Chapter 623: Male and Female

After a moment of deliberation, Wang Dou asked, "Military Governor Ji, Military Governor Zhu, and the others — what are they doing?"

Beside him, Zhong Diaoyang laughed. "All inside Huailai City, busy quarreling with the imperial court."

He said admiringly, "The Grand General tossed out a portion of wealth as bait, drawing the attention of the entire court and country. Even the censors have forgotten to attack us."

Wang Dou smiled. In throwing out over two million taels of silver in wealth, he naturally had his own purpose.

Although the proceeds from confiscating those great houses — even if he swallowed them all himself, no one could do anything about it — swallowing everything would still invite universal condemnation. Tossing out a portion of wealth as bait could shift the target of attention.

Just as Wang Dou had anticipated, countless people fixed their eyes on this publicly disclosed confiscated wealth. From the localities to the central government, everyone fought tooth and nail for it.

Everyone more or less knew Wang Dou's temperament: they knew that once wealth entered his belly, unless he himself was willing, not a single tael of silver could be pried out. But this publicly disclosed portion of silver and goods — that, everyone could divide among themselves.

Everyone also knew this was an open scheme laid out by Wang Dou — precisely meant to make everyone scramble, even breed conflict, and divert the fire concentrated on him. Yet all were perfectly willing to fall into the trap. After all, wealth stirs the heart.

Travel a thousand li to hold office, seeking only wealth — from ancient times to the present, has there been the slightest change in this regard?

For the sake of money, even a grown man turning into a marketplace shrew is of no consequence.

Regarding the scramble for the confiscated wealth, aside from each person's private share, the main conflict lay between Xuan-Da and the imperial court.

How much should the Xuan-Da region retain, and how much should be turned over to the court? This was the focal point of everyone's repeated contention.

As things stood, throughout the Great Ming, supporters of the central government were many. A moment's thought made it clear: if the wealth was turned over to the court, other regions always had a chance to share. If it stayed in the locality, the Xuan-Da local officials would divide it among themselves, and no one else would get a single tael.

Faced with immense pressure, during this period the several Military Governors had been in Huailai City desperately writing memorials to argue their case. Every day, memorials flew back and forth, wearing out only those messengers who delivered the relay dispatches.

They also had their friends and disciples assisting. Those burning with envy and hostility opposed them. The entire court and country, one could say, was extraordinarily lively.

Stationed at Xuanfu Garrison City, the Xuan-Da Grain Supervisor and Department Magistrate Zhu Mintai could no longer sit still and hurriedly rushed over from the garrison city. Although he was on good terms with Ji Shiwei, he represented the Ministry of Revenue and had to answer to the newly appointed Minister of Revenue Ni Yuanlu, inevitably creating friction with the Xuan-Da local officials.

Of course, presenting a united front to outsiders was one thing. For the sake of their own garrisons' interests, the three Garrison Provincial Governors — Zhu Zhifeng, Cai Maode, and Wei Jingyuan — also inevitably had some clashes among themselves.

Which garrison should keep more wealth, and which should keep less? The three could not settle their dispute, and none dared yield. After all, each of the three represented the earnest hopes of the soldiers and civilians within his garrison. The consequences of being at a disadvantage were very serious.

When they could not resolve their disputes, they inevitably had to ask the Xuan-Da Viceroy Ji Shiwei to mediate. Imperceptibly, his prestige among the three rose considerably.

Because Zhu Zhifeng had the help of the Xuanfu Garrison Defense Eunuch Du Xun, at present Zhu Zhifeng held a slight upper hand among the three garrisons.

Du Xun had been at odds with Zhu Zhifeng in the past. His enthusiastic help this time was naturally because he had his eye on the benefits therein.

Wang Dou kept firmly in mind his father-in-law's vigorous assistance this time. In the past, Ji Shiwei's posting at Yanghe City had been difficult precisely because he had neither troops nor funds at his disposal. In the Great Ming today, whoever had money in hand could speak with a loud voice. Therefore, Wang Dou intended to provide some support.

The publicly disclosed confiscation ledgers showed over two million taels of ready silver, with additional goods to follow in succession. No matter how everyone fought over this portion of wealth, in the end, a part still had to be left for Wang Dou. This was an overt, unwritten rule of officialdom. Regardless of how much Wang Dou secretly swallowed, this portion of money could not be withheld.

This portion of money and goods, Wang Dou intended to leave for Ji Shiwei. It would not only further amplify the calls that he served the country and the people, but also better achieve his own objectives.

With money and goods, whatever Ji Shiwei wanted to do would become far more convenient. He could also take the opportunity, while reorganizing the Viceroy's Personal Battalion and recruiting officers and men, to place some men from the Border Pacification Army inside, thereby better controlling Yanghe and its surroundings.

His father-in-law was the Xuan-Da Viceroy — this point had to be well utilized. Under his name, many matters could be carried out legitimately and with full justification. Henceforth, Wang Dou would conceal his abilities and bide his time, concentrating on managing Xuan Garrison and the lands beyond the frontier. Many matters would be better carried out through the hands of others.

Of course, meddling with troops outside Xuanfu Garrison could only be done this way. Yanghe City, as the seat of the Xuan-Da Viceroy, was manageable. But if he interfered in the military affairs of Datong Garrison and Shanxi Garrison, it might arouse the antipathy and wariness of men like Zhou Yuji and Wang Pu. Therefore, the method of using commercial firms was best.

Apart from the public accounts, Wang Dou would not directly give Ji Shiwei private money. Given his somewhat weak character, any silver that reached his hands would certainly be directly divided up by his clansmen, children, and the like, further fueling their greed. Ji Zhongkun was a cautionary example.

Those who wished to gain benefits could participate in the subsequent auctions of the confiscated farmlands, residences, shops, and the like from each household. The benefits within this were also enormously vast.

This applied not only to the Ji family, but also to the three Garrison Provincial Governors and the many officials and merchants who could be drawn in.

Men like Zhu Zhifeng and Wei Jingyuan might not accept overt favors from Wang Dou. But what about their wives? Their children? Their family members? Their clansmen? Could they resist the benefits of acquiring farmland, residences, and shops at low prices through auctions?

Imperceptibly, the people around them would be drawn in by Wang Dou.

A large number of Xuan-Da local officials and generals, as well as some officials and merchants from outside, likewise could not resist such benefits.

In short, Wang Dou ate the meat, and they followed to drink the soup. Imperceptibly, one enormous interest group after another formed around him once more.

……

On the twentieth day of the twelfth month, except for a small portion, the bulk of the troops had returned to the Eastern Route. Wang Dou finally made a move at Yulin Fort, assembling the great army and ordering a transfer to Shunxiang Fort to pay homage.

This homage ceremony was on an even larger scale.

Because Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, and others, along with Xuan-Da Viceroy Ji Shiwei, Xuanfu Provincial Governor Zhu Zhifeng, Shanxi Provincial Governor Cai Maode, Datong Provincial Governor Wei Jingyuan, Xuanfu Garrison Defense Eunuch Du Xun, Xuan-Da Grain Supervisor and Department Magistrate Zhu Mintai, and many trusted officials who had come to congratulate Wang Dou on his birthday — all participated.

The ceremony scene greatly broadened everyone's horizons, and at the same time, many fell into deep thought. In this great Liaodong campaign, the Border Pacification Army had suffered considerable casualties. Yet although the families grieved, the morale of the soldiers and civilians did not falter. Perhaps this was one of the reasons for the Border Pacification Army's might.

The establishment of the Shrine for the Loyal and the perfect pension system allowed the officers and men to overcome their fear of death. No wonder the Border Pacification Army won every battle.

After the homage, the great army first transferred to the military camp at Yongning City, and only then were the officers and men granted leave to return home.

After returning to the military camp, the campaign rewards were distributed immediately. Each person's military merits had long since been fully tallied and verified one by one. The officers and men would bring home bountiful rewards, reunite with their families, and all enjoy a good New Year.

Of course, the merit-point system was now deeply rooted in people's hearts. Apart from some Grade B troops, the majority of the officers and men would likely choose merit points and no longer accept rewards in money and grain.

Word had spread that after the New Year, the entire army would see a large-scale distribution of farmland, gardens, and forest land. Many commoners of the Eastern Route were also cheerfully calculating how much land, pasture, mines, and the like their sons would receive then.

Moreover, this time the officers and men returning home differed from previous years: they would all go home wearing custom-tailored military dress uniforms.

As early as the fourth month, the Logistics Division, by Wang Dou's order, had begun making the uniforms for the entire army. With so much time passed, every set had long since been prepared.