After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

In the brief moment that Wang Fu was coming over, a burst of rapid gong and drum sounds rang out from the stage!

Cui Cui was unlucky enough to miss the scene of the old actor on stage performing a series of somersaults. Ning Nan felt it was a bit of a pity.

The country folk were honest and didn't understand class distinctions. They acted purely from their hearts and naturally sided with Xiao En. At this moment, they clapped their hands and cheered for the old man's impressive skills as he did dozens of somersaults.

Cui Cui didn't really understand, but she was educated and knowledgeable, and acting from her heart, she subconsciously wanted to maintain the existing order. She preferred to repair rather than destroy. However, deep down she also felt compassion for the underprivileged, which created a contradiction in her mind.

What should Shawn do?

Ning Nan's eyes darkened for a moment... There was no way to solve this.

The Yangtze River always floods, the heavens always bring droughts, and Taihu Lake is never teeming with fish year-round.

Paying fish tax this year is not an option, as it may not be possible to pay it next year. Small-scale farming relies on nature, but nature is unpredictable.

With such fragile productivity, even the slightest pressure from production relations can crush people like a mountain.

Shawn had no choice. If there's one thing he did wrong, it's that he didn't mobilize the suffering masses to rebel... but then there wouldn't be this show... ha.

Ning Nan's shoulders slumped slightly as he let out a long sigh. "Fighting corrupt officials, not the emperor," is one of the survival strategies of theatrical performers. The opera troupe, in a way, is like Xiao En, a fisherman, and there's not much they can do either.

You can't tell Cuicui anything that's taboo. Cuicui frowned, refusing to listen, and all her words were in vain.

Cui Cui took it to heart, and her brows unfurrowed... But that would only make things worse. It would be better to just brush it off with a simple "Let's not talk about state affairs."

Wang Fu, the peddler, had become much bolder. When he sat next to me, although he still only dared to sit on half of his buttocks, he was at least not so timid anymore.

Ning Nan smiled and asked, "How's your village?"

Wang Fu knew that the village the other person was referring to was actually a "fortified village".

As the drama in front became more exciting, most of the people moved to the front row, leaving the two of them alone.

Wang Fu lowered his voice and said that he had already gone up the mountain and was no longer a scout. He had spent money to bribe the brother-in-law of a big boss and was now working as a civil official under that big boss... well, a high-ranking henchman.

"Under my chief alone, there are three junior chiefs and generals, who have gathered more than a hundred people... There are a total of twelve chiefs in the stronghold, with the chief being the most respected leader."

Ning Nan gave an "Oh," and said casually, "Can you write?"

Wang Fu shook his head like a rattle drum.

Ning Nan slowly nodded his chin, deciding to have Li Xing make a record for the other party later, writing down everything he remembered and knew.

Li Xing had studied simplified Chinese characters and was quick-witted; writing them down made it easier to check for omissions and errors.

"The second-in-command came down the mountain... with two hundred Red Sticks, all of them elite military officers, the elite of the elite, the kind who can take on ten men at once... riding horses and mules, they pulled off a big heist in Pang Family Village, even ripping out Old Master Pang's heart and liver. The heads of twenty-six members of the Pang family are displayed in the Pang Family Ancestral Hall."

"Second-in-command?" Ning Nan frowned.

"Yes, the second leader's surname is Xiao, Xiao Chun, and he's a scholar. He failed the imperial examination and decided to go up the mountain last year... He's like a strategist. Pang Family Village fell into his trap. They clearly had five hundred villagers, but the second leader wiped them out... We didn't lose many people... The first leader said that the second leader is his Zhuge Liang."

"Wow, that's impressive."

Wang Fu nodded, his mouth dry. "The second-in-command brought his men this way... Pangjia Village is just a quick stop for a snack... He knows I used to be a scout here, so he sent me to pave the way."

"Where are they hiding now?"

Wang Fu shook his head: "I don't know. The second-in-command will come looking for me, but I won't be able to find them."

They traveled from state to state, swaggering around, and massacred villages... Ning Nan smiled; these people really had some skills.

If it weren't for the prestige of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, making them believe that Li Liang was killed by them, they probably would have attacked long ago.

I reckon they had planned to send two corrupt officials over without alerting anyone, to secretly take Miss Zhu away and kill her, but they failed.

Intimidated by the reputation of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, or perhaps believing that Miss Zhu had already been taken away, they lay low for many days.

Later, upon discovering that Miss Zhu was still in the village, he could no longer restrain himself. Once Miss Zhu was brought back to Nanjing, there would be no more opportunities.

Why not just send an elite force, take the risk, and hunt a rabbit with a lion? Take them all in one fell swoop? ...Tsk, I know it might be a trap, but I'm prepared to go anyway.

Ning Nan asked the other party about their general route and drew a map in his mind.

Xiao Chun's group walked along the boundary of the garrison's jurisdiction, thus giving the two garrisons room to shirk responsibility.

Unless they enter the heart of the garrison area, the garrison officers and soldiers have little desire to encircle and annihilate them; at most, they will send people to pursue them as a show.

However, with all this chaos, the surrounding garrisons were on high alert, making it even more difficult for Master Zhu to borrow troops.

"It's not that I'm unwilling, but if I send troops out, the bandits could take advantage of the situation and invade, putting our county in grave danger!" Hmm, that's probably the excuse he'll use... Is this some kind of pretext for the various garrisons not being able to form a united front to attack Black Tiger Mountain? ...Hmm, interesting.

"The second-in-command's men raided another village in the west the day before yesterday. They should be heading into the mountains now, and they should be here in a few days," Wang Fu said confidently.

Ning Nan nodded.

He then stood up, smiled, and said, "Come on, let me take you to get some food... and while we're at it... to take a... um... statement."

...

...

The southern slope of Yaoshan Mountain is covered with lush vegetation, with a gentle slope and a long length. Over the years, pedestrians and horse-drawn carriages have traveled on the slope, creating a fairly wide road.

At the foot of the mountain, there was an inconspicuous little horse-drawn carriage, pulled by an old chestnut horse. In front of the carriage sat an honest-looking coachman, his head drooping, holding a few foxtail grasses and weaving grasshoppers.

A rustling sound came from the dense forest, and the driver looked to his left.

A figure dressed in a blue robe slowly walked out from inside. He looked like a scholar, was thin, and had a shallow scar on his face.

The driver grinned, revealing two rows of yellow teeth, and made two "wah wah" sounds.

The scholar laughed and said, "Dumb man, this show is interesting. Let's switch. I'll watch the carriage, and you go take a look?"

Yellow Teeth grinned and shook his head, then pointed his thumb at the carriage curtain.

The scholar's smile gradually faded.

When he lifted the curtain, he saw an old man already waiting for him in the car.

"Second Master Xiao, you've kept this old man waiting..." The old man took a breath, his face turned solemn, and he cupped his hands in greeting to the scholar under the carriage.

"Ah—" Xiao Chun feigned surprise, rubbed his forehead, and apologized with a wry smile, "Please forgive me, Your Excellency, but having come to this precious land, I had no choice but to pay my respects to a senior teacher... I never expected..."

As Xiao Chun stepped onto the carriage, he said helplessly, "But I didn't expect that as soon as I arrived at Yaoshan, I saw a wonderful opera troupe at the foot of the mountain, performing 'The Fisherman's Revenge.' Tsk tsk, the female lead's movements... are very powerful! ... It's just a pity that she's a man."

The old man looked at the young scholar opposite him and said expressionlessly, "That's a member of the Imperial Guard in disguise."

"Oh..." Xiao Chun gave a playful smile, his expression slightly surprised. "That's really impressive... I had no idea..."