The bandits had never expected the townspeople outside the city to rise up against them as one. The pounding of feet sounded like thunder, and curses and cries mingled together, surging like a flood that engulfed the bandits. Their eyes were already bloodshot as they fought back, shouting, “These villains deserve to die!”
How could the bandits stand against so many? Stones and broken bowls flew everywhere, smashing into them and sending them scrambling in panic. Seeing the situation turn dire, the hall master intended to flee—but when he turned his head, he saw that Cai Yu’s trusted men were already running back!
“Bastards!” the hall master roared in fury, turning to run as well.
But his luck was poor. Fei Sheng reacted swiftly and dragged him back. This hall master was nothing more than a common ruffian—how could he match a trained Imperial Guard like Fei Sheng? He was knocked into the crowd at once and beaten from all sides, rolling on the ground with his face covered, wailing in agony.
The remaining bandits had already lost their nerve. To them, the townspeople outside the city now looked like man-eating fiends. Seeing their leader being beaten, they threw down their weapons and fled toward the city in disarray.
Cai Yu waited for news inside his residence. The food on the table had long gone cold when sudden chaos broke out outside. He hurried to his feet and had barely taken a few steps when someone stumbled in, panic-stricken, shouting, “Master! A large group of people has come—they’ve surrounded the estate!”
Cai Yu had already sent his main force outside the city; only about five hundred men remained within. He understood immediately and gritted his teeth. “We’ve been tricked!”
With his forces thinned, this was the perfect opportunity for the smaller factions.
“Have the guards and the remaining men secure every courtyard gate,” Cai Yu ordered at once. “Bring me my cloak—I’ll go out and meet them myself!”
He fastened his cloak, strapped on his saber, and strode out with his attendants. The mansion gates were tightly shut. Through the narrow gap, Cai Yu saw torches filling the space outside. His heart grew heavy, yet he burst into laughter and called out, “Which young friend is this? I am hosting no banquet today, nor is there any celebration—why come with such fanfare to offer congratulations?”
From outside, Luo Mu replied leisurely, “I heard, elder brother, that you’ve been plagued by nightmares and sleeping poorly. So I invited some friends—tonight, we’ve come to cleanse your residence of its ill fortune.”
Recognizing Luo Mu’s voice, Cai Yu’s expression darkened. “Mengzheng, I gave you my own younger sister in marriage and treated you well. To repay kindness with betrayal—does that not violate all sense of honor?”
Unmoved, Luo Mu said, “Cai Yu, you hoarded grain and sold it at high prices, profiting from disaster while ignoring the displaced people outside the city. You are no longer a righteous bandit. As the prefect of Chazhou, I had no choice but to deal with you for years to lower your guard. Now you have lost the support of the people—surrender while you still can.”
Cai Yu had never been one for pretense. Rage flared instantly. “You shameless wretch! When you sought my sister’s hand, how earnest your words were—now you turn against me? You despicable coward!”
Luo Mu stepped forward a few paces, unwilling to waste more words. “Open the gates and submit, or we will break them down!”
Cai Yu gripped the saber at his waist and shouted, “Let me see who dares! My blade is not yet dull—whoever comes, I’ll take his life!”
Yet no matter how fierce his presence, he could not withstand a siege from all sides. The guards in the Cai residence were ordinary men; seeing the gleam of weapons outside, many were already thinking of fleeing.
Shielded by those around him as arrows rained down, Cai Yu called out again, “Any guard who distinguishes himself will be richly rewarded! I was personally appointed here in Chazhou by the young master—he even calls me ‘uncle.’ Luo Mu, if you harm me in the slightest tonight, the young master will make you repay it a hundredfold!”
Before Luo Mu could respond, Kong Ling beside him spoke coldly, “Whose Chazhou is this, exactly? It’s one thing for you to serve the Yan clan like a dog, but must all the people of Chazhou become their dogs too? You’ve abetted evil and caused the deaths of countless innocents. Tonight, nothing else matters—we will take you down!”
As soon as Kong Ling finished speaking, the outer gate was rammed open. Cai Yu watched them charge in and still refused to surrender. Leading the remaining men in his residence, he fought while retreating. In less than half an hour, they had been pushed back into the rear courtyard.
Night stretched vast and dark as Cai Yu found himself trapped. Half his life had been spent in chivalry, yet for the sake of “money,” he had fallen into the dust. Now, seeing his home destroyed and hearing his wife and children crying, a desolate sense of a hero at the end of his road welled up within him. But whether he regretted it or not, it was already too late.
Despising Luo Mu’s actions, Cai Yu fought on desperately. Outside, the streets were in chaos as members of different factions clashed together. Cai Yu’s men dwindled by the moment. Just as despair took hold and he resolved to end his own life, he suddenly heard a voice cry out through the turmoil:
“Brother!”
Luo Mu’s expression changed. “Not good!” he shouted, turning back. “Take the young madam away!”
Lady Cai had been a sheltered young woman. To get here, she had run all the way—losing her shoes and injuring her hands. Her hair was damp with sweat, but she paid no attention, pointing at Luo Mu as she trembled. Normally fiery, now her voice choked with sobs. “Luo… Luo Mu! You…” She burst into tears. “You despicable villain!”
Despite Kong Ling standing nearby, Luo Mu could not help but step forward.
Her hair disheveled, Lady Cai lifted her head and spat at him, tears streaming down her face. “I gave my heart to a dog! I let a scoundrel like you deceive me!”
She was Cai Yu’s youngest sister, much younger than him. Though a sister, he had raised her like a daughter. The two had depended on each other for years and shared a deep bond.
Seeing Cai Yu surrounded, she knew he would not survive the night. Covering her face, she cried out, “It was me who harmed my brother!”
Kong Ling saw her movement and realized the danger. “Stop her—quick!”
But it was too late. Using the motion of covering her face, she pulled a golden hairpin from her hair. In the blink of an eye, blood splattered across silk.
Cai Yu was shattered. Tears streamed down his face as he cried out in grief, “Foolish sister! Foolish sister! It was I who harmed you!”
Abandoning the thought of taking his own life, he roared and charged into the enemy, cutting down several men before finally collapsing from exhaustion. With his last breath, he still shouted, “I am Cai Yu of Chazhou—my time is up!”
After a night of chaos, dawn broke faintly. The conflict in the city had ended. Nearly half the walls of the Cai residence had collapsed; the prosperity of the previous day had vanished. Servants fled in haste, bundling up silver and valuables and disappearing into the night.
Kong Ling stood beside Lady Cai’s body, the blood soaking into the hem of his robe. That night, Cai Yu’s entire household had perished, many dying beneath bandits’ blades. Kong Ling waited for Luo Mu to come collect her body, but was told that Luo Mu had gone to inspect Cai Yu’s grain stores.
He stood there until afternoon, yet Luo Mu never came.
With Cai Yu gone, all the grain shops of Chazhou fell under Luo Mu’s control. He now possessed not only Cai Yu’s grain but also his wealth. Grain caravans from Cizhou entered the city, yet the silver Luo Mu had promised earlier remained unpaid. The price of rice in the city stayed at one tael per dan, just as it had been under Cai Yu.
In the courtyard, Fei Sheng sighed, “Back when we were in the imperial prison, Han Cheng used to say fieldwork was tough—the local ‘old foxes’ are all shrewd. Seems he wasn’t exaggerating.”
“His methods are far sharper than those in the capital,” Qiao Tianya said, lying on a stone bench with his arms behind his head, basking in the sun. “No wonder he’s managed to stay prefect of Chazhou for so long.”
Kong Ling brewed tea nearby in silence.
Inside, Shen Zechuan lifted the curtain and stepped out. The three men moved to stand, but he gestured for them to stay seated. “What time is it?”
“Almost noon,” Fei Sheng answered quickly.
Shen Zechuan flicked open his folding fan to shade his eyes from the glaring sun. “A great victory in Chazhou—yet we haven’t had a celebration banquet, have we? Send Luo Mu an invitation. Tell him we’ll drink here tonight.”
Fei Sheng acknowledged, then hesitated. “Master, what if he doesn’t dare come?”
Shen Zechuan revealed his eyes, a faint smile in them. “Doesn’t dare? I think he has guts to spare.”