There Once Were Bandits - 3
Yesterday, the mountains of Zhejiang went up in flames. Today, the bandit lairs of Fujian burned. Tomorrow, every bandit in the realm will burn.
Holy shit.
Rumors flew that Fujian had become the heart of banditry, or that bandits from Fujian had flooded into Zhejiang—discussions I'd had in earnest with the prefectural branch office now felt embarrassing. When the court gets serious, it can sweep through like lightning. Or more precisely, when Hwagyeong veterans step in, it's this effortless.
The commanders can't even make a move.
I glanced sideways and saw Duke Cho and Duke Jo-guk watching the massive campfire with enlightened expressions. The original plan had been to request bandit suppression from the Front Army Command and Left Army Command, leading to a military operation spearheaded by their super peak experts. Even hordes of lowly bandits didn't warrant such overkill.
But before we could even convince the commands, the two kings stepped up. And with Ilja Wang—who should have been in Kaepyeong—joining them, no wonder the commanders were detached. I was just as stunned.
"Managing these prisoners is a chore."
"What can we do? Slaughtering them without checking their sins is Mongol barbarian work."
"Hm. Fair point."
Gu Gangwang had been grumbling while counting the prisoners amid the chaos, but he nodded at Dong-gu Wang's words. Bandits crawled out from the burning mountains and shattered lairs. Those who miraculously survived the Hwagyeong masters' wide-area strikes tearfully surrendered, swelling the prisoner ranks. Dozens more per operation—it added up fast.
Managing that many was a hassle, but some surrendering bandits might have lighter sins. Some could start anew at Shanhaiguan. So Dong-gu Wang was right: we had to verify their karma. Blind executions were for Mongols.
"Speaking of, Dong-gu Wang."
"What?"
"Is the Twelve Zodiac trending in Fujian these days?"
Dong-gu Wang fell silent at Gu Gangwang's question, while Grandfather beside him burst out laughing.
"I was thinking the same! Uryang really syncs with me."
"Heh, storms bring thunder on windy days."
"Hahaha, you rascal!"
"Hahahaha!"
I watched the two kings laugh in unison, then turned to the neatly trussed-up bandit prisoners. As Gu Gangwang said, the Twelve Zodiac seemed all the rage here. We'd smashed over ten lairs, every one named after zodiac beasts.
Qinghu Stronghold.
The bandits being roped up by soldiers right now hailed from Qinghu Stronghold. Sure, the zodiac tiger used "hu" not "ren," but meaning mattered more. Blue tiger or green man—same difference.
Qinghu, huh...
Come to think of it, the merchant group I'd recruited in Tianzhou—complete with forged genealogy—was also called Qinghu. Unlike the "blue tiger" here, theirs meant "clear lake."
Hope they're doing well.
The Qinghu Merchant Group was set to relocate to Fujian to support me. But with Fujian turned into bandit hell, moving a caravan there was risky. Even with the kings on suppression duty, military zones were best avoided.
They're fine.
I worried briefly about their safety, then shook it off. I'd asked the prefectural branch for escorts out of fondness from our time together. With their own guards plus official muscle, they'd surely returned safely to Tianzhou. No need for my concern.
What I should worry about was my fate. Finish off these damn bandits quick to escape the kings.
Thank god Grandfather's here.
A chill ran down my spine. Without him drawing all the attention, it'd be squarely on me. Grateful he was soaking it up.
"Your Highness."
"Yes?"
As I rubbed my stiff neck, Seongjin—one of the Ten Thunders who'd come with Grandfather—addressed me.
"Bandits feigning surrender might harm you. Soldiers will handle prisoners, so keep your distance."
I stared blankly at him. Seongjin was the Ten Thunders' leader, Han Army elites trusted by Grandfather and Father—a pillar of Giwangga. He'd watched over me since childhood with utmost respect, but even in my mid-twenties, he treated me like a kid needing coddling.
"...We're dozens of paces away already. Isn't that enough?"
"Even mere bandits are trained warriors. They might hide a trick—better safe."
He shook his head sternly, his super peak gravity making me flinch. Distance suddenly seemed wise. A twinge of embarrassment hit too.
Seongjin kept his distance during my chats with Ak I-yeon, but glued to me since suppression began. Obvious reason.
That damn Jiayu Pass.
He knew what happened there. This flounder crown prince might collapse again if careless. His protectiveness was overkill, though. That was a border crisis with Mongol invasion and Koke Temur. Here? Safer than the palace—three Hwagyeong masters, multiples of super peaks. What could go wrong?
"Over there, then?"
"Of course, Your Highness."
His earnest eyes said no arguing. His head was full of "protect the flounder crown prince."
The twelve great bandit lairs ruling Fujian collapsed. Their leaders slain first by the court, no chance of revival.
It was opportunity. A once-in-a-lifetime chance.
Thorough control of Fujian bandits, downfall of those monstrous sinners. No happier news.
When tigers vanish, foxes reign.
Coldly, my lair couldn't touch the great ones' heels. So what? Power's relative, not absolute. Third-rates abound in the Central Plains, but they're kings in back alleys without first-rates.
Fujian now. Even mid-tier lairs beneath the greats could rule as strongest sans rivals.
King of Fujian greenwood brothers. So I prepared expansion: trained underlings, absorbed stragglers from fallen giants, watched court moves.
Court's no worry for now.
Result: Officials too busy with rampaging foxes to notice.
Hide among foxes, grow big. Heaven-sent chance. Once-in-two-lifetimes.
Until recently.
"...So, how close?"
"Qinghu fell... they're at our doorstep."
"Branch chief. Baisha just crumbled too."
"Practically breathing down our necks."
I pinched my brow at the branch chief's words. Insane.
Thought court irrelevant, lowered guard. Catastrophe overnight.
"Gi Gangwang and Dong-gu Wang, even."
"Not even Yangtze suppression matched this."
"That was Gu Gangwang leading, Dong-gu Wang assisting occasionally. Not three kings committed."
"Kings? Two commanders too. One alone is fatal for us!"
Underlings' panic mirrored mine. Makes sense? Why three kings to this backwater?
Are we greenwood?
I pondered seriously. Old greenwood seized mountains amid Mongol chaos. Legitimate heirs? Explains full-court press.
But fuck no.
What'd we do for this overkill smackdown?
We did wrong.
Anger cooled my head. Yeah, bandit life ain't right.
But that's it.
I reviewed our record fast. Banditry unpardonable, but we stayed low, squeezed by great lairs. Yingfeng Stronghold: rejects and desperate survivors banding for scraps.
Robbery? Lied if none, but no kills. Many lost kin or coin to great lairs.
Provoking court? Living as bandits is provocation, but we dodged eyes, stayed quiet. Mid-tiers caught official ire die fast.
Good.
Decision.
"We surrender."
"Pardon?"
"Chief?"
Our karma means punishment, but not death. Better bow than fight.
"Chief! Surrender?!"
"Fight three Hwagyeong? Not me."
"...Call it reformation, then!"
Underlings bought it. Non-buyers? I'd kill 'em.