Chapter 6

A timid villager ran up and said, "Report to the authorities quickly."

Zhu Qing wanted to slap him dead, "Report to the authorities, how? Are we supposed to say that we resisted during private trade and killed them?"

"We won't take the horses and weapons; let's immediately leave this place," the old clan leader Wang Ju made the decision for everyone. The Song Dynasty lacked horses, and a good horse could sell for at least fifty guan, so Wang Ju used it to boost everyone's morale. However, the weapons were standard Song military equipment, and the horses had brands, so they couldn't be greedy for the money.

"We can't leave like this."

"Weng weng, don't be hasty."

Zhu Qing and Wang Ju said simultaneously.

"Why?"

"Weng weng, we must leave, otherwise more soldiers... bandits will swarm in and kill us to cover up the evidence. Fortunately, we don't know which camp they came from, but even the nearest Shun'ning Fort is dozens of miles away on mountain paths, so we still have time. But we can't leave like this."

"Da Niu, speak up," Uncle Two said.

"Uncle Two, they are soldiers from the Zhenwu Camp. So many were killed at once, there must be an explanation. But what explanation?"

"They can say they died fighting the Western Xia."

"If it were a few dozen miles east, it might work, but here, it won't. Our dynasty is weak; only the Western Xia raid our border civilians. How could the soldiers have the courage to fight the Western Xia here?"

"Yes."

"There's only one reason: publicly say they were killed in a fight with private traders, by the traders and the mule drivers."

"There's evidence," Uncle Two pointed to the flags and veils.

"What can this prove? Can't it be forged? Who will vouch for us? Even if we run away, they might still find some clues. In the future, whether it's the boss or the village, it will be dangerous."

"Not only that, they are soldiers. If they check village by village, they will find someone to face them." Zhu Qing said irritably.

But it's not easy to say. The battle just now was like a flash of lightning and thunder. How many people would seriously remember the faces of the opponents? In short, it will be very troublesome, so we can't leave immediately without a good plan.

"How can they be soldiers?" the pretty young woman muttered.

"Why can't they be soldiers? Look at how our officials have acted in Shu several times." The Song military discipline was good at times, such as when Cao Wei and Yue Fei led the troops. The rest were corrupt. The city troops, raised in the city, were like this. This isn't business or workshop work, which requires city people. For military use, rural troops are needed, as Qi Jiguang's method of selecting troops. Later, the strongest Western Army was not the imperial troops stationed in the capital, but the Baojie Army from Shaanxi.

"It's you who brought this bad luck." One of Zhu Qing's subordinates shouted again.

"Here we go again. When we encounter trouble, we solve it. Bullying two weak women isn't a skill," Wang Ju said angrily.

"Little Lang, what should we do?" Zhu Qing asked, at a loss.

Wang Ju's astonishing performance just now made him automatically overlook his age.

"Let me think." Wang Ju looked at the eastern sky, which was nearing dusk. A half-moon began to rise and fall in the eastern sky. Fortunately, he and Uncle Two had come here to hunt before, a long time ago, and he still remembered some of the terrain.

After thinking for a while, Wang Ju said, "It's about to get dark, but the weather is clear, and there's moonlight. We'll go through Qingmo Ridge."

"Is there a path through Qingmo Ridge?"

"Without a path, we have a chance. At worst, we'll use the moonlight to carry the goods and carts over Qingmo Ridge. There seems to be a small path beyond Qingmo Ridge."

"That's right, there is a path, it seems to be a grassy stream path." Zhu Qing said, taking out a map to look at it.

"Endure some hardship, get the goods to that path, a bit further from here, find a hidden place, and in a few days, hire a group of mule drivers to transport the goods to Yan Prefecture. Then, even if these soldiers investigate, they will likely not suspect the boss."

"This seems to be a plan."

"That's not enough. Manager Zhu, look at your subordinates, which ones have unfamiliar faces. Let them ride horses and immediately spread the news in nearby villages and forts that the bandits fought and killed each other here. Their heads... seem to be very valuable."

"Brilliant."

All the major households involved in the private market hated these bandits.

It was because of them that the Song Dynasty sent several groups of troops into the mountains to suppress the bandits, but they never expected the bandits to be soldiers. Therefore, several attempts to suppress the bandits were fruitless. So they offered a huge reward: 500 guan for anyone who captured or killed the three bandit leaders, and 500 guan for anyone who provided a clue. Other bandits were rewarded 10 to 50 guan based on their status.

However, no one would dare to claim the reward, as it would expose them. Once the reward was claimed, the soldiers would come and execute them for the private salt crime.

But it wouldn't matter for others.

Wang Ju continued, "These black bandits have committed many evils over the years and must have accumulated a lot of wealth. This wealth can't be kept in the camp, or in a separate place for money and silk. This place can't be near the camp, as the camps are often in densely populated areas. Also, some of the private goods are very valuable. Therefore, this place is not near the camp but in a remote, complex area within their activity range."

"It won't be, it can be exchanged for jiaozi or silver, and many soldiers drink, gamble, and visit prostitutes. Money is easy to get and easy to spend, and keeping it outside is too risky," Zhu Qing rejected.

"Maybe, but won't someone have the same idea? At least they have a lot of wealth that can't be spent, or some people like to save... Besides, they must have one or several such places. For example, if they don't have such a place, how can they immediately dispose of the goods they plundered? Manager Zhu, show me the map you have."

Zhu Qing was puzzled.

Wang Ju looked at the map, suddenly tore a piece of his clothes, and drew some vague route maps on it. He drew several, stained them with blood and mud, and baked them over the fire, then placed them in the pockets of several bandits.

Then he clapped his hands and said, "We're in a good position, let's watch from the shore!"

Zhu Qing thought for a long time before understanding Wang Ju's intention and exclaimed, "This is a good idea."

As he stared at Wang Ju, the mountain wind blew, and it was the hottest time of the year. The wind blew through the young man's long hair, making him look incredibly graceful.

But Zhu Qing still had some doubts.

First, the young man was very thin, a result of malnutrition. This could be understood, as they lived in poverty, whether in their stepfather's home or Uncle Two's home.

However, the young man's clothes were very clean. Did he have a meticulous and clean aunt? But if so, why were the patches on his clothes so rough?

But this wasn't important. Regardless of whether poor children grow up early, he was just a twelve-year-old boy. How could he have such skills and cunning?

No wonder historical records mention many prodigies, like Huo Qubing, who roamed the desert at the age of twelve, and Gan Luo, who became a prime minister at the age of twelve, and Yan Shu, who passed the imperial examination at the age of fourteen.

It turns out there are truly many prodigies in this world.

"The horses can be left behind; they have brands. Manager Zhu, the Western Xia script is based on our script but is more complex... some villagers died, consider it as compensation, and it will trouble you, Manager Zhu." Many countries around us are creating their own scripts, which is a big problem. Having their own script means having their own civilization.

But it's not related to Wang Ju; he is just a young man with an uncertain future.

However, the Western Xia script has minor changes and more strokes, which is an opportunity. We can add more brands to the horses, making them look like smuggled horses from the Western Xia, and then they can be sold.

"These bows and arrows can't be left behind, but the knives..." Wang Ju looked at the dozens of knives. Knives were more valuable, and he was somewhat reluctant to leave them. But the soldiers had tattoos, the horses had brands, the bows and arrows had marks, and the knives had inscriptions.

"Knives..." Wang Ju suddenly had an idea. He thought of something. If successful, the villagers of Wang Family Fort might no longer have to be mule drivers: "Take the knives."

"The knives can't be taken," Zhu Qing said.

"Manager Zhu, in a few days, please bring me a diagram of the Western Xia swords."

"Western Xia swords?" Zhu Qing thought.

"If it works, we can collaborate. If not, it won't be a problem. Let's go."

Wang Ju gave the orders for Zhu Qing.

Everyone quickly packed up, pushed the carts, and led the horses, heading quickly toward Qingmo Ridge.

We can't stay here for long!

PS: To prevent shoddy work, the Song Dynasty stipulated that each craftsman must engrave their name and the name of the workshop leader on each weapon they made. The method was "engrave the names on knives, swords, and iron armor, and write the names on bows, arrows, and other weapons with red paint." The Ming Dynasty had a similar practice, but it was not very effective.