Start with acting, and you'll achieve immortality!

The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated.

A series of coughs came from the abandoned kiln in the west of the city.

Li Ping, wearing a worn-out sheepskin coat, squatted on a dry mud brick, drawing circles on the ground with a withered twig in his hand.

Qian Duo stood to the side, clutching a stack of rosters, his neck hunched, sniffling from the cold.

"Sir, these forty-six bandits were locked up overnight last night, and they're much more obedient now."

Qian Duo pointed to the men huddled together inside the cave dwelling.

Li Ping tossed aside the dry branch, stood up, and dusted himself off.

"Let's bring everyone out and let them get some sun, so they don't get moldy inside."

A moment later, dozens of bandits were tied with ropes by the able-bodied men of Wild Fox Ridge and led in a line to an open space.

"These men, all with wounds on their faces and tattered clothes, knelt down in a panic when they saw Li Ping."

"My lord, spare my life! I was forced up the mountain by Hu Lie!"

"Yes, yes, I have an eighty-year-old mother at home. Please, sir, spare my life!"

Li Ping picked at his ear, somewhat impatiently.

"Alright, I'm sick of hearing that line. You've got too much money, just give me the roster."

Li Ping took the roster, glanced at it, and pointed to three burly men with fierce faces in the front row.

"You, you, and you"

"Weren't you the ones who robbed a farmer of his oxen in the south of the city last month and broke his leg?"

The three men turned pale and were about to argue when Li Ping waved his hand.

"Take it to the back mountain to use as fertilizer for the crops in the fields."

"Brothers of Wild Fox Ridge, you've worked hard. Take these heads to the county government and say they were the stubborn bandit leaders."

Dazhuang, along with several strong men, dragged the man away without saying a word.

The screams faded into the distance, and the remaining bandits, their faces ashen with fear, pressed their heads firmly against the snow.

Li Ping glanced at the remaining men, drew the short knife from his waist, and twirled it between his fingers.

"The rest of you can live if you want, but I'm short of skilled people."

"Anyone who knows blacksmithing and weapon repair, or knows the mountain paths, step forward."

A commotion broke out in the crowd.

A short, stocky man with unusually thick arms hesitated before raising his head.

"Your Excellency, my name is Zhang Tiebi. I used to be a blacksmith in the border army and I know how to repair and manufacture military equipment."

"Later, he fled and became an outlaw, where he only worked as a blacksmith in the village and never went down the mountain to kill anyone."

Li Ping walked up to him and used the tip of his knife to lift his chin.

"Can you use a crossbow?"

Zhang Tiebi nodded repeatedly.

"Yes! As long as we have enough materials, I can fire three ordinary steel crossbows a day!"

"Alright, from now on you'll be under Shi Gan's jurisdiction."

"Build an iron furnace on the back mountain of Wild Fox Ridge, melt down all the scrap metal from Black Wind Stronghold, and use it to sharpen my weapons."

Li Ping sheathed his short sword and looked at the remaining people.

"As for you, you'd better go to the mountains and clear land and transport grain."

"Those who do well will get paid next month; those who don't do well will get some empty land on the back hill."

The bandits, as if granted a pardon, kowtowed repeatedly.

After dealing with the brickyard matter, Li Ping took Qian Duo straight to the county government office.

The county government hall was unusually lively today.

Magistrate Chen Rang sat in the hall, his face beaming with smiles.

Even Zhao Heng, who usually secluded himself to reflect on his mistakes, sat down to the side, but his old face was so gloomy it looked like it was about to drip water.

"Li Wenshu's suppression of the bandits is truly a blessing for our Xiyun County!"

Chen Rang slammed his gavel and smiled in admiration.

"I have already drafted a memorial to the prefecture to request commendation for Li Wenshu."

"This fifty taels of silver is a reward from the county government."

Two bailiffs carried up a tray with several ingots of silver on it.

Li Ping stepped forward and gave a proper bow.

"It's all thanks to the magistrate's skillful management; I was merely running an errand."

"But, my lord, although Black Wind Stronghold has been pacified, there are still quite a few remnants of bandits in the mountains."

"More than half of the county government's yamen runners were killed or wounded during the last grain raid, and now the city's defenses are practically nonexistent."

Chen Rang stroked his beard.

"What do you think, Li Wenshu?"

"I wish to recruit fifty strong men from the hunters of Wild Fox Ridge to serve as yamen runners and patrol the city."

"Furthermore, those rusty weapons in the county yamen's armory should be taken out and sharpened, just in case."

Li Ping lowered his head and spoke in a very humble tone.

Zhao Heng sneered from the side.

"Li Wenshu, the number of yamen runners is fixed, and the armory is an important part of the county government."

"Isn't it against the rules for a clerk like you to take the key?"

Li Ping looked up at Zhao Heng and grinned.

"Registrar Zhao is absolutely right."

"How about next time the bandits from the mountains come, let Clerk Zhao lead the men to guard the city gate?"

"I've heard that Registrar Zhao has many guards, each one exceptionally skilled."

Zhao Heng paused, his face turning slightly pale.

Chen Rang chuckled and waved his hand.

"Ah, Clerk Zhao, you are mistaken. Clerk Li is only doing this for the sake of peace and tranquility in the county."

"This key will be kept by Li Wenshu for the time being. I approve the recruitment of yamen runners."

Li Ping took the keys to the armory and bowed again.

"Thank you for your consideration, Your Excellency."

As Li Ping left the county government office and reached the street corner, Hu Jiu slipped out from behind a stone pillar, a smile plastered on his face.

"Sir, Manager Jin is waiting at Chunfeng Tower."

In the private room of Chunfeng Tower, the stove was burning extremely brightly.

A plump man dressed in silk was sitting awkwardly. When he saw Li Ping enter, he knelt down with a thud.

"This humble servant, Jin Fugui, greets Lord Li!"

Li Ping sat down in the main seat, picked up his teacup, and blew on it.

"Manager Jin, please rise. Hu Jiu said that when County Magistrate Hu was in charge, you were the one who handled the salt and iron trade in the mountains?"

Jin Fugui wiped the sweat from his brow and answered cautiously.

"Your Excellency, previously County Lieutenant Hu took 50%, I took 30%, and the rest was used to bribe officials at checkpoints."

"Now that County Magistrate Hu is no longer here, I'd like to ask you, sir, for a chance to make a living in this business."

"Business will continue as usual, but the rules need to be changed."

Li Ping put down his teacup and looked at him.

"From now on, salt and iron sent into the mountains must first pass through the checkpoint at Yefuling."

"I'll take 60%, you take 20%, and the remaining 20% ​​will be used for bribes."

Jin Fugui's face twitched, but he dared not disobey in the slightest and repeatedly agreed.

"It's entirely up to you, sir!"

At this time, in the back hall of the county government office

The smile on Chen Rang's face had vanished. He held his teacup, gazing at the falling snow outside the window, his brows furrowed.

Zhao Heng stood to the side, gritting his teeth.

"Your Highness, this boy's appetite is far too great!"

"They've demanded manpower and weaponry, and now they want to interfere in the black market. They're trying to sideline us!"

Chen Rang took a sip of tea, his voice turning somewhat cold.

"This young man has grown into a powerful figure; he is no longer the petty official who could be easily manipulated."

"Any movement from the Bai family?"

"That old fox Bai Chong has refused to see any guests, only saying that he is unwell, without ever making a statement."

Zhao Heng answered in a low voice

Chen Rang put down his teacup, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes.

The Bai family is observing, but we can't wait.

"The monsters in the mountains have been making quite a stir lately. If things get chaotic in Xiyun County... Hmph, we'd better start making plans soon."

At night, in Li Ping's new house

Shi Gan, his back wrapped in bandages, sat in a chair, looking at the pile of rusty broadswords he had taken from the armory on the table.

"Sir, the county yamen's armory is practically a pile of scrap metal. These few broken knives aren't even as good as the woodcutters from Wild Fox Ridge."

Li Ping sat to the side, slowly wiping the black iron plate in his hand.

"Have Zhang Tiebi melt down these iron tools and re-polish them."

"Every man in Yefuling should receive one; don't be stingy."

Qian Duo looked at Li Ping with some worry.

"My lord, the magistrate agreed too readily today; I have a feeling something is amiss."

Li Ping put away the iron plate, looked at the pitch-black night outside the window, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"That old fox Chen Rang wants to use me to shield him from trouble in the mountains."

"The Bai family has remained silent, waiting for me to fight the county government to the point of mutual destruction."

He stood up and patted Qian Duo on the shoulder.

"Keep a close eye on the recruited constables; the real trouble is probably just beginning."