Chapter 485: Sitting Alone

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When he reached his own Niu Lu stockade, a crowd had gathered in front of the gate, noisily arguing about something. Zhang Zhongqi squeezed over to look — it turned out the annual conscription selection had begun, and some youths were already waiting in front of the wooden pole for it to start.

Two wooden poles had been set up in the open ground, with another laid across the top. This was the Tatars' method for selecting able-bodied males. Usually the horizontal pole was five chi high; anyone who could walk under it without touching was not counted as an able-bodied male. If they exceeded it, they became an official Banner soldier, bearing all the grain taxes and corvée labor of a Banner man. In years when times were good, everyone wanted to be selected early for the chance to go on campaign and earn promotion, but in recent years it had lost much of its appeal.

A woman's voice was loudly arguing. Zhang Zhongqi abandoned his ox cart and squeezed in, only to see Hailan shouting at the newly arrived Niu Lu Ejen.

"Every year the conscription pole has been five chi — why are you lowering it by two cun today? My younger brother is only fourteen; how can he bear so much labor service and tax?"

Zhang Zhongqi turned to look at the Niu Lu Ejen. This newly arrived Niu Lu Ejen was called Laidaku. He wore a suit of silver-white iron armor, his face all surly flesh, glaring viciously at everyone. He had come from the Bordered Yellow Banner, replacing the old Niu Lu Ejen who had died in battle at Zhubokou.

After Haoge became the ruling Banner Prince of the Plain Blue Banner, he had almost completely wiped out the former nobility of the Plain Blue Banner and installed a large number of mid-level officers transferred from the Bordered Yellow Banner. The few remaining old Plain Blue Banner officers no longer dared to stick their necks out. Haoge, the powerful dragon, had truly crushed the local snakes. For Zhang Zhongqi, of course, this was no good thing. This Niu Lu Ejen did not regard him as one of his own — merely as a grain-paying able-bodied male.

So when Zhang Zhongqi saw someone making trouble with the Niu Lu Ejen, he felt a certain schadenfreude. This Hailan was the daughter of Uncle Yilantai, now married to Taketan. Because of the previous incident with the mute, Zhang Zhongqi had no good impression of Hailan either. Whoever won or lost had nothing to do with him.

The former Boshiku came over to pull Hailan away. This Boshiku was called Cheerge. He had quickly sided with the newly arrived Laidaku and still retained his position.

Cheerge tugged at Hailan and said, "It's only two cun less. Every Banner is doing the same this year, not just the Plain Blue Banner. If you don't believe it, go ask the Plain Red stockade next door."

Hailan shook off Cheerge's hand and cursed, "The autumn grain tax is about to be collected, and now you come to conscript, deliberately lowering the pole by two cun. Laidaku, have you gone mad with greed?"

Laidaku let out a furious roar. Two White Armor Soldiers drew their straight sabers with a sharp hiss and moved to seize Hailan. Zhang Zhongqi thought his relationship with Taketan was decent enough, and was about to step forward to pull Hailan away, when he saw Taketan burst out from the crowd, straight saber raised to block the White Armor Soldiers' advance while desperately dragging Hailan back.

The crowd was in an uproar — some trying to mediate, others shouting angrily. Laidaku's eyes blazed with ferocity as he drew his own straight saber and strode forward. Zhang Zhongqi saw the danger and immediately dashed into the clearing, brandishing his whip, positioning himself right in Laidaku's path. He struck at Hailan wildly, raining blows without aim, cursing loudly as he did: "You woman! What business is the master's conscription of yours? Is there any place for you to speak? Get lost, get lost!"

Beaten like this by Zhang Zhongqi, Hailan became even more unyielding, shrieking that she would fight Zhang Zhongqi to the death. She cursed at him: "You dog slave, you dare hit me? One of these days I'll drag that new mute of yours out to feed—"

Zhang Zhongqi suddenly stopped. His eyes blood-red, he stared at Hailan. His hand moved to his saber hilt. At that moment, Cheerge ran over and pulled Taketan aside, explaining something to Laidaku. Several elders also came over to block Taketan and drag him out of the circle.

Hailan was still screaming curses. Cheerge bellowed at her furiously: "Hailan, enough! If not for the sake of Yilantai, I would have cut you down long ago. Can a woman meddle in the affairs of the Niu Lu? Even the Seventh Beile, a Duoluo Beile, had his Fujin severely punished by the Great Khan just for interfering in her daughter's marriage."

Hailan shouted: "Conscription has always used a five-chi pole. What gives him the right to ignore the rules?"

Cheerge cut her off: "You still have the nerve to talk about rules? Then let me ask you — last month you sold a Han bondservant to Seleng of the Bordered Blue Banner. The Great Khan has explicitly ordered that bondservants may only be sold in the market of their own Niu Lu. If selling to another Banner, you must first report to and obtain permission from the Niu Lu Ejen. Did you report to Master Laidaku? Master Laidaku already spared you once, and you still talk to me about rules."

Hailan was instantly speechless. Taketan also tried to placate her and pulled her away.

Laidaku, saber in hand, walked to the center of the clearing. He did not pursue Hailan. A man of few words to begin with, he cast a cold glance at Zhang Zhongqi standing in the clearing and asked one question: "A Han who has been raised to the Banner?"

Zhang Zhongqi looked over with bloodshot eyes, then immediately remembered this man was the Niu Lu Ejen. He quickly switched to a fawning smile. "This slave was raised to the Banner, but this slave has been in the Niu Lu for nearly ten years — an old hand. I've fought in quite a few battles too."

Laidaku narrowed his eyes and sized him up. In the end, he said nothing and turned away. Cheerge beside him loudly announced to the youths: "Everyone, continue the conscription selection."

Hailan's younger brother was the first to walk over. Compared to the pole, he was just a little short. Just as he was about to pass under it, Laidaku reached out and pressed the pole down. "He's reached it. Conscripted!"

Somewhat uneasy, Zhang Zhongqi did not know what attitude Laidaku held toward him. With no heart to continue watching a conscription that had nothing to do with him, he hurried home. The mute was waiting for him at the door. Seeing Zhang Zhongqi return, he happily came to greet him, babbling away. A warm smile spread across Zhang Zhongqi's face. He went up, took the mute's hand, and together they entered the courtyard.

After entering, he first went to check on the child, then closed the main gate. After sweeping his eyes around the courtyard walls, he carefully took out some silver from under the horse trough. Zhang Zhongqi whispered to the mute: "You must be very careful when taking out silver. Don't let anyone find out, or it will be stolen."

The mute nodded blankly. As Zhang Zhongqi took out the silver, he said: "This year, I'm afraid we won't be able to get out. Our Plain Blue Banner has collapsed. Master Manggultai died at Zhubokou. Master Tuobohui and Master Degelei are dead too. The Banner has barely over a thousand armored soldiers left — we can't fight anywhere. Even thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds are being made able-bodied males now. If we fight elsewhere in the future, that's one thing, but if we have to fight Dengzhou..." Zhang Zhongqi shook his head as he spoke. After a moment, he continued: "This year the Dengzhou troops have been fighting us around Gaizhou the whole time. The Bordered Red Banner has already lost over a hundred armored soldiers, and there's no end in sight. With the autumn harvest about to be collected, they'll certainly come again. They're tying us down — maybe this year we won't be able to get out after all."

As he spoke, he gathered together fifty taels. There was not much left in the horse trough — some jewelry and such remained, but they could not be exchanged for much silver at the moment. Zhang Zhongqi hesitated. Taketan had looted quite a bit when he returned from Xuanfu. Zhang Zhongqi had originally planned to borrow some from him, but now, with this incident, Taketan was probably still angry and might not understand that Zhang Zhongqi had actually been trying to help Hailan. So he abandoned that plan.

Zhang Zhongqi took the silver, eagerly drove his ox cart to the grain shop, but the shop would not sell him the full amount he wanted. They sold him only ninety jin — no more. Zhang Zhongqi had no choice. He loaded the ninety jin of grain onto the ox cart and drove home.

Looking at the grain fields along the way, this year's harvest would not be very good. Zhang Zhongqi closed his eyes and prayed: "Dengzhou soldiers, please don't come."

"Great Khan, since the fifth month, Dengzhou cavalry have raided north of Yulinpu over ten times, reaching as far as Qiaotoupu. Yulinpu, Gaizhou, Boluopu, and Qingshiling — everywhere farming has become impossible. The nearby Plain White Banner and Bordered Red Banner have suffered considerable losses. The Tianyou Army inside Gaizhou city is terrified at every shadow; the moment they see Dengzhou cavalry, they flee."

Inside the Great Political Hall, Yue Tuo was quietly reporting the latest military situation to Huang Taiji. Also listening were several Licentiate from the Literary Office.

He was now extremely cautious before Huang Taiji, no longer as composed as before. One reason was that Huang Taiji's methods in crushing the Plain Blue Banner had been utterly ruthless. The second was that Yue Tuo had offended Huang Taiji over the matter of his own Fujin. Although Huang Taiji had later summoned him privately and indicated he would not pursue the matter, Yue Tuo knew Huang Taiji well enough to understand that this affair had touched upon Huang Taiji's taboos and would not be so easily dismissed.

Therefore, Yue Tuo now conducted himself with extreme care, never leaving any loose ends for Huang Taiji to seize. Huang Taiji indeed had ways of following up. Originally, the Bordered Red Banner had not been garrisoned at Gaizhou. Huang Taiji quickly demanded that the Bordered Red Banner send armored soldiers to reinforce Gaizhou. As a result, battered by the Dengzhou troops, they lost over a hundred armored soldiers.

Yue Tuo now had an even clearer understanding of Dengzhou's advantages: all of Dengzhou's troops were professional soldiers. Their sole occupation was fighting — unlike the Later Jin, where armored soldiers normally also had to farm and perform labor service. In terms of system, the Guanning Army in Liaoxi was also a professional force that received military pay, but their system had decayed; their organization and military discipline could not even match the Later Jin's. Dengzhou, however, surpassed even the Later Jin in both.

Huang Taiji frowned in thought for a long while. Also present in the hall were several men from the Literary Office: Bao Chengxian, Gao Hongzhong, and Fan Wencheng. Most of them concurrently held posts in various ministries. These three were all men Huang Taiji valued; each possessed between seventy and three hundred people, placing them in the slave-owning class.

After listening, Bao Chengxian addressed Huang Taiji: "Great Khan, based on the Dengzhou garrison's methods in Liaonan in previous years, this slave has observed that they most prefer to launch campaigns during the spring planting and autumn harvest, dragging down our Great Jin's farming. This year, from the fifth month until now, they have not stopped. Their cavalry has also suffered considerable losses, but come the ninth month and the autumn harvest, they will likely attack on an even larger scale."

Gao Hongzhong also stepped forward to second this: "What Vice Minister Fan says is reasonable. This year grain prices in Liaoxi have soared; in Liaodong, a dou of grain costs three taels. Chen Xin will not let such an opportunity pass. He will come again to continue his attacks. Beyond Gaizhou lies flat, open country. If Gaizhou cannot be held, Dengzhou's scout cavalry will scatter and raid, making them nearly impossible to defend against completely. If the grain fields near Haizhou are burned, the harvest will become even more critical. We must deploy mounted armored troops to strictly defend the line from Gaizhou to Yaozhoubao."

Yue Tuo stared at the floor and said coldly: "Dengzhou's cavalry and dragoons in Liaonan already number close to three thousand. There is also a unit of infantry, together with the Dongjiang garrison, that has advanced to the Xiuyan area. In the north, places like Kuandian have been repeatedly raided by the Dongjiang garrison. If Dengzhou attacks in the ninth month, they will certainly coordinate with Dongjiang. At that point, Fenghuangcheng and Zhenjiang will inevitably be difficult to hold. It is far more than just defending Gaizhou alone. Xiuyan, Fenghuangcheng, Kuandian — these places are all great mountains, and the roads all run along rivers through the mountains. In such terrain, the strength of Dengzhou's infantry in battle goes without saying. I wonder how many troops these gentlemen plan to deploy for defense? In these areas, many grain fields have been destroyed this year. The more troops we move, the more Aha we need to transport supplies, wasting grain in vain. In the end, we will still fall into Chen Xin's calculations."

Huang Taiji looked at Yue Tuo and said: "Is Beile Yue Tuo suggesting we abandon these places?"

Yue Tuo pondered for a moment. He was reluctant to say such words, lest they be used against him later, but in his heart he was still concerned for the entire Later Jin. Finally, he nodded and said: "If we are to defend these places, we will need vast amounts of money and grain. Moreover, they are separated by great mountains. Dengzhou troops transport their soldiers by ship and move with great speed. Our defending forces will certainly be exhausted from rushing about. This slave believes it would be best to abandon places like Fenghuangcheng and Kuandian, withdraw the central route back to Lianshanguan, and pull the eastern route back to Yangbao. We should focus all our strength on defending Gaizhou to prevent Dengzhou cavalry from entering Haizhou and other areas to wreak havoc. We might even launch an attack toward Fuzhou to force the Dengzhou garrison to abandon Fuzhou. In this way, we can ensure that this autumn and winter, Dengzhou cavalry will be unable to attack Gaizhou and tie down our main army."

Huang Taiji nodded as he listened. Yue Tuo felt a slight sense of reassurance. Huang Taiji was still displaying the bearing of a great ruler, not opposing all of Yue Tuo's opinions because of the Fujin incident.

Huang Taiji slowly began: "Fenghuangcheng has not never been abandoned before. It was lost and retaken during the old Khan's time as well. However, this is a land bestowed by Heaven; abandoning it is no small matter. This matter still requires the agreement of Grand Beile Daišan."

Fan Wencheng, who had remained silent all along, suddenly knelt and said: "This slave has something that must be said. Since all of our Great Jin, high and low, honor our master as the Khan of Great Jin, we should all regard the Great Khan as our sovereign. For many years, the four Grand Beile have sat together, causing military orders and government decrees to issue from many doors. This led to defeats at Sicheng, Shenmi Island, and Fuzhou. This is the result of the Khan's orders not being carried out. This slave begs the Great Khan to sit alone facing south and exercise sole authority!"

The other two Han ministers also knelt simultaneously. Huang Taiji stood silently with his hands clasped behind his back. Yue Tuo's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared fixedly at the floor, saying nothing.