the musketeers in iron-studded cotton brigandines. That torrent of extravagant steel instantly stunned every soldier and civilian inside and outside Yongning City. In particular, the Shunxiang Army’s aura of having survived a hundred battles struck such awe that no one in the scene dared even breathe loudly.

Yongning City had originally been a guard battalion; apart from the Assistant Regional Commander’s headquarters, there were also the various guard battalion officers — Vice Guard Commanders, Assistant Guard Commanders, full and vice Battalion Commanders, and so on. The former Sub-Prefectural Assistant Regional Commander Yang Xianqiao was about to take up his new post on the Southern Route of the Xuanfu Defense Area and was busy organizing his retainers and transferring his property, so the arrangements for welcoming the new Sub-Prefectural Assistant Regional Commander had mainly been prepared and handled by Garrison Commander Wang Yide.

To welcome Wang Dou, Wang Yide had put in every effort: he had the walls inside and outside the Assistant Regional Commander’s residence thoroughly whitewashed and the courtyards meticulously swept. Yongning City’s public funds were rather insufficient, so Wang Yide did not hesitate to dip into his own purse — all to ensure the new Sub-Prefectural Assistant Regional Commander would be satisfied.

Sure enough, the General Who Pacifies the Realm, Wang Dou, affirmed Wang Yide’s diligence. He summoned Wang Yide and questioned him at length about matters inside and outside Yongning City, and his words were full of praise, which left Wang Yide inwardly glowing with pleasure. Of course, while Wang Yide was going all out to flatter the new Sub-Prefectural Assistant Regional Commander, he could not help but neglect his former superior, Yang Xianqiao.

Wang Yide did not mind in the least, even though he had previously been just as fervent toward Yang Xianqiao as he now was toward Wang Dou. But Yang Xianqiao was already a thing of the past — he had been transferred to the Southern Route of Xuanfu Garrison and no longer had anything to do with him. Currying favor with his current superior, Wang Dou, was what mattered most.

Wang Yide talked on for a long while; though somewhat incoherent, Huang Changyi, Chen Enchong, and Song Jiaxuan still managed to glean the information they wanted. They exchanged glances, left Wang Yide behind, and stepped aside to speak in low voices. Wang Yide felt rather awkward. He quickly worked up his emotions, put on a smiling face, and went over to pay his respects and exchange words with Zhong Diaoyang and Xu Zucheng.

Over in their seats, Xu Zucheng and Zhong Diaoyang sat talking together. Looking at the Zhong Diaoyang before him, Xu Zucheng could not help but sigh at how the river flows east for thirty years and west for another thirty. In the past, Wang Dou had been merely one of his respectful subordinates, watching his expression in every move he made.

In the blink of an eye, he had become a Regional Military Vice Commissioner, a full rank higher than himself, and had even become the local Sub-Prefectural Assistant Regional Commander — truly his immediate superior. Now he himself had to watch Wang Dou’s expression when speaking. The affairs of the world were truly hard to predict.

The Zhong Diaoyang before him had once been only a lowly junior officer, but because he had followed Wang Dou, he had become a local Garrison Commander, on equal footing with himself. No matter how much jealousy and discomfort Xu Zucheng felt in his heart, he had to suppress those emotions and vigorously cultivate ties with him.

He chatted with lively wit, his increasingly corpulent frame shifting as he spoke, his large, fleshy nose quivering: “Twenty-five li east of the Guard City is Jade Stone Gully — the stone there is like jade. Some other day, your elder brother here will play host and take Brother Zhong out for a fine sightseeing tour…”

…

“They say a new official starts three fires. I wonder what fires this General Who Pacifies the Realm will start once he arrives in Yongning.”

Yanqing Department Garrison Commander Chen Enchong said in a dark, sinister tone: “Judging by what Wang Dou did in Baoanzhou, this man is not one easy to get along with.”

Huailai Garrison Commander Huang Changyi said with a pained expression: “When a superior arrives, there will surely have to be some tribute paid. I hope it won’t mean bleeding our purses dry.”

Jinghu Fort Garrison Commander Song Jiaxuan lowered his voice and said: “Paying tribute in money and goods is a small matter. What I fear is that this Wang Dou is insatiably greedy and will set his sights on our lands and sources of income.”

Even when lowering his voice, his speech was still rough and gruff. Unlike Chen Enchong’s sly softness and Huang Changyi’s gaunt leanness, Song Jiaxuan was an exceedingly burly man. Broad-shouldered and wide-backed, he had a deep scar across his face that gave him a somewhat ferocious, murderous look.

The refined official robe he wore gave off the same indescribable sense of awkwardness on him.

Hearing Song Jiaxuan’s words, Chen Enchong and the others all started in alarm. Huang Changyi murmured: “Surely not…”

Song Jiaxuan snorted. “Who knows.”

Just as in Baoanzhou, in the cities of the Eastern Route it was likewise common practice for military officers and local strongmen to seize land. The fertile fields had all been carved up among them, and what of the shops, mines, and timber forests everywhere — was there a single one in which they did not have a profiteering hand? They were the local bosses, the snakes in the grass. But now that this powerful dragon, Wang Dou, had arrived, who knew whether he would come snapping for a bite?

Unlike Chen Enchong, Huang Changyi, and the others, Song Jiaxuan’s clan did not hold much farmland. However, his family had garrisoned Jinghu Fort for many years, and the fort controlled a vital pass on the Eastern Route leading beyond the frontier. Countless merchants and local strongmen secretly traded with the various Mongol tribes beyond the border, and smuggling was rampant.

To go beyond the frontier, one had to bribe Song Jiaxuan. Sitting back and reaping the profits for so many years, Song Jiaxuan had made a fortune. That was why, though his official troops numbered fewer than two thousand, nearly half of them were his own retainers — all thanks to this geographical advantage.

What Song Jiaxuan feared most was that in the future Wang Dou would set his sights on this source of wealth. Sharing a cup of the spoils would be one thing, but if Wang Dou got the idea of taking it all for himself and transferred him away, then…

He could only hope that Wang Dou’s appetite would not be too unsightly.

After pondering for a long while, Chen Enchong said: “As the saying goes, a strong dragon does not crush the local snakes. Wang Dou is young, after all. If he wants peace on the Eastern Route, he will still have to rely on us steady, seasoned men.”

He spoke with meaningful emphasis: “Gentlemen, we old hands of the Eastern Route ought to unite in purpose and advance or retreat together.”

As the Yanqing Department Garrison Commander, Chen Enchong had always been on good terms with the Department Magistrate Wu Zhi. Wu Zhi found Wang Dou an eyesore, and Chen Enchong likewise had no goodwill toward Wang Dou. But Wang Dou held heavy troops in his grasp and was famed throughout the realm — no small matter. To build up a united front, they would certainly need to draw in more people.

Among the various commanders of the Eastern Route, Zhong Diaoyang was definitely a lost cause. That Xu Zucheng was desperate to curry favor with Wang Dou — don’t even think about him. Wang Yide was timid as a mouse and a complete bootlicker… Huang Changyi, as Huailai Garrison Commander, was a decent candidate, but he was a fence-sitter, leaning toward whichever side was stronger and offered more advantage — one had to be careful he might sell them out.

Among the die-hard allies, there was only Song Jiaxuan. The rest — some Defense Commanders, Guard Commanders, and such minor officers — could be used to swell the numbers and boost the momentum, and also…

Chen Enchong’s gaze shifted toward a big fellow sitting sprawled arrogantly in a chair, laughing uproariously with Zhousigou Fort Defense Commander Chen Qinluan over some unknown jest. This big fellow wore armor but not the official robe of the Great Ming guard battalion system — he was the Sihaiye Fort Garrison Commander, Zhang Wenru.

Contrary to his name, both his appearance and his manner were exceedingly crude. His beard was a wild tangle, his armor and robes were covered in grease, and his body gave off an unpleasant stench of sweat. Likely he had been out drinking with his subordinate soldiers the night before and returned dead drunk; his eyes were still bloodshot and laced with red veins.

“This Madman Zhang — brave he certainly is, but his one single-minded desire is to kill slaves, and he even rather admires that Wang Dou. I fear he cannot be relied upon…”

Chen Enchong thought to himself.

Zhang Wenru served as the Sihaiye Fort Garrison Commander, controlling another major thoroughfare on the Eastern Route leading beyond the frontier. But unlike Song Jiaxuan, he utterly detested anyone within his territory colluding with the tribes beyond the border. He would beat up every one he found, and after beating them, he would confiscate their goods, exchange them for silver, and use it to drink and eat meat with his troops.

This way of doing things was inseparable from Zhang Wenru’s background. He was a native of Qian’an and had been fond of playing with spears and staves since childhood. In the second year of Chongzhen, Huang Taiji had borrowed a route through Mongol territory, breached the Great Wall, and plundered the capital region. Qian’an fell, and all twenty-three members of the Zhang family were brutally slaughtered under the blades of the Later Jin soldiers — including his young wife, who was six months pregnant. Only Zhang Wenru, who had been away on business, alone escaped with his life.

After this grievous calamity, Zhang Wenru gave away all his family wealth and threw himself into the army. Because he fought the Qing soldiers with the ferocity of a mad tiger every time, people gave him the nickname “Madman Zhang.” There were even instances of him taking wounded Qing prisoners alive, cutting out their hearts and livers to go with his wine, so behind his back people gave him another nickname: “Butcher Zhang the Living.”

Having earned this nickname, Zhang Wenru did not consider it a disgrace but rather an honor. He was quite pleased with himself and would often sing loudly: “Split that slave open while he’s still alive, take his heart and liver to go with my wine.”

By all accounts, from the second year of Chongzhen onward, he had accumulated considerable battle merits. In the seventh year of Chongzhen, when the Qing troops invaded through Xuanfu Garrison, Zhang Wenru also took many heads. However, he did not understand how to adapt to circumstances. Whenever he obtained money or goods, he would drink himself drunk with his subordinate soldiers and never showed the slightest inclination to offer tribute to his superiors. Add to that his bandit nickname “Butcher Zhang the Living,” and he was disliked by his superiors. Though he had considerable military achievements, he was never recognized or rewarded.

After all these years, he was still only a Garrison Commander, and had been stuck in the bleak and impoverished post of Sihaiye Fort.

Normally, one lives off the mountain if one dwells by the mountain, and lives off the water if one dwells by the water — just like Song Jiaxuan, the Jinghu Fort Garrison Commander. But Zhang Wenru cut off his own road to wealth, and this way of doing things naturally made him deeply hated by all the merchants within the Eastern Route. But there was nothing to be done — this Zhang Wenru was ruthless in battle and ruthless in life, and extremely difficult to provoke.

His famous saying was: “If a man is not ruthless, he cannot stand firm.”

A typical madman — dealing with him was a colossal headache.

Zhang Wenru’s one distinctive trait was that he deeply admired any true man who dared to fight the Qing troops. Upon hearing of Wang Dou’s battle record, he had openly expressed his admiration: “I have heard that Wang Dou has won great renown killing slaves, and I would quite like to meet him. I wonder how his soldiers compare to my own lads?”

A person like this was not the ideal target in Chen Enchong’s mind — strength in numbers was what mattered. It seemed he would need to think of more ways.

……

While everyone outside the hall harbored their own thoughts, Wang Dou was chatting and laughing merrily with Xiong Tingrui, the former Mobile Corps Commander who was about to be transferred to the southern sector of Xuanzhen. Xiong Tingrui had a prosperous look, in his forties, and was very well maintained. One could tell he was a man who valued the quality of life.

After the death of the former East Sector Mobile Corps Commander Mao Bin in the tenth year of Chongzhen, Xiong Tingrui had been parachuted in from the garrison city. He had served in the East Sector for less than two years and was now being transferred again. For him, a lateral transfer to the Shunsheng-Wei-Guang Mobile Corps Commander post on the southern sector of Xuanfu Garrison was tremendously good news.

Xiong Tingrui did not like the East Sector. The local military strongman factions were deeply entrenched, and Xiong Tingrui felt his ability to deal with them was lacking. In particular, the area was close to the frontier and quite dangerous. In the seventh year of Chongzhen, the great army of the Eastern Slaves had broken through the passes right here in the East Sector. There was no telling when the Eastern Slaves or the Northern Barbarians might come again; being able to leave was best.

Compared to the southern sector of Xuanfu Garrison, which lay deep in a secondary strategic zone, he would no longer have to live in constant fear, worrying that his life and family might be in jeopardy at any moment. The places under its jurisdiction — Shengshunchuan East and West Cities, Weizhou, Guangchang, and the rest — were also fairly prosperous, so he could line his pockets in peace and stability.

Wang Dou taking over was the best possible outcome — a joy for all.

In excellent spirits, Xiong Tingrui chatted and laughed with Wang Dou, suggesting that the two Mobile Corps Commanders of neighboring sectors should keep in closer contact and strengthen their personal rapport. He was also curious about this legendary figure Wang Dou.

This was exactly what Wang Dou had hoped for. The two men talked and laughed as they waited for their subordinates to finish handing over the various affairs.

When a new official took office, the handover items were numerous. Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang had stipulated thirty-one items that an incoming official must be informed of: sacrifices and rituals, the public nursing home, prisons and jails, the official seals within the city, fish lakes, accounting and grain reserves, and so on and so forth. Every single one had to be handed over and confirmed, lest loose ends be left behind that would breed future disputes.

Wang Dou had arrived at Yongning City the day before and had already spent a day conducting the handover with Xiong Tingrui. It was still ongoing, but nearly finished, entering the final wrap-up stage.

At last, after Wang Dou had drunk four cups of tea in a row, Feng Dachang, the chief clerk of the staff office, walked in and said to Wang Dou in a low voice: “General, all affairs have been confirmed.”

Xiong Tingrui naturally heard Feng Dachang’s words. He rose with a hearty laugh: “General Wang, allow me to introduce you to all your colleagues in the East Sector.”