Chapter 391
When the soldiers saw that Guaizai wouldn't listen to reason, they galloped back to Pingxiang Village at full speed to inform Fang Zichen, hoping that he would talk some sense into his son and not let this precedent be set. But Fang Zichen, after a moment's thought, simply said, "Let him do as he pleases." The soldiers had ridden all that way for nothing.
No matter how outrageous the common people found this, or how much they disapproved, if the prefect's son wanted to conscript, they had no say in the matter—after all, commoners didn't go against officials, did they?
Forget it, forget it. It wasn't their own children going anyway. Getting angry was pointless. Besides, military training was grueling work—the prefect's son would probably last a few days at most before coming back crying. What could a girl or a ger possibly accomplish?
And the prefect still didn't know about this yet. Maybe tomorrow or the day after, when he found out how his son was carrying on, he would give his son a good thrashing!
But the very next day, official conscription notices were sent out by galloping couriers to every district and county:
Conscription: all able-bodied males, females, and gers are eligible to register for physical examination.
The common people were dumbfounded.
This prefect had lost his mind!
The imperial guards were far more stern and intimidating than the yamen soldiers—cold and unapproachable. The common people didn't understand why soldiers should be so different from one another, but they could only go to the yamen soldiers and beg them to speak to the prefect on their behalf. This simply wouldn't do.
The soldier gave them a cold stare: "Won't do? Then go tell the prefect yourself!"
Someone had already tried to advise the prefect, and all he got was: "What won't do? Am I the prefect, or are you the prefect? I tell you to do something, so you do it. Do I need you to teach me what I can and cannot do? If you don't want the job, just say so."
Would he be rushing to his death by bringing it up again?
Guaizai also received a letter from Fang Zichen, telling him to go ahead boldly and not be afraid—he had his brilliantly clever, dashing, and extraordinarily handsome father backing him up.
After reading the letter, Guaizai carefully folded it up. This was the first time his father had ever written to him!
The imperial guards watched as he let out a sigh and said, somewhat sulkily, "When will the conscription be over? Guaizai misses Father already."
The imperial guards: "..."
Young master, if we're not mistaken, you just left home this morning, and the prefect personally lifted you onto your horse.
Not many gers or girls dared to sign up, but there were a few—mostly like Tang Daniang, whose families could barely scrape by and were looking for another way out. There were also a few bold ones who didn't want to spend their whole lives circling the kitchen and men.
The news spread far and wide, and opinions were all over the place. Some kept their mouths shut, some thought it was no big deal, but the majority found it unacceptable and disapproved. Yet no matter how much they protested, it was useless—the prefect wouldn't listen, and they didn't have the means to take their complaints to him directly. At best, they'd gather in twos and threes to condemn it, then go home and warn their daughters and gers not to follow such disgraceful examples.
The children would nod vigorously, mumbling "yes, yes," but in their hearts, they secretly admired those gers and girls brave enough to sign up.
If it were them, with everyone saying such nasty things, they wouldn't dare!
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Meanwhile, on the other side, Tang Daniang returned home from town after registering. She had bruises on her face, but her family didn't ask a single question.
Father Tang said, "Took you half the day just to sell a bundle of firewood. Where's the money?"
Tang Daniang handed over three copper coins.
Mother Tang said flatly, "Now that you're back, go make dinner. Your second brother was just saying he's hungry."
Tang Daniang's heart had been racing the whole way home, and her legs could barely hold her. Earlier, during the registration and the fight, she'd been running on pure nerve. Now that the rush had faded, the fear was starting to creep in.
She couldn't understand where she'd found the courage to say those things and do those things. Before, she'd barely dared to look at strangers, let alone speak to the men in the village. But she'd actually fought just now... If her parents found out, they'd probably beat her to death. And if she really went to Hezhou, she'd never see her parents again. She'd heard that those conscripted before hadn't even been allowed home for the New Year. A flicker of regret stirred in her—maybe she shouldn't have done this behind her parents' backs. But then she looked at their cold, indifferent faces, and that faint regret vanished without a trace.
She couldn't bear to leave her parents—but what was there really to hold on to? In their eyes, she might as well have not existed at all. Why was she so desperate for their love? What was she even hoping for?
She went into the kitchen to cook. That same day, another villager who'd been to town to sell vegetables came back and ran straight to the Tang house.
"Lao Tang! Sister Tang! Your eldest daughter—she's done something unbelievable!"
"What happened?"
"Aiya, I'm almost embarrassed to say it."
Tang Daniang, of course, got another beating.
Father Tang had been planning to use her for a bride exchange—there was no way he'd let her go off to the army. Besides, that place was full of men. What business did a woman have there? And brawling with men in the street—their family would be the talk of the village!
Sure, soldiers got a few dozen copper coins a month, and if he'd been asked, Father Tang might have been willing to let her go—after all, gossip didn't matter compared to silver. A bride exchange could only get one son a wife, but what about the rest? If Tang Daniang went, she'd earn money, the family would get back on its feet, and finding wives for his sons wouldn't be so hard.
But she'd gone and signed up behind their backs...
The other day, when she'd come back from the fool's house, she'd cried and begged him not to go through with the exchange. He hadn't agreed. Sure, the fool was frightening when he lost his temper, but she could just keep her distance when he went crazy. His father and sister were still alive and well, after all.
Tang Daniang had clearly turned against them. If she went now, it wasn't about the silver anymore—she'd probably never come back.
Father Tang immediately locked her in the woodshed and told his sons to keep an eye on her.
The Tang brothers had all gone to register on the first day of conscription—but none of them had been selected.
Now they looked at Tang Daniang with a mix of envy and jealousy.
Why had she been chosen when they hadn't? These officials were so unfair!
Second Brother Tang had an idea—maybe he could take Tang Daniang's place.
With so many people signing up, how could the officials possibly remember what Tang Daniang looked like?
If he went in her place, he'd be the one getting paid.
The only problem was that "Daniang" was such an awful name for a man.
[大娘 (dàniáng): Auntie / Madam / Elder Madam]
Thousands of men had signed up, and Guaizai truly couldn't remember every face. But in Annan County, there were barely any girls or gers who'd registered—only about twenty, and only thirteen of them had been selected. Of course Guaizai would remember them.
Three days later, when everyone gathered to set off for Hezhou, Guaizai didn't see Tang Daniang. He called her name, and when a man stepped forward, Guaizai frowned: "You're Tang Daniang?"
Second Brother Tang nodded.
Guaizai's little brows knitted together. He let out a hmph, raised his hand, and two soldiers immediately seized Second Brother Tang.
He remembered Tang Daniang very clearly!
She'd been scared, anxious, conflicted—so ashamed when people pointed and whispered that she could barely hold her head up—but there was also a stubborn, defiant fire in her eyes.
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