Thief Emperor

Chapter 83 Destroying Evidence

Drawing a salary without doing any work is a common practice among local military officers.

Because this group of military officers do not manage local government affairs, in this era, there is no other benefit they can get except eating empty salaries and sucking the blood of soldiers.

Not to mention the Great Zhou Dynasty which has existed for more than 200 years, even in the early years of a dynasty, it was common to draw salaries without working. The difference lies in how much salary was drawn without working.

In fact, Xuanzhou Sima Cao Rong was still a relatively restrained military officer, because he had at least two hundred usable soldiers under his command. In other words, he and the officers in Xuanzhou together only consumed about 70% of the military pay of the court.

Some of the more remote states and counties even consumed more than 90% of the food.

But even so, given the current situation in Xuanzhou, it is impossible to send out 500 soldiers to follow Li Yun to suppress the bandits.

Sima Cao had a gloomy face and said, "Captain Li dared to go to the Ten Kings Camp with only 20 men before, why is he bringing 500 men now?"

“I didn’t understand the situation before.”

Li Dutou said sternly: "Now we know that the bandits in the Ten Kings Village are definitely not ordinary people, so we have to send more people."

Cao Sima said slowly: "I am the Sima of Xuanzhou, in charge of the military affairs of the state. What if I order you to lead the anti-bandit team to fight the bandits with the officers and soldiers of the state?"

Li Yun glanced at him and said, "Sir Cao, I am not an official appointed by the court."

"I'm not even a soldier of Qingyang."

He smiled and said, "I am a man of the underworld. I was just hired by the county magistrate to be the head of the county government. If Sima insists on sending me to die, then I can only abandon my position and go home to farm."

Cao Rong frowned and turned to look at Xue Song who was standing beside him. Magistrate Xue had calmed down now. Seeing Sima Cao looking at him, Master Xue stroked his beard and said, "Sima Cao, there are too many bandits in the Ten Kings Village. We in Qingyang have tried before. Li Zhao has led people to fight the bandits in the Ten Kings Village for a whole night, but we are really not strong enough."

"This matter still requires the state to send more troops."

He paused, looked at Cao Rong, and said seriously: "If the state really can't spare the troops, then let those bandits run rampant for a while, and wait until the imperial court's recruiting envoy arrives next year, and then let the recruiting envoy come to wipe out the Ten Kings Camp."

"It will take at least half a year for the recruiting envoy to arrive in Xuanzhou!"

Cao Sima said angrily: "As the Sima of Xuanzhou, do I really want to allow the thieves in the Ten Kings Camp to continue to run rampant for another half a year?"

Hearing this, Li Yun couldn't help but look at Cao Rong, feeling contempt in his heart.

You have been in Xuanzhou for five years. Is that a short time to sit back and watch?

As for being an official, those who are thin-skinned really can’t be one!
Even Magistrate Xue couldn't stand it anymore. After putting down his teacup, he said, "Sir Cao, several years have passed. There's no need to rush for the next six months."

Although he was a seventh-rank official as the county magistrate, Cao Rong's provincial Sima was only a sixth-rank official. Although his rank was higher than his, the two had no subordinate relationship. Therefore, County Magistrate Xue was not actually very afraid of Cao Rong.

Cao Sima was furious, slammed the table and stood up, shouting: "How dare you, Xue Yueji, say such a thing? I will write a letter to accuse you of protecting the bandits!"

Li Yun on the side smiled but said nothing.

Mr. Xue said calmly, "If Sima Cao wants to report it, then report it. However, our county just happened to capture a group of bandits from the Ten Kings Camp a few days ago. After interrogation, we have learned some things. We are preparing to report this matter to the court."

Upon hearing Xue Song's words, Sima Cao was stunned.

This is what he is afraid of!

Because he knew that Sun Shouli, the accountant of Shiwangzhai, was arrested by Qingyang County!
Who knows what can be found out from the interrogation of Qingyang County?
After standing there for a while, Cao Sima actually forced a smile and said, "Brother Yue Ji, if you hadn't mentioned it, I almost forgot that this time I came to Qingyang, in addition to seeking help from the Qingyang Anti-theft Team, I also wanted to take away the bandits from the Ten Kings Village. After taking them back, I will interrogate them thoroughly to see if I can find out some small paths up the mountain so that we can attack the Ten Kings Village."

He looked at Xue Song with a flattering smile: "I didn't expect that Brother Yue Ji has already conducted the trial. I wonder if you can show me the case file?"

Mr. Xue smiled and said, "Of course you can. After lunch, I will take Sima to look at the case files."

"Cao Sima can also take away anyone in the prison."

As soon as Xue Song said these two sentences, Cao Rong immediately understood what he meant.

This is a condition of exchange.

He glanced at Li Yun who was standing behind Xue Song, as if thinking about something.

Soon, he smiled and said, "Since there is a case file, the matter of wiping out the Ten Kings Village will be discussed after I finish reading the case file."

"Well, Sima, go and have a rest first. After Xue retrieves the case file, I'll show it to Sima."

Cao Sima was very polite and bowed: "Thank you, Brother Yue Ji."

After saying that, he walked out with his hands behind his back.

Li Yun watched Cao Rong walk away, and said with a sigh: "He is so shameless, but so rude."

Master Xue looked back at Li Yun and shook his head slightly: "It means this person is not easy to mess with."

Li Yun smiled and said, "I have a list here. It was obtained from the interrogation of the bandits in Shiwangzhai. It contains the names of the powerful people in Xuanzhou who colluded with the bandits. Would you like to see it, County Master?"

Master Xue shook his head without hesitation and sighed, "It's all the root of trouble, the root of trouble."

Li Yun said, "With this evil source, they will be more or less cautious."

"They are very capable."

Master Xue looked gloomy: "Cao Rong is only in his thirties this year, but he has been the Sima of Xuanzhou for five years."

"Do you really think that you can bring him down with just a confession from a bandit?"

Li Yun smiled: "County Master, I have never thought of suing them."

"It's just that they have committed so many evil things. If the court doesn't take them in, then someone will take them in."

Li Yun only said half of this sentence, the other half is true. If the court does not accept such people, someone will accept them in the future.

After hearing what Li Yun said, Master Xue nodded first, then frowned suddenly, turned his head and looked at Li Yun with a vigilant look: "What do you want to do?"

Li Yun smiled silently.

"What are you saying, County Master? He is the state commander, what can I do?"

Mr. Xue was still a little suspicious. After looking at Li Yun, he let out a long sigh.

"I really don't know whether it was right or wrong to keep you in Qingyang..."

………………

Ten Kings Village at Lingyang Mountain.

Liu Bo, the head of the village, crossed his legs and looked at the middle-aged man who looked like a scholar. After picking his ears, he asked, "What did you say just now? What's your name? Where are you from?"

"My surname is Fang, I'm from Xuanzhou, and I'm an errand boy."

The middle-aged man surnamed Fang looked up at Liu Bo, then looked at the two people behind Liu Bo.

Among these two people, he did not know one, but he knew the other one, who was the Bird King of the Ten Kings Village. He was best at imitating bird calls and also knew some light body skills. He was ranked ninth in the original Ten Kings Village.

After being tossed around for a few days, Lao Jiu was successfully subdued by the Cangshan Village.

Seeing the old people from Shiwangzhai, Mr. Fang felt relieved. He smiled and said, "My master has some business dealings with Shiwangzhai. I heard that there have been changes in Shiwangzhai recently, so he sent me here to ask what happened in Shiwangzhai, and..."

"Can the business continue?"

"What else can happen?"

Liu Bo glanced at Mr. Fang and said disdainfully: "The dynasty has changed."

When Mr. Fang heard the words "change of dynasty", he was certain that the man in front of him was indeed a bandit.

Because if you have a little culture, you won't say such things.

Mr. Fang took a deep breath and asked, "May I ask, the former Tongzhai master..."

"died."

Liu Bo grinned: "I killed him."

Mr. Fang wanted to ask more questions, but Liu Bo interrupted him rudely: "Who the hell are you? I don't have time to talk to you."

Mr. Fang was not angry, but just smiled and said, "I said, I am here to do business with... with the village chief."

"We, the bandits, are doing a business with no capital."

Liu Bo frowned and said, "Why should I trust you and do business with you?"

"When my family does business with the Ten Kings Village, we always pay half of the money first. And this time I went up the mountain to do a business with the village owner without any capital."

Liu Bo scratched his ears and became interested: "Tell me about it."

"There should be some documents and accounts stored at Tongzhaizhu's place. Fang wants to spend money to buy these things."

Liu Bo frowned, somewhat puzzled: "What do you need those things for?"

Mr. Fang smiled and said, "Of course it is useful."

"How much are you willing to pay?"

Mr. Fang held up five fingers.

Liu Bo's eyes widened: "Five hundred strings of cash?!"

Mr. Fang was stunned for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Yes, that's five hundred strings of cash."

"If the village chief is willing to let me take two more people up the mountain to select documents to bring down the mountain, I am willing to pay one thousand strings of cash."

Liu Dazhaizhu was overjoyed and asked, "Give me the money first?"

"Tomorrow, the money will be brought up the mountain for the village chief."

Village Chief Liu was delighted: "Okay, you come and move the things tomorrow. Those waste papers are incomprehensible. You can move as much as you want!"

Mr. Fang was also very happy and bowed to Liu Bo repeatedly: "Thank you, Village Chief. After this deal is done, we will have more business cooperation in the future."

Liu Bo waved his hands and frowned, saying, "You scholars are full of bad intentions. First, make this deal, and then talk about other things. Tomorrow I want to see five hundred strings of cash!"

Mr. Fang smiled and said "sure" twice, then bowed to Liu Bo and said goodbye.

As the village leader Liu looked at Mr. Fang going down the mountain, a smile appeared on his face.

Even if you destroy all the evidence, it will be useless because Second Brother has already written down all your names!

Thinking of this, Liu Bo became even happier, with an excited smile on his face, muttering to himself.

"The court needs to provide evidence when it comes to punishing you. My second brother will punish you..."

"There's no need to talk about any evidence."

(End of this chapter)