Chapter 57: Master, Please Wipe Your Face...

At this moment, although Li Yuanjing and his men held the advantage in numbers, the sudden ambush left them in disarray. Only Zhang Kun, Zhao Zengjin, and a handful of others, accustomed to following Li Yuanjing’s orders, rushed forward to fight the enemy as soon as the command was given. The rest, numbering more than a dozen, were paralyzed with fear, standing rooted to the spot, uncertain what to do.

Yet as Li Yuanjing spoke, they snapped out of their stupor. Even Xiangzi, the burly fellow, instinctively raised his blade, let out a roar, and charged toward Zhao Zengjin, who was already locked in combat, swinging his knife at the bandit. With Xiangzi’s help, Zhao Zengjin—skilled and eager to prove himself before Li Yuanjing—quickly seized the opportunity. Grabbing the bandit’s hair, he forced the screaming man to the ground, pressing his knife against the bandit’s throat. With a brutal motion, he slit the thief’s neck, transforming himself into a blood-soaked figure, howling like a wolf:

“Are you all stunned? Didn’t you hear the master’s orders? If anyone dares to cower, they’ll never eat from the master’s table again! Get out of the village for good!”

Zhao Zengjin’s words jolted even the densest men to action, and they raised their blades, shouting as they charged the bandits. There were only seven robbers in total. Li Yuanjing had already dispatched two gunmen with his grenade at the outset, then, working with Zhang Kun, killed the short, scarred leader. Zhao Zengjin, in a particularly savage, morale-boosting fashion, took down another.

The two remaining knife-wielding bandits were quickly beset by the villagers, who were determined to hack them to pieces. Nearby, the lone archer who had not fired a single arrow was terrified to the point of wetting himself. He threw aside his bow, knelt with a thud, raised his hands, and cried out:

“Heroes, please spare me! Don’t kill me! We’re soldiers under Prince Qi—we’re official troops!”

“Damn you!”
“What the hell are you screaming for?”

Zhang Kun, seasoned by battle, saw the outcome was clear and immediately moved toward the archer, knife in hand, signaling to Zhao Zengjin. Both fixed their gaze on the archer. Seeing him surrender, Zhang Kun showed no mercy, kicking the archer hard in the face. Blood gushed from the man’s mouth and nose, his teeth broken, unable even to cry out.

Li Yuanjing, seeing the situation finally under control, let out a long breath. Instead of fear, the blood covering him awakened a wild, restless spirit within.

Bang!

He strode forward, and before the archer could beg for mercy, Li Yuanjing kicked him viciously in the jaw. The archer had no chance to react and collapsed, convulsing in pain and vomiting blood. Li Yuanjing stamped his foot on the archer’s back, his gaze sharp as a blade as he surveyed the men, his voice cold and menacing:

“Did you all hear?”

“This wretch claims to be an official soldier under Prince Qi!”

“Do you know what happens to us if we kill government troops?”

A wave of horror swept through the crowd.

Li Yuanjing’s face was expressionless, his black eyes deep as an abyss. He shouted at Xiangzi:

“Xiangzi! Come here, cut him down!”

“Master…”

Xiangzi shuddered, his legs weak with fear. He had indeed swung his blade earlier, but only out of desperation. Now, faced with a defenseless, living man, how could a poor, honest bricklayer like him bring himself to strike?

“I’ll say it one last time!”
“Xiangzi! If you don’t cut him, you’ll never eat from my table again!”

Li Yuanjing’s expression grew colder, his voice icier.

“Master…”

Xiangzi finally responded, swallowing painfully, but seeing Li Yuanjing’s frosty, intimidating look, he steeled himself, roared, and brought his knife down on the archer’s back.

“Ugh…”

The archer groaned and fainted, but his cotton armor absorbed the blow; he wasn’t dead.

“Useless!”

Li Yuanjing was now in a terrifying state. He pointed and barked:

“Cut off his leg! If you can’t, I’ll cut yours!”

Xiangzi’s eyes reddened. Without thinking, he gritted his teeth and swung his blade as Li Yuanjing had instructed.

“Ah—”

The archer’s scream barely began before Zhang Kun kicked him again, silencing him. Zhang Kun and Zhao Zengjin guarded Li Yuanjing like death gods.

Li Yuanjing, still expressionless, said coldly:

“Next!”

…

Minutes later, the riverbank reeked of blood, and wolves in the nearby hills howled ceaselessly.

By now, the bodies of the seven bandits, including the short, scarred leader, were unrecognizable, shattered beyond description.

Li Yuanjing and his men were all soaked in blood, each one resembling a deity of slaughter.

The brothers Yang Dayang and Yang Er, arriving in their boat, were dumbstruck by the carnage, and Zhang Kun hurried over to quietly report to Li Yuanjing:

“Master, we found more than nine taels of silver on them. But we can’t linger—the commotion was too loud, trouble may be coming…”

Li Yuanjing’s gaze cleared, his tone cold:

“Strip these wretches’ clothes, chop them up, and throw them in the river to feed the fish! Quickly!”

“Master, what about those things…”

Zhang Kun anxiously glanced at Li Yuanjing, referring to the guns, regulation blades, and armor.

“Throw them all away, not a single piece remains!”

Li Yuanjing was reluctant, but the situation was not fully under his control, so he made a swift decision.

“Yes, sir!”

Despite his reluctance, Zhang Kun wasted no time in calling the men to action. Though disgusted, afraid, and trembling, everyone understood that Li Yuanjing’s approach was the only right one. Otherwise, none of them would survive the night.

Soon, the men finished their grisly work on the shore, throwing all objects, including the weapons, into the river, before boarding the boat at Li Yuanjing’s signal.

Zhao Zengjin greeted the Yang brothers, who, still in shock, began rowing mechanically. Li Yuanjing looked at the swirling snowflakes and let out a long breath.

Tonight’s events, though terrifying and unexpected, were ultimately more beneficial than harmful to him. Thanks to this ghostly ordeal, Li Yuanjing’s control over Quan Village would rise to a new level—they had become a true community of shared interests.

As for whether trouble would arise from tonight’s actions—Li Yuanjing was resigned. If fate brings disaster, it cannot be avoided. He had done everything possible, wiped away all traces. With the snow falling and the area deserted, nature itself would erase all evidence in a few days.

Now, what he needed most was to reach an understanding with the old village chief, calm the men’s nerves, and build the earthen walls for Quan Village.

“M-master, please wipe your face…”

As Li Yuanjing brooded coldly, Wang Liu-shi, who had been almost invisible all along, timidly produced a handkerchief, unable to look at Li Yuanjing, and respectfully offered it to him with both hands.

“Hm?”

Li Yuanjing raised his brows slightly, and a faint smile curved his lips as he took the handkerchief.

…

Brothers, I beg for your support—votes, tips, anything helps. Thank you for your kindness. Bowing deeply…