Chen Xiaobei was quite helpless. He squatted down and looked at Chen Qiaoer, saying word by word with utmost seriousness, "Qiaoer, you must remember, your Sister Ziyan never said she wanted to marry me. You can't just say things like that casually."
Chen Qiaoer looked at Chen Xiaobei and nodded obediently, "Mm, Qiaoer understands. I won't say it again."
After comforting Chen Qiaoer, Chen Xiaobei stood up and said to Cui Hongyu, "The situation has changed a bit. Everyone wants to go into the mountains, and every household has to go. Secondly, after I leave, the village affairs will be up to you."
"Oh, and tomorrow you go find Liu Rumei and have him arrange some people to help look after the village."
"I suspect she might send Yang Zhi and the others back."
"The houses in the four mu of land outside the village are already built, but I estimate that Yang Zhi and the others won't stay here for long. Those houses will eventually belong to our village, so you take some people to help manage them. As for wages, we'll pay for it ourselves."
Cui Hongyu nodded, remembering everything one by one.
"I've noted it down. Do you have any other instructions?"
Chen Xiaobei smiled and patted her shoulder, "No more instructions. You handle it, and wait for me to come back safely."
Cui Hongyu smiled softly, "Mm, don't worry. I'll prepare the new house, and you can marry Miss Huang Ying when you return."
Chen Xiaobei smiled helplessly. Since this matter was already settled, marrying her sooner would also fulfill Huang Ying's wish.
With the sound of gongs, the strong men from each household in the village gathered and began to head into the mountains.
The Old Ancestor stood under the big locust tree, watching everyone file away. He pulled Chen Xiaobei aside.
"Xiaobei, this time entering the mountains is different from usual. The imperial army is still the imperial army's business. Don't go too far."
Chen Xiaobei understood his concern. In fact, he was also worried about this.
So, the repeating crossbows still needed to be equipped.
"Old Ancestor, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
After speaking, he looked at the few young boys behind the Old Ancestor. These were the ones the Old Ancestor had stopped from going up the mountain.
"You few, stay home and listen to the Old Ancestor. Guard our Hetou Village."
The few boys looked wronged, "But we want to go up the mountain! We heard there's meat to eat up the mountain."
"How about this? As long as you behave at home, I'll share the meat I bring back with you."
Upon hearing Chen Xiaobei's words, the few boys became excited again.
"Okay, okay, we promise to behave."
Chen Xiaobei bid farewell to the Old Ancestor. He had only walked a few steps when someone called him from the darkness nearby. Huang Ying and Shen Ziyan were there to see him off.
"Brother Xiaobei, take this with you." Huang Ying handed him a small bundle.
Chen Xiaobei looked at her suspiciously. "What is this?"
"Food. Eat it on the road." After speaking, Huang Ying turned and left. Shen Ziyan next to her couldn't help but giggle.
"Brother Xiaobei, this is something Sister Huang Ying saved up for a long time. You mustn't disappoint her."
Chen Xiaobei opened the bundle curiously, and a fragrant aroma wafted out.
Inside were packets wrapped in oil paper.
Opening the oil paper, he found dried meat strips inside.
This was similar to the dried meat in the army. Where did Huang Ying get this?
"This is wild game caught at Centipede Ridge. Sister Huang Ying specially dried it for you."
Listening to Shen Ziyan's explanation, Chen Xiaobei's eyes became a little moist.
"Please help me convey my thanks to Miss Huang Ying for her kind intentions."
Shen Ziyan pouted, "You're going to have her as your second wife soon. I won't bother. You can keep your sweet words and tell her yourself."
As she spoke, Shen Ziyan took something out of her sleeve and handed it forward.
"Ah, I have a gift for you too."
It was a delicate dagger, about four or five inches long.
"I spent a lot of money to buy this before, but I always felt it was useless. Today, I'll give it to you as a wedding gift."
Chen Xiaobei took it and clasped his fists again, "Thank you, Miss Shen."
"Alright, alright, stop being so sentimental. Hurry up and go." Su Dan Novel Network
Ziyan waved her hand and turned to leave directly, making Chen Xiaobei feel both amused and exasperated. Was the send-off really so perfunctory? Did they not even want to look at me any longer?
As Chen Xiaobei led his men into the mountains, in Qingniu County town, Wang Lei and Wang Heng were also discussing countermeasures.
After a day's inventory, they had enough grain and fodder to last for half a month, which gave Wang Lei a bit of confidence.
"Since we have sufficient provisions, we only need to hold our ground and wait for the Marshal's reinforcements."
Wang Heng also seemed optimistic, "Yes, although the city walls of Qingniu County are not high, as long as we have enough manpower, we can defend it for ten days to half a month."
"General, we are currently under curfew, which is causing great hardship to the people and unsettling public sentiment. It would be better to lift the curfew, let the people eat and drink as usual, and it would make you appear more benevolent."
Hearing this, Wang Lei stood up and paced back and forth on the ground a few times. Finally, he nodded.
"Yes, what you said makes sense."
"It's time to relax a bit."
"So, starting tomorrow, we will lift all restrictions and let the people move freely on the streets."
Wang Lei kept his word. The next morning, he ordered the soldiers to announce everywhere that all restrictions were lifted and restaurants could operate normally.
At the Drunken Immortal Tower, Tian Wen heard this news and immediately realized something was wrong.
With a large army surrounding the city, the atmosphere in the city should be getting more tense.
However, Wang Lei had ordered the people to eat and drink as usual, which was clearly an attempt to appease public sentiment.
The more he did this, the more it indicated that their situation was not optimistic.
But the carrier pigeons he had sent to Wannian City had not returned.
The people he had sent to deliver a message to Princess Zhaoning could not return, so he had no idea about the princess's situation.
After much thought, he remembered the Lotus Flower Cult Master asking him to send her to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion. He decided to take a risk and go again.
The streets were bustling with people, and Tian Wen blended in, not attracting much attention. He still went to the back door of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
After knocking, someone opened the door and greeted him with a smile, "Oh, isn't this Manager Tian?"
Tian Wen cupped his fists, "Old Chen, please inform her that I wish to see Manager Gui Lan."
Old Chen nodded, "Please come in and wait for a moment. I'll go and inform her."
There was a stone table and stone benches by the back door where he could wait temporarily.
Old Chen hurried upstairs and knocked on Gui Lan's door.
"Manager, the Manager Tian from Drunken Immortal Tower is here again, saying he has something to see you about."
Upon hearing Tian Wen's name, Gui Lan's eyebrows raised. She immediately thought of the ancestor on the third floor.
"Was it Tian Wen who sent the ancestor on the third floor here?"
Old Chen pondered for a moment and nodded, "Yes, it was him."
"Quick, let him in."
After speaking, Gui Lan stood up to greet him and instructed a maid at the door, "Go get two ingots of silver."