Chapter 22: Squad Leader Heifu

"This Heifu is just a first-time conscript replacement soldier. At most he's got some reckless courage — and he can be a squad leader!?"

Just as Heifu was about to be appointed squad leader, that Platoon Commander Bin came pacing over and raised an objection.

Platoon Commander Chen had always been at odds with Platoon Commander Bin, so he rolled his eyes and said, "Platoon Commander Bin, the statutes only say that officers of squads and fireteams among conscript laborers must be held by those with rank — they say nothing about which term of service it is. I see that Heifu is not only a Gongshi commended by the official temple, but he also has some ability and enjoys considerable esteem. What is improper about making him squad leader?"

Platoon Commander Bin retorted, "Just now Platoon Commander Chen spoke of the method of drilling troops — it stresses sitting and rising, advancing and halting, left and right, forward and back, dispersing and assembling, forming up and breaking formation, practicing every variation until proficient."

He pointed at Heifu and said disdainfully, "All of the above — does this common fellow understand any of it? In my view, this bumpkin from the backwoods probably can't even tell left from right!"

"Can't tell left from right" was how city folk in this era mocked peasants who rarely left their villages in a lifetime. Of course it didn't mean they truly couldn't distinguish left from right, but rather that they'd have to think a moment to know which side was which; in everyday speech they'd just say "scoot over a bit" and rarely dealt with left-right relationships.

If this seems unbelievable, just recall how hard it was to master left-face and right-face during your first PE class as a child, and you'll understand. And such hesitation on the battlefield was undoubtedly fatal, so distinguishing left from right was a foundational course in conscript training.

Heifu did not get angry; he waited until Platoon Commander Bin had finished before answering with a smile.

"This humble man may be dull-witted, but left and right — those I can still tell apart…"

He bowed to the two platoon commanders and said with an honest, simple face, "Because since childhood I've been different from others — I'm left-handed. I hold chopsticks with my left hand, swing the sickle with my left hand, so the distinction between left and right left a deep impression on me. Yesterday at the official temple during the inquest, it was also by stating the fact that I held the blade in my left hand when fighting the bandit that I proved my innocence."

Heifu stole a glance at Platoon Commander Chen, and seeing his eyes full of encouragement, he boldly continued, "That Lake Sun Pavilion Chief, on the other hand — because he couldn't tell left from right, he falsely accused me of hitting him with my right hand, and as a result his testimony was riddled with errors…"

"Hahaha, Platoon Commander Bin, this Heifu seems to have a point." Platoon Commander Chen was amused by this barbed remark; his grudge against Platoon Commander Bin ran too deep, and anything that made his adversary uncomfortable delighted Platoon Commander Chen.

"You!"

This was undoubtedly poking Platoon Commander Bin right where it hurt. Platoon Commander Bin instantly flew into a rage, yet could find no grounds to punish Heifu, and could only snap, "Even if you can tell left from right, can you also skillfully teach advancing, halting, dispersing, and assembling to everyone in the squad?"

"I venture to inform Platoon Commander Bin: all of the above — my late father taught me at home. He served multiple terms, even went into battle, and was once a fireteam leader…" Heifu's eyes darted, and he once again invoked his conveniently dead father, pinning everything he himself knew onto him.

"Besides, even if there are some points I'm not fully versed in, this squad has an old campaigner who can assist me." He pointed toward Chao Bo, who had been keeping out of it — startling Chao Bo into hastily stepping forward and prostrating himself, his goatee quivering, his heart quivering too.

Platoon Commander Chen nodded, "That being the case, making Heifu the squad leader of Gui Squad — there's no objection, is there? Platoon Commander Bin, what do you think?"

Platoon Commander Bin said with a dark face, "Training the conscripts is Platoon Commander Chen's responsibility to begin with — what right have I to say more? It's just that Platoon Commander Chen should consider carefully when appointing men. After ten days of conscript training, the two County Lieutenants will personally come to the drill ground to inspect, and have each squad compete in a grand contest to assess order and discipline, judging the superior and the inferior."

He sneered, "When the time comes, if this Gui Squad ends up ranked 'Bottom,' Platoon Commander Chen, don't forget that today it was you who insisted on making Heifu the squad leader! Then, before the County Right Lieutenant, I fear it will be rather embarrassing!"

As it turned out, much like the performance assessments in later-era enterprises of every kind, Qin was also most fond of conducting assessments.

For instance, at year's end, the labor performance of commandery and county officials had to be compared and assessed — the superior promoted, the inferior demoted.

Even at the township and village level, in the fourth, seventh, tenth, and first months of each year, plowing ox judging competitions had to be held. Based on the plumpness and strength of the oxen raised in each village, they were rated "Top" (excellent) and "Bottom" (poor) — the excellent rewarded, the poorly-rated punished.

And don't think being neither excellent nor poor meant you were in the clear — the township and village officials would also measure the oxen's girth to see if they'd grown thinner than the previous year. If so, the ox-tender would also be punished. If in those few days your ox happened to fall headlong into love and lost all appetite, then you could just wait for your bad luck.

In short, assessment was a method of evaluation that Qin greatly enjoyed. Without comparison, how could there be competitive drive? Without competitive drive, how could Great Qin unify all under heaven? Even oxen had to be dragged out and compared, let alone people — so conscript training naturally had its own assessment, called the "Ten-Day Grand Contest."

Contest in what? In whose formation was neatest, whose advance and retreat most orderly, of course!

"This…" So when he heard Platoon Commander Bin bring this up, Platoon Commander Chen also showed a trace of hesitation.

Heifu saw his indecision and added, "Please set your minds at ease, both platoon commanders. Heifu will absolutely not let Gui Squad end up at the bottom."

"If you do end up at the bottom, you'll naturally be fined two suits of armor! That bit of reward money you got from the official temple probably won't even cover the fine!" Platoon Commander Bin launched into another round of intimidation.

He had meant to make Heifu back down in the face of difficulty, but unexpectedly, Heifu raised his head again and said with brimming confidence, "This humble man hasn't finished speaking. In the grand contest ten days from now, not only will I not end up at the bottom — I will also make Gui Squad the Top, ranked first!"

Everyone fell silent. After a long moment, it was Platoon Commander Bin's laughter that echoed across the drill ground:

"Hahaha, you Gongshi really know how to jest. If Gui Squad can take first place, then right here on this drill ground, I'll do three hundred distance-leaps and three hundred crouching-leaps!"

"It's a deal!"

He meant it as a joke, but Heifu took it in earnest, and cupped his hands to him, saying, "If Gui Squad cannot take first place, then I'll circle around Anlu County town, distance-leaping and crouching-leaping the whole way!"

…

"Brother Heifu, are you truly confident you can take first in the Ten-Day Grand Contest?"

When "mealtime" arrived — that is, breakfast time — each squad sat in its own area, eating the millet gruel distributed by the county soldiers. Ji Ying brought his clay bowl and squatted down beside Heifu, voicing his doubts.

"I am." Heifu was terse, focusing his attention on the coarse fare in his bowl. The coming days would involve considerable physical exertion; he had to absorb every single grain.

"But this is only your first term of service — how can you compete with the veteran campaigners serving as squad leaders in the other squads…" Ji Ying picked at the grains in his bowl, somewhat conflicted. In single combat, he trusted Heifu's ability, but this involved everyone in the whole squad.

"Last month at Lake Sun Pavilion in the Cloud Dream Marsh, it was also the first time in my life I encountered bandits. Yesterday at the county jail, it was also my first time facing someone in court…" Heifu set down the two short wooden sticks in his hand and looked at Ji Ying. "Do you perhaps not believe in me?"

"Of course I believe!" Ji Ying said without hesitation. After the events of the past few days, he admired Heifu immensely and already followed his lead without question.

"Then do not doubt. Listen to what I say, and while you're at it…" Heifu jutted his chin toward the silent comrades off to the side. "Help me persuade them!"

And so, after finishing the meal and sending Ji Ying off, Heifu was the first to rise. He bowed to the group who had remained silent all along and said, "Just now Heifu was rash."

"Wasn't he just too rash!" That Ping from the county town, the one who loved to laze in bed, had been holding it in for a long time, and now he poured out the words he'd been stifling:

"What sort of man is the platoon commander, and what sort of men are we — how could we argue and lock horns with him? Let alone taking first in the Ten-Day Grand Contest. I've served three terms, undergone training three times, and never once got Top — but twice I nearly ended up Bottom…"

Chao Bo also sighed, "Squad leader, what are you saying? It's just that we are all ordinary rank-and-file soldiers. We come to serve because we have no choice, only hoping to get through this one month safe and sound. For us, taking first in the grand contest — that's something we wouldn't dare even dream of. Just not ending up Bottom and getting punished is enough…"

The others nodded one after another. Only Dongmen Bao snorted coldly and said, "All of you are gutless rats! A real man — if he does a thing at all, he does it striving for first."

With that, everyone's attitude toward the matter was clear. Aside from Dongmen Bao, the remaining few either opposed it or kept their opinions to themselves, going with the flow.

Heifu, however, simply listened quietly, then smiled and said, "Arguing with the platoon commander — that was indeed impulsive of me. But striving for first place for this squad in the Ten-Day Grand Contest — that is absolutely no joke!"

"No joke?"

"You still haven't given up?"

Chao Bo, Ping, and the others looked at each other. Dongmen Bao, on the other hand, was overjoyed and rose to his feet. "Magnificent! I'm willing to join with Heifu and seize the Top in the grand contest, leaving that Platoon Commander Bin with nothing to say, making him distance-leap and crouching-leap on the drill ground. After this affair, my name will be known throughout the county!"

Distance-leaping and crouching-leaping, to put it plainly, were deep squats and frog jumps. As early as the Spring and Autumn period, the military had used these to train or punish soldiers. To be honest, Heifu was very much looking forward to seeing Platoon Commander Bin pathetically eating dust on the drill ground.

But this matter — it was no use if only their one pair of squad leader and fireteam leader advocated for it. What Heifu wanted was for everyone to actively join in.

Just at that moment, Ji Ying, who had been ordered by Heifu to deliberately take a loop around the neighboring area, came back and happily told everyone some good news.

"Gentlemen!"

Ji Ying was all smiles, as if he had some great tidings. "I went and asked around — every squad that takes first in the Ten-Day Grand Contest, every single person in it gets a commendation reward!"

"Ji Ying, speak quickly — what reward?"

At the mention of a reward, the crowd, who had been utterly uninterested moments before, immediately pricked up their ears.

Ji Ying put on an air of mystery, made them huddle closer, and only then said in a low voice, "If we can take first, everyone in the whole squad will be exempted from next year's conscript service!"

PS: In the fourth, seventh, tenth, and first months, the plowing oxen are assessed. At year's end, in the first month, a grand review is held. The Top — the field bailiff is awarded a vessel of ale and a bundle of dried meat; the one who tended the oxen is exempted from one term of replacement service, and the ox team leader is granted three ten-day periods of leave. The Bottom — the field bailiff is reprimanded, and the ox-tenders are punished with two months of extra service. If an ox used for plowing is found to be lean, the person in charge is flogged ten strokes per inch of leanness. Also, at the village level they are assessed — the Top, the village overseer is granted a ten-day period of leave; the Bottom, thirty strokes of the lash. — "Qin Statutes, Eighteen Categories: Stable and Park Statutes"

(End of chapter)