Chapter 14: The Government Crackdown

The summer heat was intense, and within just a few days, the spears had dried. Since they weren’t oiled, they certainly wouldn’t last long, but for short-term combat, they were more than sufficient.

Li Gui picked up a spear, gave it a shake. It felt light, yet incredibly resilient; even if struck with a blade, it wouldn’t easily break. The iron spearhead was sharpened; piercing a tree left a small hole. If it struck a person, it could sever half their life on the spot.

Even if one didn’t die immediately, without timely medical care, the wound would fester and become infected. If lucky, amputation might suffice; if not, death was inevitable. The saying “better to receive ten cuts than one spear wound” held true.

Infantry were disposable commodities in these times. There was no need to equip them with luxurious armor or shields—just some long spears for the soldiers was perfect. All it took was killing a few enemies on the battlefield to cover the cost. As for those who died, a modest compensation was given before recruiting replacements.

This was how the millions-strong army of the Song Dynasty came to be. The Liao and Western Xia also had their cannon fodder—men who joined the military simply to survive. Their combat effectiveness was questionable.

True combat strength lay with the elite units. The Liao and Western Xia treasured their capable troops like precious treasures, providing them with the best horses and armor. Their ironclad warriors were reserved for decisive moments, but when dividing spoils, they were always the first to claim their share.

Only the Song, once famed for its generals and scholarly warriors, had declined so drastically. Now, everyone schemed to sing their own name at East Hua Gate; who still regarded a band of thugs as heroes?

The Western Army was now the most formidable force of the Song, but it was also deeply distrusted and constrained. Within a few years, the Daoming Emperor would send envoys to divide power within the Western Army, sowing discord.

In the ensuing internal strife, countless foot soldiers would become casualties, their bodies strewn along the Baigou Riverbanks. The power struggle ended in mutual defeat.

These matters were far beyond Li Gui’s concern. Not his position, not his problem. His sole focus now was how to handle the local government’s crackdown.

Previously, the Yushan bandits were ignored by the court because they had not caused significant disturbances. Campaigns against them cost money and grain, and wiping them out yielded no merit.

But now that Li Gui had slain the steward of the powerful official Li, to preserve his own reputation, Li was bound to push the authorities to launch a crackdown.

Though the Yushan bandit gang numbered hundreds, they had few weapons and no training—a motley crew. If the government sent a few dozen constables and soldiers, properly equipped, they could easily be wiped out.

And that was without knowing that Li Gui had become the new leader. If they knew, the authorities would likely send the imperial army instead of just constables.

But no wall is without a crack—Li Gui, eager to make a name for himself, never concealed his identity. The gang would soon learn their leader’s bounty was three thousand strings of cash; it would be strange if no one betrayed him.

Who knew when the imperial army would arrive at the mountain’s foot? Without training a capable fighting force before then, escape would be impossible.

If Li Gui hadn’t killed Steward Li, he might have hired a guide from Li’s household to flee ahead of time, but now that was impossible.

His only advantage was growing stronger through battle, becoming fearless against beasts and men alike. Only then could he roam freely.

But government troops were no fools. They would not stand idly by to be slaughtered; they would swarm and overwhelm him. Even if he were armored in iron, he would need cannon fodder to share the burden.

If his bandits could hold the line for just a moment, he was confident he could kill an enemy commander and turn defeat into victory.

Yizhou was a minor place—what formidable generals could it produce? Then he could level up through battles, conquer new territories, grow stronger, and ultimately seize the Liangshan stronghold to establish a grand legacy.

A hero needs comrades. Whether Song Jiang or Fang La, each had a band of heroes to support them. Otherwise, even a reincarnation of the Western Chu Overlord would end only by drowning in the Wu River.

As for settling permanently in this small Yushan hideout to recruit heroes nationwide—Li Gui never entertained such thoughts.

This mountain den lacked the natural defenses of an eight-hundred-li watery fortress. If surrounded by a large army, it could not hold. It was only a temporary refuge, not the foundation for rebellion.

Every year the Song faced uprisings, but they were either crushed or pacified. Not one ever had the chance to dominate the Central Plains.

The reason was simple: unstable foundations.

Sure enough, within days of killing Steward Li, retribution arrived.

“Brother, the government is imposing new taxes—some kind of anti-bandit levy!”

“I fear the authorities will come to suppress us within days.”

Though Li Lao Qi appeared useless—unable to carry a burden or lift a hand—Li Gui found him quite adept as a scout. Having lived by reading people’s expressions, Li Lao Qi was keenly observant and meticulous, perfect for gathering intelligence.

When Li Lao Qi reported the reconnaissance, Li Gui was furious.

“Endless corrupt officials!”

“Maintaining order is their duty, yet they seize the chance to extort!”

Indeed, the official Li had pressured the government to dispatch troops against the bandits. But the county magistrate, unwilling to lose money, imposed additional taxes on the populace, naming it the anti-bandit fund.

Every merchant and commoner in the county was taxed without exception.

Whether the proceeds were split between officials was beyond Li Lao Qi’s reach.

“Good thing they stirred up such a fuss; otherwise, spying out the news would be much harder.”

Li Lao Qi fawned before his chieftain, his gaze tinged with fear.

In his days scouting the foot of the mountain, he had inevitably learned who was wanted in the arrest orders.

Had he been anyone else, he might have gone straight to the authorities with the information. But Li Lao Qi had no such intention.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want money—he just feared death more.

Li Gui had killed many in recent days, his murderous aura terrifying the bandits. No one dared offend him, lest they be cut down by his blade.

Cowards have their uses. Li Gui allowed Li Lao Qi to go down to gather news precisely because he was so useless; even if he learned something, he wouldn’t dare betray him.

“What a bunch of doomed scoundrels!”

“If they attack immediately, even those fools outside might not hold out!”

“Once they finish looting, our training will be nearly complete. Then we’ll annihilate them without mercy.”

To guard against surprise attacks, Li Gui stationed two additional scout groups in the distant woods, using sharp whistles as signals. At any news, the gates would be shut, and the stronghold defended.

A few days later, Li Lao Qi hurriedly reported that county constables had already set out, heading for Yushan and would arrive any moment.