Chapter Thirty-Eight: Victory and Defeat

The villagers of East Ridge Village emerged victorious in their battle against the bandits, yet some suffered significant defeat in the officialdom’s unending struggles.

Since returning to the magistrate’s residence, Magistrate Feng had locked himself in his study. No matter how anxiously his wife and concubines pleaded with him outside, he could not dislodge the heavy stone weighing on his heart.

His mind replayed, again and again, the humiliating scene of his own disheveled return to the city. Magistrate Song, having received word, arrived early at the city gates with Steward Zhao and a crowd of officials, claiming it was to help Magistrate Feng recover from the shock.

Feng Qinian knew full well that Song Xi was seizing this opportunity to humiliate him. Soon, Song Xi would spread the tale of his retreat during the bandit suppression to Prefect Zhao and County Magistrate He in Ding’an Commandery. By tomorrow, he feared, the official censure would arrive.

By the laws of the Great Liang, desertion in battle was a capital offense, punishable by death. But he had, after all, led the county troops in a fight on the riverbank at East Ridge Village. With a little embellishment of the battle’s results and some silver to grease the right palms, Feng Qinian calculated that, at worst, he would face demotion or reassignment, but not execution and the ruination of his household.

Yet, thinking of Qi Jun’s scathing rebuke made his brow knot once more.

Though hardly a great tactician, Feng Qinian prided himself on his ability to judge talent. The moment he saw Qi Jun’s crossbow, he realized the maker possessed a craftsman’s genius.

With this in mind, he had ordered the jailers to keep Qi Jun and the head warden, Li Youtian, together, observing Qi Jun’s adaptability and demeanor. To his surprise and delight, he discovered that Qi Jun might possess some martial skill as well.

After several tests, he found himself truly admiring Qi Jun, and sought various ways to win him over. Even during the hasty retreat, his first thought had been to bring Qi Jun along. Yet all his efforts had earned him, in Qi Jun’s eyes, nothing more than the title of a coward.

“Am I a coward?” Feng Qinian poured himself a cup of wine and drained it in one gulp, gazing desolately at his own shadow on the wall, lost in memory.

He recalled the days when he and his childhood friend Deng Yu, both filled with patriotic zeal, had joined the army to defend the borders. Deng Yu rose swiftly through the ranks with his battlefield exploits, while Feng, despite his own sweat and blood, remained an obscure officer under Deng’s command.

He readily admitted Deng’s talent for command and exceptional courage, and gradually came to accept his own mediocrity and ineptitude in war.

Later, through connections and silver, he secured the post of county magistrate in Anqiang. But was a life spent currying favor and scheming for advancement in the treacherous world of officialdom truly what he wanted?

Suddenly, he seized the wine cup and hurled it against the wall. The splattered wine stained the edges of his shadow, as if even his reflection bled. Overwhelmed by disappointment and confusion, he muttered to himself, “I am forty years old and have scraped together only this meager post and household. Is it wrong that I don’t want to die at the hands of bandits? What have I done wrong?”

“Master, there’s news from East Ridge Village!” came the hurried knocking and anxious call of his servant, Ah Xin, from outside the door.

Feng Qinian froze, then abruptly snapped out of his daze. He staggered to his feet and opened the study door.

“Master! You’ve finally opened the door—you had this old servant worried sick!” Ah Xin hurriedly brought over a tray of food.

“What news from East Ridge Village?” Feng Qinian pushed the tray aside and asked anxiously.

Ah Xin quickly stepped inside, closed the door, and whispered in Feng Qinian’s ear, “Our scout reached the outskirts of the village and heard faint, miserable screams from within. They said a large pit had been dug at the entrance, filled with many bodies…”

“It’s over… East Ridge Village is finished…” Feng Qinian shook his head as he heard the news, exhaling a heavy breath of wine.

He slumped into his chair, wracked with regret for his rash decision to suppress the bandits.

“Master, what about her?” Ah Xin asked cautiously.

“Who?” Feng Qinian replied dully.

“Master Qi’s family member, Miss Yunfei.”

Only then did Feng Qinian recall that Yunfei, whom he had detained to control Qi Jun, was still under his watch. After a long pause, he sighed and waved his hand helplessly. “Tomorrow, have Captain Sun escort her back. She can help collect… Qi Jun’s remains. Don’t tell her anything yet—let her rest easy for the night…”

“Master…” Ah Xin seemed to want to say more.

“Go rest as well. I’m tired.” Feng Qinian leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, resigned to wait for the dawn. The battlefield had brought him no glory, nor had the world of officials. Always suppressed by Magistrate Song, he had now lost the one chance to turn his fortunes. Feng Qinian felt utterly drained of spirit.

Meanwhile, in East Ridge Village, Qi Jun was in the midst of a victory celebration with the villagers, only to sneeze several times in quick succession.

“Mr. Qi, you’re not catching a chill, are you? Mind your health—we’re all counting on you!” joked Liu Biao at his side.

“All these sneezes—someone must be thinking about you!” Liu Dong chimed in, joining the banter.

“Who else could it be? Either Yunfei or Jade Girl, surely…” Liu Biao’s words prompted knowing grins and mischievous glances in Qi Jun’s direction.

Qi Jun’s face reddened at their teasing, and he hurriedly stood up, intent on escaping.

But out of nowhere, Qi Feng appeared to block his way, calling to the villagers, “Hold my brother here! I want to know which of them is my future sister-in-law!”

During the day’s battle, Qi Feng had slain two isolated bandits himself, giving him, for the first time, the confidence to stand tall before his brother like a man. Now, he was bolder than ever in making fun of Qi Jun.

Qi Jun reached out to twist his brother’s ear, but Qi Feng dodged nimbly. The villagers surged forward, hemming Qi Jun in as they laughed and joked.

East Ridge Village had not known such joy for a long time. Every household brimmed with a festive air, and the villagers’ faces shone with the satisfaction of vengeance fulfilled.

They all knew that today’s triumph was owed to Qi Jun. His standing in the village now rivaled that of the clan elders, and the elders themselves were happy to acknowledge that this young man had brought too many miracles to their community.

The revelry lasted late into the night. Even though the village was strewn with bandit corpses and bloodstains remained vivid, the stench only slightly offensive, none of it could dampen the villagers’ spirits.

To stand on the blood of one’s enemies—that was the victor’s prerogative.

The next day, as the villagers busied themselves at the entrance, burying the unburnt remains of the bandits and the ashes, a small squad of county soldiers and a horse-drawn carriage approached from afar.

“Look, some officials are coming!”

“Could it be that coward from yesterday? The so-called magistrate—came to suppress bandits, but ran faster than a rabbit when the bandits appeared!”

“I bet they’re here for Mr. Qi. Let’s block the cart and refuse to let them into the village!”

A few villagers conferred quickly, each picking up a wooden club and striding out to meet the carriage and the county soldiers.

Leading the group was Captain Sun. He had heard of the bandit attack the day before and, anxious for the villagers, had set out at dawn with Miss Yunfei, as ordered by Magistrate Feng.

Seeing several villagers approach, Captain Sun was surprised. He had assumed that, after the bandit raid, no one would be left alive in East Ridge Village. Evidently, some had survived.

With this in mind, Captain Sun reined in his horse and jumped down, leading his mount toward the villagers.

“Stop! What are you doing here?” one villager demanded, raising his club. The two others mirrored his wary stance.

Captain Sun, aware that the villagers might resent yesterday’s withdrawal and knowing they were in the wrong, cupped his hands in apology. “Good folk, about yesterday—I am truly sorry…”

“Spare us your words! I, Dou Jun, say this: you will not take Mr. Qi from here today.”

“And I, Dou Sheng! If you try anything, see if my club doesn’t answer you first!”

“Captain Sun, you’d best turn back. East Ridge Village does not welcome you!”

Captain Sun forced a smile, but when he heard Dou Jun mention Qi Jun, he was stunned.

“Brave sir, what did you say? Mr. Qi… he’s still alive?” Captain Sun asked in astonishment.

“What, were you hoping the bandits had killed him?” Dou Jun’s face darkened with anger at that.

Suddenly, the curtain of the carriage was flung aside. Yunfei leaned out, equally astonished and delighted. “Uncle Dou, Brother Jun is safe? And my grandfather, my father—are they all unharmed?”

That morning, she had heard from Captain Sun that over a hundred bandits had attacked East Ridge Village, and that the villagers—including Qi Jun—might have all perished. She had nearly fainted from grief, unable to believe it had come to this.

All the way, she had wept, forcing herself to accept the worst. When the carriage stopped at the village gate, she lacked even the courage to disembark, fearful that she would witness a massacre beyond imagining.

But overhearing the conversation between Captain Sun and the villagers, hope began to flicker in her heart. If Qi Jun was safe, then surely her father and grandfather would be all right too.

She could not recall when it began, but now, so long as Qi Jun was present, she believed that even if the sky fell, this scholar would protect their people.

“Yunfei, you…”

“Brother Jun is alive? I must see him!” Yunfei leapt from the carriage and ran toward the village.

Watching her go, Captain Sun tried to lead his men after her, but the villagers stubbornly blocked their way.

“We’re not here to take Mr. Qi away. We truly have urgent business with him,” Captain Sun explained at length, finally earning a reluctant measure of trust.