Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

Upon hearing this, a fervent gleam appeared in everyone’s eyes.

Fifty taels of silver was a considerable sum, even for a Martial Artist.

"For this escort mission, there are forty mule-drawn carts in total."

Feng Zhan began to lay out the plan. "To make commanding the Guards easier, all the recruited experts will be divided into four teams: A, B, C, and D. Each team will be responsible for guarding ten mule-drawn carts."

He took out a roster and quickly read out the team assignments.

Chen Shouye and the twenty-nine of his martial brothers from the Kao Mountain Martial Arts Hall were all assigned to Team D.

Soon, the heavy rumble of wheels filled the air.

From the direction of the County Magistrate’s Office and the Government Granary, forty mule-drawn carts emerged in succession, each pulled by two sturdy mules.

Secured to the carts were heavy, iron-bound wooden boxes. The boxes were affixed with the Government Office’s seals, stamped with a large vermilion mark.

Two hundred Soldiers from the County Magistrate’s Office, weapons in hand, guarded the flanks. Another three hundred laborers followed, responsible for tending to the animals and carrying miscellaneous supplies.

The mighty procession nearly blocked the entire street in front of the government office.

Feng Zhan swung himself onto his horse and, with a grand wave of his arm, shouted, "Move out!"

The massive caravan slowly set off, passing through the gates of Jingshan County Town and winding its way toward Lishui County.

The first day after leaving Jingshan County Town was relatively peaceful.

Although the lands they passed through showed signs of hardship, a semblance of order remained.

The two hundred Soldiers, holding long spears, flanked the convoy with tense expressions.

The three hundred laborers focused on the journey, either tending to the mules and horses or checking the cart ropes. No one made a sound.

Chen Shouye walked silently within the procession, his gaze sweeping over the somewhat desolate fields on either side.

He was a quiet man, but not a dull one.

’This job of escorting the tax silver is incredibly risky.’

’Although County Captain Feng hadn’t said it explicitly, the math was simple. Forty mule carts, each carrying two silver boxes worth about ten thousand taels apiece... that added up to eight hundred thousand taels.’

’A sum that large would make anyone’s eyes turn red with greed, to say nothing of the rebel army that had been forced to rove about recently.’

"At this rate, it’ll probably take us three or four days to reach the Commandery City."

A martial brother from the Kao Mountain Martial Arts Hall muttered beside him, breaking the heavy silence.

Jingshan County was over two hundred li from the Commandery City. A fast horse could make the journey in a day, but most of the group was on foot, and the mule carts were heavily laden, so their pace was slow.

Chen Shouye didn’t respond, merely continuing to walk forward in silence.

County Captain Feng Zhan rode his horse in the middle of the column. He appeared to be observing the front and rear, but deep in his eyes, there was a barely perceptible trace of anxiety.

That evening, the convoy made camp in a relatively open area beside the main road.

Dots of campfire light illuminated the weary yet vigilant faces of the group.

The night passed without incident, filled only with the moaning of the wind and the monotonous footsteps of the patrolling Soldiers.

By noon the next day, with the sun already past its zenith, the convoy finally reached a boundary stone.

Faint characters carved into the stone marked their official entry into the territory of Lishui County.

Feng Zhan, still on his horse, abruptly raised a hand, signaling for the convoy to halt. He turned his horse to face the men, his voice rising with unprecedented gravity.

"Everyone, we are now within the borders of Lishui! The rebel army runs rampant here, utterly lawless, frequently raiding officials and merchants. From this moment on, I want every one of you at full alert. Keep your eyes and ears open. Sound the alarm at the slightest disturbance."

The farther they traveled, the more dilapidated the roadside villages became. Many houses were reduced to crumbling walls, and the fields were deserted.

Occasionally, they would see sallow, emaciated refugees by the road, clutching tattered bundles. They watched the massive caravan wind past with numb eyes.

They dared not approach, nor did they stray too far, simply following in silence, hoping to find some measure of protection in the shadow of the official convoy.

As Noon approached, Feng Zhan, at the head of the column, finally signaled for the convoy to halt for a rest by a relatively open riverbank to set up camp and cook a meal.

Wisps of cooking smoke began to rise.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from a small grove of trees by the road ahead.

"Movement!"

A Soldier on lookout at the front shouted sharply.

Everyone tensed instantly, and the sound of weapons being drawn filled the air.

Chen Shouye clenched his fists, his Inner Breath circulating quietly within him.

A dozen or so figures burst from the woods. All were dressed in rags, gaunt and sallow, and they brandished rusty choppers and hayforks. They looked no different from common refugees.

Upon seeing the large, well-armored convoy from a distance, they were clearly startled. With a cry, they turned and scrambled back into the woods, vanishing without a trace.

"Huh? Bandits!"

"There aren’t many of them. Let’s go after them and claim some credit."

Seeing this, a few hot-blooded young Martial Artists in the group grew eager, ready to give chase.

"Halt! No one gives chase!"

Feng Zhan’s sharp order cut them off, his face dark. "Do you know if there’s an ambush in those woods? What if this is just a probe to lure us into splitting our forces? Our primary duty is to guard the tax silver! No one is to leave the formation without permission. Hold your positions!"

The rebuked Martial Artists looked embarrassed, but given Feng Zhan’s authority and the tense situation, they could only retreat resentfully into the ranks, muttering under their breath.

After eating, the convoy rested briefly before setting out again.

About an hour later, a gentle slope appeared on the road ahead.

Just as the head of the convoy was about to crest the slope, a sudden, urgent pounding of hooves echoed from the hillside to their flank.

Twenty or thirty horsemen appeared from behind the rise.

Though their attire was mismatched, they were mounted, and their formation was far more orderly than the previous Roving Bandits. They even carried a faint military air.

More importantly, they wielded Official Sabers, which reflected a cold glint in the sunlight.

"It’s the rebel army! Looks like their scouts!"

someone cried out in alarm.

The twenty or thirty riders reined in their horses, studying the convoy from a distance.

"County Captain!"

A Soldier in the uniform of a Junior Officer urged his horse up to Feng Zhan’s, his expression grave. "From the looks of it, those are rebel scouts. We can’t let them get back to report, or the main rebel army will be upon us in no time."

Feng Zhan’s face was grim. His hand tightened on the reins, his gaze darting between the enemy cavalry and the heavy mule carts behind him.

After a few moments of silence, he finally said, "No! They’re all mounted. To pursue them, we’d have to send a large number of our best fighters. If they leave the convoy and the main rebel force attacks from another direction, who will be left to guard the silver?"

He raised his voice and commanded again, "All units, listen to my order! Hold your positions! Do not engage without authorization! No one is to leave the formation without a direct order. Even to relieve yourselves, you must report it, be accompanied by a squad mate, and return within a quarter of an hour. No delays!"

An uproar broke out within the convoy at this command.

Restricting even bathroom breaks? It was as if he were treating them all like prisoners.

Many of the Martial Artists wore looks of indignation, feeling that this County Captain Feng was as timid as a mouse.

Chen Shouye’s brow furrowed slightly as he glanced at Feng Zhan.

’Feng Zhan’s response seemed prudent on the surface, but it reeked of excessive caution—or perhaps even... cowardice.’

Seeing the convoy holding its tight formation, the twenty or thirty rebel horsemen let out a whistle, wheeled their horses around, and galloped back down the road, quickly disappearing in a cloud of dust.

For the rest of the afternoon, the convoy proceeded slowly under this state of high alert.

Not until the sun dipped low in the west and the sky began to dim did Feng Zhan give the order to make camp for the night on a patch of flat ground backed by a low mountain.

Several bonfires were lit in the center of the camp. The Soldiers took turns on watch, and the patrol density was increased severalfold.

Everyone hastily ate their dry rations. A mixture of exhaustion and tension kept conversations in the camp to an inaudible murmur.

And in that silence...

WHOOSH... BANG!

A signal arrow shot into the night sky with a piercing shriek, exploding high above into a conspicuous ball of red flame!