There were currently three masters managing the You family.
The only one presently in Wuya County was the scholar You Qian, but above him were two elder brothers.
The eldest brother was the true power holder of the You family. Rumor had it that one of his daughters had married into the Qingzhou prefect’s household as a concubine, making the You family relatives of the prefect and cementing their ability to dominate Wuya County with one hand covering the sky.
The second brother, You Jiang, was a burly man with a scar across his face. He was the very person responsible for leading the intimidation of neighboring villagers, seizing farmland, murdering parents, and abducting women by force.
According to rumor, the scar on his face came from an enemy who had slashed him with an axe in broad daylight. It was said that the enemy, fearful of the You family’s influence, had not dared kill him and merely intended to leave a conspicuous scar on his face as a warning. But the consequence of failing to cut the weeds out by the root was that three days later, You Jiang led a group of guards to the enemy’s home and slaughtered the entire household, even sparing not a single infant still wrapped in swaddling clothes.
From then on, the Second Master You’s vicious reputation spread far and wide, and the scar on his face became his trademark.
Before moving against the You family, Zhao Baozhu had already thoroughly investigated them.
Among the villains, You Qian was the easiest to manipulate. Meanwhile, You Jiang was currently traveling outside the county overseeing trade routes that passed through neighboring prefectures such as Liangzhou, Yanzhou, and Yongzhou.
Zhao Baozhu had once traced the You family’s trading routes on a map. Southeast from Zixian County pointed toward Liangzhou, the final stop of the route.
You Jiang’s movements were faster than Zhao Baozhu had anticipated.
If the caravan had already reached Liangzhou, then at most within a week, and at shortest within two or three days, You Jiang would return to Wuya County!
Zhao Baozhu knew full well that the methods he used against You Qian worked for two reasons: first, the You family’s arrogance; second, because You Qian himself was a spineless fool corrupted by wine and women.
Such methods would absolutely never work against a vicious criminal like You Jiang.
While the two elder brothers remained away from the county, Zhao Baozhu still had many things to accomplish. He had already laid out a detailed plan to carve out and eradicate the county’s greatest cancer from top to bottom, waiting only for the right opportunity.
But he had never expected You Jiang to return so quickly.
Zhao Baozhu became anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
If You Jiang returned to Wuya County, then all his plans would be ruined!
Ah Long watched him pacing ceaselessly through the hall while chasing after him with a bowl of medicine.
“Old Master, my dear Old master! Please just drink today’s medicine first. What kind of urgent matter is worth getting this worked up over, ”
Zhao Baozhu looked frantic and shoved the bowl away. “Take it away, take it away!”
Tilting his head toward the doorway, he shouted: “Where are Tao Zhang and Tao Rui? Why aren’t they back yet? Hurry and send someone to check!”
By this time, Shanyi had awakened as well. Wearing a dark blue robe embroidered with silver patterns, he walked out and frowned the moment he saw Zhao Baozhu’s condition.
Stepping over to Ah Long, he asked, “What exactly happened?”
Holding the now-cold bowl of medicine, Ah Long turned toward Shanyi and said helplessly: “My good brother, I ought to be asking you that! What exactly did you tell Old Master yesterday to make him this anxious?”
At those words, Shanyi’s brows twitched slightly. After thinking for a moment, he looked toward the visibly distressed Zhao Baozhu and roughly guessed what was going on.
Zhao Baozhu paced back and forth through the main hall without stopping. He was so anxious that he could not even eat breakfast after getting up.
It had already been a full three days since he sent Tao Zhang and Tao Rui out. The place was not that far away, no matter what, they should have returned by now,
“Ah!” Zhao Baozhu stamped his foot hard.
Seeing several burly men studying the saddles awkwardly because none of them knew how to ride horses, he became so anxious that he rushed over in a few quick steps and snatched the reins away.
“I’ll go myself!”
The moment Ah Long saw this, he panicked. “Old Master! You mustn’t! You’re still sick!”
Fortunately, before he could chase after him, three heavy knocks suddenly rang out against the vermilion gates of the county yamen.
Dong, dong, dong.
Someone was pounding on the door with tremendous force.
When the doors swung open, Tao Zhang and Tao Rui walked in looking utterly bedraggled. They were drenched in sweat, yet their eyes gleamed brightly.
The moment Zhao Baozhu saw them, he immediately jumped down from the horse and hurried over. Without caring about the dirt covering them, he grabbed Tao Zhang by both arms.
“Tao Zhang! Tao Rui!” Zhao Baozhu’s eyes shone. “How did it go?”
Concerned about how filthy he was, Tao Zhang tried to pull his arms back, but failed. Giving up on resisting, he grinned and spoke rapidly: “Old Master, we’ve figured everything out!”
Tao Rui pulled out a stack of xuan paper from his robes and handed it to Zhao Baozhu.
On it was a concise ink-drawn layout of a farm estate. Beside each building were notes indicating the number of people inside at every two-hour watch.
Zhao Baozhu swept his eyes over it once. The tightness between his brows gradually loosened, and his brows lifted high in delight. “Good!”
Excitedly, he smacked Tao Zhang’s arm twice.
Seeing him so pleased, both Tao Zhang and Tao Rui let out a pair of simple, honest laughs. Then their expressions sobered as Tao Zhang lowered his voice and asked: “Old Master, when do we move?”
The two butchers, with their broad faces and thick brows pressed low, looked like vicious bandits. Yet when Zhao Baozhu folded the papers together, his expression looked even fiercer than theirs. A cold gleam flashed through his catlike eyes. “We move tonight.”
Even Tao Zhang and Tao Rui, who already knew the full plan, were startled.
“Tonight? Isn’t that too rushed?”
Zhao Baozhu said heavily, “We can’t wait any longer. You Jiang has already reached Liangzhou. Every extra day means extra danger.”
“Tonight.”
Hearing this, the two immediately steadied themselves again. “Yes, My Lord.”
At once, everyone in the county yamen became busy.
It seemed everyone already knew what they needed to do. The younger and stronger bailiffs headed into the rear courtyard and carried out round logs that had been prepared in advance from the grain storehouse, wrapping them with sticky flammable resin.
Ah Long caught the tense atmosphere in the air. Confused and uneasy, he realized everyone was carrying out some major undertaking he knew nothing about.
He found Zhao Baozhu and asked: “Old Master, what are you all doing?”
At that moment Zhao Baozhu was inspecting Molin’s horseshoes. Hearing him, he looked up at Ah Long and said: “I didn’t tell you. It’s better if you don’t know about this matter.”
Ah Long became even more confused. “Why can’t I know?”
Zhao Baozhu turned back to continue checking the horseshoes. “Children shouldn’t meddle in grown-up affairs.”
Ah Long froze, then exploded instantly. “What do you mean children?! You’re barely older than me yourself!”
Zhao Baozhu stood and patted Molin’s neck before moving on to inspect the saddle. “Lower your voice. Don’t scare Molin.”
The words struck Ah Long like a bolt from the blue. His lips trembled, and he suddenly wailed at the top of his lungs: “Old Master! You don’t love me anymore!”
As he spoke, he grabbed Zhao Baozhu’s arm with both hands and tugged him hard to the side. “How is the horse more precious than me?! Old Master never tells me anything anymore, I-I can’t live like this!”
Zhao Baozhu staggered from being yanked around and glared back at him. “What nonsense are you saying?”
Seeing Ah Long’s round dark face flushed red, clearly on the verge of throwing a full tantrum, Zhao Baozhu sighed. “If I tell you, you’re not allowed to cry.”
Ah Long immediately swallowed back his dramatic howling and nodded hard at Zhao Baozhu.
Privately, he still thought Zhao Baozhu underestimated him. He might be young, but he was someone who had seen the world.
Zhao Baozhu said: “I’m going to burn down the You family’s silk factory.”
With a thud, Ah Long collapsed onto the ground.
His face filled with shock as he stared at Zhao Baozhu in disbelief. His mouth opened and closed like a stranded goldfish. After a long while, he finally squeezed out a dry sentence: “M-master… what did you just say?”
Just as Zhao Baozhu frowned and was about to reply, a clear male voice rang out: “So My Lord intends to strike during the yin hour, when defenses are weakest, and force entry into the silk factory?”
Zhao Baozhu froze and looked up.
There stood Shanyi, leaning lazily against the wall in an outer robe, holding the papers Tao Zhang and Tao Rui had brought back.
Seeing Zhao Baozhu look over, he turned the papers around and pointed at the figures marking each watch of the night. “During the yin hour there are fewer than ten guards. It should be easiest to infiltrate during the shift change.”
Seeing he had already overheard everything, Zhao Baozhu no longer bothered hiding it. Smiling sheepishly, he said: “We really are planning to go during the yin hour. I already had Tao Zhang and Tao Rui scout the area beforehand. The wind near the compound blows southeast, so once we light the haystacks, the flames should spread with the wind.”
“We picked a time when there are fewer people so we can seize them first. Otherwise, if the fire spreads and innocent people get hurt, that would be bad.”
Shanyi fell silent.
He had originally assumed Zhao Baozhu wanted to catch them off guard. He never expected his reasoning to be this.
This… this truly…
At that moment Ah Long finally recovered from the shock. He sprang up from the ground and clung to Zhao Baozhu’s legs. “Old Master! You absolutely can’t!”
He had turned pale with terror. Though he had promised not to cry earlier, now he was sobbing uncontrollably. “Wuuuu… Old Master, Old Master, you can’t go, ”
“Ah…” Zhao Baozhu sighed helplessly and pulled him up from the floor, using his sleeve to wipe Ah Long’s dirty face.
“Didn’t you promise not to cry? Honestly. This is why I didn’t want to tell you.”
Ah Long hiccuped through his sobs and nearly crumpled back down even after being helped up.
He truly was terrified.
Though he had not been born here, he had grown up in Wuya County and served under the previous magistrate. He had personally witnessed every way the You family manipulated the authorities above and oppressed the common people below.
Since childhood, fear of the You clan had been planted deeply in his heart. Cursing them privately was one thing, but openly provoking the You family….
That was something people lost their heads over!
After everything that had happened recently, Ah Long already regarded Zhao Baozhu as a second parent. There was no way he could watch him march off to his death.
Through teary eyes, Ah Long pleaded: “Old Master, this can’t be done! The You family isn’t easy to provoke… If you’re angry, just take it out on the little lackeys. There’s an old saying: cutting off someone’s source of wealth is like killing their parents. Old Master, you have to think carefully—”
Unexpectedly, Zhao Baozhu’s face changed sharply the instant he heard this. “What source of wealth?”
Ah Long was startled silent by his expression, staring blankly at him with his mouth hanging open.
Zhao Baozhu fixed him with an extremely serious stare, flicked his sleeve, and strode a few steps away before suddenly turning back. “What kind of ‘source of wealth’ is that supposed to be?”
“Bullying people, seizing property, colluding with officials, they’ve planned things nicely, forcing an entire county to buy their silk while they grow fat with profits. They may be pleased with themselves, but just you see whether I spare them or not!”
Ah Long was already dumbstruck.
Meanwhile, Shanyi slowly straightened from the doorway, his phoenix eyes blazing as he looked at Zhao Baozhu.
Filled with fury, Zhao Baozhu’s catlike eyes seemed to burn with flames. He let out a cold sneer and lifted his brows. “Cutting off their wealth? Not only will I cut off their wealth, I want their lives!”
“If those thieves hadn’t already sunk roots so deeply into this place, I’d have dug up their ancestral graves long ago to see just how many arms and legs those rotten bloodlines really have! Then I’d drag out all those filthy bones and feed every last one of them to the pigs!”
Good heavens!
Ah Long was so horrified by those murderous words that he collapsed onto the ground yet again.
His face turned deathly pale, and regret flooded his heart. He never should have spoken carelessly and provoked his master into saying such terrifying things!
After venting his anger, Zhao Baozhu paced circles in the courtyard and took several deep breaths before forcibly calming himself down.
Then he turned to the two men and said: “I’ve already carefully selected the people for this operation. Tonight we undertake a great matter. I ask Brother Shanyi to stay behind with Ah Long and keep him from being frightened.”
Ah Long froze at those words.
He had not expected Zhao Baozhu to still be thinking of him. Two streams of tears immediately rolled down his round eyes.
But unexpectedly, Shanyi stepped forward and clasped his fists toward Zhao Baozhu. “My Lord’s ambitions soar to the heavens. Shanyi wishes to accompany you.”
Zhao Baozhu had not expected that response and stared blankly for a moment before frowning. “That won’t do. You only recovered a few days ago. You should stay behind and rest.”
Unexpectedly, Shanyi smiled.
Walking forward, he suddenly drew a sword from his waist with a sharp shing and said: “The reason I left home this time was to roam jianghu and uphold righteousness. Now that I’ve heard of such a great undertaking, how could I possibly stay behind?”
“This treasured sword was seized from that Cao fellow. I dare not claim it can slice iron like mud, but it is certainly extraordinarily sharp. If any of those You family scoundrels dare commit further tyranny, I will be the first to cut them down beneath my horse!”
The instant Zhao Baozhu saw the sword, his eyes lit up brightly.
Together with Shanyi, he grasped the blade and looked up at him with gratitude filling his gaze. “Brother Liu truly is my dear friend!”
Watching the two jade-like young men gazing tearfully at one another while speaking only blood-soaked words, Ah Long was so shocked his legs went limp like noodles.
One jade-faced rakshasa for a master was already enough…
And now another one had arrived!!
The heavens of Wuya County truly were about to change!
Taking the sword from Shanyi, Zhao Baozhu examined it from top to bottom and could not help praising it: “A fine sword!”
Looking back up at Shanyi, light flickering in his eyes, he grew serious again. “Baozhu knows Brother Liu’s courage, but this matter is no small affair. Even though I’ve planned carefully, there’s no guarantee nothing unexpected will happen…”
Shanyi immediately interrupted: “There is no need for My Lord to say more.”
His phoenix eyes shifted toward the courtyard, sweeping across the silent burly men hard at work.
These bailiffs were all villagers who had willingly joined Zhao Baozhu’s side.
This county had suffered under the You family for far too long. The silk tax alone had already crushed countless people into ruin. Not to mention that the silk factory itself stood upon land forcibly taken from many of their families.
The bitterness and hatred in their hearts was something outsiders could scarcely understand.
Shanyi watched as the men picked up one wooden club after another. His face remained expressionless, yet within his eyes a blazing fire seemed to burn silently. With unwavering determination, their mountain-like arms wrapped flammable resin-soaked cords around the tops of the wooden poles one after another—
Retracting his gaze, Shanyi looked at Zhao Baozhu and said: “With such a mighty force, why should we fear being unable to eliminate these villains?”
Zhao Baozhu sheathed the sword. A clear metallic ring, like jade striking gold, sounded out. He stared intently at Shanyi, his eyes shining. “Well said! Brother Liu truly understands my heart, a confidant!”
Ah Long had originally been sprawled on the ground, but upon hearing that, he could no longer stay put.
Dear friend, confidant, one title after another.
This Liu Shanyi had been here for less than a day and had already become Zhao Baozhu’s trusted companion. Then what was he supposed to be?
Though terrified, he wiped his face, gritted his teeth, and stubbornly stood up. “Old Master! I want to go too!”
Zhao Baozhu turned toward him. Seeing his dark face flushed red, his legs trembling even as he forced himself to act brave, Zhao Baozhu laughed heartily and rubbed the boy’s head. “You just stay here and look after the house for me.”
***
A tense atmosphere permeated the yamen.
Everyone knew exactly what they were about to do.
Although the plan had suddenly changed, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. These men who had chosen to stay might not know literature, but long ago they had already pledged themselves in their hearts.
The townspeople also vaguely sensed that something was about to happen.
The normally bustling marketplace was now silent and deserted. Not even a single idle loafer wandered the streets.
At the entrances of homes throughout the city, doors were left cracked open. The wives of the men who had gone out leaned casually beneath their porches, appearing to chat and crack melon seeds together. In reality, they were secretly watching for unfamiliar faces entering the city.
Amid this atmosphere of impending violence, night slowly descended.
Unfortunately, the heavens were uncooperative.
Near the Hour of Chou, heavy rain suddenly began to fall.
The You family’s silk factory sat against mountains and beside water, occupying a fertile stretch of land beneath the southern slope of South Mountain northwest of Wuya County.
Using the cover of darkness, Zhao Baozhu and his group arrived at the foot of the mountain and concealed themselves among the terrain within the hazy curtain of rain.
The wooden firebrands wrapped with flammable resin had all been sealed inside wax-coated cowhide to protect them from moisture. Tao Zhang and Tao Rui carried them on their backs.
The rainfall in the mountains was heavier than in the town.
The rain formed a curtain of water that shrouded the silk factory in a blurry haze. Even the lights burning inside the buildings had become difficult to see.
Watching anxiously, Tao Rui sighed repeatedly and called up to Zhao Baozhu, who sat mounted on horseback. “Old Master, the rain is falling so heavily. What are we supposed to do?”
Zhao Baozhu sat tall in the saddle. The silver embroidery on his black official uniform glimmered faintly in the darkness. Rainwater dotted his jade-like face, and his eyes shone brilliantly as he stared through the rain toward the factory.
“No need to worry.” He glanced at the sky, stroked Molin’s fine mane, and turned to Tao Rui. “The rain will stop within a quarter of an hour.”
Yizhou received abundant rainfall, and mountain weather changed unpredictably.
Since childhood, Zhao Baozhu had depended on the heavens for his livelihood alongside his father, learning to read the weather through years of necessity.
Hearing this, Tao Rui relaxed slightly, though he still felt uneasy. He tightened the leather bundle containing the wooden clubs.
Zhao Baozhu blinked his long curled eyelashes. Rainwater rolled down and landed on his lips with a soft patter. The light in his eyes flickered.
Suddenly he turned toward several captured silk-factory guards nearby. “The rain came suddenly tonight. Will the managers take notice? Might they send anyone over?”
Near Molin’s hooves knelt two or three guards dressed in coarse black-and-red robes.
Fear filled their faces.
The others had their mouths gagged with black cloth. Only the apparent leader remained ungagged.
Trembling, he replied: “T-this kind of rain is common in the mountains. The managers won’t pay attention to it.”
Zhao Baozhu narrowed his eyes.
Several drops of rain slid from his lashes. His handsome face should have looked extraordinarily attractive with such an expression.
Yet the guard felt a chill run through him. It was as though a leopard had fixed its gaze upon him. He shuddered violently.
Staring at him, Zhao Baozhu said quietly: “You’re only working a job here. I don’t want to make things difficult for you. But if there’s a single lie in your words, I’ll cut out your tongue first.”
Shanyi stood nearby. Dressed in a blue robe and red trousers, a black cloak draped over his shoulders, he looked every bit the wandering swordsman. His handsome face was cold and refined.The sword in his hand rested against the man’s neck.
Hearing Zhao Baozhu’s words, Shanyi snorted. His wrist shifted slightly. Instantly the sword rotated from the flat of the blade to its sharpened edge. A cold gleam flashed across the terrified man’s face.
The guard nearly wet himself. “My lord! My lord! Everything I’ve said is true! Raw silk burns easily. Our job here is mainly to watch for open flames. If it’s raining, there’s even less reason to worry. No one from the estate will come, my lord! I’ve told you everything, there’s not a single thing I’ve hidden!”
Zhao Baozhu stared at him for a long moment. Then he turned away. “Gag him too.”
The guard thought he was about to die and opened his mouth to scream.
Before any sound emerged, Shanyi swiftly tapped his mute acupoint with two fingers.
Tao Rui lunged forward and tied black cloth over his mouth. He was then placed under guard alongside the others.
Zhao Baozhu had no desire to harm innocent people. Therefore, before setting the fire, he had removed all the workers and guards from the factory grounds.
But until the deed was done, they had to be kept under watch to prevent any leaks.
The rain continued. Yet it gradually weakened.
Seeing this, the men grew restless and repeatedly glanced toward Zhao Baozhu on horseback.
As expected, Zhao Baozhu’s prediction proved completely accurate. Less than a quarter of an hour later, the rain stopped.
Tao Zhang and Tao Rui admired him to the point of worship. “My lord truly calculates like a divine being!”
In the darkness, Zhao Baozhu’s eyes shone like candle flames.
He gave the order: “Light them.”
The wax-sealed leather coverings were opened.
The firebrands inside were completely dry.
The Tao brothers took out flint stones.
After several sharp strikes, torches flared to life one after another in the bottomless darkness of South Mountain’s slope.
The flames illuminated pairs of eyes burning with rage.
This was a silent army.
From above, they gazed down upon the silk factory below.
They saw their own farmland.
Their own tax grain.
Medicine their fathers had needed.
Tuition fees for their children.
Zhao Baozhu sat astride his horse and took a deep breath.
Then he turned toward the men behind him.
“Once the bow is drawn, there is no turning back.”
“After tonight, there can be no coexistence between me and the You clan.”
Cold light flashed within his eyes.
Though still youthful, his presence was no less imposing than any of the burly men behind him.
His gaze slowly swept across their faces. “The road ahead is dangerous.”
“If anyone worries for their family, you may withdraw now. I will not hold it against you.”
“If anyone is afraid or regrets this, step forward now.”
Silence.
No one spoke.
Everyone held a torch aloft.
Their eyes fixed upon Zhao Baozhu like a vast, silent sea of fury.
Zhao Baozhu curled his lips into a smile.
Wiping the rainwater from his face, he turned back toward the factory.
Raising the torch in his right hand, he gave the command:
“Set the fire.”
“Burn it to the ground!”
