Looking north towards the rivers and mountains

Chapter 292 Officials and People

By evening, the two captured boats had been moored at a makeshift dock on the south bank of the Grand Canal.

This place is not far from Wuxi city. It belongs to Kaiyuan Township, one of the twenty-two townships of Wuxi Prefecture. Its easternmost point is only two li from the city, and its westernmost point borders Buzheng Township, which is forty li from the city. It is roughly located in the area of ​​present-day Qianqiao, Longshan, and Xiayuqiao in Wuxi.

The supplies on the ship were inventoried and registered overnight. If they belonged to the eighteen merchants from Jiangyin and Wuxi who had paid him, they were returned in full; otherwise, he kept them for himself.

"Brother." The next morning, Yu Yuan, who was in charge of the inventory, came up to him, holding an account book in his hand, and said, "There is too much cargo on the pirate ship, and it will take a while to clear it all out. A rough look shows that there are more than 300 bolts of cloth, 200 bolts of silk, and an estimated 150 shi of tea. There is also a lot of miscellaneous goods, including porcelain, medicinal herbs, bamboo ware, ironware, bronzeware, yellow wine, and so on. There is everything."

Shao Shuyi took the ledger, flipped through it, and said, "Were these all stolen from passing merchant ships?"

"Not entirely." Yu Yuan pointed to the depths of the cabin and said, "There are a few boxes there, locked and unopened. The prisoners said they contain Bi Si's stash of gold, silver, and valuables."

"Send someone to keep an eye on it, and register it all later," Shao Shuyi said, handing the account book back to him.

"Yes, sir." Yu Yuan took the ledger and added, "Both wounded have been treated and are in good condition."

Shao Shuyi nodded.

In yesterday's battle, two men died on the flat-hulled ship: one from Gao Da's spear team and the other from Wu Shangyuan's team, both killed by crossbow bolts. The third casualty was from Liu Yi's ship, also from Gao Da's spear team; he was struck in the neck by bandits while boarding and was already dead when pulled back. The two wounded were not seriously injured; the arrowheads were removed and medicine was applied, and they appear to be fine for now, needing only some rest.

Shao Shuyi was silent for a moment, then nodded: "The deceased will be given a generous burial and compensation, and the injured will be given medical expenses, according to the old rules."

After giving his instructions, Shao Shuyi turned and walked to the side of the boat, looking at the scene on the shore.

The autumn sun shines on the rice paddies, and the golden rice grains reflect a soft light.

Smoke curled from the distant village chimneys, and the sounds of chickens and dogs could be faintly heard, as if yesterday's battle had never occurred. But the scorch marks in the reeds along the bank, the bloodstains on the field ridges, and the farmers gathered in twos and threes discussing the matter, all reminded people that a fierce battle had just taken place here. "Brother, the village head of Kaiyuan Township has arrived." Gao Daqiang walked over from the bow of the boat, followed by an old man with gray hair and beard.

The old man was about fifty years old, thin, wearing a faded blue cloth robe with a hemp rope tied around his waist and straw sandals on his feet. His eyes were bright and piercing, unlike those of an ordinary farmer.

"I am Lü Senglin, the village head of Kaiyuan Township. Greetings, Cao She." The old man approached Shao Shuyi and bowed respectfully. Shao Shuyi returned the bow and carefully examined the man. Earlier, when they were chasing Bi Si, it was Lü Senglin and his son who led the villagers to surround and block the bandit leader. Although they did not capture the bandit leader directly, they at least slowed down Bi Si's progress, buying time for Bian Yuanheng's pursuit.

"Master Lü, thanks to you and the villagers for surrounding him yesterday, otherwise that scoundrel Bi Si would probably have escaped far away." Shao Shuyi invited him to sit down in the cabin and had two bowls of tea brought over.

Lu Senglin took the bowl, drank a sip, sighed, and said, "I am unworthy of Cao She's words. That thief has been causing trouble on the Grand Canal for a month, and our Kaiyuan Township has also been affected. The young men in the township dare not go out to work, merchants from outside dare not enter the village, and even visiting relatives has become rare. The day before yesterday, I heard that Cao She was going to intercept the thief on the river, so I took a few brave young men to search for people and guard the riverbank, thinking that if the thief came ashore, we could at least stop him. I didn't expect that we would actually be able to stop him."

"How many people were killed or injured in your hometown?" Shao Shuyi asked.

Upon hearing this, Lü Senglin sighed and said, "Five are dead and three are injured."

Shao Shuyi was silent for a moment, then said, "Master Lü, go back and tell the villagers that every household that helped us stop the thieves yesterday will receive five strings of cash. As for the dead, I will give thirty strings of cash as compensation, as a small token of my gratitude."

Upon hearing this, Lü Senglin suddenly stood up and was about to bow again: "Cao She is benevolent! This old man thanks Cao She on behalf of everyone!"

"No need for such formalities," Shao Shuyi quickly helped him up, and asked, "How long has Lord Lü served as the village head of Kaiyuan Township?"

As she spoke, she subtly glanced at his simple clothes.

"It's been more than half a year," Lü Senglin replied, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice. "When my father was still alive, the village recommended me for this job. Back then, it was considered a lucrative post, so I held it for many years before being let go. This year, I was recommended again, but who knew it would be such a thankless and arduous task. Collecting grain, assigning labor, mediating disputes, arresting people—every single one of these is a job that offends people. When orders come down from above, you can't stand still, but if you do, you'll be cursed. If it weren't for the villagers' consideration, this old man would have quit long ago."

Shao Shuyi smiled and said, "If you can work for a year, Lord Lü must have something special. I see that the able-bodied men you brought, although they haven't been trained, are quite capable in combat. That's already very good."

Lu Senglin waved his hands repeatedly: "Cao She is too kind. They are all farmers. They can manage to hunt wild boars, but they are no good in real combat. Today, we only dared to charge because Cao She's men scared the bandits off. If it were a real fight, one of those bandits could take on dozens of us."

As they were talking, Liang Tai got off the boat and whispered a few words in Shao Shuyi's ear.

Shao Shuyi nodded, stood up, and said to Lü Senglin, "Master Lü, I still need to send someone to Wuxi Prefecture to report the news, so I won't keep you any longer. As for the reward money and compensation, I will have someone send them to your home tomorrow, and you can distribute them on my behalf."

Lü Senglin quickly replied, "Don't worry, Cao She, this old man will definitely take care of it."

Shao Shuyi thought for a moment and then said, "Also, I would like to trouble Mr. Lü to find a few carpenters in the village and have them come to the dock today. There is a ship that is badly damaged and needs repairs. The wages will be paid as usual."

"That's easy," Lu Senglin readily agreed. "There are several carpenters and boatmen in Kaiyuan Township, all with excellent skills. I'll bring them over first thing tomorrow morning."

After seeing Lü Senglin off, Shao Shuyi returned to the ship and personally interrogated the prisoners.

By the time everything was ready, it was already late afternoon.

Shao Shuyi ordered Li Fu to stay in Kaiyuan Township with a group of men to wait for the carpenters and boatmen to come and repair the boats, while he himself escorted Bi Si and eleven other prisoners back to Wuxi first.

That evening, the fleet arrived at Huangbudun Wharf.

This is a small island in the middle of the canal. It is not very big and has two docks, one large and one small.

By this time, a considerable number of people had already gathered on the main dock, some dressed in official robes and others in silk robes, huddled together in twos and threes, gazing northwards. When the ship docked, the dock erupted in commotion.

"They're here! The boat from Jiangyin is here!"

"I heard Bi Si was captured alive? Is it true?"

"The outcome is still uncertain, how do you know Bi Si has been captured?"

"Look at those people being held captive on the boat, tied up like dumplings. How could they be fake?"

As they were talking, a large group of boatmen came down from the boat, holding hands, and tried to drive people toward the small dock as much as possible.

The onlookers were very dissatisfied and were about to make a scene when they noticed that some of the boatmen had short knives tucked into their waistbands. They then fell silent and staggered away. After the area was cleared, more than twenty people disembarked from the flat-bottomed boat.

They were all dressed in brownish-yellow leather armor, with bows and swords hanging from their waists and various weapons in their hands.

More than ten of them quickly took control of the dock, facing north, south, and west, and raised large shields.

A moment later, Shao Shuyi stepped ashore and looked around.

A middle-aged man in a blue official robe strode forward, followed by several attendants. The man was in his forties, with a round, slightly plump face, a short mustache, and a friendly smile, but his eyes held a scrutinizing gaze.

"I am Zhao Liangchen, the judge of Wuxi Prefecture. May I ask if you are Cao Luo, the righteous man?" The middle-aged man bowed.

Shao Shuyi returned the greeting: "Indeed. Judge Zhao personally came to the dock to greet me; I dare not accept such praise."

Zhao Liangchen smiled and said, "Cao She has rid Wuxi Prefecture of this great scourge, and all the people of the city are grateful. It is only right that I come to welcome him. Prefect Hong originally intended to come in person, but he has important official business at the prefectural office today and cannot leave. He specially ordered me to convey his thanks on his behalf."

After saying that, he waved behind him, and two constables came over carrying a food box.

"This is just a small gift, nothing special, please don't find it offensive, Cao She," Zhao Liangchen said.

Shao Shuyi had Yu Yuan take the food box and said, "Judge Zhao, you're too kind."

Zhao Liangchen glanced at the prisoners on the ship, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes, and said, "Is that scoundrel Bi Si on board? Cao She, may I take a look?"

Shao Shuyi nodded and ordered his men to bring Bi Si out.

Bi Si was bound hand and foot, his mouth stuffed with a rag, his face streaked with black and white, and most of his hair singed; he looked utterly wretched. Two men carried him to the dock. Zhao Liangchen looked him over closely, then circled him once more. After confirming it was indeed Bi Si, he nodded in satisfaction. "Good! Good!" Zhao Liangchen exclaimed twice, then turned to Shao Shuyi and said, "Cao She has rendered such a great service; I will certainly report this truthfully to the Prefect and request a reward for Cao She."

That's an interesting point!

Previously, when the bandits were hired to suppress the bandits, the government had no involvement; it was all handled by the merchants. Now that Bi Si has been captured and the bandits have been wiped out, the government has jumped in. Are they trying to steal the credit?

Thinking of this, Shao Shuyi smiled and said, "Whether or not there's a reward doesn't matter. As long as the canal is open, everyone will have food to eat." Zhao Liangchen was taken aback for a moment, then laughed heartily and said, "I really admire Cao She's straightforwardness. When I came, the prefect instructed me to prepare a banquet in the yamen to welcome Cao She."

Shao Shuyi glanced at the sky and said, "Judge Zhao, there's no need for a banquet. I have several matters to attend to—taking stock of the spoils, providing compensation to the wounded and injured, and arranging river patrols—and I can't leave for the time being. Please ask Judge Zhao to convey to Lord Hong that Bi Si's gang has been basically wiped out. The ringleader, Bi Si, has been captured, and the remaining members are either dead or captured. Only a few henchmen have escaped and are no threat. The Changzhou and Wuxi sections of the Grand Canal will resume navigation immediately, and merchant ships can sail with peace of mind." Upon hearing this, Zhao Liangchen's face stiffened, but he quickly put on a smile again and said, "Cao She is very righteous! I will go back and report to the Prefect. If Cao She needs any assistance from the Prefecture, please don't hesitate to ask."

Shao Shuyi shook his head and said, "If Judge Zhao has something to attend to, he may leave."

Zhao Liangchen's smile gradually faded. He glanced at Bi Si again and tentatively asked, "May I ask, Cao She, is it possible to hand this villain and his accomplices over to the state government? The ship is cramped, and it's not very convenient to imprison people there. Perhaps we could temporarily detain them in the Wuxi prison?" Shao Shuyi looked at Zhao Liangchen with amusement and said, "Judge Zhao, have you ever heard of the phrase 'a rare commodity is worth hoarding'?"

Having said that, he turned and left.

More than ten men rushed into the restaurant ahead of him. Judging from their fully armored and well-trained appearance, they were even more capable than government soldiers.

Zhao Liangchen seemed to be deep in thought.

Since it's a rare commodity, it's naturally expensive. Can you take someone away without paying a price?