The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 34 Loyalty!

Meanwhile, inside the Li family mansion, Master Li was leisurely sitting in his study, sipping hot tea and waiting for good news from his youngest son.

He had a large number of men under his command and was a local strongman in Ansai, so he didn't believe Li Lihui would fail.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, and Steward Li rushed in, stumbling and scrambling.
"Master, something terrible has happened! The young master has been captured, and that Jiang fellow has sent men to demand a ransom!"

"what?!"

The old man suddenly stood up, smashing his teacup on the floor.
"Is it really true?!"

Steward Li took out the familiar jade pendant from his pocket and said in a trembling voice:

"It's absolutely true! That man came with the second young master's jade pendant and demanded a ransom of ten thousand taels!"

"Ten thousand taels?!"

Upon hearing this, Master Li's vision went black, and he nearly lost his balance.

Steward Li asked cautiously:

"Sir, why don't we report this to the authorities and have the guards of Yan'an Prefecture mobilized?"

"Confused!"

Master Li shoved Steward Li aside and roared.

"What if we report this to the authorities, and those desperate criminals kill my son in their panic?!"

Master Li had only two sons. His eldest son, Li Liyuan, married the illegitimate daughter of Zhang Lian, the prefect of Yan'an, and worked in the Yan'an government office.

The younger son, on the other hand, was always raised by his mother and was very much loved.

Mr. Li paced anxiously back and forth in his study, muttering to himself:

"Ten thousand taels! Ten thousand taels! Where am I going to get so much cash all of a sudden!"

Although the Li family was large and wealthy, they couldn't raise 10,000 taels of silver in a short time, which made Li Shichang sweat profusely.

On the other hand, Jiang Han was sitting in the lobby of the inn, leisurely sipping hot tea, waiting for the Li family to come and pay the ransom.

He waited and waited, for almost half an hour, but no one from the Li family came. So he took his knife and walked up to Li Lihui, who was tied up.

Li Lihui stared in terror at Jiang Han, who was approaching with a knife, and struggled desperately: "Jiang, if you dare touch me, my father will not let you get away with this!"

"I'm telling you, the prefect's family is related to my Li family, you can't kill me."

Jiang Han ignored him and raised his knife, ready to strike Li Lihui on the head.

Seeing this, Shao Yong quickly advised:

"Lord Jiang, how will we get the ransom if we kill him?"

He paused, then lowered his voice.

"Should we wait until we get the ransom before killing them?"

Jiang Han shook his head: "You don't understand."

Then, with a swift movement, the knife flashed, startling Li Lihui so much that he trembled all over, and felt a warm sensation in his groin.

For a moment, he thought he was going to die, but after waiting for a long time without any movement, he tentatively opened his eyes and found that he was still alive.

Jiang Han only cut off a few tufts of his hair.

Jiang Han snatched Li Lihui's hat off and handed it, hair and all, to Shao Yong:

"Shao Yong, take this to the Li family and show it to Master Li."

"Tell them I'll wait another half an hour. If the ransom hasn't arrived by then, what will be delivered next is Young Master Li's right hand."

Shao Yong took the hair and nodded in agreement, "Okay!"

After saying that, he turned around and led his men straight to the Li family's house.

This tactic proved effective immediately. In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, Steward Li rushed into the inn and knelt down before Jiang Han with a thud:
"Master Jiang, Master Jiang!"

"My master really doesn't have that much cash in Ansai. He only managed to scrape together three thousand taels. Please, have mercy and release my young master!"

Jiang Han sneered:
"Your young master is only worth three thousand taels?"

"Are you trying to send a beggar away?"

Having said that, he raised his knife and made a gesture as if to cut off Li Lihui's right hand.

"Wait! Mr. Jiang, please wait!"

Steward Li quickly stopped him.
"My husband also said that the rest can be paid for with goods!"

"My Li family has several warehouses and workshops in Ansai. As long as Master Jiang is satisfied, he can choose whatever he likes! I just ask that my young master return home safe and sound!"

Jiang Han had been waiting for these words. His brows instantly relaxed, and he said loudly:
"it is good!"

"I'll say it! You write it down!"

"I need 3,000 catties each of sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal; 2,000 shi of grain; 500 shi of grain seeds; 2,000 catties of refined iron; and 20 military craftsmen!"

Upon hearing this, Steward Li was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped to the ground:
"Master Jiang, you...you're being too ruthless!"

“These things will cost at least tens of thousands of taels of silver. Not to mention anything else, just two thousand shi of grain alone will cost tens of thousands of taels of silver.” Jiang Han was not in a hurry. He had plenty of time. He could ask for an exorbitant price first and then bargain. Besides, he had hostages in his hands.

After some "kind words of advice" and "patient guidance",

Jiang Han eventually demanded 3,000 taels of silver, 500 catties each of sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal, 500 shi of grain, 100 shi of grain seeds, 300 catties of refined iron, and four military craftsmen from the Li family.

This trip was truly a windfall; it seems that extorting money from these landlords is still the fastest way to make money.

Looking at the inn piled high with goods, Jiang Han was in a great mood. With a wave of his hand, he gave everyone a hundred taels of silver, and even Yu Chengye, who was watching the show, received five taels.

That night, with the moon high in the sky, Shao Yong lay in his tent, two heavy silver ingots tucked into his arms, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Yu Chengye, who was standing nearby, was woken up by him and mumbled sleepily, "Uncle Shao Yong, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Shao Yong sat up and sighed:
"This hundred taels of silver feels uncomfortable to carry in my pocket."

Yu Chengye rubbed his eyes, somewhat puzzled:

"Is the silver still bothering you? Just put it aside, won't you?"

Shao Yong shook his head:
“You don’t understand, kid. This hundred taels is ten years’ worth of pay for our Northwest Border Army.”

"Do you know why I can't sleep? I feel unworthy of this title!"

Yu Chengye was even more bewildered after hearing this:

"Ten years' salary, shouldn't you sleep better after receiving it? Why do you feel guilty about accepting it?"

Shao Yong gave him a disgruntled look:
"Of course you can sleep well, you heartless rascal!"

"Lord Jiang has been so good to you. He not only rescued you and your siblings from the cold cave, but also fed you with food. Today he even gave you five taels of silver."

"Let me tell you, you should know how to be grateful! Without Lord Jiang, it's questionable whether you and your siblings could have survived this winter!"

After listening, Yu Chengye silently sat up and said in a low voice:
"Uncle Shao Yong, you're right, I'll remember that."

Shao Yong didn't say anything more. He pulled out a whistle stick from under the bed, put on his cloth armor, and got up to go out.

Yu Chengye hurriedly asked:
"Uncle Shao Yong, where are you going?"

Shao Yong didn't even turn his head:

"I feel really stifled today. I'm going out to stretch my muscles, otherwise I won't be able to sleep."

Upon hearing this, Yu Chengye immediately got up, put on his clothes, and followed him out.

As soon as Shao Yong opened the tent flap, he saw Li Laowai and a group of brothers whispering and talking amongst themselves in the camp.

"Shao Yong, can't you sleep either?" Li Laowai asked in a low voice as he looked at Shao Yong who was walking over.

Shao Yong nodded:
"This silver feels uncomfortable to hold, don't you feel the same way?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, remarking with emotion:

"We've been soldiers for so many years, when have we ever seen so much silver?"

As Shao Yong donned his armor, he said in a deep voice:

"You don't have to do hard labor all day long, nor do you have to fight with the Tartars. You can just take a trip, beat up some hooligans, and receive ten years' worth of wages."

"You couldn't find such a good thing even if you searched with a lantern!"

"Back in the day, when we were in the army, you all know how much physical labor we had to do for our superiors just to get a bite to eat."

Li Laowai picked up the conversation, gritting his teeth as he said:

"That's right. Back in the day, I had to work a whole day and night just to get two pancakes to make ends meet, and I couldn't even get half full."

The veteran soldiers around them nodded in agreement, deeply understanding the sentiment.

Shao Yong tightened his armor and said in a deep voice:
"Brothers, being able to serve under Lord Jiang is a blessing we earned in our past lives!"

"I have two words for everyone here, and I hope you will remember them."

He paused, then raised his whistle high, his eyes blazing:
"loyalty!"

After his words, the soldiers were filled with patriotic fervor and rushed back to grab their weapons.

Not long after, Li Laowai, holding a torch, found Shao Yong:
"The Li family's house is in the east of the city. Do you want to go?"

That murderous Li Laowai actually planned to lead a group to set fire to the Li family's house.

Shao Yong gasped:
"You scoundrel, aren't you afraid of Lord Jiang's wrath?"

Li Laowai snorted coldly:
"Have we done enough things that could get us beheaded?"

Having said that, he turned around and led his men out of the camp without looking back.

Shao Yong stared at Li Laowai's back, pondered for a moment, and then silently wrapped another layer of iron sheet around the outside of the whistle stick.

He led a group of men straight to the City God Temple to settle accounts with those scoundrels.

Shao Yong gripped the iron rod tightly, his heart hardening:
"If I don't break this stick today, I'm not a Shao!"

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(End of this chapter)