Chapter 156: Why Look at What I Do

Jinchan Hu.

An artificially excavated rock cave, spiraling upward from the foot of the mountain. It contains many sections, and what excites the group most, of course, are the Armory and the grain storage area.

The first priority is to check the condition of the grain preservation, roughly how long it has been stored, and whether it is still edible.

Even if it is old grain, as long as it can be eaten, that is fine!

In troubled times, one does not fuss over such things; one only seeks to fill their stomach.

"The grain in the granaries is preserved passably; most of it is three to five-year-old grain," said the person checking the granaries.

The group breathed a huge sigh of relief; only three to five years, that is quite good, quite good.

"After the troubled times began, the granaries were not moved much. Before the troubled times, there should have been frequent consumption and replenishment."

"The villagers who were tricked here to work by the Daoist, as well as those responsible for guarding, and the people from the Danguan, all needed to eat grain. The old grain that had been in the granaries for too long could be taken out and consumed. In any case, there were wealthy families like the Gao Family constantly replenishing it with new grain."

"With food to eat, those villagers might even be grateful."

The three Commanders looked at those granaries, discussing excitedly.

Wen Gu, however, had been observing the marks left on the rock walls.

From several hundred years ago, or even longer, up until now, one can infer the identity of the other party from these pictures and texts above, and even why these things were written at the time.

There are also many artifacts left in the cave, some old objects, some new. Regardless of whether they are valuable or cheap, in Wen Gu's eyes they are all the same; he simply looks at the lives of people in the past through these objects.

They are indeed idle now, having to wait for orders from above.

People have already been sent to Xinzhou City to deliver letters, and more manpower is needed to come here to transport the items back.

Xinzhou City.

The city gate guards watched three people from the Patrol Guard Division ride horses into the city.

"Riding so urgently, what happened?"

"Probably went to raid a house somewhere again, and ran into trouble?"

Before long, they saw teams of people quickly leaving the city, even mobilizing many large carts for hauling goods.

"It really was to raid a house!"

"Envious, when will we accumulate enough battle merits to be transferred to the Patrol Guard Division."

Their daily task load is also very heavy now; although Xinzhou City has not encountered a Ghost Tide attack, because too many people are gathered here, many scattered Plague Ghosts are attracted to surround the city walls every day, and they have to deal with all these Plague Ghosts.

Why work so hard every day?

To save the world? To slay demons and eliminate devils?

How could that be!

Let's be practical!

Here, battle merits can really be exchanged for grain! That is why they work so hard!

However, not long ago, several houses were raided within Xinzhou City, and privately, some people speculated whether there was a grain shortage, so they had to slaughter the wealthy. Although someone quickly dispelled the rumors, in troubled times, anything involving grain makes it hard for people to have positive thoughts.

They are all quite worried.

If there really is a grain shortage, and they have no other skills, how are they supposed to support their families?

If the Zhao Family defaults on military pay, what should they do?

The gloom in their hearts did not last long; not two days later, they saw one large cart after another returning with goods!

"Granaries!"

"It must be the granaries!"

Even though they were covered, they could still smell the scent of grain!

People who were originally lying, sitting, or resting could not stay still.

Everyone stand up!!

For a moment, countless gazes were all focused on those carts.

Xinzhou City has two major Granaries, located in the inner and outer cities respectively, and there are other entrances, but this batch of goods was deliberately pulled through the city gate with the highest foot traffic all the way into the city, just to stabilize the hearts of the people.

No amount of rumors dispelled could be as useful as this!

One cart after another, they could not even count them all!

"It has to be the Patrol Guard Division!" they praised sincerely.

No matter which wealthy family the Patrol Guard Division raided this time, they support it with both hands!

"I wonder if there are any more such wealthy families." Someone's eyes revealed anticipation.

The armaments and grain from the Jinchan rock cave were not all hauled to Xinzhou City.

The other five cities outside the provincial capital also received allocations. Among them, the most were transferred to Shuo City.

It was also a coincidence that before the second wave of the Ghost Tide hit Shuo City, this batch of armaments and grain arrived first, not only replenishing their equipment but also greatly boosting their confidence.

Wen Gu remained at Jinchan Hu.

Lao Zhao wanted Wen Gu to return, worried that Wen Gu would encounter retaliation outside.

Regardless of which noble of the imperial family is behind Jinchan, Wen Gu directly dug out one of that person's important warehouses this time, so that person must hate him to the bone!

At first, Lao Zhao did not intend to let Wen Gu investigate military supplies; firstly, Wen Gu is too young, his experience is limited, and he does not understand many things in the military.

Secondly, it is easy to be targeted.

Pei Jun, Fu, and Cheng Xu, who has already changed tracks, have all experienced too many assassinations and ambushes.

Lao Zhao is not at ease with Wen Gu, so he urged Wen Gu to return to the city.

But Wen Gu really did not want to go back for the time being.

Precisely because he knows that a large warehouse was raided this time, the risks of going out in the future will be greater, and Lao Zhao might not be at ease letting him come out again.

That is why he cherishes this opportunity to roam outside.

Thus, Wen Gu wrote a letter and had the people delivering goods back to the city take it along.

Although he did not return to the city immediately, Wen Gu still cherished his own little life very much, and he did not run around, only conducting archaeology inside the cave.

After looking through everything left behind in the Jinchan cave over the past few hundred years, and the second wave of the Ghost Tide on the front lines had dispersed, only then, under Lao Zhao's repeated urging, did he lead his team back to the city.

There are still people stationed here at Jinchan Hu, and it will be developed again.

While staying here, Wen Gu corresponded with Lao Zhao and learned that Lao Zhao wanted to build this place into a transit station.

Goods and troops could all temporarily transit and rest here, or take temporary refuge.

This place is very suitable for hiding, and one could even survive a Plague Ghost tide here.

Such a good place could not possibly be left empty, but Lao Zhao said that he would find others to handle the follow-up matters, so Wen Gu did not need to worry.

Shortly after Wen Gu left Jinchan, a team of Armored Soldiers escorted a carriage to this place.

The carriage stopped at the foot of the mountain, and one person stepped out.

If Wen Gu were here, he would certainly recognize that this person was none other than the capable confidant by Lao Zhao's side—Great Steward Fusheng.

After Fusheng got off the carriage, he waited respectfully to the side.

And the person who stepped off after him was not Lao Zhao.

This person was about thirty-something, with a lean face, slightly elegant beard and hair, and dressed in simple, elegant everyday clothes; he actually had an air of refined nobility.

Compared to Fusheng's rigorous attire, this person seemed overly casual.

But Fusheng maintained a respectful posture the entire time: "Immortal Master, please!"

This person was exactly the "expert" hidden by the Zhao Family!

He did not even wear a Daoist "battle robe," nor did he carry any "Dharma Artifact."

The "expert's" gaze was not sharp, but rather somewhat gentle and calm; yet when he looked over, it made people feel bewildered, hesitant, and uneasy.

Standing at the foot of the mountain, he looked up at Jinchan Hu.

Great Steward Fusheng waited quietly to the side, also looking at this mountain shaped like a Jinchan with a heart of reverence.

This trip to Jinchan was under the orders of Lao Zhao, to come here to take a look at the feng shui and change the layout.

It was inconvenient for Lao Zhao to come out, so sending his confidant to accompany him showed how much he valued this.

Valuing it is one thing, but whether he believes it is another.

Unlike Lao Zhao, who was half-believing and half-doubting about this, Great Steward Fusheng was still very reverent toward such things, and furthermore, having received Lao Zhao's order, he was even more serious.

"No broken cliffs or gullies in the front, no deep valleys or precipices in the back."

The "expert's" gaze swept over the mountain, which had been chopped bald; one could tell from the remaining traces how lush the vegetation once was here.

"It is a good place."

He paused for a moment, looked at Jinchan Hu, and said, "It is a layout of a Jinchan guarding wealth."

"I have troubled you, Immortal Master!" Fusheng said respectfully.

Afterward, they went up the mountain and looked around at various spots.

The "expert" confirmed again: "It is indeed a formation of a mountain toad guarding a treasury."

Half-natural and half-artificial, but it is indeed a feng shui layout of a Jinchan guarding wealth.

"Then how should it be broken?" Fusheng asked earnestly.

"It has already been broken."

The "expert" pointed to the cave chiseled out on the mountain wall and said.

Fusheng thought to himself: Wen Gu is truly a genius!

He also thought of the words Lao Zhao had exhorted him with.

Besides his original taboos, Lao Zhao was also worried that Wen Gu's chiseling would attract baleful energy, so he invited the expert to change the feng shui.

The "expert" was quite efficient; after walking around the mountain, he gave an initial plan for changing the feng shui layout—"Keep its form, change its heart, replace its master, alter its spirit!"

Change the feng shui layout from "Jinchan guarding wealth" to "Jinchan offering treasure"!

Previously, it was for hoarding private wealth, emphasizing "guarding"; in the future, it will be changed into a cargo transit station, turning stagnant water into flowing water.

Wealth is like water; only when water flows, circulating back and forth, can it nourish greater vitality, generate more wealth, make Xinzhou prosperous, and ensure the great cause lasts for a thousand autumns!

The more Great Steward Fusheng heard, the more excited he became, and he was very satisfied with this change.

"Great auspiciousness!"

"Use this place to flourish our great cause in Xinzhou!"

Asking about the modification plan in detail, Fusheng recorded it earnestly.

The Danguan is to be completely demolished, and the camp rebuilt.

Certain species of trees of specific ages must also be transplanted here, and the locations for transplanting were also pointed out.

There were also many, many details; Fusheng asked earnestly and recorded them word for word.

These were all for Lao Zhao to see.

After finishing the recording, Great Steward Fusheng thought of Lao Zhao's other exhortations and asked respectfully again: "Immortal Master, there have been rumors that this Jinchan Hu is guarded by a spirit beast, the Jinchan. The person behind this surely did not seek only this one location; could the other few locations also possibly be heavenly spirit beasts?"

"There is indeed such a possibility." He said, "Using heavenly spirit beasts to guard and protect, plotting a great cause!"

Great Steward Fusheng hurriedly asked: "How can one find those places? Is there a way to break it?"

The "expert" smiled faintly: "Everything in the world has its own destiny."

Great Steward Fusheng understood. There is no solution for now.

However, looking on the bright side, the opponent used heavenly "spirit beasts" to guard, and they have now "defected" one; the opponent's fortune must be obstructed, and their vitality greatly damaged!

But the remaining "spirit beasts" must still be sought out.

Great Steward Fusheng was both happy and worried, his heart complex.

On the other side.

Wen Gu was still on the road back to the city.

Traveling with them was Ming Tiao. Yu He had escorted goods back to the city a few days ago, but Commander Lei still required Jinchan to remain on guard duty.

Wen Gu did not know that a metaphysical battle had already begun over at Jinchan Hu.

Even if he did know, he would only feel it was a case of "business warfare: digging up the other party's money tree."

The reason they had not yet returned to the city was that they had encountered another group on the road.

The second wave of the Ghost Tide on the front lines had scattered; this group was lucky enough not to have encountered the Ghost Tide, but unfortunately, many scattered Plague Ghosts had not yet had time to disperse elsewhere, and a small group had gathered after catching their scent.

Before clarifying the identity and background of the other party, the Patrol Guard Division would not easily make a move, and even set up a defensive formation.

Moreover, Ming Tiao and the others had received orders from Lao Zhao this time, and their mission was to escort Wen Gu back to the city, so they would not take the initiative to get involved in trouble.

Fortunately, the people in that group handled it appropriately; they all looked like veterans of the army and did not appear panicked.

"They don't look like the Border Army; they look like the Imperial Guard that used to be stationed elsewhere."

At this moment, Ming Tiao also saw clearly the family crest on the group's carriage.

"People from the Mu Family?"

The Mu Family?

The Mu Family of Commander Mu of the City Defense Army?

Thinking of the rumors that once circulated in the city—

The other members of the Patrol Guard Division traveling with them, along with Ming Tiao, all looked at Wen Gu in unison.

Wen Gu:?

"Why are you all looking at me?"