TN: Should I even warn for some slightly disturbing content? I mean this is a historical fiction taking place during a turbulent period in history and the author is quite realistic about the situation. Anway, a certain section in the first half of the chapter is slightly disturbing, squeamish folks, you have been warned.

In the end, it was the San zi who went out. Lin Yuan didn’t relent on his decision despite Wu Yuelian’s initiative. From his point of view, San zi was obviously better at this kind of mission than Wu Yuelian. As a minor bandit, San zi was not so courageous. Physically he was also thin, short-armed and short-legged, there was almost no sound when he ran, and his eyesight was very good. Lin Yuan had given them all a simple vision test earlier.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Most people here have different degrees of vision problems. Many people think that because the ancients did not touch electronic products, waking up at the sunrise and sleeping at sunset, the vision would definitely be better than most modern people.

But in fact, some of them have been malnourished since childhood. And if they want to do something after nightfall, the poor use the moonlight, while the richer use the oil lamp, and none of them have access to glasses. Therefore, the weakness of their eyesight was inevitable.

Many people have night blindness, it was just a matter of severity.

San zi left hesitantly, one step at a time. He bent his waist, tucked in his neck, and walked out through the narrow door behind.

This narrow gate could only allow one person to pass through and this person cannot be too fat or too bulky. San zi was already considered thin among men, but it was still a bit difficult to get out.

Lin Yuan sat in the clearing and felt his emotions calmed down a lot. He didn’t seem to be afraid of having enemies anymore, as if he had completely accepted this fate.

From the time he transmigrated to here, he worked hard to do what he could do. Although he told himself that the Yuan Dynasty was going to fall, the land was going to be up in chaos, and those who had the ability could reap in the profits.

But he still couldn’t help but doubt himself.

Yes, doubt.

He wondered if he could do it.

In fact, thinking about it carefully, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, had a very bumpy first half of his life. The education he received was irregular and not a formal education. In this era, any scholar could win against him, but he still became the emperor, and countless scholars could only bow down to him.

How much advantage can modern people’s theoretical knowledge have when taken to the ancient times?

Talk about gender equality?

Everyone would think he was crazy.

He had previously mentioned a joke “who said women are inferior to men” to Qiu Niang, and Qiu Niang looked at him with an incredulous look.

Invent the train and cannon? He thought about it, but the fact was that he knew nothing about the process.

He knew steam power, but he didn’t know how to build a steam train.

If the one that came here was an all-round engineering boss, maybe he could have opened up another path.

But the heavens just sent him, a liberal arts student.

Was he better than Zhu Yuanzhang? Better than Fang Shicheng?

Lin Yuan searched in his heart, no, he was no better than anyone.

To be precise, he was weaker than them, and much weaker.

Because even if he knew the history, he could actually do very little, but Zhu Yuanzhang and the others don’t need to know the history. They seem to be born with a gene, and this gene prompts them to do different things under different circumstances.

Most people in this world were creatures of profit, pursuing personal interests and family interests. They can’t do big things, but they also don’t make big mistakes.

Zhu Yuanzhang and the others were the smallest group of people. They were born as creatures of power, creatures of politics.

They have more keen insight than ordinary people, and they also understand better than ordinary people how to get more support from the people.

Lin Yuan looked at the white clouds up in the sky and fiddled with the blades of grass in his hands. His mood was more peaceful. It seemed that since he admitted that he was not that strong, the burden in his heart had been lightened a lot. Since coming here he had always had this feeling that, standing on the shoulders of giants, he will definitely do better than the ancient natives, so every time he did something, he would think and deduct repeatedly.

But actually, after figuring out that was not the case he let go of it all, releasing the shackles he had put on himself.

Just take one step at a time, in any case, this second chance at life was gifted freely to him.

Even if at the end, he was submerged in the torrent of the times, it would just be an established destiny.

San zi was crawling in the grass, scared and nervous. It was the first time he acted as a scout——as the boss called it, though he still didn’t understand what a scout meant. He lay motionless in the grass, and even when a bug crawled over his body and face he did not move at all.

It was as if he was just a rock by the roadside.

He was still looking, carefully listening for the sound of footsteps and movements around.

After he confirmed his safety, he quickly stood up, and started to run.

While running, San zi also observed the road ahead, where there were branches and where there was mud, he could see clearly. Stepping on the soft soil, feet avoiding all the branches. For the sake of his life, even if there should be no one around, he still made sure to not make a noise.

Timidity and fear became his capital for survival at this time.

After finally seeing brother Dao and Zhu Yuanzhang and the others, San zi’s heart finally dropped back down from his throat.

“Captain Li, Captain Zhu.” San zi felt that it was safe so his back straightened a little bit. He reported the news on the group of bandits stationed outside the farmstead, and then quickly relayed Lin Yuan’s plan.

San zi had a very good memory. He didn’t need brush and paper. Once he remembered, he could repeat it verbatim: “Boss said, after you get closer, the farmstead will raise the red flag, which is the signal. The city gate will then open, and together we attack those people on both sides.”

Li Congrong and the others came back with the things Chen Half-Immortal and the others needed. At this moment, they could only first find a place to hide the things——these things were not easy to buy, as now people cannot even eat fully, let alone these things that cannot be eaten. Having said that, it was also common for high-ranking officials to support a few Daoist priests, including quite a few alchemists, but not every high-ranking official support a personal group of alchemists, especially such a large group.

They bought it from an old Daoist, and the Daoist asked for a low price, but he only accepted grain, coarse grains and fine grains. Coarse grains were the best, as the quantity was large. If they were old grains, even better as he could trade for more.

The old Daoist needed to support more than himself. His Daoist temple had more than 20 small turnip heads, all children who have no parents or mothers. They had followed the old Daoist since childhood and learned their skills from the old Daoist.

Daoist temples were different from Buddhist temples. Many Daoist temples were actually unoffical temples. In difficult times, the court will not give them a grain of rice.

Buddhist temples also have unofficial ones, but as long as one enter an official Buddhist temple, such as Huangjue Temple, there will be food provided from the court.

Li Congrong really wanted to bring back the old Daoist and the group of small turnip heads. He was a bit smarter now. He felt that if he brought these people back, fourth brother will definitely be able to use them.

It was a pity that the old Daoist did not agree.

But in these times, it was normal to disagree.

The days outside were now even more difficult. When they came back, they passed by a village, the men rushed out to stop them while the women opened up their clothes revealing their chest and told them they could touch for just some beans, if they wanted to do something more, then they will have to give a handful of grains.

They depended on this for a living.

Before that, they were probably just simple villagers in marital harmony. If other men even looked at their wives they would hit them.

When Li Congrong watched them wait for their wives and other men to finish their business with numb expressions, and then hunched over to ask for the promised grains, a chill rose from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head.

It was not only women, but also some men who were good-looking.

What they want was just a bite of food that can allow them to stave hunger pains.

He also saw with his own eyes a boy with slender arms and legs being pressed down by a strong man. After the strong man left, the boy’s butt was covered in blood, but he still crawled to the grains left behind by the strong man, shoveling it into his mouth with his hands. The food was not washed or boiled, and was chewed directly in the mouth.

As for whether he will die, he probably doesn’t care about it himself, only whether his belly can be full.

It was clearly already spring, but the vitality seemed to have not arrived.

Everyone thought that after the beginning of spring, with wild vegetables to be found, everyone could at least live a little bit better.

But the belief was just a belief.

Li Congrong didn’t know why, but he also felt a sense of sadness. If he wasn’t lucky, if it wasn’t for fourth brother selecting a good location for the farmstead, where would he be now?

Become a refugee or become a bandit, or just like the people in the village, find a wife and ask her to sell her body for food?

“Brother Dao?” Zhu Yuanzhang called him.

Only then did Li Congrong come back to his senses.

Zhu Yuanzhang said to Li Congrong: “We go from here, they are here.”

Zhu Yuanzhang drew a simple map on the ground, which Li Congrong could also understand.

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After determining the direction and tactics, they first hid the things they had to bring back, and then the group proceeded forward cautiously like thieves. All of them wore green vine armor, which was also a natural protective coloration in the spring woods.

A bit like camouflage clothing.

Lin Yuan stood on the observation deck and watched carefully. Now he was not alone on the observation deck. Everyone had to watch the surroundings intently. After all, they didn’t know where Li Congrong and Zhu Yuanzhang would come out.

“They’re here!” someone yelled.

Lin Yuan: “Raise the flag!”

A red flag was raised from the observation deck.

Brother Dao saw it, as did the group of people waiting outside the city wall.

As soon as Lin Yuan raised the flag, the city gate opened.

Everyone charged out at that moment. They were used to following Lin Yuan’s instructions, rushing wherever Lin Yuan pointed. Some were timid, but when everyone around them was charging forward, they could only follow the crowd.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his knife, he kicked the person in front of him with one foot, and with the tip of the knife facing down, he pierced the enemy’s chest.

Then someone behind him was about to make a sneak attack with a knife, and Zhu Yuanzhang was about to draw his knife, but that person had already been defeated.

Li Congrong’s blood stained face appeared: “You should change this habit of yours.”

Zhu Yuanzhang tugged the knife up from where it was embedded: “I’ll remember it next time.”

These people were not as easy to deal with as the people they met before. They were a group of real desperate criminals, well-armed and with tall and strong physiques. Maybe when they passed by, they saw Lin Yuan’s farmstead and developed covetuous desire. But as they didn’t have a siege device, they could only stay near the farmstead temporarily, waiting like snakes for their prey to reveal an opening.

Maybe it was because of the vine armor, maybe it was because of other reasons. The deaths and injuries this time were not as tragic as Lin Yuan had expected. Although close to 20 people died, and a dozen seriously injured, with the rest sporting large and small minor injuries.

However, none of the bandits survived.

Previously, he accepted the bandits lile San zi because they were at the bottom of the ladder. In other words, they weren’t really big evildoers. They just wanted to eat fully, following whoever that could provide them with food. Such a person was easy to subdue, so Lin Yuan would accept them. As for the obedience and sense of belonging, this can only be cultivated slowly.

But these bandits were different.

Their butcher knife could point to anyone.

Lin Yuan could not allow the gamble.

With such a big farmstead behind him and so many people in the farmstead, if he lost the bet, he would not be able to afford the consequences.

For the twenty people who died, Lin Yuan had people prepare simple coffins for them overnight, and buried them not far from the farmstead. The seriously injured were moved indoors where the women with the lightest hands and feet took care of them. The lightly injured was even simpler, just have them apply the medicine from time to time.

Li Congrong and Zhu Yuanzhang were also seriously injured. Fortunately, there were the medicinal herbs bought from Jiang Guang. There were several kinds of hemostatic medicinal herbs, all very useful. After two days, the wounds turned pink with no more bleeding and no purulent infection.

Lin Yuan had always paid great attention to the hygiene of the hospital ward.

All the clothes of the patients have to be boiled and disinfected, and the people who take care of the wounded were all women who had cleaned themselves thoroughly.

Although there were not many oral medicines left, Lin Yuan was quite generous providing them meat porridge almost every meal.

Some people even felt that it would not be a bad thing to live in the ward forever.

Of course……when they have to solve the three urgent problems (TN: refer to the natural body processes to urinate, defecate, and let out gas), it was the men who helped.

Chen Half-Immortal and the others naturally knew what had happened. When the fighting started outside, they hid trembling in the alchemy room. After the incident, they gathered together and discovered the importance of exploding the furnace for the first time.

If it really was like what Boss said, after adjusting the gunpowder recipe and then adding metal beads in it, then in the face of such conflicts and attacks, they will lose a lot less people using such a weapon.

After getting the things Li Congrong and the others brought back, Chen Half-Immortal and the others developed an unprecedented enthusiasm for work for the first time. They were holed up in the alchemy room almost all day long, even putting aside the production of fake jade. During meal times only one went to the cafeteria to bring take outs back for everyone, returning to the alchemy room to continue experimenting.

Lin Yuan also went to see it once and found that their method of adjusting the formula was actually quite scientific.

Because there was no accurate measurement tool, they use small wooden spoons. The size of these small wooden spoons was very consistent, and the error would not be too big. They would put them little by little, and the person next to them will record it.

When they felt that it was almost done, they took the small stove outside, sealed it, and lit the lead rope on fire.

Unfortunately, most of them just caught fire, but they did not explode.

Lin Yuan stayed with them all day, and found that they were eating steamed buns in their mouths but continued doing things with their hands, seeming completely wrapped up in their work. If they thought of something in the middle of the night, they rushed to the alchemy room to continue experimenting.

This group of people lost weight at a speed visible to the naked eye.

But their sacrifice did become fruitful.

On a day with clear blue sky, Lin Yuan received the best news in the past three years——

The homemade explosives were finally created.

Although simple and not very lethal, it could still explode and deter the enemy. To a certain extent, it was probably not enough as a weapon, but as a deterrent tool, its symbolic meaning was greater than its practical value.

Just like in the animal kingdom, many animals roar at each other before fighting to scare away the enemy.

In fact, people were also the same, but what people fear was different from what animals fear.

Chen Half-Immortal was also a little proud: “We have thought about the method you mentioned. You see, this bag is made with beads added.”

These beads were made by Wu Sansi. He had his own methods and experience with ironwork so it was not difficult to make beads of similar size.

In order to test the usefulness of explosives added with metal beads, Lin Yuan decided to sacrifice the simplest hut, and then threw the explosive into it after setting it on fire.

In an instant a loud noise was heard, and the top of the hut was blown up as a fire started to burn.

However, the fire was not too big, and Lin Yuan looked through the hut after the fire was put out.

Many beads were embedded in the wall. Although this shed was simple, the wall was still very strong. If this was a human body, even if they cannot penetrate through it, the beads will still be embedded in the body.

The addition of beads will increase the attack range and lethality of the explosives.

Lin Yuan was overjoyed, and as soon as he turned around, he enveloped Chen Half-Immortal, the wrinkly old man into a bear hug and patted his shoulder with excitement, “Half-Immortal! You have made a great contribution!”

Chen Half-Immortal himself was a little stunned. He really didn’t expect the explosives to be so powerful just by adding some beads.

“Boss……” Chen Half-Immortal swallowed, “that……is that really that pack of gunpowder I gave you?”

Lin Yuan nodded fiercely: “Yes! Half-Immortal, you are really amazing!”

Chen Half-Immortal got praised and finally became excited. Only now did he return to the ground from the sky, his feet finally landed on firm ground.

There were also many onlookers.

They were currently chatting and discussing.

“Good fellow! Such a loud noise! ​​I thought it was the dragon god sneezing!”

“Did you see that the roof was blown up!”

“It even went on fire!”

“This is truly incredible.”

“In the future, if anyone is still waiting outside our farmstead, we will throw a few packets of this and scare them to death.”

“That’s right!”

Lin Yuan was in a good mood and waved his hand, everyone could taste meat again today.

Although it was just a bowl of meat flavored broth, it was still a supreme enjoyment to occasionally find some minced meat within.

Regarding gunpowder, Lin Yuan felt that these Half-Immortals alone would not be able to keep up with production. They were already quite old so if the workload increased, he was afraid that they would kick the bucket one day. These were talents who can’t even be exchanged for gold and must be well protected.

So Lin Yuan asked Wu Yuelian to take a few women who were not pregnant to study under them as apprentices.

Of course, Chen Half-Immortal and the others would not accept. Who would accept female apprentices? What’s more, it was not to worship the Daoist school of thought, but to recognize him alone as a master. Don’t know how Wu Yuelian did it but after several days of persistence, Chen Half-Immortal and the others began to teach them reluctantly.

Lin Yuan asked the women to go learn for a reason.

Now the number of men was nearly 20 fewer, and he must find a way to supplement the numbers in the farmstead.

Also, men have to farm and train, and they really don’t have the time to learn how to make gunpowder as well.

Wu Yuelian and the others were different. They don’t have so much work, and they don’t need to go out to fight. The logistics of making gunpowder was just suitable for them. In addition women were always more careful, and the possibility of making mistakes will be reduced.

After the division of labor was clear, Lin Yuan called over Li Congrong, Jiang Gui and Zhu Yuanzhang to discuss recruitment.

In fact, if they recruit people in winter, it would cost less food, but now Lin Yuan couldn’t wait for winter, so he could only find a way now.

“Where is the merchant last time?” Jiang Gui asked, “He naturally has a way to buy people.”

Lin Yuan: “I don’t know where he lives.”

There was nowhere to find him.

Zhu Yuanzhang said again: “Or, I will take some people out looking again?”

Lin Yuan shook his head: “You still have to rest for a period of time. You have such a serious injury, if it rips open it will make it more troublesome.”

Zhu Yuanzhang touched his waist where there was a stab wound. Fortunately, it was treated in a timely manner so now it had begun to scab, and it was estimated to recover completely soon.

“When Jiang Guang brings the horses over, I’ll ask him to find some people for me.” Lin Yuan said, “If he doesn’t come, we have to go out and find people by ourselves.”

Jiang Gui suddenly said, “Why don’t you let me make the trip?”

They all looked at Jiang Gui.

Jiang Gui smiled and said: “I can pretend to be a taveling merchant. Not just buying people, I’ll also be faster at getting news than you here at the farmstead.”

“This is a good idea.”

“It needs to be planned in detail.”

Lin Yuan listened to them discussing, he needed people, and a lot of them. Their granary was full, and they have opened up all the surrounding lands that could be opened nearby so the harvest this autumn would be more than in previous years.

Lin Yuan planned on accepting another five hundred people to the farmstead, and wait until winter to accept another five hundred people.

Although a thousand people may not seem to be many, in fact, the armaments in each town were actually very small. With a thousand people, they could even attack a small city.

Lin Yuan was now waiting for Yang Zi’an to return. If he could bring Zhang Shicheng and his brothers, he could finally take the next step.

To attack and capture Xinghua.

There was a salt mine in Xinghua.

But it would have to wait for the Red Turbans to raise the flag of rebellion first.

Most of the imperial court’s forces will be directed at the Red Turban Army.

That way he would be able to hold onto Xinghua.

Zhang Shicheng, this person……

Lin Yuan felt it was hard to say right now. Zhang Shicheng was actually a very ordinary person. He had some talents and some kindness, but at the same time he also had the bad habits of ordinary people. After success, he became arrogant and proclaimed himself to be a king. On the one hand, he did business with the Yuan Dynasty, delivering food to Emperor Yuanshun, but at the same time he also asked the imperial court to recognize his status as a king.

However, in the early days Zhang Shicheng had some leadership ability, and he would not be afraid to stand up for his brothers, nor bow to power.

And would also pity the weak.

Robbing the rich and helping the poor, wanting to keep more people alive.

But when the power in his hands grew bigger and bigger, and more and more people followed him, with no one to voice objections, his whole person swelled up.

Most of the leaders of uprisings will go through this stage, but some people were able to suppress their egos, while other people really let their ego become inflated.

Lin Yuan didn’t doubt Zhang Shicheng’s original intentions. What he wanted at the beginning was likely not power. Living at the bottom of the social ladder, what he wanted was to live a life with food, clothing, and dignity, but when one’s power and influence grew stronger desire will also likewise increase.

Lin Yuan didn’t know if he will become like that one day.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

He only hoped that if that day came for him too, someone around him would wake him up.

AN: In an uprising that originated among the lower class, leaders were especially prone to ego swelling. Many of them will proclaim themselves kings without even making sure their seat of power had stabilized or not. Then there will come conferment of empresses and concubines, ministers and officials. None of them succeeded in the end.

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Brother Dao and Zhu Yuanzhang have not returned yet, but Lin Yuan had encountered the most serious thing after transmigrating——several of the women who were rescued were about to give birth, and they weren’t full-term. All those who were about to give birth were premature, and Lin Yuan fearing a chain reaction, moved them to a separate room that was kept clean and sanitary. They were in labor pain for three days, and Lin Yuan was terrified for three days.

He was not a gynecologist in his previous life. He didn’t know how a woman gave birth!

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Yang shi with Mother Chen and the Lin family servant women took care of those women. After all, they were the only experienced people in the farmstead now. Guo er’s birth mother, Yang shi’s personal maid, had experience and asked people to prepare scissors and hot water, as well as ginger——without ginseng slices, ginger slices would have to make do, although Lin Yuan doesn’t understand the scientific principle of the whole thing.

“Why do you want scissors?” Lin Yuan swallowed, feeling that the whole thing was rather bloody and violent. At this age, there was no suture operation. Can people still live if they cut their stomachs with scissors?

Mother Chen said while directing people: “If the fetal position is not correct, it must be cut out.”

Lin Yuan was taken aback: “Cut the belly?”

Mother Chen was also taken aback: “Don’t scare people, young master, that’s the belly. Can you survive if you cut it?”

Lin Yuan: “……Then where is that cut?”

Mother Chen was old after all, and she wasn’t like a young woman with thin skin, but she didn’t explain to Lin Yuan in detail, she just said: “There is always a place to cut, I just hope it won’t be used.”

Lin Yuan also said: “It’s best not to use it.”

If one bleeds heavily now, there was no way to survive.

He can only hope that the fates of those women will be good, and the heavens don’t let them suffer too much.

In the middle of the night, before dawn, someone in the yard called: “It’s broken! They’re about to give birth!”

Lin Yuan hurried out putting his outer clothes on the way.

It was obviously not his child, but he had the illusion that he was going to be a father. He was too nervous. He paced outside the door, and clutched the servant girl who walked out and asked: “Did they give birth yet?”

The servant girl looked anxious, but after all the question was from her own young master, she stopped and said: “There are two fetal positions in the right position, and one……the feet came out first.”

Lin Yuan’s vision went black.

Feet out first……

Isn’t that an incorrect fetal position?

If one didn’t handle it well, it could be deadly.

When a woman give birth to a child it was not the business of just one night sometimes. It was only when the rooster crowed and dawn arrived that Lin Yuan heard the first cry.

“It’s out! It’s a girl!”

The woman with the strongest body gave birth first.

Lin Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

The second one was born in the afternoon and was a boy, but the boy was small and pitiful. Lin Yuan even felt that he was not as big as a puppy. The two women were still sleeping as they had spent too much energy on giving birth and were too exhausted to stay awake. The two infants were also cleaned up and placed next to their mothers. On the side a Lin family servant girl took care of them.

There was only the last one, who didn’t give birth even by the time it was night.

Mother Chen took out the scissors.

Lin Yuan was sitting in the yard with a dazed expression. Last night, he could still hear the hoarse scream of a woman, but today, the woman seemed to have little energy. The servant girl said she couldn’t even drink water. After about two hours, he heard a very low sob.

The servant girl walked out with a basin full of blood. She bowed to Lin Yuan and said in a very low voice, “Both mother and child are gone.”

Neither the child nor the adult survived. Lin Yuan fell and sat directly on the ground.

“The blood wouldn’t stop.” The servant girl had obviously never seen such a situation, her expression was similar to Lin Yuan.

“She told us to save the baby.”

“But even the baby wasn’t able to be saved.”

It was just an incorrect fetal position!

In modern times, it can be solved by caesarean section at most.

Even if there was heavy bleeding, modern medical treatment can save her life.

But now, when a woman gives birth, it was as if her child welcomes life while she welcomes death. On the day the woman was buried, even the heavens seemed to feel the sorrow of the loss of life. The pattering rain began to wet the soft land after the beginning of spring.

Lin Yuan had someone make a coffin and put the woman and her child to be buried together.

Lin Yuan heard the woman’s friend mention that she was the daughter of a carpenter’s family. She had already been engaged with a waiter in a restaurant, and only waited for the waiter to save up enough for a marriage.

The two of them were also childhood sweethearts. The people at the bottom level class were not as strict about men and women keeping a distance.

It was not unusual to talk to each other sometimes.

But in the end, the bandits came down the mountain. Her father died and her mother died. She was snatched to the mountains and defiled by the bandits.

The only conviction that supported her to continue living was to see the man who almost became her husband again.

She could not make it.

She finished the last journey of her life with regret.

Don’t know what she thought at the moment of her death. Lin Yuan stood in front of her tombstone, though it was called a tombstone, but it was actually just a wooden sign that could not stand up against the wind and rain and had to be replaced after a short time. Lin Yuan did not cremate her. People now think that cremation was a form of torture and curse, and after death the soul would be scattered and unable to be reincarnated so Lin Yuan respected the custom.

“The fate of humans is to be born, to grow old, to get sick and to die.” Old father Lin stood beside Lin Yuan and put a dish of wild fruit as an offering in front of the tombstone.

Old father Lin seemed to think of something, and said, “Your mother went like this back then.”

She gave birth to the baby, but she didn’t make it through herself.

Lin Yuan: “She was too young.”

When the baby was born, the mother of this body was only fifteen years old.

Old father Lin sighed.

In this age, fifteen was no longer young. Many people have already become mothers, and maybe their children were already one or two years old.

But they themselves have not even grown up yet.

Old father Lin: “I have already forgotten what she looked like.”

Lin Yuan turned his head to look at old father Lin. This was an authentic ancient Chinese traditional man. He had all the shortcomings of this type of man, as well as the strengths of this type of man. He was not a purely good person nor a purely bad person.

He was the type of person who can be seen everywhere while walking on the streets.

Old father Lin: “Fortunately, she had some good days before she left.”

At that time, the Lin family was at its most prosperous, they wore gold, silver, and silk, and had whatever they wanted. Old father Lin was never stingy with his women, and the mistress Yang shi would not treat them harshly.

Lin Yuan said: “Father, you are at this age already, from now on you should just be content with Mother and the others.”

Old father Lin pretended to put on a stern face: “You are bossing around your old dad!”

Lin Yuan: “I’m afraid you will commit a sin.”

Old father Lin did not speak.

He still remembered Lin Yuan’s mother, she was the worst sin he had made.

He believed in the underworld and the heavens, and also believed that Lin Yuan’s mother might be waiting for him below.

With that pair of big eyes she would ask him: “Master, what about the jewelry you promised for Xing Niang?” Xing Niang was a bought servant. She entered the Lin family at the age of six. She started in the kitchens and over time, she might have become a skillful lady on the stove, marry a male servant of the same background, and give birth to a child in the Lin family.

But she was taken by old father Lin. The newly grown girl had big and bright eyes, as if she had never had any troubles, she would sing beautiful country tunes, and still be beautiful and lovely without any makeup and powder.

After being with old father Lin, Xing Niang went to the inner courtyard to take care of Yang shi’s food. She would massage Yang shi’s leg and act like a baby to Yang shi, telling her that she had learned how to make a new type of cake.

Yang shi occasionally rewarded her with some jewelry. At that time, Xing Niang seemed like she had received the best thing in the world.

Before giving birth, she even said to Yang shi: “Mistress, if I have a baby boy, then I will give him to be raised by Mistress.”

“Mistress, have him show you filial respect.”

Old father Lin sighed and touched the corner of his eye: “I’m getting old.”

Lin Yuan patted old father Lin on the shoulder.

Old father Lin: “Cheeky.” (TN: Literally he said ‘no big no small’ which is an expression for referring to someone who treat their elders as if treating their peers, hence cheeky or impudent)

Both newborns were born prematurely, and their bodies were not comparable to those of full-term infants. The girl infant was healthier than the boy infant. The boy was born two days ago and still did not open his eyes. Most people felt that the boy might die.

The women still with big bellies were frightened by the woman who had died in childbirth. They occasionally held their stomachs in a daze.

Lin Yuan heard that many women have told their friends their last words.

For example, if they want to offer offerings after they die, which fruits were best.

If possible, could their friends burn more paper money for them during the holidays.

Lin Yuan felt very sad when he heard that.

It would be nice if he was a gynecologist, even if there were no surgical instruments here, he could still help a little.

Mother Chen comforted him: “Young master, women have to pass this hurdle eventually!”

“When I gave birth to Niu Dan, I also felt that I wouldn’t make it, but when I saw Niu Dan, I had the strength to continue.”

Lin Yuan didn’t give birth to a child, he couldn’t empathize at all!

But in this era where death was common, there was no such thing as holding sorrow for the dead for too long. Life must still continue. If one person died, even if all people died, the earth will not stop turning.

Just when it was still two days away from the promised tenth day of brother Dao and the others’ return, the people on the observation deck suddenly sounded the horn.

In the middle of the night, everyone ran out of the bed.

Both the men and women were frowning, standing on the center square of the farmstead without saying a word.

Lin Yuan: “The men follow me to get weapons, pregnant women hide in the house, and those who are not pregnant follow me to get weapons as well.”

Although a woman can’t have the strength of a man, having a weapon will still mean an extra layer of guarantee.

Fortunately, there were still a lot of knives in the warehouse.

Most of the men who stayed in the farmstead now have been part of the raid on the bandits last time. After the experience, they were not particularly flustered now.

“We have a city wall. They won’t be able to break in for a while. Even if they do, our people are not less than them.” Lin Yuan cheered them up, “Li Congrong and Zhu Yuanzhang are also on their way back, as long as we hold for these two days. When the time comes, we will act together to attack from inside and outside, eliminating the enemy outside in one fell swoop. You can once again eat your fill for several days.”

There was nothing more motivating than food.

The men shouted in excitement.

The women seem to be much more at ease as well.

Lin Yuan climbed up to the observation deck. Sure enough, when he ascended to take a look he saw a group of people not far from the farmstead. Although there were not many people in this group, all of them were strong physically, their hands holding onto all kinds of weapons. Lin Yuan actually saw a strong man holding two huge hammers in his hands.

Could this person have heard too many wuxia stories and decided to cosplay Li Yuanba?

Don’t know if he had named his hammer.

Was it also called the Golden Drum Hammer?

Fortunately, the people in the farmstead couldn’t see them, otherwise they hadn’t even faced the enemy head-on but have already given up.

Sometimes physical strength can intimidate the opponent to a great extent.

Lin Yuan also saw those people seemed to be pulling a cart, which was very tightly obscured. He guessed that it was food. If he thought about it carefully, the area around the farmstead had no more bandits, at least within three days distance. This meant that this group of people should have come from afar, likely passing by here. If the motive was to attack, they wouldn’t bring so many things.

But these people were all mature men, no women, and no children, which proves indirectly that they were desperate criminals.

Lin Yuan also began to get nervous. These people likely won’t make a move in these two days. At least they will have to wait until they understand the surrounding environment and know the approximate combat power in the farmstead.

Lin Yuan can only hope that brother Dao and Zhu Yuanzhang can come back quickly.

Although tense, but life still carried on these two days. The atmosphere in the farmstead was not good. It seemed that there was a knife hanging above their head. Everyone could barely taste the food they were eating, and even can’t sleep well at night. Many people climbed up to the observation deck in the middle of the night just to stay alert of those people’s movements.

Lin Yuan couldn’t sleep well either. He also sat on the observation deck. Fortunately, the space in the observation deck was quite large, and it was not a problem to sit three or four people.

In addition to the night watchman originally arranged, there were two others who came up with the night watchman. Lin Yuan was the fourth uninvited person.

“You all can’t sleep well too?” Lin Yuan asked.

The three people, including the night watchman, nodded in nervousness.

They haven’t had close contact with Lin Yuan, nor have they spoken to Lin Yuan alone.

For them, the landowning class was an existence that they couldn’t touch.

But the most courageous one said: “We……we are also worried that they might take advantage of the night……”

Lin Yuan nodded: “I am worried too.”

The three of them breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Yuan smiled: “Don’t be too scared. Our city walls are still very strong. Even if they really attack, as long as we don’t open the city gates, we can hold on for a long time with the food we have. Besides, Li Congrong and Zhu Yuanzhang will be back in two days. As soon as we see them, we will rush out to meet them, our three parties will then act together to eliminate the enemies. The enemy is not too many either so it will not be a difficult task.”

Probably because it was Lin Yuan who said this, the three of them believed it easily, and the expressions on their faces relaxed a lot.

Since Boss said it was okay, it must be okay. They breathed a sigh of relief.

“Fortunately, Boss did not go out this time.”

“Yes, if Boss went out, we really don’t know what to do.”

“When Brother Li and Brother Zhu come back, we will charge out to let them know that we are not easily bullied!”

All three of them have fought with bandits and have the blood of bandits on their hands. They were not so afraid of fighting.

On the contrary, they also saw the benefits of victory. On the day they defeated the bandits, they ate a lot of good things.

White rice and smoked meat were things they couldn’t eat before the country had fallen into upheaval.

But in fact, even though Lin Yuan comforted them personally, he didn’t feel much assurance in his heart. They sat on the observation deck until dawn, standing up from time to time to look at the group of people outside the city wall. The group seemed to have settled down in a camp. Although there was no tent, it was still fine to sleep in the wild in this weather. They started a fire and slept surrounding it, like a group of wild people.

But they still have working brains, not everyone slept, but divided into two shifts, one sleeps in the first half of the night, the other sleeps in the later half of the night.

If the farmstead had any movement, they would immediately be able to react back.

He estimated that the leader of this group was not an ordinary person.

At least compared with many farmers and commoners, he was more suitable for this kind of survival situation.

In the past few days, Lin Yuan discovered one thing, that the women were actually better at adapting than the men who had never fought with bandits. They were divided into two groups, one group was pregnant women, waiting in the house for the situation to pass, another group was women who were not pregnant. They were very calm these days. Apart from the initial panic, they spent more energy on asking men how to fight their enemies.

Sometimes Lin Yuan could see women practicing swinging knives in the open area.

Lin Yuan had to admit after watching it a few times that women seem to be naturally able to survive in various environments.

He still remembered the reality show he had watched before in modern times. It was a show of survival in the wilderness in which men and women were put on different parts of the deserted island.

The women almost immediately started assigning everything as soon as they arrive, discussing what everyone should do. As for the men they at first had fun and enjoyed themselves carefreely. As a result the first few days they were practically hungry and starving all the time, because compared to survival, the first thing they did was to compete for the position of leader, no one was willing to follow another’s lead.

The men wasted more than a week in comparison to the women, and only slowly got on the right track after having suffered.

If a woman was depressed, other women will comfort her and encourage her.

If a man was in a depressed mood, the other men would give up after one or two persuasion, and even started accusing each other on who was lazy at work, and even escalating into physical fights.

When the men and women meet up, the men seem to regain their sanity, and the depressed instantly cheered up.

It was a good thing that there were women in the farmstead.

If it were all men, conflict would accumulate deeper and deeper.

The positive mutual relationship between men and women was very complicated.

No wonder human beings were matriarchal in the beginning.

Of course, Lin Yuan didn’t think about asking these women to fight with the men.

He gave them knives, hoping that they could protect themselves when the men had no time to take care of them.

And this group of women seem to have automatically selected a leader, that was, the woman that brother Dao had unrequited love for.

Compared to other women, she looked more imposing. She changed into shirt and pants and tied her hair high up in a ponytail, unexpectedly having a somewhat distinctive aura.

“We can’t be burdens that hold you back.” This is what the woman said to Lin Yuan.

She was the only one with a formal name among these women——Wu Yuelian.

Wu Yuelian was actually a bandit. Her father was a bandit and even a bandit leader. Her mother also grew up in the bandit villa and was considered the wife of the bandit leader. She grew up in such an environment so naturally thought differently from others.

She was the only daughter of her father and mother. She should have found a husband to ruzhui (TN: a man who marries into his wife’s family), and be a half leader of her own villa.

It was a pity that their villa was too small, and she was also taken away after they lost.

It wasn’t that she had never conceived a child, but when she was pregnant, she tried her best to get rid of the child.

Maybe for other women, it was just a piece of meat in their belly.

But for her, it was a shame engraved in the flesh and blood. She had always wanted to avenge her parents and brothers and sisters back in her villa.

The dream of revenge supported her to continue surviving.

Wu Yuelian said to Lin Yuan: “If the fight really starts, you don’t have to worry about us, life and death are destined, if Yanwang want people to die at 3 o’clock, he never keeps them up to 5.”

Lin Yuan smiled at her: “It hasn’t reached that point.”

Wu Yuelian shook her head and said: “When our villa was raided, everyone didn’t think that it reached that point……”

“But they all died in the end.”

Lin Yuan took a deep breath, and suddenly felt that he was able to hold up heaven and earth and could support the woman in front of him. He said with machismo: “Don’t be afraid, with me here, they have to step past our bodies if they want to come in.”

Wu Yuelian smiled and said, “Boss, what you said, I don’t know how to respond.”

“Then don’t respond.” Lin Yuan said heedlessly, “There are two things for men in this world that must not be violated.”

Wu Yuelian asked strangely: “Which two things?”

Lin Yuan: “His dignity, and his woman.”

Wu Yuelian: “……”

Lin Yuan smiled and said: “Although I don’t have any intentions towards you all, but you all are now part of my farmstead, that means you are my women.”

Wu Yuelian didn’t know why, her eyes suddenly reddened, and she took a deep breath. It was obvious that the young Boss in front of her did not have a sturdy figure, nor did he have strong arms or thighs, but she just felt that this was an indomitable man who could hold up heaven and earth.

“How can you be like that……” Wu Yuelian whispered, but her face was clearly smiling.

Lin Yuan: “Is it all right now? Are you less scared?”

Wu Yuelian shook her head: “Much better.”

Lin Yuan wanted to pat her shoulder, but thinking about the problem of the times, he retracted his hand halfway up, and said embarrassed: “In fact, I think brother Dao is pretty good.”

Wu Yuelian looked at Lin Yuan blankly.

Lin Yuan: “I mean Li Congrong.”

Wu Yuelian smiled again: “Boss, I have been pregnant before, no longer intact, I don’t want to marry in this life.”

Lin Yuan: “It depends on you, maybe you will change your mind later?”

Wu Yuelian didn’t speak any more, she seemed to have made up her mind.

Lin Yuan was not good at persuading people, regarding the matters between men and women, the forcefully pulled up melon was not sweet (TN: expression for force will not result in good things).

It was probably because the women appeared so calm that the men were no longer worried. They began to discuss how they should respond if people outside really want to attack.

Lin Yuan also counted the days, waiting for brother Dao and Zhu Yuanzhang to appear in the area.

On the last day, before dawn Lin Yuan ordered San zi to guard the road where brother Dao and Zhu Yuanzhang will come back from, and tell them the time to cooperate attacking on both sides.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

San zi trembled, he was so frightened that his legs felt like jelly and didn’t dare to accept.

“Boss, I’ll go.” Wu Yuelian appeared with mud on her face and her hands. She was also wearing rags, and said, “I will go out from the back.”

She looked at Lin Yuan with determination, and Lin Yuan was speechless for a while.

The women do not concede to men, this must be refering to such women.

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Prev

“Exploding the furnace, this……”

“This matter……”

Chen Half-Immortal said to Lin Yuan with difficulty: “It will take some time.”

They can’t do anything about it if the furnace doesn’t explode.

Lin Yuan was in a good mood due to the fake jade that could pass as the real deal. He said, “There’s no need to hurry this, but the gunpowder recipe can’t be slacking, you have to work harder.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Chen Half-Immortal: “Of course, we still have to rely on you, Boss.”

Lin Yuan waved his hand: “No need for flattery. Do what you are asked to do and there will be no lack of benefits.”

The reward for making jade had already been given to them. Everyone was rewarded with a bamboo rat, and how it was cooked was all up to them.

In the absence of meat, this reward was very attractive.

Jiang Guang left two days later. When he came, he brought carts of medicinal materials. When he left, he took away only the huge fake jade. Chen Baisong and others naturally followed Jiang Guang. After all, the job concerned half a month’s worth of food for the people back at their villa.

Now that the bandit dens near their place have long been raided by them, they must find a way to find other ways to support their livlihood.

“Occasionally when you’re free, come back and visit.” Lin Yuan said to Chen Baisong.

Chen Baisong nodded, and he turned to look at Lin Yuan: “Young master, if you have a problem, only send for me, this is where I am staying.”

Saying so, he handed over a map drawn on linen cloth. Chen Baisong pointed to a place and said, “This is where I am.”

Lin Yuan solemnly put away the map. It seemed that there were many talented people under Chen Baisong’s command. Normal people can’t draw such a map.

“Young master, take care.” Chen Baisong clasped his fist.

Lin Yuan smiled at him: “You too, be careful on the way.”

Mother Chen was watching from a distance, her hand covering her mouth, fearing she would break out into sobs in the next second.

“When a child grows up, he will always leave.” Yang shi said softly beside her.

Mother Chen wiped her tears: “This slave just didn’t expect that he grew up so fast.”

Chen Baisong’s arrival seemed to be just an insignificant episode, but it did make Lin Yuan feel much better.

After the beginning of the spring, the farmstead became more and more busy. Although the city wall was built, the land still needed to be opened up for farming.

Liang er wiped a handful of sweat from his forehead, holding a hoe in his hand, and with a smile on his face, he said to San zi next to him: “Wonder what we will eat today.”

San zi inhaled twice: “I don’t know, but there will definitely be multi-grain steamed buns.”

Liang Er said: “Wonder who the best worker is today.” Nowadays, the farmstead will judge one outstanding laborer every day. This person’s food will be much better than others. He can eat a bowl of white rice and a dish that not only contain vegetables, but also meat with plentiful oil. And it was not required to eat in the cafeteria, even if you take it away to eat elsewhere it was fine.

Therefore, the degree of enthusiasm for opening the land was very high now, and everyone hoped that the person who was evaluated as outstanding was himself.

Liang er was also very hardworking, but he looked at his progress and found that there were many people who were faster than him. Now he fell into a bit of a slack.

“It’s not us anyway.” San zi had envy in his eyes, “If only I had that much strength, I would definitely be able to eat meat every day.”

“The one who had been rated as excellent in recent days were all Tietou.” Liang Er looked at Tietou who was plowing the land.

Tietou was a big honest fellow, he didn’t talk to people much, and always worked by himself. He had a relative in the farmstead, his only sister. All the rewards he had received these days were brought back to the dormitory and given to his sister.

His sister was born with weak health, so he always does more work alone, lest his sister will be disliked.

“Tietou! You should occasionally relax and give us a chance!” Liang Er shouted towards Tietou.

Tietou stopped and looked around, wondering who was calling him. After seeing Liang Er, he said in a low voice, “No.”

Liang Er said angrily to the San zi: “This man is really stubborn. He had eaten special meals for so many days.”

San zi comforted him: “Don’t be angry anymore, his sister is not healthy.”

Liang Er: “Bullying me because I don’t have a sister, right?”

San zi said in a small voice, “I don’t think you would work just as hard even if you have a sister.”

That night, Tietou was the same as the previous day, carrying white rice and a vegetable meat dish, his honest face finally showing a faint smile.

“Brother.” Tietou’s sister does not have a formal name, only the nickname Xiaohua, which was very countryside. In any village, girls from nine out of ten households were called Xiaohua.

Tietou put the stewed vegetables with meat and the rice on the table, and then carrying his sister to the table in a gentle and considerate manner at odds with his big clumsy looking body: “Hurry and eat.”

Xiaohua had been eating it for several days, but seeing the rice and stewed vegetable and meat dish she still craved to eat some more, she swallowed and whispered: “Have you eaten yet?”

Tietou: “I have eaten it, this is leftovers I brought back for you.”

Xiaohua smiled at Tietou, she didn’t doubt Tietou’s words at all, and took the chopsticks to eat.

“Brother, eat a piece of meat.” Xiaohua picked up the meat and fed it to Tietou’s mouth, and Tietou opened his mouth to take a bite.

The long-forgotten meaty taste encroached on his taste buds, Tietou took a deep breath and rubbed Xiaohua’s head: “You need to recover your health, brother will let you eat meat every day.”

Xiaohua nodded vigorously. She liked her life now. She didn’t have to worry about where she will sleep tomorrow, she didn’t have to worry about being hungry. She still remembered that when they first fled, if brother only sold himself, he could definitely find a master but because he was taking along a sickly sister no one had been willing to buy the siblings.

Only when they met Boss did they finally have a shelter.

“The more I think about it the more I’m angry.” Liang Er returned to the dormitory and complained to San zi. “He had gotten excellent so many days so what if he missed for a few days. If it wasn’t the fact that I can’t beat him, I would definitely teach him a lesson!”

San zi turned over, not really wanting to talk to Liang Er. Although it was difficult for them to get an excellent, they could still eat meat every seven days.

Of course, meat is never too much, but when many people can’t even fill their stomachs, it was already something rare that they do not go hungry.

San zi reminded: “You can’t fight in the farmstead. If you are discovered, you will be locked in the dungeon.”

The so-called dungeon was actually a cellar that was remodeled and was not for torture. But there was no light in the dungeon, a veritable little black room. After being locked in, no sound or light could be heard or seen.

No one had been in it so far.

But no one in the farmstead wanted to try it in any case.

Liang Er immediately lost his nerve, and whispered: “It’s not like I really want to teach him a lesson. You’ll see, I will definitely surpass him tomorrow.”

San zi don’t believe it: “I’ll go to bed first.”

The roommates also laughed and said, “Liang Er, you will have to work hard tomorrow. We don’t dare to fight with Tietou on getting excellent because of how desperate he appears.”

Liang Er went to sleep with confidence, and prepared to let Tietou know how good he was tomorrow.

However——

“Tietou is simply not human!” Liang Er threw the hoe onto the ground viciously.

The person next to him laughed at him: “Did you not say you wanted to show him up yesterday? You give up so soon?”

Liang er also felt ashamed to just give up, and could only toughen his skin and go on.

At the end of the evening, Liang Er glanced at Tietou’s ground, and knew that he would be laughed at by his companions today.

When the excellent worker was announced, Liang Er was absent-mindedly wondering if he should secretly put some croton seeds in Tietou’s rice tonight (TN: croton seeds are a strong purgative).

“Today’s outstanding laborers are: Tietou, Liang Er.” Jiang Gui explained after announcing the candidates, “Tietou had worked hard and had been excellent for several days. After we considered it, we decided that the second place can also enjoy the same treatment as the first place.”

The people were all happy, after all, it was impossible to defeat Tietou, they were almost ready to give up and slack off.

But the second place can still be fought for.

When the crowd dispersed, Liang Er still stood there thinking. San zi urged: “Why are you standing stupidly? Aren’t you going to the cafeteria?”

Liang Er walked to San zi’s side and asked: “Do you know where to find some croton seeds?”

San zi: “Why do you want croton seeds? If you eat that stuff, you will need to go to the toilet. No matter how much you eat, it’s useless. Maybe you will even die.”

There were many examples of people eating croton seeds and dying.

Liang Er whispered: “I plan to get some for Tietou.”

San zi widened his eyes: “Are you crazy?!”

Liang Er: “So I can take the first place, eat white rice and stewed vegetables with meat, and I will share half of it with you then.”

San zi had a complicated expression: “You can eat it now too.”

Liang Er: “Are you kidding? You don’t mean that you want me to steal Tietou’s? I can’t beat him.”

San zi sighed, “I mean, you can go to the kitchen to ask for white rice and stewed vegetables with meat.”

Liang Er was shocked: “Why?!”

San zi looked at Liang Er who seemed to really not know, and he suddenly said playfully: “The Boss said, anyone can get it tonight if they want to. Didn’t you hear what Jiang manager said just now?”

Liang Er said suspiciously: “I indeed did not listen carefully……”

He was just thinking about how he could defeat Tietou.

San zi: “I will take you there.”

San zi took Liang Er to the cafeteria. Now the cafeteria was already full of people. They were chatting and eating dinner. Because it was still cold in early spring, there were charcoal braziers in the four corners of the room, and with many people gathered together they can feel a rush of heat when they go in, it was extremely warm.

The women who were serving the meals sat behind the counter, chatting while serving.

“This is my brother, Liang Er, he wants white rice and stewed vegetables with meat.” San zi said to the woman who served the meal.

The woman had received the notice before, that two people were rewarded today, so the stewed vegetables with meat and rice were already prepared and kept warm so when they saw someone come to get it, they passed them over naturally.

“Remember to take the bowl and plate back after eating, or eat in the cafeteria.” The woman reminded.

And Liang Er, who was holding the wooden dinner plate, was still a bit at a loss, not knowing what happened.

He looked around and found that everyone was eating ordinary multi-grain steamed buns and stir-fried vegetables. No one had white rice or meat.

Liang Er looked at San zi vigilantly: “Boss definitely did not say to eat randomly, don’t lie to me.”

San zi cupped his belly and laughed: “Hahahahaha, how can you be so silly hahahahaha, you should really look at your expression just now.”

Liang Er looked at San zi with a displeased expression, but he was reluctant to put down the food in his hand.

San zi said after having laughed enough, “Manager Jiang said, because Tietou is always the first, so there will be rewards for the second in the future. You are the second today, so you can also get it.”

Liang Er stood there sluggish for a while before reacting.

He took the dinner plate and found an empty seat to sit down, looking at the whole bowl of white rice and stewed vegetables with meat, he picked up his chopsticks while swallowing.

San zi was also feeling a craving, after receiving his share of multi-grain steamed buns and vegetables he sat opposite Liang Er: “Can you give me a piece of meat?”

Liang er’s chopsticks stirred in the stew, and a lot of meat can be seen.

So Liang Er said generously: “Eat.”

San zi did not bother being courteous with him, he picked the biggest piece of meat he saw.

Lin Yuan was currently observing in Chen Half-Immortal’s research lab, in any case Lin Yuan didn’t want to call this room the alchemy room.

Chen Half-Immortal said to Lin Yuan with a little nervousness: “Actually, the furnace exploded once, but trying again according to the recipe it didn’t explode though.”

There were no precise measurement tools at this time, and every measurement depended on the feel. There were many uncertain factors, and Lin Yuan could understand it.

“Is there enough material?” Lin Yuan asked.

Chen Half-Immortal: “Enough is enough, we don’t use much each time, but it is better to prepare early.”

Still have to send someone to buy. Don’t know that there is any town around that sell these materials.

Lin Yuan could only call Zhu Yuanzhang and brother Dao to go out, each leading a team and had Chen Half-Immortal tell them what was needed.

“If we all go……” Zhu Yuanzhang still had some worries, “There won’t be many people left in the farmstead.”

After all, they will be taking away all the grown men.

Lin Yuan said: “Now the city wall has been built. While there are not many people left, but in total it is enough. There is also food in the farmstead. Even if there really is danger, it will be enough to last a siege. So you can return in half a month if you haven’t bought what is needed.”

Now that communication and transportation were inconvenient, he could only make calculations and stipulated times.

For ten or so days, even if bandits really come over, they will still be able to last.

As long as it was not an official army.

If it were, Lin Yuan could only surrender to the unfortunate circumstance. After all, once an official army arrived, even if Zhu Yuanzhang and brother Dao were in the farmstead, they wouldn’t be able to be of much help.

Lin Yuan made it clear, so Zhu Yuanzhang and brother Dao could only leave with their respective teams.

They have to pretend to be ordinary people, and they can’t buy too much each time, buying in batches to avoid being targeted.

It was the tenth year of the current emperor’s reign already.

Lin Yuan let out a sigh as he looked at their leaving backs.

The time left was really running out.

If at the end of this year, the number of people in the farmstead cannot exceed 1,000, he will truly not be able to do anything. Maybe he might even have to take the people to join the Red Turbans.

Recruiting troops was imminent.

Lin Yuan took a deep breath, but those he weren’t unsure of their origins, he didn’t dare to let them in.

Even if Chen Baisong had such a close relationship with the original owner, Lin Yuan didn’t completely trust him either.

Ah……he was truly close to going crazy.

Lin Yuan turned his head and looked at Er Liang who was cleaning up the house, staring in a daze. Er Liang felt that there was a line of sight focused on him from behind, the gaze causing his whole body to go numb. Turning around, he found that his young master was looking at him intently, and asked uncomfortably: “Young master? What are you doing looking at me? What, what is it?”

Lin Yuan sighed.

Er Liang became more nervous: “Did something happen? Young master, don’t not say anything, it’s scary.”

Lin Yuan: “Say, if I think less, will it be easier?”

Er Liang knew that this was his young master once again being peculiar. He picked up the rag and continued to wipe the dust. While wiping, he said, “Young master, you are now responsible for a big farmstead of people, if you think less you will be feeling easier, but if something happens you will not be feeling easy. “

Lin Yuan continued to sigh: “What you said makes sense.”

Er Liang: “Young master, if you have time to think about this, you might as well think about what to eat tomorrow.”

Lin Yuan waved his hand: “Anyway, it has been the same every day recently, so I don’t have to think about it.”

Er Liang: “Young master, why don’t you think about your life’s major event?”

Lin Yuan didn’t react for a while: “What major event? Life’s major event?”

Er Liang sighed: “You are already at this age, if it was still like before, I should have seen your son by now.”

Lin Yuan: “……”

Er Liang blabbered: “Master is also talking about this recently. It is a pity that this place is too remote to find a lady that matches your status. It is better to arrange two tongfang (TN: a servant girl who is actually a concubine as well) for you first.”

Lin Yuan’s face blushed instantly, he turned his head and said, “This……”

Er Liang winked and said, “Young master, this is just the ways of men.”

Lin Yuan stretched out his hand and pushed Er Liang’s head away: “Speak if you must speak, don’t get so close.”

“Forget it.” After careful consideration, Lin Yuan rejected the proposal.

Although it was a servant girl who take on concubine duties if needed, in the eyes of a modern-educated person like Lin Yuan, this was actually no different from his wife who does housework for him and have his children.

Although she would not be a wife in legal terms, Lin Yuan still can’t overcome this hurdle.

Besides, what should he do when he gets married and finds a wife?

Have several women live under one roof?

He felt that he probably didn’t have the skills of Long Aotian (TN: archetype in c-webnovels where the male MC travels back in time and finds himself a harem of women), when the time came he would definitely be surrounded by ‘enemies’ from all sides. If there was an additional battle between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, he can just say goodbye early.

Er Liang can’t believe it: “Young master, forget it? But you are seventeen now?”

Lin Yuan became angry with embarrassment: “Er Liang, if you want yourself then go tell that to my father, anyway, I can’t, and if you ask me again, I will punish you to clean the toilet bucket.”

Er Liang closed his mouth, stretched out his hands, and made a gesture of squeezing his mouth close.

“Speaking of toilet buckets……” Lin Yuan’s thoughts were taken astray, “I think the farmstead really needs a public toilet, and it can even be used to accumulate fertilizer.”

Although the people in the farmstead also save fertilizer on their own, in fact, most of them still go to the woods to do their business.

Er Liang heard Lin Yuan mention fertilizer, and his whole person felt strange, his expression difficult to put in words.

He didn’t even know who told the young master about fertilizer.

Hearing the young master mentioning compost seriously, his three views were shocked.

In the eyes of Er Liang, his young master shouldn’t know these things.

Lin Yuan: “What is your expression?”

Er Liang sniffed: “Young master, Er Liang did not take care of you good enough!”

Lin Yuan: “……”

After listening to Er Liang’s explanation, Lin Yuan was deeply impressed by Er Liang’s brain circuit.

But the matter of creating a public toilet cannot be forgotten.

Lin Yuan immediately summoned some people and started digging the public toilet. The public toilet was also simple. He followed the same structure as the modern farm toilet in the 1960s and 1970s. Dig a deep hole and cover it with two thick boards. If you are afraid of falling, you can use bricks to line it instead.

As soon as Lin Yuan gave the order, the people in the farmstead started to work in full swing.

After all, good work meant meat to eat.

Although——everyone thought digging a toilet was unnecessary.

But it was not called just a toilet, but a public toilet now.

“The Boss is truly extraordinary, there are actually special ways to shit.”

“That’s right, I used to think that it was already good if you had a toilet bucket like those landowning lords, but I didn’t expect that we are now actually building a special house for shitting, and have to dig such a deep hole.”

“I heard that a bucket of water must be placed outside, and you have to wash your hands after finishing.”

“Boss also had people go find a recipe for making paper, papers for wiping the butt.”

“Ai, no wonder he is the Boss, even the butt is more noble and high-born than ordinary people. Like us, aren’t we just fine with wiping with a leaf?”

“I heard that the lords all use silk and satin to wipe at their butts.”

“……Those lords who wipe their butts just once and it is more valuable than us wiping our whole life.”

Everyone reached an agreement and felt that the butts of the lords were all valuable butts.

The toilet was made very quickly. Two toilets were finished in two to three days, one for men and one for women. Lin Yuan also drew signs outside because everyone was illiterate. In order for them not to go to the wrong toilet, Lin Yuan drew a hoe for the men’s bathroom and a flower for the women’s bathroom.

This way it will be made clear.

As for drawing skirts and pants——at this age, men also wear skirts.

Although it cannot be called a skirt strictly speaking.

Lin Yuan naturally didn’t know that his butt was very valuable. He only knew that it would be much more convenient after having a public toilet. At least there was no need to worry about walking in the farmstead and accidentally stepping into a pit, only to discover ‘gold’ had been buried in the pit.

Now many people have to be supervised to make sure they use the toilets as many people don’t bother to take the few steps to the toilet at night.

Later, Lin Yuan had no choice but to come up with a method where they supervise on each other.

If they reported on someone not using the toilets as they should the reporter would be rewarded a piece of smoked meat, while the one reported on will have to eat one less meal the next day.

Once the punishment measures and incentive measures came out everyday there were people being reported.

It was busy for a few days at first, but then some people suffered, and some people benefited, so they now all go to use the public toilet obediently.

Now that the rectification had begun, Lin Yuan decided to rectify everything that can be rectified in one go.

For example, no drinking raw water, they can go to the cafeteria to drink the water every day.

No throwing things casually. The garbage must be gathered and they must take it a little further away to bury them.

Fortunately, having had the experience of the public toilets, the following rules were implemented very quickly, and the people in the farmstead have no more complaints or adverse reactions.

Lin Yuan was relieved and gave himself a like in his heart.

After having no other ideas to implement, Lin Yuan began to think once again about how to recruit soldiers and buy horses every day.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Maybe he should……just go raid some bandit villas?

After all, they had a little experience in raiding, and they had figured out how to rehabilitate the people who were captured back.

Or go to find the poor who have nowhere to go?

They can discuss it after Zhu Yuanzhang and brother Dao come back.

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Lin Yuan didn’t expect to see brother Chen again. After all, he still remembered the night when the original owner and brother Chen were separated. The moonlight was dim and the refugees came upon them like the tide. Brother Chen stopped the carriage, and the original owner couldn’t see him clearly, only just hearing the other telling him to run away immediately.

Whenever he thought of brother Chen, Lin Yuan would sigh involuntarily.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

But seeing him now, both joy and surprise took him. He let go of brother Jiang’s hand and walked straight towards brother Chen. His expression was not able to remain composed for a while, joy and lament conflicting with each other.

“You are still alive.” Lin Yuan took a deep breath, not expecting that there was still an opportunity for the both of them to meet again in this life.

When he first transmigrated into this world, brother chen blocking the refugees on his own gave him a great shock.

Brother Chen didn’t seem to have any reaction on the surface, he just looked focusedly at Lin Yuan, expression appearing as if in a trance.

They haven’t seen each other for almost three years, and the young master had become different from before.

“Boss?” One of the brawny man who came with him called in bewilderment. How did Boss take an escort job and even end up reuniting with long lost friends?

Brother Chen raised his hand, and the man shut up immediately.

He looked at Lin Yuan with complicated eyes, and finally moved slowly. When a servant see his master, he always had to kneel down.

After three years of not kneeling, he was a little unused to the motion. However, before he got down on his knees, Lin Yuan had already grabbed his shoulders——on tiptoe, with a smile on his face: “I really didn’t expect it. Let me take you in to have a look around. This is the property I purchased.”

After finishing speaking, he half dragged and half hugged brother Chen inside. His expression was so natural that brother Chen was in a daze for a moment.

The people behind also followed in. Meeting their eyes were fertile fields, men and women working in them. In the spring the land needed to be planted with seeds. Everyone was very busy during this period, but the people had smiles on their faces even as they wipe at their sweat. Occasionally they would take a rest, filling a cup with water.

Looking around, besides the huts and a house with a courtyard attached, there was an amazingly large coffin-like house, three stories high, no fancy decorations, just flat and symmetrical, shocking brother Chen and his men.

“Not bad?” Lin Yuan finally revealed a little bit of proudness. He said, “It has been a long time of separation, I will take you to meet Er Liang and the others. They are all in the farmstead, and your mother is also here too.”

Then Lin Yuan turned around and said to Brother Jiang, “Brother Jiang has been walking through the mountains for so long, and must be tired too. We will talk about business tomorrow. I will have someone to take you down to rest and wash up.”

Brother Jiang was not a person without tact, and nodded repeatedly: “Don’t mind me, delaying for a few days is not a big deal.”

Brother Chen’s mother was Lin Yuan’s wet nurse. Now she was helping with things in the back kitchen, as well as helping to deliver babies for pregnant women.

Everyone couldn’t believe it when they saw brother Chen. After all, they didn’t expect Niu Dan to survive. When Er Liang saw brother Chen, he even dropped a few tears from the corner of his eyes and sniffed his nose vigorously, wiping the tears with the back of his hands.

The servants of the Lin family also surrounded brother Chen excitedly and asked him what he had gone through in the past few years, especially brother Chen’s mother. Seeing her son okay in front of her, the tears seemed unable to stop. Brother Chen held his mother’s shoulders helplessly, and let her cry on his shoulders.

Then brother Chen briefly talked about his experience over the past few years.

It turned out that the group of refugees did not want to kill them, but just wanted to find food. But it turned out, there was no food in the car except for the dry food packed for eating on the way. But that bit of food was only enough for an adult man to eat for two or three days.

Finding that there was nothing to eat, the refugees dispersed, and brother Chen survived.

He had no money, and he didn’t know where Lin Yuan and Er Liang had escaped to, so he had no choice but to find a place of shelter first. In the end he stopped at a section of the wilderness, supporting himself with hunting. Probably because of his good hunting skills, a lot of people gathered around gradually.

After having followers, they settled in no fixed place, living like refugees, relying on robbing mountain bandits for livlihood.

To sum up, Brother Chen now had a group of people left behind in the wilderness. He himself took the job of escorting the merchants this time, and brought out the most tough men under his hand. But they met a several groups of bandits and had to escape. After getting lost in the mountains, they accompanied Jiang Guang to here.

Lin Yuan rubbed his chin: “I always feel that there is providence in everything. It was the heavens that had us reunite.”

Mother Chen nodded: “Exactly!”

Old father Lin also said, “Since you are here, then you must stay here in the future. We are after all a family!”

Brother Chen said: “I still have many brothers out there.”

He was also now a small boss, and he must consider the care and livelihood of his brothers.

At this time, Lin Yuan did not respond. His senses had not yet been dazzled by the joy of reuniting. What’s more, the source of his feelings for brother Chen only came from the memory of the original owner. He had not seen him in three years, what kind of person was brother Chen now? He was unsure.

And listening to his tone, the people under his command were all tough men, since daring to rob the bandits your fighting power would certainly not be weak. If he rashly allowed brother Chen to bring those people in, and if something goes wrong……

Even if he wins, the small fighting power he had managed to cultivate now will definitely pay a high price, and he simply can’t afford that now.

Brother Chen stood up. Three years ago, he was only a little taller than Lin Yuan. Now standing next to Lin Yuan, he was almost a head taller than Lin Yuan, at least 1.8 meters tall.

“I won’t have you be troubled, I naturally have my way.” His expression was serious, even revealing a slight imposing aura.

That aura came from the many times he had gone up against the bandits. Old father Lin swallowed, knowing that the Niu Dan in front of him was no longer the same Niu Dan from before. So he said, “Since you’re back, you must still stay for a few days. Besides, you and Yuan’er haven’t seen each other for a few years. There must be a lot to say.”

Mother Chen took her son by the arm. After so many events, she did not look like someone in her forties. Originally, as a wet nurse in the Lin family, her food and clothing were better than ordinary people, so her ageing was not so fast. But she now looked no different from someone in her fifties. Her hair graying, wrinkles on the face and neck, and age spots on the back of her hands.

Since knowing that her son was missing, her energy had long since disappeared. If it weren’t for serving her masters keeping her going, she might have died long ago.

Mother Chen was a widow. After she became pregnant, her husband died in a fight in the field. The fight originated from the people on both sides feeling that the other side had occupied more of their own land. From the verbal fighting in the beginning it gradually escalated into a physical fight, and she lost her husband.

Her father-in-law and mother-in-law could not stand the shock of losing their only son, and passed away within a month one after another. She was pregnant and had nowhere to go, until Yang shi heard about her situation and had her come to the Lin family residence giving her a place to peacefully give birth to her baby. It happened that a servant girl in the Lin family was pregnant as well. When the child was born, and the girl did not have enough milk, she could help out as a wet nurse.

In this way Mother Chen stayed at Lin family’s residence, and she stayed for more than ten years.

“Niu Dan.” Mother Chen called her son’s nickname, and reached out to touch her son’s face. With tears falling, she touched her son’s facial features and arms over and over again.

Brother Chen’s sleeves were pushed up, revealing his arms to be covered in scars. There were knife wounds and scars left by blunt objects, looking very frightning.

Mother Chen bit her lip: “Just how much suffering is this……”

Brother Chen smiled at Mother Chen: “Mother, it’s just some small injuries, it doesn’t endanger my life, so it can’t be considered suffering.”

Mother Chen carefully touched the scars: “Does it still hurt?”

Brother Chen: “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

That night, everyone in the Lin family gathered together and had a family dinner, while brother Chen’s men went to the cafeteria with the people in the farmstead.

The family banquet was quite rich and sumptuous. Lin Yuan specially asked the kitchen to kill two chickens and three bamboo rats. He also had egg custard soup made, along with fried wild vegetables that were only available in spring. He even took out the rice wine seized from the bandits last time.

Old father Lin sat at the head of the dining table. Currently he doesn’t need to care about anything. He can live a good life just by relying on his son. Daily, he would sigh happily about having given birth to a good son and that his situation was much better than his friends’.

As for his old friends, don’t know where they were now.

Did they find their sons that had been sent out, or had they become refugees, he didn’t know.

Old fathet Lin had thought about it before, but after thinking about it for a couple of days, he put it aside.

In any case, other people’s family affairs have nothing to do with him. Ask him to go find them? That would certainly be impossible.

“Yuan’er is also big now.” Old father Lin took a sip of rice wine and sighed comfortably, “I can now enjoy Yuan’er’s blessing (TN: expression for children supporting their parents’ retirement).”

The servants below flattered: “Master, this is the blessing accumulated from the previous life, and this life is for enjoying the blessing.”

Old father Lin laughed: “I feel the same way!”

There was a lot of happiness and harmony at the banquet, but Lin Yuan turned his head from time to time to look in the direction of brother Chen. He hadn’t seen him for three years. This man had matured and was now unpredictable.

Brother Chen was currently comforting the Mother Chen: “Mother, if you miss me, then come with me, I will definitely not let you suffer and have a hard time.”

Mother Chen asked dazedly: “Go? Go where?”

Brother Chen: “Naturally go to my villa……my place.”

Mother Chen shook her head quickly: “I’m not going anywhere, Niu Dan, you stay too. Did you forget, you have been with the young master since you were young, us mother and son were rescued by the master and the mistress. We must know to be grateful and pay back this benevolence.”

She had lived in the Lin family for more than ten years and had long regarded the Lin family as her home. The master was not very temperamental, and the mistress was a kind person. The young master was also capable. This farmstead also had a city wall. Because of her age, she had received quite a lot of care and had not done any heavy work. Now her son had also come back, so even more she didn’t want to go anywhere.

Brother Chen couldn’t convince Mother Chen, turning around he found that Lin Yuan was looking at him.

He looked at Lin Yuan and didn’t know what he felt.

He had a responsibility to his brothers and loyalty to the young master who grew up with him.

But it was sometimes difficult to be both loyal and righteous.

After the banquet was over and everyone was full, Lin Yuan stood up and walked up to brother Chen and patted his shoulder: “Let’s go out and talk.”

Brother Chen didn’t refuse, and walked outside with Lin Yuan. Now it was dark and the cold wind was still blowing in early spring. Lin Yuan tightened the cotton-padded coat on his body, but found that brother Chen was not afraid of the cold wind at all in his thin shirt.

“Don’t you feel cold?” Lin Yuan asked curiously. They were all made of flesh. How can he be so different as to not be afraid of the cold?

Brother Chen smiled: “I’m used to it.”

“Young master, how have you been in the past few years?” Brother Chen suddenly asked, “At that time I wanted to catch up with you, but I didn’t know where you were going.”

Lin Yuan felt that he really needed a lonely cigarette at this time, and then pretend to say a few words full of life philosophy, but unfortunately there was no condition for him to act cool, and he could only say: “At that time, Er Liang and I fled to Wu city and lived in the ruined temple on the outskirts. We were penniless until we found the two hundred taels banknote that my mother had hidden on me.”

“Let’s stop talking about me, how about you? Are you now the boss of a villa?” Lin Yuan’s ears were sharp, having heard brother Chen’s unfinished word, and he immediately thought of a mountain residence like the one the bandits lived in. Since he had a group of brothers under him, he must have settled down somewhere, relying on looting the surrounding bandits to make a living. It was actually not a good way to live, it could only be said desperate times call for desperate measures.

Brother Chen looked at the night sky: “Actually, at that time, I thought I wouldn’t make it, young master, but people always want to live. Stealing a day is a day.”

“That’s right.” Brother Chen said suddenly, “There is a gentleman in the villa who gave me a new name. I can’t keep using Niu Dan as a formal name.”

Lin Yuan couldn’t help but laugh. Think about it, every time the villa boss goes out, a bunch of underlings say: “Brother Niu Dan! Come back safely!” It was quite an amusing picture. Just not imposing at all.

Lin Yuan asked: “What’s the name?”

Brother Chen said: “Chen Baisong.”

Lin Yuan: “This name is good, Bai Song both have good meaning (TN: literally bai=cypress and song=pine, both trees have good meanings in Chinese).”

Chen Baisong smiled.

“Are you still thinking about leaving here?” Lin Yuan said suddenly, “Nanny will not leave.”

Chen Baisong was currently having a headache about this: “My mother, she……”

Lin Yuan in truth hoped that Chen Baisong would stay. After all, he was the original owner’s playmate since childhood, and he had family here. To the original owner, Chen Baisong may not be his blood brother but they were closer than blood brothers. If he really did leave, Lin Yuan would have some regrets in his heart.

“You don’t have enough food in your villa?” Lin Yuan asked.

Chen Baisong did not lie to save face, he nodded and said: “Otherwise, we won’t come out to take up the escort job, usually we don’t take them.”

Merchants have money, and they want to do business even when the world was in chaos. Furthermore the more chaotic, the higher the prices, especially for food and medicinal materials, both of which were hugely profitable.

After all, they haven’t seen each other for three years so there was a sense of unfamiliarity.

Especially Lin Yuan, although he had memories of brother Chen, this memory belonged to the original owner, and he had not inherited the original owner’s feelings.

Chen Baisong looked at Lin Yuan: “Young master, you are grown up.”

Lin Yuan was taken aback: “You speak as if you are much older than me.”

Chen Baisong was just a few months older than Lin Yuan.

Chen Baisong didn’t speak, but the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile. The young master in his memory had never grown up. He possessed a kind heart, and was gentle with everyone, unable to see any suffering in front of him.

If everyone in this world was like this, there won’t be so many bad things, there won’t be wars, and there won’t be people who were displaced.

Young master had changed.

Chen Baisong stretched out his arm and patted Lin Yuan on the shoulder.

Nothing in this world was static, everyone was changing.

It’s just that some people were fast and some were slow.

Lin Yuan said, “Since you still have brothers out there, I won’t force you to stay. I will take care of Nanny. If anything happens, just come to me, and I will help so long as it’s within my ability.”

He will repay brother Chen’s life-saving grace to the original owner, although it seems that he hadn’t been able to save the original owner in the end.

“Young master……” Chen Baisong looked at Lin Yuan, with a smile in his eyes.

Sure enough, no matter when, the young master will always be the young master.

After the excitement of the reunion subsided, Lin Yuan had a rare good sleep. In his dream, he seemed to see the original owner smiling at him.

The next morning, when the sun was shining brightly, Lin Yuan crawled out of the bed. Er Liang walked into the room with a basin of water and waited on Lin Yuan as he freshened up. Lin Yuan’s hair was very long. Although in ancient times the hair was considered part of the body gifted to you by your parents, they can still actually cut the hair, but usually just a small trim.

In the Tang Dynasty, there was already the word haircut.

“Er Liang, cut my hair a bit.” Although Lin Yuan’s hair volume was not too much, it tend to grow too fast. It was already very long before and plus three years of no trimming, it now reached his thighs.

Er Liang brushed Lin Yuan’s hair, and said, “Young master’s hair is this good why should it be cut. It’s dark and smooth, no need to cut it.”

Lin Yuan: “It’s too much trouble, it takes too much time to freshen up every day.” Because of the long hair, the ancient people actually seldom wash their hair as there was no hair dryer. Generally, they do not wash their hair when the weather grows cold. It was common not to wash their hair in autumn and winter. Even if he wanted to wash it, there were no soaps in the farmstead at this time. Even Lin Yuan just washed his hair with plant ash mixed with water.

Lin Yuan found that many people in the farmstead who did not wash their hair for a long time, the oil blocked the hair follicles, resulting in them being half bald.——The troubles of hair loss, as expected, exist in any era.

Er Liang combed Lin Yuan’s hair, and said, “I see Brother Chen is very different from three years ago.”

Thinking of the current brother Chen, he said excitedly: “He is even more manly! I will grow up like brother Chen in the future!”

Er Liang, this fickle little boy, the one who he had looked up to before was Brother Dao.

Even though he had experienced the smell of brother Dao’s feet, he hadn’t changed his mind.

Now that someone who was more in line with his aesthetics appeared, he immediately abandoned Brother Dao.

Lin Yuan smiled and said, “Then you have to work hard, eat more, and work more.”

Er Liang: “I also have strength now.”

After finishing the hair and changing clothes, it had been almost half an hour since he got up.

Sure enough, long hair was inconvenient, but Lin Yuan dare not cut it too short. After all, people with short hair now were either monks returning to the secular world or criminals who have been punished.

Lin Yuan went to see Jiang Guang first.

Jiang Guang was a merchant trader, he had no fixed place and no family, but he had a lot of contacts, therefore daring to travel in this state of upheaval.

“I sell everything.” Jiang Guang said smiling as he sat cross legged, his breakfast on the table, “In addition to medicinal materials, I also sell food. If there is a shortage of people, people can also be sold.”

Lin Yuan asked: “What about weapons and horses?”

Jiang Guang’s smile changed in an instant, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he looked honest and clever equally: “Although I can also sell it, but the price……”

Lin Yuan knew that the price would be scary without even thinking about it.

“Money is not accepted.” Jiang Guang said, “The times now, only silver and gold are accepted.” What he called money were the paper currency issued by the Yuan Dynasty. It had now become waste paper and was only useful in relatively stable towns. However, the amount was getting larger and larger. Ordinary people holding several hundred taels of paper currency may not even be able to buy much food.

Lin Yuan can also understand that, after all, in a modern African country, inflation can reach to heights where hundreds of millions were needed to buy a pair of slippers.

But he doesn’t have much gold and silver anymore. Yang Zi’an took most of the silver away, and the gold was only Yang shi’s jewelry. If not for a last resort, Lin Yuan really didn’t want to use Yang shi’s things.

But the good thing was that the Lin family used to have a big business, and the jewelry that old father Lin bought for Yang shi was all made of real gold and silver. It was not gilded gold or fake gold, each piece was weighty and valuable.

“Brother Jiang.” Lin Yuan said suddenly, “Although there is no gold or silver, I have something else here.”

Jiang Guang looked up bewildered. Without gold and silver, what business can be talked about? Merchants chase profits, that had always been the case.

Lin Yuan: “What do you think of this thing?”

Jiang Guang heard this and looked over, seeing Lin Yuan take out something. It was a huge jade annulus, larger than Jiang Guang had ever seen in his life. The whole body was pure white and very transparent. It was not only on the surface, under the sun it gave a feeling that light could travel through this jade. Such jade was priceless, rarely seen among the people. Jiang Guang swallowed and his eyes glowed.

Lin Yuan was relieved to find that Jiang Guang hadn’t seen through it.

Of course, this jade was not real. It was made by Chen Half-Immortal and his fellows. He didn’t know how they had somehow gone from studying gunpowder formula to making fake gems. The texture of artificially-made jade was of course not comparable to real jade, but it was made meticulously. In this era without professional equipment, it was almost impossible based on the naked eye and hand to distinguish its fakeness. The stone used was also found deep in the mountains, and it took them a month to create this piece.

Originally, Lin Yuan was worried that jade had lost its value in these times, but looking at Jiang Guang’s eyes, he knew that there was still a market for this thing. No matter how chaotic the world was, the royals and nobles at the top will still enjoy themselves. If the sword was not placed on their necks, they will not be afraid.

“This thing……” Jiang Guang, “How priceless!”

Lin Yuan: “This thing fell into my hands because of a coincidence. I want to exchange it for one cart of brother Jiang’s medicinal herbs, it should be more than enough?”

Jiang Guang looked at Lin Yuan: “I will not tell lies with young master Lin, it is worth more than one cart.”

“I want to buy some horses.” Lin Yuan said.

Jiang Guang touched his chin: “If it was a few years ago, it would be enough to buy ten horses, but now, I can only give three horses.”

Lin Yuan didn’t mind about this. It was a pure profit in exchange. After all, as soon as this piece of “fake jade” came out, Chen Half-Immortal and the others had experience and could make more counterfeit jade easily enough.

Of course, using the fake jade to trade, the more the better.

“Brother Jiang is an honest man.” Lin Yuan raised his teacup, “I will use tea instead of wine to toast to brother Jiang.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Jiang Guang also raised his teacup. He had already thought about whom he would sell to after he got that piece of jade. The people below can barely survive, but the people above were still living extravagantly and enjoying luxuries. Compared to gold and silver those people would prefer jade, and he can surely sell it for a good price.

Lin Yuan and Jiang Guang were both feeling delighted in their hearts.

Chen Half-Immortal and the others, they don’t know it yet it, but their workload will increase once again.

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Lin Yuan discovered that since the arrival of a new group of women, the men in the farmstead acted as if they had taken steroids. The new women usually work with the previous women, but because most of them were pregnant as well as having weak health, Lin Yuan didn’t dare to ask them to do heavy work. Instead he just had them rub the grass to use for padding clothes and blankets, sew garments, and if they were not pregnant, they could go to the kitchens to do some work.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Every time the men would pretend to pass by the place where the women worked. 　　

In order to draw attention to themselves, they only wore simple shirts that exposed their chests and showed off their strong physique.

After all, in this era, a good body is also capital.

And due to this two of them even came down with a cold, but fortunately, their physical fitness was not bad so there weren’t any major problems. 　　

Although these women were locked up by bandits and suffered both physical and psychological torture, some of them managed to find a suitable partner among the farmstead men.

For example, Li Da, he was probably the only one in this group of bachelors who was somewhat romantic. Every day he would show up in front of his crush and treat her solicitously, patting his chest in promise: “When your baby is born, I will be his father. I will definitely treat him as my own son, if I lie, let me be hit by lightning.” 　　

The women of this era have not received education on the equality of men and women, nor have they heard the slogan that women can hold up half the sky. 　　

Because women could not own private property, their only way out was to find a man to marry, as their parents could not always support them. In the past, Lin Yuan had read some books about the living conditions of ancient women. Different dynasties have different systems, but without exception, in a patriarchal society, women do not have any rights and are more like property than people. 　　

And except for the legal wife, a man’s concubines could even be given away as they didn’t have any control of their own destiny. 　　

The jobs that women can find were also very limited. For example, the cook which is a profession that was passed down in the family. The mother passes her skills to her daughter who will then pass it down to her daughter, and continue passing down generation to generation. Because it was due to the mother’s reputation and standing can the daughter continue to work and even inherit her mother’s position as the head cook in the kitchens at the master’s house. 　　

Generally speaking, they had no means of surviving without getting married. 　　

So some of these women have actually begun to consider accepting the pursuit of these bachelors.

After all, traditional thinking had already taken root in their minds, just like a woman who had been taught of the equality of men and women since she was young suddenly someone said to her: “Men are superior to women, women should just serve men.” 　　

She would definitely sneer at this, thinking that the person who said this was a lunatic. 　　

The common knowledge that people have received since childhood will affect their whole lives. 　　

And the reason why these women dare not act rashly in their choice was because of the child in their bellies. 　　

Although these children were products of rape by the bandits, they were now growing in their bellies. They were evidently descendants of their enemies, but now they are connected to them by blood. 　　

Now the enemy was dead, but the meat in their belly was still there, and as the months have passed, the fetus have even begun to move. 　　

Lin Yuan had thought that if they didn’t want to have the child, they could abort it, but he also thought about the current conditions——there was no medicine, even the most basic medicine was lacking. There was simply no guarantee that the woman will survive the abortion. 　　

The only choice was to have them give birth to the child as the risk of abortion was too great. 　　

So Li Da’s words truly touched the woman’s heart. Because they were in the farmstead where there was not much etiquette to speak of, and adding to the fact that they were people of the lower class, Li Da quickly got together with the woman.

Every day, he would say that it was not convenient for a woman to go to the cafeteria pregnant so he would send her the meals three times a day. Seeing that the cotton-padded clothes worn by the woman were too worn, he personally took up the needle and thread to help with sewing, who knew where he learned the needle and thread skills. 　　

It was probably because of the successful example of Li Da, the bachelors finally knew which direction to work hard towards. However, there weren’t many successful couples as most women were still observing.

Some women however, were already discouraged about having a normal husband and wife relationship and instead go to work every day thinking this was already quite good, not wanting to live with a man. 　　

After learning about Li Da, brother Dao once again went to confess to the girl he liked, saying that he didn’t mind about the child in her belly. 　　

The girl almost cried from anger, hands on her hips she scolded brother Dao: “Look at my stomach, does it seem to be pregnant?!” 　　

Brother Dao was scolded so badly, but he wasn’t ashamed at all, and said to Lin Yuan, “Look, she finally talked to me!” 　　

Lin Yuan: “……” 　　

Brother Dao rubbed his chin proudly: “She even hit me!” 　　

Lin Yuan: “……” 　　

Brother Dao continued rubbing his chin triumphantly: “She has really small hands.” 　　

Lin Yuan turned around and walked outside. Men who fall into unrequited love have no IQ, he has finally discovered. 　　

Brother Dao had never come into contact with unmarried girls before, hanging out with a bunch of rough men every day. Men in their twenties was just the time when they fantasize about girls. 　　

Lin Yuan can also understand, when he was in college, his crush was Anne Hathaway. 　　

He had saved all her movies on his cell phone, so whenever he was bored or something irritating happened he would play her movies. 　　

But he also knew that even if he worked hard for a lifetime, he would still never be able to marry her.

So brother Dao began his days of being scolded every day, and even seemed to be enjoying it. Lin Yuan originally wanted to console him, but after thinking about it, this kind of matter between men and women, only the person involved in the matter knew about the truth of the situation. As for him he should just avoid it so as not to be disdained. So long as brother Dao isn’t harassing her then it was fine. 　　

As the bachelors in the farmstead began their passionate pursuit of the women, the bandits’ days however were not very good.

They have to get up every day before dawn to build the wall, and under the eyes of supervisors. The supervisors each have a small wooden board in their hands, whoever did a good job gets a circle, while those who did a bad job gets a cross. At night after work has ended, they would go to find Qiu Niang who will write down the names and their performance accordingly. Whoever got a circle for seven consecutive days, they could move into the worker dormitory. 　　

Not only that, but also be rewarded a small piece of smoked meat. And when he go to the cafeteria, the women who served food would give him an encouraging smile.

So the bandits discovered that even though their companions are saying, “It’s only because I don’t have a weapon, otheriwse I would definitely fight them to death.” But as soon as it was time to work, everyone competed for performance, each working harder than the other. 　　

Before when they were still in the bandit residence, they had never worked even that hard. At that time whenever there was work everyone avoided it if they could. 　　

“Liang Da, come out.” The supervisor called out a name. The person who was called hurriedly put down the brick in his hand and quickly walked over with a smile on his face: “Please speak, what are your orders?” 　　

There was a smile on the supervisor’s mouth: “You have performed well in the past seven days, all are circles. Clean up and follow me to the dormitory.”

Liang Da widened his eyes in disbelief, standing there at a loss for a while, then rubbed his hands like a fly and sniffled his nose: “Really, really? I’m not dreaming?”

The supervisor patted him on the shoulder: “Since you have come to the farmstead, you are now the farmstead’s people. No matter what you were before, as long as you change, you will still be a good person. You can’t do bad things in the future, otherwise life will be difficult. Follow me.”

Liang Da looked back at his companions. They all looked at him with jealous or envious eyes. Liang Da puffed out his chest and jumped twice with excitement before he left the wall behind following after the supervisor, stopping by his grass hut to pick up his things.

These bandits actually didn’t have much, what he took was just a ragged undershirt. 　　

“You will live in this room.” The supervisor took him to the room on the third floor. There was a room number outside, but because there were no literate people, on the side was drawn a few vertical lines that match with the number. 　　

Liang Da nodded and bowed in a flattering way before walking in. As soon as he entered, he saw an old acquaintance. 　　

It’s impossible for the bandits to live in the same room. They were spread out among the people in the farmstead. It was almost impossible to meet an acquaintanc, but Liang Da ran into Wu Sansi and San zi. 　　

“Liang Da!” San zi was very excited. He was now familiar with the people here, and he had become bolder. Here, no one would make him do more things, and no one would beat him. As long as he did his own job, he would have food to eat so his personality became a lot more lively. He hopped down from the bed and even gave Liang Da a hug.

Liang Da was also very happy, the corners of his grinning mouth seem to be unable to flatten. He patted San zi on the back and smiled, “We can work together in the future now.” 　　

San zi nodded fiercely: “Recently new land has been farmed. Although it’s a little tiring but we get to eat a lot. I can eat five multi-grain buns at one meal.” 　　

Liang Da swallowed heavily. When he was building the wall, he only had two bean curd cakes at one meal and this was because of his good performance. If his performance was not good, he would only get one. 　　

“I still have half a bun left from today.” San zi took out half of a multi-grain bun from his clothes and handed it to Liang Da, “You can have it.” 　　

Liang Da said, “How could I possibly” but meanwhile he quickly took the half bun with quick hands, and ate it in a few mouthfuls, sighing with satisfaction. 　　

Looking at Liang Da’s appearance, San zi also knew that he must have not eaten well for a long time, and increasingly felt that he was right in submitting to the circumstances so early. 　　

Otherwise, he would be like the bandit leaders, who now have their heads chopped off. 　　

The ones who used to tyranize and domineer in the bandit residence, having now gone to the underworld, wonder what kind of life they are now living, or whether Lord Yanwang (TN: Yama, king of the underworld) have sent them to hell or not.

Recently, because of the “cheap labor” provided by the bandits as well as the effort from the farmstead people, the progress had been much faster than before. Originally, it was only half finished, but after only two months of work, it was almost finished. 　　

Lin Yuan was also very excited at the news. On the day of completion, he waved his hand: “Take out the smoked meat tonight, and kill some bamboo rats and chickens. Although there is not much meat, but you can have as much multi-grain buns as you want.”

The people in the farmstead were also very happy, with the city wall, they have increased protection. They all smiled widely, and even shouted a few times in excitement. Looking at the completed city wall, their faces were full of accomplishment and honor. 　　

Although the city wall was neither magnificent nor beautiful, but so what? It was built by themselves personally, taking almost a year to complete, so it didn’t even need mentioning how good it felt in their hearts. 　　

Lin Yuan also became drunk that night, his current body hadn’t drink alcohol much, naturally he didn’t have his previous life’s ability to not get drunk even after a thousand cups.

In the previous life, he had often accompanied his boss to attend business meetings outside. He must not only drink what he was supposed to drink, he must also drink in his boss’ place when needed. One year when he had to wrap up a big project, he drank until his stomach bled and had to stay in the hospital for a few days. Returning to his rented house and looking at the cold residence, he finally couldn’t hold back and ended up crying at home alone.

Work like a dog, be diligent in front of the boss, and try to get benefits for the employees under his command. He had climbed up from the lowest ladder. Countless people envy him on achieving the leadership position at such a young age, and with a salary that was many times more than the lower workers. But no one knew how much he suffered as a fresh college graduate with no work experience and no backing. Several times his position had been taken by the relatives of his superiors and when asked by others, he could only say, “Oh, maybe there is still something I haven’t done well enough. I’ll keep fighting next year.” 　　

A phone call from the boss, and he had to run over even after work hours. One year the boss found a little mistress. The little mistress became pregnant and so his boss had the little mistress live in Lin Yuan’s house. 　　

She was a young, beautiful and exceptionally proud girl. She felt that with her youth and beauty it would be no problem to defeat the boss’s yellow face old wife. 　　

As a result, the boss’s wife came over and beat up the girl until she miscarried in Lin Yuan’s rented house. 　　

Because the commotion alarmed the neighbor, the neighbor called the police, and with the little mistress having been beaten very hard, everybody was taken to the police station. 　　

That time Lin Yuan took the blame, saying that he and the girl were young lovers but because of a verbal conflict, he accidentally used violence. 　　

The girl said that she won’t pursue the matter so the entire situation just passed over inexplicably. But the neighbors now believe that Lin Yuan was a domestically violent man so every time they see Lin Yuan, they have contempt in their eyes. 　　

He couldn’t lose his job at the time as he didn’t have a beautiful degree, and was just an ordinary undergraduate with no reliable relatives or friends. If he were to leave that company, other companies in the industry would only pay him even lower wages in comparison. 　　

At that time, Lin Yuan’s only dream was to save some money and buy a house of his own, and then find a girl that he liked and who liked him in return, get married and build a family.

Every time he heard some new employees say: “If I am not happy in this company, I will just leave. There will always be a place that will have me.” Lin Yuan would privately feel envious in his heart.

He didn’t have the boldness to do the same. Those people have parents, relatives, and retreat plans, but he didn’t. 　　

People who have no place to retreat always think more. 　　

After Lin Yuan became drunk, he grabbed brother Dao by the hand and said, “Brother Dao, tell me, why is it so difficult to live a good life?” 　　

Brother Dao patted Lin Yuan on the shoulder: “Fourth brother, you have to think like this, we are pretty good now, at least we are able to eat fully. Look outside, there are so many people who can’t eat enough, you must learn to be satisfied with what you have.” 　　

“Did I use the phrase correctly?” 　　

Lin Yuan’s sentimental and melancholy feelings disappeared immediately, he laughed out loud: “Brother Dao, only after knowing you all do I understand what it means to have brothers.”

He also had brothers when he was studying, high school buddies and college buddies. After graduation, everyone was busy with work and life and couldn’t see each other for more than a handful of times in a year, so gradually the friendships faded.

Sometimes when picking up the phone to chat with each other, the other would just start complaining about life after graduation. Complain about salary, complain about their superiors, complain about daily trivialities, complain about their wife’s growing temper after giving birth, complain about their children’s disobedience. The world was just gloomy in their eyes. 　　

As time passed, Lin Yuan stopped chatting with them. He had already accumulated a lot of negative emotions himself, and he really didn’t want to listen to others’ spill out their garbage. 　　

Brother Dao said excitedly: “People have only always praised me for being good. Let me tell you, swearing brotherhood with me is your fortune. Your brother Dao, I, am a person who is yi bo — what’s it again?” 　　

Lin Yuan answered: “Yi Bo Yun tian (TN: idiom that refers to one being extremely loyal and just).” 　　

Brother Dao slapped his thigh: “That’s it, that’s right!” 　　

Brother Dao was also conpletely drunk, leaning on Lin Yuan’s shoulder and saying: “Fourth brother, you are not too young anymore, you should also consider marrying a wife and having children.” 　

Lin Yuan smiled and said, “No hurry.”

“Why are you not in a hurry?” Brother Dao retorted, “Only when you marry a wife, will you have someone to care and love you! I used to hear old Dong Tou say that when he was thirsty or hungry, his wife took care of him. When he was feeling uncomfortable, his wife watched over him all night. It’s good to have your own family!” 　　

Brother Dao’s tone was full of envy. 　　

Lin Yuan was still smiling drunkenly: “No hurry.”

Lin Yuan still had a modern concept of choosing a spouse, hoping that his lover was someone he loves, otherwise he would have been in love and married already back in the modern times, how could he have been single up until now. 　　

Brother Dao saw that he couldn’t convince the othrt, he could only say: “Ai, you are still too young, you don’t understand.” 　　

Every morning when he got up, he felt that his little brother (TN: Chinese euphemism for a man’s lower half) would poke a hole in the bed. Young men have high internal heat, it was quite normal.

The two fell asleep in the middle of their chat, laying on the same bed. When they got up in the morning, Lin Yuan discovered that he was sleeping at the foot of the bed last night, pitifully curled up in the cramped space. Brother Dao was again sleeping with arms and legs outstretched, still as overbearing as before. 　　

Lin Yuan rubbed his stiff neck from sleep. 　　

“Boss! Boss!” A hurried shout came from outside. Lin Yuan, who had just gotten up and was still a little confused, instantly became alert. It happened that he slept all night without taking off his clothes, so he walked straight out the house. 　　

“What’s the matter?” Because spring had just begun, so even though it’s time to wake up, the sky was still dark and foggy. 　　

Li Da hurriedly said: “A merchant has arrived outside.” 　　

Lin Yuan’s eyes widened: “Merchant?” 　　

Li Da nodded his head: “They said that they met bandits and had stepped off the road when escaping and got lost in the mountains. Finally seeing us, they came over and wanted something to eat.” 　　

“Really a merchant?” Lin Yuan didn’t believe it.

“Forget it.” Lin Yuan said, “I’ll go over and take a look.” 　　

After all, this was his own territory, no matter what the other party wanted to do, they have to first weigh whose fist was bigger. Compared with the small bandits nearby, their fist was as big as a sandbag.

As soon as Lin Yuan walked out of the city wall, his eyes immediately settled on the unfamiliar man sitting on a rock. He was about forty and wearing a cotton-padded jacket, but the cotton-padded jacket had been torn, and a lot of cotton had fallen out, likely not warm any longer. In addition, there were a few grown men with him, likely hired to escort his merchant carriage. Merchants were all afraid of encountering bandits because it would mean a year’s business earnings will be lost, but it wouldn’t be possible if they don’t go out to travel either. 　　

Although it was chaotic now, but quite a lot of merchants make money by taking advantage of the chaotic state. 　　

“Is it Young Master Lin?” The man was a little fat, with stubby fingers. He looked at Lin Yuan with a smile, like a smiling Buddha. He was dressed plainly. If he hadn’t said it himself, Lin Yuan would not have believed him to be a merchant. 　　

“Young master Lin is not very old but is quite a talent.” The man first praised him, and then said, “I am a traveling trader, my surname is Jiang, Jiang Guang.” 　　

Lin Yuan almost reached out to shake hands, but quickly reacted and said with a smile: “Jiang……”

Jiang Guang said quickly: “Young master Lin just call me brother Jiang, to be affectionate. I’m older by a few years allow me to take some verbal advantage.” 　　

Lin Yuan actually felt that the other’s over familiarity was very familiar and dear, indeed, businessmen are similar whether they are from the ancient or modern times. The key is to have thick skin. 　　

Lin Yuan also smiled and said, “Brother Jiang.”

Jiang Guang nodded: “Young master Lin, I met bandits on my way, and nearly met the unpredictable. I have a batch of herbs here, all processed by old and experienced workers. If you want, we can also do business, but the money……how about paying with foodstuff?” 　　

Herbs! And even already processed! The preparation of Chinese herbal medicine was very troublesome. If one was not careful, mold could develop. To prepare a batch of medicinal herbs rely on many masters doing it together. The manufacturing cost was very high.

Although the current processing technology was not as modern, but it was already very rare.　　

Lin Yuan immediately became affectionate and familiar with Jiang Guang and grabbed Jiang Guang’s wrist with his hands: “If you have no complaints why not come to the house with me and sit for awhile?” 　　

“How can you say that I would have any complaints?” Jiang Guang batted his other hand rapidly, walking into the city wall with Lin Yuan in a close and brotherly manner. 　　

Lin Yuan finally realized at this time and turned his head and said, “Brother Jiang, the people you brought can also come in to rest a bit. If nothing else, there will be a cup of hot water.” 　　

The people who followed Jiang Guang let out a relieved sigh. They had followed Jiang Guang all over the mountain, so their physical strength had already been exhausted. If Jiang Guang hadn’t promised that once he was safe, he would definitely give them a lot of money, they would have already abandoned a burden like Jiang Guang and ran off. 　　

The mountain roads was dangerous but they were all physically strong and healthy. If it weren’t for Jiang Guang, they would be able to find their way out themselves. But it is precisely because of Jiang Guang and Jiang Guang’s several carts of medicinal herbs that they can only walk slowly. When they saw this farmstead, they were actually a little bit wary, although it looked like a landowner’s farmstead, but they were still a little uncertain. 　

What’s more, if they were to encounter a greedy and cruel landowner who would confiscate their goods, they wouldn’t even have any place to go to find justice. 　　

In the end Jiang Guang finally made up his mind, insisting on trying his luck. Otherwise, they would have been wandering in the mountains like before without any food. Just relying on the wild spring vegetables was not enough to fill their stomachs. When the time came, and all the strong men around him have left, Jiang Guang felt that he would not be able to survive so his only choice was to take a gamble.

Lin Yuan was about to turn his head around, when suddenly his attention focused on one of the men quite intently.

In the cold wind of early spring, the man only wore a short shirt while his long, slightly disheveled hair was loosely tied up. But even so, it would not give people a sloppy image, on the contrary, he appeared like a wanton and unrestrained knight-errant.

His eyes were very dark and very sharp, like an eagle or a tiger, a tall and strong physique with firm chest muscles, wide shoulders and narrow waist. He was also examining Lin Yuan. 　　

Their eyes met over the air. 　　

“Young Master?!” 　　

“Brother Chen?!” 　　

Lin Yuan felt that this person was a bit familiar from the beginning, but he really didn’t expect him to be brother Chen, he was practically completely changed! 　　

In the memory of the original owner, brother Chen was a simple and honest boy, but now seeing him in person, Lin Yuan felt that this person was a bit too outstanding and attracted one’s attention.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

He looked like the hero in martial arts dramas. He had the wild aura of bandits, but also appeared straightforward and magnanimous, making people involuntarily give him several looks. 　　

Jiang Guang was quite happy: ​​”Hey, so we are acquaintances!” 　　

TN: OMG! It was truly not easy, the gong/seme has finally shown up *wipes at tears*

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Prev

It was a melee, but the opponent was beginning to show exhaustion while Lin Yuan’s side was picking up momentum. Expectedly, the bandits were defeated. When the last bandit fell, Lin Yuan barely had any strength left, he felt like this day used up his energy from both lifetimes.

In the era of cold weapons, physical energy was consumed much faster than in modern times.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Have you counted? How many people are there?” In the bandit residence Lin Yuan washed and bandaged his wounds, on his back, arms and thighs there were both deep and shallow wounds.

Lin Yuan:“It hurts hurts hurts hurts!”

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled:“It’s almost done, boss, with your delicate skin, next time leave the fighting to me.”

Lin Yuan also chuckled:“I can’t avoid it my whole lifetime.”

Zhu Yuanzhang:“Why not? I see those nobles, when they meet a situation they send their servants to deal with it. They never do it themselves.”

Son of money and riches, do not sit in the main hall. (TN: line from a poem, refers to people who have wealth and high social status and power should not stay in dangerous places, must consider their safety and that of their wealth.)

Lin Yuan had not expected Zhu Yuanzhang to also understand this reasoning.

Though he used plain common speech to say it but Lin Yuan still let out a sigh.

“In total 264 people, 100 or so dead leaving 121 left.” Zhu Yuanzhang reported.

Lin Yuan:“The leader?”

Zhu Yuanzhang:“All executed.”

Lin Yuan nodded, he knew Zhu Yuanzhang did the right thing. Only this way will the mid and lower level bandits be obedient.

Lin Yuan took in a deep breath:“Check over the supplies, we rest for 2 days before heading back. Today use fine grains to make rice, cut more meat also.”

The bandits have smoked meat, chicken, duck and fish meat. The fish is salted fish, their storage of salt was also quite considerable. Looking at these spoils, Lin Yuan thought raiding mountain bandits is a good way of becoming rich.

“There’s actually this much.” Lin Yuan cupped a handful of grains. Though they cannot compare in size with modern grains but it had the unique scent of wheat grains. Lin chewed on one and confirmed that it was this year’s harvest, not old grains so his mood was even better.

Originally resting, the exhausted Lin family soldiers suddenly perked up, bloodshot eyes staring at Lin Yuan. If one didn’t know any better it was as if they were about to pounce on Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan added:“There will also be smoked meat!”

“Ahhhhhhh!”

“White rice and meat!”

“Heavens, this is the life of landowning masters!”

To them, white rice and meat were luxury items, being able to eat it once in a while was better than the New Year’s holiday.

Because they were all men with not many knowing how to cook, Lin Yuan could only have the bandits’ original cook do the cooking. On the side were 3 men supervising. The cook fearfully finished cooking and obediently reached out both hands to be tied again.

For the love of God, he was just a cook, originally working for the family of a merchant. The bandits raided his previous master and the spoils included himself. His whole life, he had only killed livestock, not people.

But he dared not speak, only daring to sit quietly and pretend to be invisible.

They used the bandits’ cutlery, ate the bandits’ rice and meat. Every one of them enjoyed the delicious meat, even the heavily injured ones struggled up from their laying position and had their comrades feed them some spoonfuls. As they ate they casted contemptuous looks at the bandits.

Boss told them, injured soldiers like them can have time to recover, whenever they fully recover they will then pick up work. In the meanwhile, they will still eat the same as everyone else, their meals and benefits will not be lessened despite their injuries and inability to work yet.

This was not something they had ever experienced. In the past working for landowning masters, they were not given any food when they fell ill.

They also do not believe their injuries were for the sake of the farmstead therefore the farmstead should give them benefits. Their thinking was that, now that they were injured and couldn’t work, would boss abandon them forcing them to survive or perish on their own so that they won’t waste the food supplies.

Since Lin Yuan declared his position their minds were all at rest. After all, having followed Lin Yuan for so long, they all think he is a true man, not one to go back on his words.

“Bring back these 100 or so to the farmstead?” Zhu Yuanzhang asked.

Lin nodded:“The supplies need people to pull along, the injured also need to be carried. You can’t expect our people to win a victory and yet put to manual work?”

Zhu Yuanzhang was slightly troubled:“If they do not conform to the rules……”

Lin Yuan smiled coldly:“They work, our men supervise on the side with weapons. If they can even escape in such a situation then we deserve to be unlucky.”

Hearing this Zhu Yuanzhang became at ease:“That’s true.”

“So delicious.” The Lin soldier let out a satisfied sigh as he ate, taking precious bites of the white rice, chewing slowly, afraid that if he were too fast he would miss the delicious taste.

Li Da took a bite of smoked meat, not daring to chew with his mouth open, afraid the scent of meat would dissipate through the gaps of his teeth.

None of them spoke, heads down and working away at the food, as if they plan to eat until their stomachs will explode.

On the side, the bandits were frightened and terrified, expression becoming even more dejected when the delicious scent reached them.

Their meat……ah, no. Actually they had no chance of eating the meat as it was all reserved for the bosses and their close confidants. Even the white rice was something they rarely see on their plates.

After eating and drinking their full, the recently having experienced their first bandit surpressing fight Lin family soldiers laid down for rest, gloating to each other while picking at their teeth.

“I see the bandits aren’t that terrifying, us fellows only used farming tools before and only knew how to farm the lands. They aren’t even our opponents, could they truly hold up against the imperial court?”

“The imperial court doesn’t bother with them at all.”

“That’s right, there are only a few of them.”

Prideful from their recent victory, the Lin family soldiers became more and more ridiculous. Lin Yuan feels that he must increase the difficulty of their training when they get back, otherwise it would be bad if they became too prideful and underestimate their opponents.

An arrogant army will not be able to last for long.

After resting for 2 days and the wounds of the injured became stabilized, they got ready to head back to the farmstead.

The manual work was all done by the ‘captives’, the Lin family soldiers only had to watch on the side with their weapons.

As for the women who had been captured by the bandits, Lin Yuan asked for their opinions. Those who wanted to leave he will give them a bag of grains, those who wanted to stay Lin Yuan promised them they will no longer live as they had under the bandits. As long as they were diligent, they can even be able to support their children.

Hearing this, none of the women chose to leave, all willing to follow Lin Yuan. In truth, this was something Lin Yuan expected. Even if their families were still alive and they successfully reunited with them, their future might be even worse once their families know they had been sullied by the bandits.

They were unwilling to return home, preferring to have their families believe them dead instead of letting them know that they had been sullied by the bandits.

Lin Yuan also asked them, were any of their rapists among the surviving bandits. The women replied with a negative as only the bosses came to see them. The bandit leaders treated the women as their harem, considering themselves as king of the mountains, the top leader sometimes even refering to himself as ‘zhen’ (TN: form of imperial use for I and we).

Hearing this Lin Yuan’s mouth twitched uncontrollably. Indeed, being the emperor was a dream a lot of people had. After all, Lin Yuan remembered that when new China was established, there were several examples of people referring to themselves as emperors. The most notorious was an old farmer who ascended to his throne in a small village, bestowing minister and official titles to others and even having 2 empresses, one East Empress and one West Empress. He was discovered after several years and was then jailed.

Another famous case was a woman who modeled herself after Wu Zetian. But the only similarity was having a male harem, made up of young boys. She was also discovered and jailed.

The women put on cotten clothes — taken from the dead bandits but none of them were bothered. Most of them were pregnant and could not walk too quickly. Luckily, they were on the road back and with a large supply of foodstuff. The road was very safe with no other bandits. Still it took double the time to return to the farmstead.

Because the lack of manual workers the city wall construction had paused halfway but with the addition of the captive bandits the contruction could finally speed up.

“I am unafraid that you will try to escape, it will only mean less wasting of foodstuff.” Lin Yuan said to them, “whoever does good work, they will be able to move into the dormitories, otherwise you can only live in the grass huts without any cotten blankets or bed.”

“San zi.” Lin Yuan called.

San zi stepped forward trembling, afraid he will be executed right there.

But Lin Yuan suddenly smiled:“You performed very well so you can live in the dormitories. You don’t need to build the wall either, but join in the training with three meals a day.”

San zi froze in place, unable to believe what he heard, he……he could sleep in a room with a bed, with a cotten blanket, three meals a day. All he had to do was train with soldiers who could wear vine armors and carry weapons? Such a good thing?

San zi could barely react, but once he came back to himself he discovered the bloodshot eyes of his fellow captives. Every one of them was staring at him, thinking he had stolen their opprtunity. Their eyes had a ferocious glint as if they will murder San zi once their ropes were loosened.

The terror and hatred previously focused on Lin Yuan now all transferred over to San zi.

They were obviously much more capable than San zi, more stronger, why should San zi have such better treatment?

San zi swallowed, head down, rapidly he stood behind Lin Yuan among Lin Yuan’s men, as if this way he would have a sense of safety.

The once former comrades became enemies, and enemies turned into comrades. San zi trembled from his place behind Lin Yuan. From now on he must hold tight to Lin Yuan’s thigh otherwise he will be torn to shreds by his former comrades.

“As for you all, two flat bean cakes a day.” Lin Yuan said, “there will be someone to supervise, every 7 days there will be someone who did the best work selected and he’ll have the same treatment as San zi. Understood?”

The bandits said lowly:“Understood.”

These men still have an aura of a bandit, with no respect for human lives. No matter if they killed another or not, once they get into the mindset ‘killing this person means I will have food’ then their only way of dealing with conflict was to kill.

The longer the days passed, their mental state will be even more problematic, killing will be the only thing remaining for them to deal with problems. Lin Yuan dare not use them without whittling away all their bandit habits.

Therefore, he must have them do high levels of difficult manual work, everyday 10 hours of carrying bricks and manual work. Even if they wanted to cause trouble they won’t have the energy to do so.

As for the soldiers, they train in the morning and work in the afternoon, farming or hunting or building. Though their hours for building the wall is not as long, ending when the sky darkens, then they only need to supervise the bandits.

The bandits lack weapons, unable to eat fully, everyday they must also spend all their energy building the wall. But with San zi this carrot bait in the front, they will work desperately hard.

Now the farmstead has 200+ grown men. Lin Yuan still feels this number is still too small. There should at least be 1000 in order for it to be considered a stable fighting force. But 1000 men……he can’t afford it.

At least right now he couldn’t. If next year they can farm all the surrounding land, even if it is all yellow beans, he will have the courage to gather 1000 men.

But that is next year’s business. Next year is the 10th year of the current emperor’s reign, only a year left before the Red Turban rebellion and the empire erupting into war.

The bandits were given over to brother Dao to manage. Having been idle for so long brother Dao was very excited:“I knew fourth brother still thinks of me the most!”

Lin Yuan grimaced from the back slap, his wounds had yet to fully heal.

Brother Dao flexed his biceps and cracked his kuckles:“I almost grew moss from the idleness.”

Lin Yuan asked:“How goes the metalwork?”

Before leaving Lin Yuan had brother Dao try to see if they could use the coal to melt the metal pots and tools so they could then make weapons.

Brother Dao let out a sigh:“How can it be that simple, we’re still trying!”

If only they had a blacksmith, Lin Yuan also sighed.

Indeed, non-professionals must spend more time and effort. Wouldn’t it be great if a blacksmith fell from the sky? He would definitely treat him well.

“You’re a blacksmith?” Lin Yuan looked at the short and small bandit with disbelief.

He was truly short for a grown man, not even reaching 1.5m. Even among the average height of 1.6m of now he was short.

Lin Yuan had measured his own height, and it was just 1.7m and that was already considered tall amongst grown men. But it was likely the limit and was all due to his body’s original owner having come from the landowning class, able to eat well and sleep well.

Brother Dao and Yang Zi’an were also around 1.7m, you could imagine they must have had good childhoods.

Zhu Yuanzhang however, recently increased in height, around 1.75m despite not having many good days during his growing years.

The bandit was called Wu Sansi, he nodded carefully, saying eagerly:“Boss, at the bandit residence I only did chores. I haven’t killed anyone or robbed anyone. My family were originally blacksmiths. My grandfather’s skills was inherited by my father and my father passed down his skills to me and my brothers.”

Hnn……not bad, so it was a family business, with an inheritance.

Lin Yuan did not doubt it after all lying to him would not have any benefits.

“Alright.” Lin Yuan said, “you can also move into the dormitories, but if I don’t see any results……”

Wu Sansi quickly guaranteed:“Boss, not mentioning anything else, but metalwork is something I wouldn’t ever forget, even if I forget my name or ancestor!”

Lin Yuan became amused:“I don’t need you to forget your ancestor, go on.”

Sure enough, his transmigration has a reason, in that moment, he felt like he was the son of heaven, he was just about to sleep and someone sent him a pillow (TN: expression referring to all your problems being solved and wishes fulfilled without you doing anything).

Wu Sansi was like a sparrow turned phoenix, from grass hut to dormitory. Though he had to share the same bed with San zi but since it was winter it wasn’t much of a problem, in fact it was much warmer.

In addition, the both of them became the common enemy of the bandits, they both had sympathy for each other.

But they still have differences. San zi relied on understanding his position and surrendered the fastest. Wu Sansi relied on having necessary skills.

Therefore, Lin Yuan’s people treated them differently. They don’t think much highly of San zi but Wu Sansi had their respect.

Wu Sansi had spent several tough days in the grass hut but now his living standards improved drastically, all he had to do was teach others his blacksmith skills. Though he didn’t want to, the choice was out of his hands.

In this era, no matter what artisan trade, the teacher never pass on all of their skills at once to their students. The first 2 years the student was practically like a servant doing whatever the teacher has him do. The tradition was that once they become teacher student relationship then the student must respect the teacher like he would his own father. In the future during holidays, the student must visit the teacher and bring gifts. And when the teacher grows old, the student might even have to be responsible for providing for his retirement support.

It could take 5-6 years or even decades before the student graduates, all depending on the teacher’s whim.

Additionally, becoming teacher and student was also not something that will happen because you wanted to. The teacher must be willing to accept you.

Though artisans do not have high social standing but it was also a path of livelihood for those farmers who do not want to work under a landowner.

The bandits seeing even a shorty like Wu Sansi could now live in the dormitories became even more envious.

Everytime they see Wu Sansi pass by they all wanted to strangle him. This lessened San zi’s pressure, but it scared Wu Sansi shitless.

Everyday he followed after brother Dao otherwise he would be unwilling to walk around the farmstead, holing himself up in the blacksmith shack.

Brother Dao complained to Lin Yuan:“That shorty, he has such small balls! I think if he were to see a mouse he would jump 3 foot high.”

Lin Yuan filled brother Dao’s cup with yellow wine taken from the bandits:“If it’s not too troubling then tolerate it a bit. After all, he is a blacksmith.”

Brother Dao had tried blacksmithing before without any luck and knew the importance of having someone who knew what they were doing so he sighed:“Ai, the way I see it, if he was thrown back amongst the bandits he would be torn to pieces.”

“But I see that those people are much obedient now, they won’t go left if you point to right, won’t go east if you point west. Why are they this obedient? Don’t look like bandits at all!”

Lin Yuan didn’t know how to explain it to brother Dao, it was a complicated question.

Similar to how when he was a manager back in his old company, the workers underneath him would have negative feelings. At that time, he would promote one of them who did better work, but not extremely better than the rest. This way the other workers will think ‘we are doing the same thing, our capabilities are also on the same level, why should he get promoted? Does he have some kind of relationship with the higherups? Did he send out gifts? Was it because he has a close relationship with the manager and often flattered the manager?’

Then their negative feelings will all focus on that person. The feelings previously had toward the company will instead decrease. This way things will stabilize, giving the company time to operate better and make it so that promotion is based on capabilities and merits. With higher pay and monetary rewards the workers will then work with ease.

The bandits were currently undergoing the first step. Lin Yuan called it the ’emotion shifting phase’.

They were currently feeling deep hatred for San zi and Wu Sansi, thinking they should have the same treatment, therefore they would become extremely obedient and work hard.

Once he began to reward them based on their good work and behavior they will naturally be converted to his side.

But this is the best case scenario, sometimes there are plain troublemakers.

Lin Yuan smiled:“Isn’t this a good thing?”

Brother Dao rubbed his chin:“It is a good thing, just strange. In the past when I was a gang leader, those members were more difficult than these bandits.”

“Right.” Brother Dao suddenly said, “one of the new women, her looks are not bad, eyes extremely beautiful.”

Lin Yuan rolled his eyes:“What are you thinking?”

Brother Dao blushed:“Look at me your brother, I am already this old and yet I don’t have anyone at my side. Aren’t they all saved by you? Go help me ask, if it works out then I will marry her.”

Lin Yuan laughed:“I can only help you ask, if it works or not, are two totally different things.”

Brother Dao confidently said:“Fine! I see it will definitely work out!”

The woman who Lin Yuan asked shook her head vigorously after hearing, biting her lip:“Boss, I can cook and sew, dirty and tiring work I can also take. Please don’t have me go serve men.”

Alrighty, brother Dao is still a happy old bachelor.

Brother Dao:“What’s not good about me?! Look at my biceps, my thighs, my waist!”

Lin Yuan:“……”

Brother Dao’s old bachelor heart was broken, his mood dejected for many days. Every time he saw the woman he would even sigh soundlessly.

Both Lin Yuan and Zhu Yuanzhang both feel that when a man like brother Dao becomes sappy, it truly causes one to have goosebumps pop up all over your body.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

AN: In ancient times only the wealthy can afford having several wives and concubines. But among the poor, bachelors take up a large percentage, unable to even afford to have one wife let alone concubines. 10 out of 100 poor men are able to find a wife. But there is a practice among poor families and certain ethnic minorities where a woman has more than one husband, spending the first half of the year at her first husband’s place and the latter half of the year at her second husband’s place. Identifying children’s biological father rely on calculating the months.

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