Chapter 234 – Spitting Blood (Part Three)
The Hejian County Guard pondered for a moment and realized it made sense.
But he was just a small-time county guard with a famous title; how could he possibly have the manpower to catch bandits?
Just maintaining a facade with the guards at the governor’s office already stretched his resources thin.
He sighed and said, feeling ashamed, “Young Liu, you are unaware that while I hold the title of County Guard, how can I compare to your stature? I have no real power; no grain, no soldiers, how can I cleanse the area of those marauding bandits? How can I ensure the common people live in peace? I wish to take action, but I am powerless against those scoundrels. If there were anyone with grain, why would they allow bandits to wreak havoc on the populace?”
He also had lofty ambitions, hoping to be a good county guard and bring prosperity to the people of his region.
Unfortunately, in Hejian County, there were far too many powerful figures; as a powerless county guard, he could only remain a compliant mute, content to sit back and wait for his days to pass. He had previously sought to gather men to suppress the bandits, but by then, the thieves had already formed a significant force, making any movement difficult.
Liu Zhi, hearing this, was also quite sympathetic and sighed, seeming genuinely affected by the plight of his old classmate.
After a while, Liu Zhi hesitated slightly and said, “You and I share a history and bond as classmates; I cannot just stand by and watch you be attacked by the Meng Clan without helping. The only viable route now is to capture the bandit who killed Second Young Master Meng. If you lack manpower, perhaps you could borrow a few people from the other noble families under the pretext of dealing with the bandits? Even if no one provides soldiers, a little grain could help…”
The Hejian County Guard’s expression turned troubled upon hearing this; while this method could indeed alleviate his immediate problems, he felt it would severely compromise his dignity. Liu Zhi’s mention of “other families” naturally referred to the other noble clans in Hejian County, and the guard felt it had a whiff of begging.
Seeing the guard hesitate, Liu Zhi spoke with righteous indignation, “Younger brother has little to offer as well; although we have some minor assets, we are just a branch family and cannot claim the main line. What I can do is limited… If you don’t mind, I am willing to send a hundred house servants to assist you in dealing with the bandits…”
Noble families are large and well-off, often employing many servants, but the household guards typically have regulated numbers, maintaining a standard.
After all, there’s no need for too many guards; if too many were kept, it merely meant there were more mouths to feed without purpose.
In normal circumstances, the Hejian County Guard would struggle to borrow many men even if he went to ask the other families.
Of course, the exceptions are families with abundant wealth who secretly raise private soldiers.
One hundred—that’s already a substantial and generous offer; how could the Hejian County Guard not be moved?
Even during past efforts to suppress bandits, the forces deployed barely amounted to one or two hundred.
Feeling determined, the Hejian County Guard’s frown began to lift; had the environment permitted, he would be brimming with joy.
“Ah, my dear younger brother has truly helped this foolish brother immensely! Regardless of whether we capture those thieves, I will owe you a great favor!”
Liu Zhi also broke into a smile and humbly returned a few remarks, projecting an image of purely brotherly affection.
Having received such a significant favor, the Hejian County Guard naturally felt he must reciprocate.
A hundred people meant a hundred mouths to feed. Since Liu Zhi had already offered to send people, he couldn’t let them go hungry too, right?
Thus, he resolved to visit the other noble families later and gently inquire if they could spare any men or at least provide some food… After all, for those families, people are worth more than food; matters solvable with food were hardly an issue.
Cultivating house servants requires considerable effort, financial resources, and material wealth. If the borrowed men suffered any losses, they would be at a massive loss.
In comparison, it’s definitely more cost-effective to appease people with a batch of grain.
With Liu Zhi taking the lead in sending people, the other families would likely not be too stingy, contributing at least some grain.
Though it might be a bit embarrassing, if it allows him to overcome this crisis, it’s all worthwhile.
With this thought, the Hejian County Guard felt a tad more comfortable.
After Jiang Pengji finished handling the subsequent affairs and returned home, she received a message from the doorkeeper asking her to see Liu Zhi.
“What does Father wish to command?”
Jiang Pengji wondered, could it be that Liu Zhi was going to reprimand her for last night’s incident?
“I’ve found you some free fools.”
Jiang Pengji’s face bore a question mark; what fools?
Liu Zhi chuckled while sipping his tea, explaining the visit from the Hejian County Guard, “You should have around a hundred men under your command now, right? If you agree, you could loan these men to the County Guard temporarily. On the surface, he’ll be directing them, but secretly, you’ll be the one making the decisions. After subduing the bandits, you can split the spoils with the County Guard, and if any bandits are captured, I’ll speak with him to pave the way…”
Previously, Jiang Pengji had been discreetly tackling bandits and recruiting useful ones into her ranks. This method was indeed good, but the origins were questionable, and if discovered, it could lead to trouble. Liu Zhi wanted to use this opportunity to clear a path on behalf of the Hejian County Guard.
Of course, since the hundred men were ultimately Jiang Pengji’s, Liu Zhi couldn’t decide for her.
If Jiang Pengji was unwilling, Liu Zhi planned to draw one hundred men from his own guards to send to the County Guard.
After contemplating for a moment, Jiang Pengji felt somewhat tempted.
Clearing a path was merely one of the benefits; another was that all expenses related to her troops during the suppression of bandits would be covered by public funds.
What did it mean to run on public funds?
The Hejian County Guard would gather food from the various noble families to support Jiang Pengji’s troops, while she spent not a single coin. Even though the County Guard would take a portion of the spoils after defeating the bandits, Jiang Pengji would have greater choice regarding captured bandits and additional benefits.
Simply put, it meant using other families’ money to fatten up her own soldiers.
In Hejian, there are many noble clans, and there’s even more wealth and food. Even the stingiest wouldn’t refrain from contributing something for the sake of appearances; together, the food collected would be considerable… Jiang Pengji believed she’d be able to consume a portion while also pocketing some for herself.
“I agree, of course! The benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. The bandits near Hejian surely need to be dealt with; previously, I could only operate in the shadows, but now I have a legitimate reason, and all expenses will have someone to cover them… It would be a crime not to agree!”
Building something from nothing isn’t easy; without running a household, one cannot appreciate the cost of everyday goods.
Currently, her troop’s size was small, and once the numbers reached thousands or even tens of thousands, with her current resources, she couldn’t support that many.
Thus, finding ways to increase revenue while cutting costs was essential.
Liu Zhi’s move helped her solve a dilemma and save a chunk of expenses.
He pressed his lips together, seemingly trying to suppress a smile, but the tenderness in his eyes betrayed his true feelings.
“Since you’ve agreed, I’ll let the County Guard know tomorrow.” Liu Zhi paused, then lowly inquired, “Have you cleaned up all the loose ends concerning Meng Liang?”
“Father needn’t worry; it’s all been taken care of.” Jiang Pengji replied confidently.
The “father and daughter” exchanged knowing smiles, each recognizing the cunning in the other’s eyes.
At that moment, news of the murder of the Meng Clan’s second son, Meng Liang, spread like wildfire, traveling at an alarming speed through the streets.
The Meng Clan’s attempts to seal off the news of the civil unrest with their military had also encountered a breach, catching the attention of individuals with ulterior motives.
