Chapter 519: The Arrival of Supreme Commander Yang He
The acrid smell of gunpowder, lingering from the cannons and firelocks, had not entirely dissipated, and the battlefield was still choked with dust. Large groups of enemy soldiers, their weapons confiscated, sat huddled, hands clutching their heads.
A swarm of children scurried across the battlefield, digging through the mud, peering under rocks, and sifting through clumps of grass in search of lead shot.
Xing Honglang had just issued an order: any child who found a lead bullet would receive two copper coins. Consequently, the children were highly motivated.
It wasn't just the children; many adults from the local populace had also joined the hunt for lead shot, though fewer of them participated. Those with even a bit of strength were already engaged in tasks like digging graves and burying bodies, where the pay was better.
"Report!" A squad leader approached and reported to Xing Honglang, "Wang Guozhong has been executed. Additionally, over two hundred fierce bandits died in battle, and more than two thousand seven hundred were captured."
Xing Honglang nodded. "Process them according to the method we used for the able-bodied rebels last time. Send all these people to the labor reform camp."
The squad leader saluted. "Understood!"
After giving her orders, Xing Honglang felt a flicker of worry. "In this battle, we haven't handed a single captive over to the imperial court. All of them have been taken to Gao Family Village, which is tantamount to killing them all. I wonder if this matter can be handled perfectly after Yang He arrives."
Lao Nanfeng popped his head out from nearby, chuckling. "Boss Xing, you still don't quite understand how the court works. For a surrendered general like Wang Guozhong, who just defected from the rebels to the government forces, the imperial court couldn't care less whether he lives or dies. And his three thousand men are not only useless to the court, but a huge burden. The court would have to guard against Wang Guozhong rebelling again and pay out a significant sum to feed and pay his soldiers. So, when the court hears we've eliminated Wang Guozhong, they won't be angry; in fact, they'll be quite pleased."
Lao Nanfeng continued, "Of course, secret delight isn't enough. On the surface, we need a plausible explanation, otherwise the court will still investigate. That's where our preemptive move – sending someone to complain to Yang He first, accusing the villain before he accuses us – will come into play."
Only then did Xing Honglang fully grasp the situation. "So that's how it is."
"Alright," she decided, "Before Yang He arrives, hide all our cannons and most of our firelocks. Leave only a few smoothbore bird-guns for him to see."
Xing Honglang then waved over Padi Tu. "Rabbit Master, Rabbit Master, come here."
Padi Tu chuckled and scurried over. "What is it? What can I do for you, Sister-in-law?"
Xing Honglang said, "When Yang He arrives, Chuwu, Daniu, Lao Nanfeng, and the others must hide away. They aren't suitable to accompany me to meet him. But you are perfect for it. You'll come with me to accept the surrender and drink the 'surrender wine.'"
Padi Tu let out a confused "Huh?", a little slow to catch on. "Why aren't they suitable?"
Xing Honglang explained, "Lao Nanfeng's 'government soldier' aura is self-explanatory. Chuwu, Daniu, Zao Ying, and the others have spent too much time in Gao Family Village. They lack a certain temperament, um... a very specific temperament."
Padi Tu was delighted. "Oh, so you mean the temperament they lack, I possess?"
Xing Honglang nodded. "Yes!"
Padi Tu declared triumphantly, "I understand! You're talking about that valiant, wanderer spirit, common among those who roam the martial world."
Xing Honglang sighed, "No, it's that peculiar blend of ignorance and pretense, unique to those who've never seen the world. I can't quite find the right words for it, but suffice it to say, you look exactly like a bandit who's just emerged from the mountains."
Padi Tu was speechless.—
A few days later, Yang He arrived!
He hadn't come from the north, but first traveled to Xi'an Prefecture, then east from Xi'an, passing through Weinan, Huayin, and Huashan, all the way to Tongguan Pass. There, at Tongguan, he boarded a boat, crossed the Yellow River, and reached the southwestern corner of Shanxi Province. From there, he traveled several tens of li north.
He didn't go directly to the Yongji Gudu Ferry. Instead, he first entered Puzhou City.
The Supreme Commander of three border regions was an incredibly high-ranking official, even greater than a provincial governor. With over a thousand attendants, his arrival scared the Prefect of Puzhou, Qiu Qianfan, half to death, who hastily invited him into the prefectural city and prepared a lavish welcome.
The moment Yang He entered Puzhou City, he sensed something was amiss.
The common people here didn't seem as wretched as those in other regions. Despite clearly suffering from the drought as well, there were no scenes of widespread starvation.
Yang He remarked, "Prefect Qiu, your Puzhou is quite well-governed, it seems."
Qiu Qianfan hastily bowed. "Puzhou has always been predominantly focused on industry and commerce. In this year of severe drought, while it has certainly been affected, it fares slightly better than regions primarily reliant on agriculture."
Yang He nodded, then changed the subject. "On my way here, I heard that Xing Honglang, garrisoned in Yongji, and Wang Guozhong, the Puzhou deputy commander who recently arrived here, seem to have had some sort of..."
The moment he said this, a peculiar expression crossed Qiu Qianfan's face.
High-ranking officials like Yang He often gleaned their information from these lower-level functionaries, and seeing the prefect's expression, he knew a story was coming. He calmly picked up his teacup, ready to listen.
Qiu Qianfan sighed. "Xing Honglang of Yongji has actually been garrisoned at the Yongji Gudu Ferry for over a year now. In the third year of Chongzhen, when the Shaanxi bandits poured into the province, Xing Honglang arrived at Yongji Gudu Ferry and established a water fortress there..."
Yang He listened, then let out a surprised 'Hmm?'. "She's been here a year? Why wasn't this reported?"
Qiu Qianfan replied with a wry, helpless smile, "How could this humble official not report it? The matter was reported, but nothing ever came of it. The Governor and the General-in-Chief of Shanxi were both too busy chasing Wang Jiayin all over the province and simply ignored the other rebels."
Yang He pressed, "So, in this past year, she..."
Qiu Qianfan sighed again. "During her year here, Xing Honglang has not only refrained from harassing good citizens but has also resolved many difficulties for the common people. She defeated the 'Old Zhang Fei' bandit group, who were plundering and killing in this area, and somehow transported a great deal of grain here, relieving many drought victims. She hired local residents to help build her water fortress and paid them wages."
Yang He's eyes widened in surprise.
This was utterly absurd!
Yang He couldn't help but exclaim, "Is she really a rebel at all?"
Qiu Qianfan explained, "She isn't really a rebel; she's more of a salt smuggler. Sir Yang, you may not know much about our Puzhou, but Puzhou City has historically been a hub for salt smugglers. While some smugglers are utterly vicious, committing murder and arson, most are, at heart, still merchants."
At this point, Qiu Qianfan summarized, "Xing Honglang is hiring workers and building her water fortress as a merchant would. It seems more like she's simply protecting herself in a world overrun by rebels."
Hearing this, Yang He couldn't help but suspect the prefect had taken money from Xing Honglang and was therefore speaking favorably of her.
However... he also hadn't heard of Xing Honglang committing any atrocities, so perhaps Prefect Qiu's words weren't entirely untrustworthy.
Yang He then steered the conversation back. "And Wang Guozhong? After he arrived..."
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