Chapter 265: Dengzhou After the Battle

On the eighteenth day of the first month, Liu Minyou arrived in Dengzhou travel-worn and weary. Ninghai Department and Fushan along the way were both very quiet. On the road he occasionally encountered Wendeng relay riders coming and going. Wendeng Battalion's horses were gradually increasing, and the corresponding expenses had also risen. Moreover, qualified warhorses were in short supply — the good horses were mostly captured from the Jianzhou bandits at the battles of Gu'an and Luanzhou, totaling no more than five or six hundred, all distributed to the cavalry battalion and the various units' scout riders. The mounts for ordinary relay riders could only be selected from common horses.

Liu Minyou himself rode a common horse as well, of a relatively mild temperament and ordinary stamina. He brought two bodyguards, both newly assigned. Because the silly monk was too heavy, when riding he often could not keep up with Liu Minyou's pace, and only accompanied him when in Wendeng.

When still several li from the east gate, ambush patrol soldiers came to check them. Liu Minyou now had his own waist tally. After he handed it over, those soldiers, knowing he was the widely renowned Mr. Liu, promptly dispatched men to escort him all the way to the city gate.

The east gate of the city stood wide open. An unbroken stream of ox carts and horse carts emerged from the city, entering the encampment at the foot of Wolong Ridge. Liu Minyou gazed around as far as he could see. On Mishen Shan to the south there was yet another encampment.

Around Dengzhou city there had originally been many houses, concentrated mainly to the southeast and due south. Now, to the east, most were reduced to broken walls and ruins. A few commoners who had just returned were searching everywhere among their household belongings.

When he reached the east gate, a porridge station had been set up outside the city. A dense mass of refugees was waiting for porridge to be distributed. At the city gate, a company of Wendeng Battalion soldiers was marching out singing. Leading them was the Third Company's Company Commander Fan Shouye. He had been among the earliest group of trackers and was very familiar with Liu Minyou. When he married, Liu Minyou had officiated the wedding.

Once Fan Shouye saw clearly it was Liu Minyou, he hurriedly dismounted and came over to salute, then said with a grin, "Mr. Liu, in past years, to issue silver to the troops, you worried so much about silver you pulled your hair out. This time, the troops have earned it all back for you."

Liu Minyou said, "Earned it all back? Just how much was seized?"

Fan Shouye gently pulled him aside and said in a low voice, "I don't know either, but it's certainly not a small amount. Over three thousand rebel soldiers and rioting civilians were captured in the city. Searched on their persons alone, they found over two hundred thousand taels. Right now the Intelligence Bureau is conducting an investigation and discovered many rebels hid valuables in secret places throughout the city. They're now interrogating them, making them inform on each other."

Liu Minyou said in astonishment, "Two hundred thousand, that much?"

"More than that. The prefectural treasury, department treasury, and county treasury were all emptied out. For some reason the rebels didn't take it with them — it was all left piled outside the storehouses. Chen Daru had the auxiliary troops move it into the barbican. That also totals over two hundred thousand taels, proper treasury silver, some of it even gold-flower silver. Many of the great households in the city were exterminated. It's said that in some household cellars there were over a hundred thousand taels of silver, but I didn't see it myself. I heard military judges supervised the auxiliary troops packing it into crates and transporting it out of the city at night."

"This... is this proper? These are all belongings of other people's households. Just carting them off like this isn't quite appropriate."

"Mr. Liu, what's improper about it? They're all ownerless goods now. If we don't cart them off, Lu Zhi and the naval battalion's men will. Chen Daru is currently at the department government office. Mr. Liu, just follow the main road straight there. In some parts of the city they're still mopping up remnant bandits — sir, don't take the side paths."

Liu Minyou sighed softly. Fan Shouye's men and horses had by now gone far. He hastily bid Liu Minyou farewell and rode off in pursuit. Liu Minyou, bringing his two bodyguards, walked together into the barbican. The banners of Wendeng Battalion fluttered atop the walls. The desolation along the main streets left him dumbstruck. The rebel army had been in the city no more than two or three days, yet had utterly destroyed the prosperity Dengzhou had built up over centuries.

Groups of captives, under the guard of detachment soldiers, were clearing the ruins. Some commoners were searching in front of their own houses for any household goods still usable. Some of Wendeng Battalion's auxiliary troops were helping them build simple shacks upon the ruins, and were also continuously moving furniture from the great residences to various households. Two porridge stations had also been set up along the main street — one at the barbican entrance, one just outside the county office.

Waves of distress surged in Liu Minyou's heart. He dismounted and walked slowly, examining everything. The corpses in the streets had all been cleared away. Pools of blood on the ground had turned black. Beside them were chaotic bloody footprints.

As he passed the county office, the sound of wailing came from a large residence nearby. Just then, a group of men wearing Ming army uniforms emerged from the main gate. The surrounding commoners hurriedly put down the work in their hands and hid far away.

This group of men were carrying chests large and small in their hands. A woman, weeping as if heaven and earth were collapsing, chased after them from behind, crying out, "Those aren't the rebel soldiers' — they belong to my household! You're taking it all away — how many years did my master save to accumulate that..."

That group of Ming soldiers all wore mandarin-duck battle coats, some new, some old. Some were even dressed in ordinary commoners' clothes. The one thing they all had in common was that every man had a strip of red cloth tied around his left arm.

The leader kicked the woman over with one foot, raised his blade, and threatened, "Keep fucking squawking and I'll cleave you in two with one stroke."

Another man, a pockmarked fellow in commoners' clothes, also cursed, "There were clearly three rebel soldiers inside the house — we caught them and killed them. If these things weren't looted by them from outside, that'd be strange. If Chen Daru hadn't forbidden killing, I'd have taken your head long ago and sold your daughter to a brothel. Let's see you keep yapping then, you bitch. Scram."

That woman was quite shrewish. She rolled over, scrambled up, and clung tightly to the leader's leg, her face pressed against the man's trousers, wailing loudly, "Anyway, my master was killed by the rebel soldiers. You've robbed the silver and cash — our family can't go on living. Just cut me down, old woman that I am."

The leader spat at the pockmarked man from before. "Damn you, who told you to say killing isn't allowed?" He aimed his blade at the woman and cursed, "Still not letting go? I'll start killing! Don't get your snot on my new trousers, you bitch..." After cursing, seeing the woman wouldn't let go, he reversed the blade and smashed the pommel into the woman's face, sending nose blood spraying.

Once blood was drawn, the others surrounded her and began punching and kicking. The woman was soon beaten to within an inch of her life and for a time could not rise. Liu Minyou hurried over. To his shock, he saw Zhang Dong, dressed in Ming army uniform, mingling among the crowd. The Ming soldier leading them, after finishing the beating, was bowing and scraping before Zhang Dong, saying something.

The pockmarked man, however, would not stop on his own. As he beat the woman on the ground, he cursed, "Your master didn't he bully us Liaodong folk, using me like an ox or horse? You, damn you, never looked me straight in the eye, and even had men break my brother's leg. Now your day has come — I'll break your leg too." After cursing, his rage unspent, he suddenly grabbed the carrying pole used to lift the chests, raised it high, and prepared to smash it down on the woman's leg.

"STOP!!!"

The pockmarked man jumped in fright. He turned his head and saw it was a man dressed as a scholar. He was not the least bit afraid of such scholars now. Pointing, he cursed, "What are you yelling about? I'll beat you up too in a moment."

The moment Zhang Dong saw it was Liu Minyou, he hurriedly tried to hide among the crowd. Liu Minyou stepped forward and shoved the pockmarked man, sending him tumbling. The others all shouted curses and drew their swords, pointing them at Liu Minyou. Liu Minyou's two bodyguards immediately stepped in front to block them. Liu Minyou did not even glance at them. Facing the crowd, he cursed, "Zhang Dong, get the hell out here."

Zhang Dong, seeing he could not hide, hastily stepped forward and said, "So it is Mr. Liu. This humble one failed to see clearly just now. I was just about to report something to Mr. Liu."

The whole group of surrendered rebel soldiers, seeing Zhang Dong behave this way, hurriedly sheathed their swords. The pockmarked man even dropped directly to his knees. Zhang Dong did not dare pull Liu Minyou aside. He came over and said in a low, ingratiating tone, "Your subordinate was leading loyal civilians in mopping up rebel soldiers. I did not expect to startle your honored self. Please forgive me, sir."

Liu Minyou stared at the group with unconcealed annoyance. He had met Zhang Dong several times before, always when discussing how civil affairs could coordinate with counter-espionage matters. The man was rather sharp-witted, and in conversation one could also see he was extremely cold-blooded — truly the look of a secret agent. Liu Minyou's impression of him was not particularly good.

He asked Zhang Dong coldly, "These are loyal civilians?"

Zhang Dong was slightly embarrassed. "That... well, yes. They are all righteous soldiers and civilians who rose up on the battlefield. There has been no time yet to discipline and train them. Their ruffian habits are rather strong. Chen Daru was also concerned they might disturb the populace, and specially ordered us to supervise them."

Liu Minyou looked at the woman on the ground, who had just propped herself up. "Why are you taking this household's things?"

"A group of rebel soldiers was discovered in this house. These valuables were all hidden here by them. We can only take them back first and wait for the victims to claim them."

The woman on the ground, hearing this, wailed loudly, "Oh, clear-sky great magistrate! How could these be hidden by rebel soldiers? Every single one was earned through my master's hard work. That red chest — the green pearl and gold hairpin inside even has this slave's name on it. This slave is called Shuyan. This slave is the victim!"

Liu Minyou opened the red chest. Inside, there was indeed a pearl hairpin engraved with that woman's name. Glaring at Zhang Dong, he demanded, "Has the Intelligence Bureau turned to outright robbery? I'll have to ask Zhou Shifa about this. Return the things to this woman immediately."

Zhang Dong listened with his head lowered, then put away his smile and replied flatly, "Mr. Liu, Chen Daru and Bureau Chief Zhou personally instructed that wherever rebel soldiers are found, all valuables are to be confiscated. Only after careful screening are they to be returned to the victims. This woman may also have seen the engraved characters on this hairpin while in the house and falsely claimed to be the victim. All this must await the military judges' identification one by one."

Liu Minyou said icily, "This woman lives in this house. If these were not her belongings, how would she dare resist so desperately? There are other items in the chest. If she can name them one by one, could that also be an act?"

"Your subordinate also does not have the authority to return these items to this woman, because Bureau Chief Zhou has assigned a surrendered Company Commander to take charge of this matter. This humble one is merely a supervisor. Sir, please do not make things difficult for your subordinate. Moreover, the Intelligence Bureau obeys only the orders of Chen Daru alone."

Zhang Dong finished speaking with a deferential expression. Liu Minyou suddenly drew a Japanese sword from one of his bodyguards. The surrounding rebel soldiers all retreated several steps in unison. They did not know this man's background, but they understood clearly that they absolutely could not afford to provoke him. Only Zhang Dong stood motionless, his expression unchanged, and said calmly, "This humble one narrowly escaped death in Dengzhou — my life was snatched back from fate. If Mr. Liu wants it, your subordinate offers it with both hands. But Chief Zhou's strict orders absolutely cannot be disobeyed."

Liu Minyou ignored him. He crouched down and said to the woman, "Tell me what things you have. If you can clearly describe their material and form, they will be returned to you. No one will dare stop it."

The woman immediately rallied. Opening her mouth, she began to recite, "A four-inch cat's-eye inlaid gold hairpin, engraved with phoenixes and auspicious clouds — that belongs to my family's Fourth Lady. Two beeswax thunder-clasp hairpins, two gold crow bangles..."

For each item she named, Liu Minyou verified it and then returned it. Zhang Dong watched silently, a cold, sinister look slowly rising in his eyes...

Half a shichen later, Liu Minyou finally arrived at the Dengzhou department government office. Along the way, he had discovered multiple groups of men openly looting. Moreover, except for one military judge from the Bureau accompanying a team at the Mifen Bridge, there was not a single military judge or provost soldier along the main streets. Instead, ox carts and horse carts escorted by the Intelligence Bureau and auxiliary troops were continuously leaving the city, all said to be transporting ownerless goods, awaiting victims to claim them.

The only thing that set his mind somewhat at ease was that this situation only occurred at the great residences. Ordinary commoners were not harassed. The combat troops maintained order. The auxiliary troops helped them build temporary housing. It was evident the commoners were very grateful to Wendeng Battalion.

Liu Minyou was extremely displeased that Chen Xin had handed the mopping up of rebel soldiers over to the Intelligence Bureau. Fuming, he walked past the spirit screen outside the department government office gate, showed his waist tally to the sentries, and entered the main hall, where he ran straight into Hai Gouzi.

Hai Gouzi's face lit up with surprise and he cried, "Brother Liu! How did you get here so fast?"

Liu Minyou demanded bluntly, "Where is Chen Xin?"

"Chen... Chen Daru is in a meeting. A military council."

Liu Minyou suppressed his anger. The army had military law. He could not attend such military councils without an invitation. He had no choice but to hold in his frustration, find an adjutants' room, enter, and sit down. Hai Gouzi came in with a silly grin to keep him company and talk.

Liu Minyou asked casually, "What meeting is being held today? Is it because Li Jiucheng still hasn't been captured?"

"That's it. They escaped a few nights ago. The scout riders discovered it and notified the deputy commander outside the city, Liu Pojun. He wouldn't permit the various battalions to move out, saying it was dark and easy to fall into an ambush. As a result, Li Jiucheng and Kong Youde got away."

"Oh, so that's how they escaped. Then today's meeting is about the pursuit?"

"No. After they fled, Chen Daru stayed in Dengzhou to handle the aftermath, then ordered Liu Pojun to lead troops in pursuit. Geng Zhongming blocked our pursuing troops at Huangxian. Liu Pojun again said the terrain was treacherous and he feared too many casualties, so he forbade Wang Zhangfu and Zhu Guobin from launching a forceful attack. As a result, the rebel army broke through Huangxian and fled toward Laizhou. Liu Pojun again said he feared an ambush, and they were strung out over several days' march. Zhu Guobin couldn't stomach it. He and Wang Zhangfu jointly submitted an urgent report to Chen Daru, demanding a change of commander and charging Liu Pojun with the crime of delaying military operations."

Liu Minyou let out a long breath. Liu Pojun had always been diligent and conscientious, very steady in his work. He was usually just somewhat indecisive — it was probably not intentional. He said to Hai Gouzi, "Liu Pojun has never been one to take sole command. The area around Huangshan is all mountain roads — being cautious is also correct. Enough people have died this time. I heard the combat troops and reserve battalion also suffered four hundred casualties."

"That's right. The Intelligence Bureau and Special Operations Unit also lost several dozen — all died at Zhenhai Gate. They were really formidable. Before the combat troops even arrived, with just that few men, they held off over a thousand rebel soldiers."

"The Intelligence Bureau? They were in Dengzhou all along?"

Hai Gouzi opened his mouth, then hastily corrected himself. "They happened to be there. Um, well, something about capturing someone."

Liu Minyou looked at Hai Gouzi doubtfully. Hai Gouzi immediately put on his silly grin again. Liu Minyou rolled his eyes at him, then suddenly remembered Wang Zheng. He asked Hai Gouzi, "What happened with Sun Yuanhua and Wang Zheng and the others?"

"Sun Daru was taken away by Li Jiucheng. They released Wang Zheng, but he's confined in the department office, awaiting the imperial court's judgment."

"Take me to see him."