Section 077: Disguised Journey to Dong’e

In the Battle of the Dove Shop, over two hundred bandits were killed or captured; not a single one managed to escape the village. The leader of Mount Ping’an, having sent so many men to their doom, would soon realize that his forces had been ambushed and annihilated inside the village. Yet, he still commanded nearly a thousand followers; it would not be long before he dispatched another force to attack the Dove Shop in a bloody assault. Of course, there remained the possibility that he might be so frightened by his losses that he would never again dare to provoke the village.

Unlike the city of Zhangqiu, with its lofty walls for defense and maneuver, the Dove Shop was but a small village, limited in both numbers and resources. Relying on just over a hundred local braves, equipped with crude and simple weapons, not only to defeat these bloodthirsty bandits but also to protect the villagers, was a task even more daunting than holding Zhangqiu itself.

After Li Dong voiced his concerns, Cheng Yaojin’s face became troubled. “Sir, your wisdom surpasses all, yet you find this a difficult problem; how could I fare any better? Can you really bear to abandon the people of the Dove Shop and watch them be slaughtered by bandits?”

Li Dong had, of course, already considered what Cheng Yaojin said. He took out a military dispatch token from his robe and replied, “A clever woman cannot cook without rice. I must hurry to Dong’e, meet with the magistrate, and request a detachment of government troops to reinforce the Dove Shop.”

His plan was to reach Dong’e, where he could both borrow troops and investigate why the magistrate had framed Qin Qiong. This way, he could accomplish two tasks without wasting time.

“When will you return?” Cheng Yaojin agreed that there was no better plan, as the village’s defenders were simply too few. He could only consent to Li Dong’s temporary departure.

“At most two days, at least one; I will not be gone more than three days. I promise I will return,” Li Dong assured him. He reasoned that after such grievous losses, the Mount Ping’an bandits would have to reconsider before making another move—they would not act rashly again within two or three days.

Cheng Yaojin then prepared some dry provisions and saw Li Dong off on his journey to Dong’e.

Leaving the Dove Shop, Li Dong headed southeast. The further he went, the more villages he encountered, and the denser the population became.

He dismounted and approached some elders basking in the sun by a wall, politely inquiring about the governance of Dong’e’s magistrate. To his surprise, their faces changed dramatically; they turned away at once, muttering as they left, “Oh, it’s very good, very good indeed!”

If the magistrate was so beloved, then why did these old men appear so fearful, almost unable to respond directly?

He passed through many villages in the span of nearly a hundred miles, and everywhere people reacted the same way. At the mere mention of the magistrate’s name, their faces paled and they hurried away in fear. Li Dong’s doubts grew ever deeper, and he became eager to uncover the magistrate’s true nature.

As he neared the city of Dong’e, he came upon a small hermitage by a field of crops, where an elderly man, well past sixty, gazed up at the sky, his expression betraying deep loneliness.

Li Dong led his horse over, refraining at first from mentioning the magistrate. He asked for a bowl of water to quench his thirst and, as he rested, gradually steered the conversation toward the topic.

At the very mention of the magistrate, the old man immediately grew wary, fixing Li Dong with a long, searching stare before turning away and finally saying, “Judging by your accent, you’re not from around here. You must have come from afar—so it doesn’t matter if I tell you.”

The magistrate, it turned out, was obsessed with his own advancement, seeking prestigious achievements through cruel punishments upon the people under his jurisdiction. If anything went missing along the road and was found by a passerby, the magistrate would investigate relentlessly until the person was caught, forced to wear the cangue, and paraded through the county for a full month.

Often, within less than ten days, the person—worn out and starving—could no longer bear it and died. Picking up something on the road was not theft, so why torment people to death over it? Thus, the streets of Dong’e became free of lost items. The apparent prosperity, however, concealed grave dangers. The old man sighed deeply.

“And how does he deal with true thieves?” Li Dong asked, secretly alarmed, eager to hear more of the magistrate’s methods.

“The children are no better than the adults; it’s all the same!” the old man cursed bitterly. “They too are forced into heavy cangues, paraded for all to see, pelted with stones and eggs by the populace, humiliated beyond measure. Not only do they suffer shame, but so do their acquaintances, who are also tied up and paraded.”

What crime is it to know a thief? Who does not have friends or distant relatives? Such measures were truly beyond belief. Li Dong asked, “With this, surely there are no more thieves in Dong’e?”

“In theory, there should be none. Yet the bandits of Mount Ping’an still run rampant, robbing and murdering as they please. The magistrate, having secretly received their bribes, sends no one to suppress them, but rather indulges their crimes all the more! It is an outrage against Heaven!” The old man grew angrier with each word, gazing skyward in agitation.

At last, Li Dong understood: the magistrate sought only the appearance of order, while the people’s hearts were alienated, and all lived in terror—none dared speak the truth. Only this old man, driven by righteousness, dared reveal the real situation.

“I have lived long enough—at my age, I do not fear risking my life to speak out. If you are a spy sent by the magistrate, there’s no need to report back; kill me now and I will have no regrets!” The old man’s voice was resolute as he watched Li Dong rise to leave, leading his horse away.

Li Dong bowed deeply and replied, “Please do not worry, elder. I will never breathe a word to anyone. On the contrary, I will seek justice for the people and find a way to bring that magistrate to account!”

The old man nodded in relief, a look of approval on his face. “I see the righteousness on your face, the bearing of a dragon among men—you are no mere passerby. That is why I dared to confide in you. I hope you will uphold justice and return clear skies to the people of Dong’e!”

By the end, tears streamed down the old man’s face as he bowed deeply to Li Dong, pleading with him to rid the people of this corrupt and greedy official.

Li Dong nodded solemnly and promised.

As he drew closer to Dong’e, he found a kind family outside the city and left his horse with them before proceeding into the city on foot.

After asking for directions, Li Dong strode straight into the county yamen and struck the drum of grievance, loudly proclaiming his injustice.

In moments, the magistrate dispatched a dozen constables, who dragged Li Dong inside like a chicken, scarcely allowing him a word before the magistrate slammed the gavel and shouted, “Insolent peasant! Why do you beat the drum and cry injustice without cause? Do you want a beating with the staff?”

Li Dong was furious—he hadn’t spoken a single word in the yamen, and already he faced punishment! What law was this?

“Stay the punishment! Your Honor, please hear a word from this humble citizen!” Li Dong quickly held back the wolfish constables who were about to strike him, saying, “The bandits of Mount Ping’an are lawless, robbing and harming the people. I beg Your Honor to send troops to destroy them and bring peace to the land!”

The magistrate, a man in his forties with pale skin and a greasy mustache curling at the ends, glared at Li Dong. “Nonsense! Judging by your accent, you’re not local. How would you know of bandits in Dong’e? Slandering me without cause—who else should I punish if not you?”

“Men, beat him hard! Beat him until he cannot speak another word! Let’s see if he dares to talk nonsense again!” Without further ado, the magistrate ordered his men to seize Li Dong and prepare for his punishment.