Chapter 18: The Dagger (8)

Why do people become thieves?
This has always been a question that puzzled Li Kuo, until today when he finally understood it clearly.
There are no thieves in the world originally; it is only when people are driven to desperation that they turn to thievery.
Most of these thieves come from poor families, sharing very similar tragic experiences. Whether it’s Jiang Chui’er, Scarface, Black-faced Yanjun, or Qi Lao San, they are all such people.
Thieves are created by desperation.
If the world were peaceful and safe, with no need to lock doors at night, who would risk their lives to steal for a living? As long as there was even a sliver of hope, they wouldn’t engage in such activities!
The root of the problem lies with the imperial court itself!
In fact, this issue first emerged during the Wu Zetian era—namely, the land conflict.
When the dynasty was established, it inherited most of the uncultivated land from the Sui Dynasty, and the population in the early Tang Dynasty was only one-tenth of its peak during the Sui era. Thus, Emperor Gaozu’s land distribution system could be effectively implemented, ensuring that every family had land to cultivate.
A hundred years later, after a period of prosperity, the population of the Tang Dynasty surged, and there was gradually not enough land to distribute. If it had been just that, it would have been manageable for the common people, as even if they received less land, it would still have been fair.
The real culprit is human greed.
Over a hundred years, the powerful families and nobles were no longer satisfied with the meager amount of land they had, which drove them to acquire large amounts of land from the common people. Over time, the common people had less and less land, while the nobles had more and more. Eventually, this imbalance would reach its limit. When the common people had no land to cultivate, what could they do to survive? Perhaps they would have no choice but to become bandits.
Under normal circumstances, this threat was not obvious, as the Tang Dynasty was still at its peak, and bandits could not openly carry out theft and plunder. But what if chaos ensued?
An Lushan’s rebellion and the subsequent advance of the rebel forces southward had far-reaching consequences. Countless bandits saw this as an opportunity to seize control of mountains and declare themselves kings. They would, like the bandits of Hei Yun Zhai, use the name of the rebels to loot food and supplies, rapidly expanding their power.
Human desires are endless. Perhaps these bandits initially aimed only to live a life of plenty, eating and drinking freely. But once their strength grew, they might develop other ambitions.

To become a king and rule supreme—this might be every man’s dream. Yet, due to circumstances, people habitually hide and suppress it. But hiding and suppressing it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist; it’s like the flickering flame in a fire starter, ready to reignite at any moment. Once it does, it can turn into a wildfire, causing endless disaster. Even if those bandits don’t have such ambitions, can we be sure their leaders don’t? As long as one leader harbors such thoughts, the bandits will flock to follow them in seizing power. This might well be the underlying reason why bandit raids increased more and more during the late Sui dynasty. The Tang dynasty today may be heading in that direction, but fortunately, it hasn’t reached the uncontrollable state of the late Sui era. Li Kuo must nip this in the bud before it can reignite!
“Is this true?”
Qi Laosan stared intently at Li Kuo, as if he might change his mind the moment Li Kuo looked away.
“True!”
Li Kuo smiled brightly, like the warm sunlight.
“I won’t stop those who want to return to Heiyunzhai. For those who wish to farm again, I’ll allocate twenty mu of land in Tangzhou. As for those who want to join the army, as long as they pass my tests, they’ll receive the same treatment as ordinary soldiers.”
Li Kuo’s reply was firm and left no room for doubt.
Qi Laosan stared at Li Kuo in silence. After a long while, he bit his finger to confirm he wasn’t dreaming. After being captured by Li Kuo, he had imagined countless outcomes, but never one like this. Even the trusted members of the Tongwu Camp couldn’t understand Li Kuo’s approach. Everyone knew their commander was kind-hearted, but he had never shown mercy to rebels before. This was truly astonishing.
Li Kuo smiled at the bandits, waiting for them to make a choice.
No one is born wanting to be a bandit. Some bandits even had purer hearts than some nobles. Those who are around good people aren’t necessarily good, and those around bad people aren’t necessarily bad—this was Li Kuo’s belief. As long as one adhered to their true nature, there would be a day of rebirth.
“I… I want to stay…”
The scar-faced man stepped forward shyly, bowed to Li Kuo, and said, “General, I’d like to find a position in the army. I wonder if…”
Li Kuo nodded. “Those who want to stay should register with Captain Xianyu. As long as they pass my tests, they can join the Jianghuai Army.”
“Ah, thank you! Thank you so much.”

The scarred-faced man, born with great physical strength, wasn’t worried about being rejected at all. Seeing Li Kuo nod in agreement, he was overjoyed. But when he turned and saw Qi Lao San’s dull expression, his heart sank. He tugged at San Dangjia’s sleeve and urged, “Brother Qi San, stay too. It’s better to have each other’s company…”

Qi Lao San was clearly very hesitant, pondering for a long time yet still unable to make up his mind.

“General, I want to farm…”
“General, I also want to work the land…”
“…”

Once someone took that hardest first step, it became much easier for those who followed. More and more bandits chose to reform—some joining the army, others returning to farming.

In the end, less than 30% of the bandits decided to return to Hei Yun Zhai, including Hei Mian Yan Jun.

Li Kuo, as agreed, gave these bandits horses and watched as they disappeared into the red hues of the sunset…

“General, how did you know I’d stay?”

After a fierce battle, the Jiang Huai Army rushed back toward Tangzhou City. Qi Lao San held the reins in one hand and asked in a deep voice.

The city walls in the distance grew blurrier and dimmer. Li Kuo smiled slightly. “People must look forward.” …

It wasn’t easy for the bandits to integrate into the Jiang Huai Army. Firstly, they were used to a life of plundering and were reluctant to adapt to various rules. Secondly, they had until just moments ago been enemies of the Jiang Huai Army soldiers, and some even had blood from their former comrades on their hands. Although Li Kuo ordered his soldiers not to hold prejudices against these over a thousand new recruits, the soldiers still felt resistance toward the bandits. This was human nature and easy to understand.

Li Kuo had once gathered soldiers like Wang Xiao Chun in the Hekou area and knew well what they were thinking.

For these bandits, the hardest part was overcoming their own barriers. Only by seeing themselves as part of the Jiang Huai Army could they truly integrate. After that, they had to prove their strength through military achievements and earn the trust of their comrades—a task they could only accomplish on their own; no one else could help them…

The camp was set up on a wind-sheltered slope, with nearly a thousand tents pitched together, creating a spectacular sight.

There was the night breeze, the starry sky, the moonlight, and fine wine—everything was there except for a good mood.

When Li Kuo wasn’t in the mood, he would habitually drink alone in silence, and tonight was no exception.

“Qilang, have you thought about what to do next?”

Zhou Wucui found Li Kuo and sat down on the grass beside him, pulling out a grass stem to weave a grasshopper.
“Not yet.”
Li Kuo lay quietly on the grass, enjoying this rare moment of peace.
Since Yan Ji left, his life had become quiet. Silence could be good sometimes, and other times not.
Excessive silence could make one’s mood gloomy, and such times clearly called for a confidant to talk to.
Yet Li Kuo didn’t expect it to be Zhou Wucui who took the initiative to speak.
“Perhaps there’s no choice left.”
Li Kuo sighed sadly, gazing at the starry sky, his voice hoarse and helpless.
“Maybe there was no way out from the moment I refused to lead the army to Lingwu. But now is a time of chaos; it’s not easy for him to do anything to me. If the war ends and order is restored, then…”
Li Kuo suddenly stopped speaking, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
All lands under heaven belong to the king. When peace finally comes, it will likely be the time for reckoning. The current Tang emperor lacks any sense of imperial dignity or breadth of mind. Based on his act of defying orders, he might even be charged with treason.
“You know full well this is the outcome, yet you still push yourself into a dead end. You’re quite like Zhang Yanji—just an ordinary man.”
By then, Zhou Wucui had finished weaving the grasshopper and handed it to Li Kuo. “Perhaps you still have other choices.”
“Other choices?”
Li Kuo was momentarily stunned and asked blankly, “What choices?”
Zhou Wucui rubbed his palms to calm himself down. After a long while, he said slowly, word by word, “Raise an army and declare independence!”