Chapter 74 The Cowardly Military Official
“It’s not that they’re following my orders, but his.”
The soldiers of the garrison had become rotten troops precisely because these officers bled them dry, shirked danger, and craved comfort. How could Li Yi possibly allow them to command any longer?
Li Yi pointed to Liu Zongmin standing beside him and said calmly, “You are all officers of the garrison, born into imperial favor for generations. Now that the Tartars are invading, this is the time to repay the court. Therefore, I will temporarily organize you into one unit and place you under his command.”
The officers’ expressions changed.
One of the company commanders forced a smile and asked, “Sir, may I ask what rank this man holds?”
Liu Zongmin looked at these garrison officers with undisguised loathing and replied coldly, “I’m just a bowman from the Inspectorate.”
“A bowman?”
The officers’ faces darkened.
The deputy battalion commander at the front grumbled angrily, “Just a mere bowman, yet he dares to boss around us military officers. Inspector Li, even if you have the support of Councilor Hong, you can’t treat us with such contempt.”
Li Yi turned to look at him. “So you refuse to comply?”
The deputy battalion commander lifted his chin, his face full of reluctance. “Inspector Li, we are officers of the garrison. We do not fall under your command. If you want to take charge, I’m afraid you do not yet have the authority.”
Li Yi’s expression turned cold, his tone stern. “With the enemy at our gates and the people suffering, if I’ve overstepped my bounds, you may impeach me after the battle. But now, I have the right to make decisions on the spot. Since you are military officers, you must fight and obey my orders.”
The deputy battalion commander sneered and stepped forward, “Inspector Li, don’t try to scare us. We don’t know this Councilor Hong you speak of, and even if it were the Governor himself, he couldn’t interfere in garrison affairs. You knocked out our battalion commander and slaughtered garrison soldiers—this, we will report to the Commander. You’d better be ready to answer for it.”
These officers were useless in battle, but when it came to throwing their weight around, each was an expert.
Had it been any other official, they would surely have feared being dragged too deep and dared not interfere in the garrison’s business.
But today, the one standing before them was Li Yi.
Li Yi’s gaze swept coldly over the crowd. “So it seems you are determined to oppose me?”
Someone gave a disdainful snort. “Inspector Li, if you were polite, we might still lead the troops to put up a token resistance and avoid blame from our superiors. But now, it seems we are utterly at odds.”
“No point talking to such an arrogant fool. Let’s take our men and report to the Commander.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
Relying on their official status and connections, the garrison officers swaggered out towards the exit.
The previously cooperative company commander hastily tried to dissuade them, “Let’s not be rash, gentlemen. Surely we can discuss this.”
But no one paid him any heed.
The officers all wanted nothing more than to escape this trouble spot and flee to the safety of the rear.
Liu Zongmin and Liu Dayong led their men to block the way.
“Inspector Li, don’t bring ruin upon yourself,” the deputy battalion commander warned coldly.
“I don’t care about your Commander, nor do I care about bringing ruin upon myself. I only know that as soldiers, we must defend our land and protect the people. Officers even more so.”
Li Yi walked forward slowly, his gaze sharp and full of suppressed anger as he barked, “The Tartars have invaded, tens of thousands of people are homeless, their families ruined. Now that the enemy is at our very doorstep, you, as soldiers, would simply walk away? Do you think this is child’s play?”
His harsh scolding terrified the officers, causing them to shrink back several steps.
A few with some conscience hung their heads in shame.
“Don’t listen to him!” the deputy battalion commander forced himself to shout, glaring at Li Yi. “Inspector Li, the Tartars have over a thousand men, including elite armored cavalry. Even if we stay, we can’t possibly hold them off. If you’re truly smart, you’ll retreat with us.”
Another officer tried to persuade him earnestly, “Inspector Li, let’s withdraw. Stay, and there’s only death.”
“And what of the fleeing villagers? What about the villages around Mizhi County? What will happen to them?” Li Yi asked coldly.
The deputy battalion commander’s expression grew uneasy. “Life and death are fated. We can’t concern ourselves with them.”
“They’re just peasants, aren’t they? If some die, what does it matter? Like weeds cut down, they’ll grow back in a couple of years.”
Staring at these cowardly, self-serving officers, Li Yi felt utterly disappointed.
He no longer had a shred of hesitation in his heart, and said coldly, “The Tartar cavalry will be here soon, and the garrison soldiers must fight. When the time comes, you will stand in the front ranks. Any who shirk battle or try to flee will be executed without mercy.”
“Li Yi, you have no right to kill us!” the officers shouted angrily.
“I only execute deserters.”
Li Yi ignored them and turned to Liu Zongmin. “Take your men and drive them onto the battlefield. If any dare resist, kill them on the spot.”
The murderous words made the officers’ spines go cold, leaving them at a loss.
Liu Zongmin had always despised the authorities, and after seeing the officers’ behavior, he was even less inclined to hide his disgust.
He nodded. “Don’t worry, Inspector. If any try to retreat, I will not show mercy.”
Li Yi walked out of the courtyard. Shi Kefa approached, his face full of concern.
“Li Yi, you mustn’t act recklessly.”
Li Yi smiled. “Desperate times call for heavy-handed measures. Since you’ve granted me authority to act as I see fit, leave these matters to me.”
Shi Kefa could only stand where he was and sigh deeply.
Leaving Shi Kefa behind, Li Yi walked to face the garrison soldiers.
The reason he had removed the officers was to gain full control of this army.
The garrison troops were not incapable of fighting—they simply had no will to fight.
As their farmland was gradually seized by powerful landlords and gentry, the garrison soldiers’ annual harvests dwindled. Now, each month, they barely received enough grain to feed their families. Worse still, they suffered exploitation by their officers, often forced to work for them without pay, as servants and slaves.
Poorly clothed and underfed, tormented by hunger, squeezed by officers and local tyrants, they lived like slaves, with no dignity—how could they possibly be willing to risk their lives in battle?
Li Yi looked at their tattered uniforms. In the dead of winter, many wore only straw sandals, wrapping themselves in straw mats for warmth.
Their dark faces were caked with dust and deep wrinkles. Some bore long spears or sabers, all watching Li Yi with wary, fearful eyes.
Standing before them, Li Yi met their gaze and raised his voice. “I am the Inspector of Sui Jin Town, tasked with protecting the people here and holding off the Tartar cavalry. I understand that you are cold, hungry, and afraid. Soon, hot meals and warm clothing will be brought to you, to warm your bodies and fill your bellies. But as for fear, I cannot help you.”
The young townsfolk brought over buckets of steaming food and began distributing hot meals to the garrison soldiers.
Li Guo and his companions handed out the clothes and shoes they had gathered.
Fortunately, Sui Jin Town had a few warehouses stocked with winter gear meant for the border troops, all of which Li Yi had requisitioned.
Hundreds of garrison soldiers, clutching new winter clothes and steaming porridge, looked at Li Yi with a mix of fear and confusion.
“Everyone is afraid of dying. I am too. But if I let you choose right now, would you rather fight the Tartars to the death, or sneak away like turtles, slinking off in shame?”
One bold soldier called out, “We don’t want to die here. Only by escaping can we live.”
Li Yi looked at the brave soldier, and instead of rebuking him, nodded. “Well said. Fleeing can indeed save your life. But what kind of life will that be? Will you go on starving, bullied by others? Will you live as before, unable to honor your aging parents, unable to raise your young children, unable even to find a wife?”
At this, the soldiers let out a low, bitter laugh.
Li Yi took a few steps forward and pointed to Shi Kefa, who wore an official’s robe, raising his voice. “But today, you have a chance. This is a seventh-rank official of the court, appointed by Councilor Hong Chengchou to gather men and defend Sui Jin Town. If you are willing to stay and fight today, each of you will receive twenty taels of silver as a reward. For every Tartar slain, there will be another ten taels. After this battle, you can join Councilor Hong’s elite banner regiment and serve under his direct protection, with a monthly salary of five taels. Then, none of the garrison officers will ever dare bully you again.”
“Think about it: with twenty taels of silver, you can buy several acres of land. If you distinguish yourself in battle, you can build a new house, marry a wife, care for your parents, and raise your children. Such an opportunity will not come again. That is all I have to say. Whether you choose to eke out a miserable existence, helpless as your family goes hungry, or stake everything on a bloody battle to spare yourself future regret—it is entirely your own choice.”