Chapter 235

First Volume, Chapter 235: Endless Bandit Uprising

Since the founding of Shedynasty, Beixi County has been a famously poor county of Liang.

The Beixi People, long accustomed and numb to poverty, refused to believe that a century-old affliction could be cured overnight by the mere arrival of Qin Feng—unless he were a god!

Facing the scholars' doubts, Qin Feng offered no explanation.

The night was deep.

Qin Feng did not immediately begin work; instead, he ordered the hired scholars to return home and rest, reporting formally to the County Yamen the next day.

Back in the Back Courtyard, Qin Cheng Clan and Li Xiaolan had already fallen into deep sleep.

Afraid of waking them, Qin Feng tiptoed back to his room and collapsed onto the bed, his body feeling as if it had fallen apart.

He had thought he might finally get a good night's sleep, but the moment his head touched the pillow, a chorus of shrieks erupted from the courtyard.

"Brother Qin, come out quickly!"

Qin Feng jolted upright, cursing inwardly, reluctantly pushing open the door—only to exhale in relief upon confirming his mother and Third Sister had not been disturbed. He glared at Ning Hu, irritable: "What the hell are you screaming for at this hour?!"

"I've been running myself ragged for days—can't I even get a decent night's sleep?!"

Qin Feng felt that, if things continued like this, he'd die of overwork before long.

Ning Hu's eyes flickered with regret, but he stepped forward swiftly, his expression grim: "Something's happened."

Since Qin Feng arrived in Beixi County, what day hasn't brought trouble?

Qin Feng was already numb. He shrugged indifferently: "At this hour, what could possibly happen? Did Chen Li's corruption case flare up again?"

Ning Hu's gaze darkened, his voice lowered: "Actually, this is tied to Chen Li… Since you took office, nearly every yamen runner in the County Yamen has been replaced—those who should've been imprisoned, imprisoned; those who should've been beheaded, beheaded. Only a few head constables and runners remain. These bastards, fearing they'd meet Chen Li's fate, defected."

Hearing this, Qin Feng finally perked up: "Defected? With those worthless scraps, where could they possibly run? Even the Di, in their worst state, wouldn't take in such trash."

Ning Hu let out a bitter laugh: "If they'd fled to the Di, that'd be one thing—the Border Army would've cut them down without us lifting a finger. But just now, villagers from Dàyángshù Village came to report: yamen runners and mountain bandits colluded, plundering the entire village, killing and wounding countless people."

Qin Feng had never taken those yamen runners seriously.

After all, they were just dogs barking on behalf of their master—Chen Li was down; what could these lackeys possibly do? Reality slapped him hard across the face.

These yamen runners were already "licensed bandits." Now that Chen Li was gone and their patron vanished, they became true bandits in every sense.

Qin Feng frowned slightly and asked gravely: "What's the death toll in Dàyángshù Village?"

Ning Hu sighed, his eyes burning with fury: "Dàyángshù Village had seventy-three souls. At least fifty were killed. The rest barely escaped by fleeing into the mountains. And… everything they could carry was stolen; what they couldn't carry, they burned."

Qin Feng nodded, unusually calm—because blind rage served no purpose now.

Dragging his exhausted body back to the DaTang, Qin Feng stared at Beixi County's map and sighed: "The situation here is worse than I imagined. Zhong Ling's Beidi Raiding Cavalry remains unresolved, and now bandit uprising has emerged. If we don't eliminate both threats, Beixi County will know no peace."

"Little Marquis, send Qi Meng with thirty guards to Dàyángshù Village to handle aftermath. Surviving villagers will be relocated to County City—funding will come from the County Yamen's treasury."

"Also, send scouts to gather intelligence on the bandits—find their hideout…"

Qin Feng had barely finished when Ning Hu interrupted.

Ning Hu clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked, his voice icy: "No need to investigate. Those defectors joined Feiying Stockade. Feiying Stockade has held this region for over twenty years, housing three hundred bandits. Due to their strength and Chen Li's refusal to pay tribute, they've become deeply entrenched. And…"

Seeing Ning Hu hesitate, Qin Feng raised an eyebrow: "And what? Speak freely."

Ning Hu gritted his teeth and pointed at Yinggang Mountain on the map: "That's where Feiying Stockade sits—less than twenty Li straight from the Border. Due to complex terrain and ongoing warfare, the Border Army can't mount a siege. Just now, I visited the Prison and learned from the County Commandant: Feiying Stockade has long been secretly trading with the Di—exchanging grain and materials for weapons."

Qin Feng frowned, studying the map, his mind racing: "So Zhong Ling's unit might also be hiding within Feiying Stockade?"

Ning Hu nodded heavily: "Highly likely! If it were merely bandits, they'd be insignificant. But if Zhong Ling—the Legendary Fang General known as the Beidi Wolf—is commanding them, everything changes."

Hearing this, Qin Feng felt unease creeping in.

Feiying Stockade had three hundred bandits, plus twenty defected yamen runners, and Zhong Ling's hundred Raiding Cavalry.

Four hundred and twenty men, entrenched in the treacherous terrain of Yinggang Mountain, would become a force not to be underestimated.

If left unchecked, they wouldn't just threaten the lives of Beixi's people—they'd plant a time bomb in the Border conflict.

No choice: they must be destroyed.

After careful thought, Qin Feng issued his order: "Little Marquis, send men at once to Biancheng to request two hundred Border Army troops. I doubt the Beijing Garrison Commander will refuse. Also, summon all yamen soldiers. At nightfall tomorrow, we march on Yinggang Mountain—bandit suppression!"

Ning Hu bowed and turned away.

Qin Feng sat behind the Shushu, his mind racing—he finally understood why the Grand Commandant had trapped him in Beixi County.

This damned place was incredibly complex!

Beyond the people's livelihood crisis, it was entangled with the Di in countless ways—misstep, and he'd burn alive.

After all, Qin Feng now held an official post, bound by the Ministry of Personnel. If anything went wrong, his political enemies in Jingdu would surely crown him with the charge of "colluding with the enemy!"

Every matter in Beixi County must be handled step by step—with utmost caution!

Qin Feng fell asleep slumped over the Shushu. When he awoke, it was dawn—the next morning—and a blanket covered him.

Before Qin Feng could react, Li Xiaolan entered, lifting the curtain with a steaming bowl of chicken soup, her brow heavy with concern: "Feng'er, this rotten mess in Beixi County shouldn't have landed on your shoulders. But now, with circumstances as they are, you've suffered terribly."

Qin Feng took the soup, warmth spreading through his chest—he wiped the fatigue from his face and grinned carelessly: "Heh, even if I'm exhausted, having you care for me makes it worth it. I wonder what good karma I earned in my past life to have such a wonderful sister."