Chapter Forty: The Bandits of Shandong

Six years into the founding of the Great Ming Dynasty, the land was far from being a tranquil realm of peace and prosperity.

In the third year of the Hongwu reign, the commoners of Yangshan County in Guangxi rose in rebellion, and those in Hui'an County, Fujian, staged an armed riot. Meanwhile, the mountain folk of Yi and Pi in Shandong took advantage of the imperial court’s northern expedition to revolt. By the fifth year of Hongwu, the Nanning Garrison provoked the local populace, leading over three thousand people to take up arms...

The establishment of the Ming Dynasty did not mean that the world’s commoners were suddenly submissive. Every region had its own hardships. The people were forced to transport grain for military campaigns, provide labor for city fortifications, and serve as corvée labor for water conservancy projects. Just when they might have finally caught their breath, the nobility and local officials would begin to torment them once more.

This was the reality of the early Ming.

Of course, the vast majority of the people emerged from the chaos of war to settle down and resume production, an indisputable achievement of Old Zhu—Emperor Hongwu. Yet, there remained those who lived on the fringes of official society, risking their lives to conduct "business" of a different sort.

In later ages, the older generation often said, "Shandong produces highwaymen, Henan produces mountain bandits." Gu Zhengchen knew this well. Shandong had produced many "heroes," but if one set aside their heroic veneer and looked closely at their true identities, one would realize: they were nothing more than bandits.

Take, for instance, Old Chao with his small iron pagoda, Little Song who was never quite on time for the rain, or the Black Whirlwind with his twin axes...

Some bandits were known for their sense of honor, integrity, and generosity; they were "good fellows" with sterling reputations. You could meet them, hike a mountain, eat skewers, and drink wine with them without worrying about whether you would make it home alive.

But other bandits were different. If you spoke of honor to them, they would practice their combat moves on you; if you spoke of the law, they would give you a blade; if you mentioned the authorities, they would take your head.

The highwaymen of the early Hongwu period were a group of dishonorable thugs. Fearing the authorities, they could only lurk in areas where government control was weak, such as along the Grand Canal. It was said their methods were cruel, and the people loathed them.

Sun Shibian looked at Gu Zhengchen with a grave expression and whispered, "Should we inform Master Liang?"

Gu Zhengchen shook his head slightly. "Not yet, lest they grow anxious and reveal their unease, alerting the bandits. Keep the cabin door secured and watch our luggage closely; the items inside must not be lost."

Sun Shibian nodded and turned back into the cabin.

Gu Zhengchen watched the two boatmen at the bow. He stepped forward to strike up a conversation, and the boatmen, seeing he was a scholar, were happy to chat to pass the time.

"Brother San, where will the boat dock for the night?"

"Tuoli Gully."

"Tuoli Gully? Is there any good scenery to see there?"

"Heh, if you’re looking for scenery, young master, you’re going to be disappointed."

"Brother Yang, why do you say that?"

"Tuoli Gully is just a small ferry crossing, a temporary place to rest. There are only a few warehouses for merchants and an inn there. A short walk away, you’ll find nothing but farmland. It’s wide open—you can see everything at a glance..."

"I see. What about Taizhuang?"

"Taizhuang has some scenery. There’s Zhuzi Mountain to the north. The elders say the cliff faces are ten thousand fathoms high, looking like pillars. But it’s still twenty or thirty miles from Taizhuang; we won't be reaching it..."

Gu Zhengchen continued the idle chatter, asking about every stop along the way, before heading down the ladder and into the cabin.

Inside, the passengers glanced at Gu Zhengchen before returning to their own conversations. There were twelve cabins in total; excluding the three used by the boatmen and their families, nine were rented out for cargo and lodging.

The Liang family had rented two adjacent cabins. One held their luggage, guarded in turns by Gu Cheng and Liang Wujin, with Sun Shibian keeping watch outside. The other was for Liang Jiajun and Gu Zhengchen to rest.

Outside the cabins, long benches were provided for those who hadn't rented rooms to sleep and rest. These people usually traveled light, carrying only a small satchel or bundle, either due to poverty or frugality.

Gu Zhengchen sat beside Liang Jiajun, scanning the cabin while they spoke. Some had already gone into their rooms, but seventeen or eighteen people remained. A middle-aged man with his wife and daughter huddled anxiously in a corner, speaking in hushed tones. A wealthy merchant in silk robes sat with two clerks, discussing a shipment of salt permits—likely heading to Yangzhou. There was also a monk with a shaved head, dressed in tattered grey robes, clutching prayer beads, his walking stick serving as a staff.

Gu Zhengchen stood up, grabbed a few eggs, and walked toward the stern to greet the boatmen.

He looked closely at the three middle-aged men sitting there. The eldest was around forty-five or forty-six, with a two-inch scar on his left cheek. The two men beside him appeared to be under forty; one was missing a pinky finger, and the other was missing two fingers—both on their left hands.

This peculiar pattern of missing fingers was likely why Sun Shibian had identified them as highwaymen.

As Gu Zhengchen returned to the cabin, he accidentally bumped his arm against the two crates sitting beside the three men. The crates shifted slightly, and the scarred man stood up, glaring at him.

"My apologies, truly. It’s my first time on a boat, and I’m having trouble finding my balance. Please, take these eggs as an apology." Gu Zhengchen said repeatedly, offering the eggs.

The scarred man glanced at them and said coldly, "Watch where you’re going!"

Gu Zhengchen apologized again and returned to Liang Jiajun. Faced with Liang’s worried gaze, he gave a calm nod and picked up a book to read, though his mind was far from the pages.

Those three had brought empty crates on board. Who would bring empty crates onto a boat?

Merchants always brought goods to avoid empty runs. Commoners certainly wouldn't carry empty crates as a burden. Moreover, those crates weren't made of high-quality wood; bringing them aboard clearly meant they intended to fill them with cargo.

Two crates!

Gu Zhengchen felt a heaviness in his chest. Two crates implied at least four people, but he only saw three.

Who was the fourth person? Was he hiding elsewhere in the cabin, or was someone waiting to meet them outside?

From the boatman’s words, it was clear that Tuoli Gully, Han Village, and Taizhuang were not suitable for highwaymen to strike. Tuoli Gully and Han Village were too flat; if they encountered patrolling soldiers, they wouldn't be able to escape quickly with stolen goods. Taizhuang was a better location, with accessible waterways, plenty of cover, and mountains to the north, but even then, the bandits likely wouldn't strike there.

Because Taizhuang had many merchants and warehouses, if these people really wanted to make a haul, they wouldn't target a small boat; they would target a warehouse or a wealthy household instead—it would be far more convenient.

If they were going to rob someone, why not target someone with more money and relatively lower risk?

Excluding those three places, only two remained: Pi County and Suqian in Huai'an Prefecture!

According to the boatman, there was a Luoma Lake between Pi County and Suqian. In years past, highwaymen often lurked there, though they had become fewer in the last two years due to the increased frequency of imperial grain transport ships.

But Gu Zhengchen deduced that if they really intended to act, it would likely be on Luoma Lake!

A difficult situation.

Although Sun Shibian had some skill, how many desperate thugs could he handle on a boat where he couldn't maneuver? As for himself—forget it. He could handle the likes of Wang Youcheng, but against these rugged men, he would only be throwing his life away.

Was there no way to beat them?

Gu Zhengchen fell into deep thought.