Chapter 1135: What Are Boundaries

Once the arrests were made at those several locations, Jining city kept only the gate near the canal open; the other four city gates were all shut. At each gate, a patrol squadron was stationed to rigorously interrogate everyone entering or leaving the city. This immediately made the atmosphere inside the city tense. People began saying that Xuzhou was about to rebel—how could mere local militia and village braves dare to close the city gates in broad daylight and interrogate travelers? If that wasn't rebellion, what was?

Normally, upon hearing such talk of rebellion, the common people's first reaction would be to flee the city for refuge. Now that they couldn't leave, panic should have set in. Yet the people of Jining were not particularly flustered. The Xuzhou men had been managing affairs in Jining for some time now. Apart from those harboring ill intentions, anyone else who gave the matter even a little thought felt that the Zhao Battalion was managing things quite well—at the very least, far better than the government offices had.

According to those in the city with good information, as soon as the gates closed, the Department Magistrate sent someone to the garrison outside the city to report an emergency and request reinforcements. However, those several hundred government troops stationed outside were under the command of the Xuzhou Assistant Regional Commander. They had dealt with the Zhao Battalion more than once or twice. Without a second word, they refused, and even explicitly said not to make alarmist claims—in this peaceful world, where was there any rebellion? The person sent by the Department Magistrate tried to say more, but that Company Commander actually turned hostile on the spot, drew his blade, and scared the man off.

Those with even better information also knew that after that Company Commander drove away the messenger sent by the Department Magistrate, he hurriedly dispatched someone into the city. The patrol guards at the gate tried to stop him, but the man sent simply shouted, "Urgent message for the masters in Xuzhou!" and entered the city just like that.

The city gates were closed, and the atmosphere was tense, but everyone continued business as usual. Cloud Mountain Trading and the other commercial firms dealing in grain, cloth, and the like did not raise their prices at all. The movement of goods and traveling merchants at the canal docks also faced no obstruction. However, with the freeze approaching, the canal transport business was about to stop, so there wasn't much to be busy with anyway. Everything proceeded as normal. With no major violent crimes like murder or arson occurring in the city, the common people's minds grew considerably calmer.

That's not to say there was nothing amiss. The long-robed scholars in the city were behaving furtively every day, rushing about with a flustered look very different from their usual poised and steady demeanor. They claimed to outsiders that they were simply holding poetry gatherings and literary discussions, and no one could be bothered to pry further.

Those who had been taken back to the patrol guard compound were soon released, but each of them had suffered considerably. The patrol guard compound had no shortage of methods for tormenting people, and this Jining patrol guard compound also inherited the interrogation techniques of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, making their methods even more ruthless.

But Ma Chonghao did not use any of the capital's sophisticated techniques on these people. Everyone brought back was simply stripped naked and then lashed thirty times with a whip soaked in salt water. The few who came from a runner background could handle it, but the scholars and clerks, accustomed to a life of comfort and privilege, could not endure such treatment at all.

Beaten until their flesh was a bloody mess and the pain was unbearable, they passed out directly. Then a bucket of cold water was thrown over them. Once they were revived by the shock, the interrogation began. If they refused to speak, they would be served with the heavy cudgel next. The scholars had never endured such suffering, while the clerks and runners knew full well that a whip left the body bloody but was not fatal, whereas a heavy cudgel in the wrong hands could be lethal. Everyone spoke freely, holding nothing back.

The licentiate with a relative who was a capital official, however, was extremely furious after being beaten. He opened his mouth and began, "If my uncle learns of this matter, you people—"

But he was cut off mid-sentence by Ma Chonghao, who sneered and said, "What sort of thing is your uncle? Back in the day, your uncle didn't even have the standing to look up at me. What are you being so insolent for here?"

These several licentiates and provincial graduates were all figures of standing in the local area. They ordinarily maintained frequent correspondence with the capital and the provincial seat. Some time ago, someone had sent a letter, which turned out to be a message relayed by an assistant director in the capital, saying that Zhao Jin's destruction was imminent and suggesting that they take the lead in demanding the return of their land. Otherwise, if everyone went to demand it later, and with people manipulating things behind the scenes, it would be too late.

That capital assistant director was on good terms with three of the six original accusers, and this letter was sent one to each person. They regarded that man in the capital as a celestial being. Coupled with the widespread rumors about the Zhao Battalion suffering from the flood disaster, they had no choice but to believe it. Moreover, they had always regretted and agonized over selling their land so cheaply back then. With this chance to get rich by demanding its return, how could they possibly let it go?

As for the clerks and runners who confessed to taking bribes, Cloud Mountain Trading had indeed given them benefits back then for the sake of convenience. But such matters were, in truth, customary favors; everyone in the yamen was well aware of this. What they hadn't expected was that some days ago, the Jining Department Magistrate's private secretaries had called them in and directly ordered them to voluntarily turn themselves in and confess to taking bribes. If they did so, it would count as atoning for their crimes with meritorious service, and everything would remain unchanged. If they refused, a pretext would simply be found to throw them in prison and put them to death.

Working in a yamen, who hadn't done things that violated heaven and reason? Finding a pretext for murder was the simplest thing in the world. And within this yamen, the number one figure was the Department Magistrate, and the figures ranked just below him were his two private secretaries, commonly referred to as his two friends—one handling taxes and provisions, the other handling justice and punishments. Their word was the magistrate's word; how could anyone dare disobey? Besides, these clerks and runners harbored the same thoughts as the gentry: the Zhao Battalion was outwardly strong but inwardly weak, and this was a perfect opportunity to take advantage.

The answers from the two head constables were much the same as those from the clerks and runners—it was all arranged by the private secretaries. But in the government yamen, a private secretary's word was equivalent to the Department Magistrate's intent, and no one dared disobey.

By this point, Li Can, who managed trade, and He Zheng, who managed land reclamation, were already somewhat unable to intervene. The only thing they could say was, "Shouldn't we exercise some restraint? Acting like this inside Jining city isn't much different from rebellion. Didn't Master Jin say that the time hasn't come yet, that we must be cautious and not tear our faces off with the government?"

"How can this be called rebellion now? Someone is pinning a false charge on us, and we are responding in kind. Besides, we've already acted a step too late; now we must hurry to make up for it. Don't you two realize? The moment we show even a hint of weakness, the moment we retreat even half a step, countless people will immediately trample us down, giving us no chance to recover. It's true that once Second Master or reinforcements from Xuzhou arrive, the situation certainly won't spiral out of control. But by then, it will be our dereliction of duty!"

Ma Chonghao usually cooperated well with these young men, but once he insisted on something, it was very difficult for them to stop him. Only if Chen Sheng stepped in could it be done. But as things stood, all matters in Jining still fell under the purview of land reclamation, trade, and internal security—there was no need yet to call in the First Brigade for support.

The day after the confessions were extracted, Jining in early October was already very cold. Ma Chonghao led one squadron each of mounted patrol guards and armored patrol guards and headed straight for the Jining Department Magistrate's yamen. Both riders and marchers moved in orderly formation, their footsteps echoing in unison. The commoners along the way hurriedly moved aside, and quite a few followed to watch the excitement, all wondering what was happening.

The men led by Ma Chonghao did not charge straight through the main gate of the government office. Instead, they arrived at the rear courtyard of the yamen. The gatekeeper on duty saw them and hurriedly went inside, shutting the door. Ma Chonghao's men did not knock; patrol guards simply scaled the wall and opened the main gate from the inside.

"Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy! Uninvolved persons, stand aside!" The patrol guards shouted as they marched in. The rear residence of the government office was thrown into utter chaos. Many servants and runners looked bewildered and baffled—was this really a raid to seize people right inside the government offices?

The patrol guards had their own eyes and ears inside the Department Magistrate's yamen, and they had dealt with those two private secretaries more than once or twice. They knew exactly what the men looked like and where they were. From the rear residence, they made their way straight to the inner hall of the yamen.

Ma Chonghao strode in boldly, his hand on his saber hilt. As he glanced around, there was a hint of nostalgia in his eyes; he was clearly recalling the prestige of his days in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, raiding homes and exterminating families. The government runners had long since seen and heard about the miserable state of their colleagues who had been whipped. Seeing the other side charging straight in with spears and great blades, no one dared to confront or resist them. No one even went to notify the two private secretaries.

When the arrests were made, there were only a few cries for help and startled shrieks before the two private secretaries were dragged out. Even after the Zhao Battalion arrived, the Department Magistrate's two private secretaries were still major figures in Jining Department. But now they were trembling like chaff in a sieve. They had only come here with their superior after Jining was retaken by the government troops, by which time the Zhao Battalion was already entrenched in the city. In all their dealings over these days, their eyes had truly been opened—they had never seen such arrogant provincial strongmen.

Only today, however, did they realize they had still underestimated them. This group actually dared to openly and brazenly enter the government offices to seize people. Thinking of the various rumors about the Zhao Battalion, they were truly terrified. It seemed it was now their turn.

"This has nothing to do with us students! We were merely following orders! You gentlemen must investigate clearly, you must investigate clearly!" As expected of men serving as private secretaries and advisors, they knew exactly why they were being arrested the moment they were caught. Even as they were being pinned down, they were hurriedly and incessantly trying to explain.

Hearing this, Ma Chonghao narrowed his eyes. Private secretaries and advisors following orders—their master was none other than the Jining Department Magistrate. Since they hadn't raised a banner in rebellion, preserving some degree of face for the Jining government offices was still necessary. But from the start of the rumors, incident after incident in this city of Jining had already made preserving that face unnecessary. Moreover, Ma Chonghao was thinking further ahead than the others: the establishment of a Daming Grand Coordinator and a Henan Grand Coordinator to supervise the training of new armies in Kaifeng Prefecture—was there a connection between these matters and the troubles stirred up in Jining?

By the time this thought crossed his mind, Ma Chonghao had already made up his mind. He frowned and asked, "Where is Department Magistrate Huang?"

The moment this question was asked, the trembling yamen staff all drew a sharp breath. What? Was this not rebellion yet? They even dared to arrest a dignified fifth-rank Department Magistrate?

If Department Magistrate Huang did not come out, and these lawless Xuzhou men went in to search for him, then it truly would be no different from outright rebellion. This Master Ma leading the group, judging by his accent, did not sound like someone from Xuzhou. His every gesture and movement carried an air of official authority, which struck people as rather subtle and peculiar.

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