Chapter 54

According to the Ming army's custom, when troops are mobilized, they must be given mobilization silver, and when they march out for operations, they must also be provided with rations. The various troops gathered at Baosheng Fort included both garrison soldiers and local militia, as well as the three classes of constables and able-bodied men from the county. However, regardless of the situation, the old custom of providing mobilization silver and rations could not be omitted.

According to Zhao Cheng's deployment, this time they would mobilize 1,500 troops to surround and destroy the bandits' lair. Although the Nine-Headed Bird had previously annihilated 53 fierce bandits led by **zi with just over a hundred men, Zhao Cheng clearly still believed that caution was more important. Perhaps the generally low combat effectiveness of the Ming army made him more conservative.

However, 1,500 troops were enough in number, but mobilizing them would also require a considerable amount of money.

"One tael of mobilization silver and four dou of rations per soldier."

The bandits' lair was less than a hundred miles away, and the troops outnumbered the bandits by four to one, but the mobilization silver and rations were still indispensable.

In the end, it was decided that the 1,500 taels of mobilization silver and 600 shi of rations would be shared by the eight counties, with additional contributions from the local gentry and merchants. After all, this military operation was to eliminate the inhumane bandits like **zi, for the safety of everyone.

After the meeting, Liu Jun received 1,200 taels of silver from Mei Zhihuan, which was the 10 taels of silver promised to each of the 109 men of the Nine-Headed Bird, though Mei Zhihuan directly rewarded them as if they were 120 men.

Liu Jun also received the 200 taels of silver from Zhao Cheng. Additionally, County Magistrate Lu represented the county and gave the Nine-Headed Bird 100 taels of silver as a reward.

With 1,500 taels of silver received, plus the 800 taels of silver and 500 taels worth of gold, jade, silk, and other items seized, the gains were substantial.

However, a reward had been set for the Nine-Headed Bird: 20 taels of silver for killing or capturing a bandit, 40 taels for a leader, and 100 taels for the chief. For 53 bandits, the reward would amount to over 1,000 taels of silver. Additionally, the 1,200 taels of silver from Mei Zhihuan would also be distributed, 10 taels per person.

In this way, out of the 3,000 taels of silver, about 1,000 taels would be left.

Still, it was a significant profit, especially with the 53 fine horses and a batch of weapons seized.

Neither Mei Zhihuan nor Zhao Cheng suggested that the seized items be turned over. These were considered the spoils of the Nine-Headed Bird, all of which belonged to them. Although some were envious, no one raised objections, as these were the spoils they had earned through their own efforts.

"Call the team together and distribute all the rewards now." Liu Jun knew the soldiers were waiting for their rewards.

"Now?"

"Yes, distribute them now. After they receive the silver, we can keep it for them until the battle is over, and then they can collect it. This way, they will feel more secure and satisfied."

"Alright." Li Chunjiang did not object.

The team was called together, and Liu Jun had the servants bring out several chests of silver, which were opened, revealing a dazzling array of silver.

"Now, distribute the rewards!"

The team members looked at the silver ingots, all of them excited. They had been silently calculating their rewards, each one worried about whether the captain would change his mind and they wouldn't receive the silver. After all, each of them was due a significant amount of reward money.

"Now, first, distribute the initial reward. This is the reward from Mr. Mei, 10 taels per person, equally. Those whose names are called, come forward to receive and sign."

"Left Banner, Left Squad, Squad Leader Chang An!"

"Here!"

"Here is your silver, 10 taels. Take it and sign here." Two small ingots of 5 taels each were taken from the chest, weighed, and shown to Chang An.

Chang An's hands were trembling with excitement, his eyes fixed on the 10 taels of silver. He had never owned so much silver before.

"Stop grinning and sign!" Liu Jun laughed and scolded, drawing laughter from the team members.

The team members came up one by one, received their silver, and signed or pressed their fingerprints.

"What are they doing over there?"

"Distributing silver, 10 taels per person!"

"Isn't the mobilization silver only one tael per person?"

"That's the Nine-Headed Bird cavalry. They're not getting mobilization silver; they're getting a reward from Mr. Mei, 10 taels each. Damn, I wish I was in the Nine-Headed Bird cavalry. Ten taels of silver, that's a year's pay for me."

"Not just ten taels. I heard their captain promised 20 taels for each bandit killed, 40 taels for a leader, and 100 taels for the chief. I heard one lucky guy killed three, including the chief **zi. He got 140 taels, plus another 10 taels."

"Damn, we're all militiamen, but why is the Nine-Headed Bird so awesome!"

"Of course, you don't know who their cavalry belongs to. It's Li's cavalry, personally organized by Young Master Chunjiang. I heard it cost over 10,000 taels of silver in just a month."

"Do you know who the deputy captain Liu is?"

"I heard he's the son of a scholar from Macheng, originally a martial student at the Huangzhou Garrison Academy."

"Impossible, a scholar's son? I think he's probably from the Liu family of Suokou River."

Many people watched enviously as the Nine-Headed Bird cavalry members came forward one by one to receive their rewards, sign, and press their fingerprints, then walked away with two silver ingots.

"Next, the rewards for last night's battle. I want to clarify that we are only distributing the rewards for last night's kills and captures. Rewards for combat performance and other contributions will be calculated later. Now, we are only distributing the rewards for the heads and captures."

"Zhang Donggou!" Liu Jun called out loudly.

Donggou immediately stood up straight, "Here!"

"Nine-Headed Bird Right Banner musketeer Zhang Donggou, in the battle at Xing'an Temple, performed outstandingly, killing two bandits and the chief **zi. Now, he is specially rewarded with 140 taels of silver for his bravery. Zhang Donggou, come forward to receive your reward."

Donggou walked to the front, his legs trembling. 140 taels! When he received 10 taels earlier, his heart was already pounding. Now, he was about to receive 140 taels. He had been thinking about this number since the battle ended, and he couldn't sleep all day.

140 taels, a huge sum of money. Buying a house, buying land, getting married! There were so many things he could do. Now, the money was about to be in his hands, and he still couldn't believe it.

"Press your fingerprint here."

Donggou mechanically repeated the actions from earlier, then extended his hands to hold the large silver ingots. 140 taels, nearly ten pounds.

The weight was more than he imagined. He never thought 140 taels of silver would be so heavy. He accidentally dropped one ingot, which hit his foot, causing him to wince in pain.

This drew laughter from the team members.

A militiaman from another team watching nearby shouted, "Brother, if you can't carry all that silver, I'll help you. I don't mind the weight!"

"Ha ha ha."

Donggou was so excited he didn't know what to do. He bent down to pick up the silver, but as he bent, he dropped a few more ingots, which rolled on the ground. He hurriedly picked them up, but as he picked one, another fell. In the end, his teammates helped him.

The distribution of silver continued, followed by one tael of mobilization silver and four dou of rice.

Donggou's arms were full of silver, and he had a bag of rice on his feet. In total, 151 taels of silver and 60 pounds of rice.

He was even thinking about how he would carry all this silver and rice when they set out tomorrow. He wanted to leave it here, but he didn't know anyone. He was very troubled.

He never thought he would have the problem of having too much money.

In the end, Liu Jun had everyone deposit their silver and rice with him, registering it, and promised to return it after the mission. Although Donggou trusted Liu Jun, he was reluctant to hand over the silver, hesitating for a long time before finally reluctantly depositing it.

"This Liu Jiyeh is really interesting."

Zhao Cheng, the military commissioner, also saw the distribution of rewards by the Nine-Headed Bird. When he saw a small militiaman actually receive 151 taels of silver without any deductions, he was amazed. Even the most elite troops of the Ming army, the Guan Ning Iron Cavalry, couldn't claim they didn't deduct. But the Nine-Headed Bird, a local militia, truly did not deduct a single tael. The rewards were distributed as promised, without delay or deduction, which was truly unimaginable.

Liu Jun distributed the rewards and then collected them back. Although the silver was still in his hands, the morale of the Nine-Headed Bird team was even higher. They no longer had to worry about whether the rewards would really be given to them. Now, although the silver was deposited, it was just temporarily stored with Liu Jun.

Liu Jun sent the silver and remaining items to Mei Zhihuan for temporary safekeeping. The dozens of shi of rations were also temporarily stored at Baosheng Fort. Each team member had carried three days' worth of rations when they set out yesterday, which they could continue to use tomorrow. They didn't need to carry the newly distributed rations.

When Liu Jun was sending the rations to the warehouse, he encountered a group of women, the ones rescued by the Nine-Headed Bird from Xing'an Temple. These women sat by the wall, their faces numb. Liu Jun knew they were not from Lin Family Village but young women abducted from another village by the bandits.

When they were rescued, they had already been violated by the bandits. For a woman in the Ming dynasty, being violated by bandits meant they could hardly return home, and even if they did, their families would find it hard to accept them. They were now homeless.

Liu Jun hated the inhumane Confucian morals of the Ming dynasty but could not change the attitudes of their families.

An old servant guarding the warehouse sighed, "So pitiful, several of them tried to commit suicide, and it was only with great difficulty that we stopped them. Now we have to watch them closely."

"Have you notified their families?"

"No one is willing to give their family's name and address. They know that even if they do, their families won't come to take them back," the old servant sighed.

Liu Jun could not stand by and let these poor women fend for themselves. He walked up to them and said, "I know what you are thinking. You can't return home, and you feel like you have no future. But I believe that even if you can't go home, you can still live on, at least for yourselves. If you have nowhere to go, you can wait for me here. When I return from the mission, you can come with me."

"Where will we go?" a tall, thin woman asked. She looked to be in her early twenties and probably had a few young children.

"You know we are the Nine-Headed Bird cavalry, and women cannot stay in the camp. But I plan to buy a courtyard near the camp where you can stay. You can help the Nine-Headed Bird brothers with washing and mending clothes. In the future, we might set up a clothing factory or a gunpowder workshop, and you can help with those tasks. We will pay you, and you can earn a living and live together, helping each other. Perhaps in time, your families, your parents, and husbands will accept you, and you can return home."

"Can we really go back? I miss my children!" a woman cried.

"Of course, but it might not be now. It might take some time. In the meantime, you need to take care of yourselves and live well."