Chapter 689: Where Is It?

The weather slowly turned cooler, and the people of Xuanfu Township all changed into autumn and winter clothes one after another.

On the official road from Xuanfu Township to the Xinkaikou Fort of Wanquan Right Guard, over two hundred assorted wheelbarrows and flatbed carts were moving at this moment, driven by civilian laborers of various ages, escorted by a minor clerk along with two soldiers from the Logistics Department.

The road surface was newly repaired and smooth; although the vehicles were fully loaded with all kinds of heavy supplies and materials, the laborers did not find the pushing or walking strenuous. By evening, the convoy reached its destination: a heated relay station near Xinkaikou Fort.

Because it was a key location for transporting frontline supplies, this place had become extremely bustling. Around the heated relay station, numerous mule and horse cart teams had also gathered. Heading north from Xinkaikou Fort required crossing the Wild Fox Ridge, which was difficult for human labor alone, so only mule and horse vehicles could be used.

The escorting minor clerk was named Liu Kedi, originally a clerical assistant in the Five Forts of Baoanzhou. After Wang Dou assumed the post of East Road Assistant Regional Commander, a wave of people flocking to serve under his command surged within the circuit, and Liu Kedi, along with several minor clerks from the fort, followed the tide. Because he was quite proficient in arithmetic, he was soon transferred to the Logistics Department to serve and had been working there ever since.

Although compared to before, the opportunities for corruption had greatly diminished, his monthly grain was not deducted, he received bonuses for good work, and there were numerous benefits. For Liu Kedi, whose demands were not high, he was quite satisfied with his current life.

Moreover, Wang Dou did not forbid the family members of his staff officers and clerks from engaging in business. While enjoying a stable public livelihood and being held in high regard by everyone, they also had various sources of income. A typical example was Zhou Houren, the Jail Warden of Baoanzhou City, who opened a honeycomb briquette factory and a nail factory, bringing in a rolling stream of wealth and becoming widely renowned in clerical circles.

Although Liu Kedi was far from matching Zhou Houren, he also held shares and received dividends in several factories and workshops. Having entered the ranks of the well-to-do, he cherished his current life even more.

Upon delivering this batch of supplies, he dared not be negligent and immediately went to the warehouse to complete the handover. After the war began, some relay stations and heated relay stations along the route had expanded their warehouses one after another, all under the unified dispatch of the Logistics Department, which also assigned additional clerks to each station.

At this moment, the person in charge of the warehouse at this heated relay station was a Department Clerk named Lin Guangguan, just like Liu Kedi. He also hailed from the Five Forts. They had entered the Jingbian Army system in the same batch back then, and the two shared a good friendship.

Seeing Liu Kedi, a smile appeared on his face as he cupped his hands and rose: "Worthy younger brother, you have arrived. You've toiled all the way. Please wait a moment. Once you and I finish the handover of this batch of military supplies, your elder brother will welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey, and we shall share wine and pleasant talk."

"Alright."

Liu Kedi returned the courtesy with a smile. The handover of military supplies was no trivial matter; the staff office always assigned responsibility clearly to the individual. If anything went wrong, the one who suffered would be himself. No matter how good their friendship was, Lin Guangguan could not risk his own livelihood for it, so caution was inevitable.

The two meticulously checked and handed over the goods against the inventory list, assisted by some clerks from the warehouse. After a long period of busy work, Lin Guangguan finally confirmed there were no errors and signed the receipt, and only then did both men breathe a sigh of relief.

The civilian laborers standing to the side grew excited; it was time to distribute money and grain.

Because the Supply Battalion primarily supported the western front operations beyond the frontier, Wang Dou decided to mobilize the civilian populace for rear-area supply transport within the township.

According to the Xuanfu Township regulations on wartime labor service, all civilians of Xuanfu Township, males aged sixteen to fifty-five without physical disabilities, were eligible to participate in labor service. Their treatment and provisions included room and board, and each person received one sheng of rice, one copper coin, or one he of grain tickets per day.

For the provisions of the laborers' accompanying livestock, the regulations stipulated: each donkey received eight jin of fodder and one jin four liang of feed grain per day; each ox received fifteen jin of fodder and two jin of feed grain per day; each mule or horse received fifteen jin of fodder and two jin of feed grain per day. Labor was calculated daily and could be paid immediately upon completion of tasks.

It could also be paid cumulatively; for however many days of service rendered, that many labor tickets were issued as proof, with accounts settled regularly. Depending on the laborers' own needs, those who served continuously for two months were also rewarded with a pair of shoes.

This regulation greatly boosted the enthusiasm of the populace, and those participating in labor service came in an endless stream. Wang Dou also particularly emphasized that while gentlemen should be guided by righteousness, common folk should be guided by profit, and payment must be given readily. To prevent fraud, officials from the Pacification Commission were always present to oversee when money was distributed.

"They're handing out money and grain!"

They spoke happily, each holding a kind of bamboo tally in hand, which served as proof of their completed tasks, given upon inspection. Some people's bamboo tallies were different.

The provisions for each person were clearly stipulated, of course, based on the condition that each individual's transported goods reached a certain quantity. Otherwise, would they be paid just for running an empty cart for one trip?

However, there were those who pushed themselves hard; with the same wheelbarrow, they loaded goods exceeding the quota, and thus could receive half again or double the wages and rations.

They lined up to collect their pay. Money and grain were distributed by clerks specifically assigned to the warehouse. On the money chests were all shiny copper coins and silver dollars, along with colorful grain tickets. Beside them were grain barrels, and the dou measure used for rice was of standard capacity, not the kind that had been tampered with.

Off to one side, an official from the Pacification Commission sat calmly drinking tea. Although he merely watched without speaking, he exerted immense pressure on the clerks, who dared not try any tricks.

The civilian laborers happily collected their wages. Initially, they had worried that the officials' fine words might not be honored in the end, but after their first labor service, all their doubts vanished like smoke and clouds. Many made trip after trip.

Of course, although a cumulative payment system existed, many laborers felt it was unreliable and preferred daily payment, considering it safest to have the money in their pockets.

Most people also chose rice and copper coins; very few took grain tickets. This was also because many of these people were outsiders, not of Han registry.

The Han registry population of Xuanfu Township had likewise been widely mobilized. Clearly, they looked down upon this kind of manual transport, a way of earning a bit of hard-labor money through small-scale efforts. What they organized were mule and horse cart teams, or operated in the form of commercial firms and the like; that kind of transport capacity was truly massive.

Finally, the matters were concluded. Special personnel led these civilian laborers away for meals and rest. Although all sorts of eateries and inns clustered near the heated relay station, how could they bear to spend money? Only those of Han registry stayed at inns and did not sleep in those large communal bunks.

Liu Kedi, Lin Guangguan, and the others also relaxed. The day's work was considered done, another day passed. They all sat leisurely, chatting and laughing. They were getting on in years and did not expect promotion; being able to maintain their current lives was enough to satisfy them.

The four ranks of clerks in the Great Ming were clerical assistant, department clerk, office clerk, and chief clerk. Yet even if one reached chief clerk, it was still an unranked minor position, and promotion was extremely difficult. Even within the staff office system, because competition was fierce, promotion was equally not easy, and they had even less desire to compete. They were content to live peacefully and stably.

They represented a conservative, unambitious group within the Jingbian Army system. Yet even these people were seen as extremely rare by outsiders. A traveling scholar once sighed with emotion: "Since I entered Xuan Township, I have seen only clerks and runners who are strict, orderly, and solemn. Every man is respectful, frugal, sincere, and devoted to his duties, just like the virtuous clerks of antiquity."

The small Xuanfu Township could support a massive campaign beyond the frontier, astonishing the world.

The country was large but hollow, and the difficulty of mobilizing civilian manpower and material resources was a common malady at this time. Yet the entire Xuanfu Township seemed to move in concert with it. This effectively functioning systemic power was incomprehensible to outsiders.

The vast inflow and outflow of military supplies involved complex mathematical applications, yet the Logistics Department managed it all in perfect order. That Xuanfu produced good clerks became a consensus among many.

It was also because of the mobilization of the populace that the expeditionary army beyond the frontier and the western campaign army could be continuously supplied with provisions and materials. After all, for an army of tens of thousands, the daily food and drink alone were no small amount, not to mention all sorts of other supplies.

When campaigning away from home, countless armies had failed due to provision problems. For the sake of provisions, the various camp followers and supply transport personnel sometimes even outnumbered the total strength of the fighting army.

Just as when the Spanish army besieged Bergen op Zoom in the Netherlands, a Calvinist pastor in the besieged town said: "I have never seen such a small body dragging such a long tail... such a small army accompanied by so many carts, baggage horses, draft horses, camp followers, servants, women, children, and a motley crowd, their numbers far exceeding the army itself."

Of course, this war also presented an opportunity for many merchants and wealthy households to profit from the conflict.

Every day on the roads leading beyond the frontier, cart after cart loaded with supplies converged toward places like Xinghe Garrison, the convoys unending day and night. The army and merchants gathered beyond the frontier were like a colossal beast, constantly devouring what it needed, and honeycomb briquettes were one of those items.

Wang Dou had long advocated cutting fewer trees and using more coal. Not to mention the huge demand within Xuan Township itself, the daily need for honeycomb briquettes by the expeditionary army and merchant caravans beyond the frontier was astronomical. Many astute people saw an opportunity in this...

In the early morning, a horse-drawn carriage traveled along a country road and stopped in front of a honeycomb briquette factory at the foot of a hill.

"Madam, we have arrived."

Steward Yang, dressed in silk garments, lifted the carriage curtain and said to the person inside.

"Mm."

After a pleasant-sounding voice, the young madam, Chu Wanyun, gracefully and delicately stepped down from the carriage. She wore a deep red outer jacket, still had her hair in a goose-heart bun, with a hairpin inserted in her coiled tresses. Two maidservants hurried forward to support her.

After she stood still, she seemed to casually observe her surroundings, but she could not conceal her sharp gaze and shrewd eyes, quite different from how she appeared before Wang Dou and Ji Junjiao. Only her expression held a trace of weariness.

Before her was a rather large factory compound, enclosed by a long wall. In front of the main gate was a level area where many carts and horses were parked, all waiting to load honeycomb briquettes and leave. Beside the factory, along the mountainous terrain, similar factories and workshops clustered together. The sound of clanging and hammering drifted over, suggesting there was a nail factory not far away.

Many factories in Baoanzhou were concentrated here. Commerce was developed in this area, and many people built factories and workshops. However, because the Civil Affairs Department strictly controlled the use of arable land, even one's own land could not be casually used to build factories, so many people set up their factories here.

After all, this entire area was mountainous, with Mount Zhuolu and Mount Moji stretching continuously, and there was no shortage of water sources, making it an ideal location.

The manager hurriedly came out to greet them. The young madam walked with him toward the factory, casually asking questions as they went.

"...Recently, more and more people have been buying coal. I have already ordered the workers to work overtime. Of course, with Madam's compassion, their wages and meals will certainly not be shorted by the factory."

"People's desires are hard to satisfy. Give them too little, and they complain; give them too much, and you breed idlers. Let us follow the example of Xuan Township here: set a base salary and let them earn more by working more."

"I hear that the clan intends to expand the factory and recruit more workers? I am always worried: what if the war ends and the coal produced cannot be sold? Although at present..."

"I have my own plans for this matter. Manager Chen, you need not say more. Just remember your place."

"Yes, yes..."

Manager Chen was drenched in sweat. Although he was a member of the Li clan, his status within the clan was far inferior to the young madam's. Especially after Wang Dou's bloody suppression of the Shanxi merchants, the Li family's prestige had returned to Qingyuan, and the old clan patriarch placed even greater trust and importance on the young madam.

Moreover, she was capable and shrewd, with keen insight, and had decisively expanded the family’s peripheral industries in Xuanfu Town, reaping ever greater profits. Her standing within the clan was now second only to the senior elders.

The matters she had just spoken of would, in other families, require convening the clansmen, deliberating again and again. Yet for her, they were matters settled in just a few words.

Entering the workshop, one saw a large level yard, laid out with row after row of formed honeycomb briquettes. Workers were busily toiling away — mixing the coal, pressing the briquettes, drying them — every one of them bustling with energy.

Especially those pressing the briquettes, using a kind of mold-like device. A stomp of the foot into the coal pile, a pull of the lever, and out came a honeycomb briquette.

It was said that this device had been personally designed by the Marquis of Yongning, who then contributed it for private use, so that every merchant and commoner in the town could utilize it. He did not contend with the people for profit, but yielded profit to the people. On this point, the Young Madam could not help but admire him.

However, the scene before her, black and grimy everywhere, also made her brows furrow slightly. For someone of her nature, who loved cleanliness, such a filthy environment was truly hard to endure.

Yet she said nothing. After the manager had assembled the workers, she faced these people — each resembling an African black — with an amiable expression, inquiring after their welfare with warm concern.

Originally, the workers, upon seeing this elegant and noble young matron, had all felt flustered and uneasy. Especially seeing the usually arrogant Manager Chen groveling beside her, not even daring to breathe loudly, they were all the more awed and reverent.

But now they could not help feeling a sense of closeness. In the end, each person even received a small red envelope, which filled them with delight.

Only Manager Chen felt a sour taste in his heart. This woman was far too calculating — he played the villain, while she got to play the good person in every instance.

Very soon, under Manager Chen’s complicated gaze, the Young Madam departed the honeycomb briquette workshop. The Li family’s properties were numerous, and rushing about from Shanxi Town to Datong Town to Xuanfu Town left her rather weary. Yet this afternoon, she still had to go to the next place.

Inside the carriage, the Young Madam looked pensive. She said, “Uncle Yang, I am optimistic about the prospects of honeycomb briquettes. Even when the fighting eventually stops, the common people will always have demand for such daily necessities… This is not just a matter for Xuanfu Town. In the future, Datong Town, Shanxi Town, even all parts of the Great Ming will have demand. They could even be sold overseas, and the same goes for iron nails… Therefore, it would be best for the family to control some mines.”

Steward Yang sighed, “Indeed. Although honeycomb briquettes are currently in short supply, the prices of coal and iron have also risen considerably. With a few mines in hand, one’s mind would be at ease…”

He mused, “How about this: while the Marquis of Yongning is campaigning beyond the frontier, our honeycomb briquette factory could supply coal balls to the Logistics Department free of charge? That would surely greatly enhance His Lordship’s goodwill toward us.”

The Young Madam shook her head. “That would be inappropriate. If we offer them for free, what are others to do? Blocking others’ paths to wealth will surely invite resentment. Doing good deeds in Xuanfu Town is not taboo. We can take out a sum of silver and donate it to the shelters, the orphan camps, and so on, earning the title of benefactors and gaining influence. Then we can find ways to gather some grain and fodder and donate it to the army, thereby obtaining the title of Model Army Supporter. With my personal ties to the Marchioness and Sister Ji, the Civil Affairs Department will have to give us some consideration, and securing a few mines will be much more certain.”

Steward Yang said, “The Madam is indeed far more thorough in her thinking.”

In a place like Xuanfu Town, only those with Han registry and various titles could gain priority participation in the various lucrative and high-demand industries.

Thus, over time, donating money and goods to society from all walks of life seemed to become a matter of course, and many who had been utterly miserly slowly changed their thinking as well.

Finally, the Young Madam said, “In a few days, the Sanjin Trading Company is organizing a troop morale event, going beyond the frontier to comfort the army. I also intend to go.”

Saying this, she pursed her lips in a smile, as if thinking of something.

……

The twenty-eighth day of the eighth month of the fifteenth year of Chongzhen. Night. Shacheng Fort.

Wang Dou stood quietly atop the fort wall, gazing into the night sky. The stars were brilliant, incomparably magnificent, echoing the vast sea of lantern light below. Watching the stars glitter, the wondrous craftsmanship of nature, Wang Dou sometimes wondered: had he come to the Great Ming by the power of gods, or by the power of science?

Of course, at this moment he had no leisure to ponder such things. He merely clutched a piece of intelligence, frowning in deep thought. Han Chao had captured Guihua City several days ago, but all they had gained was an empty city. The Mongols of Guihua City had all fled, their whereabouts unknown. The thing he detested most had happened.

Where had the main force of these Mongol troops gone? Where were they hiding?

Also, Zhong Xiancai from Mantaoer had urgently sent word: Jirgalang and Dodo had moved. But their actions were peculiar. Jirgalang personally led several thousand elite Manchu cavalry. Although they were coming west, they did not take the route via Kaiping Guard, but instead went further north, heading into the desert. No one knew what they were planning.

They raced ahead on light cavalry, and the White Tiger Army’s feathered cavalry could not catch up.

As for Dodo, he led the remaining main force of Manchu and Mongol troops and suddenly headed east, seemingly toward the direction of Jinzhou, or perhaps pressing toward Yizhou. Could it be that, finding no easy advantage near Xuanfu Town, they intended to run over to Liaoxi to loot?

It seemed these Tatars had grown craftier and more cautious after the Battle of Jinzhou. He had thought that the historical Phoney War would replay itself; he had not expected this maneuver. (To be continued…)