Chapter Twenty-Seven: Journey to the New Land

"Big brother, I think Scholar Chen is a pretty honest man."

"Since Boss Zhang was the one who acted as the intermediary, we shouldn't be too dismissive of his face."

"Besides, having one more friend is always better than having one more enemy."

The other minor leaders nodded in agreement.

The large man pondered for a long moment, finally let out a hearty laugh, reached out to take the silver, and said, "Fine. Since the brothers all say so, we’ll let today’s matter slide. Scholar Chen, I hope you keep your word; from now on, we are friends. If you dare to play any tricks, I won't be lenient!"

Chen Tong quickly cupped his hands in thanks. "Rest assured, Big Brother. I, Chen Tong, am a man of my word."

After some conversation, a measure of mutual trust had been established.

As they left the mountain stronghold, Xie Hu could not help but ask, "Brother Chen, why must we deal with these bandits? They are nothing but brigands who rob houses and loot villages. Can they really be trusted?"

Chen Tong patted Xie Hu on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Second-in-Command, if we want to live a stable life now, we must build connections far and wide. Although these bandits are unbridled, they have their own rules in these chaotic times. By befriending them, we will have fewer troubles and more conveniences in the future. Moreover, our Black Wind Stronghold is not a soft persimmon to be squeezed at will; with these relationships, we can establish ourselves more firmly."

After finishing his talk with the bandits, Chen Tong did not linger and stepped once more into the dimly lit shop where Boss Zhang resided.

The shop was filled with various sundries and emitted a musty scent. Boss Zhang was sitting behind the counter, flipping through a ledger in boredom. Seeing Chen Tong enter, he immediately looked up, his face beaming with a smile as he greeted him enthusiastically.

"Oh, Scholar Chen, what wind has blown you here? Please, sit!"

Chen Tong did not stand on ceremony; he walked straight to the chair opposite Boss Zhang and sat down. His expression was calm yet carried a hint of mystery. He glanced left and right, and after confirming no one was around, he lowered his voice and said, "Boss Zhang, I came today because there is something I wish to discuss with you."

Upon hearing this, Boss Zhang’s curiosity was piqued. He leaned in closer and asked, "Oh? Scholar Chen, feel free to speak your mind. As long as it is something I can help with, I certainly won't hesitate."

Chen Tong narrowed his eyes slightly and said slowly, "Boss Zhang, to be honest with you, I have some illicit salt on hand."

"Illicit salt?" Upon hearing these two words, Boss Zhang’s eyes widened, his face full of shock and curiosity.

In this era, salt was a vital commodity strictly controlled by the government, and trading in illicit salt was a grave taboo. Refined salt, in particular, was a rarity among rarities; even for high-ranking officials and noblemen, obtaining it was no easy task.

"That's right, and it is refined salt," Chen Tong emphasized, his gaze fixed on Boss Zhang’s reaction.

Boss Zhang swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly. "Scholar Chen, where... where did you get this refined salt? It is truly rare."

Chen Tong smiled but did not answer the question directly. Instead, he said, "Boss Zhang, I will not hide it from you, but please don't ask about the source of this refined salt. I came today because I want to give some to you."

When Boss Zhang heard this, he felt both excited and uneasy. He knew the value of illicit salt and was well aware of the risks involved. However, facing such a tempting offer, he found it truly difficult to resist.

"Scholar Chen, this... this is too valuable. Why would you give this to me?"

Chen Tong leaned forward and whispered, "Boss Zhang, you have extensive connections in this city and are well-informed. I am giving you this refined salt, firstly, to thank you for your previous help, and secondly, in the hope that you will continue to look after me in the future. Besides, who knows? This refined salt might bring you quite a few benefits as well."

Boss Zhang pondered for a moment, gritted his teeth, and said, "Scholar Chen, I appreciate your kindness. It’s just that the matter of illicit salt carries too great a risk."

Chen Tong patted Boss Zhang on the shoulder and said, "Boss Zhang, rest assured. As long as we are careful, there will be no problems. Furthermore, I guarantee that the quality of this refined salt is absolutely top-tier."

Boss Zhang hesitated for a long while before finally nodding. "Very well, Scholar Chen. Since you put it that way, I will accept it with gratitude. However, we must be careful and ensure no one else finds out."

After a brief meeting with Boss Zhang, Chen Tong returned to the Black Wind Stronghold.

Standing in the open area of the stronghold, Chen Tong looked at the brothers who had lived and died with him, his heart filled with emotion. Now that everything was ready, it was time to head toward that new land that held their future hopes.

"Brothers, today we set off for our new land! That is where we shall start anew!" Chen Tong’s voice was loud and firm, echoing through the stronghold.

Everyone cheered in response.

They had long since packed their bags, carrying their meager belongings on their backs, their eyes filled with determination.

Xie Hu walked up to Chen Tong’s side and grinned. "Brother Chen, the day has finally come! I can't wait to see what our new land looks like!"

Chen Tong smiled and patted Xie Hu on the shoulder. "Second-in-Command, let’s go!"

And so, the people of Black Wind Stronghold fell into an uneven procession, marching grandly toward their new land. Along the way, they laughed and chatted, discussing their future lives.

"I’m thinking, once we get there, we’ll build our houses first, then clear a patch of land to grow crops," Iron Bull said excitedly as he walked, his eyes sparkling.

"Indeed, from now on, we won't have to live in fear anymore," Ah Feng added, his face full of longing.

After several hours of trekking, they finally arrived at the new land. They stood at the edge of the fields, gazing at the expanse before them. Although the soil was not as fertile as they had imagined—and even appeared slightly barren in some places—it was significantly better than the land back at Black Wind Village.

"Even though the land isn't particularly rich, as long as we till it with care, we will surely have a good harvest," Chen Tong said to everyone, glancing around.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"That's right! As long as we work together, no hardship can defeat us!" Xie Qing Shuang stated firmly.

Most importantly, everyone now had a legitimate status; they no longer had to hide and skulk as they had before. They could work and live openly on this land, pursuing their own happiness.

"Brothers, from today on, we are farmers who earn our living with our own two hands!" Chen Tong shouted. "We will build a home of our own here and let everyone know that the people of Black Wind Stronghold can live a good life!"

The crowd cheered, their voices echoing across the fields for a long time.