Chapter 21: An Unexpected Monster

“Master, I actually think becoming a household retainer sounds pretty good. Who knows? You might even become a top-class retainer.”

Xue San joked.

Zheng Fan couldn’t be bothered with Xue San’s glib nonsense.

For an ordinary person, becoming a retainer of the Li Clan was probably an offer almost impossible to refuse. The retainers here were nothing like servants in an ordinary wealthy household. They didn’t do chores or housework. They were private soldiers, given the best food and equipment, with positions passed from father to son. They were also the group most loyal to the clan they served, somewhat like an emperor’s imperial guards.

Once you entered that circle and put in three to five years, you would effectively become one of the Li Clan’s own.

According to information Xue San had later dug up, the Li Clan was the greatest clan in Beifeng Commandery. Their population had never been especially large, and they had always been short on descendants, but they were a genuine lineage of meritorious military officers. For generations, the family had inherited the title Marquis of Zhenbei. In some ways, they resembled the Mu family of the Ming dynasty.

But how could Zheng Fan abandon his seven “subordinates” and run off alone to become someone else’s retainer?

He was a complete stranger to this world and knew neither the people nor the land. Only these seven “subordinates” could give him any sense of security.

Besides, even from the standpoint of personal advancement, being his own small-time boss was far better than working for someone else.

“Last night, while we were camped, I deliberately went over to the officers’ tents and eavesdropped on their conversations.”

“That woman’s tent?” Liang Cheng asked, looking at Xue San.

Xue San immediately shook his head. “That old man with the sword never leaves her side. As I am now, I’m not absolutely confident I could hide from him, so I picked the tent of a mid-ranking officer instead. I still heard quite a bit.

“Right now, the Li Clan—the household of the Marquis of Zhenbei—isn’t having an easy time of it.

“The barbarian tribes out in the desert have completely splintered into loose sand, so there hasn’t been a large-scale battle between the two sides for almost a hundred years. At most, there have only been minor skirmishes.

“Because of that, the status of the Marquis of Zhenbei’s line has been declining more and more. Though, honestly, they have themselves to blame. They never learned the trick of keeping an enemy alive to make themselves indispensable.

“Then, after the current ruler of the State of Yan ascended the throne, he began weakening the feudal lords, cutting down the power of the regional military strongholds and centralizing authority. It looks as though he intends to campaign in the Central Plains and contend for supremacy there.

“Not long ago, the current Marquis of Zhenbei was forced into the capital by three successive imperial edicts. Officially, it was to celebrate the Empress Dowager’s birthday, but in reality, he’s already under house arrest in the capital.

“Right now, everyone in the Zhenbei Army is somewhat on edge.”

“So this time, the Li Clan is making a show of force?” Liang Cheng asked.

“More or less. The pretext was that two scouts from the Zhenbei Army disappeared inside the territory of that barbarian tribe. The Zhenbei Army demanded entry to search for them, and the other side refused.

“After that, the residence of the Marquis of Zhenbei mobilized several thousand Zhenbei cavalry and came straight over to kill them.

“The barbarian tribe’s chief had some brains. He tried to cut off the supply line. Who would’ve thought that woman was even more ruthless? She used several thousand civilian laborers as bait and completely wiped out every man the barbarian tribe had sent out this time.”

Liang Cheng nodded after hearing this.

“They deliberately provoked a conflict and raised troops in order to show the Yan court that the Li Clan still has extremely strong control over Beifeng Commandery and the Zhenbei Army. That forces the court to fear the consequences and makes it hesitate to harm the Marquis of Zhenbei in the capital.

“As for deliberately using the civilian laborers as bait, there were two reasons. First, they wanted a major victory in the shortest possible time, so this local war—which was doomed to be unsustainable—could end quickly. After all, the residence of the Marquis of Zhenbei started this war on its own authority. It wasn’t the court’s intention. The Marquis’s household cannot afford to drag this out. The war had to begin quickly, and it also has to end quickly. Otherwise, whether it is the court demanding an accounting or the desert barbarians gradually uniting because of this, neither is something the Marquis of Zhenbei’s household can withstand alone.

“Second, they were deliberately staining their own reputation—sullying the Li Clan’s name so the emperor and ministers at the Yan court will think the Li Clan is nothing more than a household of crude soldiers and lower their guard.

“Any clan harboring thoughts of rebellion and aspiring to seize that seat would, at the very least, put on a show of loving the common people like their own children before raising the banner, all to win popular support. I expect word that the Marquis of Zhenbei’s residence used several thousand civilian laborers as bait will spread before long. The people of Tiger Head City, and even all of Beifeng Commandery, will resent the Marquis’s household for it.

“But the court will be very pleased.”

“I didn’t expect you to understand this stuff so well.” Zheng Fan looked at Liang Cheng in some surprise.

In Zheng Fan’s impression, Liang Cheng had always been a man of few words. Yet someone like him clearly understood all these twists, turns, and hidden calculations perfectly well.

“I’ve experienced similar things before. Once the cunning hare is dead, the hunting hound is cooked. That principle has never changed since ancient times.

“And sometimes, once you stand in a position like that, even if you yourself remain utterly loyal to those above you, you cannot guarantee that the men beneath you will be equally loyal.”

“Like Zhao Kuangyin?” Zheng Fan asked.

“More or less.”

The three of them sat on a dirt mound, chatting as they watched the army advance in the distance.

Zheng Fan was the first to stand. He dusted off his trousers and said, “All right. We should head back too.”

“Haha! Once we’re back, we need to put some serious thought into how to make good use of that three-hundred-man establishment.” Xue San eagerly sprang onto his horse.

“We only have the authorized establishment. We don’t have money, provisions, weapons, or equipment,” Zheng Fan reminded him.

The court had indeed issued an edict ordering protection for the trade routes, but it had not truly demanded that every border town independently raise and maintain its own merchant escort force. Instead, it had ordered the military chiefs of Beifeng Commandery, led by the Li Clan, to detach troops to the various towns and take responsibility for the task.

In truth, this was another method of weakening the other side’s military strength. There were many border cities like Tiger Head City. Three hundred here, three hundred there—added together, that was no small number.

Sometimes, cutting flesh with a soft knife hurt even more.

But clearly, the Li Clan had no intention of genuinely obeying. They were a regional military power, and the head of their household was already under house arrest in the capital. If they continued cutting off their own limbs, they really would be turning themselves into fish laid out on the chopping block.

That was why the woman had told Zheng Fan that he would receive only the authorized establishment—no soldiers, provisions, weapons, or equipment.

Liang Cheng mounted his horse as well. Hearing Zheng Fan’s words, a confident look appeared on his face.

“Master, you don’t need to worry about the money or the men. If the Blind Man and the Fourth Lady can’t even handle something this minor, they’d be too ashamed to keep following you.”

Xue San cut in at once. “No. The Fourth Lady is useful. We can throw the Blind Man away.”

They had, after all, rendered meritorious service. So when they left the army and returned to Tiger Head City, each of them was given a horse.

Oh, and there was also a military order that, in the female general’s eyes, was completely useless:

Lieutenant Commander of Merchant Protection, Tiger Head City.

Authorized strength: three hundred men.

The blazing sun hung overhead.

Three riders galloped together, kicking up a long trail of dust.

………………

“Sisters, everything on this table is traveling money I’ve prepared for you. These are your indenture contracts. Watch closely—I’m burning them right now.”

Feng Siniang held a fistful of contracts and tossed the whole bundle into the brazier.

Yet none of the “aunties” standing before her showed any intention of leaving, nor did a single one step forward to take the money.

Their madam was personally burning their contracts, not asking them for a single copper of redemption money, and was even giving them traveling expenses. Search every brothel under heaven and you would never find another madam this generous.

Of course, if this had been a city in the interior, the girls would probably already have swarmed forward to grab the money and leave.

But this was Tiger Head City.

And these women were hardly delicate young beauties anymore.

Someone dropped to her knees. Once one person started, everyone else knelt as well.

“Madam, you can’t abandon us!”

“That’s right, Madam. Without your protection, where are we supposed to go?”

“Madam, I don’t want to leave.”

Over the past half year, ever since the inn opened, the Fourth Lady had taken in quite a few of these “aunties.” Every one of them was a miserable soul who could no longer make a living.

This world was nothing like the one Zheng Fan had come from. Back there, in that country, if you had working arms and legs, actually starving yourself to death was quite difficult.

But here, people really could starve to death with terrifying ease.

“What’s this?” A cold smile curled at the Fourth Lady’s lips. “Clinging to me shamelessly now, are you?”

Smack!

The Fourth Lady slapped the tabletop.

Such was the terrifying majesty of a brothel madam!

The Fourth Lady treated the women under her well, and they all knew it. Compared with the madams in the brothels outside who treated human lives as worthless, the Fourth Lady was practically a living Bodhisattva.

But she was also extremely strict with those under her and had disciplined them until they obeyed her completely. Once the Fourth Lady grew angry, none of them truly dared keep shouting. One by one, they lowered their heads.

“Every last one of you has tucked away a decent amount of private savings, haven’t you? Our prices aren’t high, but we’re fast!

“Day after day, you’ve all saved up a fair bit by now, right?

“And I’ve never hogged all the money in this business. Tips and such—I’ve always turned a blind eye.

“Now I’ve burned your contracts and prepared traveling money for you.

“Whether you stay in Tiger Head City or go to some other town, start a little business, find an honest man and marry him, or walk straight out my door and into another brothel to keep doing the same trade—that’s all up to you. You’re free to go wherever you please!

“None of us owes the other anything. And don’t start sniveling in front of me. I’m the one who taught you those little tricks of the trade. They might fool the customers, but you think you can fool me?”

With matters put that plainly, the “aunties” exchanged glances. Slowly, they began standing and coming forward one at a time to collect their traveling money. After taking it, each kowtowed to the Fourth Lady once more.

One woman took her money and kowtowed, but did not immediately rise.

“Madam, the place has been doing perfectly well. Why are we shutting down?”

“Shutting down? Who said I was shutting the place down?”

“Then if you’re not closing, why are you…”

Feng Siniang smiled.

She raised a hand, pointed at her own face, and said, “From now on, I’m upgrading the business. These last six months, I’ve truly had enough!”

The hidden meaning of those words could be translated into another sentence—one spoken by countless homeroom teachers:

You are the worst class I have ever taught.

………………

“Red wine still tastes better.”

The Blind Man Bei set down his wine cup, an expression of enjoyment on his face.

A’Ming, now fully recovered, sat beside him.

Rain fell in the courtyard, pattering against the loquat tree.

“We can brew more of it from now on,” the Blind Man Bei said.

A’Ming turned his head toward him. “Are we starting?”

The Blind Man Bei stretched lazily. “That depends on how well you’ve recovered.”

“I’m fine now.”

A vampire’s recovery speed was different from a man’s speed, but both could be matters of pride.

“If you’re fine, then we can begin.”

“Oh, physically I’m fine. But there are still two other problems.”

“Go on.”

“First problem: Master still hasn’t returned. You’re going to start on your own authority?”

“Master will return sooner or later. What we’re doing is nothing more than a trivial matter. We ought to possess at least this much initiative and self-motivation.”

“Fine. Second problem. I told you the day before yesterday that I was almost completely recovered. Why didn’t you say we should start then? Why did you choose today?”

“Because it’s raining today.”

“Huh?”

“I think rainy days are good for killing people.”

A’Ming stood.

He looked at the Blind Man Bei, who was still reclining in his chair with his eyes narrowed.

After a moment, he said, “You’re so damn theatrical.”