Chapter 2: Breaking the Deadlock

The other two sergeants have been watching him closely

I have come out to travel and have brought some silver, but it is all being kept by my servants. If you gentlemen do not mind, once the servants arrive, I will certainly express my gratitude to all of you.

The young servant saw the head of a person on the horse's tail, and his face instantly turned pale as snow, his body trembling uncontrollably

Killing a few vagrants is of little consequence, but killing scholars is a matter of a different nature

Having spoken, Su Tiancheng lifted the hem of his brocade robe, preparing to kneel and pay his respects

Su Tiancheng broke out in a cold sweat as he faced five mounted soldiers. No matter how great his abilities were, he was powerless against them; on the contrary, it would be as easy as flipping his hand for them to kill him

In other words, when Su Tiancheng kneels down, the soldier opposite him, the leader, will come over to decline, while the others will also kneel in return. This is the opportunity.

A young man came running from behind, not very old, with a handsome appearance. He saw Su Tiancheng and the soldier in a standoff.

Seeing the murderous intent of the other party gradually dissipate, Su Tiancheng let out a sigh of relief. Although danger still existed, it had temporarily passed. He had already discovered that the soldier speaking to him was the leader among this group of soldiers, possibly a junior officer.

Scholars in the Ming Dynasty were generally held in high regard, as those who excelled in learning were able to enter officialdom. The status of civil officials and military generals was distinctly different, especially after Yuan Chonghuan's execution of Mao Wenlong, which further highlighted this disparity.

After waiting for a while, the person has still not arrived

In the moment of kneeling, mhetushucomcom felt a surge of bitterness within. He had crossed over to the Ming Dynasty, and the first thing he did was to bow his head in reverence. What kind of situation is this? Yet, in a moment where life and death hang in the balance, what is there that one cannot do to survive?

A few people exchanged glances.

This is the countryside of Pingyang Prefecture, close to Xiangling County. The bandit leaders Gao Yingxiang and Wang Zishun have been active in this area since they invaded Pingyang Prefecture earlier this year. There are bandits everywhere in the regions of Jizhou, Taiping, Quwo, Zhao City, and Hongtong. As a scholar, what brings you to this place

The murderous intent in the opponent's eyes was unmistakable. Su Tiancheng clenched his fists; his physique was decent. In this desperate situation, he could only fight for his life. Killing one would break even, and killing two would be a profit. Damn it, he had never killed anyone in his life.

When a scholar encounters a soldier, reason cannot be clearly articulated. Is it possible that having just crossed over, one must return to their homeland once more

The two soldiers on horseback paused for a moment upon hearing Su Tiancheng refer to himself as a scholar. One of them glanced around, noticing that there were no other people in sight for the time being. However, the area was densely vegetated, and who could tell if someone was hiding behind the foliage.

Seeing Su Tiancheng in a hurry, yet unable to utter any curses, several soldiers laughed again

These words slipped out, and even Su Tiancheng felt a twinge of bitterness himself. Why is it that scholars have such a flavor, always speaking in a roundabout way

Su Tian and the book both knelt down without hesitation

Young Master Su, please do not do this; we cannot bear the consequences

"Young Master, Young Master, how did you come here..."

Su Tiancheng feigned a sense of urgency and spoke to Su Ertong once again

It is said that Su Tiancheng brought silver, and the eyes of several people lit up. What is the purpose of killing the good and taking the credit? Is it not for silver? Unexpectedly, this Su Tiancheng is so foolish as to reveal that he is carrying silver.

The sergeant who spoke earlier continued to speak

He has already discovered that the sergeant who is questioning him reveals a murderous intent in his eyes

Only the sergeant who spoke did not kneel; he approached with a smile, ready to assist Su Tiancheng

This question is quite sophisticated; it implies that Su Tiancheng is not an educated person, but rather a bandit who deserves to be executed

Su Tiancheng himself could not explain it

Your Majesty is wise. Dispatch the soldiers to Pingyang Prefecture to eliminate the bandits and ensure peace in the region. I am a scholar, blessed by the Emperor's grace, and unable to repay it. Therefore, I represent the scholars and pay my respects to all the military officers.

Er Tong, the scenery here is quite nice. I encountered a few soldiers who are currently engaged in bandit suppression. Thanks to them, otherwise I wouldn't know if I could see you. By the way, Su Jun and the others, about ten people, are still behind, right

Su Tiancheng knelt down, and the four soldiers also clasped their fists and knelt on one knee.

Su Ertong looked at Su Tiancheng and was even more shocked to see the head on the horse's tail. He was dumbfounded, and the immense variance and fear rendered him unable to speak. He could only nod numbly, wondering what the young master meant. There were no more people behind.

Su Tiancheng reined in the smile on his face; the opportunity was nearly ripe. The soldier opposite him had already lost his murderous aura. He was about to take action

Everything is as expected

Su Tiancheng wore a smile of joy and reverence on his face

The act of bowing by scholars carries significant meaning, as it is directed towards Heaven, Earth, the Sovereign, Parents, and Teachers. Beyond these, nothing else is worthy of a scholar's bow. Soldiers on horseback, regardless of the circumstances, would not dare to be so presumptuous.

Consider this: Mao Wenlong held the position of Left Deputy Governor and General of Pingliao, a first-rank military official in the Ming Dynasty, unmatched by anyone else. Yuan Chonghuan served as the Minister of War and concurrently as the Right Vice Commander, overseeing the military in Jizhou and Liaodong, yet he was merely a second-rank civil official. In his capacity as a civil official, he could directly command Mao Wenlong, wielding the imperial sword granted by Emperor Chongzhen, and without prior report, he could directly execute Mao Wenlong, who also held the imperial sword. This illustrates that the status of civil officials and military generals in the Ming Dynasty was fundamentally not on the same level.

This is the standard military salute

A few soldiers finally showed smiles on their faces, perhaps because they felt they had encountered a naive scholar, a scholar who knew nothing, unable to distinguish loyalty from treachery, unaware of human nature, and oblivious to danger. Dealing with such a scholar required no great effort; they could simply take the silver and kill him along with his attendant. If there were a maid, they could enjoy themselves as well.

Su Tiancheng, after finishing his words, clasped his hands together and bowed to several soldiers.

Young Master Su, do not be anxious; it is also fine to wait a moment.

Of course, if this were in the city, he would not dare to do such a thing; in any case, this scholar has already appeared to him as a dead man.

In an instant, Su Tiancheng had an idea; he lowered his guard and once again displayed a casual smile

Several soldiers changed their expressions upon hearing such words; the other party was indeed a scholar, and his family background was quite good. Moreover, he was accompanied by many people, and fortunately, they had not acted rashly just now

Su Tiancheng's body trembled slightly; he had already seen three soldiers whispering on horseback, one of whom revealed a vicious glint in his eyes

However, they will not easily let each other go; everything has been witnessed by this scholar. If it spreads, it is possible that one's own head may roll. Since he is a scholar, he is powerless and poses no significant threat. Night is about to fall, and there will be opportunities to kill him; perhaps one could even gain considerable wealth.

The sergeant who had spoken earlier even walked up to Su Tiancheng's side, extended his right hand, and patted Su Tiancheng on the shoulder

Su Tiancheng quickly recalled a series of impressions in his mind. The young servant was named Su Ertong, a foster son of the Su family. The term "foster son" means that both Su Ertong's father and mother were servants of the Su household. From the day he was born, Su Ertong belonged to the Su family, his status akin to that of a servant or a slave.

However, kneeling down is not such a simple matter; it is akin to kneeling before the dead

The remaining three soldiers rode over, two of the warhorses had several severed heads tied to their tails, creating a particularly bloody and terrifying sight

Esteemed military officers, I am Su Tiancheng, a scholar from Pingyang Prefecture, courtesy name Kunyuan. Feeling somewhat troubled at home, I ventured out for a few days to explore. I recently encountered bandits and, frightened, took refuge in the grass. Were it not for your esteemed soldiers, I would have likely found myself in great trouble. I express my gratitude to all of you.

It is essential to find a way to overcome this crisis

Er Tong, why hasn't Su Jun arrived yet, this dog...

It turns out that Master Su is a scholar, my apologies. We have traveled from Zezhou to Pingyang Prefecture because of the bandits from Shaanxi who are causing chaos in Pingyang. It is our duty to eliminate these bandits.

The five soldiers dismounted and stood in a row

It turns out that you are a scholar. We are soldiers of the Ningzhou Guard, following the military orders of the commanding officer, and we have come to Pingyang Prefecture to assist in the suppression of bandits

I am a scholar, and upon hearing that bandits are invading many places in Pingyang Prefecture, such as Xiangling, Jizhou, Quwo, Hongtong, Fenxi, Shilou, and Yonghe, I feel deeply indignant. I wish I could join the army to personally slay the bandits and serve the Ming Dynasty. Today, seeing all of you heroes, I feel greatly honored and must express my gratitude

Before the words "slave" could even be uttered, Su Tian had already stopped. It is now the Ming Dynasty, where only the terms "servant" and "subordinate" are used.