Chapter 111: The Shattered Gold Army

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Shi Kefa was currently assisting Yang He in providing relief to the starving people, and his duties were so demanding that he barely had time to eat, leaving early as a result. Li Yi escorted him out of Sui Jin Town. On his way back, he heard the cheers of the garrison soldiers who were recovering from their wounds. Upon approaching, he discovered that the soldiers’ rewards had finally been distributed.

This time, the spoils were substantial. According to military merit regulations, each captured enemy head was rewarded with twenty taels of silver by the imperial court. However, since the court was short of silver, the rewards were halved and partly compensated with cloth and grain. Even Li Yi’s own silver reward was included in this tally, making it barely more than a token gesture.

Yet, for the garrison soldiers, this was a delightful surprise. They had always been exploited and drained by the court, so to finally receive a reward was genuinely astonishing. Besides the rewards, promotions were also granted. Although some officers had falsely claimed credit for their achievements—resulting in fewer promotions for the soldiers—this time the merits were too great to ignore, and some soldiers were indeed promoted. Those who had beheaded fewer enemies were promoted by one rank, while those with more kills received two ranks.

The entire Sui Jin Town burst into celebration. Li Yi witnessed this with happiness. The battle at Sui Jin Town had changed their fates; with these rewards and promotions, the garrison soldiers could finally break free from poverty and despair and live with dignity.

Since it was a joyous occasion for everyone, Li Yi generously instructed Yun Niang to have the women prepare chickens and pigs for slaughter, urging everyone to celebrate properly that day. At the banquet, the soldiers drank and feasted, and as the atmosphere grew lively, they reminisced about their hardships and blessings. Some were moved to tears, while others cursed corrupt officials. This was an old tradition among the garrison soldiers; Li Yi had seen it several times and was no longer surprised.

Later, many came forward to toast Li Yi. They understood that their current fortunes were thanks to him, and Li Yi accepted every toast without hesitation. His robust constitution allowed him to drink several large bowls without the slightest intoxication, and he shouted with delight.

After several rounds of drinking and the scene calming down, Li Yi began recruiting soldiers. Now serving as the Defense Commander, with Yang He’s approval, he was authorized to enlist three hundred official troops. These were frontier soldiers registered and funded by the imperial court. Although uncertain when the funds would arrive, Li Yi was eager to expand his forces. The recruits would be the surviving garrison soldiers from the battle at Sui Jin Town.

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Li Yi had three reasons for recruiting these particular soldiers. First, he felt a deep sense of indebtedness to them. After privately distributing rewards and providing medical care and compensation, these soldiers were firmly bound to him. Second, they were fierce and battle-hardened veterans who had survived fierce fighting. To expand his army, Li Yi needed to ensure its combat effectiveness. With proper training in formation and tactics, these soldiers would undoubtedly become his strongest force. Third, these soldiers resided throughout the various villages of Mizhi County; they would be instrumental in expanding the farmers’ associations and other local initiatives.

Indeed, once Li Yi announced the recruitment, the soldiers immediately agreed. Compared to serving under greedy, ruthless officers, they naturally preferred to serve under him. Within two days of the recruitment announcement, the soldiers who had returned to their villages flocked back to Sui Jin Town to enlist. Li Yi assigned Li Guo to register and record the recruits, and on the first day, they reached the full quota of three hundred men.

More soldiers continued to arrive on the second day. When they learned the quota was filled, they were filled with regret and frustration. Li Yi had to step in to reassure them, promising that any future expansions would prioritize their enlistment. Reluctantly, they left with sullen faces.

Since the militia had now been incorporated into the frontier army, Li Yi revised the militia’s organizational structure. He established squads of five men led by a squad leader, five squads forming a platoon under a platoon leader, four platoons making a company under a company commander, and three companies comprising a battalion led by a battalion commander. Each squad bore a triangular lance flag, each company a prominent square flag, and the entire battalion carried the large five-sided “Li” banner—a crucial symbol for battlefield command and troop coordination. Each unit selected a flag bearer and paired them with a drummer to signal commands.

Li Yi himself served as the battalion commander, with Liu Zongmin as his deputy. Gao Jie commanded the second company, with Li Goudan as deputy. Gao Laoshi led the third company, with Liu Dayong as his deputy. The three-hundred-strong force was formalized and named the Sui Jin Army.

Of course, this was only the force integrated into the frontier army system. Li Yi also had other forces, notably a cavalry unit led by Buyan. Buyan was Mongol and lacked battle achievements, so he was not yet incorporated into the Sui Jin Town sequence. However, cavalry was indispensable in warfare. Li Yi assigned Buyan to lead twenty Wulanhala tribesmen as a cavalry unit, with himself as their commander, intending to petition for rewards once they earned battle merits.

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Meanwhile, although there was no official Ganquan militia, a Sui Jin militia had been formed. Li Yi organized the able-bodied men from various villages to form militias, conducting small drills every five days, larger exercises every ten days, and competitions monthly. The Sui Jin Town farmers’ association provided funds and supplies to maintain these militias. These militias primarily guarded their villages but could be mobilized by Li Yi and integrated into the army when necessary. Altogether, these constituted the entirety of Li Yi’s armed forces.

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Yulin Town, Governor’s Office.

Yang He fully understood the imperial court’s policy of prioritizing pacification over military suppression. At the early-year court session, he had advocated for reconciliation, which led Emperor Chongzhen to appoint him as Governor-General of the Three Border Regions.

Yet, whenever he reflected on this, Yang He felt regret and frustration. How had he become such an obvious target? No one else in the court wanted to handle the chaos in Shaanxi, so naturally, his name was pinned to the blazing fire of rebellion there.

He had entered office through the imperial examinations and, aside from serving as a county magistrate early on, had mostly held positions as a censor—an upright, incorruptible official. By all rights, someone of his integrity should have remained in the capital, but unexpectedly, the court had thrust him into the role of a frontier governor, responsible for the complex and volatile Shaanxi region.

Shaanxi was riddled with border towns, fierce nomads, widespread refugees, rampant bandits, and a tangled officialdom. As a pure and upright civil official, he lacked confidence in managing such turmoil. All he could do was serve day by day, doing his best to make amends.

His political mission was to pacify the exiled bandits and provide relief to the starving populace. Thanks to his confrontations with Hong Chengchou in Mizhi County, he secured 100,000 shi of grain and extorted additional funds from the Ai family, which were used for pacification efforts.

Shi Kefa was upright and quick-witted, earning Yang He’s trust and appointment to the Governor-General’s office to oversee relief efforts in Yan’an.

As for Li Yi, although Yang He valued him, the young man was headstrong and unruly, even defying Hong Chengchou’s orders at crucial moments. There was no telling if he might similarly defy Yang He in the future.

Yang He planned to observe and temper Li Yi first, smoothing his rough edges before granting him greater responsibility.