Chapter Twenty-Six: Bandits

Before long, Qiu Miao and Aji found themselves completely surrounded by a band of mountain bandits. Each one brandished a broad blade, their faces fierce and wild, filling the forest so densely that their numbers seemed uncountable.

Seeing the dire situation and realizing there was nowhere to escape, Qiu Miao simply spread his hands in surrender and bowed his head, saying, “Noble heroes, please spare my life. Whatever you desire, I will hand over without resistance!”

The bandits burst out laughing. Soon, a burly man with a scar slashed across his face stepped out from their midst, his expression arrogant as he declared, “Well, looks like we’ve found a sensible one today! You’re clearly not like those fools from the other day who valued their money more than their lives!”

The “woodcutter” who had led Qiu Miao into the ambush approached the scar-faced man and said with a grin, “Big Brother, as luck would have it, I came down the mountain on your orders to look for any fat sheep passing by, and stumbled upon this one. Look at the big, dark fellow with him—that’s a Kunlun slave. In the regions of Chang’an and Luoyang, such a slave would fetch at least a hundred gold coins. Only the wealthiest men could afford such help. This man is a real fat sheep!”

“Not bad, I’ve always trusted your judgment!” the scar-faced man replied with a laugh. Then he glared at Qiu Miao and bellowed, “Hey, you there! Since you’re so sensible, why haven’t you handed over all your valuables yet? Or do you want me to do it for you?”

Qiu Miao’s face turned bitter as he answered, “To tell you the truth, Your Excellency, I am indeed a merchant, but it’s my misfortune—I was already robbed once by your peers, so all I have left is a few scraps of silver. The only thing of value is this Kunlun slave. He is quite obedient and tame; if you wish, please take him.”

The scar-faced man’s bull-like eyes widened. “Even if your slave is worth a fortune, how am I supposed to sell him off in Chang’an or Luoyang? I want real gold and silver! If you can’t produce that, I’m afraid I’ll have to make some use of your head!” As he said this, his gaze shifted to Aji, and his anger flared. “You dare lie to me? Tell me, what’s in that sack your Kunlun slave is carrying? Don’t tell me it’s a person inside?”

Cold sweat beaded Qiu Miao’s forehead. “Uh, well—there is indeed someone inside. No, wait, she’s not just anyone—”

“You can’t even speak clearly! What a fool! Brothers, never mind him—go open that sack for me!”

“Yes, Big Brother!” two bandits answered, stepping forward, blades in hand, to surround Aji.

Aji, a Kunlun slave, had been trained since childhood to obey his master’s will. He looked to Qiu Miao for guidance.

Qiu Miao sighed, shaking his head. “Survival comes first. Give it to them.”

“Yes, Master.” Obediently, Aji handed the sack to one of the bandits. As soon as the man gripped it, surprise crossed his face. “Hey, this is so light—not at all like gold or jewels! And it’s soft, too. What could it be?”

The other bandit, curious, squeezed the sack. “Yeah, it’s soft, and has a bit of bounce!” Suddenly, a muffled groan issued from inside, making his face change. Thinking quickly, he shouted, “Big Brother, there’s a woman in here!”

“What? There really is someone?” The scar-faced leader blinked in surprise. “Open it, quick!”

“Yes!” The two bandits swiftly untied the cord. The sack slipped to the ground, and the first thing the bandits saw was a cascade of long, messy hair, as black as a waterfall. Next appeared a fair forehead and a pair of bright, watery eyes, followed by a delicate, jade-like nose and a cherry mouth—though the mouth was stuffed with a cloth, making her cheeks puff up like a ripe peach. Below that was a slender neck and a graceful figure that no sack could conceal.

The bandits all widened their eyes, and someone muttered, “She’s a beauty, isn’t she?”

The scar-faced leader was stunned for a moment, but then he barked out a laugh. “Are you blind? ‘Seems to be’? She’s more than that!” He guffawed. “In all my years, I’ve never seen such a lovely woman!” Then he glared at Qiu Miao. “So, you’re in the same trade as me, eh? Snatching women for profit!”

Qiu Miao hurried to protest, “Your Excellency, please listen—” But halfway through, he swallowed his words.

“What did you want to say?”

“Uh, nothing. She’s yours now—do as you wish.”

“Hmph! At least you know your place. If you’d come empty-handed, I’d have fed your head to the dogs!” the bandit sneered, then raised his voice. “Brothers!”

“We’re here!” the bandits chorused from all around.

“Take these two back to the stronghold and keep them under guard. The older one can sweep and chop wood, and the Kunlun slave we’ll sell off when we get the chance!”

“Yes, Big Brother!” came the unanimous reply.

Then someone laughed, “Big Brother, what about the beauty? None of us have ever had a woman like that—couldn’t you let us have a turn after you’re done?”

Zhou Hongxian, newly freed from the sack, still had her hands bound and her mouth stuffed with cloth, and was dazed. But hearing this, she immediately started shaking her head furiously, desperate to refuse.

The scar-faced leader’s expression turned cold. He strode in front of Zhou Hongxian, scooped her up by the legs, and slung her over his shoulder. Then he threw back his head and laughed. “None of you are touching her! I’ve been needing a wife for this stronghold—she’ll be mine!”

Now, in the Zhenguan era, south of Cangzhou lay Husu County. Founded in the first year of the Eastern Wei’s Tianping period, Husu was not famous, but its mountains and rivers were beautiful—a fine place to live, if not for a gang of marauding bandits nearby.

At this moment, inside the county yamen, Magistrate Cui Shen gazed sorrowfully at the twenty headless corpses laid out below the hall. Outside, a dense crowd of townspeople gathered, discussing the tragedy.

“What a terrible way to die! Not even a whole body left—will they become vengeful ghosts, I wonder?”

“I recognize their clothes—they were bodyguards heading north to Youzhou. They passed through town a few days ago. I thought, with their numbers and their skills, nothing would happen. Who’d have expected this?”

“Well, it’s just twenty guards, but those bandits have over a hundred men. No surprise, really.”

“They don’t just rob travelers—they raid houses, too! My cousin’s family was wiped out last month, and his thirteen-year-old daughter was taken!”

“These bandits are truly vicious! We must beg Magistrate Cui to put an end to them!”

“Yes, we must! Life is unbearable otherwise—we live in constant fear!”

The crowd’s anger surged, and Magistrate Cui Shen’s face grew more solemn. Gazing down at the bodies, he seemed to see his own future destroyed.

Cui Shen hailed from the Cui clan of Boling, a family that had flourished since the Spring and Autumn period. By the Tang dynasty, they were among the “Five Surnames and Seven Clans,” basking in glory. Yet no matter how mighty the clan, it couldn’t shield him from his current predicament.

The present emperor, Li Shimin, devoted himself to creating a golden age. Since his accession, he judged his officials above all by whether they could bring peace and prosperity to their jurisdictions. This meant not only producing good results, but ensuring no disasters occurred—a rule none could ignore.

Cui Shen had served as magistrate of Husu County for years. He was not wholly selfless, but he had worked diligently for the people, and under his tenure, the county had flourished—a respectable record. But north of Husu lay Camel Peak Ridge, a mountain long plagued by bandits. They had repeatedly descended to rob, kill, and abduct, casting a dark stain on his achievements.

Recently, influential elders of the Cui clan sent him a letter, warning that rival families were gathering damaging information on the Cui of Boling across the realm. He himself was being watched. The letter sternly urged him to govern Husu well and not disgrace the family name, or he would have no hope of gaining further support from the clan.

At this thought, Cui Shen’s teeth clenched. He brought down the gavel with a bang and declared with fury, “These bandits have committed unforgivable crimes! I am determined to lead all able men today and wipe them out!”

At his words, the crowd outside burst into cheers, showering him with praise.

But the advisor beside Cui Shen wore a worried look and whispered, “Master, is it wise to make such an announcement? Camel Peak Ridge is treacherous terrain, easy to defend but hard to attack. You have no soldiers at your command—relying on local men may not suffice. Would it not be better to plan carefully?”

Turning away from the crowd, Cui Shen let his mask slip, showing a trace of helplessness. “Ziping, it’s not that I’m rash, but the situation leaves me no choice! Twenty men have died, not just one or two. If I don’t take a firm stand, people will soon accuse me of incompetence. All my years of hard work here will be for naught, and my standing within the clan will plummet!”

The advisor was shocked. “Could the consequences be so severe?”

“Ziping, you have talent, but you don’t understand officialdom. Things there can be made big or small as needed.”

“Then, Master, is this just a delaying tactic?”

Cui Shen shook his head coldly. “No! I have spoken, so I must act, or I’ll lose the people’s trust. Besides, if we don’t rid ourselves of those bandits, I’ll eventually suffer a major disaster.”