Chapter 27: Man in the Rain

Over the next few days, Pang Yu followed Tang Weimin to inspect over a dozen granaries at Tangjiagou, Kongcheng Town, Liantan, Thirty-Li Post, and other places, covering all the main towns of Tongcheng. In Pang Yu's general impression, Tongcheng was high in the northwest and low in the southeast, extending from the foothills of the Dabie Mountains toward the Yangtze River. The closer to the Yangtze, the flatter the terrain, with fertile soil, lush water and grass, and the convenience of water transport — it truly deserved to be called a land of fish and rice.

Yet even in a place so rich in grain, every official granary was still completely empty, their contents vanished into thin air within the various levels of Tongcheng's government offices.

Fortunately, Pang Yu got his share of the last scraps, successfully joining the ranks of the Ming Dynasty's corrupt, netting over two hundred taels of silver. Zhou Yueru, Tongcheng's number one female aide, because it was inconvenient for her to travel, only followed to inspect a few granaries near the County Seat and also received seven or eight taels of silver.

This circuit of inspections took them nearly to the end of the seventh month. After finishing the last stop at Kongcheng Town, Runner Pang's lucrative assignment was finally drawing to a close. On the twenty-eighth, they reached Lüting Post north of Tongcheng, only fifteen li from the County Seat.

Because of the post station functions that had long been established there, and its location beside the main road, a market town had formed around it, with about two to three Company Commander. Along the Official Road were over a dozen inns and food stalls.

Tang Weimin rode his horse at the front and stopped beside a food stall along the road. Pang Yu had passed the breaking-in period for riding, his horsemanship somewhat improved, though the inside of his thighs had nearly been rubbed raw. Until he was fully accustomed, he still had to alternate riding and walking.

Seeing Tang Weimin stop, Pang Yu hurried to the side of the horse and asked, "Sir, would you like to stop and rest a while? Tongcheng is not far anyway, we will certainly arrive today."

Tang Weimin pointed to the sky to the southeast. "A mass of black clouds is coming. It looks like rain is imminent. Past Lüting, it's three li to the next place with shelter. We will rest here for now and continue once the rain has passed."

Pang Yu squinted toward the east. Sure enough, there was a dark, oppressive mass. Tongcheng often had torrential rain in the seventh month. Although Pang Yu was not very clear on late Ming history, when studying economic history he had learned that the early seventeenth century was in the fifth Little Ice Age, followed later by the Maunder Minimum of sunspots. The drop in temperature reduced water evaporation, which would cause decreased rainfall and lead to drought. But this July in Tongcheng, one could not feel that at all — torrential rain could come at any moment.

Pang Yu quickly agreed and, with exaggerated care, supported Tang Weimin as he dismounted. In truth, the horses they used were all under one meter ten at the shoulder, so one could reach the ground by just stretching a leg a little. But Pang Yu held Tang Weimin's arm as if Tang Weimin were an old man of seventy or eighty.

There were still seven or eight people in the food stall, occupying three or four tables. Most looked to be traveling merchants, so there were not many seats left. The aides accompanying Tang Weimin went up and kicked two of them wildly. The two men were kicked to the ground. When they got up and saw it was people from the government office, they immediately fled the food stall.

The people at the other tables all stood up and yielded their seats. Only at a corner table did a middle-aged man remain seated steadily as usual, though he seemed somewhat worried and kept sizing up Pang Yu's group. Fortunately, Tang Weimin's party already had enough seats and did not go to trouble the man.

Pang Yu inspected the food stall's roof. It was all tile, with gaps in some places letting light through. The middle was laid more tightly. He found a good spot near the center, carefully wiped the stool clean, and only then invited Tang Weimin to sit.

By now the dark clouds were approaching. The rainstorm was sweeping over from the south. Judging by the size of the cloud mass, the rainfall would not be brief. Pang Yu estimated there was enough time to eat a full meal.

The shop owner was experienced and worldly. Seeing their attire, he knew they were from the government office and served them with extreme care. Pang Yu called him over and ordered a few cold dishes, all small plates that Tang Weimin rather liked. Pang Yu always paid attention to what dishes Tang Weimin liked and silently memorized them, then next time would deliberately order a few of them.

Although Tang Weimin never said anything aloud, Pang Yu knew that Tang Weimin would certainly notice these details. As long as they spent enough time together, he could leave a good impression on Tang Weimin.

While waiting for the food, Tang Weimin called over Pang Yu, who was still busy directing the aides to tend the horses. "Little Brother Pang, stop bustling about. This journey has been arduous enough. Sit down, let's talk a while."

"This subordinate hardly deserves the word 'arduous.' I only do some manual labor, nothing compared to Your Excellency Tang's exhaustive efforts."

Tang Weimin laughed heartily twice. Throughout this journey, Pang Yu's attitude had been attentive. He never presumed on being the County Vice-Magistrate's confidant, deferred to Tang Weimin in all matters large and small, and spoke and acted with propriety — one could not tell at all that he had originally been an Er Shazi sort of person.

"Today we reach Tongcheng. Along this journey, I, Tang, have felt quite compatible with Little Brother Pang. If Little Brother Pang is willing, I would like to invite you to condescend to work in the Household Office. I wonder what Little Brother Pang thinks."

"To be able to follow by Your Excellency Tang's side and listen to your instruction — this humble one is thrice blessed in a lifetime." Pang Yu agreed without the slightest hesitation. What he urgently needed most right now was to escape Wang Dazhuang's authority. The Runner Squad was originally dispersed under various officials and offices. The portion Wang Dazhuang could directly control was only a very small part. Once Pang Yu went to the Household Office, Wang Dazhuang would be helpless against him.

The reason he had been so attentive to Tang Weimin on this trip was precisely to earn a good performance review so he could get into the County Vice Magistrate Office and become a runner subordinate to the County Vice-Magistrate. Now that Tang Weimin was proactively extending an olive branch, it was also a good choice. Tang Weimin naturally had his own considerations about currying favor with the County Vice-Magistrate, but from Pang Yu's perspective, going anywhere was better than staying with Wang Dazhuang.

The food was quickly laid out on the table. Tang Weimin took only a slight taste of each dish with his chopsticks before stopping, as if not quite satisfied with the flavors.

"This Lüting Post has also declined," Tang Weimin said, pointing to a courtyard across the way. "The post station used to be right opposite. This road we are traveling, the overland route from Huguang and Jiangxi to Nanzhili must pass through here. Lüting, Daguan, and Thirty-Li Post are all on this route. The ancients called it the Seven-Province Thoroughfare, and Lüting flourished for a time. In the second year of Chongzhen, the Emperor decreed a sixty percent reduction of post stations. Lüting Post was too close to the County Seat and was among the first to be cut. Now only these few shops remain by the Official Road. Fewer people stop for lodging or a meal, and the food at these stalls is far worse than before."

"So that is why. No wonder when we passed by earlier, I saw some houses standing empty. With the post station closed like this, those who used to rely on it for their livelihood must have suffered greatly."

"Who says otherwise? A few postal runners transferred to the Three Squads. Some started small businesses to earn a bit of Head Money. Some returned to their villages. But in truth, after doing government work for so long, it is hard to settle one's heart to tilling the soil. Some who had long since moved their families to the city had no other skills to fall back on. Supporting a whole family, young and old, became exceedingly difficult, and naturally there was some resentment in their hearts. Thus, postal runners in various places often collude to stir up trouble. Among those Roving Thieves wreaking havoc in Shanxi-Shaanxi, postal runners and couriers are not few. These men are skilled riders, have traveled widely and seen the world, know the roads well, and do not fear long journeys. Once they join those Roving Thieves, they become a great calamity for the court."

"Roving Thieves?" Pang Yu hurriedly tried to carefully recall his pitiful historical knowledge. The Roving Thieves the government spoke of were those people who rebelled and revolted. Among the rebel forces of the Chongzhen years, the only ones he could remember were Li Inner City and Zhang Xianzhong. He did not know if they counted as Roving Thieves.

A muffled thunderclap came from the direction of the dark clouds. Pang Yu looked up at the sky. The torrential rain was already not far away.

"Your Excellency Tang, this humble one has been in Tongcheng since childhood and has seen little of the world. What names and titles do these Roving Thieves go by?"

Tang Weimin sneered. "Things like Cao Cao, Chuang Wang, Chuang Jiang, All Over the Sky, Sweeping King, Shooting Down the Sky, Eight Great Kings, and so on — several dozen gangs, too many to count. I reckon if they all went up to the Water Margin together, they could nearly assemble the full one hundred and eight heroes."

When Pang Yu heard the name Chuang Wang, he breathed a sigh of relief. Chuang Wang was none other than Li Inner City. He had not heard of Chuang Jiang; it was probably Chuang Wang's son or younger brother. He even felt a trace of familiarity toward the name — at least he had heard of this figure. In his memory was an impression of strict discipline and no offenses against civilians.

But given Pang Yu's age and experience, he understood very well that such impressions gained from paper were mostly the product of repeated artistic embellishment. The difference from reality was as great as the difference between reality and art.

So he asked Tang Weimin again, "Then could these Roving Bandits make their way to our Tongcheng?"

"Everyone shares this worry. The Roving Bandits run rampant in Huguang and Henan. Local Bandits everywhere stir restlessly, people's hearts turning to thoughts of change. Last month, Qianshan County sent a Detailed Report to Anqing, saying that Roving Bandit called Sweeping King had reached Huoshan, less than a hundred li from Anqing. Anqing Prefecture was thrown into panic several times a day. In the end, for some unknown reason, they did not come. Presumably, the court had made arrangements long ago, making the Roving Bandits recognize the difficulty and retreat."

The dark clouds on the horizon drew closer and closer. The wild wind made the shop sign flap noisily. Sparse raindrops began to fall, making a pattering sound on the roof tiles. Pang Yu was still digesting the information in Tang Weimin's words and did not respond for a moment.

Tang Weimin sighed to himself. "Ah, what has become of this world? Take the north — in the seventh month, the Tartars entered Shanxi again. The slaughter was utterly brutal. The Liaodong Military Tax has been levied for over a decade, yet Liaodong has not been pacified. Instead, the Tartars keep entering our Ming every few years. Over here, the Roving Thieves have devastated Henan and Huguang badly enough. Fortunately, our Nanzhili has always been free of chaos. The rich live a bit richer, the poor a bit poorer, but everyone can get by. All we ask is that the bandits do not come and the soldiers do not come — that is a blessing."

"Sir, if the soldiers came, wouldn't they be able to block those Roving Bandits? Is that not a good thing either?"

"Those grunts are hardly different from bandits. No place wants soldiers stationed nearby. Fortunately, not only does Tongcheng have no soldiers, even Anqing Prefecture has none. Only thus do we have these days of peace."

Pang Yu thought back. Although he was still not very clear on Ming Dynasty administrative divisions, he knew that Anqing was on the banks of the Yangtze beside the Dabie Mountains. The Dabie Mountains were situated in the interior, bordering both Henan and Huguang, which meant the Roving Thieves were just on the other side of the Dabie Mountains. If what Tang Weimin said was true, a prefecture as large as Anqing, facing such a serious threat, had actually deployed no military force. Was it not like a piece of fat meat on a chopping board?

Just as he was lost in thought, a sudden thunderclap boomed in the sky. Pang Yu gave a start. Seeing the torrential rain had not yet fallen, he asked Tang Weimin again, "Sir, you just said the Roving Thieves have reached Henan and Huguang, not far from here, and that Anqing Prefecture has no troops to use. If the Roving Thieves really come, what will we rely on to stop them?"

"Wasn't that Sweeping King beaten back? Perhaps troops were dispatched from somewhere, and we simply do not know. The great men at court have their own plans. We can rest easy and live our peaceful lives. Even if the world is in chaos, Nanzhili will not be. Our Tongcheng has been peaceful for a hundred years. It is not a place so easy for Roving Bandits to come to. Nanzhili is the Dragon Rising Land and the source of the empire's wealth and taxes. Presumably, the court would never permit the Roving Bandits to burst in."

Pang Yu hurriedly voiced his agreement, but Tang Weimin's words seemed to lack logic. If Anqing Prefecture had made no defensive preparations, had no troops to use, and no battle had occurred, then Sweeping King had not been beaten back — he had simply not made it to Anqing Prefecture. And the reason that the court would not permit it was even more far-fetched. If everything went according to the court's wishes, the Roving Bandits would go nowhere at all and simply starve to death en masse — that would be best. Clearly, the Roving Bandits did not intend to let the court have its way.

According to Pang Yu's understanding, if the Roving Bandits were in the form of an army, they would have military objectives or economic motives. It was unlikely they would blunder around like headless flies. Economic motives were more probable.

This economic motive might not necessarily be money; more likely it was the resources needed for survival. And of such things, Nanzhili, a rich and prosperous region, certainly had no shortage. Tongcheng lay north of the Yangtze, with neither troops nor favorable geographical defensive conditions. In truth, upon careful thought, the risk was not small.

The more Pang Yu thought, the more uneasy he became. In his previous life, he had lived in an era of stability and plenty and had never imagined he would experience chaotic times. During these days in the Ming Dynasty, constantly absorbing information about the ancient world, his attention had been focused on daily trivialities. The chaos of the world had seemed unrelated to him.

Today, hearing Tang Weimin speak of the situation under heaven, Pang Yu felt this was not groundless worry. Should he also make some preparations?

Another thunderclap tore across the sky. The dark clouds finally arrived overhead. A wild wind, mixed with torrential rain, poured down in sheets. The short period of intense rainfall quickly created puddles on the ground. Dense raindrops pelted the tile roof, then converged into streams of water, hanging like water curtains from the eaves. The rainstorm pounded the earth, the pattering sounds merging into one continuous roar. Water mist danced with the gale. Heaven and earth were a vast, indistinct blur, as if nothing existed but the torrential rain.

The wind and rain merged into a rumbling roar so loud that even talking across the table was hard to hear. Pang Yu and Tang Weimin could no longer continue their conversation. Outside was a rainstorm; inside, a light rain also began to fall. The shop was somewhat old, and there were leaks everywhere. The shopkeeper, however, knew exactly where each leak was and hurriedly brought out pots and basins to place under them, to prevent the water from spreading everywhere.

The spot where Tang Weimin sat was indeed where the tiles were densest, but there were still some small drips leaking through. Pang Yu rummaged through the luggage, found an umbrella, and stood beside Tang Weimin to shield him.

The noise outside was too loud for them to talk to each other. Holding the umbrella, Pang Yu idly let his gaze wander. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the middle-aged man sitting alone in the corner looking at him. The moment their eyes met, the man immediately lowered his head.

Pang Yu could not help but scrutinize him carefully. The man wore a long gown of Huzhou Silk, his hair bound with a Net Cap, and a pair of black Tartar boots on his feet. From his attire, he seemed to be a man of some property. He had no luggage or goods with him and was probably a Tongcheng local also sheltering from the rain. Pang Yu did not pay him much mind. Because some in his group wore Constable Uniforms, when they went out in daily life, commoners often secretly observed them.

The torrential rain showed no sign of letting up anytime soon. Pang Yu held the umbrella until his arm was sore and numb. Several times Tang Weimin told him to put it down, but Pang Yu resolutely refused. This business trip was a very good opportunity. Tang Weimin was the second-in-command of the Household Office. As long as Pang Yu latched onto Tang Weimin, Wang Dazhuang would have some misgivings and would not easily have another chance to make things difficult for Pang Yu. And the invitation Tang Weimin had just extended to Pang Yu was the fruit of Pang Yu's efforts, so now it was even more important to curry favor with Tang Weimin.

Occasionally, Pang Yu also observed the man sitting alone in the corner. The man no longer paid attention to their side but kept looking anxiously toward the main road in the direction of Tongcheng. It was unclear whether he was hoping for the rain to stop or waiting for someone. Pang Yu guessed he was hoping the rain would stop so he could hurry on his way, because the rainstorm had come from the direction of Tongcheng, and no one would travel against such a downpour.

Just as he was thinking this, the man suddenly stood up excitedly and walked to the doorway. Pang Yu looked in the direction he was facing and saw, on the Official Road where the rain was pouring in torrents, a blurry human figure appear.