Chapter 102: Development Outline for the Taihang Bandits

Three whole days passed, and Elm Bay remained exceptionally calm. Aside from the kiln site and construction area where more people from Zhoujia Village had started working, it was as if nothing had happened.

Yet the expert lurking outside the village constantly asserted his presence.

He was like a patient, vicious wolf, confident that his prey could not remain forever hidden in its den. As long as he waited calmly and continued to exert psychological pressure, success was inevitable.

Zhao Hengyi was glad the enemy was giving him time. He refrained from provoking the expert and quietly prepared.

During these days, Zhao Hengyi either stayed at the blacksmith’s shop with Zhang Daniu and Wu Ren or discussed matters privately with Zhou Yonglin, as if danger was someone else’s burden.

His psychological resilience was so formidable that even Lu Jiuniang had to look at this man—who always uttered strange, quirky remarks—with newfound respect.

“You’re truly fearless. An expert sent by Prince Qi waits outside the village to kill you, yet you’re still busy making money every day.”

Lu Jiuniang couldn’t understand Zhao Hengyi’s behavior. To her, everything he did seemed aimed at managing his various enterprises. “Why don’t I, along with your guards, help you escape to Jiangling City? Once there, someone of your wealth surely can resolve these problems.”

“Once in Jiangling City, things will only become more complicated,” Zhao Hengyi said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Though it was a lie to say he wasn’t tired these past days, all preparations were complete, and he could finally relax a bit. “Tell me about the Taihang Mountains. I feel you’re looking at me oddly... You don’t intend to kidnap me as a hostage, do you?”

Caught off guard, even the cool-tempered Lu Jiuniang blushed deeply.

“Well, it’s not that I haven’t thought about it... I’m not after your money. I just think if you were born in the Taihang Mountains, life for us might be a bit better there,” she said bluntly. “But rest assured, I won’t kidnap you.”

“Tell me about your situation in detail. Maybe I can help,” Zhao Hengyi said, somewhat surprised that she had genuinely entertained the idea of kidnapping him.

To Lu Jiuniang, the reality of the Taihang Mountains was bleak: barbarian tribes raiding the grass valleys, invading mountain villages, forcing everyone to move constantly. Life was never peaceful... poverty was severe, with people starving and freezing to death every year.

Zhao Hengyi listened quietly, mentally sketching an image of the Taihang bandits he had never seen before.

Privately, he had asked veteran guards about these bandits. Even the border troops knew of them; they were formidable fighters, a constant thorn in the barbarians’ side.

In fact, on the lands the Yan Empire had nearly abandoned, bandit dens, large and small, had never truly disappeared.

The barbarians would occasionally raid the grass valleys and sweep away bandits, and some tribes independently eliminated disliked groups, but it was never a complete cleansing.

At this, Zhao Hengyi could only chuckle.

As long as the Han people on that land still lived, and as long as barbarians continued their burning, killing, and looting, bandits would never vanish.

“I roughly understand. Though not entirely clear, I can offer some advice, tailored to your local conditions. It should help,” he said.

Lu Jiuniang’s village—or rather, the small bandit group—numbered only about a hundred. Zhao Hengyi could help her plan prospects and blueprints, even devise specific strategies. “But what I suggest isn’t set in stone. Try it out; if it works, adjust it yourself. This is just a general direction.”

Though called Taihang bandits, the abandoned Han people mostly survived like farming communities.

Apart from the constant moving and fighting, they were much like ordinary villagers.

In such a model, the simpler the rules, the better. Just a few key principles clearly stated by Lu Jiuniang as leader would naturally guide her followers towards improvement.

Lu Jiuniang was highly skilled and charismatic as head; making changes wouldn’t be difficult. She only needed someone to point her in the right direction.

Zhao Hengyi avoided esoteric theories; she wouldn’t understand them. He simply told her what to do and waited for results—good outcomes meant moving forward, bad ones meant trying another way.

After all, with just over a hundred people, change was easier.

If Zhao Hengyi’s ideas proved viable, more people would naturally gather around Lu Jiuniang. One day, this could grow into a strong force resisting the barbarians. A healthy, vigorous organization naturally attracts others, causing nearby mountain villages to join voluntarily.

More importantly, Zhao Hengyi cared that Lu Jiuniang’s dealings with other local powers needed to establish dominance early on. Without that, collapse was inevitable.

Lu Jiuniang frowned deeply as she listened. Though highly intelligent and skilled, she found many of Zhao Hengyi’s methods too ruthless.

“What you’re saying feels... strange,” she said hesitantly, “It’s like you see everyone in the world as potential enemies.”

“That’s basically it. Others might not do bad things, but you can’t stop guarding against those who do.”

Zhao Hengyi was confident she would accept this principle. Whether it corroded an innocent soul or not didn’t matter—as long as it worked. After all, Lu Jiuniang lived in an unreasonable era, under barbarian control.

“Besides, if no one intends harm, these measures won’t even activate. If they do, it means someone is up to no good, so don’t feel guilty.”

Lu Jiuniang tilted her head, thinking for a moment before nodding hesitantly.

“You’re right. If no one does bad things, your methods won’t be needed and won’t be noticed.”

She stared at Zhao Hengyi curiously, making him a little uncomfortable, then added, “How do you have so many schemes? Are all wealthy merchants like this?”

Zhao Hengyi chuckled. Not at all—he had barely scratched the surface. Every wealthy merchant was just as cunning, if not more so.

By the fifth day, Zhao Hengyi finally understood how the expert roaming outside Elm Bay planned to force him out.

Su Shenchang, the magistrate of Jiangling, personally wrote an invitation for Zhao Hengyi to attend the early summer Moon Viewing Poetry Gathering, where envoys sent by Consort Chen herself would be present. Such an honor caused a stir throughout Jiangling City.