Section 073: The First Clues of the Thief

Cheng Yaojin asked the man, “How many bandits are coming?”

The man replied, “There are more than two hundred of them, all on horseback, and they’re still about a mile from Banjou Inn.”

“Quick, have the village militia halt their drills, arm themselves, and block the way. Don’t let them get into the village no matter what!” Cheng Yaojin barked.

The man agreed and was about to leave when Li Dong spoke up.

“Wait!” Li Dong hurriedly stopped him, then turned to Cheng Yaojin, “Why do you want to intercept them outside the village?”

“It’s obvious! Our duty is to protect the villagers from being plundered. If we let them into the village, my reputation would be ruined,” Cheng Yaojin answered, full of conviction.

Li Dong stood up from his seat, paced back and forth, and after carefully considering his strategy, asked in return, “Do you want to defeat the bandits in one decisive battle so they’ll never return, or do you just want to fend them off temporarily, and continue to fight them in the future?”

Cheng Yaojin looked at Li Dong with some surprise, then answered with certainty, “Of course, wiping them out completely is best. But since they’re on horseback, appearing and vanishing like the wind, it’s not easy to achieve a total victory.”

“Sir, if you have a good plan, please instruct me!” He paused, then bowed slightly to Li Dong in request.

Li Dong smiled slightly, and with confidence said, “Their advantage is speed on horseback. We mustn’t compete with them where they’re strongest. Instead, we must use our own advantage, and force them into a situation that works against them.”

It was clear Li Dong was skillfully applying the strategy, “Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated.” Cheng Yaojin’s eyes lit up with delight, and he quickly asked, “Sir, what advantage do we possess?”

“The bandits are on horseback, but if you send the militia to confront them outside the village, you’re setting your own weakness against their strength. Even if you win, how can villagers on foot chase down men on horseback?”

“Mounted, their speed and momentum are hard to match. If we lose, we can’t retreat quickly, and we’ll suffer heavy losses.”

Cheng Yaojin’s eyes widened in shock, and he exclaimed, “Sir, you must be a sage! Today is your first day at Banjou Inn, and you’ve never witnessed our previous battles, yet you speak as if you saw them yourself. You’re absolutely right! That’s why, after suffering setbacks in these last two attacks, we’ve been drilling day and night.”

Li Dong drew a large circle in front of him and said, “If you let them enter the village, ask yourself, who knows the village layout better—us or the bandits? Those winding alleys are perfect for fighting them. Once they’re trapped inside, with nowhere to go, won’t they be easily caught?”

Cheng Yaojin’s eyes gleamed with understanding, but after pondering for a while, he still asked with some concern, “Our main goal is to protect the villagers. If we let the bandits in, aren’t we giving them exactly what they want? What if they plunder and then escape on horseback before we can catch them? Wouldn’t that be letting the wolf into the fold and tearing down our own defenses?”

Li Dong waved his hand, “Of course, we’re not letting them act unchecked. We let them in so we can defeat them more decisively. Once they’re inside, we split them up and use our familiarity with the village to ensure they have no chance to escape.”

“We can capture them all in one go!” As he finished, Li Dong clenched his fist and shook it with determination.

Cheng Yaojin blinked, still a bit uneasy after careful thought. Suddenly, he slapped his thigh, “I’ve got it! I’ll send a dozen or so of our best men to guard the exits around the village, making sure none slip through the net. That way, nothing can go wrong.”

Li Dong nodded in full agreement, thinking to himself that Cheng Yaojin was indeed a man whose rough exterior concealed a careful mind. He, too, had considered the difficulty of directing dispersed men and had found this solution. No wonder, in the turbulent times at the end of the Sui Dynasty, so many great generals emerged, and Cheng Yaojin was counted among those honored in the Hall of Heroes for his military merits.

Cheng Yaojin and Li Dong walked out together. The militia, their drills now stopped, were full of fighting spirit, watching Cheng Yaojin, ready to rush out and confront the bandits at his command.

Grasping Li Dong’s hand, Cheng Yaojin climbed onto a high platform and shouted to the militia, “This time, we’re changing our strategy. We’ll let the bandits into the village!”

A commotion broke out among the militia. They couldn’t believe their ears—let the bandits inside? Then what was the point of their defense? For a moment, they wondered if Cheng Yaojin had lost his mind. But his expression was stern and not at all joking, so they pressed him for an explanation.

After Cheng Yaojin carefully explained the strategy of luring the enemy deeper, he called out the names of more than twenty militiamen and sent them to guard the east, south, west, and north exits of the village, instructing, “Take plenty of arrows and crossbows. If you see any bandits trying to escape, shoot them on sight. Let none get away. We’re laying a giant net today, and we’ll catch all the big fish to put an end to this threat!”

When he finished, Cheng Yaojin addressed the militia again, “Let me introduce a man with the mind of a general commanding a million troops—Li Dong. He will now arrange our street-fighting strategy within the village.”

Li Dong declined several times, but seeing no way out, he stepped onto the platform and cleared his throat, “There’s no set plan or unified command for this fight. Adapt as you see fit—don’t stick to rigid tactics. Kill as many bandits as you can, and there will be rewards for those who excel!”

Hearing that they were free to fight and would be rewarded for killing, the militia was thrilled. Who didn’t want to make a name for themselves and earn a prize?

Cheng Yaojin gave a powerful wave of his hand, and the militia burst out of the courtyard, each seeking a good place to lie in wait, weapons at the ready, awaiting the bandits’ arrival.

Li Dong and Cheng Yaojin also hurried out, heading to the village entrance, planning to let the bandits enter before attacking them from behind.

So as not to alert the bandits, Li Dong went on foot with Cheng Yaojin, rather than on horseback.

Cheng Yaojin knew the village layout like the back of his hand and quickly disappeared from sight, darting through alleyways. Li Dong chased after him as best he could. Turning a corner, Li Dong saw a small child, about three or four, squatting in a corner, playing with the mud.

The bandits were about to enter—why was the child still here? If he was captured, disaster would follow.

He hurried over and asked, “Where do you live?”

The little boy looked up but ignored him.

Li Dong tried again, “Shall I take you home?”

Still no reply, but the child stopped playing with the mud, looking a little nervous.

Li Dong asked, “Shall I take you to your mother?”

That did it—the boy became annoyed and shouted, “Go away! Go away! I’m pooping… pooping, you hear? Mind your own business!”

Li Dong nearly lost his temper. Looking closer, he realized the child was playing with mud made from his own puddle of urine, and behind him was a fresh pile of yellow…

With danger so close, survival came first. Li Dong was about to grab the boy and run when Cheng Yaojin doubled back looking for him.

“What are you doing?” Cheng Yaojin called.

“I…” Li Dong began, but before he could answer, a village woman darted out and scooped up the child, running off. Halfway, she turned back, delighted, “It’s you! I thought you were a bandit!”

Li Dong saw she was the same woman whose clothes had been torn at Sisui Ridge, and quickly urged her, “Take him home, and don’t come out!”

She agreed and carried her son off without even wiping him clean.

Just as they left, Li Dong heard the thunder of hooves—the bandits surged into the village. Cheng Yaojin grabbed Li Dong and pulled him into hiding beside a small alley.

In the time it takes to smoke a pipe, the bandits had trampled through in chaos. The two slipped out, keeping to the shadows, following close behind. Cheng Yaojin carried a spear with a wooden shaft, about ten feet long, its gleaming tip razor-sharp.

Li Dong mused that history described Cheng Yaojin as wielding a spear, though legend had him fight with an axe—hence the saying “three axe blows.” Without an axe, Cheng Yaojin seemed less interesting. After dealing with the bandits, he thought, he’d suggest the change; yes, much more entertaining.

As he pondered, the bandits ahead suddenly split into three groups, apparently chasing after militiamen they’d spotted. This split their forces, making them easier to defeat in detail.

Cheng Yaojin and Li Dong quickened their pace, following the central group.

Guided by Cheng Yaojin, they picked the narrowest, hardest-to-traverse alleys, darting left and right, occasionally climbing over walls or trees. Turning a corner, Li Dong realized the bandits were now behind them.

This was exactly what he wanted—striking unexpectedly from behind. Li Dong took his bundle, unwrapped it, and gripped the sword inside—left hand on the blade, right hand on the hilt—without drawing it, ready to strike at the perfect moment and slip away before anyone could see the blade.

Suddenly, from the other side of the street corner, the sound of arrows being loosed rang out. Another militia squad was lying in ambush, firing before the bandits could attack.

Struck by the ambush, the bandits fled in panic. One, hit by two arrows, blood gushing, still swung his weapon at the shafts as he staggered forward, stopping not far from Li Dong.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Li Dong sprang up and, with a single stroke, beheaded the man. His body, now headless, swayed a few times before collapsing from his horse, his weapon clattering to the ground.

With a glance, Li Dong was shocked and thought, “How could something like this be here too?”

Six thousand characters updated! Please bookmark, please recommend! My deepest thanks!