Everyone's spirits were lifted, and they looked at Ma Chao in disbelief, asking, "The bandits are vicious, and we are all commoners; I'm afraid they will be difficult to deal with." Ma Chao said, "They are just a mere group of bandits. After I make some arrangements, I will definitely eliminate this menace for our fellow villagers."
The Village Chief said, "Since Liu San has revealed the bandits' whereabouts, wouldn't it be safer to report it to the authorities?" Ma Chao said, "Since Liu San can relay information, it's possible that others elsewhere might also relay information for them. Assembling an army to depart certainly cannot be done quietly. If word gets out and we miss them again, when will we be able to annihilate the enemy? Within Western Liang, bandits run rampant, and the official army has already missed them once. If they miss them again, when can we ask the official army to suppress the bandits again?"
The villagers also felt that there was reason in his words. After all, if the official army came to suppress bandits, even if their discipline was strict, the villagers here would still have to prepare food and drink to reward the troops. If the arriving army's discipline was not strict, they would be even more thoroughly plundered, and it was even possible for women to be molested. Official soldiers and bandits were both feared by the villagers in the countryside. Everyone reached a consensus and was willing to listen to Ma Chao's arrangements.
Here, Ma Chao had Yang Xiao Er released and earnestly said, "It's nothing for a young man not to want to toil in the fields all day, but you cannot idle about and fool around all day. Since you have a chivalrous heart, you should learn the ways of a knight-errant and benefit your hometown. Even if everyone agrees, do not fail to do good because it is small, and do not do evil because it is small. One must stand upright to earn respect."
"Look at what you did today; it almost led to a major disaster. If it had attracted bandits to wreak havoc on the village, you would have completely embarked on a path of no return. By then, it would be too late for regrets, and even after death, how would you face your parents?"
Yang Xiao Er cried bitterly, "I truly didn't know it would turn out like this. I just admired your treasured horse and wanted to ride it to show off. I didn't think that much about it. Plus, I had a bit to drink and was incited by Liu San, so I thought about stealing the treasured horse, but I would never dare to do what he said about the bandits."
Ma Chao said, "I see that you and Liu San are not of the same ilk, and you still have a repentant heart. I will give you a chance to atone for your mistakes, but there is danger involved. Do you dare to go?"
Yang Xiao Er, as if emboldened by alcohol, raised his head, puffed out his chest, and patted his chest, saying, "Why wouldn't I dare? I am so ashamed of having done such a disgraceful thing that I wish I could die. If I have a chance to reform myself, it's exactly what I'm looking for."
Ma Chao arranged for Yang Xiao Er to pretend to be an inside contact arranged by Liu San the next day, to go and contact Huang Bing and other bandits to come and plunder.
Ma Chao then arranged for everyone to go back and rest, and to gather the next morning.
The next morning, Ma Chao again instructed Yang Xiao Er not to rush on his journey, but to arrive in the afternoon, slowly delaying until evening, to lead the bandits over. He was told not to be too flustered, and to convey the message that a wealthy young master had arrived at the village yesterday to rest, traveling alone on a tall horse, dressed lavishly, with a seemingly heavy travel bag. When he gave a tip, Yang Xiao Er saw a corner of it, and it was gleaming gold, possibly all gold. In recent days, the county yamen had conscripted the able-bodied young men from the village for corvée labor to build city walls, leaving only women, children, and the elderly in the village. Liu San was watching the surroundings, afraid the wealthy young master would escape, and had sent Yang Xiao Er to deliver the message. He was told not to say much else, but to be a bit hesitant and submissive.
Yang Xiao Er carefully noted everything, remembered the secret signal, and then headed towards the bandits' mountain stronghold.
After Yang Xiao Er left, Ma Chao gathered everyone and first cut down bamboo to weave into square fences. On top of these, sharpened bamboo blades were woven in. Once woven, they were placed on the ground, looking like sharp knives stuck in the earth. If someone stepped on them in a hurry, their feet would surely be pierced, making it impossible to move.
They were woven to be able to surround the village, and then hidden away for later use.
He also instructed everyone to borrow as many gongs as possible.
And to make many torches.
They also dug traps in the village, placing sharpened bamboo blades inside them.
And prepared ropes to bind prisoners after the battle.
The able-bodied men were responsible for concealment. After the bandits entered the village, they would use the bamboo fences to surround the village entrance. Every woman and child would light two torches. After surrounding the village, they would light and wave the torches, beat the gongs, and the able-bodied men would shout to catch the bandits.
Ma Chao, on the other hand, was responsible for dealing with the bandit leader and the vicious desperadoes. Once the bandit leader and his core were dead, the disorganized mob of bandits would surely fall into chaos. Unable to break out and intimidated by the surrounding display, they would have little courage to fight to the death and would surely surrender.
After hearing the arrangements, everyone's confidence immediately increased, and they all eagerly got to work.
By noon, all arrangements were in place. All the able-bodied men were hidden outside the village, while the women and children pretended to be working as usual.
After Yang Xiao Er set off in the morning, he slowly ambled along the road. In fact, the bandits were resting in Black Wind Hollow, twenty li away. If he had rushed, he would have arrived before noon, so he walked and stopped, making it look as if he was searching, only arriving at Black Wind Hollow in the afternoon.
Climbing to the hillside, he stood on the ridge and looked down. A dozen or two tents were haphazardly pitched in the hollow, with a large pot set up nearby.
The recently extinguished fire was still smoking.
Putting everything else aside, the place the bandits chose was indeed quite remote.
Huang Bing had followed Huang Long, the leader of the Yellow Turbans, and was even a trusted headman. He had learned a bit, knowing how to set up sentries and secret codes. Although the tents seemed disorganized, his tent was the largest, right in the middle, surrounded by the tents of his trusted followers. Even though there were only one or two hundred people, he managed them with some semblance of order.
The noon sun made people feel warm and cozy. Two lookouts, small fry, leaned against a tree, drowsy, when they suddenly saw someone approaching on the ridge. A lookout stepped forward, grabbed Yang Xiao Er, and questioned him, "What are you doing here?"
Yang Xiao Er said, "The sky has changed, the sky has changed."
The lookout saw that he had given the secret code and asked again, "What color has the sky changed to?"
Yang Xiao Er said, "The sky has turned yellow, it's the Yellow Sky, the Yellow Sky."
The lookout saw that the secret code was correct and released Yang Xiao Er. Yang Xiao Er quickly explained his purpose, saying that Liu San had sent him to find the Chief. A lookout hurried to report. In the largest tent, Huang Bing had just finished lunch and was resting, embracing the young wife he had seized from Liu Family Village. He then heard the lookout run to the tent entrance and shout, "Chief, Chief, Liu San from Liu Family Village has sent someone with a message!"
Upon hearing this, Huang Bing's spirits were lifted. He sat up, and the young wife beside him was so frightened that she cowered at the foot of the bed, trembling. When she heard that it was a message from Liu San, she gritted her teeth in anger.
Huang Bing thought to himself: 'Last time I met Liu San, he acted as an inside man and we thoroughly plundered his village, even getting a woman to play with. We haven't even finished eating and drinking here yet, and there's already more good news. Hey, this damn Liu San is really a damn talent.'
He then told the lookout to bring the person over for questioning.
Yang Xiao Er was brought in. The tent was filled with Huang Bing's trusted followers who had rushed over upon hearing the news. Huang Bing sat grandly on the bed, his chest bared, and asked in a loud voice, "Who are you? What message did Liu San send you with?"
Yang Xiao Er flinched at the sound of that voice and said tremblingly, "I am Yang Xiao Er from Yang Family Village. I've always hung out with Brother Liu San. Yesterday, a wealthy young master came to our village. He was dressed in splendid clothes and rode a tall horse. He was very generous with money, and his bag looked heavy. When he was giving a tip, I, a humble one, caught a glimpse of a corner, and it was gleaming gold inside, possibly all gold."
"These past two days, there has coincidentally been corvée labor for the government, and all the able-bodied men in the village have been conscripted to build city walls. Brother Liu San said that now is a good time to act, so he sent me to deliver the message. He will go and coax that wealthy young master to stay for another day."