Chapter 62

Qian Gui brought back news concerning the Mountain Sprite and the mountain-penetrating leopard's movements.

It was like dropping a stone into the calm waters of Jiao Tu Zhen.

It caused Chen Wen and the core layer's recently relaxed nerves to tighten again.

Internal construction is certainly important, but external threats have never been far away.

In this subtle tense atmosphere, Jiao Tu Zhen welcomed an important guest.

—the master of Li Manor, Li Chong.

This time, Li Chong came with little fanfare, bringing only a handful of trusted guards, appearing very low-key.

When he rode his horse through the preliminarily repaired town gate, seeing that although traces of war were still visible within the town, the orderly construction scenes and the townsfolk's faces bearing a hopeful vigor unlike elsewhere.

His eyes couldn't help but flash a hint of astonishment that was hard to conceal.

The last time he came, Jiao Tu Zhen was merely a struggling refugee settlement.

Yet now, in a short time, it already had the semblance of a prosperous small town.

Especially the waterwheel standing by the creek, creaking as it turned.

And the visibly improved plows in the fields, unlike ordinary ones, made this worldly manor lord feel novel.

Chen Wen received the report and personally went out to welcome him to the council hall.

He had a good impression of Li Chong, who had secretly sent word during Liu Du Tou's threat, which was akin to sending charcoal in the snow.

"Lord Li, your gracious presence—my apologies for not welcoming you from afar!"

Chen Wen clasped his hands and smiled, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant.

Li Chong hastily dismounted to return the salute, his tone more solemn than last time.

"Chief Chen, you're too polite! My unannounced visit is simply because your town's recent changes are astonishing; I'm curious, so I came to intrude, and also to congratulate you in person, Chief Chen, wishing your town triumph over strong foes and your fame spread far!"

The two exchanged pleasantries as they entered the council hall and took their seats as host and guest, and Madam Wang personally brought up hot water.

—tea leaves are a rare commodity, and Jiao Tu Zhen currently cannot afford them.

After a few pleasantries, Li Chong got down to business, his expression turning serious.

"Chief Chen, to be frank, I came this time first to congratulate, and second… to seek cooperation against external foes."

Chen Wen's heart stirred, but his face remained unchanged.

"Oh? Lord Li, please speak."

Li Chong sighed:

"Liu Du Tou has been defeated; it seems our surrounding forces have relaxed, but in fact the danger has grown greater."

"The mountain-penetrating leopard has absorbed Liu Du Tou's defeated troops, its strength greatly increased; its nature is greedy and cruel, and it will surely expand its territory next."

"Both my Li Manor and your town lie under its blade; this is a disaster."

He paused, lowering his voice.

"Secondly, it's the matter of the Mountain Sprite coming from the east."

"I have sent people to investigate; it is certainly not ordinary sprites causing trouble, the traces left at the scene…"

"They closely resemble the mysterious gang that looted the mine earlier; that sinister chill, no mistake!"

Chen Wen's eyes narrowed: "Iron Crow Army?"

Li Chong nodded heavily:

"Exactly! These people come and go without trace, act ruthlessly, and harbor great ambitions."

"They have been active in the east more and more frequently; sooner or later they will threaten us."

"Relying solely on my Li Manor or your town alone, we would likely be unable to cope."

Chen Wen fell silent for a moment, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

Li Chong's worries matched his own; the mountain-penetrating leopard is an immediate concern, the Iron Crow Army a distant worry, and also a grave internal threat.

Forming an alliance is indeed a wise move.

"Lord Li's meaning, I understand."

Chen Wen lifted his head, his gaze sharp.

"I don't know what form the cooperation you mentioned, Lord, would take."

Li Chong obviously had prepared beforehand, and spoke:

"I propose that Li Manor and Jiao Tu Zhen form an offensive-defensive alliance!"

"If one side faces difficulty, the other must come to its full aid."

"Furthermore, we can communicate our needs in trade."

"My Li Manor has mature caravans and channels; I can help your town sell surplus grain and fodder, hides, and procure the salt, iron, cloth, and other supplies you urgently need."

"And if your town can mass-produce these new farm tools, waterwheels, and the like, my Li Manor is also willing to purchase them at high prices."

"These terms are quite favorable, especially the trade clause."

"This precisely solves Jiao Tu Zhen's urgent material shortage, and also finds a steady outlet for its output."

Chen Wen did not immediately agree, but instead countered:

"An alliance is naturally good."

"But if the mountain-penetrating leopard or Iron Crow Army attacks, how would we coordinate command? And how would spoils be divided?"

Li Chong pondered:

"If we encounter external foes, we can, according to the scale of battle, have either side take the lead in command, while the other gives full support."

"As for spoils, they would be divided according to the number of troops contributed and the size of merit, striving for fairness."

"Specific details can be set down in a written agreement as proof."

Chen Wen nodded, and Li Chong showed sufficient sincerity.

He was thinking not just about the present, but also the future.

The Li family manor is deeply rooted; its trade network is precisely what Jiao Tu Zhen urgently lacks.

The astonishing potential and combat power displayed by Jiao Tu Zhen are precisely the security guarantee that the Li family manor needs.

This is an alliance with extremely strong complementarity.

"Good!"

Chen Wen no longer hesitated, stood up, and extended his hand.

"Lord Li, you're straightforward and sincere. This alliance, I, Chen Wen, representing Jiao Tu Zhen, accept it!"

Li Chong was overjoyed, quickly rose and clasped hands with Chen Wen as an oath:

"Leader Chen, you're straightforward! From now on, the Li family manor and Jiao Tu Zhen are one family!"

With the alliance settled, the atmosphere immediately relaxed considerably.

Chen Wen then took the opportunity to invite Li Chong to tour the settlement, casually introducing the various constructions.

When he saw the Civil Militia Bureau, under Zhang Cheng's command, conducting drills that could be described as strict in formation and tactics.

Seeing the Construction Bureau operate efficiently, seeing the Internal Affairs Bureau manage in an orderly manner.

Shock wave after shock wave surged in Li Chong's heart.

He vaguely felt that Jiao Tu Zhen's changes were not simply due to having a wise leader.

Everything here seemed to exude an unusual "efficiency" and "vitality".

It seemed as if an invisible force were driving it to develop rapidly.

He attributed this to Chen Wen's mysterious "method of training troops" and "ability to govern".

His evaluation of this young leader rose several levels, and his commitment to the alliance grew firmer.

That evening, Jiao Tu Zhen set up a simple banquet to welcome Li Chong.

Although there were no rare delicacies, the atmosphere was warm and sincere.

During the feast, both sides hammered out the alliance details in detail, and agreed that Qian Gui would be responsible for daily liaison with the Li family manor's caravan.

After seeing off the satisfied Li Chong, Chen Wen stood alone under the night sky.

The alliance with the Li family manor was a key step for Jiao Tu Zhen to break out of its isolation and integrate into the regional pattern.

It not only brought tangible benefits, but also expanded the strategic security space.

In his mind, the golden Fortune Momentum seemed to have grown another layer, subtly emanating a more stable aura as it turned.

The 【Growth Progress Bar】 also quietly rose to 【17%】.

Establishing reliable diplomatic relations and expanding living space are likewise important aspects of "growth".

However, Chen Wen felt little ease in his heart.

The news Li Chong brought about the Iron Crow Army's frequent activities weighed on him like a huge stone.

The shadow in the east was drawing near, and Jiao Tu Zhen had to grow stronger, faster.

With the alliance settled, the next step was to proactively touch that mysterious shadow.

Chen Wen's gaze once again turned eastward, where the night was deep and seemed to hide endless secrets and danger.