Chapter 331: Yingdi and the Pass—Two Different Conversations and Arguments

Knight Kela pointed his Hunting Longsword once more at the path from the Militia camp to the Bandit Group's lair: "Everyone else begins preparations for the attack tomorrow; by daybreak, everything must be ready. Scribes?"

"Sir Knight." The scribes bowed with hands over their chests.

"Tomorrow morning, you must arrange the necessary food and water. Furthermore, after the militia goes to suppress and attack the bandits, have your assistants cut down surrounding timber to simply craft some makeshift large wooden shields to block thrown weapons. For every one finished, send it to the front line for support. Do you understand?" the Knight asked.

The scribes replied in unison: "We will carry out your orders."

Afterward, Knight Kela laid out the attack sequence and combat procedures for the Spear Militia, who would serve as the main assault force tomorrow. In truth, it was all content from their training outside Kendall City, nothing more than forming ranks and moving, and following the signals he would give; if they could not manage that, he would shout the commands directly at the time.

There were also some minor details and regulations regarding combat.

For instance, try not to move alone on the battlefield; one must always move in pairs. Also, fearing combat would lead to imprisonment; while there would be no severe punishment on the spot, there would be a series of subsequent penalties from the Kendall side later.

Knight Kela called over a scribe and had this scribe explain the series of punishments for deserters to the Squad Leaders of the militia.

Of course, in contrast to the punishments, once the militia defeated the bandits, they could bring the bandits' heads to him to have their military merits recorded directly, and once they reached Bingxun Pass, the rewards could be issued immediately.

Each bandit head could be exchanged for one Silver Coin in cash, and each Squad Leader was required to maintain order within their unit during the battle; serious fighting over credit that led to brawling was not permitted.

Once that happened, the Squad Leader in charge would also be punished.

Knight Kela did not say what the punishment was, leaving a sense of suspense, but this very suspense acted like a bucket of cold water on the Squad Leaders who had been restless just moments before.

A scribe muttered quietly that this year's militia bandit-clearing operation was vastly different from previous years. Immediately, other scribes suggested that it might be because previous years involved smaller Bandit Groups, and they were simple camps established in the woods, unlike these Thieves of Luodai Cave, who were numerous and possessed a cave lair that was easy to defend and hard to attack.

The pre-battle meeting concluded, and everyone dispersed to eat and attend to their various tasks.

Jier also ate in rotation with the guard at the gate. Jier saw many young militia members who were either excited or worried; some could not eat at all, while others wolfed down their food and then pulled their companions aside to discuss how to fight tomorrow.

After finishing his meal, Jier returned to see Knight Kela standing right in front of the wooden board he had drawn on, so he walked over to ask about something he had noticed earlier.

"Sir Knight, I noticed earlier, during the militia training—I mean, when the militia was training outside Kendall City—didn't the eldest son of the Kendall Baron participate in the training too? But when we arrived here, I didn't see him or his tent in the camp?"

Knight Kela wiped the soup from the corner of his mouth with a fine cloth and then pointed toward the Bingxun Pass in the east: "A sovereign should not personally venture into danger. That is an Empire proverb."

"So that person is staying inside Bingxun Pass, waiting for the good news you bring? I have always felt that something is wrong with Bingxun Pass; it doesn't look like a safe place." Jier helped Knight Kela move the large wooden board into his tent, setting it against a relatively empty space.

The two found a place to sit inside the tent to talk.

Regarding Jier's statement, Knight Kela offered his own view: "It's not as relaxed as you think. He should have received my letter by now and should already be starting the business of procuring a second batch of supplies on the spot. Of course, Bingxun Pass is not a peaceful place; calling it a dragon's pool and a tiger's den is no exaggeration. Every major Merchant who colludes with local officials is ten times more detestable than the bandits in the mountains."

Jier did not understand why Knight Kela felt those big Merchants were so detestable; besides, if they were that detestable, wouldn't it be fine to just use the same methods to deal with them as they did with the bandits?

Knowing Jier did not understand such matters, he explained: "You might know that Bingxun Pass is my territory."

Jier nodded; he did know that much.

The Knight lowered his voice and said: "Heh, but you certainly don't know that the actual control of Bingxun Pass is not in my hands."

"I know that; the soldiers and officials at the pass don't seem to mention you much." Jier stated what he knew.

The Knight nodded: "They are all subordinates of Earl Boke."

"Earl Boke?"

"Earl Boke. He is the provincial lord where Kendall County is located, a great Noble. How could a place where wealth is concentrated like Bingxun Pass be handed over to a lower-ranking Noble like the Kendall Baron? Think about it more; the two above are fighting over the pass's revenue, and as the local lord, I am actually mostly just a figurehead."

Jier pursed his lips. Indeed, he could imagine that in order to suppress the development of local Nobles' strength, the higher-ranking Nobles would find ways to consolidate the interests that originally belonged to the local Nobles into their own hands.

Thinking deeper, were the many bandits near Bingxun Pass really gathered there naturally?

Could there be the involvement of other Nobles, just to restrict the trade and the number of migrants in Kendall County, thereby slowing down the development of Kendall County in an overall, slow, and indirect way?

After thinking for a moment, Jier still voiced these speculations to Knight Kela.

"One cannot say there isn't that aspect to it," Knight Kela said with a smile.

"Could that also be arranged by that Earl Boke?" Jier asked, guessing.

The Knight shook his head: "There is no need for that; the higher-ranking Nobles look down on these roundabout methods. Think about it: compared to secretly inciting nearby bandits to gather at Bingxun Pass to restrict Kendall County's development, wouldn't it be better for that Earl to just find a way to station more troops at Bingxun Pass? Moreover, a large amount of tax revenue from Bingxun Pass flows to him; he has no need to make things difficult for himself."

After a pause, the Knight continued: "In my opinion, it is mostly the nearby Nobles who are envious of Kendall, so they often incite those people in bandit circles. Or, they could simply organize some people who walk in the darkness, specifically to publicize the wealth and weak defenses of Bingxun Pass."

After talking for a while longer, the two spoke of the Kendall Baron's eldest son in Bingxun Pass.

"Jier, the battlefield of combat is not limited only to the front lines. In a pass with abundant supplies, obtaining supplies from there is also a bitter battle," Knight Kela said, and immediately after, he took several coins from a small pouch on his belt and flicked them with his fingers.

The coins included Gold Coins, Silver Coins, copper coins, and Iron Coins; coins of different materials and denominations emitted different vibrating sounds, and the Knight continued: "Listen, don't the sounds these coins make resemble the sharp clashing of swords? The bloody slaughter in there is no less than what we have here."

Jier watched these coins, which the Knight flicked into the air, then fell and were flicked up again, his ears ringing with the sound of metal trembling, his mind wandering as he thought of the Kendall Baron's eldest son far away, maneuvering at this moment with the pass officials and big Merchants.

"It seems there is indeed a faint sense of confrontation and battle." Jier felt that such a task was not easy either; at the very least, he could not handle it right now, but if it were the Kendall Baron's eldest son with his important status, perhaps he could manage it without too much effort.

At the same time, Bingxun Pass.

Knight Kela's guard told the young Hunter accompanying him to stay at the inn first; he had to go out to handle some business.

He draped a thick, cold-proof Cloak over himself, tucked the letter Knight Kela had given him into his inner pocket, and pushed open the inn's door. They had chosen an inn near the church; the costs of these inns were no lower than those on the main street of the pass, primarily to provide travelers with a good and safe living experience.

Compared to other places where all sorts of people were mixed together, at least no one dared to act recklessly here. After all, the Church of the God of Wealth had the most powerful influence in Bingxun Pass, and compared to the Church of the God of Wealth in Kendall City, it would be no exaggeration to say that this was the main concentration of wealth in Kendall County.

If anyone acted recklessly near the church, they would not have to wait until the next day; the foolish fellows who committed the offense would be found by the Priests and punished in public.

After stepping out, the guard wrapped his cold-proof Cloak tightly and pulled the hem of the Cloak upward. Although the various filth on the ground had been frozen hard, he still could not stand other towns being like this outside of Kendall City.

In his view, compared to Kendall City, other places, no matter how much wealth they gathered, were nothing more than things grown from filthy places.

Carefully skirting around some suspicious objects frozen hard by the cold weather, he soon arrived at the luxurious inn in the center of Bingxun Pass where the Kendall Baron's eldest son was staying.

This inn was very large and divided into many different areas. Many wealthy and influential Merchants from other places lived here; they lived here, communicated here, finalized deals here, and entertained here.

They could complete everything they needed without ever stepping out of here and coming into contact with the chaotic Bingxun Pass outside.

Besides these Merchants from all over, several powerful officials of Bingxun Pass also lived here. They were all administrative officials under the Earl and were not locals at all, so naturally, they had no intention of finding a house to live in this place, which, although full of wealth, was chaotic beyond measure.

In any case, as they lived here long-term, all expenses could be settled as management fees. They did not dare to default on the inn or fail to pay; after all, while they were high-and-mighty officials in the eyes of ordinary people, in the eyes of the owner behind this inn, they were nothing more than ordinary people.

The Kendall Baron's eldest son, Longsisi-Kendeer, and his Melee Militia were all staying in a separate small building here. The militia were currently guarding various parts of the small building, and inside, Longsisi was talking with several people who had come to discuss bandit matters.

"Once again, thank you all for your support in this matter!" Longsisi raised a silver cup and sipped a little of the Wine inside.

The others also raised their cups and followed suit, taking a small sip.

"This Bandit Group called the Luodai Cave is truly detestable. My Caravan was robbed before, and I never knew what happened; if he hadn't escaped back with those commoners earlier, I would still be kept in the dark. Sigh, I haven't paid much attention to bandit suppression and security before, which led to our heavy losses. It seems that only with a secure environment can we Merchants operate properly," a pot-bellied man said, looking not very interested as he stared at the red liquid in his wine glass.

Another man present was unhappy. He was sturdy and looked tall and fierce, but those who knew understood that this guy only looked good and imposing; because he had spent years frequenting the Red Houses all over Bingxun Pass and hooking up with many young female migrants, this man had long since been hollowed out. Although he was the Soldier Captain in charge of security affairs in Bingxun Pass, he had never personally cut off a bandit's head.

The soldiers and thugs in Bingxun Pass called him 'Spear-Turner', using this sarcastic nickname to humiliate him. Of course, no one would dare call him that to his face, or else the result would be being thrown into the black dungeon to wait for death.

The man finished the wine in his silver cup in one gulp, curled his lip, and retorted to the pot-bellied merchant opposite him: "Heh, just as you said, only with sufficient support from you merchants will our soldiers here maintain order in Bingxun Pass and teach the bandits a harsh lesson, so that your caravans won't be plundered and attacked by bandits. So, tell me, who was it back then that preferred to hire more mercenaries for protection rather than pay the security tax?"

He then held out his cup to the maid beside him, and while she was pouring him wine, he took the opportunity to stroke the back of her smooth hand.

"Heh heh," he chuckled at the shy maid.

Another man present ignored the man opposite him; he stopped the fat merchant who wanted to say something, looked at the others, and then said: "Everyone knows the strength and quality of the soldiers at Bingxun Pass, so I won't say much more. My own men were also plundered by the Thieves of Luodai Cave; if he hadn't escaped back with them, I wouldn't even know how to answer to his family. Regardless, these Thieves of Luodai Cave must be eliminated; I think everyone here understands that clearly."

"Fortunately, Knight Kela has already led a large number of Militia over there. Everyone has seen the Militia guarding inside and outside the house, and I believe there is no doubt about their ability to defeat the Bandit Group. And I believe Kendall Baron did not call everyone here today to repeat meaningless things from before, but to discuss the subsequent material replenishment for the Militia."

Longsuosi cleared his throat: "Gentlemen, we have intelligence from those lucky enough to have escaped the clutches of the bandits, so we basically all know the scale that the Bandit Group called the Thieves of Luodai Cave has already reached. Furthermore, they certainly won't sit and wait for death; they must have anticipated that Knight Kela would lead the newly trained Militia to clear them out in winter, so they will definitely take action."

The lecherous man brought the full cup of wine to his lips and said: "Isn't it just absorbing those scattered small bandit groups? I have already told Knight Kela about this; he has anticipated it and will certainly be able to handle it."

Longsuosi knew the connections behind this man, so he could not offend these people of the Earl on behalf of his father, and thus he found it difficult to say anything to refute the lecherous man's interruption.

Fortunately, there were others present who dared to refute and offend this man; the merchants did not care at all about the Earl behind him. After all, even an Earl had to take care of these big businessmen; compared to their dogs, their money was more important.

The more composed male merchant from before spoke up: "We cannot rely solely on the Knight's anticipation and contingency. Anyone who has been in business for years knows that making full preparations before setting out is the best way to save money. Therefore, we must provide the Knight and his Militia with sufficient follow-up supplies to support him in wiping out this Bandit Group of no small scale. If the Knight didn't refuse the mercenary guards I hired to participate, I would have wanted to spend a sum of money to hire those thugs in the pass who are idle all winter to go up and deal with the bandits together."

The fat merchant on the side added: "It would also be fine to hire a few Priest friends of the great God of Wealth to help suppress the bandits," then muttered in a low voice: "Although it will cost quite a bit of money."

The other officials and merchants dealing in bulk goods who had been called to the scene also expressed their views.

The officials were divided into two factions. One felt that since the merchants were so willing, they could let them spontaneously raise the supplies, while they would be responsible for taking people to transport them, and they 'guaranteed' not to embezzle the supplies raised.

The other group felt that the merchants should be excluded from the material preparation; they only needed to provide a substantial 'special' security tax, and the subsequent material preparation and transportation could be left to them. After all, they had done it this way in previous years, and the Militia's bandit-clearing operations in previous years had never had any problems.

Of course, if the merchants were willing to pay such a 'special' security tax every year, they could even have the soldiers of Bingxun Pass leave the city every quarter to clear out the bandits plundering the caravans.

They hadn't done this before mainly because the tax revenue of Bingxun Pass was insufficient. Many taxes that merchants should have paid for various applications and soldier expenses were never paid; they preferred to spend more money to hire amateur personnel like guards and thugs rather than pay them to recruit more soldiers.

Regarding this rhetoric, the merchants looked distrustful; if it weren't for the presence of Longsisi-Kendeer, the eldest son of Kendall Baron, they would have already bid farewell and left.

As if anyone would believe the words of these Bingxun Pass officials. The merchants were all well-informed and knew that the annual tax revenue of Bingxun Pass was not small, but it had never been truly applied to the governance of Bingxun Pass.

The soldiers' wages were often in arrears, and they even needed to accompany the tax officials to collect miscellaneous taxes just to barely scrape by. Many of the merchants' guards were soldiers who had left after they could no longer carry on.

Therefore, they did not believe a single bit of the officials' rhetoric.

Moreover, before coming, they had also done some investigation. The material supplies of previous years had also been significantly skimmed by these guys. If it weren't for the fact that the money and materials did not pass through the hands of Knight Kela, the other party would not have known the ins and outs and would have thought that the supplies provided to the Militia each time were just that much. If the Knight really knew the truth, it would probably cause a scene that would be hard to clean up.

Therefore, the merchants firmly demanded that they raise the supplies themselves; perhaps they would need help from Bingxun Pass for transportation, but their own people had to be involved.

They had all made guarantees to their subordinates in their own Merchant Guilds that they would definitely not let the Thieves of Luodai Cave live through this winter, and they meant what they said. Going out to do business relied on the trust of their Stewards and Shop Assistants; if the Bandit Group that slaughtered their caravans was not eliminated, then who would dare to follow them?

The officials of Bingxun Pass were also unyielding, insisting that their bottom line was that they would be fully responsible for transportation, and they would strive for the merchants to provide a special tax, and they would also be responsible for purchasing and raising the supplies.

Meanwhile, several merchants responsible for local bulk goods were hesitant.

By supporting the officials, they could split the profits with them and eat up this extra material transaction together. After all, they had asked the merchants present, and those bandits were holed up in a Shandong and were numerous, which sounded difficult to deal with. The longer the Militia fought, the more supplies they would need; this business had potential to be tapped.

By supporting their fellow merchants, they could maintain a consistent stance with the other merchants, and there would be a sense of camaraderie in other transactions later. These big merchants were all very powerful; Bingxun Pass was only a part of their business scope, and most of the entire Shanglu starting from Kendall County involved these merchants. It was not good to offend these people over this matter.

Just as the two sides were arguing, a Melee Militia walked over from behind Longsuosi, who had been helplessly watching these people argue.

"Captain, a guard from beside Knight Kela has arrived. He brought a letter from Knight Kela," the Militia said in a low voice.

Longsuosi cleared his throat to attract the attention of the others present, and he said loudly: "Knight Kela's guard has arrived. Gentlemen, let us see what news he has brought. Militia, go invite him in."

"Yes, Captain," the Militia replied and went down.

Afterwards, the guard of Knight Kela, who had been waiting at the door for a while, walked in.