Chapter Fifteen: The Bandit Negotiation

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“A divine tool! This is truly a divine farming implement.”

Su Zihuan followed the water plow around without realizing it. Gazing at the soil he had turned over himself, he cried out, “Heaven bless Great Zhou!”

Standing on the hillside, Fang Han frowned when he heard this.

Su Zihuan ran up to him, panting. “My lord, do you know who invented such a divine implement?”

Chen Xingshi said excitedly, “With this divine implement, Southern Border may finally be able to expand its cultivated land. Coupled with the favorable climate, it will surely flourish in the future.”

Fang Han was pleased to hear that. Southern Border was now his stronghold, so naturally he intended to develop it vigorously.

He knew that all three men wielded influence at court. Once they returned, they would certainly write reports claiming that a divine implement had appeared in Southern Border.

To prevent that, Fang Han said, “I brought this from the capital. Such things have existed there for a long time. Otherwise, why do you think the imperial court was able to quell the rebellion?”

The three men immediately felt disappointed. It turned out that they had simply been cut off from news. This implement had appeared long ago.

But then again, it made sense. Without such a divine tool, Great Zhou could never have increased its grain production, and the rebellion would not have been suppressed.

Although they could no longer use the discovery of this divine implement to claim credit, its existence meant that Southern Border could prosper in the future. When that happened, they could still rely on their achievements to secure official posts in the capital.

Hope returned to their faces.

After an entire day of work, construction of the terraced fields was already more than halfway complete. Thirty full acres of brand-new terraces had been built. Including those already finished, Fang Han now possessed nearly one hundred acres of terraced fields.

Once sowing began, Southern Border would be able to ensure that everyone had enough to eat within two years.

On the way back to the city, Su Zihuan wore a solemn expression.

Li Zehong noticed and asked, “My lord, what is wrong?”

Su Zihuan sighed. “The Protector-General has done an excellent job, but I still feel that something is amiss. The river below the mountain is so far away. How will the fields be irrigated when the time comes?”

Liu San let out a quiet snort. “That is not something you need to worry about, my lord. The master has already made arrangements.”

When they returned to the Protector-General’s Residence, Old Wu was waiting as usual. Beside him on the ground lay a gigantic pulley.

“My lord, it has been made. Is this what you wanted?”

Fang Han ordered the pulley to be hoisted, then threaded a rope through it and gave it a gentle tug. The pulley immediately began to spin.

“Excellent. Have several more made exactly like it. Also, order the men to hurry with the production of the ropes.”

Liu San respectfully replied, “Yes, master. I will make the arrangements at once.”

Over the next few days, Fang Han continued practicing martial arts every day, while the development of the terraced fields never ceased. The officials who had set out earlier also arrived one after another.

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Su Zihuan and the other officials each brought a group of men skilled in constructing terraced fields to clear and cultivate the land.

One day, just after Fang Han returned to the Protector-General’s Residence from the training grounds, he saw Liu San looking utterly flustered.

“What happened?” Fang Han asked.

“Master, master, you have finally returned. Something terrible has happened!” Liu San wailed.

“What is it?” Fang Han asked with a frown.

For Liu San to behave this way, the seriousness of the matter was obvious.

After steadying himself, Liu San said, “Master, the bandits from Westcloud County have sent a letter.”

“The bandits of Westcloud County?”

Liu San produced the letter. “There is something you may not know, master. The bandits of Westcloud County occupy the territory of the entire county. They call themselves bandits, but it is possible that the county magistrate is actually the one who has turned outlaw.”

Fang Han understood. This was a warlord faction, nothing like the ordinary mountain bandits.

He opened the letter and began to read.

It said that they wished to negotiate with Fang Han, offering an exchange for his farming techniques.

“So there really is a traitor among us. Write back and tell him to send someone here for negotiations.”

Though Fang Han was extremely unwilling, there was no better option at present.

The other side had spent years developing its strength and occupied its own territory. Moreover, it had not submitted to the Southern Barbarians, which clearly meant that it harbored greater ambitions.

Fang Han had only recently arrived and his foundation was unstable. A rash confrontation would not benefit him.

Besides, who knew how many other factions like Westcloud County were secretly watching them like tigers stalking their prey?

The most urgent task was to develop production. As long as the other conditions were not excessive, they could be accepted.

Two days later, the bandits of Westcloud County sent an envoy.

Inside the county government office, Fang Han regarded the man below with a dark expression.

“Lord Fang, we have already investigated everything thoroughly. You are said to be the imperial court’s appointed Protector-General of Southern Border, but in truth, you were the one who requested this position.”

“You envied your younger brother, General Fang Li, and that is why you sought to come to this war-torn region of Southern Border. You intended to achieve merit here and request a reward from the imperial court. Am I right?”

Fang Han was astonished. He had no idea what the man was talking about.

This cursed Southern Border had been where Lin Qingxue exiled him. Since when had it become a post he requested himself?

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“It must be another rumor spread by Lin Qingxue and Fang Li,” Fang Han guessed inwardly, his expression growing even darker.

Seeing Fang Han’s face, the man below became certain that his words had struck home.

He glanced at the officials present and said smugly, “Lord Fang envies General Fang Li, and the two of you have a poor relationship. Even after becoming the Protector-General of Southern Border, you will receive no support from the imperial court. Am I right?”

The officials were all stunned.

What? The new Protector-General had no support from the imperial court?

Did that mean the court had abandoned Southern Border entirely? Then what were they suffering here for?

Seeing the officials’ disheartened expressions, Su Zihuan shouted, “Silence, you brigand! You were once an official of the imperial court and studied the teachings of the sages. Yet you abandoned civilization to become an outlaw. What face do you have to question the court’s decisions?”

The man was not angered by the rebuke. He merely laughed. “Lord Su, you are nothing more than a bastard son, yet you still dream of returning to the capital? What a joke.”

Fang Han saw that the man continued to sow disorder among the ranks and could endure no more. He demanded, “What exactly do you want to negotiate?”

“It is simple. Lord Fang will teach us your farming techniques, and we will stabilize the situation in Southern Border for you. Once you have earned sufficient merit, you will naturally be able to suppress General Fang Li.”

At the mention of suppressing Fang Li, Fang Han found the claim laughable.

Fang Li was a favored subject, and the Empress was soon to marry him. Everyone in the capital knew this. It was impossible that this man did not.

Fang Han gave a cold laugh. “My younger brother is about to marry His Majesty. What do you mean by saying I can suppress him?”

“I may envy Fang Li, and I may want to earn merit, but as a son-in-law of Great Zhou, I would never betray my country.”

Fang Han spoke with righteous indignation.

He knew the man was trying to provoke him. The moment he agreed, it would appear on the surface that he had acted out of helplessness, but in truth he would have exposed his own treacherous ambitions.

Moreover, a number of imperial officials were present. If he said such things in front of them and they reported him to the capital, he would be handing Lin Qingxue a legitimate reason to annihilate him.

“Guards! Drag him out and throw him in prison!” Fang Han shouted.

Soldiers immediately rushed in and dragged the man away.

Seeing Fang Han’s resolve, the officials felt no relief whatsoever.

Imprisoning the man was tantamount to declaring war on the bandits.