gnovel Chapter 223 Basic Operations
Chapter 223 Basic Operations
Chapter 223 Basic Operations
Zhao Yangui was a middle-aged man in his forties, of medium build, with a refined and scholarly air, who did not look like a profit-driven smuggler at all.
It's actually quite normal. They were originally powerful figures from Shiqiao, claiming to be descendants of Zhao Guangyi. They were not the same kind of people as desperados like Zhu Ding, Wang Zongsan, and Chen Xianwu, who were used to fighting and killing.
When he saw Shao Shuyi, he only bowed from a distance, and then moved closer to Zhang Yang and Zhu Daocun.
"He has malicious intent towards you," Bian Yuanheng said in a low voice as he appeared beside Shao Shuyi.
Shao Shuyi waved his hand, signaling him to stop talking, and instead asked, "Has everything been inventoried?"
"We found over twenty ingots of cash, probably stolen along the way from Zhenjiang and Changzhou," Bian Yuanheng said. "We also found two silver bottles, two silver plates, six silver bowls, and a gold Buddha statue, which are quite valuable. Should we hand them over?"
"Brother Wu, why should we hand over what we've risked our lives for to the government?" Before Shao Shuyi could speak, Li Fu, who was passing by, stopped and said with a displeased expression.
Bian Yuanheng smiled and decided not to argue with him. He already knew that Li Fu harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Yuan Dynasty.
"Nobody saw it, right?" Shao Shuyi asked.
"Archers and militiamen saw it."
"It's alright, put it away," Shao Shuyi said. "Send it to Chong Sheng Temple for safekeeping."
Bian Yuanheng nodded, beckoned to several of his men, and gave them instructions.
"Let's go see the prefect." Shao Shuyi waved his hand, signaling Gao Daqiang, Bian Yuanheng, Tie Niu, and Liang Tai to follow him, and they went straight into the city.
Outside the city, people were digging a pit to bury the body. Upon seeing Shao Shuyi, they immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed in respect.
Shao Shuyi returned their greeting.
Upon entering the city, they encountered Chen Zi, who had just finished interrogating a prisoner, and exchanged greetings once again.
Upon learning that Shao Shuyi planned to leave, Chen Zi pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Very well."
After saying that, he pulled Shao Shuyi a few steps away and asked in a low voice, "Cao She, were there any deserters among the people you brought yesterday?"
"No," Shao Shuyi said.
He wasn't lying. Even Liang Tai and the others were just "sons of military households," meaning they came from military families, not military households themselves.
"It's best if there isn't one." Chen Zi said, seemingly unconvinced. "Even if there is one, it's not a big deal. Just make sure they don't show themselves in public so easily in the future. It wouldn't be good if they were recognized and the garrison came to arrest them."
Shao Shuyi nodded slowly.
"Just now, Zhao Yangui met with the prefect and asked about yesterday's events. After careful deduction, he concluded that Cao She's men must include military households, since they are familiar with military tactics. The prefect and the assistant prefect were quite surprised, as they had seen that the Huai bandits had also formed a similar formation and assumed that everyone did so."
"Zhao Yangui?" Shao Shuyi frowned.
However, he couldn't say anything in front of Chen Zi, and just secretly remembered this debt.
"Speaking of the Huai bandits, there are indeed several who were deserters from the troops under the command of the Prince of Zhennan in Yangzhou. After fleeing into Chuzhou, they joined forces with local bandits and committed crimes everywhere, and were extremely vicious." Chen Zi added, "Cao Sheying also noticed yesterday that they were more organized than local thieves and petty scoundrels."
"They've set up a wedge formation that's not quite right," Shao Shuyi laughed. "But it does have some structure. If the first few bandits were heavily armored and armed with sophisticated weapons, they might have broken through."
Chen Zi shook his head and smiled bitterly.
In a small prefecture, the imperial court only allowed government offices to be equipped with seven sets of bows. How could they possibly obtain iron armor? To put it bluntly, even having leather armor would be against the rules, but no one would investigate.
The imperial court guarded against Han Chinese on the left and Southern Chinese on the right. In the end, while the government was protected, bandits and salt smugglers freely forged knives, axes, guns, bows, and even leather armor, leaving everyone speechless. Before the seventh year of the Dade era (1303), even the archers of the patrol offices did not have official weapons. At that time, in some places in Henan, "(bandits) often carried bows and arrows and wielded military weapons, freely roaming and committing theft. Their officers and soldiers who were to arrest the bandits were still empty-handed and unable to withstand swords and arrows, and without armor, they were strong and we were weak."
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"Cao She." Chen Zi looked around and, seeing that no one was paying attention, bowed and said, "If you encounter any trouble in the future, just let me know."
Shao Shuyi quickly helped him up, saying, "In this world, it's just a matter of you helping me and me helping you."
Chen Zi nodded repeatedly, saying, "That's how it should be, that's how it should be."
Shao Shuyi smiled but remained silent.
The Chengjiang Patrol Office is the first patrol office outside the urban area of Jiangyin. However, it was attacked twice by an impolite gang from another region and was almost crippled. They really need his help.
Of course, he also needs the help of the Chengjiang Patrol and Inspection Office, and there will be great opportunities for cooperation in the future.
The two then chatted about other things before saying goodbye and leaving.
Shao Shuyi led Tie Niu and the other three men further in. When they were about to reach the shed where the prefect was staying, they saw Ge Daji, who was being prosecuted.
"I haven't had a chance to congratulate Director Ge on his promotion yet," Shao Shuyi greeted him with a smile.
Ge Daji looked around suspiciously, then said, "Cao She, you became famous yesterday, making the prefect both happy and worried, happy and worried again."
"Is that so?" Shao Shuyi asked calmly.
Ge Daji nodded and said, "Fortunately, you immediately presented the bandit's head and collected the captured weapons, handing them over to the archers, which improved the governor's impression of you."
Shao Shuyi grunted in response, thinking to himself that these officials were really hard to please.
Ge Daji had been observing Shao Shuyi's expression. Seeing that he didn't seem displeased, he continued, "Just now, the prefect instructed me to draft an official document to report on the bandit suppression in Hangzhou, but he didn't mention you, Cao She—"
Shao Shuyi laughed and said, "Let me see it."
Since Ge Daji is the one who brought the charges, he should naturally be the one to write the official documents. At most, he can hand them over to someone else for polishing after he finishes writing them. It is the right thing to do to ask him.
Sure enough, Ge Daji glanced at him with feigned helplessness and took out a petition.
Shao Shuyi gently took the book and read it.
"Jiangyin Prefecture reported: On the 22nd day of the eighth month of the fifth year of the Zhizheng era, fifty fierce bandits who had fled from the Huai River region, armed with knives and sticks, suddenly attacked the border of Xiacheng from the southern foot of Qinwang Mountain, and their force was extremely rampant."
Upon hearing the news, I personally led sixty archers and two hundred local militia to ambush them from a strategic position. After a fierce battle that lasted for some time, we annihilated the enemy and seized sixty-seven weapons, including bows, swords, and ring-handled swords, leaving none alive. In addition to displaying the heads of the bandits' corpses to the public, I hereby request that they be examined.
According to the investigation, this notorious band of bandits, since crossing the river from Chuzhou, has robbed Zhenjiang and Changzhou, killing and wounding more than ten officials and civilians. Despite repeated attempts to capture them by various prefectures and counties, they have failed. When they entered Jiangyin, their power was at its peak, earning them the nickname "Dragon Crossing the River." Wherever they went, the villagers fled in panic.
The official, concerned with the safety of the region, dared not delay. He quickly convened with the prefectural judge Ma Yuanchong, assistant prefect Zhu Daocun, chief clerk Ge Daji, and military officer He Shuo, among others, to devise a plan, assign tasks, and set a deadline for the suppression.
Judge Ma Yuanchong, braving arrows and stones, personally led the troops to the front lines. While overseeing the battle, he was wounded by bandits, a knife wound to his left shoulder, blood soaking through his heavy clothing. Even then, he continued to bandage his wound and shout, inspiring his soldiers, and the bandits were utterly routed. His loyalty and courage were truly the source of the entire army's morale. —I, in my humble opinion, believe that the complete annihilation of this notorious band of bandits, who had roamed several prefectures and were invincible, within the territory of Jiangyin, was no accident. It was due to Ma Yuanchong's selfless courage, Chen Zi's resourcefulness and strategic brilliance, Zhu Daocun's ample provisions and troops, He Shuo's careful assessment of manpower and danger, and Ge Daji's understanding and adaptability. With everyone working together, both civil and military officials complemented each other, thus enabling this complete victory.
All those who received merit and those who were wounded or killed have been listed separately. Besides sending the bandit leaders for verification, we request that they be given preferential treatment and commendation as usual, to encourage future generations.
As Shao Shuyi watched, he kept marveling at the sight.
"Amazing!" he exclaimed. "Judge Ma, wounded but not retreating, fought fiercely, truly a pillar of the state. Inspector Chen, from dawn to noon, charged back and forth, ten battles won, a true divine general. And you, Lord Ge, oversaw all the documents, communicating with everyone, so that all the powerful and influential within the territory eagerly joined the battle, and all the local leaders were willing to fight to the death, greatly benefiting the military, a feat rarely seen in decades. Well written, well written! A single brilliant stroke of the pen is worth more than a thousand troops."
Ge Daji's expression was slightly unnatural, but he smiled and said, "It's just official rhetoric, please excuse my poor writing."
"Well written." Shao Shuyi stuffed the petition back into Ge Daji's arms and asked, "Is the prefect ahead?"
"Yes, I'll take you there," Ge Daji said.
Shao Shuyi nodded.
It was to be expected that the report of victory would not mention him, Shao.
After Yidu annihilated Guo Huonichi, Zheng Yonghe only learned of the government's use of the Hejian salt laborers through a letter from an old friend.
The requests from Jiqing Road and Taiping Road to Zhu Chen to suppress the Huai bandits crossing the river will likely not be reported either.
It doesn't really matter. He doesn't want to be an official, so what merit does he need?
Furthermore, the people of Jiangyin Prefecture would not dare not pay him: tacitly allowing him to smuggle salt and expand his business empire in Jiangyin.
That's good, that's enough.
Lost in thought, Ge Daji led Shao Shuyi to the outside of the thatched hut and went inside to report his intentions.
A moment later, he came out again and called Shao Shuyi inside.
"Are you leaving?" Zhang Yang asked Shao Shuyi with a complicated expression.
Shao Shuyi bowed and said, "The bandits have been defeated. It is only right that I return to my hometown and enjoy the countryside."
"You own land and houses at the foot of Shipai Mountain, don't you?" Zhang Yang suddenly asked.
"Yes."
"The servants and maids must not be fully equipped yet?"
Shao Shuyi looked up at Zhang Yang and said, "Everything has been prepared."
Zhang Yang remained silent for a long time.
Shao Shuyi lowered his head and remained silent.
Zhang Yang suddenly smiled and said, "You worked hard yesterday. Those who fought bravely and made contributions should be listed, and I will reward them accordingly."
"Okay," Shao Shuyi replied calmly.
"Go down and do your job well," Zhang Yang said, waving his hand.
Shao Shuyi bowed and withdrew.
Zhang Yangfang only looked away after his figure disappeared from sight.
Zhu Daocun also looked at Shao Shuyi's back with surprise and uncertainty. This was the same day when he thought of this and a nameless fire rose in his heart.
Those two scoundrels!
Zhang Yang, oblivious to Zhu Daocun's expression, stroked his beard and muttered to himself, "Those men under Cao Luo could perhaps be honored as 'righteous men' to glorify their family."
This is standard practice for government officials, and it's also the comfort zone for bureaucrats like Zhang Yang.
Of course, he was more interested in Cao Luo's background. This young man was definitely not from Jiangyin, so where did he come from?