Chapter 28: A Huge Extortion

Although there was something fishy going on, Lin Chuan was quite interested in this matter. While suppressing banditry was not the duty of the border troops, it was an excellent opportunity for military training. His twenty-plus brothers at Tielin Fortress had been drilling for several days now; it was time to put their progress to the test. Moreover, he could take this opportunity to fleece the magistrate.

"I do have a way," Lin Chuan said slowly, "but..."

"Please, Commander, speak your mind!" Magistrate Qin urged.

"Although I belong to the border troops, I am well aware of the local garrison's responsibilities," Lin Chuan said, deliberately drawing out his words. "However, my twenty or so brothers at Tielin Fortress consume two stones of grain every day during training. If we were to suppress bandits..."

"Don't you worry about that, Commander!" Magistrate Qin’s eyes brightened, and he immediately interjected, "The county is willing to provide two thousand catties of millet and ten jars of spirits as military supplies!"

"Two thousand catties?" Lin Chuan raised an eyebrow. "I fear that is not enough to motivate my men..."

"Five thousand catties!" Magistrate Qin gritted his teeth. "And I'll add two pigs!"

Lin Chuan remained silent for a moment. He appeared to be weighing the pros and cons, but in reality, he was doing the math. Five thousand catties of millet was roughly a month's worth of food for Tielin Fortress. Though pigs were not standard military issue, they could be rendered into dozens of catties of lard, which would give his soldiers extra strength. Yet, he was well aware that behind Magistrate Qin's generosity, there must be a hidden agenda.

Seeing Lin Chuan’s hesitation, Magistrate Qin exchanged a glance with his advisor. The former showed a flicker of impatience, while the latter shook his head slightly. The master and servant clearly misread his silence. Lin Chuan sneered inwardly: No matter what scheme you have, I will fleece you for all you're worth first.

"Magistrate!" Seeing that Lin Chuan remained silent, the advisor cleared his throat and snapped open his folding fan. "Perhaps... we should add a bit more in reward money?"

Magistrate Qin’s cheeks twitched as he looked at Lin Chuan.

"Since the advisor has brought it up, I won't hold back either," Lin Chuan smiled. "Suppressing bandits is dangerous. My brothers are risking their lives; without a reward, they might not even be able to grip their blades firmly."

"The Commander makes a fair point..." Magistrate Qin raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "How much reward money would you require?"

"Magistrate, do not misunderstand," Lin Chuan put on a guileless smile. "I don't need much. Three hundred taels will do."

"Three hundred taels..." Magistrate Qin ground his teeth, as if he were cutting off a piece of his own flesh. "Can you guarantee the suppression of the bandit threat?"

"Rest assured, Magistrate," Lin Chuan nodded. "Once I have accepted the payment, I will surely purge the bandits of Green Sheep Mountain completely."

"Fine! Three hundred taels it is!" Magistrate Qin declared through clenched teeth.

"Is the Magistrate familiar with the customs of border troops regarding bandit suppression?" Lin Chuan paused. "First we take the grain and supplies, then we draw our blades."

Magistrate Qin swallowed hard, pulled three silver notes from his sleeve, and slapped them onto the table. "At the hour of the Rabbit tomorrow, I will personally deliver the grain and supplies to Tielin Fortress."

"Then I thank you, Magistrate!" Lin Chuan took the notes, stood up, and cupped his hands in a salute. "If you have no further business, I shall take my leave."

...

As the cold moon climbed above the eaves, Lin Chuan and Hu Dayong stepped out of the vermilion-lacquered gate of the magistrate's office. He declined the advisor's offer to have someone escort them back, preferring to walk through the night air to sober up. Just past a street corner, he suddenly heard the faint clinking of jewelry behind him.

"Commander, please wait!"

Lin Chuan turned to look. He saw Qin Yanqiu wrapped in a moon-white cloak, walking gracefully from the alley behind the back gate. The glow of a lantern fell upon her face, making the vermilion mark between her brows look like a spark of fire.

"I have a word for you, Commander, if you would be so kind as to listen," she said softly, lowering her gaze and drawing in her sleeves.

"Miss Qin, why do you stop me in the dead of night?" Lin Chuan frowned.

"I heard that you once personally slew the Tatars. Is this true?" Qin Yanqiu looked up, her phoenix eyes reflecting the moonlight.

"Oh, Miss Qin!" Hu Dayong, reeking of alcohol, leaned in and slapped Lin Chuan’s shoulder heavily. "Could there be any doubt? Commander Lin charged into the Tatar camp all by himself, cutting them down one by one like slicing melons and vegetables! Dozens of Tatars couldn't even touch the hem of his garment!"

"Hu Dayong!" Lin Chuan glared at him. This fellow had spent the entire banquet stuffing his face and drinking, not saying a word. Now, with the alcohol going to his head, he was bragging loudly.

"Don't listen to his nonsense," Lin Chuan smiled at Qin Yanqiu. "It was just luck; I only killed seven or eight."

Qin Yanqiu twisted the ties of her cloak with her fingertips. "But I heard the Tatars have iron arms and copper bodies, and are impervious to swords and spears?"

"There is no such preposterous thing." Lin Chuan scoffed, drew his long blade, and flicked the spine, the cold light revealing the sharpness in his eyes. "They are all flesh and blood. Stab a blade into them, and they cry for their fathers and mothers just the same."

Qin Yanqiu frowned slightly.

Lin Chuan smiled. "Miss Qin, I am a rough man..."

"It doesn't matter," Qin Yanqiu shook her head, her voice dropping lower. "Killing Tatars... that is the deed of a hero."

"If Miss Qin has no other business, I..." Lin Chuan was about to say goodbye when she suddenly took a half-step forward.

"Commander, the roads of Green Sheep Mountain are steep and treacherous. You must be careful!"

"Miss Qin, why do you say that?" Lin Chuan narrowed his eyes. This woman had been cold as ice inside the magistrate's office; why was she so earnest now?

"I..." Qin Yanqiu paused. Yes... why did I chase after him to say this? His life or death has nothing to do with me... "I... I am just worried that in your eagerness to suppress the bandits, you might fall into an ambush." Qin Yanqiu curtsied. "After all... if you were to suffer a mishap, I fear today's reward money would go to waste."

"Thank you for the warning, Miss." Lin Chuan cupped his hands and smiled. "If there are leftovers after the suppression, I will send you two catties of pork."

"Who wants your pork!" A flush rose to Qin Yanqiu’s cheeks. "Then... I shall await your triumphant return." With that, she turned and walked away.

Watching her hurried silhouette, Hu Dayong scratched his head and muttered, "Master, did Miss Qin chase us all the way out here just to ask about the Tatars?"

Lin Chuan sheathed his blade, his gaze lingering on her retreating figure. "She was warning us," he said in a low voice. "There is something fishy about the bandits of Green Sheep Mountain..."

It seemed this game of chess was far more interesting than he had imagined.

...

Qin Yanqiu returned to her room through the back gate. Just as she entered the courtyard, she heard Magistrate Qin furiously berating the advisor: "You fool! Who told you to suggest the reward money?!"

She stopped in her tracks, watching the two figures under the eaves. Seeing Qin Yanqiu, the magistrate frowned. "Yanqiu, where have you been?"

"I went for a walk in the back garden," Qin Yanqiu said, avoiding her father’s probing gaze.

"The back garden?" Magistrate Qin stepped forward, his fingers nearly brushing her shoulder before he stopped himself. "You... you didn't go out?"

"No..."

"Truly?"

"Father, what do you mean by that?" Qin Yanqiu suddenly looked up, her eyes burning. "Are you afraid that I might ruin your plans?"

"My daughter! Where would you get such an idea?" The magistrate’s tone softened, and he sighed. "You are not young anymore; you should understand how to behave. The business of Green Sheep Mountain is not for you to worry about."