Taiheiki

Chapter 24 Thief
"How can that be the same?" Wang Shou snorted coldly. "Did the County Master give you any benefits from me? Nothing, right? The food and wine in your belly, the clothes on your body, feet, head, and waist, all came from you. If you have received benefits from you, you should remember your kindness. In this regard, you should learn more from Zhao Yannian. Do you remember what he said to the steward last night?"

"What did he say?" Wang Ge scratched the back of his head and tried to recall for a long time before he managed to utter a few words: "It seemed like something about riding in someone else's car and wearing someone else's clothes. I can't remember clearly!"

"Look at you, you useless fellow!" Wang Shou cursed angrily. "That Zhao Yannian is truly extraordinary. Last night, we were all focused on the wine and meat on the table and the clothes and shoes we were rewarded with, but he remembered to report to the young master first before accepting the gift. The young master looked at him differently then. Sigh, I'm afraid Zhao Yannian will be superior to us from now on!"

"Uncle Shou, are you really planning to be a guest of Lord Wei from now on? I thought I would just escort him to Wancheng this time and make some money!" Wang Ge whispered.

"Idiot!" Wang Shou looked disappointed. "Whose family entertained us last night? They were the Deng family of Nanyang, descendants of a founding hero, and they just had a queen! What kind of people are entertained in the back hall of a family like that? Look at the thick silk on your body, the boots on your feet, and the knife at your waist. I bet that when Diwudeng and his gang return to Xinye, if they just take a look around, the people willing to join Lord Wei as retainers will line up from the east gate to the west. How can you get a turn?"

"I didn't say it's bad to serve you, my lord!" Wang Ge laughed dryly. "I just think your decision was a bit too sudden, Uncle Shou. Before you left, you said you were going on a long journey to earn back next year's oral tribute, and now you're serving someone else!"

"I call this having good judgment, understand?" Wang Shou raised his head proudly: "You are lucky to follow me, otherwise——"

"Thieves!"

Screams emanated from the front of the vehicle. According to Zhao Yannian's instructions, Diwu Deng was about thirty paces ahead, acting as a scout. Wang Shou froze. Then he shouted, "We've got something going on, A'ge! Hurry to the convoy, grab your weapons, and prepare to fight!"

Wang Ge responded, whipping his mule over to the carriages and taking the wolf-whip from the second wagon. His martial arts skills were ordinary, but he was stocky, strong as a calf, and full of energy. Just as he and Wang Shou were helping each other put on their helmets, Zhao Yannian jumped off the mule and shouted, "According to the previous arrangement, Wang Shou, you'll be the card player, in the front. Wang Ge will be in the back, holding the wolf-whip, protecting your carriage. Leave the animals behind!"

Wang Shou responded and, holding the rattan shield, headed for the carriage ahead. Diwu Deng had also returned. Breathlessly, he dismounted from his mule, his graying hair peeking out from beneath his leather helmet. "I saw twenty, maybe more!" He gasped, "I guess they're local thieves. There must be scouts along the way... hiding and watching us... They must have spotted us a long time ago!"

Zhao Yannian was already dressed, a small round shield in his left hand, a short bow in his right, a quiver at his waist, and a thick leather coat draped over his upper body. Beside him, Liu Jiu crouched behind a large cart, his four-meter-long spear resting on the ground, a short knife clenched between his teeth, stringing his sinew shortbow. Wen Sheng, drawing the full force of his powerful crossbow, chuckled, "These thieves have arrived at the perfect time. I was feeling a bit guilty after all the wine, meat, clothes, and shoes, and nothing else. Now, let's show you, my dear, that we're not freeloaders!"

"Yes!" Li He said with a smile, "If I cut off a few more heads later, I might even get a few coins as reward!"

These men were veterans who had emerged from the dead, completely unconcerned with the impending thieves. They crouched in a familiar, half-crouched position, hidden in the shadows of the carriages. Veterans like them generally carried bows and arrows—better ones were made of sinew and wood, while lesser ones were made of bamboo, sinew and bamboo, or even single-piece bows. While these were short bows, only about a meter and a half in length, and their power couldn't compare to horn bows, they were cheaper and easier to carry. They were sufficient for hunting prey in the wild, or for killing unarmored soldiers at a distance of about thirty steps in a skirmish.

Zhao Yannian knocked on the car door twice and said in a deep voice, "Sir, we've encountered thieves. Please wait in the car for a while while we drive them away!"

"We've encountered thieves?" Wei Cong hurriedly struggled out of the two dancers' arms in the carriage and asked, "How many thieves are there?"

"About twenty people?"

"More than twenty people?" Wei Cong was startled and opened the car window and said anxiously, "Isn't that twice as many as us? Everyone, get on your horses and run!"

"Don't worry, sir! They're just petty thieves. We can defeat them!" Zhao Yannian said, "Quickly close the car windows to avoid being hit by stray arrows!"

Wei Cong had no choice but to close the window and peer out through the crack. He could see no commander or banner, hear no horns or drums, only the thud of bowstrings being released. Soon, the bandits, heedless of the arrows, pounced on them. They were all dark-skinned, lean, and dressed in rags. Some wore ill-fitting leather armor and carried a variety of weapons: bamboo spears, wooden clubs with iron tips, sickles, and chipped, rotten swords. Their leader wore a wolfskin cloak and carried a long halberd.

Wang Shou, following his training, thrust the iron tip of the rectangular rattan shield into the soil. He squatted, bracing his body against the shield's top, his other hand gripping his sword. He could feel the wolf-whip covering his head, forming a barrier. The thieves tried to cut or push the wolf-whip away with their weapons, but they failed. Sharp spears pierced the thieves' chests and abdomen effortlessly, sending them collapsing like sacks, their blood seeping into the soil.

The battered thieves retreated in panic. The battle before them was completely unfamiliar to them. There were no roars, no shouts, no clashes of swords, no falling and twisting into a heap. They couldn't even see the enemy's face clearly. The enemy hid behind shields and bamboo branches, half-crouching. Only when the spear tip pierced their eyes did they realize that there was a pair of cold eyes staring back at them.

"Go ahead, go ahead, don't be afraid, we have more people than them!" The bandit leader shouted loudly, waving his iron spear vigorously. The heavy weapon made a whistling sound, but the thieves still hesitated to move forward. The corpses and blood on the ground reminded them that the enemy in front of them was not easy to deal with.

"Wen Sheng, shoot the bandit leader! The one with the halberd!" Zhao Yannian lowered his voice. Wen Sheng nodded. He half-crouched, hiding behind the wheel, completely shielded by his companions and the carriage. He expertly cocked the crossbow using the lever, then slotted a bolt into the arrow slot. With a quick aim, he cranked the handle. With a soft click, the bolt pierced the wolfskin-cloaked man's throat. He opened his mouth to scream, but only blood gushed out.

The next second, the thieves turned and fled. Zhao Yannian shouted, stopping his men from rushing out in pursuit. They all stepped forward and stabbed the thieves who had fallen behind one by one, killing the wounded on the ground. The shrill screams accelerated the thieves' escape. In just a moment, the battle was over. Aside from the bodies on the ground, it seemed as if nothing had happened.

When Wei Cong got off the carriage, everything returned to calm and the air was filled with the smell of death. Although it was not the first time he faced death, he still couldn't hold back when he saw Diwu Deng and others skillfully cutting off the heads from the thieves' bodies.

"What are you doing?"

"It's an old military trick!" Diwu Deng wiped his dagger on the corpse. "I'll cut a few sharp sticks later, stick the thief's head on them, and leave it on the roadside. This way, we can have peace in this area for a while!"

"Right!" Wen Sheng beside him laughed, "This is an old method we used when we were hunting Qiang dogs in the west. It works great. Just hang a few heads and we can have peace for a month or so. Otherwise, those Qiang dogs would make trouble every two or three days, which is really annoying!"

"Don't hang up!" Wei Cong shouted loudly. When he noticed his men giving him strange looks, he realized he had lost his composure and quickly changed the subject: "Are there any survivors?"

"A living person?" Everyone exchanged glances, and Zhao Yannian smiled bitterly and said, "My lord, please forgive me. Diwudeng and his men are used to fighting the Qiang people. Both sides will not leave anyone alive on the battlefield there!" After that, he turned around and said to everyone, "My lord, I have an order. Next time we meet bandits, leave a few alive when chasing them, don't kill them all!" "What about the bodies? We should bury the dead, right?" Wei Cong asked.

"There are twelve or thirteen bodies here, and there are only eight of us, including you. This is too much trouble!" Diwu Deng shouted impatiently, "Leave them all to the foxes and crows! This is the fate of thieves!"

"Shut up! Do you have any manners?" Zhao Yannian shouted at Diwudeng. He then whispered to Wei Cong, "It's getting late, and everyone is tired. If we want to bury all these bodies, I'm afraid we'll have to sleep outdoors tonight!"

"Okay, you're right, but don't stick the thieves' heads together. Put them with their bodies!" Wei Cong realized he had no choice. Even though he had guards around him, camping in the wild with a carriage worth a million coins was not a smart idea. He walked over to the thieves' bodies, clasped his hands together and prayed silently for a moment before turning and leaving.

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"Yannian!" Diwu Deng approached Zhao Yannian and put his hands together. "What did you do just now in front of the thief's body?"

"I don't know either!" Zhao Yannian shook his head.

"Do you think Mr. Wei is a Taoist priest? The kind that can cast spells, exorcise ghosts and pray to gods, and practice magic and sexual arts? The Taoist priests I met before also did this!" Diwu Deng asked cautiously.

"I have never seen you use talismans or water to exorcise ghosts and pray to gods, but why do you think so?" Zhao Yannian asked.

"The nobles of the Deng family love nothing more than magic and sex arts, right? And the Deng family respects young man so much that they even gave him a beautiful woman, so--" Diwu Deng showed a lewd smile on his face.

"Shut up!" Zhao Yannian shouted angrily, "Diwudeng, shut your stinky mouth! I think you've been eating too much for a few days and your head is spinning! Have you forgotten your status? You're talking about my husband behind his back. Do you want to take off your clothes and get out?"

Diwu Deng's face turned pale after being scolded. He knew he had said the wrong thing and lowered his head without saying a word. Zhao Yannian's anger subsided a little when he saw this. He said sternly, "This is the last time. If I hear you say something bad next time, take off your clothes and get out! Do you understand?"

Diwu Deng nodded and retreated aside in shame.

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Xinye, Cai’s house.

"The master is in a bad mood today. Be careful when you go in later!" The steward looked at the inner room and whispered to the maid who was about to enter.

Cai Buyi was starving, but he hadn't touched the dinner on the table. A layer of pale white grease had already formed on the soup and vegetables. He paced back and forth in the room anxiously. After a while, he looked up and asked outside, "No news from Wancheng yet?"

At this point, the steward would always answer cautiously: "Not yet, they must be on their way. Please wait a moment!"

Cai Buyi returned to the desk angrily and sat down. He was extremely upset at this moment, like a bomb that could explode at any time.

"Master!" The maid walked in cautiously. "Madam asked if you would like to go to the inner house tonight. If you do, she needs to prepare!"

"Go back and tell her that I have something urgent to do. I'll stay here all night!" Cai Buyi waved his hand and pointed at the tables: "Please take these away too. I have no appetite!"

"Yes!" The maid responded and cleared the food from the table. Watching the maid's back disappear from the door, Cai Buyi let out a long sigh. Did he do something wrong?
"Langjun, Langjun!"

After a while, the steward came in from outside. Cai Buyi perked up and asked, "Is there any news from Wancheng?"

"It's not Wancheng!" The steward's face was as pale as a dead person: "It's that Mr. Wei, is he back?"

"Wei Cong is back? Could it be that the group missed him and failed to intercept him?" Cai Buyi frowned.

"It doesn't seem so!" said the steward. "I saw arrow marks on the carriage, so I asked him a few questions. He said he did encounter thieves on the way back, but they killed them off!"

"We encountered bandits and fought them off?" Cai Buyi was stunned. "How is that possible? Wei Cong only had Zhao Yannian by his side, and at most two or three people. There were at least twenty or thirty people over there. Ten against one, they would be drowned by spitting!"

(End of this chapter)