Chapter 135: Huyou Patrol Leader

"Greetings, Platoon Leader… no, I should say Patrol Leader now. This humble one is Zhong Ming. I heard that a Patrol Leader would be bringing troops to garrison here today, so I have been waiting especially."

After parting with the Five Hundred Leader, the person waiting for Heifu and the others at the crossroads was a Qin army Squad Leader named Zhong Ming, a man from Henei.

Zhong Ming was extremely attentive. After the two sides exchanged wooden tablets to verify each other's identities, he took the initiative to help Heifu lead his horse and said with a smile, in a Guanzhong dialect tinged with a Henei accent:

"This lowly official originally followed the Henei Army to besiege Jiyang. After Jiyang was taken, Yangwu also surrendered. The General was busy leading the troops to Taoqiu to join the encirclement, so he only sent a few men to take over. This Huyou Township is a large township in Yangwu County, with a population over ten thousand, yet we only had ten men to guard it, which worried this lowly official to death. Fortunately, the Patrol Leader has arrived in time…"

Heifu already understood the situation behind this appointment. The Qin army's campaign in Wei territory was mainly concentrated on a few large cities. The Guanzhong main force led by Wang Ben had to watch tens of thousands of Wei troops stubbornly resisting within Daliang City, over a hundred thousand Wei civilians inside, and even the hundred thousand Qin garrison soldiers, convicts, and laborers outside digging ditches and channels, ensuring the smooth execution of the water-attack strategy.

Meanwhile, the three main field armies for destroying Wei — the Nanyang troops, Dongjun troops, and Henei troops — each numbering over ten thousand, were separately attacking Wei's second, third, and fourth largest cities: Suiyang, Taoqiu, and Jiyang.

Now that Jiyang had been breached, but Taoqiu still held out, the Dongjun troops went to assist in the assault, aiming to achieve the strategy of having the three commandery forces encircle Suiyang by April and completely occupy Wei.

As for the other small counties, like Waihuang and Yangwu, letting miscellaneous troops take over and garrison them was sufficient.

In the eyes of the commander-in-chief, the thousand men led by Yang Xiong were just miscellaneous troops with weak combat strength, so they didn't need to participate in the fighting and could just garrison nearby…

Yang Xiong himself stayed behind with several hundred men to guard Waihuang, and sent Zhang Yi with five hundred men to transfer to Yangwu. Perhaps because the performance of Heifu's platoon in the Battle of Waihuang left a deep impression on the two officers, this time he was actually entrusted with an important task — serving as the acting Patrol Leader in the largest township, Huyou.

This was no easy assignment, and Heifu didn't know whether he should be grateful or complain.

It was now mid-March, and the roadsides were lined with fields of green millet and wheat seedlings. It seemed that because Yangwu County surrendered without a fight, the spring plowing had not been affected — this was good news.

Heifu simply dismounted and led the horse himself, using his slightly rusty Guanzhong dialect to converse with Zhong Ming. Since he had been assigned this position, he needed to learn more about the local situation.

In the various commanderies and counties of Qin, accents differed greatly from region to region; each spoke their own, easily leading to mutual incomprehension. The Henei and Nanjun dialects were worlds apart, so for Heifu to communicate with Zhong Ming, he still had to rely on the army's "common tongue," the Guanzhong dialect. Over the past few months, he had picked up a bit through immersion, though he was still not very proficient.

He guessed that the Qin troops who passed through earlier had deliberately left a Squad Leader of Henei origin for the follow-up units, also considering the communication problem.

Henei Commandery was established decades ago when Qin seized the Henei region from Wei, and its accent also belonged to the Liang-Wei dialect group. It seemed that, until Heifu got used to the local accent, he would probably have to rely on Zhong Ming as an interpreter to communicate with the natives of Huyou Township.

Before long, a township settlement with walls about one zhang high appeared before them. Zhong Ming pointed at it and said, "That over there is the township seat of Huyou."

Heifu surveyed the surrounding terrain — it was all an endless plain with very few hills. The township seat was situated at a crossroads, so he asked, "This place is flat and wide open; why is it called Huyou?"

The term "huyou" means door and window, and is usually used to describe strategic passes like Fangcheng and Xingyang. This place was called Huyou, yet he could see no natural defenses, which puzzled Heifu.

"I asked the local elders about this matter as well."

Zhong Ming said, "This place has some history. Several hundred years ago, it was a small settlement of the State of Song, right next to the State of Zheng. When the Zheng army advanced east and broke through this settlement, they entered Song, so it was effectively the gateway to Song. Hence, it was named Huyou…"

"I see." Heifu nodded. After centuries of annexation, the territories of Zheng and Song from the Spring and Autumn period had all become part of Wei. Soon, Wei itself would disappear, and all commanderies, counties, townships, and settlements within the four seas would become part of the Qin Empire…

Although the Huyou township seat was close at hand, the camp where Heifu and his men were to be stationed was located outside the small settlement. It was essentially a small hamlet enclosed by wooden stakes, with gates opened to the north and south. A two-zhang-tall watchtower had already been erected, with armored Qin soldiers armed with crossbows standing guard atop it.

Zhong Ming shouted loudly for someone to open the camp gate, then said to Heifu with a smile, "It's a bit crude, but there was no other way. Inside the settlement is somewhat crowded, with no space to station dozens of men. If something happened, we wouldn't even be able to get out. It's safer outside."

Heifu nodded. During his days in Waihuang, he had keenly felt the local Wei people's resentment and hostility toward the "invaders." Huyou had just surrendered; who knew how many discontented people were inside the settlement? Setting up a separate outpost outside the settlement was indeed more prudent.

He did not hesitate. After everyone entered the camp, he immediately ordered his subordinates to assemble in the open space within.

Aside from the ten Henei soldiers led by Zhong Ming, the rest were all Heifu's old subordinates, so there was no need to shout slogans; he simply issued orders methodically.

"Excluding the few who died or are recovering from wounds in Waihuang, this platoon still has forty-five men. Adding the ten Henei soldiers including Zhong Ming, that makes fifty-five in total. The squad and five-man unit organization remains as before. From this day forward, throughout the twelve two-hour periods of the day, the camp's north and south gates will each require one five-man unit to stand guard in rotation. Zhong Ming, is anyone guarding the south gate of the Huyou township seat?"

Zhong Ming replied, "Not yet…"

"Xiao Tao." Heifu immediately gave the order: "Take ten skilled archers at once and take over the defense of the township gate."

Although he dared not stay inside the settlement, Heifu had to keep firm control of the settlement gate. Otherwise, if trouble broke out inside and the entrance was blocked, he would be at his wit's end.

"Ji Ying, you were originally a postal courier. I'm putting you in charge of message transmission with the outside world. This platoon has been allocated five horses; take four men who can ride and practice diligently. Find time to travel separately to Yangwu, Jiyang, Waihuang, Huangchi, and Daliang to familiarize yourselves with the routes."

Heifu had considered this thoroughly. If a major disturbance broke out in Huyou Township that their few dozen men couldn't control, they would need to immediately seek help from nearby locations. Although Huyou belonged to Yangwu County, it was the easternmost township, separated from the westernmost Yangwu county seat by nearly a hundred li — distant water cannot quench a nearby fire. In contrast, Jiyang and Waihuang were only a few dozen li away, a half-day's journey by fast horse.

Next, Heifu announced some prohibitions.

"During the garrison at Huyou, except for the squads ordered to patrol the township seat and guard its gates, all other personnel are forbidden to leave camp without authorization, and especially forbidden to wander alone!"

"Aye!"

Heifu looked at the men and said sternly, "Furthermore, bullying men and violating women, or any other lawless acts, are strictly forbidden! For the above offenses, the light punishment is flogging; for severe cases, this officer may, according to the Law of Battlefield Execution, behead the offender!"

At these words, everyone was awed. It was still wartime, and the Qin army's Law of Battlefield Execution granted superiors the power to execute subordinates: a Squad Leader could execute his ten men, a Platoon Leader could execute Squad Leaders, a Thousand-Man Commander could execute Hundred-Man Leaders, a Ten-Thousand-Man Commander could execute Thousand-Man Commanders, the Left and Right Generals could execute Ten-Thousand-Man Commanders, and the Grand General could execute anyone without exception!

Amidst a chorus of assent, Zhong Ming showed a surprised expression. Heifu not only commanded high prestige among the soldiers but also acted with resolute efficiency. Perhaps this troublesome assignment that had given him headaches for many days could be smoothly handled under Heifu's command?

Heifu had no choice, because this Patrol Leader position was different from the one in Anlu County, which only required patrolling the countryside, stopping unlawful acts, capturing thieves, and maintaining public order.

He was a battlefield-appointed officer in occupied territory, stationed in an enemy settlement that had just surrendered, where the attitudes of the local clans and commoners were unpredictable. He not only had to impose military control and guard against potential rebellion at any moment, but also had to requisition grain locally in the future and send it to Daliang, to fulfill General Wang Ben's strategy of "drawing provisions from the enemy" and "sustaining the war through war"…

People of this era had no concept of grand unification. In the eyes of the Wei people, they were invaders, a foreign occupying army, the oppressive officials of a tyrannical Qin who imposed heavy taxes and bled them dry. So this was no easy job. While fulfilling his duties, Heifu also had to be careful to prevent conflicts between his soldiers and the settlement's inhabitants, which could trigger mass incidents and escalate into rebellion…

Heifu was quite certain that if their fifty-plus men were engulfed by the vast sea of over ten thousand people in the township, there would be absolutely no chance of survival.

Nor could they flee. The Qin army regulations stated clearly: a military officer defending a location who abandons his post, forsakes the settlement and his troops, and flees is guilty of severe dereliction of duty and will be deemed a "military traitor." In the post-war reckoning, not only would he be executed and publicly displayed, but his entire family would be implicated and sentenced to penal labor for the government…

Therefore, Heifu had to be cautious in every respect.

Just as he had arranged everything and dismissed the men to their respective duties, the Squad Leader guarding the camp gate, Li Xian, came to report that someone from inside the Huyou township seat had come to pay respects to Heifu…

"It is a servant in black clothing. He holds an invitation card and says that the newly appointed Township Overseer, Lord Zhang, has prepared a banquet at his home and invites the Patrol Leader to a gathering!"

"Township Overseer?" Heifu had heard from Zhong Ming that besides himself as Patrol Leader, Huyou Township also had two local magnates who had been appointed as the local Township Overseer and Township Elder respectively, supposedly to commend their merit in being the first to surrender to the Qin army…

As Heifu stood there pondering, Gong Ao, who now owed Heifu his life twice and had become his diehard loyalist, flew into a rage at his side.

"What Township Overseer, what Lord Zhang? He's nothing but a local Wei magnate! That he didn't bring people to kneel and welcome you outside the settlement is already extreme disrespect. Now, inviting the Patrol Leader to a banquet, he dares not come personally but sends a mere servant to handle it? Who does he think he is?"

The Gong clan, of the Mi lineage, had once been a prominent family in Yan County, so Gong Ao could not stand seeing a petty Wei local magnate treat his lifesaver with such disrespect.

He cupped his hands toward Heifu: "Patrol Leader, how about letting me take some soldiers to drag that Overseer here and teach him a lesson! Let him know that times have changed!"

At these words, Zhong Ming's face changed color. He hastily rose to stop him: "Patrol Leader, you absolutely must not! This Zhang clan of Huyou Township in Yangwu County is not the same as an ordinary Wei local magnate!"

PS: Evening update at 9:30.

(End of Chapter)