Chapter 36 Military Governor Zhao Is Lighting the Fire

For nearly ten days in a row, Chen Zhiyuan wandered around every day and didn’t mention anything about suppressing the bandits.

In the military camp, finally, there were some sounds.

“When do you think we can go up the mountain to suppress the bandits? Although Chief Chen treats us very well and the food is good, we can’t possibly stay on like this. I want to go back quickly to see my wife, children, and mother…”

“I don’t have a wife and children, and my mother passed away too. I’m full, and my family isn’t hungry. But here, I’m always worried and uneasy. I’m worried that one day, the bandits will attack the camp, and I’ll be killed while I’m still sleeping. It would be so unfair if I die without knowing why.”

“Yes, we’ve trained for so many days and suffered so much. Isn’t it just to suppress the bandits? I want to let them know that I didn’t suffer for nothing. But it feels anxious to have this strength but unable to use it…”

The local soldiers gathered together and began to discuss.

When Zhao Dengming, who was strolling around the military camp heard this, he was secretly delighted.

The soldiers were eager to fight. If nothing went wrong, someone would ask Chen Zhiyuan to fight. They would fight in one go, and then they would be exhausted. He didn’t believe that Chen Zhiyuan didn’t know this. If this continued, the morale of the army would be broken.

When Chen Zhiyuan was forced to send out troops, it would be the time to deliver the news that he had agreed to with that person.

It was time for him to add more firewood to make the fire burn even brighter.

Thinking up to this point, Zhao Dengming did it straight away.

“Constable Chen, what’s the meaning of this? The county governor and the county magistrate told you to suppress the bandits, not to go sightseeing. You wander around every day and leave the soldiers in the camp. I want to see how you will answer the county magistrate!”

Zhao Dengming shouted as he walked towards the main tent of the central army.

The soldiers in the camp all looked over. Seeing that he had barged into the main tent, they knew that the commander-in-chief and the inspector would definitely fight, so they quickly hid their heads and returned to their positions.

Inside the main tent, Zhao Dengming glared at Chen Zhiyuan with rage. His mouth was full of orders from the county magistrate and the county governor. And Chen Zhiyuan was just touring around instead of attacking. He was wasting the trust of the county magistrate.

Even Xiahou Yong and Wang Shan were caught off guard by Zhao Dengming’s sudden action. The two of them rushed to the main tent of the central army.

“Military Governor Zhao, are you done?”

Chen Zhiyuan looked coldly at Zhao Dengming. Killing intent gradually rose in his heart. This fellow was indeed here to cause trouble for him and drag him down. Of course, he had heard some of the discussions of the soldiers in the barracks. It was obvious that this fellow was here to build a fire for him.

“Of course not. If you don’t send out troops to suppress the bandits but wander around aimlessly every day, I will go to the county magistrate and report you. I will remove your command and personally bring people up the mountain.”

Zhao Dengming was smug. He looked down on Wang Shan and Xiahou Yong, who had rushed in. He almost pointed at Chen Zhiyuan’s nose and cursed.

“Alright, Military Governor Zhao. Since you want to remove my command and personally lead the troops, then let me ask you, do you know how many bandits are on the mountain?”

Chen Zhiyuan held back his desire to kill and asked.

“This… how would I know? But I just need to know that we have more people than them…”

Zhao Dengming paused and argued.

“Then let me tell you, excluding the women and children, there are about 120 bandits on the mountain. If the women and children are included, there won’t be more than 180 people. Moreover, they’re likely a group of ordinary bandits who don’t know anything. They’re not elites at all. I don’t know where the news that Black Wind Mountain is difficult to deal with came from. That’s why it’s delayed for so long.”

Chen Zhiyuan stared at Zhao Dengming and said slowly.

“You… how did you know there were so many people? What if… what if you’re wrong?”

Zhao Dengming looked at the confident Chen Zhiyuan and continued to be stubborn.

“It turns out that the robbers on the mountain go down the mountain once every ten days. It’s not the robbery like what the rumors said. Instead, they used money to buy food. Every time it’s around twenty stones, it’s 2,400 catties of food. According to the two catties of food per day for adult men, it’s 120 people in ten days.

“Moreover, we have been stationed here for so many days. Have you seen them send scouts down the mountain to scout for news about our army? They didn’t even use common methods such as attacking the camp and disturbing the enemy. How can they be considered well-trained?

“Third, the bandits on the mountain are most likely the ones who have just gone up the mountain. They have been entrenched for several years. They couldn’t possibly go down the mountain to buy food every time. If that’s the case, why would the officers and soldiers need to go through so much trouble to suppress the bandits? Just stop the caravans from passing through this road, and the bandits on the mountain would come down by themselves.”

After Chen Zhiyuan finished speaking, he looked at Zhao Dengming with disdain. “Military Governor Zhao, do you still think that I am touring the mountains and rivers every day?”

“You… I…”

Zhao Dengming was speechless and did not speak anymore. However, he remembered the meaning of what the man in black had said to him that day.

Having Chen Zhiyuan come here to suppress the bandits because he obviously knew that a group of uninvited guests had come to the mountain. Moreover, when he heard that the officers were coming to suppress the bandits, he did not take the initiative to start a war with this group of bandits. It was obvious that he was waiting for the officers to fight with this group of bandits, and after both sides suffered heavy losses, they could sit back and reap the benefits.

Therefore, the information he had here was especially important. Whatever the officers did, he needed to report to the mountain in time.

“What’s the matter, Military Governor Zhao? You can’t say anything, right? Since you have nothing to say, then please go back to your tent and calm down. Now, we have to discuss the major matter of suppressing the bandits.”

Wang Shan would not let go of this opportunity to beat Zhao Dengming up. He walked to Zhao Dengming’s side and gave him a sidelong glance.

Although Xiahou Yong did not say anything, the expression in his eyes said it all.

Brother Chen was indeed quite capable. These past few days, he had been touring around and had roughly grasped the situation on the mountain. This way, it would be easier to set up a plan to suppress the bandits.

“Hmph! You’re right this time. I… I’m going back!”

Zhao Dengming couldn’t lose out to them. He still had to put on the airs of an inspector. With a wave of his sleeves, he walked out.

“Brother Xiahou, Old Wang, take a seat. Next, we can discuss the plan to exterminate the bandits.”

After Chen Zhiyuan let the two of them sit down, he looked at the two of them even more cautiously. “If there’s anything you’re not satisfied with, please voice them. I think there’s something wrong with this situation.”

“Something is indeed wrong. It doesn’t make sense that the mountain bandits used money to buy food. Besides, there are more than a hundred mountain bandits who can’t be considered experienced. How can they make Qingshui County and the neighboring county officials fear them?”

Xiahou Yong also found something wrong and voiced his doubts.

“Chief, did you notice that old fellow, Zhao Dengming, just now? His expression wasn’t right either. After hearing the news, he was actually calmer than us. Does he know something?”

Wang Shan’s attention was completely focused on Zhao Dengming.

“Did he release his pigeons?”

Chen Zhiyuan asked.

“Not yet.”

Wang Shan replied.

“In that case, Old Wang, keep an eye on him. Brother Xiahou, let’s discuss a plan to see if Zhao Dengming’s heart is black or red.”

Chen Zhiyuan looked at the two of them, his eyes shining