Chapter 53: The People of Liao

What is Willow Forest? Never heard of it; if it were Di Qing, that would be another matter. The Liao envoy was about to flare up, but then his eyes shifted and he said, “Since you claim to be officials, why are you making such a ruckus? We are emissaries; disturbing our rest is something even your own officials cannot afford.”

“Yes, yes, the lord is right,” Liu Yuanze replied obsequiously.

Others wanted to intervene, but seeing how even those connected to officials were so deferential, the ordinary townsfolk dared not help. Some even sighed aloud.

“If you know, then hurry and bring wine. Once we’ve drunk, we can sleep,” the envoy demanded again.

“Yes, yes, bring the wine. Innkeeper, fetch some wine,” Liu Yuanze answered quickly.

“Ordinary wine won’t do. We want good wine. A thousand catties of good wine.”

“A thousand catties of good wine? Why don’t you just rob us!” Qian Shengwen couldn’t help but cry out.

Liu Yuanze was their guest, but the cost of the wine would ultimately fall on them. A thousand catties of fine wine was far beyond what they could afford.

As soon as he spoke, Liu Yuanze inwardly cursed, thinking: Rural folk truly don’t understand how terrifying the Liao people are.

“So you say I’m robbing you?”

As expected, the Liao man’s face changed drastically, and he said coldly, “I’ve changed my mind. Tonight, I will indeed rob you. No one is allowed to leave. Hand over your money and valuables; consider it your tribute to us.”

With that, several Liao warriors rushed out from the room, blocking the doors and forbidding anyone from leaving.

“Honored lord, my friend was thoughtless; I beg your pardon. Please, for the sake of my father, let this go,” Liu Yuanze hurriedly pleaded, unable to blame Qian Shengwen now.

“Give your father face? Go ask him if he dares accept it!”

The Liao people respected power, not virtue. Liu Yuanze’s father might be a renowned scholar, but so what?

“If you don’t want to die, hand over your tribute to the Song. None of you will escape!”

His eyes blazed with murderous intent; many dared not disobey. Though unwilling, they began to take out their paper currency, silver, and gold.

Bao Zheng’s face was dark as ink. It was said, “When the lord is humiliated, his ministers die.” Using the excuse of tribute to commit robbery—whose face was being slapped now?

Not only Bao Zheng, any official with a shred of shame would be furious.

Yet this also bound Bao Zheng’s hands. If he intervened, matters would worsen, escalating into an official confrontation. His famously dark face was a clear marker—even in disguise, it wouldn’t help.

Fortunately, Shen Shi was present. As soon as trouble broke out, Bao Zheng ordered his subordinate Wang Chao to invite Shen Shi.

“Lord Bao, am I truly permitted to act?” Shen Shi emerged from his room and asked Bao Zheng.

Bao Zheng assumed Wang Chao had revealed his identity and replied, “Though this is not my jurisdiction, the Liao have gone too far. Even if they’re emissaries, the court never granted them access to Jiangsu and Zhejiang.”

“Very well. I’ll handle it.”

Shen Shi trusted Bao Zheng would not betray him; even without his presence, Shen Shi would have acted.

The Liao men were collecting money gleefully when suddenly a hand blocked their path.

Everyone turned in surprise.

Shen Shi had come down from the guest rooms upstairs, blocking them with one hand, and addressed the Liao men, “Leave now! If you put down your loot and depart, I will forgive your actions and let you go.”

“What is this scholar doing? Has he lost his mind?” All stared at Shen Shi, unable to believe what he said or did.

These were Liao people—even the Song officials didn’t dare provoke them.

“Ha, ha! Truly a fool who fears nothing!” the Liao man sneered.

“Fearless? Are you speaking of yourself? This is Zhejiang’s northern route; care to explain how you got here?” Shen Shi smiled as he asked.

His question made the Liao man’s face change. The crowd buzzed, many casting ‘madman’ glances at Shen Shi.

“Damn it, if you want to die, don’t drag us down with you, brother.”

As seasoned merchants, even if not military men, they understood the abnormality of the enemy appearing deep within the territory. To cover military intentions, slaughtering whole villages was always the first choice.

What had started as a loss of money now threatened their lives. Many trembled uncontrollably, unable to imagine their fate.

The Liao man laughed loudly, “Well, well! Since you’ve seen through us, it seems today we must unleash a massacre.”

“It’s over.”

Everyone understood what he meant.

Qian Shengwen and Qian Shengju’s faces turned ashen with terror.

“This damned fellow, always trying to show off. Didn’t he see that even Young Master Liu remains silent? Why step forward? Isn’t he courting death?”

“Young Master Liu, what do we do?”

“How should I know? They’re Liao men, real Liao men—even my father is powerless here,” Liu Yuanze replied, his face pale.

Once the fear of the Liao struck, they were like frogs hypnotized by snakes, unable to move, let alone resist.

As expected, the Liao men shouted, “Kill!”

Though spoken in their language, seeing their malicious intent and drawn blades, everyone understood their purpose.

People paled at the sight of the knives.

One Liao man glanced at Shen Shi; perhaps Shen Shi’s appearance was too deceptive, and he thought he could easily overpower him. He even said in Liao, “This pretty boy is yours.”

With that, he hurled a punch, his arm thicker than Shen Shi’s thigh, fist whistling toward Shen Shi’s abdomen. If it landed, it would surely break several ribs.

Wang Chao and his men saw the force of the blow and their faces changed, preparing to intervene.

Judging by his punch, he possessed strength on par with Wang Chao and his companions. Even they would have dodged first. But he faced Shen Shi, especially the Shen Shi who had trained.

Shen Shi lifted a single hand and blocked the iron fist.

The Liao man’s expression changed instantly. The fist that could kill a wild beast had been stopped single-handedly by a frail Song scholar?

He withdrew his fist, feeling as if he had struck a steel plate, his hand throbbing with pain, and he was secretly alarmed.

“This is impossible! How could a Song man be so formidable?”

The Liao man stepped back two paces, sizing up Shen Shi, unable to believe what he encountered. After all, Shen Shi’s appearance and dress gave no sign of a master.

Could it have been an illusion?

“Nairu, what’s wrong? Did the pretty boy make your knees weak? Ha ha...” His Liao companion scoffed, refusing to believe he could lose, and mocked him.