Chapter 77: The Living King of Hell

After hearing Gu Bei’s words, how could Fang Xu and Old Wu not understand what he truly meant? Neither of them had expected that the seemingly honest and reliable Gu Bei could be so chillingly ruthless when he set his mind to something.

“Old Gu, I really couldn’t tell! You sly old fox, you’re a lot more ruthless than you let on, aren’t you?” Old Wu looked at Gu Bei with a smile. If Gu Bei knew Old Wu’s true identity, he might have sneered—after all, the two weren’t so different from each other.

“As far as I know, there’s a band of mounted bandits on the nearby mountain. These men are notorious for their crimes,” Gu Bei said, handing Fang Xu a slip of paper on which he had written the details earlier.

As he took the paper from Gu Bei, Fang Xu felt certain he’d made the right decision in accepting him into his service. Why was he so sure? Because Gu Bei’s resourcefulness left nothing to be desired.

Earlier, while Fang Xu and Old Wu were resting, Gu Bei had gone out to gather information, clearly aware of the troubles weighing on Fang Xu’s mind. In Gu Bei’s view, a competent steward must anticipate his young master’s worries and share in his anxieties—only then could he become someone worthy of Fang Xu’s trust. Gu Bei had a strong sense of this responsibility.

He had considered other possible solutions, but all of them crossed Fang Xu’s personal boundaries, and Gu Bei knew his master would never entertain such ideas. Conducting business here and now was out of the question, especially since Fang Xu was eager to hurry to the Southern Prefecture. The young master’s intentions were obvious.

Thus, for Gu Bei, only one course of action remained—a way to achieve both their aims. When Gu Bei went to buy provisions earlier, he’d heard from the local villagers that a gang of bandits had made the nearby mountain their den, committing countless atrocities. Gu Bei had jokingly asked if the local authorities did nothing to stop them, but when he learned that the officials were actually in league with the bandits, a gleam of cunning flashed in his eyes.

Gu Bei realized this was a case of “the road to heaven left untraveled, the gates of hell rushed through instead.” He had been troubled by the lack of a proper way to acquire funds, but now the bandits and the corrupt officials had delivered themselves to his door—why should he refuse such a gift?

It was clear that the local authorities were regarded as little more than demons by the villagers, exploiting them together with the mountain bandits, leaving the people with no one to whom they could voice their suffering. Gu Bei was curious: had no one ever resisted? The answer was, who would dare? Even if the authorities let you go, the bandits were bloodied desperadoes. Some had resisted in the past, but they had vanished without a trace—everyone knew what that meant without needing to say it. Over time, the villagers lived with their suffering, unable to speak out.

Gu Bei’s lips curled in a faint smile—not at the villagers’ misery, but at the prospect of a solution that would both help them and benefit his master. He was certain Fang Xu would approve. Still, Gu Bei did not underestimate the bandits’ strength; to be in league with the authorities, they must be formidable.

With the help of a few copper coins, Gu Bei coaxed the local beggars to tell him everything they knew about the bandits and the officials. Although the beggars had no idea what this well-dressed young man wanted, his generosity made them eager to share every detail. Besides, these matters were hardly secrets in these parts.

After learning the whole story, the smile on Gu Bei’s face became even more pronounced, and he found himself looking forward to what was to come. The paper he handed Fang Xu contained a list of the number of officials and constables in the area, the size of the bandit gang, and some of their deeds. Even if it was only a fraction of what the bandits had done, to Fang Xu and Old Wu, it was already a litany of unspeakable crimes.

“I have calculated,” Gu Bei said, “that with Old Wu and the others on our side, we can easily deal with the bandits. Once both the bandits and the corrupt officials are brought to justice, the people will naturally sing your praises, young master.”

“Since you are heading to the Southern Prefecture, and Danyang is right next to it, your righteous deed will surely command respect, serving as a warning to others.” Gu Bei smiled as he spoke.

Fang Xu found himself agreeing with Gu Bei. After all, who could imagine the extent of the wealth these bandits and corrupt officials had squeezed from the people over the years? At first, Fang Xu might have wondered why no higher authorities had ever intervened, given that this region fell under the jurisdiction of both Danyang and the Southern Prefecture. But after so many years of silence, it was obvious—things ran far deeper than they appeared.

If Qin Suwen’s character was any guide, she would never have let these bandits go unpunished. Now, after listening to Gu Bei, Fang Xu finally understood why things were as they were.

He clenched the paper in his hand, unable to suppress the urge for retribution, then finally exhaled. It was clear he was ready for blood.

In recent days, the number of corrupt officials who had died at Fang Xu’s hands was beyond counting. Among the common folk, tales spread of him as a celestial warrior come down to earth, but to the corrupt, he was nothing less than the King of Hell in the flesh. Even Old Wu and his companions could not have imagined that the refined, gentle Fang Xu could devise such cruel methods. Whenever they remembered Fang Xu’s calm, smiling demeanor—so merciless when he took action—it sent chills down their spines.

Now that these bandits and officials had crossed paths with Fang Xu, the “living King of Hell,” Old Wu and the others couldn’t help but feel a tinge of pity for them. Of course, once you make your choice, you must accept the consequences. That, in itself, is only fair.