C44. Suppressing Bandits (Part 2).

C44. Suppressing Bandits (Part 2).

Liu Jixin arrived at Xiaohe Village alone under the leadership of Da Zhuang.

This was Da Zhuang's first time riding a horse in his lifetime. Along the way, he tightly held onto the horsemen who were escorting him, tightening their reins and causing their faces to turn pale with fear.

Upon arriving at Xiaohe Village, Da Zhuang didn't waste any time and quickly explained to the village chief about the magistrate's orders to send troops to suppress the bandits.

Upon learning that the bandits were planning to raid their village but the troops sent by the government had arrived first, the village chief was almost moved to tears. He led Liu Jixin and his group around the village.

Women and farmers covered their children's mouths and peeked out from their doors. The children, curious but afraid, looked with clear eyes at the soldiers passing by in their armor.

After a thorough survey of the village's terrain, Wang Er shook his head solemnly, "The terrain here is not conducive for cavalry."

Zhong Ji, in a hurry, asked, "What should we do?"

Due to the narrow and divided terrain of Xiaohe Village by multiple rivers, it was impossible for the cavalry to unleash their full power.

Wu Kai looked to Liu Jixin for advice, "Do you have a solution, sir?"

Liu Jixin chuckled and said, "It's not exactly a clever plan, but rather an idea."

He whispered to Wu Kai and Wang Er, and their eyes lit up, showing smiles. "The plan is feasible, we will follow your instructions, sir!"

On that day, 500 bandits from Jiuding Mountain were sent to raid Xiaohe Village.

Besides these 500 men, the rest of the bandits were indulging themselves in feasting and revelry.

A feast was laid out, food was wasted carelessly, and pretty girls captured from nearby villages wept as they danced to amuse them.

The bandits, eating and drinking heartily, were lewd and foul-mouthed. Those with short tempers lashed out at the girls, demanding they dance better.

"Damn, the dance is so ugly, why don't you dance?"

"These are all peasant women who toil in the rice fields. What refined dances could they possibly know? It's enough that they are pleasant to the eye."

"The women who work in the kilns, however, move with a more vibrant energy. Their waists twist and sway as they work, and the sight is quite captivating."

Several bandits, wielding their large blades with menace, barked at the young women with crude pronouncements. "How dare you claim the kiln workers dance better? You all have limbs, don't you? So why can't you perform like them? Disrobe yourselves and dance at once! If you fail to entertain us, you'll dearly regret it!"

The girls, tears streaming down their faces, trembled as they undressed.

They dare not resist, knowing the consequences of defiance. One fierce woman named Yun, in the past, had slashed her own face to avoid being defiled by the bandits. She was beaten bloody and thrown into a shed, her fate uncertain.

Three bandit leaders at the head of the table watched the scene with delight, laughing and drinking.

The three leaders, brothers by the name of Zheng, were formerly idle villagers at the foot of Jiuding Mountain. Through a stroke of luck, they had become bandits.

"This is quite the comfortable day," said the youngest, holding a woman in his arms. "Among all the counties, Jiuding Mountain's bandits live the most extravagant lives. We eat and drink, living like immortals."

The eldest, proud, laughed heartily. "After raiding a few more villages, we'll capture some girls to serve us and cook for us. We'll have a comfortable winter."

The second brother grumbled, "We need to capture some men too. Women die too easily. Let the men do the hard work this winter, even if they freeze to death we won't bat an eyelid. Let the women warm our beds and bear our children."

The eldest agreed, "That's the plan."

"The recent news from Jixian County mentioned that Governor Yuan Li has sent troops to suppress the bandits in the surrounding areas," said the second brother, chewing on meat. "Could they finish in the neighboring counties and then come after us?"

The third brother laughed, "Impossible! Just a newly appointed official? I don't believe he would dare to provoke us. It's probably just a small disturbance, and it will soon quiet down. These officials, one more cowardly than the next."

The eldest was equally dismissive, "Exactly what the third brother said. Even if this new official wants to show off, starting with us bandits, he would need the courage to make a move against us. We're miles away from Jixian County, by the time he arrives, the mountain passes will likely be covered in snow. Haha."

The trio laughed heartily, unconcerned about the situation.

The threat of Governor Yuan's suppression did not worry them as much as a woman destroying her own beauty to avoid their advances.

The 500 bandits sent to raid Xiaohe Village also paid little attention to the news from Jixian County.

When they arrived at Xiaohe Village and planned to raid the village, they found that all the villagers had fled, leaving behind no food or valuables. The village was empty, with no target for them to plunder.

The leader quickly ordered a search, but as they searched, they felt the ground trembling.

Thinking it was their reinforcements, they sent men to investigate. When they returned in panic, they reported, "Bad news! It's cavalry! The government's cavalry has surrounded us outside!"

"What?!" The leader's face turned pale with shock as he looked up and saw the flag with the character "Yuan" flying.

His voice trembled, "What character is this?"

His men, unsure, replied, "It seems to be the character 'Yuan'."

Yuan...

The leader's blood drained from his face.

The newly appointed Governor of Youzhou seemed to be named Yuan.

Outside Xiaohe Village, a hundred cavalrymen waved flags vigorously, leading their horses back and forth to create a menacing presence, frightening the bandits inside the village.

Soon, a scout brought news, "Report! A bandit from the mountains near Xiaohe Village has escaped and is likely to inform others."

Liu Jixin smiled faintly, "Good."

The centurion leading the troops, Gong Bin, looked at Liu Jixin with admiration, "Mr. Liu, is it true that the bandits from Jiuding Mountain have sent reinforcements, as you said?"

Liu Jixin twirled his beard, "Why have the bandits from Jiuding Mountain become the biggest bandits in Youzhou? It's simply because they value brotherhood more than other bandits. When one is in trouble, they will surely come to their aid. That's how the bandits from Jiuding Mountain have grown in power. Don't worry, they will definitely send reinforcements."

Having a force of around 5,000 bandits in Jiuding Mountain, it was difficult to attack their stronghold hidden in the mountains. Thus, Liu Jixin planned to divide the bandits into three groups and defeat them one by one.

He led a hundred cavalrymen to Xiaohe Village, creating a show of force and feigning an attack to put pressure on the bandits inside, prompting them to send a message to Jiuding Mountain for reinforcements.

When Jiuding Mountain received the message, they would definitely send reinforcements to Xiaohe Village. And on the way to Xiaohe Village, an ambush had been set up by Wang Er and his four hundred cavalrymen.

*

Jiuding Mountain.

When the fighting power on Jiuding Mountain was dispatched as reinforcements, leaving some to be dealt with by Wu Kai, the Zheng brothers were shocked to hear that their own brothers were ambushed in Xiaohu Village.

"What? The governor of Youzhou has sent troops to eliminate the bandits?" Their faces turned ugly, a mix of surprise and anger, disbelief turning into realization that this was no joke.

How could this be possible!

The governor of Youzhou is far away in Guangyang County, Jixian, how could his troops have suddenly arrived at Jiuding Mountain?

But if it were true...

If it were true, they could not leave their brothers in trouble. Otherwise, who would dare follow them and continue to fight alongside them?

The eldest Zheng brother gritted his teeth, "I didn't expect that little Yuan Li would actually be serious!"

With determination in his eyes, he continued, "Second brother, send two thousand men to Xiaohu Village and order them to kill all the troops sent by the governor. If our brothers can be saved, then save them. If not, there's nothing we can do. After they finish killing, they should immediately flee to Qingzhou and meet us there. Third brother, stop wasting manpower on alcohol, quickly pack up the bags, take the gold, silver, treasures, and grains, and let's leave Jiuding Mountain!"

The third brother exclaimed, "Brother, Jiuding Mountain is our foundation for many years, why do we need to leave like this?"

"You fool!" the eldest Zheng brother scolded angrily, "If you turn back now, will there be no next time? Once the governor of Youzhou decides to eliminate the bandits, can our five thousand men withstand him? Quick, pack up and leave!"

Reluctantly, the third brother obeyed, "Are we really going to flee in a panic because of a little Yuan Li?"

"That's why I had them kill some of the official troops," the eldest Zheng brother coldly laughed, "Even if we are to leave, we should give Yuan Li a show. Let him know that it's not easy to mess with us. By the time he finds out we have escaped, it will be too late. Let's loot villages all the way as we leave, take everything we can, and when we reach Qingzhou, we'll find a way to show him!"

The third brother finally agreed and went to prepare the bags.

The entire Jiuding Mountain was in chaos.

The eldest and second Zheng brothers led their men down the mountain, leaving only the strongest third brother to clean up what was left on the mountain. Anything that could be taken was taken, and anything that couldn't be taken was destroyed directly.

Finally, the third Zheng brother coldly set a fire. Even if they left Jiuding Mountain, they didn't want the officials to boast. Jiuding Mountain couldn't be taken with them, so they decided to destroy it.

After setting the fire, the third Zheng brother laughed and said, "Take your things, let's go!"

The young girls who had been captured and locked in the firewood shed hugged themselves numbly. Hearing the chaos outside, one of the girls crawled to the door to take a look. The dim light shone on the bloody scars on her face.

The bandits were in chaos, many things were thrown on the ground, and their footsteps gradually moved away.

The woman's dead eyes slowly showed a flicker, "They seem to be saying that the officials have sent troops to eliminate the bandits and they are planning to leave Jiuding Mountain..."

Upon hearing this, the other girl woke up, her voice full of uncertainty, "Yunniang, is it true? Have the officials really come?"

When they saw the chaos outside the door, they finally believed and tears filled their faces, overwhelmed with joy at the prospect of rescue.

Just as they were about to enjoy the joy of being saved, they smelled the scent of smoke in the air, causing unease, "Why does it smell like fire?"

Yunnian was stunned, her heart sinking. She tried to push the door open to look outside and saw the flames, trembling in fear.

The girls were stunned.

Yunnian gritted her teeth and frantically tried to push the door, urging the others to help, "Hurry, help me open the door! The bandits are gone, we can only survive if we open the door!"

The girls finally realized the urgency and joined her in pushing the door with all their might.

However, they were all injured and hadn't eaten properly in days. After several attempts, the door remained unmoved.

Down the mountain.

Meanwhile, Wu Kai led five hundred riders to ambush in the forest, waiting for the Zheng brothers and their bandits to descend from the mountain. As they reached the plain, they were suddenly ambushed by Wu Kai and his men, who swiftly took down the first head, striking fear into the bandits.

The dust rose as the five hundred riders, with their fierce momentum, demoralized the bandits before they could even fight back.

"It's the government troops...!"

"Don't kill me, please don't kill me!"

The second Zheng brother's face turned pale with fear as he turned to shout at his elder brother to run, but before he could speak, his head was chopped off by Wu Kai, his blood splattering on the face of the eldest Zheng brother.

The eldest Zheng brother looked up, his own fate looming before him, as Wu Kai approached with his sword dripping blood.

The bandits had underestimated the government troops, and now in this moment, the eldest Zheng brother felt the fear of facing his own mortality.

He realized, in this moment of fear, that they had no chance of resisting against such cavalry.

In his fear, he met death.

The one thousand troops were no match for the five hundred riders, and soon, Wu Kai and his men had completely wiped them out.

The mountain path was not suitable for riding, so Wu Kai ordered the riders to dismount, tie the horses to the trees, and leave some men to guard them as he led the rest up the mountain.

There were still over a thousand bandits left in their hideout, and Wu Kai was confident that they could defeat them. The soldiers trained by Yuan Li were not only cavalry fighters but also infantry soldiers capable of close combat.

Wu Kai executed his mission well, leading the charge and showing great bravery, inspiring his men to push forward.

As they reached halfway, Wu Kai suddenly saw the flames coming from the mountaintop.

"Not good!" Wu Kai's face changed dramatically, "These bandits have set fire to the mountain!"

The entire Jiuding Mountain stretched far and wide, and if the fire spread, many villages could be in danger.

These bandits were truly despicable!

With a stern expression, Wu Kai quickened his pace up the mountain and soon caught up with the group of bandits descending.

They were either leading pack animals or carrying boxes and bedding.

Wu Kai and his men charged forward, and the leading fighter, though skilled, was ultimately beheaded by Wu Kai. Wu Kai didn't even bother to collect any spoils of war, instead leading his men hurriedly up the mountain to extinguish the fire.

The girls locked in the shed had tried everything they could to escape, but as they resigned themselves to their fate, they heard more chaotic footsteps outside.

They thought it was a group of bandits returning, shrinking in fear, when suddenly they heard their words.

"Sir, there's water here!"

"Hurry, bring water to put out the fire!"

Yunnian, covered in bloodied hands by the door, was stunned for a moment, then frantically pounded on the door, "We're here, we're here!"

Their eyes lit up with hope again, as if they had found new strength. They continued to pound on the door and shouted, "Help us!"

"Someone, there are people here!"

Finally, they heard a hesitant voice, "Sir, it seems there are people locked inside here."

Swiftly, a person approached the shed, footsteps growing louder, blocking the sunlight at the doorway. The cold light of a sword flashed, the door lock smashing heavily to the ground.

The wooden door was forcefully pulled open, and the glaring sunlight shone into the shed.

Yunnian, lying on the door, was caught off guard and fell, but Wu Kai caught her in time. Realizing he was holding a woman in his arms, Wu Kai's dark face turned red, and he carefully set Yunnian down, looking at his tearful sister.

"Are you all villagers from the foothills?"

The people in the shed, eyes blurry with tears, sobbed softly, choking out, "Sir, we are all villagers who were abducted."

"Wait here," Wu Kai stepped back, "After we put out the fire, we will escort you down the mountain."

With that, Wu Kai hurriedly left.

Yunnian, lying on the ground, watched his retreating figure, her eyes shining with emotion.

Wu Kai and his men worked tirelessly for half an hour, while Wang Er and Liu Jixin finished off the remaining bandits and rushed to Jiuding Mountain, where they extinguished the fire before it spread.

Liu Jixin wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Thank goodness, the wind changed today."

Zhong Ji gritted his teeth, "These despicable bandits!"

Despite the hatred, as Zhong Ji looked at the bandits' bodies scattered across the mountain, he suddenly felt a sense of relief.

Seeing the bandits justly punished, even though these bandits were not the Yishan army that had killed his wife and daughter, Zhong Ji felt an indescribable satisfaction, and the long-standing resentment in his heart dissipated. But amidst this joy, he also felt a sense of desolation and sorrow.

He couldn't laugh, he couldn't cry.

Why weren't his wife and daughter as fortunate to encounter a governor like Yuan Li in the past?

It was hateful, truly hateful...

After extinguishing the fire, everyone was covered in soot. Before leaving Jiuding Mountain, Wu Kai made sure to send some women back down the mountain under escort.

These women were from nearby villages, and when asked where their homes were, only a few of the younger girls told him, while the rest cried in silence.

Wu Kai was puzzled, "Why are you crying?"

"Sir, you don't know," a woman, wiping away tears, explained with her head bowed, "We were abducted by bandits and brought to the mountains. Even if we were not violated, when we return, we won't be treated as proper women. Except for a few of us who have loving sisters at home, the rest of us have nowhere to go."

After some thought, Liu Jixin asked, "Are any of you willing to get married?"

Some of the women nodded, while others shook their heads timidly.

"Since you have nowhere to go, why not marry our soldiers as wives," Liu Jixin smiled, "Our fine young men are not yet married. Would you be willing to marry them?"

The women blushed and looked at each other, subtly nodding.

A band of soldiers, each with a dignified and handsome bearing, emerged as their saviors. Descending the mountain, their gazes remained fixed forward, their movements disciplined.

This unwavering focus spoke volumes about their noble character. To these rescued individuals, the soldiers appeared as heroes, their unwavering resolve inspiring complete trust.

Liu Jixin immediately had the cavalry line up based on the merits of killing the enemies, allowing them to choose their desired partners. If a soldier chose a woman who wasn't willing, Liu Jixin wouldn't force them. If there was mutual agreement, it would be a happy occasion.

The soldiers blushed as they shuffled around in line, quickly finding their preferred partners among the twenty or so women. Standing together, they were filled with a shy joy.

Yunnian was the last one, her injuries too severe to stand alone. Her scarred face was too ugly, and none of the soldiers dared to choose her.

Yunniang bit her lip and, with a weak voice, cast a pleading glance at her sister before turning to Wu Kai. "Sir," she began hesitantly, "have you... by any chance... taken a wife?"

Wu Kai, his honesty ever-present, replied with a direct, "No." A flush crept up his neck, as if he could anticipate the question Yunniang almost voiced.

Yunnian bit her lip, urging her sister to help her walk over to Wu Kai, and weakly said, "Sir, would you be willing to take me as your wife?"

Wang Er and Liu Jixin watched the show with laughter.

Hesitant, Wu Kai replied, "I...I am willing, but at home, I have a blind mother to care for, and we are very poor."

"It's okay," Yunnian spoke firmly and gently, "I will take care of your mother."

Wu Kai was nervous and couldn't speak for a long time. After a while, he slowly nodded, "Okay."

"Haha, a match made in heaven!" Liu Jixin clapped and laughed, "Wu Kai, rest assured, when we return, I will report to the lord and arrange a grand wedding for you and your wife!"

Embarrassed, Wu Kai lowered his head.

Amidst laughter, Liu Jixin and Wang Er enjoyed the scene.

After the laughter died down, they went about their business. In addition to collecting spoils of war and tying up some surviving bandit captives, Liu Jixin also had to fulfill a task assigned by Yuan Li - to deal with the local county magistrate.

The bandits on Jiuding Mountain had committed numerous crimes, and they had close ties with the corrupt county magistrate of Fuyang County.

Yuan Li had wanted to replace the county magistrate of Fuyang County, but the practical problem was that he did not have suitable talent available.

After dealing with the county magistrate, Liu Jixin sighed in his heart.

There was still a shortage of usable talent around.

While there were capable military personnel like Wu Kai, Wang Er, and the emerging talents Gong Bin and Lu Hui in this operation, there was only Liu Jixin in the civil service, with Jian Shaoning being counted as half a person at most.

Liu Jixin thought that he should write to his friends and see if they were willing to come to Youzhou and work under him.

After completing these tasks, they did not linger in Fuyang County and hurriedly set off for Jixian County.

*

Jixian County.

Yuan Li was faced with a sweet dilemma.

Zhang, Liu, and Yu had harvested the first batch of silver from the sale of soap in the three provinces of You, Yan, and Yi. According to their agreement with Yuan Li, they exchanged part of the silver for food, medicinal herbs, cloth, and livestock, and sent it to Jixian County.

Coincidentally, the cattle and sheep delivered by Dadan had also arrived in Jixian County.

Among these livestock, there were more sheep and pigs than cows. In particular, there were over three thousand pigs, too many for the large pig farm that was hastily constructed and couldn't accommodate.

Yuan Li was quite distressed.

Before this, Yuan Li and Liu Jixin had always thought that pigs needed to be raised and fed in a hogpen, but upon receiving these pigs, Yuan Li learned from Zhang that in Youzhou, pigs could be raised in pastures like sheep, foraging for food. Those who tended to the grazing pigs were even called swineherds.

If it were spring, these three thousand pigs would be a joy, not a concern. Yuan Li could simply follow the locals' method and let the pigs, sheep, and cows graze on a mountain. However, it was now late autumn, nearing winter, with the grass already withered, and to care for these animals, they would need to provide food.

The number of cattle and sheep was manageable, but the over three thousand pigs were too many.

Pigs also reproduce quickly, and among the three thousand pigs sent, over eight hundred were sows, with more than half of them already pregnant and nearing their due dates. If there was no suitable warmth in winter, these piglets would freeze to death upon birth.

Feeding them and caring for the pregnant sows would be costly in terms of money and food. Yuan Li calculated that he could not afford to keep so many pigs.

So, he made a decisive decision.

He selected three hundred breeding sows, and the remaining two thousand pigs would all be slaughtered.

Before the New Year, he planned to have a grand pig slaughter!