Chapter 73: Volume Three: Shunxiang Fort Garrison Commander, Chapter Seventy-Three: Registers and Craftsmen

Volume Three: Shunxiang Fort Garrison Commander, Chapter Seventy-Three: Registers and Craftsmen

The Company Commander’s official hall occupied a considerable area. Not far from the main gate stood two banyan trees, ancient and vigorous, their branches and leaves luxuriant, brimming with vitality.

Gazing at this large compound, Wang Dou could not help sighing. He recalled the day when, on business for Jingbian Fort, he had come to beg Du Zhen for plow oxen and farm tools, enduring the disdainful looks of the gatekeeper junior officer. Now he himself had become the master of this place. Thinking back on past events, he truly could not help but lament.

Han Zhong clearly shared the same sentiment and could not help looking exultant.

Seeing Wang Dou’s expression, Lin Daofu felt a sourness in his heart. From last year onward, Xu Zhongjun, Du Zhen, and he himself had all spent time in this place, yet in the end he still had not become its master.

He suppressed the displeasure in his heart and said to Wang Dou, “Garrison Commander, my lord, your colleagues within the fort have already laid out a banquet in the hall to welcome you and wash off the dust of travel. Let us go in.”

Wang Dou nodded. “Very well!”

Shunxiang Fort had a military camp and a horse station set up in its northwest quarter. Xu Lu immediately took the lead and solicitously arranged for Wang Dou’s subordinates to rest in the military camp.

Wang Dou, accompanied by Han Chao, Han Zhong, Xie Yike, and a squad of combat soldiers, entered the Company Commander’s official hall amid a crowd of people clustering around him.

Upon entering the main gate, they were met by a screen wall, three zhang six chi wide and one zhang six chi tall, with wicket gates set into both the east and west corners.

The Company Commander’s official hall followed the front-office rear-residence layout, with the main gate, main hall, second hall, and third hall forming the central axis, while the other buildings were basically arranged symmetrically to the left and right. The interior was divided into several administrative sections: the offices for the senior and vice company commanders, the company commander and the garrison provost, and the clerks of the ordinance office.

The main hall was five bays wide with seven roof beams, its arrangement bearing a distinctly martial air.

At that moment, in the west flower hall beside the main hall, several tables of a banquet had already been laid out, with fish, meat, and wine — a sumptuous midday meal.

It seemed that to set out these few tables of welcome wine, Shunxiang Fort would have to bleed heavily today.

After Xu Lu had settled Wang Dou’s subordinates, he hurried over to attend the feast. Now he had the good fortune to sit at the same table as Wang Dou. He raised his wine cup and said loudly, “Garrison Commander, my lord, coming to our Shun Fort to take up your post is an honor for all of us in Shun Fort. Come, let us toast Garrison Commander, my lord!”

Everyone roared in response; even Lin Daofu and the garrison provost Chi Dacheng nodded and raised their cups. Wang Dou said, “I have newly taken up this post and am largely ignorant of Shun Fort’s affairs. I must ask all my colleagues for your full assistance, so that together we may govern Shun Fort well!”

He smiled and raised his cup, and everyone drank it dry together.

Next, the various officers at the banquet came forward one after another to offer toasts to Wang Dou; even the few clerks were no exception.

Wang Dou refused none, draining his cup with every toast, which surprised everyone. They had not expected Wang Dou to be so bold and forthright, and each of them could not help developing a slight favorable impression of him. A man who drinks boldly is usually broad-minded as well; it seemed that in the days ahead, life for everyone would be easier.

In truth, regarding Wang Dou’s appointment as Garrison Commander of Shunxiang Fort, aside from Zhong Zhengxian, probably not a single person in the fort was convinced. His seniority was too shallow, his official rank too low. Although he had rendered meritorious service in suppressing bandits some time ago, the promotion and reward had not yet come down, so Wang Dou was still a Platoon Leader. For a mere Platoon Leader to serve as Garrison Commander — how could that win anyone’s heartfelt submission? To say nothing else, Company Commanders in Shunxiang Fort could be grabbed by the handful; if none of them got the post, on what grounds did it fall to him?

However, the fact that this Wang Dou could serve as Garrison Commander of Shunxiang Fort at least proved that the Discipline Officer, His Excellency Xu, held him in high regard. That backing was very solid. Moreover, the troops Wang Dou had brought today were of a strength not to be underestimated. Regardless of how Wang Dou had trained these soldiers, in these times, he who has troops has power and can speak loudly.

Wang Dou’s appointment was already a fact; he had become their immediate superior. If they wished to live well in Shunxiang Fort from now on, they naturally had to curry favor with this new superior. Furthermore, after Du Zhen’s death, the candidate for the fort’s field management officer had never been settled, and in due course it would be up to Wang Dou to appoint someone. This field management officer post was extremely lucrative — who wouldn’t covet it?

Therefore, no matter what each person was thinking inwardly, on the surface at least everyone wore a warm and affectionate expression. The wave of toasts came one after another; even the three men Wang Dou had brought — Han Chao, Han Zhong, and Xie Yike — were constantly surrounded by a few people at their side.

Han Chao and Han Zhong were all right, but after drinking a few cups of wine, Xie Yike’s face turned bright red, his tongue thickened when he spoke, and he would grab someone and just call him “brother.”

Wang Dou observed this and thought to himself that his young brother-in-law’s character was worlds apart from his sister’s. He seemed prone to causing trouble when drinking. At that moment, Wang Dou made a decision: he would make Xie Yike drink less from now on.

…

As the welcome banquet was about to end, Xu Lu drew close to Wang Dou and said in a low voice, “My lord, you have had a hard journey. I have already ordered the rear courtyard to be tidied up. This residence is spacious and empty; shall I recruit a few servants to attend to you?”

It turned out that when Xu Zhongjun and Du Zhen had served as Garrison Commander, they had both hired servants. But after Du Zhen’s death, those servants had dispersed. Although Lin Daofu had acted as Garrison Commander for a period, he lived a frugal and austere life and had never hired servants to attend to him.

Wang Dou smiled faintly. “I shall leave this matter for you to arrange, Old Brother Xu!”

He was unfamiliar with the inner workings of Shunxiang Fort, and since Xu Lu was going all out to curry favor with him, he would give him more opportunities to prove himself.

Sure enough, Xu Lu was overjoyed and said repeatedly, “My lord, rest assured, your subordinate will handle the matter well!”

When the welcome banquet ended, Lin Daofu and the others were about to take their leave. Wang Dou had only arrived today, and by their reckoning, he should at least rest for a few days before handling official business. Unexpectedly, Wang Dou stopped Lin Daofu and said, “Magistrate Lin, this evening, bring the fort’s registers for me to review!”

After Du Zhen’s death, Lin Daofu had managed the fort’s affairs for a period, and all the various registers were in his custody. Hearing Wang Dou say this, Lin Daofu was somewhat surprised. He studied Wang Dou for a few moments, then cupped his hands and said, “Your subordinate understands. Your subordinate takes his leave!”

The banquet over, Wang Dou went to the rear courtyard. Indeed, it had multiple entrances and exits, with numerous rooms. Wang Dou had Han Chao, Han Zhong, and Xie Yike each choose a suite of rooms. Toward evening, Zhong Zhengxian also came over cheerfully, moved his luggage in, and declared that from now on he would be living in the official hall compound.

In the evening, Lin Daofu arrived. He cupped his hands toward Wang Dou and said, “My lord, your subordinate has brought the fort’s registers. The records of all military households, personnel, granary provisions, military equipment, firearms, and cannons within this Battalion are all here!”

Looking at this tall, middle-aged military officer, Wang Dou smiled faintly. “You have worked hard. Please sit, Magistrate Lin!”

Wang Dou knew that Lin Daofu was quite capable and very familiar with Shunxiang Fort’s affairs; it was just that his official career had been unlucky. Such a man, he naturally intended to make use of.

After having Lin Daofu sit down, Wang Dou concentrated intently and began to scrutinize the registers.

According to the register statistics, Shunxiang Fort had three hundred and twenty-three officers and soldiers, and one hundred and fifteen horses and mules. The fort also contained over three hundred and fifty military households, with a population of over a thousand, among whom were over seventy artisan households.

In terms of military equipment, there were over seventy bows, five thousand two hundred and ninety arrows, one hundred and eighty-six sets of helmets and armor, fourteen tiger-pattern tunics and caps, and over one hundred each of greatswords, waist swords, and rattan shields with back swords. In addition, there were thirty-two divine lances, fifteen divine pistols, three bronze cannons, five bronze and iron Frankish breech-loaders, two “Invincible Hand” cannons, and two tiger-tail cannons. In storage were one hundred and eighty-seven jin and nine taels of lead, one hundred and twenty jin and seven taels of gunpowder, one thousand six hundred and thirty jin of wrought iron, one thousand three hundred and fifty-seven jin of pig iron, and four hundred and thirty-two pig iron shot.

Wang Dou shook his head. The scarcity of the fort’s population, supplies, and military equipment was far beyond his expectations.

Looking further at the fort’s field plow oxen and the situation of its subordinate forts, it was even worse. Shunxiang Fort had fewer than one hundred plow oxen. Excluding Jingbian Fort, the entire Battalion had less than seven thousand mu of military farmland, and the entire Battalion had fewer than eight hundred military households. And who knew whether these figures were just statistics on paper or the actual situation?

Wang Dou was merely pondering in silence. Lin Daofu had been watching Wang Dou’s expression from the side. Having been in Shunxiang Fort for a long time, he naturally understood the fort’s difficulties. He had done his utmost, yet the fort’s situation only worsened by the day. He wondered whether this newly appointed Garrison Commander, a man of considerable legendary repute, could change this state of affairs. Lin Daofu was very expectant.

After a long while, Wang Dou raised his head and said to Lin Daofu, “Magistrate Lin, tomorrow assemble the fort’s officers. I intend to make an inspection tour of every part of the fort!”

…

Early the next morning, accompanied by Lin Daofu and others, Wang Dou inspected the various areas of Shunxiang Fort.

In the northwest quarter of Shunxiang Fort were the military camp and horse station; in the southeast quarter were the granary and fodder yard; in addition, inside the south gate there was a postal relay station. Wang Dou inspected all these places. The military camp was sparsely populated; no one knew where most of the soldiers had gone. The horses in the horse station were mostly thin and weak. The fodder yard lacked dry hay and horse feed. Only a few old soldiers remained in the postal relay station. In the Ever-Normal Granary, only a few hundred dan of grain and rice remained — enough for how many days’ rations?

Wang Dou went from one place to another. Everything in Shunxiang Fort was laid bare before Wang Dou’s eyes. The Shunxiang Fort personnel accompanying him were all somewhat uneasy. Only Wang Dou’s expression remained calm; no one knew what he was thinking. Han Zhong and Xie Yike looked around and laughed as they went, both saying repeatedly, “Tsk, tsk, this fort looks big, all right, but it’s rotten within — not even as good as Jingbian Fort!”

This drew all manner of looks from the crowd.

Very soon, the group entered the craftsmen’s workshop. Inside, some craftsmen were listlessly forging the weapons in their hands — a scene utterly incomparable to the bustling, fiery activity of the Jingbian Fort craftsmen’s workshop. Looking further at the weapons and firearms they were making, the quality was mostly substandard. They were craftsmen households from the same Shunxiang Fort, yet after arriving at Jingbian Fort, their work enthusiasm and the quality of their weapons could be said to be one in heaven and the other on earth.

Looking at the pale complexions of those craftsmen, Wang Dou had no heart to punish them. Finally, Wang Dou arrived atop the walls of Shunxiang Fort. Gazing at the military drill hall south of the fort, he said in a deep voice, “Magistrate Lin, tomorrow assemble the fort’s officers and soldiers. I want to inspect the troops!”