Chapter 152 Photographic Memory

"Where is Brother Hanren? Where is Brother Hanren?" Within the Song military camp at Naizhibao, Zeng Gongming, clad completely in heavy iron armor and lacking even one of his boots, came thudding out of the headquarters.

Zeng Gongming was a heavily built man, and with the added weight of his full suit of armor, his running made the earth feel as though it were collapsing.

Before Li Sanjian had even entered the camp, he saw a mountain of flesh hurtling rapidly toward him.

"Brother Hanren! You can't play tricks like this. Were you trying to scare your brother to death?" The moment Li Sanjian dismounted, Zeng Gongming embraced him and wept.

As soon as Li Sanjian had departed from Guizhou, he had been abducted into the mountains by bandits. Upon receiving the news, Zeng Gongming had been struck dumb with shock, his soul practically leaving his body.

Zeng Gongming was Li Sanjian's only true and intimate friend, and the feeling was entirely mutual. How could Zeng Gongming not care about Li Sanjian? Hearing that Li Sanjian had met with disaster, he had immediately become like an ant on a hot pan. Ignoring his complete lack of familiarity with military affairs, he had insisted on accompanying the main army into the mountains to suppress the bandits.

At the same time, Zeng Gongming harbored a trace of resentment toward Li Sanjian, blaming him for "valuing romance over his own life." Why not return safely to the capital instead of running off to the grave of Cai Rongxue's mother? Was Cai Rongxue really that close to him?

Although Cai Rongxue was the daughter of a high-ranking court official, Li Sanjian was not someone who placed excessive importance on female beauty. Nor was he the type of person to go to any lengths just to curry favor. At the time, Zeng Gongming had been secretly perplexed.

Upon seeing Zeng Gongming, Li Sanjian was both pleasantly surprised and deeply moved.

What kind of person Zeng Gongming was, how could Li Sanjian not know? Though not raised in excessive luxury or pampered extravagance, Zeng Gongming came from a well-to-do family and had enjoyed a relatively carefree upbringing since childhood. Having spent his youth studying books and practicing calligraphy, how could he have ever experienced the battlefields or gained military experience? Yet now, he was recklessly following the army into the mountains to suppress bandits, which filled Li Sanjian's heart with boundless emotion.

The only thing Li Sanjian failed to understand was why Zeng Gongming was dressed in such a fashion at the moment. Could it be that he personally braved flying stones and arrows to charge into enemy lines?

In truth, how could Zeng Gongming possibly brave flying stones or charge into enemy positions? He was merely accompanying the army as a military scribe, and the only reason he wore full armor at all times was out of an extreme fear of death.

"Brother, tell me quickly, what on earth happened? How did you escape from danger?" Zeng Gongming asked shortly after.

"Donglin, it's a long story and hard to explain in a few words. Where is Professor Huang? I have an urgent matter and wish to see him," Li Sanjian replied.

"He is right inside the tent, Brother. Please follow me." Seeing the anxious look on Li Sanjian's face, Zeng Gongming hurriedly led him into the military tent.

When Li Sanjian entered the tent, he saw Huang Huan standing before a large map that hung high, studying it intently. Although anxious, Li Sanjian did not dare to disturb him for the moment and simply stood respectfully to the side, waiting for Huang Huan.

Huang Huan inside the tent was not wearing armor; he merely wore the official robes of an official of the lower seventh rank, his brows furrowed as he gazed at the map, seemingly troubled by some difficult problem.

Doubtless, it must be about the bandit suppression, Li Sanjian thought to himself as he stood quietly at attention.

"You have returned?" After the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Huang Huan finally spoke, turning to Li Sanjian.

"Your student has escaped from the jaws of death and caused Professor Huang worry," Li Sanjian said, raising his hands in a salute.

Huang Huan nodded and said, "It is good that you are back. I have already had someone prepare sufficient travel funds and two fast horses for you. When do you plan to set off for the capital?"

Hearing this, Li Sanjian was momentarily stunned. How did the professor know the purpose of his coming?

He truly is a man with discernment as fine as a hair, Li Sanjian secretly marveled to himself.

Presently in Guizhou, the only people capable of helping him were Huang Huan and Zeng Gongming. Zeng Gongming, holding a low rank and lacking influence, was virtually helpless in this regard; thus, only Huang Huan could render assistance.

This was the primary reason why Li Sanjian had hurried to the Song military camp. To return swiftly to the capital, one required not only adequate funds and horses, but also had to travel along official roads, lodge in government post stations, and pass through various checkpoints guarded by government troops. Without official credentials issued by the authorities, achieving this was utterly impossible.

"Thank you, Professor Huang. I am infinitely grateful. I plan to set off immediately after resting for a few hours," Li Sanjian said, bowing deeply.

"So many days have already passed; is there any need to be in such frantic haste? Can you not rest for a few more days?" Huang Huan asked with a smile upon hearing this.

"Having arrived in Lingnan, I have been away for nearly half a year without any news reaching my family. My heart yearns to return like an arrow shot from a bow," Li Sanjian replied hastily.

"Very well. Since that is the case, I will not detain you," Huang Huan said. "However, before you return to the capital, there are certain things I need you to provide."

"Please speak, Professor. Your student will tell you everything he knows," Li Sanjian said.

"Well, it is like this." Huang Huan glanced at the map and said to Li Sanjian, "Though you have already returned and escaped danger, these mountain bandits are poisoning the people and wreaking havoc in the region. In broad daylight, they actually dare to plunder people and show no regard for officials or gentry..."

At this point, Huang Huan's voice rose considerably as he turned back to ask Li Sanjian, "Has the woman of the Cai family returned? How is she?"

Huang Huan was worried that once Cai Rongxue had fallen into the bandit lair, she might have been defiled; if that were the case, matters would be disastrous.

"Miss Cai is safe and sound and is already on her way back. Professor Huang may rest assured," Li Sanjian answered.

Hearing this, Huang Huan finally breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "Bandits this rampant cannot be left uneradicated. However, as you no doubt already know, our army has besieged them for months without success, which is truly vexing. Hanren, you stayed within the bandit lair, didn't you? How long were you there? And how did you manage to escape? Tell me all about it, and make it as detailed as possible."

Huang Huan hoped to glean some information about the bandits of Naizhibao from Li Sanjian so as to annihilate them. Yet he figured that Li Sanjian, a weak scholar, must have been utterly panic-stricken upon being dragged into the bandit den, leaving him with no presence of mind to observe the bandits.

To have returned safe and sound without missing a limb was already a blessing from the heavens. Still, Huang Huan felt that whatever information he could extract would be better than nothing at all.

"What the Professor says is entirely correct," Li Sanjian nodded. "However, after being abducted into the stronghold, your student remained there for only two days. Then, taking advantage of their lack of vigilance, Miss Cai and I escaped through the rear mountains and were subsequently trapped in Baini Valley for several months. Regarding the affairs of the bandits, your student truly knows very little."

"Knows very little? That means you do know something, then? Baini Valley? Where is Baini Valley located?" Huang Huan pondered for a moment before asking.

After racking his brains for a long time, Huang Huan could not recall any place named Baini Valley in the area, which struck him as rather strange.

Li Sanjian smiled faintly, reached into his robe, and produced a piece of animal skin, smoothing it out flat upon the desk in the military tent.

"Professor Huang, please look. This is Baini Valley; this is Ghost-Fears-Not, the rear mountain of the bandit stronghold; this is the bandit stronghold itself; and this is the terrain in front of the bandit stronghold..." Li Sanjian proceeded to point out and explain the topography he had drawn upon the animal hide to Huang Huan one by one.

"This... this... how did you... manage to do this? Haha! Truly Heaven is aiding me! Hanren, tell me quickly!" Upon hearing this, Huang Huan was overwhelmed with joy, laughing aloud and wishing he could throw his arms around Li Sanjian in an embrace.

With this map in hand, Huang Huan was completely confident of wiping out the bandits of Naizhibao in their entirety. Previously, the government troops failed to make progress simply because they were unfamiliar with the terrain, whereas the bandits were exceptionally well-versed in the mountain paths—advancing when the army attacked, retreating when the army advanced, concealing themselves when the army attacked, and vanishing completely when the army tried to lie low. Consequently, the siege had dragged on inconclusively for months.

"Your student was trapped in Baini Valley for several months and drew this out of sheer boredom. There may be some minor discrepancies, but I can guarantee the general layout is correct," Li Sanjian said with certainty.

Others might not have been capable of this, but who was Li Sanjian? Li Sanjian was an elite master of painting and thoroughly versed in the craft. And as a master painter, the primary requirement was an extraordinary, acute power of observation—the ability to observe trees, flowers, plants, roads, and terrain, remember their distinct characteristics, and engrave them deeply upon one's mind. Careful observation had already become a habit for Li Sanjian, scarcely different from eating or sleeping.

Thus, virtually every place Li Sanjian had passed through, he was capable of rendering completely.

Consequently, the topographical map of Naizhibao provided by Li Sanjian was exceptionally detailed; flowers, trees, mountains, rivers, and the like were drawn with crystalline clarity.

With this map in hand, government troops entering the mountains to suppress the bandits would find the task as easy as walking on level ground.

That was why Huang Huan was laughing with unrestrained joy.

Had the bandits of Naizhibao known months beforehand that Li Sanjian possessed such a skill, they would undoubtedly have gouged out his eyeballs first and crushed them beneath their feet like fish eggs.

"Hanren is truly a thoughtful and meticulous person," Huang Huan sighed a moment later.

Huang Huan had long known that Li Sanjian excelled at painting, but he had never imagined the young man possessed such an astonishing ability, retaining everything with photographic memory. This left Huang Huan deeply amazed.

"Quickly, tell me what the situation is like at Ghost-Fears-Not in the rear mountain," Huang Huan said, pulling Li Sanjian closer.

"The path at Ghost-Fears-Not is extremely treacherous, perilous, and narrow, making it difficult to pass," Li Sanjian said. "However, the Professor could select a hundred or so daredevil soldiers, equipped with ropes, grappling hooks, and flying claws, and manage to cross over it. Most importantly, this is the rear of the bandit lair, and its defenses are exceptionally weak. If someone were to launch a surprise attack on the stronghold from this direction, combined with a frontal assault from the main force, the effort would yield twice the result with half the work, and a remarkable victory would surely be achieved."

"Quite right!" Huang Huan exclaimed joyfully. "I never expected Hanren to also understand military strategy."

"In warfare, use the orthodox to engage the enemy and the unorthodox to gain victory. The interplay of the orthodox and the unorthodox is the eternal principle of commanding troops," Li Sanjian smiled and said.

While residing in the Prince of Duan's residence, Li Sanjian had read quite a number of treatises on military strategy, enabling him to speak with a certain degree of authority.

His ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations caused Huang Huan to hold him in even higher regard. If this young man ever had the opportunity to command troops in the future, he might well turn out to be a gifted military general, Huang Huan thought to himself.

"Hanren, if we succeed in annihilating the bandits this time, I will certainly memorialize the throne to have you rewarded for your military merit," Huang Huan told Li Sanjian an hour later.

The imperial court of the Song Dynasty was relatively generous with rewards for military achievements. If Huang Huan truly succeeded in securing a reward for Li Sanjian's merit, Li Sanjian might be able to obtain an official post without having to pass the imperial examinations—though any official position obtained through other routes still could not compare to emerging from the orthodox jinshi examinations.

"Professor Huang, let us put aside the matter of rewards for the moment. Your student is currently so exhausted he can barely keep his eyes open. Can you arrange a place for me to rest?" Li Sanjian said, his eyes heavy with sleep.

"Haha! Someone come quickly, and escort him away to get a good night's sleep!" Hearing this, Huang Huan could not help bursting into laughter.