Chapter 9, Oscillation
The Battle of Sanqiaokou, the fall of Tumen, and later the encroachment of the Western Xia on Tumen compelled the Song Dynasty to construct a series of fortifications in Yanzhou, including Shun'an Fortress, Huaining Fortress, Heishui Fortress, Shihu Fortress, Dantou Fortress, Anding Fortress, Qingjian City, Qinghua Fortress, Zhaoan Fortress, and Weilin Fortress, totaling eleven fortifications. Weilin Fortress is located to the north of Huzhou, less than one hundred and fifty li from Yanzhou and less than sixty li from the Baohan military city. The purpose of these fortifications was to control the Tumen route to Western Xia in the north and to defend against bandit routes from the west along the Great Wall Ridge with the various military garrisons of Baohan.
Fortunately, the policies during the Song Dynasty were relatively lenient, turning a blind eye to certain matters; otherwise, with strict prohibitions, it is possible that significant turmoil would have erupted in the northwest
The bounty order demanded the heads of the bee thieves, not the clothes on their bodies. Thus, the clothes were stripped from each corpse, revealing several treasure maps beneath them
What tormented Shao Liangzuo the most was not the powerful officials and the common people, but the military camp
The several treasure maps caused the common people to frantically search for treasures in various mountainous areas. Shao Liangzuo had no choice but to report the matter to the new governor, Cheng Kan. Cheng Kan scolded him severely and had no choice but to report it to the court.
"I just thought, they don't want to cause any trouble either. Will they report it?" said Song Ji, dressed as a scholar.
How strange it is
... ...
A seemingly ambiguous treasure map
The peculiar governance of the Song Dynasty saw officials appointed by the court, while local clerks were drawn from the prominent families of the region
Well, Lu Shijiang, how did the investigation on those two women go
Not all soldiers have turned into bandits, although we do not expect them to adhere to the principle of "not taking a single thread from the masses." Therefore, the participants are only a few soldiers, who have eaten meat, while the other soldiers have not even had a sip of soup. What kind of feelings would that evoke
It is still the third brother who thinks long-term; fortunately, he purchased this small estate in advance
As analyzed by Wang Ju, once goods are converted into wealth, they may be squandered by soldiers or transformed into promissory notes and gold and silver, hidden in military camps. However, these goods must be dealt with gradually. Smugglers of private salt cannot be seen in the light, and they are even less visible.
These goods might be it
After hastily inquiring about the situation, he issued a proclamation throughout the entire army, stating that this incident was caused by private salt traders who had killed the patrolling officers and soldiers, and had covered the bodies of the officers and soldiers with veils embroidered with black bees to frame them.
This subordinate is not very clear about it either, but the people in the store say they are from Kaifeng
The three leaders of the bee thieves have also been revealed. It is said that Yu Feng has exceptional marksmanship and martial arts skills, undoubtedly making him the legendary gun thief. There is also a skilled swordsman named Meng Doutu, who may or may not be the knife thief. Additionally, under the command of Chief Yu, there is a down-and-out scholar named Song Ji, who, barring any unforeseen circumstances, is most likely the legendary fan thief
Elder brother, although this place is remote, you must also restrain your brothers and refrain from going out during this period. Allow me to devise a long-term plan
Since the reign of Emperor Taizu, the Song army has experienced multiple incidents of mutiny in the military camps
People of Beijing
The impoverished people in the border regions, when night fell, saw the weapons and several horses in the hands of the bandits disappear. However, there was still wealth, which is akin to books being the clothing on the bodies of the dead. In this era, there are many, many common people who cannot afford clothing or enough food
These victimized villages may also have pack mules, but they were not killed during the process of carrying the mules
The treasure was not found; however, a few days later, in a cave at Jiao Ni Liang, located about thirty li north of Shunningzhai in a relatively remote area, many items were discovered, including blue salt, some silk fabrics, and medicinal herbs and spices
Then it is confirmed that they are participants
Yes
He then ordered an investigation to determine which merchant was trafficking in illicit salt that day, and which village's residents had acted as pack mules.
The motive for the crime has been established, the conditions for committing the crime are in place, and it is believed that at this moment, Cheng Kan in Yanzhou likely also possesses evidence of the crime.
The common people living at the foot of Hengshan during the Song Dynasty, including the Dangxiang, Qiang, Tubo, and Han people, were equally formidable.
Undoubtedly
This is an incredibly dense web, especially among the security forces, with nearly ninety percent of the powerful factions involved in this large-scale private commerce
Why did they leave Yanzhou and head south
However, would Shao Liangzuo dare to admit it? Once it is confirmed that the Black Bee theft was perpetrated by soldiers in disguise, it will undoubtedly provoke endless public resentment
Since the person was not killed by them, they no longer felt any restraint. Upon hearing the news, the surrounding villages rushed over, completely disregarding whether they were officials or soldiers, and even clashed with each other in a bid to claim the kill.
The goods found in the cave confirmed the identity of the black bee thieves and officials, which incited the anger of many suffering villagers in the surrounding areas
Without looking at the casualties, ever since the news of the ambush on the mountain road was reported, through the missing soldiers from various battalions and the injured soldiers, there have already been suspects within the military camp.
However, the several seemingly ambiguous treasure maps do not indicate a single location.
That is the banditry perpetrated by Yu Feng, the leader of Weilin Village, along with most of the subordinate officials and soldiers of Weilin Village who are posing as robbers
It was too close; had it not been for Wang Ju's cunning plan to force them out, these individuals might have discovered their location and, on a dark and windy night, stealthily approached the village to carry out a massacre. Do not say it is impossible; over the years, the number of civilians they have killed is not much less than the number of people in the village.
If the officials are astute and capable, they can intimidate the various clerks; if the officials are weak and easily deceived, they will often be undermined by the clerks in different regions. With Shao Liangzuo's abilities, how could he possibly intimidate the powerful factions of the Baonanjun... The powerful factions are pressing, and the clerks are pressing...
The powerful, having obtained evidence, relentlessly pursued the authorities.
Secondly, it must not be too far from the plundering area, as Qingyan is quite heavy. Moreover, the mountains are interconnected, and the mountain paths are rugged. If it is too far, it will require a significant amount of transportation time and is also likely to be discovered by others
I inquired in Yanzhou City, and according to the elder at that inn, the timeline aligns as well. During those days, they were not at the inn, but there was a strangely behaving man accompanying them
However, the battle at He'ao Ridge only resulted in the elimination of a portion of the Black Bee Bandits, and it seems that the number one leader, that gunman, is still at large, as is the number three leader, the rumored strategist of the Black Bee Bandits
He made a beheading gesture
The situation is more complicated than he thought
The scale of commerce is too large, just like the later maritime ban during the Ming Dynasty; how could it possibly be contained
The strongest army of the Western Xia originated from the various Qiang tribes in the areas of Yin Xia and Heng Shan, referred to by the Song people as the Mountain Boundary Chieftains or Heng Shan Chieftains
"What does it mean to be a person from the capital?" This time, even the astute Song Ji could not comprehend. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Never mind, Lu Shijiang, you take five brothers and head south immediately. Capture these four individuals and inquire about the truth. No, that kid is on guard against something. Yes, he is wary of the owner. In that case, after passing the Fuzhou area, their vigilance will likely diminish, so you should look for an opportunity to act. Then..."
It was probably the servant of that lady, yet she remained silent, leaving the people in that inn feeling uneasy. Three days before the incident, that man went out with the two women, and for some unknown reason, only the two women returned. Additionally, although she had been missing for several days, the maid who stayed at the inn did not dare to report it, merely crying in fear. However, the other servants in the inn had not thought of it until now, and they still found it strange.
Certainly, the oil and water are not as good as those of other fortresses; however, its radiation range is quite extensive. If the officials and soldiers were to turn into bandits, it would be sufficient for them to secretly roam and commit crimes between Tumen and Changchengling.
In recent years, the black bees have not only stolen private goods but have also committed many heinous acts to intimidate and drive away surrounding villages.
The angriest are a group of merchants, the local powerful. Wang Ju is correct; no matter how poor the Western Xia is, it is still a country. According to the household registration, there are over 700,000 households of common people, not to mention its influence extending to the distant Zubu Tatars and Huigu people
So where will it be
Indeed. However, that young man is quite cunning; he hurriedly followed the convoy to Yanzhou overnight, making it inconvenient for us to take action. After arriving in Yanzhou, they immediately hired a cart to leave, still following the convoy. Nevertheless, Old Water No. 2 kept riding a donkey, trailing behind.
If not handled properly, it may provoke the security forces, or even lead to a mutiny among the entire Yan Prefecture soldiers
On the fifth day after the Battle of He'aoling, the leader of Weilin Village betrayed, killing the captives and many soldiers within the village, and defected with over one hundred subordinates. Thus, the entire veil of the Black Bee Bandits was lifted.
The news spread, causing an uproar throughout Fengyan Road
When the common people cleared away the thorny bushes concealing the entrance to the cave, it also signified the self-destruction of Shao Liangzuo's lies
However, in comparison, its status is not as significant as that of the other fortresses.
First, it must be a place that is hidden and rarely visited by people
Shao Liangzuo, however, felt happy, because Weilin Village falls under the jurisdiction of Yanzhou ... It is not entirely my fault
"Liu Jianya, I apologize, but my brothers also wish to survive," said Yu Feng, the leader of Weilin Village, as he drew out his iron spear, blood splattering, and Liu Jianya fell.
The villagers of each stockade, while raising their heads to claim their rewards, were also following the map in search of that elusive treasure
The village chief of Yu...
The news spread, and the people in the surrounding villages went into a frenzy
But the trouble has also arrived
However, it is too close to Wangjiazai, located just to the east of Wangjiazai, with a distance of less than twenty miles.
The message reached Wangjiazha, and nearly all the able-bodied men who participated that day were drenched in cold sweat