Su Fan and his group arrived at the City Lord's mansion with great momentum.
The large number of soldiers naturally attracted the attention of many people. Although it was already dark, it did not hinder their desire to watch the excitement.
Su Fan ordered the bodies of the guards to be placed neatly at the entrance of the City Lord's mansion.
"Fang Shijie! How dare you send people to intrude upon the Bandit Suppression Camp and kill more than twenty of my brothers while I was away! What is your intention!"
Su Fan shouted, pointing at the main gate of the City Lord's mansion.
However, the main gate of the City Lord's mansion remained tightly shut, with no intention of opening.
"As the City Lord of Beiling City, how can you do such a thing! Are you not ashamed? My Bandit Suppression Camp works hard to eliminate bandits and pests for Beiling City, yet our rear camp cannot be guaranteed security. Are you not afraid of losing the people's support!"
Su Fan continued to shout loudly at the City Lord's mansion.
The surrounding people had also almost understood the situation.
"The City Lord actually attacked the Bandit Suppression Camp while they were out suppressing bandits? This... what kind of deep-seated hatred is this?"
"I don't think it's that simple, let's just watch quietly."
"It's not that simple? If this wasn't the case, would the City Lord's mansion allow people from the Bandit Suppression Camp to shout here without showing themselves?"
The surrounding citizens speculated about the truth of the incident.
"I don't know about other things, but those bodies are indeed the City Lord's guards. I've seen them before."
Someone recognized the bodies of the guards on the ground.
Even if Fang Shijie destroyed all the information about the guards, their faces would not change. They had appeared at the City Lord's mansion before, which meant these people were indeed from the City Lord's mansion. Fang Shijie could not escape responsibility.
"Brothers, listen to my orders! Break down the door!"
Su Fan, filled with anger, commanded his subordinate soldiers.
Instantly, the surrounding crowd became excited. Was the Bandit Suppression Camp truly going to tear down the City Lord's mansion? Today's drama was truly exciting!
"My lord! Absolutely not!"
Li Changmin, who had accompanied him, immediately stopped Su Fan, his expression solemn.
"The City Lord is a king of a different surname, you cannot act rashly!"
Li Changmin anxiously stopped Su Fan and said.
"Just because he's a king of a different surname does that mean he can do whatever he wants? Did all my brothers die in vain!"
Su Fan shouted, his face contorted with rage.
Not only the onlookers at the scene but even Fang Shijie inside the City Lord's mansion heard him.
Fang Shijie frowned slightly.
As the saying goes, a scholar arguing with a soldier cannot make himself understood.
Fang Shijie was truly afraid that Su Fan would impulsively charge into the City Lord's mansion.
He did not have military power under his command, and confronting Su Fan head-on would clearly put him at a disadvantage.
The most correct course of action now was to quell Su Fan's anger and give him an explanation.
"Commander Su, I am also deeply saddened by this incident. It is my negligence in managing my subordinates that allowed these villains to hide within the City Lord's mansion disguised as guards. I never expected them to inflict such ruthless harm on the Bandit Suppression Camp. Those who have grievances with the Bandit Suppression Camp are likely spies from the surrounding bandits who infiltrated the City Lord's mansion in the guise of guards."
Fang Shijie's voice came from within the City Lord's mansion, through the closed gate.
He still dared not come out, fearing that the enraged Su Fan outside would chop him down with a single blow.
However, this statement completely absolved the City Lord's mansion, and the City Lord's guards were directly labeled as bandit spies by him.
Fang Shijie had only just thought of this strategy and was feeling proud of his cleverness.
"You're talking nonsense! My Bandit Suppression Camp lost over two hundred brothers, and you just dismiss it with a few words? How can I face my deceased brothers!"
Su Fan cursed immediately, showing no respect for the City Lord.
Now that he was in the right, why wouldn't he curse?
Fang Shijie inside immediately understood what Su Fan was after – he was looking to extort them.
Over two hundred brothers? Did the Bandit Suppression Camp even have two hundred people in total?
Fang Shijie knew Su Fan was lying as soon as he heard it.
But that was not the point. The point was what Su Fan wanted.
"While this was not the doing of the City Lord's mansion, I do bear responsibility for inadequate supervision. Commander Su, whatever your demands, I will try my best to satisfy them. I will cover the burial expenses for those fallen soldiers, and the compensation will also be from me, as my apology to the deceased brothers."
Fang Shijie's words were grand and righteous, but Su Fan was not satisfied.
"Bullshit! You think you can dismiss my brothers with a few coins? I have plenty of money! You get out here! I'll chop you to appease the spirits of my brothers in heaven!"
Su Fan pressed on aggressively, completely unfazed.
Fang Shijie frowned.
It seemed Su Fan was still not satisfied. He gritted his teeth and prepared to make a significant concession.
"Commander Su, please calm your anger! In addition to burial expenses and compensation, I will also order the blacksmith shop to forge a hundred sets of armor as a gift to the Bandit Suppression Camp, and to equip the Bandit Suppression Camp with a hundred warhorses. How about that?"
Fang Shijie said with a pained expression.
"Hmph! Do you think my Bandit Suppression Camp lacks these things? Enough with the nonsense, come out and die! Brothers, charge!"
Su Fan was still not satisfied. If he didn't squeeze Fang Shijie dry, Su Fan had no intention of leaving today.
At Su Fan's command, the soldiers immediately moved forward, steadily approaching the gate of the City Lord's mansion.
Fang Shijie inside became even more nervous.
Damn it! This Su Fan!
"On behalf of the City Lord's mansion, I will additionally provide one hundred thousand taels of silver as military expenses for the Bandit Suppression Camp. This is my final bottom line!"
Fang Shijie had no choice but to yield, but this was the last price he could offer. If Su Fan continued to press, it would be a fight to the death.
Seeing that Fang Shijie had stated his final bottom line in front of so many people, Su Fan knew he had reached the limit.
Su Fan subtly signaled Li Changmin.
Li Changmin immediately understood.
"My lord! That's enough! If you don't think of yourself, think of the deceased brothers! Their families need this money! If you provoke the King, it will be the brothers who suffer!"
Li Changmin reluctantly stopped Su Fan.
Su Fan also used this as an excuse to retreat.
"For the sake of my brothers, I will spare your life today. Don't forget to deliver the items in the next two days!"
Su Fan retreated under Li Changmin's pull.
Fang Shijie inside breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Su Fan didn't go mad and charge in, spending some money was acceptable.
Su Fan, under the bewildered gazes of the crowd, led his men away.
He had arrived with great fanfare, and he left with great fanfare.
It was just a pity for those new recruits. They had only recruited a few people in the past few days, and they were all killed by Fang Shijie's men.
Fang Shijie was quite true to his word. The warhorses and money were delivered the next day. Only the armor took some time to forge and would require a few more days.
One hundred warhorses and one hundred and ten thousand taels of silver.
This included one hundred thousand taels of military expenses, and then ten thousand taels for compensation and burial expenses.
It was indeed calculated according to Su Fan's claim of two hundred people, fifty taels per person.
Fang Shijie was quite wealthy!
"My lord, the old soldiers have been recalled. There are one hundred of them."
In addition to this, Li Changmin brought Su Fan another piece of good news. The old soldiers who had left previously had returned after Li Changmin's persuasion, totaling one hundred men.
Now that they had money and equipment, and the number of people was not too lacking, it was time to get down to serious business.