“This matter is too serious. It must be dealt with sternly!”
Zhang Liang said with a stern face. “Chu Qiang fired the signal arrow without authorisation, so two days in the dark room. Monkey failed in his supervision, so one day in the dark room!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, both Monkey and the escort who had fired the arrow turned pale, as if facing something terrifying.
“Chief Captain, why not just beat me with a few strokes instead? Anything but the dark room, please?”
Monkey asked with a mournful expression.
“Do you think I am selling rat poison at the market? Bargaining with me!”
Zhang Liang said coldly. “Get out of here now. One more word and I will add another day!”
Monkey hurried away upon hearing this.
As for the escort who had participated in the sparring, Zhang Liang imposed no punishment.
Because, truthfully, that escort had done nothing wrong.
The ones at fault were the Weisheng Army soldiers who could not accept defeat.
Meng Tianhai understood this too. Seeing that Zhang Liang had already punished his own men, he followed up. “We agreed on one-on-one sparring. If you cannot afford to play, do not play at all. Ganging up two against one, are you not ashamed?”
The two Weisheng Army soldiers knew they were in the wrong and lowered their heads under the scolding.
“For this, each of you will receive three military strokes, and you will go without food for a day!”
Meng Tianhai announced his punishment.
“General, skipping meals for a day is fine, but three strokes as well? Is that not too harsh?”
One soldier complained bitterly.
Meng Tianhai’s face darkened immediately.
Before, if a soldier quibbled like this, it might have been overlooked.
But Zhang Liang had just said that military orders were not rat poison to be haggled over, and now this soldier was complaining to him.
It made Meng Tianhai lose face.
The soldier also realised he had spoken out of turn. Seeing Meng Tianhai rolling up his sleeves, he quickly lowered his head and admitted fault. “General, I spoke in the heat of the moment. Please do not be angry. I will go receive punishment now.”
With that, he pulled his companion along to find the military discipline team.
Only then did Meng Tianhai’s anger subside.
But at that moment, Jin Feng suddenly called out. “You two, stop!”
The pair turned around simultaneously, asking somewhat nervously. “Mr Jin, is something the matter?”
The story of Jin Feng killing a duke’s son for the sake of the common people had already spread throughout Big Python Slope.
Someone so protective of his own, were they now going to be retaliated against for ganging up on an escort?
Meng Tianhai initially thought the same, but then reconsidered that Jin Feng was not that kind of person.
So he looked over curiously.
“Do not be afraid. It was just sparring. I will not do anything to you.”
Jin Feng said. “I just want to ask if you feel Brother Liang’s punishment was unfair.”
Currently, the escorts and Weisheng Army were getting along well, and both were in the Sichuan-Shu region. They might fight side by side in the future. Jin Feng did not want this small matter to breed resentment between the soldiers.
The two soldiers did not answer but looked towards Meng Tianhai at the same time.
“No need to look at him,” Jin Feng saw their concern and reassured them. “Just speak truthfully. If you speak well, I will plead for leniency on your behalf.”
“If sir puts it that way, then I will speak honestly?”
One soldier said. “I just feel it is unfair. We all fought, and Chu Qiang caused such a big incident, yet Chief Captain Zhang only punished him with two days in the dark room. On our side, not only do we go hungry for a day, we also get beaten. Do you think that is fair, sir?”
“Do you know what the dark room is?” Jin Feng asked.
“Of course. A few days ago, I saw Dazhuang lock someone in there.”
The soldier said. “Mr Jin, no offence, but your escort punishments are really too light. Being locked in the dark room is just sleeping inside, right? Is that punishment? It is more like a reward. You do not even have to drill.”
“I understand. Then if I plead for you to spend one day in the dark room instead, what do you think?” Jin Feng asked.
“Thank you, Mr Jin!”
Both patted their chests. “Not just one day, even ten days, we would accept.”
“One day is enough!” Jin Feng said.
“No, at least five days!” The two were unwilling.
In their view, the dark room was really like slacking off.
It was practically a few days’ holiday to sleep.
“Then let us compromise. Not five days, just like Chu Qiang, two days. How about that?” Jin Feng asked.
“Deal!” The two soldiers were delighted.
“General Meng, they fought with the escorts and committed the same offence. It makes sense that the troops feel two different punishments are unfair.”
Jin Feng looked at Meng Tianhai. “I am pleading for leniency for these two. Exempt the strokes and hunger, let them go to the dark room instead. I hope General Meng will agree.”
Meng Tianhai saw the strange expressions on the surrounding escorts’ faces and realised there might be more to it. He nodded. “This time, I will give Mr Jin face. Do you two feel it is fair now?”
“Fair, fair!”
The pair nodded quickly.
“Dazhuang, take them to the dark room.”
Seeing this, Jin Feng nodded to Dazhuang, who was watching the fun nearby.
“Yes!” Dazhuang replied with a meaningful smile. “You two, follow me.”
The pair, still unaware of the dark room’s horror, eagerly followed.
Big Python Slope had no dedicated confinement room. To punish errant escorts, Zhang Liang had people dig several cellars in the ground.
They served as temporary dark rooms.
But their effect was even greater than a proper confinement room.
The confinement room at Xihe Bay was at least ten square metres and had light during the day.
These cellars were only five or six square metres, containing just a pile of straw and a chamber pot. Once the lid was closed, it was pitch black even in broad daylight.
Combined with the damp environment, it was practically like a grave.
But these two did not know. Upon reaching the cellar, they jumped in eagerly and lay down triumphantly on the straw.
Jin Feng gave them a sympathetic glance, greeted Meng Tianhai and Zhang Liang, then returned to the Ninth Princess.
Qing Muluan and the Ninth Princess had heard most of it from outside. As soon as Jin Feng returned, Qing Muluan said disdainfully. “Wuyang, now you know how devious he is!”
“Why do you say that?” the Ninth Princess asked, puzzled.
“You do not know how terrifying the dark room is!” Qing Muluan said with lingering fear.
“How terrifying?”
The Ninth Princess had previously seen Zhang Liang punish escorts with the dark room and thought it too lenient at the time.
But it was an internal escort matter, so she had said nothing.
Now, seeing Qing Muluan’s reaction, it might not be simple.
“How to put it?” Qing Muluan thought for a moment, then waved her hand. “Never mind. You will see what these two soldiers look like the day after tomorrow.”
“Now you have really made me curious,” the Ninth Princess said with a smile.
“If you are truly curious, you can try it yourself later. It does not need to be long, half a day is enough.”
Jin Feng said. “Wuyang, do not listen to him. That is how I was tricked into it at Xihe Bay,” Qing Muluan paled and quickly warned. “I am telling you, that time I nearly went mad inside.”
