The Jin merchant's retainer was escorted into the tent at once.
He was a tall, broad-shouldered man, his bearing steady and fearless—clearly someone who had walked through danger many times before. Facing a room packed with notorious bandit chiefs, he showed not the slightest trace of fear. He clasped his fists calmly and bowed.
"Greetings, esteemed heroes," he said evenly. "I am a household retainer of Zhai Tang, a Jin merchant. You may not recognize my master's name, but anyone who trades in Shanxi or along the northern border has, in one way or another, heard of him."
"Zhai Tang?"
The Dashing General frowned slightly, then nodded. "I know the name. A major merchant in Xuanfu and Datong. His operations are… substantial."
The retainer smiled faintly.
"Since General Chuang is already familiar with my master, that spares me a long introduction."
The Dashing General's gaze sharpened.
"Why have you come? And what does Zhai Tang want from us?"
The retainer did not evade the question.
"To speak plainly, my master has encountered a small obstacle. His business is no longer running as smoothly as before."
The Dashing General raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And a man like Zhai Tang can encounter difficulties?"
The retainer sighed.
"My master has long supplied grain and military equipment to the border armies of Xuanfu and Datong. He has contributed greatly to the Great Ming's frontier defense. Yet just days ago, the Supreme Commander of Xuan-Da was misled by a treacherous individual."
He paused, then continued slowly.
"This person accused my master's trade of being illegal and harmful to the state. Supreme Commander Zhang Zongheng sent troops to arrest him, forcibly severing the Zhai family's trade routes throughout Xuan-Da."
Chuǎng Wang slammed the table.
"Outrageous! That official has gone too far!"
The Dashing General merely smiled, saying nothing.
Inwardly, however, he sneered.
Treacherous official? Or perhaps someone finally stepped on the merchants' tails.
Chuǎng Wang asked bluntly,
"So Zhai Tang has now become an enemy of Zhang Zongheng?"
The retainer nodded.
"Indeed. The Great Ming court has turned against the Zhai family. My master is now in hiding, unable to move freely. All because of that one man."
Chuǎng Wang seized the key point.
"Who is this so-called treacherous individual?"
The retainer answered calmly,
"An expert in flintlock firearms."
The temperature inside the tent dropped instantly.
Every bandit chief's expression darkened.
The retainer went on,
"My master believes firmly in one principle: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The Jin merchants are willing to join hands with you, esteemed kings, to deal with this person."
The Dashing General leaned forward slightly.
"And how, exactly, does Zhai Tang intend to help us?"
The retainer's lips curved faintly.
"My master understands little about warfare, but he understands trade. Any cooperation, naturally, begins with business."
Understanding dawned immediately.
The Dashing General spoke first.
"Zhai Tang intends to sell us the goods he originally supplied to the border armies."
The retainer chuckled.
"Exactly."
He spread his hands.
"You gentlemen have plundered counties and cities alike, gathering mountains of gold, silver, and jewels. But such things cannot be eaten, nor can they be turned into strength on the battlefield."
His gaze swept the room.
"In truth, you have no way to spend this wealth."
That was an undeniable fact.
The roving bandits had seized unimaginable riches—but those riches were dead weight. No one dared openly trade with bandits.
Each leader present was wealthy beyond measure—and yet all of it was useless.
"My master can change that," the retainer said smoothly.
"Grain, salt, cloth. Three-Eyed Arquebuses. Gunpowder. Lead bullets. Repeating crossbows. Armor. Shields."
He smiled.
"Everything we once supplied to the border armies—we can now supply to you. If the Jin merchants can sustain the frontier, sustaining you will be no problem at all."
The bandit chiefs exchanged glances.
Then, almost simultaneously—
"Good!"
"Excellent!"
"We'll take this deal!"
The retainer nodded.
"Since we are now friends, my master can also offer a small additional favor."
The tent fell silent.
"There is a secret mountain route nearby," he said slowly.
"One that will allow you to slip past the government armies' encirclement."
The bandit chiefs' eyes lit up.
"Where is it?"
"Show us!"
——
Shangnan County.
Li Daoxuan, Zheng Gouzi, Luo Xi, and Lian Guoshi sat around a table, a massive military map spread before them.
Lian Guoshi's finger rested on Yunyang Prefecture City.
"Jiang Yunyi, the Pacification Commissioner of Yunyang, is currently under siege. He has withdrawn into the prefectural city and refuses to sortie. With cannons mounted on the walls, the rebels dare not assault recklessly."
His finger slid south.
"The Dashing General's main force remains in Yunxi County. Meanwhile, Rampaging Wolf, Yi Dou Gu, Sweeping King, and the others have already entered Sichuan and are locked in combat with the White Pole Soldiers."
His finger moved again—northward.
"We are here."
Then slightly northeast.
"And Zhang Yingchang is here."
Lian Guoshi sighed.
"No force can cross provincial borders into Yunyang's jurisdiction without authorization. Everyone is locked in place, forced to watch helplessly."
He tapped another spot.
"Only Zuo Liangyu can intervene. He is marching rapidly to reinforce Yunyang Prefecture."
Zheng Gouzi frowned.
"Why can only Zuo Liangyu cross borders so freely?"
Lian Guoshi replied,
"Because he has a palace eunuch serving as army supervisor."
"A palace eunuch?" Zheng Gouzi blinked.
Luo Xi whispered an explanation,
"A supervisor sent directly from the capital… a eunuch."
Realization struck.
Chen Dajin—trusted confidant of the Chongzhen Emperor—was overseeing Zuo Liangyu's army. His presence granted Zuo Liangyu absolute authority, allowing him to ignore all provincial boundaries.
Lian Guoshi concluded confidently,
"We are forming a great snare. The roving bandits are trapped. Once Zuo Liangyu arrives, it will be catching turtles in a jar. We will wipe them out completely."
Luo Xi immediately praised,
"Governor, truly profound insight!"
Li Daoxuan remained silent.
Is it really that simple?
A sense of unease gnawed at him.
History had taught him one thing clearly—these bandits never died so neatly.
Just then, a messenger burst in, pale and frantic.
"Governor! Disaster—absolute disaster!"
Lian Guoshi shot to his feet.
"What happened?"
The messenger gasped,
"Chen Dajin and Zuo Liangyu pursued the bandits to Yunxi County—only to find the city empty. They rescued several women and assumed the bandits had fled toward Yunyang Prefecture."
He swallowed hard.
"When they arrived, Vice Commissioner Xu Jinglin saw the women among the relief forces and suspected the army was bandits in disguise. He ordered the city cannons to open fire."
The room went dead silent.
"Chen Dajin and Zuo Liangyu were bombarded without warning," the messenger continued.
"Massive casualties. Men and horses alike."
He lowered his head.
"A palace eunuch does not endure such humiliation. Chen Dajin has already memorialized the court, demanding the arrest and punishment of Xu Jinglin… and Jiang Yunyi."
No one spoke.
Li Daoxuan's unease solidified into certainty.
The trap has been sprung.