The next day, Jiang Che took Xu San'er and Geng Dabiao out of the Auxiliary Barracks. Along the way, every auxiliary soldier who looked at him had eyes brimming with envy.
To break free of military service and regain their freedom.
That was the dream of every one of them, yet not a single one could achieve it.
Of course, many also knew they lacked Jiang Che's abilities and methods. Thus, most of their envy was actually directed at Xu San'er and Geng Dabiao.
Quite a few regretted it bitterly. If they had shown Jiang Che more care and built a better relationship with him before he rose to prominence, would they not be the ones escaping military service now?
Unfortunately, there were no ifs in this world.
Within the crowd, Wu Changfeng cowered at the back. Watching Jiang Che's departing figure, the fear in his heart finally eased somewhat. When Gou Buyi and the others had been executed, he had been so frightened that he could not sleep for half the night.
He had feared Jiang Che would take revenge on him and leave him with his head separated from his body.
Fortunately, Jiang Che had not paid him any attention at all.
Yet his thinking was wrong. It was not that Jiang Che would not take revenge; it was simply inconvenient to make a move now. He had just executed Gou Buyi and Scarface, and if he immediately found some excuse to kill Wu Changfeng as well, it would make him seem like he was stirring up trouble over every little thing.
Although Liu Zhi's transfer had already been confirmed, his connections remained. Jiang Che had already spoken with him. To guard against any eventuality, Wu Changfeng would violate military law before the camp was pulled out. Then he would be executed.
Jiang Che moved into a new tent with the other two. After Liu Zhi came in and offered a few reassuring words, he told Jiang Che that Zhu Sheng had summoned him to his tent, apparently because there was something he needed Jiang Che to do.
Zhu Sheng was now his superior's superior. Jiang Che naturally did not dare disobey. After handing his bedding to Xu San'er, he followed his memory toward the main tent.
"Come, have a seat first."
When Zhu Sheng saw Jiang Che arrive, a faint smile appeared on his previously stern face.
"Yes."
"I have already approved the paperwork transferring you out of the Auxiliary Barracks. You have moved already, I presume?" Zhu Sheng asked with a smile.
"We just finished packing our things."
Jiang Che answered every question.
"If I recall correctly, your registered home is Yanggu County?"
"Yes, I am indeed from Yanggu County."
"Liu Zhi must have told you that I will soon take office as the county lieutenant of Yanggu County, correct?"
Zhu Sheng remained smiling pleasantly.
Jiang Che hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"I have arranged for Liu Zhi to become the West City Commander of Yanggu County. Yesterday, he recommended you to me as Deputy Commander of the West City. Do you think you can do the job?" Zhu Sheng pondered, the smile on his face gradually fading.
His joy and anger were impossible to read.
But Jiang Che could not shrink back now. He raised his head and looked steadily at Zhu Sheng.
"This subordinate has confidence."
"Confidence is a good thing. Young people truly do have vigor. Good. Then I shall approve it. From this moment onward, you are the Deputy Commander of the West City in Yanggu County.
"Work hard from now on. I will not treat you poorly."
With those words of encouragement, Liu Zhi's favor in promoting him was counted as Zhu Sheng's own benevolence toward him.
"Yes, this subordinate will remember."
Jiang Che bowed.
"Still calling yourself 'this lowly one'?"
Zhu Sheng looked at him with a smile.
"This subordinate will remember!"
Jiang Che bent even lower.
"Hahaha!" Zhu Sheng raised both hands slightly, signaling Jiang Che to rise. His hearty laughter echoed continuously through the tent.
"You have nothing to do staying in the military camp. I have an assignment for you."
"Please give your orders, County Lieutenant."
Jiang Che said quietly.
"My family does not yet know that I am being transferred. However, I intend to have them accompany me to my new post. Yet I have important matters to attend to these next few days and cannot spare the time. These are unsettled times, with bandits rising everywhere. You will lead some men and escort them to Yanggu County town."
"This subordinate will certainly escort Madam and the others safely into the town."
"Hehe, speaking of which, I have a daughter about your age. Her temperament is somewhat spoiled, and she still has not married. While escorting her, bear with her a little more."
As Zhu Sheng spoke, he handed Jiang Che an iron token engraved with the character "Zhu" and a letter, telling him they were his proof of identity.
"This subordinate obeys!"
Jiang Che answered in a deep voice.
"Go."
After returning to the barracks, Jiang Che told Liu Zhi of Zhu Sheng's arrangements. Liu Zhi assigned him twenty regular soldiers, each mounted on horseback, to accompany him on the escort mission.
Although Geng Dabiao and Xu San'er had not yet settled in, they were included as well.
Before long, everything had been arranged. Jiang Che and the other two changed into the camp's cloth armor, mounted their horses, and galloped out of Wind Camp.
Looking back, the camp grew smaller and smaller, gradually blurring from sight.
And he had completely broken free from military service, regained his freedom, and leapt three ranks in status. With a single transformation, he was now the Deputy Commander of Yanggu County's West Gate!
Tai'an Prefecture's Wind Camp was not stationed near Tai'an Prefecture city, but at the junction of Yanggu County, Qingjiang County, and the prefectural city. Its purpose was to deal with banditry and refugees.
Zhu Sheng's family was not in the prefectural city either, but in a manor. It was not actually far from Wind Camp's encampment; traveling by horse, it took only about half a day.
The manor was called Zhu Family Fort. As the name suggested, it was Zhu Sheng's ancestral home.
And its name had arisen because of him.
Before Zhu Sheng made his name, this place had merely been a farming village. Later, Zhu Sheng purchased fields and bought land in every direction, turning it into his base.
Jiang Che and the others hurried on their way. By the time they arrived, the sky had already turned dark. To avoid causing unnecessary trouble, he immediately ordered everyone to rest outside Zhu Family Fort, intending to bring only two or three men into the manor.
"Hiss."
Hearing the order to rest, Xu San'er hurriedly jumped down from his horse and continuously rubbed the insides of his thighs. He had never trained in martial arts; this kind of forced march was pure torment for him.
Even with Geng Dabiao helping him, his thighs had been rubbed raw with pain.
"Are you all right?"
"N-No big problem. I'll be fine after resting for a bit." Xu San'er shook his head repeatedly. Jiang Che had brought him out on this mission because he valued him, so how could he complain?
Jiang Che saw his embarrassment, then turned to Geng Dabiao.
"Dabiao, come into the fort with me."
"Yes."
After instructing everyone to remain alert, Jiang Che mounted his horse again and headed toward Zhu Family Fort. He had never systematically practiced horsemanship either, but his strength was astonishing. So long as he paid attention to a few key points, he quickly got the hang of it with the saddle's support.
From afar, Zhu Family Fort was brightly lit beneath the night sky, and at its very center stood the Zhu family's grand residence.
"All these fields belong to the Zhu family. No wonder ordinary people have such a hard time surviving these days." Along the way, Geng Dabiao, usually a man of few words, could not help saying as he looked over the fine fields around them.
"Isn't the Geng family the same? That is reality."
Jiang Che felt little about it.
"I just think these officials go too far sometimes. With Captain Zhu's salary, he could never buy this much land in a lifetime. At the very least, they ought to leave ordinary people a path to live."
"Follow me, and one day you will rise in rank and make a fortune too. I hope you can still think that way when the time comes." Jiang Che smiled.
Geng Dabiao looked at the fields, then at Jiang Che's indifferent face, and fell silent.