Chapter 58: Survival or Ruin

After word spread that Garrison Commander Zhang Dade had been ambushed and his entire force wiped out, every person of standing in Deqing County gathered at the county yamen.

Without County Magistrate Lu Gongming having to levy a single tael, each household had already pooled together five thousand taels of silver to reward the able-bodied men and organize a volunteer militia to defend the city — Magistrate Lu was so moved he nearly wept.

The gentry representative, Ye Jinglian, former Left Assistant Administration Commissioner of the Guangdong Provincial Administration Commission under the Southern Ming, went so far as to hand over more than thirty of his household retainers to the county yamen for unified deployment.

Spurred by his example, in barely half a day the great households of the city had organized over seven hundred able-bodied men to take up posts on the walls.

Added to the men the yamen had conscripted street by street, there were now fully two thousand able-bodied men standing guard on the walls.

So many able-bodied men — compared with Luoding a hundred li away, it was truly the difference between heaven and earth. This place well deserved its reputation as a treasured spot where water and land routes converged and merchants gathered.

"If the city falls, our homes fall; if the city stands, our homes stand!"

To rouse everyone's spirits, Ye Jinglian went so far as to declare that as long as Deqing could be held, he would accept even the ruin of his entire family fortune!

"Great rewards bring brave men. Magistrate Lu, issue a proclamation: any able-bodied man who can hold the wall for a single day will receive an extra tael of silver. If he fights bravely when the bandits attack, he will be paid ten taels for every head he takes!"

"Tell the common folk: if this city falls, none of us will escape. Those with a little spare wealth — if you won't bring it out now, then when? Do you mean to leave it for the bandits?!"

"The bandits have come from afar and just fought a bitter battle; they cannot storm the city in an instant. Seize this chance, my lord, and send men at once to the prefectural seat for reinforcements. If we can hold out for just a day or two, the bandits will surely withdraw!"

"To guard against traitors in the city colluding with the bandits, the yamen must organize men to patrol the streets. Once night falls, the streets are to be closed. Anyone who disobeys will be treated as a collaborator!"

"Defending a city is not like fighting in the open field; the key lies in equipment.

More golden juice must be boiled, more rolling logs prepared, great stones piled at every critical point, and more hook-blades forged so the bandits cannot scale the walls. Oh, yes — lime must also be readied; when the bandits climb, it is most effective for blinding their eyes.

Beyond that, hot oil is absolutely indispensable..."

Ye Jinglian called them "bandits" at every turn, a manner wholly at odds with his status as a former Left Assistant Administration Commissioner of the previous dynasty, yet he showed not the slightest discomfort or embarrassment. His righteous indignation put everyone else to shame.

There were no fewer than ten men in the city who held Ming degrees, and before them County Magistrate Lu Gongming dared not put on the slightest airs of a father-and-mother official.

Instead he was all deference and courtesy, and no matter who spoke, he made a show of listening attentively, and whether what they said was right or wrong, he would praise it: "An excellent measure!"

The reason was this: the Qing dynasty recognized Ming degrees. Anyone who had held office under the Ming, so long as he was willing to serve the Qing, would be given a post — perhaps even one rank higher than he had held under the Ming.

Thus Magistrate Lu dared not slight these men with degrees from the former dynasty, for he did not know which of them might suddenly decide to register and serve the Qing, whereupon each would become his direct superior — how could he afford to offend them?

Moreover, if he wanted his magistracy to be secure and lasting, he had to rely on these gentry for support. Offend them, and the official cap of his seventh rank would be hard to keep.

Ye Jinglian's case was somewhat different from the other households. There was another reason he was so hostile to the Ming army outside the city: his son, Ye Shunlin, was currently serving in the Governor-General's yamen in Guangzhou.

The year before, when Li Dingguo attacked Xinhui, father and son had secretly colluded with the Qing army, privately sending them a good deal of intelligence on the Ming forces.

When Li Dingguo was defeated and retreated, he had also organized local braves to cut down Ming stragglers. Therefore, if the Ming army ever broke into the city, others might be spared, but the Ye family would certainly not escape.

So the old gentleman would do anything to keep the Ming army from taking the city, and there he was, pouring out every method of city defense he had ever seen — not afraid of useless advice, only afraid of incomplete preparations.

Finally he added: "Magistrate Lu, as father-and-mother of this county, you bear the duty of defending its soil. With a great enemy at hand, you must set an example for the people. Only then will the people take heart and no longer be frightened by the bandits!"

"The old gentleman's instruction is correct. This official will go up to the walls at once!"

Lu Gongming, who on ordinary days was afraid to see blood even when a chicken was killed, had no wish whatsoever to go up onto the walls.

But since Ye Jinglian demanded that he, as father-and-mother official, set an example for the people, he had no choice but to steel himself and climb up. Assistant Magistrate Wu Changshou was in charge up on the wall at the moment.

The man had begun as a clerk, had led troops to suppress bandits several times, and was quite knowledgeable in military matters — a man one could rely on.

"Gentlemen, rest assured. This official will live or die with Deqing!"

As he lifted his foot to leave, Lu Gongming did not forget to declare his resolve once more. The others hurriedly rose to see him off.

They had just reached the yamen gate when a runner came dashing in with word that someone had seen Green Standard Battalion Commander Tang Sanshui return — he had just been hauled up the wall in a sling basket.

"Oh? Battalion Commander Tang escaped back?" Lu Gongming was delighted and hastily ordered the runner: "Go at once and invite Commander Tang to the yamen — quickly!"

The runner acknowledged and went to fetch him.

Tang Sanshui was a proper military officer, and a Battalion Commander at that — far stronger than Wu Changshou, an Assistant Magistrate who had only ever fought bandits. With him back to take charge of the city's defense, things would be much more secure.

At this thought, Magistrate Lu unconsciously gave up the idea of going up to the walls.

He clasped his hands toward Ye Jinglian and the others: "Since Battalion Commander Tang has returned, let us question him about the bandits' particulars — know the enemy and know ourselves, and whatever is lacking can be remedied in time."

"It is rare that Battalion Commander Tang fought his way back. Matters of city defense should indeed be discussed with him."

Ye Jinglian had no objection. It was rare for someone who knew the Ming army's inner workings to escape back, and of course he should be questioned thoroughly.

But he used the phrase "fought his way back," which sounded far more dignified than "escaped back." The others caught his meaning at once and chimed in, praising Battalion Commander Tang's surpassing valor.

Tang Sanshui, having just entered the city, did not even pause for a drink of water. After giving a few instructions to the two subordinates who had returned with him, he hurried toward the county yamen.

On the road back, he had already worked out the accounts clearly: if this deal succeeded, he would make at least a thousand taels of silver and could also report a meritorious deed upward — why not? Besides, this matter was known only to heaven and earth and himself.

As long as that bandit xiucai didn't blab, who would know of the trickery inside? And even if they knew, what of it?

If not for him, Tang Sanshui, reading the situation and acting accordingly, could Deqing have been saved!

The moment he entered the yamen and saw all the city's great households assembled, Tang Sanshui was briefly taken aback, then secretly pleased. Having everyone here was even better — it saved trouble later.

He immediately began to frighten them, blurting out in feigned alarm: "What's coming is the Taiping Camp that Li Dingguo newly raised. The commander is said to be a great general under Li Dingguo — called something Le...

Le something..."

"Could it be Le Tongwu of Gaozhou?"

"Right, that's the man!"

Tang Sanshui slapped his thigh and put on a look of lingering terror. With a shudder, he said: "Good heavens, the troops were packed dense, stretching beyond sight — at the very least several thousand, with several hundred mounted and armored.

My word, even the Manchu soldiers couldn't stop them if they came! If I hadn't run fast, I'd have ended up just like the Garrison Commander!"

When he finished, he looked at the others and found every face had changed color, each more ghastly than the last. Magistrate Lu Gongming's lips had gone blue, clamped tight, not moving at all.

"Did Battalion Commander Tang see clearly? Is it truly Li Dingguo's troops?"

Ye Jinglian's face was also grim. If it truly was Li Dingguo's troops, then all their earlier arrangements would be a laughingstock. With this little Deqing city and some able-bodied men, could they stop Tiger Li?

"If it weren't Li Dingguo's troops, could we have been beaten so badly?" Lu Gongming was polite to the gentry, but Tang Sanshui was not. He glared at Ye Jinglian and snapped: "What, you don't believe what this officer says?"

Ye Jinglian suppressed his anger and would not stoop to argue with a rough soldier like Tang Sanshui. Puzzled, he said: "How could this old man disbelieve you, my lord? It is only that Li Dingguo withdrew to Guangxi at the start of the year. How is it that after just a few months he has come again?"

Tang Sanshui said crossly: "How should this officer know? War is unpredictable. This officer is not a worm in Li Dingguo's belly — how would I know what he's scheming? If you don't believe me, go out of the city and see for yourself whether what I say is true or false!"

Ye Jinglian choked at that and sat frozen. He would never dare leave the city. The thought that it might truly be Li Dingguo's troops had already thrown him into a panic — utterly unlike the man who moments ago had thundered with righteous fervor and sworn to live or die with Deqing.

One of the gentry said with a bitter face: "If it really is Li Dingguo's army coming, I fear Deqing cannot be held!"

"That old rebel is fearsome. Even the two princes in Guangzhou are afraid of him. How can our little Deqing possibly hold? Everyone, disperse quickly — pack up and run before the Ming army arrives!"

"Right, this city can't be held. Everyone, run while you can."

The hall fell into noisy chaos. The gentry and great households who moments ago had been crying "you contribute money, I'll contribute effort" were now all in a panic, and several simply turned and bolted.

Lu Gongming was panicking too, not knowing how to respond. He looked to Ye Jinglian as if begging for help: "Old gentleman, with a great enemy before us, we must not lose our footing. I beg you to step forward and stop them — otherwise the city will descend into chaos!"

"Ah..."

Ye Jinglian rose hesitantly, then suddenly clasped his hands toward Lu Gongming and said: "Magistrate Lu, this old man has matters at home and must take his leave. I must trouble you to devote yourself to the city's defense."

"Old gentleman?"

Lu Gongming was dumbfounded. He could neither stop him nor let him go.

Helplessly he watched Ye Jinglian walk out of the hall. Looking around again, he saw that apart from Tang Sanshui and two servants, everyone else had long since vanished.

His face went white with anxiety, and he slumped into a chair, his heart full of bitterness.

The gentry and great households could run, but he, the father-and-mother official, could not! The court's laws were strict: losing one's territory and abandoning one's soil was a capital offense. Heaven was vast and earth was wide, but where could he run?

"What to do, what to do!..."

Lu Gongming's body went cold, and his legs would no longer obey him.

"So be it, so be it.

Eating the sovereign's grain, loyal to the sovereign's cause. This official... this official will live or die with Deqing!"

He raised a hand to the two servants still standing dumbly in the hall.

"You two, help this official to the rear hall.

I must speak a few words with my wife." He had made up his mind to die together with his wife, so that when the Ming army entered the city she would not be dishonored.

As for his daughter, she would have to go with them as well.

"Master!"

The two servants, trembling with fear, stepped forward to support their magistrate, their own calves quivering.

After two steps, he remembered that Tang Sanshui was still there. He turned with difficulty, intending to entrust the defense of Deqing to him — even if they could not prevail, they should at least do what they could.

Unexpectedly, Tang Sanshui stepped forward and gestured for him to dismiss the two servants. Once the servants had withdrawn, he lowered his voice and said: "To be frank with you, Magistrate Lu, this officer did not actually escape back — I was released."