Chapter 510

They discussed for a long time, all feeling it was inappropriate, and in the end each had to decide to set it aside for now, issuing an imperial decree of commendation and reward, and waiting until the Jinzhou campaign was completely finished before settling everything.

Of course, the various viceroys and grand generals could be commended by imperial decree, but the officers below Company Commander and the soldiers on the Jinzhou front line needed immediate rewards from the Ministry of War, which could not be delayed.

And the rewards for head-taking merit in the Great Ming frontier army had always been generous, especially against the eastern slaves and northern caitiffs; during the Zhengde reign it was decreed that one man taking a single head alone would be promoted one full substantive rank, three men taking one head together, the lead man would be promoted one acting rank, and the followers would be given reward silver and goods.

Even if two men together took the head of a young or small bandit — that is, a little Tatar under fifteen — the lead man could still be promoted one acting rank, and the followers rewarded proportionally. Those unwilling to be promoted would receive fifty taels of silver per full substantive rank, and twenty taels for an acting rank. Killing women and children was likewise rewarded with acting rank and pay, though it required four heads.

By the Jiajing reign, for each head taken, besides promotion of one full substantive rank, thirty taels of silver were also rewarded, and all captured horses and goods were given to the man himself. In the Longqing reign it was further approved that in bloody battle against large bands of Tatar bandits, one who could take a head in formation would be promoted two ranks by exception; those unwilling to be promoted would receive one hundred taels of silver, and all captured horses, cattle, and goods would be given to the man himself.

Of course, this applied only to the Ji Garrison alone; the other frontiers were not permitted to cite this as precedent.

These were the head-taking rewards for common soldiers. For military officers, a Company Commander or Squad Commander leading five hundred or one thousand government troops, if his subordinates took ten heads or twenty heads, he would be promoted one rank; for every additional ten or twenty heads, one more rank, up to three ranks in total — two ranks substantive, one rank acting.

Besides head-taking, the Great Ming also distinguished between first merit, extraordinary merit, and so on; these did not depend on heads taken, but on the number of enemies and the scale of the victory. Charging at the forefront of the formation, holding the rear, slaying enemy commanders and seizing their banners, capturing or beheading bandit chieftains — all counted as extraordinary merit. The superior cases were proposed for promotion; the inferior cases were proposed for reward.

Currently the Great Ming's merit grades all followed the Jiajing precedent: one head taken, promotion of one full substantive rank, plus a reward of thirty taels of silver. The merit of Mobile Corps Commanders and Assistant Regional Commanders could all be deferred, but the rewards for low-ranking officers and common soldiers on the front line could not be delayed. A great victory had just been won at the first battle, and then merit went unrewarded? How could the officers and men at the front be willing to exert themselves and fight to the death?

This great victory in Liaodong, with the consecutive head-taking tallies, plus the various first-merit and extraordinary-merit rewards for officers and men, and the yet-undetermined merit of the viceroys and grand generals, meant a great deal of silver and goods would have to be disbursed. In bits and pieces, it added up to nearly one hundred thousand taels. This money, naturally, had to come from the Ministry of War or the Ministry of Revenue.

When the talk turned to silver, the Minister of War Chen Xinjia and the Minister of Revenue Li Daiwen both cried hardship. Li Daiwen in particular even calculated an account for the Chongzhen Emperor, concerning the cost of this Jinzhou campaign. It was truly unimaginably vast.

At this moment the troops massed in Liaodong already exceeded two hundred thousand. Most of them were battalion soldiers, and by the military pay rates of this time, each soldier required at least one tael of silver, plus several dou of grain — how much silver was that?

Moreover, on the Jinzhou front line there were also tens of thousands of cavalry. These cavalrymen, besides their basic pay, required about two taels of fodder silver per month. Thus the Great Ming army on the front line, for provisions and pay alone, needed roughly three hundred thousand taels of silver a month.

These front-line officers and men, of course, could not eat silver, and the Liaodong region could not supply that much fodder and provisions either. After the Kaizhong system was implemented, the frontier garrisons' grain and fodder were mostly transported by merchants, but with a campaign of this scale, the merchants likewise could not supply and transport that much forage, and the court still needed to provide support.

Transporting grain a thousand li, nine-tenths was lost; hundreds of thousands of civilian laborers carried loads on their shoulders and backs, pushed small carts, at most oxcarts and horse carts. After the grain reached Liaodong, the losses along the way amounted to several times the original amount. Thus the grain and fodder the Ministry of Revenue had to prepare amounted to as much as several hundred thousand shi per month.

The campaign had only just begun, and already the Ministry of Revenue's storehouses were about to be emptied. Li Daiwen patched and borrowed everywhere, even borrowing a great deal of silver from the Imperial Horse Directorate, all at interest, and compound interest at that. Now he could only fix his eyes on the autumn grain tax revenue, hoping it could provide some relief.

For the reward silver of this campaign, the Ministry of Revenue could contribute a portion, but if the Song-Jin campaign dragged on in a long stalemate, provisions and pay certainly could not be guaranteed.

He lifted his official robes and knelt before the Chongzhen Emperor: "This minister believes that the Jinzhou matter must be resolved by swift battle and swift decision. The present Great Ming cannot afford a large-scale war. I beseech His Majesty to see this clearly!"

The Minister of Personnel Li Rixuan, with a thud, also knelt down alongside Li Daiwen: "This minister believes that what Grand Secretary Li has said is the seasoned counsel of one who plans for the state. His Majesty's ceaseless disbursement of pay naturally heartens the troops, but Liaodong has many soldiers and difficult supply; the Ministry of Revenue has been patching and borrowing from empty coffers — how can this be a lasting course?"

"Now Suzhou Prefecture suffers drought and locusts, Taicang Department suffers famine, Huzhou Prefecture suffers locust plague, and Shandong and Henan are again struck by great drought. In the villages no cooking smoke rises, in the wilds bleached bones lie everywhere, desolate and miserable, starvation strewn along the roads, unbearable to behold. How can the wailing living souls be ignored and left unsaved? The Cao bandits, the Ge and Zuo bandits, and the rest are not yet purged; whether for relief or for bandit suppression, all require large quantities of grain and fodder — how can everything be poured into Liaodong?"

He said: "Now we hear the government troops have won a great victory, precisely when morale is like a rainbow. We should seize the sharpness and strike, with one surge of momentum, annihilate the Tatar caitiffs entirely, and lift the siege of Jinzhou. We must not sit and lose this golden opportunity, trapped defending a tiny patch of ground. Has no one heard the principle that a second attempt flags, and a third is exhausted?"

The words of the two men startled Chen Xinjia. His body swayed and he nearly fell. In a panic he said to the Chongzhen Emperor: "Your Majesty, absolutely not!"

He immediately knelt and said: "His Majesty sees clearly. Although there is news of victory from Jinzhou, the main force of the eastern slaves is still present, their fighting strength undiminished. How can we underestimate the enemy and rashly advance? We must advance steadily and strike surely, to avoid giving the slaves an opening to exploit. Arms are perilous and war is dangerous — the ancients gave clear warning. One moment of carelessness, and the entire nation's elite could be lost. I beseech His Majesty to think thrice!"

Regarding the Jinzhou campaign, Chen Xinjia had long communicated with Wang Dou. According to Wang Dou, in the Song-Jin campaign, one must hurry when haste was needed, to avoid sitting and losing a good opportunity to annihilate the enemy, and delay when delay was needed, to avoid underestimating the enemy and rashly advancing, giving the bandit slaves an opening to exploit.

A great battle involving several hundred thousand men could not be decided in a short while. Moreover, in this campaign the eastern slaves had poured out their entire nation; their fighting strength was extraordinary, and the slave chieftain Hong Tai was no ordinary figure. Thus the Song-Jin campaign was a contest of national strength, to see who could hold out to the end.

Although Chen Xinjia was Minister of War, in matters of fighting wars he trusted Wang Dou's opinion more.

According to Wang Dou, in this battle, as long as the Great Ming did not lose, that was equivalent to victory. News of victory from the front had already arrived; his standing in the Chongzhen Emperor's eyes as Minister of War had greatly strengthened — why would he risk this hasty decisive battle?

If it failed, his post as Minister of War would come to an end, and Senior Grand Secretary was even more out of the question. So the moment he heard the words of Li Rixuan and Li Daiwen, he immediately voiced his opposition.

A cold glint flashed in Li Daiwen's eyes. He shouted angrily at Chen Xinjia: "May I ask the Honorable Minister of War, if we do not fight a swift battle and swift decision, but protract a long stalemate, where will the provisions and pay come from?"

Chen Xinjia sneered: "Grand Secretary Li is the Minister of Revenue. The matter of provisions and pay is naturally yours to solve. Why are you asking me?"

He said loudly: "Our Great Ming may not be able to sustain a stalemate, but the slave bandits are even less able to sustain one. Has no one heard that within the slaves' territory silver is plentiful but grain is scarce, and even princes, dukes, and great ministers often suffer the woes of hunger and cold?"

"However straitened our Great Ming may be, the eastern slaves are a tiny, insignificant state. In the supply of grain and fodder, they cannot compare with our Great Ming! Moreover, the eastern slaves' able-bodied men have all gone out; the manors, fields, and acres within their territory lack men to till them. As days pass, grain and fodder will be even harder to supply. As long as we hold out, our Great Ming will surely win. I beseech His Majesty to think thrice!"

Having spoken, he kowtowed repeatedly to the Chongzhen Emperor, thudding audibly.

At this moment Zhang Sizhi also knelt beside Chen Xinjia and said: "This minister seconds the opinion! The Minister of War's words from the heart, a heart wholly devoted to country and people, can be witnessed by heaven and sun."

After speaking, he unhurriedly glanced at Li Rixuan and Li Daiwen, his gaze extremely dark. Seeing that his position as Senior Grand Secretary was slipping away, Zhang Sizhi had begun to act like a smashed pot that one no longer cared about. But before stepping down, he was determined to give Li Rixuan and Li Daiwen a dose of eye medicine.

Compared to the stab in the back from Li Rixuan and Li Daiwen, Chen Xinjia, though fiercely contending with him, seemed more like a contest between gentlemen, not as sinister as those two. That stab — Zhang Sizhi had engraved it deeply in his heart; this enmity could be called irreconcilable. Unknowingly, he had already formed an alliance with Chen Xinjia.

Seeing the Grand Secretaries locked in fierce dispute, each with his own reasoning, the Chongzhen Emperor could not help but waver. He clutched the memorial tightly and remained silent for a long time.

In the eighth month of the fourteenth year of Chongzhen, while the Ming and Qing armies fought a bloody battle on the Song-Jin front line, near the eastern route, beyond the frontier in the Mantaoer region.

Mantaoer was the Fengning area of later times. The southern part was mostly mountainous, with rolling ranges and boundless forests. The northern part had lush water and grass, all broad plateau grasslands. From northwest to southeast ran two great rivers, the Tanghe and the Chaohe.

Of these two rivers, the Tanghe flowed southeast past Fengjiabao and Shichengbao in Miyun Garrison, all the way to Tongzhou, Tianjin, and other places. The Chaohe did the same, flowing past Gubeikou in Miyun Garrison, converging with the Tanghe at Miyun. After entering Miyun, the two rivers were also called the Baihe.

In the twelfth year of Chongzhen, Zhong Xian, by Wang Dou's order, opened up Mantaoer and relocated refugees there. In the various areas of Mantaoer, along the banks of the Tanghe and Chaohe, numerous garrison forts were established. Large numbers of merchants from the eastern route also poured in, setting up livestock farms, mines, logging camps, and so on within the territory.

Overall, in the southern part of Mantaoer there were more mines and logging camps; in the northern grasslands and sparse woodlands, near the various garrison forts, there were more livestock farms. All kinds of chicken farms and duck farms were established, as well as cattle farms, sheep farms, and so on.

Every year they produced large quantities of meat in ceramic jars, which sold briskly throughout the eastern route. With the army as a major client, there was no worry about being unable to sell meat products. Especially in the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, when gold mines were discovered in Mantaoer, it attracted even more merchants to enter.

Because the profits were considerable, the vast territory beyond the frontier had already become a gold mine in the eyes of the eastern route merchants.

In the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, the Grade-A Model Army Supporter, President of the Zhendong Trading Company Zheng Jinglun, and Vice President Lai Mancheng, because they actively responded to Wang Dou's call to open up the lands beyond the frontier, were further commended by the Shogunate with one hundred points of merit value, and were permitted to wear swords when going about.

One must know that the "merit value" used by the Shunxiang Army, now the Jingbian Army, to calculate military merit was extremely precious. One hundred points of merit value was enough to exchange for one hundred mu of good land beyond the frontier, or five hundred mu of grassland or mountain land — all of which could be passed down through the generations. As long as Wang Dou was there one day, these lands were guaranteed to belong to them.

Given the Chinese people's fervent attachment to land over thousands of years, who would not be envious? Moreover, if any precious mineral resources were discovered on these lands, they likewise belonged to the owner, who only needed to pay thirty percent of the income.

A clear example: the mountain land that Lai Mancheng selected originally had many hot springs and strange peaks and unusual caves. He had originally planned to build a mountain villa, but unexpectedly discovered a gold mine, which immediately caused a sensation far and wide.

Lai Mancheng, troubled by the peril of possessing a treasure, wanted to present the gold mine to Wang Dou, but was refused by Wang Dou, who said that the Shogunate's laws were as weighty as the nine tripods — how could there be any going back on one's word and taking it back? After this incident, all the eastern route merchants set their minds at ease, and their enthusiasm for opening up the frontier grew ever higher. Besides wanting to obtain real profit, they also wanted to obtain merit value.

After all, the lands obtained by the army's frontier expansion all belonged to Wang Dou, and lands not yet conquered offered no security, having no army protection. Moreover, Wang Dou permitted joint ventures with the Shogunate but did not permit private land expansion. So to obtain fiefs, one could only get them from Wang Dou's hands. Merit value was one of the channels, obtainable through multiple avenues.

More and more merchants armed themselves and crossed the border, hiring retired Shunxiang Army soldiers, recruiting household guards and retainers, swordsmen, sword guests, armed escorts, and the like. After the Shogunate's "Grandmaster Hall" was established, many martial artists with swordsman credentials were also hired by these merchants and joined various frontier exploration teams.

These merchant exploration teams were finely equipped. Because the Shogunate gave strong support, each team possessed large numbers of sharp eastern-route bird guns, handguns, and armor. They proactively spied out intelligence on the various tribes beyond the frontier, surveyed and mapped the mountains, terrain, and water sources, and coordinated with the Shogunate's Intelligence Division personnel, continuously sending back all kinds of intelligence.

And with the elimination of banditry on the eastern route, peace reigned within the territory. The confiscation of weapons had also long been completed. The former phenomenon of everyone going out having to carry a self-defense weapon had vanished. Now on the eastern route, only soldiers and students could carry weapons on their person.

Ordinary military-household commoners, merchants, and the like, if they wanted to possess weapons, had to apply for a sword permit and a gun permit, and be verified as loyal and reliable by the Shogunate's Pacification Commission and Intelligence Division, before they could own bird guns, handguns, swords, armor, and other weapons. And ordinarily they were not permitted to carry them when going out.

That Zheng Jinglun and others were permitted to wear swords when going about was, one could say, a symbol of status. Moreover, those specially commended in this way had opportunities from time to time to meet Wang Dou in person, and could often have lunch or dinner with Wang Dou — something that made countless people burn with envy and admiration.

One must know that as Wang Dou's status and position rose, especially after he was enfeoffed as Loyal and Brave Count, how difficult it was to get a meeting with Wang Dou.

Now each year, on a few specific days, Wang Dou would summon worthy and outstanding figures from all circles to dine with him, with the quota set at only eight. Privately, the value of one dinner quota had already exceeded five thousand taels of silver.

But how easy was it to obtain the title of Grade-A Model Army Supporter? Of the grades A, B, C, D, the Grade-A title could only be obtained by those of outstanding contribution.

After several years of development, the Mantaoer region now had a population of about seventy to eighty thousand, with ten or twenty garrison forts large and small. Mantaoer itself was especially a large fort, with a population of over ten thousand. Counting the merchants and the like, it was already quite bustling.

This place was originally the grazing land of the Tumed Right Wing Banner, an outer-vassal Mongol tribe. During the Wanli years, Altan Khan's son Xin'ai Huang Taiji established the Wuyai Camp here, which later passed to his grandson Omubu Chuhuer. However, after submitting to the Qing state, Omubu Chuhuer gradually migrated eastward, leading the bulk of the tribes to the Aomulun River region (the present-day Dalinghe). Only a few tribes remained in the Mantaoer area, along with some small Kharchin Right Wing Banner tribes grazing here.

When Zhong Xiancai led his troops beyond the frontier, awed by the might of the Shunxiang Army at the time, the Tumed and Doyan people in that area fled in panic, running to the Luanhe and Yixunhe river sections. Later they even fled further east and scattered north, utterly disregarding that this was originally the Tumed Right Wing Banner's main base.

In the early and middle periods of the Great Ming, guard battalions were once established at Mantaoer. Later Xin'ai Huang Taiji operated here, leaving behind one dilapidated old fort. After driving away the Mongols, Zhong Xiancai led the settlers to repair the city walls and renamed the city, calling it New Yongning.

New Yongning City sits on the southern bank of the Chao River. After two years of construction, the city walls were quite sturdy, with a circumference of over four li and a height of two zhang and five chi. On the city's west, south, and east sides, gates were built respectively, each gate having a gate tower, and on the towers were mounted some Frankish cannons.

New Yongning could be considered the heart of the Mantaoer region, and the surrounding area was also rich in water and grass, with fertile soil. Although the Little Ice Age period brought perennial drought and the Chao River had shrunk considerably, it was still sufficient for irrigating the fields.

Thus, near the city, neatly leveled farmland stretched everywhere. Close to some hilly areas, there were also numerous livestock farms. With a constant stream of merchants coming to seek their fortune, many shops had sprung up within the fort, and the clamor of hawking resounded, already taking on the appearance of the Eastern Route's interior regions.

Upon the city walls fluttered the Sun-Moon-Wave Banner. At this moment, atop the eastern gate tower of New Yongning, Gao Shiyin, Wen Fangliang, and Shen Shiqi were peering through their spyglasses.

Behind them stood the officers of the Jingbian Army's vanguard Vermilion Bird Camp and the Left Guard Azure Dragon Camp, as well as officers from the Loyalty Camp, such as Yang Dongmin, Zhang Wenru, Xu Youyu, Li Jinsheng, Wang Anning, and others.

They wore similar short-body bright armor and scale-armor leg skirts like the Jingbian Army officers, and wore cap helmets, though there were differences in color and style. The soldiers were the same. Their military camp was also not in Yongning City, but closer to Yanqing Department.

There were also some staff officers from the Staff Department nearby; for instance, Wen Fangliang's uncle, the Advisor Wen Shiyan, was also at his side.

Through the spyglasses, a large number of Eastern Route merchants, with their armed trade caravans, were either riding horses and mules or driving large carts, streaming continuously along the official road from the Eastern Route to New Yongning, entering the city through the eastern gate.

Many of these people wore armor or carried bird guns. Although these were armor and weapons discarded by the Jingbian Army, compared to the barbarians beyond the frontier or the Ming troops within the Great Ming's borders, these arms were absolutely formidable.

The composition of these armed trade caravans was also diverse, mostly consisting of folk "great heroes." Although the Jingbian Army viewed them as a motley mob, they were often quite effective when used for frontier expansion.

"For this expedition beyond the frontier, why contact these merchants? How many Tatars can they fight?"

Putting down his spyglass, Gao Shiyin curled his lip, showing considerable disdain for the armed merchants swaggering forward with their heads held high.

Wen Fangliang also put down his spyglass and smiled, saying, "As the Grand General says, this is called the army and the people united as one family, mobilizing the entire strength of the Eastern Route. Soldiers and merchants are all one family. Although they can't fight, at the very least, they can transport captured spoils of war. Besides, aren't we going to sell many of the cattle, horses, and people we recapture to them? For the sake of the meat and porcelain jars, Old Gao, just make do."

Gao Shiyin and Shen Shiqi burst out laughing simultaneously. They both laughed with the same posture: heads thrown back, arms akimbo, all their upper and lower teeth exposed. Seeing their smiles, Wen Fangliang grimaced: "I, Wen Fangliang, fear nothing, except the honored countenances of you two when you smile."

Watching them laugh and joke, Xu Youyu, Li Jinsheng, and others from the Loyalty Camp tactfully laughed along. Only Xu Lu, Liu Wei, and others behind Yang Dongmin felt a sense of loss in their hearts. Back then, they had been guard battalion officers of the same fort and rank. Now Wen Fangliang was already an Assistant Regional Commander of the Jingbian Army, while they themselves... ah, it was too late for regrets.

Advisor Wen, stroking his fine beard, said calmly, "The strategy beyond the frontier is something the Loyal and Brave Count has his own considerations for. You must not underestimate the power of merchants. Transporting provisions, supplying grain and fodder, socializing and trading — which of these can be separated from merchants? Not to mention other things, for intelligence gathering on the various tribes beyond the frontier, or mapping water sources and terrain, relying solely on the Intelligence Department, where would we get so many personnel? Furthermore, if we do not use this power, will they, like those Shanxi merchants, be used by the Tatar slaves?"

Wen Fangliang smiled without speaking. Gao Shiyin and Shen Shiqi exchanged a glance and both curled their lips.

Since that day's discussion at the General's residence, the two had come to see Advisor Wen's true face. They knew this man appeared refined and elegant, like a graceful and handsome gentleman, and when serious, like a moral scholar. But in truth, the depth and ruthless cruelty of his inner heart made one shudder to contemplate.

But I like it, Shen Shiqi thought to himself with a sly chuckle.

"Heh heh, that lad Lai Mancheng has also arrived. It seems no one has violated the time agreed upon with the merchants. The merchants of the Eastern Route still know how to read the situation and be agreeable!"

After a moment of silence, Wen Fangliang started the conversation again. He raised his spyglass and suddenly laughed: "This lad, he's even carrying a great blade. With his physique, can he even swing it?"

Gao Shiyin and Shen Shiqi also became interested and looked together. Sure enough, ahead emerged another long merchant caravan, with carts and horses, a large number of people, probably several hundred strong. The man at the head was slick and powdered, but clad entirely in iron armor, and carrying a huge Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

Gao Shiyin exclaimed in surprise: "Ha! This lad isn't holding his gold-sprinkled fan, but switched to Lord Guan's blade?"

In past years, Wen Fangliang and Lai Mancheng had been in Shunxiang Fort together, considered fair-weather friends, known as the Three Irons. After Wang Dou took charge, one went into business, the other into the military, and both could be said to have done well for themselves. For many years, Lai Mancheng's trademark was waving a gold-sprinkled fan in his hand, swaggering as he walked. Everyone had grown accustomed to his style; suddenly changing his image was a bit hard to adjust to.

And Lai Mancheng had a wide social circle. After Gao Shiyin followed Wang Dou to Shunxiang Fort, as a close officer under Wang Dou's command, he naturally became an important social contact for Lai Mancheng. The two had also gotten along well and become friends who could talk freely.

Seeing Lai Mancheng dressed like this, Gao Shiyin was equally astonished. He laughed heartily: "This lad, after being rewarded one hundred merits by the Grand General, has probably gotten fired up and wants to earn some more achievements. But with his puny frame, if he faces a Tatar, it's likely to be dicey."

Then, with some self-satisfaction, he said, "Old Wen, over these years, how many merits have we accumulated?"

Wen Fangliang's eyes flickered: "I haven't calculated carefully, but probably over ten thousand?"

Gao Shiyin, brimming with pride, said, "I should also have over ten thousand. Calculated this way, that means at least ten thousand mu of good farmland and fifty thousand mu of forest and pastureland when the time comes. As the wars continue in the future, tsk tsk... just thinking about it is satisfying!"

He suddenly looked somewhat troubled: "When the time comes, how should I manage and arrange these farmlands and forest lands? I have no experience. With such a large estate, the wife at home probably can't handle it either."

Wen Fangliang touched his nose: "I'm also a bit troubled. But recently a trading company was established on the Eastern Route. I heard they've recruited many stewards and managers with experience in managing estates and farms. They cooperate with the Commerce Section, specifically serving us officers with large amounts of merits. I heard that letting them manage and operate can yield several tenths more income than ordinary people. I don't know if it's true or false."

Gao Shiyin gnashed his teeth: "We can let them try. Would they dare swindle us? Unless they have nine heads! If they cause a loss, humph humph!"

Listening to the two flaunting their merits, Shen Shiqi fidgeted restlessly: "Old Shen here needs to speed up too. My merit value is only a few thousand. When the time comes, without ten thousand mu of good farmland, how will I explain it to my descendants?"

He suddenly grew a little worried: "Two elder brothers, tell me, just for the three of us, the Grand General will need to bestow tens of thousands of mu of land. Calculate how much that is for the entire Jingbian Army. Does the Grand General have that much land to grant as rewards?"

Wen Fangliang and Gao Shiyin laughed heartily. Gao Shiyin even patted Shen Shiqi on the shoulder: "Little Shen, you needn't worry about that. Calculate how much farmland there is just in this New Yongning area alone? How much land is there in the entire Mantaoer region? If it's not enough, then we'll fight again, keep fighting on, and eventually it will be enough!"

Advisor Wen also said calmly, "General Shen, this world is vast. Land is inexhaustible; as much as you want, there is that much! With the might of our Jingbian Army, are we to worry about insufficient land?"

He glanced at Wen Fangliang, feeling extremely gratified in his heart. Of his old Wen family, this nephew — no, this son — was the most promising. Not only did he hold high rank and wield great authority, but he had also earned a family fortune beyond imagination. Ah, gratified, so gratified. My family has a worthy successor!

The Jingbian Army officers behind them were all discussing excitedly, deliberating how to manage their estates. The Loyalty Camp officers, on the other hand, were filled with envy.

Zhang Wenru suddenly cried out loudly, "A true man should be like this — ride swift horses, slay thieving foes, possess fine fields and beautiful homes. Is that not a great joy? But you generals need not be too smug. I, Zhang Wenru, have now entered the Jingbian Army, and there will always come a day when I have ten thousand mu of good farmland."

Zhang Wenru had a bold and unrestrained character that greatly pleased Gao Shiyin. He turned around, patted Zhang Wenru on the shoulder, and laughed heartily: "Old Zhang speaks well. Following the Grand General, what is a mere ten thousand mu of good farmland? Join our Jingbian Army, and everything will come. Ten thousand mu of good farmland is nothing; ten thousand qing of good farmland — that is just the beginning!"

Everyone on the gate tower laughed, full of high spirits, fully displaying the bearing of a strong army and strong generals. Then Wen Fangliang's smile faded as he watched Lai Mancheng draw closer and closer, entering the city gate. That fellow, seeing everyone on the gate tower, even struck a pose as if brandishing a blade and prancing on horseback — who knew if he had thrown his back out or not.

He looked at the hourglass on the gate tower and said, "It is noon. The merchants have all arrived. It is time to announce to them the purpose and objective of this journey!"

Gao Shiyin and Shen Shiqi also nodded solemnly. The Shogunate had summoned the Eastern Route merchants, along with some friendly outside merchants who had Eastern Route guarantors, to come beyond the frontier. To maintain secrecy, the reason had not been disclosed. Even the Loyalty Camp officers under Shen Shiqi had not been told; they had only learned of the operation's objective today.

For this two-front campaign, the Eastern Route merchants were fully mobilized. One part, led by Zheng Jinglun, the head of the Zhendong Trading Company, went to Liaodong to assist in transporting supplies.

The rest went beyond the frontier to New Yongning City. Attracted by tangible benefits and large amounts of merit value, they did not hesitate — or, to put it another way, they dared not resist.

Merchants are all shrewd. They guessed that the Jingbian Army's march beyond the frontier likely meant a major operation, though they just did not know the specific reason. But with profit as the lure, every one of them was extremely eager.

By late July, Wen Fangliang, Gao Shiyin, and the others had already led the Jingbian Army to Mantaoer. The Eastern Route merchants would arrive a bit later, but accounting for the time, it was still within the schedule planned by Wang Dou and the Staff Department.

Wen Fangliang looked toward the east, gazing into the distant clouds. He seemed to see the land and mountains of Liaodong. His heart yearned for them: "Presumably at Jinzhou, the Grand General has already engaged the slave bandits. We should set out too!"