Chapter 161: 159 Luling's Heavenly King Zhao

Xinyu County seat.

County Magistrate Chen Yanyi stood atop the gate tower, watching the rebels outside, and in his heart cursed the eighteen generations of Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren's ancestors!

He was a newly minted jinshi from last year. Although he placed at the very bottom of the third rank, he was selected as a Hanlin bachelor in the palace examination, and upon completing his term was immediately appointed Supervising Secretary of the Works Section.

Chen Yanyi was young, his blood still hot with passion, and as a Supervising Secretary he naturally thought of impeaching powerful figures to win renown. Carelessly, he impeached one of Wen Tiren's faction, and was promptly exiled to a local post.

As it happened, the previous County Magistrate of Xinyu had spent money to secure a promotion, so Chen Yanyi was tossed here to serve as Xinyu County Magistrate.

Heaven have pity — Chen Yanyi had been in office less than five days, had barely learned all the clerks' and runners' names, his seat not yet warm, when the rebels were already at the city walls.

Chen Yanyi had not yet had time to hire a private secretary, so he could only ask the Registrar: "The troops defending the city — just these few dozen?"

The Registrar answered: "The previous County Magistrate recruited over five hundred local braves to defend the city."

"Where are those local braves?" Chen Yanyi demanded.

The Registrar said: "When the County Magistrate left office, the local braves left too, simply because the county yamen had no money to pay them."

"Where is the money?" Chen Yanyi asked.

"Why does Your Honor ask when you already know the answer?" the Registrar replied irritably.

The county yamen treasury was bare enough for rats to race through — the money had all been swept away by the previous County Magistrate. What little remained had been divided up by the Registrar, the Constable, and the others; if investigated, they could always pin it on the previous County Magistrate.

After the Lantern Festival, the rebel Zhao had passed through this place and extorted a batch of provisions and fodder.

Everyone assumed that since the rebel Zhao had chosen to withdraw his troops, he would not attack the city again in the short term — after all, traveling by water, three whole counties lay in between. Who could have imagined that the rebel Zhao had only gone back for the spring planting, and once the planting was done, he suddenly sent troops charging back.

Fei Ruhe was also quite frustrated. He had originally planned to take the city by trickery, but the commotion Zhao Han had stirred up at Zhangshu Town was too great; by the time he brought his troops here, Xinyu County's gates were already tightly shut.

Xinyu County seat lies at the confluence of the Yuan River and the Kongmu River. Fei Ruhe could only land on the north and west sides; the east and south sides of the county seat were all river water.

While ordering men to carry earth and fill the moat, he also had them construct siege equipment.

Several days later, seeing that several paths had been filled across the moat, the Registrar and the Constable sought out Chen Yanyi: "Your Honor, surrender."

"I am the county magistrate, charged with the duty of defending this land. How can I surrender to rebels?" Chen Yanyi rebuked them angrily. "Do not speak such words of betraying sovereign and abandoning lord again!"

The Registrar said: "Your Honor may not know, but this rebel Zhao keeps his word. Unlike ordinary bandits, he does not kill indiscriminately."

Chen Yanyi sneered: "Rebels have credibility worth speaking of?"

The Constable said: "The Luling rebel Zhao — his word is his bond. Who in the surrounding counties does not know this?"

"Chang!"

Chen Yanyi drew his sword from its scabbard: "Whoever speaks of surrender again, I shall surely behead him!"

The Registrar and the Constable withdrew with cold sneers, and a crowd of yamen runners closed in.

Chen Yanyi was instantly plunged into despair. He had only taken office a few days ago; in Xinyu County, he was utterly alone.

After the rebels besieged the city, Chen Yanyi had lobbied the gentry and wealthy households, hoping they would donate money and grain to recruit able-bodied men from the city for its defense. But those great households all played deaf and dumb, as if they had no fear of the rebels breaching the walls. To this moment, he had no money, no troops, and no grain in hand!

Under normal circumstances, a newly arrived county magistrate like Chen Yanyi would have to wait until after the summer grain tax was collected before having money and grain to conduct affairs.

Zhao Han's reputation for trustworthiness had taken effect. From the clerks to the great households, no one was willing to resist.

Resisting might not hold the city, and would bring rebel retribution afterward.

If they surrendered outright, the rebels would not burn, kill, or plunder. They had nothing to lose.

"Are you planning to rebel as well?" Chen Yanyi retreated, sword in hand, and shouted angrily at the yamen runners closing in.

The Constable urged: "Your Honor, surrender."

"Never!"

Chen Yanyi raged.

The Constable immediately waved his hand. The runners began to fan out, encircling Chen Yanyi completely.

Chen Yanyi was utterly without hope. He could only say: "After I am dead, let my personal attendant return to Fujian, so that at least word may be brought home."

"Why suffer so?" the Registrar sighed.

Chen Yanyi suddenly knelt facing north: "Your Majesty, your servant has failed the imperial grace. I can only repay the dynasty with death."

He kowtowed several times, then Chen Yanyi knelt facing southeast: "Father, Mother, your unfilial son cannot repay your nurturing kindness!"

He kowtowed several more times, then Chen Yanyi rose and said: "A man neither loyal nor filial — what face has he left to cling to life in this world?"

He then raised the sword across his neck and cut his own throat on the spot.

The Registrar and the Constable exchanged glances, both sighing with regret. Then, carrying Chen Yanyi's body, they ordered the gates opened to welcome the rebels.

Fei Ruhe had been preparing a direct assault when suddenly the city gates swung wide open, and a group of officials and clerks came out carrying the county magistrate's corpse.

"Young master! Young master!"

Suddenly, a household slave rushed over and threw himself upon Chen Yanyi's body, wailing bitterly.

This was a loyal servant too. Told to leave, he would not go, but instead ran forward to protect his master's body.

After learning what had happened, Fei Ruhe sighed and said: "Ah, a loyal minister and a righteous servant — rare sights indeed in these times. Cremate this county magistrate into ashes and let the servant take them back to Fujian for burial." Fei Ruhe then said to the household slave, "You may also take the county magistrate's belongings. I will write a letter besides; if you are detained by our troops when you reach Zhangshu Town, you may present the letter to be let through."

"Many thanks, General! Many thanks, General!"

The household slave kowtowed repeatedly. He understood nothing of loyalty to sovereign and service to the state; he knew only devotion to his own master's household.

After a two-day delay in Xinyu County, Fei Ruhe left five hundred Anfu troops to hold the city and led the rest of his forces straight for Fenyi County.

Sweeping King was also attacking Fenyi County!

Fenyi County was even more interesting. Its county magistrate had been cut down by Zhao Han with a single blade during the New Year period, and now the county yamen had no chief official at all.

Yet all the clerks and great households of the city voluntarily contributed money and men to defend the walls — because the attacker was Sweeping King. Even the common people of the city eagerly joined the defense; Sweeping King's reputation was simply that bad. He had let his troops plunder the Yuanzhou prefectural seat for days.

"Go call on the city again," Sweeping King roared. "Tell them that if they still refuse to surrender, once I enter the city, I'll slaughter every last person of means inside!"

A peasant soldier rushed to the foot of the wall. He had barely begun to speak when an arrow shot down, landing two feet from his feet.

Although Zhao Han had taken the elite troops of Yuanzhou with him, a few had inevitably escaped. Now over a dozen archers were defending the city.

Sweeping King felt thoroughly agitated. He held three counties, but the Yuanzhou prefectural seat (Yichun County seat), Pingxiang County seat, and Yongxin County seat had all been taken easily by stealth. For this great rebel, this was his first proper siege, and after half a month of assault he could not crack it at all.

"Great King, government troops are coming!"

"What? Pull the men back at once! Withdraw to the stockade and hold it!"

The Floor-Sweeping King had two years of village schooling. As Fei Ruhe's great army drew near, he suddenly burst out laughing: "See that banner? 'Great Unity under Heaven.' Those are Brother Zhao of Luling's troops. Don't be afraid — they're our own."

The fellow personally took a boat over to meet them, shouting from far off across the river: "I'm the Floor-Sweeping King of Pingxiang! Has Brother Zhao of Luling arrived?"

Fei Ruhe got word of it, came out of the cabin, and stood on the prow to shout back: "I am Zhao Yaonian."

"So it's Second Brother Zhao before me," the Floor-Sweeping King fawned. "Second Brother Zhao's mighty name — I heard it long ago in Pingxiang. What do you say we two become sworn brothers?"

In the Floor-Sweeping King's mind, Zhao Han was Eldest Brother Zhao, and Fei Ruhe was therefore Second Brother Zhao.

Fei Ruhe said irritably, "This matter of sworn brotherhood — we can talk of it later. Our Regional Commander has his eye on Fenyi County. Withdraw your troops at once and let me take the city."

The Floor-Sweeping King was of course unwilling. "Fenyi County is Yuanzhou Prefecture territory," he said. "Since I've already taken the Yuanzhou prefectural seat, the Fenyi county seat ought to be mine to take as well. If Brother Zhao wants territory, he can go seize the several counties of Linjiang Prefecture. We're all rebels here — we should keep to the rules and not let our own people fall out with each other."

Fei Ruhe laughed coldly. "By that reasoning, Yongxin County is Ji'an Prefecture jurisdiction — so hand over the Yongxin territory!"

"Uh…" The Floor-Sweeping King was instantly tongue-tied.

Suddenly, a yamen runner was lowered from the city wall in a basket. He rushed to the riverbank and shouted: "General Zhao, I'm Li Er from the Fenyi County yamen. We met during the New Year. Please, General Zhao, enter the city at once — don't let that Pingxiang bandit seize it!"

The Floor-Sweeping King flew into a rage. "His mother's — when I attack the city, you defend it tight. Now that this Second Brother Zhao shows up, you surrender before a single blow is struck. Do you look down on me, Liu— Floor-Sweeping King!"

The yamen runner shot back furiously: "You scoundrel slaughter the innocent! Two months ago when you broke through Yuanzhou Prefecture, you didn't just butcher every wealthy household in the city — you even looted the common folk and ruined the virtue of many a good family's woman. Even if it costs me my old life, I, Li Er, will fight you to the bitter end!"

"I'm bursting with rage! Get this boat over there, quick!" The Floor-Sweeping King felt deeply insulted.

The yamen runner turned and fled in terror, riding the basket back up to the gate tower.

Fei Ruhe couldn't help laughing. "Ha ha! That's what the hearts of the people lean toward. Hey there, Floor-Sweeping King, pull your troops back at once and yield the county seat."

The Floor-Sweeping King bellowed: "I was here first! In any matter, first come, first served."

"Land the troops." Fei Ruhe couldn't be bothered to say more.

The thirty-five hundred soldiers disembarked at the wharf outside the city, then swaggered right past below the city walls.

They were already within bowshot of the archers on the wall, but the defending officers and men did not loose a single arrow. They regarded Fei Ruhe as one of their own; the rebels under the Floor-Sweeping King were their true mortal enemies.

The Floor-Sweeping King had brought over six thousand troops, nearly twice Fei Ruhe's strength.

The two sides formed up for battle outside the city. Before a blow was struck, the outcome already seemed decided.

On Fei Ruhe's side, the army's bearing was stern and imposing, its formations neat and orderly. Facing an enemy twice their number, they showed not the slightest timidity and did not take the foe seriously at all.

On the Floor-Sweeping King's side, the force was made up of several bands of rebels, large and small; the Floor-Sweeping King was their leader in name only. He alone held three county seats, which greatly displeased the rebel chieftains under him. This attack on Fenyi County was precisely to expand his territory so he could parcel it out to his followers.

Though their strength was clearly twice that of Fei Ruhe, even before they had finished forming ranks, their morale was already wavering.

For one, the name of Zhao of Luling rang too loudly, imposing enormous psychological pressure on the rebels. For another, Fei Ruhe's troops were fierce, and even their weaponry far surpassed the other side's.

Never mind the regular soldiers — even Zhao Han's peasant soldiers had swapped their bamboo spears for iron spearheads, while some of the Floor-Sweeping King's men were still carrying hoes.

Once Fei Ruhe gave the order, the signal soldiers at once waved the command flags.

Except for five hundred men of the central army who advanced at a measured pace, the remaining three thousand soldiers all strode forward in a great press.

Wolf-brush spearmen cleared the way, rattan-shield men covered them, and the long-spearmen held their strength in reserve, poised to strike.

They had advanced only halfway, with still several dozen paces between the two sides, when suddenly one band of rebels collapsed. A rebel chieftain, leading over a thousand men under his command, simply turned tail and bolted, abandoning even the grain, fodder, and baggage in their camp.

"Run for it! Heavenly King Zhao's troops are upon us!"

"Heavenly King Zhao of Luling" was the bandit title the rebels of the surrounding region had bestowed on Zhao Han.

The rebels collapsed one after another. Even from the Floor-Sweeping King's own core force, soldiers kept fleeing.

The Floor-Sweeping King howled himself hoarse: "Come back! We haven't even fought yet — it's not too late to run after we've fought!"

There were also some rebels who, after fleeing far to the north, knelt down in groups and surrendered. They were local peasants from Fenyi County, coerced by the Floor-Sweeping King into attacking the city. Though they had killed the landlords, ordinary rebels were not allowed to divide the land — only the old-camp men (veteran rebels) could divide the land.

"His mother's — I'm running too!"

The Floor-Sweeping King stamped his foot in fury and fled at top speed with his core force.

"Excellent!"

"Long live General Zhao!"

The defending troops of Fenyi County, seeing this, actually broke into united cheers, treating Fei Ruhe as their guardian deity.

Fei Ruhe led his troops in pursuit for a while, then couldn't be bothered to chase further. By the time he returned outside the city, the gates of Fenyi County were already thrown wide open.

Officials, clerks, and wealthy households alike all wanted Fei Ruhe to stay — otherwise the Floor-Sweeping King would surely return to slaughter them.

Fei Ruhe led his soldiers into the city, muttering under his breath: "With you lot carrying on like this, I'm starting to forget I'm a rebel myself."

(End of chapter)