Chapter 132: The Nail

The State of Cai has always handled local factions with a combination of coercion and conciliation. Moreover, with the war raging fiercely at the front lines, as long as there is an intention to surrender on this side, negotiating terms for imperial amnesty is quite feasible, provided that your demands are reasonable.

If Xu Wenshan's condition is merely to request a peerage, then the chances of success are extremely high. To the Duke of Cai, bestowing a humble title such as Baron of the County would incur no loss whatsoever.

However, how could his mere dozens of men have the confidence to withstand a counterattack from Cai? To discuss terms of surrender, one must possess sufficient strength of one's own. Situated deep in the heartland of Cai, with neither supply lines nor manpower, why on earth would Cai agree to your terms?

Furthermore, even if you successfully obtain amnesty, is the peace tax of Cai so easily swallowed? Once you surrender to Cai, they will have you firmly in the palm of their hand. Which nation has not produced a few chivalrous heroes or bandit chieftains who, after surrendering, were simply dispatched to the front lines as cannon fodder?

Xu Wenshan said, "I know everyone has doubts about this objective, and you must find it very strange why we should surrender to the people of Cai for no good reason. But you might as well consider the situation of our Luhe Ravine: previously, when our village belonged to the State of Chen, the tacit understanding with them was that aside from taxes, all else was left alone. But now, Cai has defeated Chen. If we do nothing, Luhe Ravine will be annexed by the expanding State of Cai in the future. Beyond paying taxes, we will also have to perform military service and corvée labor. The grain that your families toil to grow will have to be handed over to them, and your children will have to fight wars on their behalf. Think about it, are you willing to have this happen?"

Upon hearing Xu Wenshan's words, the soldiers felt as though a beam of light had suddenly illuminated their hearts, bringing a sense of sudden enlightenment. Within Xu Wenshan's words seemed to lie principles that they had previously dimly felt yet could not articulate.

They did not understand grand principles, but the notion that "we, the people of Luhe Ravine, must look out for our own village" resonated deeply with them.

Pang Xing, standing nearby, listened with a fluttering heart. Although Xu Wenshan's words made little sense to him, their persuasiveness was unimaginably powerful. He could already discern the strengths of this newly acknowledged leader.

Liang Dong, however, was entirely different. Once he comprehended the meaning behind Xu Wenshan's words, he shook with rage. "This is... this is rebellious!"

Xu Wenshan asked calmly, "How am I being rebellious?"

"You are... this is..." Liang Dong stammered for a long while without managing to articulate anything further.

He was at a loss for words because the rebellious undertone contained within Xu Wenshan's previous remarks was now so intense that it defied description by any existing vocabulary.

Paying taxes, performing military service, enduring corvée labor... Were these not things that everyone was naturally supposed to do? All under heaven belongs to the king, and although it might not yet be certain who that king is, one must still submit to royal civility. You refuse to perform service, you refuse to accept governance, and you pay taxes with utmost reluctance while rejecting civilization entirely—if this is not rebellion, what is?

This meant open revolt!

Liang Dong shivered with anger. Xu Wenshan patted his shoulder and said, "Enough, enough. Be angry as you will, but work still needs to be done. Your next task is to act as a conduit between me and Yu Dingyuan, the highest official of your county. You shall pull strings behind the scenes to ensure that my amnesty is successfully granted and that I secure a peerage."

"Why... why should I help you?" Liang Dong said while trembling. He was shivering not out of fear, but out of rage.

Xu Wenshan adopted a tone of heart-to-heart persuasion. "Think about it, you are already my prisoner now. Reflect carefully: how does your State of Cai treat prisoners who return after being captured?"

Liang Dong gave a start. The State of Cai championed loyalty and filial piety. As an imperial official (even if merely a scribe), having been captured without committing suicide to preserve his integrity, he had already suffered immense disgrace. Did he still have the face to return? Did he dream of rising through the official ranks in the future? Keep dreaming!

At this thought, Liang Dong began to shiver once more.

Xu Wenshan patted his shoulder with a benevolent expression. "Yet there is no need to worry. Am I not here? As long as you secure a peerage for me, I shall have troops in my hands (he gestured by extending his hand) and power upon my person (he patted his chest). With me on the outside and you on the inside, who would dare to touch you?"

Liang Dong stopped shivering.

Seeing hope, Xu Wenshan did not press his advantage aggressively. Instead, adopting a tactic of playing hard to get, he said, "I know you cannot accept this all at once, but this is for everyone's benefit. Take some time to think it over by yourself first."

Pang Xing stared fixedly at Xu Wenshan from the side, his eyes nearly popping out in utter astonishment. He felt that this person before him, despite his youth, possessed profound strategic depth. Acknowledging him as a master was truly a worthwhile investment!

Xu Wenshan then turned to Pang Xing and said, "As for your utility, it will be to provide us with accurate intelligence regarding every single military outpost and defensive deployment of Cai in this region."

As a centurion, Pang Xing was not privy to an overwhelming amount of information, but he was certainly clear about the several surrounding garrisons. However, once he divulged this intelligence, his past record of service in Cai would become entirely detached from him, and he would be reduced utterly to a surrendered general starting from scratch.

Yet, what meaning did those past efforts hold? He had braved life and death only to earn the meager rank of a centurion, merely to be bullied by the garrison troops. If this "Spider Hero" before him truly succeeded in obtaining amnesty, he would become a prominent general under a peer of the realm, achieving a status vastly incomparable to his past standing.

Pang Xing gritted his teeth and said, "Very well."

With this, Xu Wenshan finally drove a wedge into Sha County; he would use this as a fulcrum to leverage the entire State of Cai.

"Commander, what is our next step?" Li Dazhuang inquired.

"First, get some sleep. Tomorrow morning, take all movable supplies and raid the next outpost," Xu Wenshan stated decisively. "Over the next few days, we will execute high-intensity marches and surprise attacks. You all need to rest well tonight."

"So we are... retreating?" Li Dazhuang expressed profound incomprehension at the prospect of abandoning the estate they had captured with such difficulty.

Xu Wenshan patted Li Dazhuang's shoulder and said, "We take one step back to advance two steps forward. Do not let small losses overshadow the greater goal."

...

"What? The Spider Hero?"

Within the former county magistrate's official residence in the city, the plaque at the entrance had been removed though a new one had not yet been put up. Everyone knew, however, that the person currently residing within the estate was the renowned "Divine Soldier Descended from the Heavens," Major Wu.

"I care nothing about any hero or bandit! You bungled your troops, lost an outpost, and what else do you have to say for yourself?" Major Wu bellowed inside the mansion.

Before returning, Commander Kou had already known he would not be spared an ordeal. He merely sighed and said, "This subordinate deserves ten thousand deaths. Whatever punishment is decreed, this subordinate is willing to bear."

Major Wu let out a dry, mirthless laugh. "Death is hardly necessary. In light of your past meritorious service, capital punishment is remitted, but you need no longer serve as a garrison captain. Go down to the ranks and become an ordinary private!"

Returning to the ranks to serve as a foot soldier was scarcely better than having his head chopped off. Bitterness filled Kou Kuo's heart, yet he still had to express gratitude to the Major for sparing his life.

Relieving Kou Kuo of his post was not the end of the matter. Major Wu declared, "A band of rustic villagers dares to stir up trouble within the borders of Cai? Come! Which valiant warrior has the courage to volunteer and help me wipe out this pack of bandits?"

The garrison captains standing below exchanged glances, none daring to step forward.

"General, shall we go quell these bandits tonight?" one man stepped out to ask.

"Hiccup—" Major Wu emitted an alcohol-laden belch. "Tonight! We strike tonight!"