Luling Prefecture
Prefect Lin Daoshen led a group of officials on an inspection. He looked around, then raised his eyes to the sky. The heavens were rather gloomy, and a gust struck his face, lifting the skirts of his robe. Looking again at the laborers busily repairing the walls, he ordered, "Notify all officials to inspect every wall and every section. Any unstable walls must be repaired. Any houses too close to the walls must all be demolished. The yamen will provide land for resettlement. No disobedience will be tolerated!"
"Yes!"
"Under the court's instructions, men aged seventeen to thirty from every village and township are to be conscripted as able-bodied auxiliaries. Has this been done?" Lin Daoshen asked.
"In answer to your lordship!" The patrol inspector bowed respectfully. "We told them they would receive government rations, that this wasn't unpaid labor. Recruitment has gone very smoothly in every township. I cannot say we took everyone, but as your lordship commanded, we conscripted all those who looked young and strong."
These men were, in fact, the manpower of the countryside outside the city. Whoever took them first left none for the other side.
Thus, the court had ordered every commandery and county that still had time to conscript them immediately.
Once the rebel army arrived, there would be no one left to conscript.
Hearing this, Lin Daoshen said no more and resumed his inspection. Seeing no major weaknesses in the walls, he felt somewhat reassured. Just as he was about to speak, a cannon suddenly boomed, making everyone shudder from head to toe.
They all turned toward the beacon fires to the north, only for another cannon blast to ring out, making them shudder again.
Five cannon blasts sounded in succession, and five columns of signal smoke rose straight from