“Lord Song, it isn’t that we’re shirking or unwilling to go.
“There’s only so much grain in the storehouse. At present, the city has established four relief stations, and we’ve even opened the gates to allow refugees in to receive aid. Grain is flowing out of the storehouses like water. The relief stations in the city may not even last until spring, let alone spare provisions to take into the countryside for disaster relief!”
Old Liao, the clerk in charge of the Revenue Office, nearly fainted when he received the summons and learned that the county magistrate wanted him to take charge, along with the chief clerk from the Personnel Office, Wang Sheng from the Works Office, and several others, and go to the towns and villages outside the city to provide disaster relief.
The weather was bitterly cold. Even in the government office, Old Liao could hardly stand the freezing temperatures. Yet with the New Year only a few days away, they were being sent out to do this exhausting, thankless work. The old staff named on the list immediately erupted in protest.
The former officials, who had already been privately grumbling about the county office opening its stores to distribute relief supplies, had previously only dared to gather together and complain in whispers. But now that the genuinely arduous assignment had fallen on their shoulders, their tempers flared. They shouted and stormed straight to where Song Wushen was.
“Of course, my lord, you’re doing this for the good of the people. But a county city as large as this is home to more than just civilians. There are soldiers, too, as well as all the officials and clerks in the government office!
“If all the grain and fodder is handed over to disaster victims, the soldiers are the ones responsible for defending the county. What sense is there in making the county troops go hungry while the civilians they protect eat their fill and lie comfortably at home?
“If the city’s defenses are left weak, what will we do if bandits or mountain marauders come to cause trouble? What if the refugees, ignorant of gratitude, riot? What will the county government use to deal with them then?”
Since they were all from the same office, the more they spoke, the more agitated they became. They stiffened their necks and shouted all sorts of harsh words, even accusing him of trying to trade their lives for his own reputation.
Song Wushen watched them jump and rage. Far from becoming angry, he remained perfectly calm, letting them shout until their mouths were dry and they finally fell silent. Only then did he say unhurriedly, “I understand your concerns.”
The moment Old Liao saw Song Wushen open his mouth, he exchanged glances with the others and signaled them to stop their resentful muttering. He cleared his throat, trying to restore some measure of propriety as a subordinate.
“My lord, please don’t take what everyone just said to heart. We were only anxious for a moment and spoke without thinking. Some of our words were rather unpleasant.
“We have no objection to you, my lord. We’re all serving in the same government office and merely worried about the county’s stability. Our views just happen to differ somewhat.”
Song Wushen nodded. “Your Excellencies have devoted yourselves wholeheartedly to the matter and spoken frankly. Your remonstrance has moved me deeply. So, to put it plainly, you are all willing to labor and endure hardship for the county’s stability. You’re merely worried that there won’t be enough grain and fodder, and that the county government’s command center will descend into chaos.
“Have I understood your meaning correctly?”
Old Liao felt that Song Wushen’s words sounded somewhat strange. After exchanging glances with the others, he gave a dry cough.
“That is exactly what we meant, my lord. As officials entrusted with the welfare of the people, we naturally have only the people’s interests at heart. In these troubled times and under such harsh weather, we lie awake each night grieving for the common folk.
“If supplies were plentiful, then forget braving the wind and snow to go into the countryside and provide relief—we would be willing to do anything you asked of us.”
The chief clerk of the Personnel Office let out a long sigh and put on an expression of great difficulty.
“Unfortunately, salt and grain are limited. Even if our hearts are willing, we cannot help but consider the long term.
“Looking at the heavy snow outside, at the city all lit up for the festival, and thinking of the many farmers in the villages who may not even be able to come and collect relief grain, my heart aches terribly. If only our supplies were abundant, how comforting it would be to personally deliver relief grain to every affected household during the New Year season.”
“What a pity that the county has no choice but to consider the majority of the people~”
Song Wushen looked coldly at the group as they put on their act, each one pretending to be desperately concerned for the people. Old Liao from the Revenue Office was the most affected of them all. He even raised his sleeve to dab at his eyes, as though he hadn’t been the one shouting the loudest moments ago.
“Your Excellencies’ heartfelt words are truly moving. Kang County is blessed to have such compassionate officials serving as its parents.”
Song Wushen played along with them for a couple of lines before abruptly changing direction.
“But I have good news for you all—news that will immediately relieve you of your worries.”
“Red Mountain and Rock Town have transported dozens of dan of grain to the county over the past two days to replenish our relief stores. As for several hundred more dan, they have already been placed in the local areas. All that remains is for Your Excellencies to go into the countryside and personally deliver them to the disaster victims.”
“…”
“Se-several hundred dan? The towns can still send out that much grain?”
For a moment, the officials stood there in a daze.
“Then Your Excellencies may set your minds at ease and proceed with the relief effort.”
Old Liao and the others remained skeptical. After two consecutive years of disaster, they simply could not believe that two small towns could somehow produce so much grain for relief.
But when Duan Yan led them to see the dozens of dan of earth-fruit safely stored in the granary, they were all left speechless.
These round, smooth things could be used as grain?
Some improved variety of taro?
Each of the baffled officials had the kitchen staff stuff several boiled earth-fruits into his arms. Before long, they were so full that their bellies bulged round. When Duan Yan raised a hand and asked the kitchen staff to give them a few more, they hurriedly waved him off, insisting that what they had already received was more than enough.
“No wonder the armies of Red Mountain and Rock Town are so formidable. They dared to attack the county, and even managed to take it in one fell swoop.
“While everyone outside is suffering from disaster, they shut their gates and have food and drink within, while also guarding the mines. Every day they either encourage farming or train their soldiers. How could they not be powerful?”
“What exactly is this earth-fruit? Why have we never seen it before? And how can so much of it be grown for people to eat?”
The officials were genuinely astonished and amazed. After that, they no longer dared to complain that there was no grain with which to provide relief.
An indescribable sense of security settled over their hearts, yet as they watched the snow falling thickly from the sky, they also felt a bitter taste in their mouths.
The next day, a large red notice was posted on the announcement board outside the county government office. It listed the officials who would be going into the countryside to provide disaster relief.
Old Liao and the others bundled themselves up until they looked like several layers of thick bedding. Amid the applause and praise of the townspeople, they gritted their teeth and led their men out of the city toward the rural villages.
The wind came rushing straight into their faces, scraping at their skin like sandpaper. Ice crystals formed along the edges of their straw rain capes.
The world was a vast expanse of white. The crooked roads between the villages had to be shoveled and hacked open before they could pass. Every step sank into the snow with a wet squelch, no matter what kind of boots they wore.
Bag after bag of grain was carried into the villagers’ homes. Those disaster victims who had thought they could only lie at home and wait for death burst into tears when they saw the officials braving the wind and snow to deliver supplies. They fell to their knees and kowtowed again and again in gratitude.
Even after Old Liao and the others had gone a long way, they could still look back and see those gaunt figures kneeling for a long time in front of their homes, refusing to rise as they saw them off.
After all, the human heart was still made of flesh. Having witnessed the myriad faces of disaster and heard the villagers’ repeated thanks, the officials found their hearts heavy with emotion.
Their eyes and brows were rimed with frost from the cold when one of them said slowly, “From now on, we’d best follow the orders of the new lord.”
“His methods are truly something.”
The following spring, thanks to the concerted efforts of the Song family, Duan Yan, and all their capable men, the county fell into perfect order. Even the bandits hiding in the mountains surrendered and laid down their weapons—two groups of them, in fact. For the first time in years, the region enjoyed unprecedented peace.
In the countryside, farmers seized the spring planting season to sow new crops that might save their lives.
Nine-Beard and his men once again brought salt into the city, exchanged it for grain, and departed.
Now that Duan Yan had taken control of Kang County, it had become much easier to bring salt in. Elsewhere, Nine-Beard and his men could hardly hope for treatment as favorable as they received in Kang County, so they would have been fools to seek out harder work elsewhere. Instead, they made one trip after another, establishing the fastest and most efficient route to supply Kang County with salt.
By that autumn, Kang County was no longer afraid of drought. On one hand, its ground-grown crops provided a basic guarantee of food; on the other, there were small quantities of rice, millet, and the like that had managed to survive the drought, enough to improve people’s meals.
Neither salt nor grain was lacking, and the soldiers’ training had grown increasingly rigorous.
But the salt still had to be brought in from outside. While Nine-Beard’s men were transporting salt and hauling grain away, they had once been targeted by forces from other counties. Naturally, there had been no shortage of vicious battles and casualties along the way. Those encounters also allowed others to follow the trail and discover that Kang County possessed rice and grain even in years of disaster.
The neighboring counties, driven nearly mad with hunger by years of famine, descended upon Kang County like starving wolves. Yet they were nothing more than starving, freezing troops themselves. After taking two rounds of cannon fire, they immediately became like old wolves on the verge of death, fleeing in disgrace.
The bones might have smelled delicious, but they were simply too hard to gnaw!
In the end, with nowhere else to turn, the nearby counties that had been crushed beneath unbearable burdens repeatedly sent word to Kang County, offering their submission. By winter, Kang County had taken five counties under its jurisdiction, one after another.
That winter, even Fuyang County—the wealthiest and most conveniently located county in all of Qian Prefecture—extended an olive branch to Kang County.
When the news arrived, Song Fengsui was beneath the covered corridor, clapping his hands as he taught Little Ji to walk.
The little one was holding onto the railing along the corridor. After taking only a few steps, his attention was drawn away by the sparrows hopping around the garden and pecking through the snow for food. His round, grape-like eyes seemed to have just been polished bright.
“Bird, bird!”
No matter how Song Fengsui clapped from the other end, the little cub refused to come over, his thoughts entirely occupied by the sparrows.
He tilted his head, apparently puzzled by how the birds could have legs as thin as silver needles and bodies as round as balls, yet still move so nimbly—hopping high and even flying—while he himself could barely walk without his body tipping uncontrollably in every direction.
Just as Song Fengsui straightened from his crouch and was about to put his hands on his hips and go over to pat the naughty boy’s bottom, the little one turned his head. He blinked, then suddenly broke into delighted giggles. With his short legs pumping, he went pitter-patter toward Song Fengsui and flung himself into his arms.
The little one bounced excitedly in his embrace, kicking his short legs. “Da-da! Da-da!”
Hearing the voice, Song Fengsui turned his head and only then realized that Duan Yan had returned at some point.
“So that’s why the little fellow suddenly agreed to run over. He saw you.”
Duan Yan reached out and took Little Ji into his arms, planting a kiss on his cheek.
“Why are you only back at this hour? Did something happen?”
“Someone from Fuyang County came. They were very sincere, so I stayed at the administrative office a little longer to discuss the matter.”
Song Fengsui was rather surprised. “Fuyang County is willing to submit as well?”
He still remembered that in the first year of the war, when they had gone to the prefectural capital to buy salt, it had been Fuyang County where they had purchased tea, cloth, and many other daily necessities. Fuyang was the largest and most prosperous county in Qian Prefecture, with roads extending in every direction and information flowing swiftly. It was practically comparable to the prefectural capital.
Duan Yan said, “These past few years have been difficult everywhere. In summer, a mountain fire broke out in Fuyang and swept across a vast stretch of land. The crops had already been sparse, and just as autumn harvest approached, almost everything was burned to the ground. Many people died as well. Fuyang sent several requests for aid to the prefectural capital, but received no reply for a long time. In truth, they could no longer hold on.
“Kang County lies to the east, while the prefectural capital is to the west, and Fuyang is situated between them. Since it could not obtain support from the prefectural capital in the west, the only way to survive was to seek help from us in the east. When they looked back, they discovered that every county still managing to scrape by had been relying on our county.”
Without Kang County’s permission, the counties under its control naturally did not dare provide Fuyang with assistance. In the end, Fuyang had no choice but to come to Kang County for help.
Song Fengsui did not even ask whether Duan Yan intended to accept Fuyang’s submission. They had already taken several counties under their jurisdiction, and now that the best-positioned and largest county, Fuyang, was not acting as an enemy but had instead come seeking help, they naturally had to seize the opportunity to bring it under their control.
“However, once we take over Fuyang, we’ll probably be at daggers drawn with the prefectural capital.”
“Even if we don’t take Fuyang, Kang County is already powerful enough that, so long as the prefectural capital refuses to remain peaceful, conflict will come sooner or later.”
Song Fengsui said nothing. He simply squeezed Little Ji, who was clutching a cloth tiger in his arms.
In truth, he and Duan Yan shared the same thoughts. Since they had come this far, unifying all of Qian Prefecture would be the best outcome. If every piece of land governed itself, trouble would inevitably arise.
But under the disasters and chaos of these troubled times, the common people were already suffering enough. Neither of them wanted to make them bleed and die for the sake of power. If they could settle matters peacefully, it would be a victory for both sides.
Thus, that winter, Duan Yan worked together with the Song family to take Fuyang County under their control. After providing disaster relief and helping restore some semblance of normal life, they sent a letter to the prefectural capital in spring.
Who could have expected the prefectural capital to respond with such extraordinary hostility? Not only did they denounce Kang County as wolves in sheep’s clothing, rising amid the chaos and swallowing up every territory in the east, they also declared that the prefectural capital would resolutely defend peace in the west.
They even detained the officials the eastern territories had sent to negotiate peace. No one knew whether those officials were alive or dead.
When Duan Yan and the others received the news, they were furious. The prefectural capital had clearly resolved to sever all ties with the east.
“What right do they have? We sent people from the east to negotiate in good faith precisely to reduce casualties. Do they truly think the east has no strength? In terms of soldiers or provisions, which of those things are we not superior in?”
“If that’s how it is, then lead the troops straight to their gates and let them see whether their laws and fine words are worth anything in the face of real strength!”
The angry shouting in the administrative office did not cease. Every military officer was red-faced and fuming.
Duan Yan was angry as well, but over the years, he had grown increasingly calm whenever faced with trouble.
“The prefectural capital must have some confidence to make such a decision. Otherwise, why would they refuse peace talks during a famine and a time of chaos, when they are no stronger than Fuyang County? We must not act on impulse and fall into someone else’s trap.”
Song Wushen agreed with Duan Yan’s reasoning. When Fuyang County had suffered disaster the previous summer and requested assistance, the prefectural capital had been willing to abandon such a large city. By rights, its stores of grain could not be abundant either. Peace talks with the east should have been the best possible outcome for the prefectural capital. Why, then, had they refused?
The prefectural capital’s defenses were formidable, and at a time like this, it would be difficult to uncover their true strength.
After giving the matter some thought, they summoned Nine-Beard, who transported the salt. They secretly planted some of their own men among his team and had them send salt to the prefectural capital as well, hoping that this would allow them to knock on the doors of the western territories and uncover the prefectural capital’s hidden trump card.
