Chapter 433: Returning Home

After leaving Shunxiang Fort, Wang Dou went back to the place where he first made his start, Jingbian Fort, to take a look.

Jingbian Fort at this time was considered the spiritual heart of the Eastern Circuit. The Eastern Circuit's supreme leader Wang Dou, his loving mother Xie Xiuniang, numerous senior military officers and stewards — Han Chao, Gao Shiyin, Zhong Xiancai, Zhong Diaoyang, Xie Yike, Qi Tianliang, Zhong Rong, and others — all came out of Jingbian Fort, along with a great many mid- and low-ranking officers in the army. So although Jingbian Fort was small, quite a few people paid attention to it.

Every year, large numbers of military household scholars came to visit, along with students from the various academies who came to pay their respects. As Wang Dou's status rose higher and higher, Jingbian Fort's fame grew ever more resounding.

When Wang Dou saw it again, Jingbian Fort had been repaired to look even more beautiful. The iconic great waterwheel by the Dongfang River stood tall and lofty. The pigsties and chicken coops that used to be beside the fort in former days were also gone, making it appear quite clean.

Unlike before, when it only had a southern gate, Jingbian Fort now had three gates — east, south, and west — connected by gravel paths leading respectively to the department city, the Five Forts, Shunxiang Fort, and other places. Trees were planted along the roadsides. Walking along the little paths and gazing at Jingbian Fort from afar, it was like approaching the center of a secluded garden.

Those living in Jingbian Fort were mostly the original long-term residents, along with some wounded and disabled retired soldiers who were also willing to dwell inside or outside the fort.

They had the farming teams to help them with labor, received monthly pensions, and every year people from all walks of life came to express sympathy and concern. Their lives were free of worry; every day they listened to operas and sang tunes, quite leisurely and carefree. Those who could not bear idleness could also go to the Training Division or the various garrison forts to serve as instructors, or go to the Staff Division or the Education Division to take up posts. On the whole, Jingbian Fort had a rather strong atmosphere of culture and leisure.

The current fort commander was Hong Qiu, the former Platoon Leader of Dongjiazhuang. This rough and forthright fellow, though not very literate, was a generous and open-hearted man who had helped Wang Dou greatly back in the day. So when his old superior, the current Civil Affairs Division Commissioner Zhang Gui, recommended Hong Qiu as the fort commander of Jingbian Fort, Wang Dou approved it with his written reply.

Before reaching the front of Jingbian Fort, Wang Dou saw from afar a towering statue standing high atop the Jingbian Beacon Tower inside the fort. The statue was clad in armor, standing with its hand on a sword. Who else could it be but himself?

When he arrived before the Yongning Gate, he also saw a great concentration of temples and opera stages near the southern gate, as well as inns and restaurants. These were the enterprises of the local military households, specially set up to receive visiting personnel and publicize the series of exploits about how Wang Dou rose to prominence and swept all before him, and thereby earn an income. Truly, those living by the mountain live off the mountain, those by the water live off the water, and those by the man live off the man.

When Wang Dou arrived, Hong Qiu led the fort people outside the city gate to welcome him. Everyone's eyes brimmed with tears: "Great General, you've come!"

Looking at the emotional fort people, Wang Dou was equally emotional. He cupped his hands solemnly and said, "Wang Dou has come. Are all my brothers and sisters well?"

Everyone spoke at once: "Great General, we are all well, we just miss the Great General day and night!"

The crowd clustered around Wang Dou. A young man whose right arm seemed crippled, yet whose smile revealed two enormous tiger teeth, said, "Great General, do you still remember this humble one?"

Wang Dou had a rather good memory; he could keep most people and events he had seen in mind. Thoughts flashing through his mind, he already knew who this person was. He smiled and said, "I remember you — the Night Scout soldier nicknamed 'Big Teeth,' Xiao Bin. Brother Xiao, have you been well? Have you received your monthly pension grain and rice?"

At these words, Qi Tianliang and the others from the Logistics Division grew nervous. But Xiao Bin sighed and said, "This humble one is very well. Every month I receive my pension grain and rice. The land I was allotted is also tilled by others helping me. It's just that..."

His expression was despondent, and he only sighed.

Just as Wang Dou was about to ask what was on his mind, a woman beside them said, "Great General, I wish to lodge a complaint against Big Teeth before you."

Wang Dou saw that this woman was also in her twenties, with a rather shrewd and sharp-tongued look. Somewhat hesitantly, he asked, "This elder sister is...?"

The woman explained. She was the widow of that severely wounded soldier from the bandit-suppression campaign in the seventh year of Chongzhen, counted as the second soldier to die in battle after Wang Dou established his army. Inside and outside the fort, everyone called this woman Madam Sun.

Wang Dou asked Madam Sun whether her days were passing well and whether she received her monthly pension grain and rice.

Xiao Bin laughed and said, "Great General need not worry. She has land and a pension, and she also started a chicken farm over at Shunxiang Fort. She's doing splendidly."

Madam Sun scolded him, "I am doing well, but you — drinking to excess every day, what kind of behavior is that?"

She turned to Wang Dou: "It's perfect that the Great General is here. You must give him a proper talking-to."

Her expression toward Xiao Bin was rather intimate; the two seemed to have secretly developed feelings for each other. And indeed, Madam Sun was a young woman in the prime of her youth; her deceased husband had been dead for many years, and she could not possibly remain a widow forever. Those like Wang Dou's mother, Madam Zhong, or Han Zhong's widow, Young Madam Li, who kept chastity for their husbands their entire lives were, after all, few.

Before Wang Dou, Xiao Bin did not hide what was on his mind. It turned out that after that scouting battle in the eleventh year of Chongzhen, Xiao Bin's right arm had been severely wounded. Originally, Wen Daxing intended for him to serve as a training instructor for the Night Scout soldiers, but Xiao Bin was utterly disheartened and simply retired from service.

He saw his old comrades, every one of them, galloping across the battlefields, while he himself was now a cripple. His heart was filled with despondency. He was a sentimental and melancholy man by nature, and he often drowned his sorrows in wine, utterly dejected. It eventually developed to the point where he would not even see Long Er, Stool, Master Tiger, Master Qiang, and the other people he had been close with in former days. Madam Sun lived with him in Jingbian Fort and slowly fell for him. Seeing him like this, she could not help but reproach him.

Yet how could there be no heroic passion in Big Teeth's heart? Was he willing to go on sinking into such despondency?

After hearing Xiao Bin's words, Wang Dou's expression grew serious. He said, "Brother Xiao, although your right arm is crippled, you are still a man capable of great deeds. How can you be so despondent? Starting tomorrow, you will report to Commissioner Wen and train fierce Night Scout soldiers for our Jingbian Army!"

Seeing that the Great General still remembered him and cared about him, Big Teeth's eyes brimmed with hot tears. He struggled to clasp his fists, prostrated himself on the ground, and roared, "Yes! Night Scout soldier Xiao Bin accepts the order."

He lay prostrate on the ground for a long time, feeling a broad, thick hand pat his shoulder. He knew that was the Great General's hand. Then several more palms patted his shoulder. He knew those were the hands of his superior Wen Daxing and his comrades Stool and the others.

At some point, his face was already drenched with tears.

Then a soft voice sounded by his ear: "Now this is my man."

Wang Dou entered Jingbian Fort. Inside the fort, it was just as before — houses in neat rows, the mountain-stone streets and alleys spotlessly clean.

Wang Dou entered the former Platoon Leader headquarters hall, then climbed the Jingbian Beacon Tower to gaze into the distance, reminiscing about the past. He stayed there blankly for a long time, filled with a feeling that the years hasten age and that people and events were no longer the same.

He looked toward Xinzhuang in the west. The former civilian fort had now also become a military fort. Apart from the Li family inside the village, nearly all the villagers had become military households. The current fort commander was Jia Duonan, the former village head of Zhouzhuang.

The Li family of former days — when Wang Dou was the fort commander of Jingbian Fort, they had seemed like a colossal entity, but now they felt utterly insignificant.

The present Li family also tried desperately to curry favor with Wang Dou. Not only had they renovated the Wang family's former ancestral home in Xinzhuang, but they had also funded the erection of a huge stele in front of the fort, as well as an enormously tall statue of Wang Dou, proclaiming this to be the hometown of the Loyal and Brave Count, the General Who Subdues the Invaders.

Over the fight to claim the honor of being Wang Dou's native soil and hometown, Jingbian Fort and Xinzhuang were locked in open strife and veiled struggle.

After leaving Jingbian Fort, Wang Dou led his army back to Yongning. He ordered the troops who had gone on the expedition to be given ten days' leave to return home and rest. For a moment, everyone cheered.

After rewarding the soldiers and arranging the various military camp affairs, Wang Dou led his personal guard battalion into Yongning City. His mother, Madam Zhong; his wife, Xie Xiuniang; Ji Junjiao; and his several concubines all came to welcome him in front of the general's residence.

When the Chongzhen Emperor's imperial edict went to Xiangyang, an edict simultaneously went to the Eastern Circuit, granting Wang Dou titles for his wife and sons and bestowing honors upon three generations of his ancestors.

Xie Xiuniang was now the Countess, and his mother, Madam Zhong, was the Grand Countess. Their ceremonial robes were of the same rank as those of the first grade — all genuine red, wide-sleeved robes, worn with golden crowns. When wearing ordinary attire, they wore round-collared robes. Wang Dou's legitimate son, Wang Zheng, was granted by inheritance the title of Embroidered Uniform Guard Battalion Commander.

When the family met, all were deeply moved. Wang Dou looked at his mother. She was over fifty now, but her spirit was extremely good. Perhaps because her spirits were good and she was well cared for, part of her originally graying hair had actually turned black again, and the wrinkles on her face had smoothed out considerably.

What had not changed was that her hair was still combed meticulously, and the stubborn, resolute expression on her face had not changed either. The original "Wang Dou" had not shared many similarities in character with her, but the present Wang Dou was rather close in temperament to Madam Zhong.

Looking at this woman, a warm current surged in Wang Dou's heart. His mother, Madam Zhong — she was strong and self-reliant, never bowing her head to fate. She was also full of compassion and pity, generous in almsgiving to the poor. Even after attaining high status and wealth, she never forgot her heart of mercy. Shrewd yet brimming with kindness, she was a representative of the great women of that era.

Wang Dou pushed aside the golden mountain and toppled the jade pillar, kowtowing before Madam Zhong.

Nowadays, there were very few people who could make Wang Dou kneel and bow. Madam Zhong was one of them.

Madam Zhong came over and helped Wang Dou up, a delighted smile appearing on her face: "You're back, that's good."

She carefully looked Wang Dou over: "Ah, you've grown thin again."

Perhaps in a mother's eyes, her son is always thin.

Wang Dou smiled and said, "Mother, let's go inside before we talk."

Madam Zhong patted her own forehead: "Look at me, truly getting old."

She called to her son and daughters-in-law: "Let's go inside before we talk, inside before we talk."

Everyone laughed, clustering around Wang Dou and Madam Zhong as they entered the general's residence.

Wang Dou bathed and changed into casual clothes, then exhaled in relief. Home was still the most comfortable.

When he came to the main hall, his mother, wife, and the others were all there. Only Xie Yike was nowhere to be seen. He asked, "Where is Yike?"

Xie Yike thought Wang Dou was displeased and was about to anxiously explain, when Lady Zhong smiled and said, "I let him go see his wife. Not having seen her for half a year, I imagine he misses her terribly too."

Wang Dou smiled faintly. "Mother is still the most thoughtful. Your son was just thinking of letting the guards return home to reunite with their families."

Now in Wang Dou's army, the families of Squad Commanders and former officers had all been relocated to Yongning City. Xie Yike and his wife, Young Lady Chu, also had a residence in Yongning City, as well as a duty room within the General's mansion. The remaining guards lived inside the General's mansion, taking shifts on duty.

Many of their wives and sisters also worked inside the General's mansion. The loyalty of these people went without saying; now the safety of Wang Dou and his family was something everyone in the Eastern Route group cared about and consciously safeguarded.

Of course, the wives and families of most of the guards were still in places like Bao'an Department and Shunxiang Fort. Wang Dou would likewise grant them leave and bestow rewards of money and silk, so they could return home in glory.

A maidservant served hot tea. Wang Dou took a sip and suddenly felt the mansion seemed somewhat changed. No one knows a son better than his mother, and Lady Zhong smiled and said, "After you were enfeoffed as Count, the court's gracious decree came down, conferring upon your wife the title of Countess and upon this old woman the title of Grand Countess. As for this mansion, officials from the Ministry of Rites in the capital also came. In accordance with the expansion of noble residences for Dukes, Marquises, and Counts, the front hall now has seven bays, the central chamber has seven bays, and the rear hall also has seven bays with seven roof beams. Ceremonial regalia and official robes were also bestowed. Ah, never did this old woman think she would enjoy such wealth and honor at this age."

Ji Junjiao smiled faintly. "Mother-in-law, this is the dignity of the imperial court."

Lady Zhong sighed. "Well said. This is the dignity of the imperial court. My son's status is no longer the same."

Seeing his mother content, Wang Dou felt satisfied in his heart. He clapped his hands. "Where are my sons and daughters? Have them all come see me." (To be continued...)