Chapter 2191 - Two Magistrates

The truth of Yangshan County's situation revealed itself only after Huang Chao passed through its gates. Intelligence reports claiming the county had not fallen proved overly optimistic. While technically accurate, they masked a graver reality: the Yao forces had indeed breached the outer defenses, forcing officials, soldiers, and civilians to retreat into the fortified Battalion City, where they continued their desperate stand. The population had survived largely intact, but the county's wealth had been systematically stripped bare—the raiders left nothing behind, not even a wicker basket.

Gone was any trace of shame about "collaborating with bandits" that might have colored the surrender. Officials and gentry alike practically threw themselves at Huang Chao's feet, hailing him as their savior. Magistrate Zhou Liangchen's eyes brimmed with tears of relief—his calculated gamble had finally paid off.

Not a single naturalized citizen resided in the Yangshan county seat. Though the region had nominally submitted to Great Song, Wen Desi had yet to dispatch proper cadres. Only hasty appointment letters, delivered by the messenger sent to accept the surrender, had arrived. The local officials who surrendered simply filled in their own names and considered themselves installed.

Beyond the nominal change in authority, county administration continued unchanged. Courts convened, cases were tried, taxes levied, grain collected. Neither the Magistrate nor his officials knew what uniforms Great Song required—they understood only that the Australians wore their hair short and dressed simply. Since no one in the county possessed such tailoring skills, they continued wearing their traditional round-collared robes and gauze caps to court. To signal the transition from old regime to new, they had merely removed the rank badges from their official garments.

Huang Chao studied the magistrate in his badge-less robe, struck by the absurdity of the scene. Yet the garment told its own story—scorch marks and dust covered its surface, tears marred the fabric in several places. The man's recent days had clearly been anything but easy.

Whatever Zhou Liangchen's failings as an official or individual, he had held the county seat and tied down Yao forces—a considerable service to the Senate. Huang Chao offered warm words of comfort and praise to all assembled.

"The Chief honors me beyond measure—this subordinate merely performed his duty." Zhou Liangchen bowed so deeply his forehead nearly touched the floor tiles. "Great Song's Celestial Troops moved with such swiftness, sweeping away the rebel stronghold like thunder, purging all wickedness. Only through this were the city's people preserved..."

His gratitude rang genuine, for without the Australians' arrival, Zhou Liangchen would most likely have perished defending this Great Song of uncertain origins.

"Spare me the formalities," Huang Chao said. "Tell me the current state of affairs in the city."

Zhou Liangchen hastened to provide a thorough briefing. The city currently housed roughly a thousand souls—officials, soldiers, gentry, and commoners, many refugees from neighboring villages. Among them were approximately four hundred able-bodied men.

"And the grain situation?"

"Money and grain stores are nearly depleted, all plundered by the Yao barbarians. Only the Battalion City retains some modest reserves..." As he spoke, he shot a venomous glare at a middle-aged man standing nearby. You escaped lightly enough!

Huang Chao noted the exchange with puzzlement. What drama is this?

Among the county's surrendered officials and soldiers, the roster proved remarkably complete. Apart from a handful who had fled before the Yao uprising escalated, virtually every official remained—the minor clerks were locals with nowhere else to go, while the higher-ranking officials found themselves trapped, too fearful to attempt escape. Even former Magistrate Peng Shouan stood among them.

Following Zhou Liangchen's introduction, Huang Chao identified the object of that earlier glare as Peng Shouan himself. Small wonder he looks so dusty and miserable, wearing his ill fortune like a second robe. The man who had safely retired now bears the stain of collaboration. No surprise he seems resentful.

Several officers from the local Guard Battalion completed the assembly. Though the Guard Battalion itself operated with notorious laxity, the perpetual "Yao Situation" had necessitated maintaining at least minimal competence among its officers. Each commanded a dozen or so capable personal soldiers. In truth, Yangshan's resistance had depended entirely on this core of officers and their few dozen men.

"You have all endured much in the city's defense. Return to your homes and rest for a few days. Should you need to report anything, speak with my cadres. Those facing difficulties need not hesitate—speak freely. Whatever I can remedy, I shall." He swept his gaze across the assembled officials. "However, I must speak plainly. With chaos and bandits rampant throughout the region, all who shelter within these walls must embrace the spirit of mutual survival. Harbor no contrary thoughts. Great Song has always emphasized voluntary participation in all matters. Should any of you prove unwilling to serve as officials or citizens under Great Song's governance, we shall escort you beyond our borders with all courtesy once the Yao uprising is quelled and roads are secure again. But should anyone engage in treachery during this critical time, do not expect mercy."

The assembly rushed to pledge their loyalty, swearing they would never betray the city to outside enemies.

Eager to demonstrate his particular devotion, Zhou Liangchen stepped forward with a bow. "Since we subordinates have surrendered to Great Song, we humbly request that the Superior bestow upon us proper robes and uniforms, that we might shave our hair and adopt new dress."

An awkward silence descended on the hall. Inwardly, every man present cursed Zhou Liangchen as shameless, though none dared voice such thoughts under another's roof.

"That matter can wait," Huang Chao replied. "First, I arrived in haste and lack sufficient uniforms for all. Second, the Yao crisis remains urgent—hardly the time for such ceremonies. For now, simply wear civilian clothing. Those gauze caps and round collars are no longer necessary."

"Yes, yes, many thanks to the Lord for his understanding." Zhou Liangchen had only sought to demonstrate sincerity; whether the Senator agreed mattered little to him. After all, keeping his hair allowed him certain flexibility should circumstances suddenly shift.

Relief rippled through the assembled officials. Huang Chao proceeded to announce personnel assignments. He summoned several men and women wearing short garments, their hair cut short. Zhou Liangchen recognized them immediately as "False Hairs"—rebels who had joined the Hair Thieves at an earlier date.

"This is Wang Chuyi. The Senate has appointed him as Yangshan County's new County Head."

Wang Chuyi offered a slight bow and introduced himself in heavily accented Putonghua: "My name is Wang Chuyi. The Senate has honored me with their trust in appointing me as your local County Head. I look forward to productive cooperation with you all!"

The group below hastened to offer flattery. Zhou Liangchen felt the ground shift beneath him. He had assumed that his initiative in surrendering to the "Hair Thieves," combined with his merit in preserving the county seat, would surely earn him the magistracy under this Great Song regime. Instead, the position had been granted to what appeared—judging by the name—to be some common peasant. Yet he allowed no trace of disappointment to cross his features, lavishing Wang Chuyi with effusive compliments.

Peng Shouan suppressed a smile of secret satisfaction. He could have escaped earlier, but Zhou Liangchen's interference had trapped him here, saddling him with the reputation of collaboration!

Wang Chuyi continued reading an appointment letter in his stilted Mandarin. Given that Zhou Liangchen had only recently arrived to assume his post in Yangshan and remained unfamiliar with county affairs, yet possessed merit in both surrendering and defending the city, he would serve as Director of the General Office of Yangshan County. Zhou Liangchen's mood soured immediately. Though unfamiliar with this "General Office," he grasped that the position essentially meant assisting the County Head. In one stroke, he had plummeted from Magistrate to something resembling Deputy Magistrate.

The remaining surrendered officials received their own appointments—titles none had heard before. Standard protocol dictated that surrendered Guangdong officials should be sent to Guangzhou for screening and "re-education" rather than assigned local positions. But circumstances demanded flexibility, and Yangshan would be treated as a special case.

Finally came Peng Shouan's turn—he was appointed "Chief Advisor" to the Yangshan County Government.

Peng Shouan didn't know whether to laugh or weep. He had already resigned his office. Without Zhou Liangchen's meddling, he might already be traveling back to his ancestral home. Instead, he now found himself trapped between impossible choices. Refusing this "puppet position" was unthinkable—he had no intention of dying for duty's sake. Yet accepting it branded him with the crime of surrender. Weighing his options, he concluded that preserving his life took precedence. While the green mountains remain, there will always be firewood. He indicated his acceptance, deferring to circumstances. Fortunately, he had already returned his seal and received no confirmation from the Ministry of Personnel—technically, he no longer held official status. He could avoid the gravest charge of "territorial official surrendering to the enemy."

Though the surrendered officials regarded Wang Chuyi as a mere peasant, he proved remarkably methodical. He immediately arranged for personnel to assume control of granaries and city defenses while conscripting able-bodied men to repair the walls. He instructed gentry and commoners who had fled to the city to spread word far and wide: Great Song's Celestial Troops had secured the county seat and would soon suppress the Yao uprising. All village strongholds should "maintain vigilant defense." Simultaneously, he levied "reasonable burdens" on wealthy households and gentry.

The surrendered officials watched with growing bewilderment and secret dismay. Where did this peasant learn such methods of governance? Yet none dared reveal their skepticism, instead bracing themselves to carry out their assigned duties. Whatever heretical practices Great Song might embrace, suppressing the Yao chaos and preserving their lives and property remained paramount.

By comparison, Peng Shouan enjoyed considerably more freedom, though it brought him little comfort. He had envisioned completing his term peacefully, then returning to his hometown in Putian County, Fujian, with the gold, silver, and valuables he had accumulated over the years, settling into the respectable life of rural gentry. Yangshan was a poor county with scarce level farmland, hemmed in by mountains on all sides. Despite Peng Shouan's energetic pursuit of profit, he had managed to save less than two thousand taels of silver over several years in office.

Peng Shouan maintained certain principles: pursue wealth, but avoid causing deaths. So long as no lives were lost, he would accommodate whatever the local tyrants and evil gentry requested—provided the customary "filial silver" changed hands.

Indeed, Peng Shouan considered himself conscientious. He had contributed funds to repair sections of the city wall destroyed by flooding and donated to the county militia. He took pride in being a "good official." Originally, he had harbored ambitions of transferring to a more lucrative posting. However, conditions throughout the empire had deteriorated in recent years, with even traditionally stable Guangdong proving no exception.

Several years prior, the Hair Thieves had established themselves as bandits in Qiongzhou. Governor of Liangguang Wang Zunde had raised an army to suppress them, only to see it annihilated. The Hair Thieves' warships sailed brazenly to the approaches of Guangzhou City. News from his home province shocked him even more deeply: Zheng Zhilong, the Great Sea Lord who had dominated the Fujian and Zhejiang coasts, had been defeated by these same Hair Thieves in a single night, losing his head in the process.

With the Hair Thieves ensconced in Qiongzhou and repeatedly assaulting Guangzhou, their designs on Guangdong seemed unmistakable. This realization cooled Peng Shouan's enthusiasm for official service considerably. Given his modest abilities, securing a comfortable posting in Jiangnan was impossible. As for other regions—Lianghu, Jiangxi, Shandong, Guanzhong, Heluo—roaming bandits choked every road, while natural disasters and human calamities never ceased. Serving as magistrate in such places would make the twin duties of tax collection and pacification nearly impossible. Thus he had begun contemplating resignation and return to his ancestral home. After more than a decade in office, he had accumulated tens of thousands of taels of silver—enough to live comfortably as a man of means.