Chapter 107: Banditry in Shandong

On the fifth day of Yang Yaozong’s journey northward, news of the Crown Prince’s regency, relayed swiftly over eight hundred miles, finally reached the capital and the Yanmen Pass.

At that moment, King Qinwang was engaged in a discussion at Qinwang’s residence with several civil and military officials, along with a few trusted aides.

King Qinwang looked down at those seated before him and said, “You all must be aware of the matter regarding the Crown Prince’s regency. I wish to hear your thoughts on it. Speak freely.”

Among the civil officials was Shen Yanru, the Prefect of the Capital City. He bowed respectfully and said, “Your Majesty, I believe the Emperor’s health may be failing, leaving him unable to manage state affairs, hence appointing the Crown Prince as regent.”

Several present nodded in agreement.

“Old as I am, I beg to differ. From what I know, the Emperor still occasionally attends court alongside the Crown Prince during governance sessions, merely maintaining a curtain of influence behind the scenes. His health is indeed poor, but I believe His Majesty intends to cultivate the Crown Prince’s ability to manage state affairs at an early stage,” said Bai Pu, an elder aide greatly relied upon by King Qinwang.

“Hmph! A mere youth with no experience—what governance can he possibly manage, no matter how much training he receives!” scoffed another elder, somewhat younger than Bai Pu.

“Your Highness, preparations on our part are nearly complete. Why not seize this opportunity?” Jiang Hao, the most trusted general of the King and leader of Qinwang’s household forces, suggested.

“Fool! Are you not aware that the two princes are still in Tianjing City?” Bai Pu scolded angrily.

***

Within the war tent at Yanmen Pass, all generals and deputy generals had gathered, discussing the Crown Prince’s regency and the Emperor’s military decree forbidding any engagement beyond the pass under penalty of death.

General Nangong Zhàn frowned and said, “Qingyi, what do you make of the Emperor’s intentions?”

Nangong Qingyi furrowed his brows. “The Emperor’s health has long been precarious, prompting the appointment of the Crown Prince as regent. I surmise His Majesty wishes to nurture the Crown Prince’s capacity to govern. With the Emperor’s support behind him, the Crown Prince’s authority can be established early, smoothing the path for his eventual succession. As for the military order to defend but not engage beyond the pass, it is a delaying tactic. The weather grows colder by the day; even if the Turks can supply their forces, they cannot endure the harsh winter for long. Should we just hold out through this year, the Turks will be forced to retreat. Their soldiers are mostly farmers and herdsmen in peacetime, conscripted only during war. Nearly a hundred thousand laborers are idly camped outside Yanmen Pass. Though there have been skirmishes, they have gained little. Such a large force idling wastes resources and lives, especially given their already limited provisions. The Turkic Khans—Tuolie Khan of the Turks and Yiluo Khan of the Western Turks—must also be considering this.”

Right-flank General Xing Ning said, “If we merely hold our ground and refuse battle, the Turks are not fools; they will surely intensify their assaults on Yanmen Pass. Despite its formidable defenses, even the strongest fortress can eventually fall if besieged long enough.”

Nangong Qingyi frowned again. “Since we have received the imperial decree, we must abide by it. If an emergency arises, then we may disregard orders as necessary. For now, I instruct all generals to strengthen patrols and guard posts along the walls and gates of Yanmen Pass. Reinforce fortifications and increase the number of siege engines and artillery. Notify Datong Prefecture to expedite manufacturing of ammunition, firearms, and arrows for delivery to Yanmen Pass. Strictly inspect all merchants entering and leaving the pass, and from today onward, only open the side gates at noon daily to allow merchant traffic.”

As night fell, tense deliberations continued both at Qinwang’s residence and at Nangong Zhàn’s command tent. Meanwhile, the passenger vessel carrying Yang Yaozong navigated the canal, arriving at the Xuzhou dock after five days.

Since A’Yi, with persistent effort, had confirmed Yang Yaozong’s surname and informed him of her own name, as well as learning that they shared the same deck cabin, their acquaintance gradually deepened through frequent conversations.

A’Yi now knew not only Yang Yaozong’s surname but also the alias he used on this northern journey—Yang Guo—and through Yang’s introduction, she had met Zhang Lie. When A’Yi inquired about their purpose in heading to the capital, Yang Yaozong simply replied they were going to study and travel.

Yang also learned from A’Yi that the bald man who had been absent for two days was named Jie Zhilu, and A’Yi explained she was in the Great Zhou realm to purchase goods for the New Year celebrations and to sightsee. Upon discovering Jie Zhilu had been confined to his cabin due to severe seasickness, Yang obtained some fresh ginger and dried plums from the ship’s kitchen, paying the steward two taels of silver.

Yang instructed A’Yi to slice the ginger and have Jie Zhilu consume two slices daily, while giving him a dried plum whenever seasickness struck, as these would alleviate his symptoms. He also advised keeping Jie Zhilu away from the deck’s view of the river and ensuring the cabin remained well ventilated.

Thanks to A’Yi’s care and Yang’s instructions, Jie Zhilu’s seasickness markedly improved over the next three days, and he even braved stepping out of his cabin to offer Yang heartfelt thanks—though his limited grasp of Great Zhou’s language meant A’Yi had to translate.

When Yang next saw Jie Zhilu, the man looked pale, lips white, and spirit flagging, still occasionally retching—clearly still tormented by his seasickness. Yang promptly sent him back to rest in his cabin.

Xuzhou dock, a major hub for north-south transport, was bustling with passengers disembarking and boarding.

Typically, passenger boats traveled only from one large dock to the next before turning back. Travelers wishing to proceed further north or south had to transfer to another boat—a cumbersome process. Yang Yaozong and Zhang Lie’s vessel was a large passenger ship, sparing them such inconvenience but costing at least twice the fare of smaller boats. Their two-person cabin was even thrice the price of a large cabin. Hence, those who could afford smaller cabins generally came from relatively well-off families.

During the voyage, Yang had grown familiar with his deck neighbors through casual chats.

Except for the first night when the ship moored and he rested in his cabin, Yang spent most stops walking the dock with Hei Yao, his black dog, who stretched his legs nearby. Concerned about missing departures, they never entered the city, but Hei Yao’s playful presence delighted A’Yi, who adored the dog despite Hei Yao’s aloof and rebellious demeanor. The more Hei Yao ignored her, the more she liked him. With Hei Yao by Yang’s side, A’Yi left him alone; only when Hei Yao was troubled by her attentions did Yang enjoy witnessing his dog’s vexation. Over time, though Hei Yao still refused to let A’Yi touch him, he had grown somewhat tolerant.

That night, after returning from their stroll and settling Hei Yao below deck, Yang and A’Yi went up to the main deck, overhearing some men speaking with a Shandong accent about bandit troubles there. A crowd had gathered around them.

“More people are taking boats these days, even for short trips. Anyone passing through Shandong prefers the river route now. Before, no one boarded ships at night, but now, once the boat docks, day or night, people swarm aboard, afraid there won’t be space,” one said. “It’s because of the bandits in Shandong—they’re causing a terrible nuisance. Even the officials can’t handle them.”

“Yeah, it’s getting colder. With New Year approaching, the bandits are gathering goods and money for the celebrations,” another remarked, drawing laughter from the crowd.

“But thankfully, these bandits only take possessions; they don’t harm people or women. Otherwise, no one would dare pass through Shandong by land,” a third added.

“I have a brother working at the Jining government office. He says these bandits come from Baodu Gu mountain, led by a woman named Liao Qiniang. She’s formidable—no man dares approach her,” someone said.

“Ha! A bandit queen who’s a woman! Bet she leads a gang of women bandits too. If I’d known earlier, I’d have taken the land route and let those women rob me. Maybe that Liao Qiniang would’ve taken a fancy to me and made me her mountain king,” joked another.

Laughter erupted again.

“You’re not afraid she looks fierce with a square head, big ears, and fangs?” someone teased.

“Why fear her? At night with the lights out, a woman’s just a woman—same hole, just like the others. I’d enjoy myself! Besides, as the mountain king, wouldn’t I have all the women I wanted?” the man boasted.

More laughter followed.

“Dream on, with that face you’ve got, you’d keep the whole boat entertained for two weeks. No matter how ugly or desperate Liao Qiniang is, she’d never pick you!” another mocked.

The crowd’s laughter continued.

Yang Yaozong frowned, initially intending to listen more about the Shandong bandits, but as the conversation veered off course and noticing A’Yi’s face flushed red in embarrassment and her readiness to leave, he took her hand and retreated to the second deck.

On the second deck’s corridor, Yang saw four unfamiliar passengers—a woman dressed as a lady in her mid-twenties, striking with slightly thick brows and bright, spirited eyes, bearing an aura of command. Beside her stood another young woman, clearly her maid, showing her deference. Two men, slightly shorter than Yang with dark complexions and lean, strong builds, stood respectfully near the lady, likely her servants or bodyguards. Yet their gaze held a certain menace. Yang merely furrowed his brows, offered a polite smile and nod, then passed by with A’Yi, escorting her back to her cabin before returning to his own.

Back in his cabin, Zhang Lie smiled. “I heard quite a ruckus downstairs, more lively than the past few days. Seems many new passengers boarded.”

Yang nodded, then recounted the conversation about bandit troubles in Shandong.

Zhang Lie sighed, frowning. “I’ve heard of Shandong’s bandits. The court sends troops every year to suppress them, but they’re never eradicated.”

Yang frowned as well. “Even if they can’t be wiped out, they shouldn’t be growing bolder. There’s likely some internal political cause the court is unaware of.”

Zhang Lie nodded thoughtfully.

“Qiniang! Those people downstairs spoke rudely. I’m going down to teach them a lesson!” one of the men from the earlier group said, turning to leave.

“What did you call me? Don’t forget our purpose here. I can tolerate their words, but you can’t!” the woman—Qiniang—rebuked him sharply.

This woman, both striking and commanding, was none other than Liao Qiniang, the bandit queen of Shandong mentioned on deck.

“Boss, madam! But those people—” the man, angered and reluctant, was cut short as Liao San-niang sternly ordered, “You two must not act without my permission! Fourth Brother, take Third Brother back to rest.”

“Madam, we should also return to rest,” the maid said softly.

Liao Qiniang nodded, glanced toward Yang Yaozong’s cabin, then followed her maid inside.