Chapter 37: Demand Pay
Halfway through eating, Jinsui got up and walked around. Hei Hu followed, gnawing on a wolf leg and repeatedly saying:
“This wolf meat is so chewy! Did the Prince eat any?”
Jinsui shook her head: “This Prince does not like wolf meat.”
Hei Hu was very regretful:
“I was thinking of taking the brothers to hunt more wolves tomorrow! What does the Prince like to eat? Do you like bear paws?”
Jinsui repeatedly shook her head; she didn’t like any wild animals!
She didn’t go to where the garrison army was gathered. She knew the thoughts of these people at the bottom level; if she went over, everyone would only feel constrained.
She only watched from afar as those people ate. It was clearly such unappetizing bean and pea porridge, but because some meat soup was mixed in, everyone’s eyes were shining.
The children, in particular, wouldn’t let go of their bowls until the food was almost down their throats!
And the large flatbreads distributed to them, the children happily hugged and gnawed on them.
The adults, however, quietly hid them in their chests, clearly intending to take them home to let their children eat slowly.
The women did not dare to approach the bonfire, sitting only from afar, fawningly helping the cooks.
Receiving a bowl of soup and half a flatbread, they were reluctant to eat even a bite, calling out to their sons and daughters to eat.
Jinsui felt a pang in her heart as she watched. She had seen refugees in Luocheng, and she hadn’t expected the lives of the border soldiers to be equally hard!
And when war broke out, the border soldiers were the first to lose their lives.
Earlier, she had heard that the people on the border were like leeks in a field, repeatedly harvested by external enemies.
She felt she had identified too deeply with the persona of Li King.
She was clearly just an ordinary commoner, so why did she have the worries for the country and its people that a great figure should have?
However, she couldn’t manage others, but since this border town was hers, she had a responsibility to ensure these people ate well and ate heartily!
At this moment, she heard Wei Qingquan let out a loud exclamation, and then it seemed like he started arguing with Han Xing and the others.
She hurried over and, upon listening, learned that Wei Qingquan had discovered that the five thousand taels of silver from selling treasures that the Prince had received was given to the soldiers who had escorted her, and the remainder was less than a thousand taels.
He scolded Han Xing for not advising the Prince, because the entire Black Feather Camp had not received military pay for three months. This money should have been used in the border city!
On the other hand, Cheng Assistant Secretary looked at Jinsui with admiration.
Jinsui quickly waved her hand: “You all stop arguing first. Wei Assistant Secretary, what did you say? How long has the Black Feather Camp not received military pay?”
Wei Assistant Secretary said with great grief: “Three months! If there were these five thousand taels of silver, it would also be good to pay the soldiers’ military pay.”
Jinsui did not agree with his words:
“What do you mean, Wei Assistant Secretary? Military pay should be issued by the Imperial Court. That five thousand taels is this Prince’s reward to all the soldiers. Does having this Prince’s reward mean we can forgo military pay?”
Wei Assistant Secretary was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting Li King to say that. He stammered an explanation:
“But, but the Imperial Court cannot issue it, and Your Highness has the silver…”
Jinsui interrupted him:
“This Prince having silver is this Prince’s business. This Prince wants to use it for rewards to the soldiers, for extravagance, for eating and drinking and entertainment. What does that have to do with the Imperial Court?”
This is like if I won ten million in the lottery, but the company still has to pay the three thousand yuan it owes, right!
You can’t say that because I won ten million, I won’t get my three thousand salary, can you?
She turned to Cheng Assistant Secretary, who was in charge of military pay: “If the Imperial Court doesn’t issue the silver, what have you done?”
Cheng Assistant Secretary spread his hands: “This subordinate went to the outskirts of Yanzhou City to demand military pay from Prefect Li, and was beaten and driven out.”
Han Xing testified: “Yes, Cheng Assistant Secretary goes three times every month.”
Jinsui laughed in anger. You are truly unprofessional when it comes to demanding debts. She waved her hand:
“Prepare yourselves. Tomorrow, all the Black Feather Camp soldiers will go with this Prince to demand military pay!”
The Captain of the Garrison Army, who heard the news, also came over and asked fawningly:
“Your Highness, we also haven’t received military pay for three months. May we go with Your Highness to demand it?”
Jinsui nodded: “Of course! Everyone get ready. Tomorrow morning, as soon as it’s light, we will go to Yanzhou City.”
Hei Hu whispered a reminder: “Your Highness, yesterday you said that you would only go to Yanzhou City if the Prefect invited you with fresh flowers paving the way.”
Jinsui finally understood Han Xing’s mood when he kicked this simpleton every day. At this moment, she wanted to kick Hei Hu!
“This Prince will not enter the city. I will sit outside the city gate and wait. If they don’t issue military pay, we won’t leave!”
Wei Qingquan was startled. How could a dignified Imperial Prince do such a disgraceful thing?
He quickly advised: “There’s no need for that, Your Highness. Please meet with Prefect Li first and discuss it.”
Jinsui asked Cheng Yu: “What do you think, Cheng Assistant Secretary?”
Cheng Yu drank the wine in his cup and laughed heartily: “Tomorrow, when Your Highness demands military pay, this subordinate is willing to lead the way!”
Jinsui also burst into laughter. She turned to Wei Assistant Secretary and said:
“Official Wei, you stay behind. Don’t worry, this Prince will get your share of military pay for you.”
Many people did not sleep that night. Han Xing was organizing half the men to stay behind and the other half to accompany the Prince to Yanzhou City.
Jinsui went into her space to get things. She took out all the white coats and had Hei Hu deliver them to the women. They were altered and sewn into long strips overnight, with the following written on them:
‘Return our military pay,’ ‘Return our hard-earned money,’ ‘Three months without pay, starving border army,’ ‘Border soldiers shed blood, garrison soldiers spill their lives, Prefect Li, return our military pay,’ and so on, banners.
She wrote them herself, which surprised Hei Hu so much that his mouth was agape for a long time. Why did it feel like the Prince was very skilled at demanding military pay?
Jinsui felt that since they were going to make a fuss, they should make a big one; a small commotion wouldn’t be useful.
As for Wei Assistant Secretary saying that this action would completely offend Prefect Li.
Jinsui didn’t care at all. From the fact that the Yanzhou officials wouldn’t let her into the city, she could tell there was no room for reconciliation between the two sides.
Prefect Li was transferred every three years and certainly didn’t want to get involved in the Royal family’s mess. To avoid offending the Empress and Prince Yu, he naturally stayed away from Li King.
In any case, she didn’t expect to have a good relationship with the Yanzhou officials. Getting the solid silver was the priority.
Moreover, she believed that if she helped the Black Feather Army and the Garrison Army get their military pay, these two armies would become her loyal forces.
Having a loyal army, wouldn’t that be more useful than trying to please Prefect Li?
The sky soon brightened. The soldiers were very excited about going to demand military pay. They just boiled the leftovers from last night, drank a bowl each, and then packed up and prepared to depart.
The Garrison Army had no horses and could only follow on foot.
Before departing, Jinsui held a mobilization meeting, directly saying, if you are not united, no one can help you!
This Prince is standing up for you today. If you retreat midway, this Prince will never care again.
Only if we unite, become one rope, and let those high and mighty Yanzhou soldiers see that even the most inconspicuous border army and garrison army have strength.
Owed wages must be paid, it is only natural! Do not retreat, do not be afraid.
Don’t be afraid of Prefect Li’s accountability afterward. This Prince will bear everything.
As long as this Prince is alive, you are my soldiers, and this Prince will protect your safety!
Perhaps no person in power had ever spoken to them so sincerely or stood up for them like this.
Everyone was very grateful and excitedly shouted that they would never retreat and would stand by the Prince’s side until death.
Hei Hu got his prop gong again, and Cheng Assistant Secretary, still slightly drunk, was at his side. The group set off mightily towards Yanzhou City.
When Prefect Li received the news that Li King was leading an army towards Yanzhou City.
He sneered: “They can’t even endure one night. Do they think that by doing this, I will allow him into the city? Absolutely not let him encamp in Yanzhou City.”
“If he requests an audience with this official, tell him this official is not in the city.”
After all, he is an Imperial Prince, so one cannot be too harsh. Avoiding him is enough.
When Jinsui and the Black Feather Camp arrived outside Yanzhou City first, the Yanzhou citizens, who had already heard the news, especially the young masters, all ran to the city wall to watch the excitement.
Preparing to see Li King make a fool of himself.
The Yan Clan, the foremost family in Yanzhou, naturally also heard the news. Yan Jiulang, the current head of the Yan Clan, shook his head when his younger brother Yan Shiyi invited him to join the fun:
“Boring!”
Yan Shiyi laughed: “Exactly. No matter who he is, if he comes to Yandi, he must abide by the rules! A dragon must coil, and a tiger must lie down!”
“If Brother Jiu isn’t going, I’ll find Miss Yan to go with.”
