It turned out that the court had been putting things in order, and many outlaws had chosen to submit. Chief Ge of Erlang Mountain had done the same, seizing the moment to transform himself into the magistrate of Erlang County.
Having entered official service, he naturally could no longer indulge in a bandit's ways. Chief Ge asked Mu Bai whether he wanted to stay as an adviser. Mu Bai said he did not. Chief Ge asked Mu Bai whether he held a grudge against them. Mu Bai said he had neither the time nor the inclination.
Chief Ge did not grow angry. Instead, he was in excellent spirits and had someone give Mu Bai fifty taels of silver, telling him to go down the mountain.
As it turned out, Chief Ge was also a man who respected teachers and valued education. Under his administration, Erlang County had considerable prospects for development.
When their teacher left, quite a few children wiped away tears as they saw him off. In their mothers' arms, they watched Mu Bai's back recede, their noses running and tears flowing without end. Mu Bai was reluctant to part with the children too, but he believed they would have bright futures. They were no longer little bandits shouting about killing, but educated, reasonable children of officials.
Bandits had their own roads, and a scholar had his convictions too. Now that the bandits of Erlang Mountain were drawing government pay, what reason did Mu Bai have not to redouble his efforts?
Only a few months remained before that year's Spring Imperial Examination. With no time to return home to visit his wife, Mu Bai entrusted someone with a letter and silver to take back, then set off northward once more.
It was not that he did not miss his