Chapter 83: Frost Descends

In late autumn and early winter, when frost flowers had already fallen, Gongsun Xun led his several hundred troops back to camp after drill formations outside and prepared to eat.

"Commander." Lü Fan, already wearing a lined jacket ahead of time, called out from a distance in front of his office door. Although the two were close in private, in front of the soldiers this subordinate officer in charge of camp logistics always tried his best to use official or honorific titles.

"No need to wait for me, just set aside some food for me — I'll be right back." Gongsun Xun casually instructed a squad leader beside him, then immediately went over. "Ziheng, when I was drilling out on the field just now, a thought suddenly struck me, and I wanted to ask you — do you think I could have someone sew a hanging banner, to hang on the camp gate on ordinary days, and when we go on campaign, have a strongman hold it up behind me, with the nine characters 'Han Pingcheng Independent Division Commander Gongsun' written on it..."

"Wenqi has been looking rather spirited these days." Watching the other approach, Lü Fan stood with hands clasped, his face full of helpless amusement. "But a hanging banner with nine characters, wouldn't that be... wouldn't that be a few too many characters?"

"Who told me to be surnamed Gongsun?" Gongsun Xun shook his head repeatedly. "That's why the character count seems a bit much."

Lü Fan grew even more speechless and could only speak the truth: "For an Independent Division Commander, making this kind of banner is still somewhat overstepping."

"Ah," Gongsun Xun immediately retorted, "it's just a hanging banner. If Ziheng wants one, he can make one too."

"What would it say?" Lü Fan was genuinely a bit angry now. "'Han Pingcheng Independent Division Commander Gongsun's Subordinate Officer Lü'? If you'd become a Captain or General at the two-thousand-dan rank and given me an Assistant Army Commander post, I might barely be able to hang it up with a thick face like yours."

Gongsun Xun laughed awkwardly: "In the future I'll certainly strive to rise in office and give Ziheng a fine title."

And so, after this joke, the two finally drew close in front of Lü Fan's office and began speaking in low voices about serious matters.

"It's still that matter." Lü Fan said with a serious expression. "Since General of the Household Zang has sent over one garrison of elite troops, we must reorganize them — you can't keep dragging this out. Provisions are easy enough; Yanmen Commandery is willing to cover them. But after all, we only have an establishment of two companies and one garrison, with no surplus official posts to distribute."

Gongsun Xun could not help sighing: "This Zang Min — did he really send me troops out of kindness? He simply heard that Dong Zhuo and I joined hands to eliminate the Grand Administrator of Yanmen and was both shocked and furious, using this method to warn me. I had just finished organizing the establishment here, and only then does he send this garrison over..."

"There's also an intent to placate you." Lü Fan had always spoken bluntly. "After all, they are battle-hardened elites drawn from the west; their combat strength is bound to be far superior to the new recruits here."

"Ziheng came to find me — do you have some ideas?"

"I do have an idea." Lü Fan's suggestions were always so crisp and direct, which was exactly what Gongsun Xun liked most about him. "I know you're reluctant to part with these troops. That being the case, why not select one or two hundred men from the sons of prominent households recruited here in Yanmen and place them by your side as your directly subordinate cavalry retainers? This way, you neither use up establishment slots nor have to let them go. And these sons of prominent households — supplied by Yanmen Commandery and not caring in the slightest about petty posts like squad leader or fireteam leader — as long as you, Wenqi, can win them over skillfully and let them regard themselves as personal guards, they will naturally be fully content."

Gongsun Xun's eyes immediately lit up, and he continued to seek advice: "Then does Ziheng have any suggestions regarding personnel?"

"Though I have thoughts on this matter," Lü Fan answered frankly, "it is not appropriate for me to voice them. It should be something you, Wenqi, consider primarily on your own."

"If we draw out one or two hundred retainers to replace the garrison Zang Min sent," Gongsun Xun said with a smile, "then the one to command this company of retainers can only be Yigong. I truly cannot trust anyone else..."

"That is only natural." Lü Fan could not suppress a quiet laugh.

"But back then, Yigong shot Ke Zuitan dead with a single arrow, yet voluntarily declined the prospect of Company Commander to follow me. So if today I cannot give him a Company Commander's position, I would never be able to live with myself." Gongsun Xun continued, speaking as he thought. "So let him command the retainers in the capacity of Cavalry Company Commander. Then the two cavalry garrisons will bypass the company level entirely and report directly to me — one garrison, led by Cheng Lian and Wei Yue, composed mainly of Wuyuan immigrants; the other garrison, composed mainly of these elite veteran troops Zang Min sent. Then the infantry company will still be under Cheng Pu as before... Demou is a talent fit for a great general — use him where he should be used. Even that garrison of crossbowmen can be handed over to him for deployment. Finally, Ziheng will continue to manage the camp logistics on my behalf — subordinate troops, provisions, weapons and armor... That garrison of subordinate troops, though it's hard to equip them with iron armor, can still be given leather armor, bows, and spears, and all placed under Ziheng's management."

"I knew Wenqi had his own understanding in mind." Lü Fan rarely applauded. "Well-organized and properly arranged — this is excellent!"

"Right, speaking of which..."

"There's one more thing..."

The two spoke at the same time, then could not help shaking their heads in unison.

"Wenqi is the commanding general — you speak first." Lü Fan was crisp and decisive.

"Yesterday my mother sent a letter." Gongsun Xun nodded. "She mentioned another matter. She suggests that I should balance urgency and leisure in training the troops — besides resting one day every ten, also rest one more day every five, and on that day have the soldiers play cuju, compete in archery, and race horses. Even better, every half-month or month, take the troops on a long march to Mount Bailang to hunt... And of course, each time, take the initiative to put up money as rewards."

"I think it's feasible." Lü Fan lowered his head in thought for a moment, then immediately replied. "Though I don't understand military strategy, I do know the story of Wang Jian's campaign against Chu. That famous general saw soldiers in the army throwing stones for sport and judged their morale to be abundant — there must be some principle behind it. Moreover, using this method to bestow rewards is fair enough; everyone can see it with their own eyes, and no one will be resentful."

Gongsun Xun immediately nodded again: "Exactly so. For this matter, I must ask Ziheng to put in extra effort to arrange it. In a moment I'll give you the rules and field plans for cuju, archery, and horse racing that my mother wrote out..."

"Your esteemed mother even understands such things?" Lü Fan was uncharacteristically astonished.

Gongsun Xun sighed deeply: "To be honest with you, my mother always laments that if she had been born a man, our family's Anli Trading Company would long ago have spread from Liaoxi all the way to Rinan. But I know that if my mother truly had been a man, I fear the whole world would have been thrown into chaos by her from Liaoxi all the way to Rinan... Though fortunately she wasn't, or else there would be no me!"

Lü Fan was stunned speechless.

"I'll go eat with the soldiers now." Having finished explaining matters, Gongsun Xun waved his hand and left directly. "Ziheng, please work hard on these things in the coming days."

Lü Fan nodded slightly. Only after turning around did he realize he seemed to have forgotten to tell the other man something. But at that moment, his mind was full of the various whimsical letters and unbelievable rumors concerning his lord's mother, and for a time he simply could not recall what he had meant to say, so he had to set it aside for now.

On the other side, Gongsun Xun went and ate breakfast together with the soldiers, then personally went to distribute the month's military pay... Of course, this did not require a special reminder letter from Madam Gongsun. Who knew how many years ago, under his own mother's constant influence, he had thoroughly learned these techniques that were gracious yet cost nothing.

One could even say — the principle of not eating until the soldiers eat, not sleeping until the soldiers sleep, and for soldiers who performed outstandingly or showed particular hardship, frequently giving them the clothes off his back or sharing his own food with them... these methods, after he had driven away that Zhang Qi, reorganized the military establishment, and settled his mind, he employed to the utmost without reservation.

Why not? Would doing so cost him a piece of his own flesh? On the contrary, Gongsun Xun faintly felt some puzzlement toward those renowned scholars who maintained a lofty and aloof posture... Matters that clearly did them no harm — why couldn't these people set aside their airs and do them?

It made him seem like some kind of oddity!

"Young Lord!" Just as Gongsun Xun finished distributing one garrison's pay and was about to take a short rest, Jia Chao suddenly came panting heavily, holding a letter in both hands. "A letter from Young Master Fan in Luoyang — delivered in a brocade pouch, sealed with red thread, just arrived."

Gongsun Xun nodded slightly, then took the letter with some curiosity and haste, for according to their agreement, only major events warranted a brocade pouch, and only urgent matters warranted red thread... Yet just last month, Gongsun Fan had already sent a letter in this exact format. That letter had informed him that the court had just appointed a scion of the prestigious Guo clan of Taiyuan Commandery — grandson of the former Grand Master of Splendid Happiness Guo Zun, son of the former Grand Minister of Agriculture Guo Quan — Guo Yun of Yangqu, as Grand Administrator of Yanmen. Because of that news, he had proactively reined himself in somewhat and stayed holed up in Pingcheng, not daring to act rashly.

That being the case, what major or urgent matter could now be coming from Luoyang?

However, as soon as he opened the letter paper tucked inside the brocade pouch, after reading only a few lines, Gongsun Xun, who had been somewhat doubtful moments before, immediately changed color drastically!

"At that time, the Grand Ancestor served as Independent Division Commander at Pingcheng. According to regulations, he was a commander of five hundred. (Lü) Fan managed camp logistics. Because many heroes of Bing Province had attached themselves to him and the camp was overflowing, there were many dismissals. However, once those men were dismissed, none were willing to leave, and they pleaded tearfully: 'We are willing to provide our own bows and horses, and ask for no official pay — we only beg to remain and serve in the camp.' Fan was greatly puzzled: 'Why go to such lengths?' They replied: 'The realm is adrift, and men's hearts are unsettled. The Commander, while in the army, practices benevolence and righteousness in all things. We attach ourselves to him out of virtue!' Fan was moved by their words, and thus advised the Grand Ancestor to establish a corps of retainers, and recommended Han Dang to lead them." — Old Book of Yan, Volume 68, Biographies, Chapter 18

PS: Thanks to Key Key for the red-tipped reward... still an old reader.

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(End of Chapter)