The Thief Prince

Now, Prefect Zhang received the imperial decree to suppress the bandits and immediately signed the document, ordering the troops of Danzhou to attack the bandits of Dangshan.

The military commander was surnamed Cao, and his taboo name was Su.

Cao Su was originally from Dingzhou, and he had spent his childhood in the army on the northwestern border.

This man was no ordinary person; he was skilled in wielding a sharp iron sword and a mace, and in every battle he would charge into the fray himself, bearing no fewer than twenty scars of varying sizes on his body.

Ordinary military officers would falter at the sight of wounds, but he grew more courageous with each injury, fighting even more frantically the more blood he bled. The entire army secretly called him "Partridge General."

Because the partridge is naturally brave and loves to fight, often to the point of fighting to the death, it suits Cao Su's temperament perfectly.

This person was just stubborn by nature; he was quite capable, but his luck was extremely bad.

Having fought in the border army for more than ten years, he was never promoted because he was not good at flattery. Only two years ago was he transferred to the peaceful place of Danzhou as a military commander, and he was very depressed.

The path of a military general is a dead end. Cao Su only hopes that his son will study hard and take the imperial examination in the future, so that he can fulfill his dream of becoming a civil official.

Upon receiving the order to suppress the bandits that day, Cao Su's heart stirred with a sudden thought:

If we can wipe out the bandits of Dangshan in one fell swoop, it will be a great achievement, and we might even get a better position.

Even if we don't go any further, a little more salary and extra income would be enough to buy our son some writing materials, wouldn't it?

Without delay, he immediately mustered his eight hundred soldiers and gathered two hundred archers from various counties along the way, making a total of one thousand men, and marched straight towards Dangshan.

After spending the night in Dang County, Cao Su originally planned to set off again the next morning, first sending out several groups of scouts to find out where the bandits were hiding.

He came from the Northwest Frontier Army and learned a lot about military strategy. He knew that advancing step by step and making steady progress was the right approach.

The Dangshan area, in particular, is densely forested and crisscrossed by ravines, making it an ideal place for ambushes. One should not underestimate the enemy.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, he was about to order the scouts to set off when his deputy, Zhang Xian, burst into the tent.

Zhang Xian was in his thirties. Judging from his surname, one could tell that he was a cousin of the prefect Zhang Pin, and that he had gotten the position of deputy general by virtue of this relationship.

This man is utterly inept at archery, horsemanship, and horseback riding; he has no literary talent whatsoever, yet he is sharp-tongued and unforgiving.

He entered the tent without bowing, raised his head with his nostrils flaring out, and addressed Cao Su:

"Commander Cao, it's already dawn, why haven't you sent out the troops yet? Do you expect the bandits to deliver their heads to our doorstep?"

Cao Su suppressed his temper and said, "Deputy General Zhang, the terrain around Dangshan is complicated. We must first send out scouts to find out the situation before we can march."

"When I was serving in the Northwest Frontier Army..."

"Commander, you don't need to keep bringing up the Northwest Frontier Army," Zhang Xian interrupted him with a sneer. "That was fighting the Xia bandits, so naturally we had to proceed cautiously. Now it's just a few bandits; is it really worth making such a fuss, Commander?"

"If Commander Cao is afraid of battle, he can stay in Dang County and rest. I will lead the troops to capture those bandits myself."

Cao Su felt a surge of anger, yet he was powerless to do anything about it.

The Zhou dynasty's policy of emphasizing civil affairs and suppressing military affairs was a mountain weighing on the heads of all generals.

Zhang Xian is Zhang Pin's man and represents Zhang Pin's will.

Zhang Pin only wanted a quick victory, to drive the bandits out of Danzhou territory and be done with it, and didn't want to waste any more time.

If I stubbornly refuse to move now, Zhang will send a letter to the prefecture first. I'm afraid I won't get the credit for suppressing the bandits, but instead I'll be accused of "cowardice and reluctance to advance".

"That's enough." Cao Su shook his head. "Gather the troops and set off."

And so, just as dawn was breaking and the fog had not yet dissipated.

A thousand men, still half-asleep, left the Dangxian camp and took a shortcut towards Dangshan.

Cao Su rode his horse in the middle of the formation, constantly looking around at both sides.

After walking for about an hour, the official road gradually narrowed into a dirt road that could only accommodate two horses side by side, and the forests on both sides became increasingly dense.

"Stop." Cao Su raised his hand, and the group slowly came to a halt.

Cao Su squinted at the dirt road winding into the depths of the forest, then turned to the messenger beside him and gave the order:

"Go, have the crossbowmen cocked and the Imperial Guards don their armor."

Just as the messenger was about to move, Zhang Xian's horse had already approached.

He pointed his whip at Cao Su and said impatiently, "Why have you stopped again? At this rate, you won't reach Dangshan before dark!"

Cao Su patiently explained, "Deputy General Zhang, we have now entered Dangshan, and bandits could appear at any time. I think..."

"What do you think?" Zhang Xian sneered. "Our army is powerful enough to terrify even bandits. If we let them escape, how will we explain ourselves to the prefect?"

Cao Su added, "At least let the soldiers put on their armor and nock their bows and crossbows."

Zhang Xian waved his hand impatiently: "Does the Commander think I don't know anything about military affairs? Armor is heavy and is always worn before battle. How can you walk if you're wearing armor?"

Cao Su remained silent for a moment, then finally waved his hand without saying another word: "Go."

The procession started moving again, a thousand men and horses forming a long snake, its head already plunged into the forest, while its body slowly writhed on the dirt road.

But no one saw a figure flash past deep in the woods.

Ma San ran swiftly through the dense forest, leaving trees behind him, the vines and branches seeming to be able to wrap around him.

Upon returning to the familiar location, he was overjoyed, only to find several crossbows pointed at him.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Ma San!" Ma San gasped for breath. "Quick, take me to see my brother!"

Li Zheng had just woken up from a nap. The forest was too damp with morning dew, and he hadn't had a very comfortable sleep.

Seeing Ma San walking towards him from the bushes not far away, he immediately became more alert.

While wiping his sweat, Ma San said urgently, "Brother, the government troops are here, they're only three miles away, they'll be here in the blink of an eye."

"Alright." Li Zheng clenched his fist. "Quickly, pass on the orders to all squad leaders."

The henchmen beside him scattered to spread the word, causing a commotion in the dense forest before immediately falling silent.

Everyone kept their heads down, not daring to look up, because although their older brother was generous, he was also a man of his word.

If someone says that looking up will lead to death, then they will definitely kill someone.

Li Zheng looked at the end of the road and whispered to Ma San beside him, "You're pretty good, kid. You run really fast."

Ma San grinned: "My family's fields are right by the mountains, and I've been running wild in the mountains and forests since I was a child."

"Not bad." Li Zheng thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "Didn't you want a nickname? How about 'Little Drill Wind'?"

Ma San looked bewildered: "What do you mean?"

Li Zheng explained, "The 'Drill Wind' is a type of boat that is light, agile, and extremely fast. It can sail against the wind through rivers and lakes, which is exactly what you're capable of."

"Drill Wind... Little Drill Wind?" Ma San chuckled. "My brother gave me a good nickname, so I'll call myself that."

"Shut up!" Just as he was grinning foolishly, Li Zheng shoved a hand over his mouth. "Coming!"

(Note 1: "洒家" was a self-designation used by men in Guanzhong during the Song Dynasty, and was not reserved for monks.)