Chapter Seventy-Four: Advancing Step by Step

After Yang Hong left, Chen Ping asked Chu Yun, "Why did you let Boss Wu go?"

Chu Yun replied, "Second Uncle, Boss Wu is plagued by illness; his life is worse than death."

"But," Chen Ping pressed, "have you considered that if Boss Wu returns and sends word to the Witch Doctor Sect, they may dispatch even more people after you? What will you do then?"

Chu Yun smiled slightly. "Don't worry, Second Uncle. I've already thought of that, and in fact, that's exactly why I let Boss Wu go."

Chen Ping was stunned, unable to understand.

Chu Yun explained, "Second Uncle, the Duke of Qi has granted me the title of Earl. As an Earl without royal blood, you must have guessed where my fief is located."

"I was surprised when you were granted an earldom," Chen Ping said. "I've heard the requirements for nobility are lax these days, but as the Duke of Qi, the highest he can confer is Earl—usually reserved for direct descendants, rarely even for the collateral line. For someone outside the royal family to be made Earl, there's only one possibility: your fief is in the west."

When he finished speaking, Chen Ping looked at Chu Yun, his gaze full of concern.

His thoughts aligned with Luo Feng's.

An Earl without royal blood cannot command the Qi Dynasty's army; being sent west is tantamount to being sent to die.

Chu Yun nodded calmly. "That's right. My fief is in the west, less than two hundred li from the battlefield. The place is ravaged by war, bandits run rampant, and the people are destitute..."

Hearing this, Chen Ping interrupted him. "Yun'er, how can you go there?"

Chu Yun smiled. "It is the guidance of the immortal in my dream. The reason I spared Boss Wu and am not afraid of him sending word, is because I hope to take some people from Chu Family Town to my fief."

Chen Ping nodded slightly. "Although it was us who killed the Witch Doctor Sect people, with their methods, they will surely blame the townsfolk for not stopping us, for not helping them. Since your surname is Chu, and most people here share that surname, many will be forced to follow us."

He looked at Chu Yun. "But Yun'er, how are we to survive, taking so many people west?"

Chu Yun smiled. "Second Uncle, do you know why the authorities force marriages?"

Chen Ping suddenly understood. "People—where there are people, there is hope."

Chu Yun nodded. "Exactly. With people, there is hope, and development can begin. Tomorrow, I will speak with the clan leader."

Chen Ping nodded silently, saying nothing more.

He gazed at Chu Yun, growing ever more pleased and ever more impressed.

Step by step, each footfall was solid, every move carefully planned. It was truly astonishing.

...

Early the next morning, Chu Yun took four soft, freshly baked cakes and a large bowl of soy milk to the house of the Chu clan leader at the southernmost edge of Chu Family Town.

The clan leader was a middle-aged man, just risen and preparing to work the fields. They would usually work a bit before eating, for without productivity, they felt one should not eat.

Seeing Chu Yun, the clan leader quickly put aside his farm tools, brought out a chair for him, and smiled. "Doctor Chu, what brings you here today?"

Had it been before, he would not have cared to greet Chu Yun, the town's notorious ne'er-do-well.

But now things were different.

Chu Yun handed him the cakes and soy milk. "I've brought you something to eat."

He sat down.

"Thank you, thank you! You didn't have to bring anything." The clan leader was polite in words, but his hands swiftly accepted the cakes and soy milk.

These treats were rare and expensive at the Celebration Tavern; four cakes and a large bowl of soy milk would cost at least five knife coins.

With five knife coins, one could buy several days' worth of grain.

Certainly not something poor folk could afford.

The clan leader called his wife, asking her to put the food away.

Chu Yun said, "Clan leader, these cakes and soy milk are best eaten hot. Since you haven't had breakfast, why not eat them now?"

The clan leader said nothing, but his son stepped forward. "Father, I want to eat. I've heard these soft cakes and soy milk are delicious. I've wanted to try them for ages."

After a moment's hesitation, the clan leader asked his wife to bring four small bowls. The soy milk was divided, and each of the four cakes went to one person.

His daughter-in-law was pregnant, and his son, feeling tender, gave her half of his share.

The family of four ate their cakes and drank their soy milk, unable to stop praising the taste. The soy milk was rich and flavorful, the cakes soft and delicious—no wonder the Celebration Tavern charged so much.

They truly loved the food; even the bowls were licked clean, not a drop left. When finished, they still craved more.

But they did not forget to thank Chu Yun repeatedly.

Then the clan leader said, "Doctor Chu, you must have something on your mind to visit me today?"

Chu Yun nodded. "To be honest, I'm here to ask you to gather the clan, to see how many are willing to go with me to my fief."

"Fief?" the clan leader asked. "I heard you've become a noble? It seems that's true! But does your fief have no people? Why bring townsfolk from here? Chu Family Town has no specific lord, being under royal administration, but taking people away doesn't follow the law. You know, the Qi Dynasty has been ravaged by war for years—many places are deserted, and people are scarce."

Chu Yun replied, "Originally, the Duke of Qi wanted to grant me Chu Family Town as my fief, but I chose elsewhere. So taking people from here won't be a problem..."

He was interrupted by the clan leader, "If it was Chu Family Town, why did you choose another fief?"

He didn't wait for Chu Yun to answer before continuing, "Well, that's true. Chu Family Town has no mineral resources, only a small stream, no rivers. Resources are scarce, the land is poor, surrounded by mountains. Were it not for years of war, many wouldn't have come here for refuge—it's really just a poor mountain valley, which is why it never had a lord."

Chu Yun nodded. "You're right, so I chose another place."

The clan leader asked, "Why do you want to take everyone away?"

Chu Yun answered, "Last night, I killed people from the Witch Doctor Sect. I fear they will seek revenge and harm the townsfolk, so I wish to take everyone away."

The clan leader frowned. "You killed Witch Doctor Sect people? That's trouble. Staying here isn't safe. Where is your fief?"

"In the west," Chu Yun replied.

"What? The west? Chu Yun, why did you choose a fief in the west?" The clan leader cried out in alarm. "Don't you know it's close to the battlefield? It's dangerous! Chu Family Town may not be much, but at least there's never been war here—it's safe! I fear the townsfolk won't be willing to go with you."

Chu Yun smiled, "It's all right. Just help me gather everyone. Leave the rest to me."

Step by step, steadily, with careful planning.