David James and Little William hurried over and respectfully said, “We are here, madam, please give your instructions.” Earlier, when Samuel Howard and the others were having their banquet in the main hall, the household servants and attendants were also eating at a small table not far away—large plates of meat and plenty of noodle soup. Of course, it couldn’t compare to what Samuel Howard and the others were eating, but even this kind of meal was enough to make the military households outside extremely envious.

The Young Family said, “You two must take good care of the young master, understand? If anything happens to him again, I won’t forgive you.”

The two nearly pounded their chests and swore to the heavens. Only then did The Young Family feel at ease.

After taking a few steps outside, Samuel Howard said to the two, “Boys, did you eat well just now?”

They answered in unison, “We ate well!”

Samuel Howard said boldly, “Good, then come with me.” In his previous life, he was a decisive person by nature, though others were often fooled by his slick, merchant-like exterior. After possessing Samuel Howard’s body, he also absorbed some of his domineering temperament.

He took the lead and walked out, with David James and Little William hurrying to follow.

From a distance, Samuel Howard heard The Young Family behind them complaining, “Look at you, if you can’t hold your liquor, drink less. Just look at yourself.”

He only heard Henry Howard mumble in response, “I was just happy…”

Chapter 4: Military Households So Poor It Brings Tears

Samuel Howard walked out of the thousand-household residence, and outside was the street of Wuzhai Fort. As he stepped out the main gate, a gust of cold wind hit him in the face, mixed with some snowflakes that stung his cheeks. Fortunately, Samuel Howard had inherited the strong physique of this body, so this bit of cold didn’t affect him.

Looking at David James and Little William, both were breathing out white mist but looked perfectly normal, clearly used to this kind of weather.

Samuel Howard let out a breath and stood at the gate, surveying the surroundings. Looking around, this Wuzhai Fort was much like a small rural town in a remote mountainous area in modern times.

Aside from his own thousand-household residence and the nearby government offices and a few deputy thousand-household, town constable, and hundred-household officers’ homes, which looked somewhat neat and presentable, most of the buildings were earthen or thatched houses. On the street, a few shivering, raggedly dressed people walked by, or in various corners, some scruffy people squatted or stood, looking at Samuel Howard at the gate with eyes full of awe.

There were a few streets, and except for the main road leading to the thousand-household residence and government offices, which was paved with large bluestone slabs, the rest were dirt roads. Snowflakes had fallen and frozen these places hard. It was bleak, lifeless, and devoid of vitality—this was Samuel Howard’s impression. Although he had memories of this body and was mentally prepared for the scene, seeing it with his own eyes still made him feel the desolation and coldness.

“Young master, shall we mount the horses?” David James led over a few horses. The Huang family had held the thousand-household post at Wuzhai Fort for generations, and over the years had managed to accumulate dozens of horses as private property, most of which were used by the household staff. Naturally, Samuel Howard also had the right to use these horses. The horse he used to ride had broken its leg during the incident, and he didn’t know how Henry Howard had dealt with it.

“All right!” Samuel Howard withdrew his gaze and took the leather gloves handed over by Little William—these were all part of the original Samuel Howard’s gear.

By the stone-drum gate of the thousand-household residence, lying against the wall, was a huge rectangular mounting stone, and beside it stood a thick, nearly man-high hitching post, both round and square in shape. These were usually for the household’s use in mounting and tying up horses.

Samuel Howard had inherited the memories and skills of his previous body, so riding was no problem. He stepped onto the mounting stone, swung himself up, and his half-high cowhide boots slipped into the stirrups, sitting firmly in the saddle. He took the riding whip handed over by David James, cracked it crisply in the air, and said, “Let’s go!” Then he urged his horse forward. David James and Little William quickly mounted and followed behind.

Samuel Howard rode slowly down the street, needing to carefully observe the overall situation of the Wuzhai Fort thousand-household post.

According to the original memories in Samuel Howard’s mind, Wuzhai Fort had one chief thousand-household officer, one deputy thousand-household, ten hundred-household officers, two town constables, and a total of thirteen officials of various ranks, with 1,120 banner soldiers, overseeing the surrounding forts and nine beacon towers.

The walls of Wuzhai Fort stretched two li and 212 steps around, and stood three zhang and three chi high. The fortress walls were first built of earth, but in the early Wanli period, when some Mongol tribes from the Hetao region invaded Shanxi Town and threatened Wuzhai Fort, the walls were reinforced with brick and stone.

Inside the fort were main streets and alleys, and besides residential buildings, there were temples, archways, wells, and other living facilities. In addition, Wuzhai Fort had barracks, military granaries, a horse training ground, and other important military facilities. There was also a palace building in charge of military equipment—the Armory Bureau—and the Shenji Arsenal and Gunpowder Bureau, which specialized in storing firearms. Several hundred meters outside the fort was a training ground for soldiers to drill, and a martial hall for officers to command and rest.

According to statistics, the entire population of Wuzhai Fort, including regular soldiers and the families scattered throughout the various forts under its jurisdiction, numbered several thousand people.

Under the Ming military household system, garrison soldiers and their descendants inherited military status. No matter where they were stationed, their wives and children had to stay with them. Over generations, this system produced a large population of military households attached to the military register: sherding (officers’ children) and junyu (soldiers’ children).