Chapter 004: Shandong Strongman

His swordsmanship is exceptionally sharp, with strikes that are concise and swift, devoid of any of the flashy or feigned moves characteristic of later swordsmen. With one hand holding the hem of his robe and the other wielding a bronze sword, he leaps as if flying, with lightning speed, and several opponents have already been injured by his blade

After a thorough reorganization, Jing Lin and Lü Qian left Xi Bin with the most complete attire and weapons, as well as the two hundred strongest soldiers. They tearfully bid farewell to Xi Bin and headed towards the city of Ai in the state of Wei with the remaining troops.

The three spear-wielding bandits did not use foot spears, but rather long spears suited for chariot warfare. While long spears are not very agile, they possess great power in thrusting and slashing. One bandit swung his spear wildly, and the tall man found himself trapped by two spear bearers, unable to retreat in time, and could only grit his teeth and meet the attack with his sword.

This is the first time Xi Bin has seen robbery conducted so brazenly. He had long known that Shandong was home to many heroes, but he did not expect the spirit of Shandong during the Spring and Autumn period to be so vigorous. Amused, he retorted, "Since your robbery has nothing to do with me, why should it concern you if I want to save this passing traveler?"

The man whispered, "Young master, this Zhan Zhi has a formidable reputation in the Qi and Lu regions. Most of the bandits in Qi and Lu follow his orders. His band of thieves usually disperses across various places, committing robbery and plunder. Once there is a matter at hand, with a single command from Zhan Zhi, he can gather thousands of men and horses, rampaging across the land of Qi and Lu, coming and going as they please. The princes and nobles are all troubled by this. Young master, as you are merely passing through the land of Lu, it is unwise to provoke such strong and violent figures."

A Qiu glanced at Xi Bin, who slightly nodded. A Qiu then replied loudly: "The son of the Duke of Wu, Qing Ji, is passing through this place"

When Xi Bin saw such a tall and powerful man, he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. The Qi-Lu region belongs to the Eastern Yi, while the true Central Plains are merely a small area in the Yellow River basin; the remaining regions are referred to as Eastern Yi, Western Rong, Southern Man, and Northern Di. The people of the Eastern Yi and Northern Di have always been tall, but to be this tall is indeed quite rare

Among that group of scholars at mhetushu.com, two individuals stand at the forefront, both possessing exceptional martial skills. One of them, a swordsman, appears to be around thirty years old, with a tall and straight posture. His forehead is broad and flat, and his eyes are bright and piercing. A cold smile graces his face, and the line of his closed lips conveys an indescribable air of pride and arrogance

Xi Bin pondered for a moment and smiled, saying: "So you are under the command of Zhan Zhi. Since you are one of Zhan Zhi's people, I cannot refuse you this favor. I shall not act selfishly; take your people and leave quickly."

Xi Bin slightly tilted his head and asked, "What is it?"

Xi Bin was taken aback: "Confucius! This... this Shandong man is the Great Sage, the Most Honorable Teacher, Confucius? My goodness, is this really what Confucius looks like? This physique... truly worthy of the title of the Great Sage..."

This strong and robust man has a dark complexion, bright eyes, a prominent forehead, and thick, bushy eyebrows. His face is square and large, with high cheekbones and a thick, slightly curly beard. He is holding a thick tree trunk in his hands, and despite its weight, he lifts it with ease. While his martial skills are unknown, his sheer strength is certainly impressive

Another person was exceptionally tall, dressed in a hemp robe, with a wooden hairpin in his hair that was already askew, merely hanging loosely among his locks. His long hair was partially draped down, giving him a rather disheveled appearance. This person's swordsmanship was far inferior to that of the swordsman beside him, who appeared to be in his thirties. However, this individual was robust and powerful, wielding his sword with such force that it created a gust of wind, and three strong bandits armed with spears could not restrain him.

The soldiers under Xi Bin were concerned that someone might be hidden in the forest posing a threat to the young master, so they drew their Wu hooks and cleared the way, advancing in a carpet-like manner. On the narrow path, wide enough for a bullock cart to pass, there were also more than forty soldiers leading the way, slowly pressing forward towards the hillside behind the forest

The other party consisted of more than thirty men dressed in various colorful garments, wearing tattered coarse cloth. They wielded several long spears and heavy wooden clubs. Although their weapons were not sharp, they were long and heavy, and most of the opponents had limited martial skills, thus being overwhelmed around the ox cart with little ability to fight back

At the sound of "one," the swords clashed; the long sword in his hand was struck on the spine by the bronze spear, breaking into two with a crisp sound. The nearby scholars were taken aback and shouted, "Master Kong, be careful"

Behind the forest lies an open grassy slope, where a bullock cart has one of its wheels stuck in a pit. Nearby, there are approximately a dozen scholars dressed in traditional attire, using the cart as cover while engaging in a skirmish with their opponents, wielding sharp swords and short halberds.

The bandit leader was greatly enraged; he had not anticipated that Qing Ji would still intervene after the name of Zhan Zhi was revealed. At this moment, he was alone and outnumbered, while Qing Ji commanded two hundred fierce soldiers, all of whom were like tigers and wolves. How could he possibly contend with them? He opened his mouth, let out a couple of cold laughs, and without uttering any formalities, simply clasped his fists and turned to leave.

The two swordsmen immediately rushed over, and the tall man known as Master Kong stepped back two paces while holding a broken sword. He looked around and noticed a small tree not far away, which, whether due to a mosquito infestation or having its bark gnawed away by cattle and sheep, had already shed its leaves

This tree has not yet completely withered; its trunk still possesses some resilience. Although this tree is referred to as a small tree, it is as thick as an adult's upper arm. He managed to push it down with a single forceful shove, a display of such strength that startled the thieves. The leader of the thieves, who was observing the enemy's formation nearby, could not help but exclaim loudly in admiration.

Xi Bin's soldiers were well-trained; upon hearing the command, they immediately fanned out in a semicircle, protecting the ox cart in the center and quietly advancing forward. Ahead lay a grove of elm trees, beneath which grew a tangle of weeds and vines of varying heights. Although the trees were sparse, they were sufficient to conceal their movements.

Xi Bin furrowed his brow; he had not anticipated that these seemingly inconspicuous little thieves would possess such a profound background. Given his current situation and the circumstances, it was indeed unwise to recklessly provoke a formidable enemy. However, having already set up this display, could he really just lower his flag and cease hostilities?

What exhibition of arrogance, Xi Bin had no idea who this person was. He let out a cold laugh and was about to instruct his subordinates to take action when one of them suddenly rushed to the front of his car and whispered, "Young Master, do not act recklessly"

Upon seeing Qingji standing on their side, the scholars all breathed a sigh of relief, hastily sheathing their swords and weapons. The tall figure of Master Kong discarded the thick tree branch he had been holding, brushed the dirt off his hands, shook out his wrinkled robe, and quickly tidied his hair into a bun before hastening towards Xi Bin.

The ox cart came to a stop, and Xi Bin glanced over, immediately spotting that Master Kong. This Master Kong was truly impossible to overlook; he was a scholar in a blue robe, yet stood at an impressive height of around 1.9 meters, extraordinarily tall and imposing. He held a thick tree trunk in his arms, and his fierce expression was even more striking than that of a brawny warrior.

The three parties faced each other, and Xi Bin's ox cart creaked as it arrived. He lay half-reclined in the dilapidated cart, looking sickly, yet his imposing demeanor resembled that of the Eastern Depot supervisor from "New Dragon Gate Inn," exuding an air of arrogance.

Kong lowered his body, lifted the tree trunk, and let out a loud roar as he swept it away. Several thieves who had attempted to take advantage of his momentary loss of weaponry were immediately swept aside. In his hands, the tree trunk proved far more powerful than the bronze sword he had wielded earlier. His tall and strong physique, combined with the way he wielded the tree trunk with thunderous shouts, made it seem as if he was a force of nature. With this clumsy yet effective technique, the bandits found themselves utterly helpless against him, truly an unstoppable force.

The shield bearers parted to the left and right, clearing a path. Kong Shi strode forward to Xi Bin's vehicle, clasped his hands in a deep bow, and spoke in a distinctly Shandong accent reminiscent of the Spring and Autumn period: "Zouyi Kong Qiu, I have met Young Master Qingji, thank you for your assistance."

Xi Bin thought to himself: "Look at his appearance, he could indeed serve as a vanguard general. His attire suggests he has read books, and while I have no shortage of subordinates, I lack a strategist. If I could recruit this man to my side, it would surely enhance my endeavors."

The scout reported: "A group of scholars dressed for study, about ten individuals, with an ox cart, armed with swords and halberds. Another group of more than thirty, wielding spears and wooden clubs, appears to be highway robbers."

He knew that news of his defeat and escape from the State of Lu was surely being sent to the capital, Qufu. He walked slowly, allowing ample time for the people of Lu to deliberate on how to treat him. If he arrived too early, the Lu people might still be uncertain about how to handle this fugitive prince from the State of Wu, and he would inevitably have to stay and wait for their decision, which would put him in a passive position.

Only two hundred soldiers remain, which significantly lightens the burden. Along this journey, Xi Bin no longer needs to hurry too much. With these two hundred soldiers, Xi Bin leisurely heads towards Qufu.

At that moment, Xi Bin's men arrived. As these soldiers appeared, both sides engaged in the struggle were taken aback, immediately regrouping their forces and watching them warily.

Xi Bin stood in front of a large shield, with archers positioned behind it. As Kong Shi stepped forward, several sharp Wu spears suddenly thrust out from the gaps in the shield, blocking his path

Xi Bin was taken aback and quickly asked, "How many people are there?"

On the other hand, he is also acutely aware that even the most advanced medical skills of this era are quite limited. The legendary physician Bian Que could supposedly determine how many days someone had left to live with just a glance; his medical expertise must indeed be remarkable. However, such exaggerated abilities are undoubtedly the result of being mythologized over a millennium. With such severe injuries, if an infection were to set in, it would be disastrous.

Master Kong took a swift step forward, exerting force with both hands, and with a strong push, he shouted loudly: "Break!" With a sharp crack, the half-dead small tree was pushed down to its roots.

Qing Ji?'' Both groups were taken aback upon hearing this. The leader of the bandits was also quite surprised; he paused for a moment, but his expression softened. He laughed heartily and said: ``So it is the renowned warrior Qing Ji from the State of Wu. We have long heard of your great name. Our robbery here has nothing to do with you, so why are you surrounding us?''

Upon hearing that there were not many people and that they were not coming for him, Xi Bin waved his hand and said, "Be cautious and alert; let us go and see what is happening."

Xi Bin waved his hand and instructed, "Let him come over!"

The person was taken aback, and his expression turned somewhat angry as he shouted: "The noble spirit of Young Master Qingji, who generously releases those who wish to leave, is admired by heroes across the world. My leader has always held Young Master Qingji in high regard, which is why I have treated you with courtesy. Do not think that I am afraid of you. Have you heard of my leader, Zhan Zhi's, great name?"

He was sizing up these people, while the two groups were also cautiously observing him. The two groups exchanged glances and whispered among themselves, and then the leader of the robbers stepped forward with a spear, boldly and loudly questioning Xi Bin: "Who are you?"

Xi Bin's soldiers quickly surrounded them, and on Xi Bin's side, four large shields were raised. Behind the shields stood more than ten archers, their bows drawn, with sharp triangular arrowheads aimed at them. On both sides, spearmen provided protection, presenting a complete military posture for battle

Throughout this journey, we have traversed mountains and rivers, with fresh herbs readily available for gathering. The military physician is quite skilled in treating such gunshot wounds, and since Xi Bin himself possesses some basic knowledge of first aid, he had two pieces of white cloth prepared, which were boiled in hot water and then dried in the sun before use. As a result, the wound gradually healed without festering or infection

Along the way, one could occasionally gather some mountain delicacies and catch some game to replenish their strength. With a robust physique, Xi Bin recovered quickly. After passing Yishan, there were still a few days' journey to Qufu. Ahead lay a grove of trees, and an ox cart was leisurely making its way forward. Suddenly, a scout hurriedly ran over, stepping on the grass by the roadside, panting as he said: "Young Master, two groups of people have been discovered confronting each other in the woods ahead."