Chapter 432: Sacrificial Worship, Changes

Assistant Regional Commander of the Nanshan Road, Yu Gui, invited the Loyal and Brave Count into Yulin Fort to rest. Wang Dou glanced at the fort not far away. Yulin Fort was not large — two li in circumference, its walls two zhang and five chi high. Together with Chadao and Liugou, the three forts were all under the jurisdiction of the Nanshan Road of Xuanfu Garrison. The Regional Commander of Liugou at this time was Chen Jiugao.

Wang Dou declined Yu Gui's invitation. He decided to go first to the Shrine for Honoring the Loyal at Shunxiang Fort in Bao'an Department, to bury the fallen officers and soldiers and pay homage to their heroic spirits.

In the half-year campaign to suppress the roving bandits, the Shunxiang Army had suffered several hundred casualties, of whom over a hundred had died in battle. The distance was too great to transport their bodies home, so their ashes, along with their clothes and caps, were brought back for burial, and their spirit tablets were invited into the shrine for worship. The fallen soldiers' belongings — armor, weapons, horses, and the like — went to their families, to be passed down as heirlooms.

The fallen warhorses were buried as well, following the practice of the Qi Family Army. After a warhorse died, it could only be buried; skinning and eating it was forbidden. Their ears and four hooves were cut off and buried together with the soldiers, with a separate grave erected beside them. Though warhorses cannot speak, they, like the soldiers, toiled hard in service to the nation and deserved the same treatment as the soldiers.

In Wang Dou's army, there was an additional rule: warhorses, like soldiers, received spirit tablet offerings in the shrine. In the Shrine for Honoring the Loyal at Shunxiang Fort, there was a dedicated hall where fallen warhorses received incense and offerings. The soldiers of the Shunxiang Army shared an extremely deep bond with their warhorses, as close as kin and brothers. When a warhorse was wounded or killed, they were just as grief-stricken.

This gesture of Wang Dou's warmed the hearts of the officers and soldiers deeply, further strengthening their sense of belonging to the army.

Hearing of this now, no one raised any objection. Yu Gui, in particular, was full of praise, saying that the Loyal and Brave Count truly cared for his men, and that serving under his command was a true blessing.

Wang Dou knew that Yu Gui was wholeheartedly trying to draw close to him, and he treated him quite amiably.

Ma Guoxi's face resumed its gentle smile. He clasped his hands toward Wang Dou and said, "These officers and men have given their lives fighting bandits for the nation. We subordinate officials should naturally go and pay our respects. Once the army is settled, we shall hold a welcoming banquet for the Loyal and Brave Count."

Li Jinsheng and the others behind him also chimed in repeatedly in agreement.

Wang Dou glanced at the old fox, smiled faintly, and said, "Very well."

Thereupon, the great army turned toward Shunxiang Fort, followed by multitudes of common folk. As they marched, people from various forts continuously joined the flow, swelling it into a vast, mighty stream of humanity.

When the army reached Bao'an Department, every intersection and bridge was packed solid with dense crowds of local military households, and heaven-shaking cheers of "Grand General" rose without end.

Indeed, Wang Dou was the pride of all the soldiers and civilians of Bao'an Department. Rising from a common soldier to become the illustrious General Who Punishes the Caitiffs and the Loyal and Brave Count — how could the local soldiers and civilians not be overjoyed and proud? Yet, compared to the title Loyal and Brave Count, the soldiers and civilians of Bao'an Department preferred to call Wang Dou "Grand General," to express a sense of closeness and familiarity.

Watching the sincere and stirred crowd, warm currents surged through Wang Dou's heart. Ah, this was the Eastern Road, his homeland. No matter how bitter and exhausting it was out there, returning home to the adoration and support of these soldiers and civilians made his life worthwhile.

The crowd following the army grew larger and larger, eventually numbering no less than two hundred thousand. Watching this tide of people, even the Eastern Road commanders who were not yet part of the Shunxiang Army system — Li Jinsheng, Garrison Commander of Yanqing Department; Huang Changyi, Garrison Commander of Huailai; Xu Zucheng, Garrison Commander of Bao'an Guard City; and Wang Yide, Garrison Commander of Yongning City — all felt their blood surge with excitement.

Ma Guoxi, the Military Defense Circuit Intendant of Huailong, still wore a genial smile on his face, though a complex expression flickered in his eyes. Wu Zhi, the Department Magistrate of Yanqing, remained expressionless, but the skin of his face twitched involuntarily from time to time.

Surrounded by soldiers and civilians, Wang Dou led the great army to Shunxiang Fort.

At this time, the Garrison Commander of Shunxiang Fort was Wang Dou's old superior, Zhong Dayong. Having received word, he led the various officials of the fort several li out to welcome them.

This former Company Leader of Jingbian Outpost, seeing the momentum of Wang Dou's rise, had decisively drawn close to Wang Dou. He worked quite diligently and had even recommended the poultry-raising talent Long Kun to Wang Dou, ultimately earning Wang Dou's trust and being appointed Garrison Commander of Shunxiang Fort.

Looking at Wang Dou, Zhong Dayong felt only gratitude and pride. The former outpost soldier under his command had ultimately become the renowned Loyal and Brave Count, an existence beyond reach. He had not followed the wrong man; his choice back then had not been mistaken.

By now, all the major officials of the Shogunate had rushed to Shunxiang Fort, along with the families of the fallen soldiers enshrined in the Shrine for Honoring the Loyal and the families of the recently fallen, all gathered outside Shunxiang Fort.

Wang Dou did not delay. The army moved to Fushan. Amid the strains of funeral music, the ash urns of the fallen soldiers were buried. Wang Dou and the officers personally shoveled earth. Ma Guoxi, disregarding his old age and frailty, also busied himself at Wang Dou's side.

After the burial, the subsequent repairs and erection of tablets would naturally be handled by the officials of the Shrine for Honoring the Loyal.

Only after the spirit tablets were invited into the shrine did the grand sacrificial ceremony begin.

The great affairs of the state lie in sacrifice and war! Sacrifice, alongside military affairs, was one of the two most important state matters in ancient times. Every dynasty had a strict state sacrificial system, generally divided into two categories. The first was the central court sacrificial system, divided into Grand Sacrifices, Middle Sacrifices, and Minor Sacrifices. The second was the local sacrificial system, with sacrifices at the province, prefecture, department, and county levels.

When the Shrine for Honoring the Loyal was first established, Wang Dou had only found some monks and Daoist priests to chant scriptures. Later, he abolished that and adopted the proper rites of the state, with grand music and offerings, appointing divine officials, so that the Shrine for Honoring the Loyal enjoyed treatment at the province-prefecture level of standards. The rites of offering, the sacrificial music, and the sacrificial procedures were all carried out meticulously, with music and dance accompaniment, solemn and grand.

The sacrificial animals and vessels were set out. The chief officiating divine official intoned: "The sacrifice begins! Commence the music!"

Another assisting officiating divine official intoned: "Commence the dance!"

The eight sounds — metal, stone, earth, leather, silk, wood, gourd, and bamboo — were struck one by one. Amid the profound ceremonial music, the ritual dancers, some holding yue flutes, some holding sheng pipes, some holding chi flutes, blended music and dance, moving gracefully.

At the same time, in the great square outside the shrine, all the soldiers, including Wang Dou, performed the saber salute and the spear salute, and chanted in unison: "Swords rise from the soil of Shun, on horseback we settle the realm; the general's star encircles, the warriors' moon curves like a bow... Loyal and brave soldiers, through ten thousand kalpas undimmed; heaven and earth in primal dusk, your true spirits endure forever..."

The golden tones and jade vibrations of the ceremonial music were elegant and lingering. The dancers' scene was grand, and with hundreds of thousands chanting in unison, it was filled with a power that shook the heart.

During the ode, not only the soldiers in the field but even the common folk watching were all moved to tears. Many of the Xiangyang scholars and commoners who had followed the army wept uncontrollably. Many said, "With such sacrifices, even dying in battle would not be in vain."

The dance ceased, the music ceased. Wang Dou and the various generals and officials entered the hall, approached the spirit tablets, and offered incense, while all the families of the fallen returned the courtesy beside them.

The faces of the families showed both grief and pride. How could they not be sorrowful that the men of their households had died in battle? Yet, that their spirit tablets could enter the Shrine for Honoring the Loyal to receive worship warmed their hearts and filled them with pride. The men of their households had not died in vain.

Wang Dou came before Han Zhong's spirit tablet. Looking at the portrait behind the tablet, he recalled every little moment of those days, and grief filled his heart. He offered incense and bowed several times.

Han Zhong's widow, Young Lady Li, led her son Han Hou in returning the courtesy beside them, along with her sister-in-law, Madam Zheng.

Wang Dou looked at Young Lady Li. She was only twenty this year, leading a child not yet five. How would she live through the long days ahead?

Wang Dou said gently, "Brother Han and I were as close as brothers. Lady Han, if you have any difficulties, you must tell me."

Young Lady Li's beautiful eyes reddened slightly. She bowed low and said, "Many thanks for the Grand General's concern. This humble woman has no difficulties. I only wish to quietly bring up Hou'er, preserve my chastity for Han Zhong, and raise the child."

Wang Dou sighed, "Very well."

He then looked at her son, Han Hou. The child had a tiger's head and a swallow's jaw, looking exactly as if stamped from the same mold as Han Zhong. He said, "You look just like your father."

The child was not shy with strangers. Looking at Wang Dou, he said, "Grand General, why are you crying? Don't cry, don't cry. Hou'er told Mother that when Hou'er grows up, he will also follow the Grand General to kill the Tartars and avenge Daddy."

Wang Dou choked, "Good child."

Yet tears could not help but flow down.

Li Guangheng, looking at his daughter and grandson, his tiger-like eyes reddened, and hot tears also welled up.

The generals all consoled Wang Dou and Li Guangheng, while Ma Guoxi, the Military Defense Circuit Intendant of Huailong, sighed deeply.

Wang Dou also offered incense at the spirit tablet of General of Martial Virtue, Yang Tong. His widow, Madam Liu, was quite open-minded. Besides raising her several children, she followed by Xie Xiuniang's side, doing work to relieve refugees and care for widows and the elderly, living a full life. Seeing her thus, Wang Dou felt somewhat relieved.

After the incense-offering ceremony, before all the soldiers and civilians, Wang Dou personally presented the fallen soldiers' belongings and armor to their widowed families. Relief money and rice were also delivered into their hands one by one, and each household's fields would be exempt from taxes for three years.

Henceforth, their families would be the first to receive aid from the Farming Teams and Mutual Aid Societies. During festivals and holidays, the army would send people down to offer condolences.

The entire sacrificial ceremony was sorrowful yet solemnly stirring. Only Ma Guoxi sighed in his heart, seeing that the military and civilian hearts of the Eastern Road were increasingly united, yet the people knew only the Loyal and Brave Count and not the imperial court — this was a misfortune for the state. Your Majesty, your humble servant is ashamed, unable to turn the hearts of the Eastern Road people toward the court.

Afterward, Wang Dou went to the Righteous People's Shrine near the Shrine for Honoring the Loyal to offer incense. After the sacrificial ceremony, he made an inspection tour of Shunxiang Fort and its surroundings.

Shunxiang Fort had already become a flourishing great city, with a population of nearly seventy thousand inside and outside the fort. It connected to Zijing Pass, Mashuikou, Meiyu Post, Bao'an Department, Weizhou, and other places. Merchants' establishments stood in great numbers, military households were prosperous, and many owned property, horses, and mules. What had once been a remote thousand-household fort had truly become a ten-thousand-household center.

Shunxiang Fort produced many soldiers and officers. With the soldiers campaigning abroad, their households were mostly women, children, and supernumerary males, so this fort was a key recipient of aid from the Farming Teams and Mutual Aid Societies of Bao'an Department.

According to Zhong Dayong's introduction, the Farming Teams of this department were now all selected from able-bodied refugee youths. Whenever the farming season grew busy — sowing, threshing, reaping, carrying sheaves, and so on — the Farming Teams would go to the various forts to work in exchange for wages and rations. A stable system had already formed, so even with the soldiers campaigning abroad, their families need not worry about their fields going untilled.

Since the heavy farm work was done by others, these family members mostly engaged in mining, animal husbandry, commerce, and other enterprises, living lives of ease.

The populace of Shunxiang Fort had the highest level of education on the Eastern Road, and their support for Wang Dou was the most steadfast.

Wang Dou felt gratified. He could not forget the numb, despairing expressions of the military households when he first took up the post of Garrison Commander of Shunxiang Fort. To have been able to change their lives filled Wang Dou's heart with a sense of accomplishment.

Now, the territory of Bao'an Department was also the economic center of the Eastern Road. Because every household had surplus grain and surplus money, and the banks controlled by the Finance Bureau encouraged investment in industry with low-interest loans, shops and factories stood in great numbers throughout the department.

In Shunxiang Fort in particular, although the military industries had been moved to Yongning, the surrounding area had much mountainous land and pasture. So, cattle farms, pig farms, chicken farms, and duck farms clustered there, providing the Eastern Road with large quantities of meat and eggs. At the same time, various processing industries flourished, producing large amounts of cured meat, smoked meat, ham, salted eggs, and even canned goods.

It is said that ancient technology should not be underestimated. When the environment was fertile and favorable, the vast numbers of merchants and common folk would ignite the greatest passion for invention — canned food was one such invention. However, in the Great Ming dynasty it was not called canned food, but "meat porcelain jars." The *Essential Techniques for the Common People* once recorded: "Cut domestic animal meat into pieces, add salt and wheat flour, mix evenly, and when done, place inside a porcelain vessel and seal the mouth tightly with clay."

This was the ancient form of canned food, which could likewise preserve food for a long time.

With the army as a major customer, many on the Eastern Route dealt in meat porcelain jars.

The greatest fear in running a livestock farm was pestilence, so veterinarians on the Eastern Route were extremely sought after. Inspired by the military workshops, many veterinarians recruited apprentices and passed on their skills without reservation.

After apprentices completed their training, whenever they earned income, they had to pay a certain amount to their masters. These masters only needed to sit and collect money; the more apprentices they taught, the more money they received. Their actions received strong support from the Commercial Affairs Section of the Civil Administration Department. Every trade and profession followed this trend — in later ages, this would be called the prevalence of technical schools and night schools.

Farming teams, mining teams, iron-forging teams, stone-quarrying teams, road-repair teams, seamstresses... Due to thriving commerce, many laborers worked within Baoanzhou's borders, and the embryonic form of a working class had already appeared.

Wang Dou was delighted in his heart. Prosperity was good — as long as taxes could be collected, the more prosperous commerce was, the better. With a sound tax system and flourishing commerce, it was a virtuous cycle. Conversely, if commerce flourished but taxes could not be collected, it was deformed and of no benefit to the state, just like Jiangnan at the end of the Ming dynasty.

Filled with satisfaction, Wang Dou left Shunxiang Fort.