Chapter 594 - 593: Peasant Woman 22
Tan You watched as Chen Xi instructed An Wen, "Spend a day with Ming Guang tomorrow. You’ll understand then."
An Wen followed Chen Xi, watching her interact with the women. Chen Xi knew her words carried little weight, so she didn’t just start by talking about how great the clan was. Instead, she would occasionally mention bits of her daily life.
She also brought up the clan’s eligible young men and women, which naturally piqued the women’s interest.
An Wen had a revelation. "So, Big Sis, you’re taking the ’back courtyard’ approach."
"That’s exactly it," Chen Xi didn’t deny it. "Mother said that pillow talk is the most powerful persuasion. Besides, I’m not exactly tricking them. The clan really does have plenty of marriageable men and women."
An Wen understood. "But that approach won’t work for me. I’m a man. How can I linger around those women for long?"
Tan You nearly spat out her tea. She scanned An Wen’s scrawny little body up and down. ’A seven-year-old man?’
Chen Xi was blunt. "You’re not even as tall as me, and you’re already calling yourself a man?"
An Wen had a perfectly good reason. "The teacher said that at seven years old, boys and girls should not share a seat. We’re already at an age where we must maintain distance. Why am I not a man?"
Chen Xi didn’t feel like arguing with him. "I’m more than halfway to my goal. If you don’t start trying harder, you’ll end up working at the village pig farm."
An Wen pouted. "I won’t admit defeat."
Even though he was already the loser, An Wen refused to give up. After three days, Chen Xi had convinced thirty-five people, while An Wen had only a pitiful fourteen.
Tan You paid no mind to their bet, simply looking at the refugees the two children had brought over. Seeing them all shrink back a little, Tan You smiled. "Welcome to the Chen Clan. My young daughter and An Wen made a childish bet, but they meant no offense to any of you. Please don’t take it to heart."
Yue Shu frowned. "Madam, the young master promised us..."
Tan You raised a hand. "I know what he promised you. A true man’s word is his bond, so of course, we will honor it. Once you settle in the clan, you will be clansmen and will naturally enjoy the same treatment as everyone else."
Yue Shu breathed a sigh of relief. "You are very generous, Madam!"
Tan You smiled. "From now on, we’ll all be eating from the same pot. There’s no need to be so formal. I came out this time to gather more people for the clan, so for now, please travel with me. It will also be a good chance for everyone to regain their strength."
The larger group of refugees was now smaller by nearly fifty people. Compared to the massive crowd, it wasn’t a significant number, so the departure of Yue Shu and the others barely caused a ripple.
Including them and the people Tan You had brought with her, her group was now nearly ninety strong. Of course, among the forty-nine she had just recruited, fewer than twenty were able-bodied young adults; the rest were mostly the old, the weak, women, and children.
Take Yue Shu, for example. He was traveling with his mother and younger sister. And there were quite a few others in similar situations. Most of those who became refugees were traveling with their entire families.
The only one alone was the bone-thin old man. An Wen, having heard from Tan You that he was a martial artist, was incredibly attentive to him. He personally took care of the old man, practically acting as his little attendant.
The old man, Master Yang, took a drink of the water An Wen offered him and let out a long breath. "Young Master, why are you so attentive to this old man?"
An Wen answered honestly, "My aunt said you’re a martial artist, and I want to learn from you. If you don’t mind, please take me as your disciple. I’ll be sure to honor and respect you."
Seeing that Master Yang was silent, An Wen didn’t press him. "Master Yang, you can take your time to observe me. Once we get to the village, you’ll understand. My aunt says that just as distance tests a horse’s strength, time reveals a person’s heart. You’ll eventually see what kind of person I am."
Master Yang lifted his eyelids slightly. "You certainly listen to your aunt."
An Wen smiled. "My aunt is right, so of course I listen to her. Master Yang, please drink your medicine. I asked Sister Zhu Rong to brew it. I went to town this morning to get the herbs myself."
After helping Master Yang drink his medicine, An Wen left the donkey cart with the empty bowl. Because Master Yang was sick, Tan You had given him the cart to ride in while she walked with everyone else.
As they traveled west, Tan You encountered more and more refugees, and their own group grew larger and larger, now exceeding two hundred people.
Just the daily food rations had become a problem. Although they could hunt along the way, it was just a drop in the bucket.
Chen Xi had always been the one to manage their accounts, and now she was worried. "Mother, we only have enough food for two more days."
Tan You’s finger traced a line across a map. After a long moment, she said softly, "I know. Go get Yue Shu, Master Yang, Peng Huang, and the others. I have something to discuss with everyone."
"Oh, and Zhu Rong. After the meeting, have Zhu Rong come see me."
Chen Xi glanced at the map. It depicted several mountains and had a few small flags stuck in it. She didn’t quite understand, but she went to gather the others as Tan You had instructed.
Soon, the caravan guards and the newly recruited prospective clansmen gathered around Tan You. When she laid out the map, Master Yang understood at a glance. "Madam, you want to attack a mountain stronghold? But we’re not familiar with these hideouts..."
"I have my sources," Tan You said softly. "This is Qinglong Village. It has about three hundred men and is the largest bandit nest in the area. Of course, we won’t attack them first. We’ll start with the smallest one, Tiger Village..."
"Here’s my plan... I have a drug called Soft Muscle Powder..."
Tan You didn’t hold anything back. Although the Soft Muscle Powder hadn’t been made yet, wasn’t that what Zhu Rong was for? With the two of them, as long as they had the necessary herbs, they could take down any number of hideouts.
Listening to Tan You’s plan, Yue Shu nodded repeatedly. "If this drug really exists, it won’t be too dangerous for us."
Tan You said, "A man can’t get rich without a windfall. We have so many people now; we have to find some money to support everyone. I’m not just doing this for myself. Besides, by eliminating these bandits, we’ll be stopping them from plaguing the region."
Master Yang pondered for a long time. "If this drug is as miraculous as you say, we can give it a try. Tiger Village has less than a hundred men... If we make a move, we have a chance."
Tan You raised her voice. "Then we’ll set out the day after tomorrow. One team will stay behind at the foot of the mountain, and the other will follow me up."
Chen Xi raised her hand. "Mother, I’ll go with you."
Tan You didn’t refuse. "Then let’s go together, as long as you’re not afraid."
’I’m already planning to contend for power in these chaotic times. How could I possibly raise Chen Xi to be some delicate little girl? As my eldest daughter, she naturally has to see the world.’
Chen Xi gritted her teeth. "I’m not afraid. I’ll go wherever you go, Mother."
After the meeting, Tan You and Zhu Rong began to produce the Soft Muscle Powder. One of the caravan guards, a skeptic, ended up sleeping for a full day after being exposed to it. While it became a running joke among the group, it also boosted everyone’s confidence.