Chapter 83: Section Eleven

For a general of Huang Shi’s resounding fame, Wang Zaijin also felt he could make an exception, so he had someone bring over a stool. Huang Shi thanked him profusely, making sure everyone from Wang Zaijin to Fang Zhenru received their share of gratitude, and only then did he cautiously sit down on the edge. He kept his upper body ramrod straight and stared fixedly ahead, but inside he was thoroughly disgusted.

Wang Zaijin casually brought up Mao Wenlong’s letter: “Mobile Corps Commander Huang really is in demand everywhere. Regional Commander Mao argued his case forcefully, insisting that you are a Guangning officer and now unquestionably his subordinate.”

After speaking, Wang Zaijin looked at Huang Shi, eagerly waiting for him to declare his loyalty. Unfortunately, after a moment, Huang Shi still said nothing. Wang Zaijin could not wait any longer and gave a snort, taking the initiative to broach the subject himself, his tone turning somewhat hostile: “Just transferring one man over has been this much trouble — I truly did not expect it! Huang Shi, what do you have to say?”

“My lord, whether in Liaozhen or elsewhere, this lowly general is your subordinate.” As the Grand Coordinator of Liaodong, Wang Zaijin had jurisdiction over the Dongjiang army at this time as well, but Huang Shi’s words fell far short of what Wang Zaijin had hoped for.

Wang Zaijin’s tone grew even sterner: “Huang Shi, are you determined to remain in Dongjiang?”

Backed into a corner, Huang Shi sighed and had no choice but to put on a grand air: “In reply to the Grand Coordinator, this lowly general seeks only to kill the enemy and serve the nation, and dares not cling to safety within the pass.”

But Liaozhen was, after all, the garrison he directly commanded, while Dongjiang lay a thousand li away. This answer made Wang Zaijin fall silent for a long time before he snorted again, though his tone had greatly softened: “Be that as it may, every soldier in Liaozhen receives one tael and four qian of silver a month. Dongjiang currently has no fixed pay, let alone officer stipends. Huang Shi, do you not intend to take military pay, and do your men not want it either?”

Huang Shi was instantly tongue-tied. He could not personally say he wanted to transfer to Liaozhen, for that would mortally offend Mao Wenlong. Mao Wenlong had stepped forward to keep him after his own earnest pleading — if he now turned around and stabbed him in the back, what would that make him? But on the other hand, it was impossible to forgo military pay. If he said the wrong thing today and it was later used against him as a handle, the consequences would be even more unthinkable.

He absolutely could not spout any more heroic declarations now. If so many people heard them, his future requests for pay would be easily silenced, and Huang Shi had come this time determined to secure some grain to take back — he absolutely could not do something that would slap his own face. Besides, Mao Wenlong was currently wrangling with the Liaodong Grand Coordinator over military pay. If Wang Zaijin used his heroic words as ammunition, it would deal a devastating blow to Mao Wenlong, and Huang Shi would likely provoke public outrage in Dongjiang and be unable to survive there any longer.

Huang Shi racked his brains, yet could find no evasive tactic that would offend neither side.

“Mobile Corps Commander Huang, I am asking you a question.” Wang Zaijin pressed him step by step.

Huang Shi stole a glance to the side, seeking help from Fang Zhenru, but the latter avoided his gaze. It seemed impossible to avoid bearing some responsibility; if he did not offend Wang Zaijin, he would not get past this hurdle today. Huang Shi had no choice but to steel himself and say:

“In reply to the Grand Coordinator, this lowly general came out of the Guangning army. Unless the Ministry of War or the Grand Coordinator orders a transfer, I am of course Mao Wenlong’s subordinate. As for military pay, I beg my lord to allocate it at his discretion, so that my men have food to eat and clothes to wear — that will suffice. As for this lowly general himself, it matters not if I receive no stipend; I shall serve the nation with all my heart.”

Wang Zaijin was still busy trying to win over the Regional Commanders of the various garrisons and naturally did not wish to openly slap Mao Wenlong’s face by forcibly seizing his subordinate, especially since Mao Wenlong’s letter had been very firm. Although he very much wanted to transfer Huang Shi over, he was still counting on Huang Shi to say it himself, so that Wang Zaijin could smoothly take the man without being criticized by the Regional Commanders. Even if Mao Wenlong was displeased, he would have nothing to say and could at most vent his anger on Huang Shi.

Unexpectedly, Huang Shi was as stubborn as a rock, kicking the ball back again and again, refusing to give Wang Zaijin even a shred of face. This made the Liaodong Grand Coordinator very unhappy, and he said coldly: “Whether there are cloth and rations is not something I, the Grand Coordinator, can decide. The Dongjiang soldiers have not been verified and registered. The Ministry of War has not allocated them to me, so I have no way to give them to you.”

Although Fang Zhenru was unwilling to offer help in dire need, since Huang Shi had shouldered the brunt of it himself, he did not mind adding flowers to the brocade. He cupped his hands and said loudly: “My lord Wang, this humble official believes that Mobile Corps Commander Huang has rendered great service to the nation, and his sincere devotion is even more admirable. Since he is determined to remain in Liaodong to serve the nation, this humble official believes there is no need to force the issue. If Mobile Corps Commander Huang’s situation has its reasons, this humble official believes military pay could be allocated as an expedient measure. If my lord Wang is concerned about the Ministry of War, this humble official can also jointly sign a memorial with my lord.”

“Since my lord Fang says so, then I have no objection.” Wang Zaijin sighed inwardly. Fang Zhenru, as the disciplinary official overseeing the Liaodong Grand Coordinator, could at any time submit a memorial to the court criticizing Wang Zaijin’s actions. If Huang Shi were isolated and helpless, Wang Zaijin was still confident he could squeeze him into surrender, but it would be an entirely different matter if the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner impeached him over this.

Making things difficult for a meritorious official already sounded bad, and a disciplinary official could easily pin a grand charge of personal retaliation on him. At present, Wang Zaijin’s prospects were already very bleak; the Grand Secretariat was demanding explanations from him day and night on many matters. Already overwhelmed, Wang Zaijin did not intend to bring more trouble upon himself.

Thus, one lightly uttered sentence from Fang Zhenru was worth ten thousand from Huang Shi. Since Huang Shi had such backing, Wang Zaijin knew he could do nothing to him: “Huang Shi, why do you not thank the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner?”

Huang Shi rose and first bowed to Wang Zaijin: “This lowly general thanks the Grand Coordinator for his understanding.”

With friends at court, things are easily done. Turning around, he said to Fang Zhenru with genuine sincerity: “This lowly general thanks my lord Fang.”

“Enough, Mobile Corps Commander Huang, you may withdraw.” Wang Zaijin issued the dismissal order in ill humor. He still had some military matters to discuss with the other three civil officials; these grand strategic deliberations naturally required no further input from a mere military man. As he walked out, Huang Shi caught a glance from Fang Zhenru.

Before Fang Zhenru came out, Huang Shi had already summoned several trusted aides and briefly explained the day’s situation to them. As soon as Fang Zhenru emerged from the Grand Coordinator’s office, Huang Shi led them all to kneel and bow together:

“My lord Fang has requested pay on our behalf. All officers and soldiers, high and low, share gratitude for my lord Fang’s great kindness!”

“It is nothing, nothing.” Fang Zhenru helped Huang Shi to his feet.

The corpse-like face smiled again and again today, which struck Huang Shi as somewhat odd. He and Yang, leading the personal guards, bowed several more times before they all rose as well.

“Mobile Corps Commander Huang, tonight I shall host a banquet to wash the dust from your journey. Come to my residence for a simple meal.”

“Yes, I thank my lord for bestowing a feast.”

Fang Zhenru laughed heartily a few times, then waved his long sleeve gracefully toward Yang Zhiyuan and the others: “You are all General Huang’s trusted men, are you not? Come along, all of you, come along.”