Chapter 116: Forbidden to Die, Forbidden to Live

In the past, the rebellion in Yuezhou had been nothing more than a term to Li Yun. At most, it was a variable or a factor to consider when analyzing the situation. Now, however, the impact of the Yuezhou rebellion had finally manifested itself right before his eyes. Even the mountain bandits near Ning State, influenced by the chaos, were eager to join Qiu Dian's ranks and join the grand cause of rebellion.

That night, Li Zheng, who had been out gathering information, returned to Xia'ao Village. Although the news he brought back about the bandits near Mount Tianmu was not entirely precise, it was enough to confirm the general situation on the mountain. Li Yun sat on his bed, listening to the intelligence Li Zheng provided, and then updated him on the situation in Xia'ao Village.

Li Yun tapped on the table and said in a deep voice, "I thought this was the work of wandering horse bandits, but it turns out it was the work of entrenched mountain bandits!"

"If this group of bandits has such intentions, it means that Qiu Dian in Yuezhou has definitely been recruiting, and more than just one group. That is why they are so certain that Qiu Dian will accept them, and why they dare to run wild near Mount Tianmu!"

"And these bandits, snatching women like this..." Li Yun let out a low hum and didn't continue. Instead, he shifted his tone, "Qiu Dian will not last long. At most, he will enjoy a year or two of glory, perhaps even less."

Li Zheng scratched his head and asked, "Second Brother, the thieves on Mount Tianmu all deserve to die, but regarding Qiu Dian recruiting bandits..." He glanced cautiously at Li Yun and whispered, "Second Brother, aren't we also recruiting bandits?"

Li Yun glanced at him and retorted, "I am subjugating them. I don't use their original leaders, and I have them reorganize from scratch. I am confident I can keep them in check."

"Guess what? If those bandits from Mount Tianmu defect to Qiu Dian, will the 'King Qiu' capture their leaders and split up the others to be integrated into his own army?"

Li Zheng thought for a moment and replied, "Probably not. If he did that, those people from Mount Tianmu would never voluntarily defect to him."

"That is exactly the point." Li Yun let out a cold laugh.

Li Zheng curled his lip, "It seems this Qiu fellow isn't much of a good person either."

"Whether he is a good person is hard to judge, but his vision and insight are clearly lacking," Li Yun concluded.

After the two brothers talked a bit more, Li Zheng added, "There is only one major stronghold on Mount Tianmu. It is hard to say how many people are there, but based on what I gathered, it should be about fifty or sixty." He looked at Li Yun and asked, "Second Brother, these people should still be on the mountain, at least they haven't had time to head to Yuezhou yet. How do you intend to attack?"

"What do you mean 'how'?" Li Yun let out another cold laugh. "When we attacked the Ten Kings Stronghold, we needed a surprise attack from the back mountain. Now that we have over a hundred men, what is there to consider when fighting fifty or sixty?"

"Once the location of the stronghold is confirmed, we set out tomorrow. If these entrenched bandits really have dared to eat the grass around their own nest, I will make sure they remember my name for the rest of their lives."

...

The next day, Li Yun led the bandit-suppression team out of Xia'ao Village. Before leaving, he specifically left behind several Qingyang bailiffs, such as Chen Da and Huang Yong, along with a dozen men, instructing them to protect the safety of Xia'ao Village. As for him, he led his "pure-blooded" bandits straight toward Mount Tianmu.

This time, he didn't even need complex tactics. Li Yun split his forces into three groups: he led the main force up the front, while Zhou Liang and Li Zheng each led a group up the side paths to clear any potential threats on the flanks.

Deng Yang, the squad leader, followed Li Yun and looked at him, now clad in armor, with curiosity. "Chief, are the bandits on Mount Tianmu really that strong? It's rare to see you wear armor."

Li Yun didn't answer. He looked up at the bushes nearby. Two figures flashed past. Li Yun signaled, and someone immediately followed.

"We've alerted them." The "Chief" smiled. He looked back at his subordinates and asked, "We've been discovered. What should we do?"

Deng Yang clenched his fists and shouted, "Charge!"

Li Yun took the lead, weapon in hand, and charged forward. Deng Yang followed closely behind, only then noticing that Li Yun was not carrying his usual long spear, but a heavy mace with jagged, menacing spikes.

Most of these men had grown up in the mountains and were intimately familiar with the terrain. Coupled with the months of bandit suppression, they charged up the mountain with practiced coordination. They began their ascent in the afternoon, and within half an hour, they saw the Mount Tianmu stronghold in the distance.

Li Yun stopped, looked at the stronghold, then turned to his subordinates and said slowly, "This time, do not hold back. I don't want any prisoners."

Li Yun's subordinates had all been to Xia'ao Village. Having once been bandits themselves, they knew the taboos of the trade, and they knew this particular group had crossed the line. They bowed their heads and shouted, "Yes!"

Li Yun, his face calm, reached into his tunic and pulled out a solid black mask, covering his face. His voice became deep. "Attack!"

With that single word, he charged out first. By then, the bandits of Mount Tianmu were prepared. Before Li Yun even reached the gate, he heard two distinct sounds—one arrow struck his shoulder armor and skidded off, while the other hit him squarely in the chest, leaving a dent in his breastplate.

Li Yun frowned, then looked at the stronghold. He was still at least a hundred paces away. It meant they had a formidable archer. He didn't hesitate and barked, "Full speed! Charge with me!"

The group surged toward the stronghold like wolves and tigers. During the charge, at least four men fell to the enemy's arrows, though only one was a fatal wound. By then, Li Yun had reached the gate. He and a dozen men slammed into the wooden gates, forcing them open. Li Yun swung his mace, striking the nearest enemy on the forehead. Brains splattered instantly!

He didn't stop, striding toward another bandit and swinging his mace in a plain, heavy strike. The bandit had decent skills; he held his saber horizontally, bracing the spine with his other hand. With a clash of metal on metal, he barely managed to deflect the blow. Li Yun was surprised and swung again. The man's hands were already numb. On the third strike, he could no longer resist; the mace crushed his head, and his saber fell to the ground.

Li Yun swept his mace horizontally, knocking two more men to the ground with painful cries. By now, Li Yun was covered in blood. He knocked aside an incoming blade, slammed his body into a middle-aged bandit, and grabbed him by the collar, nearly lifting him off the ground.

"Where is your chief?"

Seeing Li Yun, who looked like a demon god, the man trembled, "The... the chief went down the mountain... to the east."

Li Yun said, "Oh? To Yuezhou?"

The bandit stammered, "I... I think so. I don't know..."

"So it really was you lot." The man behind the mask smiled, and the mace in his hand descended without mercy.

Following a scream, Li Yun turned to look at the battlefield, where the outcome was already clear. He said slowly, "Tie up anyone who surrenders. In one hour, I want to see everyone who holds a position of authority in this stronghold."

...

By evening, in the main hall of the Mount Tianmu stronghold, Li Yun sat in the primary chair, looking at the broken figures kneeling before him with a look of annoyance. He waved his hand. "Lock them up. Don't let them die."

Deng Yang acknowledged and led a few men to drag them away. Li Zheng poured Li Yun a cup of hot water, watching his expression cautiously. "Second Brother, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." The Chief stretched, his tone somewhat hollow. "Skinny, I used to think we were bad people."

Li Zheng looked at him and said, "Second Brother, we really aren't good people." He looked at the blood on the floor and added, "If we were good people, we wouldn't be able to handle these wicked ones."

Li Yun nodded and smiled. "Guess when the chief of Mount Tianmu will return?"

Bai Qi, the chief of Mount Tianmu, had taken ten young women and left two days ago, heading for Yuezhou. The purpose of his trip was self-evident.

"Don't worry, Second Brother, he will definitely come back. His foundation is still here on Mount Tianmu; he only went to Yuezhou to scout the path and offer gifts."

Li Yun said lightly, "We will just wait here on Mount Tianmu for his return."

Li Zheng bowed his head. "Second Brother, how should we handle these bandits?"

Li Yun’s face was expressionless. "The leaders are not allowed to die. As for the others, none are allowed to live."