Jade Balance Star
“This can’t go on. We’ve lost the battle. If we go back to Brother Zhao in Tiansong, we’ll be dead. The brothers shouldn’t be running back and forth like this. What should we do now…” Xiaohan said with great distress.
Zhao Peiming hesitated for a moment, then said, "Do you all remember Banrihua? Not long ago, I was rescued by the villagers there. They are refugees who migrated from Tiansong. They are not bad people at heart. Perhaps we could go there to garrison them. Firstly, we would have a place to settle down, and secondly, we could stabilize our military supplies." Everyone thought this made sense. The court's failure to implement garrisoning was due to their continued defense against the Sa Ta cavalry. Now that they had already suffered a defeat, it was better to act first and report later. When the court found out, they could have some evidence to prove their innocence. "But how can we persuade the villagers to let us garrison them?" "Yes, we can't just seize their farmland, can we?" Everyone asked.
At this moment, Zhao Peiming took out a letter from his inner pocket. Curious, the crowd surrounded him. Zhao Peiming unfolded the letter, and the handwriting on it was so elegant and skillful that one could read ten lines at a glance. It read:
Governor Zhao, Your Excellency: Knowing that the Satar cavalry have been in dire straits for so long, I, Jiang, am deeply concerned. I remember that you and your soldiers are all rugged and hardworking heroes, and I am somewhat aware of your predicament. There are pursuing troops ahead, no reinforcements behind, and your soldiers are exhausted and plagued by illness. Although the "half-day flower" (a metaphor for a small act of kindness) is small, it represents the hard-earned wealth of the refugees, yet the people are as fearful as startled birds. If you, Governor, were to disarm and swear an oath, I firmly believe the villagers would waver. However, what the villagers fear is not the present military pressure, but the possibility of future unrest after being overthrown. What they seek is not your temporary labor, but long-term stability. Forgive my boldness, but I have a plan to offer you, General, which can resolve the predicament for both sides and also enhance your reputation for benevolence and righteousness. The Satar cavalry could begin to strengthen village defenses, either by identifying the best sentry posts for lookout and early warning, or by training the villagers in defensive techniques. The greatest danger to the refugees lies in the invasion of the border. This move not only relieved the villagers' suffering, but also demonstrated that the Sa Taqi were not merely seeking supplies, but were intentionally aiming to bring peace and stability to the border, further enhancing the Sa Taqi's reputation.
Although Jiang is far away, he is still a source of support. Jiang has already reached an agreement with Jin Tao, the village head of Banrihua Village, and advised him to consider the long-term plan. All that is needed is for the cavalry to surrender and lay down their arms; after fifteen days of farming, the outcome will naturally be clear. If any disputes arise, the governor can use Jiang's name to intimidate or present this letter. Banrihua is a humble land, and the villagers are grateful to Jiang for cultivating it without paying taxes; therefore, Jiang's advice should be of some small help.
The military and civilians are united, like fish and water, mutually dependent, promoting virtues that will be renowned for generations to come.
The letter was unsigned, and everyone asked questions after reading it. Zhao Peiming smiled slightly and said, "This is a secret letter from Jiang Heng." Upon hearing this, Wang Sheng couldn't contain himself any longer and exclaimed, "It really is Brother Jiang! He truly deserves to be the son of the Emperor!" Most of the people had met Jiang Heng before and guessed the gist of the letter, nodding in agreement. "Now we can go and give it a try," Zhao Peiming said thoughtfully, looking towards the direction of the Half-Sunflower.
“Brother Jin is very generous. Since Banrihua lacks able-bodied men, why not have the Sadao cavalry gather to cultivate the land together? This would not only protect Banrihua from sand bandits but also contribute to its development. It’s truly the best strategy.” Jiang Heng spoke with Jin Tao at the village entrance the night before his departure. Jin Tao sneered, “Young Master Jiang is all talk. They have many strong men; wouldn’t it be faster for them to kill our people and seize our land?”
Jiang Heng narrowed his eyes, speaking mysteriously, "Brother Jin, you may not believe the reputation of the Sa Ta Cavalry for their military discipline across two dynasties, nor may you believe the nonsense spouted by a mere scholar like myself, but if things continue like this, I fear you won't last until this autumn harvest. Your stored grain is being consumed so quickly, even for just two meals a day. Brother Jin must be getting anxious. Why not observe the Sa Ta Cavalry's movements and test their sincerity?" Jin Tao, already resembling Zhang Fei, glared even more fiercely upon hearing this, shouting, "I respected you by yielding fifty li of land, and you allow others to trample on our land? I refused, and you try to provoke me? I won't accept this!"
“Brother Jin, of course you don’t have to accept the debt. It’s just that the Sa Ta cavalry are currently powerless to massacre the village, and the initiative is definitely in the hands of the people of Ban Ri Hua Village. It’s a real pity that we’ve lost so many arms to defend the village.” Jiang Heng said, then turned to leave. At that moment, the howling of wolves filled the night, and the loud cries of infants instantly filled the entire village.
"Wait... what use are those cavalrymen, besides helping with labor?" Jin Tao coughed twice, feigning seriousness. Jiang Heng stopped, lowered his robe, and said unhurriedly, "Integrating labor and defense, I will teach you martial arts." Jin Tao reacted after a moment, "Fifteen days," Jiang Heng turned his head slightly, and Jin Tao looked up, "Fifteen days. Whether the soldiers work diligently, fulfill their duties in guarding the borders, and show courtesy to women, children, the elderly, and the weak will all be assessed. After fifteen days, if their words and actions are consistent, they can be retained. If there is even the slightest discrepancy, they will be dismissed immediately." Jin Tao knew he couldn't just dismiss them, but this would increase his chances of subduing Zhao Peiming.
Jiang Heng turned to face Jin Tao, his voice carried on the wind by the sound of the vegetable seedlings rustling against the ground: "Let's add another clause: disarm them upon entering the village, and let Brother Jin take control. What do you think?" Jin Tao was somewhat apprehensive and lowered his voice, asking, "How can you be so sure this plan will work?" Jiang Heng tilted his head and replied, "Zhao Peiming promised to repay his debt of gratitude. Now is his chance. The Sa Ta cavalry are in trouble from both sides, so this is naturally their only option." Jin Tao nodded and remained silent.
This time, Jiang Heng was truly leaving. He still needed to prepare Zhao Peiming's luggage in advance, so he slowed his pace and said softly, "Brother Jin once led the villagers through many calamities, yet he reluctantly accepted my plan. He must be a thoughtful and loyal person. I admire him." After saying this, he quickened his pace, and his white clothes disappeared into the moonlight along with the thin mist.
After packing their belongings, they rode swiftly along a side path. Everyone knew that the sand soldiers had searched Hua for half a day, so this route was relatively safe. With the village entrance in sight and dusk approaching, Zhao Peiming suddenly pulled on the reins, turned around, and shouted to the group, "Brothers, please turn your sharp weapons down and hand them over at the village entrance!"
Jin Tao hadn't slept for several nights. Hearing the sounds of soldiers and horses, he rose in alarm, almost rushing out of the village. The day before, a child had been carried off by wolves, and a family in the village had gone mad and been secretly dealt with. Since then, Jin Tao had been deeply remorseful, and this incident had taken root in his heart. Seeing Zhao Peiming leading the way, Jin Tao gripped his hoe tightly, his eyes fixed on the army rolling in the yellow sand before him. Zhao Peiming drew his sword from his waist, dismounted, and presented the sword, sheathed and scabbed, kneeling at Jin Tao's feet in a military salute. Jin Tao froze, his hoe falling to the ground with a clang. The others also dismounted, their weapons laid down at their sides, and lined up in a military salute.
Hearing the loud noise, the villagers rushed out one after another, all of them armed with weapons. Seeing this, they froze in place along with Jin Tao. Jin Tao suddenly threw down his weapon, stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, knelt in return, and swiftly helped Zhao Peiming up, saying, "There was a misunderstanding. Please, Governor, come into the village for a discussion." Zhao Peiming nodded, removed his armor, which Xiao Han took, and gestured to the soldiers not to act rashly. He then went into the village alone.
Jin Tao's first words upon entering the house were "Lord Jiang," which overlapped with Zhao Peiming's "Young Master Jiang." Both men couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. "Please let all the officials in," Zhao Peiming said, bowing and leaving the house. He quickly went to the village entrance and ordered the soldiers to cover their weapons with armor and slowly march forward in formation. The younger children, seeing this, cried out that they wanted to join the army, their shouts softening the sharpness of the iron boots. The villagers, gripping their knives and hoes tightly, couldn't help but watch—the slowly advancing army, though their undergarments were tattered, couldn't hide the sharpness honed over years of training. The eight-foot-tall soldiers, heads bowed and eyes lowered, their expressions composed, resembled figures in a mural.
After the cavalry entered the village in a grand procession, Jin Tao pointed to a wooden hut and stored his weapons inside. At this moment, Jin Tao noticed many people in the troop bending their five fingers together into a cylindrical shape and waving them up and down towards their mouths. He frowned and stepped forward to grab Zhao Peiming, who dodged the neck-hand strike by sidestepping. Suddenly, he released the force, placing himself in a more favorable position for capture, which Jin Tao seized. Zhao Peiming realized that his opponent was strong but relied heavily on brute force, so he subtly shifted to a more comfortable position, moving his shoulders and asking, "Brother, why is this?" Through this posture, Zhao Peiming finally understood the reason for Jin Tao's capture—some of the cavalry hadn't yet retracted their hand gestures, and these strange actions naturally aroused suspicion. Zhao Peiming sighed and said, "Brother, don't be nervous. The gesture just now indicated thirst, which is a military rule, not a conspiracy." As soon as he finished speaking, the troop members all put on a wronged expression. Jin Tao released Zhao Peiming, glanced to the side, and mumbled, "...I know, what are you so nervous about?" Upon hearing this, snickers came from the team, and Zhao Peiming glared at him before quieting down.
Jin Tao led a few men to the newly dug shallow well. He pointed to the buckets and said, "Help yourselves. If you stay longer after the fifteen-day trial period, you'll have to dig your own wells." Zhao Peiming thanked Jin Tao before leading the soldiers to fetch water. Jin Tao saw Chixiao and circled around it, muttering, "Coming all the way from Shajie Pass, we didn't even need to change horses." "We came from Hengdao Mountain, so it's naturally very close," Zhou Ze replied casually. He had already filled his jug and was now keeping watch nearby. Jin Tao took the opportunity to observe the Sa Ta cavalry more closely. He discovered that their numbers were not as many as he had initially heard, and more than half of them had even been lost. They were all exposed to the sun, their skin reddened, and the cracks that had previously appeared were now oozing filth. The villagers Jin Tao remembered were the same; everyone had suffered in Tiansong, their bodies covered in whip marks from their masters. Under the strong sunlight, they would look just like the soldiers, a pitiful sight. Jin Tao's eyes were empty. He realized he had been too vigilant all along, forgetting that beneath the armor were children whose parents longed for their return home. With that thought, Jin Tao silently left to tidy up the empty house.
In the evening, everyone sat around the campfire, roasting the argali sheep and rabbits they had hunted during the day. Jin Tao sighed, "It's like we're sharing a meal with the famous cavalry of the dynasty... What a blessing." "Thanks to Lord Jiang," Zhao Peiming added, his voice growing softer and softer, "Young Master Jiang truly deserves the title of 'Northern Dipper Star Lord.' I hope he can rise to great heights and show us a path as well."
"Ha, you really expect him to ascend to heaven? When that time comes, he won't even glance at us," Jin Tao said indignantly from the side. Everyone laughed again. Jin Tao was puzzled and buried his head in taking a couple of bites of the burnt meat.
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