Chapter 1280: How to Become Loyal Sichuan Folk Who Love the Great Ming!

"What? They're all White Lotus rebels! Are you sure you're not mistaken? The White Lotus rebels here in Sichuan wouldn't have that kind of nerve, would they?"

Wu Sangui's eyes went wide as he stared at the vast, swarming mass of "White Lotus followers" crowding the slopes on both sides of the official road, completely baffled.

"This subordinate is not mistaken. They're singing 'Welcoming the Ming King' — and something about the Ming King coming to divide up the land. They must be White Lotus followers!"

The man speaking with Wu Sangui was a scholar-garbed fellow in his forties named Liu Maoxia, courtesy name Xuanchu, a native of Chongqing Prefecture in Sichuan. He had passed the xiucai examination and had attached himself to Liu Wenxiu when Zhang Xianzhong entered Sichuan. Because he was a Sichuan native, he found no employment in either the Xi or Shun camps, so six years earlier he had joined Wu Sangui's service under the identity of a Sichuan loyalist volunteer.

After conversing with him, Wu Sangui discovered that this man was extremely familiar with Sichuan's terrain and with the population and fiscal resources of every locality, and that he also understood the Shun regime's institutions and systems — a rare and invaluable guide. So Wu Sangui had put him to important use, making him a personal adviser and even securing him a nominal prefectship (of a prefecture within Anxi).

He pondered a moment, then said to Wu Sangui, "My Lord Duke, the White Lotus followers of Sichuan and the roving bandits are mortal enemies. They have already raised troops at Great Sword Mountain — perhaps they think the court will value them for it?"

Wu Sangui glared. "How could that be? The roving bandits are rebels, and the White Lotus is a rebel sect too!"

At that moment Wu Sangui suddenly recalled that the ballad "Welcoming the Ming King" had been composed by Wu Meicun, so the people singing it were not necessarily White Lotus followers. He therefore instructed Liu Maoxia, "Xuanchu, go and ask them. Be sure to get it clear — we must not wrong good people."

Liu Maoxia cupped his hands, dismounted, and strode quickly forward until he reached the leader, Wang Youwen. He opened his mouth and asked, "Old man, speak honestly — are you mixed up with the White Lotus?"

Wang Youwen was startled by the question. Mixed up with the White Lotus? He was a good, law-abiding subject of the Shun — no, a good subject of the Great Ming — how had he become a White Lotus heretic?

He hastily waved his hands and said, "No such thing! How could I be White Lotus? I'm a scholar — I even sat the xiucai examination. How could I be White Lotus?"

Liu Maoxia eyed this dark, gaunt fellow who looked every bit the old peasant constantly working the fields, and frowned. "You really are a xiucai? From which prefecture?"

"I'm from Huayang County in Chengdu Prefecture!" The moment Wang Youwen mentioned Huayang County, tears welled up unbidden. "I was living comfortably in the city, and then I ran into that damned Li the Roving Bandit. My whole family, young and old, was driven out to farm. They wouldn't even let me sit the xiucai exam anymore. At my age I still had to do corvée labor for those bastards, hauling grain to the front. We Sichuan folk have suffered bitterly, waiting day and night for the royal army to come and save us — and now at last it's here. How could I be a White Lotus heretic?"

So it really was a mistake? Liu Maoxia still was not entirely sure, so he asked again, "If you're not a White Lotus heretic, then why are you singing 'Welcoming the Ming King'?"

"Isn't 'Welcoming the Ming King' about welcoming the Great Ming's royal army?"

Liu Maoxia was both annoyed and amused by the question. He looked at Old Wang and said, "You old fool — how can you not tell the difference between the Ming King and the Ming Son of Heaven? You've never heard of the Ming King's descent that's been talked about for centuries? And besides, 'the Ming King comes to divide the land' — would the Ming Son of Heaven come and divide land among you common folk? Where would you find such a good thing?"

Hearing Liu Maoxia say this, Old Wang also felt he had sung the wrong song. The Ming Emperor truly would not divide land among the poor commoners. Not adding extra levies and impositions would already be good enough — how could he possibly divide land?

At that thought, he hurriedly turned around and waved vigorously at the common folk who were still singing chaotically: "Stop singing, stop singing! Follow me and shout: Long live the Great Ming Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

When he shouted, people actually did follow. As the cry of "Long live the Great Ming Emperor, ten thousand times ten thousand years!" rose, the strains of "Welcoming the Ming King" grew fainter and fainter, until at last no one sang it anymore.

Wu Sangui also heard that no one was singing "Welcoming the Ming King" anymore, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He had someone summon both Liu Maoxia and Wang Youwen before him.

"Can you speak the official tongue?" Wu Sangui asked Wang Youwen.

"Yes, yes — this humble one has studied, passed the xiucai examination, and can speak the official tongue." Of course Wang Youwen could speak the official tongue — otherwise how could he teach at the garrison militia academy? If he spoke Sichuan dialect to people, who would understand?

"Then this official asks you: what are all these people?"

"Mostly corvée laborers forcibly conscripted from all over Sichuan," Wang Youwen answered. "Some are also common folk from Feng County."

Wu Sangui asked again, "And they have all come to welcome the Great Ming's royal army?"

"That's right, that's right — all loyal subjects of the Great Ming come to welcome the royal army!"

"All loyal to the Great Ming?" Wu Sangui was dubious. "No longer loyal to the roving bandits?"

"Not loyal — never loyal again!" Wang Youwen shook his head repeatedly. "The roving bandits are too wicked. We Sichuan folk have suffered under them for too long, and we all long for the royal army to come!"

"Longing for the royal army? Not for the White Lotus?" Wu Sangui's face darkened. "How is it that this official has heard the White Lotus has raised troops at Great Sword Mountain with followers gathering like clouds?"

"The news Your Excellency has heard is probably mistaken," Wang Youwen said. "The White Lotus heretics have indeed rebelled at Great Sword Mountain, but followers gathering like clouds is impossible."

"Why impossible?" Wu Sangui asked.

"Fear of death!" Wang Youwen answered. "The roving bandits' garrison militia is said to number a million households, stationed across the land. From white-haired elders down to women and youths, everyone trains in martial arts and can fight. Even if the Sichuan folk deeply hate the roving bandits, they dare not rise up in force. Only the White Lotus heretics are fearless of death and dare to fight them — but it is only a single fight, and they absolutely cannot make too great a stir. Because south of Jiange Pass is already Sichuan's prosperous heartland, where many garrison militia households have been settled. The roving bandits' puppet court can mobilize large numbers of garrison militia to fight at any time, and the White Lotus heretics are simply no match for them."

He had, after all, been a teacher at a garrison militia academy, and he understood those "garrison second-generation" types all too well — trained in fighting since childhood, every one of them, male or female, capable of putting up a fight.

Wu Sangui frowned. "According to you, the Great Sword Mountain rebellion will not amount to much?"

"That's right — it won't amount to much."

Wu Sangui felt something was off. He glanced at Liu Maoxia. "Xuanchu, what do you think?"

Liu Maoxia said, "The army has already come this far — it can only advance, not retreat. Moreover, the Sichuan folk have indeed suffered under the bandits for a long time. Now the people's hearts are with the Ming, Heaven's timing is with the Ming, and the terrain of the Qinling is with the Ming. How could there be any principle by which we do not win?"

Wu Sangui nodded, then pointed at the Sichuan folk who were still shouting "Long live!" and asked, "What should be done with those people?"

Liu Maoxia said, "We can take them into the army to serve — transporting grain and fodder, digging trenches, assaulting walls. They will all be of use."

"Good!" Wu Sangui raised his riding crop and pointed at Wang Youwen. "What is your name?"

"This humble one is Wang Youwen."

Wu Sangui said, "This commander appoints you Superintendent of Corvée Laborers. Gather up the corvée laborers of Feng County and march south with the army. If you render meritorious service, this commander can guarantee you an official post!"

An official post!

Wang Youwen suddenly felt his life had hope again — he might actually have the chance to become an official!

"Great Ming victory! Victory! Victory!"

At that same moment, around Maling Pass south of the Feng County seat, cheers suddenly erupted, shaking the clouds. A red banner emblazoned with the sun and moon shining together was already flying high atop Maling Pass.

Maling Pass had by now been seized by the troops commanded by Shang Kexi and Kong Tingxun.

The gateway to the Hanzhong Basin was thrown open, and the Jinniu Road leading to the Chengdu Basin lay right before their eyes!

Shang Kexi and Kong Tingxun, both fully armored, climbed the ramparts of Maling Pass surrounded by their personal guards, and watched with their own eyes as their subordinates pursued the fleeing Shun army along the Jialing River.

"Worthy nephew, it seems the roving bandits truly are finished!" Shang Kexi laughed. "Maling Pass is in our hands. There may still be fighting ahead once we enter Sichuan, but Hanzhong is as good as taken!"

Kong Tingxun laughed. "Uncle, your nephew thinks we can press the pursuit a bit further along the Jialing River! Perhaps the White Lotus uprising at Great Sword Mountain really is big enough to have thrown the bandits' rear into complete chaos. If we can seize the moment and push south again, we might see whether we can drive straight through to Lueyang in one breath — and cut off their retreat along the Qishan Road!"

Shang Kexi nodded. "Very well — that would be a great merit indeed! Worthy nephew, shouldn't this time's vanguard be yielded to me, your uncle?"

(End of Chapter)