Chapter 136: The Game of Cooperation

"These families, with deep clan roots, numerous sons and younger brothers, vast lands, and control over the profits of the local mountains and marshes, are the powerful magnates, also called prominent elders. In a county there are county magnates, in a township there are township magnates…"

Zhongming was from Henei Commandery. Henei bordered the State of Wei, so he knew a bit more about Wei's social conditions, and now he was explaining them to Heifu and the others.

Although in Qin, and in Nan Commandery, there were similar families — for instance, Gong Ao and Li Xian were both collateral-line descendants of county and township magnates. But because Qin's government power was strong and it strictly suppressed bold knights-errant, local forces withered and languished. Even the sons of great clans could only hold their noses and earn merit alongside the commoners.

But in the Six States, these magnate clans were a local force not to be ignored. For example, two hundred years ago when Ximen Bao governed Ye, apart from the shamans and invocators, the local magnates were the stubborn entrenched power.

"Powerful magnate clans that live together as a single lineage are mostly descendants of Spring and Autumn period grandees. In Wen County in Henei there is also a Zhang family, so I know that anyone who takes Zhang as their clan name takes the Jin grandee Zhang Mengtan as their ancestor…"

Back then, after Zhang Mengtan assisted Zhao Wuxu in winning the Battle of Jinyang and laying the foundation for the Partition of Jin into three states, he retired at the height of his success. His several sons went to live in Wei, Han, and Qi respectively, so all these states have descendants of the Zhang clan.

Among them, the most successful were the Han Zhang clan. For several generations they served as high officials of Han, known as "five generations of ministers to Han." But this family gradually declined after Han's destruction, and after the rebellion at Xinzheng was suppressed last year, they vanished without a trace.

The ones who fared only moderately well are the Zhang clan of Huyou Township in Yangwu County right before our eyes — their ancestors never produced many officials either.

"Then why did you say this Zhang clan is different from ordinary township magnates?"

Hearing this, Gong Ao started cracking his knuckles again. To his ears, this Zhang clan didn't sound like anything special!

Zhongming hurriedly waved his hands. "Although the Zhang clan had no particularly eminent figures in the past, in this generation they've produced an extraordinary son. I don't know his name, but I've heard that this Zhang gentleman went traveling to study in his youth and took a world-renowned great Confucian as his teacher. A few years ago, he went to Xianyang to serve as a clerk, and I've heard he's become quite a significant official!"

"A son of theirs is an official in Xianyang?!"

The group exchanged glances. Heifu also began to understand why the Zhang clan was so utterly unrestrained and didn't take him, a newly arrived Patrolman, seriously at all. So they had someone up above!

At the same rank, a capital official still outranks a local official by one grade — this principle held true in Qin as well.

Zhongming continued, "The Yangwu Zhang clan is divided into two branches, occupying the eastern and western wards of Huyou Township respectively. The locals call them the Eastern Zhang and the Western Zhang. The Eastern Zhang has greater power; their clan head is named Zhang Bo, and that Zhang son who serves as an official in Xianyang is Zhang Bo's own nephew. The Western Zhang's power is slightly smaller, but not by much; their clan head is named Zhang Fu."

"Zhang Bo and Zhang Fu not only reign supreme in the township, they are also quite well-known throughout Yangwu County. Yangwu County's surrender was partly Zhang Bo's doing — he went to the county seat and persuaded the Wei Magistrate of Yangwu to open the city gates and surrender, and for that he was appointed Township Treasurer. Zhang Fu of the Western Zhang, being a venerable and honest elder of the township, was appointed Township Thrice Venerable…"

Li Xian pondered this. "After Yangwu surrendered, it adopted Qin's official system. A township has three ranked clerks: the Treasurer, the Patrolman, and the Thrice Venerable. The Zhang clan holds two of these posts. Doesn't that make Huyou Township their Zhang family's domain?"

Zhongming blinked and said, "You could put it that way."

Gong Ao said angrily, "Then what use is it for us to be stationed here?"

Zhongming smiled. "It's just that the General isn't comfortable letting Wei men manage affairs. Our presence here merely serves a supervisory role. If the Zhang clan truly rebelled, not even counting the able-bodied men of the township, just the two or three hundred bondservants of the Eastern and Western Zhang combined would be enough to surround our camp. So, Patrolman…"

He bowed toward Heifu with clasped hands. "You had best go to this banquet. It's a good chance to get acquainted with the township elders, and it will make future dealings easier. The days ahead are long — there's no need to fight over a momentary grievance."

Hearing this, Gong Ao flared up. "What kind of talk is that? How can a true man willingly swallow an insult!"

While the two argued, Heifu sank into thought.

He had understood clearly now. The Zhang clan was the greatest local power in this township. Not only did they have a son serving as an official in Xianyang, they were also meritorious subjects who had helped the Qin army persuade Yangwu to surrender.

Since they adopted a cooperative attitude, the Qin army had not made things difficult for them. They had preserved the Zhang clan's family, property, and even granted them official posts, hoping the Zhang clan would continue helping to manage Huyou Township.

Using Wei men to govern Wei land — this method was quite appropriate, bearing the steady style of Old Wang's family. It was the surefire way to control surrendered regions during wartime. If they went around exterminating local magnates and rounding up wandering bravos, and sent a Qin clerk who couldn't understand a word of the local dialect to register households and assign corvée labor, that would instead provoke resistance and hinder the Qin army's campaign to destroy Wei.

The larger situation was secured, but this left Heifu, dispatched here, in a bind. He suddenly felt his hands were tied.

Although in peacetime, the Treasurer did indeed outrank the Patrolman by half a grade, this was wartime.

Heifu recalled the eye-catching line on the appointment letter the Five Hundred Leader had given him.

"If the Wei Treasurer or Thrice Venerable harbor treacherous intent and seek to betray Qin, the Patrolman may execute them without reporting!"

After all, behind him there was still a force lending its support.

Therefore, Heifu had no desire to be too weak, to become a puppet summoned and dismissed at will by the local powers!

"Zhongming, go out and tell that servant this."

He said flatly, "Tell him that although this clerk's post is not high, I am still a Patrolman appointed under the personal seal of General Wang, representing the dignity and authority of the Qin government. To speak with a lowly menial would be beneath my station! If Lord Zhang sincerely wishes to invite me, let him send his own son to deliver the invitation!"

…

"That little Platoon Leader really said that?"

In the Eastern Tower Ward of Huyou Township, within the Eastern Zhang residence — surrounded by dozens of smaller courtyards housing collateral-line sons like stars cupping the moon — the eight-chi-tall, stout and bulky Treasurer Zhang Bo listened to the menial's report, slightly stunned.

"Those were his exact words. This slave didn't even make it through the camp gate before being driven away…" The menial had been badly frightened by those armored, fierce-looking Qin soldiers.

"This is absolutely outrageous!"

Zhang Bo was in his fifties, and in his fury, even his graying beard trembled.

"Calm your anger, younger brother, calm yourself…"

The Western Zhang clan head and concurrently Township Thrice Venerable, Zhang Fu, had a much gentler countenance than Zhang Bo, presenting the image of a generous and kindly elder. He said, "In my view, sending only a menial to deliver the invitation was truly far too discourteous. No wonder that Qin clerk refused to come. Fortunately, he didn't reject us outright, but gave us a way to step down. Younger brother, you had best do as he says and send your son to deliver the invitation in person!"

"Wouldn't that make it seem like I'm acting on his orders?"

Zhang Bo was unwilling and insisted, "By rights, the Treasurer outranks the Patrolman by half a grade. The fact that I didn't summon him here in my capacity as a superior officer is already generous enough!"

Zhang Fu admonished him. "That may be so, but right now Qin and Wei are still at war — it's not the same as ordinary times. The one with soldiers in hand will always be greater than the one without. A Qin clerk from Qin will always be more trusted than us Wei men appointed on the spot. Younger brother, you must not judge this by ordinary thinking…"

"So what? I am the meritorious subject who persuaded Yangwu County to surrender! I am not the same as ordinary township magnates!"

Zhang Bo's eyebrows rose, showing not the slightest intention of yielding. "Besides, with Zihu in Xianyang as a senior clerk, what can a mere little Patrolman do to me?"

Zhang Fu said, "The invitations to the township elders have already been sent out. If it turns out to be an empty banquet, that won't benefit our family either."

Zhang Bo thought this over and conceded the point, but still waved his hand impatiently. "Send the youngest, most junior nephew in the clan to invite him. My courtesy is already sufficient. He can come or not as he pleases!"

Seeing this, Zhang Fu grew angry. He stamped his foot. "Zhang Bo! You are so wildly arrogant. Just to win a momentary clash of wills, you insist on tearing face with that Qin clerk. Just you wait — if this blows up to the county Five Hundred Leader, to General Wang Ben, even all the way to Xianyang, it will do the Zhang clan, and Zihu, not the slightest bit of good!"

…

"Patrolman, will the Zhang clan send someone again?"

Outside the township, at the Qin army garrison camp, Zhongming paced back and forth uneasily.

He felt the Patrolman was still being a bit too overconfident. If the Zhang clan also took offense and didn't send anyone else to invite him, relations between the two sides would be completely soured. Over the next few months, how would they interact? If the higher-ups demanded they search the township for grain or dispatch corvée laborers to Daliang, without the Zhang clan's cooperation, it would be absolutely impossible to accomplish…

But Heifu simply rested with his eyes closed, silent and still.

He couldn't explain this thoroughly to Zhongming. This was the first round of the game between the Qin clerk and Huyou Township's local powers. Heifu knew that if he lowered his head now, then in the future, far from rising above the Zhang clan, he would have to act only at the Zhang clan's pleasure.

Who was greater — the Qin clerk ordered to garrison this place, or the original local township magnates? This point had to be made crystal clear!

Whoever lowered their head first would be the loser!

At that moment, Li Xian came to report again.

"Patrolman, the Zhang clan has sent someone again!"

Zhong Ming's face lit up with delight, but Hei Fu merely opened his eyes and asked, "Who has come?"

"A white-bearded elder, tall cap and wide sleeves — he arrived by carriage."

Hei Fu rose and said, "While I am away from camp, Li Xian has full authority over all camp affairs. If I have not returned by nightfall, or if there is any unusual movement in the town, bar the gates at once and stand ready, and send Ji Ying on a fast horse to alert Jiyang and Waihuang!"

After arranging the camp's affairs, Hei Fu straightened the cap-ribbon on his head, donned his cleaned and polished black-brown leather armor, gripped his sword, and strode out of the building.

The camp gate opened. Zhang Fu saw several stern-faced Qin soldiers rush out with halberds and form two lines on either side. Then, a dark-faced Qin official strode out in great strides — he wore a knee-length robe, a leather breastplate over it, short trousers below, puttees bound around his legs, short boots on his feet, and a trapezoidal short-plank cap on his head…

Zhang Fu knew the man in charge had arrived. He hurriedly dismounted from his carriage, bowed with clasped hands to the Qin official, and said, "I am Zhang Fu, Thrice Venerable of Huyou Township. The Bailiff is indisposed and has specially sent me to deliver an invitation, asking the Patrol Leader to a banquet at the East Tower hamlet residence, so that the village elders may come and pay their respects…"

Hei Fu stepped forward, helped Zhang Fu rise, and broke into a smile. Without caring whether Zhang Fu understood him or not, he spoke in the Guanzhong dialect:

"Newly arrived as I am, it should be I, the junior, who first goes to pay a visit. How dare I let an elder come in person?"

Hei Fu knew that in this first round of the contest with the powerful forces of Huyou Township, he had won a slight edge!

PS: At that time, Ximen Bao went to meet them on the river. The Thrice Venerable, officials, powerful elders, and hamlet elders all gathered, while the common people who came to watch numbered two or three thousand.

(End of chapter)