Chapter 38: Section Three

In history, at the end of the Yuan and the beginning of the Ming, there were two very famous monks. One, naturally, was the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty; the other was Yao Guangxiao. The monk Yao believed in the Dragon-Slaying Art — the so-called Dragon-Slaying Art is the study of killing the emperor and rebelling.

On the road, after Huang Shi chatted with Jin Qiude, he discovered that this man was also a student of the Dragon-Slaying Art. Jin Qiude was from Suzhou and came from a fairly well-off family. Yet in his mind was a single obsessive conviction: he had been born for the sole purpose of throwing the Great Ming realm into chaos.

Since ancient times, it has been said that China suffers a great catastrophe every three hundred years — only great chaos can bring about great order. From the later materialist view of history, this was the late stage of agricultural civilization: population pressure made society unbearable, and the dynasty lost its vitality due to institutional corruption and rigid systems. The two forces combined to topple the dynasty.

People of this era naturally had no such understanding. Jin Qiude, for instance, inexplicably believed that he was born to answer this very catastrophe. From childhood, he diligently trained in martial arts and horsemanship, which his wealthy family could provide. But after he turned sixteen, Jin Qiude began putting his conviction into action and actually ran away from home, heading to Lianghuai.

Jin Qiude was convinced that "people's hearts yearn for steamed buns," so he tried to distribute steamed buns to recruit a group of famine victims and organize a basic armed force. Unexpectedly, just as he began, he was caught by local strongmen and sent to the authorities, who charged him with plotting sedition. This nearly scared his entire family to death, because if this charge were proven, it was not something one man alone could bear.

In the end, money could move the gods, and besides, the official magistrate did not believe a sixteen-year-old child would rebel in this era of peace and prosperity. Jin Qiude's distribution of steamed buns was ultimately explained as a rich child doing good deeds, and his organizing of refugees was classified as a vigilante crime akin to forming an underworld gang. In the end, he was banished to Liaodong, and his clan seized the chance to expel this troublemaker from the family registry.

After being banished to Liaodong, Jin Qiude not only showed no remorse but instead believed this was an omen that "Heaven was about to bestow a great mission." Although he became much more restrained, in the eyes of the observant, Jin Qiude among the military households still stood out like a charcoal grain in white sand. After being discovered by Sun Degong, Jin Qiude began his career as a secret agent.

The clever and quick-witted Jin Qiude was never discovered by the other soldiers as a spy. For a time, he yearned to use this side job to gain a chance to climb upward, but year after year, Sun Degong only used Jin Qiude as an informant planted among the soldiers.

After the flames of war in Liaodong approached Guangning, Jin Qiude knelt down once more to thank Heaven for bestowing such a war upon him, which he saw as the harbinger of a chaotic age. But he was soon disappointed to find that he was still just a secret agent — only now the targets of his investigation had become hidden Later Jin spies. Until one day, Sun Degong gave him a new mission: to monitor a newly appointed Company Commander named Huang Shi.

"When did you decide to turn to me?" Huang Shi asked with keen interest.

Jin Qiude, riding on horseback, inclined his body slightly. "My lord, do you still remember a conversation about reconnaissance?"

"Which one?"

"It was half a month ago, when you were discussing reconnaissance during marches with a few of us personal guards."

"Oh, I remember. But you didn't have any special insights — you barely spoke."

"Yes, this subordinate truly had no experience in march reconnaissance. I remember clearly: when the conversation turned to how arduous reconnaissance work is, Yang Luhuo said most reconnaissance is meaningless, because discovering the enemy is a rare occurrence, and most of the time it's a wasted trip." Jin Qiude's tone was calm as he recalled the conversation. "Zhao Manxiong disagreed. He said it's called being prepared for any eventuality."

"Zhao Manxiong spoke well."

"He did speak well, but my lord spoke even more correctly."

Huang Shi's curiosity was piqued. "Oh? What did I say? I probably said it offhandedly at the time — I don't remember now."

Jin Qiude, still without changing his expression, said, "Then please, my lord, say it offhandedly once more."

Huang Shi lowered his head and thought for another moment. "I truly don't remember what I said then, but what I think now is that it's not merely a question of being prepared for any eventuality. Reconnaissance needs not only to discover where there is danger, but also to discover where it is safe — the two are equally important. Discovering a water source is certainly extremely valuable, but confirming that a certain place absolutely has no water source holds equal value. When I spread open a map, the marked places must certainly have something, and the unmarked places should likewise have nothing at all."

"Then how does my lord believe scouts who make discoveries and those who make none should be rewarded?"

"According to the thoroughness of their reconnaissance," Huang Shi answered without hesitation. "What I care about is not only the degree of danger, but equally the degree of safety."

"Exactly so. My lord spoke even more precisely today, but it is entirely consistent with what you said that day." Jin Qiude then recounted his experience as a secret agent. Although he worked hard, after all, whether Later Jin spies or soldiers with malicious intent were an absolute minority. The unlucky Jin Qiude had not encountered many, but he meticulously investigated the people around him and confirmed a large number of absolutely safe personnel.

"Sun Degong had no interest whatsoever in the results of my work. Only when a problem was discovered could I receive reward or promotion." Jin Qiude sighed at his utterly miserable luck.

"No matter how hard this subordinate worked, no matter how thorough my analysis, I always had to compete in luck with lazybones or idiots. Framing others was something this subordinate disliked even more. Before, I only lamented my poor fate and could do nothing but redouble my efforts and hope for luck. But my lord's words that day made this subordinate understand: it was not that my luck was bad, but that I had not followed the right man. If Sun Degong had possessed my lord's insight, this subordinate should never have been buried in obscurity."

"And so you made up your mind?"

"Yes, but not just for this one instance. My lord's insights in many matters are things no one before has ever voiced, and they often make this subordinate feel as if a blockage in my mind has suddenly been cleared."

"That is my luck," Huang Shi said with a smile. "In any case, your hard work was not wrong. A man can be without luck, but when luck descends, he must never let it slip away. One who achieves this is a man of talent, whether he has luck or not."

"This subordinate has also heard my lord say these words before. At that time, I felt that my lord was truly my kindred spirit, able to understand this subordinate's ambition. My lord's creed also made this subordinate realize my lord's own ambition." Jin Qiude sighed again. "If Sun Degong had even half of my lord's insight, this subordinate would have had no chance to follow my lord. All that came before was truly Heaven's will — it must be that Heaven wants this subordinate to follow my lord and assist my lord in overturning heaven and earth..."

"Stop! Hold it. Eat your meal one bite at a time. When there's nothing to do, don't think too much."

When they reached the Right Garrison of Guangning, the sky was still only dimly lit. Huang Shi adjusted his armor and stood solemnly outside the main camp of the Grand Coordinator of Liaodong. The moment he heard the order summoning him for an audience, he hurried inside at a quick pace. Striding into the camp, he immediately prostrated himself. "Your subordinate, Drill Military Commissioner Huang Shi, under the command of Assistant Regional Commander Sun Degong of Guangning Garrison, pays respects to the Grand Coordinator."