Chapter 229: with translation of chapter title

Chen Wuji and Chen Bushi sat in their own courtyard, glaring at each other.

"What are you thinking? Speak up, why are you just standing there with your head stuck?" Chen Wuji asked.

Ever since he told Chen Bushi about the matter on the mountain, this guy has kept that expression, his brows loosening then tightening again and again.

Chen Bushi gripped his thighs hard with both hands and said in a low voice, "If we get stuck here, we'll suffer a loss, even ruin the future of our Chen clan."

"But you don't want to leave, right?" Chen Wuji asked.

Chen Bushi nodded, "Our Chen ancestors once helplessly abandoned Beijun and moved to this land we were never used to living on; if we leave again, where could we go? The Chen clan cannot become deserters again; if we run, that spirit will truly be gone."

"I understand." Chen Wuji nodded, "Then, since that's the case, listen to my idea."

"Speak!"

"On your side, speed things up; within half a month, the branch must have enough Young Strongmen appear in Xishan Village."

"I'll do my best; it should be possible, then what?"

"Let's deal with the Qiang Tribe!"

Chen Bushi glared at Chen Wuji unhappily, "Make your meaning clear."

"How is what I said not clear enough? Since we can't leave, we should hurry other matters, quickly accumulate our strength, and try to dig a burial trap for the Qiang Tribe's troops before they appear on South Mountain, then fight them—what other choice is there?" Chen Wuji said.

This matter leaves nothing extra to agonize over.

Either we withdraw from Xishan Village, or we fight—those are the only two options, no third.

Actually, in Chen Wuji's view, the Chen ancestors were forced to abandon their ancestral land Beijun; it wasn't flight, just a misjudgment of the situation and a wrong choice, being overly loyal and brave to the Former Dynasty, thus offending Great Yu, the Great Ancestor Emperor.

Many emperors like to, after achieving fame and unifying the world, turn on those close companions who helped them conquer the realm; flip through any history book and the examples are too many to count.

Great Yu, the Great Ancestor Emperor, did not exterminate the Chen clan; instead he relocated them to this troubled land, which already counts as leaving them a generous lifeline.

But Chen Wuji alone thinking this way is useless; Chen Bushi and the others don't accept it.

This realization, if forced to change, means little; better to let them keep that spirit.

"Good." Chen Bushi replied in a low voice.

Actually he could understand the reasoning, but this sudden matter disrupted all his plans, leaving him somewhat confused for a while, not knowing where to break through.

After briefly settling with Chen Bushi on what to do next, Chen Wuji turned and pulled Xiong Paozi into the city, where he bought a large amount of edible salt and also got several dozen doses of medicine from Zhang Lao, bringing them back.

The Provincial Troops at Tianchi Pass are strong, but their situation is extremely awkward.

They do not obey the County Office's conscription, so naturally they are also targeted by the County Office; namely, the County Office has never been able to suppress them, and if it could, they would surely have been labeled bandits rather than MilitaryHousehold.

The several magistrates of Yunan County have been remarkably consistent in their attitude toward the Tianchi Guan Militia: if you don't follow the mobilization order, we'll crush you; we can't go up, and you'd better not think of coming down.

Yet, the bottom line has always been retained, and they have not completely broken relations.

The next morning early, Chen Wuji took Xiong Paozi and Chen Luozi, loaded the purchased goods onto a donkey, and went up to Tianchi Pass.

The mountain peak where Tianchi Pass lies is steep and precipitous; one side is an almost vertical cliff, the other side dense forest with layers of shrubs obstructing the path—without some effort to clear the way, one simply cannot enter.

The terrain on both sides almost completely blocks the way into the mountains; only that single mountain path can be used, with no detour possible.

Chen Wuji had been here before, but back then he only glanced at it roughly and didn't examine it closely.

Only now, walking this road, does he understand why the successive magistrates of Yunan County hate the Tianchi Guan Militia to the point of itching molars, yet can never do anything about it.

This place's terrain is strategic, easy to defend but hard to attack; not to mention hundreds on the mountain, even just a few dozen could block the Yunan County Office's forces, making an assault impossible.

"Wuji, you handle other matters quite sensibly, so why on this issue do you keep being obstinate? Your choice, I think, will probably make success difficult." Chen Luozi said, pulling hard on the donkey that kept stepping back, shaking his head.

Chen Wuji chuckled lightly, "We just have to try."

"After we go up the mountain later, don't act impulsively; follow my cues."

"I know, I know, stop nagging; we two aren't the sort of hot-headed, impulsive people." Chen Luozi said.

From the start of the departure, Chen Wuji kept reminding him all the way; this has already been who-knows-how-many times, and listening to it made his head feel about to burst.

The three pulled two donkeys up the slope with difficulty; just as they were about to catch their breath, several bow-wielding men suddenly sprang out from both sides, blocking their path.

"What are you doing?"

Chen Wuji shouted, "Gentlemen, don't be impulsive; we are hunters from the nearby Xishan Village, here to trade. I heard you have a lot of pelts up there that haven't been sold; I brought salt and silver, we can barter or use silver."

The men looked suspiciously at Chen Wuji and company, and one asked, "Isn't there any of those damned County Office lackeys guarding down below?"

"No, what's wrong?" Chen Wuji asked blankly, "Are there County Office people guarding down there? I've never heard of that."

"Yes, I told you about this!" Chen Luozi jabbed Chen Wuji, deliberately lowering his voice a bit, "Tianchi Pass offended the County Office and has been targeted by the magistrate—you forgot?"

"Oh, I'm dense, I really did forget." Chen Wuji chuckled, saying to the bow-wielding Young Strongmen, "But right now there aren't any; the county has had many recent events, even the magistrate has changed, so likely there's no one left to guard the mountain."

"What happened?" A burly, stern-faced big man suddenly stepped out from behind.

This man looked like the one in charge.

"I'm not exactly sure either; it seems the Court investigated the Zhang Family and the previous magistrate, altogether many people died, and for the past few days Yunan City has been shut down." Chen Wuji said vaguely.

The big man's knife-like gaze swept over Chen Wuji, then he tilted his head, "Go up the mountain; there really are a lot of pelts stockpiled up there."

"You guys are pretty intimidating!" Chen Wuji lightly patted his chest, making a joking remark.

The big man and his companions said nothing, the bows in their hands remained strung.

Their vigilance is extremely strong.

Never mind anything else; just based on this, they already far surpass other MilitaryHousehold.

Although the road down the mountain is extremely difficult to traverse, and a strong wind might even sweep people away, once reaching the summit the scene suddenly changes and the terrain becomes gentle.

After passing through a stockade wall over three meters high, before one's eyes are rows of houses arranged like fish scales, situated in the center of the stockade, behind which are terraced fields of various sizes surrounding a mighty gate.

This entire mountaintop is a village formed by a front wall and rear gate.