Chapter 582: Destiny

Lanterns had been hung on both sides of the camp gate, and the light in the sky was steadily fading.

Zhou Chen, arms folded across his chest, squatted at the street corner opposite; beside him, Lu Xiaoma sat on the ground, clutching a bamboo basket full of meat and chewing silently with fierce concentration.

A few other people were also squatting along the nearby street — refugees who had apparently just arrived from elsewhere, hoping to scrape together a living in Shipai.

With the Roving Bandits resurgent in the Central Plains, the Anqing Battalion had tightened its defense of its jurisdiction, setting up sentry posts on every major road, mainly to guard against bandit spies.

The refugees who made it to Shipai generally came from the Jiangbei vicinity; they waited here for work or to enlist — even the Infantry Firearms Battalion had plenty of people waiting. The refugees who arrived earlier slept in places like the Grass Depot or the temple, but more had come lately and could only sleep along the street curbs. Some shop owners were fierce about driving them off, so these people tried their best to avoid those storefronts.

Under the travel conditions of ancient times, the isolating effect of distance was far more pronounced; after leaving one's homeland, making a life for oneself in a strange place was extraordinarily difficult, which was why many regarded foreign lands as a road of dread — especially so in chaotic times. Because the Anqing Battalion was stationed here, a great deal of funds and supplies were concentrated in Anqing, making it already the best destination in Jiangbei, but for ordinary people it was still far from easy.

Before they got settled, most could only take odd jobs as laborers; a single full meal a day was considered good fortune. Now, catching the scent of meat, their eyes all fixed on Lu Xiaoma's bamboo basket like starving wolves. Had it not been for the two men's military uniforms, they would probably have devoured the pair along with the meat.

A burst of drumming — dong-dong-dong — sounded from within the camp. Zhou Chen lifted the pottery bowl beside him, drained the wine inside in one gulp, then stared down at Lu Xiaoma on the ground. "The first round of drums has sounded."

Lu Xiaoma said nothing. He took a sip from his own pottery bowl, then grabbed a pig's trotter and started gnawing on it noisily.

"If you don't return to camp, by tomorrow morning you'll be a deserter. If you want to go back to Chizhou, you'd best run tonight. If the Pacification Commissioner catches you, it's off with your head."

Zhou Chen squatted back down beside Lu Xiaoma, grabbed a piece of meat from his basket, and took a bite. "Once you're a deserter, you can't even stay in Anqing. You'd really have to go back to Chizhou. There's no battalion construction there — go home and farm, and you can't even feed your own family. That's how it was in my hometown. In the end, you still have to leave home to find a way to live. So what's the point of going back?"

Lu Xiaoma kept eating as he mumbled indistinctly, "Don't want any point, just don't want to be in this cursed Infantry Firearms Battalion."

Zhou Chen rubbed his face. "The way I see it, wherever a man ends up is decided by fate. Back when I was in Shandong, the farthest I'd ever gone in my life was the county seat to deliver grain. Once delivered, I had to head straight home, or it'd get dark — I never even got a clear look at the county seat. There I was, minding my own business at home, when suddenly the Tartars came. They grabbed us and marched us north. Passed through the Prefectural City, passed through Jinan, even went into Zhili. Said we'd march all the way to Liaodong. It was the dead of winter — my family all froze to death. I watched them die one by one. Fellow villagers froze to death, dropped dead from exhaustion. No one could help anyone else. It was pitiful to see. Later, I couldn't walk anymore either, was down to my last breath. Thought for sure I'd die in the Tartar camp. Who'd have thought the Tartars would be defeated by the Anqing Battalion."

Lu Xiaoma raised his head and stared blankly at Zhou Chen beside him.

"Those Tartar estate stewards said if the government troops caught you, they'd chop your head off to claim merit. I figured, since I couldn't run anyway, getting it chopped off would be quick and clean. So I waited for them to come and do it. Who knew when the Anqing Battalion soldiers came, they didn't chop heads — they fed us. I thought it was my last meal, so I ate ten bowls that one sitting. Finished eating and waited for them to come chop. In the end, they told us to head south back to Shandong on our own. I hadn't died and didn't know what to do. The roads were full of local bandits — they wouldn't even give you a last meal. I didn't dare go south. Only by following the Anqing Battalion was there a way to live. So I followed behind them the whole way, helping push carts and move grain in exchange for food. Stayed around the Capital for a few months. They said they were heading south, and we passed through Shandong again."

Lu Xiaoma stopped chewing. "Why didn't you go back?"

Zhou Chen's eyes drifted blankly over the refugees along the street, then turned back to gaze at the camp gate opposite. "There was nothing left at home. I had no place to go back to. So I just kept following, another thousand li all the way here. I'd never even heard of Anqing Prefecture, let alone this Shipai Town. It's just fate — you're destined to come here."

"You want to kill Tartars for revenge. I've got no grudge against Tartars."

"It's exactly about killing Tartars. My life was saved by the Anqing Battalion. From the day I was rescued, I've eaten the Anqing Battalion's food. I saw with my own eyes those soldiers in Iron Armor kill Tartars. I joined the Anqing Battalion to kill Tartars with my own hands. The Infantry Firearms Battalion's Monthly Pay is low — what do I need Monthly Pay for? Once I've killed all the Tartars, I'll take my time earning silver. Anyway, I've figured it out. Fate decided I was to come here, to join this Infantry Firearms Battalion, and right here in this Infantry Firearms Battalion I'll kill Tartars."

Zhou Chen spoke practically through gritted teeth. Just then, the second round of drums sounded from within the camp. A few hurrying figures dashed across the Small Square in front of the camp gate, rushing to the side gate to register and enter camp.

Zhou Chen wiped his eyes, looked at Lu Xiaoma, then stood up. "Only one round of drums left. Once the camp-closing cannon fires, you can't get in. I'm heading back to camp. If you're going to leave, leave soon. Remember to swap clothes with someone nearby."

Lu Xiaoma sat on the ground, staring blankly as Zhou Chen rose.

Zhou Chen waved a hand at him, turned, and headed for the camp gate. He had only taken a few steps when he suddenly heard Lu Xiaoma's voice behind him: "Wait."

He turned to look and saw Lu Xiaoma, in the dim light, grab the Wine Bowl beside him, tilt his head back and drain it, then stand up. Suddenly, with a sweep of his arm, he hurled the bamboo basket in his hands out into the street. With a series of soft thuds, the meat inside scattered across the ground. The refugees waiting along the street surged forward in a mob, quarreling and scrambling in the middle of the road.

"You say fate's decided it. I'll give it a try — see just what kind of fate this Infantry Firearms Battalion really is."

Lu Xiaoma clapped his hands, grabbed Zhou Chen's shoulder, and the two of them walked together toward the camp gate illuminated by lantern light.

Zhou Chen chuckled. "A good fate. The drill instructor said it — a soldier can make something of himself too."

When they reached the side gate of the camp, the sentries were already preparing to close it. The two men produced their Soldier Tags. The clerk had just begun registering them when another round of drums sounded.

The two men hurriedly urged him on. The clerk, knowing the urgency too, cursed, "Then you should've known to come back to camp earlier."

Though his mouth was cursing, his hands sped up. He scribbled a few quick strokes to finish, then handed the Soldier Tags back to the pair.

The moment they had the tags in hand, drums and horns suddenly blared in unison from the Martial Academy — the grand fanfare after the camp-closing cannon. The many horns and drums involved were meant to ensure everyone heard. Once the grand fanfare ended, the entire camp would be closed; all camp gates would permit no entry or exit, and officers would secure the camp and take roll call.

The two men broke into a run. The Barracks were on the far side of the Drill Ground. A last trace of twilight still lingered at the horizon, and by this faint light, they dashed swiftly onto the Drill Ground.

Lu Xiaoma clutched his Soldier Tag in his hand, waving it in the air as he tilted his head back and shouted, "Late for roll call means a beating with the rod!"

Zhou Chen followed with a shout, "Last one there feeds the mosquitoes!"

"Fate says we're taking the ramrod!"

"Fate says we're killing Tartars!"

"I'll help you kill Tartars!"

Lu Xiaoma let out a shriek. Amid the clamorous din of drums and horns from the grand fanfare, the two men laughed together, racing through the dim twilight Drill Ground toward the Barracks.

……

"These soldiers, just when it's time to sleep you start banging gongs and beating drums — all that racket, how's anyone supposed to sleep? No discipline at all."

The clamor of the grand fanfare drifted into Pozidun, separated from the Martial Academy by a single wall, all the way to the Public House of Acting Mound Chief Tan.

The place Mound Chief Tan and his grandson's wife now lived was long since no longer that old shack, but rather the place Yuan Pozi used to live in — Yuan Pozi had been driven out instead. The grandson's wife still managed the mound's accounts and was still settling the books at this moment, not yet returned.

Though this place was no brick-and-tile house, it was already the best dwelling in the mound. As Pozidun, under Lord Tan's leadership, shifted its development strategy, economic construction was thriving day by day, and formal Tile-Roofed Houses had also begun construction — they would likely be ready to move into after the new year.

So this was only a temporary residence; conditions were admittedly a bit lacking, but the table held four dishes, two of them meat, and there was a jug of wine beside them — the standard of food and drink was quite good.

Lord Tan was drinking with great relish and could not help growing somewhat impatient with the clamor of the grand fanfare next door.

"That dog-spawned Wu the Cripple, you're the worst. In Qianshan you made trouble, and here in Shipai you're still the same — just can't stand to let Tan Ye have a moment's peace." Tan Laizi cursed once more in that direction, then raised his cup and took a sip.

"Tan Ye curses true, that cripple's no good thing." Yuan Pozi stood respectfully before him. Having finished her own curse, she continued, "Tan Ye, drink and listen as you go. This old body will speak of her own matters now. There's an urgent matter to report to the Mound Chief — it's about the business of sleeping at night."

Tan Laizi raised an eyebrow. "Which old woman is setting her sights on this official? Let me tell you first, right now this official is too busy to handle it. Tell them not to be impatient, just wait a little longer."

"My lord, you see, it's not that kind of sleeping." Yuan Pozi pointed outside. "Ever since Tan Ye came, life in the mound has gotten better. Some women, seeing others earn money, have all gotten ideas. Some have bought lampstands, thinking they can do more business at night. Originally, it wasn't an issue, but if too many light lamps, this old body fears fire. This mound is all thatched huts. The Household Office originally set the rule: no lamps are allowed at night in any mound. But quite a few women have come begging. This old body feels Tan Ye should still make the decision, or perhaps discuss it with the Household Office — let our Pozidun be exempt from the curfew. That way, if a fire does break out, the blame won't fall on this old body."

Tan Laizi glanced outside. As Pozidun expanded its diversified business model, living standards were thriving day by day, and now a few scattered points of light could be seen at night. He set down his wine cup. "If the blame doesn't fall on you, should it fall on Tan Ye? People thinking of doing business at night — those are hardworking folk..."

Yuan Pozi said cautiously, "It's that kind of business."

"That kind, this kind — it's not like it's shameful. It's still work, and they pay profit money to the mound. Silver's nothing to be ashamed of." Tan Laizi pointed at Yuan Pozi. "However, being hardworking alone isn't necessarily a good thing. Lighting a lamp at night costs lamp oil — you have to see if it's worth it. Wu the Cripple set the rule: once the Martial Academy's camp-closing drum sounds, it's curfew outside. That flat-out wastes a lot of business. That Wu the Cripple is just no good thing."

Yuan Pozi joined in cursing. Tan Laizi calmed himself for a moment, then said, "With the curfew set here, the Pacification Commissioner is out patrolling everywhere. Get caught and you'll be beaten — so fewer people dare come out. You light a lamp, you burn oil. If all the women light lamps and see no one coming, they get anxious. The moment someone does come, they all fight over him, and that inevitably ruins the market price."

"Then what does the master think should be done? Otherwise, just forbid them from lighting lamps."

"There is still some business to be had. If you don't light lamps here, they might just go to the refugee women outside, and that still ruins business. Do it this way: set it in the Mud-Brick House beside the grass-drying ground. The mound will cover the oil cost. Keep only two or three stalls open. When there's business, the mound takes a larger cut of the silver. That way, fewer lamps are lit, less risk of fire, and it avoids ruining the market price."

"This old body has noted it down, and will do so tomorrow." Yuan Pozi leaned in closer. "Next is the business for Infantry Firearms Battalion bamboo hats that the master previously took on from the Logistics Division. The first order is one thousand hats, to be delivered within the month. Preparations are to begin tomorrow, having the mound women start preparing materials. For the next ten-plus days, we may need to pull more women away, and will need to hire more Laborers for the Forage side."

"Why use women to make bamboo hats?" Tan Laizi slapped the table. "Bamboo work is a craft — it's not something you can just call a bunch of women over to do. Tan Ye specialized in bamboo work back at the Sheng-Tang ferry crossing. Women can learn, sure, but they definitely won't do it well right away. How do you deliver the goods within the month? I'll handle this matter myself. Don't let the women do it. The bamboo and wood market in the Prefectural City has plenty — order directly from the Prefectural City. Squeeze the price down low, and give them the Logistics Division's specifications."

"If we don't make them, then a lot of women will be idle. This old body can't stand seeing people eat for free..."

"If you can't stand it, then don't look. You can't just see a woman idle and put her to work on bamboo ware. Take splitting bamboo strips alone — never mind whether she's fast or slow, if she's not a skilled worker, think how much bamboo will be wasted. When you tally it up, not only do you lose money on materials, but in the end the goods are poorly made. How am I supposed to explain that to the Logistics Battalion manager? Don't ruin the business."

"Then this old body won't handle this matter. Also, to report for Tan Ye's knowledge: this afternoon, over at the mound's Food Stalls, someone ate again without paying and got into a fight with several women. The women couldn't beat them, and the two men got away. This mound, with no men around, really won't do..."

Tan Laizi's eyes bulged, and Yuan Pozi quickly said, "Tan Ye is a man, he can't go trading blows with rough folk either. This old body's opinion is we should still recruit a few laborers. When this sort of thing happens and it comes to blows, we won't come out on the losing end."

"And to dare eat without paying — a man as upright as Tan Ye here couldn't even imagine such shameless people exist." Tan Laizi snorted. "Hiring men special costs capital. With all the refugees in town right now, pick a few from those laborers hired for forage — ones with good strength and a clear sense of right and wrong — and give them an extra meal. Next time someone this shameless shows up, have them all put their backs into the beating. Whoever fights well stays on at the hamlet. Anything else?"

"This old body went to deliver forage after noon and overheard people arguing in the Logistics Battalion. They said the workshops are setting up a Firearms Branch Division at Shipai, so I made a point of asking around. It's for making fire lances and cannons. The workshops didn't want to open a branch here originally — it was that Reform Group that decided it. They said some new fire lance they're making isn't reliable, and sending it back to Shimen Lake for repairs causes delays. As it happened, the workshops were being split into several branch divisions, so the Reform Group reported to Lord Pang to have the firearms set up in two places, one of them at Shipai. The workshops weren't willing — said splitting into two places makes rations and pay more expensive. The two sides quarreled and took it to Lord Pang. The workshops couldn't hold out, but they didn't want to lose out on rations and pay, so the Central Army Secretariat ruled that for now the Logistics Battalion will handle the funds, rations, and materials for the Firearms and Cannons Division."

Tan Laizi suddenly raised a hand. "The Logistics Battalion — I know them well. Those are all men who'd die for Tan Ye from the days of rallying to the king. You think those bamboo hats get handed out just like that otherwise… We're doing business with this Firearms and Cannons Division. In a couple of days I'll invite the man over, wine and dine him properly. Granny, pick a few presentable ones. This old master will personally get chummy with him. We must secure the offcuts from this Firearms and Cannons Division."

"Master, what money is there in offcuts? Better to just sell him forage, charcoal, and firewood."

"What the hell do you know? That's exactly where the biggest money is. The offcuts from that workshop at Shimen Lake — all of them get taken by Liu Ruogu's wife's brother. He hauls them out, melts them down, and sells them to the copper and iron smiths outside. Doesn't cost him a lick of effort, and he's been raking in big silver for years. The man in charge of the Logistics Battalion here at Shipai — Liu Ruogu doesn't know him well. We've got to find a way to fight for a piece of this. Whatever we get is something. Iron, copper, steel — they're all goods worth money."

Yuan Pozi acknowledged this, then added, "Next are some trivial matters, but this old body feels she must still ask Tan Ye for a set course. It's about that He Sanniang who struck Tan Ye. Her man was a gang leader, beaten to death at Susong. When the Dark Sentinel Division came to take people away, they said a gang leader's wife is useless once he's dead, so they didn't take her. She's been kept at Pozidun all along. They said just let her go, but the Household Office won't permit it. Keeping her under watch and control like this all the time makes it inconvenient for work. Tan Ye is close with the yamen — could you speak with the Household Office? This woman is useless — can we just stop watching her?"

"Why won't the Household Office people release her? I'll tell you — they won't permit it not because this woman is useful right now, but because they're afraid that if she becomes useful someday in the future, and the yamen asks for her and they can't produce her, they'll be charged with a crime. Whatever trouble your hamlet has is none of their concern, so long as they themselves bear no responsibility. So in reality, no one remembers this woman at all — even if she died it wouldn't matter. But if you go ask the Household Office whether you can stop watching her, they'll give you one word: no. You shouldn't be asking them at all."

Yuan Pozi's face creased with worry. "One word from them — no — and the hamlet has so much more trouble. A woman this sturdy, not working and we still have to feed her… So Tan Ye, what do you think we should do about this woman? Otherwise, just give her one bowl of congee a day — at least it saves a little."

Tan Laizi hesitated, then cursed. "Always scheming over these sesame-seed and mung-bean trifles. How much do you save by cutting one meal? She's idle all day and starving besides — who knows what trouble she might stir up."

"Then simply stop watching her. If she runs off or something, just say she jumped in the river and died."

"Can you not say 'jumped in the river'? Don't keep bringing up jumping in the river for no reason. If you ask Tan Ye, there's no need to watch her specially. Treat her like the other women — if she can dry forage, let her dry forage; if she can watch the storehouse, let her watch the storehouse. In short, have her do things together with the others, and she's watched as a matter of course. At least she'll get some work done."

Yuan Pozi glanced outside, then drew closer and lowered her voice. "There's also this — another matter that needs Tan Ye to set the course. This business with Sun the Lady."

Tan Laizi tilted his head away. "What about Sun the Lady?"

"Right now she's keeping the accounts, and she's also managing the outside business. This — I'll speak frankly with the master. This Sun the Lady, back when she was in the Prefectural City, was kept by a silver house. After that chaos broke out in Nanjing — this old body still doesn't know exactly what chaos it was — anyway, she offended some lord or other. The Central Army Secretariat issued orders transferring her to the Household Office, and in the end she was placed here at Pozidun. The Household Office made it clear: she's not allowed contact with the outside, and she's to be strictly watched and controlled." Yuan Pozi's face was full of distress. "This old body has always kept her under strict watch. When you came, Master Tan, it was fine for this old body to relax things a little, but… now that Sun the Lady is keeping the accounts, she's constantly in contact with the outside, coming and going in town as she pleases. If by any chance she were to pass a message somewhere or something and stir up trouble, this old body couldn't bear the punishment. It's so terribly difficult…"

Tan Laizi leapt up and landed two kicks on Yuan Pozi, who stood half a head taller than him. "What are you finding difficult? What difficulty? This master is the man in charge of the hamlet. Even the Logistics Battalion acknowledges this master. It's just a Household Office — this master will have a word with the man in charge of the Household Office. Go ask around all of Anqing — who doesn't know Tan Ye of Sheng-Tang Ferry? Sun the Lady is living perfectly well, eating well, lodging well. Passing a message where — you tell me."

Yuan Pozi shrank into a ball, letting Tan Laizi land his two kicks. "This old body was just talking, that's all."

Tan Laizi kicked her again. Yuan Pozi dared say no more and scurried out the door at once. Another burst of drum sounding came from the encampment — it seemed to be lights-out.

Tan Laizi's three kicks in a row had already been the day's heaviest physical exertion, and he felt a little short of breath. Seeing Yuan Pozi flee, he did not pursue her further. He spat in the direction of the Martial Academy. "All of them — not a single one with any proper form."