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Chapter 606: Inevitable Appointment

Xing Honglang stood at the east city gate, meticulously arranging a welcoming ceremony for the governor.

Cheng Xu, Zao Ying, Gao Chuwu, Zheng Daniu, and others had all steered clear, disliking the stuffy court formalities. Lao Nanfeng, currently in Puzhou and not within the Hedong Circuit, was also absent.

Xing Honglang didn't enjoy such theatrics either, but she couldn't escape it. As the nominal leader, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and lead a contingent of ordinary militia soldiers to greet them.

The procession of the newly appointed Governor Xu Dingchen soon arrived.

It was a formidable retinue, a grand procession of two thousand individuals.

Not only had Shanxi Governor Xu Dingchen arrived, but also the Shanxi General-in-Chief, Wang Guoliang.

As it turned out, Shanxi General-in-Chief Wang Guoliang had also received news of the Hedong Circuit falling to rebels. It had given him quite a fright. The imperial salt storehouse could not be lost, so he had quickly assembled fifteen hundred soldiers to come to its aid.

He had met the newly appointed Governor Xu Dingchen, who was on his way to assume office and had just entered Shanxi, so they decided to travel together.

The three met, and naturally, there followed a torrent of polite pleasantries and elaborate formalities. We shall skip over the million words of insincere flattery and get straight to the point.

Xu Dingchen began, "On my journey to assume office, just as I crossed into Shanxi, I learned that the Hedong Circuit had fallen into rebel hands. I was truly shocked. Fortunately, less than three days later, news arrived that General Xing had reclaimed Hedong Circuit. This brings me considerable relief."

Xing Honglang replied, "My official duty is as the Puzhou garrison commander. I should not have left my post to venture into Hedong..."

"Nonsense, nonsense!" Xu Dingchen interjected immediately. "Puzhou and Hedong are separated by merely seventy li. With rebels sowing chaos in Hedong, and you, as the Puzhou commander, taking decisive action—what crime could there be? If you had waited for my official appointment and a formal transfer order, it would surely have cost us the critical moment."

Pausing, he sighed. "If those rebels had held Hedong City for even one more day, the common folk within would have suffered untold misery. General Xing, your swift recapture of the city is truly a monumental achievement."

Xing Honglang secretly chuckled to herself: *If that's what you think, then all the better.*

Xing Honglang feigned deference. "Since both Your Excellency the Governor and General-in-Chief have arrived, this humble general should now return to Puzhou."

Xu Dingchen turned to Shanxi General-in-Chief Wang Guoliang and asked, "The Salt Inspector is dead, and nearly all of his thousand garrison soldiers have been lost. How should Hedong City be managed from this point forward?"

Wang Guoliang's face flushed with embarrassment. *Arrange what, for heaven's sake?* he fumed inwardly.

Shanxi was already ravaged by rebels, its previous Governor, Song Tongyin, had been forced to retreat and defend Taiyuan due to insufficient forces. Although Taiyuan held, other cities suffered immense devastation, ultimately costing him his official post.

Wang Guoliang's own forces were already stretched thin. Most were deployed in northern Shanxi, embroiled in constant skirmishes with Zijing Liang, Wang Ziyong, Chuǎng Wang, the Dashing General, and the West Camp Eight Great Kings.

Even the White Pole Soldiers from Sichuan, brought in as reinforcements, were caught up in the chaos there, with soldiers and bandits alike running rampant, making it a complete muddle.

Where could Wang Guoliang possibly spare men to garrison the Hedong Circuit?

Should he chop himself into three thousand pieces and turn into three soldiers to defend it?

Wang Guoliang leaned closer to Xu Dingchen, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Your Excellency Xu, this humble general simply cannot spare any personnel to be stationed in the Hedong Circuit."

Xu Dingchen pondered, "Then what is to be done?"

Wang Guoliang subtly gestured towards Xing Honglang. "This person might prove useful."

Xu Dingchen's brows furrowed. "She is, after all, a pacified rebel... what if she defects again?"

Wang Guoliang elaborated, "She used to be a salt smuggler, but she's literate, adept with numbers, and shrewd in business. I hear she's established numerous enterprises in Puzhou: workshops for textiles, pig farms, chicken farms, cotton plantations... she's dabbling in everything."

Hearing this, Xu Dingchen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise.

Wang Guoliang concluded, "Since she's successfully established so many businesses in Puzhou, the likelihood of her rebelling again is extremely low."

Xu Dingchen nodded. There was truth to that. The more wealth and property a person accumulated, the less likely they were to stir up rebellion, for there was simply too much at stake. Otherwise, why would the saying "He who has nothing to lose fears nothing" exist?

He then recalled what the Emperor had said before his own appointment: Puzhou garrison commander Xing Honglang had performed meritoriously in suppressing bandits and deserved a reward. Subordinate officials were to devise a suitable commendation for her.

Now, it seemed, promoting her to a higher office would be quite appropriate.

In times of turmoil, one must act decisively and employ talent without adhering to rigid conventions.

Xu Dingchen slapped his thigh, a plan forming. He issued his command: "General Xing, you have performed meritorious service in suppressing bandits and in rescuing the Hedong Circuit. I have observed that you have also effectively pacified the populace within Hedong City and managed the circuit in an orderly fashion during this recent period. The reported losses of salt artisans to the court and the subsequent salt supplies have all been meticulously detailed. Therefore, I shall make an exception and promote you to Hedong Circuit Military Preparations Commissioner, concurrently serving as the Salt Administration Commissioner!"

Xing Honglang was secretly ecstatic, yet she feigned a moment's hesitation. "But what about Puzhou? This humble general still has quite a number of enterprises there..."

Xu Dingchen smiled. "I reviewed your last battle report. It is said that you have a distinguished general under your command, nicknamed Lao Nanfeng, who was formerly a Guyuan rebel vice centurion. He joined your forces due to unpaid wages, but has since turned over a new leaf and, alongside you, has been pacified and rejoined the imperial army, achieving great merits in recent campaigns. Such a talent must not be wasted. I shall appoint him to take your place as the Puzhou garrison commander."

Xing Honglang suppressed a triumphant smile. *It's done! The 'optimal outcome' in the Heavenly Lord's plan has materialized.*

In truth, this wasn't so much the 'best' outcome as it was the inevitable one.

Shanxi was already a wasteland, with rebels marauding everywhere. Under such circumstances, what other arrangements could Xu Dingchen possibly make?

Would he ignore a general with a proven record in suppressing bandits and instead appoint some incompetent, well-connected dilettante?

With his arrangements complete, Xu Dingchen had no desire to linger. As a new appointee, he had countless matters to attend to and urgently needed to proceed to northern Shanxi to suppress the rebels there.

The Xuan-Da Supreme Commander, Zhang Zongheng, had recently been amusing himself by impeaching Shanxi officials at every turn—one day for failing to send supplies to the Xuan-Da border garrisons, the next for tolerating rebel chaos and undermining border security...

These impeachment memorials had piled up like mountains before the Emperor, and with imperial patience wearing thin, he had urgently pressed Xu Dingchen to hasten to Shanxi and set the chaotic situation right.

So, after appointing Xing Honglang, Xu Dingchen wasted no time, saying, "General Xing, I entrust this place to you. You must defend it diligently, for only then can I focus on suppressing the rebels in the north with a clear mind."

Xing Honglang clasped her fists respectfully. "This humble general will certainly dedicate her life to this task."

Xu Dingchen then departed, leading Shanxi General-in-Chief Wang Guoliang on a swift journey northward.

Just like that, Xing Honglang transformed, becoming the Hedong Circuit Military Preparations Commissioner, stationed at the empire's vital salt storehouse.

The matters Zhao Sheng had arranged beforehand could now be implemented. They would report to the court that due to the rebel unrest, half of the salt artisans were casualties, and thus only half of the previous salt quota could be supplied to the imperial coffers. As for the surplus... well, Gao Family Village would gratefully accept it all, no apologies.