100 Do it with intention

The bandit chief had not anticipated becoming the focal point of attention. Casting a glance at the interlocutor, Qui Shan, he vaguely sensed an air of familiarity. It wasn't until he noticed Shen Tang by Qui Shan's side that he suddenly remembered. Wasn't this the literatus who had rescued the "Gong Clan fugitive" that day? Truly, fate had a twisted sense of humor. Internally cursing his luck, the bandit chief maintained a stoic expression as he replied, "Indeed, it is I. As for the intricate reasons behind it, they are difficult to articulate."

Shen Tang, intrigued, inquired, "What 'intricate reasons' could lead someone with promising prospects, enjoying the benefits of officialdom, to choose the life of an outlaw?" Clearly, he was eager to satisfy his curiosity and delve into the underlying motives.

The bandit chief, his wounds metaphorically reopened, remained silent.

Without waiting for his response, Shen Tang gestured towards the camp and stated, "This is not the appropriate place for conversation. Let us speak elsewhere."

The earlier commotion had roused even the most dormant of the camp's ruffians from their slumber. Expecting a fierce battle with the bandits to reclaim their lives, they were surprised to find the fighting already concluded upon awakening. Shen Tang, without hesitation, directed them to tasks.

"What tasks?" Did they not need to bury the bodies of the bandits? Or attend to the surviving bandit lackeys? What about the few remaining captives? If the ruffians didn't attend to these matters, then who would?

Qui Shan's gaze grew increasingly inscrutable. "Who are these people?" he wondered.

Shen Tang replied, "Newly recruited ruffians, under my command!"

Qui Shan's expression remained unchanged, masking his inner turmoil. His ambitions to nurture and cultivate Shen Tang along the path he envisioned were clear, yet he also understood that with Shen Tang's innocence and youth, this journey would require patience. Little did he expect that in just one day of inattention, Shen Tang had already recruited dozens of followers, all young men in their prime.

Qui Shan pondered, "What prompted Shen Tang to suddenly consider recruiting these individuals?"

Shen Tang's candid response came, "I hadn't initially considered recruitment. What's the point? It costs money to maintain these men, and it would be more expedient to eliminate them. But Xiao Fang tore down my facade, and if I didn't recruit, I would lose face..."

Qui Shan, baffled, attempted to decipher Shen Tang's logic. What facade was torn down? What loss of face?

Confounded by the complexity of Shen Tang's reasoning, Qui Shan winced internally. "Where did I misstep?" he pondered.

Shen Tang, eager to demonstrate, interjected, "If Yuan Liang feels that recruiting these men is inappropriate, I can send them on their way to the afterlife." Killing these men would save her the expense of maintaining them, a significant reduction in expenditures. By increasing income and reducing costs, prosperity could be achieved swiftly.

Qui Shan, feeling a headache coming on, gestured to halt, "No need, no need. Since they have already been recruited, let us make use of them."

Qui Shan chose to abandon his attempt to decipher the intoxicated logic.

As long as the outcome met expectations, nothing else mattered.

Shen Tang, somewhat reluctantly, responded, "Very well."

Unaware of the detour he had taken near the gates of hell, the ruffians scrambled to tidy up the camp and reignite the bonfires.

Lin Feng climbed onto the carriage and brought over a few cushions for Shen Tang and the others to sit on. Shen Tang urged her not to fuss and join them in toasting pastries.

With pastries to enjoy, wine to drink, and tales of vanquished enemies to hear, both their spirits and bodies found solace.

The bandit chief, the source of these tales of defeat, did not approve.

However, he had no choice but to cooperate, as the situation outweighed personal preferences.

"That day, we escorted the batch of Gong Clan prisoners to Xiaocheng, where they were counted by the Songling Pavilion for female prisoners and the garrison for male prisoners, ensuring accuracy before taking a brief respite of two days before returning to report..."

Though labeled as a brief respite, it was essentially an opportunity to experience Xiaocheng's unique industry.

Escorting prisoners had taken its toll on many.

Indulging in the comforts of Xiaocheng, they were loath to leave.

Shortly after leaving Xiaocheng, they encountered several suspicious bandits on the road. Dispatching them with ease, they discovered an urgent letter on one of the bandits, a letter that solidified the bandit chief's resolve to turn to banditry.

Qui Shan furrowed his brow, "What does the letter say?"

The bandit chief clenched his fists, his emotions visibly affecting his composure, veins bulging on his forehead.

After a moment, he managed to compose himself and exhaled deeply.

"It states that some commoners are discontent with the tyrannical rule and are plotting rebellion in secret. Upon hearing this, King Zheng Qiao became furious and ordered his trusted aide to suppress these rebels. To appease King Zheng Qiao's anger, the aide overseeing this matter is willing to kill a thousand to not let one slip..."

Yet, no evidence of any rebellion was found.

However, King Zheng Qiao remained skeptical and pressured his aide repeatedly.

Being a ruthless individual, the aide, in order to fulfill his duty, used the heads of commoners from a dozen villages to inflate his accomplishments, earning praise from King Zheng Qiao. However, the truth could not remain concealed, and this ignited the powder keg. Coupled with King Zheng Qiao's humiliations towards the royal family, old ministers, and loyalists, rebellion was inevitable!

What was initially just a rumor of rebellion now became a reality.

This urgent letter was sent eight hundred miles to the magistrate of Sibao County, detailing the cause and effect, urging him to mobilize troops and prepare for possible unrest within Sibao County. However, the unfortunate messenger carrying this letter fell into the hands of the bandits, and fate, in turn, placed it in the hands of the bandit chief.

"Is this the reason you turned to banditry?" After all, with uprisings brewing everywhere, King Zheng Qiao's throne was not secure. So why not become a bandit chief while he's at it?

The bandit chief replied, "That's just one reason."

There was another reason—several villages, including his hometown, were massacred. His family and kin were among the victims. Unable to bear this outcome, several constables from his hometown joined him in banditry, while the rest returned home.

"Such a coincidence?"

Qui Shan remarked, "It was orchestrated."

Chu Yao closed his eyes in contemplation, tapping his knee rhythmically.

Upon hearing Qui Shan's words, he opened his eyes and concurred, "The massacred villages were all scattered near the temporary palace. The rumors also originated from this area. Doesn't Wu Lang find it intriguing? Given King Zheng Qiao's suspicious and tyrannical nature, upon learning of this, true or not, he would order an investigation to eliminate any destabilizing factors

. The aide in charge of overseeing this matter is no saint either; he has a history of using commoners' heads to pad military achievements..."

Indeed, it was not just those who fought alongside King Zheng Qiao who committed such acts.

Qui Shan continued, "If someone were to suggest to the aide, subtly, to massacre the villages and blame the inhabitants as rebels, it wouldn't be impossible. Once King Zheng Qiao ascended to the throne of Xin, his series of actions alienated everyone from nobles to commoners, inevitably sparking dissent and rebellion sooner or later."

With this as a catalyst, various factions began to rebel sporadically. The only coincidence was that the bandit chief's hometown was in the vicinity. Everything else was orchestrated, meticulously planned, disrupting the entire situation!