They rode hard, whipping their horses onward and resting for only two nights along the way. Seven days later, they reached the Land of Abundance.
The people of Shu were fierce by nature, and martial artists flouting the law were a constant problem. Like Northern Liang, the region had an Embroidered Uniform Guard station under a Thousand-Household Commander.
In Chengdu Prefecture, at an out-of-the-way tavern.
Jia Huan sat by the window and gave his orders:
"Scholar, take your men to the Thousand-Household Commander's Guard Station. Use my Waist Token to examine the bandit suppression case files. Ideally, approach an Embroidered Uniform Guard officer such as a Small Banner or General Banner. Promise him a transfer to the Capital once the matter is settled."
"Twin Whips, take your men to the Chengdu Prefecture offices and speak to the Prefect alone. Have him produce the detailed battle reports for the bandit suppression campaign. If he dares resist, threaten him outright. Either he cooperates, or he comes under investigation!"
"Needle in Cotton, you once held a place on the Dragon-Tiger Ranking and possess a Gilt Command Token from Misty Rain Tower. Go to the Chengdu Misty Rain Tower at once and inquire about the bandit suppression campaign a year ago."
All three looked solemn as they answered firmly:
"Yes, sir!"
Jia Huan nodded and watched them leave.
It was not until nightfall that Needle in Cotton returned first to report.
"My lord, according to Misty Rain Tower's records, a year ago, Guarding Eunuch Xue Fu led seven thousand elite soldiers on a rampage across three hundred li, beheading twenty thousand bandits along the way. He piled their corpses into a Jingguan at Tongchuan to intimidate the outlaws who refused imperial rule."
Jia Huan frowned. "Were they really twenty thousand bandits?"
Needle in Cotton