Chapter 112: Winds Rising (IX)

Chaos erupted within the Xu Family Hamlet.

No one had imagined that on such a quiet, peaceful day in late autumn, something like this could occur. The commandery governor, a man of such lofty, god-like stature, was supposedly sending an army from far away to purge the village. And Elder Xu, who had looked after them for over a decade and was regarded by all as the patriarch of their community, had decided to leave with such sudden, resolute finality.

The Xu Family Hamlet had been established for some seventeen or eighteen years, and the residents had been registered and their fields taxed for thirteen or fourteen. From a desolate wasteland, it had grown into a village of over thirty households and a hundred souls.

During that time, they had cleared wild lands, fought off bandits, lived in nightly terror of the Turkic incursions from the south, and braved the biting winds and snow of the northern frontiers while following Xu Gan to trade. It had been a perilous journey at every step.

Under the protection of this man, who seemed as unyielding as iron, they had weathered every storm. Though life remained difficult, with the Turkic border threat growing worse by the day and the government’s taxes and labor duties becoming increasingly heavy, everyone cherished the life they had built in the hamlet.

To the simple-minded folk, whose horizons were limited, it seemed as though this life would last forever. They imagined they would put down roots here, passing their lives on from one generation to the next. No one had expected that their sense of security would vanish into thin air overnight.

After Du Chong let out a sudden shout and turned to gather his weapons and rations to follow Xu Gan, the young men of the hamlet finally awoke to the reality of the situation. Many cried out, "Old Master, we will go with you!"

Among the crowd, many scurried home, dragging out their mounts, packing rations, and arming themselves with blades and bows. No matter where Xu Gan was headed, they would follow.

Since the end of the centuries of chaos following the fall of the Jin Dynasty, the tradition of fortified villages and strongholds had never truly faded. A man like Xu Gan was essentially the master of such a stronghold. People huddled together for protection, living and dying as one. Only in this way could they hope to survive a turbulent age.

The great noble clans were, in essence, merely larger versions of these same strongholds.

Following a clan leader had become an instinct for most in this era. Elder Xu had established the hamlet, appeased the refugees, opened the fields, driven off bandits, taught the villagers martial arts, provided them with homes, dealt with the government, and helped them thrive. If he was not a clan leader, what was he?

If the master was leaving, where else could they go but with him?

Furthermore, the villagers of the Xu Family Hamlet were mostly refugees from Mayi or Yanmen who had fled the frequent Turkic raids and settled in the Sanggan River Valley. They knew the horrors of war and understood the bloody meaning behind the term "village purge."

Staying here was a path to death; it was better to follow the Old Master and build a home elsewhere.

The shouts of the dozens of young men finally brought Xu Gan’s mount to a halt. He looked back to see them returning to their homes, leading out their horses, stuffing their bags with rations, and gathering with bows and blades in hand, awaiting his command.

There were others, however—perhaps because they had families to protect, or because they lacked the heart to wander, or perhaps because they had lost faith in the aging, ailing Xu Gan—who simply bowed from afar to the figure of the old man as a final farewell. After Xu Gan left, they intended to depart temporarily, waiting for the violence to pass before returning, hoping, if fortune favored them, to rebuild their homes.

Xu Gan’s white beard fluttered as he stared blankly at the scene before him. Finally, he shut his eyes tight, then opened them again. "Those who wish to follow, come with me! As for the rest, take care of yourselves and strive to survive! Before we go, set the hamlet ablaze. We built this with our own sweat, and we shall leave nothing behind for Wang Rengong!"

***

Chen Fengpo did not dawdle on the road. Instead, he chose the shortest path best suited for a large force and led the elite cavalry of Shi Chaozhi’s battalion toward the Xu Family Hamlet.

He had already sent word to the Old Master last night, which was enough to settle his personal debt. If he were to delay any further now, how could he answer to Shi Chaozhi?

Chen Fengpo had lived through the chaos that preceded the Great Sui, and he knew just how ruthless and vicious these generals, who commanded elite troops to seize power for their lords, could be. While they were still under the jurisdiction of the Sui and there was at least a semblance of law, once the dynasty crumbled and the world fell into total war, Shi Chaozhi would kill him as easily as one might slaughter a chicken.

To offend no one and maintain a measure of goodwill with all sides was Chen Fengpo’s philosophy of survival, a strategy that had kept him safe until now.

With over a dozen local scouts from the Shenwu Eagle-Yang Garrison leading the way, and more than two hundred elite cavalry following, they kicked up a cloud of dust as they surged along the Sanggan River toward the Xu Family Hamlet. Such a display of force caused the villages along the way to shutter their doors in dead silence, terrified of provoking such a pack of wolves.

While the Heng’an Eagle-Yang Garrison was winning the hearts of the people in Mayi Commandery and drawing in warriors from all around, Wang Rengong had expanded his own Mayi Eagle-Yang Garrison to ten thousand men. He achieved this by stripping the entire commandery to support his troops, recruiting anyone who was ambitious, greedy, or violent enough to fight. He was lax with his troops' discipline to ensure their loyalty.

Many villages had already been purged by Wang Rengong’s soldiers for failing to pay the required taxes and grain levies.

As several squad leaders clustered around Shi Chaozhi, looking out over the Sanggan River Valley, one of them spurred his horse closer and said with a grin, "Commander, this place looks quite prosperous. Why not let the brothers have some fun?"

Shi Chaozhi kept a stern face. "The Lord ordered us to take care of the Xu family!"

The squad leader laughed. "Come on, who in these nearby villages isn't related to the Xu family in some way? Wiping them out as well would just be finishing the job the Lord entrusted to us."

A faint smile touched Shi Chaozhi’s grim face. "I knew you dogs didn't have any good intentions. Very well, I grant it, but only after we finish the business the Lord entrusted to us!"

The squad leader slapped his thigh. "Who would dare delay the Lord’s business? The men will work twice as hard! We’ve been staring at the Heng’an troops across the border for so long, drinking nothing but wind, and now we’ve been rushed here to Shenwu. The men are exhausted—thank you for your consideration, Commander!"

While Shi Chaozhi and his men were plotting, the local scouts led by Chen Fengpo were whispering among themselves.

"I’ve seen this Master Le. He’s a refined, handsome youth, always protected by that 'Little Door-God' Han Yue when he walks in the county. How did he suddenly become a general under Commander Liu?"

"Haven't you heard of the reputation of Old Master Xu from years ago? He came to Shenwu eighteen or nineteen years ago and settled in the Sanggan River Valley. Single-handedly, he cleared the valley of horse thieves and bandits, which is how they built what they have today. Perhaps Master Le comes from a family tradition?"

"Nonsense. I’ve seen the Old Master—he’s an old man now and rarely deals with others. If he were truly capable, why wouldn't every successive governor have recruited him? He’s just a village elder. I think this 'Master Le' business is just an excuse. Someone must have offended one of the governor’s subordinates, and they just picked a crime to justify purging the village. In this day and age, you have to be under the protection of a high-born, powerful clan to stay safe!"

Chen Fengpo, wiping sweat from his brow, kept glancing toward the east. He had no interest in joining the gossip; he only wanted to finish this matter as quickly as possible, return to Shenwu, and take care of his own family—that was what mattered.

The sun was already sinking in the west, and the Xu Family Hamlet was not far off. Another mile or two, and the village would be in sight. If they didn't leave by then, it was their own bad luck. As far as looking out for the villagers went, he felt he had done all he could.

Suddenly, a plume of black smoke caught Chen Fengpo’s eye.

The smoke billowed upward, the result of a massive fire. It was rising from the very direction of the Xu Family Hamlet!

Chen Fengpo wiped his brow violently and, feigning shock, turned to shout, "Commander! The Xu Family Hamlet is on fire!"