Chapter 38 - The Army Had Already Entered the Stronghold

Chapter 38 The Army Had Already Entered the Stronghold

With the permission of Li Gui, Chen Zhiyuan immediately turned around and signaled the bailiffs with his eyes, telling them not to worry about his safety and to go back on their own.

It would even be easier for him to go up the mountain alone. If something went wrong, it would be convenient for him to slip away. It would be a burden to bring them along.

Only then did the bailiffs disguised as assistants take the gold hairpin, lead the carriage, and turn around to leave.

Chen Zhiyuan was empty-handed, while Li Gui’s lackeys each carried a bag of potatoes and climbed up the mountain. They arrived at the entrance of a valley.

Li Gui walked forward and took the sweat towel that Chen Zhiyuan put on his shoulder.

While Chen Zhiyuan was in a daze, he heard Li Gui say, “I’m sorry, Shopkeeper. Outsiders have to cover their eyes when they go up the mountain. This is a rule of the mountain.”

“Since it’s the rule of the mountain, then I’ll follow the rules.”

Chen Zhiyuan didn’t feel any killing intent from Li Gui, so he closed his eyes without worry. After strengthening his physique twice, this simple blindfold operation wouldn’t have any effect on his direction identification.

Seeing that Chen Zhiyuan was so cooperative, Li Gui was even more impressed. He covered Chen Zhiyuan’s eyes and led everyone to continue walking into the mountain.

Two hours later.

Chen Zhiyuan heard more voices in his ears and even the words of women and children. The doubts in his heart deepened.

Just as he had expected, there were women and children in the mountains. This group of bandits should not be the group of bandits that made Qingshui County on alert. But why were they also on Black Wind Mountain?

Unfortunately, his eyes were still covered, so he could not see clearly what his surroundings looked like.

Li Gui’s voice rang in his ears again.

“Master, I’ve bought the food back. Today’s batch of food is different from previous ones. This shopkeeper said that he was supposed to offer it to that dog county magistrate of Qingshui County. But after we paid him, he was willing to go up the mountain with me and tell us the cooking method.

“Oh? Different food from the usual. Let me see… It’s indeed different. Li Gui, help this shopkeeper remove his blindfold.”

Another rough voice came.

As the sweat towel was removed, Chen Zhiyuan saw a nearly completed mountain stronghold in front of him. In this open space, there were people everywhere, and many women and children were running over. They looked at the round things in the bag with curiosity.

“Shopkeeper, you must be shocked. Don’t be afraid. We are not criminals who burn, kill, and plunder. We are just a group of people who have no choice but to go up the mountain to become bandits.”

A man with a full beard and a kind expression on his face patted Chen Zhiyuan’s shoulder and said with a smile. “I am the master of this mountain stronghold. What is your name, Shopkeeper?” “I am Chen Zhi. Greetings, Master.”

Chen Zhiyuan suddenly had an idea. He removed a word from his name and came up with a fake name.

“So it is Shopkeeper Chen. We have never seen such food before. Please tell us how to cook it. The women and children are starving.”

The bearded leader cupped his fists and pleaded.

“Master, if you want to fill your stomach, you just need to wash these potatoes and cook them in the pot. Or, you don’t need to wash them. You can just cook them in the firewood and eat them.”

Chen Zhiyuan told him the truth.

“The preparation method is simple. Come on, quickly give the instructions. Start the fire first and roast a batch of potatoes to fill your stomach first. Then, wash them and cook some so that everyone can have their fill.”

The bearded leader thought for a moment, then directly gave the instructions according to Chen Zhiyuan’s method.

It wasn’t that he had a big heart, but it was the two methods that Chen Zhiyuan had mentioned. Almost everything that could be eaten wouldn’t have any big problems if it was prepared the same way.

“Shopkeeper Chen, you said that this is the method to fill our stomach, so what other cooking methods are there? Also, what do you mean by it being poisonous if it’s not properly kept? Hurry up and tell the master.”

Li Gui, who was standing at the side, saw that everyone had gone to prepare their food, so he spoke to Chen Zhiyuan again.

When the bearded leader heard the word “poisonous”, his gaze focused as he stared at Chen Zhiyuan.

Chen Zhiyuan continued, “Leader Li and Master, don’t be anxious. I’ll tell you slowly. Not only can this potato be used as a staple food, but it can also be used as a vegetable. It can be cut into slices or stir-fried. If you add a few slices of meat into it, it will be even more delicious.”

“So it can still be used as a vegetable? That’s great. These days, we are having wild vegetables every day that our taste buds are becoming numb.”

When Li Gui heard that, he was delighted, and his gaze toward Chen Zhiyuan became a little more friendly.

The bearded leader did not speak, but his expression also eased up quite a bit.

“When I say that it’s poisonous, Master, you have to listen carefully. When the potato is stored for too long, not kept in the cellar, and it’s casually piled up, it will turn green and start to sprout. If it sprouts in small amounts, you can just directly cut off the sprouts. If it turns green in large areas, don’t eat it. You can keep the sprouts, cut them into pieces, and bury them in the ground. When the climate is appropriate, they will grow into seedlings and then bear new potatoes.”

Chen Zhiyuan once again said that the question of whether potatoes could be eaten after they sprouted had already been scientifically explained in the later generations. He then told the people of this era that there was no problem at all.

“I see. Shopkeeper Chen, you’re too kind. There’s a ready-made cellar in the stronghold. I’ll arrange for the rest to be stored in the cellar. Shopkeeper, come with

me.”

A smile appeared on the bearded leader’s face after he heard that. Chen Zhiyuan could be said to have made it very clear.

Especially that last sentence. He had even told them how to grow potatoes. This meant that if the potatoes sprouted, there was no need to waste them. They could even take the initiative to grow some potatoes themselves so that they could use them if it’s needed from time to time.

Shopkeeper Chen didn’t need to tell them all this, but he took the initiative to tell them. How could he not be touched?

“Then thank you very much, Master. I see that there are officers stationed at the foot of the mountain about seven to eight miles away. They might be going up the mountain in a few days. Have you thought about how to deal with them?”

Chen Zhiyuan followed the bearded man and asked again as if he was worried.

“Shopkeeper, don’t worry. Our stronghold is very hidden. If there is no one to lead the way, the officers and soldiers will definitely not be able to find our position! Just think of it as coming here to play for two days. We will send you down the mountain the day after tomorrow.”

Li Gui patted Chen Zhiyuan on the shoulder and said with a big smile.

“Li Gui is right. This stronghold is very hidden. When I led my brothers to rob the dog county governor’s birthday gifts and went up the mountain, I only walked in by accident. I didn’t expect to have a stronghold that was already built that allowed us to settle down. It’s really a blessing from the heavens. In addition, even if the officers and soldiers really found us, now that we have food, we can retreat into the dense forest to deal with them.”

The bearded leader also followed Li Gui’s words and spoke. He was also quite confident about the location of this mountain stronghold.

“Master, are you saying that when you came here, the mountain stronghold had already been built?”

Chen Zhiyuan confirmed it again.

“Exactly. Shopkeeper Chen, why are you asking this?” The bearded man turned his head to look at Chen Zhiyuan, doubt gradually appearing in his eyes.

“Then I understand. Master, Leader Li, there’s something wrong with what you said. This position isn’t as hidden as you think. The army already knows about the location of the stronghold.”

Chen Zhiyuan raised his head to look at the two of them, a faint smile hanging on the corner of his mouth.

All his doubts were verified at this moment.

There were indeed two different waves of Black Wind Mountain bandits!