Chapter 275: Undercurrents

On the twelfth day of the seventh month of the sixth year of the Tianqi reign, Changsheng Island. "This is the list of Jianzhou Jurchen spies hidden within our Changsheng Island. Please review it, my lord." Zhao Manxiong handed Huang Shi a one-page report listing over twenty men and women. Six of them had infiltrated Changsheng Island, and the remaining dozen or so had been recruited later by these spies. Each name was followed by their assigned duties.

Huang Shi read through it carefully. None of them had penetrated any vital positions. Satisfied, he set the list down. "Mm. And what of our own people?"

"The list of our personnel, my lord, please review it." Zhao Manxiong handed over a thick report, recording a full eighty-odd names. It included people stationed in every critical department — Internal Guard, Military Intelligence, Military Law, the Instruction Corps — roughly one in ten held officer rank.

"Most of these individuals operate alone. They have no knowledge of our overall intelligence network." For the past half year, Huang Shi had placed Zhao Manxiong in charge of internal security and intelligence work. Zhao Manxiong believed that on an island as large as Changsheng, with military regulations as strict as these, there were bound to be countless people dissatisfied with the rules, and Zhang Zaidi's original church confession records fully supported Zhao Manxiong's view.

In Zhao Manxiong's opinion, these grumblers could never be completely eliminated, nor could Changsheng Island stop soldiers from complaining now and then. But these chronic complainers were precisely the population most susceptible to being bought by the enemy. So Zhao Manxiong fabricated one opposition group after another, each one voicing discontent with a different set of Changsheng Island policies.

"No matter how properly my lord handles matters, no matter how thoroughly you consider them, there will always be a few malcontents. And given enough time, they will inevitably form small circles bound by shared grievances. In my humble view, rather than wait for them to form their own groups, it is better for us to manufacture them. That makes them easier to control." This was how Zhao Manxiong had presented the entire concept to Huang Shi. Huang Shi greatly admired the line of thinking — as the saying goes, better to channel a flood than to dam it, to nip trouble in the bud. Most discontented officers and soldiers just wanted to vent a few complaints. Beyond the Loyalty to Sovereign and Patriotic Church, having one more outlet to hear their grumbling could do no harm.

Apart from being far too deliberate in temperament, Commander Zhao's professional competence was formidable. A fictitious resistance group had now been established on Changsheng Island. The people most vehemently attacking the marriage and military law regulations Huang Shi had instituted were, in reality, all internal agents of the Changsheng Island Military Intelligence Division. Zhao Manxiong had given this fictitious internal resistance group a code name: "Changsheng Island Earth Wolves."

Once the "Changsheng Island Wolves" group had taken shape, Zhao Manxiong quickly used it to observe a number of suspicious figures. These were particularly active elements — not only did they eagerly seek contact with complaining officers and soldiers, they always tried to position themselves as trusted confidants to hear their innermost thoughts.

"Excellent. The Jianzhou Jurchen spies are now essentially under our control." As Huang Shi spoke, he leafed through another set of documents from Zhao Manxiong. These contained the intelligence the Changsheng Island Military Intelligence Division was preparing to leak to the Later Jin side. Zhao Manxiong and Li Yunrui had painstakingly broken large intelligence reports into scattered fragments, then leaked them through different individuals.

These fragments might eventually be pieced together on the Later Jin side. Zhao Manxiong intended to make his opponents play a jigsaw puzzle game. He believed that complete military intelligence obtained too easily was likely to arouse suspicion. It was better to let the enemy acquire various vague intelligence fragments, some of them even contradictory. Only military intelligence that the Later Jin side deduced through its own reasoning would earn their full trust.

After proudly accepting Huang Shi's praise, Zhao Manxiong added with a smile, "I only fear they may not be able to piece it together at all. After all, we have an entire Military Intelligence Division working on this day in and day out. The Jianzhou Jurchens may not have the same."

"Then that is your task. Draft a set of regulations."

Huang Shi had long since admitted that his own intellect was insufficient to contend with the finest minds of this era. So his first instinct was always to establish a set of standing rules, then record all lessons learned, forming a system to counter the enemy.

Having followed Huang Shi for so many years, Zhao Manxiong had grown thoroughly accustomed to and approving of this approach. With full confidence, he said, "My lord's insight is profound. I am already working on this. In my humble view, if the Jianzhou Jurchens understand what we want them to see, they will attempt to verify it, or formulate a corresponding countermeasure. If they fail to understand, they will try to gather more military intelligence. Therefore, we can gauge the effectiveness of our efforts by observing their reactions. By recording these, we can assess the Jianzhou Jurchens' ability to piece fragments together. This should also serve as the foundation for our army's regulations."

"Well said."

Ever since he had removed Zhao Manxiong from the position of Chief of Staff, Huang Shi had come to see him as something akin to a "Minister Without Portfolio" — or perhaps "Minister of All Portfolios." Whenever Huang Shi found himself stretched too thin, he dispatched Zhao Manxiong to handle specific matters. At present, Zhao Manxiong was in charge of reorganizing the work of the Changsheng Island Military Intelligence Division.

It seemed the Internal Guard on Changsheng Island also needed some reorganization now. Just as Huang Shi was considering whether he could pull Zhao Manxiong away from the "Wolves" organization, the latter produced two more reports. "My lord, I have two more lists here. Please review them."

Huang Shi took the two thin slips of paper. Each bore a few names, with specific duties noted after each name just like the previous two lists — but the annotations below were entirely different. This gave Huang Shi pause. He pondered for a long while before looking up. "Are you certain?"

"Based on the intelligence they sought and their contacts, I have essentially confirmed their identities. One group is gathering intelligence for the Liaodong Commandant's office. The other is secretly gathering information for Army Overseer Wu. However, against the formidable security of our Changsheng Island, neither has any reliable source of information." The individuals Zhao Manxiong referred to were all mere common soldiers, most likely bought off with trifling sums.

Huang Shi recalled that his internal security system also had relevant secret records. After a moment's thought, he said to Zhao Manxiong, "Although we have always pretended to be blind to the imperial court's surveillance apparatus, the Internal Guard has in fact detected it and has discreetly recorded some information while avoiding Eunuch Wu's notice. You can check with Hong Antong on this matter."

"Yes, my lord. That is precisely the issue I wished to raise."

Zhao Manxiong pointed out to Huang Shi that according to Changsheng Island regulations, the Military Intelligence Division was responsible for matters concerning the Later Jin, and its intelligence was not kept secret from Wu Mu. Intelligence concerning the Great Ming side, however, fell under the jurisdiction of the Internal Guard. Although Wu Mu had meddled in the Internal Guard, certain core secrets had always remained unknown to him. Therefore, for security reasons, Internal Guard intelligence was not shared with the Changsheng Island Military Intelligence Division.

The Wolves system had originally been created to counter the Later Jin. But once it became operational, it ended up uncovering agents from the Liaodong Commandant's office and the Eastern Depot and Embroidered Uniform Guard systems as well. This created a jurisdictional headache.

"Either this system must be placed under the Internal Guard, or it must be placed under the Military Intelligence Division. For the sake of both secrecy and streamlining, I believe we must change the current situation of internal checks and mutual obstruction."

"Mm, that makes sense. So which do you think should control it — the Military Intelligence Division or the Internal Guard?"

"The Military Intelligence Division." Zhao Manxiong answered without the slightest hesitation. He had thoroughly considered the matter before coming to see Huang Shi.

"Why?"

"My lord, your keen judgment will see..."

It was clear Zhao Manxiong had indeed thought this through deeply. Faced with Huang Shi's question, he was fully confident and answered with great fluency. The members of the "Changsheng Island Wolves" were all subordinates of the Military Intelligence Division to begin with, and the entire organization had been created from start to finish under the planning of the Military Intelligence Division. The responsible officers at every level were currently under Military Intelligence Division command. Therefore, Zhao Manxiong believed that incorporating the "Wolves" organization into the Military Intelligence Division was both entirely logical and highly efficient.

As for secrecy, Zhao Manxiong did not consider it a major problem. At worst, they could assign dedicated personnel to handle materials related to the Liaodong Commandant's office, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Eastern Depot. He even suggested transferring personnel from the Internal Guard who had previously handled related matters to the Military Intelligence Division. If the Internal Guard had managed secrecy before, the Military Intelligence Division could naturally do the same, and it would not increase the number of people in the know.

Zhao Manxiong laid out his reasoning in measured detail. After hearing it, Huang Shi saw no major issues, but making a hasty decision was not his habit, nor did it conform to Changsheng Island's established practice. Since Zhao Manxiong was currently the direct manager of the Military Intelligence Division, Huang Shi instructed him, "Write down these reasons and submit them to me for careful review. If there are no major problems, I will pass them to Hong Antong and have him transfer the personnel and files to you."

"At your command."

"Good. There is one more matter — the issue of the Jianzhou Jurchen rumors. I asked you to go back and think on it last time. Has anything come of it?"

"My lord, your keen judgment will see... In my humble view, it is best that we say nothing at all on this matter, lest we arouse even more suspicion." Zhao Manxiong believed there was simply no good solution. The more one argued over such things, the worse the outcome — it would only make matters darker the more one tried to explain. So Zhao Manxiong believed the best approach was to handle it coldly: to act as though they had heard nothing at all, or to adopt an attitude of utter disdain, as if it were beneath them to defend against it.

Huang Shi gave a bitter smile at this. "Do you think I don't want that? But the tree may wish to be still, yet the wind will not cease. Word just arrived from the court — a censor has already impeached me for destroying the bonds of human decency."

"The court? A censor? Impeaching my lord for destroying the bonds of human decency?"

"Yes. A censor, having heard reports, has submitted a memorial demanding that I defend myself — asking whether I killed my own elder brother and my wife, and if so, demanding that I justify my reasons for killing them. Heh heh. The Jianzhou Jurchen rumors have long since spread throughout the capital."

Watching the dumbfounded Zhao Manxiong, Huang Shi gave another cold laugh. "If the rumors were only spread by the Jianzhou Jurchens alone, the censor would not have had enough confidence to impeach. But the problem is that the Liaodong Commandant's office is saying the same thing. That makes the impact far greater."

Zhao Manxiong caught on. He leaned closer to Huang Shi and asked in a low voice, "Is it that cur Yuan?"

"Who else could it be but that treacherous villain Yuan Chonghuan?"

Earlier that month, once the rumors had been generated on the Later Jin side, Yuan Chonghuan immediately wrote an effusively enthusiastic memorial to the court, lavishly praising Huang Shi's repeated acts of placing righteousness above family ties. In his memorial, Yuan Chonghuan not only instantly endorsed these "righteous deeds" of Huang Shi's, but also helped flesh them out with vivid detail. After Yuan Chonghuan's artistic embellishment, the originally rather dry Later Jin rumors became far more lifelike and dramatic.

First, Huang Shi arguing with his traitorous elder brother in Kaiyuan, then righteously executing him; first throttling his wedded wife by the neck, then smothering her with a quilt; and how at Liuhe he debated the crowd with his tongue, finally cutting a bloody path out of the home of the man who had saved his life. Yuan Chonghuan described this whole saga of Huang Shi's legendary adventures as if he had witnessed them with his own eyes, and in the end he effusively praised Huang Shi's "true and unvarnished character"!

As he spoke, Huang Shi burst into loud laughter. After finishing the entire account, he could not help but sigh, "It is truly a waste of talent that Yuan Chonghuan did not become a professional storyteller."

Zhao Manxiong naturally knew many of the inside stories between Huang Shi and Yuan Chonghuan, and he was well aware of Huang Shi's opinion of the man. Yuan Chonghuan's seemingly laudatory words concealed murderous intent. Though Huang Shi laughed, not a trace of amusement showed on Zhao Manxiong's face. "If the Liaodong Governor is truly as my lord describes, then he is utterly shameless."

Huang Shi's smile faded. He gave a cold snort. "This is merely him testing a small blade."

Perhaps Zhao Manxiong was very clever, but Huang Shi understood the character of historical figures far better than he did. So Huang Shi's view of Yuan Chonghuan was far more penetrating. The course of history might differ, but a man's fundamental nature would not change greatly. Huang Shi had once compared Yuan Chonghuan to Qin Hui. When Qin Hui killed Prince Yue at Wind Wave Pavilion, the "groundless" charge he used, shameless as it was to the extreme, still could not bring himself to pin the label of "staunch advocate of peace negotiations" onto Prince Yue.

But the "national hero" Yuan Chonghuan, whom the Jurchen chieftain Hongli erected for the Han people, was far too formidable. Not only did he toady to the eunuch faction himself, he could even brazenly pin his own vile deeds onto Mao Wenlong — a man renowned for his utter incorruptibility — insisting that Mao Wenlong had, unbeknownst to all under heaven (except Yuan Chonghuan himself), acknowledged Wei Zhongxian as his godfather, and further insisting that Mao Wenlong must have, on some unknown desolate island and hidden from the eyes of all under heaven (except Yuan Chonghuan himself), erected a statue in Wei Zhongxian's honor.

Thus, Huang Shi felt that when it came to the phrase "utterly bereft of shame and decency," even Prime Minister Qin Hui himself would have to bow in defeat before Supreme Commander Yuan. So on the two occasions he had been granted an imperial audience with the Tianqi Emperor, when he saw Yuan Chonghuan spouting brazen falsehoods in his memorials, Huang Shi's reaction afterward was not "How could this be?" but rather "Just as expected."

Huang Shi reined in the mocking expression on his face. He tapped the table thoughtfully and laid out his thoughts for Zhao Manxiong. "These tactics of Yuan Chonghuan's will not deal me a fatal blow. Because just as I have no evidence to prove I did not kill my elder brother, Yuan Chonghuan and the censor likewise have no evidence to prove that I did. My own denial is far more forceful than the Jianzhou Jurchen rumors. But the crux of the matter does not lie here — it lies in the Emperor's perception."

The current Son of Heaven of the Great Ming was a kind-hearted young man, trusting toward those around him, and he had not yet had many opportunities to witness the treachery of the human heart. The Tianqi Emperor had treated his foster mother Consort Li, his wet nurse Lady Ke, his teacher Sun Chengzong, his old servant Wei Zhongxian, and his younger brother Prince Xin all very well. He therefore took it as a matter of course that everyone else should be the same.

Moreover, the Tianqi Emperor was not a man of strong personal convictions. As these rumors continued to spread, the Tianqi Emperor would inevitably be influenced to some degree — this was precisely the saying "three men make a tiger." Huang Shi still held to his old refrain: if the man sitting on that throne were someone like Zhu Hongwu, then he, Huang Shi, would not be worried in the slightest that these words could harm him. Because Zhu Hongwu would not care one whit about Huang Shi's private morals. As long as Huang Shi could win battles and could be controlled by the emperor, there would be no problem whatsoever.

But the Tianqi Emperor was not that kind of cold-blooded pragmatist. With his kind and honest heart, he would surely develop an aversion to these deeds of Huang Shi's. Huang Shi suspected even more deeply that an honest child like the Tianqi Emperor was very prone to letting personal emotions influence his decision-making, leading to unwise judgments.

"The key now is the Emperor. As long as the Emperor believes I did these things... no, as long as the Emperor even suspects I might have done them, then his trust in me will be greatly discounted." As Huang Shi spoke, he spread his hands, a helpless expression on his face. Huang Shi was not a civil official; he could not possibly gain the support of all the civil officials under heaven. Nor did Huang Shi intend to curry favor with Wei Zhongxian. Therefore, the Tianqi Emperor's personal goodwill was Huang Shi's greatest reliance for suppressing Yuan Chonghuan's arrogance.

"Yuan Chonghuan has indeed grasped this very accurately. My lord's advantage lies in your standing in the Emperor's mind. That is why, during the Liaoxi campaign, the Emperor supported my lord in not being subject to civil official oversight, and why the court did not pursue the matter when my lord removed the stores from Juehua... Mm, at present, the Eastern River Garrison has no civil official serving as army overseer, and the Grand Secretariat is unwilling to allocate military pay and provisions. If my lord wishes to march his army into central Liaodong, you can still only count on the Emperor's support."

"Yes."

"Permit me to go back and think on this further." Zhao Manxiong paused, then added, "However, I believe the Liaodong Governor's scheme has no major flaws. I dare not promise I can devise a countermeasure."

"I also see no flaw. Go and think on it. If you cannot come up with anything, I will not blame you."

"At your command."

On the fourteenth day of the seventh month of the sixth year of the Tianqi reign. "The Jianzhou Jurchens have sent a secret envoy?" As Huang Shi asked the question, his eyebrows could not help but arch upward, his tone carrying both surprise and contempt.

"Yes." At this moment, only Hong Antong and Huang Shi were in the room. "How to deal with the visitor — I await my lord's instructions."

This secret envoy had crossed mountains and ridges the whole way, always taking small paths and carrying his own dry rations and drinking water, circling all the way past Fuzhou before finally revealing his identity to a Firefighting Battalion patrol at the North Signal Crossing.

"Impressive." After hearing the man's tale of adventure, Huang Shi could not help but voice a word of praise, though a note of reproach then crept into his tone: "From Fuzhou to Gaizhou, I recall there are patrols everywhere, and reconnaissance along this entire route is the responsibility of the Evergreen Island Military Intelligence Bureau. How could the Jianzhou Jurchens have been allowed to slip all the way to the North Signal Crossing?"

"There must be a spy guiding them. If my lord permits, your subordinate can certainly pry this man's mouth open."

"No need to rush that. Bring him to see me first." Huang Shi planned to first go and ask Zhao Manxiong whether his "Werewolf" organization had any knowledge of this.

"As you command." —— The following does not count toward the word count. This humble work is an alternate-history novel, not a fantasy novel. The author has seen some claim that the first two sections of this book wildly distort history. If such is truly the case, I hope the honorable gentlemen making these accusations can provide detailed and solid evidence, so that the author may correct the flaws in this book. Many thanks.

Due to space constraints, the author will briefly explain the arguments of the first two sections later on. If there are any issues, please do me the honor of pointing them out.

Yuan Chonghuan's request to establish a living shrine, and Mao Wenlong's memorial to the throne pleading the case of Zuo Guangdou and others — both are recorded in the Veritable Records of the Xi Emperor. How can anyone say the author has distorted them?

Moreover, besides Mao Wenlong pleading the case of the Donglin faction, the Donglin leader Qian Qianyi also composed a poem praising Mao Wenlong, which goes: At the Yalu River's head, war drums and banners rise; through countless perilous battles, he has made our army's might grand.

The blue heavens themselves attest to his lone loyalty; bare-handed, he personally captured the rebel general and returned.

In the quiet night, beacon fires blaze, stretching to Deer Island; beneath the bright moon, orders fly like arrows past Alligator Rock.

All those well-fed officials in court are but subjects of the throne; yet in that remote frontier, I see you sleeping in your iron armor.

How then can anyone claim Mao Wenlong was of the eunuch faction?

The civil and military officials everywhere who vied to erect living shrines for Wei Zhongxian and acknowledge him as their godfather — all their names are exhaustively recorded in the Veritable Records of the Xi Emperor. Mao Wenlong's name is not among them. How can anyone say the author has distorted history?

With the Great Ming court full of censors and remonstrance officials, how could the matter of acknowledging Wei Zhongxian as godfather possibly escape impeachment? How could the entire realm possibly not know of it?

The claim that Mao Wenlong erected a statue and crown for Wei Zhongxian on some nameless, desolate island — apart from Yuan Chonghuan's own self-serving words, what other source records this? And Yuan Chonghuan did not even name this island. Among the hundreds and thousands of islands in Liaodong, where would one even go to find this statue?

Section Thirty: Armaments

The envoy sent by the Later Jin had been thoroughly searched. After Huang Shi had changed into his armor, Hong Antong personally brought the man in, then quietly withdrew to stand guard at Huang Shi's side, handing him the secret letter the visitor had carried.

"Peace talks?" After reading the letter, Huang Shi gave a cold laugh and casually tossed it aside. "Did your master send you here to die?"

"Grand Commander Huang, this lowly person was ordered to deliver a confidential verbal message." The man stopped there, raising his head to glance at Hong Antong and the others flanking Huang Shi.

"If you have something to say, say it quickly," Huang Shi said impatiently.

"This lowly person obeys." The Later Jin envoy kowtowed once more, then, without raising his head, began speaking rapidly: "The Grand Company Commander of the Jianzhou Guard sends his regards to Grand Commander Huang of the Great Ming. The present Son of Heaven of the Great Ming is sagely and enlightened, yet many treacherous sycophants surround him among his close attendants. Grand Commander Huang is invincible in his martial might and is certain to incur the fear and suspicion of petty men. He may well face the danger of the birds being shot and the bow put away."

After finishing this passage in one breath, the envoy raised his head and glanced at the several men before him. Huang Shi, seated high in the center, was expressionless. Behind him, Hong Antong kept his lips tightly shut, saying nothing. To Huang Shi's sides, Zhao Manxiong and Jin Qiude, who were listening in, both stared at the envoy's face, as if waiting to hear what he would say next.

Feeling encouraged, the envoy's confidence suddenly swelled considerably, and his tone rose slightly: "The Grand Company Commander of the Jianzhou Guard sends word to Grand Commander Huang of the Great Ming: while our humble nation exists, Grand Commander Huang exists; if our humble nation perishes, Grand Commander Huang shall perish along with it."

Having spoken, the envoy straightened his upper body and gazed hopefully at Huang Shi. The latter gave a soft "Mm," and asked in an even voice: "Is that everything you had to say?"

The envoy's face turned pale. He hastily threw himself flat on the ground again, kowtowing repeatedly as he said: "Even if Grand Commander Huang wishes to borrow this lowly one's head to win a noble title, please at least ease the fighting for a time. Our humble nation is truly the stepping-stone for Grand Commander Huang's advancement. Why must the Grand Commander press us so relentlessly?"

"It seems he is finished."

Huang Shi leaned back against his chair. With a wave of his arm, Hong Antong behind him called out: "As you command."

Several Inner Guards surged into the tent. Hong Antong directed them to bind the envoy and drag him off to be locked in the stockade. After Hong Antong left, Jin Qiude and Zhao Manxiong exchanged another glance, then turned to Huang Shi simultaneously: "There is treachery in this!"

"Indeed. The Jianzhou Jurchens hold Liaozhong and Jianzhou. Though they have repeatedly suffered setbacks at our army's hands, they have absolutely not been reduced to such a state." Huang Shi picked up the letter he had just tossed aside and read it meticulously. Only after a long while did he hand it doubtfully to Zhao Manxiong and Jin Qiude: "But why would the Jianzhou Jurchens grovel so abjectly? What are they after?"

"A stalling tactic?" Jin Qiude offered one possibility. After Chen Jisheng invaded Jianzhou, the Liaodong theater had once again turned extremely unfavorable for the Later Jin. Nurhaci had drawn sixty armored men from each niru and, leading the Four Great Beile and the Eight Banners troops, rushed back to Jianzhou, where they were now locked in fierce battle with the Dongjiang Army along the Suzi River.

However, Chen Jisheng had from the very start occupied all the strategic points between Sarhū and Hetu Ala. The terrain there was steep and treacherous, with no broad official roads to travel, so the Later Jin army could only advance along the Suzi River, squeezing the Dongjiang Army out of Jianzhou inch by inch. Thus the Later Jin army's progress was extremely slow.

When the Dongjiang headquarters sent its field report in mid-July, the Ming army was still putting up a fighting retreat in the hills and dense forests east of the Suzi River. In such terrain, suited only for small-unit operations, the Later Jin's large army could not bring its strength to bear. Several large-scale offensives had done no more than push the Ming army back somewhat toward Kuandian, with no danger at all of being encircled and annihilated.

"Perhaps. But our army is currently training its troops and cannot launch an offensive into Liaozhong. Besides, our army has no capacity to attack Liaozhong anyway. The last assault on Haizhou nearly exhausted all our reserves."

"Then how does my lord intend to handle this matter?"

"Hand the man over to Eunuch Wu to be held under guard, then have the Embroidered Uniform Guard bind him and escort him to the capital. That can never be wrong." Huang Shi had thought it over. The Jianzhou Jurchens' letter absolutely could not be answered, lest it give others grounds for accusation. And of course, this envoy absolutely could not be killed, lest certain people fabricate rumors that he was "silencing a witness." The most cautious approach was simply to send him to the capital, where no one could find fault.

"My lord, your subordinate believes this may not be ideal." Jin Qiude and the others all knew that Huang Shi always welcomed frank advice, so they never kept differing opinions to themselves. "It is said that when two states are at war, envoys are not executed. Though the Jianzhou Jurchens are not a true enemy state of our Great Ming, if we can kill their envoy today, then tomorrow the Jianzhou Jurchens can kill our Great Ming's envoys. Ever since Military Superintendent Xiong took charge of Liaodong affairs, apart from envoys demanding surrender, our Great Ming's civil and military officials have never mistreated envoys delivering letters, and the Jianzhou Jurchens have not mistreated our envoys either."

Huang Shi was always very willing to exchange views with his subordinates, so he answered without hesitation: "Brother Jin is right. Our Great Ming indeed generally does not mistreat letter-bearing envoys from the Jianzhou Jurchens. But I believe this practice should change. Evergreen Island will accept no terms from the Jianzhou Jurchens other than surrender. And if the Jianzhou Jurchens truly wish to sue for peace, they will not be deterred by fear of death."

Jin Qiude and Zhao Manxiong cupped their fists together: "My lord's insight is profound. Your subordinates understand."

……

After the Later Jin envoy and his letter were sent to Wu Mu, Eunuch Wu was somewhat surprised. He felt that treating a letter-bearing envoy this way was making too much of a minor matter. But since this was Huang Shi's opinion, Wu Mu went along with it and had Zhang Gaosheng make the trip, escorting the envoy under guard to Dengzhou.

Huang Shi always felt this envoy's arrival was not so simple — it was likely part of the Later Jin's rumor offensive. If he were the least bit careless and let the man return, who knew what follow-up schemes the enemy might have waiting for him. These were troubled times, and Huang Shi believed it was best to err on the side of caution, to avoid bringing trouble upon himself.

Although he knew full well that the Later Jin's main force had shifted east, Huang Shi could do nothing about Liaozhong. Because the Dongjiang Garrison had no civil official oversight, the imperial court had always been faintly wary of it and was unwilling to provide much military pay or provisions, lest it become another frontier military fiefdom like those after the Tang dynasty. But Mao Wenlong's terrible relationship with the Shandong civil official clique persisted, and as he had repeatedly accused the Shandong civil officials of embezzling his supplies over the past two years, the mutual antagonism had grown even more severe.

Not long ago, when Zhen Yucun came to Evergreen Island, he had even subtly hinted to Huang Shi that the Shandong civil officials hoped Mao Wenlong would leave as soon as possible. They all supported Huang Shi taking over the Dongjiang Army. Adhering to his principle of never offending anyone, Huang Shi had also hinted that once he succeeded as Dongjiang Regional Commander, not only would he never make trouble with Dengzhou over customary fees, he would also agree to the Shandong civil officials sending personnel to the Dongjiang Garrison as army supervisors.

Recently, Mao Wenlong's memorial pleading the case of the Donglin faction had offended the eunuch faction as well. Though Wu Mu did not mention the matter of the living shrine directly, the meaning between his words seemed to be that they should find a way to promote Huang Shi to Regional Commander. Huang Shi, however, did not take up this thread, for he believed no one truly liked those who were ungrateful. So Huang Shi made it clear that unless Mao Wenlong was promoted to Provincial Military Commander of Liaodong, he would never request an independent garrison command, much less attempt to place himself on equal footing with Mao Wenlong.

Since Mao Wenlong was already shouldering the main responsibility, Huang Shi felt it would be utterly dishonorable to kick him from behind. Besides, Wu Mu also greatly appreciated a man who remembered the source of his good fortune. Huang Shi even suspected that Wei Zhongxian, behind Wu Mu, also valued such a person who did not forget past kindness. So the eunuch faction no longer pressed Huang Shi to break away from the Dongjiang Garrison.

Evergreen Island's war budget for this year was one hundred thousand taels of silver. As it turned out, the single previous offensive against Haizhou had cost nearly seventy thousand taels. The remaining budget was only enough for some simple military maneuvers in the second half of the year, with absolutely no capacity for a large-scale offensive. The Dongjiang Left Brigade and the main force were now drifting further and further apart; their combat doctrines had become vastly different, which meant the cost of every operation Huang Shi undertook was growing larger and larger, giving him a considerable headache.

To cut expenses, Evergreen Island decided to further reduce the proportion of cavalry in its forces. Everyone had found the Firefighting Battalion's new organization during the Haizhou campaign to be satisfactory, so Evergreen Island had resolved that in the future, a field battalion should consist of eight infantry companies of four hundred men each, one cavalry company and one artillery company of two hundred men each, plus an engineer company of four hundred men and a logistics company of one thousand men — five thousand men in total.

Henceforth, all cavalry in each battalion, including the battalion guard and reconnaissance troops, would be counted under the cavalry company's establishment. Once economic conditions permitted, the artillery company's subordinate gun crews would be expanded to ten. The engineer and logistics companies would also be properly equipped with tools. Evergreen Island now possessed a large number of battle-hardened veterans, and officers at all levels were full of confidence in using infantry to confront cavalry head-on, so Huang Shi simply went with whatever saved the most money.

Although Evergreen Island was already doing everything possible to compress military expenditures, as its field forces became increasingly professionalized, Huang Shi could no longer make war pay for itself the way the main force did. Beyond the necessary costs of military maneuvers, Evergreen Island's equipment shortages had reached a shocking degree.

The most pressing issue was armor. If Huang Shi truly brought all three battalions up to their theoretical establishment, he would need at least eleven thousand suits of armor. Although Evergreen Island did its utmost to repair every damaged suit of iron armor, the current inventory of iron armor had still fallen to two thousand four hundred suits. The Firefighting Battalion, already expanded to five thousand men, currently possessed only eight hundred suits of iron armor.

To cope with the armor crisis, the Firefighting, Rock, and Vanguard Battalions had already reissued all kinds of captured armor to the troops, but the Firefighting Battalion's infantry equipment rate still could not reach fifty percent. To solve this problem, Evergreen Island had adopted the practice of armoring only the front ranks, while the rear ranks wore only helmets.

Although the output of firelocks was still acceptable, manufacturing the tools needed for the engineers would take a very long time. Bao Bowen could only guarantee that the engineer company of the Firefighting Battalion alone would have its combat capability restored by September. As for the equipment needed by the Firefighting Battalion's artillery company, and the missing cannons and engineer equipment of the other two battalions — those were simply nowhere in sight.

Though he knew full well the enormous equipment shortfall, Huang Shi still had to order the Armaments Bureau to begin producing a new type of equipment — the breastplate. Early in the month, the water-powered rolling mill, after more than half a year of tinkering, had finally succeeded in rolling steel plates one to two millimeters thick. Three days ago, Bao Bowen had at last managed to cobble together a steel die of barely acceptable hardness and used it to forge a steel breastplate.

This breastplate weighed about thirteen jin. Together with the chainmail vest, shoulder armor, iron gauntlets, and so on, it came to about eighteen jin. Compared to Evergreen Island's standard thirty-two-jin iron scale armor, the total weight was slightly lighter. If the shoulder armor and sleeves were removed, the iron scale vest weighed about twenty jin, making the two roughly equivalent. A twenty-jin iron scale vest contained about twelve jin of iron, the rest being leather and raw rubber, so the breastplate's defensive power was still considerably stronger.

The thickest part of this armor's chest piece was close to two millimeters, capable of defending against infantry bow shots from beyond five meters. An attack within five meters might penetrate the breastplate's curved outer shell, but after tearing through the steel, the arrow would have largely lost its force and would not harm the straw dummy inside. Arquebuses, swords, and blades were also essentially powerless against this breastplate.

He Dingyuan personally took a long spear and stabbed at the armor. After several attacks, his conclusion was: "It feels very wrong. When you stab, it's as if you're pushing the entire armor and the person inside backward — similar to the feel of stabbing mountain-pattern armor. Unless there's something bracing them from behind, it's very hard to kill someone in one thrust."

"Of course. This breastplate, like mountain-pattern armor, is rigid armor, and it's very effective against long spears." Huang Shi personally stabbed the breastplate several times with a sword. The result was either the blade glancing off or the straw dummy and breastplate being pushed away together, unable to penetrate through into the body.

"It's good, but once it is pierced through, how do you repair this kind of breastplate?" He Dingyuan stroked

the hole in the breastplate and voiced his doubt. Scale armor could be repaired simply by riveting a new scale onto the leather backing. Mountain-pattern armor, though complex to assemble, could also be repaired by replacing the damaged plates. This breastplate was very difficult to deal with — it could probably only be sent back to the blacksmith to have an iron patch hammered over the hole.

"Anyway, it's forged on a water-powered hammer. If it's truly broken, just melt it back down into molten iron and forge it anew." Historically, the core tension between using plate armor and scale armor lay in one question: which was cheaper, human life or armor? Huang Shi had always believed human life was more precious, especially that of battle-hardened veterans. Now that water-powered machinery had greatly reduced the cost of plate armor, Huang Shi had decided to equip his soldiers with breastplates.

"Still, fine as this armor is, we can't afford to use it ourselves just yet," Huang Shi remarked offhandedly. He hacked at the breastplate with his sword a few more times, adding only a few more scratches to its surface. Huang Shi pulled He Dingyuan back as the technical soldiers of Longevity Island prepared for the final test. With a roar from the twenty-four-millimeter-caliber fire lance, the two-millimeter-thick breastplate was pierced as easily as paper, and a bowl-sized hole was blasted straight through the straw dummy.

"Excellent. That puts my mind at ease. Forge a hundred breastplates to start," Huang Shi said, nodding with satisfaction. The full set of machinery for making plate armor had cost him tens of thousands of taels of silver. The question of how to recoup that cost had once kept him awake at night, but he had long since formed a preliminary plan. He turned and asked Bao Bowen, "Brother Bao, how much silver does it cost to make one breastplate?"

"To answer my lord, the materials don't cost much silver, but it's hard to say how long the molds will last."

"Give me the high estimate."

"My lord sees clearly. One breastplate costs about a hundred taels of silver. If you add the matching pauldrons, vambraces, and a chainmail vest, that's at least another fifty taels. Come to think of it, the chainmail vest isn't very useful, but the price is quite steep."

"That much? Is that the cost calculated for forging only a hundred breastplates?"

"Yes."

"Good. Send twenty sets to Liu Qingyang in Japan. I hear the red-haired barbarians sell these things there for three hundred taels of gold apiece. I don't need that much — I'd settle for two hundred, even a hundred and fifty taels of gold."

"As you command, my lord. But when the Japanese buy them, the workmanship is very ornate. The red-haired barbarians gild them with gold and silver and add all sorts of flashy fittings. If we sell ours as they are, I'm afraid they won't fetch a good price."

"Then find a few cloisonné craftsmen. Make them as ornate as possible — use all the filigree enamel, all the gilding you can. Tell Liu Qingyang not to limit himself to Nagasaki alone. Have him visit the Japanese Shogunate, the Kanazawa Domain, the Satsuma Domain — go everywhere and shop them around. After we sell this batch, we'll ship a second, then a third, and gradually lower the price. In the end, as long as I'm not losing money, I'll sell them for two hundred taels of silver. Remember to establish our brand. Run it as a cultural brand, a fashion brand. Make it a trend in Japan."

"Yes, my lord."

"Of the remainder, take thirty sets to Marshal Mao's horse market. There are quite a few Mongol princes and dukes there, and I hear many of them are quite wealthy. But under no circumstances are we to lower the price there. I absolutely do not want to see the Jianzhou Jurchens' armored troops equipped with breastplates before our own army."

"This subordinate understands. My lord can rest assured."

"Also, send one set each to Marshal Mao, Vice General Chen, and a few others. Take a look at who else should receive one and submit the list to me."

"Yes, my lord."

Huang Shi did a quick mental calculation. If this batch of breastplates could be sold, the costs of the waterwheels, rolling mills, and forging presses would all be recovered. "Brother Bao, if we don't count the machinery, what's the cost per breastplate?"

"First, the wrought iron is rolled into plates, then carburized into steel. After that, the forging press rough-shapes the blank in a single operation, and then a smith does the final shaping by hand and with a foot-operated forging hammer..." Bao Bowen fluently recited the entire process, even using terms like "carburization," which had only just entered the Great Ming from Europe. The Longevity Island breastplate consisted of a front and back plate joined by pins. "It absolutely won't exceed ten taels."

"Ten taels?" Although Huang Shi knew that large-scale machine production could slash costs enormously, this figure still caught him completely off guard. He froze for a moment before hurriedly pressing further. "Cheaper than even the lowest-grade leather-and-cotton armor, is that right?"

"Yes."

Twenty-eighth day of the seventh month, sixth year of the Tianqi reign. Central Island.

Bao Bowen was accompanying Huang Shi on an inspection of Central Island's extensive facilities. Right before their eyes, ground was being broken for three more windmills. According to Bao Bowen's calculations, each windmill cost about two thousand taels of silver to build. Once completed, each could earn Longevity Island over thirty taels of silver a day. After deducting depreciation and maintenance costs, the net profit would still average around twenty taels of silver per day — recovering the investment in just three months.

At lunchtime, Zhao Manxiong came to see Huang Shi and whispered in his ear, "More news has come from the capital. Very bad."

Chapter 31: Can a Blade-Tip Peak Bear the Weight — Response

"Alright, I understand." Huang Shi raised his head and looked at Zhao Manxiong's grim face, then lowered it again and picked up his rice bowl. "But at least let me finish eating first. No official business during lunch hour — that's a military regulation of my Longevity Island. As commander of this army, I truly cannot knowingly break the law."

After the meal, Huang Shi did not rush back to the main island but continued inspecting Central Island according to the original plan. Several wide canals had already been dug across this island. These canals connected the reservoirs on the hill and at its base, driving several waterwheels. Flanking the canals were windmills, which worked day and night to lift water up the hill to feed the canals. Two more windmills had been built by the shore to produce sea salt.

"When my lord returns in a few years, this subordinate will certainly, along these canals..." Bao Bowen first pointed to the canals, then abruptly swept his hand across the whole of Central Island. "This subordinate will certainly cover this entire island with canals, build waterwheels, and erect windmills denser than the forests of Longevity Island!"

"Good, good. Brother Bao is truly my right-hand man."

After speaking, Huang Shi turned to Fan Leyou, the technical advisor for Central Island's windmill and waterwheel projects. "Brother Fan has also worked hard. For the battle of Haizhou, I have also recommended Brother Fan for commendation. This time, you are certain to be promoted to Jinzhou Garrison Vice Prefect."

Although Central Island was far smaller than Longevity Island, its population of men and women had now reached fifty thousand. This was mainly because Huang Shi, citing the insecurity of southern Liaodong, had relocated all civilians and military households to Longevity Island as much as possible.

Longevity Island and Central Island simply did not have enough land for the common people to farm. In fact, Huang Shi had gone out of his way to make farming impossible for them, thereby sending all these people to become laborers. Those with skills manufactured weapons and smelted iron and steel; those without dug canals, built kilns, and constructed windmills and waterwheels.

Now, Central Island, a small island with virtually no arable land, provided over seventy percent of Longevity Island's economic output and manufactured roughly ninety percent of its munitions, ships, and uniforms.

After completing his planned tour of Central Island, Huang Shi returned to the old camp on Longevity Island with Zhao Manxiong, Hong Antong, and the others. Exhausted in body and mind, Huang Shi entered his headquarters, brewed a pot of tea, poured himself a full cup, and then leaned back comfortably in his chair. Sipping his water, he said to Zhao Manxiong, "Speak. I'm listening."

Over ten days ago, after detaining that Later Jin envoy, Longevity Island had sent him under escort to Tianjin Garrison. According to the escorts, the Later Jin envoy had changed his story when giving his deposition at Tianjin Garrison. Besides insisting that Nurhaci was sincere in seeking peace, he also claimed that Huang Shi had heartlessly abandoned his betrothed.

Back at the old camp on Longevity Island, from the moment he sat down in the commander's chair, Huang Shi knew his subordinates would not be telling him anything pleasant. He had prepared himself mentally for this and thought no rumor could surprise him. Unfortunately, when he heard this, he found his composure still somewhat lacking. "Abandoned my betrothed? Where does that even come from?"

"He means the second daughter of the Zhao family. The Jianzhou Jurchens say that when my lord was on the Juehua battlefield, believing victory was certain, you brought your betrothed onto the battlefield. Then, when the battle turned desperate, you abandoned her and fled."

Huang Shi was utterly defeated by the Later Jin side's sense of humor. He accidentally choked on his tea, hurriedly set the cup back on the table, and coughed for a long while before catching his breath. "The Jianzhou Jurchens really have the gall to say that. Truly have the gall. I've been in the army for six years, through repeated bloody battles — how could I possibly bring a woman onto the battlefield? This is the most absurd joke under heaven."

"It is indeed laughable." Despite his words, not a trace of a smile appeared on Zhao Manxiong's face.

Huang Shi's smile also faded. He unconsciously reached out and tapped the helmet resting on his table. The last vestige of a smile lingering at the corner of his mouth took on an increasingly sardonic edge. "Aim high, hit the middle. The Jianzhou Jurchens only need to establish that I didn't save her. Hmph, if someone then defends me, embellishes the story a bit more, and paints me as a man who sacrificed his own kin for the greater good and the lives of his soldiers — that would make it absolutely perfect."

"My lord is right. This subordinate also worries about that. Hmm, and we even have a ready-made candidate on our side."

"Hmph, no need to name that dog-official Yuan. What else did the envoy say?"

"My lord sees clearly. The envoy also said the Jianzhou Jurchens are determined to surrender and are willing to return the second daughter of the Zhao family. It was only because my lord is bent on earning frontier merits that you cruelly rejected their peace talks."

Huang Shi shook his head repeatedly as he listened, his face full of disdain. "I have always firmly opposed peace negotiations — a stance His Majesty and the imperial court have long known. No matter how glibly the Jianzhou Jurchen envoy talks, he cannot sway me in the slightest. Moreover, what this envoy said before Eunuch Wu and what he said at Tianjin Garrison are clearly contradictory. Even if he argues that I threatened him, with Eunuch Wu as a witness, the court will surely believe me more."

"My lord is correct. This subordinate also found it strange, which is why I am deeply uneasy. I suspect the Jianzhou Jurchens must still have a follow-up move." Zhao Manxiong paused, then gathered his courage and added, "My lord, there are also rumors in the capital."

"What rumors?"

"It is said that His Majesty intends to transfer my lord and the troops of Longevity Island back to the capital garrison for service."

Upon hearing this, Huang Shi merely pondered for a moment, his face betraying no abnormality. After years of tempering, he had grown increasingly capable of concealing his emotions. Zhao Manxiong fell silent after speaking, waiting for his superior to ask questions. After a while, he finally got his wish.

"When? Is His Majesty resolute?" According to Longevity Island's regulations, completely baseless rumors were not to be reported to Huang Shi. Since Zhao Manxiong was raising this matter with such gravity, Huang Shi knew it could not be mere hearsay. A chill had already settled in his heart. Though he felt some grievance and anger, what he felt most was helplessness. Huang Shi's greatest backer was the Tianqi Emperor. If the Emperor no longer supported him, there was certainly no point in counting on those spineless grand secretaries of the eunuch faction.

"It's still under consideration, but it seems the recent rumors have indeed had a considerable impact on my lord's reputation." This intelligence had been verified by Longevity Island's internal security. Zhao Manxiong judged it to be seventy percent credible, hence he reported it to Huang Shi. "My lord, His Majesty is still hesitating. This subordinate believes that as long as my lord gives no one a handle against him, there is nothing to fear."

"Mm." Huang Shi nodded again. He now felt more than ever that his decision to have that envoy bound and sent to the capital had been a wise one. If he hadn't done so, who knew how many more rumors would have sprung up. By proactively sending the Later Jin envoy bound to Beijing, he had at least created the first impression that he had nothing to hide. That was better than waiting for the Later Jin side to start spreading rumors before beginning to defend himself.

"If my lord has no further instructions, this subordinate will take his leave."

Huang Shi scratched his head. The work of the Military Intelligence Division now seemed quite good, already leaving the internal security division behind. Huang Shi was frantically busy from dawn to dusk, and stretched too thin to carefully review the internal security regulations. Besides, the other department heads were also very busy, and it wouldn't be appropriate to have them overhaul a sensitive department like internal security. "Brother Manxiong, you no longer need to manage the Military Intelligence Division. Starting tomorrow, help me take a look at internal security first. Little Hong's work still leaves me somewhat uneasy."

Zhao Manxiong had been wrangling with the Military Intelligence Division for nearly half a year. Hearing Huang Shi dump the massive mess of internal security on him as well, a look of difficulty crossed his face.

Seeing Zhao Manxiong's reluctance, Huang Shi quickly encouraged his trusted aide. "No need to rush. Take your time reorganizing internal security — a few months, half a year, I'll follow your lead. Don't feel the slightest pressure or burden."

"Good. I'm counting on you." Very satisfied, Huang Shi personally saw Zhao Manxiong out the door. Zhao Manxiong had helped Huang Shi lay the foundation for the staff department, had managed the currency-minting work for a time, and the recently established "Longevity Island Werewolves" organization also pleased Huang Shi greatly. Huang Shi's original plan had been for Zhao Manxiong to thoroughly review Zhang Zaidi's work, but since Zhao Manxiong and Zhang Zaidi had just had a falling out, it was better to wait until he had sorted out the internal security regulations first.

Within the small society of Longevity Island, Huang Shi remained steadily at the center of power. He knew everything, controlled everything. Everyone else, even within their own areas of responsibility, was constrained by various regulations. Furthermore, Huang Shi would occasionally send Zhao Manxiong crashing into the domains of those senior officers to stir things up, denying the officers any chance to establish their own absolute authority.

Huang Shi had always felt very good about this arrangement.

Two days later, Li Yunrui and Zhao Manxiong shared lunch in the office of the Longevity Island Military Intelligence Division. The two senior officers enjoyed Longevity Island's fresh fish, cut into small pieces and eaten with garlic — very delicious. Afterward, Li Yunrui brought out tea from his own ration to entertain his colleague.

"Many thanks for Brother Li's hospitality. The tea, and the fish — truly worthy of endless praise." Zhao Manxiong voiced his compliments loudly, though he suspected Li Yunrui certainly didn't think he was just here to mooch a meal.

"Lord Zhao, if you have something to say, please speak. I will certainly do my utmost to assist." It seemed Li Yunrui indeed did not see it that way either. Over the past few years, the two had come to a certain understanding of each other, and moreover, for the last half year, Zhao Manxiong had been his immediate superior.

"I just read the memorandum the Military Intelligence Division sent to the Internal Security Corps yesterday. You requested that the 'Longsheng Island Werewolves' network be placed under the direct leadership of the Military Intelligence Division, and that the Internal Security Corps transfer the relevant personnel to the Military Intelligence Division. I cannot approve such a request."

Li Yunrui said not a single word, only staring blankly at Zhao Manxiong, as if waiting for the latter to blush.

However, Li Yunrui was clearly going to be disappointed, because when Zhao Manxiong said, "All right, I know I drafted that memorandum," his tone was still as impassioned as ever.

"Very well, I must admit that at the time, I was mainly looking at this issue from the Military Intelligence Division's perspective." Zhao Manxiong's tone rose and fell with cadence, hoping it would not leave Li Yunrui with the impression: "This fellow is now looking at the issue from the Internal Security Corps' perspective."

Before Li Yunrui could react, Zhao Manxiong raised his voice another octave: "Later, I re-examined this issue from a completely new height — that is, from the position of the former Longsheng Island brevet Assistant Regional Commander."

Zhao Manxiong, who had, after all, once served as acting chief when Huang Shi was away, had always been seen by everyone as something close to Longsheng Island's second-in-command. He rapped the memorandum on the table and said, "It is undeniable that the Internal Security Corps' security and confidentiality work has always been quite good, while the Military Intelligence Division has not undergone similar tests. If the 'Longsheng Island Werewolves' were under Internal Security Corps control, the most critical confidentiality work would already be guaranteed."

Li Yunrui said nothing but lowered his head to look at the tabletop. Zhao Manxiong had no choice but to continue spraying his spittle: "If the Internal Security Corps truly discovers any military intelligence that needs to be reported to the Military Intelligence Division, the Internal Security Corps can also react at the first moment. And with the Internal Security Corps' involvement, it can undoubtedly greatly reduce the pressure on the Military Intelligence Division, thereby improving our Longsheng Island's military intelligence assessment capability."

After hearing Zhao Manxiong out, Li Yunrui lowered his head and pondered for a long time, then spoke haltingly: "Five years ago, it was Lord Zhao who recommended me to my lord. I will not forget that."

"That was so many years ago. Why bring it up now?"

Zhao Manxiong exhaled a long breath in satisfaction, though he knew he had incurred a very large favor. Still, the fruits of his labor over the past half year could be considered preserved. Without any foundation whatsoever in the army, even sitting in the second-in-command's seat left one without the slightest sense of security.

The third day of the eighth month, the sixth year of the Tianqi reign.

Today, Hong Antong reported some very interesting news to Huang Shi: the young Miss Wang had returned to Longsheng Island.

On the way back from Juehua last time, Huang Shi had felt he simply could not explain how an extra betrothed wife had appeared. Besides, while at Juehua, he had indeed intended to propose marriage to the Zhao family, so he had no intention of defending himself at all.

Not long after that, the Wang siblings moved to Shandong. It was said they had found their maternal uncle's family and planned to transfer their household registration to Shandong. Huang Shi naturally would not obstruct this.

Hearing today that the young Miss Wang and the others had returned, Huang Shi frowned and asked, "What did they come back for? If the Wang siblings want to cancel their military household registration, that is absolutely beyond my power, unless they can rise to the rank of Minister."

Huang Shi's jest made Hong Antong laugh as well: "My lord, do you still intend to see the young Miss Wang?"

"No." Huang Shi answered without the slightest hesitation, then hesitated a moment: "Why did they come back?"

"It is said that the military households in Shandong earn less pay than our Longsheng Island military households, so they came back. It seems their maternal uncle's family could not help much either."

"So it seems. Every family has its own difficult scripture to recite." Now, as Longsheng Island's income increased, the pay of the Eastern River Left Brigade's officers and soldiers had also grown larger and larger. Of course, according to Huang Shi's consistent principle, the benefits for Longsheng Island and the Vanguard Battalion's officers and soldiers would still be higher than those of the other Eastern River Left Brigade troops.

If his own people got no benefits at all, who would still come to join Huang Shi?

"I heard that the Wang brother also said, if you never go outside, you never know — once you see it, you understand that Longsheng Island is still better. As long as you can find a chance to learn a trade well, life is much better than farming."

"Mm, I hope so too."

Longsheng Island had already partially achieved a social division of labor. Over a thousand military households had begun evolving toward industrial workers. They were gradually forgetting how to farm and becoming more and more proficient in their own specialties, relying on these occupations to live quite well. This group was the one Huang Shi depended on most, but conversely, their dependence on Huang Shi was also the greatest; they had already become inseparable from the small society of Longsheng Island.

The fourth day.

"Reporting to my lord, the Jianzhou Jurchens have sent… sent an envoy." Hong Antong's tone was not very smooth when making the report, and the expression on his face seemed somewhat odd.

"Oh~?" Huang Shi set down the work in his hands. It seemed the envoy had brought important news again, otherwise Hong Antong would not disturb him while he was busy.

"My lord, the envoy is Lady Chen."

"Oh~" Without changing expression, Huang Shi lowered his head again, used his brush to mark the place he had been reading, then let out a long sigh: "Invite her to sit in the study for a moment. I will dress properly and come shortly."

Huang Shi changed into neat military attire. Zhao Manxiong and Li Yunrui had both arrived at the study before him. By the time Huang Shi entered, they and Hong Antong had already been probing for intelligence on Liaoyang for a while and had recorded quite a bit of information.

"Young Lady Chen." Huang Shi saluted very politely. After glancing at the eldest Miss Zhao's tea table, he hurriedly called for his personal guards to change the hot water, and with a smile, inquired warmly after her well-being.

The eldest Miss Zhao had been carried by Later Jin soldiers in a sedan chair to the Gaizhou outpost. After the Eastern River scouts at Gaizhou confirmed her identity, they dared not delay and quickly sent her to Fuzhou. Jia Minghe at Fuzhou was greatly alarmed and strictly ordered that no word be leaked, then sent the eldest Miss Zhao on to Longsheng Island.

"Commander Huang need not be so overly courteous with this humble woman." The eldest Miss Zhao sat weakly in the chair. The fear and anxiety of these past days, plus the jolting and exhaustion of the journey, had long since brought this twenty-four-year-old girl to the brink of collapse. But the eldest Miss Zhao had gritted her teeth and refused to break down. Just moments ago, she had forced herself to rally and respond to the questions from Longsheng Island's Internal Security Corps and Military Intelligence Division, cooperating with their work to the best of her ability.

Now that she had finally held on until this moment of seeing Huang Shi, the eldest Miss Zhao took out a letter kept close to her body, held it up, and extended her arm stiffly toward Huang Shi: "Commander Huang, with just one word from you, my younger sister's life can be saved."

Huang Shi silently accepted the letter and paced the room as he read it.

Hong Taiji still insisted that they, the Later Jin, were sincere in seeking peace. He therefore intended to return the second Miss Zhao, along with that pair of concubines in Liaoyang, all together to Huang Shi. Only, to avoid misunderstanding, Hong Taiji had no choice but to have her elder sister come and confirm with Huang Shi. If Huang Shi acknowledged that Zhao the Second was his betrothed wife, then with just a brief note, Hong Taiji would hand Zhao the Second over to Huang Shi's people at a time and place designated by Huang Shi.