Chapter 157 Rules and the Magistrate

When day broke completely, Shanyan County had essentially been recaptured.

As for the common people within the city of Shanyan, the arrival of the imperial forces was met with neither joy nor sorrow.

To these ordinary folk, whoever came made no difference; it was always about paying grain taxes and levies, with no distinction whatsoever.

When Qiu Dian first launched his rebellion, he proclaimed the redistribution of wealth to achieve equality between the rich and the poor. However, once his uprising began, the soldiers under his command still robbed the common people's money just the same, and committed wrongdoings just the same.

This boiled down to the operational cost of a regime.

No matter what kind of regime it was, if it wanted to operate normally and smoothly, it had to invest resources, even if it was merely in the embryonic stage like Qiu Dian's regime.

He had to possess resources to ensure that every component of this regime profited—or at least received a basic salary—so that the regime could be sustained.

Yet Qiu Dian's rebellion had been far too hasty; he had not yet had the time to perfect various systems. Consequently, during the initial period, the phenomenon of rebel soldiers plundering the common people inevitably appeared.

Had Qiu Dian's regime operated longer, he would have levied taxes on the common people just like the imperial court, with the only difference being the amount.

Because no commoners were involved in the fighting, there was no urban warfare to speak of in Shanyan County. Before noon, Li Yun's detachment had completely occupied the entire county seat. Aside from some scattered, fleeing rebels, no other resistance forces remained either inside or outside the city.

After capturing Shanyan County, Li Yun routinely had people buy pigs, cattle, and sheep to slaughter as a reward for the army.

It was worth mentioning that cattle were not particularly difficult to acquire.

Slaughtering cattle was illegal, but cattle were not immortal creatures; thus, cattle grew old, and buying old cattle to slaughter was entirely normal.

Moreover, at this time, the Shanyan County magistracy had long since ceased to exist. Chief Li didn't even need to mention buying cattle—slaughtering them posed no problem whatsoever.

After bustling about for a whole day, Master Li finally entered the county government office to get some proper rest.

By this time, the sun had already set. Soaked in sweat, Li Yun took a cold bath and finally cooled down. Just as he stepped outside after changing into a fresh set of clothes, he saw Li Zheng walking straight toward him. "Second Brother, the casualty statistics are roughly compiled. We have over a hundred injured, and twenty-one killed in action."

"We killed around a hundred to two hundred of the enemy, captured nearly three hundred, and the rest of the rebels fled."

Li Zheng looked at Li Yun and asked, "Second Brother, should we incorporate these surrendered captives?"

"Not for now."

Master Li stretched lazily and said, "Keep them locked up for the time being. We will rest and regroup in Shanyan County for a while. This time, let all the brothers come into the city to rest; there's no need to bivouac outside the city."

"The weather is simply too hot."

Li Yun let out a hot breath and continued, "Strictly discipline the subordinates; none are allowed to bully or plunder the common people in the city."

He pondered for a moment and added, "As for this matter, call all the military officers to my tent. I will tell them myself."

Although he started out as a mountain bandit, Li Yun attached great importance to discipline.

He was well aware that if his team wanted to grow and achieve greatness, the issue of discipline had to be firmly grasped.

Throughout history, those who achieved great things, at least during the entrepreneurial stage, had to maintain the purity of their ranks. If he failed to restrain his subordinates and indulged them in wrongdoing, even if Master Li achieved some success in the future, he would ultimately amount to nothing more than an oversized version of Qiu Dian.

Li Zheng blinked, then quickly nodded and summoned all the officers of the rank of battalion commander and above into the tent.

The officers under Li Yun's command differed somewhat from the imperial court's official military system: five men formed a squad, and twenty-five formed a battalion.

Above that, it was similar to the imperial court, with centurions commanding a hundred men, followed by colonels and commandants.

However, currently Li Yun himself was only a commandant, while the colonels were just Li Zheng and Zhou Liang. Chen Da, Deng Yang, and the others were still merely centurions.

Soon, some thirty to forty battalion commanders were called to the open ground in front of Li Yun's tent. By then it was already dark and much cooler. Gathering together, most of them knew one another and joked around with smiles and laughter.

When Li Yun walked before the crowd dressed in gray robes, everyone instantly fell silent, not daring to speak.

Li Yun was the person they admired most. Part of this was because Master Li could ensure they were well-fed—even providing meat and paying their stipends.

More importantly, most of these battalion commanders originated from the bandit ranks of the bandit-suppression team. Many of them had been beaten by Li Yun, or at least had witnessed his thunderous methods and seen him fighting on the battlefield.

Deep down in their hearts, they held a certain awe for Li Yun, and this awe was destined to accompany them for the rest of their lives.

Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Li Yun cleared his throat and continued, "Gentlemen, after Linshui, this is the second city we have conquered. Linshui City was on the front lines back then, and the common people had all been evacuated, so I didn't say much to you all."

"Here in Shanyan City, there are still many common people. Therefore, some ugly truths must be spoken beforehand."

Li Yun said in a deep voice, "I know that most of you sitting here came down from the mountains. Those who have followed me all the way here have accumulated quite a few merits during this period. You can all walk openly under the bright blue sky now."

"You are no longer mountain bandits!"

Li Yun shouted and stated, "I won't waste words with excessive chatter; I will simply establish a few rules."

"During our garrison here in Shanyan County, when you have free time on ordinary days, you may wander around the city and take a look. But you must pay for goods and meals."

"Harming someone requires bearing the penalty; killing someone requires paying with your life."

"Do you understand?"

The crowd nodded one after another and shouted loudly, "Understood!"

"Upon returning, strictly discipline your subordinates. If a subordinate commits a crime, you battalion commanders will be held collectively responsible."

"Alright."

Li Yun waved his hand and said, "The meat should be about ready. Go eat."

The thirty or forty men then stood up from the ground, cupped their fists toward Li Yun, and ran off with laughter.

Li Yun turned to look at Li Zheng, rubbed his chin, and said, "Our army needs someone in charge of military discipline. Monkey, in the army, whenever you have free time, lead patrols around. If anyone violates discipline, arrest them immediately and deal with them severely."

Li Zheng scratched his head and said, "Second Brother, is this really necessary..."

"Many of us are brothers who have shared life and death. If we govern too strictly, I'm afraid there will be resentment in their hearts."

"If everyone in the army thinks like you,"

Master Li let out a turbid breath, "then once the affairs here in Yuezhou are concluded, we will disband right here and return to Cangshan or Lingyang Mountain to be our mountain bandits again."

"No, no."

Li Zheng waved his hands hastily and said with a smile, "Second Brother, don't be angry. I'll go take care of it, alright?"

"Starting tomorrow, I'll lead patrols and strictly follow Second Brother's requirements!"

Li Yun gave a hum of acknowledgment and continued, "Capturing Shanyan County this time is a merit. Aside from the bounty for enemy heads, distribute two more strings of cash to each person as a reward."

Li Zheng let out an "ah" and looked at Li Yun. "Second Brother, this money..."

"I checked the county government office today. The rebels looted quite a bit during this period; it's enough to be distributed."

"Don't be stingy."

Master Li glanced at the troubled Li Zheng and said petulantly, "Money is only money once it's distributed and spent. Otherwise, what use is it for us to sit on piles of gold, silver, copper, and iron?"

Li Zheng sighed and finally nodded in agreement.

******

Another six or seven days passed. Under Li Yun's administration, Shanyan County restored basic order. The common people, who previously kept their doors shut, now dared to step out of their homes and move about on the main streets.

Even minor peddlers and merchants reappeared on the streets.

Because Li Yun committed no offenses against the common people, his reputation spread by word of mouth among the inhabitants of Shanyan. Coupled with the fact that some had been to Qingyang and knew of Li Yun's exploits in suppressing bandits, the moniker "Li Zhao of Qingyang" once again became a resounding name.

It was precisely at this time that two groups of people arrived at the Shanyan County seat.

One group was Fifth Uncle Qin An and the young man Meng Hai, who came from Lingyang Mountain.

Qin An was in his forties and worked as a physician with quite remarkable medical skills.

Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to secure the fifth-in-command chair at the Cangshan stronghold based solely on medicine.

As for Meng Hai, who hailed from Hexi Village, he had encountered many affairs at the Ten Kings Stronghold over the past half-year and was now capable of assisting Li Yun with tasks.

Li Yun personally received the two and arranged their lodgings. Qin An had already taken a stroll around Shanyan County and, upon meeting Li Yun, could not help expressing successive sighs of emotion.

"Ever since the chieftain descended the mountain, it's truly been like a fierce tiger returning to the mountains or a dragon entering the vast sea."

Li Yun smiled and said, "It's merely due to the coincidence of favorable circumstances. Fifth Uncle, please spare me such honeyed words."
"Just speaking the plain truth,"

Qin An said with a smile, "You are a completely different person compared to the former chieftain. What does the chieftain want me to do?"

"Serve as the army's physician, and concurrently act as a clerk by my side. Will Fifth Uncle do it?"

"Since the chieftain commands, naturally there is no problem."

Qin An looked back at Meng Hai, who had followed him all the way, and asked with a smile, "Why did the chieftain summon him here?"

"To run errands."

Li Yun smiled and was about to continue speaking when Li Zheng came running over in a light jog. Upon drawing near, he first greeted Fifth Uncle, then said to Li Yun, "Second Brother, a middle-aged man accompanied by two domestic servants has arrived outside the city, saying he wishes to see Second Brother."

Li Yun was momentarily stunned and asked, "Who is he?"

"He claims to be the magistrate of Shanyan County..."

Li Yun was somewhat surprised. "This man didn't die?"

Shanyan was the initial outbreak site of Qiu Dian's uprising; Li Yun had assumed the officials here had long since been killed by Qiu Dian.

"It seems not."

Master Li grew interested, nodded with a cheerful smile, and said, "Then let him in to see me."