Chapter Eighty-Five: Ji Congliang

It was the camp prostitute in his arms who climbed to her feet. She planted a kick squarely in his face, then bent down, seized him by the collar, and dragged him outward.

Lu Hu found it rather astonishing. This camp girl truly had nerve; she was a formidable woman.

The centurion lay there like a dead pig, and she could barely move him by herself.

Another camp prostitute got up and joined her in hauling him away.

Yellow Jacket and Lightning turned and strolled toward the tent entrance.

Outside, a broad swath of soldiers were already kneeling. Farther off, scattered figures could be seen running this way under the lead of squad leaders.

The White-Headed Eagle King let out a piercing cry in the sky and slowly descended onto the top of the tent.

At the sight of this, the kneeling soldiers and the ones still hurrying over lost their last shred of doubt. They believed utterly that a god had descended from heaven.

They had lived all these years, and only today had they finally seen a true god.

Their hearts brimmed with rapture.

“Are you willing to follow your god?” Lu Hu did not raise his voice, yet every word fell clearly into every ear.

“Yes! Yes! More than willing!” The soldiers kowtowed one after another.

Most were beside themselves with emotion; many answered through tears, and not a few were openly weeping.

“No matter who you are, no matter what evils you have done before, the past is past. From this moment on, you must devote yourselves sincerely to your god. Officers are not to oppress their men, and you are not to bully the common people. Whoever dares disobey this command will be severely punished.”

The squad leaders and soldiers kneeling on the ground nodded again and again, all in eager assent.

“O most exalted God, we are all miserable souls. God, save us!” pleaded the first camp prostitute who had dragged the centurion out.

The two camp prostitutes, together with four dancers who had hurried out after hastily pulling on their clothes, now knelt in the snow as well.

“Miserable souls?” Quan Meiyu shot back, her lovely eyes widening.

“Yes. We are all daughters of poor herding families. They seized us to pay off debts.” All six women broke into soft, trembling sobs.

“When the weather clears, you may go home,” Quan Meiyu said. She did not wish to see them again, and even less did she wish Lu Hu to see them.

They were pitiful, yes, but already too sullied.

By a woman’s instinct, she wanted them gone at once. In the depths of her heart she feared that her divine elder brother might take a fancy to them.

Each one was pretty enough, with fine figures, and all knew how to bewitch men. Who could say whether this wretched male god would lose himself in their softness?

“We are willing to follow God. We swear unto death never to leave,” they all pleaded.

If they returned home, their families and fellow villagers all knew their history too well; their days would surely not be easy. Lu Hu said, “There will be none of your former trade here. If you remain in the army, what can you do?”

“We learned from childhood, just like the boys, to ride and shoot for a living. If God does not disdain us, could we serve here as soldiers?” said the bold camp prostitute. She spoke clearly and sensibly, without the least timidity.

A company of women soldiers might indeed be possible. Perhaps it would prove useful in ways yet unforeseen.

At the thought, Lu Hu pointed at the fearless camp prostitute. “Your god grants you a new name. You shall be called Ji Congliang. From this day onward, you will be their leader.”

“Thank you, God, for giving me such a fine name. From now on, Congliang belongs to God. Use me however you please...”

“You—” Quan Meiyu was so angry she could scarcely speak. Her hand flew to her waist, ready to draw her blade.

Trying to seduce my divine elder brother? Not a chance. Better get out at once; if not, I’ll cripple the lot of you.

Lu Hu pressed down her hand before she could unsheathe the knife. “Meiyu, do not frighten them. We ought to help these daughters of poor families.”

Quan Meiyu gave a sharp snort through her nose, her lovely face dark with displeasure.

“Go to the armory and choose armor that fits. Arm yourselves as you see fit, then go to the stables and pick out warhorses. Ride them back here to report to me and the Goddess.” Lu Hu hurried to send them away, afraid that if Quan Meiyu’s jealousy truly flared, the scene would end badly.

Ji Congliang offered her thanks and led the other women off in a rush of delight toward the armory.

Quan Meiyu simmered with resentment, yet she could not openly go against her divine elder brother. So she vented her anger upon the centurion sprawled weakly on the ground, pointing at him as she said, “Someone, drag this coward out and behead him.”

With a rustle, a great many of the kneeling soldiers sprang to their feet. But having crawled from sleep, none had brought weapons, and they stood there stupidly, not knowing how they were supposed to carry out the execution.

Bai Daba stood watchfully nearby, still smacking its jaws over scraps of the black hunting dog’s flesh, and that too made them wary. None dared move rashly.

Besides, they had long been accustomed to the centurion’s oppression and still feared him in their hearts. No matter what was said, they did not dare lay a hand on him.

Quan Meiyu grew even more furious. She drew her blade and flung it to the ground.

Ji Congliang, who had only just gone a few steps away, saw this, ran back, snatched up the knife from the ground, and without the slightest hesitation cut down the centurion with a single stroke.

She wiped the blood from the blade on the corpse, then held the knife respectfully by the blade and offered the hilt to Quan Meiyu.

Only then did Quan Meiyu’s expression soften. She took the knife and slid it back into its sheath.

So she truly was a woman of courage.

And she knew very well how to act. Properly used, she would become a capable aide.

Lu Hu called out to Ji Congliang just as she was turning once more toward the armory. “Centurion Ji, stay a moment.”

“Centurion Ji?” Ji Congliang’s delicate body trembled. She opened her alluring eyes wide and stared at Lu Hu in dazed disbelief, hardly trusting her own ears.

Everyone else was equally dumbstruck.

Promoted just like that?

The soldiers kneeling on the ground regretted it so bitterly they almost wanted to slap themselves.

Lu Hu did not look at Ji Congliang. Instead he addressed the soldiers. “From this moment on, General Ji is your centurion. You will obey her commands without error.”

“Yes, sir!” the squad leaders and all the soldiers replied in one voice.

The squad leaders were inwardly cursing themselves with bitter regret. Why had they not rushed over just now and strangled that wretch of a centurion? Had they done so, would they not now be centurions themselves?

In one moment of hesitation, they had become subordinates of that beautiful girl.

In the past, given the chance, I was the one on top of her. Now it has turned around, and she will be on top of me instead.

Such was the will of God. Best bow their heads and obey.

And from now on, none of them dared entertain improper thoughts about the young beauty. She seemed now to be almost one of God’s own women.

“Commander Ji, at daybreak you will lead them straight to the garrison fodder grounds and proclaim the will of God. Any who refuse to submit shall be executed without mercy.” Lu Hu felt this method would yield twice the result with half the effort.

“God, let us set out now,” Ji Congliang said, eager to win merit.

“Those guilty of the gravest wickedness, kill them. Those who refuse to return to God, kill them. Keep account of every man’s military merit. Whoever distinguishes himself—a squad leader will be promoted to centurion, and a common soldier to squad leader.”

“God! God! God! Long live! Long live!”

The soldiers went utterly mad with fervor.

Ji Congliang’s example stood plain before them: so long as they obeyed God, rank and fortune lay just ahead.

Their future was limitless.

“On the road, do not slaughter poor herdsmen who come to seek refuge under God. Tell them all to gather here,” Quan Meiyu added, thinking through these practical details for Lu Hu.

“Rest easy, Goddess,” Ji Congliang said. She was quick-witted enough to see that Quan Meiyu was in fact a woman.

Suddenly, there came the sound of pounding hooves, and a troop of riders charged over.