Chapter 46

Outside the north wall of Wuyin Temple, beyond Tongcheng's south gate, Huang Wending stared at the city tower in the night, his face grim.

Though the tower was so pitch-black that nothing could be made out, Huang Wending knew perfectly well that a yellow banner bearing the character "Wang" was flying there. Beneath that yellow banner hung the official placard of the Anchi Military Defense Circuit, and the city gate was plastered with pacification notices issued by the Circuit yamen.

When that yellow banner first went up, they hadn't thought it any different from the previous offers to recruit them. Then word came that over a thousand Chizhou Troops had already crossed the river, and some even said they had reached Liantan Town.

What happened next left him dumbfounded. The yamen runners and clerks who had previously thrown in with them vanished without a trace. Once the report of Chizhou Troops reaching Liantan was confirmed, the common folk who had been following them in droves not long before also disappeared. It was as if, in the blink of an eye, no one favored their chances anymore, and their excellent momentum had reversed in a flash.

"Brother Huang, why don't we just split the silver and cash, each go our own way, and settle down somewhere else to live as rich old gentlemen?"

Huang Wending glared over. It was that Zhu Zong again. He walked over slowly, drew back his arm, and delivered a full roundhouse slap that sent Zhu Zong spinning two circles before he collapsed to the ground.

Huang Wending jabbed a finger at Zhu Zong and roared, "Run off where? Every brother here is Tongcheng born and bred, with families, wives, children, kin, and friends all here. You want everyone to take the silver and abandon their homes — wouldn't that just be handing a bargain to the Green-Skins from other parts? If we want a good place for ourselves, we have to stick together. If everyone thought like you, in an instant the tree would fall and the monkeys would scatter. You want us to wait around to be caught and charged one by one by the yamen?"

Zhu Zong clutched his face and said sullenly, "Fine, then we won't split it. But with us locked in a standoff with the yamen like this, neither accepting recruitment nor running, my heart is in constant panic."

Wang Guohua came over and said to Huang Wending, "Zhu Zong's words actually have some sense to them. Being stuck in such a dilemma is the worst. In my humble opinion, the yamen's recruitment offer today smacks of perfunctory stalling. They only tell us to go back to our own villages and resume our livelihoods, but they haven't said whether our crimes of murder and arson can be pardoned. How can we feel at ease accepting recruitment on such terms? What worries me more is what they're stalling for. Could it be that they are simply buying time until the Chizhou Troops arrive?"

Huang Wending waved his hand impatiently. "So what if those dog officials are stalling? I don't even want to be recruited. We brothers have grain and silver now. Fort up together and our days are merry. Not even the Heavenly King himself can tell us what to do. The moment we break up the stronghold, those dog officials will divide and destroy us for sure. Where would we find such good living then?"

Wang Guohua lowered his head and sighed softly. "But this is no long-term solution. Our first purpose in rising up was revenge. Now that our great vengeance is done, recruitment is our way out. Furthermore, whether we accept recruitment or not, we must have a definite place to go. If we want good recruitment terms, we'll need to spend silver to open the right doors with the various Hall Officers…"

"Those dog officials can dream on!" Huang Wending bellowed. "These tens of thousands of taels of silver here were earned by us brothers through bitter struggle. How can we let those dog officials get them cheap?"

The accomplices below all chimed in, and some started shouting again about dividing the silver.

Huang Wending waved his hand. "The silver has already been divided once. Add in what each man looted on his own, and every old brother has one or two hundred taels — more than enough to settle your families. The rest we won't divide for now. We still need to forge weapons and armor. As long as our armor is sturdy and our blades are sharp, no one can do a thing to us."

Wang Guohua kept his head down until their voices subsided, then said, "If not, then take the silver and give some to the common folk. It's been many days since we led the people to plunder the great households. The moment the Chizhou Troops came, popular sentiment stopped siding with us, and the yamen gained the upper hand. Give the commoners some money and stir up some more excitement in the city — only then will the yamen be anxious to negotiate."

Huang Wending gave a hearty laugh. "What upper hand has the yamen gained? If not for those Chizhou Troops coming, both the Prefect and the County Magistrate would be bowing their heads and sticking close. We don't need them anxious to negotiate."

Gu Xiaowu, standing behind, chimed in, "Those dog officials are the worst of the lot. With Brother Huang here, none of us are afraid of them. Not a single copper coin for those dog officials."

The crowd chimed in again, all singing Huang Wending's praises. Wang Guohua could only shut his mouth and say no more.

Once everyone quieted down, Huang Wending turned and walked toward the temple gate. "They think the Chizhou Troops can scare me. I'll show them they won't get their wish. But this hill at Wuyin Temple is too small and offers no defensible terrain. We can't stay here. Tonight we move to Yunji Temple. There's only one mountain path up there. Let's see how the Chizhou Troops can attack that. Once we've beaten them bloody, we'll talk slowly. Everyone's worked hard half the night — once we reach Yunji Temple, we drink wine and eat meat!" (Note 1)

The rioters let out a cheer and surged through the temple gate behind Huang Wending.

Wang Guohua frowned as he watched their retreating figures, his face dark as he shook his head slightly.

The two-hundred-odd core members of the rebellion filed down the mountain. Ever since they had collected large sums of silver, they had been recruiting blacksmiths from the surrounding villages and forging a motley assortment of weapons. At least from what Pang Yu had seen, there were snake spears, golden melon hammers, hook sickle spears, two-handed swords, and the like. The most practical and cheapest weapon — the long spear — was rarely seen.

Pang Yu withdrew his gaze in the darkness. Opposite him was Gu Xiaowu. Ever since he had thrown in his lot with this Vanguard General, Pang Yu had also been given the title of Left Sentinel Mobile Corps Commander within the bandit gang. Almost every night he had to come to Wuyin Temple to meet with Gu Xiaowu, and by now quite a few of the bandits recognized Pang Yu.

Gu Xiaowu, standing by the roadside, gave the newly arrived Pang Yu some advice. "From now on, Brother Pang will have to trouble himself to travel farther. We're moving to Yunji Temple — about ten-plus li away, and once you get there, there are still several hundred steps to climb."

Pang Yu's legs went weak at the words. How could he possibly go there every night? Yet he had to make contact every day to get enough intelligence.

Just as he was at a loss for how to arrange things, Gu Xiaowu clapped him on the shoulder again and said, "Old brothers are still the most reliable. All those yamen people who came over to our side in the past days have stopped showing up. Only Brother Pang keeps his word."

At that moment, Huang Wending happened to pass by carrying a torch. Seeing Gu Xiaowu, he came over and held the torch right in front of Pang Yu's face. Pang Yu was instantly struck by a blaze of blinding light and hurriedly shielded his eyes.

Huang Wending said to Gu Xiaowu, "This old brother of yours is not bad. Even with the Chizhou Troops here, he still brings you news every day — far more loyal than those dog clerks from the yamen."

Pang Yu hurriedly said, "That's only what I ought to do. Back when Brother Xiaowu was riding high, he never forgot me. How could a man abandon righteousness at the sight of profit and act like a weathervane? Alliance Leader Huang flatters me too much."

Huang Wending laughed heartily and clapped Pang Yu on the shoulder and back. The force was considerable, sending Pang Yu stumbling half a step forward.

Then he felt inside his robe and pulled out a ten-tael silver ingot, tossing it casually toward Pang Yu. Pang Yu didn't register it in time, and when he tried to catch it, he missed. The ingot fell into the grass beside him.

By the time Pang Yu bent to pick it up, Huang Wending had already left. Pang Yu hurriedly cupped his hands in farewell. Once Huang Wending reached the official road, Pang Yu crouched down again and groped everywhere for the silver ingot. Gu Xiaowu helped him search. Before they found it, the sound of cart wheels rumbled on the road.

Looking up, he saw seven or eight horse-drawn carts passing by. On the cart frames sat neatly arranged silver chests.

Pang Yu stopped what he was doing, his eyes fixed intently on those carts, his gaze almost glowing green in the night.

After the carts passed, what followed were oxcarts loaded with grain, wine, and meat. Pang Yu withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and searched silently on the ground for a while until he finally found that silver ingot.

Gu Xiaowu's eyes grew a little moist. "Then I must trouble Brother Pang to travel farther. If there's any important news, be sure to remember to come tell me. There are only a few people left who can pass messages now. Brother Pang can get close to those big shots, so naturally your information is the best informed. That way, I'll also have great face with Alliance Leader Huang. This bit of silver isn't enough to repay you. When brighter days come in the future, I'll certainly bring Brother Pang along and lift you up."

Pang Yu agreed wholeheartedly. Once Gu Xiaowu and the others had gone far, he rubbed the silver ingot in his hand and said softly, "This bit of silver is indeed not enough."

…

Five days later, the main camp of the Chizhou Troops at Liantan Town.

Although the Chizhou Troops were a motley rabble, that Mobile Corps Commander Pan still had some ability. He had compelled these grunts to dig a trench around the camp and had erected a layer of horse-rejecting barriers using sharpened wooden stakes. It was just that their tents were a hodgepodge of every kind, making the place look like a refugee camp.

Wang Gongbi stood atop the trench wall, gazing in the direction of Tongcheng, his expression shifting constantly. Beside him stood an old man — none other than the trusted Advisor sent by Yingtian Grand Coordinator Zhang Guowei.

Wang Gongbi frowned and asked, "Mr. Ma, you say the first person to memorialize the throne about the Tongcheng affair was neither the Yingtian Grand Coordinator nor the Yingtian Regional Inspector?"

"Exactly. Governor Zhang only just received word. That River Patrol Admiral Ma Shiming submitted a report on the rebellion several days ago. Both the Grand Coordinator Yamen and the Circuit Inspector Yamen have been put in an extremely awkward position. According to what this old man has learned after spending quite a bit of silver to inquire, the River Patrol Admiral even reported the names of the victims — Wu Bing and Yin Deng."

Wang Gongbi's expression changed. "How could Ma Shiming be so well informed?"

The old man shook his head. "I don't know what Ma Shiming is planning. Originally, Governor Zhang and Regional Inspector Li had a tacit understanding. Both intended to report only after the rebellion was pacified. Who knew that Ma Shiming would steal a march on them? Now time will not wait for us. Circuit Intendant Wang must not keep the troops stationed here waiting for things to change."

By now, the Tongcheng Uprising had shaken all of Nanzhili. From Anqing down to Nanjing, defenses were being strengthened everywhere. But because of the great distance to the Capital, the imperial court there had not yet learned of it.

Wang Gongbi understood what the old man was saying. Grand Coordinator Zhang Guowei and Regional Inspector Li Tangyou's thinking was surely the same: first pacify the rebellion, then report upward. This was because Nanzhili was the absolute top priority of the Ming Empire. If the Emperor learned of the rebellion before it was quelled, the anxiety in the Emperor's heart would be imaginable. Under such abnormal emotions of anxiety, the Emperor might very well mete out excessive punishment, which would be highly disadvantageous to both the Grand Coordinator and the Regional Inspector. But if the very first memorial already reported that the rebellion had been pacified, the Emperor would have peace of mind and would merely be reading an account of the process — then there would be no talk of punishment at all.

Therefore, neither the Grand Coordinator Yamen nor the Circuit Inspector Yamen had reported the rebellion upward. They had been waiting all along for Anqing to pacify or recruit the rebels. Every Detailed Report from Anqing Prefecture claimed that recruitment was on the verge of success, sometimes even stating that the Pacification Bureau was already established. But upon final verification, it was discovered that the rioters were still maintaining their stronghold, and at any moment an even greater upheaval could erupt. As time dragged on, that River Patrol Admiral Ma Shiming had stolen the initiative, putting Zhang Guowei in an extremely passive position.

He turned his head to look at that mass of troops. When they had crossed the river from Chizhou, there had been over a thousand men, many of whom were Riffraff, beggars, Auxiliaries, and the like dragged in to make up the numbers. Several hundred had deserted along the way. While encamped at Liantan, Pan Keda had deliberately dug a trench, both to prevent the rioters from raiding the camp and to stop the soldiers from deserting. Even so, only five or six hundred men remained.

The old man knew the combat strength of the Chizhou Troops. Wang Gongbi, in truth, had no full confidence in defeating those rioters. Because of the presence of those men who merely made up the numbers — such people usually could only bring disaster upon the common folk and had a purely negative effect on the battlefield. In the Ming Army, defeat on the battlefield often came not from being outfought, but from collapsing before even making contact. The larger the scale, the more disastrous the rout.

The old man had no intention of being considerate toward Wang Gongbi. He said sternly, "Governor Zhang has issued a strict order. Circuit Intendant Wang must not delay. You are to carefully deploy the troops and exterminate the Tongcheng rioters within a set deadline. The time limit is one full month from the start of the rebellion. I will wait in Anqing only until the twenty-third."

Without waiting for Wang Gongbi's reply, he turned and walked out of the camp gate. A few attendants helped him mount his horse, and he rode off in the direction of Anqing.

Once the old man was far away, Mobile Corps Commander Pan came over to Wang Gongbi.

Wang Gongbi said coldly, "Mobile Corps Commander Pan, tell this official the truth. Are you confident of defeating those Tongcheng rioters or not?"

Pan Keda hesitated for a moment, then said, "Sir, according to the spies, Huang Wending's gang truly numbers fewer than two hundred. In my camp, the only capable fighters are those fifty-odd Household Retainers. Beyond them, there are twenty or thirty men of large build and great strength who can be of some use. The rest can only just follow orders. With these nearly one hundred elite troops, I have full confidence in defeating those rioters on open flatland. But to assault Yunji Temple, I'm afraid…"

Wang Gongbi cursed inwardly — the dignified Five Prefectures Military Defense Circuit of Nanzhili, yet in the end the soldiers and horses capable of fighting numbered fewer than a hundred. Nanzhili had always continued to follow the Guard System, and the Guard Posts, due to their inherent systemic flaws, had been on a path of collapse since the early Ming, until by the late Ming there was nothing left to collapse — for example, the over 5, 00 Guard Post Military Households of the Anqing Guard had long since vanished to who knows where, utterly incapable of undertaking any defensive function.

And Nanzhili had enjoyed peace for too long, its military preparedness slack in every direction, lacking the urgency of the northern border defenses — the Ming Empire's central tax revenues had all been used on the Nine Borders in the north, which was also the financial foundation that allowed the Nine Borders to convert from the Guard System to the Mercenary Recruitment System.

Every time the court deployed troops, they could mostly only draw from the Nine Borders — it was not that only the north could produce strong armies, but rather that this pattern of financial allocation had an extremely great relationship with it.

Excluding the Ming Empire's own abysmal administrative efficiency, this financial allocation was also a critical reason for the extreme weakness of the interior's defenses — what little military funds existed were embezzled layer by layer, and the General Officers further skimmed from empty payrolls and Blood Money, which was why Wang Gongbi, the dignified Five Prefectures Military Defense Circuit, had only a hundred soldiers capable of fighting.

Fortunately, the bandits' fighting strength was not strong either, and Wang Gongbi had no intention of entertaining Pan Keda's difficulties — bearing the immense pressure of the Grand Coordinator, he had to transmit that pressure down to the General Officers, and now with a cold expression he said, "Grand Coordinator Zhang has strictly ordered the rebellion suppressed within a set deadline — Mobile Corps Commander Pan, what good strategy do you have?"

Pan Keda was silent a moment, then said, "This humble officer alone lacks the strength to exterminate the rioters, but I can join forces with the Tongcheng country squires. That Jiang Chen who came yesterday was sent by Fang Rural Official; from his opinion, their side's strength alone is also insufficient to quell the uprising."

"But the rioters are now massed at Yunji Temple, a place easy to defend and hard to attack. Even with combined strength, we may not prevail."

"Our troops could feign a withdrawal. As long as some of those bandits leave, this humble officer will lead those hundred-odd battle-worthy soldiers straight for Yunji Temple. The country squires can then effectively encircle and exterminate the remaining portion. Thus our troops need not enter Tongcheng, yet the uprising can still be quelled."

Wang Gongbi pondered a moment. He knew Pan Keda's objective was not only quelling the uprising, but also the tens of thousands of taels of silver in Yunji Temple. Huang Wending's gang numbered under two hundred men, but Yunji Temple had only one mountain path; holding the road passage made it indeed easy to defend and hard to attack. If they could split off a portion, the Chizhou Troops' assault on Yunji Temple would be far more certain.

"Liantan is still nearly seventy li from Tongcheng, and sixty li from Yunji Temple. How can we learn the rioters' movements in time?"

Pan Keda lowered his voice. "This humble officer has captured a rioter. This man is a Liantan local, denounced when he returned home; I just took him into custody. He was originally a fence-sitter. Seeing our great Chizhou army arrive, he wished to throw in his lot with this humble officer for some reward. We can send him back to Yunji Temple to gather intelligence. Then our army will feign withdrawal to Anqing, while in truth this humble officer will lead an elite force to lie hidden nearby. The moment the rioters disperse, he will come report at once."

Wang Gongbi thought for a long while, then finally said, "Do not inform the Tongcheng yamen. The Xuli there are unreliable. Have that Jiang Chen go back and tell only the Tongcheng country squires. This official will wait only until the twentieth day of the intercalary eighth month. If by then the Tongcheng Uprising is still not quelled, this official will not only march on Yunji Temple, but will also enter the Tongcheng County Seat directly to purge the remnants of the rioters."

……

The Fang Family Study in Fengyi Ward, Tongcheng.

Fang Kongzhao had been silent for a full half quarter-hour after hearing the message Jiang Chen brought back. Fang Zhongjia, Sun Lin, Jiang Chen, Jiang Zhihuai, and the others in the room all dared not disturb him.

A soft pop sounded from the oil lamp's wick as a tiny oil flower burst open. Only then did Fang Kongzhao raise his eyes.

"Heavy Armor, have all the recruited Da Hang arrived?"

"Only forty have come. Originally seventy were planned, but since Wang Circuit Intendant has issued strict orders, we can wait no longer. I reckon forty men, plus my Household Retainers and the able-bodied servants of the residence, are enough to defeat Huang Wending's gang on open ground."

Fang Kongzhao turned to the Xiucai Jiang Chen. "Will the Chizhou Troops attack only Yunji Temple and not enter the Tongcheng County Seat?"

Jiang Chen cupped his hands. "They ask you, sir, to set the time. The main Chizhou force will feign a retreat, so the bandits will relax their guard. As long as we lure the bandits down the mountain, they will wipe out the bandit nest at Yunji Temple to prevent the rebel momentum from flaring up again. If Mr. Fang can defeat the contingent that comes down the mountain, then the Chizhou Troops will not enter the County Seat."

Fang Kongzhao nodded and let out a long breath. "Thus we can quell the uprising and also avoid the calamity of troops. For the sake of the common people of Tongcheng, we must stake everything on this one throw."

Everyone in the room straightened their bodies. With Fang Kongzhao's resolve made, the Tongcheng gentry's long-planned operation to quell the uprising was now at the moment of execution.

Fang Kongzhao fixed his eyes on Fang Zhongjia. "According to our plan, the next step is to lure the rioters out of the mountains. Has Zhang Bingcheng agreed to the strategy we set last time?"

"He has agreed. As soon as you give the order, eldest brother, he will use the pretext of surrender negotiations to draw Zhang Ru into the county town. Zhang Bingcheng is Zhang Ru's master; Zhang Ru will certainly be off guard. When we seize that Zhang Ru, the Yunji Temple bandits, thinking the Chizhou Troops have already left, will inevitably be emboldened. Not knowing we are prepared, they will surely enter the town to rescue him."

Fang Kongzhao lightly slapped the table. "We will ambush them within the town and catch Huang Wending off guard. The absolute crux of this matter is striking when they are unprepared; not a whisper of information must leak. The yamen Xuli especially are all unreliable; do not even inform the several officials. Only when the moment to act arrives will we ask County Magistrate Yang for assistance. We gentry have received the state's grace for generations. Quelling uprisings and protecting the people is precisely our duty. Now is the very time to exert ourselves and serve the country."

The several men rose one after another to voice their resolve; the atmosphere in the room was fervent.

Fang Kongzhao's expression was calm. One by one he admonished them to mind their secrecy and absolutely not let any information leak. Only after the men repeatedly gave their assurances did they each take their leave.

Once the young scholars had departed, the study fell quiet. Only Fang Zhongjia remained.

He said to Fang Kongzhao, "Now the Central Plains are in turmoil, and the court values most those versed in military affairs. This time everything rests on eldest brother's planning. If the pacification goes smoothly and old friends at court present your case, eldest brother will surely have a time of restoration."

Fang Kongzhao smiled faintly. His mourning-leave period had long since expired, yet the court had not restored him to his original post. This Tongcheng Uprising was, for him, an immense opportunity.

As long as his merit in quelling the uprising was recognized by the local officials, it would appear in the Detailed Report and other documents recounting pacification merits, reaching directly to the Cabinet and even to the imperial ear. When old friends at court vigorously recommended him, it would be twice the result with half the effort.

But there was still one flaw at present. Fang Kongzhao put away his smile and asked in a deep voice, "Has that man responded?"

"That man has agreed to seize Huang Wending, but the rioters now all follow Huang Wending's lead. He must wait for an opportunity to act. We probably cannot wait for him to slowly find his chance."

Fang Kongzhao said softly, "Find a way to tell him: if he wants to redeem himself through merit, he must act quickly. Without even an inch of achievement, no one can help him. You must press him to strike early, but do not tell him the specific day or hour, lest he feign allegiance to probe for information."

Fang Zhongjia acknowledged the order, then hesitated and said, "What if that man fails to find an opportunity, fails to seize Huang Wending, and also fails to capture the silver…"

Fang Kongzhao walked half a circle before the desk, placed his left hand on its surface, and tapped lightly. "Then he absolutely must not be left alive." (Note 2)

……

Note 1: Zhang Guowei, Memorials on Pacifying Wu: (After the Chizhou Troops crossed the river) the villainous gang openly dispersed but secretly gathered, harassing and harming villagers in the Yunji Temple area.

Tongcheng County Gazetteer: Yunji Temple lies on the Guache River. Built by the Song monk Baoyan, rebuilt by the Ming monk Yuanguan, destroyed by troops. Rebuilt in the fifth year of the Shunzhi reign.

Note 2: Tongcheng Incident Record: Guohua was by nature fierce and cunning, known to a certain county gentry for his boxing courage… The bandits used pacification to pressure the gentry; the gentry used pacification to deceive the bandits, secretly sending Guohua to plot against Wending and redeem himself.