The following morning, Xie Xuanying took his leave of his teacher and headed straight for the Centurion Office in Yancheng.
Here, it is worth taking a moment to explain Great Xia’s military system.
At the local level, administration, justice, and military affairs were handled by three separate branches. Civil administration fell under the Provincial Administration Commission, whose officials included the familiar Provincial Administration Commissioner, prefects, and county magistrates. Judicial affairs were overseen by the Provincial Surveillance Commission. Master Chen, who served as a Surveillance Vice Commissioner, belonged to this judicial branch.
The military, meanwhile, was under the Regional Military Commission, whose subordinate offices included Command Offices, Chiliarch Offices, and Centurion Offices. All three were independent of the judicial and administrative branches and were responsible for local military affairs in peacetime.
Even when there was no war, they were also responsible for reclaiming and cultivating farmland, a system known as military colonies.
Xie Xuanying sent Li Bowu to the county yamen, where he not only borrowed several good horses but also found a guide to lead them to a nearby Centurion Office.
The county magistrate was only too happy to rid himself of this troublesome matter and agreed readily.
It took only an hour and a half to travel from the county seat to the Centurion Office. By noon, Xie Xuanying had already arrived.
The Centurion Office was barely one mile in circumference and was not even large enough to be considered a town. It was a tiny settlement, with several watchtowers and fortified posts under its jurisdiction, making it one of the most basic units of the military system.
The number of centurion commanders varied from one office to another. This place, known as Li Zitun, had two centurion commanders, under whom were two Zongqi and ten Xiaoqi.
According to regulations, each Xiaoqi was supposed to have ten men, while each Centurion Office was supposed to have 112 soldiers.
Yet the moment Xie Xuanying entered the Centurion Office and cast a single glance around, he knew there was no way they had anything close to that number.
He showed no reaction and simply let the county magistrate’s secretary step forward and introduce him.
“This is Commander Xie, the son of Marquis of Jinghai.”
The two centurion commanders had only just crawled out of their concubines’ beds, both brimming with irritation and wondering what on earth the county magistrate was playing at. When they first heard of the visitor’s background, they were so caught off guard that they failed to process it.
Then they looked at the man standing before them, and their minds went completely blank.
Xie Xuanying set down his Embroidered Uniform Guard insignia, a waist badge made of gold and decorated with a tiger motif.
The front was inscribed as follows:
Embroidered Uniform Guard
Commander
Pacify
and Control
12th
Year
The reverse read:
“All those on regular guard duty shall wear this badge suspended from their belts. Those leaving through the four gates of the Imperial City need not be checked.”
“Would you like to verify it?” Xie Xuanying asked.
He had no fear of having its authenticity checked. The badge was genuine, and he did indeed hold the official post of Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander, ranked Third Rank, Senior Grade.
But it had to be said that he was not, in the true sense of the word, the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s commanding officer. The position of Commander was, for the most part, an honorary office that came with a salary. It was a reward bestowed by the emperor upon the sons of meritorious nobles or members of the imperial clan.
As the saying went, “The Embroidered Uniform Guard is ever led by dukes and relatives of the imperial house, while honorary appointments granted as hereditary privileges have no fixed number.”
In other words, the emperor could bestow the title on as many people as he pleased. As long as His Majesty was happy, that was all that mattered.
Thus, although the title of Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander sounded imposing and came with the salary of a Third-Rank Senior official, the holder did not actually take up the post or handle any affairs. Xie Xuanying had been only twelve when he was granted the position, so even if he had wanted to do any work, it would have been impossible.
The two centurions were jolted awake by his voice and finally came back to their senses. They exchanged glances.
They were not men without worldly knowledge. Although they did not know who currently stood at the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they knew perfectly well that the title of Commander carried little actual authority. They immediately put on ingratiating smiles.
“May we ask what brings the Commander here?”
The Embroidered Uniform Guard had undergone several reorganizations and was now divided into three offices: the Office of Administration, which handled incoming and outgoing documents; the Northern Office for Judicial Affairs, which oversaw criminal cases within the Embroidered Uniform Guard; and the Southern Office for Judicial Affairs, which dealt exclusively with military craftsmen.
Of the three, the Northern Office for Judicial Affairs was undoubtedly the most notorious and powerful. The infamous Imperial Prison was under its jurisdiction.
Yet Xie Xuanying was completely unfazed. He answered calmly, “Nothing so grand. I am here for palace guard duty.”
The two centurions exchanged a glance, and both felt their hearts sink.
That was right. There were five types of golden waist badges. Those belonging to dukes, marquises, earls, and imperial sons-in-law were called Ren and bore the image of a dragon. Those belonging to meritorious military officials and Guard Commanders were called Yi and bore the image of a tiger.
Xie Xuanying’s badge was not a dragon, but a tiger. That proved he really did serve as a palace guard.
Palace guards were responsible for taking turns standing watch within the imperial city, accompanying the emperor at all times and protecting the Son of Heaven. On days of court assemblies, lunar observances, the imperial ploughing ceremony, and sacrificial inspections of livestock, they would don Feiyu robes and carry Embroidered Spring sabers, becoming the very face of imperial majesty.
The honorary title of Commander was worth little. What mattered was serving constantly at the emperor’s side. And Xie Xuanying had both an honorary title and a real position. He was valuable upon valuable.
Especially since this office had not been obtained for him by Marquis of Jinghai. It had been placed upon him by the emperor himself.
What did it mean to enjoy imperial favor?
This was what imperial favor looked like.
By this point, the knees of both centurions had already begun to weaken.
Even an honorary Commander was not someone they could afford to offend lightly, let alone someone who was part of the emperor’s inner circle. Whatever the actual rank of his position, they could not afford to cross him in the slightest.
“Commander Xie.” One of them was extremely quick to respond, racking his brains for something polite to say. “May we ask what brings you here, and what orders you have for us?”
The tension Xie Xuanying had been carrying slowly eased.
The county magistrate was a local civil official. No matter how respectfully he treated Xie Xuanying, he still had the authority to refuse his requests. Xie Xuanying could not overstep his authority and order him to do something. If the censors found out, they could impeach him, and it would make the emperor look bad as well.
But a Centurion Office was different.
Although the Embroidered Uniform Guard did not belong to the Five Military Regional Commands – that is, the highest military authority had no jurisdiction over it, and its only true superior was the emperor himself – it was common knowledge that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had the power to supervise the empire’s officials.
Xie Xuanying technically had no authority over them, but getting them dismissed from office would take no more than a word from him.
“There’s no need to call it an order.” Seeing that they understood the situation, Xie Xuanying naturally softened his tone and briefly explained what had happened.
The moment the two centurions heard the story, they both knew they were in serious trouble.
Pirates from across the sea raiding and slaughtering villages was a common calamity along the southeastern coast. As long as no one found out and the death toll remained low, it could be treated as a minor matter.
But now they had robbed the son of Marquis of Jinghai, and dragged the renowned Yan Hongzhi into the affair as well. Even if not a single person had been killed, it was still a major incident.
If the higher authorities came down to hold them accountable, neither of the two Centurions would escape unscathed. It would make no difference whether one was the brother-in-law of a Vice Chiliarch commander or the collateral relative of a prominent local clan.
So they immediately understood what was expected of them.
With a heavy thud, they dropped to their knees.
“These pirates deserve a thousand deaths! We shall gather our men at once and set out to suppress them.”
Wu, the centurion who happened to be the brother-in-law of the Vice Chiliarch Commander, was particularly quick-witted. “Your journey must have been exhausting, Commander. If you do not mind our humble abode, please rest here for a while.”
The other centurion, Wang, was consumed by regret. Why had he been so slow to speak?
He could only add, “Please rest here as long as you wish, Commander. I shall go and muster the men at once.”
The two men were still trying to outdo each other when Xie Xuanying said, “No need. I’ll give you one hour. Muster your men and prepare bows and arrows. I want to be there before nightfall.”
Centurion Wu was stunned. Centurion Wang was equally dumbfounded.
If this young master actually went with them, how were they supposed to make up the numbers? No, wait. If he really went, where were they supposed to produce a force of 112 men?
The entire Li Zitun Centurion Office had only thirty military households.
The rest of the registered soldiers…
Of course, they did not exist.
This was the exact opposite of the hidden households maintained by wealthy families. It was a practice known as drawing pay for nonexistent soldiers.
Xie Xuanying had never served in the military and had no idea about such underhanded practices. But he had an exceptional memory and was good at mathematics. On the way into the Centurion Office, he had made a rough estimate of the local population and immediately realized that the numbers did not add up.
“I won’t make things difficult for you,” he said. “I want thirty men who are skilled with bows and horses and know the terrain well.”
Centurion Wu stammered, “Well, that might be…”
They did have thirty men, but sending them out would be tantamount to sending them to their deaths. Several of them could not even ride a horse, let alone wield a spear or staff.
But that was hardly their fault.
Great Xia operated under a system of military households. Military registration was hereditary. When a father died, his son took his place; when an elder brother died, his younger brother took his place. In any case, every military household was required to have at least one able-bodied man serving in the army.
Since the system relied on bloodline rather than ability, it was hardly surprising what sort of soldiers were recruited.
There was every kind imaginable.
Xie Xuanying thought of this as well, and his expression grew even colder.
He fixed his eyes on Centurion Wu. “I hear you’re related to Vice Chiliarch Commander Li.”
“Yes.” Cold sweat trickled down Centurion Wu’s back. This was bad.
“My elder sister is Commander Li’s second wife.”
“The Chiliarch Office isn’t far from here,” Xie Xuanying said. “I don’t care how you manage it. Bring me fifteen suitable men. Centurion Wang, select fifteen men here. I want to see the results before sunset.”
Wang breathed a sigh of relief. Recruiting men from his own territory was far better than going to someone else’s and begging them for help.
He shot Centurion Wu a smug look.
That’ll teach you to brag about your brother-in-law every day. Looks like it’s come back to bite you. Serves you right.
So he agreed with particular enthusiasm.
“Yes, sir! I’ll have it done.”
Centurion Wu was grinding his teeth with resentment, but he did not dare object. He forced a smile. “Please rest assured, Commander. I’ll go to the Chiliarch Office and find the men immediately.”
Xie Xuanying gave a slight nod.
The two men hurried to take their leave, each going off to find a way to accomplish his task.
Xie Xuanying instructed Li Bowu, “Go and find out who knows the area well. I have some questions for them.”
“Yes, sir.” Li Bowu left with a miserable look on his face.
With the sun already high overhead, a deferential steward came in, bowing and scraping. “The kitchen has prepared a meal. May we serve it for Your Excellency to enjoy?”
Xie Xuanying nodded in agreement. Several serving women then filed in one after another, carrying six meat dishes, six vegetable dishes, two soups, and four types of dessert. Before long, an entire table was covered with food.
“This is only a remote and impoverished place, so there is nothing particularly good,” the steward said, looking so terrified and obsequious that it seemed he would immediately drop to his knees and beg for mercy at the slightest frown from Xie Xuanying.
Xie Xuanying was speechless. He waved a hand and dismissed him.
The steward looked as though he had just been granted a pardon, wiped away his sweat, and scurried out.
Xie Xuanying looked over the table.
There was stir-fried pork kidney, a plate of sliced boiled pork, a bowl of cured chicken, a whole Eight-Treasure Duck, braised carp, steamed cutlassfish, red water chestnuts, bean sprouts dressed with seasoning, stir-fried choy sum, eggplant in sauce, pickled cucumber, a bowl of fresh lotus seeds, a tureen of silverfish soup, a tureen of sour bamboo shoot soup, scallion rolls, chilled plum rice cake, glutinous rice balls with white sugar, and wontons.
Oh, and they had not forgotten the wine either. Its aroma was rich and mellow, seemingly a fine Jinhua wine.
Xie Xuanying was both amused and exasperated. With this much food, they had probably hauled the lunches of two entire households over here.
“Bai Mu,” Xie Xuanying called. “Keep two of the dishes. Take everything else out and give it to the others. We worked hard yesterday, and we’ve been travelling for hours today. Let everyone have a proper rest and a good meal.”
Bai Mu bowed with his hands clasped and acknowledged him. “Yes, sir.”
He kept two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and a soup. He instructed the serving women outside to take the rest to the small hall next door, and told them to add plenty of steamed buns and rice so that everyone could have a proper feast.
“No wine,” Bai Mu added carefully. “Just bring tea and snacks.”
The serving women nodded timidly. “Yes, yes. We understand.”
Bai Mu followed them inside and relayed Xie Xuanying’s instructions. Only after the guards had all stood and thanked him did he return to the main hall to attend to Xie Xuanying’s meal.
Despite the complicated circumstances and the uncertainty over what might happen next, Xie Xuanying did not let his poor appetite stop him from eating. He ate more than half a bowl of plain white rice, had a piece of chilled rice cake, and ate some of the dishes, though only about half. He did, however, finish a bowl of silverfish soup.
After the meal, the serving women had already prepared hot water and face cloths.
Bai Mu helped him rinse his mouth, then gave him a fragrant tea tablet to chew to freshen his breath. Only after everything had been taken care of did Xie Xuanying say, “You may go. I’d like to be alone for a while.”
“Yes, sir.”
Bai Mu signaled for the serving women to clear away the food and take it to the tea room outside. Ignoring the old man eagerly pouring tea for him, he gathered the remaining dishes together, reheated them over the brazier, and ate his fill with some warm rice.
