[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-66":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2288901,4475,"Chapter 66: Crushing the Bandits","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-66",66,"\u003Cp>Hearing that the coal had been robbed, Jiang Mingyu’s brow twitched sharply as he demanded harshly: “Tell me clearly—who robbed it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Goudan wiped his tears and said, voice trembling: “Today, I led ten men to transport ten carts of coal to Tenglong County. When we reached Xiao Ying Gou, thirty li outside the city, I suddenly had a terrible stomachache and had to hide in the roadside grass to relieve myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just then, I heard rustling in the grass—over twenty thugs, faces covered in scars and radiating brutality, suddenly surrounded us! They wore headscarves, tattered rags, and wielded swords and knives, encircling our laborers and roaring for money!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where would we, lowly poor folk, have any money? The bandits only seized a few carts of coal they didn’t understand, and when they realized they couldn’t get silver, they immediately revealed their beastly nature and raised their blades to slaughter us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hid in the grass and watched helplessly as each of them was cut down. I wanted to save them, but terror froze my limbs—I could only watch… they all died. They all died!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, Li Goudan’s eyes went vacant, and he collapsed helplessly to the ground, filled with guilt and despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Goudan knelt on the ground, fists clenched, slamming them into the earth, his face twisted with pain and remorse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing this, Jiang Mingyu’s eyes widened in fury, blazing with uncontrollable rage: “Who did this?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With bloodshot eyes, Li Goudan struggled to recall: “They called themselves heroes of Xiao Ying Mountain, and said robbing us was doing us a favor…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A favor?!” Jiang Mingyu exploded in rage, slamming his fist on the table, making the teacup leap high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sprang to his feet and roared: “Cloud of the Murong, go fetch Tukesiluo immediately! I will go to Xiao Ying Mountain myself to seek justice for these innocent laborers!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, Jiang Mingyu strode out the door, and Li Goudan scrambled to his feet and followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s face was contorted, his eyes brimming with murderous intent—he would kill those damned bandits himself to avenge the innocent laborers who had died!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About an hour later, Xiao Ying Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cloud of the Murong’s gaze was cold as he pointed to the bandit stronghold ahead: “Xingqiu, according to the villagers’ directions, this is the place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bitter wind howled, autumn leaves drifted down, and before the stronghold’s gate stood two burly men in stained black coats, holding long spears as guards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing newcomers, they immediately shouted: “Who are you?” The man speaking had triangular eyes full of contempt, bushy eyebrows crooked in sneer: “Don’t you know where you are? Get lost!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s gaze was as icy as a blade: “Have your leader come out immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The triangular-eyed man laughed as if hearing the greatest joke: “Where did this brat come from?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think you’re worthy to meet our leader? I bet you drank too much cheap liquor and got your head swollen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man beside him sneered: “Don’t make trouble for yourself. Go cool off somewhere else. Anger the big man, and you two brats will die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s face remained grim: “I’ll say it once more—have your leader come out and face death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the two youths with no facial hair, the triangular-eyed man spat: “Go to hell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whose dog wasn’t leashed, letting this mouthy little beast run free? For miles around, no one dares speak such big words on Xiao Ying Mountain. You think I’m talking to you out of kindness? You actually think you’re someone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other guard at the gate grew impatient: “Enough talking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take their heads to the leader for reward—might even get a couple coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the two sneer and raise their spears, Jiang Mingyu coldly said: “Seek death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Tukesiluo drew his longsword—the oncoming thug felt a chill at his neck, then knew nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The death of his companion made the triangular-eyed man swallow hard, his voice trembling: “Y-you… you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s gaze was like a blade: “Have your leader come out. Don’t test my patience further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Terrified half to death, the triangular-eyed man turned and fled into the stronghold: “Disaster…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half a quarter-hour later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burly man in a lavish wolf-pelt robe, with a leather sash across his chest and thick black eyebrows, arrived with over twenty men before Jiang Mingyu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man narrowed his eyes, staring fixedly at the bloody, mangled corpses, and asked coldly: “Did you kill them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu met his gaze without flinching: “Are you the leader of this stronghold?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s brows knotted tightly, his voice low and violent: “I asked you—did you kill them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone was slow and stiff, clearly on the verge of explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu sat calmly on his horse, unmoved: “Yes, we killed them. So what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You murderers and bandits, oppressing the innocent, deserve death. Not only will I kill you, but today, all of you will die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s eyes turned blood-red; he roared, as if wanting to devour Jiang Mingyu alive: “Where did this little beast come from, daring to speak such words before me, Wei Aotian?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know, the last man who spoke to me like this? His grave grass has been replaced several times!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His thugs immediately jumped in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These brats don’t even know who our leader is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Daring to come to Xiao Ying Mountain? You’ve gone blind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little brat, speak up—did our leader’s name scare your dog guts out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Jiang Mingyu’s expression darken, Wei Aotian grew even more arrogant: “Since my brothers and I gathered here, we’ve always acted in Heaven’s name to punish the wicked!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not just you, but even foreigners and the government must give us three paces.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Killing my men is slapping my face, brat—have you decided how you want to die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Jiang Mingyu felt a surge of swelling pain in his chest, fists clenched, veins bulging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He forced down his rage and sneered: “Your so-called ‘acting in Heaven’s name’ means murdering people and slaughtering civilians?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold wind howled, Jiang Mingyu’s black riding coat flapping in the gale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze flashed like lightning as he fixed it on Wei Aotian: “Had it not been for Xiao Ying Gou, I wouldn’t have known there were such monsters in Shangmu County.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Aotian sneered, his steel blade glinting coldly in the wind: “Xiao Ying Gou? You know quite a bit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wrong. Those worthless vermin were killed by my own hand! And what of it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn those beggars had nothing on them—braved the freezing cold for nothing. They deserved to die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here he paused, sizing up Jiang Mingyu and Cloud of the Murong’s group: “I ask you, why are you so worked up about this? Did those dead beggars include your kin?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Aotian burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the valley: “I get it—those vermin had your old man! Ha! Looks like your mother’s going to be a widow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Aotian deliberately smacked his lips: “Why not send your mother over too? My brothers are all strong and virile—we’ll make her happy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this vulgar remark, his thugs erupted in raucous laughter. Jiang Mingyu’s eyes burned with fury—he wanted to devour them alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu forced down his rage, his gaze like lightning, and said coldly: “Let me tell you plainly—I am Jiang Mingyu, acting County Magistrate of Shangmu County, appointed by imperial decree.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You beasts have taken lives—today, I will seek justice for the dead civilians!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Aotian looked Jiang Mingyu up and down, then sneered bitterly: “Imperial envoy? You?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since you seek death, I, Wei Aotian, will grant it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brothers, charge! Cut down these two brats—then go have some fun!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his command, the thugs drew their weapons in unison and surged forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After about the time of a meal, the stronghold fell silent. Only Jiang Mingyu and Cloud of the Murong remained mounted, Tukesiluo holding his longsword—everything else was dead, save for the pale, trembling Wei Aotian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu said calmly: “Still want to go have fun?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Aotian’s eyes bulged, his whole body shaking. He scrambled to his knees before Jiang Mingyu’s horse, begging: “My lord, spare… spare my life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had abandoned all dignity, babbling endlessly: “Your servant is blind, didn’t recognize the mountain’s height—spare me, please… spare me this once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who had just been a ferocious demon now trembled helplessly—where was the menace?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu didn’t even lift his eyelids; he gave a quiet order: “Take him back to the county seat. Execute him publicly before all the people—to avenge those innocent laborers!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, on the crossroads of Shangmu County’s city, Wei Aotian’s head fell, spraying blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant his head hit the ground, Jiang Mingyu felt a surge of relief—he had finally avenged the innocent villagers, and his spirit soared!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, he set out for the provincial capital to assume his new post, his heart light and clear.\u003C\u002Fp>",1489,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","50df101d3a1245d13569100b49d84e143dc066618714b39ff002b125799b043a","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-67","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-65",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]