Chapter 9, Long-Distance Assault

As night fell, the entire village of Baihu silently sprang into action, all the tools were loaded onto large carts, and the elderly and weak also boarded the vehicles. In the end, everyone took a last look at the land of their hometown and set off in batches towards Yan Chang County.

Zhang Chu silently nodded

Five days later, Zhang Chu and others arrived at the Yanshui Pass's hundred households station. The officer in charge of the station, Officer Cao, had built a residence in the town and usually did not stay at the hundred households station. Apart from a few workshops, the station consisted of some dilapidated houses made of thatch. As Zhang Chu and his companions walked down the street, they immediately attracted the attention of the elderly resting in the sun and the children playing nearby

The vacant houses in the valley have been filled with people again, and the small village has regained its vitality. This time, more than 100 young and strong refugees have joined, bringing along over 100 family members. Zhang Chu had no choice but to change his management approach, organizing the young and strong into a security team, which was called the "Daming Security Team." The team members were required to address Zhang Chu as the captain, rather than as a master.

This statement struck a nerve with Deng Qingnian, making it difficult for him to respond to Zhang Chu's inquiry. The salary payments had been overdue for a long time, and there was no indication that they would be disbursed anytime soon. Many families had already run out of food and were relying on foraging for wild vegetables to survive. With the weather turning colder and the availability of wild vegetables decreasing, it seemed that this winter would once again lead to starvation for many.

"There is grain on the large cart outside. If I agree, I will immediately distribute grain for you to eat. If it were to deceive, there are already countless refugees who would follow me without any need for deception. Your skills have saved you, and they can also ensure that your families are well-fed," Zhang Chu said, pointing to the large cart outside.

Zhang Chu respectfully inquired of the elders: "May I ask who is in charge here? Is it possible to find a place to stay?"

Zhang Chu observed this Deng Qingnian, noticing that his clothes were tattered and his face was gaunt, clearly a poor man struggling in hardship. He then said: "We are passing merchants, wishing to see if there are any goods to purchase and hoping to find lodging here"

Zhang Chu and his party of twelve set out with four large carts, which were loaded with firewood and grass, while hidden underneath were grains and several jars of liquor. This liquor was the genuine strong alcohol that Zhang Chu had distilled using a distiller one size smaller than the one used for distilling petroleum last time.

There are numerous vagrants wandering in various places, so the group of more than two hundred people walking separately did not attract attention from any side. Ahead, Zhang Chu had already arranged for people to provide food and accommodation. After six days of travel, all personnel finally arrived safely at the valley, and the arrangements for lodging and the reconstruction of workshops naturally involved a flurry of activity

Zhang Chu returned to the valley, and naturally, all the responsible parties came to report on the situation over the past few days. Training and production were relatively normal. However, He Jin mentioned that after capturing Wentao Village, the team had grown stronger and gained influence in the surrounding area. Some individuals had already inquired about joining, but many of them were likely independent bandits, and He Jin and his group did not dare to take them in. A few days ago, another person arrived, named Li Yi. He was previously a small flag officer in the border army. Due to organizing his brothers to demand their wages, he offended his superiors. Even if the demand for wages was successful, the leader would still face retaliation, so Li Yi had no choice but to escape and become a horse thief. This person had experience in the military and also brought a horse, which should be of some use. He Jin did not dare to make a decision and let him stay to wait for Zhang Chu's return

"I only want you to forge weapons for me," Zhang Chu replied

All personnel have secured accommodations, thus they should not perish from cold and hunger in the impending harsh winter. The elderly and weak among the families, represented by Zhang Chu, can only seek alternative solutions. Among the newly arrived individuals, an elder familiar with agricultural practices was appointed to oversee the agricultural production within the valley. The elder, named Tian Changshan, is a farmer by trade and possesses extensive knowledge of fieldwork. Although he is nearing fifty, he remains quite robust. With winter approaching and no agricultural tasks to undertake, Zhang Chu still instructed Tian Changshan to lead the elderly and weak in leveling the land within the valley and digging ditches, preparing for the upcoming year's production. This initiative was aimed at enabling the elderly and weak to earn some food as compensation through their labor, which in essence serves as a form of indirect relief.

Deng Qingnian went out to find several influential brothers. Originally, everyone was preparing to escape from the garrison as they could no longer sustain their livelihoods. With the temptation of food, they decided to have a hearty meal first, and if necessary, they would become refugees and wander in search of sustenance. The group resolved to follow Zhang Chu and leave.

"Who are you? What do you want us to do?" Deng Qingnian understood that there is no free lunch in this world

How can I trust you

Zhang Chu, while sending people out to procure supplies, was also continuously gathering information from various sources. He learned that not only were a large number of farmers going bankrupt, but even the army of the court was in dire straits due to officers embezzling soldiers' pay, leaving the soldiers in a precarious situation. The conditions in the garrisons were particularly severe; by the end of the Ming dynasty, the soldiers in the garrisons had effectively become slaves to the garrison officials. The lands of the garrisons were being usurped by officials, turning into private fields, and the soldiers were forced to labor for years without the ability to leave. In Yulin Wei, located in Shaanxi Province, the morale was in turmoil, with continuous instances of soldiers demanding their pay and others fleeing to join the ranks of the refugees. From the fleeing individuals, Zhang Chu obtained valuable information: there was a small garrison called Yanshuiguan under Yulin Wei, specifically established for the production of weapons for the garrison, and all personnel there were craftsmen. At this time, their living conditions were even more difficult than those of other garrisons. The craftsmen's garrison had little land and could not receive the grain and money owed for providing weapons. Many soldiers and their families had been living in hunger for years, and now most of the soldiers in this garrison were contemplating escape. Zhang Chu's target for this mission was the Yanshuiguan garrison, located three hundred miles away. When mobilizing his men, Zhang Chu stated: this was a long-distance raid aimed at completely deceiving the people of this garrison, a raid that held greater significance than annihilating an official army of a garrison.

We are in Yanlong County, our village is located in a valley, and there is space for your people to reside. I want you to forge weapons for me, as we not only need to defend our own village but also protect the surrounding villages

The personal guards of the hundred households did not wake from their drunken slumber until nearly noon the next day. Fortunately, the lord of the hundred households was still in a deep sleep and thus escaped punishment. It was not until noon that a personal guard discovered that the soldiers in the hundred households, including family members of all ages, were missing. He hurriedly ran to report this to Captain Cao. After much effort, Captain Cao finally awoke from his dreams. He immediately dispatched people to search everywhere but found no clues. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the hundred households quickly took money to the official to settle the matter.

Zhang Chu did not move but continued to speak: "We are not bandits; we only want to protect our village. We are a security team, and we will not engage in random looting or indiscriminate killing. I am merely interested in your technology."

A few days later, the achievements from this battle were tallied. Zhang Chu decided to hold a commendation meeting, and all personnel in the valley gathered in the village square. Those who had contributed to the battle were adorned with newly made bright red flowers and invited to the front stage. Zhang Chu delivered a speech praising their performance during the battle. Finally, the rewards were announced: the two individuals with the best performance would each receive five dou of fine rice, while the other five would each receive two dou of fine rice, and every participant in the battle would receive one dou of grain. The grain was distributed on the spot, and each team member who received rice bags displayed a long-lost smile on their faces. The rewards were announced: the two individuals with the best performance would each receive five dou of fine rice, while the other five would each receive two dou of fine rice, and every participant in the battle would receive one dou of grain. The grain was distributed on the spot, and each team member who received rice bags displayed a long-lost smile on their faces

Some of the individuals sent to gather intelligence have returned, and there are no signs that the authorities have dispatched troops to retaliate for the robbery in Wenta Village or the murder of the landlord, which has put Zhang Chu at ease

In order to ensure the survival of others, Zhang Chu instructed the workshops that produce weapons and manufacture armor to employ the elderly and the weak, providing them with a small amount of food based on the amount of work completed

Deng Qingnian said with a bitter smile: "The esteemed guest may have made a fruitless trip, as we truly have nothing left to sell here. If you wish to purchase something, it is best to seek an audience with Lord Cao Baihu." The continuous years of famine have left these military households with nothing, and recently, due to the chaos caused by the refugees, some wealthy families have secretly purchased weapons made by the military households, but everything is under the control of Lord Cao Baihu, and the soldiers of the military households receive no benefits.

"You are ... ..." Deng Qingnian stood up, the words that followed left unspoken

After listening, Zhang Chu said to everyone: "We are called the Daming Security, and our duty is to ensure the safety of the territory and the people. It is time to clean up the bandits operating independently in the surrounding areas. Our next step is to eliminate these bandits. Let me first meet this Li Yi."

The children quickly ran away, and shortly after, a man in his forties was brought out from the workshop. He cupped his hands in salute to Zhang Chu and said, "I am surnamed Deng, named Deng Qingnian, the chief banner here. How may I be of service to you, esteemed guest"

It is not acceptable; those who are capable of work have left, and the old and weak who remain will not only be spared from being killed by the authorities but will also starve to death

I will take all of you away, including the elderly, women, and children

"I want to ensure my family is well-fed, I want to ensure my family is well-fed!" Deng Qingnian muttered to himself. Finally, he made up his mind. "I need to discuss this with my old brothers."

Yang Liu and ten other team members were selected, among whom two had business experience. Zhang Chu changed into a better outfit, tied up his already half-long hair, and wore a corrugated straw hat, resembling a young businessman.

Instruct everyone to fulfill their respective duties and strengthen production training, while remaining vigilant. Zhang Chu has decided to embark on a long journey, undertaking a unique long-distance raid

On the following day, the six fallen comrades were solemnly buried in the newly established cemetery outside the village. Zhang Chu ordered Scholar Zhu to make detailed records of each individual, vowing in his heart that one day these individuals would receive even greater honors

The team has designated a specific military camp area for concentrated training and military management. Team members stay in the camp for accommodation and meals, receiving a small monthly military stipend. The stipend primarily consists of rice, which is sufficient to sustain one additional person without starving, but it does not provide enough food to be fully satisfied.

Early the next morning, Zhang Chu arrived in town with a follower to specifically visit Captain Cao of the Wei Guard. Upon hearing the name, Captain Cao did not recognize it, but considering the generous gifts, he still agreed to meet Zhang Chu. After some pleasantries, Zhang Chu mentioned that he intended to conduct business in the area and would frequently pass through, noting that the situation on the ground was currently unstable. He expressed a desire to get to know Captain Cao, hoping for future support. To this end, he had specially reserved a banquet at a local tavern to invite Captain Cao. Captain Cao, of course, would not decline a complimentary feast. At noon, Zhang Chu and Captain Cao enjoyed a delightful gathering at the tavern, where they drank heartily. During the festivities, Zhang Chu presented a strong liquor said to be from his hometown for Captain Cao to taste, and he also specially sent two jars to the personal guards who could not attend the banquet at Captain Cao's residence. Captain Cao and his followers found the flavor of the strong liquor to be truly exceptional, and Zhang Chu showed great respect towards Captain Cao, frequently urging him to drink. He, however, claimed to have a low tolerance for alcohol and drank very little, which led to laughter from everyone. Soon, Zhang Chu, unable to handle the liquor, excused himself and left the table, settling the banquet expenses at the counter before returning to the inn to sleep. Only Captain Cao and his followers remained, and they did not leave until the sky began to darken.

The largest house in the village has become the place for everyone to discuss matters, referred to by Zhang Chu as the team headquarters. The elderly who initially followed Zhang Chu were called over, and he announced the new division of labor, splitting the team into two small squads, led by He Jin and Yang Biao as squad leaders, respectively. Yang the blacksmith is responsible for the blacksmith workshop that forges weapons. Wu the carpenter is in charge of managing the workshop that produces clothing, cloth armor, and other equipment for the team members. Zhang Chu and Scholar Zhu are jointly responsible for the allocation and distribution of supplies. With all arrangements completed, Zhang Chu finally breathed a sigh of relief, no longer needing to worry about every little detail.

The grain was quickly distributed, and charming cooking smoke rose from each household. The process of packing was quietly underway, while the entrance to the village was controlled for the movement of people. The departure date was set for tomorrow evening

Where are you?

"How do you plan to help everyone get through this winter?" Zhang Chu asked Deng Qingnian.

Deng Qingnian invited Zhang Chu and his companions into a nearby thatched cottage. After they took their seats beside a simple table inside, the host poured several bowls of hot water. Zhang Chu looked at the host, who wore a smile on his face but could not hide the sorrow etched in his gaunt features, and felt a heavy weight in his heart. Too many common people live such a life of hunger and deprivation.

For the newly taken in more than ten orphans, Zhang Chu named them the Youth Military Academy, led by Li Qiang and Zhang Guo, who would study knowledge alongside him, with unified food and accommodation

Perhaps you have what I want to buy, could we discuss it in detail inside

I have thousands of stones of grain, enough to satisfy your hunger, and there is a valley where you can find shelter