Shanxi Governor Dai Jun'en was in his yamen at Taiyuan Prefecture, buried in documents, when a subordinate suddenly burst through the door, face pale and voice trembling.
"Governor! Something terrible has happened!"
Dai Jun'en frowned. "What is it now?"
The subordinate gasped, "The three bandit leaders you pacified last year—He Zonghan, Liu Haoran, and Gao Jiaji—they've rebelled again! They first swept through Yuanqu County, looting several villages, and now they're marching straight toward Hedong Circuit!"
Dai Jun'en jolted upright.
"Good heavens!"
He shot to his feet and barked orders without hesitation. "Quick! Summon Assistant Generals Hu Dawei and Liu Guangzuo. Have them mobilize their troops immediately!"
The subordinate turned and ran.
Dai Jun'en didn't even bother with formalities. He dropped everything, rushed to prepare supplies, arrange orders, and coordinate the response. By the time he emerged, Hu Dawei and Liu Guangzuo had already gathered their household guards and garrison troops.
Two thousand men in total.
Without delay, the column set out at full speed toward Hedong Circuit.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been more than enough. But these were not normal circumstances.
The Manchus were pressing hard on Xuanfu and Datong, forcing Shanxi's main forces to remain stationed in Taiyuan. Hedong Circuit lay a full seven hundred li away.
Seven hundred li.
Even Dai Jun'en knew the truth the moment he calculated it.
No matter how fast we march… we won't make it in time.
Worse still, Xing Honglang's main forces were also tied down, dispatched to Xuanfu and Datong. At this moment, the total strength defending Hedong Circuit amounted to no more than five hundred men.
Five hundred.
That might barely hold a city—barely.
Defending the surrounding villages?
Impossible.
Cold sweat soaked Dai Jun'en's back. If those three bandit chiefs were allowed to rampage unchecked, Hedong Circuit would be bathed in blood. Countless commoners would suffer.
There was nothing he could do except urge speed.
"Faster!" he pressed.
Hu Dawei and Liu Guangzuo, equally grim, relayed the command mercilessly.
The two thousand soldiers marched until their legs felt like lead, teeth clenched, lungs burning.
Seven hundred li.
Even on official roads, they marched for days without rest, until exhaustion hollowed their faces.
At last, a scout galloped back from the front.
"Governor! Hedong City is just ahead!"
Dai Jun'en's heart jumped. "Is the city still under General Xing's control? Has it been breached by the bandit army?"
"No," the scout replied. "It's still in General Xing's hands."
"Hah—!"
Dai Jun'en exhaled heavily, nearly sagging with relief. Hu Dawei and Liu Guangzuo also let out long breaths.
As long as the city stood, everything was still salvageable.
Their worst fear had been that the bandits had already taken Hedong City and entrenched themselves. Five thousand bandits defending walls would be an absolute nightmare. Two thousand government troops attacking them? Even if they won, they'd be laughed out of the empire.
But just as Dai Jun'en was steadying himself, the scout's expression turned… strange.
"Governor," he said hesitantly, "Hedong City feels… off."
"Off?" Dai Jun'en frowned. "Explain."
"I only saw it from afar," the scout said carefully, "but… it looks like there's some kind of celebration happening on the walls. There are banners everywhere. People are singing. It looks more like a commendation ceremony than a battlefield…"
Dai Jun'en blinked.
Hu Dawei blinked.
Liu Guangzuo blinked.
The three men exchanged looks filled with pure confusion, then silently urged their horses forward.
Not long after, they arrived beneath Hedong City.
The sight before them froze them in place.
The city walls stood intact. Official banners fluttered proudly. The gates were wide open, and civilians moved in and out freely, chatting and laughing. Along their entire march, they hadn't seen a single battlefield, corpse, or sign of large-scale fighting.
Dai Jun'en muttered, "What's going on? Did those five thousand bandits… not even attack?"
He hurried to the city gate.
There, hanging prominently overhead, was a massive banner:
"Heartfelt Celebration of the People's Great Victory."
Dai Jun'en was dumbfounded.
Hu Dawei was bewildered.
Liu Guangzuo was completely at a loss.
Below the banner, a huge crowd had gathered, craning their necks toward the city walls.
The three officials forced their way into the crowd just in time—
Boom!
A ceremonial cannon fired.
Colorful paper rained down like snow. Two men emerged through the confetti, draped in bright brocade sashes, walking toward a raised platform atop the wall, their faces flushed with pride.
Then Xing Honglang appeared.
She stepped forward, stood beside the two men, and declared in a thunderous voice:
"Today, we publicly commend two heroes! One is named Qi Cheng. The other is Chen Ergou!"
Applause erupted like thunder.
Xing Honglang continued, "Qi Cheng was once a subordinate of Wang Zuogua of Yichuan. Chen Ergou once followed Liu Liu. Both men lost their way in the past. But it is never too late to turn back!"
"Through labor and study, they rebuilt themselves. In the recent defense of the Yuncheng Iron and Steel General Factory, these two bravely stood forth, led the workers, repelled the bandit army, and protected the people's property!"
Another wave of applause exploded.
People shouted as they clapped:
"Well done, Engineer Qi!"
"Well done, Engineer Chen!"
Only now did Dai Jun'en, Hu Dawei, and Liu Guangzuo begin to understand.
"…Good heavens," Hu Dawei muttered.
"These two blocked the bandit army?"
Xing Honglang then brought out two blue hats.
One bore the character "Trial."
The other had that same character—pierced clean through by an arrow.
She placed them on a stone ledge, raised a heavy hammer, and—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Before everyone's eyes, she smashed both hats to pieces.
Then she produced two new hats.
Pure blue. Spotless. No markings.
She handed them to Qi Cheng and Chen Ergou.
"The Village Committee has approved the early termination of your labor reform," she announced. "From today onward, you are free citizens."
A pause.
"Not only that—you are directly promoted to Senior Technicians, with all corresponding benefits."
Qi Cheng's eyes instantly filled with tears. His hands shook as he accepted the hat.
This—this was the dream he had never dared voice.
Slowly, reverently, he placed it on his head. "I… I will… work hard. I swear it."
Chen Ergou said nothing.
He simply clutched the hat and rubbed his face against it, again and again.
The crowd watched in silence.
Xing Honglang went on, "Next, we will commend other meritorious individuals. Please welcome Zhang Cuihua, a female worker from the textile factory cafeteria."
Thunderous applause.
A thick-set woman strode onto the stage.
Below, the women shouted enthusiastically:
"Sister Zhang!"
"Sister Cuihua!"
"Next time don't skimp on the ladle!"
Xing Honglang handed her a certificate and a bonus. "Say a few words."
The woman took the tin megaphone, cleared her throat, and said earnestly:
"Uh… I've been slaughtering fish in the textile factory cafeteria for three years. My knife… is colder than my heart."
The crowd burst into laughter.
Dai Jun'en, Hu Dawei, and Liu Guangzuo stared at the scene in utter disbelief.
"…What exactly," they muttered together,
"…is going on in this place?"