At this thought, Tian Qian felt his scalp go numb.
Over the past two days, he had scouted the terrain around Iron Gate Stronghold and couldn't think of any way to attack it.
"Then keep an eye on the grain supply route. Their transportation efficiency must be low, and they'll probably need to transport grain again soon!"
Tian Qian imdiately responded, "Understood."
Ambushing a grain convoy was much simpler than storming up the mountain.
Just as Jiang Chen had predicted, two days later, Tian Qian hurriedly ran over: "Village Chief, a grain convoy is coming along the supply route!"
Jiang Chen abruptly sat up and said in a low voice, "Muster the troops!"
In the rush, Jiang Chen only had ti to gather fifty village soldiers before heading to the supply route.
Fortunately, the grain convoy was moving quite slowly as they pushed the grain carts.
When the group reached the high ground overlooking the supply route, they waited a mont before seeing a grain convoy approaching along the mountain path in the distance.
At the front were three mules, their backs laden with grain, being led up the mountain by handlers.
Each mule was carrying several hundred pounds of grain.
A shop assistant in front was leading the mules up the mountain. Everyone was walking with great difficulty, sweat streaming down their faces.
Looking at the markings on the grain sacks, they were indeed from the Zhao Family's grain shop.
Behind them were entirely human-pushed wheelbarrows, wobbling their way up the mountain.
Jiang Chen calculated: three mules, fifteen wheelbarrows—probably close to four thousand pounds of grain.
This grain shipnt would likely only last the mountain stronghold about seven days. It seed... Iron Gate Stronghold's grain reserves really weren't much.
Tian Qian looked at Jiang Chen and asked quietly, "Village Chief, what do we do?"
Jiang Chen picked up the prepared cloth pieces and covered his face, leaving only his eyes exposed.
He stood up on the supply route and shouted sternly: "Iron Gate Stronghold is here! This mountain was opened by us, these trees were planted by us! If you want to pass through here, leave your road toll!"
The group of shop assistants were inwardly cursing the difficulty of this mountain grain route when they suddenly heard shouting from above.
Looking up, they saw figures standing on both sides of the mountain path, their faces covered with white cloth, only their eyes visible.
They imdiately realized they'd encountered mountain bandits and panicked, dropping the grain carts and retreating.
The mules were also startled, stamping their hooves repeatedly until the shop assistants forcibly restrained them.
After a brief panic, a middle-aged man stepped forward from the group.
Dressed in a gray cloth robe, he looked up at the several dozen people above, each holding simple swords.
He could only steel himself and speak: "May I ask which group of heroes and brave n you belong to?"
Jiang Chen shouted angrily: "Didn't you hear your grandpa's na just now? We're from Iron Gate Stronghold, we make our living on this mountain!"
"Today, your grandpa is in a good mood. Leave the grain, and we'll spare your lives today!"
When the middle-aged man heard "Iron Gate Stronghold," he let out a long sigh of relief.
He quickly smiled and said, "Esteed grandpa, this is a case of the flood washing over the Dragon King's temple—we're family fighting family. We're bringing this grain precisely to deliver it to the grandpas up the mountain."
Jiang Chen laughed: "So that's how it is. Then there's no need for the trouble. Leave the grain, and you can go."
The middle-aged man was taken aback and asked with so suspicion, "Are you really from Iron Gate Stronghold?"
Jiang Chen: "Do you think we don't look the part?"
As he spoke, the people behind him all stood up together, raising longbows or simple swords.
Seeing the silvery, gleaming arrowheads pointed at him, the middle-aged man hadn't yet spoken when a young shop assistant behind him was so frightened he "thumped" to his knees.
He said repeatedly, "You do!"
"No, not just 'look the part'! I can see you gentlen are indeed the brave n of Iron Gate Stronghold."
After saying this, he tugged the middle-aged man's sleeve: "Third Uncle, since the brave n of Iron Gate Stronghold have co, let's just leave the grain."
Jiang Chen chuckled: "You old man, not as smart as your nephew. Fine, leave the grain, you can go."
The man called Third Uncle's face twitched, but in the end, he could only cup his hands toward Jiang Chen.
"Thank you, brave n, for sparing our lives. The mountains are high and the road is long. If fate allows, we'll et again."
With that, he turned and left without another glance at the grain carts.
Only after they had gone far away did Jiang Chen walk down from the path: "Take the grain back to the village. Also, notify the other two villages to guard their villages well recently and strictly prevent mountain bandits from coming down to raid."
Just as Jiang Chen had imagined, after seizing this batch of grain,
within two days, the mountain bandits of Iron Gate Stronghold grew desperate and ca down the mountain to raid the villages.
Fortunately, the three villages, having been warned by Jiang Chen, were already prepared.
Jiang Chen also deliberately had Ding Ping and Wang Hu each take n to help defend Changhe Village and Shanggang Village.
Not a single grain was taken by the bandits; instead, they left behind several corpses.
After driving off the bandits, the village erupted in cheers again, and that night there was another small victory feast.
Jiang Chen felt sowhat pleased in his heart—at least this proved that intercepting the grain route was effective.
As long as they could continue like this, within a month or two at most,
Iron Gate Stronghold would collapse without needing to be attacked. At worst, it would force the bandits on Iron Gate Stronghold to co down and attack Three Mountain Village.
Compared to attacking a stronghold, defending a village was naturally much easier.
On the night they drove off the bandits, just after the victory feast ended, knocking sounded outside the Jiang Family courtyard.
Gao Jian, who opened the door, saw four people standing outside, all dressed in black robes with their faces hidden in hoods.
Gao Jian tightened his grip on the simple sword at his side and asked, "Who are you?"
The person at the front raised their head, revealing a sowhat delicate and pretty face—it was actually a woman.
The woman looked at Gao Jian, couldn't help but size him up a few tis, then looked at the blue-brick courtyard house before her.
She chuckled softly: "It seems Jiang Chen is living a much better life than we imagined."
Jin Yuan behind her muttered: "Building so many large courtyards in a village. He really doesn't seem to have much ambition."
Seeing the leader was a woman, Gao Jian's vigilance lessened slightly.
He asked again: "Who are you? What do you want?"
"Looking for Jiang Chen. Tell him to co out and see us."
When Jiang Chen ca out, he wasn't particularly surprised that Dan Feng and the others had co.
Calculating the days, they should have arrived by now.
Leading them inside, he lit the oil lamp in the main room. Jiang Chen's gaze swept over the group.
Dan Feng was at the front, followed by Jin Yuan and Qingyun.
Behind them was another man, his muscles bulging, only half a head shorter than Gao Jian.
His waist was bulging, probably carrying a long sword.
This should be the other Bright Force martial artist Dan Feng had ntioned.
After they sat down and drank two cups of tea,
Dan Feng asked calmly, "Jiang Second Son, have you thought of a way to attack the mountain?"
Jiang Chen nodded: "Already thought of it. In less than a month, Iron Gate Stronghold will collapse without needing to be attacked."
"Oh? What thod?"
"Iron Gate Stronghold is easy to defend and hard to attack, but it's too easy to defend and hard to attack—it only has one grain supply route. I've already had people block that route."
"Without grain, they won't last long before being forced down the mountain. Then we can sit back and reap the rewards."
The man who had co with them spoke in a muffled voice: "Do you think people will starve to death on Two Black Mountain?"
Dan Feng introduced: "Li Yunwu, a Bright Force martial artist, here to help attack the mountain."
"Li..." Jiang Chen repeated the surna in his mind.
He continued answering: "That's why I said one month."
"Iron Gate Stronghold's chosen location sits above an iron mine. The vegetation there is sparse, and there aren't many wild animals."
"And we won't just watch them leave Iron Gate Peak."
"If they can last a month, that's already overestimating them."
Iron Gate Peak was the na Jiang Chen had given to the location of Iron Gate Stronghold.
Li Yunwu was silent for a mont, then spoke again: "A month is too long. We can't wait that long."
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