Chapter 42: Preparing to Build the City

Xie Hu hurried briskly and soon arrived at Chen Tong's quarters.

At that moment, Chen Tong was organizing some documents regarding town construction. Seeing Xie Hu enter with a flustered expression, he put down what he was holding and asked, "Second Brother Xie, what has happened to make you in such a rush?"

Xie Hu caught his breath and recounted the entire incident of the Inspection Office coming to investigate and the standoff between the two sides.

After listening, Chen Tong pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Second Brother Xie, don't worry too much. Although the Inspection Office was deterred by us this time, they certainly won't let the matter rest."

"However, even if they really dispatch troops to deal with our Black Wind Fortress, there is nothing to fear."

"If worse comes to worst, we will just fall back. In these deep mountains and dense forests, it won't be easy for them to find us."

As he spoke, Chen Tong stood up, walked over to the window, looked out at the towering city wall, and continued with confidence, "Besides, relying solely on the city wall of our Black Wind Fortress, they may not be able to easily break through."

"This city wall uses special materials, making it much sturdier than ordinary walls. As long as we prepare our defenses, they won't be able to do anything to us for a while."

At that moment, Xie Qingshuang also received the news and hurried over.

Entering the room, she heard Chen Tong's words. Although she still felt some lingering anxiety, seeing Chen Tong's confident demeanor, she could not help but be inspired.

"Brother Chen, I trust you. Since you are so certain, we will follow your instructions and make preparations for defense."

Seeing both Chen Tong and Xie Qingshuang so calm, Xie Hu felt the anxiety in his heart lessen considerably.

Xie Hu patted his chest and said, "Very well, since that's the case, we will figure out a way to deal with this together. Our brothers are not cowards who cling to life and fear death; if a fight truly breaks out, we will battle them to the death!"

Chen Tong smiled and said, "Second Brother Xie, let's not think about fighting to the death just yet. It is naturally best if we can avoid a war."

"We should still try our best to resolve this crisis. Only if all else fails shall we make the worst-case preparations."

"During this period, we must strengthen patrols within the fortress and gather more intelligence to see what moves the Inspection Office is making."

...

In the days that followed, the Black Wind Fortress heightened its vigilance and closely monitored the movements of the Inspection Office.

At the same time, Chen Tong and the others did not halt their steps toward development; they continued their trading exchanges with the other three mountain strongholds.

After several rounds of trade, the mutual cooperation became increasingly tacit, and Chen Tong and his companions gradually built trust with the people from these strongholds.

As the construction of the Black Wind Fortress progressed steadily, Chen Tong's vision of building a new city grew stronger in his heart.

On this day, he invited Liu Meng of Eagle Beaked Fortress, Chen Feng of Clear Wind Fortress, and Old Zhao Seven of White Cloud Fortress to the Black Wind Fortress.

Inside the spacious council hall, everyone sat gathered around, and the atmosphere was slightly solemn.

With a serious expression, Chen Tong got straight to the point and said, "Chieftains, I have invited you all here today to discuss a major matter."

"We have cooperated very pleasantly during this period, and I have witnessed the sincerity of every brother here."

"Presently, the construction of our Black Wind Fortress has encountered a bottleneck. I am thinking that it might be better for us to cooperate and build a new city along the Huai River near Black Wind Mountain."

Upon hearing this, Liu Meng's eyes widened in astonishment, his jaw nearly dropping to the floor. He abruptly stood up, pressed both hands on the table, and asked loudly, "Brother Chen, you must be joking, right?"

"Building a city is no small matter; it requires an immense amount of manpower and material resources. Are you certain you want to do this?"

"This is no child's play. If this goes wrong, all of us will be left with nothing to eat."

Chen Tong smiled and nodded, continuing unhurriedly, "Chieftain Liu, please don't be hasty."

"I have already considered this thoroughly. The banks of the Huai River offer convenient access to water, and being close to the mountains, the geographical location is exceptionally superior."

"We can develop many industries, such as water transport. The water of the Huai River flows smoothly and the river channel is wide, making it very suitable for vessel traffic. In the future, our goods can be transported to various places via waterways."

"There is also timber processing. The timber resources on Black Wind Mountain are abundant, and we can make rational use of them."

"Coupled with trade, once a city is established, merchants from all directions will gather here, and our business will surely grow larger and larger."

"Once this city is built, it will benefit all of us. We can bid farewell to the old days of banditry and a wandering, unsettled life, and live a stable and prosperous existence."

Chen Feng frowned and said with a worried expression, "Brother Chen, your ideas are indeed visionary, but this project is simply too massive; we cannot help feeling somewhat apprehensive."

"Take manpower, for instance. Even if we combine all our strongholds, our numbers are limited. Moreover, everyone is accustomed to a free and unrestrained life in the mountains. Can we really expect them to perform such grueling labor?"

"Then there is funding. Even if you pay wages, buying materials and hiring craftsmen requires vast sums of money. Where will this money come from?"

Sensing everyone's reservations, Chen Tong quickly said, "Rest assured, everyone, regarding wages, I will offer rates higher than the market standard, and I will definitely not let anyone suffer a loss."

"As long as the brothers are willing to put in the effort, the money earned will surely be much more than before."

"Furthermore, building a city is a long-term process, and we can take it step by step, progressing with steady and solid measures."

"In the beginning, we won't need too many people. We will first organize a group of brothers who are willing to work and lay a solid foundation."

"As for funding, I have my own methods, so you need not worry."

Old Zhao Seven stroked his beard, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny as he said, "Brother Chen, the wealth and capability you have displayed are evident to all of us."

"To be honest, we have all conducted a brief investigation into your background. Aside from knowing that you are a scholar, we know very little else."

"We have all guessed whether you are cooperating with some major tycoon, which is why you have such immense boldness."

"After all, relying merely on a few bandits like us, how could we possibly have the capability to build a city?"

Chen Tong smiled without answering immediately, speaking only after a moment, "You all need not guess too much. I only hope that everyone can trust me and strive together for our future."

"Since I, Chen Tong, have proposed this idea, I am confident I can make it succeed."

"Think about it, everyone. If we always remain bandits, although we can barely scrape by, we will forever be hunted by the government authorities with no way out."

"If we can build this city, we will have our own foundation. Not only can we protect ourselves well, but we can also enable our brothers to live good lives."

Hearing Chen Tong's words, the group began to whisper among themselves, discussing in low voices.

Liu Meng sat back down in his chair and, after pondering for a moment, said, "Brother Chen, what you say makes sense, but this matter is too significant. We must return and discuss it with the brothers in our strongholds."

Chen Feng also nodded in agreement. "Indeed, such a massive undertaking cannot be decided by us alone; we must listen to the opinions of the brothers."

Old Zhao Seven chimed in, "Brother Chen, we will return to discuss this over the next few days and give you an answer shortly. We hope that everything you have said can be realized."

Chen Tong stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Very well, I await your replies."