Why the Magistrate Rebels

Changle Commandery had a total of three armies and seventeen battalions, each with its own garrison. Disengaged entirely from agricultural labor, they were maintained by the commandery, with Weiyang City serving as the administrative seat. Weiyang City was situated upon a sprawling plain. Rivers wound around it from all directions, extending in every corridor. They not only established a distinct network of water transport, but also irrigated countless fertile fields outside the walls. Of the seventeen military garrisons across Changle Commandery, ten were stationed near Weiyang City, while the remaining seven were dispersed along various vital thoroughfares throughout the territory. It was like an invisible, towering beast crouching upon the earth of the Shu region. The stream of people, carts, and boats traveling into and out of the commandery seat was its breath; the common folk tilling the farmland were its blood; the various county towns were its internal organs; and the capital of Weiyang City was its brain. *Skreeee—!* A shrill eagle's cry cut through the wide sky. The clouds were torn apart as a black shadow shot like an arrow from a bowstring, plunging swiftly toward a corner of the earth below. There stood a military camp. The patrolling soldiers outside immediately spotted the diving silhouette, yet none moved to intercept it. Once they saw the creature clearly, curious expressions surfaced on their faces. "That's the commander's golden-eyed eagle. Did something happen?" "Couldn't be. The northern barbarians can't push into the Shu region, and the southern tribes have been quiet as mice lately. What major trouble could there be?" With no one obstructing its path, the golden-eyed eagle flew straight into the command tent at the center of the camp. Spreading its broad wings, it landed steadily upon an upraised arm, kicking up a gust of wind in its wake that set the neatly stacked books on the command desk rustling loudly. "Good bird." The man who caught the eagle was a burly, imposing figure with thick beard and hair and bright, piercing eyes. He was none other than the commander of this garrison, Yan Weichuan. "Are you... Seven?" Yan Weichuan stroked the eagle. Recognizing its number, his expression shifted slightly. "Sent by Scholar Li? Could there be some change over at the Black Armor Battalion?" He hastily removed the letter tied to the eagle's talon. Unfolding it, his face darkened, tinged with a flicker of surprise. "The Black Armor Battalion... Wu Xintai mobilized troops without orders?" As fellow battalion commanders, he and Wu Xintai were old acquaintances and longtime rivals. In his impression, that old fox had always been the type never to cast his hawk until he saw the hare. His conduct was excessively prudent; though he rarely distinguished himself with great merits, he almost never made a mistake. How could he have lost his head like this? "Good... very good!" Yan Weichuan suddenly grew excited. "Losing his head is wonderful! I thought the old tortoise would hold his troops back, but it seems he couldn't swallow his anger after all!" With that thought, he immediately handed the letter to the vice commander beside him. "Lao Liu, take a look at this too." The vice commander took the letter and read through it word by word, his brow furrowing slightly. "So Scholar Li wants our Tabai Battalion to rush to Longxing County?" "Correct." Yan Weichuan nodded. "The Black Armor Battalion moved first, which is tantamount to rebellion. Scholar Li wants us to suppress the revolt at once, and only we can get there in time." Of the three armies and seventeen battalions in Changle Commandery, only three were cavalry units. Only his Tabai Battalion was closest to Longxing County. Once on the march at top speed, they could reach the vicinity of the county seat in less than two hours. "Scholar Li wants to catch the Black Armor Battalion red-handed." Yan Weichuan chuckled. "Pass down the order: the entire force is to deploy!" Hearing this, the vice commander did not comply immediately, but cautioned in a low voice, "Commander, shouldn't you reconsider? The commandery government hasn't issued any military orders yet..." The Black Armor Battalion had indeed mobilized without authorization. Yet the commandery seat had not received any reports, let alone handed down an order. If the Tabai Battalion set out rashly, it would also be mobilizing without authorization! "Oh, you." Seeing the vice commander's hesitation, Yan Weichuan burst out laughing. "Rest easy, Lao Liu. Do you think I wouldn't understand the very logic you see?" "If so..." the vice commander asked in bewilderment. "This time is different." Yan Weichuan shook his head. "I'll tell you frankly: Xu Bingzheng, the magistrate of Longxing County, and this Scholar Li are both disciples of the Imperial Academy." "Their revered mentor is Master Cheng Bochun!" "Cheng Bochun?" The vice commander was taken aback. After pondering for a moment, realization dawned on him. "The master of Neo-Confucianism? I've heard of him. Isn't he originally from the commandery..." "Indeed!" Yan Weichuan gave a slight nod. "Master Cheng's ancestral home is our Changle Commandery. From top to bottom, the entire commandery administration shares bonds of teacher and disciple with this great Confucian scholar!" "And the matter in Longxing County was handed down personally by Master Cheng. Otherwise, how could a martial master of the Mortal Ranking like Scholar Li have been dispatched there? By comparison, the thaumaturge who ordered the Black Armor Battalion to Longxing County might be formidable, but he is an outsider, not native to Changle Commandery." "As the saying goes, even a mighty dragon cannot suppress the local snake." "That's why I say Wu Xintai has lost his head to throw in his lot with that thaumaturge. No matter how powerful a crossing dragon is, he must leave sooner or later. How can he be counted on?" "In the end, we still have to make our living here in Changle Commandery." At this point, Yan Weichuan's tone grew utterly confident. "So as for this matter, even if both constitute 'mobilizing without orders,' whether it is treated as a major crime or a minor infraction is entirely up to interpretation." "Wu Xintai is crossing Master Cheng and his people, so his actions will be magnified into rebellion!" "We are assisting Master Cheng and his people, so our actions will be minimized into putting down a revolt!" The vice commander found his reasoning plausible, yet his worries remained unabated. "Still, without the commandery's military tally or official decrees for suppressing rebels, this remains somewhat precarious..." "It's better that it's precarious." Yan Weichuan shook his head. "If everything were completely safe and assured, how would Master Cheng and Scholar Li see my loyalty? How would they promote me in the future?" "Without risk, why would anyone trust you?" "Besides, there won't be any surprises. Unless Wu Xintai holds a military tally and moved on explicit orders, he won't escape the charge of rebellion!" "But..." The vice commander tried to press further. Yan Weichuan, however, was already impatient. He waved a broad hand and cut him off. "Hesitation breeds defeat. Say no more. Trust my judgment." "And don't forget, I am the commander!" "..." The vice commander swallowed hard. Unable to utter the words *You will regret this*, and daring even less to storm out, he could only cup his fists to accept the command and turn to leave the tent. A moment later, the Tabai Battalion set out. Hundreds of demonic steeds aligned neatly into an arrowhead formation, kicking up a vast cloud of dust as they galloped toward Longxing County like a host riding upon the clouds. *** Longxing County, the county yamen. What should have been the most solemn and dignified place in the entire county seat was now surrounded tightly by a sea of black-armored soldiers. Beneath the veil of rain, a chilling aura of death filled the air. Before the military formation, Wang Ping stood with his hands behind his back. He had not said much to the severely wounded Liu Ye, offering only a few brief words of comfort before having him escorted toward the Black Armor Battalion's camp. After all, there was nothing much he could say. He and Liu Ye were not close to that degree. They had only been colleagues for a few months, chatted enough to be familiar, and shared a modest bond of camaraderie. Yet that was all. Furthermore, he had no interest whatsoever in what Liu Ye was thinking, how much torture he had endured upon capture, or how much grievance and self-blame weighed on him. Even his previous act of riding alone into the county seat, claiming he was buying time for Madam Su and trading his life for their safety, had been utter nonsense. He had simply wanted to die quickly to draw a favorable scripture roll. His motive was purely self-serving, and he had genuinely intended to use the opportunity to sever ties with Madam Su. Precisely for this reason—this was merely a private grudge. Using the military tally in his hand on a whim to surround the county yamen was done entirely out of personal enmity with Xu Bingzheng, without any other motive. Resolving hidden dangers for Madam Su? Venting anger on Old Liu's behalf? Slaying this corrupt official for the common folk outside the county seat? Not a single such thought had lingered in Wang Ping's mind for even a second. He was not acting for any of these noble causes. To put it more bluntly: "I just want to kill someone." Wang Ping spoke abruptly. "I surrounded the yamen purely out of personal motives, because the dog official inside offended me—to the point where only one of us can walk away alive." Wu Xintai was at a loss for words. Just as the commander of the Black Armor Battalion stood frozen in bewilderment, Wang Ping turned to look at him, saying calmly, "So watch closely. Don't let him slip away." "...Yes!" Wu Xintai swallowed hard and nodded decisively, though in his heart he could not help but sigh for Xu Bingzheng inside. It seemed the man had little hope of surviving today. After all, this young man had said it outright: this was entirely a personal matter. In officialdom, the most crucial principle was drawing a line between public duty and private interest. If it were public business, there might still be room for negotiation. But since it was personal, there was nothing to discuss! Just then, a voice rang out from within the yamen: "Commander Wu! I do not know whose promises you have received, but mobilizing troops without orders to pursue private grudges—are you not afraid the commandery government will punish you once they learn of this?" It was Xu Bingzheng's voice. "And soldiers of the Black Armor Battalion, do you know what you are doing? Surrounding the county yamen is tantamount to rebellion! You are all rebels now!" "Think of your families! Think of your friends!" "If you become rebels, what will happen to them? Lay down your weapons now and withdraw from the county seat, and this official will let bygones be bygones..." The voice was resounding, righteous, and stern. Yet the Black Armor Battalion turned a deaf ear to it. Wu Xintai sneered repeatedly. Did this man really think mere silver-tongued tricks could sway the soldiers he had trained? He was the banner of the Black Armor Battalion! Only if he wavered, and let that wavering be seen, would the army's morale have any chance of crumbling. But at this moment, his mind was exceptionally resolute. Waver? Don't make him laugh. He had verified that military tally more than a dozen times back and forth; it was flawless, a genuine article beyond doubt. That being the case, every word Wang Ping uttered was a military command. His conscience was clear! Even if there were an inquiry afterward, the blame would fall upon Wang Ping, not upon a commander who merely performed his duties faithfully. At the thought, Wu Xintai felt even more confident. He even wished Xu Bingzheng would speak a few more sentences. The more Xu Bingzheng spoke, the more it demonstrated the immense pressure he had shouldered by deploying his troops, allowing Lord Wang to see just how eager he was to advance his career. With that in mind, Wu Xintai stepped forward at once. "Xu, cease your blabbering!" "This general has received intelligence that you, the magistrate of Longxing County, have colluded with White Lotus Sect rebels in an attempt to revolt! Open the gates at once and cooperate with this general's investigation!" *Me? Rebelling? Colluding with the White Lotus Sect?* Inside the yamen, Xu Bingzheng was infuriated to the point of laughter. It was always he who pinned this charge onto others' heads; since when was it someone else's turn to condemn him? "Absurd! I am an imperial official appointed by the court! How could I rebel?" Right then, Wang Ping spoke up: "If you haven't rebelled, why are you hiding?" "Open the yamen and let us in to search. Rest assured, we would never wrong a good official. If you truly haven't rebelled, you will certainly come to no harm." Xu Bingzheng was rendered speechless. Through the doors and windows of the yamen, he saw the speaker: a young martial officer whose status was clearly elevated, with even Wu Xintai standing deferentially behind him. Who on earth was this? His features were indistinct, yet seemed somewhat familiar, as though he had seen him somewhere before... Xu Bingzheng did not dwell on it, for the Black Armor Battalion was closing in. Xu Bingzheng understood that under such circumstances, it might have been better if they had actually rebelled; at least then they could have clashed head-on, whereas now they were caught in a dilemma. At the thought, he could not help but turn toward Li Yiran beside him. "Senior Brother... do you think this Wu Xintai might truly have someone backing him?" "His confidence seems far too great." Beside him, Li Yiran also knit his brows tightly. "What backing could he have? Without military orders, no matter how he spins it, he is mobilizing troops without authorization." "In my view, he has resolved to follow this dark path to the bitter end, convinced that thaumaturge can shield him." After a moment of deliberation, Li Yiran said calmly, "Keep waiting." "Surrounding the county seat is not yet an outright break, and there remains room for maneuver. But if he truly orders an assault on the town, it will be no different from open rebellion." "I don't believe he dares!" "As long as he doesn't dare, we stall—stall until the Tabai Battalion arrives. Once the offensive and defensive positions are reversed, it will be our turn to hold him accountable." For a time, the atmosphere fell into silence. Inside and outside the yamen, only the patter of falling rain remained. "This..." Seeing this, Wu Xintai felt somewhat uneasy. He turned to look at Wang Ping, wanting to see his attitude: would they continue trading insults, or truly tear away all pretense and attack? This was no trivial matter. Even with a military tally, ordering an army battalion to assault a county seat still under the imperial court's control would inevitably lead to unimaginable consequences; anyone with half a brain could foresee it. At the very least, the high-ranking court patrons behind Li Yiran would never let the matter drop. When accountability was pursued, it would damage his official career at best and cost him his life at worst. With this in mind, Wu Xintai looked closely at Wang Ping, observing every slight shift in his expression, searching for even the faintest trace of hesitation. If there were even a sliver, he would hold back. Yet he saw no hesitation. He saw only the young gold-bearing armed cavalryman curl his lips into a savage grin, before murmuring softly: "Attack the town." The moment the words fell, Wu Xintai drew a sharp breath of cold air. After a beat of silence, he turned to face the soldiers of the Black Armor Battalion, raised his hand, and swung it down forcefully, echoing the order: "Attack the town!" In an instant, every soldier of the Black Armor Battalion drew their bows and nocked their arrows, tilting their heads toward the sky. The twang of bowstrings merged into a singular roar that even drowned out the thunder above! *Rumble!* The shadow of death cast down from the heavens. A dense black swarm of arrows, each fitted with an armor-piercing arrowhead, tore through the air with howling shrieks that instantly engulfed the yamen. Engulfed along with it were the faces of Li Yiran and Xu Bingzheng, filled with utter shock and disbelief. He had actually attacked? How did he dare!?