“Marquis!”
Zhang Liang rushed into the courtyard and knelt before Qing Huai. “Zhang Liang pays respects to the Marquis!”
“Zhang… Zhang Liang?”
Qing Huai studied him for a moment, then roared in fury. “What happened, why is your arm gone?!”
In that instant, the courteous and refined nobleman vanished, replaced by a furious lion.
Xiao’e, who had been clinging close to Qing Huai, shivered in fright and buried herself in Guan Xiaorou’s arms.
“Marquis, it is all in the past…”
“Speak, what happened?”
Qing Huai cut him off, his tone harsh. “Were you not assigned to the Left Cavalry Guard? Why are you here now?”
“To report to the Marquis, I joined the Left Cavalry Guard, but a month later we faced a Tangut assault on the city. In the battle, my left arm was severed by the enemy, so I retired.”
Zhang Liang spoke helplessly.
Qing Huai was silent for a long while before asking, “Before retiring, why did you not come to me?”
“The Marquis placed high expectations on me and went to great effort to send me to the Left Cavalry Guard. Yet I failed. Within a month I lost an arm, and the wall I guarded was breached by the enemy. I had no face to see the Marquis again.”
“When you fought with the Left Cavalry Guard, did you retreat in fear?”
Qing Huai glared and questioned.
“Zhang Liang was trained in the Iron Forest Army, under the Marquis himself. Even if it meant death, I would never shame the name of the Iron Forest Army. In battle I killed four enemies before collapsing unconscious, not retreating a single step!”
Zhang Liang lifted his head proudly.
“Then what shame do you have in facing me?!”
Qing Huai kicked Zhang Liang hard on the shoulder, sending him tumbling.
Zhang Mancang, seeing his elder brother struck, grabbed a hammer and was about to rush forward, but Jin Feng held him back.
Zhang Liang climbed up silently without brushing off the dirt, then knelt on one knee before Qing Huai once more.
“As long as you fought bravely, what shame is there in being wounded? Why should that stop you from seeing me?”
Qing Huai kicked him again.
Yet Zhang Liang acted as before, explaining nothing, simply rising and kneeling again before him.
Qing Huai lifted his foot but in the end did not strike. Instead, he pulled Zhang Liang up. “You killed four enemies. Was there any merit recorded?”
“To answer the Marquis, the wall I guarded was lost, breached by the enemy. Though reinforcements later drove them back, it was still once lost. So my merits and faults cancelled out, and no record of merit remained.”
Zhang Liang answered honestly.
Qing Huai sighed and asked, “With one arm gone, how do you live after retiring?”
“At first I farmed. Later, Brother Jin Feng made me a usable crossbow, so I hunted for a while. Recently game has been scarce, so I help Brother Jin Feng with errands, buying and delivering goods for the county.”
“Is the pay enough to live on?”
“Thank you for your concern, Marquis. Brother Jin Feng is generous. He gives me five hundred coins each month and teaches my younger brother smithing. He lets my mother, wife, sisters in law and younger sister spin thread in his workshop. Now my family eats three meals a day, with enough each time.”
At this point Zhang Liang raised his head, gratitude in his eyes as he looked at Jin Feng.
“Thank you, sir!”
Qing Huai turned and struck his chest with his fist towards Jin Feng.
“Thank you, sir!”
The guards around also made the same gesture to Jin Feng.
With poor medical care, countless soldiers of Great Kang were killed or crippled each year. The pensions given were meagre.
They had seen far too many comrades return disabled, living in misery after discharge.
Many had even been forced into banditry.
Cases like Zhang Liang’s were extremely rare.
“Everyone, there is no need for thanks. Brother Liang is kin, it is only right we help each other.”
Jin Feng smiled and waved it off.
With Zhang Liang as host, there was no need for Zhong Wu to seek lodgings. Zhang Liang quickly rented Madam Run’s old house, once belonging to Xie Guang, without leaving the courtyard.
After escorting Qing Huai and his men there, he hurried to the town to have carpenters deliver several beds.
Qing Huai’s guards were also busy, tidying the kitchen and stove at Xie Guang’s house, clearly preparing to stay long term.
By dusk, Zhang Liang invited Qing Huai home for dinner and called Jin Feng to join.
But Jin Feng declined. This was a gathering of old comrades in arms. It would be improper for him to intrude.
Instead, he pulled Zhang Liang aside into the smithy.
“Brother Liang, is this Marquis planning not to leave?”
“The Marquis said he wants to stay and see your furnace. He is also interested in your new brick kiln, saying it looks different from any he has seen before.”
“Is he not a Marquis? How is he so free?”
Jin Feng was a little troubled.
With someone like that around, he felt constantly watched, unable to act freely.
“Last year the Marquis lost a battle, was censured by the Ministry of War, and handed over his command. For now, he has no official duties.”
At this, Zhang Liang grew indignant. “The Marquis commanded only five thousand Iron Forest troops, while the enemy had thirty thousand, with six thousand cavalry. How could he possibly win? To hold them off for ten days and nights was already a great achievement. I cannot imagine what those officials of the Ministry were thinking…”
“Enough!”
Jin Feng cut him off. “Say such things only at home, never outside, or you will bring trouble upon your Marquis. To criticise superiors is a grave offence.”
Zhang Liang quickly fell silent.
“Tell me, what kind of man is this Marquis?”
Jin Feng had no interest in Qing Huai’s political career. Whether favoured or disgraced, a Marquis was not someone a commoner could afford to offend.
What mattered to him was the man’s character.
So far, Qing Huai seemed very interested in his iron smelting and had chosen to stay in Xihe Bay. If he was upright, working with him could mean gaining a protector, freeing him from worries about bandits.
But if his character was poor, then Jin Feng would deliberately let the furnace fail and distance himself quickly from such a dangerous figure.
When Qing Huai had seen Zhang Liang’s missing arm, Jin Feng had clearly noticed his eyes redden and his hand tremble, showing both anger and grief.
This changed Jin Feng’s view of him somewhat.
But politicians were often skilled at acting. Who could say if this Marquis was merely putting on a show to win hearts?
Jin Feng thought it better to ask Zhang Liang, who knew him well.
Unexpectedly, when Zhang Liang heard the question, he suddenly threw his head back and laughed.
“What are you laughing at?”
Jin Feng asked in puzzlement. “And why so unpleasantly?”
“I laugh because the Marquis is still the same, able to foresee matters clearly.”
Zhang Liang said, “Before we came, the Marquis already told me you would ask this question.”
