Qing Yao

Chapter 393 I'm showing you how useless you are
The mistakes made by Wang and Zhang are irreversible, and Zhao An can only try to minimize the losses.

This loss does not refer to troop strength, but rather to morale and fighting spirit.

It doesn't matter if you lose a battle; you can fight again even if you lose repeatedly.

If the bodies of the fallen officers and soldiers are left to rot and the wounded but not yet dead soldiers are allowed to wail and cry for help in the canyon, not only will Zhao An's authority as "commander-in-chief" decline sharply, but it will also shake the morale of the Qing army and cause the image of Zhao An as a loving father to his soldiers to collapse.

However, sending troops to seize the bodies and carry the wounded down would undoubtedly result in greater losses, because the salt bandits would never allow the Qing army to do so.

Forcibly collecting corpses will only result in one outcome: leaving behind more corpses for the sake of one.

What a wise person would not do!

Therefore, the only option was to send someone to negotiate with the salt bandits, reasoning with them and using force.

Since it's a negotiation, we definitely need to send someone of a higher rank. An Deshun, the acting prefect of Fengyang, is the most suitable person.

This person was not only the second-highest-ranking civil official present after Zhao An, but he had also previously written a letter persuading the bandit leader Xie Hongyi to release Baili Yunlong, who had been detained, in order to mend relations with the "province".

Unexpectedly, when An Deshun heard that he was to talk to the salt bandits, his face turned pale instantly. The cheers of the salt bandits in the distant Black Rock Village made his legs go weak involuntarily.

I really don't dare to go.

Asking him to cooperate with the provincial governor is fine, but asking him to personally go deep into the lion's den to negotiate with the salt bandits is practically asking for his life!
"Big, my lord,"

Magistrate An's voice trembled and he stammered, "Those scoundrels have just won a great victory and are riding high on their arrogance. I'm afraid this is not the time to discuss this. What if, what if this humble official is taken hostage by them again? Wouldn't that be terrible?"

"Isn't it nothing?"

The chill in Zhao An's eyes frightened An Deshun so much that he swallowed back what he was about to say and lowered his head, not daring to utter a sound.

Seeing this, Zhao An shook his head slightly, knowing that An Deshun dared not go, and did not make things difficult for him, after all, there are few people in this world who are not afraid of death.

Especially those in official positions.

If An Deshun doesn't dare to go, who does?

Zhao An himself certainly couldn't go, not because he was afraid of death, but because he was the commander-in-chief of the Qing army, and as the saying goes, a son of a wealthy family should not sit under a dangerous roof.

There's no reason for a provincial governor to come knocking on your door.

Old Song?

Zhao An's gaze naturally fell on his trusted confidant—the former director of the Education Bureau of Ganquan County, Yangzhou.

A flock of sparrows flying overhead caught Old Song's attention, and he didn't notice that Lord Zhao was watching him.

In the midst of this awkward silence, a clear voice rang out from the crowd: "Sir, I am willing to go!"

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a minor official, about thirty years old and dressed in a blue official robe, walking out from the procession of Shouchun Town.

It was Chen Zhijie, the clerk of Shouchun Town.

The clerk was a civilian employee in the army, neither an official nor a clerk. His salary was low, usually only a few to a dozen taels of silver a year, barely enough to make ends meet.

The main income came from the fees charged for paper and pen, registration, and copying when processing official documents. In addition, a small fee was charged for writing letters home to illiterate soldiers.

You won't get rich in a year, but you won't starve either. How dare a lowly clerk go to a den of thieves?
Chen Zhijie's volunteering piqued Zhao An's curiosity. After looking him up and down, Zhao An asked, "Who are you, and why do you dare to go?"

Chen Zhijie bowed respectfully and said, "Your Excellency, I am Chen Zhijie, the clerk of this town. I observed that although the bandits were victorious, they did not pursue their advantage, which shows that they were also wary of the government troops. Furthermore, the bandits have been trapped here by the government troops, and their food supplies will not last long. Therefore, I believe that the bandits may be wavering. In addition, Your Excellency is awe-inspiring, and you have discussed matters of righteousness such as recovering the dead and treating the wounded. Therefore, I am willing to give it a try!"

"Yes, yes, sir, what this person said makes sense!"

Upon seeing that the clerk named Chen Zhijie had volunteered, An Deshun breathed a sigh of relief and quickly echoed, "Clerk Chen is both brave and resourceful; it is very appropriate for him to go on this matter."

Old Song, whose sparrow had flown away, also murmured his approval: "This person is usable."

Zhao An gave Old Song a disapproving glare, nodded, and said to Chen Zhijie, "Since that's the case, you can go. Whether this matter succeeds or not, if you can return, I will recommend you to the court for a seventh-rank position."

"Thank you, sir!"

Chen Zhijie bowed and then walked alone towards the canyon. His back view gave off a feeling of "the wind is howling and the Yi River is cold, the hero departs and never returns."

Seeing this, Zhao An couldn't help but complain to Old Song: "Look at him, and then look at you. You don't want such a good opportunity to show your abilities. How will you do big things with me in the future? With your courage, you call yourself a Duke? It's not worth making you a Marquis."

"My lord, my talent lies in overseeing the provisions and selecting capable officials to ensure smooth internal affairs, not in acting rashly for momentary pleasure!"

Old Song doesn't think he did anything wrong; he has a clear understanding of his own position.

They are simply Xiao He and Li Shanchang.

There's no need to take risks; you can just sit back and strategize.

After saying this, he watched Chen Zhijie's departing figure and said in a low voice, "If this person can come back, he can be cultivated and put to great use in the future."

Zhao An nodded and said calmly, "Let's see if he has the luck."

As Chen Zhijie walked towards the salt bandit stronghold, he was not without fear and was very nervous. When he saw the corpses and pools of blood all over the canyon, his heart pounded even harder, and he almost ran back.

Fortunately, he gritted his teeth and persevered, forcing himself to remain calm. He raised his hands and shouted loudly, "I have come here on the orders of Acting Governor Zhao. Where is the master?"

Some of the salt bandits hidden above the canyon poked their heads out and sized up the empty-handed Chen Zhijie. One of their leaders asked, "Who are you?"

Chen Zhijie took a deep breath and announced loudly, "I am Chen Zhijie, the clerk of Shouchun Town!"

"The secretary?"

Upon hearing this, the leader sneered, "Does a mere clerk deserve to see our boss? He should at least be a county magistrate."

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhijie straightened his sleeves and said solemnly, "Though I am of humble rank, I dare not forget my duty to the country! Although I am but a clerk, my heart is with the court and I have dedicated myself to the nation. I have come here today on the orders of the acting governor, acting on behalf of the king. Does your esteemed ruler fear a mere unarmed scholar like myself?"

After a slight pause, he said loudly, "I have come here today to discuss important matters with your master. If you all truly wish to end your lives here, then I will return and leave you to fend for yourselves. If you still think of your families and want to return to a peaceful life, then please lead me to your master immediately, lest you lose your lives!"

Upon hearing this, the salt bandits in the valley dared not make a decision on their own. Several men then escorted Chen Zhijie into the village.

Upon arriving at Heiyan Village, Chen Zhijie was taken to the village's council hall, where he met a middle-aged man with a dark complexion, dressed in a silk robe.

This man was Xie Hongwu, the younger brother of Xie Hongyi, the leader of the salt bandits.

(End of this chapter)