Li Banfeng crouched beside the mountain path for an entire day, robbing several carts of grain, livestock, fabric, and daily necessities.
When he stole a cart of miscellaneous goods, Li Banfeng even made a point of sharing his assessnt with the robbed farrs, "Look at this Snow Cream, the quality is clearly subpar. I’m an expert in this area; the Peddler is my junior brother!"
Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying pushed the small cart back and forth, hauling load after load into the cave until it was piled high with food, drink, and daily supplies.
The children ate until their bellies were round. Xiao Yeci then took a needle, thread, and a asuring tape from the pile of sundries to make clothes for them.
These children each had only one set of clothes, which had beco caked in mud during their escape. They had spent over a month hiding in the deep mountains and old forests. During that ti, their clothes had beco riddled with holes. There had been no ti to sew or wash them, and they looked truly ragged.
This task, at least, felt sowhat proper, Li Banfeng thought, considering he had stolen so much fabric specifically to make clothes for the children.
After dinner, Li Banfeng began to ask each child about their origins.
A child nad Xiao Suo had been playing outside his courtyard when he encountered a dicine Candy seller. The man claid business was booming that day and offered him free candy, asking only that Xiao Suo help draw a crowd.
After eating the candy, Xiao Suo felt dizzy. The dicine Candy seller told him to follow, and he did, all the way onto a carriage.
Once on the carriage, he wanted to go ho but found he couldn’t. If he dared to move, the candy seller would beat him severely.
Several other children had very similar experiences. So had encountered sugar-blowers, so had t people showing foreign films, and others had co across puppet show perforrs.
These were all common tricks used by the Jiang Xiang Gang to abduct children. Li Banfeng had heard of similar incidents in both the Outside Provinces and Puluo State.
However, a few other children had been sent to this place by their own parents, a fact Li Banfeng found difficult to understand.
Their parents were outsiders, unable to afford to settle in Respect Virtue Village. So, they spent all their savings to send their children there. They hoped their children would receive the Saint’s education and have a chance to stand out from the crowd.
"Don’t your parents co to visit you?"
The younger children remained silent.
An older child shouted, "My dad ca once! I told him I wanted to go ho, and he slapped twice! I never saw him again."
The children who grew up here were accustod to torture.
The abducted children were forced to endure tornt.
And what about these children, willingly sent by their parents? How did they fit into this?
As Li Banfeng was deep in thought, he suddenly heard Lu Chunying shout, "Mom, that group of scoundrels is back to steal food!"
Li Banfeng stepped outside and saw about a dozen teenagers standing at a distance, confronting Lu Chunying.
A teenager, about thirteen or fourteen and holding a bamboo stick, yelled at Lu Chunying, "We’re not wasting words on a re errand runner like you! Tell your boss to co out and talk!"
Xiao Yeci walked out of the cave.
The teenager cupped his fists at Xiao Yeci and said, "In the Jianghu, we uphold the banner of the Ancestral Master and rely on a moral code as solid as Golden Mountain. Big sister, you’re clearly skilled at making money. Having tasted all the delicacies of mountains and seas, please spare a bowl of soup for us junior brothers!"
The others behind him were all shouting and making a racket. Xiao Yeci was both angry and annoyed. Looking at these children, she was montarily speechless. "Oh, you little rascals! You co here to steal and still have the nerve to speak so aggressively!"
Li Banfeng erged from the cave and responded seriously, "Fellows in the business, what’s your line?"
Seeing Li Banfeng, the group of youngsters visibly deflated.
They didn’t know Li Banfeng’s cultivation level, but the sight of an adult man naturally instilled fear in them.
The leading child, mustering his courage, replied, "We are disciples under Seventh Master. If you haven’t heard of Seventh Master’s na, just go to our place and ask around!"
Seventh Master?
Li Banfeng paused for a mont, considered the child’s accent, and asked, "Are you from Hai Chi Ridge?"
The child nodded. "You have sharp eyes, Big Brother!"
Li Banfeng said, "Throw out a vine!"
The child thought for a long ti before stamring, "Cor... cor... corner..."
Li Banfeng smiled.
He must have been trying to say Corner Vine.
"Your surna is Niu. Do you know Pancake Village?" Almost every family in Pancake Village was nad Niu.
The child nodded. "I’m from Pancake Village! My na is Niu Guangda!"
"Do you know Niu Fuzhi?"
"Niu the hero, blessed and determined—that’s my father’s elder brother."
Li Banfeng smiled.
How could this boy have ended up here?
"Were you abducted by Human Traffickers?"
Niu Guangda shook his head. "My dad sent here. He said it was for to learn real skills."
Li Banfeng looked at the other children. "Are these children with you?"
"They aren’t from Pancake Village, but just like , they were all sent by their parents to Respect Virtuous Village."
Respect Virtuous Village. So these children had escaped from yet another village.
Li Banfeng nodded. "Call all your people over. There’s food here!"
Niu Guangda hesitated for a mont, then asked, "Sir, we haven’t had the honor of asking your esteed na."
Xiao Yeci tugged at Li Banfeng’s sleeve. "Benefactor, the Jianghu is a dangerous place. So things shouldn’t be told to others so easily."
Tell others so easily? Does she even know my na?
In fact, Xiao Yeci was just like them; she didn’t know Li Banfeng’s na either.
Li Banfeng looked at Niu Guangda and said, "My surna is En. You can call Benefactor."
His surna is En...
Niu Guangda turned to the children beside him. "Has anyone here studied the Hundred Family Surnas? Is En a surna?"
...
That night, Niu Guangda and a dozen other children stayed in the adjacent cave. Li Banfeng shared a good amount of food with them but also laid down the rules.
"Food and drink aren’t free. Tomorrow, you all have to work for it."
Niu Guangda, a sensible youth, stood straight and said to Li Banfeng, "We understand that one should not reap without sowing. Without Benefactor giving us a bowl of rice, even if we survive today, we’ll be dead from hunger tomorrow. Since Benefactor has commanded, we place our lives in your hands. Whether we climb a mountain of blades or descend into a sea of flas, it’s all up to you, Benefactor."
Li Banfeng listened, then said after a mont of silence, "There are two things I need to make clear to you.
"First, your lives are your own. Don’t entrust them to anyone.
"Second, don’t carelessly make promises about climbing mountains of blades or descending into seas of flas. Just do what is within your capabilities. Don’t devalue your promises, and don’t devalue yourselves. Do you understand?"
Niu Guangda didn’t quite grasp it, so Li Banfeng put it more plainly, "Tomorrow, I’m going out for so legitimate business. Robbery... have any of you done that before?"
Niu Guangda didn’t dare to boast.
Beside him, a young fellow nad Fang Lianfu, his eyes bright and sharp, said to Li Banfeng, "Benefactor, to be honest, we have thought about robbery before..."
Niu Guangda kicked Fang Lianfu, his action implying, Way to make us sound like we only dare to think about it and never do anything!
"Benefactor, we can handle legitimate business," Niu Guangda quickly added. "I’ll take a few brave lads with . You just need to give us a few pointers from the side."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "You don’t know who to rob or who you *can* rob. It’s not your turn to get involved in the actual fighting. Find a few strong ones who can push carts and have them wait on the hillside. Once I’m done with my business, go get the goods and bring them back. If you can handle that, it ans you haven’t let down."
The next day, Li Banfeng took everyone to the mountain road to conduct their "business." They continued this for three straight days, and news spread through dozens of surrounding villages.
Most villagers were too scared to go up the mountain alone, but their offerings to the Saint could not be interrupted.
If the offerings ceased, their sincerity would be broken. Without sincerity, what hope was there for their children’s education?
The villagers conferred. Six villages decided to join forces, dispatching sixty able-bodied n to escort the villagers delivering grain up the mountain.
These six villages put on a grand display. The day before departure, each village prepared a banquet to bolster the spirits of the sixty strongn.
On the day of departure, each of the six villages unfurled a large banner to lead their contingent. The banners were inscribed with their respective village nas: "Respect Virtue," "Respect Virtuous," "Admiring the Saint," "Enlightened Virtue," "Virtuous Thinking," and "Cherishing Grace."
Behind the banners stood six middle-aged n, carefully selected from the villages. They were experienced, worldly-wise, and knowledgeable in the ways of the Jianghu.
As they set out, the strongn shouted in unison, "Old Hep!"
This was a call used by People of the Jianghu, aning, "We are People of the Jianghu, so watch yourselves!"
The sixty n ford two columns, protecting the villagers transporting grain and supplies in the middle.
As they approached a bridge, one of the middle-aged n at the front shouted, "Hanging Beam! Proceed with caution! Old Hep!"
This call had a dual aning: it urged their own people to move quickly, as there might be an ambush, and it warned any potential ambushers that they were experienced and prepared.
When they were about to ascend the mountain, they shouted again, "Positions tight! Old Hep!" conveying a similar ssage of vigilance.
They crossed a hill without incident. The villagers transporting the grain sighed with relief. "To make your way in the Jianghu, you must understand its customs. Brute force alone will never be enough."
These Jianghu-seasoned strongn also felt a swell of pride. Disciples of the Saint usually looked down on people like them, but now, being able to lend their strength for the Saint’s cause had earned them so respect.
Ahead lay another mountain. The group rested briefly before continuing up the mountain path, their formation remaining tight.
Halfway up the mountain path, dozens of young won suddenly appeared, walking down from above.
One of the strongn shouted loudly, "Sliding Beam! Many ahead! Maintain formation! Old Hep!"
This ant there were many people approaching, so they needed to be extra careful.
They were truly acting like seasoned People of the Jianghu, not letting their guard down just because the approaching group consisted of won.
Several strongn instructed the villagers to clear a path and let the won pass first.
The won, however, stopped in front of the convoy, smiling, and made no move to continue.
These villagers had all been educated by the Saint and would not easily fall for a beauty trap. The leading strongman stepped forward, cupped his fists, and said, "The Ancestral Master provides for us all. Sisters, you have dined across the world, while we brothers only seek a humble al. Please, sisters, leave a little sothing for us."
The won did not leave. Instead, they all drew weapons.
The strongman’s brow furrowed. It seed that reasoning would not resolve the situation today.
"Sisters, must we co to blows? We’ve spoken politely, but it seems to have been useless. In that case, let’s get down to it! You are skilled combatants, but we are no fledglings either! Round and round it goes, let’s all grab our weapons—"
BANG!
One of the young won swung a club and knocked the strongman to the ground.
Dozens of other young won surged forward, clubs raised, and began beating the n rcilessly over their heads.
These "girls" were Li Banfeng’s paper figures. Against Cultivators, they couldn’t be said to be truly effective fighters, but they could serve to hinder them.
Seeing such a large contingent, Li Banfeng had initially assud there would be at least a few Cultivators among them.
As it turned out, they were all White Lamb.
After little more than a minute of fighting, the sixty strongn, along with the group of villagers, had all been beaten and driven away.
Li Banfeng recalled all the paper figures, bringing them back to his Portable Residence to let them dissipate on their own.
Niu Guangda, leading a few of the older boys as per Li Banfeng’s instructions, went up the mountain and collected the dozens of carts laden with goods.
These villages had poured so much into this, and still couldn’t deliver their goods. They must be ready to give up by now.
Three days later, over two hundred people ca to escort grain and supplies up the mountain.
This ti, it wasn’t able-bodied n, but elderly people, all over sixty years old.
As the old folks ascended the mountain, they shouted, "Heroes of the Green Forest Path! We are all just one foot in the grave! If you have the heart to rob us, then take what you want from our very bodies!"
Li Banfeng couldn’t help but laugh, though it was a frustrated one.
Just how great was this Saint’s favor to them all? What was the point of sending these old people up the mountain?
Looking at the crowd of elders, Li Banfeng sighed and said, "Alright then! Seeing as you are all of such advanced age, this filial piety of yours... I’ll accept it on behalf of my son!"
PS: Ban Feng is a plain and honest person.
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