The Thief Prince

Meanwhile, Li Zheng and the others split up and descended the mountain. With the help of the Zheng siblings, they quietly crossed the marsh and landed outside the marsh.

Du and Luo indeed behaved themselves, gathering the hundred or so archers together, setting up camp on the spot, and then finding an excuse to collect their weapons.

The soldiers were dull-witted and assumed it was an order from their captain, so they dared not ask any further questions.

Li Zheng, along with Cao Su, Tang Meng, and a hundred Black Wind bandits disguised as county soldiers, joined forces with Wu Anqing, and the group headed straight for Yuncheng.

Although Du and Luo were greedy and cowardly, they still held some prestige in the local area.

With two people leading the way, the journey was indeed smooth and unobstructed, and even the guards at the gate did not ask any questions.

As they entered Yuncheng County, Li Zheng beckoned to Wu Anqing: "Brother, take some brothers to Magistrate Liang's house and take control of his family."

Wu Anqing and Li Zheng were of one mind, and immediately led more than ten people into the alley, heading straight for Magistrate Liang's residence.

Why do people in the martial arts world always say that one should not bring trouble upon one's family? Because this tactic is damn effective!

No matter how high-ranking an official or a famous general you are, you still have the obsession with carrying on your family line, right?

Once family members take control, 99% of heroes and tough guys become spineless.

Li Zheng led the remaining men straight to the county government office.

It was afternoon, and the county government gate was wide open. Two yamen runners were dozing off against the door frame.

Upon seeing Captains Du and Luo leading their men in, the yamen runners immediately stood up straight, and none of them dared to stop them.

But upon closer inspection, they saw the street filled with fierce-looking soldiers, each of them looking at them with amusement.

The two constables suddenly felt their legs go weak. Just as they were about to cry out, two henchmen stepped forward and knocked them unconscious.

When Li Zheng entered the hall, Liang He was sitting on the main hall, playing with the luminous pearl that Li Zheng had given him.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw Du and Luo leading Li Zheng in. He immediately put down the beads, his face hardening, and he complained:

"Master Li, you have no sense of propriety. I have done you a favor, yet you have gone even further, buying grain on a massive scale!"

Li Zheng smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "It was my fault, please forgive me, my lord."

Thinking Li Zheng had shown weakness, Liang He adopted an air of authority, his voice growing even louder: "Grain prices are the foundation of people's livelihood and have always been controlled by the government. Li, are you not afraid of being punished by me for your actions?"

He had intended to make his words sound serious, hoping to scare Li Zheng into revealing some benefits.

However, they did not notice that both Captains Du and Luo had kept their heads down and remained silent since entering the room.

They didn't even notice that the group of people behind Li Zheng were getting closer and closer.

By the time he came to his senses, Li Zheng had already walked up to him.

Liang He roared in fury: "You!"

Before he could finish speaking, Tang Meng grabbed him by the back of his collar, lifted him up, and threw him off the stage.

"Ouch!"

Liang fell flat on his back to the ground, feeling dizzy and disoriented. It took him a while to recover.

When I looked up again, I saw that the left and right sides were filled with unfamiliar burly men, each with a stern look and a hand on the hilt of a knife.

Liang He suddenly felt numbness in his hands and feet, and said in a trembling voice, "Master Li...you...what's wrong with you?!"

Li Zheng had already sat down in the magistrate's chair. This was his second time entering the Da Zhou County government office, but there was nothing new about it.

However, the chair that Magistrate Liang used was more comfortable to sit in than the chair that the magistrate of Dang County used.

He leaned back lazily in his chair and glanced at Liang He: "Master Liang, I thought you were a clever man, how come you still can't tell the situation clearly?"

Seeing that Du and Luo were practically burying their heads in the ground, Liang He suddenly realized, "You...you're not a merchant!"

Li Zheng chuckled: "The Great Zhou Dynasty reveres scholars and treats everyone else like pigs and dogs. No matter how much money I make, in your eyes I'm nothing more than a rich dog. What's so interesting about that?"

"It's more fun to be a thief!"

The henchmen laughed and cheered, while a cacophony of wailing and howling erupted inside the county government office.

Liang He suddenly realized that he had been engaged in a power-for-money transaction with a group of thugs for more than half a month!

Now, this gang of thugs has actually stormed into the county government office!

He was educated after all, and knew that a scholar couldn't reason with a soldier, so he immediately softened his tone: "Whatever your request, sir, I will grant it."

Li Zheng smiled and nodded, then pointed to Tang Meng beside him: "My brother here is a man of great talent and ability, both in literature and martial arts, and is a rare find. I would like to ask Lord Liang to arrange a job for him so that he can also have a taste of officialdom."

Liang He quickly replied, "This is simple. May I ask what position you wish to hold, sir?"

Li Zheng said, "Let him be a captain, in charge of the county's soldiers, archers, and patrolmen. Protecting the peace of this area has always been my brother's ambition."

Tang Meng's face immediately turned purple and then red.

He possesses both literary and martial talents and good looks?

Protecting the peace of this region?

Huh? Me?

Upon hearing this, Liang He was so shocked he almost jumped up: "Absolutely impossible!"

If we hand over all the county's armed forces to the bandits, wouldn't that be handing over Yuncheng to the enemy?

His time as county magistrate was coming to an end; exile three thousand miles away was the best possible outcome for him.

Li Zheng stared intently at him: "Lord Liang, you still seem to lack a sense of the situation."

He then turned to the henchmen at the door and gestured with his lip: "Go tell Wu Anqing to kill one of Liang Zhongshu's sons."

Upon hearing this, Liang He was so frightened that his voice trembled: "Master Li! You!"

Li Zheng looked at him suspiciously: "We are bandits who kill and set fires, and you are the richest man in the county. Isn't it only right for us to take some things from your house?"

Upon learning that his family had been taken into custody, Liang He dared not resist any longer and hurriedly said, "I grant your permission! I grant your permission! From today onwards, this brother will be the head constable of Yuncheng!"

Upon hearing this, Du and Luo glared at him angrily.

Although they had also defected to the enemy, Liang He's defection was even faster.

The two men had worked for him for years, and he gave up his job without a second thought.

Li Zheng added, "Besides, staying on the mountain all the time is quite boring. I also need an identity that allows me to enter and leave the county town. I would appreciate it if you would grant me a job."

Liang He was already numb: "What official position does a hero need?"

Li Zheng thought for a moment: "How about the county commandant?"

Liang He said with a mournful face, "Hero, the county magistrate needs to be appointed by the prefecture, and I really have no authority over this."

Li Zheng thought of an idea and said with a smile, "Then let me be a clerk."

First came Clerk Song, now comes Clerk Li; this can be considered a tribute to my predecessors.

He then pointed to Cao Su: "My brother here can read; how about he become a clerk?"

Cao Su was somewhat surprised: "Brother?"

Li Zheng gave him a look, signaling him not to ask any more questions.

Liang and his entire family were under control, so how could they dare to refuse? They nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, we'll do as you say, hero!"

Li Zheng added, "Since Magistrate Liang has been so cooperative, to express my gratitude, I would like to invite your wife, children, and parents to come up the mountain for a few days."

Liang He kowtowed repeatedly in desperation: "Hero, I'll agree to anything you ask, please spare my wife and children!"

Li Zheng shook his head seriously: "How can this be? If you break your promise, my lord, just send a letter to the prefecture and the army will be at the foot of Liangshan in no time."

"I'm timid and can't stand being frightened, so I'll have to trouble your family."

Liang He finally realized that Li Zheng had him cornered.

If he agrees, he will be guilty of the grave crime of colluding with bandits, thus binding himself to this group of thieves.

But if they don't respond, their whole family's lives will be in danger, and they won't even have a rope to stand on.

He could only agree with tears in his eyes. He appeared to still be lying on the ground crying, but in reality, he had been gone for a while.