Chapter 98: The Counterattack

"However, you must host a banquet to show my foster father proper respect, and then agree to purchase the salt blocks at a price of ten wen per hundred catties."

Sun Kewang relayed Zhang Xianzhong’s conditions with a hint of embarrassment. Setting aside the demand for a banquet and apology to save face, the prospect of agreeing to buy salt blocks at ten wen per hundred catties was absurd. Li Yi would have to mobilize nearly a hundred villagers from Ganquan Li, work them to the bone every day dissolving and purifying the salt, exhaust every effort to sell it, and navigate through countless bureaucratic hurdles—all for Zhang Xianzhong to walk away with every penny of the profit.

Li Yi offered a cold, mocking smile. It was clear that Zhang Xianzhong saw him as a fool to be exploited. While the illicit salt trade was indeed lucrative, one hundred catties of raw salt blocks yielded only a few catties of edible salt; Zhang Xianzhong was truly demanding an exorbitant share.

Seeing the frost on Li Yi’s face, Sun Kewang grew anxious and quickly added, "Benefactor, there is still room for negotiation. My foster father is currently recruiting men and is in dire need of silver. I am certain he will change his mind."

Li Yi slammed his wine bowl onto the table with a heavy thud, his tone dark. "I have offered courtesy, and now I shall resort to force. If Zhang Xianzhong refuses the soft approach, he cannot blame me for being hard. Kewang, go back and tell your foster father: cooperation brings mutual benefit, but if he refuses, we shall settle this with our blades."

Sun Kewang’s expression shifted in alarm.

Upon returning to Suijin Town, Li Yi summoned Gao Jie and said, "The salt deal is dead. Zhang Xianzhong has no sincerity whatsoever."

Gao Jie’s face darkened. "That Zhang Xianzhong is clearly looking for a fight. Inspector, what is your order?"

Li Yi pondered for a moment. "The only way forward is to fight."

Gao Jie hesitated. "Inspector, Zhang Xianzhong has over a thousand men under his command. Though most are old or weak, we only have about a hundred militia. We are severely outnumbered."

Li Yi nodded. "Go and sound out the garrison troops. Tell them I intend to wipe out Zhang Xianzhong’s bandit gang, and anyone willing to help should come to Suijin Town in three days to discuss the plan."

After Gao Jie departed, Li Yi wrote an official report to be submitted to the county magistrate’s office. Suppressing bandits was an official duty, and it was necessary to inform Yan Zibin, the county magistrate.

By the next day, the news that Li Yi was mobilizing to annihilate Zhang Xianzhong had spread throughout Mizhi County. Thanks to the prestige gained from the battle at Suijin Town, nearly a hundred men arrived at the town on the very first day. Most were garrison soldiers from the previous battle, joined by a few wandering heroes eager to witness the spectacle.

The news inevitably reached the ears of Zhang Xianzhong. Upon hearing that Li Yi intended to wipe him out, Zhang Xianzhong laughed with unbridled arrogance.

"A mere Inspector’s office with a handful of militia—barely a hundred men—dares to claim they will wipe me out?" Zhang Xianzhong roared with laughter.

It was not that he underestimated Li Yi; he knew that in recent days, his own ranks had swelled to nearly two thousand men, half of whom were fierce bandits and deserters. His power had grown significantly.

Liu Wenxiu also laughed, saying, "Foster father, although Li Yi is spouting nonsense, he does have some ability. We should still be cautious."

Sun Kewang added worriedly, "Foster father, perhaps we should gather the elites scattered across the various hilltops into the valley. That way, we will have some form of defense."

Zhang Xianzhong waved his hand dismissively. "Li Yi is still gathering his men; who knows how long it will take for him to attack? Let’s wait and see how many people he can actually muster."

Zhang Xianzhong did not know that that very afternoon, Li Yi had led his able-bodied militia out of Suijin Town.

That night, the group of one hundred, guided by ropes to stay together in the dark, marched slowly to a hillside west of Zhang Xianzhong’s lair. Gao Jie was incredibly tense; they were now only five miles from the bandit stronghold, where Zhang Xianzhong and nearly a thousand men resided.

Li Yi gestured for the militia to stop and rest. Gao Jie approached him and said, "Inspector, isn't this too risky?"

Li Yi, currently being helped into his iron armor by Liu Zongmin, glanced at him. "What is it you want to say?"

Gao Jie swallowed hard. "Zhang Xianzhong’s lair has nearly a thousand men, and they hold the advantage of the terrain. With only a hundred of us, is a surprise attack even possible?"

Li Yi smiled. "If it were a head-on battle, it would be impossible. But as you said, this is a surprise attack, and we are striking bandits who have no idea how many men we have."

Li Yi’s words put Gao Jie slightly more at ease. The militia, hearing this, were also infected by Li Yi’s calm confidence, and their suppressed spirits began to rise.

During the battle of Suijin Town, Li Yi had captured plenty of armor. Now, the hundred-odd men helped each other buckle their plates, tore the rags from their weapons, and stood in disciplined formation. In the shadows of the night, Li Yi led them, cloaked in black cloth, creeping slowly toward the mouth of the valley.

Li Yi would never have attempted this against a regular army. But for forest bandits, it was a different matter entirely.

Indeed, Zhang Xianzhong and his men assumed Li Yi was still busy recruiting, and they had let their guard down. On the wooden stockade walls, only a few sporadic sentries remained. As the night deepened, even they curled up near the fire pits to sleep. Two who remained awake were bleary-eyed, hiding from the wind to chat.

Buyan returned from the front and whispered, "I’ve seen them clearly. There are five men. Three are asleep, and two are standing together. I can take out the two standing together."

The archer’s eyes were exceptionally sharp.

Li Yi nodded. "You handle those two, and have the others with good aim pair up to target the rest. Ensure each strike is lethal."

Buyan nodded and went to relay the orders to a few Ulianghai men. Li Yi called for Liu Dayong. "Take a squad and secure the gate. This is our path of retreat; guard it well."

"Understood, Commander."

Li Yi continued, "Gao Jie, take your men and prepare to set fires. Gao Laoshi, take your men and scatter the gathered bandits. Remember, make as much noise as you can."

Both men accepted their orders. Liu Zongmin led a squad to accompany Li Yi in capturing Zhang Xianzhong himself.

As the night deepened, it was assumed the bandits would be in a deep sleep. Li Yi led Buyan, Liu Zongmin, and the others to creep toward the wooden stockade. Under the cover of darkness, Li Yi signaled to Buyan.

With a low whistle, several arrows flew through the air, striking true. The bandits on the earthen wall let out muffled groans and collapsed to the ground. Buyan loosed a rapid succession of arrows, piercing the throats of two more bandits. Just as he saw another bandit with an arrow in his chest trying to stand and shout, he loosed another shaft. The arrow mercilessly pierced the bandit’s throat, cutting off his cry for help.

The night returned to silence. Li Yi signaled Liu Zongmin, and they threw grappling hooks to scale the earthen wall. Once atop, Li Yi first had Liu Zongmin check that the bandits were truly dead, then jumped down and approached the gate.

There was a small wooden shack at the gate, where two bandits were snoring loudly. Li Yi drew his short blade, lifted the door curtain, and stepped inside, plunging the knife directly into the heart of the first man. The second bandit was awakened by the struggle; as he opened his eyes, Li Yi clamped a hand over his mouth and nose, drove the blade in, and thrust it through his jaw and into the back of his brain.

As the steel entered his skull, the bandit’s eyes widened, and he went limp on the bed, gradually falling silent.