Chapter 342: Hong Sect's Moves

With Wei Zhuang at the meeting in the county office, Cheng Feng naturally paid it no mind; in times of crisis, one can only rely on oneself.

He did not focus on that emergency meeting concerning the fate of the county, but instead, after careful deliberation, made his own decision alone.

"In this chaotic world, only strength is the hard truth," Cheng Feng thought to himself. Under the threat of the Red Lotus Sect, any idea of relying on external forces could be nothing more than a mirage.

Therefore, he decided to rely on his own strength to find a path to survival for his family and those around him.

Utilizing his familiarity with the terrain and his insight into human nature, Cheng Feng began to quietly relocate the forces of the Hong Sect.

War is on the verge of breaking out; what are you waiting for if you don't run???

Waiting to die??

Cheng Feng had once considered Hong Village, but he soon realized that this place was not suitable as a foothold. Because it was too close to the county seat, if any unexpected situation occurred, it could very likely be wiped out by the Red Lotus Sect in one fell swoop.

By comparison, although Black Wind Stronghold had once suffered severe destruction, its geographical location was deeper and the roads were more treacherous, making it safer.

Many Hong Sect disciples had participated in the bandit suppression operations at Black Wind Stronghold and were very familiar with the terrain and environment there. This allowed them to better guide other members forward and ensure the safety of the entire group.

Cheng Feng clearly knew that the current Black Wind Stronghold was just a ruin and could not provide an actual shelter. Therefore, he needed to make preparations in advance to ensure that everyone could return to normal life as soon as possible.

After clarifying his thoughts, Cheng Feng decisively issued an order to Wei Zhuang: "Immediately lead a group of family members, dependents, and craftsmen to head to Black Wind Stronghold first!"

He specifically emphasized prioritizing the protection of the dependents of the Hong Sect's high-ranking members, letting them leave the county seat first. In this way, not only could the safety of these important figures be guaranteed, but they could also play a key role in the reconstruction process of Black Wind Stronghold.

Once they arrive at Black Wind Stronghold, these dependents and craftsmen will immediately throw themselves into the repair and construction work.

At the same time, Cheng Feng decided to arrange for a subsequent group of people to start taking over from the craftsmen and handing over supplies at Hong Village, so that Hong Village could be used as a transit point to finish the construction work as soon as possible; there was no need to go back to the county seat to get any more supplies.

This could ensure that everyone's physical strength was fully restored while avoiding the risks brought about by excessive concentration in one place.

After careful discussion with Wei Zhuang, the route for a portion of the Hong Sect disciples to withdraw from Qingxi County was quickly arranged. They acted swiftly and orderly, without causing any unnecessary chaos or panic.

And the destination of this evacuation was none other than Black Wind Stronghold.

As the gang leader of Qingxi County, the city guards watching the gates dared not provoke this local tyrant.

Coupled with the fact that Wang Hu had a sum of silver every month to grease the wheels, they turned a blind eye to the Hong Sect's actions.

"Sanwazi, why are we moving out to live?" asked an elderly woman with a hunched back and a face full of life's hardships to her son, who was a high-ranking member of the Hong Sect.

A sturdy man whispered comfortingly: "Mother, didn't the Sect Master give the order? The Sect Master is also doing this for our own good."

"It's the Sect Master, then I won't ask anymore. The Sect Master is so good to our family, he shouldn't be harming us; I'm just afraid that an old woman like me will hold you back," the old woman muttered to herself.

"Don't worry, Mother, maybe we'll need your help when the time comes! Not to mention anything else, just based on your needlework and clothing-making skills, who could compare to you??" Sanwazi comforted her.

The old woman heard this and chuckled: "That's true, no one has ever said a bad word about your mother's needlework."

Watching his mother being pacified, Sanwazi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead; he hadn't been this cautious even when fighting the Black Snake Gang.

He thought to himself: "It's a good thing the reason given by the sect is good, and I will really arrange for Mother to do some handiwork later; the Sect Master is truly thoughtful!"

Scenes like this were not rare in Qingxi County; to openly say that the rebel army was coming was just asking for death.

Even though Wei Zhuang could see that yesterday's meeting was all show and no substance, he still had to put in some effort; the Hong Sect contributed one thousand men to this matter as reinforcements, and they were currently being integrated and trained under the County Lieutenant.

The work on the surface had to be done, but the work behind the scenes naturally could not be neglected either.

To ensure the safety and smoothness of the evacuation process, the Hong Sect disciples adopted various measures.

First, they carried out disguises to avoid attracting unnecessary attention and trouble. This kind of disguise might include changing clothes, using aliases, changing travel routes, etc., to ensure they would not be tracked by official forces during the evacuation.

At the same time, bringing along their families was also an important part of the evacuation operation. The Hong Sect disciples knew the importance of family, so they tried their best to ensure that every family could leave together during the evacuation.

This was not only a manifestation of being responsible for their families but also an important measure to maintain the stability and unity of the organization.

During the evacuation process, the disciples might organize themselves to help each other and take care of the elderly, children, and the weak together, ensuring they could safely reach Hong Village for rest.

Wei Zhuang's deployment undoubtedly provided a strong guarantee for this evacuation operation. He likely formulated a detailed evacuation plan based on various factors such as terrain, enemy situation, and traffic conditions, and arranged sufficient manpower and material resources for support.

During the evacuation process, Wei Zhuang might also collect intelligence through various channels and adjust the plan in a timely manner to deal with emergencies.

This evacuation operation was not only a test of the individual abilities of the Hong Sect disciples but also a test of the organization's cohesion and adaptability. Through this action, the Hong Sect disciples demonstrated a high degree of organizational discipline and a spirit of unity and cooperation.

The Lin Family was on good terms with Cheng Feng, and Cheng Feng had therefore visited the Lin Mansion; in his spare time, he chatted with Lin Wan'er about the current situation, which was a scenario of either preparing to run away or surrender.

The other families had the same idea; no matter which Imperial Court it was, it needed the support of those below, and if that didn't work, they would just run away; they couldn't just sit and wait for death.

Cheng Feng had the heart to help, but matters succeed through secrecy and fail through leaks; success comes from careful thought and planning. Before Black Wind Stronghold was rebuilt, it was better not to say too much about this matter.

But he still left Lin Wan'er with an address for Hong Village.

Looking at Lin Wan'er's beautiful face, he said solemnly: "Wan'er, if the rebel army really enters the city to burn, kill, and loot, you should run to this place; perhaps there will still be a glimmer of hope."

Seeing Cheng Feng say this so solemnly, Lin Wan'er also felt a jolt in her heart; it was rare to see Cheng Feng speak so seriously.

Firmly memorizing the address in her heart, she rolled her beautiful eyes: "Brother Feng, you treating my Lin Family like this, it's really..."

Before she could finish her sentence, a large mouth covered hers; Lin Wan'er resisted to no avail and then quietly began to enjoy it.

Lips and teeth intertwined, saliva exchanged.

Two people who had each other in their hearts naturally kissed together.

Just as he was about to take further action, Cheng Feng suppressed his own impulses.

Lin Wan'er's reputation still needed to be protected, but as for the person, Cheng Feng had already confirmed that she was his.