Chapter 98: Bandits

After finishing their business in Fang County, Kang Ye and Fan Jing loaded up with plenty of food and supplies they had bought locally and set off early in the morning, driving back to Luan County.

Unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worse. By the time they left the boundaries of Fang County, the sky had already turned gray, and a light rain began to fall.

“Let’s sit in the carriage shelter,” Kang Ye suggested.

Since they were driving a covered wagon—a precaution against rain and snow—the wooden cart was convenient for hauling goods but quite uncomfortable for passengers in the cold winter months.

Holding the reins, Kang Ye saw the rain, blown by the wind, drifting onto their bodies. Though the carriage had a shelter to block the rain overhead, it couldn’t shield them from the wind.

Fearing Fan Jing would catch a chill, Kang Ye called out, “Come inside and sit.”

But Fan Jing was reluctant, complaining that sitting inside felt stuffy and refusing to move.

Kang Ye felt embarrassed and teased him, “You can’t bear to be apart from me even for a moment. Others see you as a formidable brother, but you’re actually utterly dependent on your husband. Since you insist on only having me, I’ll indulge you in everything.”

Fan Jing shot Kang Ye a sidelong glance and then turned to crawl into the back shelter of the wagon.

Kang Ye called after him, “Hey! Hey! I was just joking, don’t take it seriously.”

No sooner had he spoken than a straw hat was suddenly placed over his head.

Fan Jing sat back outside, also wearing a hat. He held a straw raincoat in his arms, tied the strings under his chin, and tossed the other to Kang Ye, instructing him to put it on.

Handing the reins over, Kang Ye dressed in the raincoat and laughed.

“I think this is a blessing. You’ve become even better at taking care of me.”

Fan Jing denied the compliment, “Didn’t I take care of you before?”

Kang Ye was silent for a moment before replying, “Back then it was just looking after you. This is a different kind of care.”

“You just love to argue.”

The two chatted casually along the way. Though it was a rainy winter day with fewer travelers than usual and no companions to share the road with, the journey was not too difficult.

Having traveled the route once, they had a better sense of how far it was to the county seat. Unlike before, when the road seemed endless—one mountain pass after another, valleys stretching on without end—they now had a rough idea of how much further they had to go.

By the time they reached Luan County, the sky was nearly dark. Kang Ye and Fan Jing had no intention of staying overnight at an inn in town. Since they were already inside the county borders and heading to familiar ground, they decided to make a straight dash home.

Their bodies were damp, and inns were inconvenient places to wash or change clothes. Changing into dry garments was impossible, and all in all, it was uncomfortable.

Besides, the sooner they got home, the less worry there would be at home.

Fan Jing lit a torch in the city—one person holding it, the other driving the cart.

On the way back, Fan Jing glanced around cautiously. Kang Ye noticed his alertness and remarked, “These are roads we travel often. You’re acting more cautious than when we’re outside the county.”

Fan Jing frowned but raised the torch higher to scan around.

“Winter nights in the rain get dark early. Even so, it’s not yet that late—just about the time it gets dark on a clear day. But how come there’s so little light in the villages?”

Kang Ye looked towards the villages off the official road. Now that Fan Jing mentioned it, indeed, there were very few lights visible.

It was normal for farming families to be frugal, going to bed early to save lamp oil, but not this early.

“Rain and thick fog make lights hard to see—that’s normal,” Kang Ye said.

Fan Jing shook his head. He pulled out a basket full of arrows from the cart and said, “You must have forgotten the troubles with refugees years ago.”

At that time, Fan Jing was still young, and his mother was alive. Refugees from a disaster had come through their county on small roads, strong groups gathering to raid villages for food. Many people had died.

Their whole family had retreated to the mountains for a while to hide.

Kang Ye didn’t know about those refugee troubles, but hearing Fan Jing’s words, he grew wary and unconsciously urged the horses to go faster.

Both felt uneasy, silently hoping nothing had happened at home.

“Who’s there?! Who’s that?!”

As their cart left the village main road and turned onto their home path, they heard shouting.

The voice was familiar—it was their family worker, Lian Si Ge.

“Besides us two, who else could it be?”

Recognizing the voice, the household opened the door and let them in despite the rain.

One after another, doors opened. Chen Sanfang’s voice immediately followed.

“My goodness, you two came back late at night, and it’s raining. Didn’t you hear about the bandits in the city?!”

Chen Sanfang hurriedly came out wearing a coat, her face a mixture of joy and worry, almost crying.

Fan Jing’s father was so frightened he wore his shoes on the wrong feet before rushing into the house, completely unaware.

Kang Ye realized this was serious. The group hurried indoors, shutting doors and windows before lighting a small lamp.

Chen Sanfang, seeing them safely home, was both relieved and still shaking with fright.

“Just yesterday, bandits attacked our county! Don’t know where that gang came from, but they broke into villages killing and stealing. Four killed, seven or eight wounded. The officials haven’t taken action yet!”

“The county office hasn’t posted any official notice, but word’s spread. They’ve instructed the villages to warn farmers to stay put and not go out. Everyone’s nervous, so no one lights fires at night, fearing bandits will find their homes.”

Kang Ye’s family was from a distant village in the same county. Hearing such news, he felt the unease deeply.

This was his first time facing such terrifying trouble. He asked why the bandits were causing trouble.

“They’re after grain and valuables. The city’s heavily guarded, so they dare not enter. They only raid wealthy families in the countryside!” Chen Sanfang’s lips were pale as she spoke.

Their house was large and well-known, a prime target for bandits. With Kang Ye and Fan Jing away for the past days, the household felt leaderless and kept their doors shut.

Fortunately, there were two strong men in the family. Fan Jing had taught some archery skills in recent years, so they had some ability to protect themselves. Otherwise, they would be sitting ducks, easy prey.

Kang Ye couldn’t say what these bandits’ real goals were—maybe funding a rebellion, or desperate poor people turning to crime. Whatever the case, as long as the authorities failed to catch them, peace would remain elusive.

Having learned the whole story, Kang Ye asked Chen Sanfang and Fan Jing’s father to rest. All three looked worn and sleep-deprived, no doubt anxious from the constant fear.

Now that Kang Ye and Fan Jing had returned home, everyone could at least rest easier.

After traveling a full day, soaked to the skin, the two took hot baths before visiting the peacefully sleeping Da Fu inside.

The child was unaware of the outside disaster, sound asleep.

Fan Jing gently touched Da Fu’s small face and tucked him in before quietly leaving the room.

“Good thing we weren’t delayed. If we’d heard this news out there, who knows how worried we’d be,” Kang Ye said, relieved to be home.

Fan Jing let out a breath, “Let’s call all the strong men home.”

Though tired, neither could sleep. They gathered the family’s able-bodied men overnight, arming them with weapons and taking turns keeping watch.

The next morning, no one went to open their shop in town. After the incident, Chen Sanfang was cautious and kept the shop closed these past days.

No one dared to go out for business, fearing they’d run into bandits and lose their lives in a single knife strike.

Kang Ye asked if He Xiao Qiu knew about the bandits.

“He does. Your brother, Zhang Shili, went down the mountain that day. We closed the shop together. He’s a martial artist and knows how to look after the He family. No worries there.”

Hearing this, Fan Jing’s heart eased.

With daylight, everything looked normal—the same mountains, the same fields. If not for Chen Sanfang’s news last night, no one would sense anything amiss.

Night’s darkness breeds fear, but the brightness of day calms hearts.

The household ate breakfast while admiring the food Kang Ye and Fan Jing had brought back from Fang County.

Suddenly, Lian Si Ge came rushing in, face grim.

“It’s bad, it’s bad!”

Everyone asked what was wrong.

Lian Si Ge said, “Just heard that bandits were spotted last night near Fat Zhi Village by the well. Two people died. It’s getting serious. I went a few steps down the official road and saw the soldiers. Wanted to make sure the news wasn’t false!”

“Damn it! Shots fired everywhere. The officials can’t catch these bandits, and now they’ve entered our territory!”

Fan Jing’s father turned pale with fear. “What should we do? Let’s hide in the mountains!”

They had been lucky that the bandits were far away before, but now they were close.

Kang Ye and Fan Jing realized this was no small matter. It was truly life-threatening, with bloodshed inevitable.

They couldn’t be careless any longer.

If they hid in the old wooden house in the mountains where they had stayed before, the bandits might not find them. That was safer.

But their home was large and sprawling; leaving it behind wasn’t simple.

They gathered in the main house to discuss. They decided to send Fan Ye, Fan Nai, Da Fu, and all the elders, women, and children to hide, while the strong men stayed behind to guard the home.

“We haven’t heard about bandits in the city yet. Maybe it’s better to hide there first,” someone suggested.

“Who knows if the bandits will enter the city? For now, they’re targeting wealthy rural families, possibly to lure soldiers into the countryside and then raid the city while its defenses are down,” Kang Ye said. “Though there are two shops in town we could use for shelter, those old buildings aren’t as sturdy as our rural homes. The walls there could be kicked down easily. If the bandits get inside the city, we’re even less safe.”

Everyone thought that made sense.

“If we talk about safety, the mountains are better. Though conditions are rough, the dense woods make it hard for bandits to find us. Hiding or fleeing is easier there than in the village or city. But I fear the bandits may also hide in the mountains. Seems there’s no completely safe place.”

After much discussion, they agreed to send Fan Jing up to inspect the wooden house in the mountains first.

If it was safe, they would go hide there. If not, they’d decide whether to stay in town or the village.

They planned their next moves.

Kang Ye and Fan Jing split up: one would sneak into town to hire capable men and inform relatives to secure their homes, the other would head into the mountains along familiar paths.

“I’m not going up the mountain. I’m not afraid of death, but I want to die at home.”

Fan Jing’s father said stubbornly, “I’ve seen so much in my life. I’m not scared of those bandits. I’ve only got half a life left; I don’t believe those bandits will put much effort into killing me.”

Kang Ye spent half a day in town. Once bustling, the county was now eerily quiet, with soldiers patrolling frequently.

Many shops were closed, and street vendors nowhere to be seen.

He spent a lot to hire four or five strong men. Since everyone was competing to hire fighters, they were scarce and expensive.

Back home, Chen Sanfang and the others were already packing food and clothes. Fan Jing had returned, reporting no problems in the mountains, so they prepared to leave at any moment.

However, the elders Fan Ye and Fan Nai were upset.

They hadn’t been told about the bandit trouble earlier to avoid scaring them. Now being told to move to the mountains, the two refused.

They sat stubbornly on the kang (heated brick bed), refusing to budge no matter what anyone said.

Even when told many had died, they wouldn’t listen. Both were stiff-necked, eyes shut, ignoring everyone.

They were as stubborn as mules.

“What do we do? We can’t tie them up and drag them to the mountains.”

Fan Shoushan was troubled. “Old folks are stubborn. Trying to coax them is useless; scolding makes it worse.”

Kang Ye hated bringing up generational conflicts but, seeing the situation, had to speak.

“If that’s the case, we have no choice. If they won’t go to the mountains, we’ll move to the other house here. Either way, we have to guard the home.”

“If nothing happens, everyone will be safe. If something happens, no one can run.”

Fan Shoushan and Fan Shoulin silently relayed the decision to the elders, who kept insisting they’d rather die at home than move.

Everyone reluctantly accepted Kang Ye’s decision.

The women and children went to hide in the mountains.

The household needed leaders to guard the home, and the mountain needed guides.

Kang Ye and Fan Jing had to split up.

Before leaving, Kang Ye grabbed Fan Jing’s hand firmly.

“Be careful up in the mountains. Don’t be so impulsive. I’m sure Brother Zhang is there too. Find him for help.”

Fan Jing looked at him and softly replied, “Hmm.”

He said no more and, carrying Da Fu, led the family up the mountain.

Kang Ye watched from behind, reassuring everyone not to worry. He confidently said the bandits might not come looking for them.

He was the family’s backbone; everyone followed his lead.

Seeing this, others calmed, feeling the crisis was not so grave.

Only Kang Ye himself knew how uncertain he felt inside.

Business, social dealings—he’d faced many trials. They were nothing.

But bandits killing and shedding blood was something he had never truly experienced.

Even with his heart like drifting weeds, he had to stand firm as always.

But having to part ways with Fan Jing filled him with an unprecedented dread.

When Fan Jing was by his side, he felt unusually safe.

That comfort had grown since they entered the mountains together long ago.

Now, facing this crisis, they had to separate.

It was a bitter feeling.

Still, he wouldn’t show it to others, nor did he want Fan Jing to worry. He put on a brave front.

Fan Jing, however, seemed oblivious—whether genuinely believing Kang Ye was fine or just indifferent, he didn’t say much.

Not a single word of comfort or concern passed between them.

For a moment, Kang Ye wondered if Fan Jing didn’t love him.

But in a blink, he dismissed the thought. He would never admit such a thing.

Rallying himself, Kang Ye told the hired fighters, “The Fan family compound has high stone walls and sturdy new buildings. Without ladders, no one can climb over.”

“Just guard the gates tightly at night. If any desperate bandits try to break in, use your knives and axes to chop them like vegetables in the fields!”

The walls had small openings for shooting arrows, making it hard for intruders to approach unnoticed.

When the house was built, people mocked them for spending so much money on high, solid walls, wondering who they were trying to keep out.

Now it was clear the investment was worthwhile.

Before dark, Kang Ye went to visit the Xu family.

Xu Yang had also hired some fighters to guard his home.

There were only a few larger households in the village; no one could just abandon their property.

At the very least, women and children were sent to safe places.

Xu Yang was a respected village leader and couldn’t flee.

He and Kang Ye agreed to have the village’s strong men patrol in shifts.

But no one wanted to do the job—after hearing that bandits killed patrolmen first, everyone was scared.

Poor families figured the bandits targeted rich households, and since they were poor and struggling, they didn’t want to risk their lives.

They just watched their own doors.

Village folk were shortsighted and didn’t realize that when the nest collapses, no eggs are safe.

Kang Ye and Xu Yang agreed that if bandits really came to the village and raided any home, they must make a big fuss to alert everyone.

Then the village could band together or report to the authorities, increasing their chance of resistance.

Their conversation ended as a light rain began to fall and dusk approached.

Kang Ye headed home.

By then, the sky was dark and gray. It was hard to see far, and the wind and rain whispered outside.

Kang Ye thought to himself, such weather only helps the bandits cause trouble.

He wondered if Fan Jing had safely settled the family.

Suddenly, shouts rang out from outside.

“Who’s there?!”

Kang Ye grabbed his weapon and rushed to the door.