Chapter 91: The Clash Concludes

A large group of people marched out of the county government office in a grand procession. Several carts stood parked at the county gate. A government clerk stepped forward to lift the burlap covering one of them, instantly revealing a horrifying scene.

The cart was piled high with countless severed heads, their vacant eyes and lifeless expressions pressed together in chaotic disarray. The sudden sight sent a chill down one’s spine.

Several clerks, unaccustomed to such a ghastly spectacle, turned away and retched loudly.

Yang He, a civil official, felt a heavy weight in his chest upon seeing this, nearly overcome by the grim reality.

Hong Chengchou’s face darkened as he covered his nose and mouth with disdain.

Yet the soldiers guarding the carts treated the heads like precious treasure, watching the officials’ reactions with smug satisfaction.

“So many heads...” murmured the gathering common folk, who crowded closer. Some screamed aloud at the gruesome sight.

“They look like the heads of Tatars,” one villager speculated.

“Heh heh, when did our soldiers ever dare to fight the Tatars? I bet these are just heads of innocents killed for glory,” another said.

“Right, both Tatars and soldiers are no better than beasts,” echoed others, the crowd buzzing with heated debates.

Yang He gestured, summoning his cavalry captain forward.

This stout, bearded middle-aged officer was a seasoned border warrior and easily recognized the heads as those of Tatars.

The captain showed no discomfort, cheerfully picking up a head as if selecting a watermelon, inspecting it from all sides. Using a short blade, he pried open the mouth to examine the teeth before setting it down.

After examining five heads this way, he strode back and respectfully bowed.

“Commander, these are indeed Tatar heads.”

Upon hearing this, Yang He remained composed, but the commoners became restless.

Tatars? Truly Tatar heads?

When did the soldiers grow so bold as to slay true Tatars, and not just borrow heads from their own villages?

The crowd murmured excitedly.

Yang He smiled broadly. “Deputy Governor Hong, do you wish to have the heads verified?”

Hong Chengchou calmly clasped his hands. “Commander, the battlefield was fierce and the Tatars suffered heavy losses. This is the credit of the troops at Suijin Town. Though we failed to hold Suijin, we earned merit by killing the enemy. I ask you to commend them.”

Yang He was momentarily taken aback.

Li Yi, however, was unhurried.

The sound of drums and gongs soon rang out, and the people of Mizhi County parted respectfully.

A group of ragged, pale-faced villagers emerged, their faces marked by the sorrow of lost homes and the bittersweet relief of survival. They knelt in front of the county office.

Yang He hurried forward, raising his voice. “I am Yang He, Governor of the Three Borders, appointed by His Majesty to manage affairs in Shaanxi—to aid disaster victims and pacify bandits. Speak freely if you have anything to say.”

A man covered in whip marks, his face pale but grateful, stepped forward. “Honorable magistrate, we have come to thank the government for saving our lives.”

“Saving your lives?” Yang He asked, puzzled.

The man spoke loudly to the crowd. “The Tatars were merciless, driving us like cattle and sheep to charge the soldiers’ ranks. Thanks to Inspector Li escorting Tatar prisoners for exchange, we were spared. Such great kindness we shall never forget.”

He bowed deeply several times.

Yang He looked at him solemnly. “Young man, tell me, was Suijin Town ultimately held?”

The man nodded firmly. “Of course it was. Inspector Li not only saved us but also repelled the Tatars. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here to thank you.”

The nearby villagers echoed their agreement.

Yang He nodded and turned to Hong Chengchou.

“Deputy Governor Hong, do you have any questions?”

Hong’s expression shifted slightly before he bowed. “I leave it to you, sir.”

Yang He smiled. Since arriving in Mizhi County, this was the first time Hong Chengchou had yielded.

After calming the villagers, Yang He returned to the rear hall of the county office.

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Hong Chengchou accompanied him.

Yan Zibin brought tea but left quietly upon seeing Hong’s signal.

The empty rear hall was quiet as Yang He and Hong Chengchou sat apart.

After a while, Hong glanced at Yang He and said coolly, “Commander, Li Yi is ultimately a minor figure. Damaging relations for his sake benefits no one.”

Yang He sipped his tea with a smile. “Deputy Governor Hong, you speak too seriously. As I said upon arrival, I still rely greatly on you—I wonder what your thoughts truly are.”

“Commander, we both know the situation in Yansui. The people suffer terribly, with no surplus grain for taxes. Yet wealthy landowners hide their fields and evade taxes. For me, gathering grain and provisions is an uphill battle.”

Both men were senior officials, their thoughts transparent to one another.

Hong spoke plainly. “The court demands the northwest be pacified. You want funds and grain. I want to fulfill the grain requisition completely. I will give you satisfactory results, but I ask you not to obstruct me. Otherwise, both sides lose face; no one will come out looking good.”

His cold gaze locked onto Yang He, his last words carrying a clear threat.

The chill in the hall deepened; even composed Yang He grew solemn.

After some thought, he nodded. “Let this matter rest here. I still need Shi Kefa and Li Yi.”

Hong’s eyes narrowed. “Use Shi Kefa as you wish, but not Li Yi.”

Yang He’s wrinkled face broke into a smile. “Deputy Governor Hong said Li Yi was a minor figure—so now, unwilling to let go?”

Thinking of Li Yi, who had repeatedly undermined his plans, Hong bore no resentment.

Instead, he valued Li Yi even more.

“Commander, Li Yi is no ordinary man. Had this not happened suddenly, I would not let him go. He is unruly, with great ambition and a strong force under his command. You can use him, but must also guard against him.”

“Guard against him?” Yang He shook his head with a smile. “No need to worry, Deputy Governor Hong. The officialdom is perilous; if Li Yi is truly clever, he knows following us closely is the path to success.”

Hong regarded Yang He’s unconcerned demeanor but chose not to press further.

He himself did not know why he was so wary of Li Yi, but instinct told him Li Yi could not be judged by ordinary logic.

For example, in the battle at Suijin Town, if Li Yi were pragmatic, he would have immediately denied victory and aligned with Hong’s stance.

Yet for the sake of his wounded soldiers, he chose to part ways.

Politics? Perhaps Li Yi never intended to enter this cesspool.

At the final moment, Hong Chengchou presented Yang He with a significant gift: the inside story of the Ai family’s assassination attempt on Li Yi.

Knowing Yang He’s desperate for funds, Hong expected him to exploit this to squeeze the Ai family for profit.

With Yang He and Hong Chengchou in agreement, the next steps were straightforward.

First, the great credit for beheading four hundred enemies at Suijin Town would be shared by Yang He and Hong Chengchou.

This sudden Tatar southern invasion had shaken and angered the court.

Yang He, as the new Governor of the Three Borders, bore some responsibility. Reporting the beheadings would serve as sufficient explanation to silence critics.

Yang He’s role was to pacify bandits and stabilize the people, though some officials regularly accused him of ignorance in military affairs.

Hong Chengchou, sensing frequent future conflicts, saw this victory as a chance to earn a military title.

The hard-fought victory, the Tatars’ escape and the burning of granaries—these were Hong’s bottom line.

Completing political tasks and building merit was his chief concern.

Many were caught off guard as the matter settled.

Thus, in officialdom, there are no eternal friends or foes—only enduring interests.

With this, Hong and Yang achieved a win-win. Li Yi would soon be promoted, and the accusations of him pocketing spoils were quietly overlooked thanks to the two powerful men’s intervention.

Shi Kefa’s archives were burned, and this was reported, but with Yang He’s backing and Shi’s connections, it was not serious.

Only the Ai family, who had allied with Hong on the condition Li Yi be eliminated, suffered a complete loss.

Li Yi survived and repelled the Tatar assault; multiple assassination attempts failed.

Now, they would face extortion from Yang He—a double defeat.

After leaving the county jail, Li Yi bathed, changed clothes, and met with Shi Kefa.

Hong Chengchou held leverage over Liu Zhongzhou, and since the two were in league, with Hong compromised, Liu did not press charges against Shi Kefa.

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The Ai family’s scheme and Hong Chengchou’s retreat left Shi Kefa disheartened.

He had planned to leave Mizhi County to serve in the capital.

Yet Yang He’s invitation to stay put him in a dilemma.

Li Yi said to Shi Kefa, “Commander, your stay in Yulin serves two purposes: pacifying bandits and aiding disaster victims.

“Last year, Yansui suffered severe drought; refugees were everywhere, selling children, homes destroyed, lives shattered. With no way out, many turned to bandits. To restore order in the northwest, the bandits must first be pacified; to do that, disaster victims must be aided. You are a civil official. The commander’s request for you to stay surely entrusts you with disaster relief. Tens of thousands in the northwest suffer terribly. If you are dedicated to helping the people, why leave?”

Li Yi’s words enlightened Shi Kefa.

Indeed, he had initially aided Hong Chengchou to reclaim military farmlands from wealthy landowners, to recruit peasants and resolve chaos.

Though Hong later abandoned this, Shi could continue.

After this realization, Shi met with Yang He and agreed to assist.

Yang He was pleased to gain such a talent.

He now only needed to complete the charade with Hong Chengchou to secure funds for disaster relief.

As Li Yi noted, short on manpower, Yang He entrusted Shi Kefa with the task.

Shi immediately founded an office and began organizing relief efforts.

Li Yi, still injured and awaiting the outcome of his commendation petition, was sent by Yang He to handle the aftermath.

First came the wounded soldiers stranded in Suijin Town.

Though Hong Chengchou’s main force departed, the garrison soldiers had suffered heavy casualties. Many chose to stay at Suijin Town for treatment after witnessing the healing methods of the Ganquan militia.

The soldiers who testified for Li Yi did so because they saw his compassionate care for the wounded and his willingness to risk blame to distribute rewards.

Upon returning, Li Yi rented several compounds, assigning staff to care for the wounded, preventing fatal infections.

Next were the displaced survivors left in Suijin Town.

The Tatar invasion forced many northern people to flee desperately. Most returned home after the battle, but many had nowhere to go.

Most were women.

Though the late Ming literati began to relax social norms, ordinary folk remained strict.

Women captured by the Tatars, whether abused or not, were stigmatized.

Returning home meant scorn and possible rejection by their in-laws.

Thus, they stayed in Suijin Town.

Li Yi assigned them to assist Li Guo and others as nurses.

Each was provided housing, food, and a stipend.

Those wishing to leave could do so anytime, receiving an additional subsidy.

This approach made the women more diligent and unwilling to depart.

After these tasks, the most important matter remained: compensation.

Li Yi had promised Lei Laohu he would distribute reward silver directly to the soldiers.

Some had died in battle, so he planned to give their families the money.

Early the next morning, Li Yi, Gao Jie, and some soldiers visited the homes of fallen comrades.

They brought silver and food.

Entering each dilapidated house with heavy steps, Li Yi’s face was filled with guilt.

When he delivered the news of death, the families often wailed in heart-wrenching grief.

The soldiers who stayed behind were devoted family men who had earned some money for their loved ones but were gone forever.

Li Yi could only recount their bravery in battle, how they protected many in Mizhi County, offering some comfort.

Though it mattered little to grieving families, Li Yi was at a loss for words.

In the end, he apologized repeatedly and gave his address, urging them to seek him if needed, then fled.

Lei Laohu’s home was within Mizhi County.

Two shabby brick-and-wood cottages stood there, with a pair of emaciated children playing outside the courtyard gate.