In the Years When I Was a Father

One after another, many families carried the mountain goods they had stored at home to the government office, and then happily carried back bags of rice and clutched their silver with excitement as they ran home.

This winter, the people of Ningzhou finally saw the light of hope. Many bandit strongholds in Ningzhou gradually disbanded, and the former bandits were now busy climbing mountains to harvest goods. Even those that hadn’t disbanded had become bandit groups in name only.

At Liuyun Stronghold—

“Boss, what if this Lord Qi can’t sell all the mountain goods he’s purchasing at such high prices? What would happen then?” Tian Lao’er said worriedly, thinking of the long line he had seen at the government gate. But when he thought about the silver in hand, he shook his head, unwilling to ponder it further.

Xie Yun thought for a moment and said, “Lord Qi probably has his own connections. Besides, the roads are all repaired now; trade caravans should start arriving.”

The third leader couldn’t help but add, “I’ve had the brothers watch the official roads recently, but there are still very few travelers, let alone trade caravans. Boss, think about it—if Lord Qi stores up so much goods and ends up not being able to sell them, won’t it all be stuck in his hands? Would he then come asking the common folk for money?”

Xie Yun’s mouth twitched. “He wouldn’t. Let’s wait and see. Lord Qi wouldn’t take such risks without confidence. And even if things turn bad, now that the roads are open, transporting the goods elsewhere to sell shouldn’t be a problem.”

Everyone thought this made sense too. They themselves had secretly transported goods out before; now that Lord Qi was the official master of Ningzhou, he could transport goods openly—no one would dare stop him.

A few days later, a new notice was posted at the government office. Citizens who had been paying close attention to announcements gathered after hearing the herald’s reading and started discussing among themselves.

“Why is the Lord suddenly enforcing martial law?” “What does this mean?”

…

“It says that any robbery or violence will be severely punished! Do you think… Lord Qi might be targeting the bandits of Ningzhou?”

Someone’s casual remark dropped like a spark into a pot of hot oil, causing an instant uproar. Many of Ningzhou’s people had some ties to banditry, and although they didn’t fully understand the situation, they already began to feel guilty and fearful.

At Liuyun Stronghold—

Tian Lao’er rushed into the council hall, heart pounding, only to find everyone else already there, standing or sitting with serious faces.

Ignoring their current mood, Tian Lao’er anxiously asked, “Boss, could it be that Lord Qi is planning to wipe us out now?”

Just when they thought life was about to get better, how could they have forgotten—they were still the most hated and despised bandits in the eyes of the government!

Xie Yun repeatedly read the excerpted announcement carefully. After thinking for a long while, he tried to reassure them: “The Lord only said that from now on, any robbery or murder will be severely punished. He didn’t say anything about pursuing past crimes.”

Tian Lao’er was confused. “But whether in the past or now, we’re still bandits. Isn’t Lord Qi clearly trying to deal with the bandits?”

Xie Yun looked at the rough-clothed brothers who had just run up the mountain and chuckled silently. He said, “Looking at you now, who can definitely say you’re bandits?”

The group glanced down at themselves and couldn’t help but bitterly smile. Back when they were living honestly, no one had stood up for them. Now that a good official had finally arrived, they were still burdened by the label of “bandit.”

Xie Yun then asked, “Any news about the second and third leaders of Qingmu Stronghold?”

The third leader, responsible for gathering information, replied, “Same as before—still imprisoned and forced to do labor. No one knows if they’re even alive.”

Xie Yun frowned deeply, gripping the paper tightly. In his heart, he had already made up his mind.

Meanwhile, at Qingmu Stronghold, the families were once again wailing and causing a commotion.

“My poor son! Wuwuwu… He’s really going to be sentenced now! Dazhuang, you can’t just stand by and do nothing!”

“That’s right, Brother Liu. My husband followed you back then. Now that Lord Qi is dealing with the bandits, you must not abandon him!”

Leader Liu rubbed his aching temples. He had only enjoyed a couple of months of peace before the trouble started again.

Liu said, “Lord Qi hasn’t said that he’s sentencing Second and Third yet. Don’t worry, I’ll go inquire again—”

But before he could finish, the third leader’s mother interrupted him, wailing, “By the time you find out, my son’s head might already be chopped off! Heavens, how am I supposed to live like this? No! I must go plead before the Prefect! My son may have been a bit of a rogue, but he never committed any heinous crimes. Why should he lose his head!”

Now, the new announcement that Qi Sheng had issued had already been misunderstood by many, but most people, feeling guilty, believed that Qi Sheng intended to investigate and deal with the bandits.

Liu Laoda was getting a headache from all the noise. He slammed the table and shouted, “Enough! If Lord Qi truly wants to take action, as the leader of Qingmu Village, I will not let Second and Third Bear all the blame alone. If worst comes to worst, I’ll take their place!”

The moment Liu Laoda finished speaking, the weeping family members fell silent. However, Liu Laoda’s wife, who had been standing to the side, now burst out, crying and cursing the other family members who had been making a fuss just moments ago: “When my husband told everyone to behave and stay put, it was Second and Third who secretly led people to ambush Lord Qi! Now you want my husband to take the fall for them?!”

The other family members knew they were in the wrong, but since their own kin’s lives were at stake, they had already resolved to throw away their pride and fight tooth and nail. The two sides quarreled endlessly, plunging the scene into chaos once again.

Meanwhile, Qi Sheng had no idea that the new policy he had just announced had caused such an uproar among Ningzhou’s citizens. By his calculations, the merchant caravans should almost have reached the Ningzhou border.

---

On the official road leading to the Ningzhou government office, soldiers were stationed at intervals to guard the way. The remaining bandits in Ningzhou secretly observed the tightly organized soldiers, feeling increasingly anxious, until—

“Boss! Boss! Big news!”

The Fourth Leader of Liuyun Village came running in, shouting, making everyone immediately tense up. Even Xie Yun, sitting at the head, stared at him intently without blinking.

Unfortunately, the Fourth Leader was so exhausted from running that he could barely catch his breath, gasping for a good while before he finally managed to say, “When I was out on patrol just now, Third rushed over and told me that…”

He hadn’t even finished one sentence before he had to gasp for air again, making Xie Yun almost want to kick him out of frustration.

Sensing the boss’s displeasure, Fourth Leader didn’t dare delay anymore and hurriedly said, “Third said when he went ahead to gather information, he found out a long line of merchant caravans had arrived in Ningzhou. He even went to see for himself and confirmed it — said there were tons of them!”

Everyone was stunned and found it hard to believe. There hadn’t been many merchant caravans in the Ningzhou area for years; most of the traffic had been limited to the local officials and wealthy merchants’ private dealings. How could so many merchants suddenly appear now?

After resting for a bit at the foot of the mountain, the Third Leader also rushed over. Seeing everyone’s skeptical faces, he firmly declared, “It’s true! I saw it with my own eyes. Just the wagons alone numbered over a dozen, and every wagon was fully loaded with goods!”

Hearing this, everyone finally started to believe. Thinking about a dozen wagons full of goods, they couldn’t help but beam with joy.

Although Xie Yun didn’t show his emotions as openly as the others, those who knew him well could clearly sense his current relaxed and happy mood. Thinking back to the announcement Lord Qi had made a few days ago, he finally understood its purpose.

Xie Yun felt deep admiration for Qi Sheng and said to everyone, “These merchant caravans were probably brought in by Lord Qi. Brothers, listen up — carry your weapons and guard every area carefully. Remember: do not let anyone with bad intentions harm these merchants!”

If the merchant caravans were attacked now, Ningzhou would likely never be able to attract business again.

The people of Liuyun Village understood this principle well and immediately set off to carry out their orders.

It wasn’t just Liuyun Village that was excited. Ever since the merchant caravans entered the city, the people of Ningzhou had been ecstatic, crowding around the caravans like spectators at a grand festival. Their unsophisticated behavior made Xu Yunyan, who had come to meet with Qi Sheng, twitch at the corners of his mouth. How long had it been since Ningzhou had last seen a merchant caravan?

One batch after another, more and more caravans arrived. From the initial bumpkin-like excitement, the people of Ningzhou gradually developed a more composed attitude. Now, even when seeing rows of wagons passing by, they could walk calmly without staring in awe.

The arrival of the merchant caravans completely revitalized Ningzhou. The commoners, who had earned a fair amount of money recently, finally had a chance to splurge.

“This cloth is so pretty, and it’s so cheap too!”

“This sugar is cheap too! I never thought I’d live to see the day I could afford red sugar!”

“I say, the cotton is the real treasure this year — finally we won’t have to worry about freezing!”

…

The people of Ningzhou were like someone who had lived for years deprived of essentials, suddenly finding themselves in a massive shopping mall. Overwhelmed yet ecstatic, they frantically swept up everything in sight — clothes, daily necessities, food, drink — a dizzying variety enough to fully supply their daily needs.

When Qi Sheng arranged for the caravans, he had included a list of needed goods, so most of the merchandise they brought was affordable and tailored to the needs of Ningzhou’s people. Looking at the bustling, lively marketplace, Qi Sheng quietly turned and slipped away. If he were spotted by the nearby commoners now, the scene would absolutely rival, if not surpass, the fan frenzies seen in the modern world.

The enthusiastic shoppers, busy with their wild spree, had no idea that their “idol” had just quietly passed by right beside them.

---

This New Year, the people of Ningzhou lived exceptionally comfortably. They had originally thought that this year would be like the past—barely enough food to survive on—but within just a few months, not only could they eat their fill and stay warm, many families even managed to buy beautiful new clothes.

Especially those who knew a bit about herbs: they took out their treasured medicinal herbs, exchanged them for silver, and some even built new houses and bought a few acres of land.

Hunter Bai was overjoyed as he held the document to claim an extra seven hundred taels of silver. Now, he had completely escaped poverty and achieved prosperity. Even with his limp, he could walk down the road with his head held high.

The people of Ningzhou thoroughly revered Qi Sheng as a deity. During the New Year festivities, crowds of men, women, and children gathered in front of the Prefectural Office to kneel and give thanks.

Just as the spring season arrived and before the people could begin sowing their crops, news came from the Prefecture Office.

“Quick, quick, the Prefect is holding court! Let’s go have a look!”

“Why is the Prefect suddenly opening court? Come on, let’s go see.”

“I heard they caught a lot of vicious bandits recently, and the Prefect plans to judge them now, at the start of the year.”

…

The people living close to the Prefecture Office couldn’t sit still. They dropped whatever they were doing and rushed toward the office.

Among them were curious onlookers as well as the families of the captured criminals. Hearing the news, the families of the second and third chiefs hurried toward the Prefecture Office in a panic. But when they arrived, they saw the group from Qingmu Village—those who had ambushed Qi Sheng—hobbling out of the office while rubbing their sore buttocks, some leaning heavily on others for support. As for the second and third chiefs, they were being carried out.

Seeing this, the others from Qingmu Village didn’t dare linger. A few quickly stepped forward to carry away the second and third chiefs, while the rest helped support one another and hurried off.

Only once they reached the nearest house did everyone start chattering:

“How did you get out? Weren’t you supposed to be sentenced to death?”

“What happened? The Prefect just let you go?”

“Thank heavens, Pillar, you’re safe at last!”

…

Liu Laoda (Old Liu) shouted to quiet everyone: “Enough! Stop asking! Second Brother, you explain. What happened?”

The second chief lay on the bed, grimacing in pain and wailing: “Could you at least give us some medicine first? It’s killing me!”

Only then did his wife remember that he was injured.

Everyone rushed off to buy a good amount of ointments for bruises and injuries. After treating everyone, the second chief finally had the strength to speak.

“The Prefect said we showed a good attitude during detention, actively cooperating with the authorities’ reforms. Because Old Third and I were the leaders in causing trouble, each of us was flogged fifty times. The others got thirty each.”

The second chief’s wife, half disbelieving, asked curiously, “But wasn’t there talk about executions and exile? We nearly died from fright when we heard that. Third Brother’s mother even fainted! How come you just got a beating?”

The third chief, looking at his trembling old mother, wiped his face and said, “Someone was sentenced to death—but it wasn’t us. It was the gang from Hǔtóu Village (Tiger Head Village).”

Old Liu was stunned: “Tiger Head Village!”

The third chief was confused as well, saying, “We didn’t know much while locked up. But when the Prefect started the trials, we heard about it. At first, we thought Second Brother and I were done for too—scared us half to death, almost knocked our heads bloody from kneeling.”

Even as he said this embarrassing thing, the third chief chuckled thick-skinned.

No one laughed at them; everyone was simply relieved they had made it back alive.

Then Old Liu remembered something: “Oh right, when the trade caravans were arriving a while back, those Tiger Head Village guys actually dared to rob people again, despite the crackdown. Luckily, Prefect Qi had tight security. Otherwise, Ningzhou would probably never have seen another merchant caravan again.”

Everyone nodded. They recalled that the authorities had indeed captured another group of bandits recently. But since no one had a good impression of Tiger Head Village anyway, they had been happy to see them arrested.

Unlike Liuyun Village and Qingmu Village, where poor folks had been forced into banditry, Tiger Head Village was a real nest of criminals. They murdered, pillaged, and did all sorts of evil, with countless innocent lives lost at their hands. Now hearing that they were given heavy punishments, the people felt much safer.

The third chief pulled five taels of silver from his pocket and handed it to his mother: “Mother, this is the wages the Prefect gave us, a reward for our work these past few months.”

Seeing this, the second chief also pulled out his silver and flatteringly handed it to his wife. She accepted it happily. But the third chief’s mother struggled to her feet and smacked the third chief several times hard on the back, making him cry out in pain.

“Mother! Mother! My butt!”

Everyone laughed at his miserable state. The old woman, furious, said, “Back then, Dazhuang told you all to behave, but you insisted on showing off and went to ambush the Prefect! If anything had happened to him, you would’ve been sinners in all of Ningzhou! And you dare be proud of your five taels of silver? Do you know, the kids back in our village each made at least ten taels! And you still think you did well!”

The third chief looked incredulous: “No way!”

The people of Qingmu Village finally let go of their worries. Nowadays, Qingmu Village was practically dissolved. Although they still gathered to discuss things occasionally, most had returned to their old trades. Now that it was spring planting season, everyone who wasn’t recovering from injuries was busy working.

Qi Sheng not only redistributed the lands confiscated earlier to the local people, but also, after surveying the water situation around Ningzhou, improved the design of the water wheels. He ordered the workshops to get the craftsmen to manufacture them quickly.

Once the water wheels were built, the people marveled at the strange new designs. But it wasn’t until it was time to irrigate the fields that they realized just how practical they were.

Ningzhou had little flatland; most of the farmland was terraced. In the past, irrigation relied on channeling mountain streams or carrying water manually. Now, not only could they irrigate six or seven hundred acres at once, even the sloped terraced fields could get water.

The people of Ningzhou cheered—no more back-breaking work hauling water one bucket at a time!