Chapter 44: Brought Back Several Thousand People

“Young Master, Young Master!” Bafang rushed in, pushing aside the door curtain. “Lord Wei has personally brought the laborers.”

Meng Changqing immediately headed outside. “Go and welcome him at once.”

She walked briskly and happened to meet Wei Fangyun just as he was dismounting.

“Uncle!” Meng Changqing glanced at the group of laborers behind him; there were roughly five thousand of them. Judging by the clothing of some of them, she knew Wei Fangyun had truly run out of options.

Sure enough, as soon as Wei Fangyun dismounted, he let out a sigh. “I’ve brought over five thousand people for you this time. Send someone to collect the roster.”

Meng Changqing called out, “Captain Yang, come collect the men.”

“You’ve worked hard, Uncle. Come sit in the county magistrate's office for a bit.”

“What kind of county office is that?” Wei Fangyun’s brow furrowed deeply. “Let’s go look at the walls instead.”

Bafang approached with a torch to lead the way.

As they slowly neared the city walls, Wei Fangyun noticed, “Why is no one working?”

“The night shift is resting today.”

“Do you have enough time? Meng Changqing, don't you dare joke with me!” For the first time, Wei Fangyun addressed her by her full name. “There weren't enough laborers to begin with, yet you implement a three-shift system, and now work has stopped entirely? What are you thinking? National affairs cannot be treated so lightly!”

His scolding immediately drew the attention of the soldiers guarding the walls. “Who goes there!”

Bafang stepped forward and replied loudly, “Lord Meng is inspecting the walls. No need to ask questions.”

Meng Changqing replied respectfully, “Please calm your anger, My Lord. You should first look at these walls and see just how long they are.”

From Wei Fangyun’s perspective, he could only see the walls disappearing into the darkness; even with keen eyesight, the end was nowhere in sight.

“How long?” Wei Fangyun asked.

“It has already exceeded three *li*.”

Wei Fangyun turned back. “Bring me my horse.”

He wanted to confirm it with his own eyes.

Since Wei Fangyun wanted a horse, Bafang nimbly brought over Meng Changqing’s horse as well.

The two mounted and rode along the wall. Wei Fangyun estimated the distance all the way, ignoring Meng Changqing entirely until he confirmed that the length of the wall indeed exceeded three *li*. Only then did his expression soften.

“You have fewer than ten thousand laborers on hand, so it is indeed not easy to have built this much in such a short time. But today is already the twenty-second of the first month, and spring is drawing closer. With your current speed, how can you guarantee the walls will be finished before the Yan army attacks?”

“Uncle,” Meng Changqing reminded him, “I never made such a guarantee. I only guaranteed that the walls would be completed within two months.”

Wei Fangyun was momentarily speechless.

Meng Changqing continued, “The Yan army could attack at any time. We are merely judging based on previous years' experience that they lack the strength to attack Great Liang in winter. If, by some misfortune, that day comes, I can only lead the people back to Yangmen County.”

Wei Fangyun tightened his reins and turned his horse to head back the way they came. “If that day truly comes, the soldiers will handle it. Since you said two months, I will give you two months, no matter what.”

“Thank you, Uncle.” Meng Changqing spurred her horse to follow him.

“Changqing,” Wei Fangyun asked, “Why is it that with fewer than ten thousand men, you can build so quickly?”

Meng Changqing replied, “I divided them into small groups of about fifty. Whichever group works faster gets to eat first and can eat their fill. Most of the first two batches of laborers came from impoverished backgrounds. They rarely have the chance to eat their fill, so they are naturally willing to put in the effort.”

Hearing this, Wei Fangyun’s opinion of Meng Changqing improved even further. He asked tentatively, “In that case, with the current number of laborers, is it possible to finish the walls within two months?”

Meng Changqing replied, “It is not possible.”

Wei Fangyun sighed. His horse seemed to sense its master's mood and slowed down as well. “You are exceptionally bright; you don't need me to say much to see it yourself. Every laborer that could be conscripted in all of Liangzhou has been brought here. There might even be those who paid to avoid labor service. Everyone who could be sent is here. Today's batch is five thousand one hundred and sixty-two people. In total, there are fewer than fifteen thousand. If the various counties were to forcibly conscript more, it would truly drive the people to revolt.”

Wei Fangyun reached out to touch the wall, his fingertips brushing against the rough rammed-earth surface. “I know that currently, this number is far too low compared to what you need. After I return tonight, I will immediately petition the imperial court to send the garrison from Weishan County. You have the ability and the grit; your uncle cannot be the one to hold you back.”

“Young Master!”

Just then, they heard Bafang’s voice approaching from a distance.

Bafang rode up to them, only lowering his voice once he was close. “Uncle, Young Master, you should go back and see. Captain Zhang has brought back several thousand people.”

“What!” Wei Fangyun spurred his horse toward the camp. Sure enough, he saw several thousand people standing in a noisy crowd.

Zhang Yuan was shouting from outside the crowd, “Men and women separate! Those from the same county stand together! Those from the same village or neighboring villages stand in rows! We will group you later; it’s better to be in a group with people you know, isn't it?”

Wei Fangyun stepped forward and asked Zhang Yuan, “Who are these people? Where did they come from?”

Zhang Yuan was startled by him. “Reporting to the General, these are people from various counties who have come voluntarily to build the wall.”

Meng Changqing dismounted unhurriedly and walked over steadily.

This was only the first batch; why be excited? She had cast three handfuls of bait.

“What is going on?” Wei Fangyun couldn't make sense of it. He couldn't catch a single one, yet as soon as he turned his head, so many had come voluntarily?

“Reporting to the General, they heard about the situation here from the laborers who went back, and they want to come to eat the millet rice.”

Wei Fangyun suddenly burst into a hearty laugh. Just as Meng Changqing reached his side, he slapped her on the back so hard she nearly face-planted into the dirt.

Just as she managed to steady herself, she heard Wei Fangyun say, “Good! Well done, Meng Changqing! You truly have your ways! I was wondering why work had stopped—so that was it! So that was it!”

Wei Fangyun turned to look at Meng Changqing and nodded in approval. “I underestimated you. You truly are the child of the Great General of Dingbei.”

“Uncle, you flatter me.” Meng Changqing asked, “How many people are here?”

Zhang Yuan replied, “They were counted before leaving Yangmen County. There are five thousand eight hundred and seventy-four in total.”

“Count them again. Group them as quickly as possible and have the guards lead them to dig the pits.”

“Yes!”

***

That same night, in a farmhouse in Qianzeng Village, Liangzhou.

Old Mother Zeng was sighing. “A woman going to a place like that will inevitably face gossip. Since you are determined to take her, just don't take the village's words to heart.”

“Mother, you don't know the situation there.” Zeng the Third squatted in front of his mother. “Men and women are managed separately, they sleep separately, and they don't even work in the same place. What gossip could there be?”

Old Mother Zeng ignored whatever her third son said; she only cared about what her eldest son thought.

It wasn't until the eldest son said, “It was my own decision. I know what I'm doing,” that she fell silent.

“What time do we leave tomorrow?” Old Mother Zeng asked.

“We leave at dawn.”

“Then go to sleep quickly.”

Once they returned to their sleeping quarters, the eldest son realized his wife, who had been silent the whole time, had red-rimmed eyes. “What is it? Are you hungry?”

Meizi took a deep breath and asked, “Were those words just now your own thoughts, or did Mother tell you to say them?”

The eldest son was bewildered. “What words?”