The people of Hedong City heard only thunder.
Gunfire boomed outside the walls. Battle cries shook the ground itself. The noise rolled through the streets like an earthquake, rattling doors and sending dust drifting from ceiling beams.
Once again, the townspeople were terrified.
Families huddled together inside their homes, doors bolted, windows shuttered. No one dared peek outside—not even through a crack.
Before long, they heard panicked cries echoing through the streets:
"The bandit army is fleeing!"
"They're defeated!"
Some time later, the sound of boots and armor entered the city.
Government troops.
Even then, no one dared open their doors.
These days, government soldiers were not necessarily better than bandits.
Some people even sighed quietly behind closed doors.
"That bandit group… honestly wasn't that bad."
"They didn't kill anyone, didn't burn houses, didn't loot."
"All they did was confiscate the Salt Administration's dirty money. What crime is that, really?"
"Hearing they've been defeated makes one feel strangely disheartened."
"I just hope these government troops don't start plundering instead."
By the time these murmurs spread, Xing Honglang had already ridden into the city.
The Salt Administration's subordinate followed close behind.
They hadn't gone far when they reached the entrance to the marketplace.
The subordinate's eyes immediately locked onto a familiar sight.
The Salt Administration official's head—
swaying gently from a tall pole, turning slowly in the morning breeze.
He had expected this.
Seeing it with his own eyes, however, drained him of words.
He could only cup his hands toward Xing Honglang in silent greeting, his mouth opening but producing nothing.
Xing Honglang, on the other hand, widened her eyes in shock.
"This is terrible," she said gravely. "The Salt Administration official has been murdered by bandits. The garrison here must be either dead or scattered."
She turned to him, concern etched perfectly onto her face.
"What are we to do now?"
The subordinate swallowed.
"Perhaps… General Xing should temporarily take charge of the city."
Xing Honglang frowned immediately.
"How could I?" she said. "I am the Commander of Puzhou. My duty is to guard Puzhou. If some rogue bandits were to attack it while I'm away, wouldn't I be guilty of dereliction of duty?"
The subordinate forced a bitter smile.
"Hedong governs Xie Lake," he said. "It is the empire's most important salt-producing region in Shanxi. Losing Hedong would be catastrophic—far more serious than losing Puzhou."
He paused, then added carefully:
"If General Xing secures Hedong, the merit far outweighs the risk. The newly appointed Governor would never fault you."
And that was the truth.
Governor Song Tongyin had already been dismissed by the Chongzhen Emperor. His replacement, Xu Dingchen, had only just taken office—his chair not even warmed yet.
At a time like this, what Xu Dingchen wanted most was stability. No new disasters. No fresh chaos.
If he heard that Xing Honglang had decisively secured Hedong and protected the empire's salt reserves, not only would he refrain from blaming her—he would praise her.
Xing Honglang sighed, as if burdened.
"Then," she said slowly, "I suppose I'll have no choice but to remain here… for the time being."
The subordinate tasted bitterness all the way down his throat.
He bowed quickly, made an excuse, and left. He wanted no part in whatever came next.
Xing Honglang rode straight to the Salt Administration Yamen.
Once inside, she seated herself behind the main desk as if she'd always belonged there.
Moments later, a soft sedan chair entered from the rear.
Inside was Zhao Sheng, the Dian Dengzi.
He laid out the yamen's documents and began flipping through them at speed.
Salt quotas.
Xie Lake production.
Salt worker numbers.
Village layouts.
Transport routes.
Zhao Sheng's lips curled into a smile.
Heh.
From this day forward, the empire's salt reserves were—
Gao Family Village's salt reserves.
And they would be managed very carefully indeed.
Meanwhile—
Chen Baihu was being carried out of Hedong City on the backs of his men.
He lay limp, eyes closed, face pale, every inch the picture of a freshly deceased bandit leader.
Behind them, Lao Nanfeng led troops in hot pursuit.
One fleeing.
One chasing.
They moved swiftly, leaving the city far behind.
After crossing the Sushui River, the terrain became nothing but barren hills and wilderness.
The fleeing group suddenly stopped.
Chen Baihu sprang to life.
He leapt down, stretched his limbs, and burst into loud laughter.
Around him, "dead" Guyuan soldiers also revived one by one, groaning theatrically as they stood up.
Moments later, Lao Nanfeng's troops arrived.
Chen Baihu stepped forward and clasped his hands.
"Brother Nanfeng!"
Lao Nanfeng laughed so hard his shoulders shook.
"Old Chen! You're out too! Hahaha—so all the brothers made it out!"
"Hahahaha!"
"Brother Nanfeng!"
The six hundred former Guyuan soldiers looked nothing like the hollow-eyed, terrified men who had fled the border years ago.
They were energetic. Bright-eyed. Full of life.
Lao Nanfeng nodded approvingly.
"Good. Very good."
Then he chuckled.
"Dao Xuan Tianzun told me you'd come out—and that the first thing you'd do was fight me. Scared me half to death."
Everyone laughed.
"Same here!"
Chen Baihu asked eagerly, "Brother Nanfeng, we'll follow you again, right? You'll lead us into battle?"
Lao Nanfeng waved dismissively.
"Battle my ass. Battles never end."
He spread his arms wide.
"What I'm bringing you into now… is a world of glamour. A true world of glamour."
"Hahahahaha!"
The men erupted in cheers.
"We've been waiting for that world for years!"
"First," Lao Nanfeng said, "hand over all the spoils. No hiding anything."
No one objected.
Gold.
Silver.
Jewels.
Everything taken from the Salt Administration's residence was piled up—quickly forming a small mountain.
"These go to the village treasury," Lao Nanfeng explained. "Don't get jealous. Stick with us, and you'll have more money than you can ever spend."
He grinned.
"Let me tell you—organizing concerts is insanely profitable."
Everyone laughed.
"What's a concert?"
"You'll find out when we get back."
As they chatted, the golden-thread figure on Lao Nanfeng's chest stirred.
Dao Xuan Tianzun spoke calmly:
"When you served as border soldiers in Guyuan, how much military pay did the court owe each of you?"
Lao Nanfeng immediately bowed.
"Greetings, Dao Xuan Tianzun!"
Everyone followed suit.
Chen Baihu answered honestly, "About thirty-six taels of silver per man."
Dao Xuan Tianzun nodded.
"The pay owed to you by the court was always yours by right."
"The money embezzled by the Salt Administration official was, in essence, also the court's money."
"Therefore, it is entirely just for you to reclaim your wages from that fund."
A pause.
Then Dao Xuan Tianzun said lightly:
"Count the spoils. Distribute forty taels to each man."
"Consider it your successful wage recovery."
"Any remaining silver shall enter the village treasury."
The men exploded with joy.
"Many thanks, Dao Xuan Tianzun!"
"Dao Xuan Tianzun truly looks after us!"
"Such a reasonable deity!"
They cheered, jumped, and flung helmets into the air.
Some helmets came down hard—
thud—
right onto someone's head.
Agonized curses followed.
Lao Nanfeng laughed loudly.
"Enough celebrating. Take the money, strip off the bloodstained armor, change into plain clothes. Fix your hair, trim your beards."
"Then return to Puzhou in small groups—quietly."
"Understood!"
They moved quickly.
Each man took his forty taels. Armor was removed. Appearances altered.
Soon, they scattered like ordinary travelers.
Lao Nanfeng escorted the remaining treasure back to Gao Family Village, then returned to Hedong to report to Xing Honglang:
"The pursuit failed. The bandits escaped."
At a time when bandits covered the land like weeds—
Who could possibly track where a few more had gone?