Chapter 90: Calming the Storm

The shouting from inside quieted the chaotic scene. The guard station soldiers looked at each other, then turned in unison toward Li Shuchun and the others in the front row. Their fury melted away like spring snow under warm sunlight, and even those battering the gate stopped their movements.

Li Shuchun's heart stirred at the words: it seemed the officials inside were afraid and preparing to soften their stance. If he could seize this chance to negotiate with them, escape punishment for killing Eunuch Hou and the others, and secure some compensation in military pay and provisions, that would be acceptable. He looked around and saw that the soldiers nearby also wore somewhat relieved expressions.

With this in mind, he stepped forward to respond—but Zhang Laosan behind him reached out and yanked him back.

Li Shuchun was startled. Zhang Laosan, seeing that those around were all close brothers from their own guard station, whispered urgently: "Chief, are you mad? They're trying to lure you in! If you go in there, you're dead!"

Li Shuchun understood at once. Zhang Laosan was right—given the nature of those people, how could they yield so easily? They must be planning to seize and kill the ringleaders, and then the remaining common hereditary military households would be easy to deal with. A beating followed by a sweet date—the fear of and obedience to officials and superiors was ingrained to the marrow, and soon everyone would submit!

He shot Zhang Laosan a grateful look, then strode forward onto the steps, turned to face the crowd, and shouted: "Brothers! The men inside are scared! But they haven't given up—they want to trick us! Whoever believes their words and goes in will die for certain! They've always treated us like pigs and dogs! Why would they truly negotiate with us?! Don't listen to their lies—smash open the gate and charge in!"

Li Shuchun's words brought sudden understanding to most, and the fury that had been subsiding surged anew: these lord officials were scheming against us every moment! Today we absolutely cannot let this end peacefully! We must show them what's what!

Over a thousand soldiers began to stir restlessly. Those who had stopped battering the gate resumed their work with vigor, and many in the rear ranks broke away from the formation, running toward the soldiers carrying great timbers in the distance, ready to help speed up their hauling.

Before long, several dozen soldiers arrived carrying two thick roof beams. Those battering the gate cleared a space, and dozens took up the beams as a ram to strike the gate. After only a few impacts, the gate that had seemed so sturdy began to totter. Inside, dozens of personal guards either ran into the second hall to report, gripped their weapons and stared at the door, or slipped off to the side to find hiding places. Yang Ze and the others in the second hall were at their wits' end.

The soldiers outside saw the gate about to be smashed open and were all excited. Though they had no blades, they were not short of wooden clubs and stones. Once over a thousand poured in, even armed men inside could not hold them back. Thinking of how the lofty officials who had always looked down on them would soon be kneeling on the ground kowtowing, the clamor suddenly swelled.

The sound of hooves suddenly came from afar. The soldiers in the rear ranks heard it first and turned to look—several war horses were galloping toward the crowd. As the distance closed, the thunder of hooves pounding the earth grew louder, like hammers striking war drums. Though only a few riders, the pressure they brought was overwhelming.

The galloping horses began to slow about a hundred paces from the crowd. By the time most soldiers turned at the noise to look back, the mounts had dropped to a walk.

Chen Qiyu, in a great red official robe and black gauze cap, reined his horse forward, flanked by four personal guards under Guo Tai. Some held blades in hand, others gripped longbows, scanning nervously in every direction, afraid someone might suddenly rise up against the Governor. The Assistant Regional Commander had exhorted them again and again before departure: better to sacrifice their own lives than let any harm come to the Governor.

The soldiers who had clustered together instinctively parted to both sides under the pressure of Chen Qiyu's composed bearing, forming a passage. Though they did not recognize him, instinct and intuition told them a great official had arrived—the aura of authority radiating from him made them feel fear without knowing why.

Moments later, Chen Qiyu and his men passed through the crowd and reached the steps of the yamen. He dismounted cleanly and crisply, his bearing more like a general who had ridden across battlefields. After all, having once commanded thousands upon thousands of troops, Chen Qiyu's horsemanship was still solid. One guard dismounted with him and took hold of his mount's reins, while the others remained on horseback, weapons in hand, watching the soldiers warily.

The soldiers battering the gate, under Chen Qiyu's stern gaze, set down the beams they held and, jostling each other, slipped down the steps on either side of him and melted back into the crowd.

Chen Qiyu clasped his hands behind his back and slowly ascended to the top of the steps. Turning around gradually, his piercing gaze swept over the thousand-plus soldiers. The crowd that had been clamoring fell utterly silent, all eyes fixed on him.

Chen Qiyu nodded almost imperceptibly, quite satisfied with the situation. He had arrived just in time—had he been a step later, once these men got carried away in their killing, he could hardly have stopped them. If the mutinous soldiers spread through the towns and countryside, the damage to Fengyang, already weakened for so long, would take a long time to recover. Then there would be no choice but to use Xuzhou's relief troops to suppress them by force, and cleaning up the mess afterward would be costly and time-consuming. His hopes of making a name for himself would be essentially dashed.

He cleared his throat and announced in a loud voice: "I am Chen Qiyu, Governor of Fengyang by imperial appointment! Why have you gathered here today to make trouble?! Taking lives! Storming an imperial government office, violating the laws of the state and the discipline of the military! Have you no sense of propriety and ethics, of rank and hierarchy in your hearts?! I have been appointed by His Majesty to govern Fengyang, and by law both soldiers and civilians fall under my jurisdiction. I am well aware of the hardships faced by guard station soldiers, and these past days I have been considering how to resolve this matter. Little did I expect that today I would suddenly hear that you have openly gathered to kill! To storm a government office! This both shocks and grieves me! That is why I rushed here! I will thoroughly investigate the causes of today's affair and give you all a satisfactory answer! Who led today's affair? Step forward and speak!"

After Chen Qiyu finished speaking, hope was rekindled in the hearts of most soldiers present: the Governor's meaning is that he can seek justice for us—then we'd best behave ourselves. Perhaps the Governor is a Judge Bao from the storybooks!

Under the gaze of the soldiers, Li Shuchun gathered his courage and stepped out from the crowd. Advancing a few paces to the foot of the steps, he knelt and kowtowed in salute: "This humble one is Li Shuchun, squad leader of the Fengyang Central Guard! Everything today was done by me alone, with no involvement from others. If Your Honor wishes to kill or flay, this humble one will bear it all!"

Li Ergou's blood ran hot. He stepped forward and knelt beside Li Shuchun, face flushed red as he reported: "This humble one, Li Ergou, also killed people—punish me too, Your Honor!"

Zhang Laosan and the other soldiers who were usually close to Li Shuchun also stepped out and knelt, declaring that they too had taken part and requesting that Your Honor punish them all together. Even Wang Mutou, always honest and taciturn, came forward.

Chen Qiyu stroked his beard as he looked at the men before him. After a moment's deliberation, he instructed: "Inform those in the yamen to open the gate. All officials are to come out!"

One guard immediately called out the order. Before long, the yamen gate opened from within, and Yang Ze and the others emerged under the protection of their trusted men. Chen Hongzu and Chen Qizhong knelt and announced their names in homage to Chen Qiyu, Zhu Guoxiang saluted with clasped hands, while Yang Ze stood with his hands behind his back and did not step forward to greet Chen Qiyu.

Chen Qiyu was inwardly furious but showed nothing on his face. He said in a deep voice: "I have just learned that you two, as the chief commanders of a guard, have habitually exploited and tyrannized the soldiers under your command, provoking today's mutiny. Is this true?!"

The two were greatly alarmed. The charge of provoking a mutiny was a heavy crime—if they admitted it, they might as well await death. They had never had any dealings with the Governor; why was he treating them like this from the very start? Could it be that he intended to use their heads to appease the crowd's anger?

Chen Hongzu glanced at Yang Ze, then kowtowed and reported loudly: "Governor, do not listen to rumors. Your subordinates have always treated our men with lenience and kindness. The so-called tyranny is nothing but slander!"

Chen Qizhong also kowtowed and reported: "Eunuch Yang and Lord Zhu can bear witness for your subordinates. I have always been considerate of my men—there has never been any exploitation!"

Yang Ze had accepted heavy bribes from the two over the years, so naturally he would speak up for them now. Moreover, he considered himself backed by powerful figures in the palace and did not hold Chen Qiyu in any regard. He said in a shrill voice: "I was entrusted by His Majesty to come to Fengyang several years ago, and I know these two scoundrels well. They are a bit overbearing, but they have no other ill repute. Governor Chen, do not listen to the rumors spread by those with ulterior motives!"