Chapter 57: The Deal

"Exchange them?"

Hearing what Zhou Shixiang said, everyone was baffled: how could people be exchanged?

Zhou Shixiang explained. The Taiping Camp had suffered too many casualties in this battle, and the number of captured Green Standard soldiers was too large.

If they brought all these men back, the Taiping Camp's grain supply would be strained. Besides, with so many dead at once, how could the families of the fallen accept these Green Standard soldiers who had killed their kin?

If trouble broke out, how would they handle it?

Rather than bring trouble back with them, it was better to do a deal with the Qing army at Deqing, so as to obtain the manpower the Taiping Camp urgently needed.

After all, the chief purpose of war, apart from eliminating potential danger, was to obtain the supplies one's own side urgently needed. If you fought without gaining anything, how could the war be sustained?

Without replenishment of troops, one more battle like this and the Taiping Camp could declare itself finished.

Zhou Shixiang had no intention of branding these Green Standard soldiers, because their numbers were simply too great. If the Taiping Camp absorbed them, the guests would outnumber the host, and then would they listen to these Green Standard soldiers or to him?

So his plan was to trade these prisoners to Deqing for the inmates in its jail. The manpower rebels had always liked best was prisoners in jail, death-row convicts even more so.

These men were the natural opponents of the authorities, and taking them in was a hundred times better than taking in these Green Standard soldiers. At least there would be no worry about the balance of power within the army shifting later, or serious factional splits.

Of course, there was another reason not to absorb these prisoners: most of them were Deqing locals. Unlike Shao Jiugong and his men, who were troops from another province, it would be very hard to make them turn their blades on Deqing in the future, since their kin were inside.

To win everyone's support for his decision, Zhou Shixiang inevitably gave another roundabout speech about how the Taiping Camp must become great bandits, and how exactly one became great bandits, which had everyone nodding repeatedly.

"One Tartar for one prisoner — Brother Zhou, that's no bargain. We're getting robbed." On the exchange itself, Baldy had no objection, but he thought simply trading Green Standard soldiers for prisoners was a losing deal.

Ge Wu had been mulling the same question, though he hadn't yet figured out exactly what was wrong. Hearing Baldy's words, he quickly chimed in: "Right, that exchange rate's no good.

Those armored soldiers aren't the same as ordinary Green Standard troops. Even one of them for ten prisoners, I'd still say we're getting cheated."

Zhou Shixiang gestured for them not to be impatient, and said: "Then exchange one for several of his. If he truly hasn't enough prisoners to trade with us, then have him pay in grain and silver. We're the sellers, and in this world there's no such thing as a seller who comes out on the short end."

"Right, we can't just take prisoners.

Some prisoners are useless. We've got to make them hand over silver and grain.

Hard cash and grain are solid. With money and food, what's to fear about not being able to recruit troops?"

Ge Liu, who had been beaten up by Ge Wu, had sidled over at some point and was eagerly offering ideas.

Everyone offered suggestions one after another, quite lively. When they had mostly finished, Peng Dazhu threw cold water on it all, saying: "The plan's fine, but what if that County Magistrate in Deqing refuses to trade with us?"

Right — if the other side refused to trade, hadn't they been busy for nothing?

Everyone was taken aback, but Zhou Shixiang waved his hand with full confidence and said to them: "No matter. If the County Magistrate won't trade, we'll find someone who will."

"Who?" everyone asked in unison.

Zhou Shixiang raised a hand toward two soldiers and ordered them: "Bring that Green Standard Battalion Commander over."

"How much silver do you think your life is worth?"

Hearing this question, Tang Sanshui dropped to his knees with a thud, weeping and wailing: "Spare me, good sir, spare me!" He thought Zhou Shixiang meant to kill him.

"I didn't say I was going to kill you. Get up and talk."

Only after Zhou Shixiang barked at him again did Tang Sanshui stand up, terrified and uneasy, wondering what scheme this bandit xiucai had in mind.

Zhou Shixiang ignored his bewildered look and said directly: "I'm prepared to release you, but I can't release you for nothing, so you'll have to pay a ransom for your life."

"Release me? Ransom?"

Tang Sanshui grew as excited as if he were hearing heavenly music, and shouted: "I'll pay, I'll pay!"

"Then tell me how much silver you're worth." Zhou Shixiang looked at Tang Sanshui expressionlessly. The more a man feared death, the more cooperative he was — and the greedier.

"Well..."

Tang Sanshui was in a bind. If he said too little, it would make him, a Battalion Commander, seem worthless.

If he said too much, he feared he couldn't produce it, and even if he could, it would truly pain him. Inwardly he cursed the bandit xiucai for being crafty indeed — where in the world was there a kidnapper who didn't name a price and instead made the hostage name his own?

He lowered his head and thought for a long while, then raised a hand and waved it twice, and through gritted teeth carefully spat out a figure: "One hundred taels?"

"One hundred taels?"

Zhou Shixiang gave a cold laugh, glanced at Shao Jiugong, and asked him: "Vanguard Shao, you served in the Qing army. Tell Commander Tang here whether his Battalion Commander post can be bought for a hundred taels of silver."

Shao Jiugong chuckled: "If a hundred taels could buy a Battalion Commander post, this humble officer would have bought one long ago."

Zhou Shixiang nodded at this, turned back to Tang Sanshui, and snorted: "You heard that. You're not taking yourself seriously at all. If that's really what you think, then pretend I said nothing." With that, he raised a hand: "Take him away."

"Wait, wait, wait..."

Seeing that Zhou Shixiang really was about to have him taken away, Tang Sanshui feared the other man would turn hostile and kill him, and frantically clasped his fists and bowed repeatedly: "Good sir, name your price. This humble one will bear it, this humble one will bear it..."

"You want me to name it?" Zhou Shixiang shook his head, the corner of his mouth twitched, and he spat out three words: "Two thousand taels."

"Two thousand taels?" Tang Sanshui was startled, truly frightened by the figure, and shook his head hard: "Too much, too much. This humble one doesn't have that much silver on hand!"

Zhou Shixiang gave him a meaningful look and said lightly: "I know you don't. But if you don't have it, someone else does."

"Someone else does?" Tang Sanshui was a bit dazed, not understanding what Zhou Shixiang meant, and asked timidly: "What does the good sir mean by that?"

"As for that..."

Zhou Shixiang did not answer him, but tilted his chin toward Deqing.

"One armored soldier for six prisoners; unarmored ones, three each.

Also, one armored soldier for two hundred jin of grain or fifty taels of silver; unarmored ones, half that. No bargaining."

Zhou Shixiang set the terms with finality, not wanting to haggle with Tang Sanshui any further. If they kept cutting the price, it would be dark before they finished.

Seeing that Zhou Shixiang was already impatient, Tang Sanshui quickly dropped any thought of bargaining, glanced left and right, and lowered his voice: "Then what about this humble one?"

"Rest assured. Once the deal is done, for every head you get, ten taels will be knocked off for you. However you count it, that's over two thousand taels. Add your own two thousand, and Commander Tang, you've made a fine profit on this expedition."

Zhou Shixiang was not mocking Tang Sanshui, but to the other man's ears it still sounded like mockery. Fortunately, Tang Sanshui didn't mind.

As long as his life was spared and there was silver to be made, what did it matter if people mocked him a little? He wouldn't lose a scrap of flesh or a single hair!

"Then what about the Garrison Commander's body?" Tang Sanshui had not, after all, forgotten Zhang Dade.

"Zhang Dade's body may be taken back by you."

Zhou Shixiang paused, then added very generously: "You may take back the bodies of all the Green Standard soldiers as well. Our army does not take heads."

"Many thanks, General!"

Tang Sanshui hastily bowed in thanks. Setting other matters aside, being able to bring back the Garrison Commander's body whole would make him look loyal and capable in others' eyes, and would earn him a good word with the Regional Commander as well.

Seeing that Tang Sanshui was getting a bit carried away, Zhou Shixiang couldn't help reminding him: "But how to make that Magistrate Lu hand over the silver will depend on your abilities, Commander Tang. If he refuses to pay, then this deal is off, and everything we've said counts for nothing."

At this, Tang Sanshui slapped his chest and said grandly: "Rest easy on that, General. Lu Gongming is a pedantic scholar, timid and fearful.

All I need do is give him a good scare, and I guarantee he'll obediently hand over the silver. Besides, I still have men in the city.

If Lu Gongming really dares to harden his heart, my brothers there aren't pushovers either!"

Zhou Shixiang smiled faintly: "Let us hope so." He signaled that Tang Sanshui could set out, but saw Tang Sanshui hesitate, then finally work up the courage to ask: "Might I ask the General to also hand over the bodies of your army's fallen?"

"What do you want the bodies for?"

This time it was Zhou Shixiang's turn to be puzzled, but he immediately understood what Tang Sanshui was scheming. The man wanted to turn defeat into victory — to get rich and get promoted at the same time!

"No!"

Zhou Shixiang's face was utterly grim. Tang Sanshui was so frightened he hastily apologized: "This humble one was foolish, this humble one was foolish. Forgive me, General..."

"Enough."

Zhou Shixiang's expression eased slightly, and he cupped his hands: "Then I wish the Commander swift success!"

"I accept the General's auspicious words. I shall not fail in my mission!..."

Tang Sanshui wiped the cold sweat from his brow. At once someone led his mount over, and his two trusted subordinates were picked out from among the captives. After that, Shao Jiugong escorted him back to Deqing with a party of men.