Chapter 9

Luhong's family was not large. Apart from the couple, there was only Luchao, their only child. The family dinner consisted of only four people. Gaoyuan was meeting Luhong's wife for the first time. She was a kind and gentle woman, but compared to Luhong's special care for him, she seemed much more reserved.

There were not many dishes, only five or six bowls, but the cook's skills seemed quite good. The dishes were well-balanced, colorful, and fragrant. Among the four people at the table, Gaoyuan was the youngest. Since it was a family dinner, Gaoyuan did not act as a guest and took the initiative to pick up the wine jar, break the mud seal, and prepare to pour wine for everyone.

Luhong stroked his beard and smiled, as if all of this was to be expected.

"Today is a happy day, so we should have a few good drinks. This jar of wine was a precious gift from County Magistrate Wu years ago. I haven't had the heart to drink it for four or five years. Gaoyuan, you're in for a treat today," Luhong laughed heartily.

"Nephew has been bedridden for nearly a month, and I really don't know what wine tastes like anymore," Gaoyuan smiled and poured wine for everyone. As soon as the wine was poured, Gaoyuan was taken aback. The wine smelled quite fragrant, but its color was not very good, somewhat turbid. Compared to the clear and pure wine he had drunk in his previous life, this one was of much lower quality. Could it be that it had gone bad because it was stored for too long? Gaoyuan thought to himself, but seeing Luhong's expression, he found nothing unusual and was secretly amazed.

Holding up his wine bowl, Gaoyuan did not sit down and said loudly, "This first cup of wine, I want to toast to Uncle and Aunt, thanking you for your years of care. My parents died early, and Uncle and Aunt are like my parents reborn. I will drink first as a sign of respect."

Gaoyuan toasted Luhong and his wife, and Luchao also stood up and said with a smile, "I'll join you!"

The two of them drank in one go.

Luhong's wife picked up her wine bowl and said with a smile, "Gaoyuan used to be quite talkative, but I didn't expect him to be so considerate after this second life. It seems that getting stabbed was worth it."

Luhong laughed heartily, looking very satisfied. He also drank in one go.

Putting down his wine bowl, Gaoyuan subtly frowned. Luhong had said this was a wine he had treasured for several years, but it tasted quite bland and watery, similar to the yellow wine from his previous life. To be honest, it wasn't a very good wine. But seeing Luhong's treasured expression, he didn't say anything.

"For the second bowl, I wish Brother Luchao success in his studies. When you achieve great things, don't forget to help your younger brother," Gaoyuan said with a smile.

Luchao nodded, "Of course." The two of them clinked their bowls and drank in one go.

Seeing Gaoyuan drink two bowls in a row without batting an eyelid, Luhong became a bit worried, "Your wound has just healed, drink less and eat more. It wouldn't be good if you got drunk. There's plenty of time ahead."

Gaoyuan smiled inwardly. With this wine, he could drink the whole jar and still not get drunk. In his previous life, he could drink two liters of 50-60 degree grain wine in one go and still be fine.

The meal was a warm and harmonious affair. Gaoyuan could tell that this family truly treated him like a family member, which moved him. In his previous life, he had never known warmth, facing only cold machinery and life-and-death struggles. He had never experienced such warmth.

After the meal, Luhong's wife went to the back yard to attend to things, and Luchao also excused himself to go back to his room to study. Gaoyuan, however, was kept behind by Luhong.

"Gaoyuan, I didn't want you to be a soldier. I once had you study with Luchao, but you couldn't sit still and weren't suited for studying. I blame myself. If your parents hadn't died early, I wouldn't have indulged you so much. Otherwise, with your intelligence, you would have achieved as much as your brother," Luhong sighed.

"Uncle, I actually prefer leading soldiers. It's more straightforward," Gaoyuan said with a smile.

"Being a soldier means fighting on the battlefield. Your father died in battle, and your mother died of grief. I don't want you to go to war again. But since you don't want to study, that path is closed. You can only become a soldier to make a future for yourself. This time, I've arranged for you to be a military clerk. I have two positions under me. You can choose which one you want," Luhong said.

Gaoyuan thought it was great to have an official uncle who could help him choose his job.

"Uncle, as a county magistrate, you have a regiment of 300 regular soldiers, with four military clerk positions. Two are currently vacant. One is to assist me with various tasks, and the other is to lead soldiers. Which one do you want?" Luhong asked.

"I'll lead the soldiers," Gaoyuan said without hesitation. "I can't stand doing paperwork in the county office."

"That suits your personality. However, the military is different from other places. I can arrange for you to go, but whether you can stand your ground is another matter. In the military, the strong win. Even with me as your backer, the soldiers may not respect you," Luhong said with a smile. "If you want to lead soldiers, I'll give you three months. If you can't handle it, come back. I'll keep the position open for you for three months, okay?"

"No need, Uncle. Since I've chosen to lead soldiers, I won't turn back. Just watch me," Gaoyuan said loudly.

"You have the same personality as your father. Well, let me introduce you to Fufeng County. We have 300 regular soldiers, with 100 stationed in Fufeng City, 100 in Jili Pass, which is over 50 miles away from Fufeng City, and 100 scattered throughout the county to maintain order. There are three military clerk positions, and they rotate every year. This time, the 100 soldiers you will lead are stationed in the city. But after the New Year, you'll have to go to Jili Pass," Luhong said. "It's not a good place."

"I can endure hardship," Gaoyuan said seriously.

"It's not just about enduring hardship. Our Liaoxi Prefecture is a border region, and Fufeng County is the closest to the enemy. Jili Pass is the first line of defense. The Donghu barbarians raid and plunder every year, and Jili Pass always suffers some casualties," Luhong said.

During this time, Gaoyuan had chatted with Zhang Yi, who worked for Luhong and knew a lot about the border region. Gaoyuan knew that the Donghu were the biggest threat to Liaoxi Prefecture. The Donghu were powerful, and Liaoxi Prefecture was mostly on the defensive, essentially just waiting to be attacked. To defeat the Donghu, the entire country of Daxian would need to mobilize.

"Uncle, I have a question. Fufeng County is the first line of defense against the Donghu. Why do we only have 300 regular soldiers?" Gaoyuan was puzzled. "With such a small number, how can we defend against an attack?"

Luhong laughed, "From your question, I can tell you know nothing, Gaoyuan. Fufeng County having 300 regular soldiers is already quite a lot. Liaoxi Prefecture has over a dozen counties, and Fufeng County has three times as many regular soldiers as the others. Have you ever calculated how much it costs to maintain a soldier? Just the monthly salary of one guan (a unit of currency) adds up to over 3,000 guan a year. Add clothing, weapons, and food, and each soldier costs another 10 guan a year. So, 300 regular soldiers cost over 6,000 guan a year. That's not a small amount. Fufeng County is special, and the prefecture provides 60% of the budget, which is 3,600 guan. I have to find another 20% from the county, which is 1,200 guan, leaving a shortfall of 1,200 guan that we have to raise ourselves."

"Raise ourselves?" Gaoyuan gasped.

Luhong nodded, "Yes, raise ourselves. To be honest, I have 300 soldiers, but I can only fully pay the 100 stationed at Jili Pass, as they might lose their lives there. The other two groups, stationed in the city and maintaining order in the countryside, only get half their salary."

Gaoyuan gasped again. He calculated that Luhong received 4,800 guan a year from the prefecture and the county. The 100 soldiers at Jili Pass cost 2,000 guan, which couldn't be reduced. The other two groups, if paid half, would cost another 2,000 guan, leaving 800 guan. If he cut costs on food and weapons, the amount would exceed 1,000 guan. He knew where this money went. It turned out that his respected uncle was also one who profited from the soldiers.

"You're a smart person, so you know where the remaining money goes. I'm in a difficult position. I have to support my family and pay for your brother's education, which is a significant expense. Additionally, I have to bribe people every year, which is also a large expense. If I only relied on this money, it wouldn't even cover the basics. Fortunately, there are other sources of income, and I manage to break even."

"But Uncle, I still don't understand. If the Donghu attack, what will we do? With only 300 soldiers who don't even get full pay, how can we defend?" Gaoyuan was helpless. After all, Luhong was his uncle.

Luhong laughed, "You don't know. The Donghu raid every year, but the scale is small. When they come, we defend the city. Besides the 300 soldiers, we can also conscript able-bodied men. The Donghu don't attack cities; they just raid. If they really wanted to attack the city, the enmity would be too great, and the court and the prefecture wouldn't sit idly by. That would be a major war. A few years ago, the prefecture gathered over 10,000 troops and fought a major battle with the Donghu, giving them a severe lesson. They've been more subdued since then. The real fighting forces are in the prefecture, and we just put up a show. The Donghu are also unstable internally, being a tribal alliance with divided loyalties. Now you understand?"

Gaoyuan nodded, finally understanding. The Donghu only raided the villages outside the city. As long as they didn't attack the city, the Daxian court wouldn't bother. But this meant the villages outside the city suffered greatly.

"Without full pay, the soldiers won't cause trouble?" Gaoyuan asked a crucial question.

"That depends on the skills of the military clerk," Luhong looked at Gaoyuan meaningfully. "There are many ways to make money. It's up to you to figure it out."

"I understand!" Gaoyuan nodded.

"To lead soldiers, you must first earn their respect. To do that, you need to be strong and ensure everyone has food to eat," Luhong said. "The group you're going to has been owed half a year's salary. I've prepared 100 guan, which is one month's salary. That's all I can afford. This is a special favor for you. Someone else wouldn't get such a deal."

Gaoyuan stood up and bowed respectfully to Luhong. He understood that the 100 guan was a special favor from Luhong. For another military clerk, it would be impossible. "Thank you, Uncle."

"Good, you understand."

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