Chapter Fifteen: The Reality of Bandits (Revised)

  The Heifengzhai bandits, who had been busy transporting goods all day and night, naturally had a good wine and meat dinner that evening. Compared to these bandits, who got drunk and red-faced one by one, they quickly forgot yesterday's worries. Xu Bin, the new head of the bandit gang, simply drank a cup of wine to show his intention. Using the excuse that he couldn't drink too much, he refused the toast requests from the bandit gang's wine enthusiasts.

  Like the others, Li Chengbing, who Xubin thought could be trusted for the time being, did not join in the revelry. Unlike the bandits who quickly forgot yesterday's pain and enjoyed today's joy, Li Chengbing seemed relatively calm. Like Xubin, he accompanied these brothers who had been lucky enough to drink a few cups simply, and similarly used the excuse of having to stand guard at night to stop drinking.

  Xie Bin saw Li Chengbing leave after simply eating two bowls of rice, and quickly followed him out, shouting: "Master, you're done so soon?"

  Xu Bin nodded and said, "Mm, at my age, drinking is bad for the body. Sitting there without drinking would make it hard for the brothers to let loose. Forget it, I won't spoil their fun. After all, they've been working hard for a whole day and night, so letting them have some fun is only right. By the way, Uncle Li, how did you come out so quickly?"

  Li Chengbing rarely showed a smile and said, "In this kind of situation today, I'm sure many brothers will get drunk later. Someone has to keep an eye on things tonight. Even if I get drunk, it's not too good!"

  A very calm and rational person!

  Just as Li Chengbing was about to leave, Xu Bin asked, "By the way, Uncle Li, have you arranged for tonight's sentry duty? Although we've eliminated Xiang Lufeng, that thorn in our side, it doesn't mean other mountain strongholds won't harbor intentions against us.

  It seems that in the next few days, we can't avoid it after all. We have to trouble Uncle Li to strengthen the defense and vigilance around our mountain village. After Father's funeral, I'm sure those who have ideas about our mountain village will also give up!

  Li Chengbing nodded and said, "The master of the house is right. I also had concerns about this aspect, so I didn't dare to drink too much. As for the brothers who were on night watch, I instructed them not to drink wine, so you don't have to worry that they will make mistakes. But I want to ask the master of the house a question: what do you plan to do with those Xianglufeng bandits who are being held captive?"

  Xu Bin, who was stunned for a moment, quickly guessed the intention behind Li's hesitant expression. He smiled bitterly and said: "Uncle Li, rest assured, I'm not someone who enjoys killing innocent people, don't take me for a murderer, okay?"

  "After Father and the others have been buried, I will naturally let them down the mountain. Of course, Ma Liu, the chief culprit, must be killed without a doubt, otherwise there is no way to explain it to my deceased father and other brothers."

  Since the master has already made up his mind, I won't say much. However, I'd like to add that in this era, everyone who goes into the mountains and becomes a bandit has their own difficulties. The key is that the world is too chaotic. They can't make a living at the foot of the mountain, so they go up the mountain. Otherwise, do you think anyone would want to be a bandit?

  What I mean is, didn't the big boss ever think of recruiting them? You know, among those captured bandits, there are still many good hands. The mountain stronghold has suffered a great loss this time and needs to replenish some manpower. Otherwise, if someone really wants to attack our mountain stronghold in the future, with just the current strength we have on hand, it would be quite difficult to cope.

  And even if the master lets them down the mountain, they will probably join another bandit group and continue to be bandits. Because apart from being bandits, they have no other way out. So it's better to let them join another bandit group than to take them in at Black Wind Fortress. Does the master think this is reasonable?

  It seems that Li Chengbing, who had decided to release the captives, had guessed that Xu Bin would not kill these bandits, and he expressed his own thoughts in a somewhat veiled manner. The Black Wind Stockade, which originally had nearly 300 men, was also considered one of the best bandit lairs in Junshan Mountain. However, yesterday's ambush by the government troops completely annihilated nearly a third of their strength, and even the leader himself could not escape death.

  If they don't replenish their strength, they will inevitably attract the covetous gaze of other counterfeiters. Although Li Chengbing felt that this young master, who had shown his strength yesterday, was capable of leading Heifeng Gang.

  It doesn't mean that with just over a hundred people in the village, we can eliminate other people's malicious intentions towards Heifeng Village. Only by increasing the overall strength of the village can we strangle those greedy bandit villages that covet Heifeng Village's land. This strength is simply a matter of how many hands are available!

  Recruiting bandits from Xianglu Peak?

  This idea is not reliable, you know that the two of them used to be sworn enemies! What if they bring wolves into the house and instead of increasing their strength, they end up being sold out by these people in a joint effort from inside and outside? At that time, I reckon there won't even be anywhere to cry.

  Realizing this, Xu Bin shook his head and said: "Uncle Li, recruit them? It seems a bit inappropriate, don't you think? Don't you know that our Black Wind Fortress and Xiang Lu Peak are sworn enemies?"

  Li Chengbing disagreed with Xu Bin's words and explained: "I know what the master is worried about, it's just that they are not sincere in surrendering to us. But does the master know that among the bandits on Junfeng Mountain, how many of them are truly willing to sacrifice their lives for those mountain strongholds?"

  Everyone goes up the mountain to mix with the bandits, and it's nothing more than mixing a meal to eat. In the past, Xianglu Peak and Heifeng Village became sworn enemies, mainly because Ma Liu and Lao Da had a feud as leaders, and the bandits of the two mountains naturally became sworn enemies.

  Now that Ma Liu has been captured, the Xianglufeng gang has also been wiped out by us. As for these Xianglufeng bandits, they have already fulfilled their obligations and there is no need to continue fighting to the death with us.

  As long as they are willing to join the Black Wind Fortress, eat our food and shoulder our guns, they will naturally have to sacrifice their lives for us. If they dare to betray us, they will also be left with nowhere to hide in these mountains, this is a rule that every bandit who comes up the mountain knows.

  As long as the master of the house doesn't treat them unfairly, there's no need to worry too much about them rebelling. Besides, with us old folks keeping an eye on them, they won't be able to stir up any big trouble."

  "Ah! It turns out there's another way in here?"

  Xu Bin thought for a moment, and it seemed that this was indeed the case. Every year, there were many bandit dens set up in Junfeng Mountain, but in the end, not many could persist.

  Those bandit dens that were eliminated by the big boss, as long as the big boss dies, the bandits in the mountain stronghold will choose to surrender to the winner. This is no longer a surprising thing in the bandit circle.

  It's really hard to find someone who is truly dedicated and willing to go all out for you in this day and age!

  After careful consideration, Xu Bin nodded and said: "Alright, since Uncle Li thinks this is good for the mountain village, let's do it your way. However, I think it's better to have fewer followers like that. Those bandits who are willing to join us must be carefully screened. If they seem unreliable, I'd rather let them leave the mountain and follow someone else than see people like San Houzi again."

  One rat turd can spoil a whole pot of soup, and Xu Bin more or less understood this principle.

  "I know this. Let's wait until tomorrow when Ma Liu is killed and the old master takes revenge, then we'll discuss how to recruit them specifically. What does the master think?"

  After deciding to recruit the bandits from Xianglu Peak, and replenishing the mountain stronghold's forces, Li Chengbing's face also looked much more relaxed. After chatting with Xu Bin for a few sentences, he bid farewell and went to inspect the mountain stronghold's sentry post. Just as Xu Bin had thought earlier, how many people in this Heifeng Stronghold would truly risk their lives for the Xu family like Li Chengbing?

  If it weren't for Xi Bin's father saving Li Chengbing's life before, I'm afraid Li Chengbing wouldn't be helping Xi Bin so devotedly. Anyway, one's life is only one, and no one wants to easily give control of it to others. It can't be said that these bandits are completely unrighteous either - if someone didn't want to live, why would they go up the mountain to become a bandit?

  It's better to live a life of shame than to die a heroic death, these bandits all know this.

  Since they were going to recruit the bandits from Xianglu Peak, Xu Bin suddenly felt that Wang Erzhuo, who was caught last night, should be a good candidate. If he could recruit Wang Erzhuo, it would likely have a deterrent effect on those small fries as well. It wasn't easy to be reborn once, and being a bandit leader wasn't Xu Bin's ultimate ideal.

  Wanting to make a big move, this heart can't be less and still needs to recruit a few more. If Wang Erpao can really recruit them, Xu Bin thinks that there is still some use for him after all. After all, except for Li Chengbing, the bandit leader who truly followed himself with all his heart, the other mountain stronghold leaders didn't seem very reliable in Xu Bin's eyes. Last night's events were clear proof of this!

  To truly achieve absolute power, it's time to win over some powerful bandit leaders to your side; otherwise, relying solely on one person, in this era of warlords devouring each other, even survival is not an easy task!

  Last night's ambush, Xu Bin felt that this Wang Er Bo was still a talent, if he could recruit him, the significance would be stronger than those small bandits. Moreover, when he first took control of the mountain stronghold, it was time to cultivate a loyal and trusted general who could replace him, and Wang Er Bo was one of the talents he had discovered for the time being, so he didn't want to waste him like this! The principle that it's easy to find a thousand soldiers but hard to find a good general Xu Bin still understood.