Chapter 2147 - Domestic Affairs at Luo Yangming's House
Though this further diminished combat effectiveness among the other three companies, at minimum it would enable the supplementary company to serve useful purpose. The arrangement aligned with Qian Duo's preference against force dilution, securing immediate approval.
"Deploy your troops to garrison immediately and commence fortification operations," Qian Duo instructed. "Numerous damaged wall sections exist—breaches so extensive one can pass through without climbing. Though repairs have continued these past days, they constitute mere stopgap measures. Exercise extreme vigilance when posting sentries. Leave no coverage gaps."
"Yes, sir!"
"Master, another Australian military unit has entered the city..."
"What type of unit?"
Luo Yangming set aside the ledger occupying his hands and inquired.
The reporter was young shop assistant Achun, freshly returned from vegetable purchasing. These past days, Luo Yangming had specifically instructed him to report anything observed or overheard during outings.
"Uncertain. However, they're not carrying muskets—they bear long spears."
Hearing the arriving troops carried spears, Luo Yangming recognized they must constitute National Army forces assuming city defense responsibilities.
With National Army presence established within the city, the stone weighing upon Luo Yangming's heart finally settled. When the Beiwei Army's main body had withdrawn, considerable confusion had plagued him—having just captured Wuzhou, why not press forward attacking Teng County and thoroughly eliminating remaining Ming forces? Instead they'd hastily retreated, leaving merely one battalion behind, with a single company stationed within the city proper.
Was this requesting Chief Xie perform the Empty City Stratagem? Should Xiong Wencan counterattack from Teng County, this war-battered Wuzhou and its skeletal garrison would crumble like paper.
Questions abounded, yet discipline forbade approaching Xu Ke, leaving him no option but continuing his "undercover" operations.
"Were their numbers substantial?"
"Several hundred! They don't resemble Australians! Their speech carries local accent, and they slouch about—lacking the spirit of those who arrived previously!" Being a young lad, Achun harbored particular curiosity toward novelties. Since the Beiwei Army had proven not to be man-devouring monsters, naturally he wished closer examination.
"Ah, I comprehend." Luo Yangming nodded. Most National Army personnel had undergone hasty recruitment; poor military bearing proved expected.
Poor nevertheless exceeded nothing. Though Luo Yangming had occupied himself with Relief Bureau responsibilities recently, he'd acquired considerable intelligence regarding external situations. Many gentry previously residing in Wuzhou had fled to the countryside—fearing the city might transform into battlefield again should Ming forces counterattack. Yet recent days had witnessed gentry and wealthy landlords from surrounding villages streaming into the city instead. Street rumors circulated that "mountain Yao have descended to slaughter." Even the "Wolf and Zhuang" settlements dispersed throughout mountain regions as blockade lines reportedly displayed unrest signs.
Temperature Ironhead had also informed him at the docks that most vessels arriving from Guangdong now constituted Australian armed convoys—ordinary civilian craft rarely reached Wuzhou anymore. Boat captains and helmsmen existed as startled birds—reportedly, along the West River from Zhaoqing upward, armed Yao militants operated highly actively along banks, and any vessel running aground invariably suffered plunder and casualties.
Thus the First Brigade had declined pursuing nearby Teng County prey, instead hurriedly withdrawing main forces to Zhaoqing—behind everything lurked such major concealed danger!
Having operated undercover in Wuzhou for years, Luo Yangming understood much concerning local Han-Yao tensions and recognized that should large-scale "Yao uprising" erupt, consequences would prove unthinkable.
The National Army might lack battlefield prowess, yet provided they executed proper wall repairs, defensive utility remained. So he contemplated.
Just as these thoughts occupied him, someone arrived bearing message: the Relief Bureau requested his afternoon presence.
"Inform them I'll attend following lunch," Luo Yangming replied, reasoning that with National Army arrival, matters of city defense and provisions required settlement.
"Going again! Always departing!" Atao, delivering his tea and meal, heard this and complained, "Relief Bureau affairs constantly drag you away! You're not the Cangwu County Magistrate! You possess neither official seal nor salary, yet rush to handle these thankless tasks! Cannot even consume a meal peacefully!"
The Relief Bureau's responsibilities proved both numerous and miscellaneous, with most bureau members constituting the "contribute money but not effort" type. Luo Yangming possessed no alternative but applying extra personal exertion, neglecting his own commercial enterprise. His wife's complaints proved inevitable. Fortunately, old Manager Li Wensheng had returned safely, and since rice shop business had remained rather languid following Wuzhou's liberation, they could barely manage.
Luo Yangming soothed his wife: "Though this labor brings no direct profit, benefits exist—observe my present circumstances: I'm practically a semi-official figure in Wuzhou. Won't conducting business prove easier henceforth? Even personnel within Australian bureaus must extend me courtesy."
"Australians! Australians!" Atao's expression displayed displeasure. "Imperial troops occupy Teng County at this moment! Should they battle their return, our household cannot bear consequences—I consider these Australians lacking True Dragon Son of Heaven appearance regardless. With their impoverished scholar demeanor, they cannot possibly occupy the Dragon Throne..."
"Silence your mouth!" Luo Yangming surged to his feet and delivered a hard slap across his wife's face, bellowing, "What comprehension do you possess! Such womanly shortsightedness!"
That they could exist in this world again, that husband and wife could reunite—all owed itself to Australian benevolence. Luo Yangming would never forget this debt of gratitude. His wife articulating such words constituted, in his assessment, nothing short of ingratitude. What "lacks True Dragon Son of Heaven appearance," what "impoverished scholar demeanor"... this represented tremendous insult to both Council of Elders and to himself personally. He trembled with rage.
The couple had always maintained harmony; Ding Atao had never suffered her husband's strike previously. That single slap left her stunned. When consciousness returned, she covered her face with hands and began weeping softly, turning away and whimpering "how bitter my fate" as she departed. Originating from minor scholarly family background, naturally she couldn't wail loudly—that would render her a "shrew."
Her tears caused Luo Yangming's mind to clear slightly, and he silently cursed himself for rashness. The Council of Elders had displayed such profound benev olence toward his household, yet he'd never communicated a single word to her regarding it. When they'd fled as refugees, his wife had endured sale and humiliation... In truth, he had wronged her grievously...
Guilt plagued him, yet uncertain how to proceed, he stewed in frustration when a petite young girl entered.
The girl was Wen Yun, Temperature Ironhead's younger sister, whose original name had been "Water Girl." The name Wen Yun had actually been bestowed by Luo Yangming himself. By his aesthetic standards, she could only qualify as "common and vulgar," plus she displayed somewhat of a "river-lake demeanor"—likely unavoidable given her background.
Wen Yun remained truly a young girl, small in age and lacking guile. Though uneducated and somewhat rough around edges, she proved cheerful and forthright, earning Ding Atao's considerable affection. She normally kept her nearby, treating her as both younger sister and maidservant.
"Master, the person Madam mentioned previously has arrived and awaits outside."
"Which person?" Luo Yangming couldn't immediately recall.
"The accountant you discussed seeking..."
"Ah, I remember now."
Due to Relief Bureau's numerous affairs, and because Li Wensheng had risked life slipping from the city and constituted an aged man of sixty after all—having spent a night roughing it beyond walls inevitably affected his health—Luo Yangming frequently occupied himself at the Relief Bureau. After Li Wensheng struggled along half a month, he felt genuinely unable to continue and proposed resignation.
Resignation proved unacceptable. First, this constituted his family's old manager who had consistently demonstrated "loyalty and steadfastness"—from any angle, he bore obligation providing for him in old age. Second, capable rice shop managers weren't easily located. Thus Luo Yangming proposed hiring an additional accountant to assist with bookkeeping and clerical operations, leaving Li Wensheng merely overseeing matters.
Since they only required an accountant, anyone literate and numerate would suffice—perfect selection for down-on-fortune scholars. Quite a few people had approached recommending candidates, and even Ding Atao had put forward someone. She stated he was a relative by marriage of the daughter of the Jiang Family Silk Shop on West Street, a Teng County man. The roads having been blocked by warfare, he found himself stranded locally.
"Admit him."
At first sight, the visitor proved a Confucian scholar in his early fifties, somewhat shabby in attire. Yet his eyes held vital spirit sparks, and his speech and bearing thoroughly demonstrated poise and confidence. Luo Yangming immediately perceived this was no ordinary impoverished scholar—he must have witnessed something of the great world beyond.
He probed: "May I inquire what occupational line Master Hao previously pursued?"
The visitor was precisely Yi Haoran. The Jiang Family Silk Shop maintained some dealings with Luo Yangming's rice enterprise, so before her marriage, Jiang Qiuchan had possessed some acquaintance with Ding Atao, and they'd built social connection. When Yi Haoran required work location, and Luo Yangming sought an accountant, she seized opportunity recommending this "uncle-by-marriage."
"This student long resided in other provinces," Yi Haoran stated, knowing his appearance and bearing weren't those of ordinary pedantic tutors. "I primarily served as private tutor in households of officials and nobles."
From Luo Yangming's perspective, regardless of the "private tutor in official households" background, the fact that he originated from Teng County, an "enemy-occupied region," would have constituted grounds for immediate rejection. Yet presently, he felt somewhat guilty toward Ding Atao and couldn't bear directly opposing her wishes. Thus he examined the man's calligraphy and tested his abacus skills, finding both excellent; his speech and responses also proved quite satisfactory—honestly speaking, serving as accountant fell beneath his talents. Moreover, Ding Atao had stated he was stranded due to "roads blocked by fighting," indicating he hadn't originally intended prolonged residence. Employing him briefly shouldn't pose problems. Besides, he requested merely three meals and lodging, with wages "as you see fit"—very high-quality "economical labor." Thus he agreed immediately.
"The room here stands ready. Simply move in whenever convenient for you. Do you possess luggage? I'll dispatch some of my workers to assist."
"I'll move in tonight," Yi Haoran stated. "I originally came to Wuzhou merely for sightseeing and visiting relatives—I never anticipated becoming stranded here by warfare. What luggage could I possess?"
Yi Haoran hurriedly finished his lunch and proceeded toward the Relief Bureau.
The Relief Bureau had established itself in the City God Temple by Wuzhou's west gate—supposedly so everyone would feel too ashamed to "cheat their conscience"—since the Relief Bureau handled large sums of grain and money. Luo Yangming knew the Bureau had remained "clean" thus far, though this bore little connection to City God supervision and everything to Australian "harsh laws and severe punishments."
That stated, petty theft, corner-cutting, substituting inferior goods, and padding labor accounts remained inevitable—Luo Yangming took this in stride. Such things couldn't be avoided even in Lingao. Wuzhou had only just achieved liberation, and most personnel employed were holdovers from the old system. With only those few cadres who'd arrived from the south, they were so busy they could barely walk and talk simultaneously. Accomplishing relief work to passable degree already represented good enough; as for remaining matters, they could only turn blind eyes.
(Chapter End)