The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 47 There are other plans
However, Han Qing had a feeling that things were not so simple. Logically speaking, since the location of the Yin-Yang Scholar had been exposed, Magistrate Qi should have taken action against him. Why was he coming out of the mountains to suppress bandits at this time?
In the dead of winter, with heavy snow blocking the mountains, it is definitely not a good time to suppress bandits.

However, as a minor official in the government, he could only have access to limited information, and he was only responsible for carrying out any arrangements made by his superiors.

While he was pondering, many of the bailiffs in the courtyard had already assembled, and County Magistrate Cao Yongliang had also arrived and was now standing next to Luo Sheng with a kind smile on his face.

At that moment, footsteps sounded at the entrance of the compound.

"Lord Qi has arrived!"

All eyes turned to Qi Chong, who strode into the courtyard with several followers. His sharp demeanor and upright posture made him resemble a drawn sword, clearly indicating a decisive and ruthless person.

"I have gathered you all here today to go into the mountains and suppress the bandits!"

"Many people may be wondering why we chose the dead of winter. It's true that the mountains are now snowed in and the roads are difficult to travel, but that means the bandits in the mountains will be less vigilant and won't be prepared in advance. I'm going to do the opposite and catch them off guard, and give the Black Cloud Mountain bandits a good beating..." Qi Chong said loudly.

The courtyard was silent as everyone listened attentively to Qi Chong's speech.

Luo Sheng lowered his head, and upon hearing these words, a disdainful smile appeared on his face.

He thought to himself that Qi Chong was all talk and no action, and that he was caught off guard. Little did he know that everything that happened here would soon be written into a letter and sent to the leader of Black Cloud Mountain. Gathering so many people to enter the mountain would be nothing but a waste of time and effort.

"Open the treasury and distribute the weapons!" Qi Chong announced loudly at the end.

"Yes!"

Servants in the yamen were not allowed to carry swords on ordinary days. Without weapons, going into the mountains empty-handed was tantamount to suicide.

Another point is that many elderly constables often have heavy and cumbersome knives, which they also need to exchange for new ones at the government treasury.

Han Qing had just received his sword from the treasury, so he didn't need to get a new one. He stood there patiently, waiting for the team to regroup and set off again.

"Han Qing, come with me!" Yang Wu suddenly shouted and walked towards the outside of the Minglu Hall courtyard.

Han Qing followed closely behind, and the two arrived at a secluded corner outside the courtyard.

"When you wear this inner armor, ordinary weapons will only leave a white mark when they cut into it, and the punches and palm strikes of martial artists below the third realm will be greatly weakened."

"Although this battle is ostensibly to suppress bandits, there are actually other plans. You're a straightforward guy, so don't just rush forward; prioritize your own survival," Yang Wu instructed.

"Okay." Han Qing stroked the shiny black soft armor in his hands, feeling even more grateful and respectful towards Yang Wu.

This master was indeed considerate of him in every way.

However, even if Yang Wu didn't give the order, he knew his limits. He was just an axeman, and he had to be clear about his own capabilities and not act rashly.

"After you leave the government office, other martial artists from other forces will also come to join you. At that time, you will be divided into dozens or even hundreds of small teams and act separately."

"I have entrusted Magistrate Qi to arrange a few strong teammates for you within the scope of what is under control. Again, don't be reckless; prioritize your survival," Yang Wu said in a low voice.

"I understand." Han Qing nodded seriously.

"Alright, let's go back." Yang Wu patted Han Qing on the shoulder, and the two returned to the courtyard one after the other.

While the yamen runners were busy at work, all the major powers in the city received notices one after another, and in an instant, they all gathered together, causing a great commotion throughout the city.

Outside the Luo family gate.

A burly constable, holding a document, loudly proclaimed: "By order of Magistrate Qi, two hundred guards from the Luo family are to be conscripted to accompany the burly constables and the arresting squad to Black Cloud Mountain to suppress bandits!"

A guard immediately rushed out of the Luo family compound, took the document from the constable, and ran back into the compound.

Before long, the document was delivered to the old master of the Luo family.

The latter had a square face and a wide mouth, and a robust build. He sat upright in a chair in the main hall of the Luo family. Although he was nearly seventy years old and had a full head of white hair, his eyes were bright and his spirit was high. He did not have any signs of decadence or old age.

He was dressed in brocade robes, adorned with gold and silver, exuding an air of nobility, and wore a jade thumb ring. "Two hundred guards?" He took the document, read it from beginning to end, and frowned slightly. "Although my Luo family is the most powerful family in the city, how can we easily muster two hundred guards? If we send them all out, who will protect my Luo family?"

After a moment's thought, he decided to do as Qi Chong asked. After all, he couldn't openly break ties with Qi Chong, and he felt that the bandit suppression would only last two or three days at most.

So, under the arrangement of Old Master Luo, half an hour later, a team of two hundred people set off from the east gate of the Luo family and headed straight for the north gate of the city.

At the same moment, the Chai Gang, the Yu Gang, and various martial arts schools also sprang into action.

Magistrate Qi sent a document to each of the major powers, which detailed the requirements, such as how many people were needed, when, and where to assemble.

At this moment, inside the yamen (government office).

The arresting squad and the guard squad have already set off, while only the brigade remains in the courtyard.

After waiting for about an hour, Yang Wu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and said in a deep voice, "It's almost time."

He had been waiting for so long because he wanted the constables and guards to leave the city. He knew that the constables and the forces still in the city were the ones he could truly trust. Their targets were not the bandits, but the Yin-Yang Scholar and Old Master Luo.

However, Yang Wu knew nothing about Old Master Luo's plan; he was only responsible for capturing the Yin-Yang Scholar.

With many thoughts flashing through his mind, Yang Wu straightened up and said loudly, "Let's go!"

"set off!"

In an instant, the entire procession sprang into action, including not only the bailiffs but also a large group of servants.

...

Outside Baiyun County.

Cao Yongliang rode a tall horse along the official road, with Luo Sheng beside him and a large number of constables and constables behind him.

Because of a recent heavy snowfall, the closer the team got to Black Cloud Mountain, the more rugged and difficult the road became, with each step leaving a snow hole.

Many of the constables harbored resentment but dared not vent it.

“The heavy snow has blocked the mountains, making the roads difficult to travel. Has Qi Chong lost his mind? He sent us out to suppress bandits at this time. By the time we get up the mountain, we won’t even see the bandits, and we’ll all be exhausted and frozen to death.” Luo Sheng said in a low voice with a gloomy face.

Cao Yongliang sneered: "This is a good thing. If Qi Chong causes a few more troubles, and people's hearts are lost, then his time as county magistrate will be over."

Luo Sheng nodded slightly, said no more, and continued to lead the team toward Black Cloud Mountain.

Suppressing bandits? Suppress my ass! It's nothing more than taking people out for a stroll.

...

Whoohoo!
As dusk fell, a night breeze rose from the horizon.

On the open ground in front of the East Gate, Yang Wu gathered a large group of people, including not only members of the Zao Ban (a type of martial arts troupe), but also members of the Jin Feng Martial Arts School, the Chai Gang, the Tie Shan Martial Arts School, and many other forces.

Han Qing also stood in the crowd. He glanced around and saw the figures moving about, but there was no sound as they waited for Yang Wu's next move.

After all the major forces had assembled, Yang Wu divided everyone into small teams and appointed captains for each team.

The team Han Qing belonged to was led by Sun Xiao, and included familiar faces such as Ma Er, Li Tai, and a dozen or so martial artists from other factions.

"Set off!"

Yang Wu shouted again, and the troops started moving, but instead of leaving the city, they headed back into the city. Led by the captains of each unit, they marched along different streets and routes straight towards the Chen family's old residence.

(End of this chapter)