Although it wasn’t as expensive as ordinary clothing, costing only fifty wuzhu per piece, for them, who had no income besides raiding, it was still a significant expense.

Thinking of Zhang Liao’s words “piles up like mountains,” the bandit leader felt as if he had stumbled upon a gold mine!

If he could make this deal happen without investing, he could equip all his bandits with mulberry paper armor, preventing losses in manpower during the harsh winters and selling the surplus in other places.

As he thought this, he suddenly realized he was getting overly excited, not displaying the cautious demeanor necessary for business discussions.

He coughed lightly to cover up his lapse, “Is that all?”

“Of course not. Last year, Changshan, Shangdang, and Taiyuan sent us fifty thousand sack of grain each as gratitude for dealing the Black Mountain Army.

But would Leping Hou really let us eat all that grain? General Niujiao led us to gather grass and wood in the mountains to survive… What do you think? Can fifty thousand sack of grain be considered a bargaining chip?”

Grain, too!

The bandit leader’s breathing quickened slightly.

Thirty thousand sack of grain had been enough to make Zhang Niujiao take risks. How much more so fifty thousand sacks!

This was just what the governors of those three counties had sent.

What about the county’s own reserves? Would they not have more?

He didn’t know if Zhang Niujiao was eating well and sleeping soundly in Leping, maybe even gaining some weight.

He only saw Zhang Liao and Zhang Yang before him, who didn’t seem to be eating well.

He couldn’t guarantee that Zhang Niujiao had picked out the best-looking one from his subordinates.

Thinking again about Zhang Liao’s meaning, he guessed that perhaps Zhang Niujiao wanted to contact foreign aid, use it as a way to conquer Leping, and seize the grain.

If you can’t eat well, you must rebel.

This was an ancient truth.

Moreover, as a former independent bandit leader, he had no intention of living the life of a prisoner.

Each of these three bargaining chips weighed heavily on his mind, and finally, he made a decision. “Alright, I’ll go to Leping with you. But before we leave, you have to tell me how the profits will be divided.”

“I wonder how many men you have here, General?” Zhang Liao asked.

The shift from “your excellency” to “general” clearly indicated a gesture of closeness.

This flattering address pleased the bandit leader, who replied, “The winter froze to death those women and children, leaving us with just over five hundred.”

Zhang Liao was startled by his indifferent tone, though he didn’t show it.

He simply replied, “We have about three thousand able-bodied men in the Black Mountain army, but only two thousand capable of fighting after enduring hunger and cold.

According to General Niu Jiao, if you and your men don’t join us, we won’t stand a chance against Leping. Therefore, let’s calculate based on double the numbers, and split the profits three-seven.”

The bandit leader was slightly taken aback.

To say or not to say, this was exactly the profit share that pushed his bottom line.

If he truly believed he had the skills of the Black Mountain bandits, he wouldn’t limit himself to such small-scale raids every time.

But if he followed the ratio of five hundred to nine thousand, he truly felt he didn’t need to take such risks.

Since he didn’t plan to wipe out Leping’s wealth alone and absorb General Niu Jiao’s troops, it was naturally good for everyone to get rich together.

The current division of profits was within his acceptable range.

This deal could work!

“Three-seven split it is then. I’ll go with you to Leping.”

He was about to gather his men when Zhang Liao interrupted his actions with a “wait.”

He immediately looked displeased at the young man. “Are you trying to fool me?”

Zhang Liao denied, “General, please don’t misunderstand. We’re simply passing through Jinyang and heard that the governor of Bingzhou is expected in a couple of days. Security around here might tighten. It’s safer to wait a few days before we set off.”

The bandit leader awkwardly smiled, changing his action from reaching for his knife to patting Zhang Liao’s shoulder with his other hand. “You make sense. If we’re going after Leping, we should strike decisively and avoid the governor’s attention.”

To save face, he added, “By the way, I haven’t asked your names yet. You two have come here risking a lot. If one day you can’t make it under General Zhang, consider coming to me. I’ll surely treat you well.”

“Thank you for your kindness, General, but that won’t be necessary.” Before Zhang Liao could speak, Zhang Yang spoke up first. “We were both rescued by General Niu Jiao in our early years and received his grace, hence both of us bear the surname Zhang. I am Zhang Yang, and he is Zhang Liao.”

“… ” Zhang Liao’s expression froze for a moment.

He only knew Zhang Yang could talk about how three hundred years ago they were one family, but he didn’t expect him to continue to play on the fact that “Zhang” was the same as General Niujiao’s “Zhang.”

This conversation was not part of the various pre-prepared speeches provided by Qiao Yan, obviously Zhang Yang’s improvised response.

But Zhang Liao adapted quickly, not letting the bandit group see his momentary confusion.

He followed the arrangement of the bandit leader and settled down in the bandit camp.

Similar to the Black Mountain bandits before, they roamed around the Yunzhong Mountains without a fixed residence, relying on tents made of coarse cloth as temporary shelter.

Perhaps because the officials in Taiyuan County found the cost of suppressing bandits too high and struggled to capture these slippery mountain bandits, coupled with difficulties in sending out patrols during winter, they hadn’t troubled their camp for several months, allowing them to stay temporarily.

Looking around, Zhang Liao noticed that all the surrounding trees had been cut down.

Seeing him glance at the trees, the bandit leading them said, “It’s been so cold this winter that nearby trees have been used for firewood, leaving the area like this.”

Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Yang suggested, “Since that’s the case, why not take over Leping afterwards? We could directly occupy the county town, enjoy the shelter of the mountains, and live in houses rather than on the mountainside.”

Zhang Liao shot him a quick glare, and Zhang Yang immediately stopped, realizing it wasn’t appropriate to try to undermine the bandit leader at this moment.

But for the bandit leader who received news shortly after, this was undoubtedly another proof of their true identities and intentions.

Moreover, he had to admit, if they could really take over Leping and live in houses, who would want to stay on the mountainside?

If soldiers came to attack, they could always retreat into the Taihang Mountains later.

The bandit leader, now somewhat intrigued, listened to reports from his men that both of them had reacted normally to their names, confirming that these were indeed their true names.

So, the explanation that the character “Zhang” came from Zhang Niujiao seemed to hold water.

With this thought, he completely let go of his guard against Zhang Liao and Zhang Yang.

Little did he know, these two were not only deceiving in their words but even their appearances were disguised.

They had both applied a thin layer of ginger juice on their faces.

Once the smell had mostly dissipated, it left them with a yellowish complexion, making them appear somewhat like half-refugees, especially given their youthful age.

At this moment, the two of them had a tent to themselves, but they dared not speak loudly, afraid of being overheard outside.

However, upon exchanging glances, they couldn’t help stifling a chuckle.

Yet, being young as they were, after a brief laugh, they still felt a bit apprehensive.

Their actions today—if any misstep was noticed—could mean they might never descend from these Cloudy Mountains again.

Especially—

Thinking about it, Zhang Liao was moved by the fact that Zhang Yang didn’t need to risk coming up to the mountains.

With his age and martial skills, he could have easily served in the provincial governor’s or inspector’s office through official channels.

Zhang Liao felt a pang of emotion.

Although they hadn’t known each other for long, Zhang Yang’s loyalty and support were more than enough to be considered brothers in arms.

Zhang Liao thought this way and said as much.

Then he whispered, “If we succeed this time, and if we can make a name for ourselves in the inspector’s office, we can support each other like brothers.”

But Zhang Yang replied shortly after, “Actually… I’m thinking Leping might not be so bad. Maybe I won’t go to the inspector’s office after all.”

Seeing Zhang Liao’s surprise, Zhang Yang explained, “Think about it. Our tools and methods for coming up to the mountains are all planned by Leping Marquis.

She has such brilliant strategies. Wouldn’t she be more useful than the current inspector of Bingzhou, who nobody even knows?”

Zhang Liao could see the point, but…

“The Marquis of Leping has no real authority. Even if we serve as those who fight against the Xiongnu, just being loyal to her might not be effective.”

“That’s true,” Zhang Yang replied. “But sometimes you have to take a chance.

When I first came out of the Yunzhong County, I thought that bravery alone was enough.

But there are so many opinions about removing mountain bandits.

There are also so many rules to stand out in front of an inspector that I don’t even know about.”

“In the end, Marquis Qiao has also said before that helping you stand out in front of the inspector is to lay the groundwork for her own influence.

Looking ahead, if I do things for her, and someone thinks, I sell my strength, it might not be a bad way out.”

“You think, is this the reason?”

Zhang Liao suspiciously felt that his words hinted at his own lack of intelligence, yet carried a profound wisdom.

But this choice…

“Alright, there’s no point in saying so much now. Firstly, whether Marquis Qiao wants someone like me as a fighter is still uncertain. Secondly, we must deal with these bandits first before discussing rewards.”

As Zhang Yang spoke, he took a flint out of his sleeve.

Whether it was Zhang Yang or Zhang Liao, they didn’t have much psychological burden about taking action against these bandits.

These frontier men hated nothing more than strong men who didn’t use their strength against external enemies, but instead plundered the weaker ones.

Moreover, the bandit leader’s revelations about the camp’s current state also lessened their concerns.

Before they climbed the mountain, Qiao Yan specifically reminded them that if they chose to use fire, they must choose the location carefully to avoid the wildfire spreading and harming innocents.

Now, things were different.

The trees around them had been cleared by the bandits, leaving a barren area.

Looking at it this way, they could indeed start the fire!

While the bandit leader dreamed of leading people to plunder Leping, he was suddenly startled awake by cries of fire.

He had just opened his eyes, reaching for the dagger by his side, when he caught a whiff not just of something burning but also a metallic scent of blood.

His heart sank with a sense of impending danger.

But before he could step out of the tent, a figure swiftly darted in.

The light of the fire from outside cast a fiery glow, dyeing the tent a deep red, faintly illuminating the figure of this intruder.

It was none other than Zhang Liao, who had come during broad daylight.

Yet before his name could be called, Zhang Liao had already swung his sword, striking right at the bandit leader’s neck.