After autumn, the temperature began to drop, the autumn wind was bleak, and countless yellow and dead leaves fell from the trembling branches.

Lin Yuan felt that the temperature this year was lower than last year. He changed into cotton-padded clothes early, and had Qiu Niang calculate the necessary coal to be used when Jiang Guang bring over the agreed 500 people.

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He was sitting next to a burning fire, with bracken roots smoldering inside. This was a plant root and when it was heated, it became soft and tasteless. Lin Yuan treated it as a snack. On the side Er Liang pushed aside the coal and picked out the bracken roots, wiped off the dust on the outside, and then peeled the outer layer before handing them to Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan broke it into two halves, half of which was handed to Er Liang.

Er Liang took it with a smile, and said, “Thanks young master for the reward.”

Lin Yuan took a sip of hot water and looked at the people outside the window who were busy harvesting. He was quite satisfied.

This year’s harvest was not much different from last year, but more land was opened this year so the harvest had doubled. And with the grains saved last year, another thousand people coming in won’t be a problem at all. The grain supply was enough for this many people to eat for nearly a year.

At least it could last until next winter, but by then there will be another harvest next fall.

So there wasn’t much need to worry about the food. After the harvest next year, they should be able to set off to Xinghua.

There were salt mines in Xinghua. It could be said that the cities that Zhang Shicheng captured were the richest locations.

Among the leaders of the uprisings during the last years of the Yuan Dynasty, there was a saying “Chen Youliang is the most cruel and Zhang Shicheng is the most rich.”

Er Liang squatted next to the coal fire. He was still wearing the old cotton-padded clothes. Cotton-padded clothes do not hold up well against frequent waashing and in addition to the fact that few people could afford them they were considered luxury items. Most were worn until it was too worn out and then thrown away. If there was just a hole or something, it could still be patched and worn.

The life of ordinary people was basically a true portrayal of “three years worn new, three years worn old, and another three years after stitching and repairing.”

“It’s getting colder this year.” Er Liang began to say, “A lot of people will freeze to death.”

Er Liang said: “I used to think that the south is not cold in winter, but now I feel that even several layers can’t prevent the cold air from penetrating through.”

Lin Yuan did not explain the difference between the cold weather in the north and the south. He only agreed: “A lot of people will die this winter.”

Er Liang scratched the back of his head: “Our farmstead should be okay?”

Lin Yuan patted Er Liang’s head, but after touching it, he remembered Er Liang hadn’t washed it for a long time, so long that he probably didn’t even remember the last time he had washed his hair. Lin Yuan looked at his palm and couldn’t resist going to wash his hands before coming back to continue sitting. After sitting for a while, he remembered Er Liang’s question and replied: “The farmstead will be fine.”

There was sufficient food and coal, and the infrastructure was all completed. It would not be easy to freeze people to death. Even if they got sick, there were still medicinal herbs. As long as the condition was not serious, and it was not an incurable disease, then it was basically safe.

The day Jiang Guang brought the people was the lowest temperature in this period of time. It was not yet winter, but it was as cold as last winter. Lin Yuan put on a thick padded jacket, looking very much like a round bun, before going out to meet them.

This time Jiang Guang had also hired someone to escort him. Chen Baisong and the others were the escorts, but this time there were quite a few of them. He guessed that almost all the people in the villa have come out.

It seemed that Chen Baisong and the others were not doing well these days.

Jiang Guang got off the horse. When he got off the horse, he almost fell onto his bottom due to his big belly but in the end managed to stand firmly. He took a few quick steps to Lin Yuan and said, “Little brother Lin, take a look. I brought you all of them, including twenty more extra.”

Lin Yuan first had people pull the newcomers into the hut built some time ago, where they were to tidy up their hair. Those with fleas had to shave their heads, and those without fleas had to change clothes.

The women have been busy for more than half a year, and they have made a lot of clothes. Because the division of labor was clear, the efficiency was much higher. There were more than 3,000 sets of pseudo-cotton clothes made from grass stuffing, not to mention simple underwear.

Several large huts were built in the farmstead, which became places for the women to work.

Almost all pregnant women have given birth to their children, though some have died in childbirth.

Lin Yuan buried them in the cemetery, and people in the farmstead sometimes went to give offerings.

“Follow me in first.” Lin Yuan took Jiang Guang into the farmstead, but caught sight of Chen Baisong getting off his horse and staying at the gate of the city, seeming to not plan to go in. Lin Yuan said to Chen Baisong, “You can put your weapons over there in that hut, come in together to get warm.”

None of Chen Baisong’s brothers put down their weapons, their knives were all pinned to their waists, and their hands were on the hilt of the knives, as if they were already stuck to it.

In the end, Chen Baisong said: “Go place it over there.”

These people seemed to be very loyal and obedient to Chen Baisong, taking off the knife around their waist and putting it in the hut without saying a word, and then followed Chen Baisong inside.

Lin Yuan took them to his own house. The house was originally built with just one entrance and one exit. It looked simple, but it was very large. It was not difficult to sit in the main room with more than 20 people. These guys who came out with Chen Baisong, seem to be much more relaxed now that they were out of the cold. They held a cup made of bamboo and filled with hot water and even some syrup that Lin Yuan had someone add in as well.

The water tasted quite sweet.

Even these rough guys liked it very much.

After all, ancient people had very few ways to take in sugar.

Lin Yuan had Yang Zi’an to accompany these people first while he took Jiang Guang to another room farther away from the main room.

Jiang Guang sat on the chair, taking a deep breath first, and then took a sip of hot water, stretched his neck and rubbed his wrists, finally feeling more alive.

“The journey was not easy.” Jiang Guang said, “I was afraid that they would starve to death and freeze to death. It costed me a lot of money to get them all here intact.”

Lin Yuan said with understanding: “Naturally, I should be responsible for paying for any expenses.”

While speaking, Lin Yuan took out a fake jade, Jiang Guang took it with a smile, and said, “You are too kind”, while acting swiftly and simply to pocket the fake jade.

“Brother Jiang, where did these people come from?” Lin Yuan said, “If desperate criminals, then my side can act early.”

Jiang Guang waved his hand: “Hai, I don’t cheat you. I received them all from others. What they did before, I don’t know.”

Lin Yuan nodded, knowing that it was impossible to ask Jiang Guang to do background checks, so he could only spend some time doing it on his own.

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At the kind invitation of Lin Yuan, Jiang Guang decided to rest for a few days at Lin Yuan’s place before starting on the road again. He stayed so naturally Chen Baisong and the others would stay as well.

The place where they will live was easily arranged.

Eating was also at the cafeteria with the farmstead people.

This group of people probably had never seen so many people living in such a collective life. While vigilant, they also felt that it was rather incredible.

“This farmstead is really big, and there is a gate wall, just lacking a moat.”

“They all eat like this every meal?”

“There are multi-grain buns every day? There is also oil in these vegetables.”

“They also said that sometimes there is meat to eat.”

These rough guys were a little envious. Everyday they face danger but still may not be able to eat enough, but these people only need to do the work they were responsible for and could eat fully every day.

And when they saw the disabled in the farmstead, this feeling of envy reached its peak.

Although Chen Baisong treated them not harshly, once someone was injured, especially after becoming disabled, it was just a matter of waiting for death.

Lin Yuan’s farmstead also had people with disabilities. Although there were not too many, these people basically do the same work as women, all transferred to logistics. In Lin Yuan’s view, the importance of logistics cannot be ignored.

As long as value can be created, disabled people were not considered disabled in his eyes.

Chen Baisong chewed on the buns and listened to his brothers chatting together.

He knew what life his brothers want to live, but he also knew that they couldn’t live like that.

The reason why they could survive was because of the sword in their hands. Retiring and go back to farming? That would have to be the days after victory was won and the world was peaceful again.

“Boss, I think you have a good relationship with this farmstead’s owner.” When they left the cafeteria one of them who had a lively personality said eagerly, “Otherwise, you can discuss with him and ask if we can come to this farmstead too. Just like guarding Jiang, we guard them and they provide shelter and food for us.”

Several people next to him wanted to say this as well, but they didn’t dare. Now that someone brought it up first, they followed along.

“I think it’s quite good.”

“Yeah, this year is even colder. We don’t have much food left. This time when we’re done the food given by Jiang for payment will only let us eat for ten days to half a month. But after that what’s next? Starve to death?”

“Boss, now is not the time to stick to one’s pride.”

Chen Baisong walked in the front, his brows frowned, and said, “I know.”

He knew in his heart that this winter will be difficult this year. The bandits and bandit villas around them had been raided and cleaned up by them, and everything that could be robbed was robbed. If they must make a raid again, then they could only go down the mountain and rob the civilians.

Although they say that they must not do anything against the civilians, but when one was at a dead end, who will care about the one being robbed?

Jiang Guang did not always have work for them. During spring and summer they could make do, at least by relying on the mountain herbs and game they wouldn’t starve to death, just live a hard life.

But it would not be possible in autumn and winter.

As his brothers said, this was not the time to save face.

But Chen Baisong didn’t know how to speak to Lin Yuan.

It seemed that once he spoke up, he’ll have become like a poor relative showing up to take advantage.

It was the middle of the night, but the brothers were still whispering about what they had learned during the day. They now think that this farmstead was better than their villa. In the villa, they still live in huts they built and when it got cold, they must be crowded in together to keep warm. They don’t have time to burn coal on their own and besides the coal that they got on raids won’t burn for long, but here it seemed the supply of coal was neverending.

“The clothes those people wore were made by the women in those huts.” Someone said enviously, “I also want to wear clothes made by women.”

The person next to him laughed at him: “You’re hair hasn’t even finished growing out and already start thinking about women?”

The man said excitedly: “Would you like to try it and see if my hair has grown out?”

“I don’t dare to try, for fear that I’ll kill you by accident.”

“Boss?” They found that Chen Baisong had been silent and couldn’t help turning their heads to look at him.

Chen Baisong turned over, mind still whirring with thoughts. He just said: “Sleep first, think about it tomorrow.”

Several people saw that Chen Baisong was asleep so it wouldn’t do to continue talking. They also tucked in for sleep under a blanket.

Lin Yuan was now also discussing with Yang Zi’an, how to get Chen Baisong to stay, and if all the brothers in his command came over it would be even better.

Yang Zi’an said: “I can see that they are all physically strong, and everything else is easy to talk about, but I’m afraid they will have different allegiances.”

Lin Yuan understood what Yang Zi’an meant, but he also said: “In the future, we will only have more and more people. If we are always afraid that people will have different allegiances, we will stay here and not move? This is definitely not a long-term solution.”

Yang Zi’an sighed: “I only hope that your childhood friend still have some affection for you.”

Lin Yuan: “It’s useless to base everything on friendship. People’s hearts will change. I want to set up a military law.”

Yang Zi’an: “Military law?”

Lin Yuan explained: “Technically it can’t be called a military law, whatever it is called, as long as the rules are set, everything will be done according to the rules.”

Yang Zi’an touched his chin and thought: “This is feasible.”

“It just takes a lot of time.”

Lin Yuan: “It will naturally take a lot of time.”

During this period of time, Lin Yuan had always wanted to find a chance to have a chat with Chen Baisong, and put the pros and cons on the table, whether it was positive or negative, at least it could be resolved cleanly.

However, there was practically no hint of Chen Baisong almost every day. Lin Yuan inquired about it and found out that he took his own people to hunt in the mountains, but most of the time came back without any results.

Lin Yuan could only wait for him to return to the farmstead.

“You’re back! Good heavens!”

“More than ten sheep!”

“Is this havimg caught an entire flock of sheep?”

“How deep did they have to go to encounter such a flock of sheep?”

“The sheep are all dead?”

“Some are dead, some are alive.”

Standing at the gate, Lin Yuan soon saw Chen Baisong and the others, slowly becoming more visible as they moved closer.

Chen Baisong was riding a horse. He was tall and on the horse he appeared even more majestic. His hair was tied up high, and his body heat was high from hunting, clothes opened at the chest. The people behind him drove the flock of sheep.

These were all wild sheep, and you could tell from the horns that they were not domesticated.

Chen Baisong rode his horse forward to Lin Yuan, pointed to the group of wild sheep and said: “It’s to make up for our stay for the past few days.”

Lin Yuan did not refuse either: “Then I will accept it.”

Only then did Chen Baisong show a small smile on his face.

“I happen to have something to discuss with you, come down and have a walk?” Lin Yuan invited.

Chen Baisong did not refuse, turning to dismount, his movements were smooth and unrestrained. His shirt was still open, and his body was hot and sweaty. Lin Yuan could also smell the sweat. Fortunately, Lin Yuan was used to it, and didn’t show any disgusted expression.

The two walked side by side, Lin Yuan was slightly shorter than Chen Baisong, and he had to lift his head slightly to see Chen Baisong’s full face.

“What’s going on with your villa?” Lin Yuan didn’t get straight to the point as soon as he started, and asked tactfully.

Chen Baisong had forgot to put down the riding whip, and he was still holding it in his hand. His expression was a bit solemn: “The people below the mountain can no longer get through the days. The surrounding bandits, all who could be raided, have already been raided and beaten.”

Lin Yuan understood: “It’s indeed not so good recently. Is there enough food?”

Chen Baisong revealed a wry smile: “Ten days to half a month should be enough.”

They relied on raiding to survive. Farming? Opening up the land? Their manpower was not enough.

Lin Yuan revealed his intentions at this time. He seemed to say unintentionally: “It just so happens that my farmstead is also short of people. If you don’t mind it, bring your brothers over, and I will accept all of them.”

Chen Baisong was silent for a while and then said: “Young master, you are always so kind-hearted. This way you will suffer.”

Lin Yuan: “Huh?”

Chen Baisong thought of something else: “No matter how much food you plant, there will be more and more people, but there will only be less and less food. You asked merchant Jiang to bring five hundred people, and then five hundred in winter. How will you feed them?”

Lin Yuan didn’t speak yet, but Chen Baisong frowned: “Young master, what are you laughing at?”

Lin Yuan leaned on to Chen Baisong’s shoulders and said amused, “You think I have so many people brought over just to spread kindness and do good deeds?”

Chen Baisong looked at Lin Yuan’s eyes with a serious expression and the question “aren’t you?”

Lin Yuan smiled and said, “It’s not that simple. Don’t you think that people in the farmstead live better than the people in your villa?”

“But logically speaking, you have fewer people, and everyone should get more. Why is it that there are more people on my side yet they all live better?” Lin Yuan asked.

Chen Baisong: “This is not the same thing. How long will it take for those five hundred people to work? You have to raise them for free before they could work.”

Lin Yuan shook his head: “It can’t be called free either. Do you know how many years it takes for a person to be productive?”

“Humans are different from animals. The animals take as little as ten and a half months, and as long as one or two years, they will be mature.” Lin Yuan said, “People go from 10 months in the womb to finally being born, from crawling to walking, from walking to running, from babbling to fluent speech. Since birth people will take ten years or more to finally be productive.”

Lin Yuan: “Therefore, many people can also be an advantage.”

Chen Baisong: “But it must also be within our means.”

Lin Yuan: “I have calculated it, and I think it’s fine, I can afford it.”

Chen Baisong didn’t know what to say at all.

The young master had become more stubborn than before.

Chen Baisong could only say: “I have a hundred and thirty brothers, all of whom are bachelors and without family. They all adhere to loyalty.”

Lin Yuan: “If possible, I hope you can bring them all.”

Chen Baisong looked at Lin Yuan: “Young master, more than one hundred and thirty mouths. When these people are here, they will all be eating your food.”

Lin Yuan waved his hand: “It’s fine, I can afford it. It’s not like they can eat for free and enjoy their days, they will have to work as well.”

To be honest, he really wanted to know the difference between Chen Baisong’s “bandits” and the “soldiers” he trained. If they come to the farmstead, he could set up a military exercise with a hundred people from each side.

Real knowledge comes from practice.

Chen Baisong repeated what Lin Yuan said to his brothers in the evening.

The expressions on their faces were very disbelieving.

“Boss, did the Boss here really say that?”

“This Boss is really……a kind-hearted person.”

“Ai, look at the people who have been brought here. Now they are wearing grass padded clothes, and they live in houses. Where is there such a good Boss now?”

“Kind people will be deceived. I think this Boss is too young to know that the world is a sinister place.”

“That’s the truth, but you don’t want to stay? Anyway, I’m happy to stay.”

“That’s right, what else can we raid back there? If this continues, we can only go down the mountain to raid the civilian’s food.”

Chen Baisong listened to them talking.

“Boss, are we really coming here?”

“Thinking about it actually, I think our villa isn’t too bad either.”

However, Chen Baisong said: “We come over.”

Several people sat up straight at the same time: “Really? Boss, what do you think?”

“Didn’t you say you want to think about it yesterday?”

“Did the Boss here tell you something to convince you?”

Chen Baisong’s voice was very calm. He said, “Apart from this, is there any other way? Go down the mountain to raid the civilians?”

A few people stopped talking. Although they were “bandits” in the eyes of others, they were not in their own eyes. Although they have become outlaws, they have not robbed civilians or killed good people. If there were merchants passing by they also escorted them a certain distance, and only then stretched out their hands for remuneration. Although it was a bit of like buying and selling by force, it was better than directly taking human lives.

They would also raid the bandits who really endanger the people.

In their own eyes, they were not evil people, but good people.

Naturally, they don’t want to make mistakes, and be forced to become bandits that will bring harm to civilians.

Chen Baisong: “There are still some things that I haven’t discussed with him, but I will be bringing everyone here. When we send merchant Jiang back, we will bring them.”

“Then we have a lot of things to pack.” Someone said.

“How many carts do we need?”

Chen Baisong: “Don’t bring anything useless.”

“Yes, it’s not convenient to bring so many things on the road, and if we encounter a robbery……”

“Bullshit, then we can rob them back!”

When winter arrived, there will be more bandits. Many nearby villagers who could’t survive will gang up. A group of people will act together to rob food and money. As long as they kill the first resister, these people will become accomplices and then begin to travel around commiting robberies on civilians.

What Chen Baisong was afraid of was that they will become like this too.

They have endured the past several years during which they have not stepped on a crooked path, and have not harmed the people.

“Anyway, there is no need to suffer the cold this winter.”

“I felt like I was going to die in the cold last year, and my hands and feet were stiff every day.”

“That’s nothing. If I hadn’t been sleeping with second brother Niu, I would have been frozen stiff already.”

“Second brother Niu snores so loudly, and you could actually sleep?”

“When you’re very sleepy naturally you’ll fall asleep. Besides, it’s better to suffer noise than freeze to death.”

They all had smiles on their faces. When they thought that they would also live in this farmstead, they were full of energy. Although they had only been here for a few days, they could see that this farmstead was not a place where the landlord will do whatever they wanted, not treating the people working for them as human beings.

And just regarding the food in the cafeteria, the Boss here was worthy of their admiration.

Chen Baisong said: “Go to bed, and get up early tomorrow. Let’s go into the mountains again, and look for more game that hasn’t migrated deeper into the forest.”

Several people responded: “Yes, we will catch dozens of wild sheep and come back.”

“It would be great if we could catch some deer, deer blood is a great supplement.”

“You need supplementing my butt, I don’t see you looking any weak.”

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

“Go to sleep, stop talking. You don’t do actual business but your words are more than anyone else.”

“Sleep, sleep.”

The room was dark. After a while, there were steady snoring, teeth grinding, and dream talk, forming a harmonious chorus.

Chen Baisong turned around and thought: I have miscalculated this time, it was actually better when they were talking.

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The low roar of wild animals came from the woods, the evening wind blew past, shaking the tree leaves and causing the sound of “shasha” to be heard. The moonlight was not too bright, half covered by dark clouds, so Yang Zi’an could only lead the others to light a fire on a flat ground, resting for one night before continuing on the road.

When he left the farmstead, he only took two people with him, but when he returned, he took nearly fifty with him.

It all started with finding Zhang Shicheng.

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

However, he wasn’t called Zhang Shicheng, but Zhang Jiusi. Because the name was wrong, Yang Zi’an only found him after looking for a long time.

Zhang Jiusi also had three younger brothers, Zhang Jiuwu, Zhang Jiuliu, Zhang Jiuqi, and some good brothers, who were all bringing their family along. In this way Yang Zi’an took a longer time than he expected.

They all relied on shipping salt for a living. Zhang Shicheng smuggled salt and sold it in order to subsidize his family. Some wealthy households didn’t want to pay, so they threatened to report him to the court for illegally selling official salt, and even beating and scolding him. In addition to this, there was also a salt supervisor named Qiu Yi in the salt mine. Not only did he deduct the salaries of the salt workers, but the salt workers must also pay tribute to him every month. Any omission was bound to result in being beaten and scolded.

Since ancient times, there were large discrepancies between different ranks of officials, not to mention Zhang Shicheng and the others were not even officials at all. The common people could only take the beating and scolding, swallowing down any anger or grievances, and continue to live their hard lives.

“Eat something, we had traveled the whole day.” Yang Zi’an had someone to take the dry food from the ox cart.

Lin Yuan had people prepare these dry foods for him. They were all dried cakes and dried meat. Find a pot, put some water add some salt and boil it all together. Nowadays, this was a warm and satisfying meal.

The people sitting on the ground took their bowls and waited, while some who couldn’t wait, began to eat the dry bread first.

Zhang Jiusi was a little ashamed. After all, these people were brought by him. He also wanted to hunt these few days. However, they would not stay in one place for too long so it was useless to arrange traps. There was simply no time to hunt. He sat next to Yang Zi’an, appearing a little hesitant and asked, “Your Boss, really said that we met before?”

But he didn’t remember someone named Lin Yuan at all.

Yang Zi’an: “My fourth brother said that he had met you briefly many years ago. He is a kind-hearted person and can’t bear to see anyone suffer. He might have only met with you a few times, or said a few words to you so it’s normal not to remember.”

Zhang Jiusi touched the back of his head, and he truly felt that Yang Zi’an had found the wrong person. After all, he was looking for Zhang Shicheng at the beginning. Zhang Jiusi had also heard of Yang Zi’an’s name back in Xinghua, known to be generous with money and was a foreigner. He came all the way to find someone who was just an ordinary salt man, saying that he hadn’t seen that person for many years. So Zhang Jiusi had discussed with his three younger brothers at home and decided to try his luck.

He didn’t know why but when Yang Zi’an heard that he had three younger brothers, and his family made a living by boating salt, he immediately insisted that he was the person he was looking for.

Zhang Jiusi originally just wanted to eat a full meal——after all, every time someone came, Yang Zi’an would at least let them eat a meal.

Many people pretended to be the one just for the meal, although they also knew that their pretending could not be successful.

But Zhang Jiusi succeeded. Not only did he succeed, Yang Zi’an wanted to take him away.

According to Yang Zi’an’s words, they will eat three meals a day, and this alone made Zhang Jiusi a little swayed.

He transported salt every day, but the wages he gets were pitiful. Together, the four brothers were just enough to feed themselves. But sometimes they also had to help out friends, so their situation was extremely poor, not to mention often being beaten and humiliated by the salt supervisors. They don’t even have money to buy medicine to treat the wounds left by the beatings. So, going to a place where they can eat three meals a day without being beaten or scolded, as well as providing accommodation, they could hardly even imagine it.

But when he thought about the brothers who he had good relationships were still suffering once he had left with his younger brothers, Zhang Jiusi tentatively asked Yang Zi’an’s decision.

Yang Zi’an was told by Lin Yuan before, and he nodded in agreement without asking more.

Although Zhang Jiusi still had some worries, Yang Zi’an’s promise was too good. Even if he wanted to refuse he wouldn’t know how to open his mouth.

Before he was given a chance to change his mind, Yang Zi’an took them away from Xinghua.

Horses can’t be bought. No one in Xinghua sells it. Instead Yang Zi’an bought a few donkey carts. The old people and children sit on the carts, while the young people walk on their own legs. But no one complained.

Zhang Jiusi was now beginning to fear again, what if he was found out that he was not the person they were looking for?

Haven’t seen each other for so many years, maybe he can’t recognize it?

He was conflicted all the way. For a while, he felt that he shouldn’t be so greedy, but then he would also secretly think that maybe he would not be discovered as a fake.

Yang Zi’an was not afraid that they would rob him. The main reason was that except for the dry food and these donkey carts, the money on hin was basically all spent. These people were not desperate criminals who would commit something like robbing and killing.

When he arrived under the city wall of the farmstead, Yang Zi’an finally breathed a sigh of relief. It had been nearly half a year since he left the farmstead, and he didn’t know the current situation back at the farmstead.

The time he spent in Xinghua was too long, but the length of this time was not something he could do anything about.

Zhang Jiusi and the others had stunned looks. They didn’t expect that there would be such a place in the wilderness, practically like a paradise.

The people on the observation platform couldn’t see Yang Zi’an’s face. They only knew that these people weren’t from the farmstead. They were about to sound the horn, but Yang Zi’an shouted, “I’m your second brother Yang. I’ve brought people back. Go tell my fourth brother!”

The person was taken aback for a moment, and then called: “Then you wait first!”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e ir on tr ee bl oo ms. c o m )

Lin Yuan was teasing a little baby at this time. He had always liked children. Now as long as he came to tease the children for awhile when he was in a bad mood or irritated, his whole person’s mood would become much better. Little babies have a pair of eyes with the black distinct from the white, and compared with adults who have more murky eyes, the eyes of children were very clear and bright.

At this time, Lin Yuan was being pulled at by the baby’s fingers, and the baby was laughing with her mouth open. The baby’s mother was sitting on the side, and another woman sitting next to her smiled and said, “This child knows to please the Boss at such a young age. When grown up she must be a sweet person too.”

The child’s mother also laughed: “Her eyes look like me.”

Lin Yuan looked at her carefully, and felt that the child looked more like the mother, but he couldn’t be sure when she was so small.

Some children looked like their mothers when they were young, but looked like their fathers when they grow up.

However, a child of this size, who didn’t even have eyebrows, the small face was plump and tender and looked adorable no matter what.

There was no milk powder now, and breastfeeding could only depend on the mother’s breast milk. When breast milk was not enough, then feed them with some rice soup, and it turned out they grow quite well on rice soup too.

It was just that their hair was a little bit yellow, which nothing could be done about.

Er Liang ran in from outside the house, and said to Lin Yuan, “Young master, brother Yang is back and brought a lot of people. Now they are all waiting outside.”

Lin Yuan stood up at once. Probably because the movement was a bit loud, and the baby girl noticed that the fingers she was holding were missing, so her mouth pouted and began to cry.

Lin Yuan could only say to the baby girl’s mother: “You coax her, I will go first.”

Her mother smiled and said, “Boss can go ahead, I will definitely look after her.”

Yang Zi’an and the others basked in the sun for a while, before they finally saw the door slowly open.

When Lin Yuan came out from the door, the first thing was to give a warm hug to Yang Zi’an. Yang Zi’an was taken aback, and patted Lin Yuan on the back, and smiled: “I brought you back the people, money is all used up.”

“You have been away for so long, and I was worried that there was not enough money.” Lin Yuan smiled, “Go in.”

Saying so, Lin Yuan walked inwards with his arm thrown around Yang Zi’an’s shoulders, and asked, “Who is Zhang Shicheng?”

Yang Zi’an: “Can’t you recognize him?”

Lin Yuan lied with his eyes wide open: “That was all years ago, I can’t remember much.”

Yang Zi’an: “I didn’t find Zhang Shicheng. I found Zhang Jiusi. He also has three younger brothers. I thought maybe you remembered wrong. Both their surnames were Zhang anyway.”

Lin Yuan thought, that’s right, Zhang Shicheng used to be an ordinary salt man, how could the people at the bottom class have a formal name.

He hurriedly followed Yang Zi’an’s words and said: “It should be my memory that was wrong.”

Yang Zian: “But he brought with him a lot of people.”

Lin Yuan looked back, and Zhang Jiusi and his party walked behind looking very nervous and feeling out of place, but they couldn’t help looking left and right.

“It’s not too much.” Lin Yuan briefly talked about the previous events, “We are actually short of people.”

Some time ago Jiang Guang came back bringing the three horses he had promised before. He also praised the jade that Lin Yuan gave him, and took a few new pieces of jade away with him again, indicating that he will bring back the people Lin Yuan need before winter came, only afraid that 500 would be too many for Lin Yuan to manage.

Lin Yuan told him to only take care of the delivery, and they can naturally take care of managing them all here.

Yang Zi’an said: “Is the dormitory not enough?”

Lin Yuan nodded, thinking that Yang Zi’an knew him too well: “Sure enough, second brother, you understand me. I think a new dormitory must be built. Fortunately, although the craftsmen who built the house last time left, there were many people who built it along with them. They have experience and know how to do it. This time, you don’t have to go outside to get people. The bricks will probably require you to find someone to make again.”

Yang Zian: “It’s not a troublesome thing. It’s better to build three floors and construct a few more.”

Lin Yuan nodded: “But we won’t live here long. At the end of next year, we have to move out.”

Yang Zian was taken aback: “Move to where?”

Lin Yuan just smiled: “You’ll know then.”

It was too early to speak now. When the Red Turban Army revolts next year, regarding the world’s affairs, it was normal to follow the lead then. At that time, it would be normal for them to attack Xinghua.

Yang Zi’an saw that he won’t be getting a straightforward answer, so he didn’t ask anymore.

Zhang Jiusi and the others were looking at the acres of fertile fields and the crops growing in it. They could barely come back to their senses. Li Liu said next to Zhang Jiusi: “You really have a name called Zhang Shicheng?”

Zhang Jiusi also whispered: “It may not be me.”

Li Liu was surprised: “Then isn’t this lying?”

Zhang Jiusi: “Can’t you speak quietly!”

Lin Yuan walked to Zhang Jiusi’s side at this time. He was different from the people around him. As long as one had eyes, they knew that this was the Boss. Lin Yuan now looked quite a bit like an elegant Gongzi, since he doesn’t go to work in the fields, with the wind blowing at him and the sun roasting down on him. And in addition to facial features that weren’t bad at all, he looked like a pale faced Gongzi.

But this was just in comparison with other people in the farmstead.

“Zhang Jiusi.” Lin Yuan called Zhang Jiusi’s name.

Zhang Jiusi walked out from the crowd, and Lin Yuan looked him up and down. He remembered that Zhang Shicheng was a man with “rare brawn and chivalry” in the historical records. He himself could not even eat fully and yet helped out others.

In fact, he had many similarities with the original owner, a pity he lost his way after success.

Zhang Jiusi looked at Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan said: “Come with me.”

Zhang Jiusi looked back at his brothers again, and finally walked a little distance away with Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan took Zhang Jiusi to a relatively secluded place. He knew that Zhang Jiusi was willing to come with Yang Zi’an because at this time Zhang Jiusi had already been forced into a dead end. He was at the point of whether to resist ot not. But Zhang Jiusi was not a person who didn’t fear imperial power, otherwise he would not have waited until the 13th year of Yuanshun’s reign.

That was why when Yang Zi’an released a rope that symbolizes life, he had grabbed onto it even when he knew that there were many doubts.

“You are not the person I am looking for.” Lin Yuan said.

Zhang Jiusi paused, he was a little flustered, after all, he didn’t often lie.

Lin Yuan said again: “But you have come here already, so just stay at ease. Although I haven’t found my friend, but you have all come already, naturally I won’t have you go back again.”

Zhang Jiusi looked at Lin Yuan, wondering what kind of living Buddha decided to come down to this earth?

“It’s just, your brothers.” Lin Yuan said, “They can’t make trouble for me.”

Zhang Jiusi patted his chest and assured: “That’s natural.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e ir on tr ee bl oo ms .wo rd pr es s. c o m )

Zhang Jiusi and the others were assigned to the dormitory, but they could not live in a family room, they had to live separately, and they had to go to the cafeteria when eating.

Zhang Jiusi and his three brothers plus one Li Liu were assigned to a dormitory where three people were already living in. When they entered, the three people who had lived there first greeted them enthusiastically and learned that they were from Xinghua. They became even more enthusiastic.

“How is the outside world now?”

“You have salt, you must be rich.”

Zhang Jiusi and the others looked at the bed that had been made, and their hearts eased fractionally, but still hung in midair. They looked at the bed with a top and lower bunk, eyes full of surprises, having never seen a bed like this in their life.

“This is the method our Boss came up with.” One of the farmstead person laughed. “The Boss said there are too many people and there is no place to fit all of us. This bunk bed can be used to sleep many people and without being crowded together. Everyone gets their own bed, comfortable.”

Zhang Jiusi asked him: “What kind of person is your Boss?”

The man said: “Speaking of our Boss, come, sit down, listen to me and I’ll tell you in detail.”

The other two laughed and said: “Brother Zhao talks a lot, he won’t let you go if he doesn’t talk to his satisfsction.”

The person known as brother Zhao said: “I was a refugee. Like me, the two of them can’t stay in their hometown anymore, and walked here with others. It was snowing at that time! The lords in the city do not care about us, I don’t know how many people died of freezing and starvation. It just so happened that Boss wanted to recruit people to build a house, the house that we are currently living in. I helped build it myself.”

“Originally, the house was built and the craftsmen had also left. We had nowhere to go, so we asked Boss to let us stay.”

Brother Zhao slapped his thigh: “Boss didn’t even blink, he told us we could all stay.”

Zhang Jiusi quickly asked: “Then what do you do daily?”

Brother Zhao: “That depends on what group you are in. I am in Manager Jiang’s group. I have to train in the morning and do farm work in the afternoon. For other groups, there will be training in the morning and hunting in the afternoon. Everyone does their own thing, it is all divided with clear distinction.”

This is similar to their salt mines, each has a division of labor, but they don’t need training.

“What do you train?” Zhang Jiusi asked.

Brother Zhao also said: “There are too many, like push-ups and leapfrogs, there are so many kinds, Boss said, this is to exercise our physical strength, and sometimes Boss will train with us.”

Zhang Jiusi asked again: “Why do you need training?”

Brother Zhao: “Do you think it’s very peaceful here? What if there were bandits coming? Isn’t it up to us to fight back?”

Zhang Jiusi swallowed.

Brother Zhao smiled and said: “It’s no big deal, I’ve never been afraid of it, men, we shouldn’t be afraid at all!”

The roommate relentlessly undermined him: “Last time bandits came, you almost peeed your pants in fright. If we didn’t hold you up, you might be a deserter.”

Brother Zhao: “Bah! Was I peeing my pants?! Back then it was just a little bit of sweat!”

Zhang Jiusi glanced at his three younger brothers.

Zhang Jiuwu said: “Brother, we’re here anyway. What’s the point of thinking so much, so long as we won’t be hungry.”

“Yes, what do you eat in the cafeteria?” Zhang Jiuqi, the youngest, looked at brother Zhao intently and asked.

Brother Zhao: “We usually eat multi-grain steamed buns and stir-fried vegetables. The oil and water are plenty. We can manufacture the oil by ourselves, and we can eat meat once every seven days. If someone outside comes to attack us, or if we attack a bandit villa we can eat all the fine grains and meat we want.”

Zhang Jiuqi’s saliva was about to leak out, but when he thought that in order to eat meat, he had to fight with his life, he was a little scared along with being excited.

He asked: “So when do you eat today?”

Brother Zhao said: “It will be two more hours before dinner, and then I will tell you the rules of eating.”

Zhang Jiuqi was taken aback: “There are rules for eating?”

Brother Zhao nodded: “That’s natural. There are even rules for shitting here.”

This time, the four brothers and Li Liu were all taken aback. This place was that strange? There were rules for eating and shitting?

Brother Zhao took them to the corridor and told them to look at the house next to the dormitory: “That’s the public toilet, and you have to go there if you want to poop and pee, and you have to wash your hands at the door when you come out.”

“As Boss said, it is becuase we don’t wash our hands that it is so easy to get sick, dirty sickness!” Brother Zhao held his head high, with a proud expression that he knew better, “What Boss says makes sense! Boss has read books!”

Zhang Jiusi looked at the public toilet that looked like a house, and his expression was somewhat dazed.

Brother Zhao: “If you go to the public toilet at night, remember to light the torch outside so that you don’t fall in the dark. Last time there was a hapless guy who fell into the latrine pit. Who told him to be so thin, it took him a long time to climb up.”

Everyone: “……”

That hapless guy was really too unlucky.

They can all imagine how he looked when he crawled out of the pit.

Brother Zhao: “That’s almost all, what else do you want to ask?”

Brother Zhao added: “By the way, if you work hard, there are rewards. The two people in each group who do the best every day can eat bonus meals. A bowl of stew, if you save some, you can eat it for two meals. Inside is all big chunks of meat and you also get a bowl of white rice.”

These fifty-odd people were arranged into their rooms. After all, they have just arrived in the new environment, and most of them were still a little uneasy. Fortunately, the people in the dormitories were very enthusiastic, and they were not as nervous as they were at the beginning.

They couldn’t not be enthusiastic and welcoming. During this period of time, Lin Yuan had been making repeated orders to them. In the future the farmstead will add many more people. If they were looking for trouble, they will be kicked out to do whatever they want outside. If they find someone oppressing a newcomer, as long as someone reported it, and after verification, the reporter can also get a slice of meat and a bag of rice, as well as a bamboo rat and a fat chicken.

Therefore, even if you were not very enthusiastic about newcomers, you will not find fault. No one in this world wanted to be driven out.

If they were driven out it was basically death.

Even if you didn’t die, you can’t live a good life like in the farmstead. Although every day was hard work, you did’t have to worry about food, clothing and housing.

Everyone also had two new sets of clothes every season. Although they were almost the same size and color, poor people cannot wear a few new clothes for a lifetime. Where else could anyone find such a good thing?

At dinner that night, Zhang Jiusi and his brothers were assigned to a fishing group. There were also a few fellow villagers with them. They were newcomers and met the group leader during dinner.

The leader of the fishing team was surnamed Zheng, originally named Zheng Liu’er. Later, he went to ask Lin Yuan who gave him a new name, Zheng Zhizhong. After he had a name, he would not allow others to call him Zheng Liu’er during working hours, only answering to his formal name.

“Boss said before that the number of daily catch is set, and the surplus is our own.” Zheng Liu’er and Zhang Jiusi said, “If we catch more, we will divide the fish by ourselves. Those who don’t have any cooking appliances can borrow the kitchen, which is convenient.”

Zhang Jiusi asked: “What if the catch is not enough?”

Zheng Liu’er smiled and said: “Why would there be not enough, there are too many fish in that river, even in the winter, and the amount set by Boss can be finished in one or two hours.”

Some of the fish caught were taken directly to the kitchen, and some were dried as salted fish and hung up to be eaten in winter.

Early the next morning, Zhang Jiusi and the others heard a loud noise outside, and they almost jumped up in fright, only to regain their calm when their heads knocked against the ceiling and bed board.

Brother Zhao and the others slowly got up from under their quilt, rubbed their eyes and said, “This is calling for us to get up.”

Zhang Jiusi and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

“We are too lazy to fetch water, so we can wash by the stream. Are you with us?” Brother Zhao asked.

Zhang Jiusi smiled: “Naturally go with brother Zhao.”

Brother Zhao led them to wash their faces and ate breakfast together before they went to the open area for training together.

In the first hour they practiced obedience. They charged to wherever Lin Yuan pointed. Lin Yuan gave an order, and they went over to chop the wood stakes with their knives.

After an hour, daily training began, such as running, push-ups, leapfrogging, throwing stones, etc.

When the bell rang during the lunch break, they yelled excitedly and rushed to the cafeteria.

Zhang Jiusi discovered that no one was lazy and no one was supervising the work. Instead during the training, each team of ten people supervised each other.

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

He was quite bewildered.

Brother Zhao said, “If you are lazy you get reported by someone in the team, then you can only eat one meal tomorrow, while he can eat meat!”

Zhang Jiusi finally understood.

This farmstead had hidden depths and was even more capable than he thought.

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