Chapter 210: Section 27: Entering the Capital

At this morning's meeting, Zhao Manxiong's proposal was unanimously approved, and it was finally decided that officers over the age of twenty-four would no longer face restrictions on marriage. But this raised a serious problem: on Zhangsheng Island, where men far outnumbered women, how could they ensure that officers would not snatch resources from the soldiers? Or, to take it a step further, how could senior officers be prevented from snatching resources from junior officers? Huang Shi worried that suddenly passing this regulation would lead to a wave of women breaking off engagements and betrothals, and if that really happened, it would undoubtedly cause severe unrest among the troops.

After further discussion, it was finally decided that this regulation would take effect for Company Commanders and officers below them starting in the first month of the sixth year of the Tianqi reign, and for officers above Company Commander one year later, in the seventh month of the sixth year of the Tianqi reign. During this period, officers still could not immediately marry or send betrothal gifts. Huang Shi believed this would give the soldiers a buffer period. After all, in the army, no one knew when they might die, nor what their prospects would be over the course of a year. This way, a wave of women breaking off engagements and betrothals should not occur.

With the plan settled, everyone cheerfully went off to eat. Although most of the people in the room still had to wait a year, at least they finally had something to look forward to and no longer had to pester Huang Shi every day about being sent on assignments to Shandong.

After so many days, Huang Shi finally took his lunch to the seaside again. Frankly speaking, at first he had no special feelings toward the oyster girl. Huang Shi's original intention was simply to make up for a meal he owed a pitiable person. Later, the feeling was more like that of a lonely man amusing himself with a pet. The oyster girl was lively and adorable, and Huang Shi very much enjoyed talking with her. He felt as if he had returned to his carefree youth.

However, women of this era clearly had no interest in "pure friendship." A few days ago, Huang Shi recalled the Zhao family girl he had met before. That Miss Zhao also seemed to think that because Huang Shi had spoken a few words with her, he should be her boyfriend rather than just a male friend. In the end, it had caused him a great deal of trouble, and he was fortunate that the Zhao family had not tried to destroy him completely.

After his conversation with the Wang family girl a few days earlier, Huang Shi resolved to abandon the irresponsible attitude of his future-era self. He walked lightly down to the shore. The feeling in his heart was strangely familiar, just like when he was in elementary school and the teacher had announced she would summon his parents. Huang Shi had lingered up and down the stairwell in the doorway, finally forced to stand outside his own home.

Although Huang Shi was already treading as softly as he could, the rustling of his armor still alerted Young Lady Wang, who was gazing at the sea. The girl glanced back hastily, then lazily rose to her feet. As she walked over to greet him, she said in a tone utterly devoid of surprise, "My lord, Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, have you been very busy lately?"

From Miss Wang's face, he could detect not a trace of surprise or joy, which left Huang Shi feeling slightly dejected. He stammered for a moment before answering, "Yes, I've been swamped with official duties lately and haven't been able to get away."

As he spoke, Huang Shi foolishly handed the food in his hand — a sesame cake — to Miss Wang. The girl took it with the same cheerful smile as always, looking neither more excited nor more distant than before. A tremendous sense of frustration welled up in Huang Shi's heart. In his previous life, he had been repeatedly toyed with by women, and he never imagined that in the late Ming dynasty, he would still be a complete idiot before them.

Huang Shi wanted to casually and gracefully bring up today's regulation change, but after racking his brains, he could not find a tactful or clever way to phrase it. By Huang Shi's reckoning, women of this era were likely rather thin-skinned, and besides, bringing it up bluntly probably would not suit his current status.

"What is General Huang thinking about?" The Wang family girl glanced at him curiously, her hands deftly splitting the cake into two halves. The way she looked, it truly seemed as if nothing had happened at all.

Huang Shi had originally expected to meet a sorrowful woman, to whom he could then say that he could finally make a promise for one year from now. But the way things were unfolding was completely unexpected. He finally made up his mind — if it was going to be abrupt, so be it. He waved his hand subconsciously: "Young Lady Wang, are you betrothed?" Whatever the girl answered, Huang Shi was already mentally prepared.

Unexpectedly, the girl was the one who was startled, her large eyes full of astonishment: "Betrothed? Betrothed to whom?"

Huang Shi froze like a toad struck by lightning. He gaped speechlessly for a long while, and was just about to help the Wang girl recall their last conversation when he suddenly paused, as if struck by a realization. In the end, he said nothing at all.

Miss Wang propped a finger against her mouth, rolled her eyes twice, and then looked askance at the drifting clouds on the horizon. After pondering seriously for a long moment, she let out a soft "Ah," then touched the twin tufts of her maiden hairstyle and said, "Is my lord, Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, referring to the matter from over ten days ago? Someone did come to propose to my brother then. Oh dear, my lord, you see, I had completely forgotten."

Without changing expression, Huang Shi lightly clasped his arms behind his back. The young girl before him withdrew her gaze from the blue sky and white clouds, her jet-black eyes blinking innocently, her long lashes fluttering with apparent honesty. She clasped her hands together at her chest, her upper body swaying slightly forward and back, as if to guarantee that she had not told a single lie: "My elder brother was not very satisfied with that family and refused them immediately. That day, I had just finished telling my lord the first half of the story and was about to ask whether my lord thought it was appropriate, but then my lord had urgent business and left in a hurry..."

Miss Wang had been watching Huang Shi's expression the entire time she spoke. When she saw the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth grow more and more obvious, she finally could not keep it up any longer. The young girl's face flushed red; she stuck out her tongue, lowered her head, and began twisting the hem of her clothes, mumbling, "So that's how it was. I am sorry that my lord, Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, still remembered this matter."

Huang Shi shook his head and sighed with a laugh: "What a child!"

"Who's a child? I'll be nineteen soon." The sesame-cake girl looked up indignantly to retort, but she suddenly realized that her words seemed to carry a hint of ambiguous meaning. Her face burning bright red, she lowered her head again and said in a barely audible voice: "Does my lord have something to say to me today?"

— If you had been anxious for me to give you a guarantee, I would have asked you to wait a year. But a little thing like you, with nothing better to do, still toys with me. You really need to be taught a lesson.

Huang Shi remained silent for a moment, then casually chatted with Miss Wang about trivial matters. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the young girl gradually grow restless, and he felt both amused and unable to bear it.

Just before Huang Shi opened his mouth to speak, Miss Wang suddenly asked softly, "Is my lord angry?"

"Not at all," Huang Shi smiled slyly. "Why would I be angry with you? Did you do something to make me angry?"

"Ah." Miss Wang hesitated for a moment, then said gently, "Last time, my lord said he could not write poetry and played a trick on me. I am narrow-minded and have been wanting to get back at you ever since. That was my one tiny, wicked thought. Surely my lord, Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, is not angry?"

Huang Shi gave a scoffing laugh: "Young Lady Wang, you're beating around the bush, but you're still mocking me for being narrow-minded."

"I wouldn't dare." Miss Wang glanced up at Huang Shi's smile, then hastily covered her mouth with her hand and giggled along with him.

Huang Shi then stopped beating around the bush and gave a general overview of the morning's regulation. Miss Wang listened quietly at his side. Although her expression remained mostly neutral, a hint of joy was already faintly visible between her brows. After the deliberately arranged incident last time, this Wang girl had already gotten a fairly clear read on Huang Shi's hand. When she saw Huang Shi coming to find her again today, the girl had already guessed there would be some good news to hear.

"...That's basically how it is, but for one year, those above Company Commander cannot send betrothal gifts — this is also for the sake of army morale." Huang Shi did not make any explicit promise to Miss Wang, but having said this much, it was practically the same as a promise. After he finished, he glanced again at the girl beside him. She still wore a demure and submissive expression. Huang Shi could not help thinking to himself — Truly, you cannot judge a person by appearance. Such a young girl, and she has led me around by the nose, and in the end, smoothly obtained exactly what she wanted. God, if I could ever figure out what women are thinking, strike me dead with a thunderbolt, old man.

After listening to Huang Shi explain the new regulation, Miss Wang still stared at the ground without any great reaction, merely letting out a soft, harmless "Mm."

"This is for you." As he spoke, Huang Shi handed over a heavy cloth pouch. Miss Wang took it with both hands, squeezed it, then crouched down and opened it to look inside... It contained several dozen Zhangsheng Island silver coins. She puzzledly stirred them with her fingertip, then looked up at Huang Shi in confusion.

"My salary," Huang Shi shrugged habitually. "The imperial court does not issue salaries to the officers of the Dongjiang Army, but I cannot fail to issue them."

Ever since the establishment of Dongjiangzhen, because the number of troops Mao Wenlong reported differed enormously from the number approved by the imperial court, the several thousand officers of Dongjiangzhen were uniformly given no salary. Otherwise, the accounts would be impossible to balance. The number of soldiers officially registered with the court for Zhangsheng Island was originally two thousand. Later, Mao Wenlong transferred the two thousand troop quota of the lost Steel Edge Battalion to Zhangsheng Island. Now, the number of soldiers reported to the Ministry of War was four thousand.

But Zhangsheng Island had tens of thousands of combat soldiers and support troops, and all the refugees had also been registered by Huang Shi into military households. This meant there were over eight hundred officers of various ranks, and even more across the other units of the entire Left Division of Dongjiangzhen. Ever since the introduction of military scrip, these officers' salaries had to be paid by Huang Shi.

Over the years, the silver rewards Huang Shi had received amounted to nearly a thousand taels. This time, the imperial court had also decreed a reward of two hundred taels of silver for the battle of Fuzhou. Huang Shi had always eaten at the mess hall and had never touched it. This time, especially for his sesame-cake sister, he had drawn fifteen taels from Yang Zhiyuan: "The court's order has already come down, commanding me to enter the capital immediately for an audience with His Majesty. I estimate the round trip will take at least half a month, and if there are delays, it could be a month. Take these dozen or so taels in military scrip and use them first."

"Yes." Miss Wang did not even say thank you. With an air of taking it for granted, she tied the cloth pouch to her waist. Her and her brother's combined monthly salary did not even amount to one tael.

After the young woman gracefully rose to her feet, she lifted her head and gazed at Huang Shi. The expression on her face was so gentle it seemed as if water could be wrung from it, and her pair of jet-black eyes seemed almost capable of speech. Huang Shi sighed inwardly once more — A fine, promising young man like me, hooked so easily just like that.

Though he thought this in his head, Huang Shi's feet involuntarily carried him two steps forward. Young Lady Wang looked up without the slightest fear at the man's face drawing near.

"My lord."

At this critical juncture, Hong Antong's voice rang out again with its impeccable timing. Huang Shi tilted his head slightly: "I must take my leave now. Young Lady Wang, take care."

"My lord, take care."

Huang Shi turned and strode quickly toward Hong Antong in the distance. The latter squeezed out a professional smile toward the Wang girl, then fell in behind Huang Shi and left with him: "My lord, Mobile Corps Commander Jin insists on seeing you. Your subordinate could not stop him no matter what."

Upon seeing Huang Shi, Jin Qiude's first words were: "Your subordinate dares to ask my lord to dismiss everyone else."

At that moment, only Hong Antong remained relatively close to Huang Shi; the rest of the inner guard stood far away and could not hear their conversation. Huang Shi saw the resolute determination filling Jin Qiude's eyes and waved his hand, sending Hong Antong away as well.

"My lord, your subordinate has heard that the court wants you to go to the capital. Is it true?" Once Hong Antong had walked away, Jin Qiude asked impatiently. He had just heard the news from the inner guard.

"It is true. I plan to arrange the work for the main camp this afternoon. Is there a problem?" Huang Shi had only received the imperial edict after this morning's meeting. While ordering the inner guard to notify the officers of every department to continue the meeting in the afternoon, he had taken his lunch and come to the seaside.

"My lord must absolutely not go to the capital." Jin Qiude grew frantic upon hearing this. He clapped his hands together fiercely and said, "My lord, your subordinate believes we can stage a mutiny. We can say that the moment my lord announced he was going to the capital, Zhangsheng Island fell into chaos. It would be a perfect opportunity for Eunuch Wu to see it as well."

Huang Shi was stunned into silence by shock, then burst out in helpless laughter: "Brother Jin, what has gotten into you?"

Jin Qiude locked eyes with Huang Shi for a moment, then finally prostrated himself on the ground and began kowtowing forcefully, his helmet thudding against the earth.

"Brother Jin, please rise." Huang Shi was truly astonished this time. Such formal ceremony had not been used among the old brothers of Zhangsheng Island for a long time. Huang Shi crouched down and grasped Jin Qiude's shoulders: "Brother Jin, if you have something to say, speak freely."

At the afternoon meeting, Yang Zhiyuan, He Dingyuan, and the rest showed no unusual behavior. They still laughed and joked, asking Huang Shi to bring back some local specialties from the capital, with He Dingyuan being the most enthusiastic. The moment He Dingyuan heard that Huang Shi was going to the capital for an audience with His Majesty, the envy on his face grew so thick it seemed about to drip down like water, and he kept clamoring to go with Huang Shi.

Wu Mu had long since received a secret letter from the palace, so he had anticipated today's scene to some extent. Although Wu Mu felt that Wei Zhongxian's reasoning was very sound, he still had a vague feeling that Huang Shi was simply too conspicuous — but Eunuch Wei certainly understood more than I do. Otherwise, how could Eunuch Wei be the Director of the Eastern Depot, while I am merely an Army Supervisor on Zhangsheng Island?

Huang Shi calmly delegated the various tasks, and the officers of Zhangsheng Island all received their orders in turn. Wu Mu stole several glances at Huang Shi, and his heart could not help but feel some guilt. But when he thought more carefully about his original intentions, he felt relieved in an instant — He whose achievements overshadow all under heaven cannot be rewarded; he whose might intimidates his sovereign will incur disaster. General Huang, you are not yet at that point, but if your achievements are not shared with Liaoxi and Liaodong, you will eventually reach this step. I have shared storms and hardships with you for so long now; no matter what, I cannot watch you walk the path to your death... For public and private reasons alike, it is best that you go to the capital and rest for a while.

At this moment, Wu Mu was not the only one making such calculations. Sun Chengzong was just then summoning Ma Shilong for a talk. After the battle of Fuzhou, Sun Chengzong and Ma Shilong had both grown more confident. They believed that the Later Jin army was a spent force, on the verge of collapse.

"Grand Coordinator Sun, rest assured. Our Guanning Iron Cavalry surpasses the Zhangsheng Army tenfold in equipment and the Jianzhou slaves a hundredfold. This expedition east of the river is certain to succeed." Ma Shilong was brimming with confidence, and the spirit he radiated greatly heartened Sun Chengzong. As the saying goes, "Feed an army for a thousand days, use it for one moment." For years, Sun Chengzong had done his utmost to provide the Guanning Army with sufficient armor and weapons, issued their full pay and rations, and given them his complete trust, never meddling recklessly in military matters. Now Sun Chengzong hoped the Guanning Army would repay his years of hard work and trust. Old Sun had no doubt whatsoever that Ma Shilong would not let him down.

Thinking of how Huang Shi had risked a sortie to support the Liaoxi offensive, Sun Chengzong felt a faint unease in his heart. But he believed that transferring Huang Shi to Beizhili was also a good way to protect him. The more Sun Chengzong pondered Huang Shi's actions, the more he felt this man was no simple figure. He believed that letting Huang Shi monopolize the great achievement of pacifying Liaodong would be irresponsible both to the Great Ming dynasty and to Huang Shi himself.

The capital, within the imperial palace

Today, Tianqi had finished carving a new wooden pipe, part of the fountain he was designing for the imperial garden. After working up a good sweat, the Emperor's mood had become excellent, and he was even humming a little tune while bathing. Wei Zhongxian seized the opportunity and approached...

"Bestow the Prince's daughter as a bride for General Huang? How amusing." Tianqi found this idea rather interesting and asked with a laugh, "But why do this? It can't be just for fun, can it?"

"Your Majesty is wise." Wei Zhongxian immediately began chattering about the advantages: "By ancestral regulation, when a military household serves the imperial clan, their descendants may sit the imperial examinations. This old servant believes that since Military Governor Huang has rendered such great merit, it is always justifiable for Your Majesty to bestow a reward upon his descendants."

Tianqi pondered briefly, then smiled: "It should be done, it should be done. Is there more?"

Wei Zhongxian smiled obsequiously: "There is also the matter of bestowing a title of nobility. This old servant believes that if we consider only the merit of pacifying Liaodong, then if General Huang is granted an earldom, Marshal Mao must be granted a marquisate. If General Huang is granted a marquisate of ten Battalion Commander, then Marshal Mao cannot merely be granted ten Battalion Commander. Therefore..."

The young emperor smiled and interjected: "Therefore, we must bestow the Prince's daughter upon General Huang. In this way, after pacifying Liaodong, even if a title is granted only to General Huang alone, it can be said to be for the sake of my imperial younger sister the commandery princess, and others will have nothing to object to. Is that correct?"

Wei Zhongxian immediately exclaimed: "Your Majesty is wise."

"Haha, Minister Wei is truly cunning. Very well, I grant your request. Use my name to send a letter to the Prince."