The Garrison Commander (Part One)

Dawn had barely broken when the bare-chested Liu Acheng woke with a shiver.

This time, he did not spring straight up as he usually did. Instead, he lay in his own private nest of straw, staring blankly at the "roof" fashioned from two forked branches above him... This was his "room," and every part of it reflected his special standing among the refugees.

That was no joke, but an objective description.

The straw pile beneath him was itself an exceedingly valuable communal asset, the raw material for the most common kind of straw sandals. To protect that precious straw, the pile had been placed on a small rise deep inside the camp, with a stream running behind it to one side. Branches and stones had even been stacked into two rough walls, while more branches supported a covering overhead.

Dry, airy, safe, warm, and to some extent protected against both fire and rain.

Even in an army, this would have been a private room reserved for the clerk in charge of fodder and supplies. How much more luxurious was it among refugees who barely had enough clothing to cover themselves?

Yet even this top-of-the-line dwelling now felt cold at night. The pressure of survival had come surging back.

In theory, as long as he could keep the sandal- and mat-weaving crew together, his own basic survival would be assured. But when the nest was overturned, no egg remained intact. If the entire refugee band fell apart, what could Liu Acheng possibly rely on to hold this crew together?

Liu Rengong could do it. Liu Acheng could not.

Unless, when Liu Rengong abandoned the remaining refugees, he was willing to take Liu Acheng along for the value of his sandal-weaving crew.

This was no idle speculation. In fact, Liu Acheng had already discerned something of Liu Rengong's intentions. This Refugee Commander was steeped in the lethargy of old age, inclined to dodge every problem that arose, with none of the ambition needed to use all the manpower at his disposal to build something bigger and stronger... He had only held on this long because that was the custom of the age. Until things reached a certain point, he could hardly break away from his neighbors and fellow clansmen.

But when that point truly came, even if the man wanted to keep him, what would following him amount to? Becoming one of his household's Slave Retainers?

Besides, his original plan had been to borrow a hen to lay his own eggs: he needed to accumulate money and gather people, with gathering people the real heart of it all. If he left these refugees behind and struck out alone, in what distant year would he ever build a Fortified Manor of his own?

Of course, it was still too early to think about that. Things had not reached that stage yet. Perhaps Lord Ren's old acquaintance would prove a great help, and they could keep the situation afloat.

At that thought, he finally rolled upright in the straw pile and carefully pulled on his clothes-he did not sleep bare-chested for comfort, but for fear of wearing holes in his only shirt.

Once dressed, he hopped down from the straw pile, rinsed his mouth in the stream, relieved himself, and headed toward the center of camp. The first person he encountered was Brother Qi, who had risen early to feed his sheep so it would not interfere with pounding straw later. After being injured and beaten that day, he too had been brought into the mat- and sandal-weaving crew.

Liu Acheng greeted him with a smile.

The two were about as close as anyone in this group, and even the stolid Brother Qi managed a faint smile. As it faded, however, he could not help asking, "Acheng, how can you smile every day? Everyone's been growing more helpless by the day lately. We're all worried sick."

"If the heavens send rain and we have no roof, we'll get soaked whether we cry or smile... So we might as well smile." Liu Acheng did his best to comfort him. "Besides, when the cart reaches the mountain, a road is bound to appear. There's no need to panic. Lord Ren's been asking someone for help."

The middle-aged man forced another smile at that, then turned back to watch his sheep grazing.

Liu Acheng paused, then continued with a smile, "Brother Qi, weren't you looking for a wife? There are plenty of widows in the group now, and you can work. Perhaps you could marry without giving up your sheep, then raise it together. Wouldn't that be nice? If you found someone with a sheep of her own, your sheep could have lambs, and those lambs could have more lambs. In a few years, you'd be wealthy sheep owners... Though with your temperament, you'll have to start by talking to people more and helping them with their work."

The middle-aged man flushed scarlet and merely waved his hands.

It was a trifling interlude, hardly worth mentioning. Liu Acheng stopped teasing him and hurried to the center of camp, to the large fire where Liu Rengong's household lived. Starting with Liu Rengong himself, he paid his respects and greeted everyone down to the useful Slave Retainers of the Liu household, effectively clocking in for work. Then he went to inspect the materials... chiefly wild hemp, dry grass, some vines, and a pile of rice straw that had been pounded soft and prepared the day before.

Once he had checked that everything was in order, he cadged breakfast with Liu Rengong's household of more than fifty.

It really was a household of more than fifty: beneath Liu Zhi, or Liu Rengong, were three sons, two daughters-in-law, five grandchildren, and four daughters. Two sons-in-law had even come along, bringing three more grandchildren. Then there was a paternal cousin's family of twenty-one, and two nephews with households of nine and eight respectively. That did not even count the Slave Retainers.

In fact, besides Liu Zhi's household, the camp contained a full two or three hundred households surnamed Liu, all his distant relations. They had formerly lived together in two or three embanked settlements on the border between Pengcheng and Pei Commandery. So if he wished, it would have been perfectly natural to use those two or three hundred households as a foundation for controlling the manpower of all seven or eight hundred households.

Tell them to enlist, and they would enlist. Tell them to break new ground, and they would break new ground. Tell them to weave straw sandals, and they would weave straw sandals.

The prestige bestowed by such a family left Liu Acheng green with envy. It was also the reason for both his earlier plan to "borrow a hen to lay his own eggs" and his worries about the future that morning.

Without a proper member of the lower gentry as Refugee Commander, there was simply no holding people together. And a timid Refugee Commander was rarer still—you could search with a lantern and never find one. He was the ideal host for borrowing a hen to lay one's own eggs. But now it seemed excessive timidity was no blessing either.

After breakfast, Liu Huzi came to urge his father to visit Garrison Commander Gao.

Liu Zhi told his son that, although they were old acquaintances, it would be improper to arrive unannounced. First, his eldest should deliver a calling card... Everyone was helpless, but their few calling cards had long since been lost on the road. They had to find a piece of wood and carve two replacements, and by the time all that fuss was over and the eldest son set out, it was already noon.

There was good news. He returned that evening and said he had met Garrison Commander Gao himself. The commander had not made many excuses, only said that military affairs would keep him busy for the next two days, but he would be free after noon the day after tomorrow, and invited Liu Rengong to meet him then.

Liu Zhi was naturally delighted. Liu Acheng, Grandpa Liu San, and the others listening nearby were pleased as well. But for the latter, this affair was only something to watch in the mornings and evenings. They continued organizing the weaving of straw sandals and mats as usual, continued selling them along Jingkou Avenue, and sent people to look for markets nearby.

It was worth mentioning that when they reached the market the next day, Liu Jili was nowhere to be seen. Whether Liu Acheng's group had competed him out of business and forced him elsewhere, or whether his Refugee Commander had simply "optimized" him away for failing to meet his KPIs, no one knew.

In a flash, the appointed day arrived. Liu Rengong's cousin had announced early on that his back hurt and he would not go, but his three sons, four nephews-including two cousins' sons-and two sons-in-law were all in high spirits, grooming themselves as best they could.

First they fetched the deerskin coats kept at the bottom of their trunks, but one look at the blazing sun sent those dutifully back into storage. They changed back into their usual summer robes of kudzu cloth. Lord Ren himself donned a single-ridged cap of the worthy, while his sons and nephews wore various headgear: some caps of the worthy, others small warriors' caps. One son-in-law truly could not find a cap and merely wrapped his head in a cloth.

Once everyone was dressed, Liu Rengong urged his eldest daughter-in-law to open a chest and take out two bolts of silk that were still in fairly good condition.

At this point, Grandpa Liu San once again took matters into his own hands. He had already summoned twenty or thirty of the camp's finest Able-Bodied Men, each carrying a bow, and assembled their last seven or eight scrawny horses and undersized mules. Liu Zhi, however, waved them away.

As he explained it, they were displaced men going to ask for help, not to enlist. Why bring such a crowd?

Yet even taking only a few close relatives would not work. There were just four horses, and a mule had to carry the silk. Were the others supposed to ride mangy donkeys that could barely pull a cart, or walk?

Of course, watching from the side, Liu Acheng understood. The real issue was that, after being robbed, Liu Rengong could no longer produce any respectable gifts. Turning up empty-handed with so many people would be embarrassing. That was why he had pointed to the four horses and set a limit.

Liu Rengong's sons-in-law were eliminated first. His nephews were plainly unwilling to give up and tried sharing mounts with Liu Zhi's sons, but none of those attempts worked... These had been hard days, and the few horses they had begged to keep with ingratiating smiles on the river were all poor animals. Not one could carry two grown men.

With no other choice, and walking there out of the question, the nephews had to dismount and remain meekly in camp with their hands folded, watching wistfully.

Yet, for reasons unknown, just before leaving, Liu Rengong looked around and suddenly singled out Liu Cheng, who stood holding his flute and watching the show. "Acheng, you're small enough. You should be able to share Ahu's horse, shouldn't you?"

Rather than pleased, Liu Acheng was alarmed. He hurried forward to explain, "Lord Ren, I'm young, and I don't know how to ride. Please get going. Don't let me hold up important business. I still have to assign the mats here!"

Liu Rengong on horseback and Grandpa Liu San on the ground both seemed about to speak, but Liu Huzi, who had long since grown impatient, had somehow already reined his horse around behind Liu Cheng. He reached down and hauled him up. Liu Cheng dared not struggle hard-first, for fear of causing trouble, and second, because he had only one pair of trousers and one coarse short tunic. If they tore, he would have nothing to wear. He could only spring upward with the pull and land behind Liu Huzi, sharing his horse.

After that, no one said another word.

With everything settled, Liu Zhi hesitated no longer. He had his eldest son lead the way, and the party rode straight out of camp. Just before they left, Liu Cheng found an opening: coming toward him with a great bundle of firewood on his back was his accomplice Liu Dage, the very man who had stripped him naked on the river. He seized the chance to toss him the bamboo flute, though his heart remained in turmoil.

The fellow was worried that Liu Zhi would treat him as a performer-or even sell him into Garrison City as a military bondsman!

That really would be a hell-difficulty start.

Leaving aside how this transmigrator failed to recognize goodwill and let his imagination run wild, the five men rode four horses with a mule tethered behind them. Even without daring to gallop, they traveled much faster than they normally did on foot. They first reached Jingkou Avenue, then followed the river, arriving at the Riverside Garrison before noon.

There was no petty gatekeeper making trouble at the entrance, despite the entire party looking rather bedraggled... The reason could not have been simpler: the soldiers at the Garrison Station were refugees themselves, merely arrived two years earlier. They naturally understood that a Refugee Commander newly arrived south of the river had come to visit their own Refugee Commander, who now held official rank. Besides, their master, Garrison Commander Gao, had given instructions beforehand.

Sure enough, Garrison Commander Gao Jian was said to be inspecting the weapons. He merely sent someone to receive his old friend in the hall, intending to dine together shortly. Liu Rengong naturally had no objection and brought the other four inside to wait.

Once there, Liu Rengong sat down first, followed by his three sons. Despite his coarse short tunic, Liu Cheng had managed to slip in too, and silently found a seat behind Liu Huzi. He had already decided: if Garrison Commander Gao pointed at him and told him to get out, he would go. But if no one ordered him out, he would stay put.

But what if they really asked him to play and even brought him a flute? What then? Would he have to grit his teeth and refuse?

Garrison Commander Gao did not keep them waiting long. Before noon, several men in Iron Loin Armor and warriors' caps appeared before the hall. Startled, Liu Rengong hurried to his feet and solemnly exchanged bows with the man at their head inside the hall. Then the two clasped hands and exchanged greetings.

Liu Cheng naturally rose and bowed with Liu Zhi's three sons, stealing a glance at Garrison Commander Gao in the process. The man was much younger than Liu Zhi, appearing only thirty or forty. His expression remained stern throughout, without the slightest trace of a smile. With his Iron Loin Armor still on, he certainly looked the part of a soldier.

Once the greetings were over, Liu Rengong introduced his sons. They all addressed Gao as Uncle, but Garrison Commander Gao offered no warmth to any of them, merely nodding. Liu Huzi grew visibly restless.

When Liu Cheng's turn came, he too lowered his head and addressed him as Uncle. Perhaps because his clothes were so poor, the man gave him an extra glance.

"This is a young clansman of our Liu Clan of Pengcheng. His family lived in Qiao Commandery. During this migration south, his entire clan was scattered and lost. He alone escaped with his life and happened upon us." Liu Zhi hesitated before doing his best to introduce him.

"Since he is a young clansman of Lord Ren's, let him join us at the table." Before Liu Cheng could speak again, Gao Jian nodded, plainly without the slightest interest—neither in making things difficult for him nor in favoring him.

The Lius grew increasingly apprehensive and took their seats. Liu Cheng's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he was delighted. Thanks to Liu Rengong, another established member of the gentry had acknowledged his identity... If this continued, once eight or ten such men recognized him, his standing as an impoverished gentleman would be secure. Even if he could not become an official, making his fortune as a member of the gentry would still be a sound prospect.

In that case, playing them a new tune later would be no great hardship.

But soon, as the dishes were brought out, almost everyone put aside their private thoughts and relaxed.

This was not because the food was particularly lavish. Quite the opposite: it was nothing special. There was no wine, only wild greens, millet rice, and bean soup. There was indeed one small wild pheasant, fairly divided into two halves, one for Gao Jian and one for Liu Zhi. Everyone else, including the two junior officers surnamed Gao seated opposite and Liu Cheng in his coarse short tunic, received none. They were all treated alike!

That was a fine observance of etiquette.

There was no helping it. In this age of turmoil north and south, some were poor and some rich-and a man might be poor today and rich tomorrow. Proper hospitality had never been a question of how many cold dishes or hot dishes to serve, whether there should be chicken, duck, fish, or meat, or whether to prepare a bowl of noodle flakes. What mattered was fairness between host and guest.

Serving the guest whatever the host ate was the greatest courtesy of all.

Of course, Liu Cheng did not yet know this. But he had first been allowed a seat, and now tasted the current year's fresh millet for the first time. Naturally, he found it exceptionally sweet and fragrant. His spirits were even better than those of Liu Huzi and his brothers.

After the meal, several people in the same coarse tunics and trousers came to clear away the bowls and chopsticks, which had almost been licked clean. Whether they were Slave Retainers or laborers was unclear. One was a boy of about fifteen or sixteen, with a dark face and hands covered in calluses, whom Liu Cheng had not seen serving the food. Perhaps surprised to find a guest also wearing a Coarse Tunic and Trousers, he could not help giving Liu Cheng several extra looks. Liu Cheng could only smile back.

---------A dividing line with no long robe to wear---------

Gao Jian, courtesy name Wenzhen, was a native of Bohai. Amid the upheavals of Wei and Jin, his grandfather moved to Le'an. In Jian's time, great disorder engulfed Later Zhao, and he moved again to Jingkou. Passing through Pengcheng, he was treated kindly by Lord Ren and entrusted his life to him. The following year, the north fell into utter ruin, and Lord Ren too journeyed south. Arriving in Jingkou destitute and with nowhere to turn, he in turn sought Jian's protection. Emperor Taizu was then fifteen and numbered among Lord Ren's followers. Jian esteemed him and regarded him as the future of Gao and Liu.

-Old Book of Qi, Biographies, Volume Eighteen