Chapter 459: Not Nearly Enough
Wu Shen didn't press onward. Instead, he returned the way he came, heading back to Baishui County.
He had left some grain there for the Baishui County Magistrate to distribute as gruel to save the people, but now, the gruel was no longer needed. He simply instructed the desperate common folk: "All of you, go to the neighboring Chengcheng County."
Of course, these ordinary people weren't the main concern.
The true focus... was the rebels!
Wu Shen already had a plan in mind. The best place to settle the rebels, he believed, was Chengcheng County. Only there could the returning rebels find food to eat and land to cultivate, ensuring they wouldn't rise up in revolt again.
Yan'an Prefecture.
Hong Chengchou was in the midst of executions.
He had just executed the rebel leader Liu Liu, along with more than two hundred of Liu Liu's trusted subordinates. The ground of the "surrender banquet" was slick with blood. Even in death, Liu Liu's eyes stared wide, unwilling to close.
He Renlong nudged the corpse with his foot, and it tumbled over, face down. With the large, unblinking eyes no longer visible, the scene became slightly less gruesome.
He Renlong stepped forward, speaking in a low voice, "Governor, the rebel chief has been slain. What about the three thousand followers outside?"
Hong Chengchou hesitated.
He was a decisive man, ruthless in eradicating evil when it came to rebel chiefs. But when faced with the followers, even he found it hard to be merciless.
Because this wasn't about killing a few hundred; it was about three thousand people.
"Killing these people goes against the natural order, but if I don't kill them, I have no way to settle them."
Hong Chengchou looked up at the sky, deep in thought.
In a daze, he recalled a few years prior, when he was still the Grain Intendant of Shaanxi. He had passed through Chengcheng County and seen the prosperous Gao Family Village. Even then, someone had asked him a question: "What should be done about these rebels?"
His answer at the time had been a single word: kill.
Now, he hadn't flinched from executing the rebel chiefs, but what about their followers? Who could tell him what to do?
Just as he felt lost, a close aide reported, "Censor Wu Shen has arrived."
Hong Chengchou's spirits lifted. "Excellent! Wu Shen has funds."
The two men met, exchanging polite pleasantries too numerous to mention, before getting straight to the point.
Hong Chengchou stated, "I have just executed the rebel chief Liu Liu, but his three thousand followers are still waiting outside for judgment. I cannot bring myself to kill any more. Censor Wu, I must ask you to draw two hundred thousand silver taels from the imperial coffers provided by His Majesty to settle these three thousand followers."
Upon hearing this, Wu Shen's heart sank. "Only three thousand people, and you demand two hundred thousand silver taels to settle them? Are you making an outrageous demand?"
Hong Chengchou countered, "Is that a lot? Not at all! Farmland, farming tools, seeds, oxen for plowing, and provisions to sustain them for several months until the next harvest—add all of that together, and two hundred thousand taels is barely enough."
Wu Shen remained speechless.
Wu Shen's scalp prickled. It was a good thing Chengcheng County had his back; otherwise, Hong Chengchou's single request would have been a devastating blow.
"I cannot provide the silver, but I can settle these three thousand rebels."
Hong Chengchou raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How do you propose to settle them?"
Wu Shen allowed himself a hint of smugness. "Chengcheng County has not suffered from the drought and can alleviate my concerns by settling some refugees and rebels."
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"Chengcheng County!" Hong Chengchou had just been thinking of Chengcheng County—Gao Family Village, a verdant oasis amidst the great drought, and that amusing "Heavenly Lord Hot Pot Festival." Hearing the name again, he couldn't help but pause. "Can Chengcheng County handle them?"
Wu Shen declared, "Whether they can or not, they must! If local officials fail to share His Majesty's burdens, how can this realm ever achieve peace?"
Hong Chengchou's eyes narrowed. "He Renlong."
He Renlong stepped forward. "At your command, General."
Hong Chengchou ordered, "Lead your troops personally, escort these three thousand followers to Chengcheng County, and hand them over to the Chengcheng County Magistrate. I want to see what methods Chengcheng County will use to arrange for these three thousand rebels."
He Renlong's face showed a flicker of embarrassment. "My troops are from Yansui; we are not permitted to enter Shaanxi."
Wu Shen waved a hand. "No matter. With me here, your crossing the provincial border is permissible."
He Renlong clasped his fists. "Then I shall depart."
He selected a thousand men and, guarding three thousand disarmed rebels, set off southeast, plunging into the Huanglong Mountain range. Following the winding mountain paths, they made their way towards Chengcheng County.
Wu Shen, too, prepared to leave. But just as he took a step, Hong Chengchou spoke up. "Hold on, Censor Wu."
Wu Shen paused. "Yes?"
Hong Chengchou stated, "I still need two hundred thousand silver taels."
Wu Shen's voice instantly rose an octave. "What?! Haven't I helped you resolve the issue of the followers? What do you need two hundred thousand silver taels for now?"
Hong Chengchou sighed. "The Yansui garrisons have been owed their rations and pay for several years. If they aren't given some funds soon, they will revolt as well, and these men, once they rebel, are far more formidable than mere bandits. Censor Wu, if you are reluctant to part with these funds, return in a few days, and you will find this region even more chaotic than when you arrived."
Wu Shen remained speechless.
A distinguished *jinshi*, one of the Ming Dynasty's top scholars, now desperately wanted to curse. The words "damn it" almost escaped his lips, but he managed to suppress them, barely maintaining his composure.
"Very well, I will provide the silver."
Wu Shen let out a long, drawn-out sigh. "A million taels truly isn't enough to spend. It's simply not enough!"
——
He Renlong led his thousand soldiers, slowly advancing through the Huanglong Mountains.
He was a military *jinshi* from the Wanli era, unlike ordinary generals. While common generals commanded from the center, protected by their personal guards, He Renlong, the military scholar, preferred to ride at the very front of his column. Of course, he wasn't like Fang Wushang, who enjoyed abandoning his subordinates; He Renlong always waited for his men, but his position was still notably forward.
In battle, he disliked directing from the rear. Instead, he preferred leading the charge, hacking down enemies himself.
Thus, he earned the nickname "Madman He."
Madman He grew a little impatient. "How much longer until we reach Chengcheng County?"
"Almost there!" a subordinate replied. "Just two more mountain peaks, and we'll arrive at Bai Family Fortress in Chengcheng County."
Madman He grunted. "Oh!"
The subordinate added, "General, marching through the mountains makes us vulnerable to rebel ambushes. Perhaps you shouldn't ride at the very front; it would be safer and more secure to fall back to the main formation."
Madman He scoffed, "Ambush? Hmph! An ambush would be welcome. By riding at the forefront, I can be the first to cut into their ranks and crush them completely!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than an army burst from the forest ahead, confronting them eye to eye. This force was clearly not imperial troops; they wore no standard Ming army armor, but simple cotton clothing.
Madman He roared, "Rebels! Ha, I'll go crush them completely!"
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