"Suo Dacheng!"
"Reporting, sir!"
"Lead your troops to seize the... what was it called? The place where the grain and money are stored?"
"The Changping Granary!"
"Right, the Changping Granary! Go quickly!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
"Li Qing!"
"Li Qing is here!"
"Post an announcement of peace. State that... we are the righteous army of Great Yan, a just force, here to beg for food and rest for our horses. As long as the common folk do not oppose us, their lives are safe, and they may go about their business. You, a pedantic scholar, use your ink and talent to write a fine article, to reassure the people. Absolutely do not cause trouble or try to oppose us."
"..."
"Li Qing obeys the camp commander's order!"
"Pang Jianguai, Bu Gude, where are the flag generals?"
"Reporting, sir!"
"Order these two to lead their troops to surround this county office. No one is to enter or leave, but do not harass them. Once your task is done, await further orders!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
"Dian Meng, Xu Mancang, where are you?"
"Reporting, sir!"
"I'll trouble you two dark fellows to patrol the city. Arrest anyone who causes trouble immediately!"
"..."
"Your subordinate obeys!"
"Flag General Gu, Flag General Liu?"
"Reporting, sir!"
"Lead your troops to guard the four gates. Entry is permitted, but exit is forbidden!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
"Feng Cheng!"
"Reporting, sir!"
"Send scouts ten miles out. Report any anomalies immediately!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
"Hong Yadu!"
"Reporting, sir!"
"Go to the streets and find some local delicacies, sweet pastries, fruits, and interesting trinkets for our Xiao Yunu. The more, the better."
"Haha, Camp Commander, rest assured. This young general will surely satisfy our Yunu."
The White Tiger Battalion of the Yan army, led by Zhou Fugui, with cavalry as the vanguard and infantry as support, swiftly occupied Suining County.
Suining County was a remote small county in Xuzhou. The total number of soldiers, patrol officers, constables, and local militia in the city was less than a thousand. Coupled with the county magistrate Wu Tiangui's poor leadership and lax defenses, the White Tiger Battalion easily and quickly conquered Suining County. The city's patrol officers, constables, and local militia scattered like birds and beasts, some fleeing, some surrendering.
After Zhou Fugui personally led his troops into the city, he went directly to Wu Tiangui's county office. In front of Wu Tiangui and a few yamen runners, he issued his orders and arranged matters.
Wu Tiangui and the few yamen runners turned as pale as earth, trembling all over.
"Are you Magistrate Wu?" Zhou Fugui asked Wu Tiangui with a smile after all arrangements were made.
To capture the leader first, Zhou Fugui had, upon entering the city, immediately interrogated them to ascertain the location of the county office and its magistrate, Wu Tiangui. He then led his men at lightning speed, capturing Wu Tiangui and the other county officials, forcing them to comply. The rest then proceeded smoothly.
"Yes... I... I am... Wu Tiangui, the magistrate of Suining County..." Wu Tiangui replied, utterly distraught and stammering.
Although Wu Tiangui had thought of a plan to deal with the Yan army, he was still terrified out of his wits when the moment arrived.
He had heard that the Yan army was bloodthirsty, cruel, and slaughtered people like flies. His old bones could not endure their torment. Although the Yan general before him did not seem particularly ferocious, his subordinates were like wolves and tigers.
Perhaps he should just surrender? At this moment, Wu Tiangui's mind raced, weighing the pros and cons of surrendering to the Yan army.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Fugui said with a smile, "Magistrate Wu, there is no need to panic. I lead my troops here today merely to beg for food, nothing more. My surname is Zhou, my given name is Fugui. I am a Han Chinese from Yan and Yun. Your name, Magistrate Wu, contains the character 'Gui' (noble/expensive). Perhaps eight hundred years ago, we were even family."
After speaking, Zhou Fugui led his men straight into the county office hall, plopped himself down behind Wu Tiangui's pear-wood desk, with one foot higher than the other, feeling exceptionally comfortable.
Over a hundred stout soldiers of the White Tiger Battalion, swords at their sides, were distributed throughout the county office hall.
Having the same surname might mean being family. Moreover, if I were related to you, a Han traitor, then I would be truly unlucky, Wu Tiangui muttered to himself before following Zhou Fugui into the hall and standing beside him.
Zhou Fugui claiming to only seek food, without slaughtering or demanding surrender, put Wu Tiangui somewhat at ease. He only wanted to serve these barbarians and Han traitors well, so they would leave as soon as possible.
However, he wondered if this Han traitor would keep his word, Wu Tiangui thought secretly.
"Hundreds of thousands of troops are returning victorious..." Zhou Fugui continued. "However, Xuzhou's grain and supplies are insufficient. The Commander has ordered me and others to forage for food in various places, so I have led my troops here. If the Xianbei arrive... Heh heh, I wonder if it will be your luck, Magistrate Wu, or mine?"
Wu Tiangui shivered at this and glared fiercely at the yamen runner who had "reported false intelligence." He cupped his hands and said to Zhou Fugui, "It is this subordinate's honor to meet the general. Whatever the general commands, this subordinate will obey!"
"Good, straightforward! This is exactly what I want to hear," Zhou Fugui said, kneeling slightly on the ground, showing some respect to Wu Tiangui. He smiled and said, "My brothers are hungry. Would you trouble Magistrate Wu to arrange some food and drink?"
...
"Brothers, though Suining County is small, the food and wine are truly excellent. Shall we feast today?" Zhou Fugui said, holding a bowl of wine in the Suining County office.
"Haha, Camp Commander, you speak wisely! How dare we disobey the Camp Commander's orders?"
"The Camp Commander's divine strategy and brilliant plan have allowed us to enjoy this fine wine and food!"
"Indeed, indeed, the Camp Commander's divine strategy surpasses that of Zhuge Liang of the Three Kingdoms!"
"Thank you, Camp Commander. This subordinate toasts the Camp Commander with a bowl of wine. I shall drink first!"
"Cheers! Cheers!"
"Drink! Drink it all!"
The grand hall of Suining County's administrative office had been turned into a feasting ground by Zhou Fugui and the soldiers of the White Tiger Battalion. Low wooden tables were set up in the hall. Zhou Fugui sat cross-legged in the center, and the soldiers of the White Tiger Battalion were seated on his left and right, also cross-legged. In front of them on the low wooden tables were placed various dishes, and beside them, wine pots were filled with fine wine. Whenever a soldier of the White Tiger Battalion finished a bowl of wine, the yamen runners serving them would refill their bowls from the wine pots. Magistrate Wu Tiangui of Suining County was busy arranging food and drink, which were being brought in a steady stream.
The esteemed Magistrate Wu Tiangui of Suining County of the Great Xia Kingdom, along with his officials, clerks, and yamen runners, were actually being treated as servants by Zhou Fugui and his men.
Xiao Yunu also sat beside Zhou Fugui. On the low wooden table before her were piled various local delicacies of Suining County, such as fried dough twists, pheasant soup, fried pancakes, and sour and spicy frog fish, as well as various sweets and dolls. This made Xiao Yunu's eyes gleam, her cheeks flushed with excitement. Wherever her shining eyes looked, the two maids attending her would hand her something to eat or play with.
"To feast together with all my brothers is what I, Zhou, have always wished for. Today, that wish is finally fulfilled!" Zhou Fugui said, draining his bowl of wine to the last drop.
Although Zhou Fugui spoke with joy, it was difficult to truly smile, and it was rather lamentable.
Since Zhou Fugui and his men had marched south from Youzhou, they had been in constant campaign and travel, rarely having a proper meal or drink. It had been an exceptionally difficult journey.
"Camp Commander, I, Qian Liu from Zhuozhou..." Qian Liu stood up, holding a bowl of wine, and approached Zhou Fugui, saying with a choked voice, "Without our Lord, I would have died long ago, and who knows how many times. The reason we are alive today is all thanks to our Lord's rescue. Our Lord is like our reborn parents! Qian Liu has no more words. From now on, Qian Liu will obey the Lord's every command. If the Lord gives an order, Qian Liu fears no mountains of knives or seas of fire!"
After speaking, Qian Liu drained his bowl of wine.
"Indeed, Qian Liu speaks the truth. Without our Lord, we would have become ghosts in a foreign land long ago!"
"We can never repay our Lord's life-saving grace in this lifetime!"
"We will only obey our Lord's commands, wading through fire and water, never flinching!"
"My Lord, this subordinate toasts you with a bowl of wine!"
The soldiers of the White Tiger Battalion, who had once been "rebels" and "insurgents," all echoed loudly.
Wu Tiangui and the county officials looked at Zhou Fugui with astonishment, unable to understand why such a young, inexperienced general could command such loyalty from the Yan army.
"Flatterer," Zhou Fugui cursed Qian Liu inwardly. He picked up his wine bowl and stood up to return the courtesy. "Zhou thanks Captain Qian, and thanks all my brothers for your high praise. However, my abilities are truly limited and I do not deserve such commendation from you all."
"You deserve it, you deserve it!"
"If our Lord does not deserve it, then who does?"
Everyone spoke up.
Zhou Fugui nodded at their words. "Thank you all, my brothers. Let us first toast our fallen brothers with this bowl of wine. After this toast, I reiterate what I said before: ensure the ashes of our fallen brothers and what is rightfully theirs are returned to their homes. We cannot let them become ghosts in a foreign land. I entrust this to you!"
Zhou Fugui, with tears in his eyes, inverted his wine bowl, pouring the wine onto the ground.
Zhou Fugui was reminded of Liu Changshun and his fellow villagers who had died tragically while saving him, and tears welled up in his eyes.
Zhou Fugui had always carried Liu Changshun's ashes with him.
"My Lord, please rest assured!"
"If we do not do this, are we even worthy of being called humans?"
The men, remembering their fallen comrades, were also filled with emotion. Some even wept aloud, and they too poured their wine onto the ground, in honor of the souls of their fallen comrades.
"Alright, it is my fault. I have become too sentimental, always bringing up these sad matters. Let us not speak of them. Today, we brothers feast together. Let us indulge for a day and eat and drink our fill. Whoever dares to leave halfway will face my military rod!" Zhou Fugui's strength lay in his ability to easily control everyone's emotions, making them sad when sad, pained when pained, happy when happy, courageous when courageous, and so on.
"Haha, what the Lord says is excellent!"
"Whoever dares to leave halfway, without the Lord having to lift a finger, this subordinate will give him two punches first!"
Indeed, the soldiers of the White Tiger Battalion were once again cheered up by Zhou Fugui's words, laughing heartily and drinking and eating heartily.
As the feast was in full swing, Flag General Suo Dacheng walked over to Zhou Fugui, his sword at his side, and whispered a few words in his ear.
With a "thump!" Zhou Fugui slammed his wine bowl onto the wooden table and turned to glare at Wu Tiangui, roaring, "You dog official, how dare you!"