Chapter 29, The Nephew's Expedition
"So that's what you mean, then the Black Arrow Bandit is a barbarian?" Chun Yu Pei asked in surprise.
It had been speculated earlier about the possibility of the Hu people, and Lulong is nearby. The Hu people dare to commit crimes near the Han army's garrison, which is indeed too bold and presumptuous.
"In the last battle of the counterattack against the Qiang people in Shanggu County, I followed the main army to fight together. On the battlefield, I had a hand-to-hand combat with that black arrow bandit. At that time, the Qiang people's defeat was already settled, and that black arrow bandit seemed to want to die fighting, mistakenly thinking I was Yin Sima, and rushed towards me desperately. When he got within 100 steps, he shot an arrow at me. That arrow was indeed vicious, but fortunately, I dodged it. Afterwards, I also drew my bow and shot an arrow back, whether it hit or not is still unknown. In short, the Qiang people soon lost their momentum, and that black arrow bandit either died in the chaos of war or escaped, unknown." Zǔ Jǔ said with a nostalgic tone.
After finishing this speech, his face was still exceptionally stern, as if the battle of that year was still vivid in his mind, and the danger at that time left an indelible memory on his heart.
Zu Zhao had never heard his grandfather talk about some of the events of those years when he was a soldier. When Zhang Huan was appointed as the General who Pacifies the Liao, there were no major battles between the Han Dynasty and the Hu people. The only battle that caused controversy in historical records was when Zhang Huan was used by the eunuch Cao Jie to suppress the rebellion of General Dou Wu and Grand Tutor Chen Pan, who intended to eliminate the eunuchs. As a result, during his tenure under Zhang Huan's command, there were not many achievements worth mentioning, especially since he was just an "accountant", and only those who were humble would call him "General", otherwise, he was just one of the guards of the General who Pacifies the Liao.
Now that you've heard this story, you probably have a deeper understanding of your grandfather.
It was even more astonishing that these three black arrows could still trace back to this distant period of history, which was really too dramatic.
"Could it be that he is really the black arrow bandit from all those years ago? But from the first year of Xi Ping to today, more than a decade has passed, how could that bandit still be so ferocious and arrogant?" Madam Chen said with unrelenting doubt.
"This is what I find incomprehensible," Zu said with a heavy tone.
"Grandfather, if this Qiang bandit hadn't died back then, how old would he be now?" After a moment of silence, Zu Zhao spoke up and asked.
"I'm afraid it's almost fifty years old," said Zu Jiu.
"A man approaching fifty can still have such a formidable archery skill? I'm afraid it's unlikely." Chun Yu Pei said with doubt.
"Yes, it's indeed unlikely." Zu Fan said while nodding his head.
Several other elders followed and whispered to each other, although the matter was quite suspicious, but most of them still thought it was just a coincidence, or perhaps someone else had pretended to be the Black Arrow Bandits from that year.
"Uncle, whether or not it's really him is no longer important. What's important is how to bring these bandits to justice. The thieves stole the horse and may also be villagers from the border of the two counties. Next, they will inevitably try every means to sell the horse for cash. Sunzi thinks that our top priority should be to discreetly ask around the nearby counties' horse markets to see if anyone is urgently selling a similar breed of horse." Zuxiao interrupted everyone's subjective speculation and spoke out his plan.
The eyes in the main hall shifted to Zu Chao once again, and everyone felt that Zu Chao's proposal was highly feasible, not only clarifying some confusing clues but also greatly admiring Zu Chao's analytical skills.
"Yes, in addition to this, we should also dispatch people to Mashu County, Ma City, to investigate the suspicious individuals who have been lurking around Ma City recently. We must also pay close attention to the remote villages along the border of the two counties, and see if there are any signs of rebellious activity."
"This case involves a cross-border investigation, I'm afraid there may be some irregularities..." Chen County's face showed a look of doubt.
"County Master, rest assured, this matter can be handed over to the young masters of Zuojia Village to handle. We are just investigating clues, and if we really find that the culprit is hiding in Liaoxi County, it's not too late to report to the guardian of Liaoxi County at that time." Zuo Fan said hastily.
"Well, it's also a way, then let's do it first." Chen County Jun slightly relieved, nodded slowly in agreement.
The specific details and personnel allocation were discussed again by the crowd. At first, Chen County Master was evasive and did not intend to immediately promise to dispatch county soldiers and gate guests, after all, this matter was too complicated, he never wanted to get into trouble from start to finish. However, he couldn't bear it when Xuan Tu County's deputy governor, Chun Yu Pei, was present, plus Wen County Wei and Zu Fan, who often spoke decisively, so he had to grit his teeth and agree first.
County Magistrate Chen will sign the official document tomorrow morning and entrust it to Wen Tai and Zu Fan for execution. As for the matter of crossing the border to gather information, he pushed it all onto his relatives, the Zu family, to handle. Taking this opportunity, a group of young men including Zu Zhao, Zu Ji, and Zu Cheng, all volunteered to take on the task. Earlier, Zu Jue was indeed worried that Zu Zhao would make some mistake, but after this trip and with the analytical ability he showed just now, it's clear that his grandson is indeed a prodigy, so he didn't overthink it too much.
As for Zu Jue, he didn't believe that the Black Arrow bandits from over a decade ago would return again. This time, it was likely someone else who committed the crime. Back then, he didn't entirely believe the rumors in the military camp about how formidable the "Black Arrow" was. People who practiced martial arts were inherently competitive, and now with the Zu family thriving and having many sons, as well as support from the local authorities, even if the "Black Arrow" were to rise again, they wouldn't be afraid of him. On the contrary, they would want to experience for themselves just how formidable his "arrows" were.
Because of this mentality, he no longer hesitated in front of the county government and distinguished guests, and directly agreed.
After all the discussions in the main hall were over, Chen Xianjun and others stood up to bid farewell. Zu Zhao then gathered Zu Ji, Zu Cheng, and also invited Zu Fan, who was his nephew, to sit down together in a side hall.
Zu Ji and Zu Cheng didn't say much, they were both young men who often went to practice at the Xihua Bridge together. They were familiar with each other and followed orders without question. Zu Fan wasn't a stranger either, they had met during festivals and family celebrations, but he wasn't close to this nephew, and now that his nephew held public office, there was some distance between them.
What four people gathered together would do and how they would take specific action after dawn.
Zu Zhao very politely recommended Zu Fan to make detailed arrangements, but after a moment of silence, Zu Fan said seriously: "Fan has official duties and can only follow the orders of County Master. Since County Master has arranged for Fan and Wen County Wei to investigate the border villages of the two counties, I'm afraid there is no time to take care of other things. The arrangement of the actions of the clan's children still needs to be decided by the eldest son."
This ancestor is indeed intentionally yielding, and he is indeed a person who knows the current situation. Zu Zhao secretly praised in his heart, he was most happy to deal with such people.
"So be it," he said, nodding his head and no longer showing any hesitation. "Tomorrow morning, I will gather all the disciples and head to Lingzhi County. If there are no leads in Lingzhi County, we will split up and search for clues separately - some will revisit the place where they were ambushed yesterday, while others will visit other horse markets near Lingzhi County."
"Very well. If there's any news, we must inform each other in time. If the thief is really found, Young Master, you must be careful and cautious, and absolutely cannot act impulsively. If it's really not possible, you can retreat back to the manor and deliberate further." Zu Fan, although younger in generation, was older in age and experience, so he earnestly advised him for a while.
"Thank you, I will definitely remember it." Zu Zhao responded politely without any pretence.
Just about to leave Beijing, and it's freezing. Hope the shooting plan in Xiamen won't be delayed. By the way, I recommend "Police Story 2013", which is indeed more thoughtful than its predecessor.
