Chapter Sixteen: The Bandits Who Value Their Word

In terms of the outcome, Zhao Hengyi was undoubtedly fortunate in his encounter with the bandits this time.

First, Sun Xiuying tipped them off. Then Wang Dahu, together with a group of seasoned veterans who had seen real bloodshed, ambushed the enemy. Most crucially, the three bandits slain by the group were not from the local gangs of Dang County.

Tonight, only the brothers Wang Dahu and Wang Erhu took action. Marksman Wang Dahu killed the second-in-command with a single arrow, while the bloodthirsty Wang Erhu shot through the throat of a minion. Wang Dahu then wounded another bandit in the leg and captured him alive.

Before Wang Dahu, who hailed from the Xuan Battalion, the surviving bandit confessed everything, even the childhood incident of peeking at Widow Wang bathing next door—he was completely at their mercy.

These three bandits were all from Erdao Valley, not from within Dang County. They had seen Zhao Hengyi and his companions selling game in the county town and, on a whim, decided to try and make some fast money.

As for Liu Shuang, the notorious scoundrel, he was well-known in a certain gambling den in the county, so it was natural for the three bandits to seek him out.

According to the captured minion, their second-in-command had brought them to Dang County to negotiate a deal with a certain client. But after two days in the county without seeing the client, they switched plans and decided to rob Zhao Hengyi.

Such unprofessional behavior! As bandits, meeting contacts inside a county under official control and then suddenly deciding to rob villagers—the second-in-command deserved his fate.

Only the second-in-command knew the client’s identity and the deal's nature, and with his brains blown out by Wang Dahu’s arrow, all became a secret.

Everyone guessed that the only business someone would conduct with bandits—especially those from outside the county—must be something evil, like hiring them for murder.

That client never appeared, either out of fear or a change of heart. Either way, no meeting took place.

Thus, apart from Liu Shuang, only the second-in-command and his two minions knew about the attempt to rob Zhao Hengyi. As long as those involved in tonight’s ambush kept silent, the three bandits from Erdao Valley would vanish from the world without a trace—this was Zhao Hengyi and everyone in Elm Bay’s greatest stroke of luck.

Because the bandits from Erdao Valley had crossed into a new territory, they kept their identities hidden, and now, having died so quietly, even their own stronghold could not be sure whether these three had fled or perished.

But no one can be lucky forever. The profit from a single sale of game was enough to provoke jealousy. Now that the textile workshop was running smoothly, Elm Bay would be delivering a significant amount of cloth to the county every month. Who knew how many would take notice then?

Zhao Hengyi’s original plan was for the young hunters to serve as guards.

But tonight’s events taught him that the real candidates for the job were the village’s crippled veterans.

These old soldiers had survived the brutal battlefields against the barbarians. Even if they hadn’t slain enemies themselves, after witnessing mountains of corpses and rivers of blood, there was a sharpness in their bones.

In the Great Yan Kingdom, the lives of ordinary folk were relatively closed off; half the residents of Elm Bay had never even been to the county town.

Those who had served in the frontier army because they couldn’t pay taxes, or had even been part of the assault battalion, were especially valuable in such a setting.

That night, all the veterans who participated in the ambush were recruited by Zhao Hengyi as guards for the textile workshop, earning two hundred coins a month, with Wang Dahu, their captain, paid double.

Others thought Zhao Hengyi did this merely to keep the veterans quiet, but in reality, they were worth every coin.

Elm Bay returned to its peaceful state, as if nothing had happened.

Liu Shuang was locked up by the village chief; few knew he had returned.

The smithy worked day and night, finally equipping the hunting and guard teams with enough crossbows, and was now experimenting with forging proper long knives.

The textile workshop bustled around the clock; the accumulated cloth was ready for transport to the county town.

This time, the old village chief led the team, accompanied by eight battlefield veterans as guards—a display of serious authority.

To Zhao Hengyi’s surprise, the chief’s group sold the cloth smoothly, without attracting unwanted attention.

“Hengyi, merchants have their own rules. We’ve paid the road toll.”

Though only two mountain ridges separated the village from the county, the desolate roads remained prime territory for bandits.

Near Dang County, several bandit gangs operated; Elm Bay was within the domain of the Cliff Mountain bandits.

These bandits had lingered nearby for over a decade, and unlike the reckless marauders who only knew slaughter, they operated differently.

Cliff Mountain’s bandits had clashed with Elm Bay years ago and agreed never to extort the village for grain. Over the years, though the chief changed several times, the promise held firm.

In some ways, the Cliff Mountain bandits were more trustworthy than the local authorities.

Of course, that didn’t change their nature; killing and robbing remained their trade—they simply treated their territory as a business.

For example, when the chief escorted cloth to the county for sale, so long as the toll was paid in advance, the bandits would not cause trouble.

“We must pay what is due, and never be stingy. No amount of money is worth more than our lives!”

Zhao Hengyi spoke from the heart, not merely to win loyalty. “If we ever encounter a real robbery, our people may abandon the goods, and I will bear all the losses myself!”

Ancient people valued their word; since Zhao Hengyi made this promise publicly, he was bound to keep it.

At that moment, the men delivering goods and the veterans serving as guards felt their spirits soar, eyes shining with vigor.

“By the way, I heard in the county that the One-Eyed Black Wind has appeared again. Everyone in our village needs to be warned—not a soul should go up the mountain at a time like this!”

The old chief, worried, urged everyone to spread the news.

The One-Eyed Black Wind was a black bear from the Great Green Mountain: massive, fierce, and vengeful. Years ago, a hunter shot out one of its eyes, and ever since, it descended from the mountain every year to attack villages, causing deaths annually.

Not long ago, two women from the neighboring village gathering wild vegetables were killed by the One-Eyed Black Wind.

For most in Elm Bay, staying away from the mountain was no hardship, but not being able to gather wild vegetables from the southern slope of Great Green Mountain was a calamity.

Wild greens and seeds provided half a year’s food—they were staple crops!

People endured for two days, but eventually hunger overcame fear, especially seeing someone boldly return with a sackful of wild greens.

“Run! The One-Eyed Black Wind is coming down the mountain!”