MLMD -Chapter 175 Arrival

The merchants and gentry of Hunyuan Prefecture were, in truth, opposed to Yue Yang’s arrival. In their eyes, his past actions had been far too outrageous. Yingzhou and Hunyuan were not far apart, and the fates of the Lin Yuanteng and Wang Shoucheng families had long been clearly investigated by them: one clan had been exterminated, the other forced to leave Yingzhou. Such endings gave them the chilling sense of “the rabbit dies and the fox mourns.”

Especially so for Fang Yingdi. His Fang family was the leading force in the Hunyuan merchants’ guild, and his words more or less represented the stance of all Hunyuan.

Looking at Fang Yingdi’s gloomy face, Jiang Xin snorted inwardly and said, “Enough, everyone. I didn’t summon you here to listen to complaints. Let me make this clear first: however you choose to fight with that Yue Yang is none of my business, but the order of Hunyuan must be maintained. If any trouble breaks out, don’t blame me for being ruthless.

“And you, Guard Commander Lu. Although your post is now only nominal, the court hasn’t removed you; it has merely placed you under Yue Yang’s command. You’d better keep your ruffian soldiers in line as well. If anything goes wrong, don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

“Yes!” Lu Youyuan replied dejectedly. He had originally come today hoping Jiang Xin would back him, but it now seemed the prefect would not stand up for him at all. Then again, Jiang Xin wasn’t his father—why would he go all out against Yue Yang for his sake?

Seeing Jiang Xin make his position clear, everyone felt a wave of disappointment. Each of them, to one degree or another, stood in for the gentry and merchants of Hunyuan. They had come today to test the attitude of the highest civil authority here. Instead, Jiang Xin spoke at length, sounding as if he too was dissatisfied with Yue Yang, yet in substance he took no action at all. Naturally, they were let down.

At last Jiang Xin looked around and said, “Very well. Yue Yang will arrive in Hunyuan tomorrow. When the time comes, you will all accompany me to the city gate to welcome him. The proper formalities must be observed. Do you all understand?”

“Yes…”

The crowd answered weakly, stood up, and dispersed, leaving only Jiang Xin and a middle-aged man who looked like a secretary.

After everyone left, Jiang Xin remained seated, silent, lost in thought. After a long while, the man in the blue robe frowned and said, “Sir, it seems the gentry of Hunyuan are extremely dissatisfied with Lord Yue’s appointment. I fear they won’t let this rest.”

“Hmph!” Jiang Xin sneered. “Their horizons are just that narrow. Do they really think Yue Yang is easy to deal with? Not only does he have the provincial governor behind him, I’ve also heard that Lord Supervisor Lu holds him in high regard. To make an enemy of such a man is utter folly. Yet Fang Yingdi and the rest still want to use me as their spearhead—truly blind fools.”

The secretary said worriedly, “But, my lord, you and Lord Yue didn’t get along very well last time. Aren’t you afraid he’ll make things difficult for you after he arrives?”

“Not at all.” Jiang Xin shook his head. “That little disagreement was nothing. Though Yue Yang is a military man, he is said to be a licentiate as well; he won’t make trouble over something so trivial. What matters now is that I must not get involved in the coming struggle between those fools and Yue Yang. Only by doing so can I maneuver between both sides. Do you understand?”

“Oh… Your Excellency is truly wise!” The secretary suddenly understood and smiled in admiration.

Just as Jiang Xin had resolved to side with neither party, Fang Yingdi and several colleagues walked out of the prefectural yamen. All of them were heavy with worry and spoke not a word. Lu Youyuan followed behind with his head lowered. As he reached the place where his horse was tied and was about to mount, Fang Yingdi stepped up and said in a low voice, “Lord Lu, do you have some time now? If you don’t mind, why not come to my humble residence for a while?”

“To your residence?” Lu Youyuan glanced at the setting sun, then at Fang Yingdi and the officials behind him. As if he understood something, he slowly nodded…

September had already passed the hottest part of the year, yet it was still stifling—especially for soldiers in full armor.

On the main road less than ten li from Hunyuan, a fully armed column was marching forward. All of them wore black-gray, enclosed armor, their neat, thunderous footsteps and the resolute expressions of the soldiers proclaiming to all that this was a disciplined army. They were Yue Yang’s force, on its way from Yingzhou to Hunyuan.

The Gothic-style armor Yue Yang had equipped his men with was fully enclosed and highly protective, but extremely uncomfortable to wear.

“My lord, this wretched weather is just too hot. Why not let the brothers take off their armor and march light?”
A cavalryman rode up beside Yue Yang and Hu Laosan, lifting his visor as he spoke—it was Feng Xiaoming, who had insisted on accompanying Yue Yang to Hunyuan.

Yue Yang turned and glanced at him. “What, you can’t take it after only half a day’s march? And you’re a company commander. Should I send you back to Wuli Fort for retraining?”

Feng Xiaoming laughed awkwardly. “No, no… My lord, it’s not that I can’t take it. I’m just worried about the men. We’ve been marching all day in this heat—everyone looks a mess. If we reach Hunyuan like this and get looked down on, that wouldn’t be good.”

“So that’s what you’re worried about?” Yue Yang burst out laughing. “It’s good that you care for your men, but there’s a saying: ‘Mercy cannot command an army.’ If they can’t endure even this, how will they fight the Tatars later? Besides, we’re not here for show. After a day’s march, it’s only natural to be tired and disheveled. If we arrived with armor gleaming and spirits high, that would look strange instead, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s true…” Feng Xiaoming thought it over and said no more.

After marching a while longer, Yue Yang could already see the city walls in the distance, and the large crowd gathered outside.

Two scouts soon rode up and reported, “My lord, the prefect of Hunyuan is leading all the local officials and gentry to welcome you outside the city!”

“Understood.” Yue Yang nodded and turned to Hu Laosan. “Go—have the brothers start singing. Sing out our spirit and let the people of Hunyuan see the might of the Yingzhou Army!”

“Yes!” A gleam of excitement flashed in Hu Laosan’s eyes as he spurred his horse toward the middle of the column. Before long, a wailing, thunderous chorus burst from his throat.

“Sir… they’re here… Lord Yue’s troops have arrived!” At the same time, a runner came stumbling up to Jiang Xin at the city gate, gasping as he reported.

“Good! Everyone, perk up—quickly!” Jiang Xin, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately came alive and began urging the others. Outside the gate were not only Jiang Xin and the gentry and merchants, but also many ordinary townsfolk who had come to watch. Four or five hundred people packed the area so tightly it was hard to move. At the news of Yue Yang’s arrival, the crowd stirred at once.

Just then, a loud, resonant song drifted in from afar:

To be a son, be filial; to be a minister, be loyal.
The court raises bonds, spares no pay to keep the troops.
A soldier’s food and clothing cost a hundred taels—
the same as a sixth-rank official’s salary.
If we do not serve the state with all our might,
Heaven and the spirits will not forgive us.
From ancient times, generals and ministers came from the ranks—
Do not look down on the life of a soldier…

As the song rolled closer and closer, a fully armed army came into view. At its head marched a young general—the very man who had demanded grain from them beneath the city walls only days before.