Chapter 994: The Tree About to Fall

Zhao Jin's reasoning made Wang Zhaojing and Ruhui both nod; the other companions present all agreed as well. In truth, everyone was somewhat worried — worried that this redeployment of personnel and promotion of stewards would be used to win over the loyalty of outsiders, which would be far too unfair to their own men. But Zhao Jin, as always, had thought it through clearly.

"Word from Zou County is that the government troops have already surrounded the county seat. No telling when they'll breach the city."

The very reason Zhao Jin was still encamped at Pei County was to respond to the situation in Shandong. At the mention of this, everyone's expressions grew serious. Liu Yong pondered for a moment, then spoke: "Brother, do you want this siege at Zou County to drag on longer, or end quickly?"

"Let them be. Whether they fight to the death or to whatever degree, the government troops and the roving bandits are all tangled up around this one point at Zou County. It won't delay our own arrangements." Zhao Jin gave his final word.

"Will the government troops not leave?"

"Right now, every province in the north is short on soldiers and horses — they've been drawn from all over. Once things are pacified, they'll certainly return. Even if they don't leave, let them stay. The government troops have no way to compete with us for people and land." Zhao Jin analyzed.

Chen Sheng, who had been silent off to the side, spoke up: "This Zou County city — they won't be able to hold it for long."

Zhao Jin nodded and explained: "Dasheng is right. The Incense-Smelling Sect stirred up a great rebellion, seized cities, and their momentum suddenly blazed bright. But the moment we made a move, the Incense-Smelling Sect swiftly collapsed. This rise and fall was too fast — it completely scattered their courage and confidence. On top of that, Xu Hongru truly believes he's an emperor now, which drives people's hearts even further away."

"Once Zou County is breached, tens of thousands of refugees will come pouring out. We ought to make preparations in advance." Wang Zhaojing spoke.

Zhao Jin slowly shook his head and said: "This time, when the government troops break into Zou County, I'm afraid they'll carry out a great slaughter, then sell off the captives and make a tidy profit. There won't be any large wave of refugees. What will need handling are those scattered to various places. Shitou, the situation has reached this point. Take the Second Regiment to Pizhou immediately and be ready to advance north to Teng County at any time. Li He has fought well, but if the government troops try any tricks southward after taking Zou County, a single large company probably won't be able to handle it."

Shi Manqiang hurriedly rose to receive the order. Beside him, Ji Xiang looked at Shi Manqiang, his face full of envy, and spoke with some regret: "Brother, we pacified this whole Incense-Smelling Sect rebellion, yet we let the government troops kill Xu Hongru and claim the chief credit. Just thinking about how outsiders will talk — it really leaves a knot of resentment in my heart."

"What does that matter? There will be plenty more opportunities in the future!" Zhao Jin said with a laugh.

After saying this, Zhao Jin recalled something and said to Ruhui: "Mister Cao, Housheng is leading men to select craftsmen from among the refugees. This is manpower being prepared for our Cloud Mountain Trading House workshops. You keep a close eye on it as well."

Ruhui promptly agreed. Among the hundred thousand-plus refugees, there were not only farmers who knew nothing but tilling the land — there were also craftsmen of every kind, and even scholars. These people were far more valuable than farmers. Xu Housheng was leading men to pick them out so they could be put to use more efficiently.

"The key is the blacksmiths. The key is the cannons. That is what matters most." Zhao Jin emphasized once more. Everyone in the council hall nodded instinctively. The power of the cannons — whether in field battles against tens of thousands of refugees, or in battering open the strong walls of Jining — they had all seen it clearly.

When only Zhao Jin and Liu Yong remained in the room, Zhao Jin finally said: "Zheng Quan from Xuzhou will be arriving soon. Have Nie Hei on your side bring men to escort him. No matter what happens at Zou County, you must guarantee Lei Zi's safety. And use them to keep a tight watch on every stir and movement of the Incense-Smelling Sect. Even if Xu Hongru dies, the Incense-Smelling Sect won't be completely wiped out. In Northern Zhili, Southern Zhili, and along this Grand Canal, there are still so many people burning incense and believing in the faith. The days of dealing with them are still long."

Liu Yong solemnly agreed. After charging through Jining with Lei Cai, perhaps to make up for his own recklessness and risk-taking, Lei Cai had volunteered to keep close watch on Zou County. Those days he had spent hiding within Jining city had not merely been days of terrified concealment — he had also used the opportunity to build connections with the canal-transport faithful and the jianghu folk inside Jining. Relying on this, there was truly no one more suited than him to oversee matters at Zou County.

"His Majesty will today burn incense to commune with the divine. Affairs of state are entrusted to the two military advisors for handling." A beautiful woman said softly. Watching Xie Mingxian and Shen Zhi below bow in acknowledgment, she raised her voice: "Court dismissed!"

At this cry, the woman turned and left. In this "court," some wore strange expressions, while others departed with the airs of "high officials."

Xie Mingxian and Shen Zhi exchanged a glance but said nothing, merely walking out in glum silence. Everyone inside and outside this "palace" knew that ever since Xu Hongju and Xia Zhongjin had become gods at Jining, and Hou Wu had inexplicably ascended to immortality beneath the walls of Ziyang, the ones holding the reins within the Incense-Smelling Sect were these two — the Left and Right Military Advisors. At first, some had called them the Left and Right Chancellors, but later word came that Xu Hongru greatly disliked that title, so it was changed back.

This so-called "palace" was nothing more than the great mansion of the Meng family of Zou County. After Xu Hongru arrived, he had planned to tear it down and rebuild, but before construction could even begin, news came from Jining and Ziyang. The Zhongxing Fulie Emperor simply selected beauties far and wide and postponed the palace matter for later, to be built once the realm was pacified.

Xie Mingxian and Shen Zhi walked outward, the two keeping their distance the whole way. In their hearts they understood: inside and outside this "palace," many eyes watched the two of them, not wanting them to get too close. The Incense-Smelling Sect's old-core forces within the city now numbered just over two thousand. Xie Mingxian held roughly a thousand faithful who hailed from the Liaodong garrison troops, while Shen Zhi controlled Xu Hongru's personal guard and the elite troops from Dongchang Prefecture — also about a thousand men. Each held a core force. For them to get too close would naturally invite suspicion.

The Incense-Smelling Sect faithful defending the city numbered a full twenty thousand — all the most loyal and fanatical believers, men who would die for a single word from Xu Hongru. These were the ones Xu Hongru trusted most, the ones he felt were most reliable. For the sake of these fanatical believers, he had rather let Xu Hongju take away every unit with the strongest combat power, because those units had been trained by men from the Xuzhou Militia and were, after all, one layer removed.

The Meng family compound was not small. As descendants of the Second Sage, the Meng family held hereditary official rank, and the front half of this great mansion was laid out according to the regulations of a government office — imposing and extraordinary. No wonder Xu Hongru had chosen it outright. Yet though the mansion was large, it was not large beyond measure. As Xie Mingxian walked out, he could hear the melodious strains of string and woodwind music drifting over. What communing with the divine was this? It was clearly feasting and revelry — wanton pleasure.

But while the music could be heard here, from farther away came the faint shouts of battle, even screams. Zou County's seat was likewise not large. The government troops had already begun probing attacks. However, the government troops had come in haste and had not prepared many siege engines, while the fanatical faithful, though perhaps unreliable in field battle, were fully prepared for city defense. The government troops' first few probing attacks had all ended in bloodied failure.

Here, string and woodwind music and pleasure; there, siege cries and shouts. Xie Mingxian wanted to smile bitterly and shake his head, but quickly composed himself. Though Xu Hongru indulged in sensual pleasures, he kept a very tight watch on his subordinates. He had already created something called the Incense-Smelling Guard, modeled on the Brocade Guard and the Eastern Depot of the Great Ming, specifically to spy on those below. Already several loyal congregation masters had been dealt with by sect law for grumbling behind his back, their fates very miserable.

Though the county seat was not large — walking to any point took little time — the Zhongxing Fulie Emperor, whose reign title was Dacheng Xingsheng, demanded dignity. The Left and Right Military Advisors had to ride in horse-drawn carriages, and carriages pulled by four horses at that.

Every time he saw this carriage, Xie Mingxian could not help but smile bitterly in his heart. He had spent a long time in Liaodong and had visited and lived in great cities like Shenyang, Liaoyang, and Guangning. He had seen the extravagance and wealth of the Liaodong garrison commanders — a grandeur refined over nearly a century, naturally possessing a certain graceful and dignified air. But whatever Xu Hongru concocted, no matter how he decorated and refurbished it, still carried the flavor of a country landlord. And if he didn't fuss over it, there was at least a certain plainness; the more he strove for refinement, the more affected and unsightly it became.

Xie Mingxian sometimes thought: that Zhao Jin of Xuzhou had a knack for generating wealth — mountains of gold and seas of silver, it was said — yet he had heard Zhao Jin indulged in no luxury or extravagance, behaving just like those proper, established households that passed down farming and scholarship through the generations. Zhao Jin was barely past twenty, yet he understood such depth and restraint, while Xu Hongru, weathered by decades of storms, was so utterly incapable of reining himself in. The difference between them was far too easy to discern.

Only upon returning to his own residence — which, to put it plainly, was merely the compound of some wealthy household — did Xie Mingxian finally breathe a little easier. The guards and attendants here were all old brothers who had followed him back from Liaodong. Any suspicious spies had all been dispatched elsewhere over the past few days. With the government troops besieging the city, no one paid attention to such details anymore.

Seeing Xie Mingxian return, two pretty maidservants served tea, though their expressions were very stiff, without the slightest trace of a servant's flattery or ingratiation. These were both bestowed upon Xie Mingxian by Xu Hongru — originally daughters of wealthy city households, now with families destroyed and kin dead, bearing blood-deep hatred. How could they possibly fawn and curry favor? For this very reason, more than one had been beaten to death at the residences of other Incense-Smelling Sect leaders. Only because Xie Mingxian could not be bothered to hold it against them had these two survived until now.

He had barely caught his breath in the study when he heard footsteps outside. Xie Mingxian knew it was one of his own men. The door curtain was lifted, and a rough, burly man strode in. This man's surname was Wen, given name Tiejun. He had originally been a squad leader in a certain Liaodong garrison unit and was among the first batch of believers Xie Mingxian had converted in the course of spreading the faith. Alone and without family, he had become the head of these Liaodong soldier-believers and Xie Mingxian's most trusted subordinate.

"Master Xie, you've got to give us all a plan. The government troops are tightening the siege by the day. This city can't hold out much longer. We can't just walk the road to death!" Wen Tiejun said in a muffled voice the moment he entered.

"Don't speak recklessly! His Majesty the Venerable Teacher will surely have his wise judgment. We need only follow orders!" Xie Mingxian raised his voice, at the same time glaring furiously at Wen Tiejun. Walls have ears — how dare he blurt out such matters?

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