Chapter 92: The Mainstay of Qingyang

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Although Li Yun had never participated in formal military training in that world, he had at least seen it done—one need not have eaten pork to know what a pig looks like. He understood very well the essential factors required for an army to possess formidable combat effectiveness. Therefore, over the next half month, he remained on the mountain, training alongside the forty-odd youths of Shiwang Stronghold. Calling it training was perhaps a stretch; in truth, his aim was to cultivate in them a sense of collective identity. Only with such a sense could they behave like an army rather than a scattered rabble.

Aside from participating in military drills, during this half month Li Yun, together with Liu Bo and Li Zheng, reformed Shiwang Stronghold— or rather, they reformed the two strongholds under Li Yun's command. The old model of mountain banditry had everyone descending the mountain, looting, and then dividing the spoils on the spot among all who took part— a share-based system. That system had served the old model well enough, reducing the operator's costs. But now that Li Yun aimed to collectivize the strongholds, this share-based arrangement no longer suited.

Thus, Li Yun decided to pay wages to the people under his command! In truth, this was not the first time Chief Li had paid wages. The tenant retainers in the Li family village at the foot of Cangshan were still collecting money from Li Yun to this day. Even so, the process of pushing this matter forward encountered a number of difficulties Li Yun had not anticipated.

The first difficulty was this— few among them could read or write. Without literacy, they could not write their own names, which caused trouble when collecting their pay. Moreover, many had been left with only their nicknames, their original names forgotten even by themselves. It took the three brothers some ten days or so just to compile the register for the two strongholds. Counting family dependents, the total came to roughly two hundred and thirty souls. Of these, the majority belonged to Shiwang Stronghold; the Cangshan main stronghold, together with the Hexi youths, amounted to only sixty or seventy people.

With the register complete, the remaining question was the standard for pay distribution. Naturally, the Cangshan main stronghold was to receive somewhat more, and family dependents there could draw a small allowance as well. At Shiwang Stronghold, dependents received nothing. The three brothers sat together, counting on their fingers for quite some time before Liu Bo finally spoke up. "Second Brother, at one guan per person per month, we'd need to pay out at least three hundred guan every month." He counted on his fingers again. "In a year, that's nearly four thousand guan. This…" Liu Bo muttered, "That's too much."

"What a miserly look," Li Yun laughed and scolded him, saying in an exasperated tone, "You manage the accounts. Have you counted how much money we have in the stronghold?"

"I haven't done a careful tally," Liu Bo said, stroking his chin in thought before speaking again. "But we got five thousand guan from the Gu family earlier, and hardly spent any of it. Then we took Shiwang Stronghold besides. Convert everything into cash, and thirty thousand guan should be there at least."

Li Zheng clapped his hands and laughed. "Then that's enough to pay for ten years."

Liu Bo shot him a glare. "We're not going down the mountain to work anymore— there's not a single copper coming in!"

Li Yun shook his head helplessly and said, "I'll find a way to bring in income. Money that ought to be spent must be spent; we can't skimp. Distribute the stronghold's money according to the standard we just set. Aside from paying wages, Old Nine, take some men and build a few granaries in the stronghold. Remember to raise the floors off the ground so they won't suffer from damp and mold. Then, by whatever means we can, let's haul more grain up the mountain."

Liu Bo's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh. "Second Brother's clever! Let's stockpile plenty of grain. If war or disaster strikes, grain prices will shoot up immediately, and we'll be rich!"

Chief Li stood up and landed a solid kick on Liu Bo's backside, cursing, "You'd make money off that too? You'll have no sons with a hole where it should be!"

Liu Bo scrambled back up and scratched his head. "Second Brother, I was joking. Why'd you take it seriously…"

"Stock up more grain," Li Yun said slowly. "When the time comes, one, it'll cover our own needs, and two, we can aid those around us."

At this, Chief Li rubbed his brow and said, "Damn it, these trivial little matters are so taxing on the mind. If only there were a shrewd and capable scholar to lend a hand."

Li Zheng smiled and said, "That Sun Shouli from Shiwang Stronghold is still in the stronghold; we didn't send him back to the Qingyang prison. He's a man of letters and knows his way around accounts. Second Brother, would you like to make use of him?"

"Have him manage the books, that's fine," Li Yun said as he stretched. "But that man's heart is crooked. Don't ask him about anything else. Let him settle in as our accountant."

Li Zheng acknowledged the order, then asked, "Second Brother, we've been out of Qingyang for the better part of a month now. Should we go back and take a look?"

Li Yun frowned and glanced at Li Zheng. "You little rascal— have you got a sweetheart in Qingyang?"

Li Zheng quickly waved his hands. "Second Brother, what are you saying? We still have that business of ours in Qingyang to keep running, don't we?"

Counting the time, the second month of the year was nearly upon them. The new prefect sent by the court, as well as the pacification commissioner who was supposed to have arrived last year, were already on their way. Furthermore, the military disaster in Yuezhou could spill over into Xuanzhou at any moment. Li Yun indeed needed to return and see for himself. After all, as things stood, his official identity in Qingyang County was of great help to him and to his bandit enterprise. Not to mention the least— if the pacification commissioner arrived in Xuanzhou and set out to suppress Shiwang Stronghold, Li Yun could at least pass along word and a warning.

With this thought, Chief Li stood up and stretched widely. "Alright then, we'll set out for Qingyang tomorrow."

He then glanced at Li Zheng and said in a low voice, "I heard from Old Chen that you went out carousing with a few of the yamen runners."

Li Zheng's face reddened, and he shook his head hurriedly. "Second Brother, don't listen to their nonsense!"

Hearing this, Liu Bo's eyes went red. He grabbed Li Zheng by the neck and shook him back and forth. "Skinny Monkey, Skinny Monkey, you!" The Ninth Chief gnashed his teeth in fury. "You went out carousing in the city behind your brothers' backs!"

Li Zheng barely managed to break free, his face flushed. "Don't talk nonsense! I didn't!"

"Your face is red as can be, and you still deny it!" Liu Bo shouted.

Li Zheng retorted angrily, "That's from you choking me, damn it!"

… … … …

Two days later, Li Yun brought Li Zheng and Zhang Hu back to Qingyang to resume their duties. He had barely returned to the county office and had just begun greeting the brothers of the bandit-suppression squad when Magistrate Xue summoned him into the office for a talk. Nearly a month had passed since they last met. Li Yun stepped forward with a smile, clasping his fists in salute. "Magistrate, the days apart have made you look even younger."

Magistrate Xue looked up and glanced at Li Yun. "Where have you been?"

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"What else could I have been doing?" Li Yun said with a smile. "Magistrate, didn't you say the pacification commissioner would be arriving soon? I went out these past days to make a circuit and scout whether there were any bandits left in Qingyang's territory. If there were, I'd wipe them out as quickly as possible, so that when the commissioner reaches our Xuanzhou—" "—of all Xuanzhou, only our Qingyang would be free of bandits, and the magistrate would gain face."

Magistrate Xue knew that Li Yun rarely spoke the truth, but he did not expose him on the spot. He sighed and said, "Do you still remember that business in Yuezhou?"

"I do," Li Yun replied with a smile. "You told me about it after the New Year, Magistrate. I heard the surveillance commissioner went there himself. What, after more than a month, the rebellion still hasn't been put down?"

"It's grown bigger and bigger," Magistrate Xue shook his head and sighed. "I hear Yuezhou city itself has been taken by the rebels. The surveillance commissioner fought a battle against them, was ambushed, and lost a thousand or two men. Now that Qiu rebel in Yuezhou has gathered several thousand followers."

Li Yun was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Magistrate, this is beyond your control, and even more so beyond mine. We can only watch and wait."

"I grieve that wealth is unevenly shared; now I shall make it even for you." Magistrate Xue murmured this phrase to himself, his expression darkening. Why was it that the rebels, relying on this one slogan alone, could stir up such a commotion? Clearly, because this slogan struck at the very heart of the Great Zhou. Magistrate Xue was silent for a long while, then looked at Li Yun and spoke. "When the pacification commissioner will arrive, I do not know. But within the next few days, the new prefect will come. I must make a trip to Xuanzhou to pay respects to this new superior. With rebellion now stirring in Yuezhou and refugees everywhere, our Qingyang is not far from Yuezhou. After I leave, do not run about during this time. Stay in Qingyang, lead the bandit-suppression squad, and see that Qingyang does not descend into chaos."

Li Yun nodded first, then asked with a smile, "Magistrate, if refugees flee into Qingyang, how should we handle them?"

Magistrate Xue glanced at Li Yun. "Your bandit-suppression squad still has some funds left for suppressing bandits, doesn't it?"

Li Yun thought for a moment. "There should still be some."

"If you come across those who are starving, give them a meal. Help when you can." Magistrate Xue clasped his hands behind his back and let out a long sigh. "Let us hope this calamity of war does not touch Qingyang."

Qingyang was only five hundred li from Yuezhou. If the rebels grew stronger, or defeated the surveillance commissioner sent to suppress them, then the rebel leader Qiu Dian's power would inevitably expand outward. And once the rebels reached Qingyang— this small county town had not even the qualifications to defend its walls, and the people of Qingyang would surely suffer terrible casualties! The slogan of equalizing wealth sounded pleasant to the ear, but once these rebels rose to power, things might no longer be so simple.

Magistrate Xue sighed, then looked at Li Yun. Li Yun understood and hurriedly clasped his fists in salute. "Magistrate, rest assured. Your subordinate will guarantee the safety of Qingyang!"

(End of chapter)

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