Chapter 751: This Is the Sage's Benevolence!

In Yanhe Fort, Old Blind Man lay on a door plank, his face ashen-blue as if smeared with lead powder. His old wife, three sons, and one daughter-in-law had all come.

Amid the mournful weeping, Old Blind Man's eyes refused to close, and the family grieved for the loss of their greatest support.

Inspector Zhang sat blankly at the gate of Yanhe Fort, the searing pain in his ribs making even this battle-hardened killer draw sharp, cold breaths from time to time.

Watching Old Blind Man clinging to his last breath, refusing to close his eyes, Inspector Zhang felt a growing hollow dread inside.

Was he really supposed to go seek the Sage for Old Blind Man's sake? Would the Sage even remember who he was?

A clanking and clattering sounded as one cart after another was pushed out. Loaded on the carts were the soldiers of his Yanhe Fort Inspection Office.

Seven long-service stalwarts and thirty-one rotating sworn followers — men who had been lively and full of vigor just a few hours ago — would never rise to speak with him again.

How was he to handle the compensation for these men?

Especially the long-service stalwarts. For a rural family, the loss of a long-service stalwart meant something that a few strings of cash in compensation could never smooth over.

Not far away, a yellow-haired, gray-eyed man was watching Inspector Zhang with hopeful eyes. These "bumpkins" claimed they had captured a bandit leader and hoped Inspector Zhang would grant the treatment due for seizing a bandit chief.

The chiliarch of Huazhou Central Garrison and a county sheriff from Huazhou also stood beside Inspector Zhang, looking rather worried.

For the three of them had suddenly realized that none of them had the authority to grant compensation for the inspectorate soldiers killed and wounded in such a fierce battle, nor rewards for the country folk who had slain and captured the bandits.

Because of its special status, Huazhou was under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Capital, Kaifeng Prefecture, while the Yanhe Fort Inspection Office, on the north bank of the Yellow River, was an exclave under Huazhou's administration.

Given the present circumstances, even the Chief Clerk of Huazhou probably lacked the standing to decide on rewards. It would require the Prefect of Kaifeng, or the Kaifeng Prefecture Troop Supervisor who oversaw Huazhou Central Garrison, or even someone from the Bureau of Military Affairs to come in person.

But these great men were all far away in the Eastern Capital, Kaifeng Prefecture, and could not arrive in a short time.

Yet if reassurance was not given soon, morale would be badly damaged. The next time such a situation arose, would anyone still step forward?

Therefore, the chiliarch of Huazhou Central Garrison and the sheriff of Weinan County in Huazhou, who had jurisdiction over Yanhe Fort, walked over to Inspector Zhang, intending to discuss the matter with him.

Although Inspector Zhang held the lowest official rank, he had come from Dunhuang and was of the same clan as the Sage, so his position was actually rather special.

Just then, a Huazhou Central Garrison scout rider with red, yellow, and blue banners strapped to his back came galloping up from ahead. Before he had even dismounted, he shouted from horseback.

"The Great General of the Right Feathered Forest Guard, Duke of Wei, the Third Young Lord Li, has arrived three li ahead!"

The three men were overjoyed at once. Even the searing pain in Inspector Zhang's ribs seemed to ease considerably. Though they did not know why the Duke of Wei had come so quickly, once he arrived, matters would be easy to handle.

Li Cunhui had ridden swiftly with five hundred elite cavalry of the Eagle Strike Command. He had originally planned to rest at the Yanhe Fort Inspection Office, but while still several dozen li away, he learned from mobilized inspectors that someone had attacked Yanhe Fort, intending to burn the Baima Ford pontoon bridge.

Pan Mei and Cao Bin were both at Li Cunhui's side. The two were now the next generation of fierce generals favored by the Emperor, so naturally they were to be given experience everywhere.

And the two were indeed quite capable. Pan Mei especially — in history, after Guo Rong's death, this man had been rather loathed by all. Had it not been for his outstanding ability and his tact, he might well have gone down to keep Guo Rong company.

But in this time and space, he was the Emperor's trusted confidant. Many people were even betting on when Pan Mei would become Pan Qilang, turning Yang Jiye into Yang Balang.

In this atmosphere of full trust, Pan Mei's initiative was completely mobilized, and his talents shone even more brilliantly than in the original timeline.

Li Cunhui had not yet noticed the significance of immediately announcing rewards and compensation, but Pan Mei had keenly grasped it. He hurried to Li Cunhui's ear and said in a low voice.

"Duke of Wei, since the An Lushan Rebellion, the Weibo garrisons of Hebei have been the source of unrest. Twenty years ago, they even helped the Later Dynasty's Zhuangmiao Emperor defeat the Zhu Liang."

Over two hundred years, the Weibo yabing guards rose in arms across Hebei, killing countless military governors and causing who knows how many dynastic catastrophes.

But today, when veteran Weibo commanders like Zhao Zaili and Liu Jixun led a revolt, only three or four hundred men followed them, while those who stood against them surged like mountains and roared like the sea across the northern bank of the great river.

This is the manifestation of the Sage's benevolence!

If we now richly reward these righteous commoners, we will set an example for all under heaven!

I believe that from this day forward, anyone with disloyal thoughts need only recall this day and their legs will tremble — they will never dare rebel.

But if we fail to reward them richly and stir men's hearts, the heroes of the countryside will shrink back. Should such a thing happen again, they will not, and will not dare, come forth to serve the state!"

Li Cunhui pondered for a moment and immediately felt that Pan Mei's words were very reasonable. He believed that once the Emperor learned of this matter, he would certainly reward them richly.

But a late reward was far less effective at winning hearts than a reward given right now. Still, he had reservations.

"Rewarding loyalty and righteousness is the Sage's sole prerogative. For me, as his subject and son, to do it now — would that not be overstepping?"

Pan Mei said gravely, "Rewarding titles and offices indeed requires that favor flow from above. The Duke of Wei has not been granted the battle-axe of command, nor the authority to open a hegemonic administration, so naturally you cannot overstep.

But these are all rural warriors. They have no use for heavy rewards like offices and titles. Simply giving them a path forward is enough to repay their merit."

Li Cunhui understood. He immediately came to the gate of Yanhe Fort under the escort of a host of elite cavalry.

Old Blind Man was indeed tough. The rise and fall of his breathing was almost imperceptible, and the blood in his body was likely nearly drained, yet he still glared with wide eyes, refusing to leave this world. His fourteen-year-old youngest son wept beside him, gasping for breath.

Li Cunhui also knew Inspector Zhang, for Inspector Zhang had once been a soldier under his command. "Is this Li Wulang, who alone held off thirty riders and risked his life to close the fort gate?"

Inspector Zhang nodded through the pain. "Indeed, Duke of Wei. Had this man not risked his life to hold off the enemy, I fear the bandits would have broken into Yanhe Fort and burned the Baima pontoon bridge."

"An old warhorse in the stable still yearns to gallop a thousand li. A hero in his twilight years keeps his ambition undimmed!"

Li Cunhui sighed with emotion, then asked Old Blind Man Li Wulang, who lay on the plank looking like a dead man, "The Sage has always valued loyal and brave warriors most. Having received the Sage's teachings, and though merely passing through, I too respect you by three parts. If there is any wish you cannot let go of, speak it quickly."

Old Blind Man could not possibly speak, of course, but upon hearing Li Cunhui's words, his eyeballs actually moved a few times. All around, weeping broke out again.

Inspector Zhang endured the pain, rose, cupped his hands, and said, "Li Wulang knows best how to serve the country. In ordinary times, he always feared there would be no one to carry on after him."

Li Cunhui nodded. This rough fellow Inspector Zhang had learned to speak well after two years as an inspector.

He sighed twice, long and deep, and looking at the several hundred commoners gathered around, said deliberately, "A mere long-service stalwart — how could that repay a meritorious servant?"

As he spoke, Li Cunhui took the hand of Old Blind Man's youngest son, the one Inspector Zhang had been watching, and squeezed it twice.

"This youngest son of yours is indeed a bit slight of build, but his foundation is not bad. Since he is the descendant of a loyal and brave warrior, let him follow me. He shall first enter the Right Feathered Forest Guard as a sworn follower.

Li Cunzheng, come here. This is a loyal descendant of our Li clan. Keep him at your side, as if he were your own younger brother."

As soon as Li Cunhui's words fell, Old Blind Man's entire family burst into loud, excited wailing. Inspector Zhang also performed a grand salute. "With the Duke of Wei's great kindness, Li Wulang can close his eyes even in death."

The personal army — and the Right Feathered Forest Guard within the personal army at that. Compared to this, a long-service stalwart of an inspection office was utterly nothing.

Once one entered the Right Feathered Forest Guard, even if one had no great future, at the very least becoming an inspector like Inspector Zhang would be a sure thing.

And one must not look down on this minor inspector of the lower eighth rank. That was an official — a local tyrant of a place. In later times, he would be a "local grandee" holding the posts of party secretary, town mayor, and police chief all in one.

At last, after receiving Li Cunhui's personal promise, Old Blind Man, who had been stubbornly clinging to life, had a final rally of lucidity. He grasped his youngest son's sleeve, then slowly closed his eyes and let his head fall to one side.

Li Cunhui gave a long sigh, took several silver ingots from his bosom, and placed them before Old Blind Man's eldest son.

"The court's compensation must still await approval from the Bureau of Military Affairs and the Ministry of War before it is paid. Take these silver ingots as my gift of condolence."

Old Blind Man's eldest son was an honest fellow. Seeing that these silver ingots were each the size of a walnut — one probably worth more than two strings of cash — he did not dare accept them and merely waved his hands.

"Too much, far too much. I can't use all this."

"If I tell you to take it, take it. Once your father's funeral is done, use what remains to care for your old mother!" Li Cunhui simply seized the waving hands and pressed the silver ingot into his palm.

The old blind man's aged wife, his three sons, and one daughter-in-law kowtowed again in gratitude, and the pain of losing a loved one seemed to lift from their faces in an instant.

Inspector Zhang remarked with feeling: "Old Blind Man's life was worth living. When the Li family prospers in days to come, his descendants will remember him for a lifetime!"

The two remaining Long March Stalwarts behind him nodded in agreement. Though far younger than Old Blind Man, if they had to choose a way to die, dying as Old Blind Man had died would be the more worthwhile.

With Old Blind Man's affairs settled, the families of the other fallen Long March Stalwarts gathered around. They were all villagers under the jurisdiction of the Yanhe Fort Inspection Office, so they had come quickly.

"I give you two choices. First, your household may put forward another man; so long as he passes the examination standards, he will immediately fill the vacancy in the Long March Stalwarts.

Second, I shall leave you a written order. Train the young men of your clan well, and if they wish to enter the Imperial Guard in the future, they may present this order and come to me.

As for the court's compensation, I shall also memorialize the Sage, urging the Kaifeng Prefecture, the Bureau of Military Affairs, and the Ministry of War to approve it as quickly as possible."

A chorus of profuse thanks rose from the crowd. What did the families of these fallen Long March Stalwarts fear most? It was not the lack of compensation, but the loss of the Long March Stalwart slot itself — that would be a loss beyond reckoning.

Li Cunhui's move struck exactly at their need. Of course, my Lord Li of Wei's mind was far more meticulous than outsiders imagined.

When he saw that five households had directly put forward stalwart men of their clans to take over the posts, he immediately waved over the Weinan County Deputy Magistrate.

"Make a proper register of the property under the names of these five fallen warriors' sons. According to the court's compensation system, send someone to check on them in all four seasons — spring, summer, autumn, and winter."

"I shall bear in mind Lord Wei's instructions!" The Weinan County Deputy Magistrate first bowed to Li Cunhui, then turned to face the clan heads of the five fallen Long March Stalwarts' orphans.

"Comforting the descendants of loyal and righteous men is a great policy of the court and the benevolence of the Sage.

I will say the ugly words first: if any dog-spawned wretch is blind enough to bully the heirs of loyal and righteous men or seize their fields, he can wait to be exiled to Anxi as a conscript!"

The clan heads and village elders hastily bowed repeatedly, protesting that they would never dare.

This was the limit of what Li Cunhui could handle, but there were still the families of more than thirty fallen rotational sworn followers to console.

Though Li Cunhui could no longer offer any substantive benefits, he could make promises.

Looking at the families of the rotational sworn followers gazing at him expectantly, he said: "Do not worry. The court's compensation will come down quickly.

I shall memorialize the Sage now, and at the very least secure for every loyal and righteous heir a place in the Garrison Army."

"The Sage is wise! May the Third Young Lord enjoy dukedom and marquisate for ten thousand generations!" The commoners erupted in joy, and the families of the fallen loyal and righteous men thanked Li Cunhui through their tears.

The commoners who had come from afar and the soldiers of the other inspection offices, upon hearing this, all showed excitement on their faces, talking animatedly among themselves and casting envious glances at the families of the loyal and righteous men.

Never mind the benefits of entering the personal army or the Imperial Guard — even a place in the Garrison Army was a leap in status for a farming household.

For once in the Garrison Army, plow oxen, farm tools, and other means of production were coordinated within the garrison, far more abundant than what a single household or even a whole clan could muster.

Irrigation works also had people to help build and maintain them, and farming techniques had dedicated agricultural scholars in charge.

Most importantly, the Garrison Army's taxes were very low, and they were exempt from corvée labor and the like. A whole family only needed to support one full-time able-bodied man as a regular soldier, and select one more as an auxiliary soldier.

What did this mean? In later ages, one would say: one man enters the Garrison Army, and the whole family gets a government post!

(End of Chapter)

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