Chapter 43

Xu Bangyan did not fall from the sky; he was tasked with patrolling the Great Wall to guard against Tartar raids. It just so happened that he encountered Wu Boyan leading a group of newly assimilated civilians into Ming territory.

Under normal circumstances, the court would certainly send officials to properly settle the newly assimilated civilians. However, with the current chaos in Liaodong, the court had no money and no one was willing to take on this arduous task, so they hastily arranged for the people to be settled in Dacheng Fort.

After Xu Bangyan found out, his eyes lit up. He wanted to advance in his career, and for that, he needed military achievements and heads. He certainly did not have the ability to kill Tartars and earn merit, but falsely claiming credit for killing civilians was too easy to be exposed.

At this moment, he encountered Wu Boyan and his group. These civilians had lived under Tartar rule, their hairstyles had changed, and their diet had also been altered. From their appearance and teeth, they looked almost identical to real Tartars.

Xu Bangyan had a wicked idea. He wanted to kill them, cut off their heads, and claim the credit.

Fortunately, Wu Boyan was quick-witted and led everyone to escape, eventually being taken in by Ma Rufeng at River Bend Village. Xu Bangyan, after inquiring, also rushed over and met Wan Baiquan on the way. Upon hearing the situation, Wan Baiquan was overjoyed. He was full of anger and immediately became an accomplice, leading Xu Bangyan to River Bend Village.

Xu Bangyan, of course, did not take Zhang Ke seriously. He sneered and said, "Zhang Ke, do you know what rank a Commandant is?"

"Fourth rank."

"And a Hundred-Man Commander?"

"Sixth rank."

"Ha ha ha ha, you're not a fool, am I right? I am four ranks higher than you. How dare you defy my orders? You are simply courting death!"

Zhang Ke smiled slightly, "Lord Xu, my provisional Hundred-Man Commander position has not been officially approved yet, which means I am still a commoner, and the gap between us is vast."

Wan Baiquan laughed contemptuously, "You're still smart. In others' eyes, you are just an ant, and can be crushed with a single step!"

Zhang Ke laughed heartily, "Hundred-Man Commander Wan, indeed, in some people's eyes, Zhang Ke is not even an ant, but these people definitely do not include you, Hundred-Man Commander Wan, nor Lord Xu!"

Being repeatedly defied by a low-ranking official, Xu Bangyan could no longer tolerate it and drew his saber.

"Zhang Ke, don't push your luck! With so many of my men here, I can flatten River Bend Village with a single command. You can't protect these people, and neither can Wang Huazhen!"

Xu Bangyan laughed carelessly, "Boy, let me tell you a secret. Although they have submitted to the Ming, the court has not registered them or sent officials to inspect them. They are essentially illegal residents. If I kill them, it's like crushing a bunch of bugs. Who would dare to cause trouble?"

After saying this, Xu Bangyan laughed maniacally. Wu Boyan and Yue Zixuan, who had been standing behind Zhang Ke, could no longer bear it. Wu Boyan gripped a long spear, Yue Zixuan drew a machete, and even Qiao Fu took out a bow and arrow. The young men, lacking weapons, picked up wooden clubs, their eyes blazing with anger as they stared at Xu Bangyan.

Wu Boyan took a few steps forward and sneered, "Corrupt official, you want to kill people, do you? Let's see who takes whose life. I don't want to live anyway, so I might as well take one with me!"

Behind Xu Bangyan, a servant hurriedly said, "My lord, that lean boy is the leader of the bandits!"

Xu Bangyan nodded and suddenly sneered, "Zhang Ke, the charge of harboring bandits is true. I will spare your life out of consideration for your youth and ignorance, so scram!"

Wan Baiquan also laughed loudly, "Yes, scram! If you dare to obstruct, you will be punished too. Don't forget your family!"

As they spoke, over a hundred soldiers rushed in, surrounding Zhang Ke. They were all on high alert, like fierce little devils. Xu Bangyan's men were much more ferocious than those from Dacheng Fort. River Bend Village was just starting to organize its defense, and the gap was too large!

Wu Boyan's palms were sweating. He stared at Zhang Ke, who was blocking the front, and suddenly said, "Lord, you have treated us with great kindness, which we will never forget. But this corrupt official is despicable, and you don't need to risk your life for us!"

Yue Zixuan also said, "That's right, Lord. We are willing to fight to the death. Even in the netherworld, we will be grateful for your kindness!"

"Rubbish!"

Zhang Ke said mercilessly, "Listen to me. I, Zhang Ke, am the headman of River Bend Village and your leader. Without my permission, no one can touch a single hair on your heads, not even the Son of Heaven!"

Zhang Ke walked forward, facing Xu Bangyan's saber.

"Lord Xu, falsely claiming credit for killing civilians and harming newly assimilated people, if this is exposed, will any loyal subjects dare to join the Ming? Because of your selfishness, you will ruin the entire Liaodong region. Do you think the court will let you off?"

"Zhang, you are courting death!" Xu Bangyan raised his gleaming saber and sneered, "I was thinking of sparing you for Wang Huazhen's sake, but you are courting death. Don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Xu Bangyan was about to strike when Yue Zixuan, Wu Boyan, and Qiao Fu all turned red-eyed and rushed forward.

"Lord, let's fight!"

"A bunch of ants, do you think I'm afraid of you?" Xu Bangyan raised his saber, and his men were ready to charge in and slaughter!

The lives of thousands in the village hung in the balance, at a critical moment.

Zhang Ke suddenly burst into laughter, as if no one else was around. Everyone was puzzled.

Wan Baiquan shouted angrily, "Boy, are you scared out of your wits?"

"Ha ha ha ha, what do I have to fear? You should be afraid!"

Zhang Ke suddenly raised his right hand and tore off his sleeve, revealing a string of nanmu prayer beads on his wrist.

"Lord Xu, if you have the courage, go ahead. See what happens if you kill me!"

Everyone's eyes were on Zhang Ke's hand, especially Wan Baiquan, whose heart raced. The last time Zhang Ke showed Wang Huazhen's banner, it made him look foolish. If he showed something significant this time, it would be a big problem!

When he saw the prayer beads, Wan Baiquan's heart eased a bit.

"Ha ha ha, I thought it was something. Just a string of beads. I can produce a hundred! Zhang Erlang, are you hoping for Buddha's protection? Let me tell you, don't delude yourself. Today is your end, and these people will die with you!"

Zhang Ke ignored him and looked at Xu Bangyan with a cold smile.

"Lord Xu, control your father-in-law. His behavior will eventually ruin you!" Zhang Ke clutched the prayer beads and threw them to Xu Bangyan.

"Look carefully, and see if you dare to act!"

Xu Bangyan fumbled to catch the prayer beads. They were exquisitely crafted, with Buddha images carved on each bead. He examined them closely and saw that seven beads had inscriptions below the images. Xu Bangyan rubbed his eyes and looked carefully.

Ceremonial... Supervisory... Office... Chen... Ju... Gift

Seeing these words, Xu Bangyan's head buzzed, and his brain felt ten times larger, almost falling off his horse. He rubbed his eyes several times, but it was true. The prayer beads were indeed from the inner court! Xu Bangyan stomped his feet in frustration, regretting his decision deeply.

Facing Wang Huazhen, he might have had some options, but the inner court was a different matter. As a Commandant, he was no match for the inner court, especially the Chief Eunuch of the Ceremonial Supervisory Office, Chen Ju, who was a favorite of Emperor Wanli and the patriarch of the ten thousand eunuchs in the inner court.

What kind of extraordinary ability did this young man have to be connected to the inner court?

Even if he had ten thousand lives, he dared not kill Zhang Ke in public. If the matter was investigated, even if he were clean, the Eastern Depot would still have the power to crush him.

Xu Bangyan wished he could slap himself a hundred times and wished he could kill Wan Baiquan. This was not just a hard kick; it was like hitting a wall.

His hands trembled as he held the prayer beads, dismounting from his horse and approaching Zhang Ke. In just a few steps, his forehead was drenched in sweat.

"Lord Xu, are you hot?"

"No, no!" Xu Bangyan held the prayer beads with both hands and respectfully presented them to Zhang Ke.

"Please, Brother Zhang, keep this item. I, I am afraid."

Zhang Ke smiled slightly, wrapped the prayer beads around his wrist again, and Xu Bangyan seemed relieved, breathing a long sigh.

"Lord Xu, do you still want to kill the bandits?"

"No, of course not. I will take my men and leave!"

"Goodbye!"

Zhang Ke turned around, not even sparing Xu Bangyan a glance.

Xu Bangyan climbed back on his horse, but as he turned, a sinister look flashed in his eyes. He and his men quickly left. In an instant, it was as if nothing had happened, and River Bend Village returned to normal. However, everyone's hearts were in turmoil.

Wu Boyan and the others were prepared to fight to the death, but Zhang Ke's prayer beads had scared off the fierce Xu Bangyan. Zhang Ke, known for his kindness and generosity, now had an added aura of mystery.

Wu Boyan knelt heavily on the ground, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Lord, you have saved us all. We have no way to repay you, but we are willing to face any danger, even death, for you!"

"Even death!"

Hundreds of people knelt and bowed, genuinely recognizing Zhang Ke.

However, Zhang Ke's expression was not good. He frowned, looking serious.

"Everyone, please stand up. I have something to discuss with you."

Everyone stood up, and Zhang Ke called Yue Zixuan, Wu Boyan, and others into the house. After this incident, they no longer dared to sit with Zhang Ke and stood respectfully.

Zhang Ke looked at everyone and suddenly smiled bitterly, "Even you are afraid. It seems I overdid it!"

Everyone looked at each other, not understanding.

"To be honest, the prayer beads I showed were a gift from a eunuch, a significant figure in the inner court! What do you think Xu Bangyan is thinking now?"

Qiao Fu spoke up, "What else? He must be terrified, wetting his pants. Anyone who dares to offend us will have a bad end!"

After he spoke, Yue Zixuan and Qiao Gui nodded, but Wu Boyan looked serious.

"Lord, should I speak my mind?"

"Speak!"

"Lord, with your backing, Xu Bangyan won't dare to act openly. However, both he and Wan Baiquan have a history of misconduct. If their crimes are exposed, they will face ruin and possibly execution. I believe he will be plotting something. As the saying goes, it's easy to dodge a direct attack but hard to avoid a hidden arrow. We must be cautious."

Zhang Ke nodded, "You're right. In the capital, having backing and influence can suppress the opposition, but in Liaodong, far from the emperor's reach, the military factions are deeply entrenched and will do anything. We must be vigilant. Everyone, strengthen the walls, fortify the defenses, and train the young men. We must be prepared for fire, theft, and treachery!"