25 Inspecting the Garrison

In the days that followed, Wei Guangde continued his daily routine of attending school and studying under Master Sun.

A few days after the family council, the Taoist priest Lin returned to the Bengshan Battalion to negotiate the land transaction with Battalion Commander Wei. During this time, Father Wei had carefully considered the suggestions Wei Guangde had proposed and brought them all up during the negotiations. The Taoist agreed to some of the conditions immediately, while stating that he lacked the authority for others and would need to consult his employer. Naturally, Wei Guangde remained unaware of these details; his father never intended for a ten-year-old boy to participate in such matters. For Wei Guangde, this was perfectly fine and suited his wishes well.

The only thing that bothered him was that as his studies progressed, Master Sun’s requirements grew increasingly demanding. Nowadays, the homework assigned after school took up most of his playtime. Even on days off, he rarely had the chance to go riding; at best, he could take his matchlock musket to the hills every few days to fire a few shots. People in later generations often said that a sharpshooter is made by the sheer volume of ammunition expended, and Wei Guangde found this to be profoundly true. Over the past two months, his marksmanship had steadily improved, and occasionally, through sheer luck, he managed to bag a small bird.

The land had been sold for over a thousand taels of silver, and the position of estate manager had also been secured. Wei Guangde only learned of this after his father had collected the silver and finalized the handover. It seemed the buyers felt that having a military officer oversee the land was a good idea—at the very least, it would deter any petty troublemakers.

"Father, who exactly are these people?" Wei Guangde asked quietly once he learned the deal was done.

"They are from Dehua. As for which specific family, we can only find out slowly over time," Father Wei replied, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "There will be plenty of time to deal with them in the future; naturally, we will discover who they are."

Wei Guangde found this acceptable. Since the buyers were able to find their way here, they were surely from the surrounding area. Jiujiang Prefecture was located in Dehua, which meant the buyers were from the prefectural city.

"It isn’t the Commander or the Vice Commander, is it..." Wei Guangde trailed off, then shook his head. Those types would likely never pay a cent; they would simply have his father transferred and replace him with one of their own. To them, spending money was akin to losing their lives.

From the initial negotiations to the final closing, the process took over a month, but it was finished, and each side got what they needed. Now, Father Wei was both the Battalion Commander and the estate manager. Although the title was officially held by Wei Wencai, the elder brother still had to consult their father for most decisions.

Wei Guangde had a bit of a selfish motive for wanting this arrangement. His eldest brother was destined to inherit a military position, but as for himself, he had no certainty about passing the imperial examinations. It was best to leave himself a backup plan. He certainly wouldn’t be a battalion commander. If he failed the imperial examinations in the future, he could always become an estate manager to make a living. Besides, staying close to his brother would surely make life easier.

Now, the only cloud hanging over the Wei family at Bengshan Fortress was the issue of the Jiujiang Garrison and the potential redistribution of the military colonies. Everyone knew the superiors wanted to redistribute the interests, but with each person harboring their own schemes, no one was willing to suffer a loss.

In truth, the garrison system had long since decayed since the founding of the dynasty. According to the "History of Ming: Treatise on Military Affairs," the system was designed with a strict hierarchy of garrisons, battalions, and companies, with a standard Jiujiang Garrison theoretically comprising fifty companies and 5,600 soldiers. Wei Guangde had learned these details from his brother, and he couldn't help but compare it to a reinforced brigade—roughly half a division—from his past life.

While it looked formidable, his father had mentioned that after the last recruitment drive, the garrison could barely muster two thousand men, effectively reducing it to a full brigade-level unit. Through increased contact with his uncle, Wu Zhankui, who served at the Thousand-Man Battalion, Wei Guangde realized that the small Jiujiang Garrison was already fractured into several competing factions.

The garrison was led by a Commander, two Vice Commanders, and four Assistant Commanders—though currently, one Assistant Commander position remained vacant. His uncle’s father-in-law, Zhang Qing, was a Vice Commander in charge of weaponry and training, forming an independent faction of his own. As for the other Vice Commander, he was a transient official with no established ties, having only been in office for three years.

The prospect of a marriage between his eldest brother, Wei Wencai, and the daughter of a fourth-rank official was a trial to see if they could win over Li Qiguang. A son of a small sixth-rank officer marrying into such a family was incredibly difficult. His parents held little hope unless Wei Guangde could immediately pass the examinations and become a *juren*. The news from Uncle Wu confirmed their fears: the other side had been cold to the overtures.

The lack of movement regarding the military colonies had kept the Wei family on edge, fearing when the other shoe would drop. Then, in December, news arrived: the garrison would not be redistributing the land. Father Wei was shocked and hurried to the Thousand-Man Battalion to find his brother-in-law. It turned out that news had arrived from Beijing the previous month: the Jiajing Emperor was launching an investigation into the various garrisons of Nanjing.