Chapter 100: Beggar Soldiers

Fei Chun sat waiting in the fishing boat, a cloth sack with half-dried bloodstains at his feet.

Fei Ruhe climbed the stone steps, scratched his head and ears in bewilderment, and stared at the wooden sign reading "Wuxing Town" for a long while.

Had he come to the wrong place again?

Fei Ruhe had been traveling by boat the whole way and had already gone astray through several villages and towns.

"Cousin," Fei Ruhe stopped a peasant carrying a pot on his back, "is Huangjia Town still further upstream?"

The peasant had just come to town to get his pot mended and said with a smile, "This is Huangjia Town. Master Zhao changed the name."

Fei Ruhe immediately grew excited: "Is Master Zhao the same Zhao Yan, Zhao Ziyue?"

The peasant looked baffled. "Master Zhao is just Master Zhao."

"Many thanks for the guidance," Fei Ruhe said, clasping his fists, then immediately turned and shouted, "Come up quickly, we've arrived!"

Fei Chun picked up the bloodstained hemp sack, tied the small fishing boat securely to the bank, and strode quickly to Fei Ruhe's side.

Master and servant headed for the inn. Business was not good; it was nearly noon, yet only a few people were eating in the main hall.

A notice was still posted at the inn's entrance: This town seeks to purchase bāogǔ (maize) and fānshǔ (sweet potatoes) at a high price — the more the better — at twice the market rate. Those interested may contact the innkeeper, Huang Daliang.

Fei Ruhe could not help sighing. "Brother Han must be having a hard time, nearly out of grain to eat."

Fei Chun said, "This innkeeper must be one of Brother Han's people."

The original innkeeper, a trusted man of Huang Zundao, had been sent to the mountains to burn charcoal as punishment — a form of labor reform as well.

Huang Daliang knew few characters, could only write his own name, and could recognize dish names but not write them. After being promoted to innkeeper, he still had to find time every day to audit classes at the private school, then practice writing characters back at the inn while working.

Master Zhao had decreed: within one year, if he failed to learn addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and failed to learn two hundred characters, someone else would be innkeeper next year!

"Two honored guests, will you be stopping for a meal or staying the night?" the inn attendant came running to ask.

This attendant was Xiaocui's younger brother, who used to gather firewood exclusively for the Huang family and had now been thrown into the inn to work as an attendant.

Fei Ruhe said, "I am a clan brother of Master Zhao. My name is Zhao Yaonian."

This fellow had really fixated on "Yaonian," solely because he worshipped his granduncle — the last renowned official of the Fei clan, Fei Yaonian, accomplished in both letters and arms.

The inn attendant was overjoyed and said to Huang Daliang, "Innkeeper, Master Zhao's family brother has come!"

Huang Daliang practically teleported out from behind the counter, arranged the inn's affairs in a few brief sentences, and then led them toward the town office.

The Huang clan ancestral hall had been converted into the Wuxing Town private school.

The Huang family ancestral residence had been converted into the Wuxing Town office. The front courtyard was all workspace; Zhao Han himself lived in the rear courtyard, where Pang Chunlai, Chen Maosheng, Zhang Tieniu, and their wives and children also lived.

Some serving maids and old women, including those who had married "military officers," were allowed to stay on and work, signing short-term contracts and receiving monthly wages.

They talked as they walked, covering some of the changes in Wuxing Town.

Fei Ruhe could not help asking, "What exactly is this 'town chief'?"

Huang Daliang explained, "The lijia heads are all gone. Now there is only the town chief, and below the town chief are four village chiefs."

Fei Ruhe glanced at Fei Chun; both master and servant wore expressions of shock.

This was no longer ordinary rebellion — Zhao Han actually dared to directly restructure the system!

Huang Daliang saw they were stunned and grinned. "That's nothing. Master Zhao has even let women become officials."

"Women as officials?" Fei Ruhe did not quite catch the meaning.

Huang Daliang explained, "The serving maid Xiaohong from old Master Huang's household — she's now renamed Huang Fei, a proper name personally chosen by Master Zhao. She is now the chief of the Women and Children Section of Wuxing Town, in charge of all women and children. Master Zhao has decreed: no beating women or children without cause. Whoever disobeys will be punished by sweeping the town streets."

Fei Chun asked doubtfully, "Women serving as officials — are the men willing to accept that?"

Huang Daliang laughed. "What can they do even if they're not happy? Besides, women officials only manage women and children. You can't have men managing those matters, can you?"

Suddenly, Huang Daliang lowered his voice. "Master Zhao also decreed: no more infant drowning. If anyone is found out, their rent and taxes will be increased. This matter is also under Section Chief Huang's (Xiaohong's) jurisdiction."

Fei Ruhe nodded. "Indeed, infant drowning should not be allowed."

Huang Daliang sighed. "If people could afford to raise their children, who would do such a thing? Truth is, Master Zhao didn't even need to set this rule. Now that everyone has been allotted land and tenant rents have been lowered, life is better, and no one does such wicked things anymore."

"Everyone has been allotted land?" Fei Ruhe asked.

Huang Daliang said, "There are still over twenty households that haven't been."

Those who had not received land were all owner-peasants and small landlords, now the objects of ostracism by the villagers.

Wuxing Town office.

Zhao Han said to the several officials, "Take it household by household. Have them release their household slaves. If a servant wishes to go home, the master is forbidden to obstruct them. For those who wish to continue working, switch to short-term contracts, with the monthly wages clearly written out. Henceforth, the term 'slave' is forbidden — call them hired hands, hired workers, helpers, anything will do. Furthermore, beating hired workers is forbidden. Whoever dares beat a hired worker again will be sent into the mountains to burn charcoal!"

Chen Maosheng received the order and immediately set out with Xiaohong. Whichever village they went to handle matters, that village's village chief was required to give full assistance.

Owner-peasant households could not afford to keep servants; the target of this crackdown was the few remaining small landlord households.

Those with many household slaves kept seven or eight.

Those with few household slaves had only one or two.

They could stir up no waves!

Moreover, Zhao Han was not forcibly eliminating hired workers — on one hand, this prevented household slaves from losing their jobs; on the other, it reduced resistance and resentment.

In just two days, every remaining household slave in Wuxing Town had been freed by Chen Maosheng, with only a small number willing to continue as hired workers.

Do not bring up the matter of household slaves' indenture contracts — to conceal population, nearly all contracts among the common people were private deeds, never reported to the authorities. Tear up the indenture contract and one immediately became a free person.

Next came forcing the small landlords to divide their households: any household exceeding ten members (children under twelve not counted) must divide!

Also, small landlords and owner-peasants who had not provided able-bodied young men for the militia training could therefore not receive tax reduction privileges. They were all to be levied heavy taxes and heavy corvée, until they provided able-bodied young men to join the army.

Fei Ruhe walked along the country path and noticed that the rice seedlings had all been transplanted, and men and women were organized and digging irrigation canals.

And they worked with full vigor, bursts of laughter ringing out from time to time.

Huang Daliang volunteered an explanation: "Before, there were only two canals — one drew water from the river with a waterwheel, the other channeled water down from a mountain stream. Now, in the farming off-season, Master Zhao has organized the villagers to dig irrigation canals, and the canals dug can be used by everyone. Master Zhao keeps his word. He said the canals are public property, so public property they certainly are."

"And the peasants just believed him?" Fei Ruhe asked doubtfully.

"Of course they believe him. Which of Master Zhao's words has not been fulfilled? The interest debts and rents the villagers owed — just two days ago he dug them all out and burned them. Master Zhao truly treats us well," Huang Daliang laughed. "On the very first day of digging, Master Zhao rolled up his sleeves and personally led people in digging the canal. Have you ever seen a gentleman like that? Without any need for the authorities to press labor, the villagers came on their own — even grown girls and young wives pitched in with their strength."

Fei Ruhe couldn't help scratching his head. He felt this place was strange, but he couldn't put his finger on exactly how.

Fei Chun, as a household slave, could understand it better.

He could put himself in the villagers' shoes. If there really were such a person — someone who took charge of dividing the land, reducing taxes and rents, and even promised to dig irrigation canals for everyone to use — he too would bring his own dry rations and work hard digging the canal.

As they drew closer, Fei Ruhe suddenly jolted awake and finally realized what was strange.

For any infrastructure project like this, back in Yanshan County, it was either organized by the government office or directed by a powerful clan. The common folk doing the labor all wore gloomy, miserable faces and slacked off or slipped away at the slightest chance.

But here at this construction site, he could see countless smiling faces. Though drenched in sweat, the harder they worked, the more energized they became.

No need to shout slogans, no need to propagate any ideology.

Give the peasants a sliver of hope, and they will burst forth with a passion for labor.

Give the peasants boundless hope, and they can remake heaven and earth!

Zhao Han had taken the lead in killing the landlords, dividing the land, lowering taxes, reducing rents, distributing grain, freeing slaves, and burning the records of accumulated back-rent and usury. After that whole sequence, he had already given the peasants a good measure of hope.

Fei Chun observed secretly along the way. He felt Zhao Han could succeed, but he dared not say so in front of Fei Ruhe.

"Kill!"

"Ha!"

As they drew closer to the Wuxing Town public office, master and servant heard the sound of battle cries.

Fei Ruhe finally grew excited. "Quick, let's go see! Brother Han is drilling the troops!"

After a mad dash, Fei Ruhe arrived outside the public office gate and shouted at the top of his voice, "Zhao Ziyue, I've come! I've come to do great things with you!"

A moment later, Zhao Han stood at the entrance. He looked surprised to see Fei Ruhe, then smiled and said, "You've come to be a great general? But I've only got five hundred soldiers."

"Never mind five hundred, fifty would do!" Fei Ruhe was beside himself with excitement.

"Brother." Fei Chun caught up and called out softly.

Zhao Han nodded and smiled. "You've come too? Very good."

After the Huang family ancestral home was converted into the town public office, a section of the courtyard wall had also been knocked down. The garden was cleared and leveled, connecting it with the outside to serve as a drill ground.

Fei Ruhe soon saw the troops and said, somewhat disappointed, "No proper weapons at all?"

"We're poor. Making do with what we have," Zhao Han said, equally helpless.

In order to quickly train a battle formation to deal with the government troops' encirclement, Zhao Han didn't bother with any college-style military training.

He went straight to a stripped-down version of the Mandarin Duck Formation!

They cut moso bamboo to make wolf-brush spears, leaving the branches at the tip to protect friendly troops as they advanced. These were the wolf-brush soldiers.

They also used wooden pot lids as shields, wielding sickles or kitchen knives to cover and repel the enemy. These were the rattan-shield bearers.

They whittled stiff yellow bamboo for spear shafts and tied scissors on as spearheads — the core force for killing the enemy. These were the pikemen.

Moso bamboo, yellow bamboo, pot lids, sickles, kitchen knives, scissors... this was the equipment of the Wuxing Town peasant army. At first glance, they looked like a band of beggar soldiers.

Fei Ruhe was going to be a great general. In his imagination, the soldiers under his command should have sharp blades, full sets of armor, and awe-inspiring martial bearing.

The dream and the reality seemed rather far apart.

Seeing Zhao Han arrive, Zhang Tieniu immediately came to greet him and said in a low voice, "Young master..."

"Squad Captain Zhang, address me by my military rank!" Zhao Han cut him off at once.

"Regional Commander!"

Zhang Tieniu hastily straightened up and shouted at the top of his lungs, then lowered his voice to complain, "Regional Commander, let me be your personal guard instead. This blasted Mandarin Duck Formation is no fun."

Zhao Han now held two posts: one was Chief of Wuxing Town, the other was General Squad Captain of the Militia Battalion.

If the squad captains below wore three stripes, then Zhao Han as General Squad Captain could wear five stripes.

Faced with Zhang Tieniu's grumbling, Zhao Han rebuked him, "The other squad captains can all drill it, and you alone cannot?"

Zhang Tieniu's face twisted in agony. "This blasted battle formation — you have to advance together and retreat together, and you have to listen to all these commands. It's drilled my brain dizzy. Why go to all that trouble? When the fighting starts, just charge forward and be done with it!"

Zhao Han was on the verge of giving up on Zhang Tieniu. The man had been drilling for days and performed worse than an ordinary tenant farmer.

He simply wasn't the type to fight by the book. The right way to use him was to have Zhang Tieniu lead a death squad, carrying out special tactics like night raids and Mobile Corps Commander strikes. Or else, take a vanguard unit and charge recklessly to scale the walls in a siege.

"Ah!"

Zhao Han sighed. "Fine, from now on you'll be my bodyguard. The First Great Squad goes to Fei..." He stopped mid-sentence and asked Fei Ruhe, "What do you call yourself now?"

Fei Ruhe grinned. "My name is Zhao Yaonian."

"The First Great Squad will be drilled by Zhao Yaonian!" Zhao Han adjusted the assignment on the spot.

Fei Ruhe suddenly remembered something. He took the cloth sack from Fei Chun, opened it, and said, "This is my pledge of allegiance. I killed a eunuch in Jinggang Town."

"What do I need that thing for?" Zhao Han instantly got a splitting headache. Zhang Tieniu wasn't right in the head, and Fei Ruhe didn't seem much better.

Fei Ruhe, however, was immensely pleased with himself and began recounting the story. "I used a clever scheme this time. Without the slightest effort, I gained a eunuch's head. I had gone to Jinggang Town to find Fourth Uncle..."

The man launched into an exuberant account, embellishing the details to showcase his own cunning and valor.

Then, Fei Ruhe looked at Zhao Han with an expression that said, "Go on, praise how clever I am."

Zhao Han sighed inwardly and patted Fei Ruhe on the shoulder. "You're really clever. You even know how to use stratagems now."

"Haha, nothing much, just adapting on the fly," Fei Ruhe said smugly.

Zhao Han suddenly asked, "Then why not turn the stratagem to your advantage? Stay by the eunuch's side as his trusted man, and use the chance to develop your own followers. Wait until the eunuch has squeezed out the silver, then kill him, and come join me with plenty of silver and men. Wouldn't that have been better?"

"Uh..."

Fei Ruhe froze for a moment, then smacked his own head. "Right! A golden opportunity missed!"

(End of chapter)