Chapter 60: Never Abandon

The two officers from Shunxiang Fort — one was forty-six or forty-seven, broad-shouldered and wide-backed, tall and powerfully built, wearing the uniform of a Vice Battalion Commander. His eyes were sharp, his face weathered, and he moved with a forceful stride, every inch a typical Great Ming frontier general.

The other officer was nearly forty, of medium build, his expression rigid and stern. He walked one step at a time, as if he had to calculate exactly how many steps he had taken.

These two officers were precisely Vice Battalion Commander Lin Daofu of Shunxiang Fort and Judicial Commissioner Chi Dacheng. Lin Daofu, in particular, was also the Fort's Executive Officer, in charge of battalion drill, troop inspection, patrol and arrest, and defense preparations.

A Great Ming Battalion normally had one full Battalion Commander and several Vice Battalion Commanders. Among them, the full Battalion Commander and two Vice Battalion Commanders held real authority, managing all affairs within the battalion. The full Battalion Commander held the seal and oversaw all battalion matters, responsible for troop deployment, replenishment, selection, and military defense. Of the two Vice Battalion Commanders, one was responsible for troop training, the other for farming.

Only these three men within the battalion held real authority and were called Executive Officers. The remaining officers, even those appointed as Vice Battalion Commanders, did not necessarily have power in their hands — for example, Zhang Gui, the unit commander of Dongjiazhuang, was a Vice Battalion Commander of Shunxiang Fort.

Chi Dacheng, as the battalion's Judicial Commissioner, managed all criminal, military discipline, and related affairs at Shunxiang Fort.

Lin Daofu and Chi Dacheng were handling military affairs inside Shunxiang Fort that day when they received a report that Jingbian Fort and the forts of Zhouzhuang, Huzhuang, and Chafang had been involved in an armed brawl, and that people from Zhouzhuang had filed a complaint accusing Jingbian Fort of seizing their military-household farmland. Since the matter fell within their jurisdiction and sounded urgent, the two men hurriedly brought a few attendants and set out.

On the road, they encountered the routed military households of the three forts fleeing back. Even more alarmed, they questioned them briefly, then detained the three forts' hamlet chiefs — Jia Duonan, Lu Xianyang, and Zhang Shutang — and ordered them to accompany them to Jingbian Fort.

Along the way, Jia Duonan and the others could not help attacking Wang Dou of Jingbian Fort in every possible way. Chi Dacheng merely barked coldly: "The rights and wrongs of this matter — this Judicial Commissioner will make a clear judgment when we arrive. What are you lot squawking about?"

Jia Duonan and the others immediately shut their mouths.

Although Chi Dacheng held only the rank of Judicial Commissioner, a junior sixth-rank post, his official rank was not even as high as a Company Commander. Yet he was in charge of the entire battalion's military discipline, criminal cases, and the like, and he was rigid and stern by nature. Normally even the three Executive Officers within the fort were unwilling to provoke him, and the ordinary military households and officers of the battalion feared him even more.

Now the two men pushed through the crowd. At a single glance, Lin Daofu saw the Jingbian Fort soldiers standing in disciplined formation in the field and could not help exclaiming inwardly: "Fine troops!"

At present, guard battalions everywhere in the Great Ming were lax and neglected, military households were deserting in a steady stream, and on top of that, many able-bodied young men had been selected into various encampments as combat soldiers — what military training could possibly remain in the local guard battalions?

Lin Daofu nominally served as Executive Officer of Shunxiang Fort, in charge of battalion drill, troop inspection, defense preparations, and the like, yet he could barely manage a few training sessions a year. Day after day he had nothing to do, which naturally left him sighing with helplessness.

Now, seeing the military households of Jingbian Fort, his eyes lit up. He thought to himself: "I have long heard that Jingbian Fort is merely a farming garrison. How did this Wang Dou train such soldiers? Can these still be called guard-battalion military households?"

Seeing Lin Daofu and Chi Dacheng, Wang Dou also hurriedly dismounted and stepped forward to salute and pay his respects.

Chi Dacheng swept his gaze over the Jingbian Fort soldiers standing silently in formation off to the side, a look of surprise appearing in his eyes as well. He and Lin Daofu both looked Wang Dou up and down several times, then sternly told him to rise. With outsiders from Luanzhuang Fort present, the two men set aside Wang Dou's affairs for the moment — they would first resolve the dispute between Shunxiang Fort and the five forts.

Wang Dou stayed close to Lin Daofu and Chi Dacheng. He had long heard of their reputations and had seen them a few times before, but today was the first time he spoke with them face to face.

He had heard that neither Lin Daofu nor Chi Dacheng was liked by Xu Zhongjun and Du Zhen, and that neither had any backing above. If managing farming and logistics still offered some grease, then being in charge of battalion drill and the like was a lean, bitter post — no money to build connections or send gifts. So Lin Daofu, despite having served as Vice Battalion Commander for many years and possessing some ability, had remained stuck in his drill-officer post.

Among the three Executive Officers of Shunxiang Fort, Lin Daofu had the least say. Since he held little power, the commanding officers of the various subordinate forts never took him seriously.

As for Chi Dacheng, this man was even more detested. He was rigid by nature — if anyone in the battalion violated military discipline, he would berate them loudly without the slightest mercy and punish them severely. So everyone had given him the nickname "Chi the Skinner."

This man was even more pitiable — he had toiled in the post of Judicial Commissioner for many years without ever being promoted.

At this moment, Wang Liwei, the unit commander of Luanzhuang Fort, had already exchanged formal greetings with Lin Daofu and Chi Dacheng. Wang Liwei repeated his account: the military households of Jingbian Fort had encroached on the farmland of several hamlets under his jurisdiction — Huangtupo, Tangjiawa, and Yangtianzhuang — and had also seized the military-household population of those hamlets. He demanded that Wang Dou give them an explanation.

Setting aside the farmland for the moment, the matter of tracking down and apprehending deserters within the battalion fell under Lin Daofu's jurisdiction. Lin Daofu demanded that Wang Dou explain the matter clearly.

Wang Dou said: "Utter nonsense. What our Jingbian Fort has reclaimed is all unowned wasteland. On what grounds do you claim that our fort's military households encroached on your farmland? You can look at your own farmland registers — which plot of land is registered as belonging to you?"

He summoned Qi Tianliang to confront them. Qi Tianliang cried out in a continuous stream: "Injustice! What this humble one led the military households to reclaim was all unowned wasteland — how could we have encroached on your Luanzhuang Fort's farmland? This humble one is more wronged than Dou E! I beg you, my lords, to deliver justice for this humble one!"

The men from Shunxiang Fort all nodded. Wang Dou said: "See, the facts are just so. I would like to say: is unowned wasteland somehow forbidden to reclaim? Clearly, you saw profit and grew covetous, wanting to swallow up the farmland our fort has reclaimed."

Wang Liwei flew into a rage. He said: "Wang Dou, regardless of whether that land was wasteland or not, that area falls under the jurisdiction of our Luanzhuang. By crossing the boundary and reclaiming it, you have encroached upon our farmland!"

Wang Dou sneered: "My lord Wang, your tone is far too overbearing. To this officer's knowledge, those lands have never belonged to any garrison fort. Originally they were merely desolate, abandoned ground that no one gave a second glance. Is it that only now, because our Jingbian Fort has turned them into fertile fields, my lord Wang suddenly recalls that this land belongs to you?"

Chi Dacheng said: "To this Judicial Commissioner's knowledge, that area is indeed unowned land, which any garrison fort may reclaim and possess!"

Jia Duonan also shouted: "Indeed, that area is unowned land. Wang Liwei, what do you take our Shunxiang Fort for — a place where you can come and bully and spout nonsense as you please?"

He wanted to distance himself from any connection to Luanzhuang Fort. Now that Judicial Commissioner Chi Dacheng had spoken, he too voiced support for Wang Dou.

The men from Shunxiang Fort all raised a clamor as well, their momentum overwhelming.

Wang Liwei was furious. He roared: "Do you people of Shunxiang Fort mean to rely on superior numbers? And you, Jia Duonan — a mere Platoon Leader, how dare you show such disrespect to this officer? Is this officer's name something you can bandy about as you please?"

On this point, there was no arguing. Lin Daofu rebuked Jia Duonan with a shout. Jia Duonan snorted and shrank back to the side.

Wang Liwei said: "Fine. Let us set aside the ownership of this farmland for now. Wang Dou, your Jingbian Fort seized the military-household population of our garrison fort — how do you explain that?"

To Wang Liwei's challenge, Wang Dou gave this explanation: "Utter nonsense. You are incapable of governing the military households under your own jurisdiction, causing the soldiers and civilians under you to be displaced and flee to other places — yet you lay the blame on this Platoon Leader's head. My lord Wang, do you truly think our Shunxiang Fort is so easy to bully and slander?"

Wang Liwei barked: "This officer demands to inspect your garrison fort's population registers!"

Wang Dou refused outright: "This concerns our fort's confidential matters — I regret that I cannot comply!"

Lin Daofu also barked: "Company Commander Wang, you five forts are pushing things too far. Who gave you the authority to inspect this battalion's garrison-fort registers?"

Wang Liwei, his face ashen, stared at Wang Dou and the others and shouted: "Very well! Today you have the advantage of numbers. But I will not let this matter rest — just you wait and see!"

With that, he stormed off in a fury, taking his own men with him.

Watching the distant figures of Wang Liwei and his dozen-odd riders, the men of Shunxiang Fort all snorted. In this era, no matter how people within a fort fought among themselves, when outsiders came to bully them, everyone stood united. As for Wang Liwei's threat, no one took it to heart — such clashes between forts were common, and everyone had long grown used to them.

With the Luanzhuang matter resolved, Lin Daofu then sternly interrogated the parties about the earlier clash among the several forts.

Taking a cue from the earlier dispute between Jingbian Fort and Luanzhuang over unowned wasteland, Jia Duonan and the others had grown wiser. They avoided any mention of farmland and instead expounded at length on how their garrison fort's population had fled to Jingbian Fort and the like. To prevent Wang Dou from denying it, Jia Duonan, Lu Xianyang, and Zhang Shutang even pointed out, one by one, the military-household members over on Jingbian Fort's side who were holding spears and staves and had originally belonged to their own garrison forts.

Jia Duonan and the others looked immensely pleased with themselves. The Jingbian Fort military households who were singled out all started in alarm, each one shrinking back and casting pleading glances toward Wang Dou in the field. They were now well-fed, warmly clothed, and living in stability at Jingbian Fort — they had no wish to return to their original garrison forts to suffer.

Lin Daofu's expression turned stern. According to the Great Ming guard-battalion system, if a soldier deserted to another place, by regulation the deserter himself was to be tracked down and apprehended, or his household males were to be detained to make up the number. The local guard battalions, departments, and counties were all required to cooperate. Any evasion was to be referred to the judiciary for punishment.

Among the various duties Lin Daofu was responsible for within the battalion were troop inspection, patrol and arrest, and tracking down deserters. But tracking down deserters had always involved crossing departments and guards, with some even fleeing thousands of li away. Cases like this, where deserters merely fled to a nearby garrison fort, were truly rare — which also showed how attractive Jingbian Fort was to the surrounding garrison forts.

The facts were plain before his eyes. Lin Daofu also set his face sternly and said to Wang Dou: "Platoon Leader Wang, you have taken in deserters from other forts. How do you explain this?"

Watching Jia Duonan and the others looking immensely pleased with themselves, Wang Dou suddenly stepped forward, pointed at their noses, and berated them: "You yourselves are incompetent, yet instead of feeling shame, you take pride in it. Look at the military-household population under your governance — what have they all become? If you had the ability to let them eat their fill and dress warmly, would they flee to my Jingbian Fort? Every soldier and civilian who comes to my Jingbian Fort does so willingly — there has never been any coercion. If you had the ability to attract our fort's military households to flee to your forts, I, Wang Dou, would have nothing to say."

Everyone looked together. Sure enough, the military households of the three forts were all sallow-faced, emaciated, and numb in expression, gazing with nothing but envy at the Jingbian Fort military households over on the other side. In contrast, the Jingbian Fort military households were all sturdy of body, full of vigor, and bursting with vitality — even those who had fled from the three forts were the same. Who was superior and who was inferior was clear at a single glance.

Jia Duonan and the others wore awkward expressions. Wang Dou's words made their faces burn — they truly lacked the ability to let the soldiers and civilians under them eat their fill and dress warmly. Wang Dou's words left them with nothing to say. Moreover, the intimidating presence of the Jingbian Fort soldiers just now still made their hearts tremble with lingering fear. Cowed by Wang Dou's force of presence at this moment, the several men were momentarily unable to speak.

It was Lu Xianyang, the hamlet-chief Platoon Leader of Chafang Fort, who recovered first. He rubbed the large tumor on his chin and said in a sinister tone: "Platoon Leader Wang, why bring up these irrelevant matters? You have taken in deserters from our forts — that is a fact. With my lords Lin and Chi present here, you had best hand over those military-household members at once!"

In a great surge, many Jingbian Fort military households rushed out — all of them originally members of the three forts' populations. They knelt before Wang Dou, all pleading: "My lord, we beg you, do not send us back. We only wish to live within Jingbian Fort!"

Some even shouted: "Alive, we are people of Jingbian Fort; dead, we are ghosts of Jingbian Fort! Now every one of us lives in peace and happiness at Jingbian Fort — go back for what? To be bullied by our superiors every day, to let our wives and children go hungry?"

A wave of shouting rose from the crowd. Over on the side of the three forts' military households, everyone wore expressions of shared feeling, and they all murmured among themselves. Jia Duonan and the others' faces grew even uglier. So in the hearts of those under their command, their own garrison forts were this wretched? Before all these people, how could this not humiliate them?

Wang Dou raised his voice: "I, Wang Dou, declare here plainly: I, Wang Dou, will not abandon a single soldier or civilian of this fort. Any military household member of my Jingbian Fort — I, Wang Dou, will never allow anyone else to take away!"

The crowd of Jingbian Fort erupted in even greater cheers.

Lin Daofu, Chi Dacheng, and several of their subordinates were all very surprised; they had not expected Wang Dou to be so beloved within Jingbian Fort.

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Old White Ox: There will be another chapter tonight, posted before midnight.

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