Chapter 87: A Contest of Misery to Divide the Spoils

Before dark, Yang Yunong finally arrived with the various battalion commanders. They had suffered a major defeat earlier, and the military households had all fled and scattered. It took them half a day to round up a small portion. Fortunately, the garrison troops were still there. In total, just over two hundred people made it to the stockade.

Because he was too fat to climb the mountain, over a dozen military households took turns carrying him. On the steepest parts, they supported and dragged him, exhausting themselves to haul this two-hundred-pound fatty up the mountain. The moment he arrived, he saw Chen Xin standing guard right at the main gate.

Chen Xin came forward, knelt, and presented Tongtian Liang's head, reporting: "Your subordinate pursued him here, captured and killed Tongtian Liang. All items remain untouched, though I heard that quite a bit of silver was looted by the bandits left behind to guard the place. The rest is hidden in the silver vault behind the main hall. Your subordinate has not yet counted it."

Yang Yunong hastily grabbed Tongtian Liang's head and casually tossed it to a retainer behind him. Right now, there were matters more important than this head. After offering Chen Xin a few words of encouragement, he rushed to the silver vault and counted the silver. Including the roughly one thousand taels on the ground, his face showed disappointment. Chen Xin had tactfully withdrawn after leading him to the silver vault. Yang Yunong then quietly pocketed nearly a hundred taels from the vault, stuffing them into his own robes and those of several retainers. Had Wang Yuanzheng and the others not arrived right on his heels, he likely would have taken more.

Yang Yunong and his men had also captured some old bandits and knew there were several thousand taels of silver in the vault. After the vice prefects and battalion commanders behind them arrived one after another, they had nearly three hundred men. Yang Yunong did not even bother to eat, urging them to search the stockade. These men found several hundred shi of grain, five oxen, over thirty pigs and sheep, tea leaves, and some cloth and silk in the bandit stockade. After nightfall, they set up large cauldrons in the open ground and began cooking meat.

After eating, Yang Yunong and the others were still unwilling to give up. That night, he ordered the military households to continue ransacking every chest and cabinet. He himself found a room by the open ground to rest. All the officers sat inside. The military households brought jars of wine, and the officers drank wine and ate meat while warming themselves by the fire.

Today's battle had begun with a major defeat, but luckily everyone ran fast. Weihaiwei lost over fifty dead and over seventy wounded — a heavy loss relative to the over five hundred troops deployed. The Chengshanwei men were at the rear and only lost seven or eight. The two guard battalions together had taken an estimated total of over one hundred heads.

Thinking of the gains, Yang Yunong's expression was now much better than when he first arrived. The goods stolen from him were mainly tea leaves, which cannot be eaten as food. The bandits had not used much and had not yet had time to sell it off, so he recovered most of his losses. There was also the cloth they had seized — he owned a cloth shop himself and could convert that to cash. Wang Yuanzheng, however, looked dejected. There were over five hundred shi of grain in the stockade, but since everyone had fought to take it, there was basically no chance he could take all three hundred shi back. He could only see if any other silver could be found.

The silver vault held only one thousand taels. Everyone still harbored some suspicion toward Chen Xin — after all, he had arrived first, and his troops were down by half. Although he said he had gone to pursue the bandits, no one believed him. Yet today, they had all relied on his combat troops to rout the bandits; otherwise, they would still be out there somewhere, starving and freezing. The strength he had displayed also made these superior officers dare not step forward and question him to his face.

Although Yang Yunong was also suspicious, he was unwilling to step forward and seek benefits for the collective. He had already accepted silver from Chen Xin twice before — once as a greeting gift and once as a New Year's gift — and the amounts were fairly decent. Moreover, this man had very strong backing and strong military power, so Yang Yunong spoke to Chen Xin with even greater courtesy.

"Today we owe much to Battalion Commander Chen. Commander Chen's troops are elite and his officers fierce. The Provincial Governor indeed has a keen eye."

Chen Xin quickly said modestly, "It was all thanks to the Commandant keeping calm in the face of danger and turning the tide, which led to today's victory." He resolutely avoided mentioning the ambush at the beginning. Yang Yunong's best performance today had been the final pincer attack, so Chen Xin spoke only of that.

Yang Yunong was indeed pleased. Stroking his beard, he laughed smugly. The officers around him all poured out a torrent of flattery, praising the Commandant as the reincarnation of Wu Mu. Yang Yunong waved his hand, stopping everyone's adulation, and began to discuss the most important matter: the distribution of silver and money.

After Commandant Yang had skimmed off his share, only nine hundred taels of silver remained. There were five hundred shi of grain and thirty-two pigs and sheep. From the battlefield, only two captured horses were worth looking at. Most of the swords and spears were poorly maintained, and after the fighting they were already unusable — no one wanted them.

The tea leaves all belonged to Yang Yunong, so naturally no one dared propose dividing them. Vice Prefect Zhang of Chengshanwei had brought troops to help and could not be treated too shabbily.

Yang Yunong possessed a certain art of leadership and would not rashly make himself a target. He planned to first sound out everyone's opinions. Smiling genially, he made no decision himself but instead asked everyone to say how the spoils should be divided. And on the grounds that Chen Xin had rendered the greatest merit, he told Chen Xin to speak first.

Chen Xin knew that Yang Yunong also suspected him of having taken the lion's share. By making him speak first, Yang Yunong wanted to make him the target. Yang Yunong himself would not step forward, but the moment Chen Xin's proposed scheme offended anyone or showed any flaw, he could mobilize the revolutionary masses to struggle against the landlord, then fish in troubled waters — perhaps forcing Chen Xin to cough some up, or at the critical moment selling Chen Xin a favor, so that after Chen Xin returned, he would have to pay back the favor debt in silver. Chen Xin decided not to fall for this trap. After a moment's deliberation, he spoke, and to Yang Yunong's surprise, he did not mention any scheme for dividing the goods at all. Instead, he turned and pushed the Baishiya battalion commander into the spotlight.

"Your subordinate was fortunate enough to render some modest merit today, but before my superior officers I absolutely dare not claim credit. Had Battalion Commander Yuan and Vice Prefect Qian not held the front, how could your subordinate have struck the bandits' weak right flank? This time, Battalion Commander Yuan of Baishiya rendered the greatest service. Not only did he scout out the ambush, he also withstood the bandits' first fierce assault and suffered the most casualties. Your subordinate boldly requests that Battalion Commander Yuan speak first. Your subordinate will certainly comply."

Battalion Commander Yuan of Baishiya had a cloth wrapped around his head. He glanced gratefully at Chen Xin, unaware of Chen Xin's devious calculations. He was already anxious at this moment. Battalion Commander Yuan had brought over fifty men and had been assigned as the vanguard. Over thirty were dead or wounded, and he himself had taken a blade to the head. Among all the officers, he had suffered the heaviest losses. Desperate to recoup some of his losses, he opened his mouth and began pouring out his grievances, departing from the topic Yang Yunong had originally hoped for.

Battalion Commander Yuan cupped his hands toward Yang Yunong and said, "My lord, your subordinate brought fifty-seven men. When your subordinate led them out, they were unwilling. But the moment your subordinate said that Tongtian Liang had dared offend the Commandant's tiger-like authority, they came without another word. Now over half are dead or wounded. Of three retainers, two are dead — both had elderly parents above and children not yet one year old below. Your subordinate himself is nothing, but how am I to face their families when I return? Wuwuwu…"

Battalion Commander Yuan had a certain talent for performance. Within a few sentences, he began sobbing uncontrollably, both hands constantly wiping away tears. While warming his face by the fire earlier, he had gotten some ash on it, and now he had smeared streaks all over. Yang Yunong nodded incessantly, sighing "Ai, ai" as if he were taking it all to heart.

Wang Yuanzheng saw that this would not do. He was the one who had been robbed of three hundred shi of grain — his losses were the heaviest. Seizing the moment while Battalion Commander Yuan caught his breath, he immediately cut in: "Commandant, the batch of grain your subordinate bought before the New Year was also meant to stabilize grain prices so that the soldiers and civilians of the guard could have a good New Year. Hatefully, it was robbed by this Tongtian Liang. Your subordinate saw that it is still sitting in the granary. I beg you, my lord, to make a decision. For this batch of grain, your subordinate has been utterly ruined."

Wang Yuanzheng hid his hands in his sleeves and secretly pinched his thigh. His eyes instantly filled with tears. He squeezed his upper and lower eyelids, and two bean-sized teardrops rolled down. Only, the corners of his mouth twitched a few times from the pain, making his expression rather bizarre.

Yang Yunong again put on a pained expression and said, "Magistrate Wang's hardships — this official understands, understands. The most hateful one is this Tongtian Liang. Fortunately, Battalion Commander Chen has already avenged Magistrate Wang."

Wang Yuanzheng quickly added, "My lord, it is true that Battalion Commander Chen killed the bandit chief with his own hands, but your subordinate's grain is indeed still in this bandit stockade's granary. Would my lord consider distributing according to losses…"

Yang Yunong nodded repeatedly: "This official understands everything, understands."

Vice Prefect Zhang of Chengshanwei objected: "Had we not defeated the bandits, how could this grain have been found? In my opinion, it should be distributed according to the number of troops sent. Otherwise, who would be willing to send troops to fight in the future?" He had brought two hundred men. If divided this way, he would take over a third.

Yang Yunong still wore a contemplative expression: "What Magistrate Zhang says also makes sense."

Baishiya had only sent fifty-odd men. How could they agree to a per-head division? Battalion Commander Yuan did not care that Vice Prefect Zhang outranked him — anyway, the Chengshanwei vice prefect had no authority over him. He snorted: "What use is having more men? They all hid at the rear. When did they ever cut down a single bandit? Look how many are left now."

"You…" Vice Prefect Zhang stood up and pointed at Battalion Commander Yuan. The two glared at each other like fighting cocks.

Yang Yunong quickly stood to placate Vice Prefect Zhang, while also giving Battalion Commander Yuan a mild scolding. Battalion Commander Yuan jumping out suited Yang Yunong's intentions perfectly — it suppressed Vice Prefect Zhang's momentum, allowing Yang Yunong to give less to Chengshanwei without offending anyone himself. These officers were landlords and merchants in peacetime, and rough soldiers now. They had never had any refinement; all were like starving ghosts, each arguing until red-faced and furious.

Battalion Commander Zeng now also came forward to air his grievances: "My lord, calculating by headcount is fine, but it should be based on the remaining headcount. Moreover, your subordinate feels that position during the battle should also be considered. Though this humble man was placed at the very rear of the march, the moment I saw the bandits about to harm you, my lord, I drew my blade and forced those military households across the river, running from the very rear to the vanguard. The hundred-odd men this humble man brought also suffered no small number of casualties." After speaking, he shot Vice Prefect Zhang a glance.

Vice Prefect Zhang's men had indeed performed terribly. Not only had they been at the rear during the fight, they had also run the fastest. Even now, more than half his men were still unaccounted for — they had probably run back to Chengshanwei on their own. So his spine was not stiff. After hearing Battalion Commander Zeng's words, he snorted and said nothing more.

Battalion Commander Yuan of Baishiya absolutely would not agree to a per-head division. Having just been scolded, he dared not directly target anyone else, so he could only play pitiful. With a wail, he said: "My poor horse — one died for no clear reason. I scrimped and saved for years to buy it. The salaries of us guard officers — the Commandant knows them well. I beg the Commandant to show consideration for your subordinate."

Chen Xin took one look: so this was a contest of who was more wretched. He needed to fight for his share too, lest they think he had taken the lion's share and looked down on the scraps. He hurriedly lowered his head to scan the ground around him — no sign of Xiaoqiang. He had not yet thought of a plan when he heard Battalion Commander Zeng counterattack: "My Left Battalion also lost two mules. I also beg my lord's consideration."

"Mules?!" Chen Xin asked in astonishment. He recalled that in the Left Battalion, only he seemed to own mules. They only had a few ox carts.

Battalion Commander Zeng glanced at Chen Xin, coughed, and said, "Battalion Commander Chen is also from my Left Battalion. It was his mules, left by the river, that were startled by the routed troops. Two of them ran off and disappeared. I fear… I fear they cannot be recovered."

Chen Xin stared blankly at Battalion Commander Zeng for a long while, as if stupefied. Everyone knew they had most likely been ridden off to safety by routed troops from some battalion. They all planned to investigate after returning and keep them for their own use. Yang Yunong understood this too and quickly tried to console him: "Battalion Commander Chen, aren't there still three left…"

Chen Xin suddenly let out a loud wail. Every officer in the room jumped in fright. "My mules! You were left to me by my grandfather! I raised you from little ones — you could haul goods and plow the fields. I treated you like my own brothers. Now that you're gone, my heart is cold, so cold. How am I to farm this land from now on? And you were carrying over a hundred taels of payroll silver…" ******************************* The next day, Chen Xin led his personal guards, ambling leisurely along the official road back to Weihai. He looked smugly ahead at his combat troops driving three oxen and seven pigs. On the oxen's backs were also loaded ten bolts of cloth. These former trackers, who had all farmed in their youth, skillfully used their weapons to herd the animals, keeping them moving along the main road. This was the spoils he had cried his way into winning the night before.

Chen Xin had deliberately avoided the silver, grain, and horses — those were the focal points of contention. A group of vice prefects, assistant prefects, and battalion commanders argued until they were at an impasse. Chen Xin never directly asked for goods; he just kept pouring out his grievances. Yang Yunong was never able to steer the conversation to the amount of silver, so no one raised any doubts.

Chen Xin glanced back behind him. Battalion Commander Yuan of Baishiya, leading over twenty military households, trudged along at the rear, dusty and disheveled. Some of the wounded supported each other, wailing all the way. His fifty-odd men had been placed at the very front. Over twenty were dead, over ten wounded. He had come as the vanguard and left as the rearguard. Many men dead, not much more silver to show for it. In his desperation the night before, Chen Xin had pushed him into the target's position, and he had argued with Wang Yuanzheng and the others until red-faced and furious. He had probably cursed Wang Yuanzheng and Vice Prefect Zhang's ancestors back eighteen generations in his heart. That old fox Yang Yunong had played the good guy all night, letting the impatient Wang Yuanzheng and the others be the villains, while he himself became the mediator.

In the end, everyone compromised: distribution according to remaining headcount, including the number of fallen, with some adjustments based on combat merit. Chen Xin had the greatest merit, so he asked for more livestock. In particular, he insisted that with his mules lost, he had no way to plow his fields. Yang Yunong had no choice but to give him three oxen. He got less of the other items — only thirty taels of silver, plus ten bolts of cloth.

Battalion Commander Yuan was low in rank, weak in strength, had no backing, was not as thick-skinned as Chen Xin, and had a quick temper. He had offended everyone. In the end, he was allotted only fifty shi of grain, one hundred taels of silver, one horse, and a small amount of cloth. Actually, Chen Xin's impression of Battalion Commander Yuan was fairly good — at least he understood some combat tactics. His few dozen military households were also among the better fighters in the guard battalions, far more reliable than those from Weihai and Chengshan.

In this operation, the combat troop had lost one man dead and five lightly wounded, and had also lost two mules. But they had gained three thousand taels of silver, over one hundred twenty taels of gold, and some jewelry of unknown value. Over one hundred taels of gold was worth eight or nine hundred taels of silver. Counting the jewelry, he had probably earned over four thousand taels of silver. Selling the jewelry would not be cost-effective; it was far more valuable as gifts.

Yang Yunong was the superior officer. Although he dared not openly question Chen Xin, he certainly understood in his heart. So the night before, Chen Xin had already sought out Commandant Yang privately, hinting that there would be a separate tribute after they returned. Yang Yunong also knew that Chen Xin had always understood the rules. As long as he got his own benefits, Yang Yunong was unwilling to offend Chen Xin for the sake of others.

"That old fox." Chen Xin looked at Yang Yunong's fat figure ahead and cursed inwardly.