On the fifth day of the eighth month, the Commandant of Archers' Unit prepared to distribute military pay.
Notice had already gone out: they would be going on field duty, so three full months of pay in cash and grain would be issued. Everyone was to bring large sacks.
Naturally, the soldiers dared not take this lightly.
Yet when they reached the drill ground, the storehouses were not opened. They were not even allowed inside the grounds at first, but had to wait along the edge, watching a group of commandery clerks from Langya lead men in marking lines-or rather, squares-on the ground with lime.
They had no idea what this was for.
Still, they showed no unease, because everyone, including the men from the other four units, had noticed the extraordinary sight at the far end of the drill ground: dozens of enormous cauldrons had been set up, with countless quacking ducks tied with cord piled beside them. The water was already heating, and the ducks were having their throats cut, their blood drained, and their feathers plucked, one after another.
Some sharp-eyed men even recognized a few of those working beside the cauldrons. They were none other than the people below Stone City who specialized in Lotus-Leaf-Wrapped Duck. Each had brought his wife and children to help, and even some of the great iron cauldrons were the very pots they normally cooked ducks in, presumably hauled over to be borrowed for the occasion.
Indeed, Liu Cheng had previously sent people to buy a full six hundred ducks around Jingkou, and every last one had been delivered here.
Once ducks entered Jiankang, what chance did they have of escaping their fate? The numbers might look impressive, but to professional duck cooks, that was only a huge cauldron or two!