Chapter 374: Method

On Chengqiang Street by Jixian Gate, just like the streets by the city walls in most towns, you only had to look up to see the blackened wall looming overhead. Jixian Gate was Anqing's north gate. For a city that faced the river to the south, the north gate was somewhat quieter — but it was still inside the city.

At dawn, roosters crowed on all sides, and cooking smoke drifted from the neighbor's chimney, filling Wu Dacai's courtyard with the smell of firewood.

Wu Dacai had just finished eating. Propping himself on his cane, he stepped out of the main house, passed through the second courtyard into the outer courtyard, then turned and walked all the way back. At the main house, he turned around again and headed back toward the outer courtyard, surveying his new home with satisfaction. He had already walked this route countless times yesterday, but he still took endless pleasure in it.

The threshold of the third courtyard had several chips broken out of it, one of the door-knockers was missing, at least a dozen tiles on the eaves of the second courtyard were cracked — two of the rooms leaked when it rained — the kitchen lacked a large water vat, and the willow wood on the bellows seemed to be split as well. Wu Dacai looked around as he walked. Flaws, certainly, but compared to this courtyard itself, these flaws were trivial matters.

What mattered was that it needed a touch of official air. Wu Dacai planned to put a pond in the third courtyard, complete with a rockery and swimming fish — just like the one inside the Garrison Headquarters. Whether anything else was needed, Wu Dacai had no idea. After all, the only three-courtyard compound he had ever entered was the Garrison Headquarters. He had also been inside a wealthy household in Puzikou, but he hadn't looked carefully at the time and couldn't recall anything. In any case, the Wu family was now a prominent household too, and it had to look the part.

"Put a chicken coop here, and set up a rack over there for drying clothes. Where should I put the pigsty..."

Wu Dacai's face fell. He walked to the outer courtyard and saw his wife bossing around the newly bought maid with wild gestures. "Make this rack a bit wider. If we get any grain later on, it might not be fully dried — we'll have to dry it again ourselves."

"Dry what grain! Do you think we're still out in the countryside? Who dries grain in a city courtyard!"

The woman turned her head, saw Wu Dacai, and came over beaming. "Don't think I don't know, master of the house. Officials get loads of gifts. A big official like you — people will be falling over themselves to send things. Grain, meat, all of it. Grain needs to be dried before you can store it well. If you can't finish the meat right away, you need a place to smoke it. So right here, we'll put up a rack..."

Wu Dacai said angrily, "And what's this about a pigsty?"

The woman said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "If they can send meat, why wouldn't they send a live pig?"

Wu Dacai looked thoroughly impatient. "Who have you ever seen send a live pig?"

The woman, seeing Wu Dacai's anger, showed not the slightest fear. "That miser of a grand-uncle of yours still brought ducks. What's wrong with sending a pig? We'll need a place to keep livestock anyway."

"I'm telling you, if you want meat, go buy it. None of this accepting piddling little things. I've just become an official — today's my very first day on duty. The monthly pay is more than enough. That Jiang Guoyong has his eyes on me. Don't you go blabbing everywhere."

The woman pursed her lips, a bit unwilling. "I was just saying I'd go pay a visit to your grand-uncle's place today, make him regret it. The dog looks down on people."

Wu Dacai swept his eyes over the messy outer courtyard. His mood for a stroll was gone. Irritated, he made to leave. As he turned his head, he also took the chance to size up the maid's figure, but quickly pulled his gaze back. Still too skinny.

"If she weren't skinny, they wouldn't have sold her." Wu Dacai muttered. For now, he had no interest in this maid. "I'm heading out."

Wu Dacai's voice was loud. The maid froze for a moment, then, reasonably quick-witted, ran to take down the door bar. Wu Dacai tilted his head up slightly, waiting for the maid to open the door.

The maid still seemed unused to such a large door bar, and she was a bit lacking in strength. She tried twice and couldn't get it down. Wu Dacai didn't help. Putting on the airs of the head of the household, he lectured, "Household chores must be done skillfully. When you do things, use your head. Not just use your head — you need method, need method..."

He stopped where he stood and stared blankly for a moment. The maid removed the door bar and opened the door. Wu Dacai still didn't leave. He turned around and said to his wife, "You go to Grand-Uncle's house."

The woman tilted her head to one side. "Why should I go? You say I can't talk about this, can't talk about that. What's the point of going then?"

Wu Dacai strode over in two steps and raised his hand. "Are you going or not!"

The woman hastily fled toward the second courtyard. "Fine, fine, I'll go. But I'm not bringing anything."

"Who asked you to bring anything? Let him bring it." Wu Dacai leaned on his cane and thought for a moment. "Go tell Grand-Uncle that I've been promoted to a big official post. Tell him to come see me at the Garrison Headquarters about getting Cousin-Uncle into the Garrison Battalion — and to bring something with him."

The woman's face was full of displeasure. "That snobbish grand-uncle of yours, why are you still helping him? I don't care about those few ducks."

"What does a woman know?" Wu Dacai turned and headed out the door. Passing the maid, he stopped and said to her earnestly, "You need method."

Wu Dacai, brimming with energy, walked through the street inside the Zongyang Gate. Though he leaned on a cane, he seemed to walk with a wind at his back. There were plenty of passersby, but none of them caught his eye now — all just peddlers and laborers. The last time he'd felt this way was the first time he'd received his two taels of monthly pay. Once he got the guards' quarters sorted out tomorrow, he'd have guards following him even on his way to work — that wind at his back would double in force.

He arrived at the Garrison Headquarters of the Anqing Garrison Battalion. From the training ground next door, the thunderous shouts of drilling soldiers shook the air. Wu Dacai had his identity badge checked at the gate. The squad leader on duty handed the badge back obsequiously. "Please enter, Lord Wu."

In the past, some people in the Company had flattered him by calling him Daren too, but they always had to stick a "Centurion" in front of it, which lowered the tone. At the fortified village, they called him "Instructor Sir" — rustic and crude. Now, a plain "Daren" with no modifier — the rank was clearly on a different level. Wu Dacai felt a surge of emotion. He recalled how Lord Pang usually carried himself, nodded and smiled at the squad leader, then took back his badge and entered the main gate.

"Greetings, Lord Wu."

"Good day, Lord Wu."

As Wu Dacai passed through the Main Hall, everyone he met along the way bowed and greeted him. It was a world of difference from two days ago, when he had come to the Military Office to report on a matter — back then, not getting a dirty look was considered polite.

Wu Dacai imitated Pang Yu's manner in every way, doing his best to put on a gentle smile and nod in response. This was already within his expectations, because his post had been personally appointed by Pang Yu. When he came to collect his appointment letter yesterday, the entire Garrison Headquarters had been in an uproar. No one in the Garrison Battalion had ever been promoted so quickly.

But yesterday, people hadn't fully grasped the situation. Later, the details came out from the Military Office: Wu Dacai was to oversee four areas of business in the Document Team and report directly to Pang Yu. Moreover, every office would eventually have a Clerk Officer assigned to it. Only then did everyone understand that Wu Dacai hadn't just risen fast — he had risen very high. So the treatment he received today was basically what people would give to the Section Clerk of each office, perhaps even slightly more, because a newly promoted man was sure to be someone in Lord Pang's good graces.

The Garrison Headquarters had the standard Six Offices, a Document Receiving Office, and an Archive Repository, just like a county yamen, but it also had an Advisory Room, a Stable Office, an Arsenal, and a Central Military Office. Pang Yu had given the Rear Office over to the Advisory Room. The Stable Office and Arsenal had been moved to the barracks area. The vacated rooms went to the Document Team and the Military Office, but they were already fully occupied. Wu Dacai didn't want to share a room with Mr. Hou, so the Document Receiving Office arranged for him to be in the Document Team's workroom — the very same room where he had come to ask about his assignment that day.

According to yamen rules, on the first day of taking up a post, one had to first pay respects to the Chief Clerk. Wu Dacai looked in at the door. Mr. Hou was not in his room. Without waiting, he returned to his own Direct Office.

Wu Dacai paused at the door of his Direct Office and muttered, "Need method." He thought over his wording for a moment before stepping inside.

As he entered, all five clerks were in the room, including the one who had berated him that day. The man's face was pale now, and he cowered nervously behind the others.

The group said in unison, "Greetings, Deputy Chief Clerk."

Wu Dacai said politely, "No need for excessive courtesy, everyone. From now on, we are all colleagues in the Document Team. I... this official is new here. I will have to rely on all of you for the team's affairs. We must do our work well, to be worthy of Lord Pang and all the officers and soldiers."

The clerks murmured their assent. Wu Dacai walked to his own desk. Someone moved to help him sit, but Wu Dacai waved them off. Once he was seated, the clerks again stood before the desk, waiting for him to continue his address.

Wu Dacai saw that the clerk was still hiding in the back. He cleared his throat and said, "This official is new. To make it easier to address each other in the future, let's all introduce ourselves — surname and given name, and what you mainly handle in the team."

The clerks looked at one another. An older clerk started, and one by one they reported their names to Wu Dacai. Finally, it was that clerk's turn. He came forward hesitantly. "This humble one, this humble one's surname is Xu, Xu Youyuan. I usually deal with the Military Office and the fortified villages, and also handle the assignment of soldiers... That day, this humble one did not know, and it wasn't this humble one who decided it, this humble one..."

Wu Dacai waved his hand magnanimously. "Let bygones be bygones. But this official must also say this: those who come to the Garrison Headquarters on business are all soldiers of the Garrison Battalion, all good men who kill rebels for the country, protecting the common people's peace, and protecting our peace as well. Shouldn't we show respect to such good men? I won't speak of the other offices for now. Our Document Team was originally part of the military — we should be even more courteous. That way, the soldiers in the battalion will say the Document Team is good."

"This humble one understands. I will certainly be courteous from now on. I beg Daren's magnanimous forgiveness."

"This official is a magnanimous man, most fair in handling matters. What happened before will not be mentioned again. In the future, I will judge and employ people solely on talent and virtue, and will never hold private grudges." Wu Dacai nodded. "Speaking of the future, this official will first give you all a hint. Lord Pang has put me in charge of promotions within the team. The Document Team cannot go on as it is now. There are many things that need changing. You are all old hands in the team, and I imagine you understand the team's ills better than this official does. Before the end of duty tomorrow, each of you write a memorial of suggestions for me. It doesn't matter if it's about something you handle yourself — if you think something is amiss, or think something could be done better, write it down. In the future, this official will be fair in promotions and appointments. Fairness looks at talent and virtue. And what does talent and virtue look at? First and foremost, it looks at whether there is anything outstanding in this memorial of suggestions."

The clerks looked at one another. Wu Dacai observed them. Two of them seemed eager to try.

Wu Dacai said with satisfaction, "That is all for now. You may all go attend to your duties."

The five returned to their own desks. That Xu Youyuan went and poured a pot of tea, carefully placing it on Wu Dacai's desk. Wu Dacai nodded politely.

The older clerk came over again to report to Wu Dacai on the team's specific affairs and procedures. He had been speaking for barely a quarter of an hour when a guard arrived. The guard stood at the door and said, "Lord Wu, someone outside requests an audience. He claims to be your grand-uncle. Shall this humble one bring him in?"

Wu Dacai looked up. "It is my grand-uncle. Let him in."

The guard hesitated, wanting to say something, and finally said, "He is carrying some items. Should..."

"It's fine. Let him enter."

The guard turned and left. Wu Dacai said to the older clerk, "We'll continue in a moment."

He took his cane, propped himself up, and went to the door of the room, stopping there. He watched as the guard led his grand-uncle around the spirit screen. The old man was carrying ducks and a sack in his hands.

The moment Grand-Uncle saw Wu Dacai, he immediately put on a fawning smile and came forward. Before he could speak, Wu Dacai suddenly bellowed, "I told you already! Being a soldier means proving yourself on the battlefield. Everyone who gets in is a good man. Do you think this is a place for personal sentiment? If my cousin-uncle can't pass the selection, then he can't be a soldier in the Garrison Battalion. I said no, and no means no. What are you still doing here!"

The Main Hall was a large central courtyard, surrounded on all sides by the Direct Offices of the various departments. Everyone coming and going on business passed through here. His roar startled the entire Main Hall. People walking in every direction stopped to watch the spectacle. Even people inside some of the rooms poked their heads out to look.

Grand-Uncle was dumbstruck. He had come full of joy, thinking the matter would be settled as soon as he arrived. He had already been extremely cautious just entering the yamen. How could he have known it would be like this? For a moment, he stood frozen, unable to speak.

Wu Dacai leaned on his cane, his face stern. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that people from the various offices in the Main Hall had mostly come out. He faced his grand-uncle again and said with authority, "The military is a place of rules, a place with Military Law! What I value most is fairness. I will not tolerate the slightest personal sentiment. Though you are my own grand-uncle, in this matter that violates Military Law, no amount of gifts will work. Even if it means severing our family ties, I will absolutely not do this for you. Guard! Throw him out!"

Wu Dacai finished speaking in a ringing voice, his whole body radiating righteous radiance. Amid the hall's astonished stares, he flicked his sleeve and returned to the Direct Office.