Chapter 1076: First Volume, Chapter 1076: Yuping County Bandits

First Volume, Chapter 1076: Yuping County Bandits

Qin Feng led the Black Riders straight to the County Yamen and ordered the County Magistrate to send for a physician.

At this moment, the Beixi County Courthouse was brightly lit; the County Magistrate Wu Chenggong stared at the mother and child before him, then at Qin Feng's grim expression, his heart sinking with unease.

Although he had never seen Qin Feng in person, this young man's appearance and the heavily armed Black Riders beside him proved he was none other than the First Marquis Under Heaven of Shedynasty.

How could such a towering figure come to Yuping County seeking medical aid?

And even if he was seeking treatment, why this pair? The child looked ordinary enough, but the woman—clearly a rough, unrefined commoner.

Why would Qin Feng be so anxious over such lowly peasants?

Wu Chenggong could no longer hold back and cautiously asked: "Lord Qin, may I ask the identity of this mother and child?"

Qin Feng's thoughts were entirely on Niu Er; he didn't notice the odd look in Wu Chenggong's eyes.

Zhao Yuxiong raised an eyebrow and said sternly: "What business is this of yours? Just save the patient."

Feeling the lethal aura radiating from Zhao Yuxiong, Wu Chenggong's heart trembled, but after a moment's hesitation, he gathered his courage and voiced his concerns.

"General Chen, don't misunderstand—I have no selfish motives. Since Lord Qin has come to Yuping County for medical aid, no matter the reason, I will spare no effort to treat this young master."

"But if this mother and child are merely strangers you encountered on the road, it would be safer to verify their true identities."

Hearing this, Qin Feng finally tore his gaze from Niu Er and turned to face Wu Chenggong.

Since arriving at the County Yamen, Wu Chenggong's eyes had kept darting between Niu Er and his mother—clearly, he had something on his mind.

If Wu Chenggong had known this pair beforehand, that possibility was out of the question.

After all, Niu Er and his mother were not only Northern Di people, but also ordinary villagers.

No matter how broad Wu Chenggong's connections, he could never have ties to an ordinary villager in the Northern Di Imperial Court.

Thus, based on Qin Feng's judgment, Wu Chenggong had most likely mistaken someone else for them.

Qin Feng, patient but firm, replied: "Wu County Magistrate, if you have something to say, say it plainly—no need for circumlocution."

"As Father Official of Yuping County, even if you speak wrongly, I won't punish you."

With those words, Wu Chenggong gained confidence.

He no longer hesitated and quickly explained: "Lord Qin, you may not know, but Yuping County has been unsettled lately."

About seven or eight days ago, a band of bandits suddenly appeared nearby—killing anyone they encountered, whether common folk or officials, all met certain death."

"To rob and murder, these bandits deliberately send out decoys—often disguising themselves as helpless women and children."

"If ordinary villagers try to help, they're cut down instantly."

"If wealthy households or officials intervene, the bandits follow them, then kill and plunder."

"Due to their extreme brutality, the entire county is now in a state of panic."

Hearing Wu Chenggong's words, Qin Feng recalled the garrison commander's evasive, overly cautious behavior upon entering the city.

He finally understood: the commander hadn't been malicious—he was terrified of those bandits.

Learning the full story, Qin Feng frowned deeply and said: "I never imagined that in this age of peace, there still exist desperate outlaws freely slaughtering the innocent."

"As County Magistrate, why haven't you sent troops to eliminate them?"

Facing Qin Feng's accusation, Wu Chenggong's face turned grim.

"I've tried to eliminate them—how could I not?"

"I sent out nearly a hundred men—only fifty returned. Those bandits are ferocious, numerous, and overwhelming. With just Yuping County's forces, eliminating them is no easy task."

"I've already requested reinforcements from the Zhou Fu, but I doubt I'll receive a reply anytime soon."

In this era, everything was slow and inconvenient; even the fastest courier from Yuping County to the Zhou Fu would take one to two months to summon troops.

And that's only if the Zhou Fu officials were genuinely concerned.

If they were corrupt, cowardly bureaucrats afraid of blame, they might delay for a year or more.

Though Qin Feng was shocked by the bandits' brutality, such bandit raids were not uncommon—they fell under local governance.

He shouldn't interfere, and had no time to interfere.

Moreover, since bandits lacked siege capability, local officials weren't truly afraid of mountain outlaws—even during disasters.

Yet Wu Chenggong's eyes betrayed fear.

Combined with the garrison commander's reaction, Qin Feng couldn't help but feel a flicker of interest.

What kind of bandits were these, to terrify a County Magistrate so thoroughly?

Unable to figure it out, Qin Feng stopped wasting thought and asked directly: "How many are they?"

Wu Chenggong blurted out: "At least two hundred, by conservative estimate."

"And they're extremely fierce—willing to fight and kill. Their morale is no weaker than Yuping County's own soldiers."

"Most crucially, they have many war horses."

Hearing this, Qin Feng and Zhao Yuxiong exchanged a glance, both showing surprise.

Bandits were usually rabble—only good at overwhelming the weak, crumbling instantly when facing soldiers, even local garrison forces.

Plus, their income relied entirely on plunder, so they lacked stable food and weapon supplies, wielding mismatched, inferior gear.

In short, bandits' combat effectiveness was negligible.

But these bandits Wu Chenggong described were extraordinary—based on his words, they were numerous, organized, and well-equipped.

If boldly assumed, their strength might rival that of a Regular Army.

County Soldiers had to maintain local governance and defend the city simultaneously—losing to them was understandable.

Qin Feng said decisively: "Since I've stumbled upon this, I won't stand idly by."

"I'll issue a Beidi War Mobilization under my name—within ten days, we can launch a Bandit Elimination."

"Wu County Magistrate, stay here, guard the city tightly, and make sure those bandits don't slip through."

Though relieved by Qin Feng's aid, Wu Chenggong could only force a smile.

"Then thank you, Marquis Qin."

Qin Feng naturally noticed the unusual expression on Wu Chenggong's face and immediately asked, "What? I've already helped you summon troops from the Zhou Fu to suppress bandits—still not satisfied?"