"Is that what Leader Zhai said?"
A desk stood in the clearing inside the Wooden Stockade at White Horse Ford, with a chair behind it. Xu Shiying, barely into his twenties, sat upright in full armor, calmly questioning the messenger.
Behind him, the great river rolled on as ever.
"Yes."
The messenger wiped the sweat from his forehead, forcing down a certain nervous excitement as he continued. "The uprising hasn't officially begun yet, but we already control the money and grain storehouses, government offices, and prison. We're following the original instructions: lock them up, guard them, and leave everything untouched. Once the situation is settled, we'll open the granaries and distribute grain together... but for some reason, Chief Huang is nowhere to be found..."
"I sent Huang Junhan out," Xu Shiying answered slowly. "Don't rush. Let me ask you something else... did Leader Zhai make any additional arrangements?"
"Yes." The man paused, but immediately gave his report. "All the commandery clerks are joining the uprising, and we have the constables under our control too. Once the storehouses were sealed, we had more men than expected, so Judicial Officer Zhai sent the surplus out. One group went to speak to Second Master Zhai and tell him to watch out for Li Tingwen. Another went to the east gate to speak with the guards, stall for time, and see if they could bring them over to our side. Then... then he himself took men to the Commandery Governor's Office."
Xu Shiying smiled, pretending not to hear the unsolicited explanation for Zhai Qian's meddling and grabbing credit. He merely continued his questioning. "Secretary He, was it? Let me ask you one more thing. After Commandery Assistant Zhou confessed everything, what was done with him?"
There was nothing difficult about this question. Secretary He,