Chapter 289: Longyan Battle Record (Twelve)

Emerging slowly from the corner, the Blue Great Master tapped the fan handle in his hand and said with a smile, "I already know the full story behind this. Now we just need to find a way to deal with it."

"The first option is to submit to the Official Army and follow the path of recruitment and amnesty. From then on, none of you would need to fight and risk your lives anymore, but you would have to abandon your foundation here and start over from scratch."

"No way!" As soon as they heard the gentleman's first proposal, someone in the room shouted out, "We brothers rule the mountain as kings, free and happy as can be. Why should we go be the government's dogs?"

The righteous cry stirred a resonance among those seated, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Mr. Lan, however, remained unmoved, wearing an expression that said "I knew this would happen," and continued, "The second option is for the whole gang to go down the mountain, join forces with the heroes of Duima Ridge, and fight the Official Army to the death."

At this, Lan Da smiled and cast a glance around the room. Sure enough, those who had just been filled with righteous fury and sworn to be irreconcilable with the Official Army now all shut their mouths, and no one was posturing anymore.

"The third option," Lan Da turned around to face Ma Shixia, "is to adopt the stance of the mantis stalking the cicada. The Official Army's primary target is Duima Ridge. That being the case, the job of meeting the enemy head-on will naturally be taken up by the well-armed and powerful Chief Lin, while we brothers in this stronghold can only beat the side drums."

As soon as Lan Da's voice faded, a wave of agreement filled the room — these words had struck right at everyone's hearts.

Seeing that Ma Shixia was also nodding slowly, Lan Da analyzed further, "That way, we only need Lin Shiwan and the Official Army to fight each other to mutual destruction. Presumably, once the Official Army gets Shopkeeper Lin's head in the aftermath, they'll be able to go back and report their mission accomplished. Those troops are the general's personal soldiers; if too many die, even the general will feel the pain."

"That'll work!" "Exactly how it should be!" Seeking advantage and avoiding harm is human nature. Hearing that they wouldn't have to take the brunt of the fight themselves, everyone present immediately felt that this last strategy was the correct solution.

Yet at that moment, everyone was deliberately or unconsciously ignoring the most crucial point: if this Official Army unit were truly that easy to deal with, then why were they all sitting here in the first place?

Seeing that opinions in the room were converging, Mr. Lan finally added with a smile, "If everything goes smoothly, it's not impossible that we might all take a trip to Duima Ridge afterwards."

"Great idea!" The comrades nearly shouted out the word "top."

With the general direction decided, the next step was simply to proceed according to plan. Ma Shixia quickly sent someone to summon Shi Laoqi, and then Shi Laoqi, representing Duima Ridge, negotiated an agreement on the spot with the high-ranking members of Yantou Stronghold.

The content of the agreement was very simple: within the next few days, the two Bandit Gangs would set a trap in Hulu Valley and strive to deal a heavy blow to the government troops. This agreement had no collateral or guarantee — or rather, the code of the Edo and sheer strength were the guarantee.

After the discussion, Shi Laoqi hurried down the mountain to report back, while those in the hall continued to discuss the details of this "assistance mission."

At this point, Mr. Lan, tucked away in the corner, could not say much more. After all, he had not been here long and was unfamiliar with the terrain and the people; he could not help with tactical matters.

However, there was one thing he could help with: divining fortune and misfortune.

Yantou Stronghold had no professional clergy before this. But now things were different. The Blue Great Master's recent performance had indisputably proven that he was a true master of esoteric arts — if he could locate a dragon's lair, was gauging fortune not a simple matter?

The gentleman himself, however, did not see it that way.

After more than one leader eagerly asked the gentleman to divine the fortune of their coming expedition, Lan Da smiled bitterly and shook his head. "If it were just divining the fate of one or two people, that would be a simple matter. But now we face a battle of thousands, with killing intent surging to the heavens and death energy permeating everywhere. How could fortune be so easily measured? Humph, those who insist on divining without sufficient cultivation are either charlatans or will cough blood and die on the spot!"

The onlookers all expressed their understanding — this was a true professional, one who hid nothing from his clients, committed no fraud, and spoke plainly. Truly a man of high virtue!

After murmuring to himself for a while, Mr. Lan finally let out a long sigh and, under the expectant gazes of the crowd, said, "Fine, fine. I'll break the rule just this once. I've imposed on your hospitality for so many days; I must contribute some effort. Ah, it's hard to refuse when you've accepted favors!"

The onlookers immediately chimed in with a chorus of praise for the gentleman's loyalty.

The next moment, the gentleman glanced at the sky outside, then stood up and instructed that a few men be sent to accompany him down the mountain to retrieve a Dharma Artifact. "This Dharma Artifact is the very foundation of my Iron Umbrella Sect. Using it even once greatly damages one's Essence Refining."

At this, Lan Da glanced at Ma Shixia. "Great Boss, if you prosper in the future, do not forget this day!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Shixia's expression shifted with emotion and he clasped his fists. "I will never forget your noble righteousness, sir!"

"Mm, good, that's good." The gentleman nodded with satisfaction, then took five lackeys to Xiancheng to find Lin Chaofeng.

After Lan Da and his group departed in haste, they arrived at Xiancheng that afternoon. After settling the lackeys in a Lin Family courtyard, Lan Da went to Lin Chaofeng's residence. Early the next morning, a mighty procession of troops set out.

In the procession were not only Lan Da and the few lackeys responsible for carrying the "divination Dharma Artifact," but also a group of hired workers under Lin Chaofeng leading pack horses.

On the backs of the pack horses were some comfort gifts Lin Chaofeng was sending up the mountain: two wind-dried pigs, two soup lambs, two tiger legs, twenty wind-dried chickens, twenty tea-oil ducks, and most importantly, thirty jars of top-grade strong liquor.

Two flowers bloom, each on its own branch.

That very evening, after Lan Da and the others had arrived at Xiancheng, Li Xiechun, Li Qianhu of the Longyan Garrison Thousand-Household Station, was also invited to the Rear Palace.

Full of displeasure, the moment Li Qianhu saw Ding Liqiu and Wei Yuan, he said irritably, "I wonder what important business you two have now? The entire county has been at your beck and call these days. Surely that's enough?"

It was no wonder Li Qianhu glared coldly at the Transmigrators. Although the garrison station had degenerated into a de facto semi-serf organization, it was still nominally a military organization and usually had to drill some troops to deal with bandits and inspections by superiors.

Ever since the Transmigrators had arrived here, large numbers of impoverished farming soldiers from the garrison station, lured by high pay, had spontaneously come to work as laborers for the Transmigrators — this greatly displeased the de facto landlord Li Qianhu. Cutting off a man's wealth was like killing his parents.

Yet however displeased Li Qianhu was, he could not stop this situation. He had already sent men to inquire with his superiors and knew that this group of Short-Hairs was not to be trifled with.

Thus, all he could do was make a few sarcastic remarks when he met Wei Yuan and the others.

Wei Yuan and Ding Liqiu, however, had no time to joke with him today. Once Li Qianhu was seated, Wei Yuan immediately said, "Magistrate Li, could you dispatch 200 drilled troops to Yantou Stronghold for a visit tomorrow?"

"Huh?!" Li Qianhu's eyes bulged to their widest at that moment. After blinking a few times, his mouth agape, he could no longer hold back and asked, "Sir, have you lost your mind?"