Chapter 128: 126【Just Hold Me for a While】

When Fei Rulan saw Zhao Han, she felt a little shy, yet also quite delighted. With Xiyue beside her, she performed the wanfu curtsy.

Zhao Han returned the salute with cupped hands, then drew Fei Rulan to a seat. "I knew you had arrived this morning, but official duties were so pressing I simply couldn't get away. Now that the spring planting is finished, there's even more to do — the peasant association affairs in every village and town are a headache. Then there's drafting able-bodied men for military training. With our territory larger now, it's inconvenient for the young men from remote villages to gather at Yongyang Town. So we're letting them organize and train in their own villages, which means we have to send out many drill officers, and those officers must first undergo centralized drilling themselves…"

The atmosphere had been somewhat awkward, but Zhao Han's utterly natural manner put Fei Rulan at ease as well.

Drawn down to sit by Zhao Han, and listening to him talk at length about official business, she simply smiled and listened, never once interrupting.

After a long while, Fei Rulan gazed at Zhao Han and said, "You've gotten darker, and thinner too — so worn down your cheeks have hollowed out."

"The sun did it," Zhao Han said with a laugh. "Much of the time I can't just sit idly in the Regional Commander's residence; I have to go inspect the villages and towns in person. Some of the officials from great clan backgrounds are always a worry. Though we have propaganda officers to supervise them, the propaganda officers aren't full-time Censors either. By the way, I heard there's a cultist uprising in Yanshan?"

Fei Rulan said, "It's in Shanglu Town, right next to Ehu Town. When word came that the demon priest had raised troops, Grandfather was terribly frightened. Fortunately, the customs post is in front of us — if the cultists really do come out to plunder, they'll loot the eunuch's customs post first."

"Haha, so it turns out eunuchs have their uses too," Zhao Han couldn't help laughing.

Fei Rulan said, "Everything at home is fine. Mother says you should set your mind at ease… about the rebellion. Since her son has become a rebel, she can only hold her nose and accept it. She repeatedly urged that you must not expose your family background, since Father is still an official serving the court."

"Is our father still serving as County Magistrate in Suqian?" Zhao Han asked.

The words "our father" made the rims of Fei Rulan's ears flush red. Shyly, she said, "Father has been promoted — two full ranks. He's now serving as Assistant Prefect in Huzhou Prefecture."

A promotion that fast — he must have spent silver again. Of course, it was also connected to the Donglin Faction; Fei Yinghuan was currently working with Qian Qianyi on that so-called "Return to the Roots" ancient-prose movement.

What neither Zhao Han nor Fei Rulan knew was that Fei Yinghuan was presently setting about suppressing bandits — clearing out the water bandits of Huzhou…

Fei Rulan had someone bring in the dishes. After Xiyue helped serve the rice, she remained standing to the side in attendance.

Zhao Han felt a bit uncomfortable and said, "Sister Xiyue, sit down and eat with us."

"Han… Young Master, that won't do," Xiyue said, shrinking back in alarm, and unsure even how to address Zhao Han.

Zhao Han looked toward Fei Rulan, and Fei Rulan smiled. "Get yourself a bowl and chopsticks — do you need me to personally serve your rice?"

Xiyue had no choice but to obey. She served herself rice and sat down gingerly, perching on just half her seat.

After dinner, Zhao Han rose and said, "I'll go chat with those three."

"Brother Han, go right ahead. I'll wait for you at home," Fei Rulan said, seeing Zhao Han to the door.

By moonlight, Zhao Han made his way to the neighboring courtyard. On the way, he took out the pouch and toyed with it — this was what his little sister had sent along with Fei Chun.

Arriving at the courtyard and meeting Xu Ying's family, he learned that Xu Ying had been called over by Pang Chunlai.

Xu Ying, Liu Ziren, and Fei Yuanjian were all over at Pang Chunlai's place, chatting and laughing as they cooled off under the moon. Even Fei Ruhe and Fei Chun were there.

"Haha, you finally made it!" Fei Ruhe laughed loudly.

Fei Yuanjian also teased, "We've all been guessing when you'd show up — thought you'd be keeping your wife company tonight."

Pang Chunlai said, "Sit."

These fellows had long since saved a seat for Zhao Han — an empty bamboo chair, with a teacup already set before it.

Zhao Han plopped down, poured himself some tea, and said, "Before the summer grain harvest, both cash and grain are tight, so I haven't bothered to buy any wine. Today, with old friends reunited, I'll use tea in place of wine and first toast all of you gentlemen!"

"Well said!"

Fei Ruhe and Fei Yuanjian raised their cups at the same time.

Fei Yuanjian seemed to have already emerged from the shadows and had become much more cheerful now. Liu Ziren was rather reserved, while Xu Ying remained as introverted as ever.

Fei Yuanjian was the first to speak. "Mr. Pang has explained a good deal of reasoning. We're newcomers here and can't go breaking the local rules. I can't fight battles, I don't know farming, and I'm even less capable of that propaganda work. Brother Han, help me find a post. Oh, by the way, I have a courtesy name now — this humble one is styled Daqi."

Zhao Han thought for a moment, then smiled. "Brother Daqi, how about you start by following Mr. Pang and handling some clerical and document affairs?"

"Anything to keep busy is fine — I've been so idle I'm going mad," Fei Yuanjian sighed. "You don't understand. After you and Ruhe left, I didn't even have anyone to talk to. I could only coop myself up in the academy and study. I worked so hard, and hah, still didn't pass the xiucai exam. Instead, it was Xu Ying who earned the xiucai degree first."

Xu Ying cupped his hands. "A fluke."

Zhao Han couldn't help asking, "Has Education Commissioner Cai left his post yet?"

Xu Ying replied, "He was transferred away last year. The new Education Commissioner is surnamed Hou, with the taboo name Tongzeng."

The Jiangxi Provincial Education Commissioner Hou Tongzeng was, historically, also a righteous martyr against the Qing, who led the common people in defending Jiading City.

After the city fell, his two sons were hacked dozens of times and died. Hou Tongzeng took his other two sons, bowed in worship toward the direction of the ancestral shrine, and then threw himself into the water to die. When the three — father and sons — were pulled out, Hou Tongzeng had already breathed his last; his two sons still had breath, and were cut down by the Qing soldiers in a flurry of blades.

Because Hou Tongzeng had led the commoners in fierce resistance, the Qing army, upon breaching the city, immediately ordered its massacre.

This was the First Massacre of the infamous Three Massacres of Jiading!

"What is this official's reputation like?" Zhao Han asked.

"Hard to say." Since Xu Ying had passed the xiucai exam, Hou Tongzeng was his patron-examiner, so he was obliged to speak well of his superior.

Fei Yuanjian, however, had no such scruples and said bluntly, "This Education Commissioner Hou isn't as incorruptible as Education Commissioner Cai, but on the whole he's still passable."

Such an assessment could be understood as: a minor grafter who still did his job seriously — already a rare and precious thing in the late-Ming officialdom.

Fei Chun suddenly spoke up. "Regional Commander, I made some inquiries along the way. The new Governor, Li Maofang, has already taken office. Together with the Jiujiang Military Defense Circuit Intendant, Wang Siren, he's been clearing out the water bandits of Lake Poyang. I hear they have over thirty warships, large and small, and have sent the Lake Poyang water bandits fleeing in all directions."

"Those two are formidable!" Zhao Han couldn't help exclaiming in admiration.

When Xie Xuelong was defeated and committed suicide, Wang Siren had just arrived in Jiujiang to take office. And Li Maofang had only been in Jiangxi for three months.

In less than half a year, the two men had actually managed to form a naval force, and were even able to thrash the Lake Poyang water bandits.

Still, we can lie low a while longer. No matter how capable the officials are, they'll have to deal with the Duchang rebels first.

That place is simply too close to Nanchang, and it also threatens Jingdezhen; the rebels might even attack Hukou. If Zhao Han's threat level was 100, the Duchang rebels' threat level was 1000.

One can only hope the Duchang rebels can hold out for a few more months!

As the old friends chatted idly, Liu Ziren suddenly said, "Zhuochen, I want to join the propaganda corps."

"What makes you think of that?" Zhao Han asked with a smile.

Liu Ziren said, "I think the propaganda corps is very good, and Great Unity under Heaven is very good too. A court that lets the common people eat their fill — that is a good court. Right now, let alone ordinary commoners, even a xiucai like me has long been unable to eat his fill."

Zhao Han said, "Then start by working alongside Chen Maosheng. Watch more, learn more. Once you've learned the ropes, go be a propaganda officer in a village or town. As long as you do well, I guarantee you'll be promoted quickly."

The arrangements for both Fei Yuanjian and Liu Ziren were to start from the grassroots.

But with the connection of being old friends, the speed of their promotions would certainly be several times faster than others.

Zhao Han didn't arrange anything for Xu Ying to do, and Xu Ying didn't ask further, merely keeping everyone company as they chatted, drank tea, and admired the moon.

Only after the gathering broke up did Zhao Han say to Xu Ying privately, "There's an inn in Yongyang Town. The owner surrendered too quickly, so I can't very well seize his property. You go there and serve as second manager — get familiar with how taverns and inns operate."

"All right!" Xu Ying clasped his hands in salute.

Zhao Han then handed Xu Ying a copy of Selected Tang Poems and said, "I have a method here called 'character verification.' Take it back and familiarize yourself with it slowly. You must not reveal it to anyone, not even your own family."

"I understand." Xu Ying put the book safely away.

Military secret communications in China appeared as early as the Warring States period, when they were called "yin tally" and "yin letter." The yin tally used the length of a tally stick to correspond to various messages; the yin letter cut the letter's content crosswise into several sections, dispatched by different messengers, so the complete message could only be obtained by combining them.

Later came the fanqie method, the character-splitting method, and the argot method, all of which placed relatively high demands on the user.

Not until the Song dynasty did a true military code finally appear — character verification!

What Zhao Han gave Xu Ying was an upgraded version of the character verification method, the kind commonly used in Republican-era spy dramas.

By the time he returned it was already the third watch, around midnight. Fei Rulan was still reading by lamplight, while Xiyue lay slumped over the table dozing.

"Still not asleep?" Zhao Han said with a smile.

Fei Rulan smiled and said, "This book is interesting. I read a while longer."

Xiyue woke with a start, sprang to her feet, rubbed her bleary eyes, and went to draw bathwater for Zhao Han.

Fei Rulan suddenly asked, "Is there a suitable family hereabouts? Ruhe ought to marry, too."

Zhao Han said, "I'll have someone ask around one of these days."

Fei Rulan sighed. "I originally had a fine younger cousin on my mother's side. Mother wanted to send someone to propose last year, but Ruhe ran away from home, and the matter has been delayed ever since. Men who do great things ought to have a family and estate."

Zhao Han said nothing, just looked at Fei Rulan and smiled.

"What are you looking at me for?" Fei Rulan was a little flustered.

Zhao Han said, "I've been very busy lately. Once this stretch is over, it'll be the busy farming season. After the summer grain is harvested, things will ease up. Then we'll hold the wedding ceremony."

Fei Rulan was so shy she dared not meet Zhao Han's eyes. The relationship between them seemed very clear, yet somehow still a little ambiguous. So Fei Rulan had brought up her brother's marriage, hoping to hint obliquely, but Zhao Han saw right through it in a single sentence — and even set the date for the ceremony.

The maiden beneath the lamp, rosy clouds flying across both cheeks, beautiful and bashful.

Zhao Han was a hot-blooded youth, hot all over, and now he was unbearably hot.

Returning from his bath, he slipped straight into Fei Rulan's room, startling the young Miss Fei so badly she nearly cried out.

"How can you come in here? We haven't held the ceremony yet." Fei Rulan was so frightened she dared not move.

In the darkness, Zhao Han burrowed into the bed. "I'll just hold you for a while. I truly missed you."

"You're fooling me. You wouldn't miss me at all." Fei Rulan trembled faintly all over — frightened, yet at the same time full of anticipation.

By the marriageable age of ancient times, a woman of Fei Rulan's years would already have a child old enough to fetch the soy sauce, and she, too, had all manner of tender daydreams in ordinary times.

"Don't touch me!"

"I'm not touching, just holding you a while. Are you a little hot? Let me help you take off your clothes."

"I'm not hot… ah, I'll do it myself. You're all clumsy hands."

"……"

(End of chapter)