In late April, rain drizzled down in fits and starts. This meant the rainy season... or, more precisely, the Jianghuai region was once again entering its customary wet spell, which should rapidly spread north, bringing the Ji River basin its punctual stretch of unbroken rain in May.
During a brief lull in the rain, Niu Da, a leader who ranked securely among the top four in the Exorcising the Dragon Gang's western camp, led his men into Dang County. After making some arrangements for his troops, he hurried to seek out Great Dragonhead Zhang, who was overseeing affairs in the city. When he found him, the man was tilting his head as he looked at heads.
Human heads.
Several hundred of them. Some were fresh, still oozing blood; others had long since been washed pale, black, or green by the rain. Heaped together, their hair knotted into a mass by mud and blood, they made a particularly striking sight.
But there was no helping it. These were military merits.
During the battle that evening, Great Dragonhead Zhang had personally declared that all under his banner would share honor and disgrace, so at least no further distinctions had been necessary. But in the subsequent fighting and pursuit, severed heads inevitably still had to serve as the measure of military merit... Besides, these powerful families of the Eastern Territories, descendants of Eastern Qi's military aristocracy, were naturally old hands at such things. Zhang Xing was the one who seemed out of touch with the masses.
"Once someone collects enough heads, promotion is guaranteed?"
After watching for a while with his hands behind his back, Zhang Xing suddenly turned to ask Niu Da behind him. His spirits were surprisingly good.
"Yes."
Already somewhat cautious, Niu Da answered immediately. "Cultivation is only an unwritten