Chapter 138

In front of the Tusi Mansion's square, masked shamans, holding instruments, performed a blessing-inspiring Nuo dance. Monks from the Guanfo Temple chanted prayers while waving branches dipped in holy water, sprinkling the holy water upon the soldiers about to depart for battle.

After the ceremony, Yun Kai knelt on one knee in front of the old lady and said, "Mother, I am leaving with Yun Xiang's sons. Please wait for my good news."

The old lady bent down and grabbed a handful of red soil from the ground, then slowly sprinkled it on Yunkai's bun and said to him, "Go, the soil of your hometown will bless you."

Yunkai stood up and turned his head to look at Yueming who was standing next to the old lady. People are always like this, they have a thousand words to say to the old lady, but they feel so confused that they don't know where to start. Finally, he whispered to Yueming, "Be like Nanmu Nona!"

The old lady and the eighth lady covered their mouths and laughed softly. The third master, who was already a young boy, looked unbearable and shouted at Yun Kai: "Second brother, you have no shame."

The eldest wife, who was hugging Liang Yun, patted her brother-in-law and said, "You are still young and don't understand. You will understand after I find you a wife in a few years."

Yueming endured the embarrassment and said to Yunkai: "I know what to do. Don't worry, I'm at home!"

Giving her another reluctant look, Yun Kai jumped on his horse and said, "Let's go!"

Feng Er's three sons had all left with Yun Kai, leaving him and Tao Da to shoulder the responsibilities of the mansion. With the master gone, it was customary for Yin Tai to make all the decisions, big or small. However, since Yue Ming's marriage, Yin Tai had ignored all the household affairs. If you had questions, she'd simply tell you to go to the master and the old lady. Feng Er's eyes swirled before he finally reported the mansion's pressing matters to the old lady.

While listening to Feng Er's report, the old lady led everyone back to the house.

In Yunkai's absence, government affairs were decided by the head of the meeting hall and the various officials in the yamen. After discussing the summer grain harvest that day and dismissing the yamen, Ai Ye stopped Lao Ben and Qiangba at the door of the meeting hall, claiming that Yue Ming Yintai had a request.

In the wooden pavilion beside the lotus pond, Yueming was sitting there drinking tea. Seeing the two of them, she told the maid to seat them and serve them tea.

Qiangba looked terrified and said, "Madam, if you have anything to say, just tell us directly. We will just stand there and listen."

Yue understood him at a glance: "We grew up together, so don't try to play tricks on me."

Qiangba pretended to be terrified and said, "Everyone knows how jealous the master is. If I dare to sit face to face with you and drink tea, I will lose my legs when he comes back."

Lao Ben pushed him away impatiently and sat on the mat placed by the maid, scolding him, "You're the only one who talks too much." Turning to Yueming, he said with a friendly expression, "Madam, is there something difficult that you need us to help you with?"

Having watched them grow up, Yueming had long been accustomed to their playful and playful ways of getting along. He smiled at the two and said, "It's not that there's anything difficult. The night before he left, the master told me that all of Yun Xiang's men, young and old, can serve as soldiers. The young and strong men have all been taken away by the master, and I want to know how many of the remaining men are available. Lao Ben, you work in the tax office, collecting taxes from the three cities of Shangzhongxia and Jiumeng and Shibaquan. You should know better than anyone."

Lao Ben was stunned. "Why are you asking this? The master didn't even mention sending more troops or reinforcements in his letter!"

Yueming handed him a letter and said slowly, "Pujiang has committed so many murders. He must be brought to justice as a warning to others. Since the master is busy now, I must help him with this matter. My people have found out that he did not go to Gengxiangmeng with the Japanese, but secretly went to Shan State." Seeing the two men's frowns and serious eyes after reading the letter, she smiled and said, "What is his purpose in going to Shan State? I don't need to tell you, right?"

Lao Ben gnashed his teeth and said, "He wants to take advantage of the master's absence and unite with those chieftains in Shan State who have surrendered to Japan to swallow up Yun Xiang."

Yueming nodded. "I initially thought something had happened in Mengding Prefecture, and Yunxiang would be next. But the Japanese went after Gengxiangmeng and Awa Mountain. The Japanese had their own battle plan and would never let Pujiang lead them by the nose and become a tool for revenge and power seizure. Mengding Prefecture was the only way to Gengxiangmeng, which allowed him to succeed. While the master was allied with Gengxiangmeng's chieftain and the heads of the eighteen tribes to pursue the Japanese, he thought it was a good time to eat Yunxiang."

Qiangba stared at her in astonishment. "You've already guessed it, so why are you still so calm? Hurry up and pack up! I'll have someone escort you and the old lady away."

Yueming sneered, "Of course I have to deal with it. If I don't deal with Pujiang, I won't be able to swallow the anger that's stuck in my heart."

Seeing her expression that she would not stop until Pujiang was killed, Qiangba was so panicked that he did not care about hierarchy. "Don't be crazy! War is a man's business, it has nothing to do with you women."

Yueming glanced at him lightly: "Do you have a gun?"

Qiangba was choked. Now there were only a dozen guns in the Tusi Mansion Guard in the entire Yunxiang.

Yueming raised an eyebrow and looked at them: "I do."

Yes, you have a gun, which is great! But if I let you put yourself in danger, my life will be in danger. Qiangba wanted to persuade him again, but Yueming raised his hand to stop him.

She tilted her head to look at the budding garnet outside the pavilion, recalling what she had seen and heard in Tengchong. With a touch of sorrow and calmness, she spoke to them, "Have you witnessed a massacre? I have. The entire city was like a gigantic cemetery, with corpses strewn everywhere and a stench that filled the air. The trees were filled with eager crows, swooping down without hesitation to peck at the corpses on the ground. Those people died naked, their bodies exposed to the raging earth, their bones incomplete, their human dignity shattered. I cannot let the tragedy of Tengchong and Mengding Prefecture be repeated in Yunxiang. I cannot let Yunkai return to face such a Yunxiang."

Lao Ben put down the letter in his hand and looked back at her calmly: "Okay, I'll help you."

Qiangba collapsed and yelled at Lao Ben, "If you don't want to help, why are you going crazy? The master will kill us both when he comes back."

Lao Ben ignored him and said to Yue Ming, "I'll trouble you to wait outside the curtain when we discuss matters tomorrow. I'll mention this to the Langs. If they agree readily, everyone will be happy. If they argue, I'll have to trouble you to support me. Then, you can imitate the master and display your authority as Yin Tai and the temper of the eldest daughter of the Lan family. Remember, when the master is away, you are the most powerful person in the entire Yunxiang. You can act as arrogantly as you want with the master's influence, and there's no need to reason with them."

Yueming looked at him with a smile: "Don't worry, I've learned how to bully people by taking advantage of my power!"

Yueming sat in the outer room, separated from the meeting room by a curtain, listening to Lao Ben and Qiangba arguing with the Langye inside. No matter how hard they argued, most Langye were still inclined to abandon the city.

"The master has taken away almost all of Yunxiang's young and strong men. The ones left can only guard the gate. What can we use to fight Pujiang? While there is still time, let the people in the city quickly pack up their belongings and go to their relatives. I have to say that the Japanese kill without blinking an eye. Pujiang has been with them for so long and is as ruthless as them. Let's not end up like Mengding Prefecture."

Hearing this, Yueming sneered and raised her hand, and Ai Ye, who was serving beside her, helped her up. The guard at the gate helped her open the curtain, and she and Ai Ye appeared in front of the gentlemen with ease. The noisy crowd suddenly stopped talking and looked at Yueming in surprise, dressed in her Indo-Pacific formal dress.

The chairperson was stunned for a moment, then bowed and asked, "Mrs. Yueming, why are you here?"

Yueming's cold eyes swept over everyone in the hall, inch by inch, and he asked sarcastically, "Can't I come? If I hadn't come, how could I have known that you were actually planning to abandon the city and leave Pujiang with an empty city? You really have a good plan. Even Zhuge Kongming couldn't perform this empty city plan as well as you did."

The gentlemen in the hall blushed at being told off. One gentleman said unconvincedly, "Discussing government affairs is for us men. Madam Yueming, entering the meeting room without permission is a violation of our ancestral rules. You should go back to the backyard to embroider and drink tea. You have no business interfering in the affairs here."

What a courageous man! Yueming applauded him and said with a smile, "Well said! I simply enjoy dealing with people who follow the rules. So, I have a question for you all. In the absence of the old master, I, as Yintai, am violating the rules of the Han family's ancestors." Everyone was silent, secretly cursing Yueming's cunning. It's true that Yintai could rule, but that was only when the chieftain died and the new chieftain hadn't been elected or was too old to rule. But no one dared to openly contradict her. The old master wasn't dead yet, so it wasn't your turn to show off your power.

A gloomy voice echoed from the corner: "But you don't have the final say in the Tusi Mansion alone. The old lady is also here! If you want to discuss politics, you have to bring the old lady along."

Yueming didn't even glance at the source of the voice. She wouldn't pay any attention to such disgusting remarks. She scolded, "Don't play those Queen Mothers of the Eastern and Western Palaces with me. Do you think I'm Cixi?" She tilted her head to look at the chairman of the council sitting cross-legged on the cushion to her lower right. She smiled and said, "Before he left, the master gave me all his seals. That means I'm the head of the Tusi Mansion now. Even the old lady agrees, and you're talking too much."

The position of chairperson of the council is hereditary, and he is a relative of the Han family by blood. He did not want to offend Yueming. He clasped his hands together and said respectfully, "Master trusts Madam. It is natural for you to inquire about the affairs of Yun Xiang, big or small. We dare not make any rash comments."

Seeing the leader yield, Yueming nodded in satisfaction. She told Aiye to bring her a chair. She was wearing her full dress and crown today. They were extremely heavy and she couldn't stand for a long time.

Ai Ye helped her sit down and slowly said, "I won't repeat Pujiang's intention to unite with the Shan State chieftains. Now we need you to come up with a charter. Have you considered it?"

The chairman of the council clasped his hands together and said, "Madam, please understand. Prime Minister Yun currently has too few troops available. We have no chance of success in a head-on confrontation with Pujiang. I believe we should lead the entire city's population to evacuate first."

Yueming scoffed. "Master often told me that a Dai man would rather die in blood than by his neck. He wasn't referring to Yun Xiang's men, but the men of his uncle, Zhang Wai Tusi, right? I don't know if it's his boasting as a Tusi that's hilarious, or if it's more amusing for you, the ministers, to tear him apart."

There was an uproar below. A guard from the Military Affairs Office said angrily, "What do you, an ignorant woman living in the backyard, know about military affairs? Why are you butting in?"

Yueming looked up at the beams and murmured, "How did an ignorant woman like me, living in the backyard, find out about this Pujiang alliance with the Shan chieftain? What on earth is Yun Xiang doing?"

Yueming didn't give any face at all since he entered the meeting room. Every word he said was hurtful and piercing. Several young masters couldn't stand it anymore and stood up to leave.

Yueming looked at them coldly and said slowly, "Today's matter has not yet reached a conclusion. Anyone who dares to step out of this meeting room will be treated as disrespectful."

The few people who were almost at the door froze in their tracks.

She raised her chin and asked Qiangba, "How many days do you have to stay in the water dungeon for being disrespectful to Yin Tai?"

Qiangba raised his arms high in a gesture of prostration before raising his head slightly and saying, "For disrespecting you, I will first punish you with fifty strokes of the cane and then spend three months in the water dungeon."

Yueming looked at everyone with a half-smile: "Should we follow the rules for this matter, or should I make an exception?"

Several people retreated reluctantly.

The chairperson of the meeting still looked respectful and said, "Madam, please give your instructions."

Yueming smiled and said, "What instructions can I give you? I just have two things I'm not clear on. Second, if we really leave Pujiang with an empty city, what if he gets angry and burns down Yun Xiang's three cities and two camps? Will the people be allowed to feast on their land when they return? Second, if we really withdraw, what will happen to the grain in the granary? What about the summer grain that hasn't been harvested yet? Will the people be allowed to gnaw on tree bark when they return?"

"Time is running out. I can only send some soldiers to escort the grain to Mengning. That's Han Chinese territory, and Pujiang wouldn't dare go there without the Japanese backing. If Pujiang wants to set fire to the city, then we are really powerless. We can only wait for the master to come back to discuss reconstruction. As for the summer grain that hasn't been harvested yet..."

Yueming interrupted him impatiently, "You still don't understand my question. What I'm asking is, if they've lost their homes, their land, and their food, will these people still return to Yun Xiang? They can live anywhere, and whoever they turn to is fine. Why would they return and use their blood and sweat to support a bunch of losers like you?"

"Mrs. Yueming." The chairman of the court couldn't help but say, "I treat you respectfully according to etiquette, but you keep humiliating me..."

The official from the Grain Bureau interrupted him, "Madam, are you wrong to scold me? Every grain in the granary was contributed by the people. Now your family is on the verge of collapse, and you're only thinking about escaping. Your family is so wealthy, a little loss is nothing, but you don't think about how the people will survive until the autumn harvest if they lose their homes and their summer grain..." He paused, sneered, "I'm also confused. If the summer grain is gone, I'm afraid the Buddha will have to descend to earth to give you the seeds for the autumn harvest."

"Zaijun." The chairman of the council called out the name of the official from the grain department, hushing his taunts. "Warfare isn't just about dancing a martial arts dance or slashing with a sword. That's deadly. Do you expect me to risk the lives of the entire city's inhabitants to stop a bullet's path?"

"Yes! War kills people," Yueming said calmly, "but your master still led the troops there himself! Didn't he know that people would die? Did he go for the limelight? He went for the peace of Yunxiang, for the people of Yunxiang to avoid the massacres they suffered in other places occupied by the Japanese." She glanced at the crowd with sarcasm, "And you, you plan to abandon everything he protected while he fought so hard."

"Madam Yueming," the previously silent Great Buddha said, "All the men of Prime Minister Yun, young and old, are willing to serve in battle. My Guanfo Temple has a total of 198 disciples who are at Madam's disposal."

Everyone was stunned. They hadn't expected that the Great Buddha, who had been so humiliated by Yueming Yintai, would actually support her. Guanfo Temple held a supreme position, and with the Great Buddha's stance, how could the others dare oppose it? They all prostrated themselves on the ground, "It's all up to Yintai to decide."

Yueming let out a long sigh and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, get up!"

The chairperson of the council asked, "Madam, please advise me, how should we deal with this matter?"

Yueming curled his lips and said, "I know you're all cursing me in your hearts for sending you to your deaths. My purpose wasn't to send you charging into battle. I want you to defend Yunxiang City for at least three days."

The chairman of the court asked doubtfully, "Three days, will there be a turning point in three days?"

"After hearing the news, my men split into two groups. One group returned to report the news, and the other went to Tengchong to deliver a letter to my father. The expeditionary force and the Japanese army were in a standoff on the Nujiang River. The Japanese troops on the other side couldn't get through, but the national army could still spare some people to come over and solve our urgent needs."

Upon hearing this news, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. No wonder she was so arrogant the moment she came in, looking down on everyone. How could her own father just leave his daughter alone?

"I will ask all of you to gather your private soldiers at the Daowu Division Office. Those citizens who do not wish to remain in the city may leave. I will not be responsible for sending your relatives out of the city, but anyone who dares to set foot outside Yunxiang City will be charged with treason." Yueming looked at them coldly, "I will personally carry out the execution."