Chapter 126: The Craftiest of the Ten Thousand

This fellow is nothing but a rogue.

For ruffians like him, chaos is exactly what they desire. The more disorderly things become, the better they can take advantage of the turmoil.

Over the past couple of days, this second rogue had been holding back enough. He couldn’t understand why the people of his own village would listen to Ye Chang, an outsider, giving orders and pointing fingers. If it were just a temporary concession for emergency purposes, that would be understandable, but now, with things supposedly back on track, he felt there was no need for Ye Chang anymore.

Wei Niang was also watching the unfolding events closely, curious to see how Ye Chang would handle the situation.

Even with such a small matter as Xiao An, there was already unrest. If she were Ye Chang, how would she have dealt with it?

Ye Chang glanced at the second rogue. The man’s face was full of defiance, yet his eyes flickered with cunning. Ye Chang knew immediately he was no fool.

He was sly—this was just the beginning.

“In that case, I have nothing more to say,” Ye Chang smiled. “These past two days, I’ve troubled your village enough. I shall take my leave now.”

As he spoke, Ye Chang stepped onto one of the wooden rafts and signaled to Wei Niang, “Let’s go.”

They had built a total of six wooden rafts. Ye Chang intended to take two for himself, along with the barbarians and two boatmen, but no one expected that, under these circumstances, Ye Chang would simply leave without hesitation.

The villagers who had been watching Ye Chang’s reaction grew anxious.

The wind had calmed, but the rain persisted. It had rained for two days straight. Despite all of Ye Chang’s efforts, more than ten of the survivors had fallen ill. Those who showed symptoms were isolated and assigned caretakers who had received basic training—this was all part of Ye Chang’s plan.

So far, everything had gone as Ye Chang predicted. At first, the villagers saw nothing unusual, but afterward, everything fell into place. Although local customs initially prevented them from stopping the second rogue, now, with Ye Chang preparing to leave, panic set in.

It was genuine panic.

Fear of death overwhelmed selfish desires. Those who understood the situation knew that without Ye Chang, less than two-thirds of the villagers would survive. Even those who had survived were weakened by illness and hunger, unlikely to last more than a few days.

The rain had lessened, but if Ye Chang truly left now, who would take charge? Who would offer guidance?

“Everyone has seen these past days—Young Master Ye is fair,” someone could no longer hold back. “If he leaves, who will stand up for justice?”

“Right, whether it’s distributing food or arranging shelter, Young Master Ye has been just.”

The villagers recalled how when the fire was first lit, Ye Chang had ordered wet branches to be dried and a simple bed made—the eldest survivor was the first to rest, while Ye Chang himself was the last.

Meals were the same; the others ate first, Ye Chang last.

These might seem like small matters, unnoticed by many, but now, as Ye Chang prepared to depart, the villagers suddenly realized what would become of them without his fair leadership.

The first concern was that remaining food would be seized and the rafts stolen. Families with many sons, like the Kuangs, or ruffians like the second rogue, would exploit the chaos to their advantage, while most others would suffer losses.

“Young Master Ye can’t leave,” another voice rose. “If not for him, who would oversee the epidemic prevention?”

Several had already caught colds, but there was no large-scale outbreak yet. Even common ailments like diarrhea were absent. This was thanks to Ye Chang’s strict, near-forced orders—something only those who experienced it firsthand could understand.

“Yes, Young Master Ye, please don’t go.”

The survivors pleaded with Ye Chang to stay. He showed no reaction, only signaling Wei Niang to hurry and pack up.

Wei Niang approached him quietly, “Are you really going?”

“If I stay, this man cannot remain.” Ye Chang pointed at the second rogue. “Such a rogue is like a single rat dropping spoiling the whole pot. He disobeys orders, makes things difficult for me, exploits others for his greed, and jeopardizes the entire endeavor for his own gain. It’s a pity I am neither an official nor a tribal leader; otherwise, I would have executed him to ease the people’s minds.”

At these words, faces changed.

Even Wei Niang was taken aback. Throughout their journey, Ye Chang’s temper could change swiftly, but this open display of murderous intent was unprecedented.

By all rights, though the second rogue was sly and wicked, he did not deserve death—but Ye Chang said plainly that if he had the power, he would have him executed.

The second rogue was used to bullying. Hearing this, he became enraged, thrusting out his neck as he jumped onto the raft, taunting Ye Chang, “Come on, come on! Slash here if you have the guts; if not, you’re just a mama’s boy!”

He gestured and cursed arrogantly, perhaps thinking that the barbarians allied with Ye Chang looked fierce but were not truly vicious.

Ye Chang had just shown his anger, but now, unexpectedly, he raised his foot and kicked the second rogue directly in the belly, sending him into the water.

“Stay away from me. Your stench can be carried even against the wind,” Ye Chang said with disgust as he watched the rogue flounder in the water.

He truly hated him.

In Chang’an, Ye Chang had mingled with many scoundrels, but compared to the second rogue, those men, though rowdier, still had some chivalry and knew how to prioritize. The second rogue, faced with crisis, led with selfishness.

The rogue could swim, but caught off guard by the kick, he panicked, splashing and screaming for help. He tried to climb back onto the raft, but a barbarian stomped on his hand without hesitation. In pain, he had to let go and swim toward the shore.

Just as he reached the bank, a wooden stick struck him with a buzz.

“You troublemaker! Haven’t you caused enough harm already? Now you want all of us to die with you?”

The sudden attack shocked the villagers.

The assailant was named Jian Linpu, usually a simple and honest villager. The second rogue had often bullied him. Jian Linpu’s wife and child were behind him now, and he knew he was weak and oppressed in the village. Without Ye Chang, he might not have been able to provide for his family.

Now, standing up for Ye Chang was a matter of survival.

He was the first to take action. The second rogue, finding the water shallow, circled around while cursing, determined to make Jian Linpu pay once ashore.

After putting some distance between them, the rogue tried to climb out again but was struck down by another blow.

Jian Linpu restrained his strikes to the shoulders and arms, but the next blow landed squarely on the rogue’s forehead. He cried out and fell back into the water, blood mixing with the water.

The second attacker was a fellow villager with a family, known for his filial piety. His elderly mother had initially refused to leave the village until Ye Chang had forcibly persuaded her. Having caught a chill from the rain, he was also among the ill. He hoped Ye Chang would continue to provide medicine to cure his mother and could not bear to see Ye Chang leave.

With the first and second attackers, the third and fourth soon followed. At first, the second rogue shouted curses, but by the fifth assailant, he was exhausted and injured, no longer defiant, only begging and crying.

But it was too late. After his threats and curses, no one dared let him ashore.

The fifth attacker surprised the second rogue even more.

“Brother Li, Grandpa Li, we’ve always been close. Whatever favors I had, I never forgot you—why, why do you come against me too?”

“Blame yourself for being clueless. Young Master Ye said it well: you ‘exploit others for your greed and ruin the greater cause for your own gain.’ I don’t want to die, but I have no choice but to send you to the afterlife.”

This so-called Brother Li was even harsher. He struck the rogue’s forehead with a heavy blow, knocking him into the water. Without stopping, he stepped forward and struck again.

“Spare me, spare me… please, spare me… Young Master Ye, save me…”

The rogue was truly terrified now, dodging and flailing while pleading loudly. But Brother Li struck twice more, driving him under. The rogue swallowed water and, utterly exhausted, had no strength left to struggle.

The villagers watched as he sank beneath the surface, motionless.

Ye Chang watched coldly too, his recent frustrations somewhat relieved.

He was no saint, nor was he merciful. Having faced pursuit in Chang’an, captivity by barbarians, and now the flood, he had long harbored pent-up resentment.

At this moment, someone still dared to seek their own death.

Wei Niang watched Ye Chang’s expression throughout. Seeing his indifferent reaction to the rogue’s death, she suddenly felt a chill.

Just then, Ye Chang turned to look at her. Their eyes met, and Wei Niang instinctively looked away. This fierce, unyielding barbarian woman felt fear.

Ye Chang had not struck the rogue himself, but the rogue died at the hands of villagers familiar to Ye Chang.

Ye Chang had never explicitly ordered them to kill the second rogue; he had only said they could not coexist. Almost simultaneously, the villagers chose to end the rogue’s life to gain Ye Chang’s favor.

This unsettled Wei Niang.

“Now, do you still dare to come with me to Yuexi Zhao?” Ye Chang asked quietly.

“I…” Wei Niang hesitated.

She had been about to say, “What would I not dare?” but suddenly understood her own fear.

She truly did not dare.

Ye Chang’s work in Yuexi Zhao—just as he had helped these refugees—was to establish systems, cultivate habits, strengthen Yuexi Zhao, and even defeat Nanzhao, uniting the Six Zhao and the Wuman and Baiman tribes. But throughout this process, how high would Ye Chang’s reputation rise?

Would Ye Chang use this influence to deal with her and her family as he had with the second rogue?

Considering these consequences, Wei Niang found herself unable to answer Ye Chang.

“In these past days, you’ve observed me closely and must have gained something. When you return, with this knowledge, your tribe’s distance from Nanzhao might still allow for revival,” Ye Chang said, seeing a flicker of unease in her eyes and feeling secretly pleased. “As for defeating Nanzhao in the short term—it’s impossible. We must wait for the right time.”

“The right time?”

“Nanzhao swallowed the Six Zhao and became a powerful state beside the Tang Dynasty. The Jian’nan military commissioner overseeing Nanzhao still regards it as a small tribe, which will inevitably cause trouble. If local officials are competent, they can maintain peace; if not, minor setbacks with the indigenous tribes will cause discord between Tang and Nanzhao. That will be your chance.”

This time, Wei Niang said nothing further.

She watched Ye Chang finish speaking, then jump back onto the shore from the raft, seeing villagers cheer and crowd around him, escorting him back. They followed his orders to act according to previous groups, and Ye Chang himself returned to his quarters without looking back.

“Princess?” a loyal barbarian man called to her as she remained on the raft, lost in thought.

“Ah… What do you think of Young Master Ye?” Wei Niang asked.

“He’s formidable… and the Tang people are sly by nature; he’s certainly the craftiest among them,” the man hesitated.

“Yes, he’s the kind who can sell you out and still have you count his money… If we really brought him back to Yuexi Zhao, it would be like inviting a wolf into our home—worse than Nanzhao.”

Muttering this, Wei Niang’s resolve was firm.

The moment she decided not to bring Ye Chang back, she even considered killing him to prevent future troubles.

But seeing how the villagers treated Ye Chang, she changed her mind.

Now Ye Chang’s reputation among these refugees was immense. Even if her small group could kill him, they could not withstand the villagers’ retaliation.

Reflecting on the past few days, Wei Niang found it absurd. Ye Chang initially used the barbarians to suppress the villagers; now, he used the villagers to restrain the barbarians. Was all of this within Ye Chang’s plan?

While she pondered this, Ye Chang had no time for such thoughts. Returning to his quarters, his first task was still to check on the sick.

After all, carrying the legend of having once been an apprentice to the Medicine King, Ye Chang had spent considerable time studying medicine, with his teacher being Luo Shouyi of the Medicine King Temple. Combining this knowledge with medical principles from another life, he could make basic judgments.

Seeing that none of the patients had worsened and that two had improved after taking herbal medicine, Ye Chang finally breathed easier.

But he knew the real trial was yet to come. Post-disaster epidemics were almost inevitable in this era. He could control this small mountain area but not the entire disaster zone. Now, he could only hope the affected area was not too large and that the local government would respond promptly.

He could pray to heaven for the former, but judging by the lack of any rescue workers so far, hope for the latter was slim.