Old Ge seized on the key point and asked, "Then what about our household guards?" The heads of the various families were all startled by his question, hesitation showing on their faces. These guards had all fought and seen blood; once they were called back, they might not be easy to command. But some family heads had their people and land firmly in hand. With a little extra effort to win them over, the guards could become a crack force!
The only question was whether Song Yu would let them go.
Song Yu smiled. "I have two arrangements for this. Choose whichever you prefer. First, I return them to their families tomorrow, but their armor and weapons stay with me. I'll buy them at an assessed price!"
The family heads were taken aback. It sounded generous, but weapons like these couldn't be bought even with money. And as for how much they'd be paid, that would be up to Song Yu!
"The other option is to lend me these estate guards for three months. I'll pay double for their provisions and expenses. When the time is up, I'll return them, men and weapons alike!"
Neither option was appealing. One meant taking a loss now; the other meant that after three months, who knew how many of their men would still recognize them as their masters? They could end up losing both their people and their money.
The family heads erupted in protest, but under Song Yu's imposing authority, none dared bargain. In the end, each made a choice, and the officials recorded them.
After the family heads had been sent away, Ye Hongyan stepped forward and asked, "Commander, why not keep them all? These estate guards are all strong young men. With a little training, they could become soldiers!"
"Heh!