When the bandit leader fell, the remaining bandits, instead of being frightened, seemed to be incited by a ferocious aura. They shouted and charged at Daniel, their expressions filled with murderous intent, as if they wanted to tear him to pieces.
"Sigh." Daniel sighed softly. The light of the Han Guang Sword flashed several times in the air, and the charging bandits suddenly froze. Moments later, a thin line of blood appeared on each of their necks, and they all collapsed to the ground.
Daniel showed no mercy to these bandits who took pleasure in robbery and murder. In times of chaos, harsh measures were necessary. In this chaotic era, bandits, mountain thieves, and pirates ran rampant, causing immense suffering to ordinary people.
The most notorious bandits were the Four Great Bandits, whose combined strength rivaled that of a rebel army. Countless people suffered at their hands. Compared to Du Fuwei's Jianghuai Army, which at least had some semblance of order, the Four Great Bandits were utterly lawless. While Du Fuwei harbored ambitions of unifying the land, the Four Great Bandits had no such aspirations.
Among these bandits were also many foreigners who took advantage of the chaos to plunder. People from Tiele, Khitan, Tibet, Goguryeo, and other regions had sent agents to stir up trouble in the Central Plains.
For these foreign powers, the more chaotic the Central Plains, the better. A strong and prosperous Central Empire was a significant threat to the nations beyond the Great Wall.
If Daniel encountered such people, he would not be lenient. His attitude toward them was different from his approach to someone like Ba Fenghan. Even if Daniel later incorporated the grasslands into his territory, unless he ruled with tyranny, Ba Fenghan would not interfere.
As for the white-clothed woman, a disciple of Fu Cailin who was with Ba Fenghan, Daniel had spared her not because of her beauty—he was not the type to be swayed by appearances or to collect beauties for his harem—but because of his relationship with the Twin Dragons. Killing her would have created a rift between him and the Twin Dragons, even if he could explain his actions. Given the personalities of the Twin Dragons, they might not have openly opposed him, but they would likely have distanced themselves. Daniel had plans for the Twin Dragons and did not want to jeopardize their relationship over a minor figure like the white-clothed woman.
While he could have killed Ba Fenghan to cover his tracks, Daniel preferred to use open strategies rather than covert ones, as secrets always came to light eventually.
The Twin Dragons were Daniel's chosen candidates to lead the Six Gates in the future. Losing two potential Chief Constables over a minor figure like the white-clothed woman would have been a significant loss.
With the development plans from Ying Zheng's era as a reference, Daniel could draw parallels for this era. Although the two periods were far apart, the social systems were not vastly different.
Having two Grandmasters as Chief Constables of the Six Gates would be highly symbolic, both in terms of their personal strength and the positive message their involvement would send.
Grandmasters were not easy to cultivate. Even with resources like the Real Pill, Immortal Gathering Pill, and Blood Bodhi, Daniel could mass-produce Grandmasters, but reaching the level of a Grandmaster involved talent and temperament, not just resources. Otherwise, the Four Great Clans would have more than just Song Que as a Grandmaster, and the demonic sects would not be without a single Grandmaster. Moreover, the Twin Dragons had achieved Grandmaster status at a young age, a feat that even Shi Feixuan and Wan Wan, who had the potential to become Grandmasters, had not accomplished by the time Li Shimin unified the land in the original story. It would have taken them at least another decade to reach that level.
---
"Thank you, young master, for saving my life. This humble girl has no way to repay you."
"Then you can repay me with your body."
After Daniel killed all the bandits, Wan Wan immediately bowed to him with a look of gratitude, expressing her thanks. However, when Daniel responded with his playful remark, Wan Wan's expression froze.
"Just kidding." Seeing Wan Wan's stiff expression, Daniel couldn't help but laugh. Since Wan Wan had come to him of her own accord, he decided to tease her a bit.
"You know, when a hero saves a beauty, there are usually two outcomes, and these outcomes depend on the hero's appearance." As Daniel spoke, he used the Han Guang Sword to dig a large pit on a slope in the small forest. He then tossed the bandits' bodies into the pit and ignited a flame from the sword to burn them.
"The first outcome is if the hero is as handsome and dashing as me. In that case, the beauty usually says, 'This humble girl has no way to repay you, so she can only offer herself to you.'" At this point, Daniel turned to look at Wan Wan beside him.
"Young master, what about the second outcome?" After a moment of silence, Wan Wan couldn't help but ask.
"The second outcome is if the hero is extremely ugly. In that case, the beauty says, 'This humble girl has no way to repay you, so she can only serve you in her next life.' So, which one are you?" Daniel stared at Wan Wan with a meaningful smile.
"Young master, your words are quite interesting. But isn't there a third outcome?" Quick-witted as she was, Wan Wan immediately understood the subtext of Daniel's words. However, she was also quick to change the subject.
"Isn't this reality?" After the bandits' bodies were burned, Daniel covered the pit with soil and erected a wooden tombstone without any inscription.
"Alright, it was just a joke. Don't take it to heart. May I ask for the young lady's name?"
"This humble girl is Wan Wan. It's a pleasure to meet you, young master." Wan Wan bowed again.
"I'm Daniel. Miss Wan Wan, do you have any relatives nearby to seek refuge with? It's not safe in these wild areas." Since Wan Wan wanted to play along, Daniel decided to humor her.
"This humble girl comes from a poor family. My family was fleeing from Yangzhou when we got separated due to the chaos. Fortunately, I met you here, young master, or I would have been doomed." As she spoke, a few tears welled up in the corners of Wan Wan's eyes. Her performance was impeccable, worthy of an acting award. However, she seemed to have completely overlooked certain details.
Aside from her spotlessly clean bare feet, her yellow dress was clearly not something a poor girl could afford. Even without much knowledge of clothing, Daniel could tell that the material of her dress was expensive.
"I see. So, Miss Wan Wan, what are your plans now? Do you have a safe place to go?" Daniel put on a sympathetic expression, as if deeply moved by her story.
"To be honest, young master, I have nowhere to go now. If you don't mind, this humble girl is willing to serve you as a maid." Wan Wan wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, her clear eyes looking pitiful and pleading.
"Look, the third option has appeared. But why not choose the first one?"
"Young master, you jest. This humble girl is untalented and unworthy of you. Being able to serve as your maid is already an honor."
"Alright, if you insist, I don't mind. Having such a beauty as a maid is something no one would refuse. But what about your family? Aren't you going to look for them?"
"I'm sorry, young master. To be honest, I ran away. My parents died early, and I was raised by my uncle's family. They wanted to sell me to a brothel." At this point, Wan Wan began to sob. Although she didn't finish her sentence, anyone could understand what she meant.
"Now, I have no home to return to. I only beg you to take me in."
"Alright, since that's the case, it seems I have no choice but to take you in. Let's go."
With that, Daniel led the way forward. After a moment of hesitation, Wan Wan followed, her tears disappearing without a trace.
For Daniel, although he knew Wan Wan had her own motives for approaching him, it didn't matter. He had been looking for members of the demonic sects, and Wan Wan's arrival saved him the trouble.
Dealing with the demonic sects was simpler than dealing with the so-called righteous sects like Cihang Jingzhai. He could joke around with Wan Wan, whereas with Shi Qingxuan, such behavior would have been inappropriate.
The strength and influence of the demonic sects were valuable assets to Daniel, but only if they were unified. The internal strife within the demonic sects was severe.
For example, the rebel armies controlled by the demonic sects could have been a powerful force if they united. Instead, the demonic sects were divided, controlling several rebel armies that often fought among themselves.
---
"Young master, why are we here?" Wan Wan asked, looking at the clothing store in front of her with a puzzled expression. Despite the danger in the Yangzhou area and the large number of refugees, some shops were still open.
"To buy you shoes, of course. Your uncle was too harsh, not even buying you a pair of shoes."
"Thank you, young master."
Hearing that Daniel wanted to buy her shoes, Wan Wan's eyebrows twitched. She forced a smile and thanked him.
Afterward, Wan Wan had to endure the discomfort of wearing the shoes Daniel bought for her. From her expression and movements, Daniel could tell that she was not used to wearing shoes.
Daniel particularly enjoyed seeing Wan Wan's frustrated but restrained expression.
"Go fetch some hot water. I want to wash my feet." After staying at an inn for the night and finishing dinner, Daniel returned to his room and gave this order to Wan Wan.
"Yes." Despite her obvious displeasure, Wan Wan held back and went to fetch hot water.
"What are you looking at? Hurry up and help me wash my feet." Daniel lifted his feet, signaling for Wan Wan to remove his shoes and socks.
"Young master..." A cold glint flashed in Wan Wan's lowered eyes. As the disciple of Zhu Yuyan and the next heir of the Yin Kuai Sect, Wan Wan had never been treated like this. At this moment, she no longer cared about her mission and was on the verge of attacking.
"Alright, just kidding. Don't take it to heart. You must be tired today. Go rest." Seeing that Wan Wan was about to lose her temper, Daniel quickly tried to calm her down. He wasn't ready to confront her just yet.
"Yes, young master." Daniel's words immediately eased Wan Wan's tension, and she hurried back to her room. If she stayed any longer, she feared she might lose control.
In truth, both of them were aware of certain things. When Daniel had stared at Wan Wan's bare feet earlier, she had already sensed something was off.
Wan Wan wasn't unaware of her own issues, but her long-standing habits and confidence in her beauty had made her overlook them.
In the original story, aside from the Twin Dragons, who had been wary of Wan Wan from the start, almost everyone else had been deeply captivated by her beauty.
---
"Young master, why are you going to Yangzhou?" The next day, as they traveled, Wan Wan casually asked Daniel about his destination. Yangzhou was currently the focus of attention for all the major forces in the Central Plains, as they awaited the fall of Emperor Yang, the nominal ruler of the land. Only after Yang's death would the era of warlords truly begin.
For example, the Li Clan was waiting for Yang's death to enter the fray with a righteous cause. Other major forces were also preparing to declare themselves kings or emperors after Yang's demise.
For Daniel, declaring oneself a king or emperor without actually unifying the land was a joke. However, for some, such titles held significant meaning.
Take Wang Shichong from the original story. Shortly after Yang's death, he first installed a puppet from the Yang family as king, then quickly declared himself king. Even when he was at a disadvantage against Li Shimin, he couldn't resist declaring himself emperor.
To Daniel and some others, Wang Shichong's actions were utterly foolish. But from Wang Shichong's perspective, it was a different story.
It wasn't just Wang Shichong. Even Dou Jiande, who was said to have come from a humble background, was promised by Kou Zhong that he would be made emperor if they succeeded. However, as soon as he gained some power, he became arrogant and was eventually outmaneuvered by Li Shimin.
---
"I want to meet Yang Guang. There are some things I need to discuss with him." Daniel didn't hide his intentions from Wan Wan.
"Young master, why do you want to meet that tyrant?" After a brief silence, Wan Wan continued to probe.
"A tyrant? In my eyes, Yang Guang is not a tyrant but a rare good emperor. Throughout history, few emperors can compare to him."
Yang Guang may not have been a "Great Emperor of a Thousand Years" like Ying Zheng, but he was far from the worst. His establishment of the imperial examination system alone, even if it wasn't fully implemented, marked him as a wise ruler. Without Yang Guang's reforms, the Nine-Rank System might have continued for centuries, prolonging the suffering of the people and potentially leading to a caste system.
Of course, this was just speculation. In reality, such a scenario was unlikely, given China's long history of cultural heritage. Even during Ying Zheng's era, there were slogans like "Kings and nobles are not born great," which reflected the people's resistance to permanent hierarchies.
Nevertheless, Yang Guang's contributions could not be denied.
(End of Chapter)
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