Chapter Eighty-One: Headman Li, the Vanguard Against the Bandits!

After reaching the entrance to Master Xue's study, Captain Li politely knocked on the door and said, "Your Honor, Li Zhao requests an audience."

No sooner had he spoken than the door swung open. Xue Song, clad in a long robe, seized Li Yun by the arm and dragged him inside, then turned and shut the door behind them.

Once the door was closed, Magistrate Xue looked back at Li Yun, his expression grim.

"Just what is the situation with the Ten Kings Stronghold? What have you been doing these past few days?"

The master of the county took a deep breath, his tone already turning sour. "What on earth are you trying to do?"

Li Yun coughed. "Your Honor has asked three questions at once. Where am I to begin?"

"Three questions?" Master Xue fixed him with a sharp gaze. "It is plainly one question."

"You..."

Magistrate Xue stared at Li Yun. "You are not being honest."

Captain Li gathered his thoughts and said, "Your Honor, after you left Qingyang, because time was short, I immediately led the men of the bandit-suppression team to attack the bandits at Ten Kings Stronghold. But the outlaws there were still fierce. We fought through the night and failed to take it."

"On the second day, General Yang from the prefecture arrived at Lingyang Mountain."

At this point, Li Yun smiled and said, "If I calculate the timing, it was about when Your Honor had just reached Xuanzhou and met with Commander Cao. Commander Cao immediately sent men to Lingyang Mountain. He showed not the slightest sincerity in discussing matters with Your Honor."

"Do not sow discord," Master Xue said with a low snort. "He is the military commissioner of Xuanzhou, in charge of the prefecture's military affairs. Bandit suppression falls within his duties as well. I was speaking with him about the bandit-suppression team; that does not prevent him from dispatching troops to clear out the thieves."

"Also."

Master Xue looked at Li Yun and snorted again. "Your explanation is full of holes!"

"On previous bandit-suppression campaigns, you always brought along a band of village militia to help. Yet this time, when attacking such a large stronghold as Ten Kings Stronghold, suddenly there were no militia? Only the twenty-odd men of your bandit-suppression team?"

"I went to ask the men of the bandit-suppression team, and behold! Twenty-some men all spoke with one voice. You, Li Zhao, are quite capable indeed. In just a few months, the bandit-suppression team has truly taken your surname and become Li!"

Master Xue returned to his seat and slapped the table. "The moment I came back to Qingyang, Registrar Jiang came to complain to me, saying he could no longer command the men of the bandit-suppression team at all and intended to accuse you of insubordination!"

Seeing Master Xue rattle on so long, Li Yun remained calm and said, "If they all spoke with one voice, that only proves they were telling the truth."

"As for why I offended Registrar Jiang, it was because he is an official of Qingyang, yet he did not heed Your Honor's orders and instead listened to Commander Cao, who is far away in Xuanzhou. That is simply intolerable."

"At that time, Your Honor was no longer in Qingyang, so I had no choice but to avenge this insult on Your Honor's behalf."

"As for Your Honor's claim that I have monopolized power in the bandit-suppression team..."

Li Yun looked at Xue Song and smiled. "Then Your Honor may simply dismiss me from my post as captain. After all, the bandits in Qingyang have now been mostly eliminated, leaving only Ten Kings Stronghold, and the prefecture will not allow that stronghold to be attacked."

"I have little else to do either way. Your Honor may as well send me home."

Captain Li wore a faint smile. "During these more than six months as captain, I handled quite a few donations from merchants. I could embezzle a little, go back to my hometown, and buy a few mu of land to live on."

Master Xue slapped the table hard.

"Right in front of me, you dare to speak of stealing money!"

Li Yun remained unruffled, still smiling. "But I have not stolen any yet, have I? Since Your Honor forbids it, then I shall not steal."

"With my abilities, I could find a post with an escort bureau and serve as a guard. Work for a few years, and I could still save enough to buy land."

"Stop grinning like that!"

Master Xue snorted in anger and looked at Li Yun. "Sit down and speak."

Captain Li sat with a chuckle. "Your Honor need not be so hot-tempered. If there is anything, let us speak properly."

"You must have done something else behind my back," Master Xue said in a low voice. "Most likely something much like your bandit brother. Perhaps even Ten Kings Stronghold has already been seized by that brother of yours!"

Li Yun froze, then looked at Xue Song with some surprise.

This old man was truly formidable.

With only these few scattered clues, he had already guessed the shape of the matter.

And clearly, he had also figured out who the so-called "village militia" were who had accompanied Li Yun in suppressing the bandits these past few months.

"Originally, this affair was full of flaws. Anyone could have uncovered the cracks. Fortunately, for whatever reason, you managed to keep the men of the bandit-suppression team all tight-lipped."

Master Xue took a deep breath.

"This matter still has room for maneuver."

Had Li Yun merely instructed the bandit-suppression team verbally not to talk nonsense, word of it would have spread long ago.

But this matter involved rebels, and the men of the bandit-suppression team had all taken benefits besides. Since it concerned their very lives, naturally none of them dared say much.

Magistrate Xue closed his eyes. After a long silence, he said, "Behave yourself. Do not stir up more trouble. Commander Cao says the imperial pacification commissioner has already been appointed, and after the New Year, he will come to Xuanzhou in the spring."

"At present, thieves and bandits are rampant throughout the land. Xuanzhou is filled with them as well. Yet for the past half-year, Qingyang alone has been thoroughly cleansed of them. When the pacification commissioner arrives, and with my recommendation, he will surely make use of you."

He opened his eyes and looked at Li Yun, speaking earnestly, almost pleadingly. "You have a body of great valor. In these times, such strength may find its proper use. Perhaps you can accomplish something significant."

"As for all the other irrelevant matters, cut them off when the time comes."

This was advice for Li Yun to sever ties with that so-called bandit brother.

Alas, Li Zhao and Li Yun were one and the same; there was no severing them now.

Still, it had to be said that Magistrate Xue's words were genuinely sincere, from beginning to end, entirely for Li Yun's sake.

If Li Yun had truly been Li Zhao, he might well have listened. Unfortunately, Li Yun himself was that bandit chief.

And besides, in the greenwood he had already built a career of his own.

What Li did not know was that Magistrate Xue was not thinking only of him, but of his precious daughter as well.

After schooling Li Yun for a while, Master Xue went on, "In a moment, come with me to see Commander Cao. When the time comes, if you can avoid speaking, then do so."

"I will help you refuse him. From now on, you will honestly stay in Qingyang and do your duty."

Li Yun nodded with a smile and agreed.

A little less than half an hour later, Commander Cao was invited to the county yamen. He sat with Magistrate Xue in the seats of honor, while Captain Li stood beside Magistrate Xue.

After exchanging a few polite remarks, Commander Cao looked up at Li Yun and said with a smile, "A few days ago, I heard from one of my subordinate generals that Captain Li took only twenty men to Ten Kings Stronghold and fought the several hundred bandits there in a bloody battle through an entire night, yet did not fall behind in the least."

"In the end, only two men were wounded. Truly, your valor is unmatched."

His words carried a faint, cutting irony.

Master Xue said calmly, "Commander Cao may have misheard his subordinate's report. I have already asked Li Zhao about it. He said that on that night there were only several dozen bandits in Ten Kings Stronghold, not so many more than their own number."

Commander Cao lowered his head to drink tea and smiled. "Even so, that was still remarkable."

Then he sighed. "I will not hide it from Brother Yueji. I have served as military commissioner of Xuanzhou for two terms now, a full five years."

"Ten Kings Stronghold, as one of Xuanzhou's great fortresses, has long been a thorn in my side. Yet the bandits there are vicious beyond measure, and they hold Lingyang Mountain. It is truly impossible to eradicate them in a short time. Only today, upon meeting Captain Li, have I at last seen the clouds part and the sky clear."

He looked at Li Zhao and smiled. "Captain Li, I would like to ask you to lead Qingyang's bandit-suppression team together with the prefectural troops to destroy Ten Kings Stronghold. I wonder if Captain Li would agree?"

Magistrate Xue lowered his head to drink tea. Just as he set the cup down and was about to speak, he heard Li Zhao beside him agree readily: "Very well."

His face darkened, and he turned, about to glare at Li Yun, when he heard his own captain say with a smile, "Commander Cao, I have been to Ten Kings Stronghold. It is indeed easy to defend and hard to attack, and with so many bandits there, taking such a fortress in one stroke would require overwhelming numbers."

"I have heard that the troops under Commander Cao number more than a thousand. I do not need a thousand. If Commander Cao gives me eight hundred men, I will lead them and within three days I will surely take Ten Kings Stronghold for you!"

"Otherwise, I shall come to see you with my head in my hands."

Cao Rong's face darkened. He abruptly looked up at Li Yun.

Captain Li seemed puzzled and asked, "Could it be that Commander Cao is worried about provisions and pay? To tell the truth, the gentry of Qingyang have donated some funds for suppressing bandits. So long as the prefectural troops arrive, all expenses can be drawn from that bandit-suppression fund."

Captain Li was quite generous, patting his chest as he spoke. "After all, Ten Kings Stronghold lies within Qingyang's borders."

Commander Cao took a deep breath and said angrily, "The soldiers under my command are there to maintain order throughout the prefecture. How could they all be thrown at Lingyang Mountain in one fell swoop?"

"What the Commander says is entirely reasonable."

Li Yun nodded in complete agreement. After thinking carefully for a moment, he said, "Then perhaps five hundred men would also do."

Captain Li made a grand promise, thumping his chest. "With five hundred men, I will take Lingyang Mountain for you within five days!"

Cao Rong still lowered his head and drank tea without speaking.

Li Yun glanced at him and sneered inwardly.

This fellow really was drawing pay for nonexistent soldiers.

For now, there will be one chapter at eight in the morning, one at noon, and another in the afternoon.