Chapter 73

The western sky was painted red by the evening glow, and under the golden sunset, Mei Zhihuan and Lu Jinxin arrived with a large group. Besides the Baosheng Fort militia, there were also many servants from prominent families.

Mei Zhihuan dismounted, and with a smile, he said to Liu Jun, who was standing there waiting to welcome them, "When we set out, we all thought that by the time we arrived, we wouldn't see you anymore. It's really surprising, Liu Jun. You've surprised me again, and I never thought you would once again unexpectedly win."

"Last time, you led over a hundred militiamen who had been training for more than a month to launch a night raid on the fifty or so bandits led by Big Pockmark. The result was an unexpected and complete victory. I still remember that at the time, we couldn't find any trace of Big Pockmark's gang. When we gathered all the teams, someone reported that you had already led your team to launch an attack. Some people said they must have fled."

Mei Zhihuan's gaze was full of admiration as he slowly continued, "This time, when I told County Magistrate Lu that you received a distress letter from Inspector Zhao and, with just a dozen or so team members, led 120 newly recruited militiamen who had only been trained for three days, you resolutely went to rescue Inspector Zhao, many people said you were crazy, arrogant, and reckless. They all said you were doomed this time, and we would only be able to collect your remains."

"Haha, I just felt I couldn't stand by and do nothing, especially since the bandits were just a bunch of rabble," Liu Jun said with a smile.

"Whether it's your luck or your bravery, in any case, I'm really glad to see you alive and standing before me. When I heard on the way that you not only escaped unharmed but also defeated a much larger group of bandits and beheaded dozens of them, I was both surprised and excited, and very proud. Well done, you have the courage and the spirit. If our Ming Dynasty had more young people like you, who are both brave and wise, why would we worry about not reviving the prosperous era?"

The group entered the government hall and took their seats.

Mei Zhihuan's expression became serious, and he tapped the table.

"Alright, now let's discuss some important matters. Jiyeh, tell me about the situation with the bandits."

Liu Jun stood up and reported seriously.

Mei Zhihuan nodded from time to time, listening intently, "From your perspective, are these bandits just mountain bandits or are they from the Huizuo Wuying from the east?"

After the battle, Liu Jun had carefully examined the bodies of the bandits, their armor, and weapons, and even interrogated a few injured bandits. He had already figured out the identity of the bandits he had faced.

"According to my findings, these bandits come from Dasu Mountain in Shangcheng County, Guangzhou, Henan. They are just a group of displaced people gathered in Dasu Mountain. However, among the bandits, there are twenty cavalrymen who are veteran bandits, having been rebels for many years. They were not originally part of the displaced people from Guangzhou."

"About a month ago, twenty bandit cavalrymen came to Dasu Mountain, bringing a lot of food and money. They eventually recruited several groups of displaced people from Dasu Mountain. These bandit cavalrymen are actually from the Huizuo Wuying from Huoying Mountain in Luzhou Prefecture. It is said that during this period, the Huizuo Wuying sent many such small groups of elite bandits to Henan's Guangzhou, using food and money to gather the displaced people."

Mei Zhihuan's expression grew increasingly grim as he listened. He immediately sensed a dangerous situation. The Huizuo Wuying were no longer content to hide in the Huoying Mountains east of the Dabie Mountains; they had started to move. Using food and money to gather displaced people in the area north of the Huoying Mountains in Henan's Guangzhou was a common tactic used by bandits.

This was a way to gather cannon fodder, indicating that the Huizuo Wuying, led by the veteran bandit, were planning a major move.

First, they gathered displaced people in Guangzhou, then they sent these people to invade the western part of Huguang's Huangzhou. Their direction was very clear; they were preparing to advance west. They might be heading to Xiangyang to join forces with Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai, or they might be planning a large-scale invasion of the Qihuang region.

This ambush at Houtou Mountain could very well have been a probing attack or a vanguard battle, but the situation was getting worse. The Huizuo Wuying, just across a mountain range, could launch a large-scale attack at any time.

Although Mei Zhihuan had retired many years ago and could not influence the court's strategy, he still had a responsibility to protect the eastern part of Hubei.

If the Huizuo Wuying were to go to Xiangyang to join Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai, the most direct route would be through eastern Hubei. However, although the Huizuo Wuying and eastern Hubei were separated by the Dabie Mountains, these mountains were not easy to cross, especially for a large group of bandits carrying families, women, children, and supplies.

On the western side of the Dabie Mountains, there were numerous passes guarding the connection between the eastern Nanjing region and the northern Henan region. If they could hold these passes, the Huizuo Wuying, despite their large numbers, would not easily be able to invade Qihuang.

If they could hold this line of mountain passes, the Huizuo Wuying would have to go north into Henan, then west into Nanyang, and south to Xiangyang to join the bandits.

They were not without a chance. Although they could not rely on the local garrisons or the court's anti-bandit forces, if the gentry and people of Qihuang could unite, they still had a chance to repel the bandits. In open battle, they might not be as mobile as the bandits, but in defending the passes, they still had a good chance.

After all, this was about defending their own homes, and everyone, whether officials, gentry, merchants, or farmers, had a responsibility.

However, if they were to defend, they would need to reinforce the northern passes. Besides the five passes in Macheng, the border passes in other counties also needed to be reinforced.

In Huangzhou Prefecture, there were sixteen inspection offices, each located at the border with Henan or Nanjing, all occupying key passes and would be the front line in blocking the bandits.

Among these, the Houtou Pass inspection office was particularly important. The bandits' attack this time was likely due to its strategic location. Now, although the Houtou Pass archers have been rescued by Liu Jun, they are still severely weakened. Moreover, the Houtou Pass inspection office originally only had twenty archers, which was far too few. If the bandits launch a large-scale attack, they would not be able to hold them off.

Mei Zhihuan looked at Liu Jun again. This young man was excellent, brave, and wise. His performance in the two anti-bandit battles was commendable. Especially this time, he dared to come to the rescue with just over a hundred new recruits, showing great courage. Not only did he have the courage, but he also had the ability to win.

Thinking about this, Mei Zhihuan made a decision.

He turned to County Magistrate Lu Jinxin and whispered a few words. Lu Jinxin nodded repeatedly.

"Should we announce it now?" Lu Jinxin asked, taking Mei Zhihuan's words very seriously. He knew that to do well as the county magistrate of Macheng, he had to listen to Mei Zhihuan.

Mei Zhihuan nodded, and there was no time to waste.

Lu Jinxin stood up, cleared his throat, and attracted everyone's attention. Then he announced loudly, "I now declare that due to the negligence of Houtou Pass Inspector Zhao Dagu, which led to significant losses at the Houtou Pass inspection office, I hereby temporarily relieve Zhao Dagu of his duties as Houtou Pass Inspector, pending final disposition. From the time Zhao Dagu is relieved until a new inspector is officially appointed, Liu Jun of the Nine-Headed Bird team will temporarily assume the duties of Houtou Pass Inspector."

"Temporarily" means to serve in a position on a temporary basis. Lu Jinxin's intention was to have Liu Jun temporarily assume the role of Houtou Pass Inspector.

This appointment came as a surprise to everyone.

Zhao Dagu's face turned red, but he ultimately lowered his head and said nothing. He had indeed been negligent, and the order to relieve him was clearly based on Mei Zhihuan's suggestion. In Macheng, Mei Zhihuan was like an emperor, and his words were more powerful than the county magistrate's. Since he wanted to relieve Zhao Dagu, there was no way to oppose it.

Liu Jun was also surprised. He had never thought about being a temporary Houtou Pass Inspector. He felt somewhat guilty towards Inspector Zhao, who had come to help and ended up losing his position. Additionally, he had some doubts. An inspector was a ninth-rank official, even if it was a junior ninth-rank. As a seventh-rank county magistrate, did Lu Jinxin have the authority to dismiss and appoint an inspector?

Lu Jinxin announced the order, and no one opposed it.

Amid applause, Liu Jun, somewhat bewildered, went from being a deputy militia leader to a government inspector.

Liu Jun cautiously asked Li Chunjiang, who was beside him, "Is this allowed?"

"What do you mean by 'allowed'?"

"Isn't an inspector a government official? Doesn't the county magistrate lack the authority to dismiss and appoint one?" Liu Jun raised his question.

Li Chunjiang laughed lightly, "You're overthinking it. Although an inspector holds a junior ninth-rank title, they are actually a miscellaneous official. Do you know what a miscellaneous official is?"

Liu Jun nodded; he knew this. A miscellaneous official was equivalent to an unranked official, not within the nine ranks. For example, a county clerk, in the Ming Dynasty, the county clerk was responsible for capturing thieves and maintaining order, a role previously held by the county warden, which was abolished. The duties of the county warden were taken over by a county clerk, and some were assigned to the inspection office. The county clerk was a subordinate official without a rank, classified as an unranked official.

Initially, an inspector was a ranked official. Once an inspection office was established in a certain place, the Ministry of Works was responsible for building the office, the Ministry of Personnel was responsible for selecting officials, and the Ministry of Rites was responsible for casting the seal and issuing the appointment. However, the inspection office could be abolished at any time, and by the later period, it was far from what it was in the early Ming Dynasty.

During the Hongwu period, the inspector was a ninth-rank official, but after 30 years of Hongwu, it was reduced to a junior ninth-rank, and later became a miscellaneous official. The inspection office was transferred from the local military to the local government.

The officials serving as inspectors were initially military officers, but later became county clerks or students. Among the thousands of current inspectors, most are graduates, followed by clerks, and then students.

An inspector served a three-year term and could be promoted to a ninth-rank official if they performed well, but it was difficult to get a substantive promotion. Only a few out of a thousand could become county clerks or county magistrates. Often, they would serve for many years and still be inspectors, just transferred to different positions or to a state or prefecture office as a minor official.

Most people were unwilling to be inspectors because the work was tiring, the pay was low, and there was no prospect of promotion. Nowadays, the appointment of an inspector can even be made by the county magistrate, far less significant than the county clerk or the chief clerk.

Now, Lu Jinxin's dismissal of Zhao Dagu was part of the normal procedure. He only needed to submit a report to the Huangzhou Prefecture for approval. His appointment of Liu Jun as a temporary inspector, though somewhat irregular, was a necessary measure in the current situation and was still valid. If the prefecture approved, Liu Jun could even become a permanent inspector without going through the Huguang Three Departments or higher-level personnel departments.

"Jiyeh, in these troubled times, everyone should do their best, and those with more responsibility should take on more. The position of inspector is a miscellaneous official, so you don't