Infinite Professions

Chapter 343 - 179: Establishing Authority (2)

Sure, here is the translated text:

After speaking, he turned to the other villagers: "I have deceived the Black Wind Village, set a three-day deadline, and during these three days, we must quickly harvest the grains and open the kiln to fire bricks, building a Dock Fortress and tower in the village. Once the bandits attack, the old, young, and women will retreat into the Dock Fortress; the Yellow Turban Warriors and young men from all families will ascend the tower to fight the enemy."

"Dock Fortress?"

"Tower?"

Everyone was momentarily stunned upon hearing this; Lu Xuan and Huang Lin looked at each other in bewilderment, seeing surprise and doubt in each other’s eyes.

Finally, Lu Xuan stepped forward: "May I ask the village chief, how can the Dock Fortress and tower be built within three days?"

"Indeed!"

Huang Lin agreed: "Even mud won’t dry in three days, how could a Dock Fortress and tower be constructed?"

"There’s no need to worry about that!"

Song Wen clasped his hands towards the Land God Temple: "With the Land God’s presence, after three days, Little Huang Village will surely have a Dock Fortress built. You only need to follow orders and wait to see."

"This..."

"Yes!"

Lu Xuan and Huang Lin exchanged glances, their eyes full of astonishment, but it was difficult to say more, especially when the Land God was invoked, a mighty influence bearing down, leaving them with nothing to say but to agree respectfully.

With that, everyone dispersed, some went out of the village with torches to harvest grains, others accompanied Song Wen to the brick kiln, turning on the full force to fire the limestone.

Lu Xuan returned home, feeling uneasy but not knowing what to do, just pacing back and forth in the house, unable to sleep even late into the night.

At that moment, the door opened, and his wife approached, cautiously saying: "Huang Lin has arrived, he wants to see you!"

"What does he want?"

Lu Xuan frowned but went to the hall with his wife.

In the hall, a person was already seated; it was Huang Lin, the head of the Huang Family.

Though the Lu and Huang Families were not close, facing the dominance of the Song Family in the village, they naturally formed an alliance.

So Lu Xuan was courteous: "Brother Huang visiting late at night, what brings you here?"

Being the Lu Family head and a Scholar, his manner of speech clearly differed from ordinary villagers.

By comparison, Huang Lin was somewhat straightforward, directly getting to the point: "Brother Lu, do you believe the village chief’s plan can succeed? It seems quite unreliable to me."

"..."

Lu Xuan was silent for a moment, then spoke: "With the Land God’s blessing, and so many young men protecting the village, the Black Wind Village should be deterred."

The words carried an implicit hint.

But Huang Lin seemed not to pick up on it: "What if they aren’t deterred, then what?"

"This..."

Lu Xuan frowned, uncertainty in his look, and probed: "What does Brother Huang mean?"

"As heads of our families, we must consider not just ourselves but also our clansmen!"

Huang Lin said gravely: "Shouldn’t we make a plan, leave a way out for our two families?"

"You...!"

Lu Xuan’s eyes narrowed, looking at him with a mix of shock and anger.

"I didn’t mean that."

Seeing his expression, Huang Lin hurriedly explained: "I meant..."

"Clang clang clang!"

Before he could finish, the sound of drums and gongs rang out, making Little Huang Village restless again in the dead of night.

"What is happening?"

"Who is beating the gong?"

The faces of Lu Xuan and Huang Lin changed, and they rushed to check, discovering that the threshing ground was already alight.

"Everyone, gather at the threshing ground!"

Some young men ran through the village, beating the Copper Gong to call everyone.

Soon, at the threshing ground, in front of the Land God Temple.

The crowd gathered again, all looking bewildered.

"What is it now?"

"Is there no peace even at night?"

"Could the bandits have come again?"

"It can’t be so soon!"

"Quiet, the village chief is coming!"

The crowd gossiped until Song Wen emerged from the Land God Temple, quieting them.

Song Wen walked out briskly, a cold expression on his face, and addressed everyone sharply: "Bring them up!"

"Go!"

"Kneel!"

With his words, several Yellow Turban Warriors brought some people forward, making them kneel before the crowd.

"This is..."

"San Gouzi?"

"Xiaowu?"

"Lu Qi?"

Seeing the kneeling people, the crowd became agitated, Lu Xuan and Huang Lin were shocked.

These were the village idlers, lazy and often stealing; Song Wen had punished them by village rules several times.

But that wasn’t the main point; the main point was that among them, there were three or four from the Lu and Huang Families.

At this moment, bringing them in wasn’t just for the petty stealing.

Just as the two were worried...

"These people tried to leave the village at night to inform the brigands at Black Wind Village. Fortunately, the Land God arranged for Yellow Turban Warriors to catch them!"

Song Wen’s words stunned the crowd.

"What?"

"This..."

"You scoundrels!"

After a moment of shock, the crowd reacted, some couldn’t believe, some cursed.

The kneeling ones also shouted out.

"We’re innocent!"

"We didn’t do it!"

"I was just going to relieve myself!"

"Chief, save us!"

"Song Family wants to kill off our Huang Family to monopolize Little Huang Village!"

Their cries accused others, even turning the tables.

"Still dare to argue!"

Song Wen shouted sharply, making Yellow Turban Warriors press them down: "You colluded with bandits, betrayed Little Huang Village, betrayed the Land God, do you realize this could lead to our village’s 700 people dying by bandit knives?"

"We didn’t do it!"

"Wuwuwu!"

They tried to defend themselves but were held firmly by Yellow Turban Warriors.

Song Wen coldly looked at the crowd: "What do folks say, how to deal with them?"

"This..."

The two families and some timid villagers didn’t dare to speak now.

"Isn’t it obvious?"