Chapter 35: Five Thousand Laborers

“Captain!” Just as Zhang Yuan approached the kitchen area, one of his subordinates asked, “Did you go to see the County Magistrate? What did he say?”

“Shut up and do your job,” Zhang Yuan snapped fiercely. “Do you think Lord Meng doesn't know what you're thinking? You think you can bully him the way you bully new recruits? You think you can manipulate him with sweet talk and make him feel wronged?

He is an official. If you truly provoke him, believe it or not, he could simply send you all back to the military camp.”

Someone snorted and added, “If I could go back, I’d prefer it.”

“Then go back,” Zhang Yuan’s voice turned cold. “Let’s see what kind of future you have left, and what kind of prospects your children will have.”

The man immediately dropped his casual expression. The group surrounding Zhang Yuan scattered instantly, everyone returning to their respective tasks.

At the third quarter of the hour of Shen (around 4:00 PM), while Meng Changqing was patrolling the camp, she saw a crowd moving in the distance.

The laborers had arrived.

Li Ting had arrived with the bailiffs from various counties, bringing a total of five thousand seven hundred and fifty-four people.

“My Lord, here are the rosters for the laborers from each county.” Li Ting handed seven rosters of varying thicknesses to Meng Changqing.

“Thank you all for your trouble. Go to the house and rest for a while.”

Lai Cai led the group of bailiffs to the kitchen to rest.

Meng Changqing rolled up the rosters and turned to Bafang. “Go ask Captain Yang if the pits for the guards have been dug.”

While waiting for Yang Zheng, Meng Changqing walked around to inspect the group.

There were no women among the laborers, and most of them were very thin.

Soon, Yang Zheng approached with several guards. “My Lord, Bafang said there are over five thousand seven hundred laborers. I have brought three hundred and fifty guards.”

Meng Changqing nodded and handed the rosters to Yang Zheng. “Take them to verify the names first.”

Bafang brought a stool over for Meng Changqing. She sat in a sheltered spot, watching Yang Zheng lead his men.

Seeing that the guards verifying the rosters alongside Yang Zheng were all organized and capable of controlling the laborers, she knew that Yang Zheng must have vetted them thoroughly.

“Young Mistress, with so many people, I’m afraid the tools I retrieved won't be enough.”

“Of course they won't be.” Meng Changqing stood up. “I am going to write a letter.”

“Ah, Young Mistress,” Bafang said, picking up the stool and following behind her. “Who are you writing to?”

“Your uncle.”

Before Meng Changqing had even finished her letter, Yang Zheng found her with the rosters. “Reporting to My Lord, the verification is complete. I have instructed the guards to take the laborers in groups of three. I have already spoken to Head Bailiff Li.”

“Well done. Take the remaining guards and go build the kitchens first. We cannot have so many people without food.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

After Yang Zheng left, Meng Changqing sped up her writing. She quickly finished the letter, blew on the ink to dry it, and tucked it into an envelope.

“Ride my horse and deliver this letter to the military camp. Hand it directly to Lord Wei,” Meng Changqing instructed. “Just deliver it. Once it is in his hands, come back immediately. Use the excuse that affairs in Beishan County are complicated and you must return to help.”

“Understood.” Bafang took the letter and prepared to run.

Meng Changqing chased after him for a few steps and called out, “Bafang, remember to call him 'Uncle' to his face. Calling him 'Lord Wei' is too formal.”

Bafang waved as he ran off into the distance.

***

Yang Zheng, leading the soldiers from Hongjia County, found Zhang Yuan.

“Brother Zhang, the Lord’s intention is for these people to follow you to build the seven kitchens first.”

“The Lord marked the locations for the kitchens on the ground long ago. Brother Yang, just have them follow those marks to build them.”

Yang Zheng held back the departing Zhang Yuan and said to the men behind him, “Start digging the foundations with the tools. I have something to discuss with Captain Zhang.”

Zhang Yuan allowed Yang Zheng to lead him into the kitchen area. “What do you want to say?”

“Brother Zhang, you seem somewhat dissatisfied. Is it because the Lord places more trust in me?”

“How would I dare to be dissatisfied? But Brother Yang, why ask what you already know? To be honest, I have already mentioned this to the Lord. He first blamed me for lax discipline, and second, said I shouldn't dwell on immediate gains and losses.” Zhang Yuan sighed. “It is not that the Lord doesn't know; the people you lead and the people I lead are fundamentally different.”

Yang Zheng pressed a hand against him to stop him from saying more. “What kind of temperament do you think our Lord Meng has?”

“The Lord has some youthful spirit. He is young, so it is inevitable.”

“You are dead wrong!” Yang Zheng lowered his voice. “Though the Lord is young, his character and intellect are beyond comparison. Do you know why the General insisted on sending you all here so quickly?”

“Was it because of the bandits?”

“Exactly. Then do you know how the Lord dealt with the bandits we captured?”

Looking at the expression on the man before him, Zhang Yuan instinctively leaned back. “How did he deal with them?”

“That night, the Lord happened to be away from the camp. Over twenty bandits came to raid the grain with weapons. Fortunately, our patrols were strict, and we discovered and captured them quickly. When the Lord returned, he ordered that all twenty-odd men be executed on the spot.

If it were merely 'youthful spirit,' how could he have wielded such ruthlessness?” Yang Zheng said. “The Lord even feared that my men might be too merciful and deceive him with a sham execution; he personally inspected every single corpse.”

Zhang Yuan understood the intent behind these words. Yang Zheng was warning him: this County Magistrate was a cold-blooded man.

“There was another thing the Lord said that left a deep impression on me,” Yang Zheng continued. “He said he would rather lack manpower than employ people who do not obey.”

“Captain Yang, I understand your meaning. I have already promised the Lord that I will manage my soldiers well.”

“Brother Zhang, you misunderstood me.” Yang Zheng explained. “I am not telling you this to threaten or intimidate you. I want to tell you: never underestimate Lord Meng. He is full of schemes, and there is a reason behind everything he does.”

*And you say it's not a threat? It clearly is,* Zhang Yuan thought.

***

Bafang rode at full gallop. By the time he reached the camp gates, the wind had whipped his skin taut.

He dismounted and handed his calling card to the soldier at the gate. “I am Bafang, an attendant to the County Magistrate of Beishan County. I have a letter for the Prefectural Official.”

“Wait.”

After waiting for thirty minutes, Bafang rubbed his hands, wanting to peek inside, but was blocked by a spear from the sentry. “This is a restricted military area. Do not loiter.”

Bafang smiled apologetically. “My apologies, I didn't know. I won't look, I won't look.”

Finally, Wei Fangyun emerged. Bafang rushed forward. “Uncle! My Young Mistress wrote a letter for you to have.” Having said that, he thrust the letter into Wei Fangyun’s hands and followed Meng Changqing’s instructions: “The Young Mistress has much to attend to, so I must head back now.”

Before Wei Fangyun could utter a single word, Bafang was already back on his horse and riding away.

Wei Fangyun stood at the camp gate and opened the letter. Inside were only two pages, briefly reporting the current situation in Beishan County, but the primary purpose was to urge the arrival of the missing supplies.

That night, the gates of Yangmen County opened, and over twenty wagons rolled out in succession, all loaded with tools and grain newly arrived from other prefectures.

As if expecting this, Meng Changqing was already waiting with her people several miles away from the camp.