Chapter 61: A Transaction to Topple a City

Outside this abandoned post station stood a white cloth banner, upon which a horned ox pattern was crudely and crookedly drawn.

The white cloth still bore wrinkles, looking as though it had been freshly made.

If nothing unexpected had happened, this was the consequence after Beixin City had been seized.

With a banner present, it meant the gathered Taihang bandits were of a substantial scale and now had a unified command.

When the scale was large, it was difficult to pinpoint the leader's exact location in the open field; a banner was necessary to prevent the troops from scattering entirely.

A sturdy man sat cross-legged under the eaves of the post station, using a wooden stick to trace patterns on the ground.

"Alliance Leader!"

The bandit acting as a guide reached the doorway and switched to a formal title.

Seeing someone approach, the sturdy man wiped away the drawings on the ground, looked up, and asked, "What is it?"

This sturdy man had a hard-haired mole on his left lip.

Left Whisker—indeed, the false names adopted by bandits were all quite realistic.

"Alliance Leader, this Big-Eared brother has brought several hundred soldiers here, saying there is a business venture..."

The bandit walked up to the brawny man, lowered his head, and whispered a few words into his ear.

"Big Ears? Could he be the master of Nine-Foot and Zhangba?"

Left Whisker looked up, sizing up Liu Bei, his gaze finally resting on those ears and the ox-horn bamboo hat. "Ahem... Could Big-Eared brother be here to call us to account?"

Left Whisker's expression was somewhat peculiar, somewhat resembling a parent whose child had been bullied and whose family had come knocking on the door.

"Call you to account... Hmph, Brother Left Whisker occupied my Beixin City and used my stronghold to become the leader of the Taihang Alliance, yet my men have remained without news all this while. Naturally, I have come to inquire..."

Riding on the momentum of Left Whisker's words, Liu Bei deliberately put on a front. "Left Whisker, where are Nine-Foot, Zhangba, and the others? Are they dead or alive right now?"

"Don't be mistaken... Zhangba is a clansman of mine, and Nine-Foot is an old friend. How could I possibly kill them..."

Left Whisker stood up and spoke quite directly: "Originally, I let Nine-Foot and the others leave first, but I didn't expect them to return and set fire to the city. I had no choice but to detain them first to keep them from doing anything foolish... Big-Eared brother surely can understand."

Liu Bei of course could understand.

This was not because Left Whisker was affectionate and righteous and spared lives, but rather because the men from the Taihang Mountains were still out working, and he would only silence them by killing them right before returning to the mountains.

Nine-Foot was indeed very likely to be killed, because Nine-Foot and those few bandit chieftains had lived in the Taihang Mountains for more than two months, were familiar with the peaks and paths, and knew many of the chieftains.

Once Nine-Foot and the Taihang bandits formed a grievance, even if Left Whisker did not kill him, the other Taihang bandits would not rest easy.

But right now, the Taihang bandits had just begun their operations, and Left Whisker dared not carelessly kill the men of the Protector of the Wuhuan.

Including Zhangba, all the penal soldiers had previously been in Beixin City. With so many people, plus the fact that Zhangba was Left Whisker's cousin, it was mostly impossible to keep their mouths shut.

As long as they fell into the hands of the Taihang bandits, the Taihang bandits would naturally figure out that they were regular troops from the headquarters of the Protector of the Wuhuan.

Even if no one spat out Liu Bei's name, it would at least let Left Whisker know that "Big Ears" could command the regular troops of the Protector of the Wuhuan.

In the eyes of the Taihang bandits, "Big Ears" could be equated with Zou Jing.

The deterrence that the Protector of the Wuhuan held over the bandits was far stronger than that of any commandery administrator.

If Nine-Foot and the others were killed outright, it would be tantamount to forging a blood feud with the Protector of the Wuhuan. What would the Taihang bandits face then?

Would a massive force of Wuhuan elite cavalry suddenly appear?

Naturally, Wuhuan elite cavalry could not enter the Taihang Mountains, but they certainly had the ability to prevent most of the bandits who had already ventured out from returning to the mountains.

Only after the vast majority of the people in the Taihang Mountains had finished their work and returned to the mountains would they consider getting rid of Nine-Foot and the others, lest Nine-Foot and the others lead government troops in pursuit into the Taihang Mountains.

However, since a grievance had already been formed, they could not simply release the prisoners either; otherwise, the consequences would be no different from having killed them.

Therefore, they could only detain Nine-Foot and the others, waiting until they encountered "Big Ears" to decide.

If the grievance could not be resolved, they would kill Nine-Foot and the others—who were familiar with the Taihang Mountains—when returning to the mountains, while using the rest as hostages to delay the pursuing troops.

If the grievance could be resolved, it would be treated as a misunderstanding, and releasing the prisoners with an apology would settle the matter.

This was how a major chieftain like Left Whisker thought, and it had nothing to do with sentiment, righteousness, or morality.

It was precisely because of this that Liu Bei dared to come alone to find Left Whisker.

At this moment, the Taihang bandits likewise wished to seek cooperation.

"You detained my men and still expect me to understand... You make it sound as though you were performing a charitable deed... Heh..."

Hearing that Nine-Foot and the others were indeed not dead, and knowing that Left Whisker had the intention to resolve the grievance, Liu Bei nevertheless feigned displeasure with his words: "Yan Gang wanted to lure you into a trap and kill you, and I had my brothers capture Beixin City to help you! I originally thought we were planting a seed of good affinity, yet you occupied my city and detained my men. Is this the code of righteousness of the heroes of Taihang?!"

"Ahem... I also knew that Gongsun Zan harbored ill intentions, and I knew Big-Eared brother was helping me, but who told Nine-Foot to set fire to the city..."

Left Whisker indeed wore a somewhat embarrassed expression on his face. "Previously, I didn't know Big-Eared brother was... one of the Military Inspector's men, and it was only after I detained them that I found out Zhangba had become a soldier..."

"If you hadn't known, they would already be dead, right?"

Liu Bei wore a look of utter annoyance and made a show of anger: "Setting fire to the city... Left Whisker, you must understand, Beixin City is not a city belonging to your Taihang Mountains!"

"Beixin City was captured by my men; it is my city! I wanted to burn it, so I burned it—what business is it of yours?!"

"Allowing you to enter the city to resupply, providing you with provisions and armaments—that was the courtesy with which I, Big Ears, treat friends..."

"Yet you occupied my Beixin City and drove my men away. Of course Nine-Foot wanted to burn the city! Did you expect him to simply let you seize it for nothing?!"

"Do you think I captured the city just to play around? I, too, have a living to make!"

"You occupied my Beixin City—did you pay for it?!"

As he spoke, Liu Bei tapped on his bamboo hat: "I won't hide it from you, Zhuo County is also in my hands right now! Originally, I still wanted to make a huge business deal with you... But now, it seems your Taihang Mountains probably lack such credit!"

"Big-Eared brother, that's not how you put it... Eh? Zhuo County? Big-Eared brother is in control of Zhuo County?!"

Struck by this barrage, Left Whisker felt something was amiss, but upon reflection, it indeed made logical sense, leaving him rather speechless.

Of course, what was even more important was...

Zhuo County!

Well, come to think of it, the Protector of the Wuhuan naturally could accomplish such a feat!

"What? You still want to occupy my Zhuo County? Hmph..."

Seeing that Left Whisker had been nearly led into the trap, Liu Bei softened his tone a fraction. "Hmph, let my men return first and we'll talk! You haven't settled the account for Beixin City yet! Your Taihang Mountains lack a bit too much honor; I dare not do business with you anymore!"

"Release them! I'll release the men immediately! However..."

The expression on Left Whisker's face had changed drastically. "The big business deal Big-Eared brother just mentioned... what is it?"

"I want to sell Zhuo County!"

Seeing the change in Left Whisker's expression, Liu Bei's imposing manner grew even stronger. "You should be able to figure it out as well; I cannot hold onto the county town for long, otherwise it would be difficult to report to the Military Inspector. I originally intended to sell Zhuo County to you, Brother Left Whisker... But now, I deeply doubt the credibility of your Taihang Mountains..."

"I will release your men immediately! Brother Big-Eared, name your price for Beixin City! As for Zhuo County... name your price as well!"

Left Whisker swallowed hard, his eyes gleaming with greed.