Chapter Forty-Two: Liu Zeqing, Commander of Shandong

“That truly makes me feel like we are one big loving family,” Zhu Cilang said with a smile, and it was hard to tell whether he meant it or was merely being sardonic. “Now that everything has been settled, it seems I shall sleep well tonight.”

Hearing the implication behind the words, Yang Chuan felt as though he had been granted a reprieve. He nodded with a smile. “Yes, yes, loving and united, everyone pleased. Ha-ha, it is indeed getting late. I will not disturb Yiming’s rest any longer. I shall go back and report.”

With that, Yang Chuan hurriedly climbed down from the couch, repeatedly insisting that Zhu Cilang need not see him out. Then, rubbing his numb and aching legs, he fled as though escaping for his life. It was as if he feared that the next thing Zhu Cilang said would be a change of heart, followed by some further outrageous demand.

Seeing this, Zhu Cilang merely escorted him to the door. “Safe travels, Mister Dongshan.”

“Ah, yes, safe travels...” Yang Chuan hastily left the Flowing Water Pavilion. Only after he had returned to his carriage and made sure no outsiders knew what had transpired did he slam a fist angrily against the carriage floorboards. His expression twisted at once into one of savage hatred. “Qin Xia, Qin Yiming! This humiliation today, I will repay tenfold another day! Hmph, do you really think I am afraid of you? You even dare to fantasize about going west to win merit on the battlefield, and you do not even stop to consider what right you have to it. Since you insist on courting death, then I shall gladly send you on your way!”

The coachman outside stared at the thudding from within, head lowered, not daring to make a sound. Still, he was quick-witted enough to guess that his master had likely suffered a loss at the Taxation Suboffice, so he cracked the whip at once and drove the carriage away.

After more than a dozen breaths of silence inside, Yang Chuan’s cold voice sounded. “To the Commander-in-Chief’s residence!”

Linqing was especially lively that day. The falling night did not quiet the city; lamps glowed at every street corner and alleyway, brightening the charming darkness. Wine shops and theaters were packed with voices, the whole place brimming with the revelry of a prosperous pleasure district.

There was simply too much fresh news to discuss here. Just the tales of Zhu Cilang in the capital were enough to keep the shipowners and merchants talking for three or five days, let alone today’s battle, which could almost be written into the history books.

And yet, within a grand mansion in the north of the city, someone was restraining his fury and forcing himself to calm down. The silent room felt so ominous that the concubines and maids standing nearby trembled like leaves, as though they had fallen into the underworld.

This was a burly man with a potbelly, a leopard-like head, and round, protruding eyes. He was none other than Liu Zeqing, the commander of the Shandong Garrison stationed in Linqing.

Though Liu Zeqing looked every inch the warrior, his skin was quite fair, and with a long robe of Suzhou weave on his body, he did not seem like a general so much as a wealthy gentleman.

In truth, Liu Zeqing visited the Shandong Garrison camp less often each month than he visited nunnery temples. His years of soldiering were long behind him; in their place came beauty that drained the marrow and riches that stirred the heart.

Perhaps the only thing that could still stir Liu Zeqing’s spirit was the household guard camp within his grand estate. His residence was vast, and within it he maintained some four hundred elite retainers. For this reason, he always set aside time each month to inspect their drills. Each visit was met with fine wine and rich meat for reward, and thus those four hundred men were deeply loyal to him.

Liu Yongquan was one of the company captains among those retainers, a man famed for his ferocity. With just over twenty men under his command, he would still dare to charge at the more than three hundred archers and sabermen of Linqing Prefecture—and more often than not, one charge would be enough to break them.

Of course, the upkeep of more than four hundred elites was no small burden. Moreover, Liu Zeqing’s daily expenses were extravagantly lavish. Barely enough could be scraped together from embezzled troop pay to maintain the daily needs of those four hundred men. Even then, the extra rewards had to be covered by other means.

After all, the Shandong Garrison received more than forty thousand taels of silver in converted salary and over fifty thousand shi in grain each year, but by the time it was ferried out of the capital from the Ministry of Revenue, half had already vanished, and what finally reached Liu Zeqing’s hands was not even thirty percent of the original amount.

What could one do with so little silver?

It was barely enough to feed four hundred retainers.

As a garrison commander, Liu Zeqing naturally had ways of making money.

For example, the former head of the Bamboo and Timber Levy Office, Liu Pei, had been one of Liu Zeqing’s most important channels. Not only did the annual tributes Liu Pei sent up amount to quite a lot, but the Wanquan Trading Company that Liu Pei had built up also flourished handsomely along the Grand Canal under Liu Zeqing’s protection.

But now—

That especially vital source of wealth had been cut off.

At the thought of everything he had heard, Liu Zeqing felt an uncontrollable surge of irritation.

Liu Pei had been thrown into prison, the Wanquan Trading Company had been entirely sealed, and even Liu Yongquan had turned into a coward, frightened into confessing everything.

With his eyes closed, Liu Zeqing forcibly drove those scenes from his mind and compelled himself not to dwell on them. At last, his mind gradually settled.

But the moment the concubine beside him softly spoke the name of the visitor, the irritation he had just suppressed rose up again.

“Master, Mister Dongshan is here to pay a visit.”

Yang Chuan had come.

For this celebrated man of letters from Linqing, Liu Zeqing showed considerable respect and personally went to welcome him at the study door. Though inwardly anxious, he still managed to force out a warm smile.

Yang Chuan was ushered into the hall and seated. His air of refined distinction remained, though a faint shadow seemed to linger between his brows. Only after seeing Liu Zeqing did he recover his elegant manner, his smile gentle, a trace of pride concealed in his eyes. “Commander-in-Chief, I have not failed in my charge.”

“Good, good. So Mister Dongshan has already learned the true origins of this Qin Xia?” After the formal greetings were over, Liu Zeqing could not wait to ask.

“Indeed. Qin Xia is one of the eunuch faction. This time, the chief inner attendant Wang spoke up in earnest, and after Minister Zhou learned of it, he did not pursue the matter further. The imperial edict was able to go out so swiftly for the same reason.” As he spoke, Yang Chuan even gave a cold snort to show his disdain.

Scholars had always treated eunuchs with utter contempt.

Having said all this, Yang Chuan frowned and continued with an air of regret. “Speaking of which, the Marquis of Guiyi, Che Zhaozong, showed a fair amount of gentlemanly spirit this time. He nearly led his men to overturn the Taxation Suboffice. It is a pity that those who followed him were not righteous heroes, but a mob of merchants who forget justice at the sight of profit!”

“Mister Dongshan sees clearly.” Liu Zeqing said as much, but his expression remained impatient as he pressed on. “And those one hundred and twenty spearmen—where did they come from?”

“That too has been investigated. They were the remnants of Sun Yingyuan’s men from the Capital Garrison. During the unrest in the capital, though they eventually surrendered and were spared punishment, they were all dismissed from service. Who would have thought they would end up in Qin Xia’s hands?” Yang Chuan said, and his expression was hard to read. “From what I heard today, they are indeed rather fierce.”

At this, Liu Zeqing finally frowned.

Sun Yingyuan had once fought Zhang Xianzhong in Huguang and had some reputation for bravery. Troops trained under such a commander really could be fierce.

“How many men there actually are must be confirmed,” Liu Zeqing muttered to himself, though he said nothing further.