“Folks, reclaiming wasteland is so grueling!”
“And those things called potatoes—we’ve never even heard of them! Who knows if they'll even grow, or if they're even edible if they do?”
“I, Wei Laosan, am speaking to you from the bottom of my heart. I’m truly worried you’re being tricked.”
Doubt immediately crept into the minds of the crowd.
“I think Third Brother is right. Those potatoes brought by the young masters look so strange, nothing like the grains we usually eat. Who knows if they're poisonous? Why don't we just go up the mountain with Third Brother instead?”
Some wavered, while others grew anxious.
“None of us have ever been to Cang Mountain. The people who went there never came back, so we don't really know what it's like.”
“Could it be that they're living in luxury on Cang Mountain and simply don't want to return to our impoverished Yanping City?”
“That's possible...”
“I want to go live in comfort too, but I wonder if they'll make newcomers like us do all the heavy lifting...”
For a moment, everyone voiced their own opinions.
“Folks, we would never make you do heavy labor! Cang Mountain has fertile fields ready for planting. All you have to do is scatter the seeds, and without even tending to them, you'll have a bountiful harvest in a few months.”
“If you don't believe me, go ask the families of those who went up the mountain with me to farm. Have we not delivered the grain grown by their loved ones straight to their doors every single year, without missing a single grain of rice?”
Seeing that the crowd was swayed, Wei Laosan struck while the iron was hot and raised three fingers. “I, Wei Laosan, swear to the heavens! If I am lying to you, may lightning strike me dead!”
“I believe Third Brother! We're just poor folks who can barely put food on the table anyway. What is there left for them to swindle from us?”
“Exactly! The son of the auntie next door went up the mountain to farm with Third Brother and his men. Just two days ago, I saw Third Brother deliver grain to her house with my own eyes. He gave her two whole sacks! I saw it clearly—it was pure white rice!”
“Yes, yes, I've seen it several times too...”
The crowd grew more and more tempted as they listened.
Just as they were about to head home to pack their bags and follow Wei Laosan to Cang Mountain, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed.
“Wei Laosan, you are still deceiving the people!” a furious voice shouted from behind the crowd.
“Folks, do not believe him!”
The crowd instinctively parted, making way.
Wei Laosan's expression shifted slightly as he watched several officials approach, but he quickly put back on his honest, law-abiding facade.
These officials were sent from Zhenbei Prefecture, and they were incomparably more troublesome than the useless gluttons who used to govern Yanping City.
His only choice was to play the victim and win the sympathy of the commoners.
“My lord, I, Wei Laosan, have done many good deeds for the people of Yanping over the years. Surely you won't look down on me just because I was forced to become a bandit a few years back?”
The common people should never fight the officials. This was what the Second Chief had taught them.
In just one month, the Zhenbei Army had wiped out dozens of bandit dens across Wuyuan Prefecture. Black Wind Stronghold had only managed to survive thanks to the complex terrain of Cang Mountain and the fact that the commoners of Yanping City spoke highly of them and protected them.
Thus, they absolutely could not let their true colors be exposed.
Suddenly, a female official rushed forward.
Pointing a finger at Wei Laosan, her eyes rimmed with red, she spat, “Drop the act, Wei Laosan! Just a few days ago, my brother was advising the people not to send their children to Cang Mountain, telling them to let them stay in school instead. The very next day, he was found dead outside the city! Black Wind Stronghold definitely has something to do with this!”
Seeing this, several other officials from Yecheng Academy quickly stepped forward to restrain her. “Qiao Yue, calm down.”
But Qiao Yue was already consumed by the grief of losing her brother. “I will kill him with my own hands today to avenge my brother!”
Wei Laosan lowered his head, a flash of ruthlessness crossing his eyes.
He hadn't intended to kill an official from Zhenbei Prefecture, but the man had been utterly foolish to insist on building an academy!
Once the children learned how to read, who would still be willing to go up Cang Mountain to farm for them? If no one farmed, how would Black Wind Stronghold make money? Would they just feed on the wind?
To cut off a man's livelihood was as bad as murdering his parents!
That man deserved to die!
Of course, he could never let the commoners of Yanping City find out about this. He quickly explained, “My lord, there must be some misunderstanding. Though we of Black Wind Stronghold are rough men of the wilderness, we are all righteous and loyal. How could we possibly commit murder and robbery?”
Growing even more furious, Qiao Yue pushed aside those holding her back, drew a dagger, and lunged at Wei Laosan to fight him to the death.
Wei Laosan's eyes darted around, and he immediately began to wail, “Murder! The officials are killing innocent people! They just don't want us to live a good life on Cang Mountain! They want to keep you here in Yanping City to clear wasteland and farm for them. Once the harvest is ready, they'll ship all the grain back to Zhenbei Prefecture and leave you all to starve!”
Incited by his words, the surrounding commoners began to glare angrily at the officials from Zhenbei Prefecture.
An elderly man banged his walking stick against the ground, craning his neck as he stood in front of Qiao Yue to block her path. “Sanzi and his men might have been forced to become bandits in the past, but they've long turned over a new leaf! They distribute porridge to us every single day! If you dare to attack him without rhyme or reason, I will use my old bones to drive all of you from Zhenbei Prefecture out of Yanping City!”
Exasperated by his stubbornness, Qiao Yue cried, “Old uncle, your son and daughter-in-law went to Cang Mountain with them last year and haven't returned home once in a whole year! Do you not find that suspicious at all?”
“What does a little girl like you know? They're living a good life up in the mountains, so why on earth would they come back?!”
The old man added, “Besides, if Sanzi were trying to trick us, would he bother sending me grain every single year? What would he have to gain?”
Others chimed in, “Exactly! These officials from Zhenbei Prefecture aren't even from Yanping City. How could they genuinely care about us? We watched Sanzi grow up. We can't let outsiders bully him!”
“Third Brother, I believe you! I'm going to Cang Mountain with you!”
“I believe you too, Third Brother!”
Qiao Yue and the other officials could only watch helplessly as one young person after another followed Wei Laosan out of Yanping City.
They had faced nothing but setbacks since arriving in Yanping City. The bandits of Black Wind Stronghold were far too skilled at winning over the people. It wasn't that the officials hadn't thought of sending troops to Cang Mountain to wipe out the bandits, but every single time, they were forced to back down when the city's residents knelt and begged for mercy on the bandits' behalf.
They could never turn their weapons against the commoners. That would only escalate the conflict and make governing Yanping City even more difficult.
“Host, aren't you going to stop them?” The little fox lay on the table, watching the farce unfold while wagging its tail from side to side.
“People must always pay a heavy price for their choices. Only after suffering a bit will they learn to be smart.”
Yun Shu slowly stood up and walked toward the city gates.
The little fox quickly jumped down from the table. “Host, wait for me! Where are we going?”
“Cang Mountain.”
Yun Shu stepped onto a flying sword that was pure white.
In an instant, she vanished from the city gates, flying on her sword toward the towering mountain that pierced the clouds.
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