Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 2: At the Foot of Taihang Mountains, A Small Test of Skills – Chapter 57: The Bandits of Yunzhong Mountain

Belonging to the book:


Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne?

Chapter 57: Yunzhong…

Not to mention Zhang Yang, who barely knows a few characters, even Xi Zhicai couldn’t help but laugh when he saw Qiao Yan seriously drawing the ox horn pattern.

“Marquis Qiao is really…” he laughed for a while before concluding, “a stroke of genius.”

Previously, Qiao Yan had used the story of Emperor Guangwu eliminating bandits, suggested by Xi Zhicai, as a stroke of genius. Now, Xi Zhicai returned the compliment.

But her action undoubtedly fit Zhang Niujiao’s character perfectly.

Moreover, the letter didn’t just show illiteracy.

It was also the most suitable letter to deliver to the bandits of Yunzhong Mountain.

When Zhang Liao went up Yunzhong Mountain, he was intercepted by bandits before he had even traveled halfway.

But he and Zhang Yang quickly subdued the roadblockers and claimed they were sent by the leader of the Black Mountain Bandits to deliver a letter. After scrutinizing his attire, they eventually took him to the leader of the Yunzhong bandits.

The bandit leader had some Hu people features, with deep-set eyes and a high nose, giving him a more imposing appearance.

He casually played with the ring-headed knife in his hand and looked at Zhang Liao, asking, “I heard Zhang Niujiao has been captured by the Marquis of Leping. Since he’s now a prisoner, why did he send you to find me? Or rather, how could he still send you to find me?”

The latter part of his sentence clearly showed suspicion towards Zhang Liao’s identity.

Fortunately, although Zhang Liao looked upright and not like a bandit, Zhang Yang beside him had a rough and bold demeanor, which slightly eased the bandit leader’s doubts.

The two had prepared mentally before coming up the mountain and were naturally brave. Facing the bandit leader’s questioning, they showed no fear.

Zhang Liao replied loudly, “You are mistaken. General Niujiao underestimated Leping’s strength. He didn’t know that the County Marquis could persuade the county’s people to submit within a month and that the Northern Army from Luoyang was stationed there. That’s why he lost. But a temporary defeat means nothing.”

The bandit leader raised his chin, signaling him to continue.

“Now the situation is different. The Marquis of Leping, after his victory, became complacent and even allowed some of us to move around the county, assisting with farming. General Niujiao intends to break free from his control and found an opportunity to send us two to seek external help. If successful, we can share the county’s wealth.”

“We have manpower. If the reinforcements we invite can create the opportunity, it’s a joint effort.”

He paused to observe the bandit leader’s expression.

As Qiao Yan had guessed, based on his actions in Taiyuan, it was clear he had the heart of a bandit but lacked courage and was very cautious. Convincing him that there was profit to be made and lowering his guard was not easy.

Moreover, since Zhang Liao had defeated many of their men on his way up, there were several armed men between him and the bandit leader, making it impossible for him to directly attack the leader.

Indeed, they had to proceed slowly.

He pretended to show the arrogance of the Black Mountain Bandits towards ordinary bandits, as if he was suppressing it because he needed their help. This made the bandit leader frown but, still unsure of his words, he didn’t act out.

Then Zhang Liao handed something over, saying, “This is a letter from General Niujiao to you.”

A letter?

The bandit leader, born from a Hu father and a Han mother, likely knew few characters, as Qiao Yan had deduced from Wang’s information, thinking he might resemble the later Jie people.

This guess was correct.

When he first took the letter and saw the dense characters, he felt uneasy. But if he admitted he couldn’t read, wouldn’t he be laughed at…

Fortunately, upon unfolding the paper, he saw a conspicuous circle and signature.

This… this Zhang Niujiao is quite a character!

In these times, few people are literate. It’s possible Zhang Niujiao only knew a few characters and didn’t want to appear ignorant in front of the bandit leader, hence this method.

But this also conveniently helped the recipient.

If Zhang Niujiao, far away in Leping, knew how the bandit leader of Yunzhong Mountain viewed him, he would surely cry foul.

No matter how uncultured he was, he wouldn’t actually draw an ox horn as a signature.

But now, he had no chance to defend himself from afar, leaving the bandit leader with a mistaken impression.

Holding this peculiar letter, the bandit leader asked Zhang Liao, “What is this?”

He wasn’t referring to the letter but the paper itself.

Being rough, he almost tore the letter upon seeing the characters but noticed the paper was different from what he had seen before. It didn’t tear easily, which was unusual.

“This is from Leping…”

Zhang Liao was about to say mulberry bark paper but reconsidered. Since this paper hadn’t spread in Bingzhou, Qiao Yan might not want its origin known. If any bandits escaped, they might leak the information. So he quickly changed his words, “Marquis of Leping’s paper.”

“Marquis of Leping’s paper?” The bandit leader examined the paper, thinking that after Cai Hou’s paper, Marquis of Leping’s paper wasn’t unreasonable.

Zhang Liao continued, “General Niujiao is clever. The Marquis of Leping sent him to make Marquis of Leping’s paper, claiming it was to atone for his crimes. This allowed General Niujiao to obtain this sheet of paper to send a message, letting you know that although Leping is a small county, it has considerable wealth just from this paper.”

Hearing the first part, the bandit leader thought Zhang Niujiao’s subordinate was flattering him by calling him “clever,” which was amusing. But hearing the latter part, he became restless.

He wasn’t entirely ignorant and had his own way of analyzing profits. Hearing Zhang Liao’s words, he indeed thought this item could be a significant source of wealth.

Marquis of Leping’s paper was more durable than Cai Hou’s paper, so those with many books at home would be willing to pay more for it.

Moreover, if Zhang Niujiao was assigned to make paper by the Marquis of Leping, didn’t that mean he also knew the manufacturing technique?

Thinking this, even the unrecognizable scribbles on the “letter” seemed pleasant, just unfamiliar.

His interest didn’t escape Zhang Liao’s notice, who pressed on, “If you assist General Niujiao in attacking Leping, the gains won’t just be Marquis of Leping’s paper.”

At this signal, Zhang Yang took off his outer garment, revealing the mulberry bark clothing Qiao Yan had them wear before they set out.

Zhang Liao pointed, “In Leping, mulberry bark clothing is piled up like mountains. Even we prisoners each have one. Do you think this is also a source of wealth?”

Seeing this, the bandit leader stood up immediately. “Yes, how could it not be!”

He had previously obtained a few mulberry bark garments during winter raids, which weren’t much needed now in the warmer March weather. But he had personally experienced the difference they made when worn.

He also knew that with these, the next winter wouldn’t be a worry.

And among the few they had seized, some had been accidentally torn, but they tried sewing them up, which didn’t affect their use.

This was a real, durable good.

Although not as expensive as regular clothes, at fifty wuzhu coins each, it was still a significant expense for those who relied solely on plunder.

Thinking of Zhang Liao’s words “piled up like mountains,” the bandit leader felt he was looking at a gold mine!

If they could pull off this no-cost deal, he could arm all his bandits with mulberry bark clothing, preventing half his men from perishing in the winter, and sell the rest.

Thinking this, he suddenly realized he was getting too excited, not the steady demeanor for business talks. He coughed twice to hide his excitement, “Is that all?”

“Of course not. Last year, Changshan, Shangdang, and Taiyuan each sent fifty thousand dan of grain to Leping for harboring us Black Mountain Bandits. But the Marquis of Leping wouldn’t really let us eat it. General Niujiao led us to dig for roots in the mountains… Do you think the one hundred fifty thousand dan of grain is a bargaining chip?”

There’s also grain!

The bandit leader’s breathing quickened.

Thirty thousand dan of grain had already made Zhang Niujiao take risks, let alone one hundred fifty thousand dan!

And that’s just from the three prefects. Add the county’s reserves, wouldn’t the amount be even greater?

He didn’t know Zhang Niujiao was eating well and had even gained some weight in Leping. He only saw Zhang Liao and Zhang Yang, who didn’t look well-fed, possibly the most presentable men Zhang Niujiao had sent to maintain appearances.

Considering Zhang Liao’s words, he guessed this was the real reason Zhang Niujiao sought external help, to coordinate an inside-outside attack on Leping and seize the grain.

Hunger leads to rebellion, an age-old truth.

Moreover, having lived freely as a bandit leader, who would want to live as a prisoner?

With these three chips laid out, he made a decision, “Alright, I’ll go to Leping with you. But before we go, tell me, how will the profits be divided?”

“How many men do you have, General?” Zhang Liao asked.

From “you” to “General,” the change in address clearly showed flattery, pleasing the bandit leader, who replied, “After the winter killed many women and children, we have over five hundred left.”

Zhang Liao was momentarily shocked by the indifference in his words but showed no expression, replying, “We have about three thousand able-bodied men in the Black Mountain Bandits, but after enduring hunger and cold, only two thousand are fit for battle. According to General Niujiao, if you and your men don’t join, we have no chance of resistance. So we’ll count your numbers double, hence a three-seven split.”

The bandit leader was slightly taken aback.

This was just at his bottom line.

If he truly thought he had the capabilities of the Black Mountain Bandits, he wouldn’t be raiding in such small areas. But if it were five hundred against nine thousand, he really didn’t see the need to take such a risk.

Since he didn’t plan to swallow Zhang Niujiao’s forces along with Leping’s wealth, it was better to share the profits. This split was within his acceptable range.

This deal could be done!

“Three-seven split it is. I’ll go to Leping with you.”

He was about to gather his men when Zhang Liao’s “Wait” interrupted him.

He immediately looked displeased at the young man, “Are you playing me?”

Zhang Liao denied, “General, don’t misunderstand. I didn’t mean that. It’s just that when we passed Jinyang, we heard the Governor of Bingzhou would arrive in a couple of days. The defenses around here will likely tighten. It might be safer to set out in a few days.”

The bandit leader awkwardly smiled, changing his knife-wielding gesture to patting Zhang Liao’s shoulder with his other hand, “You’re right. If we’re to strike Leping, it’s best to hit hard and avoid the Governor of Bingzhou’s attention.”

To save face, he added, “By the way, I haven’t asked your names. You two took a big risk coming here. If you ever tire of working under General Zhang, come to me. I’ll treat you well.”

“Thank you for your kindness, General, but no need,” Zhang Yang replied before Zhang Liao could speak, “We were saved by General Niujiao years ago and were graciously given the surname Zhang. So I’m Zhang Yang, and he’s Zhang Liao.”

“…” Zhang Liao’s expression momentarily froze.

He only knew Zhang Yang could claim they were family from three hundred years ago, but now he extended it to their “Zhang” being Zhang Niujiao’s “Zhang.”

This wasn’t part of the script Qiao Yan had prepared for them, clearly Zhang Yang’s improvisation.

But Zhang Liao adapted quickly, not letting the bandits notice his momentary confusion, and followed the bandit leader’s men to stay in the bandit camp.

Like the Black Mountain Bandits, these bandits in Yunzhong Mountain had no fixed abode, relying on crude cloth tents for shelter.

Perhaps because the Taiyuan prefecture found bandit suppression too costly and difficult, and winter patrols were hard, they hadn’t troubled the bandits for months, leaving the camp undisturbed.

Zhang Liao looked around, noticing the surrounding trees had been cut down.

Seeing him look at the trees, the guiding bandit said, “Winter was too cold. We used the nearby trees for firewood.”





They came to fetch fire, and it ended up like this.

Zhang Yang seized the opportunity to say, “Since that’s the case, why don’t we just take over Leping County after capturing it? With the mountains as our shield and houses to live in, wouldn’t that be more comfortable than living on the mountain?”

Zhang Liao “quickly” glared at him, and Zhang Yang immediately stopped talking, as if realizing that trying to poach the mountain bandit leader’s men at this moment wasn’t a proper move.

But for the bandit leader who later received the news, this was undoubtedly another proof of their stance and identity.

Moreover, he had to admit that if they could really occupy Leping as they said, who wouldn’t prefer living in houses rather than on the mountain?

If the officials came to attack, they could always retreat back into the Taihang Mountains.

The bandit leader, feeling somewhat tempted, heard from his subordinates that the two men reacted normally to their names, clearly indicating that these were their real names.

The claim that the surname “Zhang” was taken from Zhang Niujiao also seemed plausible.

Thinking this, he completely let down his guard against Zhang Liao and Zhang Yang.

Little did he know that these two not only lied in their words but also faked their skin color.

They had applied a thin layer of ginger juice on their faces, which, after the smell dissipated, left their skin looking yellowish. Combined with their lanky frames at their age, they looked like half-refugees.

The two were temporarily given a separate tent but dared not speak loudly, fearing that outsiders might notice something amiss. However, looking at each other, they couldn’t help but let out muffled laughs.

But they were still young, and after laughing, they felt a bit of fear.

Today’s actions, if any part had gone wrong, they might never have left Yunzhong Mountain.

Especially—

Thinking that Zhang Yang didn’t have to risk coming up the mountain, given his age and martial skills, he could have taken the official route to serve in the Prefect’s Office or the Governor’s Office, Zhang Liao felt a surge of gratitude.

They hadn’t known each other for long, but Zhang Yang’s actions were enough to call him a sworn brother.

Zhang Liao thought this and said so.

He then whispered, “If we succeed this time and can truly make a name for ourselves in the Governor’s Office, we’ll support each other like brothers.”

However, he soon heard Zhang Yang reply, “Actually… I’m thinking Leping isn’t bad. Maybe I won’t go to the Governor’s Office.”

Seeing Zhang Liao’s surprise, Zhang Yang explained, “You said the tools and methods we used to come up the mountain were all planned by the Marquis of Leping. With her ability to strategize flawlessly, wouldn’t she be more useful than the current Governor of Bingzhou, who we don’t even know?”

Zhang Liao could see this point, but… “The Marquis of Leping has no real power. If we’re to fight the Xiongnu, just being loyal to her might not be enough.”

“That’s true, but there’s no harm in taking a gamble,” Zhang Yang replied. “When I first came out of Yunzhong, I thought bravery alone was enough. But even dealing with bandits has so many nuances, and there are so many rules to stand out in front of the Governor. I’m not smart, and I can’t figure these things out.”

“Anyway, Marquis Qiao said that helping you stand out in front of the Governor is a stepping stone for her own plans. Maybe in the future, working for her, someone can do the thinking while I sell my strength. It might not be a bad path.”

“Don’t you think that makes sense?”

Zhang Liao found his words, though claiming to be not smart, somewhat wise in their simplicity.

But this choice…

“Enough, talking so much now is pointless. First, it’s unknown if Marquis Qiao even wants a thug like me. Second, we have to deal with these bandits before we can talk about treatment.”

As Zhang Yang spoke, he pulled out a flint from his sleeve.

Neither he nor Zhang Liao had much psychological burden about dealing with these bandits.

As borderland men, they despised those with strength who didn’t use it against external enemies but instead preyed on the weak.

The current state of the bandit camp, as revealed by the leader, also eased their concerns.

Before they came up the mountain, Qiao Yan had specifically instructed that if they chose to use fire, they must pick the right spot to avoid an uncontrollable wildfire harming the innocent.

Now, it turned out the surrounding trees had been cleared by the bandits, creating a blank area.

So, this fire could really be set!

The bandit leader was dreaming of leading his men to plunder Leping when he was suddenly awakened by the sound of fire.

He opened his eyes, reaching for his sword, but suddenly smelled not just something burning but also a hint of blood.

He realized something was wrong.

But before he could leave the tent, a figure flashed in.

The firelight from outside dyed the tent red, vaguely illuminating the figure.

It was none other than Zhang Liao, who had come during the day.

But before he could call out the name, Zhang Liao had already slashed at his neck.

The bandit leader was strong, but Zhang Liao’s family, though they had changed their surname and gone into hiding, was still a wealthy clan. This allowed Zhang Liao to receive far superior martial training than any wild path could offer.

With one strike, Zhang Liao saw the bandit leader stop breathing and decisively cut off his head.

The smooth success of killing the leader didn’t make the young man complacent. He grabbed the head by its hair, stepped out of the tent, and shouted, “The bandit leader is dead! Quickly eliminate the bandits!”

Zhang Yang had already set fires in multiple places around the camp. The fire spread quickly among the 500-strong bandit camp. Hearing of Zhang Liao’s success, he pulled out a copper gong from his mulberry bark clothing and struck it twice.

This sound was even more penetrating than Zhang Liao’s announcement of the leader’s death.

The bandits, already startled by the fire, heard of the leader’s death and saw his head fall, confirming his identity, and immediately panicked.

Adding to the chaos, the loud gong made them suspect that officials had come up the mountain.

But in the firelight and darkness, it was hard to distinguish friend from foe. Some were on fire, flailing around, further confusing the situation.

Zhang Liao and Zhang Yang, one having thrown the leader’s head and the other the gong, now had free hands and began slashing at the bandits.

Those who could have gathered to escape the fire, hearing screams from unknown sources, started attacking each other out of fear.

Chaos in the dark easily induces fear.

One panicked bandit instinctively slashed at the nearest person, but that person was skilled and immediately countered.

Due to their cruel nature from years of plundering, he decisively cut down the panicked bandit.

But in this chaotic situation, his fatal strike didn’t just take his opponent’s life but also his own.

No one knew who started the fire or who killed the leader.

Though the two who came up the mountain during the day were the prime suspects, the nearest bandits saw one of their own kill a comrade.

In this chaos, whether he was defending himself or the instigator didn’t matter.

In the face of survival, he was just a butcher with a knife.

He was immediately swarmed and cut down.

This was just one instance.

Some did notice Zhang Liao and Zhang Yang’s actions, but their martial skills were far beyond these disorganized bandits.

If the bandits could quickly form ranks, it might have been different. But now, some were fleeing, some were fighting among themselves, and the rest—

Could only see the young man and the youth with cold eyes, their blades like lightning, their faces illuminated by the fire, full of determination.

The youth even picked up the bandit leader’s head, wrapped it in cloth, and hung it on his back, laughing at Zhang Liao, “You threw away the proof of your deed. What if no one believes you killed the leader and eliminated the bandits?”

Zhang Liao had no time to answer.

Facing the bandits alone, with the element of surprise, wasn’t as difficult as he had imagined.

Some bandits who escaped the fire fell to their deaths on the cliffs, reducing the number of targets.

But this didn’t mean their task was as easy as cutting melons.

Zhang Liao had never faced such intense combat before and realized that relying solely on brute force wasn’t sustainable.

Young as he was, his hand holding the knife trembled.

Fortunately, his opponents didn’t notice his waning strength. Before he felt he could no longer lift his knife, the bandits saw the young man’s blood-splattered face, like a wolf cub biting its prey’s throat, refusing to let go.

Now, they were the prey.

With more casualties and hearing disturbances elsewhere in the camp, they had only one thought.

Run!

Seeing the bandits lose their fighting spirit and flee, Zhang Liao also felt relieved.

If these bandits had continued to fight, though he thought of Xiang Yu’s “cutting down dozens with a single sword,” he didn’t have the strength of the Overlord of Chu. Continuing to fight would have exposed his weakness.

Fortunately, in a narrow path, the brave win, and he stood last.

As the panicked bandits fled, he and Zhang Yang chased after them, quickly leaving the fire, and then—

They guarded the path down the mountain from the camp. Here, they would complete the final harvest.

Even if some escaped, there wouldn’t be many.

The two exchanged glances, feeling a surge of heroic spirit.

Two days later, Jinyang City was in an uproar.

A young man, still stained with blood, carrying a bag with over a dozen heads, appeared at the gate of the newly arrived Governor of Bingzhou.

Murderers pay with their lives, but bandit slayers are heroes.

County officials came to verify and found these were indeed the bandits from Yunzhong Mountain.

Someone arrived in Jinyang just after Zhang Liao, reporting shocking news.

A fire broke out on Yunzhong Mountain at midnight. Due to the steep terrain, it wasn’t until daytime that people went up to investigate and found the fire’s origin was the bandit camp. Dozens were burned to death, over a hundred killed each other, and many fell to their deaths. Some were killed by blades on the mountain path.

Among the survivors, many seeking refuge ran into the county town and were captured.

The bandits plaguing the area had been eliminated!

Now, the bandit-slaying young man stood at the Governor’s Office, or rather the Prefecture Office, his tired eyes sharp, saying firmly, “The Prefecture previously said I was too young, but even the young can eliminate bandits. What do you say now?”

What to say?

This was for the current Governor Zhang Yi to answer.

When Zhang Liao and Zhang Yang went to Yunzhong Mountain, Zhang Yi had already arrived in Jinyang.

Qiao Yan, standing on the tower, saw him ride into the city.

Judging by appearances, Qiao Yan could tell he was a genuine civil official, somewhat mild-mannered.

But it wouldn’t be wise to let down one’s guard just because he was a civil official.

With Liu Biao’s example of single-handedly entering Jing Province and establishing his merit, who knew if Zhang Yi could also balance the powers in Bingzhou?

Just because he died at the hands of the Southern Xiongnu didn’t mean he was a fool.

But Qiao Yan hoped he was a fool.

With Leping’s small territory unable to accommodate the talents she valued, like Zhang Liao, who needed border wars to hone his skills, training him in Leping’s mountainous environment was a waste. She had to reluctantly give up on recruiting him.

Didn’t she want to gather talents?

Didn’t she want more than just Leping County?

Only if Zhang Yi was beneath her could she logically replace him.

All this required the right opportunity.

Qiao Yan pondered, hearing Xu Fu lead Zhang Yang to report that Zhang Liao had arrived at the Prefecture gate. But as she placed a piece on the chessboard, she didn’t relax.

The piece landed with a clear, decisive sound.

Qiao Yan looked up at Xi Zhicai and asked, “What do you think Zhang Yi will do?”

Zhang Liao—a young man who just killed a group of bandits, a troublemaker, and a potential general.

Facing such a person, every word Zhang Yi said would be Qiao Yan’s basis for judging him.