Chapter 13: Section One

After receiving the order, Huang Shi explained the troop recruitment and training tasks to his personal guards, then changed into a brand-new military uniform and hurried back to Liuhe. Dressed in bright clothes and riding a spirited horse, it was exactly the right moment to return home in glory. To a large extent, Huang Shi already regarded Liuhe as his second hometown.

When he arrived at Liuhe it was afternoon, and his outfit immediately awed the town's residents. Over the years, everyone had seen plenty of tattered uniforms and soldiers who looked like beggars, but his gleaming armor and uniform made many people even think a general had come.

When he reached Old Zhang's house, Huang Shi learned that Zhang Pan had been learning hunting from Zhao Manxiong all these days, and the other three men of the household had gone to the military farm to collect rice and had not yet returned.

Riding to the woods where he used to cut firewood, before Huang Shi spotted the two hunters, he heard a loud shout and then saw Zhang Pan sprinting out from the forest. Huang Shi swung down from the saddle and stretched out his arms, ready to embrace the youth as he used to, but saw him stop respectfully a few paces in front of him, looking Huang Shi's armor and uniform up and down.

Huang Shi awkwardly withdrew his arms, walked over and patted him on the shoulder, then gave Zhang Pan a firm hug.

At that moment Zhao Manxiong also walked over. "Big Brother Huang, have you become a general?"

"Company Commander. Guangning Company Commander."

Zhang Pan grew excited: "How many soldiers under you?"

"Two hundred." Huang Shi's words stirred another wave of envious and admiring murmurs.

"Recruit me as your personal guard. I'm skilled in archery and expert at setting traps. I can definitely be of use to Big Brother Stone." Zhao Manxiong immediately spoke up.

These words stirred Huang Shi's interest. What he valued was not only his long familiarity with Zhao Manxiong, but mainly that this fellow was meticulous and shrewd.

"Big Brother Huang, call on me too." Zhang Pan also jumped up eagerly, volunteering himself.

"Let's talk about it when I come back." Huang Shi did not intend to drag Old Zhang's family into trouble, so he had no choice but to refuse Zhao Manxiong as well.

After speaking, Huang Shi could not bear to look at the disappointment covering Zhao Manxiong's face. He took two pouches from his horse and handed them to the two of them: "Brother Zhao, take some silver back and improve your living a bit. Little Brother, take this pouch. My military duties are busy and I have no time to wait for your father to return. Inside is copper coin for your second brother — tell him to hurry up and get married, and make sure it's a grand affair!"

Zhang Pan took the heavy bag; the silver taels and standard coins inside weighed him down so much he staggered: "Big Brother Huang, this is so much! But everyone is panicking now, worried the Jianzhou slaves will attack, and no one wants to marry their daughters to us military households."

"That's why I'm giving you extra money. Also, tell everyone to rest easy — before the Jianzhou slaves pacify the unrest in their rear, they won't attack Guangning."

"Mm. Understood." Zhang Pan answered happily.

Huang Shi patted his head, swung back onto the horse, and was about to leave when Zhao Manxiong, who had been deep in thought the whole time beside him, suddenly asked: "Then what about after the Jianzhou slaves finish pacifying their rear?"

No one answered that question. Huang Shi merely smiled at Zhao Manxiong, then clamped his legs to the horse's belly and rode off into the dust.

After crossing the Liaohe this time, Huang Shi did not change his clothes or disguise himself. Instead, he walked openly on the road in full Ming army uniform and armor. When stopped by Later Jin soldiers, he first stated directly that he was an envoy from Guangning. After being brought before a Later Jin officer, he secretly presented the border pass and seal given by Nurhaci.

The border Garrison Commander, astonished, immediately wanted to dispatch a squad of soldiers to escort him to Liaoyang. Huang Shi stopped this action, saying that too much attention would arouse suspicion from the Guangning side, and that according to envoy protocol, assigning three Later Jin escorts was sufficient.

Walking on the main road to Liaoyang, the Han civilians on both sides stopped one after another to stare at this rare military officer; they had not seen such a sight for a very long time. For months, heads wearing Ming army helmets had been hoisted on spears, brandished by the roaring Later Jin cavalry to flaunt their martial prowess.

Even more, no one had ever seen a Ming army rider so spirited and full of life. These days, living people wearing Guangning military uniforms were all bound tightly and strung into columns. When they were led past the common folk on the dirt roads, the Jurchens would deliberately mock the cowardice and incompetence of the Han people in loud voices.

The commoners by the roadside stared blankly, and among them were several dressed as Licentiates. Huang Shi saw that this time another man who looked like a scholar had appeared before his horse. This man stood rigidly against the edge of the road, his gaze greedily sweeping over Huang Shi's attire again and again, his face twisted with emotion, and right in front of the three Later Jin escorts, tears streamed from his eyes. Huang Shi kicked the horse's belly hard and galloped swiftly past him. The several Later Jin soldiers shot the scholar two fierce looks, then hurriedly chased after Huang Shi.

"Shedding tears before the enemy — how foolish." Huang Shi sighed inwardly at that scholar's recklessness. "The people's hearts can be used. Once I deal with Sun Degong, I will have an army in my hands."

The security around Liaoyang was clearly much tighter than last time. On the road, Huang Shi saw several squads of Later Jin cavalry galloping silently and swiftly. He knew that Nurhaci had issued orders to his three hundred Niu Lu, commanding each to bring fifteen or twenty armored riders and assemble quickly, preparing to dispatch troops to Zhenjiang to suppress the rebellion. There, the Han people, incited by Mao Wenlong, had risen up to kill Later Jin officials one after another, and even the Han troops had defected in large numbers. The Guangning army that had penetrated deep into the Liaodong heartland was growing stronger with each passing day.

The next day, before leaving the Liaoyang post station, Huang Shi carefully polished every scale on his armor, tucked his braided queue deep inside the collar at the back of his neck, then put on his helmet, went out and mounted his horse. Under the dazzling sunlight, facing the gazes of the city's commoners and soldiers, he rode slowly straight toward the Liaoyang Khan's Palace.

Arriving at the Khan's Palace, Huang Shi presented Wang Huazhen's letter, and was then led by Later Jin soldiers to the central courtyard. Soon after, someone came to notify him that he could leave, and he was also ordered to go to the Prince Consort's residence to await news.

He had been sitting in the Prince Consort's residence for less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea when he saw Li Yongfang walk in with a blue-robed scholar. Li Yongfang strode arrogantly straight to the seat of honor and sat down. The scholar kept his hands tucked in his sleeves and paced to a position behind the table and stood still.

Once Huang Shi had performed the full formal salute, Li Yongfang said: "Hand over the letter."

Huang Shi glanced hesitantly at the scholar behind him, and immediately heard Li Yongfang bellow impatiently: "He is my chief private secretary, surnamed Zhao — Mr. Zhao."

Hearing this, Huang Shi no longer hesitated. Holding the secret letter in both hands, he delivered it to the table. As Li Yongfang tore open the secret letter, he sneered and asked: "Does Huang Shi want to know what Wang Huazhen said to the Khan?"

Naturally, Huang Shi did not dare to respond to such a question. He knew that the contents were mostly furious curses against Nurhaci, and perhaps an attempt to persuade him to surrender. Li Yongfang ignored him, and while lowering his head to read the letter, he mocked: "Although Wang Huazhen's letter is all nonsense, it made the Khan laugh very happily. He said that when we capture that wretch in the future, we must make him read it aloud to the Khan again himself."

After Li Yongfang finished reading the secret letter, he passed it to the scholar behind him to read. The scholar took the secret letter Li Yongfang handed over, glanced at it a few times, and immediately congratulated loudly: "Congratulations, Prince Consort! Heaven's mandate favors our Great Jin, the Khan's great fortune — even if one were to exhaust all the bamboo on the southern mountains, it could not be fully recorded; the Prince Consort's great achievement..."

After speaking in this pedantic, bookish manner for a long while, the scholar finally noticed that both Li Yongfang and Huang Shi were looking at him strangely, and could not help but laugh awkwardly. "This student is congratulating the Prince Consort. Sun Degong has indeed requested to surrender. The Khan's great enterprise can be accomplished, and the Prince Consort has also rendered great merit. The Khan will be very pleased."

Li Yongfang chuckled: "Huang Shi, go down and receive your reward. Stay at the post station today. And do not summon those two singing girls either — keeping up appearances is paramount."

The mission was completed without alarm or danger once again! After putting on a lowly posture of being overwhelmed with tearful gratitude, Huang Shi left cheerfully. He had just walked a few steps out of the study's main door when he suddenly heard a shout from behind:

"General Huang, please stay your steps."