Chapter 40: Recruitment to Surrender

One li north of Tongcheng lies the lush, wooded Dice Mountain. The mountain has an elegant shape, resembling a phoenix, and upon it stands Dice Zen Temple. The "Dice Dawn Bell," one of the Eight Scenes of Tongcheng, is located here.

Hu Family Village sits at the foot of Dice Mountain. This estate is the country retreat of the wealthy city resident Hu Yican. The grounds are not expansive, consisting of only three bays, yet it is now occupied by rioters. The surrounding fields and woods are filled with all manner of people; a rough glance shows no fewer than a thousand.

Inside Hu Family Village, Huang Wending and Wang Guohua sat high in the main hall. Opposite them, a man, his voice tinged with tears, loudly questioned the two, "Must we truly go see that Judicial Supervisor Xue and accept recruitment to surrender? He is the Judicial Commissioner of Anqing Prefecture, and only says followers will not be pursued. Once he sees our faces, he will know we are the ringleaders, and we will never be able to escape implication in the future. I think we should just run. We did grab some silver last night anyway."

Huang Wending said angrily, "Countless people have seen us these past few days. The yamen already knows we are the ringleaders; we were implicated from the start. Now you know fear? Where were you before? Who told you to send out the notices on the twenty-second? You son of a bitch! Since everyone agreed on the ninth month, it should have been the ninth month."

Wang Guohua said in a deep voice, "Our actions must follow a logical order. Do you think a difference of ten-odd days is insignificant? Why did we originally set the plan for the ninth month? First, because public resentment always peaks during the Autumn Grain Levy. Second, in the ninth month, the autumn grain is mostly commuted tax, all stored in the county yamen treasury. If we were to rise up, taking the county yamen would give us access to it. Even if we had to flee elsewhere, that silver would be the most convenient. If things failed, we could still live as wealthy men. Now the autumn grain is not yet collected, the County Granary is completely empty—where would the silver come from? This entire logical sequence was explained to you few. It was a plan that Alliance Leader Huang and I, Wang, painstakingly devised. Yet you all acted recklessly and ruined a great prospect. Now that the situation looks bad, you want to flee at the first sign of trouble. Zhu Zong, where are you trying to put us?"

Zhu Zong buried his head and said nothing. Beside him, the gaunt Zhang Ru pointed at him and said angrily, "It's all because he got drunk on the seventeenth and, in front of seven or eight people at the table, blabbed the entire plan. The household slaves of the Wu family got word of it outside and started asking everywhere who was in charge. Zhu Zong was scared out of his wits and wanted to abscond. The others were also terrified. I had no choice but to steel my heart and send out the notices first. On the twenty-third, we burned the Wu and Ye family estates. We only had twenty-eight brothers in total; it was a damn close call."

Huang Wending kicked Zhu Zong to the ground. "Drink your mother's wine! Can't you see what time it is, still drinking? Believe me or not, I'll cleave your head off with one stroke of my blade and hang it on the Xiangyang Gate too."

Zhu Zong crouched on the ground, not daring to get up. He raised his head to defend himself. "The drinking is true, but I did think about the timing for the uprising. These past few days, not one of the officials in charge at the yamen has been in Tongcheng. A round trip to Anqing Prefecture takes at least three or four days. With those few days, we had enough time to summon our brothers from the various townships. Those who were going to come are all here now."

Seeing him still talking back, Huang Wending grabbed Zhu Zong by the collar and raised his fist to beat him.

Wang Guohua waved his hand to stop him. "What Zhu Zong says has some truth. The yamen has taken almost no action these past few days precisely because the officials in charge were absent. Even if he made a mistake, he is still one of our brothers. Brother Huang, forgive him this once."

Seeing Huang Wenting release Zhu Zong, Wang Guohua continued, "Brother Zhang Ru's decision to act early was a move of desperation. But looking at the situation over these past few days, it does not seem entirely irretrievable. Posting the anonymous notices on the twenty-second already achieved the effect of seizing the initiative. Killing Yin Deng and Wu Bing on the twenty-third further shocked and awed the people. Raising our banner at Hu Family Village the following two days was somewhat risky, but the number of people coming from the townships to join us far exceeded our initial expectations. After that, burning the Wu and Ye estates built up our momentum. Among those who have come to join are no small number of yamen Xuli and Auxiliaries. According to them, the yamen officials are all panicked and at a loss. That Judicial Commissioner Xue arrived in Tongcheng yesterday with Yang Fangzao. After hearing of our momentum, he hesitated for a time, not daring to come for pacification. Therefore, there is no need for us to throw ourselves into disarray."

Huang Wending said admiringly, "They all acted according to plan. In the end, it was Brother Wang's scheme that was so well laid. Who could have imagined that a few notices could frighten the people in the city into such a state?"

Zhang Ru also chimed in, "It was all within Brother Wang's calculations. It is fortunate that Brother Wang is in charge; we have a backbone. It's just that those newly attached people are probably all fence-sitters, not to be relied upon."

Zhu Zong, still on the ground, said, "It is just as Zhang Ru says. Most of the new adherents are fence-sitters. Ten of them are not worth one of our own brothers. They came here only to see if there is any advantage to be gained. If the government sends troops, these people will vanish without a trace in the blink of an eye, leaving us brothers to take the blame."

Wang Guohua shook his head and said gravely, "These so-called fence-sitters will sway with the prevailing wind. The wind only blows between two sides: us and the yamen. Today, Judicial Commissioner Xue and County Magistrate Yang came personally to Hu Family Village, rather than us going to the county yamen. They have already lost the upper hand, giving us a golden opportunity to turn the situation around. The prevailing wind is now on our side. If the fence-sitters all follow our wind, they will no longer be fence-sitters. What do we have to fear from the yamen then?"

Huang Wending said, "Brother Wang, tell us, what should we do then?"

"To put it plainly, the common people of our Tongcheng can still scrape by. No one wants to bear the crime of rebellion and revolt. They hate the corrupt officials and evil gentry, but they still dare not rebel. Therefore, we must absolutely not speak of rebellion. The slogan we set that day was 'Substitute Imperial Law Enforcement,' and today it remains 'Substitute Imperial Law Enforcement.' Our rallying of Volunteers by killing Fang Xiangqian was precisely the right approach. Throughout history, those who wish to rise up must gather people with righteousness, but they must also drive them with profit. To make them willingly contribute their strength, they need the tangible benefit of wealth. Only when they get real advantages can they be used by us."

Zhang Ru shook his head. "The silver I have here is almost spent. The few hundred taels left are not enough to divide among them."

Wang Guohua laughed heartily. "When we were plotting in secret, we used Brother Zhang's silver. Now that we have raised the banner, how can things still be the same? You all listen to me today, and that wealth will naturally have a source."

The three men, though not fully understanding, all agreed. At that moment, someone came from outside to report that Judicial Commissioner Xue had arrived outside Hu Family Village. With a shout, Wang Guohua led the way out to greet him. The several dozen men of their gang inside the estate all grabbed their weapons and followed behind.

Several figures approached from afar. Wang Guohua recognized two of them as Tongcheng gentry, men usually known for their good reputations. The man in the middle wore an official robe with a Xie Knowledge Badge on the chest, marking him as a civil official of the upper seventh rank. This must be the Anqing Prefectural Judge.

The rioters scattered around began to crowd in. Initially, they were somewhat fearful at the sight of the official robe and watched from a distance. But when Judicial Commissioner Xue saw the thousand-strong mob, he stopped timidly, looking as if he was about to retreat. The two gentry held onto him, seemingly urging him to continue forward.

Seeing this, the surrounding rioters grew bolder and blocked the retreat path. Judicial Commissioner Xue was forced to the front of the estate. The thousand-strong mob pressed in densely, many holding clubs and blades.

Judicial Commissioner Xue was terribly afraid, even unconsciously grabbing the arm of one of the gentry beside him.

Wang Guohua stood behind a prepared table. Seeing the Judicial Commissioner, he did not kneel but merely cupped his hands and said, "Commoner Wang Guohua greets Judicial Supervisor Xue."

At this moment, Judicial Commissioner Xue dared not quibble over Wang Guohua's refusal to kneel. He merely felt that Wang Guohua was still somewhat polite. Summoning his courage, he said, "I have been entrusted by Prefect Pi of Anqing to come to Tongcheng to handle your rioting. I imagine you are all fellow countrymen of Tongcheng. How can you bear to see Tongcheng descend into chaos? I hope you will realize your errors and return, restoring clear and bright order to Tongcheng."

"Are we rioting?" Wang Guohua said without the slightest fear. "Tongcheng was already in ruin, plagued by evil gentry and villainous slaves. We have not touched the County Granary or the county yamen, nor have we harmed innocent commoners. We act only to enforce the law on behalf of the Emperor, to make the villainous household slaves pay blood debts with blood. This very act is what will restore clear and bright order to Tongcheng."

Judicial Commissioner Xue retorted, "Law enforcement is the prerogative of the yamen. The heavy instruments of national law, how can they be wielded by outsiders? You have killed people and hung their corpses, set fires and burned down several residences, causing the people of Tongcheng to flee their homes and wander the countryside. Where do you place the national law?"

"Wu Yingqi, Ye Can, Fang Xiangqian, and others have indulged their servants in evil. The people of Tongcheng have long suffered under the evil gentry. The Xuli of Tongcheng collude with these household slaves. As the Judicial Commissioner of Anqing Prefecture, you have for many years ignored the lives and deaths of the common people. Where do you place the national law?"

The surrounding rioters cheered one after another, their shouts rising to the heavens. For a moment, Judicial Commissioner Xue dared not speak. He and the two gentry huddled together, utterly devoid of any imposing manner. Wang Guohua, on the contrary, held his head high and chest out, as if he were the one recruiting Judicial Commissioner Xue to surrender.

When the shouting subsided for a moment, Judicial Commissioner Xue said in a trembling voice, "I..."

"The dog official is putting on an act!" An angry curse rang out from the side, and a clod of mud flew through the air, slapping against his face with a splat.

The scene instantly descended into chaos. Countless mud clods flew amid cheers. Even Wang Guohua could not call them off, and it took Huang Wending wielding his Great Blade to beat people back before this shower of mud clods was finally stopped.

Judicial Commissioner Xue, his face covered in dirt and dust, covered his head and dared not speak further.

Wang Guohua pointed at Judicial Commissioner Xue and said, "There are no natural-born rioters in this world. If the county yamen had governed properly, how could so many good people be forced to come to Hu Family Village? Every person inside and outside this estate is a victim of the evil gentry and their household slaves. We gather here not to make trouble for the yamen, but only to seek justice for the common people who have suffered under the gentry's poison for so many years."

Wang Guohua's momentum was like a rainbow. Before coming, Judicial Commissioner Xue had heard from the Chief Clerk that Wang Guohua's gang were no good people either; years ago, they had done exactly the kind of things Old Zheng's gang was doing now. But he had not expected Wang Guohua to be so eloquent. At this moment, he dared not argue, which only made Wang Guohua appear more righteous and confident, further inflaming the mood of the surrounding rioters.

"I..." Judicial Commissioner Xue uttered only one word before immediately recalling the treatment he had just received and promptly shut his mouth.

Before his eyes were all frantically shouting rioters; in his ears was nothing but chaotic clamor. At this moment, Judicial Commissioner Xue wanted only to leave this place immediately. Recruitment to surrender and everything else no longer mattered.

Judicial Commissioner Xue said tremblingly, "Just now you said you do not intend to make trouble for the yamen. You may swear an oath and make a pact with me."

Wang Guohua slapped the table. "We only want to finish our revenge. After that, we will set no more fires and will not violate the County Granary, the South Prison, or the Official Residence. We can swear an oath with Judicial Commissioner Xue immediately."

Wang Guohua picked up a brush and in a moment wrote out two copies. Judicial Commissioner Xue came over and glanced through them hastily. How could he dare propose any changes? He only wanted something to take back as an explanation. He immediately swore the oath and signed.

Each took a copy. Judicial Commissioner Xue put his away impatiently and, escorted by the two gentry, fled in utter disarray. All along the way, mud clods were thrown at him, and the jeers of the rioters echoed everywhere.

The weakness displayed by the authorities completely dispelled any remaining fear among the rioters.

Wang Guohua raised the pact, its ink still wet, and loudly addressed the surrounding crowd, "This is the pact sworn between us and Judicial Commissioner Xue of Anqing Prefecture! We have obtained the permission of Anqing Prefecture. We are only forbidden from violating the county yamen, the County Granary, and the South Prison. As for the other gentry households, wherever there are evildoers, we shall seek justice on behalf of the common people! We are permitted to enforce the law on behalf of the Emperor!"

Huang Wending let out a great shout, "Kill the evil gentry Fang Xiangqian! Enforce the law on behalf of the Emperor!"

The crowd roared in unison, raising their clubs and blades high. Through this performance by Wang Guohua, the crowd's fear of the authorities completely vanished. The emotions of the thousand-strong mob, which had been gathering for two days, were like floodwaters bursting through a sluice gate, impossible to restrain. The crowd surged with fervor. Wang Guohua and his men rode on horseback at the front, all rushing together toward the Zilai Bridge outside Dongzuo Gate.

"Sir Tang, there is no need to worry. It is merely some private feuds among the common folk, though the methods used were somewhat ruthless. Since Sir Yang and Sir Xue have come to Tongcheng to take charge, it will surely be quelled within days." Pang Yu sat in the Household Office, speaking to Tang Weimin on his right.

Tang Weimin and the others had originally been on an inspection tour in Anqing. Wang Instructor's first urgent report only mentioned that someone had posted anonymous notices, so Yang Fangzao only ordered the Chief Clerk to rush back. The very next day, an urgent report arrived about the killings and hanging of corpses, alarming Pi Yingju, who dispatched Judicial Commissioner Xue to return immediately to Tongcheng with them.

Tang Weimin, having heard about the corpses hanging from the city gate, had been quite worried all along. Today, even in the Household Office, he was too distracted to work.

Pang Yu, on the other hand, after meeting Gu Xiaowu the previous night, felt that the rioting gang had already lost its momentum and their next step would be to flee and wander the earth. After the initial panic passed, by now Pang Yu felt this disturbance was more like a gangland brawl, with the Military Examination Candidate gang having defeated the household slave gang. His original plan to seize an opportunity to profit from the chaos could only be abandoned.

Fortunately, there was still the bright prospect of being a Chest Attendant. So last night, Pang Yu had slept soundly. In the morning, he arrived and began preparing the tax tickets with He Xianya, ready to get his life back on track and continue his grand plan of being a Chest Attendant.

He only felt a slight twinge of sadness recalling what Gu Xiaowu had said when they parted the night before, but compared to being a Chest Attendant, it was nothing.

Tang Weimin felt somewhat reassured upon hearing this. He came over, lowered his voice, and said, "It would be best if it is quelled as soon as possible, so it doesn't affect our Autumn Grain Levy."

Pang Yu said affirmatively, "Sir, trust me on this, I am not wrong. I estimate the pacification of this chaos is just a matter of moments."

"The rioters have entered the city!" A sudden shout rang out.

Several constables dashed swiftly into the Main Hall. Instantly, the Main Hall was thrown into chaos. Pang Yu stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded.

"The rioters have entered the city? Where are they headed?" Tang Weimin asked in alarm.

The constable from the Household Office who had run back was hurriedly changing his clothes. His Constable Uniform fell to the ground, but he paid it no mind. He replied offhandedly, "I heard they are going to Fang Xiangqian's house. Some also say they are coming to attack the county yamen. Sir Tang, you should not stay in the yamen either."

"How many people are there?"

"Several thousand men, many of them armed with swords and on horseback — they've already entered through Dongzuo Gate."

Tang Weimin paced frantically inside the Household Office. "What are we to do… why didn't they close the city gates?"

The Xuli from every office around the Main Hall fled in panic, streaming out of the yamen. No matter how the County Vice-Magistrate shouted, not a single person stopped. In the end, even the County Vice-Magistrate himself vanished.

Pang Yu quickly grabbed Tang Weimin. "Tang, sir, go back to your quarters first and look after your family. In these next few days, there will be no shortage of people seizing the chaos to cause trouble. Stay at home and try not to go out."

"But I haven't stored much grain at home. How could I have known something like this would happen?"

Outside, the crowd scattered in all directions, as if the rioters were about to raze the yamen to the ground at any moment. Pang Yu's mouth went dry, but he still did not believe this handful of rioters could topple the imperial court. So he still had to keep supporting this superior, Tang Weimin — and besides, an investment made at a time like this was bound to yield twice the result for half the effort.

"I will deliver the grain myself. Sir, you need not worry. Go home first and look after your wife and children. If you wish to return to Liantan, this humble one can escort you when the time comes."

Tang Weimin was somewhat moved. He had been born in Tongcheng, and though he had spent no short time at the yamen, he had never experienced this kind of turmoil. He was indeed somewhat flustered. At this moment, any small pillar of support was extremely precious to him. Pang Yu's words steadied his mind considerably.

"Good, good. I, Tang, did not misjudge you."

Pang Yu called for He Xianya and immediately followed Tang Weimin out the door. Outside the Eight-Character Wall, the place was deserted. The Xuli emerging from the main gate dared not linger, fleeing the county yamen's vicinity at top speed.

County Front Street was a scene of utter chaos. Fallen headscarves and shoes lay on the ground with no one stopping to pick them up.

Tang Weimin's steps had gone somewhat weak. The two of them supported him as they skirted the county school and returned to his rented residence. Only after Tang Weimin had shut his door did they leave.

The two returned to County Front Street. Passersby on the road were fleeing in panic. A quick inquiry told them the rioters had gone to Fang Xiangqian's home.

Fang Xiangqian was the son of the late Grand Servant of the Imperial Stud, Fang Damei. The Wu and Ye families' evil deeds were mainly committed by their household servants — Wu Yingqi and Ye Can were advanced in age and lax in discipline — but Fang Xiangqian often did the dirty work himself, and was deeply resented in Tongcheng. Two days ago, when the rioters set up their banner at Hu Family Village, they rallied men by vowing to kill Fang Xiangqian, which showed just how vile his reputation was.

The only thing Pang Yu and his companion had feared was the bandits attacking the county yamen and themselves suffering as innocent bystanders. Now that they had left the yamen, they were not overly worried. He Xianya knew that Fang Xiangqian's home was at Xiangyang Gate. Seeing that the direction of Yimin Gate was quite calm, the two headed straight for Xiangyang Gate.

……

On Zhou Family Street inside Xiangyang Gate, a sea of heads surged outside the Fang residence. The rioters were smashing the gatehouse with all manner of tools. Some shouting came from within — it seemed people were bracing the door.

Pang Yu squeezed among the crowd, drenched in sweat in the sweltering August heat. All around him were frenzied rioters, men and women, young and old, which made the stifling heat feel even more oppressive.

The main gate still hadn't been broken open. Two bamboo ladders went up against the outer wall. Huang Wending took the lead, sword in hand, clambering up to the top of the wall with a rapid thumping. Other rioters followed, scaling it behind him. The sounds of fighting immediately erupted from within.

The crowd roared, "Open the gate first! Open the gate first!"

Moments later, the main gate was opened from the inside. The crowd cheered and swarmed in. Pang Yu had intended not to go further in, but he was swept through the gate by the human tide and lost track of He Xianya as well.

Once inside the gate, the crowd scattered in all directions. They smashed open every room of the Fang residence. When they saw anything useful, they hoisted it onto their shoulders and left.

People outside continued to pour in. Unable to get out the gate, Pang Yu had no choice but to follow along inward. All around him were common folk acting like madmen. Some looted one room and then went to another; when they found something better, they threw away what they had taken before. Everywhere, people were fighting and scrambling over goods.

What amazed Pang Yu was this: if there had been a robbery at night, most of these people would have been too afraid to leave their homes. But the first time the rioters looted in broad daylight, it drew nearly half the population of Tongcheng — and they seemed even more ferocious than the rioters themselves.

Pang Yu pulled out a prepared black cloth and covered his face, looking just like a bank robber. He dodged people in the courtyard. Seeing items scattered everywhere on the ground, he had no idea which were valuable, so he just picked up whatever was convenient to carry.

In that short span of time, Pang Yu spotted several familiar faces — all yamen runners he had seen before, all mingling among the crowd and snatching goods. There were even more of the Auxiliaries who usually hung around the Eight-Character Wall; these men were far more aggressive than the ordinary commoners.

At the gate stood some men who looked like ringleaders. Whenever anyone tried to leave, they stopped them and searched their persons. If they found any gold or silver, they forbade the person from taking it away. But if someone was only taking goods, they did not obstruct them.

The entire compound was in utter turmoil. The flowers and grass in the garden were trampled into a wretched mess. Scattered belongings lay everywhere. Every face was alight with greed and a strange, nameless excitement. Often, when someone somewhere shouted that there was stuff, a whole swarm of people would rush over.

Pang Yu unconsciously followed the crowd, darting east and west through the compound. He had absolutely no concept of a large residential compound like this. Whenever he saw a room, he went in. Whenever he saw something gorgeous and easy to carry, he kept it. His bosom was already stuffed full of all sorts of things, the largest being a bronze mirror polished to a brilliant shine.

After several dazed and dizzying rounds through the compound, he finally made it back outside the main gate. By now, the main flow of people had reversed, going from inside to out. Those few men checking for gold and silver were still stopping and searching people. Those coming from behind were bunching into a tight knot, and there were still some going from outside in. The gateway was instantly jammed into complete chaos.

"No manners at all. Don't they know how to queue?"

Pang Yu cursed, but it looked like he would have a hard time squeezing through. He was about to find a room to rest for a moment when he suddenly spotted, among the crowd waiting to be searched, his neighbor Xu Shu. Xu Shu was laboriously lugging a grand tutor's armchair. Then there was Sister-in-law Zhang, hugging a beautiful little black-glazed handled vase. And finally, he even caught a glimpse of Zhou Yueru's face flickering in the crowd.

"Damn it all, it's a nationwide mass mobilization for looting!"

He Xianya ran up to Pang Yu's side, clutching a blue silk bundle. "They're all a bunch of bumpkins. Top-grade Hui Ink was thrown on the ground, and no one wanted it."

"How do we get out?"

"Take the side gate. I saw it earlier." He Xianya led Pang Yu through several twists and turns to a side gate with very few people — there wasn't even anyone blocking it.

By the time the two of them emerged onto Zhou Family Street, the street was already in complete chaos. The shopfronts along the street had all been smashed open, and all manner of goods lay scattered across the road. Countless people were jostling outside the southern-goods silk shop, packed in layers three deep. Three or four people were fighting over a single bolt of silk.

Huang Wending, on horseback, his face full of excitement, used his whip to lash at people blocking the way. He bellowed, "Anyone got a grudge against that dog of a Gongsheng, Pan Yinglou? Follow me to the Pan Family!"

Rioters nearby immediately answered the call, howling as they followed Huang Wending away.

He Xianya slung his bundle over his back. "Let's follow along and scoop up a bit more."

Pang Yu adjusted the black cloth on his face. "The whole city is full of rioters now. What ever will all the esteemed gentlemen do?"