Chapter Eighty-Two: Destroying the Evidence
Quotas kept alive without duties were a common practice among local military officers.
Since these men did not handle civil administration, in an age like this there was no easier way for them to line their own pockets than by drawing pay for soldiers who did not exist and bleeding the army dry. Whether in the great empire of over two centuries, or in the early years of the dynasty at its founding, such fraud was always common; the only difference lay in how much was stolen.
In truth, Cao Rong, the military administrator of Xuan Prefecture, was already considered relatively restrained. Under his command, there were at least two hundred usable regular troops. In other words, when all the officers in Xuan Prefecture were counted together, they were siphoning off only about seventy percent of the court’s military pay.
In some more remote prefectures and counties, the embezzlement reached more than ninety percent.
Even so, with Xuan Prefecture in its present condition, it was impossible to produce five hundred men to follow Li Yun in suppressing the bandits.
Cao the military administrator wore a sullen face. “Captain Li, you previously led twenty men and dared to attack the Ten Kings Stronghold. Why, now, do you insist on taking five hundred?”
“At first I did not know the situation,” Li Yun replied gravely. “Now that I do, I know the bandits at the Ten Kings Stronghold are no ordinary rabble, so I have no choice but to request more men.”
Cao Rong said slowly, “I am the military administrator of Xuan Prefecture, entrusted with all military affairs in the prefecture. Suppose I ordered you to lead the arrest squad together with the prefectural troops to suppress the bandits?”
Li Yun glanced at him and said, “Military Administrator Cao, I am not a court official.”
“I am not even a soldier of Qingyang.”
He smiled. “I am a man of the martial world, merely hired by the magistrate to serve as a captain in the county yamen. If the administrator insists on sending me to my death, then I can only resign and go home to till the fields.”
Cao Rong frowned and turned to Xue Song beside him. By then Magistrate Xue had already regained his composure. Seeing Cao Rong look his way, Old Master Xue stroked his beard and said, “Military Administrator Cao, there are too many bandits at the Ten Kings Stronghold. We in Qingyang did not fail to try. Li Zhao has already led men into battle against them for an entire night, but our strength was simply insufficient.”
“This matter still requires more troops from the prefecture.”
He paused, then looked at Cao Rong with solemnity. “If the prefecture truly cannot spare the men, then let the villains run rampant a little longer. When next year’s imperial pacification commissioner arrives, he can cleanse the Ten Kings Stronghold.”
“The pacification commissioner will not reach Xuan Prefecture for at least another half year!” Cao Rong shouted angrily. “As the military administrator of Xuan Prefecture, am I to stand by and let the bandits at the Ten Kings Stronghold continue their havoc for another half year?”
At this, Li Yun could not help glancing at Cao Rong, contempt rising in his heart.
You have been in Xuan Prefecture for five years. Has standing by for this long been too little?
Men like this, if their skin is too thin, they simply can’t be officials at all.
Even Magistrate Xue could not bear it. After setting down his teacup, he said, “Military Administrator Cao, several years have already passed. Half a year is nothing to hurry over.”
Though he held the seventh rank, Cao Rong’s post as prefectural military administrator was only sixth rank. His position was higher, but there was no direct subordination between them, so Magistrate Xue was not particularly afraid of him.
Cao Rong flew into a rage and slammed the table as he sprang to his feet. “How dare you, Xue Yueji! To say such a thing? I shall memorialize the court and accuse you of shielding bandits!”
Li Yun, standing to the side, smiled without a word.
Old Master Xue said coolly, “By all means, accuse me. It so happens that my county recently captured a batch of bandits from the Ten Kings Stronghold. After interrogation, we have already learned a few things, and I was just preparing to write up the matter and submit it to the court.”
At these words, Cao Rong froze in place.
This was precisely what he feared.
He knew that Sun Shouli, the accountant of the Ten Kings Stronghold, had been seized by Qingyang County.
Who knew what Qingyang County might extract from him?
After standing rigidly for a moment, Cao Rong actually forced out a smile and said, “Brother Yueji, if you had not mentioned it, I might have forgotten. I came to Qingyang this time not only to seek aid from the county arrest squad, but also to take away those bandits from the Ten Kings Stronghold. Once I bring them back, I can question them carefully and see whether they know any hidden mountain paths, so that we might take the stronghold.”
He looked at Xue Song, his smile turning ingratiating. “I never imagined Brother Yueji had already interrogated them. Might I see the case records?”
Old Master Xue smiled. “Of course. After luncheon, I shall take the administrator to examine the records.”
“As for the men in the jail, Military Administrator Cao may take them all away as well.”
As soon as these words left Xue Song’s mouth, Cao Rong immediately understood his meaning.
This was the price of exchange.
He glanced at Li Yun standing behind Xue Song, thoughtful.
Soon, he smiled and said, “Since there are case records, then let the matter of wiping out the Ten Kings Stronghold wait until I have read them. We can discuss it at greater length afterward.”
“Very well. Administrator, please rest first. After I retrieve the records, I shall bring them for you to see.”
Military Administrator Cao was exceedingly courteous. He inclined himself in a bow. “I trouble Brother Yueji.”
With that, he clasped his hands behind his back and walked out.
Li Yun watched Cao Rong go, clicking his tongue. “Arrogant first, respectful later. What thick skin.”
Old Master Xue glanced back at Li Yun and shook his head slightly. “That means he is not easy to deal with.”
Li Yun smiled. “I have here a list, extracted from the bandits of the Ten Kings Stronghold. It names the Xuan Prefecture dignitaries who colluded with them. Does the magistrate want to see it?”
Old Master Xue shook his head without hesitation and sighed. “All of them are root causes of disaster. Root causes of disaster.”
Li Yun gave a faint snort. “With those root causes around, they will at least be somewhat wary.”
“They are very capable indeed.”
Magistrate Xue’s expression darkened. “That Cao Rong is only in his thirties this year, yet he has already been the military administrator of Xuan Prefecture for five years.”
“Do you really think a single bandit confession could bring him down?”
Li Yun smiled. “Magistrate, I never intended to bring them down.”
“It is only that they have committed so much evil. If the court does not take them, Heaven naturally will.”
He had said only half of what was in his heart.
The other half was this: if the court did not take men like this, then in the future someone would take the court instead.
After hearing Li Yun, Old Master Xue first nodded, then suddenly frowned and turned to him with a wary look. “What are you planning?”
Li Yun laughed in spite of himself.
“Magistrate, what a thing to say. They are prefectural officers and I am a nobody. What could I possibly do?”
Old Master Xue remained suspicious. After scrutinizing Li Yun for a while, he let out a long sigh.
“I truly do not know whether keeping you in Qingyang all those years was a blessing or a mistake…”
Atop the peaks of the Lingyang Mountains stood the Ten Kings Stronghold.
Liu Bo, the great chief, lounged with one leg crossed over the other and looked at the middle-aged scholar-like man before him. After picking at his ear, he asked, “What was your name again? And where did you say you came from?”
“My surname is Fang. I came from Xuan Prefecture. I am merely an errand runner.”
The middle-aged man surnamed Fang lifted his head to look at Liu Bo, then at the two men behind him.
He did not know one of them, but he knew the other. It was the Sparrow King of the Ten Kings Stronghold, an expert at imitating bird calls and possessing some light-footed skill. In the original Ten Kings Stronghold, he had ranked ninth.
That old ninth had already been thoroughly subdued by the great stronghold of Cangshan after several days of torment.
Seeing a former man of the Ten Kings Stronghold, Mr. Fang’s anxious heart relaxed somewhat. He smiled and said, “My master has some business dealings with the Ten Kings Stronghold. We heard there have been changes recently, so he sent me to inquire about what exactly happened here, and whether…”
He hesitated, then went on. “Whether the business can still continue.”
“What else could have happened?” Liu Bo glanced at him, disdainful. “The dynasty changed.”
Hearing those words, Mr. Fang was certain at once that this man before him was indeed a bandit.
Because anyone with even the slightest trace of education would never speak like that.
Mr. Fang took a deep breath and asked, “May I ask what became of the former chief Tong…”
“Dead.”
Liu Bo grinned. “Killed by me.”
Mr. Fang was about to ask more when Liu Bo cut him off rudely. “Who the hell are you? I have no time to waste on your babble.”
Mr. Fang was not angered. He only kept smiling apologetically. “I said it already. I came to do business with the chief…”
“We bandits live by open-road trade.”
Liu Bo frowned. “Why the hell should I trust you and do business with you?”
“My household has always paid half the price in advance when dealing with the Ten Kings Stronghold, and this trip up the mountain is precisely to make a deal with the chief that costs nothing upfront.”
Liu Bo picked at his ear and showed interest. “Let’s hear it.”
“Chief Tong should have kept some documents and account books. I wish to spend money and buy them.”
Liu Bo frowned, confused. “What would you want those things for?”
Mr. Fang smiled. “They are naturally useful.”
“How much are you willing to pay?”
Mr. Fang held up five fingers.
Liu Bo’s eyes widened. “Five hundred strings of cash?”
Mr. Fang was startled, then smiled and nodded. “That’s right, five hundred strings.”
“If the chief will let me bring two more men up the mountain to select the documents and carry them down, I am willing to pay one thousand strings.”
The great chief was overjoyed. “Pay first?”
“Tomorrow, I will have the money brought up the mountain for the chief.”
The chief was delighted. “Good. Come tomorrow and haul the things away. Those scraps of paper can’t even be understood if you look at them, so take as many as you want!”
Mr. Fang was likewise ecstatic, bowing repeatedly to Liu Bo. “Many thanks, Chief. Once this deal is concluded, there will be many more to follow.”
Liu Bo waved a hand and frowned. “You scholars are full of rotten tricks. Close this deal first, and we can talk about the rest later. Tomorrow I want to see five hundred strings of cash!”
Mr. Fang smiled and said twice that he certainly would, then took his leave with cupped hands.
As Liu Bo watched him descend the mountain, a smile also crept onto his lips.
Even if you destroy all the evidence, it will be useless, because Second Brother has already written down all your names!
Thinking of this, Liu Bo grew even happier, an excited smile on his face as he muttered to himself.
“When the court handles you lot, it needs proof. When Second Brother handles you lot…”
“He doesn’t need proof at all.”