Chapter 450: The Notorious Bandits
Zhu Youjian listened carefully, then understood. Yang He's meaning was clear: if money was spent on suppressing the bandits, it would be gone, and many lives would be lost, incurring heavenly displeasure. But if the bandits were pacified, although the money would still be spent, the people would remain, capable of producing wealth and generating taxes, allowing the money to be recovered.
That made a certain kind of sense!
Just as he was pondering this, he heard all the civil and military officials declare in unison, "Pacification is the priority now!"
Zhu Youjian saw that every single civil and military official agreed to pacification. It seemed that reconciliation was indeed the best, perhaps the only, approach.
He cleared his throat and spoke, "These rebels are still my people; they ought to be pacified. However, Minister Yang also stated in his letter that for pacification to succeed, they need farmland, cattle, and seeds to return to farming and their livelihoods. This requires a substantial sum of money... where shall this money come from?"
The moment these words left his lips, he felt a sudden unease.
Damn, he'd fallen into their trap!
Sure enough, a civil official immediately stepped forward: "Your Majesty, the national treasury is empty. The only viable solution now is to use your personal funds."
Then a second official stepped forward: "We implore Your Majesty to use your personal funds."
"Personal funds! Personal funds! Personal funds!"
The two words echoed through the grand hall like a Chopin nocturne.
Zhu Youjian's face darkened, but he found himself in a situation he couldn't back out of. He had just declared, "The rebels are still my people; they ought to be pacified." He couldn't possibly turn around now and say those commoners weren't his people.
There was no choice but to endure. He still had some last reserves of cash.
With a flourish of his imperial brush, Zhu Youjian decreed: "Shaanxi repeatedly reports famine, and the common folk have lost their livelihoods, even forced into banditry, falling victim to the blade. Are they not all my children, suffering such hardship? My heart aches for their plight. I hereby issue 100,000 gold, ordering the censor to proceed and, after assessing the affected areas, distribute relief accordingly. Furthermore, make it known to the misguided populace that even if they were coerced and mistakenly joined the bandit factions, if they are willing to return to righteousness, they shall be considered good citizens. We shall embrace them anew, offering uniform relief and care."
Censor Wu Shen accepted this glorious yet arduous task, taking Zhu Youjian's last reserves of 100,000 taels of silver and setting off for Qin and Jin to pacify the roaming bandits...
Oh, and while other bandits could be pacified, one exception remained: Wang Jiayin, who had already declared himself king. Zhu Youjian personally issued an edict: "Strike him down with all your might!"
***
Several days later.
Outside Yan'an Prefecture, within a dense forest.
Miao Mei, with a few dozen hardened bandits, hid in the woods, observing the dilapidated prefectural city before them.
Ever since the Battle of Huanglong Mountain, when Wang Zuogua's forces were routed by Cheng Xu leading the Gao Family Village Militia, Miao Mei had been roaming with the last few dozen surviving bandits, pillaging and burning everything in their path around Yan'an Prefecture.
With a smaller, depleted force, attacking prefectural, departmental, or even county seats was out of the question. They didn't even dare to provoke the larger estates of wealthy gentry anymore.
However, having fewer numbers also offered an advantage: flexibility, adaptability, and ease of escape.
In the past, Wang Zuogua, with several thousand men, wouldn't have dared to enter Yichuan County because Hong Chengchou would have caught and severely punished them every time. But now, with only a few dozen men, Miao Mei actually dared to go in. A small contingent meant a small target, making it possible to operate right under the nose of Grain Intendant Hong Chengchou. Hong Chengchou could defeat large armies, but he couldn't capture small groups of roaming bandits.
Miao Mei had been active around Yichuan County and Yan'an Prefecture for several months when he heard a major piece of news: Hong Chengchou had been promoted from a mere Grain Intendant to the Governor of Yansui.
This was a shock of no small magnitude!
The man had previously been only a Grain Intendant, without the authority to command regular imperial troops. Yet, with just a few hundred household retainers and militia, he had sent every passing rebel army scurrying away in terror. Not only had he dealt with Wang Zuogua's ten thousand men, but even Wang Jiayin's fifty thousand strong army had been easily handled by Hong Chengchou.
Now that he was a provincial governor, what chaos would ensue?
His premonition was correct.
As soon as Hong Chengchou became the Governor of Yansui, he immediately tossed aside like refuse the useless Yansui Regional Commander Wu Zimian, who had been illegally selling military horses. He appointed Du Wenhuan as the new Yansui Regional Commander and, at the same time, brought in the formidable generals Cao Wenzhao and He Renlong.
The trio of Du Wenhuan, Cao Wenzhao, and He Renlong led the imperial forces in a relentless campaign of bandit suppression, sending the roaming bandits near Yansui fleeing in utter terror, living in constant dread.
Fortunately, these three were mere mortals, not deities; they truly couldn't capture small, scattered groups of fugitives. Over these past few months, Miao Mei, though constantly on edge, hadn't been caught. Several times, he had narrowly escaped capture by the suppression forces.
But this relentless pursuit meant he hadn't managed to plunder any grain for a long time. All his subordinates were exhausted and starving, on the verge of collapse.
Just then, a hardened bandit named Miao Dengyun (a historical figure) ran from the forest, whispering to Miao Mei, "Brother, I have good news."
Miao Mei blinked: "Oh?"
Miao Dengyun replied, "Supreme Commander of Three Borders Yang He has issued an edict of pacification! As long as we surrender, all past transgressions will be forgiven, and we'll even be given grain, farmland, and cattle seeds."
Miao Mei asked, "Is that true?"
Miao Dengyun nodded: "It's true! A provincial governor issued the proclamation; how could it be false? Reportedly, it even has an imperial decree backing it. The emperor's word is law; this is no joke."
Miao Mei pondered for a moment, then chuckled: "Good, we'll surrender! We'll trick the court into giving us grain and cattle, eat a few full meals, recuperate, and once everyone's rested and strong, we'll rebel again!"
Miao Dengyun grinned: "Then I'll go to Yan'an Prefecture, meet with Hong Chengchou, and tell him we're willing to surrender."
Soon, Miao Dengyun arrived at Yan'an Prefecture. After he explained his purpose, the "ferocious" Hong Chengchou immediately became courteous: "So, Hero Miao is willing to turn over a new leaf and become a law-abiding citizen? That is truly cause for celebration! I shall immediately arrange a banquet to welcome Hero Miao."
Miao Dengyun, seeing this once-terrifying general who had made them tremble now acting so politely, couldn't help but inwardly gloat: "Heh! No matter how formidable you are, you're still just a governor. You still have to listen to Supreme Commander Yang He. If Yang He says pacify, you can only obey. What could you possibly do to us now? Hahahaha!"
A few days later!
Hong Chengchou's banquet was ready, and the "surrender wine" was laid out.
Miao Mei and Miao Dengyun, along with their last 320 hardened bandits, marched proudly into Yan'an Prefecture, swaggering their way to the feast. They raised their cups and downed the "surrender wine."
Just as they were swelling with pride...
Suddenly!
He Renlong burst into the banquet hall, his blade flashed down, severing Miao Mei's head with a sickening thud. Despite Miao Mei's martial prowess, he couldn't withstand even a single move from He Renlong.
At the same moment, ambushes sprang from all sides!
Imperial soldiers surged forth, hacking to pieces all of Miao Mei's subordinates who had attended the banquet.
Once silence fell, Hong Chengchou cautiously emerged from behind the distant trees. He glanced at the bloody scene before him but didn't approach; he couldn't risk getting blood on his clothes.
He merely cast a distant look and sneered: "Hmph! A band of notorious scoundrels. Even if they surrendered, it would be a false surrender. They wanted to trick the imperial court into giving them grain and cattle to fill their bellies, only to rebel again later, didn't they? This clumsy charade might fool Yang He, but it won't fool me, Hong Chengchou."
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