Chapter 214: Culture

"As of the twentieth, all officer appointments for the Third Division are complete. The division commands three infantry companies and one directly subordinate mixed banner unit, comprising one Battalion Commander, one Deputy Battalion Commander, one Division Pacification Officer, one Deputy Division Pacification Officer, three Centurions, three Deputy Centurions, three Company Pacification Officers, ten Banner Commanders, and thirty Team Leaders."

After hearing this, Pang Yu looked up at the two men before him and asked Mr. Hou, "The Second Division I can overlook, but why is the First Division also not finished? This official clearly already signed the appointment and dismissal roster."

Mr. Hou said in a low voice, "The final batch was originally settled and should have all taken office yesterday, with the three-day public posting as you instructed. No one expected someone would actually file an objection."

"Who objected to whom?"

"Wu Dacai, the former Acting Squad Leader of the First Company, has objected that the candidate Team Leader Zheng San'er once committed murder in Wangjiang and also cut down coerced civilians at Beixia Pass. Officer Jiang is sending men to verify, so we are still short one man."

"Zheng San'er is that Wai Lian?"

"Exactly." Mr. Hou stole a glance at Pang Yu. He too had not expected Wu Dacai to do such a thing. Since the garrison battalion was established, fighting, theft, and gambling had all occurred in camp, but this kind of formal accusation was a first.

The First Company's Wai Lian had a distinctive appearance that made him unforgettable, so virtually everyone in the army knew of him, though they did not know his name.

Pang Yu rubbed his chin and turned to Jiang Guoyong. "Does the Pacification Office have any leads?"

Jiang Guoyong said steadily, "According to investigations among First Company soldiers in the army, several men have heard Zheng San'er himself say that he previously worked as a porter at the Wangjiang docks. During a fight with some men from Leigang, they seized him and used stones to knock out half his teeth one by one, which is why half his face is crooked. After that, he took a blade and killed three men in a surprise attack, then fled to the prefectural city, where he encountered the garrison battalion recruiting and joined the ranks."

Pang Yu tapped the table. He interviewed every candidate officer in person, even if only a Team Leader. He also had a deep impression of this Wai Lian. The man had participated in driving out the dismissed soldiers at the prefectural gate right after enlisting, striking with considerable ferocity, and was quickly promoted to Squad Leader of Five. Thinking back now, he really did seem like someone who had killed.

"Did he say these things himself in camp, or is there actual witness and material evidence?"

"Replying to you, sir, he said all of it himself in camp. Fortunately, Wangjiang is not far; your subordinate has already sent men to Leigang to investigate."

Pang Yu nodded. "As long as there is a source, then Wu Dacai's accusation is not a false charge. Verify what needs verifying and reach a conclusion quickly. My camp recruits only son of a good family. Since he was able to enlist back then, he certainly never mentioned this to the recruiting officer. Deliberately concealing his past — no matter how fierce, this official does not want him. If the killings are verified, arrest him first and hold him in the military jail."

Jiang Guoyong nodded to show he understood. Mr. Hou quickly recorded it, borrowing Pang Yu's brush to note it in his own booklet. He was getting on in years and his memory was not what it once was; with Pang Yu pressing matters so urgently, he always feared forgetting things.

Pang Yu waited patiently for him to finish writing, then said to the two men, "The matter of Wu Dacai's accusation is not to be leaked."

Mr. Hou rushed to answer first, "Your insight is clear, sir. It has already spread throughout the First Company. No one knows where the information leaked from. Yao Dongshan went to the barracks and beat Wu Dacai savagely. If Dong Mingyuan had not pulled him away, it might have cost a life."

Pang Yu looked at the two men. That remark should have come from Jiang Guoyong, yet Mr. Hou had rushed to answer first. He did not usually behave this way. After a moment's thought, Pang Yu understood. He casually flipped through the papers on his desk; yesterday's brief from the Garrison Inspector Dui had not mentioned this incident.

Jiang Guoyong hurriedly said, "It happened last night. Dong Mingyuan will likely report it only today."

Pang Yu gave an "Mm." "Does the Pacification Office have any further opinion on this?"

"Your subordinate believes that leaving this Team Leader position vacant should not affect the First Division's consolidation training. Once the men return from verifying at Leigang..."

"This official was asking about Yao Dongshan beating Wu Dacai."

Jiang Guoyong was stunned by the question. Ordinarily, officers beating and cursing soldiers in the army was commonplace; Pang Yu had never asked about it, and the Pacification Office had never stopped it. Besides, Jiang Guoyong himself deeply disdained Wu Dacai's conduct, which made him seem less like a soldier of the garrison battalion and more like one of the petty official from the old Tongcheng county yamen.

But seeing that Pang Yu did not seem to be joking, he hurriedly organized an answer in his head, yet for a moment could not think of one.

"What does Mr. Hou think?"

Mr. Hou bowed to Pang Yu, then bowed again to Jiang Guoyong. "Officers beating and cursing soldiers happens every day in camp, but it is limited to training and breaches of military discipline, and must be punished according to military law. When the notice was posted, you stated clearly in the proclamation that so long as an accusation is not groundless slander, those who raise objections will not be pursued. Since multiple people in the First Company have testified, Wu Dacai's accusation is not a false charge. Moreover, this objection was assigned by you to the Document Receiving Office, after which the notice was posted. Wu Dacai acted according to the notice and committed no violation of orders. Although Yao Dongshan is an officer, he is equally bound by military law; laying hands on a soldier is improper."

Pang Yu turned again to Jiang Guoyong. "What does the Pacification Office think?"

Jiang Guoyong was sweating a little on his forehead. Pang Yu had not stated his own opinion in a single word, but the meaning behind all this questioning was already very clear. He could not help casting a few extra glances at Hou Shuban. In the old yamen days, the Document Receiving Office had status and face, but after coming to the garrison battalion, it had always been merely a document-drafting department. Only today did he realize that the Document Receiving Office was faintly showing signs of growing influence.

"Your subordinate will immediately send a dispatch to the First Division, asking on what grounds Yao Dongshan beat Wu Dacai yesterday. If it does not conform to the law, he will be dealt with according to military law."

Pang Yu's face was expressionless. "After the Pacification Office handles it, report the outcome to me."

Having said this, he turned to Mr. Hou. "Anything else?"

Mr. Hou bowed. "Wu Dacai came to the Document Receiving Office early this morning to request a transfer to the Second Division."

Pang Yu looked at Mr. Hou for a moment, then asked, "Does Wang Zenglu want this man?"

"I went over to ask just now; he said he does."

"This official previously approved that anyone volunteering for the Second Division may apply. The Document Receiving Office will record the roster accordingly."

"Your subordinate understands."

Pang Yu swept his gaze over the two of them, then said, "In all matters there are minor details; do not lose the great for the small. The Roving Bandits are imminent; not a single thing can be delayed. This official looks only at outcomes. All officers must be in their posts before the month's end."

The two men bowed in acknowledgment. Pang Yu waved them out, then took out his progress chart again to examine it. His hope was to achieve full equipment and full manpower before the Roving Bandits arrived. Now it seemed full manpower was achievable, but full equipment might be somewhat difficult. The forges in Huaining and Tongcheng had basically all been mobilized, and Pang Yu could see that the quality of the scale armor was steadily improving and the weight decreasing. Most forges had taken on new apprentices. A large sum of silver concentrated in a single industry had immediately altered the allocation of social resources, yet it still fell short of his expectations.

After a knock at the door, Pang Ding entered and handed Pang Yu a folded sheet of paper.

"Young Master, this is the newspaper put out by He County Yamen. The engraved plates were sent to Anqing; it was just printed."

Pang Yu took it at once and said with some dissatisfaction, "He initially said it would definitely be issued in September. Now October is nearly over. Still has a bit of that yamen style."

The newspaper was printed on both sides, as he was familiar with, and the paper was slightly thicker than that used for ordinary books. The masthead bore the four large characters Jiangnan Times. He immediately looked below at the byline of the inaugural editorial — it was Zhang Cai. He County Yamen had been gone for several months. The original plan had been to publish in September. In between, He County Yamen had sent word back that there were many articles from other Restoration Society members, but Zhang Pu's inaugural editorial had never arrived. Now it seemed Zhang Pu still had reservations; the one writing the inaugural editorial now was Zhang Cai, Zhang Pu's younger brother, who could be considered the second-ranking figure in the Restoration Society.

Pang Yu skimmed roughly through the content. It was still that set of ideas about reviving ancient learning, with some classical allusions that Pang Yu could not understand. Below on the front page was another article, by a name called Wu Yingji. Pang Yu had heard Fang Yizhi mention this man — an activist in the Restoration Society with considerable rallying power within the society.

On the third page, overleaf, Pang Yu saw Fang Yizhi's article, written on the Studies of Change, laying out his theories of Governing Principle, Physics, and Supreme Principle. There were a few more people after that whom Pang Yu did not recognize. The upper half of the final fourth page was fiction, one Shu Mountain story and one tale of gods and spirits. The upper half of the last fourth page was current affairs, reporting on the Anqing Garrison Battalion's Beixia Pass Great Victory.

"The garrison battalion ought to be on the second page at least. No brains." Pang Yu muttered, then began reading carefully.

"Jiangbei Battle Report: In September, Roving Thieves raided Shucheng. His Excellency Zhang, the Yingtian Grand Coordinator, dispatched Army-Inspecting Circuit Shi Kefa to lead troops against the bandits, with the forces under Anqing Garrison Commander Pang Yu defending Beixia Pass. In one battle, nearly a thousand heads were taken — a great victory rarely seen of late. The Roving Bandits no longer dare turn their eyes back toward Tongcheng... Anqing Garrison Commander Pang Yu, a man of Tongcheng, first studied martial arts and later letters, achieving success in both. Before reaching the age of twenty, he entered the Nanjing Imperial Academy. At that time, civil unrest broke out in Tongcheng, with the Huang and Wang clans wreaking terrible havoc, entrenched at Yunji Temple south of the city, such that the people could not resist. Pang Yu, enraged that they slaughtered the people, wished to quell the unrest alone. As he was about to depart, his servant tried to stop him, saying the rebel bandits were too many. Pang Yu declared with fervor, 'Though they be thousands, I shall go,' and thereupon raided Yunji Temple by night, slaying scores of rebel bandits and taking twenty-nine heads, thus quelling the civil unrest. In the ninth year, when the Roving Bandits invaded the territory, he recruited a hundred death-sworn men for a night raid, taking two thousand heads, and thus Tongcheng was preserved. Pang Yu, grieved by the rampant Rogue Marauders and pitying the hardship of the people's livelihood, indignantly cast aside the brush to join the ranks, accumulating merit until he became Anqing Garrison Commander, and then once more performed meritorious service at Beixia Pass. Truly, because he entered the military as a man of letters, he never forgot to instruct the soldiers with the words of the sages. His troops are brave, skilled in battle, and strictly disciplined, cherished and supported by the people of Anqing. All say that as long as the garrison battalion is here, Jiangnan is without worry."

"It's written fairly objectively. Keep a few extra copies of this inaugural issue — send some to relatives and such. They might become valuable cultural artifacts someday." Pang Yu set down the newspaper with satisfaction and looked up at Pang Ding. "He County Yamen does good work. Although a bit later than originally scheduled, his sense of proportion is very appropriate. Especially these four words 'Jiangnan is without worry' — they capture the newspaper's primary audience, which is the scholars and commoners of Jiangnan. Excellent. But the preceding line, 'All say that as long as the garrison battalion is here, Jiangnan is without worry' — the emphasis is slightly off. The core of the propaganda here should be this official. It should read, 'All say that as long as Garrison Commander Pang is here, Jiangnan is without worry.' So it still lacks a bit of meaning. Still, a slight flaw does not obscure the gem. Young people need a process of tempering. Xiao Ding, have Hou Shuban arrange the printing. Apart from the copies sent to the Restoration Society, distribute them free at the Anqing docks. Let the passing travelers all have a look."

Pang Ding spat inwardly. Seeing how Pang Yu could hardly bear to put the thing down, he could not help speaking up. "Young Master, you poured so much silver into it, and you're giving it away for people to read without charging. In the end, it just lets others watch a bit of excitement. I don't know what you're after."

Pang Yu glared. "What do you understand? This is a vessel of culture. Compared to culture, what does silver count for? Distribute more at the docks — spread culture and enlighten the ten thousand people!"

"This newspaper is comfortable to wipe your arse with, much better than using tree leaves. Tan Laizi, hurry up."

In a patch of reeds below the Sheng-Tang ferry crossing, Tang Ershuan had just stood up, still clutching half a sheet of newspaper in his hand.

From another spot, a bald head rose up after him. The man was short and scrawny, and his head was covered with scabs.

"Bah, what Tan Laizi — that's for you to call me?" The scab-headed man stood up cursing. "I'm a broker, a broker, you get it? If I don't arrange the deals and middlemen, those Hangshang can't buy goods or hire boats. Where would you go to carry cargo? On the streets of Huaining here, everyone who sees me must respectfully call me Master Tan. Constable Cao at the county yamen is an old acquaintance too. Ask around all of Huaining — who dares not give me face? From now on, don't you call me Tan Laizi."

Tang Ershuan hurriedly put on an ingratiating smile. He lifted the half-sheet of newspaper in his hand and suddenly noticed his hand was a bit black. "This newspaper that Officer Pang handed out is covered in ink. Wonder if it blackened my arse. What a sin."

Tan Laizi pointed at Tang Ershuan. "It's free paper — what more do you want? If it were good paper without ink, would Officer Pang not keep it for his own use?"

Tang Ershuan sighed with an "Ai." "The paper Officer Pang uses surely doesn't have this much ink. Tan Lai... Let me tell you, when the big flood came last time, I stayed at that garrison yamen. That Officer Pang is a good man too. He moved himself out to the army camp and gave the Rear Office to the Canal Gang's womenfolk. I went to have a look too — it was really something inside!"

He raised his hand, ready to describe it. His hand hung in the air for a long while, but he could not think of what to say.

Beside him, Tan Laizi said with disdain, "What does a bumpkin know? Is Officer Pang's nightstool made of gold or something? What great wealth is a little garrison yamen like that? When I was at the Luo Mansion before, the old master thought the world of me. I could go into the second and third courtyards as I pleased. Chairs of pearwood — I sat in them till I didn't want to sit anymore. Ordinary households might at most use ivory chopsticks; Old Tan here used ivory stools. Ebony beds — I picked whichever I wanted to sleep in. And what to cover myself with in bed? Ever seen Huzhou Silk? Old Tan here doesn't even use cotton quilts. I just take several dozen catties of Huzhou Silk satin and cover myself with that, and underneath I spread a tiger skin. That comfort — you've never even dreamed of it in your life."

Tang Ershuan was dumbstruck. This Tan Laizi was a broker at the docks, but one of the lowest-tier small private brokers, and ugly to boot. He could not land more than a few small deals a month and seemed to earn less than the porters. This Tan Laizi hung around the docks, squeezed out by the other brokers, until he ended up mingling at the same level as the Canal Gang porters. But he was a broker after all; though the Canal Gang men gave him a bit more regard, they ultimately looked down on him somewhat. Tang Ershuan felt the same way. He had never imagined that this scab-headed man had actually seen such a grand world.

Only after a long while did Tang Ershuan stammer, "Then I'll never have a chance in this life. Tan Laizi, you've seen the world — the Garrison Commander's camp is recruiting water troops again. I want that monthly pay. Before, in the Land Battalion, I was afraid the Roving Bandits would kill me. Now there's a Water Camp. Do those River Bandits actually kill people or not? Tell me, can I really go to the Water Camp or not?"

Tan Laizi was walking ahead, and in the blink of an eye the two of them reached Wharf. Hearing this, he turned his head to look back at Tang Ershuan and said as he walked, "Water Troops are naturally better than the Land Battalion — we're all just scraping a living at the docks, aren't we? But none of them are any good. What flavor is there in being a grunts? Look at me, old Tan — the Garrison Commander's camp has begged me several times and I still won't go."

Tang Ershuan eyed his small frame and asked doubtfully, "The Garrison Commander's camp really begged you? But they clearly said you went on your own — that you tried to lift the stone lock and couldn't, so they didn't want you…"

Tan Laizi stopped in his tracks, whirled around like a gust of wind, stood on tiptoe and grabbed Tang Ershuan by the collar, cursing furiously with a fierce voice and savage expression, "Who's been wagging their tongue, saying I, your old man, couldn't lift the stone lock? Today I've got to get to the bottom of this. Tell me who said it! I'll make him kneel on the ground and beg for mercy this very day!"

Tan Laizi's cursing had barely ended when a man stepped out from the side, reached out and grabbed him by the back collar, and flung him to the ground like a chicken, then followed up with punches and kicks.

Tang Ershuan had been about to intervene, but then he recognized the man doing the beating as someone from the Cao Family Dock — a big brokerage man — and hurriedly ducked aside.

The Boat Dock Master beat him while cursing, "I said it! What can a mangy scab like you do about it? You, lift a stone lock? Can you even lift a night-soil bucket? And you still want me to beg for mercy? You beg me for mercy! If you don't beg for mercy, I'll beat you to death."

"I beg for mercy, I beg for mercy! Lord Cao, spare my life!" Tan Laizi below wailed loudly.

The Boat Dock Master would not relent. "Kneel on the ground and beg for mercy!"

"What a sin." Tang Ershuan hid behind the onlookers and stole glances, terrified that the Boat Dock Master would think he was with Tan Laizi. It looked like the scabby head was taking a pretty bad beating today.

Tan Laizi still refused to kneel. The Boat Dock Master's hands and feet kept at it, and the beating was in full swing with howls ringing out, when a shout came from outside. Several men in short jackets walked in.

The men did not even glance at the Boat Dock Master. They stood in the middle of the scene and cursed, "Water Camp drill. Don't block the path. All of you, disperse."

The Boat Dock Master hesitated a moment, then delivered one last vicious kick and cursed at Laizi, "Next time I'll make you kneel on the ground and beg for mercy."

With that, he swaggered off. The other onlookers, seeing the excitement was over, scattered as soon as the Water Camp men shooed them away. Tang Ershuan hurried over, helped Tan Laizi up, and dragged him to one side.

Tan Laizi's mouth and nose had been beaten bloody. He wiped a handful of nosebleed and cursed with Resentment, "He's lucky he ran off fast. If that Water Camp hadn't interrupted, I, your old man, would have started fighting. I, old Tan, am not so easy to bully."

Tang Ershuan raised his head for a look. The Water Camp men were boarding the boats, all in white short jackets, every one of them looking full of Mental Spirit. He murmured under his breath, "The Water Camp really is good."