Feng Qizheng ran his eyes over them, and it was true—the weapons these hill bandits carried were of every shape and kind.
“What are decent common people doing out here playing hill bandit? Are they tired of living?”
Once the authorities took a man, none of that would matter. They would behead him on the spot… and then write up a memorial afterward claiming merit for putting down bandits.
Ning Chen said, “No man with a mouthful of rice in him turns bandit.”
“There are only two reasons for it. First, they have truly been left with no way to live.”
“Second, they were born no good, idle all day long and looking to get something for nothing… And it’s obvious enough. These are the first kind.”
Feng Qizheng did not follow. “Why the first kind?”
Ning Chen smiled. “If they were the second kind, they wouldn’t keep to rules like that—we don’t rob this, we don’t rob that.”
Feng Qizheng nodded slightly. “That’s fair!”
Ning Chen looked at the chief. “Speak up. Where are you from?”
The chief raised his head and looked at Ning Chen, terror in his eyes.
Feng Qizheng bore down with the blade in his hand and said harshly, “Still not talking? Do you want to die?”
The chief shook with fear. “This small man… this small man is from Yangping County.”
Ning Chen thought about it. He had studied Xiuzhou’s situation before coming. Twelve counties fell under Xiuzhou’s authority, and this Yangping County was not far from Qinghe County—less than two hundred li.
“Old Feng, put the blade away for now.”
Feng Qizheng looked at the chief and warned him, “You behave yourself, or I’ll take your head off with one stroke!”
Only then did he put the blade away.
Ning Chen crouched down and looked at the chief. “Why did you turn bandit?”
The chief’s head hung down, and there was anger under his voice. “There was no living to be had. Better to fight for it than sit and wait to die—at least that way a man might come out with his life.”
“From the way you talk, you’ve had some schooling?”
“A few years at a village school!”
“What’s your name?”
“Yang Yongwang.”
Ning Chen nodded slightly. “You can’t live because of the immortals’ flower?”
Yang Yongwang stared at Ning Chen, thunderstruck. “Who… who are you people?”
“Someone who can save your life.” Ning Chen said it evenly. “By the law of Great Xuan, any man may kill a hill bandit… whoever kills you, it counts as a great merit.”
“If you fall into the hands of the authorities, you die, and that is certain… From here on you answer what I ask. Then your lives might still be saved. Understood?”
Yang Yongwang stared blankly at Ning Chen.
“You don’t understand?”
Yang Yongwang nodded quickly. “I understand!”
He was already in these men’s hands. If they turned him over to the authorities he was dead beyond any doubt, so he might as well gamble and try trusting them.
“You said just now there was no living to be had. Is that because Yangping County planted the immortals’ flower over a wide area?”
Yang Yongwang nodded. “Yes!”
Feng Qizheng looked at Ning Chen and broke in, curious. “How did you know the immortals’ flower is why they can’t live?”
“It isn’t hard to guess…” Pan Yucheng said, coming over. “Xiuzhou’s soil is rich and its grain yields are high, and its cloth and its embroidery are both famous… Xiuzhou is one of the richest prefectures in Great Xuan.”
“And there’s been no natural disaster… the common people here ought to be living well. But they can’t live at all, so it can only be a man-made one.”
Ning Chen nodded slightly. That was exactly it.
He looked at Yang Yongwang. “Tell me how it stands, in detail.”
Yang Yongwang was silent a while, and then he began, slowly.
“Five years ago the authorities had us plant a thing called the immortals’ flower. The authorities supplied the seed and all we had to do was plant it.”
“And once the crop came in we could trade the immortals’ flower for grain, and pay no tax on it either!”
“But that year every one of the flowers died. The authorities made up the loss in silver and issued us grain.”
“The second year we planted again, and for several years after that, not one crop of the immortals’ flower ever lived.”
“But the silver and the grain the authorities gave us got smaller every year, until we could barely fill our bellies.”
“This year we finally brought a crop in… but after we handed over the fruit of the immortals’ flower, the grain and silver the authorities had promised us were put off, and put off again.”
“We went to ask several times and got nowhere. And people already couldn’t afford to eat. If no grain and no silver came, we would all starve.”
“Two months ago I led everyone to His Honor the Magistrate again. We never saw any grain. We got a beating instead, and on top of that they pinned a charge of rebellion on us and meant to throw us in prison and behead us!”
“There was nothing else we could do, so I took everyone up into the mountains… The country where we live has high mountains and thick woods and broken ground, and the authorities’ men don’t dare come up after us lightly.”
Pan Yucheng and the others exchanged a glance.
It was much the same as what Zisu had said about Qinghe County.
Ning Chen asked, “Besides Yangping County, are there other counties planting the immortals’ flower?”
Yang Yongwang shook his head. “I couldn’t say! From the time we started planting the immortals’ flower it was forbidden to breathe a word about it outside. Anyone found out would be thrown in prison and beheaded, and his family would answer for it with him.”
“We couldn’t have any dealings with people from other counties either. We couldn’t even go to the city of Xiuzhou. The authorities have men posted at every crossroads in our county.”
Feng Qizheng could not help asking, “Why didn’t you take it to the authorities?”
Ning Chen gave him a look. “Take it to them how? Who is that below the bench, bringing a charge against this magistrate?“
“No—what I meant was, why not take it higher?”
Ning Chen laughed coldly. “Higher? To whom? The Governor of Xiuzhou? The Prefect? Or Prince Duan?”
Feng Qizheng said, “Take it to the capital.”
Ning Chen shook his head. “They can’t get out of their own county town. If they got out, they couldn’t get past the city of Xiuzhou… and if they got past Xiuzhou, I doubt they’d reach the capital alive.”
天下亡，百姓苦。 天下興，百姓亦苦。
When the empire falls, the common people suffer. When the empire rises, the common people suffer just the same.
Pan Yucheng’s face changed a little. “Guard your tongue!”
That came close to laying blame on His Majesty, and if it reached the ears of anyone looking for it, they would make the most of it.
Ning Chen laughed coldly and said, “Am I wrong? What are the common people? In hard times you spend their deaths; in quiet times you spend them down to the last of their strength.“
Pan Yucheng hurried to turn the subject. “You suspect other counties are planting the immortals’ flower?”
Ning Chen said, “Not suspect. I’m certain of it… In the immortal powder case, of those thirty-odd officials of the court, a good many had been taking it for years. That means they had a successful crop of the immortals’ flower years ago.”
Pan Yucheng nodded slightly. “So what do we do next?”
Ning Chen thought for a while, then walked back and asked Yang Yongwang, “Where do you hide, ordinarily?”
Yang Yongwang said in a shaking voice, “There are a great many caves in the mountains. We have no fixed place… We’re afraid of a sweep by the soldiers, so we move often.”
Ning Chen found himself in some difficulty.
These men counted as important witnesses, but taking this many people back to the capital was not remotely practical. He doubted they could even get out of Xiuzhou.
“Yang Yongwang, I’m the only man alive who can save you now, and I hope you’ll keep that firmly in mind… As little skill as you people have, it’s only a matter of time before the authorities wipe you out. If you want to live, do as I say.”
Yang Yongwang nodded again and again.
“Old Gao, Old Chen… you two go into hiding with them for now. Keep them safe.”
Gao Ziping and Chen Chong nodded.
Ning Chen drew the two of them aside and lowered his voice. “Be careful and take nothing for granted. They may not amount to proper hill bandits, but don’t get sloppy either.”
The two of them nodded. “Set your mind at rest. We’re not new at this.”
Ning Chen said, “Remember, once you’re in the mountains, leave me a mark. I’ll come and find you later.”
Gao Ziping said, “What mark?”
Ning Chen drew it on his own palm. “On a tree. An ‘x’ will do.”
(End of Chapter 303)