The Only Good Water Bandit is a Dead One - 2
Thanks to Jo Wi-cheo's stellar performance, we managed to suppress the parakho thugs brawling at Eyang Pavilion. There was just a bit of friendly fire along the way.
"I'm Jeong U-rok of the Hengshanpa."
"Han Un, Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief."
A white-robed warrior performing a formal salute, sporting a massive bruise around his eye. Even after taking such a solid hit, he didn't lose his faint smile—which made me feel guilty.
It wasn't a brawl after all.
It was a brawl, sure, but not the turf war between parakho I had in mind. Hengshanpa warriors cooperating with the officials, smashing the water bandits like rats. Then the Dongting Lake scum, jealous of these upright martial artists, ambushed them cowardly. It was even dirtier than I'd imagined—trash persecuting the righteous.
And in the process of subduing the trash, I'd smashed up the innocent victims too.
"Uh, is that eye okay?"
"There's a saying: victory and defeat are both soldier's affairs. The same goes for martial artists. Wounds are just part of a warrior's daily life."
Jeong U-rok's gaze flicked sideways as he spoke, then he smiled again.
"Besides, I nearly had my limbs broken, so ending up with just this? I'd call that good fortune."
"Sorry about that."
I had a feeling what—or who—he was looking at, so I bowed my head slightly. Next to Jeong U-rok lay the water bandits (limbs heavily damaged) who'd been subdued by Jo Wi-cheo. One wrong move, and Jeong U-rok could've been sprawled there too.
A bureaucrat breaking the limbs of civilians cooperating with the government? That'd be a historical disaster.
One of the few normal sects, too.
Hengshanpa was one of the few pure sects even the murim-hating bureaucrats tolerated. Unlike the typical sects that stayed silent during the Mongol expulsion, the religiously tinged ones had suffered horribly under the Tibetan Buddhism the Mongols favored.
So when my great-grandfather rose up, they foamed at the mouth to join in. Even if their reasons were self-serving, they were still comrades-in-arms. That's why I had to be polite to Hengshanpa warriors who'd "liked us first." If word got back to their sect leader that one of their own had been wronged, he might pass the tragic news to his old comrades—the founding merits of Daesong.
Shit.
Just imagining it made me dizzy. Sure, I'm a king's grandson, but with so many active kings in this Song, I had to watch my step.
"Haha, I'm really fine. That expert over there must've known I was innocent, which is why he held back."
"If he knew you were innocent, he wouldn't have hit you at all."
"Well, yeah."
Even he seemed to think it was odd, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"Your subordinate carried a pure aura, unlike the water bandits, so I knew you weren't one of them. But as an official tasked with maintaining order under heaven, I had no choice but to use forceful suppression. Please forgive me."
Jo Wi-cheo, who'd been silent until then, spoke up cautiously.
Is that what you call it?
Ridiculous. He dressed it up nicely, but it basically meant he knew and hit anyway. That's worse.
"Pure aura, huh? I'm honored to get that kind of praise from an expert."
Surprisingly, Jeong U-rok seemed pleased. Is he some kind of masochist...?
There was a minor commotion, but the branch manager's proposed banquet at Eyang Pavilion went ahead anyway.
"Kang Yeon of Hengshanpa greets the Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief and the branch manager!"
Along with some unscheduled guests.
"Ah, come in. You're Jeong U-rok's junior sister?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Then you must've worked for Dongting Lake's peace too. Relax tonight."
"Thank you, sir!"
Unlike the chuckling Jeong U-rok, Kang Yeon—who was stiff as a board—bowed repeatedly.
"Big Broooother! What the hell did you do to end up with the Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief?!"
"How should I know? This must be the will of the Primal Celestial Venerable."
Probably because her ambiguously sane senior brother had her playing backup. Every organization makes its underlings suffer.
"I said let's move together, but you wander off alone! 'I'll come when it's time,' you said, and here you are! 'No trouble,' you said, and now you're tangled up with the Left Deputy?!"
"Haha, junior sister, that hurts. No, really, that one hurts."
They get along.
They were trying to whisper, but unfortunately, their conversation carried clearly. Even on the civil track, I'm still a Giwangga martial artist. If I couldn't hear whispers nearby, I'd have to drop the Han name.
"Sir."
"Yeah?"
"Among the subdued ones, there were first-rate mixed in."
Jo Wi-cheo's quiet approach made my hand freeze mid-reach for my cup. Not welcome news.
If a mere strike team targeting one warrior included first-rates, that meant a significant number among Dongting Lake's water bandits overall. Worst case, even peaks...
No way.
This wasn't the Yangtze era; no way modern water bandits had peaks. Peaks aren't the neighbor's dog.
First-rates, huh.
If there were multiple first-rates among them, it made sense things escalated despite Hengshanpa and Wudangpa stepping in. Sects usually sent second-rates to help officials—experienced ones who could handle a single role, gain some field time, and return stronger. First-rates and above were key assets they couldn't spare easily.
But then they show up to first-rates? Surviving this long was impressive.
...
Cowardly bastards.
Now that I understood, the water bandits looked even pettier. Sending a first-rate strike team for one second-rate? Shameless. And failing anyway? Brainless. Whose idea was it to ambush in a crowded place like Eyang Pavilion?
"How many warriors are at Dongting Lake?"
"Per the branch manager, two from Hengshanpa—those two—and five from Wudangpa."
"Tell the Hunan heroes that the Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief wants to see them. Ask them to come to Eyang Pavilion."
I felt Jo Wi-cheo flinch. Probably too abrupt. But no choice.
Jeong U-rok survived a first-rate ambush only because he ran into us by chance. No guarantee others would get lucky. Better to gather the warriors under official auspices. Safer, and preserves strength.
Dogshit water bandit scum.
While I'm here, might as well exterminate them.
The Primal Celestial Venerable bestowed a precious connection today. Getting ambushed while touring Eyang Pavilion alone, rescued by passing officials—who turned out to be Dochalwon's Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief. All of it, His will.
And gathering busy Hengshan and Wudang Daoists in one place? Another gift from the Venerable.
"You want us to withdraw?"
I felt a novel thrill watching the flustered Myeong So Daoist speak up. Always so solemn, yet here he was showing this side. The Venerable must've decided today was my life's best day.
"'Withdraw' sounds off. It just means the officials will finish what officials should do."
The Left Deputy shook his head at Myeong So's words anyway.
"I know your efforts well. You've served the people where our hands couldn't reach. As a Daesong official, I'm truly grateful."
He even poured tea into Myeong So's cup himself, then turned to the others.
"But as I said, protecting the people is the government's duty. You've stepped in out of pure goodwill, so once we do our job, you needn't suffer anymore."
"As you say, sir, we help out of goodwill. We'll endure any hardship—"
"Sadly, there are many places where officials can't fulfill their roles—not from laziness, but lack of hands."
The Left Deputy cut him off firmly.
"So go where your help is desperately needed, like this Dongting Lake. If the government can shelter ten thousand, seek out the ten thousand and first the government can't."
Myeong So bowed deeply. On principle, the Left Deputy was right. To save more people, leave what the government can handle to them, and we warriors seek new frontiers.
But Myeong So couldn't.
"Are you frustrated?"
Because he couldn't finish off the water bandits he'd fought so many times with his own hands.
"No, sir. How could one who swore to wield the sword for the people be swayed by personal feelings?"
"Be honest. Seeing those scum torment innocent folk must've burned you up inside. If told to leave them be, even I'd hesitate."
Myeong So nodded fiercely at the Left Deputy's comfort, as if it might not continue otherwise.
"But Jeong U-rok here faced a first-rate ambush. You're safe for now, but I can't keep you here risking more."
"Sir, though my learning pales next to yours, I know nothing's more unjust than fleeing from vile foes out of fear."
"Heh, really."
The Left Deputy sighed in exasperation, but I saw it—a faint smile flicker at his lips.
Justification building done. I clearly said they could leave, but they chose to stay. If they get hurt, Wudangpa and Hengshanpa might complain, but it's not my responsibility.
Good enough.
With Jo Wi-cheo here, they won't get hurt anyway, but a bureaucrat must always carve out deniability. Timeless official wisdom. No arguments.
Now, time to turn bad water bandits into good ones—dead ones. All to clean Dongting Lake spotless.