Suppressing Bandits in Qiandeng Town (Part 1)

Several black cars sped across the bluestone slabs of the county town, heading straight for the South Courtyard (brothel).

Dark, inky clouds pressed against the sky from both sides, obscuring the crimson hues that had just filled the view. The heavy clouds seemed about to fall, and a suffocating silence descended upon the entire world. As darkness fell, the servants of the South Courtyard (brothel) hung several strings of bright red lanterns high, then extinguished one, announcing that a distinguished guest would be booking the entire place for the night, and no outsiders would be accepted.

Inside the two-story brothel, the lights were bright and the air was filled with incense smoke. The large private rooms were already furnished, and the downstairs area was starting to get noisy.

Soon, servants led a group of local gentry and wealthy people into the private room. The leader was an old man wearing a melon-shaped hat, a long robe and mandarin jacket, and with a thick beard. Behind him were two men, both wearing black Zhongshan suits, and both were no more than thirty years old.

One man remained silent with a serious expression, while the other chatted and laughed with the old man. The other men who followed were either dressed in silk veils adorned with jade and jewels on their fingers, or dressed in suits with pocket watches and gold chains hanging from their chests—clearly men of great wealth and status.

After everyone was seated, the bearded elder spoke first: "Commander Chen, Inspector Gao, thank you for coming all this way to our remote and impoverished village to suppress bandits. This is just a small token of our appreciation."

"You're too kind, Mayor Liu. Your place is blessed with simple and honest people and beautiful scenery; it's truly a livable place," Chen Yao said with a smile, clasping his hands in return.

The middle-aged man in the suit behind them also came up to the two and said, "Gentlemen, please don't stand on ceremony. Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest today. As for the expenses, I, Cai, will cover them all to fulfill my duty as host."

Chen Yao replied again: "Haha, since Mr. Cai has said so, of course we have to give him face. But our little brothers outside are working hard too, could we treat them to a meal together?"

"Such a generous reward! It's a great honor for Qiandeng Town to treat these soldiers to a meal. Besides, you've been fighting the bandits for over a month, so you must be exhausted. I'll go and make the arrangements right away." Mr. Cai, as expected of the president of the local chamber of commerce, was well-versed in the art of flattery. After saying this, he went downstairs to arrange the soldiers' meals.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the preparations, Mayor Liu clapped his hands, and the madam led the "little gentlemen" in a line, tiptoeing and gracefully entering the inner room.

The so-called "little ladies" were prostitutes with some literary skills who could recite erotic poems and sing frivolous songs. They were very popular among the upper class who were fond of refined tastes. This was also what distinguished the South Courtyard from the North Courtyard (brothel). The "little ladies" of the South Courtyard believed that the sluts in the North Courtyard were only fit to entertain bandits and tenant farmers, even though everyone was in the same boat.

As soon as the "young gentlemen" were carried by maids to sit down next to the high-ranking officials, they immediately got into work mode. Some started pouring wine, while others fanned themselves with round fans to try and get closer to the officials. Those who were called upon had to perform their talents on the spot. For a while, the room was filled with sweet whispers and pipa tunes singing about romance and love.

Only Gao Junxiao seemed very uncomfortable in this place, and his face grew increasingly gloomy. Mayor Liu was at a loss for what to do, so he turned to Chen Yao, who was joking around, and asked, "Commander Chen, it seems that Inspector Gao is not very satisfied with our arrangements. Have we offended him in any way?"

"No, no, he's just that kind of person, he doesn't like that kind of thing, just ignore him." After saying that, Chen Yao kicked Gao Junxiao under the table, warning him to watch his step. Gao Junxia glanced at Chen Yao expressionlessly, ignoring his warning and continuing to do as she pleased, her upright, standard military posture making the "young gentleman" next to her unsure how to approach her.

Helpless, Chen Yao put down his cup and said to Gao Junxiao, "Supervisor Gao, since we're here, let's make the best of it. If you don't like women, then eat some food, go back to sleep after you've eaten. That's settled then."

After listening to Chen Yao's arrangements, Gao Junxiao picked up his chopsticks and began to eat. Seeing that Director Gao had started eating, everyone felt relieved and continued their playful antics. Mayor Liu even personally poured wine for everyone present.

Suddenly, lightning flashed like a blue flame, igniting the darkness, followed by a deafening roar of thunder and a torrential downpour.

The people inside were startled by the thunder, but quickly returned to normal. Chen Yao covered his mouth with a handkerchief and invited everyone to play a drinking game, a glint of wariness flashing in his eyes.

The torrential rain continued to pour down, plunging the entire town into darkness. Only the lights in the south courtyard remained as bright as day. The banquet was drawing to a close, and the local gentry and wealthy men present had all drunk their fill, their faces flushed. Their hands, which were holding the "young master," began to wander, eliciting a seductive, coquettish complaint.

Feeling that the time was about right, Mayor Liu, emboldened by alcohol, leaned closer to Chen Yao and asked, "Commander Chen, when does your army plan to leave the town?"

Chen Yao hiccuped, his eyes blurry with drunkenness, and grabbed Mayor Liu's arm: "Mayor Liu, let me tell you a secret, we originally planned to stay for two days and then leave, hehe, but this place is just so comfortable, it makes us not want to leave."

Everyone understood what he meant—a toll fee. The town head, Liu, who was being held, secretly gave his subordinate a wink, and the subordinate immediately placed a wooden box on the table.

"Take a look, gentlemen. This is a small token of our sincerity, a small gift from everyone to you two officers. We hope you will accept it." Mayor Liu pushed the box in front of Chen Yao and Gao Junxiao. Chen Yao and Gao Junxiao exchanged a glance, and then Chen Yao opened it.

Upon opening the box, Chen Yao's eyes widened in surprise as the small yellow croakers sparkled. He immediately closed the box and took a big gulp of wine to calm his nerves.

Just when Mayor Liu felt he had everything under control, Chen Yao gave a wink to "Gao Junxiao" beside him. "Gao Junxiao" then left the room, claiming he was going to the restroom. The others, already quite drunk, paid no attention to "Gao Junxiao's" movements.

Encouraged by everyone, Chen Yao swayed as he stood up and recited a poem: "The taste of the world has grown thin as gauze over the years, who sent me, a horseman, to the capital? I listened to the wind and rain all night in my small building, and tomorrow morning I will be selling apricot blossoms in the deep alley. I idly write in cursive script on short paper, and playfully divide the tea in the sunny window. Do not rise in plain clothes... Sigh about the dust of the world, oh, what came after that? My memory is failing me. Whoever can answer it will be rewarded."

The young man standing nearby immediately chimed in, "You can still get home by Qingming Festival."

As if to complement Chen Yao's poem, several claps of spring thunder sounded in succession. Instead of being startled, the crowd clapped and cheered in a daze. The poem was very fitting for the raging wind and rain outside: "Listen to the wind and rain tonight, and drink fine tea tomorrow."

"Yes, yes, yes, we can still get home by Qingming Festival. Reward him!" Chen Yao turned his back to the crowd, and the cup in his hand slipped and shattered.

The crisp cracking sound made Mayor Liu feel a sudden pang of unease. He wondered to himself, "Didn't he send them away with gold bars? Does this mean it wasn't enough?" Before Mayor Liu could figure it out...

He looked up abruptly and found Chen Yao staring at him, but there was no trace of drunkenness in Chen Yao's eyes. Upon closer inspection, he was utterly terrified. Dozens of gleaming black gun barrels were protruding from the building opposite, and the servants who had been bowing and scraping behind them had all transformed into soldiers wielding weapons, pointing their guns at the heads of all the gentry and wealthy people present.

Curses and screams filled the hall. The "little teachers" screamed and ran towards the door, but as soon as the door opened, they were forced back into the hall by the dark muzzle of a gun.

Another group of soldiers armed with guns surged in from both sides. The entire south courtyard was already surrounded three layers deep. Mayor Liu, sitting at the table, was trembling like a leaf, and said in a shaky voice, "Commander Chen, if you're not satisfied with the price, we can talk about it another time. What do you mean by this?"

Chen Yao smiled and slowly approached Mayor Liu. Suddenly, he grabbed Mayor Liu's thick beard and said with a hint of threat, "Why don't you tell me everything, or I won't be polite. Tell me—where did you put all the stolen military pay?"

Some of the local gentry on the sidelines looked completely bewildered, while others had shifty eyes. Just as their hands reached for their waists, a soldier shot them in the arm. The deafening gunshot made the young scholars scream again.

Mayor Liu was so frightened that tears streamed down his face. Between sobs, he replied, "What salary? I... I really don't know!"

Hearing that he was still being stubborn, Chen Yao's eyes flashed with impatience. He pinched Mayor Liu's beard and pulled it out completely. What surprised everyone the most was not that the beard was fake, but that half of his mouth was exposed under the beard, as if it had been cut by a sharp blade and then smashed.

A local gentryman suddenly shouted, "You're not our Mayor Liu, you're that...that bandit?"

The deformed mouth clearly belonged to Lei Huozi, the wanted bandit, and also the father-in-law of Liu Shengqi's first wife. Immediately, the hall was filled with accusations and veiled complaints. Chen Yao, his head aching from the noise, pulled out his pistol and fired into a corner. Hearing the gunshot, everyone fell silent and obediently played the submissive role.

"Lei Huozi, where is the military pay? Give me a straight answer, and I'll leave you a whole corpse and spare your brothers' lives." Chen Yao pressed a gun against Lei Huozi's head and demanded.

"Ha! You should think about yourself. Don't you feel a slight stomachache?" Mayor Liu, also known as Lei Huozi, changed his previous weak image, stiffened his neck and opened his mouth, making his whole face look even more distorted and ferocious.

"Ah—" Chen Yao suddenly clutched his stomach and groaned softly, losing his balance and falling back into his chair. Pointing at Lei Huozi, he cursed, "You scoundrel, did you drug me when you were toasting me? Hand over the antidote!"

"Hahaha, without an antidote, my old life is worthless. If I can take your esteemed military lord to the Yellow Springs with me, it's not a loss." Lei Huozi's mockery shocked the surrounding gentry and wealthy people. They no longer cared about their image and knelt down at his feet, begging for the antidote with snot and tears streaming down their faces.

"Fine, you go die first." Chen Yao laughed and pulled the trigger with lightning speed. Snap—it was a blank shot. No matter how tough Lei Huozi was, he couldn't help but twitch when he fired. The surrounding tycoons were stunned for a moment, then, seeing that Lei Huozi was still alive, they swarmed towards him noisily, all demanding the antidote.

"Stop arguing! He didn't drug you." Chen Yao roared in a booming voice, then put away his gun, picked up the wine pot and cup on the table, splashed a cup of wine at Lei Huozi and mocked, "Idiot, I already guessed who you are. How could I dare to drink the wine you offered me? You quacks have a lot of dirty tricks up your sleeves, we have to be careful."

Chen Yao slammed the wine jug to the ground, the shattered pieces revealing two inner linings—it was a Yin-Yang jug. He feigned misery, saying, "I'll die anyway if I go back without finding the military pay. I might as well just shoot all your men and we can all go to the underworld together. Or how about we cooperate? Tell me where the pay is, and we'll all have a way to survive, okay?"

"I don't know anything!" Lei Huozi turned his face away and refused to cooperate.

This guy was tough, and wouldn't listen to reason. Chen Yao slammed down on a chair and shouted, "Lieutenant Zhang, Lieutenant Zhang, Lieutenant Zhang..." The guard next to him couldn't stand it anymore and went over to whisper, "Reporting to the commander, Lieutenant Zhang has gone to the North Courtyard to clear out the bandits."

"Then call him over, now! Right now!" Hearing Chen Yao's urgent request for Zhang the adjutant, the guard didn't dare to delay and ran all the way to the North Courtyard. The North Courtyard was also a two-story building, located at opposite ends of the town from the South Courtyard.

The guards ran breathlessly to the north courtyard. Before they even entered, they smelled a strong stench of blood. Compared to the south courtyard, this place was far more gruesome, with dozens of bandits' corpses lying haphazardly on the ground.

Almost every body was riddled with bullets, at least dozens of holes in them. The ground was covered in white and red stains, making it impossible to step. The guards could only ask the soldier carrying the bodies if he had seen Lieutenant Zhang. The soldier pointed upstairs and continued cleaning up the battlefield.

The situation wasn't much better on the second floor. Every pillar had bullet holes, and the guards were worried that the building might collapse. Blood pooled at their feet and dripped down the railings to the ground below.

He left a trail of bloody footprints as he walked. Finally, in a private room, he found "Supervisor Gao," no, it was Lieutenant Zhang, dressed in a black Zhongshan suit.

As Lieutenant Zhang was questioning several bandits who were bound hand and foot, he seemed dissatisfied with their answers. Without blinking, Lieutenant Zhang shot one of the bandits in the head, blowing his head off. Blood and brain matter splattered onto the faces of the bandits next to him, creating a very intimidating scene.

The other bandits looked terrified, their bodies trembling as they shook their heads frantically. The menacing aura made the guards outside the door afraid to even breathe. As they watched Zhang, the adjutant, replenish his ammunition, their hearts pounded wildly.

Finally, one of the bandits broke down and struggled, shouting, "I know, don't kill me! We hid the stolen money in the money exchange and pawnshop in town!" Hearing someone reveal their secret, the other bandits all glared at him with murderous intent. The man clutched his head and screamed, "I don't have a wife or children! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

"Men, take him to find the stolen goods." Zhang, the adjutant, said in a deep voice and turned around. There were several splattered bloodstains on his face, but he still looked expressionless.

The guard immediately saluted and explained their purpose. Zhang, the adjutant, said nothing, got up, and wiped the blood from his face as he walked away. The guard glanced again at the mangled corpse below and quickly followed Zhang out of the north courtyard.

When the two arrived at the South Courtyard, they found the local gentry huddled together in fear, trying to minimize their presence. Chen Yao was playing a life-or-death game with Lei Huozi, a revolver loaded with only one bullet, bang, another empty shot.

Lei Huozi's eyes were bloodshot, and he was drenched in sweat as if he had been doused with water. He roared at Chen Yao, "Kill me if you want, why play games?"

Chen Yao saw that Zhang, the adjutant, immediately stopped playing the game and waited for a report. Zhang saluted and whispered the situation in Chen Yao's ear. Chen Yao listened with great interest, his smile growing wider and wider: "Good, then this guy is useless. No, he's still somewhat useful. Take a closer look and see what else he can say."

After giving the order, Chen Yao turned and left, but after a few steps, he turned back and asked his adjutant Zhang, "How many heavy machine guns did Governor Gao and his men bring?"

When Gao Junxiao was mentioned, Zhang, the adjutant, seemed to have a lot more to say and immediately replied, "He didn't bring any. Inspector Gao hardly brought any heavy equipment; they're all left at our camp. But he did bring enough light machine guns and ammunition."

Chen Yao frowned upon hearing this, his eyes darting left and right as he said seriously, "Pass on my orders: strictly guard all outbound passages and transportation routes in the town. Not even a fly is allowed to escape tonight. Shoot any bandits who resist arrest on the spot. Lead men to search all houses and shops to prevent any remaining bandits from counterattacking. I'm going back to the camp."

Under the red lanterns, Chen Yao took the raincoat and riding whip handed to him by Zhang, and while putting on the raincoat, he cursed Gao Junxiao in his heart for taking such a risk. How could he not bring heavy weapons when rescuing hostages from such a ruthless bandit? When the guards brought the horse, he jumped on and rode away into the rain and mist.

The boundless night sky was like a huge black curtain, without stars or moon. The mountain wind carried large raindrops that pattered on the leaves and disappeared among the rolling hills.

...The barking of the dogs, the screams of the women, and the heart-wrenching cries of the children constantly assaulted my ears. The outline of the village, billowing with thick smoke, was already visible. Gao Junxiao flicked his whip and rushed toward the village. The only star insignia visible beneath his black raincoat was the star that adorned his collar tonight.

The cavalry behind him also galloped frantically along the country roads. The earth groaned under their iron hooves, and the fields swayed in the wind and rain. The cavalry, moving in unison, leaped down the earthen slopes like black dragons through the choking smoke, some drawing their sabers, others raising their rifles to attack the scattered desperados.

Bang bang—rat-a-tat-tat… The crackling of gunfire startled the livestock, causing them to leap and run wildly around the corpses. The surviving bandits slowly gathered together amidst the hail of bullets, letting out defiant, deafening shouts. Suddenly, they charged forward like madmen, their footsteps slamming the branches on the ground.

The haystacks were lit by torches and then extinguished by heavy rain. The pungent smell of burning mixed with the unpleasant stench of sweat assaulted his nostrils. Gao Junxiao gripped the scorching barrel of his gun, shouting commands as he pulled back the bolt. The enemy in the distance seemed to be seen through a layer of breathy glass, but he did not hesitate for a moment before pulling the trigger. The bullet whistled and shattered the enemy's skull.

As more and more bandits fell, Gao Junxiao noticed that their fighting spirit was also waning. Some abandoned their wounded comrades and tried to escape into the woods, while others threw away their weapons, wiped their blood, and lay on the ground pretending to be dead. However, this also indicated that the hostages were not in their hands; otherwise, they would have already taken the hostages out to negotiate.

"Everyone, listen to my command! Execute all bandits on the spot, leave no one alive!" Gao Junxiao shouted from his chestnut horse, "Attack!"

All the soldiers spurred their horses, and they charged towards the fleeing bandits. Sparks flew everywhere, bullets whizzed overhead, and the continuous, dense gunfire lasted for a while until Gao Junxiao gave a stop gesture, at which point it gradually subsided and disappeared.

The village fell silent again. A few surviving villagers timidly peeked out from the cellar, the cowshed, and the dilapidated houses. Most of them were barefoot, with disheveled hair and wet cotton clothes patched in several layers. They were probably ordinary tenant farmers.

"We are the government's bandit suppression team. Who is the village chief?" Gao Junxiao jumped off his horse and asked loudly.

Perhaps it was his overwhelming murderous aura, but those who had been peeking out all swiftly retreated, and the dilapidated village fell silent once more, save for the sound of the pouring rain. Gao Junxiao didn't want to waste any more time here, so he waved his hand, ordering several soldiers to search the village.

A short while later, two villagers, one old and one young, dressed in straw raincoats, were brought before Gao Junxiao. Gao Junxiao immediately ordered the guards to release them. As soon as they were released, the two villagers knelt down in the puddle with a thud and kowtowed deeply to Gao Junxiao, muttering as they kowtowed, "Old crow, what a mess, what a mess."

Gao Junxiao couldn't understand their difficult Wu dialect at all, but luckily Lu Xian could. They were saying, "Master, we're out of grain. We really have no grain left."

"Don't be afraid, folks. We're not bandits, we don't steal food. We're a bandit suppression team sent by the Nanjing government to fight bandits, and we belong to the Central Army," Gao Junxiao patiently explained to the two.

Unexpectedly, the two men kowtowed even harder, drawing blood from their heads. Gao Junxiao hurriedly tried to pull the old man away, but the old man's knees seemed to be nailed to the ground, and he lay on the ground trembling. This made Gao Junxiao feel somewhat embarrassed, but he could understand the villagers' cautiousness. Years of warlord conflicts had made the people think that there was little difference between officials and bandits.

Lu Xian immediately tried to communicate with the elderly villager. After a long time of talking, the old man finally stood up shakily and replied properly with a hunched back.

Through Lu Xian's translation, Gao Junxiao learned that their village chief and most of the able-bodied men in the village had been kidnapped by bandits and taken to the neighboring Baijia Village to work as laborers and serve the bandits. Not only their village, but more than sixty households in Baijia Village had suffered the same fate.

This is troublesome. The hostages on the train haven't been rescued yet, and now there are so many more villagers who need to be rescued. Gao Junxiao helplessly wiped the rain off his face; he was at his wit's end.

After a few more questions, the old man admitted that a total of five or six hundred bandits had come, along with more than a dozen hostages. About a hundred of them stayed in their village, while the rest went to Baijia Village. Then, two men who looked like bandit leaders led dozens of bandits to Qiandeng Town to live a carefree life.

As the older villagers spoke, they began to sob softly. Suddenly, the child beside him shouted in the direction of the village, and more and more villagers appeared behind the ruins. Villagers of different heights formed a human wall, including women holding babies, elderly people in their seventies leaning on canes, and several disabled people missing arms or legs.

There were only some elderly, weak, women and children left in the village. At this moment, the boy knelt down at Gao Junxiao's feet again. Then all the villagers knelt down and muttered incantations, which made Gao Junxiao's scalp tingle.

Lu Xian quickly helped the child up and turned to Gao Junxiao, saying, "Brother, they are begging us to save the villagers."

“Fellow villagers, there’s no need for such a grand gesture. Protecting our homes and people is our duty.” Gao Junxiao held the old man’s wrinkled hand, feeling as if something was stuck in his throat, unable to move.

After Lu Xian persuaded the tenant farmers to leave, Gao Junxiao shouted loudly to the reorganized group: "Xu Dongsheng, Wang Weitao, Li Shaofu, step forward. The rest of you, rest where you are and pack your bags."

Upon hearing their commander's summons, the three men immediately jogged over to Gao Junxiao, saluted, and awaited instructions.

"Company Commander Li, you're familiar with the terrain. Where can we ambush them around here?" Gao Junxiao asked Li Shaofu, who was like a walking map. They didn't have as many men as the bandits, and they had so many villagers and hostages waiting to be rescued, so they could only outsmart them.

Li Shaofu wiped the fog off his glasses, took out his binoculars, and barely managed to survey the surroundings. Luckily, he could still discern directions even in the dark. Li Shaofu reported to Gao Junxiao: "Reporting, sir, this place is near Shangshu Bay. The river is located east of Baijia Village. There is a small grove of trees by the river. We can ambush there."

"It's raining tonight, the roads are muddy and difficult to travel, visibility is very poor, and we've already exhausted ourselves, so a direct confrontation isn't advisable. Pass on my orders: Xu Dongsheng, lead the left flank forward from the southeast; Wang Weitao, you lead the right flank forward from the northeast. Encircle Baijia Village from both sides, remember to leave an opening on the east side." Gao Junxiao decisively issued the orders.

"Kill the bandits you can, and don't fight them to the death if you can't kill them. Get them all into the ambush area. Also, don't hurt any villagers, or you'll be dealt with according to military law. Understand?" Gao Junxiao received a spirited reply from the soldiers: "Understood."

"The central battalion, follow me to Shangshu Bay to set up an ambush." ​​Gao Junxiao assigned the tasks, picked up his whip, leaped onto his chestnut horse, and the soldiers followed suit, splitting into three groups and riding off in different directions.