How did the lesser Jin flunkies continue to have jobs?

[Ken Cheng]

Early on, when the pickings were slim, it was somewhat understandable that the likes of lesser lights in wulin such as Leung Tze Yung, Sa Tung Teen, and Pang Lin Fu would be of value to Prince Yeun Nan Hung Lit and Yeung Hong, but after Greats-level fighters such West Poison Au Yeung Fung and Kau Cheen Yan were enlisted by the Jin Empire, wouldn't those other guys have become redundant? What use would the Jin leaders have for the likes of Sa Tung Teen after gaining the services of Au Yeung Fung and Kau Cheen Yan?

And yet, despite their many bunglings and failures against the Jins' enemies, these guys were retained on the payroll of the Jin Empire until the bitter end.

[pannonian]

They were a match for some of the Quanzhen masters, so they weren't weak.

[Ken Cheng]

Somewhat the reverse of this situation is what happened with the Mongol flunkies in ROCH.

The Mongols already had a Greats-level fighter under their command in the Golden Wheel Monk, who came with two formidable students (Dat Yee Ba and Fok Do). Afterwards, however, Kublai Khan hired additional martial artists - Wan Hak Sai, Siu Seung Tze, Lui Mor Singh, Ma Gorn Jor...and Yeung Gor.

Notably, Kublai brought in these other warriors only after the Golden Wheel Monk and his two students failed to take control over the Chinese wulin at the Heroes' Conference at Luk Family Manor in Dai Sing Kwan. Did Kublai bring in those other warriors only because the Golden Wheel Monk's failure at Luk Family Manor suggested that Gwok Jing and his allies were too much for the monk and his two students to handle?

[ChanceEncounter]

You can never have enough brawn.

[flyingfox2002]

They weren't flunkies. Outside of the handful of elites, they were top notch fighters. The TV shows usually just make them look weak to emphasize the power of the Elites and GJ.

Like in LOCH2003, they became clowns and comic relief. That they were excellent fighters were never depicted.

[sniffles]

Even a relatively low-level martial artist would be a challenge for ordinary soldiers who don't know any martial arts. Just because these hirelings couldn't defeat GJ doesn't mean they were completely useless. They could still wipe out masses of Song soldiers and civilians.

Plus their presence probably had a morale effect. Song citizens might be demoralized to learn of the martial heroes who had gone over to the Jin side, and the Jin soldiers might be encouraged by the same knowledge. It would be like knowing you had a superhero team in your army.

[Ren Wo Xing]

Early on, when the pickings were slim, it was somewhat understandable that the likes of lesser lights in wulin such as Leung Tze Yung, Sa Tung Teen, and Pang Lin Fu would be of value to Prince Yeun Nan Hung Lit and Yeung Hong, but after Greats-level fighters such West Poison Au Yeung Fung and Kau Cheen Yan were enlisted by the Jin Empire, wouldn't those other guys have become redundant? What use would the Jin leaders have for the likes of Sa Tung Teen after gaining the services of Au Yeung Fung and Kau Cheen Yan?

And yet, despite their many bunglings and failures against the Jins' enemies, these guys were retained on the payroll of the Jin Empire until the bitter end.

They were roughly on par with the Quanzhen masters, which meant that functionally speaking, against any non-Great (and eventually Guo Jing), they would be useful. There's only 5 Greats in the world, including QQR, and only Hong Qigong could be said to be actively 'against' the Jin Empire. Against everyone else, they were the best there is.