Chapter 70

The garrison is not only responsible for defending against autumn invasions; their most important task is actually to ensure the safety of the trade routes to the military fortress. Places like Xinping Fortress have little land, are located on the frontier, and are not traditional densely populated or agricultural areas, nor are they traditionally commercially developed regions. The current scale of the fortress is due to the commercial prosperity brought by the horse market. The importance of the trade routes needs no further explanation.

From Daliang Mountain to Zhangjiakou, there are many bandits. On the way to Shahu Pass, horse bandits are the main threat. Beyond the border, it is not the garrison's concern. Inside the border, there are many bandits, and the troops often conduct raids. After all, it is a political achievement that can be reported. However, the bandits often hide in the deep mountains, making it difficult for the troops to conduct raids. Moreover, the confidentiality work is very poor. As soon as the troops move, the bandits scatter and hide, making large-scale raids ineffective. Therefore, they are left alone, as long as the bandits do not attack the official roads, they are ignored. This has made life hard for the residents around the mountains, who have been suffering from bandit attacks for years.

The residents of the fortress are not unaware of these issues, and their resentment is significant. If the troops' inability to suppress the bandits was just a matter of capability in the past, now hearing about this is shocking and almost unbelievable.

"Silence!" There was a commotion, and the discussions grew louder. Lai Tongxin felt very embarrassed and waved his hand. Many of the Lai family's servants and soldiers were present and immediately ordered everyone to stop discussing.

"Mr. Zhang," Lai Tongxin had to put on an official demeanor, "This matter is very serious. Without solid evidence, it's not good to speak casually. If there is anything, we can discuss it in detail at the mansion. Even if there is a misunderstanding, I believe I can give you a reasonable explanation!"

For Lai Tongxin, this was already a very friendly attitude. He was not directly involved in this incident, so he was not particularly worried. Moreover, even if Zhang Han had evidence against him, given the Lai family's influence in Datong and Xuangfu, as long as it was not treason, the issue of allowing bandits to cause trouble would not be a big deal. At most, the court would issue a warning, and there would be no arrest or imprisonment, and his position would likely be safe. Therefore, Lai Tongxin was only concerned about his reputation and interests.

"Sir, please look at this person."

Zhang Han had no intention of backing down. Ning Yicheng was a venomous snake. He had been very polite and even sent gifts, but this person still tried to target him. While there were certainly利益纠葛 (利益纠葛 means "entangled interests" or "conflicts of interest"), Zhang Han believed that Ning Yicheng was primarily targeting him out of personal resentment, possibly because the change in the business structure had hurt Ning Yicheng's pride. This person's heart was truly small, and even the phrase "vengeful for the slightest provocation" could not adequately describe him.

Such a person, if not dealt with decisively, would only cause more trouble in the future.

Liang Xing and others brought a person forward.

The onlookers stretched their necks to see. As the sky grew darker, many people had already lit lanterns, and the area in front of the deputy commander's mansion was as bright as daylight. Lai Tongxin's face turned dark as soon as he saw the person.

This was Ning Zhiyuan, Ning Yicheng's cousin, who had always served as the steward in the Ning family. Lai Tongxin was very familiar with him.

"Ning Zhiyuan? How did you end up with the bandits?"

Lai Tongxin angrily said, "I never thought you would be in league with the bandits. Come, take this person into custody and lock him up. I will interrogate him thoroughly!"

Zhang Han smiled and said, "No need to trouble you, sir. I have already questioned him. He was sent by Mr. Ning Yicheng to collude with the bandit leaders Zhou Wu and Zhou Bin to intercept me and my guards and attempt to kill me. Here is the confession, please review it."

Zhang Han handed over the confession, and Lai Tongxin took it with a grim face. Ning Yicheng was already ashen-faced, and the noise from the crowd was so loud that it was hard to hear anything else.

This was truly an unexpected turn of events!

Not only did Zhang Han return unharmed, but he also brought back the body of the bandit leader Zhou Wu, who was known even to the Xuan-Da Governor. This could not be hidden. Not only did he have Zhou Wu, but he also captured Ning Zhiyuan, the steward of the Ning family, and obtained a confession. By exposing this in front of thousands of people in the fortress, Zhang Han had cornered Lai Tongxin.

The crowd was in an uproar, and Lai Tongxin looked at Ning Yicheng with a grim face. Ning Yicheng felt like a small boat in a stormy sea, battered by waves, with no strength left to resist.

"Shizhai," Lai Tongxin, who was usually quick-witted, was now speechless and in a daze. Helplessly, he said to Ning Yicheng, "Brother, you are indeed involved in this matter, but I cannot punish you. You will stay at my mansion temporarily, and I will report to the military commissioner, who will make the final decision."

Ning Yicheng nodded helplessly. Many people were already shouting and cursing, and some of the bolder ones were picking up stones to throw at him.

In this fortress, even if there were any attempts to protect him, Ning Yicheng could not stay.

The taste of being a rat in the street was truly unbearable.

"Thank you for your protection, sir." Ning Yicheng finally regained some composure and bowed slightly to Lai Tongxin, whispering his thanks.

Regardless, Lai Tongxin did not take advantage of the situation to humiliate him in public, which was a significant show of respect. Given the current situation, with the evidence and the captured person, Ning Yicheng had no way to argue.

He glanced at Zhang Han, and the hatred in his eyes was evident.

Zhang Han smiled lightly, still maintaining a calm and composed demeanor, with a look of disdain for Ning Yicheng.

Ning Yicheng was so frustrated that he almost spat blood, but he had to endure it. He grunted and strode into the deputy commander's mansion, his steps quick and hurried. He stumbled over the threshold and fell to the ground!

"Fall well!"

"Haha, a man turned into a dog, and a dog eats shit."

"Why didn't he die from the fall?"

"Such a disgusting official will surely meet a bad end."

Ning Yicheng heard the insults behind him and was filled with rage, wishing he had the power to order the execution of these thousands of people.

Lai Tongxin watched Ning Yicheng's embarrassment, took a deep breath, and his face, usually plump, showed a determined look. He looked at Zhang Han and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Zhang, you have the upper hand in this matter, but I hope you will act with caution and not create unnecessary trouble."

Zhang Han was unharmed, and He Yusheng would remain the top merchant in Xinping Fortress. After the bandit problem in Daliang Mountain was resolved, they could develop the trade routes to Xuangfu and Jizhen. With the integration of Shanxi, Datong, Xuangfu, and Jizhen, they could even expand to the capital.

Lai Tongxin did not know the exact scale of this business, but he imagined it would be dozens of times larger than it was now.

Currently, he received nearly 2,000 taels of silver from He Yusheng each year, and it could be more in the future. For Zhang Han, his warning was also tinged with helplessness, as the entire plan had completely failed.

"Sir, rest assured," Zhang Han said, "Regardless, my respect for you has only increased."

Lai Tongxin wanted to hear this and nodded, his face showing satisfaction.

Zhang Han took a step forward and said softly, "In this matter, I have offended you, sir..."

He explained the incident involving Lai Shiyi, without exaggeration or anger, just stating the facts.

"Ning Shizhai, that scoundrel..."

Lai Tongxin finally cursed.

Ning Yicheng's actions did not anger Lai Tongxin, as he would benefit if the plan succeeded, and he remained uninvolved. However, Ning Yicheng secretly mobilized Lai Tongxin's household troops to participate, and if Zhang Han decided to break with Lai Tongxin, he could secretly take the bodies of the household troops and Ning Zhiyuan to Yanghe City to file a complaint. The former military commissioner had already resigned, and Zheng Guochang, the deputy commissioner, was now in charge. This complaint would be accepted, and it would be reported to the provincial governor, the general, the Xuan-Da Governor, and the Ministry of War. This would be a severe blow to Lai Tongxin.

At this moment, he realized that Zhang Han had given him face, and the "respect" was already a matter of substance.

Lai Tongxin's lips moved, and he finally said, "I appreciate it. In the future, let's continue as usual."

"Please rest assured, sir."

The gates of the deputy commander's mansion slowly closed, and the heads, bodies, and captives were all pushed inside. It was unknown what Lai Tongxin and Ning Yicheng were discussing, but it was unlikely to be pleasant. Zhang Han's lips curled into a charming smile. This crisis was indeed significant, and if not resolved, it would eventually become a major problem. Fortunately, it was all resolved!

In the future, Datong and Xuangfu would be open roads!

There were still some small bands of bandits, but they were not a significant threat.

More importantly, this incident made Zhang Han realize the shortcomings of his guard team and gain valuable experience. This battle was chaotic and resembled a brawl, but ultimately, the unintentional battle formation won. At this moment, Zhang Han understood that the wisdom of the ancients was extraordinary. At least in this era of the transition between cold and hot weapons, both the East and the West produced great generals, providing him with lessons to learn from. In the future, his guard team would truly be able to travel the world.

No, in the future, it would not just be a guard team, but another form of existence, one that could influence the situation in Datong and elevate himself and his family to a higher level.

Zhang Han's thoughts had subtly changed, and with the change in power, his mindset could not remain the same.

"Thank you all for your support!"

Zhang Han bowed to the people present, his face full of smiles.

The people around him returned the courtesy, their attitudes very respectful. Despite Zhang Han's gentle and smiling demeanor, the heads and bloody bodies were real, and many people knew his methods. They knew that beneath his smile, he was decisive and sometimes ruthless.

The crowd gradually dispersed, and the people of He Yusheng returned to their posts or homes. For many, today was a day of intense emotion.

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Today's chapter avoids the words "hot" and "weapons." Why is that?

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