The Fire Phoenix Army’s fame was soon noised throughout the realm. Hua Qiong’s military achievements quickly earned her promotion to the third-rank, as the General of Glorious Valor.
Once the war began, a number of scattered veterans of the Fire Phoenix Army who had remained in Xiliang secretly crossed the border and returned home, asking to be allowed to fight once more for Tiansheng. The commanding general in Minnan reported the matter to the imperial court.
Tiansheng Emperor was greatly pleased by the news. He had never imagined that these soldiers stranded abroad for so many years would remain so fiercely loyal to their homeland at its most crucial moment. He immediately granted permission to every one of the returning Fire Phoenix veterans, regardless of their number, to be placed under Hua Qiong’s command. He also exceptionally appointed Qi Shaojun, a descendant of a former Fire Phoenix soldier who had distinguished himself repeatedly on the battlefield, to the post of lieutenant general.
The old emperor was so preoccupied with his delight at the veteran’s return that he completely forgot to ask exactly how many of them were there— a continuous stream of volunteers poured into Hua Qiong’s troop. Counting both the women’s and men’s divisions, the Fire Phoenix Army had already grown to more than fifty thousand strong, and it was continuing to grow with each passing day.
More importantly, almost every member of the Fire Phoenix Army was exceptionally formidable. The newly enlisted men seemed like natural-born elite soldiers, skilled in battlefield formations, superb horsemen, and archers. Their combat ability, either as individuals or as a unit, was unrivaled anywhere in the realm. They looked nothing like aging veterans who had spent years in exile, supposedly neglecting their martial skills. Instead, they looked more like seasoned professionals who had spent every day sleeping beside their weapons, ready to break camp and march into battle at a moment’s notice.
This kind of fierceness and extraordinary fighting skills could have easily draw a lot of attention. Fortunately, Hua Qiong was not interested in claiming all the glory for herself. Since the Fire Phoenix Army was still composed primarily of women, it was easy for male commanders to view them with suspicion and jealousy. Hua Qiong didn’t get angry. Much like Feng Zhi Wei back then, she was content to focus on the secondary front, conducting raids, engaging in guerrilla warfare on the battlefields, harassing enemy supply lines, and luring opposing forces into ambushes. All in all, tasks that were strategically useful yet unlikely to earn much military glory and merit.
While she seemed perfectly content with the arrangement, Hua Qiong’s soldiers were not so content. The fierce men and women under her command were so frustrated that they were all but howling, eager for a chance to fight in earnest. Whenever they grew restless, General Hua would simply shake a finger and say with a mysterious laugh, “No hurry, no hurry. You will all have your chances to shine.” She would then clasp her hands behind her back, chuckle to herself, and watch the clouds drifting across the distant horizon.
While the war in the south raged furiously, Feng Zhi Wei continued to leisurely remain in her post as the Provincial Governor of Jianghuai Circuit. Her first major task after taking office was the dredging of Jinghuai Canal. Since the war was still escalating, a large portion of the imperial treasury had been diverted to military expenses. The prosperous Jianghuai was also responsible for collecting the bulk of the military grain. This meant the already massive canal project was suddenly short on funds. It wasn’t exactly the time to ask the empire for money. Whether Feng Zhi Wei is going to get an Outstanding or merely Excellent from the Ministry of Personnel on her performance evaluation this year depended entirely on whether she could successfully see this project through.
Ning Yi often came down to Jianghuai, but as a prince, according to the rules, he couldn’t directly interfere in the affairs of the various prefectures and circuits. He was always very busy and never stayed in Jianghuai Prefecture itself, but would instead live in Baizhou, alongside the canal, roughly a hundred miles away from Feng Zhi Wei.
They only managed to meet occasionally, and even then, his visits were hurried. He seemed to have something weighing heavily on his mind, yet he always avoided discussing it. Feng Zhi Wei never asked, but one time, Ning Cheng, the ever-present shadow of a bodyguard, grumbled as if subconsciously, “The Seventh Prince just had another son. Those old ministers at court are fussing over His Highness again, saying that it makes no sense that he still hasn’t taken either a main wife or even a secondary consort. Just a few days ago, even Mister Xin lectured His Highness. He said if His Highness keeps putting off marriage and children, how can he have a chance at obtaining the throne? All it takes is someone saying, ‘Prince Chu is frail and probably won’t be able to have heir,’ that’s all it takes to end his chance of becoming the crown prince. Sigh…The emperor is not worried, but the eunuch is.” (The last phrase is a saying meaning that the person who should be worried is not at all, while others around him are busy worrying for him.) With that, Eunuch Ning clasped his hands behind his back and strolled away leisurely.
Feng Zhi Wei was left standing alone in the shadow of the front gate, still holding the posture of seeing a guest off. She remained there, motionless and lost in thought, for a very long time.
But some things can’t be solved just by worrying about them. Ning Yi is not saying anything, so Feng Zhi Wei could only pretend not to know. She busied herself looking for money everywhere. She stationed herself at the Office of the Provincial Administration, then she ordered her Vice Commissioners and Administrative Councillors to issue notices throughout the prefectures and counties. Jianghuai was wealthy, with countless rich and powerful merchant families. If these wealthy merchant households would let a little silver slip through the cracks between their fingers, it would be a considerable sum. Unfortunately, those who had made their fortunes were usually very good at holding on to them.
Requests for “voluntary patriotic contributions” were duly sent out. Officials across the prefectures and counties hosted one banquet after another. Each and every merchant gladly donated with great proclamation of their eagerness to serve their nation. In the end, they barely scraped together a few hundred thousand taels of silver. A mere drop in the bucket. When she received the report of the amount, Feng Zhi Wei smiled.
Her smile meant little to most people, but several of the Vice Commissioners and Administrative Councillors, who had heard stories about her reputation long ago, instinctively shrank back— It was said that whenever Official Wei smiled, someone was about to suffer an unfortunate fate.
“The invitations I had you deliver in my name last time, asking them to come discuss the charitable donations, did you send them?” Feng Zhi Wei asked as she leisurely took a sip of tea.
The councilors exchanged glances, a look of embarrassment appearing on all of their faces.
Setting down her teacup with a soft click, Feng Zhi Wei let out a quiet, “Hmm?”
One of the councillors quickly answered: “…we did…but, the Li family immediately sent word that Old Master Li’s rheumatism in his leg had flared up, he can’t move at all. He thanked you for your invitation. Then the Liu family, the wealthiest in the province, said that Old Master Liu had gone to the capital to celebrate the birthday of Vice Minister Liu of the Ministry of Personnel, and likewise thanked you for your invitation…After that…every family sent some sort of reply…this…and that…”
“Their reasons and excuses came in every imaginable variety.” Qian Yan, who had just become her advisor, suddenly sneered, “Some claimed they were ill. Some said they were away at the frontier for business. One excuse was even more ridiculous: they said they were too busy taking a new concubine! And that Li family. It’s one thing to decline, but they actually sent a formal written refusal with three thousand taels of silver— are they tossing alms to a beggar!”
“Oh?” Is that so?” Feng Zhi Wei didn’t seem to be angry. She merely narrowed her eyes and listened, a faint smile playing at the corner of her lips. Then she ordered, “Bring me a list of every prominent wealthy family in the entire Jianghuai Circuit.”
Someone immediately handed her a list. She skimmed through it, smiled again, and said, “Just as expected. No one rises to great wealth without having some connections at the imperial court. The top names on this list all have ties to one influential figure or another in the capital.”
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