Episode 34

  "I also don't know if those people who were taken up the mountain that day escaped safely or not?"

  Chang'er sighed and said that it was not enough. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, several armed officers entered the inn. One of them, a tall and large man, walked in and sat down at the table in the center. Another soldier took off his long knife and put it on the table, saying:

  "Shopkeeper, we are General Bai's most beloved daughter Hong's entourage. Bring out a few jars of the best girl's red wine and prepare some small dishes to go with it."

  "Yes, sir! Coming right away!"

  The young shop assistant replied accordingly, but with a bitter face went to carry it out.

  "Hmph! You young one, we were ordered to come here and protect you all. What's the big deal if I drink a bowl of wine? With that bitter face and unwilling expression, do you think we wanted to come to this broken place?"

  "Youngster dare not! It turns out that it's only right to let you gentlemen eat for free too! However, in the past three or four days, there have been over a dozen rounds of officials coming to drink. Our small shop can't afford to bear the cost of all you gentlemen eating for free. We..."

  "Damn it! How dare you speak like that! What nonsense! We risk our lives on the knife's edge to protect you, and yet you have the audacity to spout such rubbish after just one bowl of wine!"

  With a loud crack, the little servant hugged his face and stood there stupidly.

  "Second Brother Liang, calm down. The servant was impolite and didn't know how to respond properly! Wait for me to personally attend to you!" The shopkeeper hastily came out from the inner room, bowed his waist, and smiled apologetically.

  "Mr. Liu, it's none of our business! Our family's General Baofu has come to this place to drink wine, also because of your relationship with us, how can you do this!"

  "Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, General, for gracing us with your presence! Bao Xiao'er, quickly bring tea and instruct the kitchen to prepare a few dishes as soon as possible. General, this is our family's treasured thirty-year-old 'daughter red' wine. I'll first offer a cup to General as an apology."

  "Ah! Indeed good wine!"

  After drinking a full cup, the hundred husbands finally spoke up with a smack of their lips.

  "Not enough, brother, let's go upstairs."

  Chang'er saw this and frowned, speaking in a low voice. Insufficient, then followed Chang'er dejectedly up the stairs and left.

  They went into a room in the west wing, where Chang'e was sitting on the bed and Yu Nu was sitting cross-legged on a wooden chair.

  "Insufficient elder brother, I see no difference between those officials and bandits! Are we still going to the county yamen tomorrow?"

  "Chang Er, although these officials and soldiers are like this, we will tell them about the bandits' lair, they can't say no to doing something good for the people. This is a great merit! Why hesitate?"

  "But, brother, what if thieves come at night?"

  "Qian'er, haven't you heard the officials say that they are sending a hundred soldiers? They must be urgently deploying them here to prevent bandits from coming back to cause trouble. You and I just need to feel at ease, let's go to the county yamen tomorrow!"

  "Leave it all to Second Brother to take charge; tomorrow go to the government office and report that those rebels are to be exterminated!"

  On the second day, Insufficient and Chang'er followed the merchant out of San Cha Town towards the county town. Naturally, Insufficient and Chang'er disguised themselves as ordinary merchants to prevent being recognized by bandits on the way and losing their lives. San Cha Town is about thirty miles away from the county town. Insufficient and others traveled for only two or three hours before entering the county town. The county town is only about ten miles in circumference. In the city, a cross-shaped street extends east, west, south, and north, with only a few small alleys leading into the streets, and nothing else. The houses in the city are low and short, and the buildings are of poor quality. There were very few pedestrians on the street, and customers at the shops were scarce. Insufficient and Chang'er parted ways with the merchant and walked casually on the street, seeing shop owners standing or sitting on wooden stools chatting idly at the door, they asked an old man standing at the door about the location of the government office, and then went straight to the county government office.

  The county government office is located on the north side of East Street, facing south. The red pillars are faded, and the gate is narrow and small, with two stone lions on either side that are roughly made. On top of the five-seven-level platform, the double doors are open, with peeling red paint that looks ugly. On one side, a drum frame holds a drum, with half of the drumstick inserted randomly. Not having read many books, I followed what was written in the book and beat the drum loudly. Sure enough, before long, two bailiffs came out carrying their staffs.

  "What's all the commotion about, young one? Do you have some urgent matter that requires beating the drum to disturb me?"

  "Sir, we have a matter to report to the county magistrate, would you please inform him for us?"

  "What's going on? Tell me and I'll know too!"

  "This matter can only be discussed with the master himself!"

  "How dare you! Are you tired of living? You even dare to disobey me, your master!"

  "Some just want to report to the master!"

  "This stinky bookworm is also a stubborn donkey! Wait for me outside!"

  Then one of them went in and soon someone called out:

  "You were just reading a book, now the master is calling you to go in!"

  Insufficient and Jin Chan'er walked in together, seeing a hall that was not very high or large. In the middle of the main hall above, a plaque hung high with the words "Clear and Honest", below which was an official desk, quite large, with a stack of documents on top, and a wooden block for striking. Behind it stood an official, with a refined and kind face, although his official robes were old and showed signs of mending, they were clean nonetheless. He slowly took his seat. Looking at him, he was of medium build, with eyes that were kind and gentle, and a beard in the shape of eight characters, truly the appearance of a loyal and honest elder.

  "The people under the hall don't even kneel down when they see the old master!"

  A yamen runner shouted.

  "Never mind, let them talk, what's the use of beating a drum?"

  The old county master said warmly.

  "Your Honor, Sir, I, a humble one, have come to report. We two know the lair of that mountain bandit! I..."

  "Slow down! This is crucial at this moment, let's discuss it later."

  The county magistrate got up and entered the inner courtyard, with two bailiffs leading him from behind. The inner courtyard was decorated like a study, simple and elegant. There was an old desk and chair set, on which were placed the four treasures of the study. The walls were adorned with paintings and calligraphy by famous artists. The old man sat in the chair, holding a teacup and about to take a sip, but suddenly said:

  "Do you two know the lair of the mountain bandits? Is this true?"

  "Yes, I dare not deceive you. On that day, the two of us..."

  Insufficient then so be it how will be caught, how to escape, how to come here one by one.

  "If you two lead the way, can you still recognize the path?"

  "This is naturally recognizable! We..."

  "Alright, set off immediately and annihilate this gang of scoundrels!"

  Jin Chan'er was temporarily settled in the county government office by the teacher, while Shi Insufficient led hundreds of people, including the county magistrate and the soldiers who had been summoned, to rush into the mountains. Along the way, the villagers saw them and avoided them, fearing that they would be affected by the fish pond. By dusk, they finally arrived at the bandits' lair. The soldiers, under the leadership of the thousand-man commander and the county government's general commander, surrounded the lair. However, at the main gate, there were three or five women eating dinner, and ten or so children running around, startling the chickens to fly wildly. Two small dogs, seeing strangers from a distance, barked incessantly, but when the army approached, they were startled and trembled with fear, escaping into the inner courtyard. The rural women also avoided entering the inner courtyard, unseen. Shi Insufficient suddenly felt a chill in his heart and thought to himself:

  "No good! Could it be that these thieves have already found out and made preparations to defend themselves? Hmph! How can they possibly make such thorough defensive arrangements in such a short time?"

  "Which book is this, could it be from here?"

  "It's right here! But..."

  "But this is obviously a large courtyard of a wealthy family, where are the thieves?"

  That's the way it is. The man on the road didn't say a word, but at this moment, he spoke up, and his eyes widened in surprise as he looked over. All he saw was that the face under the armor was incredibly familiar!

  "Good heavens! It's actually him!"

  Not enough to be shocked and lose color. The person turned out to be one of the two people in the backyard of this villa that day! Not enough to show a frightened expression, seeing that the commander-in-chief was staring at this tall gate, he quickly lowered his head and said:

  "General! The bandits who captured us that day really brought us to this place. This side door leads to a long corridor. At the end of the corridor is a stone platform. On the platform is a stone room, inside which there is an underground cave, covered by a huge stone slab. On top of the stone slab are iron chains connected to a winch device. When you turn this thing, the stone door opens and the underground cave appears. Inside, there is an underground prison cell where several of us were locked up."

  Just as they were talking, the door of the villa opened wide. An old man came out, followed by two or three men who looked like scholars and seven or eight sturdy men. Those sturdy men looked at them and knew that they were farm workers, not a bit like bandits!

  "Gentlemen, you have honored me with your presence. I am ashamed that I was not able to welcome you from afar. Please forgive my offense! But may I ask what brings you gentlemen to my humble abode?"

  "This student tells you that they are mountain bandits and have brought a large group of people here. Is this true?"

  "General, I'm just a humble old man, Zhou Xiang, who has lived in this place all my life and always abided by the law. Moreover, I have a few acres of thin land, which allows me to live a simple life with some savings, but it's not worth becoming a thief! As for killing people and stealing goods, I would never dare to do such things! Besides, I'm old now, my children are all studying, they don't even have the strength to tie up a chicken, how could we rob others? The mountain paths are winding and similar, maybe this young man just got lost?"

  "General, just go in and take a look, it will be clear!"

  Although he had already known the way in his heart at that time, he still had a glimmer of hope and asked for directions.

  "Little brother, I see that you are also a scholar. Scholars should talk about the great way, guard their integrity, and understand conscience! Are you not receiving money from my enemy to frame me? This old man only guards a few acres of thin land, manages several mountain forests, gets some mountain goods, and earns a little money. It's just that those people in the same industry are jealous of me, but little brother, your family has never known mine, why do you come to harm us?"

  "Hey, old fellow, don't be in a rush! Everything must be done with evidence! You, scholar, lead the way ahead, and you, Commander-in-Chief, take the county yamen's officers to search. As for you two, while on the move, my brothers are fighting battles and killing enemies!"

  So, Gu led the insufficient troops forward, while he himself dismounted and led his men in a fish-scale formation into that side gate.