Han set three benches in front of the command tent and left a space between them wide enough for people to stand without forming ranks.
The soldiers came in small groups. Some brought family members; others had already spoken with their households and came alone. Ning placed a slate on a crate and wrote the three options in plain terms: travel with Han’s company, return to the west fort, or remain at the local watch. A fourth line said that anyone could wait before deciding. Beside it she wrote that food and shelter would not depend on a soldier’s choice.
Han stood beside the slate, her collar bare where her insignia had been. “You don’t have to answer in front of the whole company,” she said. “You can speak to Ning privately or leave your name off the list until tomorrow.”
A young soldier looked toward the road. “If we return to the fort, will they call us deserters?”
“They may,” Han said. “I can’t control what the command calls you. The record will show that each of you chose where to go after the resignation.”
“And if we stay here?”
“The local watch needs people who know the roads. You’ll work under Ren’s rotation, not under my command.”
