White-robed Minister

0011 [The Great Emperors Slay the Salt Bandits]

"Xu Sanlang, is it really possible that the salt bandits will escape from here?" Li Tian asked.

The other companions also looked at Xu Lai.

Xu Lai explained in detail:

"If any salt thieves don't have time to take a boat, they can only escape through the countryside between Feixia Mountain and Fenggu River. But this area is very large, so where is the best place for us to ambush them?"

"The ambush point we choose cannot be too close to the Shixing River. If it is too close, the salt bandits will not have scattered yet and will be in large groups, which we definitely cannot defeat."

"We can't get too close to Fenggu River either, because we're likely to run into the patrol officers there. If that happens, the patrol officers will definitely steal all the credit."

"Yinshabu is located on the southwest slope of Feixia Mountain. Some salt bandits would run along the foot of the mountain. This way, they would not easily get lost, and if the government troops chased them hard, the salt bandits could even sneak into Feixia Mountain."

"Therefore, we should ambush them at the foot of Feixia Mountain, which is quite far from the Shixing River!"

After hearing this, everyone felt that what he said made a lot of sense.

Uncle Zhang laughed and said, "Sanlang, learn hunting from me from now on. You'll definitely become a good hunter."

Bu Chao then said, "Sanlang, how come you're getting smarter and smarter?"

Uncle Zhang often went to the city to sell wild game and furs, and he was very familiar with the terrain of this area.

After Xu Lai selected the general area, Uncle Zhang was responsible for choosing the specific ambush points.

Two companions escorted the sick Yang Peng back to the village, leaving them with only seven people.

Uncle Zhang, Bu Chao, and Liu Da hid among the grass and rocks at the foot of the mountain. Their mission was to launch the first attack.

Xu Lai led the other three men, who lay prone in the dry field opposite, tasked with intercepting and killing the panicked enemies.

A moment later, a sound came from the south.

"They're here, they're here."

"There were more than just one or two shadowy figures moving around."

Should we let them pass?

"Let them go! These salt bandits are ruthless; it's not worth fighting them. We're working on empty stomachs and don't have much strength left. We'll only target those who are alone."

"..."

After letting three groups of salt bandits pass by in succession, they finally found one that was alone.

Uncle Zhang whispered, "Let me shoot my arrow first, then we'll charge in together!"

As they spoke, Uncle Zhang nocked an arrow and waited for the salt bandits to approach.

His hunting bow was homemade; it was very weak and its trajectory was unpredictable at long range.

Moreover, it was pitch black at night, and the other party was still running. He was not confident of hitting the target because the distance was too great.

"call out!"

"kill!"

The moment Uncle Zhang shot the arrow, Bu Chao shouted and rushed out, leaping to the front in the blink of an eye.

The two salt bandits were already panicked, and since it was dark and they didn't know how many people there were, they thought they had been ambushed by government troops.

One of the salt bandits was shot in the chest with an arrow, but his homemade leather armor protected him, so the arrow didn't penetrate too deeply. He was so frightened that he hurriedly threw away the box and ran away.

Another salt bandit was carrying the box by the copper handle when his companion suddenly let go and dropped the treasure box, causing him to stumble from the weight of the forty or fifty-pound box.

The latter had barely steadied himself when Bu Chao had already charged in front of him.

Bu Chao brandished his broadsword and slashed out, while the salt bandits hurriedly drew their hand blades to parry.

Just then, Uncle Zhang and Liu Da arrived in force.

Liu Da only managed to slash the salt bandit's arm, while Uncle Zhang stabbed directly at the salt bandit's neck.

The salt bandit, armed with a short weapon, faced three long weapons, and suffered injuries to his arms and face in succession.

Bu Chao quickly unleashed a second slash, aiming a powerful blow at the salt bandit's forehead. His attack lacked any discernible technique; it relied solely on his strength and speed.

The blade cleaved straight into the salt bandit's head and got stuck in his skull, unable to be pulled out!

Meanwhile, the salt bandit who had been shot by an arrow was fleeing in a panic to the other side.

Xu Lai, along with three friends, suddenly charged out from the path he had taken.

He did not rashly draw his sword, but instead circled around to the side of the salt bandits, waiting for the best opportunity to kill them.

The salt bandit had been carrying the boxes on the run and was already panting heavily. Now, with an arrow in his chest and surrounded by three mountain villagers, his defenses were increasingly exposed as he slashed and parried wildly.

The "sword technique" that Xu Lai practiced on the sandbar a few days ago was now firmly in his mind, and he used it as if it were an instinct.

He slashed at the salt bandit's neck, but the bandit dodged it. Then he pulled the knife back sharply.

This is how mountain people use a machete to cut vines. The slightly curved machete can quickly cut through thick vines.

Slitting one's throat is a piece of cake!

"Pfft pfft pfft!"

Blood gushed from his throat, and the salt bandit, wounded by an arrow, fell to the ground unwillingly.

Xu Lai stared blankly at his partner who rushed forward to finish him off, seemingly lost in thought.

Are you excited?

It seems there is a slight difference.

Are you afraid?

There's nothing to be afraid of in the dark when you can't see how someone died.

But even though it was the first time he had killed someone, he still felt a little awkward.

"Sanlang, you guessed right. There really was a lone salt bandit fleeing this way."

"Sanlang's brain is too sharp!"

"Shall we go to the county government office to collect the reward?"

"..."

His companions cheered and surrounded Xu Lai, and this small group had already implicitly taken him as their leader.

Uncle Zhang Er dragged the treasure chest and said, "Sanlang, there's a chest here, it probably weighs several dozen kilograms."

The night breeze blew, and Xu Lai quickly calmed down.

He said to the crowd, "Immediately carry the body and the box, and hurry across the small bridge to the Fenggu River. We must cross the river before dawn. Bu Chao, you're fast, go ahead and scout the bridge. If there are soldiers guarding it, come back immediately to report."

We absolutely must not run into the soldiers.

After these days of contact, Xu Laitai has come to understand the nature of those officers and soldiers.

Once the officers and soldiers discover that they have killed the salt bandits and reclaimed the treasure chest, there are only two possible outcomes:

First, if a high-ranking officer discovers this, he can easily steal their credit and give them a few coins as a reward to get rid of them.

Secondly, when discovered by low- to mid-ranking military officers, they not only stole the credit from the officers but also killed them, claiming that the salt bandits were responsible.

Upon hearing Xu Lai issue the order, Bu Chao immediately went to find out what was going on, though he didn't know why he was listening to his cousin.

With Bu Chao gone, only six people remained.

Just enough to carry two corpses and a treasure chest.

Li Tian, ​​who was helping Xu Lai carry the treasure chest, asked, lifting it by the bronze handle, "It's so heavy? What's inside?"

"I don't know, but it's definitely a treasure," Xu said.

Xu Lai had his own selfish motives; no matter what treasures were in the box, he wanted to send them to the county magistrate.

He wanted to take this opportunity to resolve his issue regarding his eligibility for the imperial examinations.

No matter how valuable something is, nothing is more important than the imperial examination. He never thought of hiding treasures!

If it were the late Northern Song Dynasty or the Southern Song Dynasty, he might have considered the possibility of rebellion.

But what kind of rebellion could there be during the Jiayou era, especially since it was in Guangdong? This place only had resources for rebellion in modern times—population and economy.

Xu Lai had already devised a plan for the imperial examinations: first, he would be recommended by the county magistrate to enter the state school, where he could study and stay for free, and only need to pay two or three coins for food each day.

Once he gets into the state school, he'll definitely make some friends.

Then, they would form a mutual guarantee with these friends and go together to participate in the state examination (to become a scholar).

……

The night was pitch black, with only occasional barks from dogs.

In the villages they passed through, every household kept their doors tightly shut, and everyone was hiding inside, too afraid to come out.

Because a large number of soldiers and civilians fled from the direction of Yinshabu. Then, fleeing salt bandits also passed through. The several groups of people must have caused a commotion, frightening the old and young in the villages.

Who knows where so many people escaped to?

After walking for a while, Bu Chao, who was in charge of scouting, returned and whispered to the figure, "Is that Sanlang?"

"It's us," Xu said.

Bu Chao said, "I saw many torches lit up when I was still far from the river. The soldiers were searching for salt bandits along the river. You and Uncle Zhang guessed right. Those large groups of salt bandits escaped by boat on the Fenggu River."

Xu Lai had a plan in mind and immediately said, "Head north, proceed into the mountains at dawn, and go around through the mountains. Be careful once you're in the mountains; there might be salt bandits hiding there, and government troops might also pursue you!"

Uncle Zhang said, "There's no need to go north. There's a mountain range about three or four miles southeast of the ferry crossing, and the Fenggu River flows through that area. That's where the villagers of Dahe Village cut firewood. After crossing the river, all you'll see are hills and forests. Once you're out of the forest, it'll only be five or six miles from the county town."

"Can we cross the river?" Xu Lai asked. "This box weighs several dozen kilograms; we can't swim across with it in hand."

Uncle Zhang said, "If you can cross the river, follow me."

The group immediately followed him. After arriving at Dahe Village, they bypassed the houses and drove around the village, soon arriving at a mulberry orchard.

"Remove the door panel!"

Uncle Zhang pointed to a thatched hut and said.

That was the hut where the villagers guarded the mulberry orchard. From February to September, someone would stand guard there at night to prevent other villagers from stealing mulberry leaves.

The mulberry picking season is over, so the hut is naturally empty.

Bu Chao removed the door panel and carried it away, and the group quickened their pace to the riverbank.

We found the narrowest spot, where the river was about three zhang wide.

The door panel was placed in the water, and the treasure chest was placed on the door panel. Both immediately sank, but stopped when only the top of the chest was visible.

"Be careful while swimming, don't tip over the door panel."

"I know."

"Hiss, the river water is a bit cold. The temperature dropped so early this year."

"..."

After several trips back and forth, the group swam and "carried" the door panel across the river, finally managing to transport the corpse and treasure chest across.

After walking through the mountains and forests for half an hour, the sky gradually began to brighten.

"Let's take a break, I'm exhausted!" Liu Da said.

Xu Lai was exhausted and hungry, so he put down the treasure chest and sat down on the ground.

The treasure chest got wet while crossing the river, and the writing on the seal became a bit blurred, but it was still faintly legible.

Xu Lai glanced down at the scene in the morning light and then remained silent.

The words on the seal read: "Guangzhou Maritime Trade Bureau, xx, silver, totaling 500 taels, each xxxx, xx ten ingots, xx thirty-one xxxx, August 1st, Jiayou xx, Judge Zhang Qiong, Supervisor xxx Yuan."

The silver supplied to the imperial court by the Maritime Trade Office.

Five hundred taels in total!

Xu Lai dared not say that there was silver in the box, fearing that his companions would be tempted by the money.

Even if this thing is melted down and the Maritime Trade Office's mark is removed, it will be difficult to use.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, copper coins, iron coins, and paper money were the legal tender. Silver was only used for large transactions, imperial rewards, long-distance travel, and for making utensils and jewelry.

The vast majority of ordinary people never see silver in their entire lives.

If you're dressed even slightly shabbily and dare to use your money to buy things, people will immediately suspect you've got it by dishonest means. Especially since a robbery of imperial convoys has occurred locally!

During the break, Xu Lai instructed everyone: "After we leave the mountains, no matter who we encounter, we must not reveal our true origins. Uncle Zhang, you often go to the city to sell wild game, so you might be recognized by the local villagers. Tear off a piece of the salt bandit's bloodstained clothing, wrap it around your face, and say you're injured."

Uncle Zhang immediately complied.

Bu Chao asked, "Why can't I reveal my background? I still want to be a hero who kills bandits."

Xu Lai explained, "It might provoke the patrol officers to come to our Qingxi Village!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was terrified and dared not voice any further objections.

Xu Lai asked, "Uncle Zhang, which village's wealthy households do the village clerks and elders who frequently transfer corvée labor to our village come from?"

"Fenggu Village," Uncle Zhang said, "Fenggu Village is next to the most fertile part of the Fenggu River. The landlords there are the richest in the whole township. That little bridge was built by the landlords of Fenggu Village."

Xu Lai said, "Okay, after we go out, we'll say we're villagers from Fenggu Village. If we anger Inspector Huang, he'll cause trouble in Fenggu Village too."

"Hahaha!"

Everyone chuckled softly.

Xu Lai continued, "My name is Han Li. Uncle Zhang's name is Wang Lin. My cousin's name is Xiao Yan. Brother Liu's name is Shi Hao. Li Tian's name is... Do you understand?"

"clear!"

"Cousin, what's your name?"

"My name is Bu... no, my name is Xiao Yan."

"What's Brother Liu's name?"

"My name is Shi Hao."

"..."

After resting for a while, the group of cultivators at the Emperor level continued their journey.

Unfortunately, in this degenerate age, he couldn't even use the magic of shrinking the earth to an inch, and it wasn't until mid-morning that he finally left the mountains.

They carried two corpses and a treasure chest on their way, which quickly attracted the attention of the villagers along the way.

Local elders and their men stopped them, asking, "Which village are you from? And whose corpse are you carrying?"

Xu Lai pointed to the salt bandits' corpses: "We are villagers from Fenggu Village. We cut some firewood and came to the county town to sell it. We encountered salt bandits on the way, so we killed them and went to the county government to claim the reward! Old man, come and see what's written on the box?"

The elder leaned closer to examine the seal, and his pupils immediately contracted sharply: "Maritime trade silver?"

The elder, wanting to claim some credit, quickly told the villagers, "Those of you who aren't busy with chores, come with me to escort the heroes into the city!"

The rest of the journey became lively.

People kept following them, asking about the details of killing the thief.

Cousin Bu Chao, head held high and chest puffed out, said smugly, "My name is Xiao Yan. I was the first to catch up with the salt bandits, and I rushed over and stabbed that bastard. The salt bandits were ruthless, fighting me like madmen. See that wound on the salt bandit's forehead? I slashed into it, and I almost couldn't pull the knife out..."

After passing one village, there is another.

More and more onlookers gathered, eventually numbering over a hundred. They even actively helped spread the word, chattering away as if they had witnessed it firsthand.

When they reached the moat on the east side of the county town, the sheer number of people nearly frightened the gatekeepers into closing the city gates.

Last night, the salt bandits launched a feint attack, setting fire to the outskirts of the county town. The soldiers inside the town were already on edge.

They had been busy fighting the fire for most of the night and were now on a defensive posture, fearing that the salt bandits might suddenly launch a counterattack.

"Two salt bandits have been captured and killed. Clear the way!"

"Go quickly and report to the commander that someone in Fenggu Village has killed a salt bandit."

"In Fenggu Village lives a brave warrior named Xiao Yan, who single-handedly killed two salt bandits!"

"Nonsense, Shi Hao killed one of the salt bandits."

"Han Li killed him."

"How come I heard it was Wang Lin who did the killing?"

"..."

A jumble of noises erupted, making it impossible to tell who was shouting.

People from the surrounding streets outside the city flocked to see what was happening. They even abandoned their shops, with shop owners and their employees coming out together.

The people of the county town were genuinely happy. They hated the salt bandits and wished they were all wiped out. The fire outside the town last night had terrified them.

Two whole streets were burned down!

People cheered with great joy, welcoming the emperors into the city as if they were heroes.