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Beneath the walls of Puzi City.
Puzi County town was located at the junction of the Loess Highlands and the plains. Outside Puzi City, there were vast quantities of bulrush plants, covering the hills and plains, even growing in the folded terrain. However, the city's name was not derived from bulrush.
Legend had it that in ancient times, a sage resided here who had served as a teacher to Yao and Shun, imparting much knowledge. Ancient texts record that this sage wore a coarse garment woven from bulrush year-round, so people called him Puyi, or Puyizi. The place where this ancient sage secluded himself was thus called Puzi Land.
Later, Chong'er also came here, stationed troops and gathered population. Afterwards, even Confucius visited, opening a teaching platform with crowds of listeners.
Originally a large, prosperous county town, it now appeared dilapidated and decaying. Even the bulrush-covered yellow earth outside the city walls, eroded by wind and rain, ultimately revealed patches of mottled gullies, like wrinkles on an aged face.
Puzi County town was no longer like during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, situated within the political and economic core of the Three Jin region. In the long river of history, it had gradually drifted away from prosperity, becoming a peripheral county town, no longer drawing people's attention.
But the rammed-earth city walls, the grey-black bricks and tiles, still displayed their own kind of deep dignity.
Fei Qian submitted Hedong Administrator Wang Yi's letter. Soon, he was invited into the county government office, where he met Puzi County's Magistrate and Commandant.
Magistrate Chen Rui, courtesy name Daoyuan, was from Yingchuan, likely a collateral branch of the Chen clan. Commandant Zhang Lie, courtesy name Shucheng, was from Fenyang, a local of Bingzhou.
For safety's sake, when Fei Qian initially submitted Wang Yi's letter, he didn't reveal his identity, only claiming to be an envoy. After meeting face-to-face and confirming no other variables, he then truly revealed his identity.
Chen Rui and Zhang Lie greeted Fei Qian anew and invited him to sit at the head seat. Fei Qian declined. After all, this wasn't the time for pomp. Seating arrangements weren't the most important issue now; it was quickly obtaining troops to deal with the White Wave army.
Puzi County town belonged to Hedong Commandery. Moreover, this kind of "lending" between commanderies fundamentally violated the court's system, a private mutual grant that the court would not recognize and certainly would not support. The binding force of any agreement could only rely on each commandery administrator's personal adherence…
In later-era terms, it was like an unprotected private loan, and one without even an IOU, purely verbal agreement.
Therefore, Fei Qian was concerned whether Wang Yi would, according to the originally negotiated terms, unreservedly, readily, and selflessly transfer Puzi County's governing authority to him. After all, when Wang Yi wrote the letter, the White Wave army was already moving south. Wang Yi himself was urgently heading to Xiangling to take charge. So the letter was hastily written, sealed, and stamped with wax. Fei Qian didn't know exactly what Wang Yi had written in the letter.
Because he couldn't open it.
Han Dynasty paper was very fragile; folding it once would leave creases. Moreover, even if he could avoid the wax seal and remove the letter, so what? Fei Qian didn't have a highly skilled professional specializing in imitation ready at all times, able to pull out a turnip and carve a seal on the spot.
For ordinary official documents, with fixed formats and headings, some impersonation might be possible. But for such personal letters, handwriting and wording would be harder to imitate.
Besides, Fei Qian and Wang Yi were, to some extent, allies. Deceptive actions might be somewhat justifiable against enemies, but using them on allies, if something went wrong, the reputational damage wouldn't sound good…
After pleasantries, due to the urgent situation, Fei Qian didn't beat around the bush, getting straight to the point.
"Did Administrator Wang mention Puzi County being temporarily lent to Shang Commandery?" Fei Qian first confirmed this, as it was most important. Only if this was stated would he have grounds to mobilize Puzi County's troops. Otherwise, without proper authority, mobilizing troops would be impossible.
Chen Rui hesitated slightly, then nodded. "He did indeed mention it."
Fei Qian felt a weight lift in his heart, silently giving a nod of praise to the gentlemanly Wang Yi. He then asked, "How many troops are currently in the city?"
Matters concerning city troops naturally fell to the Commandant responsible for city defense and suppressing local bandits. Therefore, under Chen Rui's indication, Zhang Lie replied, "Currently, the city has two hundred fifty sword-and-shield infantry, seven hundred spearmen, one hundred fifty archers, fifty cavalry. Additionally, there are eighteen hundred logistics auxiliary troops and four hundred corvée laborers."
"Transfer fifty cavalry, one hundred sword-and-shield infantry, five hundred spearmen, one hundred archers, eight hundred logistics troops, and prepare supplies accordingly. How soon can they be ready?"
Zhang Lie paused, then said, "Supplies are available in the public storehouse. They can be readied in one day…" Though he said this, he glanced at Puzi Magistrate Chen Rui.
Chen Rui saluted with cupped hands and asked, "Might I ask if Commander Fei has Administrator Wang's ceremonial staff, or perhaps… transfer orders?"
In the Han Dynasty, troop mobilization originally required tiger tallies. Later, due to land issues leading to frequent peasant uprisings, especially repeated border raids by Hu people, obtaining tiger tallies from the central government was too time-consuming. Therefore, later on, the ceremonial staffs of regional Administrators, Provincial Governors, and Provincial Inspectors were often used as credentials for mobilizing troops.
But a staff was, after all, only one piece; it couldn't be broken into sections. Hence, transfer orders with official seals emerged, also allowing small-scale troop mobilization. However, such transfer orders were only valid within the same commandery. In other words, only transfer orders with the seal of Hedong Administrator Wang Yi could mobilize troops within Hedong Commandery. In other commanderies, or for someone like Fei Qian from another commandery, such orders would be ineffective.
The problem was, where would Fei Qian get such transfer orders?
Fei Qian suddenly realized an issue. Judging from the current situation, this matter of temporarily borrowing Puzi County—while Wang Yi had mentioned it, he either hadn't explained clearly or had retained something. In any case, it wasn't as Fei Qian had assumed—that everything had been clearly handed over, that he could now fully handle Puzi County affairs…
"What exactly did Administrator Wang state in the letter?" This was getting troublesome. Fei Qian frowned.
"I dare not conceal from Commander Fei," Chen Rui said with a somewhat bitter smile. "Lord Wang only said that after the White Wave are pacified, he would supply Commander Fei with two years' worth of funds and grain. Nothing else…"
Hearing this, Fei Qian was instantly irked.
Only two years' funds and grain…
And damn it, only after the White Wave army was pacified…
This Wang Yi!
Not willing to suffer the slightest loss!
Perhaps Fei Qian's somewhat greedy, demanding manner at the time had a touch of taking advantage of a crisis. So, although Wang Yi ultimately agreed to lend Puzi County to Fei Qian for two years, he merely adhered to the agreement at the time, not leaving Fei Qian any loopholes to exploit.
But this was completely far from Fei Qian's expectations!
Right now, Fei Qian needed to mobilize troops to attack Yong'an City. Something like two years' funds after the White Wave pacification—such hindsight was useless to Fei Qian now!
To complete his strategic layout, he must borrow troops, capture Yong'an County town. But Wang Yi hadn't mentioned transferring military authority at all.
What to do now?
Fei Qian felt a headache coming on…