The fiercest soldier of the border army

"Damn it, I've only ever heard of bandits robbing others, but today I've seen it all! Our lord has robbed bandits!"

Tang Shun ordered his men to tie the young woman to a horse and then ignored her.

As the column moved further and further away, the soldiers gradually relaxed their vigilance and began to boast and chat.

Those nearby chimed in, "Who's ever seen soldiers accepting ransom? This is the first time!"

Laughter rippled through the ranks, though the voices were kept low, the relaxed atmosphere was undeniable.

Li Yingchu sat in the carriage, the curtain half-lifted, her gaze fixed on the straight back of the man in front of her.

Her beautiful eyes lit up slightly, and she suddenly chuckled, "I find it strange too."

"Governor Tang, to rob bandits while holding an official position, is perhaps the first time since the founding of the Great Qian Dynasty."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Shun had already spurred his horse to approach the side of the carriage.

He spread his hands and said helplessly, "I'm short of money, there's no other way but to do it this way."

Li Yingchu raised an eyebrow and looked at him through the curtain: "Are you short of money?"

"Yes." Tang Shun nodded, his tone frank. "We were so poor that all we had left was to sell our underwear."

A burst of giggles filled the car, and Li Yingchu's watery eyes darted back and forth between Tang Shun and Li Yingchu.

Tang Shun was certainly short of money.

But the lack of money is just a symptom.

He had deeper thoughts on the matter.

This band of horse bandits entrenched themselves in the mountains between Hedong and Lingzhou. Not only did they all own horses, but they were also quite agile.

If they could absorb and utilize what they had learned, and arm themselves accordingly, they would instantly have five hundred cavalrymen.

Moreover, these were five hundred unorganized cavalrymen hidden in the shadows!

The official road winds southward, and the outline of Tingzhou City gradually appears in the distance.

The city walls stand tall, people come and go at the city gate, and wisps of smoke rise from the chimneys.

The marching was not fast, but the steps were neat and the morale was high.

In this battle, only a dozen or so of our side suffered minor injuries, and none of them died.

They chatted and laughed all the way, and some even hummed border army tunes.

The stone steps in front of the governor's mansion are wide and paved with blue bricks, with two rows of guards holding halberds standing solemnly on both sides.

Several people were already waiting in front of the mansion gate. The one in the lead was of medium height and had a calm face. He was none other than Li Qing'an, the military governor of Beiting.

He was dressed in casual clothes with a jade belt around his waist. When he saw the cavalry arriving, he slowly stepped forward to greet them.

"I'm back." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to the front of the line.

Tang Shun dismounted and bowed, saying, "Your subject, Tang Shun, Pacification Commissioner of Wenchi County, pays respects to the Commander."

Li Qingan raised his hand in a gesture of support: "No need for formalities, you must have had a long journey."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at the group and was slightly taken aback when he saw that someone was injured. Then he looked at the carriage.

The curtain was lifted, and Li Yingchu helped a woman out of the car, followed by a five- or six-year-old girl.

The little boy, wearing an embroidered jacket, smiled and clung to his mother's clothes, looking up at the tall mansion gate.

"Father," Li Yingchu called softly.

A gentle expression immediately appeared on Li Qing'an's face. He reached out and took his granddaughter, picking her up in his arms.

The little boy smiled and reached out to touch the short beard under his chin.

"Little Baozi, do you miss your grandpa?" Li Qingan asked.

The little boy nodded and said in his childish voice, "Yes."

Everyone chuckled, and the atmosphere became pleasant for a moment.

Li Yingchu stepped onto the stairs and glanced back at Tang Shun.

"Father, you don't know this."

Li Yingchu smiled gently and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "On the way back, we were robbed by five hundred bandits. If it weren't for Magistrate Tang's intervention, we probably wouldn't have made it back."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingan's gentle expression vanished instantly, replaced by a stern look. "What's going on?"

Tang Shun stepped forward and chuckled, "It's nothing serious, just some bandits who don't know their own strength. It was a close call."

As a high-ranking military governor, he held great power and fought against the Xiongnu for many years. What kind of storms hadn't he seen?

If one deliberately exaggerates suffering, one will only fall into a lower category.

But Li Yingchu seemed to be making it clear that she wanted to recommend Tang Shun for credit:

"Father, it's not that simple!"

"Hundreds of bandits were riding big horses and wanted to wipe us out. It was only thanks to Magistrate Tang that we broke through the encirclement and captured an important figure from the enemy that we were safe."

Li Yingchu explained earnestly, then smiled, "Not only that, Magistrate Tang also captured a female bandit and forced the bandit leader to write an IOU, saying that he would hand over the money and the person in exchange."

She recounted the whole story with great enthusiasm and expression.

Li Qingan listened carefully and nodded, "I understand."

He took one last deep look at Li Yingchu and said, "Yingchu, it's not easy for you to come back. Go back to the manor and rest first. I'll come see you later."

After settling his family in, Li Qingan turned to Tang Shun and said, "I already know everything that happened on the road."

Tang Shun cupped his hands in greeting: "I'm sorry to trouble you, General."

"You handled it well. If I'm not mistaken, it should be the Cui family," Li Qing'an said calmly. "Cui Yuanlang's actions were nothing more than venting his anger."

Tang Shun was slightly surprised. How did Li Qing'an know so much?

Li Qing'an explained:

"The Ma bandits were bandits who occupied the Baishan area, which bordered Hedong, and were often employed by the powerful and influential people of Hedong."

"Cui Yuanlang has returned to Hedong and will not be coming back."

Li Qingan continued, "To be so eager to kill someone over a small victory or defeat shows a lack of shrewdness and superficiality. You don't need to take it to heart."

Tang Shun nodded: "It's not a big deal."

Li Qingan looked at Tang Shun.

The young man before me, having faced a life-or-death confrontation, returned without arrogance, resentment, or even a trace of fatigue.

His words were brief and his demeanor composed, as if he had simply completed a routine task.

He secretly made his promise.

This person is flexible and adaptable, remains calm in the face of danger, and knows how to exercise discretion—he avenges himself without escalating the situation, takes the money, and leaves room for maneuver.

More importantly, he knew when to stop.

"You've done very well," Li Qing'an finally said, his tone now more approving. "The Crown Prince is already waiting for you in the main hall. Please come in with me."

Tang Shun cupped his hands again and said, "As you command."

The two walked side by side up the stone steps.

The courtyard inside the mansion gate is deep and winding, with the shadows of several old locust trees slanting across the ground.

The sound of footsteps echoed on the bluestone slabs, sounding exceptionally clear.

Li Qingan walked half a step to his side and suddenly spoke: "Do you know why I came to greet you personally?"

Tang Shun shook his head.

"Because what you did was more than just proving yourself."

Li Qingan said, "You also stabilized the morale of the people of Wenchi, suppressed grain prices, and gave the displaced people a way to survive. These are much more important than killing a few bandits."

Tang Shun remained silent.

"Some people only look at the methods and think you're ruthless." Li Qing'an glanced at him sideways. "But I look at the results. If the results benefit the people, then the methods aren't wrong."

Tang Shun finally spoke: "I only want people to live."

"That's enough." Li Qingan nodded. "Only with this mindset can one shoulder responsibilities."

They passed through the second gate and entered the inner courtyard.

The main hall ahead was brightly lit, and figures could be vaguely seen moving about. Upon seeing the governor arrive, the guards immediately knelt down and paid their respects.

A warm breeze wafted over, carrying the aroma of charcoal and tea.

Li Qingan did not stop walking and went straight into the corridor inside the door.

Tang Shun followed closely behind, his boots making a slight sound as they stepped on the wooden floor.

His hand remained on the hilt of the knife, his knuckles turning slightly white.

At the end of the long corridor, the main hall doors were wide open.

Li Qing'an stopped and turned to him, saying, "The Crown Prince is inside. When you go in, there's no need for formalities or to speak ill of the Cui family. Just report the disaster relief efforts."

Tang Shun raised his eyes and looked into the hall.

Under the lights, a bright yellow figure sat in the main seat, his face hidden in the shadows and could not be clearly seen.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward...