Chapter 103: Offspring And Settlement
For the mess Wu Zhantie caused, Wu Fei personally made a trip to the southern border to clean up.
Due to the urgency, Wu Fei rode the peacock, speeding like lightning on the road.
In the vassal army, Wu Family Army retainers Wu Gang Xing, Wu Shang Song, and other officers, upon learning the situation, led the trembling vassal army in formation to welcome Wu Fei.
When the peacock landed, the scene was like a heavily armored helicopter descending from the sky; within hundreds of meters, the jungle swayed along; as for the horned people vassal army, they steadied their formation by holding their guns.
After Wu Fei arrived, he reviewed these seven hundred southern army corps vassal soldiers.
As the supreme commander of the southern border, Wu Fei temporarily did not accept Wu Gang Xing and Wu Shang Song’s trembling attempts to come forward and greet him. Instead, he first inspected the vassal army’s ammunition, military appearance, and logistical supplies, and asked about the vassal soldiers’ thoughts and such.
At this time and place, Wu Fei did not neglect them because they were vassal soldiers; at the reclamation points in the Ling River Four Commanderies, it was acceptable to neglect them somewhat, because there were national clan armed forces, but in this marginal area, ninety percent of the combat power was these vassal soldiers.
Currently, Wu Family Army non-commissioned officers here were equivalent to Wang Xuance of the Great Tang in the Western Regions, Gao Xian Zhi in Central Asia. The advantage of this organizational form was that with relatively little economic burden, a considerable number of military forces obedient to the center could be maintained in the distant border. Even if defeated, it would not hurt.
Gao Xian Zhi’s Battle of Talos seemed to be a loss of troops, but most losses were mercenaries; his core elites withdrew. Historical records note that Gao Xian Zhi still had the power to fight again, but gave up further campaigns due to the An Lushan Rebellion.
Bringing the topic back, Wu Fei now came here, still very cautiously assessing the vassal army situation.
If these vassal soldiers were unstable, he would laughingly promise them heavy rewards to steady them; then ride the peacock back at a speed no less than Liu Bang fleeing the Hongmen Banquet, and would not risk his precious body staying in the southern border.
As for whether the vassal army was stable! Wu Fei could tell, for example, from their military appearance and morale.
Whether the soldiers were dejected from failure, dissatisfied from deductions, resistant in answering officers—these were all obvious states.
After inspecting that the vassal army had no issues, Wu Fei began to reward their merits on the spot, promoting sixteen outstanding combat vassal squad leaders to positions equal to the Wu Family Army; this made Wu Gang Xing and Wu Shang Song pause slightly, feeling somewhat uneasy, but Wu Fei’s subsequent arrangements made them accept these vassal squad leaders with considerable realization.
Wu Fei’s reward to these vassal squad leaders was: “Holy Ash Pills distributed to the whole family for bloodline elevation; also granted hundred household fiefs.”
On granting fiefs, now among Wu Family disciples, those who understood, understood: Wu Fei could not possibly grant inland fiefs, but set up fiefs outside the pass. Fen Xing City and Ling River Four Commanderies fiefs were all from exiled Da Yao Kingdom nationals; for foreign races like horned people and clawed people, sealed lands could only be peripheral.
So for Wu Family disciples, what was there to envy about blood rewards they did not need?
Thus, after Wu Fei granted positions to these sixteen horned people squad leaders, Wu Gang Xing and Wu Shang Song then brought up human relations, congratulating these subordinates whom they had once harshly indoctrinated.
Relative to the “squad leader” position, these southern border vassal soldiers preferred the title “Hundred Household Chief,” because they cared more about managing their own kin.
Seeing the Wu Family Army senior officers who once cursed them suddenly treat them well, these horned people hundred household chiefs felt a sudden surge of cross-stratum glory in their hearts, holding their heads high among the horned people group, stepping from the ruled group into the ruling circle, naturally becoming ever more loyal.
…Precautionary dividing line…
One day, might the horned people also rebel against the Wu Family in the border, just like Wu Fei’s little moves against Da Yao now?
Xuan Chong thought: This possibility cannot be ruled out, so he insisted on national clan as core, spreading Da Yao civilization system, ensuring the cultural lineage carrying science and technology always remained in the national clan system.
Border barbarian tribes’ native languages had very simple vocabulary in local exchanges. Limited to cattle and horses, livestock fruits, etc.; for higher organizational hierarchies, they could only borrow vocabulary from Da Yao side.
This was because: after a region formed an advanced mainstream culture, its resource system had been seized by the higher cultural center, and affiliated civilizations could not evolve to higher productivity on their own.
Historical summary: High productivity matching cultural evolution requires resources! For example, primitive civilizations crossing eras from slash-and-burn cultivation to agricultural dynasties involved not just key agricultural technologies, but a series of complex elements; such as customs matching farming seasons, riddles including livestock poultry sheds and human dwellings; these required occupying plains, controlling land production materials, waiting for wheat to mature a thousand times, to form “enduring” agricultural culture.
Industrial culture was the same. Various production safety regulations, and society’s reflexive emphasis on related technical positions in professional exchanges. These formed “industrial culture” only after decades or centuries of manufacturing; a mature industrial civilization would swallow all markets in reachable areas, leaving no chance for other regions to develop “industrial culture.”
Especially, in Xuan Chong’s previous life, next to some industrial Cthulhu. For small nations around the industrial monster, rather than figuring out social organization of production manufacturing, better to just buy directly.
Now southern border tribes were forcibly pulled by Xuan Chong onto the “feudal farming” development line, but the related culture was grafted.
Southern border barbarians’ cultural disadvantage relative to Da Yao was even worse than Later Jin; all agriculture pastoral related writing was from Da Yao side. For them to complete “farming feudal narrative” in their cultural lineage system, unless they moved to another planet to grab resources and restart.
After southern border barbarian culture successfully docked with Da Yao, even if Da Yao declined one day, the region could not culturally independent, because southern border tribes’ native culture, upon docking with Da Yao, already had no resources for independent development, sealed away.
Xuan Chong: Just like later Maozi admiring Europe, because the elites’ spiritual world thoroughly fell into the German-French civilization narrative view.
…Returning to military conquest…
After completing the troop review, Wu Fei immediately led the troops toward the lizardmen target area.
Regarding Wu Zhantie being attacked, Wu Fei’s attitude was must protect the calf: you bit off a piece of my subordinate’s flesh, must repay in flesh.
Wu Fei: “Dispatch generals to campaign, general bitten by a woman, army forced to retreat? I can’t afford to lose that face.”
With green light flashing on the peacock’s tail feathers, the jungle parted a road, the seven hundred plus troops in bright armor advanced quickly on this tree-parted gap but ground covered in roots road.
After quickly arriving at the lizardmen base, Wu Fei looked at this camp, a barrier piled from square stone bricks, not a city but very strong defense; gaps left in the piled stone walls, lizardmen heads probing from them, like snakes hiding in rock crevices.
Facing such a “stone brick piled” city, Wu Fei pondered how to attack. Thinking it over, probably use smoke fumigation.
Of course, just as the corps deployed and Wu Fei was thinking, the lizardmen surrendered.
Mo Na Ti was bound and offered out, her face ashen like death.
Mo Na Ti hated her naivety a month ago, tricked by outsiders into revealing local treasures. To atone, she feigned compliance, swallowed agonizing transformation pills, seduced to retaliate against the outsider, only bringing disaster to her homeland, forced out to avert calamity.
Now she lifted her head looking at the southern border “deity” seated on the huge peacock ahead, desperately beginning to pray.
——Just as she thought no one would respond to her prayer.
A lazy voice came from the peacock: “Why bind our people, too impolite.” —The lizardmen elders coming to surrender immediately kowtowed.
In a daze, Mo Na Ti’s ropes were untied, then someone draped clothes on her; the deity responding to her prayer seemed to say something, but like recalling dream plot after waking, she soon forgot.
Wu Fei looked at this lizardwoman, humanoid, back covered in scales, claws on fingers; face like cartoon paper figure, with exaggerated big eyes. No wonder Wu Zhantie could stomach her.
After Mo Na Ti was released, Wu Fei had no intention of letting these people off, demanding the local lizardmen tribe all men women elders children come out to accept the conqueror’s education and indoctrination.
The lizardmen elder finally brought the young and strong out, lining up under guard.
Wu Fei confirmed all who should be there were, then announced his punishment: “The tribute I set for you is forty taels of gold annually! This year, due to your invasion of our border, compensate my army three thousand taels of gold.”
On the way here, Wu Fei had been calculating how to clean up Wu Zhantie’s mess in a dignified way. Finally deciding “robbery” could not be direct robbery, but civilized “compensation.”
Here, the accountants Wu Fei brought began using large scales to tally the lizardmen elder’s compensation. Lizardmen hauled gold from somewhere in the city, piling it in the plaza.
Amid this drunken gold haze, Wu Fei was very cold, had Wu Family disciples tally the gold weight on large scales, then his great peacock’s red tail feathers cast magic to melt gold water, poured into molds, forging a golden paulownia tree. Then handed to the lizardmen elder to take back to their so-called holy site. Wu Fei: This golden paulownia is where I set foot.
Wu Fei calculated: If stormed, this gold would inevitably reward the horned people, but now forcing the tribe to surrender without any loss was too cheap for these vassal soldiers.
Wu Fei restrained his and the army’s greed for gold, remolding its shape, placing it back on lizardmen territory.
Wu Fei told the submitting residents: “This golden paulownia is the sacred object I placed here, you must enshrine it well!” Lizardmen immediately knelt in worship, vowing to enshrine these sacred objects well.
Wu Fei (Xuan Chong)’s historical view patch: In this world, besides blood rewards exchanging for others’ blood labor, “blood hatred” can too. If a group comes to another’s homeland to burn, kill, and plunder, creating huge blood hatred, generations later, if heroes emerge among the slaughtered descendants calling locally, the surviving local kin can retaliate without blood rewards. Hence, in conquest, reduce “blood hatred.”
Wu Fei now used robbed gold to buy their enshrinement of him!
After the golden paulownia was successfully cast, Wu Fei interestedly dealt with the “prime culprit” of the campaign.
Amid numerous lizardmen kowtowing, Wu Fei called over the re-dressed Mo Na Ti, fed her a Qi Ling Dan, saying: Your child is the local thousand households.
Mo Na Ti clutched her belly blankly: “My child?”
Wu Fei stared at her: “Before you bit that bastard, you must have coupled, right? You’re lucky, bearing my Wu Family heir. This is your fortune.”
Amid this lizardwoman’s blankness, Wu Fei hung a precious jade on her neck, forcibly setting her as Wu Zhantie’s wife. Whatever status Wu Zhantie later gave the lizardwoman, concubine or what, anyway this local thousand households position was fixed for her borne and raised heir. Even if a girl, still thousand households. Worst case, twenty years later, marry her to a Da Yao man.
…Ten days later…
In southern Ling River, Wu Fei saw Wu Zhantie’s reply report. This guy was dissatisfied with his punishment, thinking three years garrison too painful; Wu Fei immediately noted: You made the mess, clean it up before returning.
In the southern vassal army camp, Wu Zhantie looked at Mo Na Ti’s pitiful appearance, full of helpless frustration.
He knew he ran into Wu Fei’s gun. Wu Fei would not casually execute, but exile without hesitation; just right Wu Family needed nails in the south, so he hit it perfectly.
A year ago, he was a carefree clan dandy; months ago just entering southern border, like a husky let off leash.
Wu Fei solemnly: Hmm, calling Wu Zhantie a husky is praise, praising his fearless “exploration spirit”; but for Wu Zhantie: his lawless robbery indulging desires not fully erupted, bitten in vitals by some barbarian woman here, now pinned as person in charge.
What made Wu Zhantie unable to voice his bitterness: no one comforted him, even clan side urged him to stay, because! This lizardmen territory had a gold mine.
Wu Fei had Wu Zhantie garrison here, as overseer of mining. Such a fat post, clan side after weighing, urged Wu Zhantie to stay four or five years.
Even Wu Zhantie’s uncles and elder brothers wrote urging: Blessing in disguise, stay put. (Sacrifice you one, happiness for the family! Your brother getting good wife relies on you.)
Wu Zhantie deeply regretted; if he could choose again, he would control his lower body.
Of course he just said it; a year later his applied “Holy Ash Pills” increased, a whole lizard tribe’s eligible young girls all ruined during his garrison.
…Ethnic fusion dividing line…
Early year 34, southern border. Wu Fei nearly finished a pile of trivial matters, including tribute amounts from various places, and this year’s rotation holiday schedule for Wu Family disciples’ garrisons.
Da Yao emphasized filial piety, so every three years, border garrison disciples got three months home, incidentally confirming if their far-posted money really reached old father and mother.
This home-visit batch excluded promoted disciples; a batch of Wu Clan collateral newbies sent, those promoted Wu Family disciples as senior elders must lesson the newbies.
Of course, offenders could not go back, like Wu Zhantie. He just sent a letter home.
Only after his southern kid grew up could he bring the kid back to ancestral hall. As for his bizarre work injury, Wu Fei did him a favor, quashing rumors it was from tree fall.
…Matters gradually concluded…
Early year 34 in Fen Xing City, big-bellied San Gu blankly watched space, muttering something. Listening closely, “Dao Venerable of Myriad Changes above, disciple” babble.
At this moment, she felt none of her “power of change.” Originally Myriad Changes Dao indicated she bore a holy son. But this “holy or not,” not for him to decide.
That absolute order power in her belly not only stabilized the entire umbilical cord, but the whole amniotic sac.
Under “holy power” and “golden holy root source” tug-of-war from San Gu’s full cultivation, the fetus in amniotic fluid developed very slowly. Because each shocking talent from “holy power” was repeatedly erased, reverting to ordinary.
In past on other planets, “holy sons” favored by holy power repeatedly mutated like echinoderms in womb before birth, organs changing utterly inhuman, forms from starfish to octopus to giraffe in seventy-two changes, forcibly twisted back to human infant before delivery.
San Gu as faith “change” believer, after taking Wu Fei’s essence, qi, and spirit, thought the “Dao-favored” child in her belly was this extraordinary.
But now, very Hegemonic Way, absolute holy root source forcibly decided “fetal education” should not be so flashy; this golden order power repeatedly erased change forces, seemingly impatient, began expanding step by step; San Gu this “new era woman”‘s change power like unreasonable fussing, hammered thoroughly subdued by “order power.”
This hammering like domestic violence, not killing, but disciplining. Sealing San Gu’s entire “Dao cultivation” “cultivation”; now San Gu completely felt no “evil moon” Dao rhyme.
At this time in space evil moon, that originally blue area, like purple area, infused with gold.
Unlike purple area’s small pool with huge diamond sky-piercing pillar, blue area was a golden whirlwind jumping from one eyeball to another, absorbing “wisdom” from each eyeball, leaving dazed silly eyeballs. Blue space eyeballs exhausted all wisdom, unable to figure what this “golden whirlwind” meant.
……
March, Wu Fei on north return passed Fen Xing City, got good news, Fen Xing City physician said: “Madam pulses stable, will birth in these two months.”
Wu Fei slightly stunned, first surprised, then muttered: “This pregnancy how like ‘Thunder download,’ progress bar jumping.” By original progress, Wu Fei estimated “geometric time stretch,” thought still over two years needed, and after last pulse should be normal fetal period. Unexpected, he originally wanted to drag longer in southern border.
Wu Fei glanced at system “heir online” progress bar. Now at bottom, so dustily rushed home. Finally Wu Fei arrived in San Gu’s boudoir, gave much care. As first-time father, facing own son, Wu Fei felt he should show great joy. And already named son, milk name Yan’er, full name Wu Lu.
San Gu looked at Wu Fei, asked thought-provoking words: “Don’t you suspect me, suspect this child?”
Wu Fei slightly startled, quickly checked system.
After confirming no issue, Wu Fei reflected: “I seemed overly trusting. Without system prompt this was from my somatic cell nucleus seed, I would repeatedly suspect.”
But now, Wu Fei’s emotional intelligence took high ground, to San Gu: “I trust you; if this child not mine, with your spirit, you wouldn’t tolerate stranger touching you.”
…Today moon especially bright, because sunlit…
Shu Tian Calendar year 34 fifth month initial four, a boy born crying, army just returned Fen Xing City. Wu Fei ordered: Soldiers exiting closed-door cultivation rest one day in military camp, slaughter ninety-nine pigs, ninety-nine sheep, whole army extra meal.
Halting whole army for one child seemed absurd at first, but now not urgent military, Ling River mid-upper reaches no large enemy forces, this march more political task.
Wu Fei announced widely to army and departments he had heir, political declaration, currently southern border’s most important political event.
Family Under Heaven concept too ingrained, hence southern border this conquered territory, Wu Fei’s “family” had successor.
Parliament and emperor’s specific roles for national interest strata was intermediate strata needing a bookkeeping “legal person.” Difference: former personal responsibility system, latter group responsibility system.
In different historical stages, judging emperor or parliament responsibility system success often related to whether unlimited liability.
Play failed can deny and run limited liability, whether emperor or warlord, reputation poor in Eastern historiography.
Wu Fei’s southern border forces balance was unlimited liability, highest rights with broadest duties; before this unavoidable northbound, must arrange for all meritorious officials.
Wu Fei’s ministers now throughout southern border: soldiers with ranks, reclamation point baozhang, Fen Xing City workshop owners, various area dealers, even many tusi and foreign race minister mercenaries.
These Wu Fei ministers all ate lord’s salary. Now all “ministers” wondered if this “salary” would vanish with Wu Fei death? All worried if their “salary” lasting. —Now, Wu Fei himself this biggest “salary” had successor. Whole army and ranks very happy.
…San Gu already packing Wu Fei’s luggage…
Gong Qian saw southern border joyful atmosphere, after receiving Wu Fei’s definite northbound message, exhaled.
Beside deputy envoy Qian Zheng frowned: “Just a concubine’s son, delaying us so long, most rude.”
Wu Fei delayed full year before north return, seriously ignoring imperial order, but finally willing return. Made Gong Qian’s group somewhat worry Emperor Shu’s rage.
Gong Qian: “Not just concubine’s son, he’s pressuring the Imperial Court!”
Amid crowd’s confusion, Gong Qian: “His Majesty marrying princess aims to check Wu Family, born heir naturally inherit Wu Family estate. —But now, this estate has an heir.”
If court detained Wu Fei long, even Da Yao certified Wu Fei legitimate son, upon adulthood, might not outcompete southern border-born concubine’s son.
So future Emperor Shu keep Wu Fei long-term in capital as hostage? Now must weigh interests more.
At Yongji Pass side, Wu Fei summoned back Zhao Xian Zhong and Wu Qing, left with Yao San Gu. Gave each a box (trick bag), told them open if undecided.
And in southern far border pioneering area, Wu Fei freed soldier rights for permanent Wu Family there.
Thus, even after his departure, would leave in southern border stable group like Shu Han after Liu Bei death. Ensure son upon birth immediately have clan force centered on him. —Surveying Chinese dynasties, young ruler not controlled by powerful ministers must rely on soldier-right clan disciples. Meanwhile, overly strong clan usurps main branch power, so need loyal outer ministers to guard.
…Loyalty northbound…
Wu Fei’s southern border halo quickly faded after crossing Yongji Pass.
Monster beast carriage immediately swapped for spec-correct horse cart, back inside pass became non-transgressing good boy.
Thus Gong Qian saw: In southern border, all respectfully bowed to Wu Fei; at Yongji Pass weaker, road pedestrians and merchants just yielded way to Wu Fei.
Gong Qian watched all silently; in nearly two years, he learned Wu Family actually divided two factions.
Southern route managed border, mostly Wu Family native disciples, centered on Wu Fei; northern route now eager, lurking heroes force in Da Yao World, after all Wu Hengyu widely amassed retainers.
Recalling year 32 war spanning Zhenzhou, affecting Yongzhou, then Wu Fei suddenly emerged in Da Yao lord-minister view.
Da Yao lord-ministers thought “Wu Family now Wu Hengyu, Wu Fei, Wu Hanluan triangle,” too strong together, recall Wu Fei to cut Wu Family possible disloyalty.
But was this right? Gong Qian: Perhaps Wu Fei is loyal faction in Wu Family, removing him might worse?
Gong Qian shook doubts from head, now still must bring Wu Fei back to Yao Capital to report to king.
