That evening, Ma Peng found a few of his old trusted subordinates.
"The Meng family of three are all extraordinary people. You must not neglect them. They will be of great help in our future endeavors."
Chu Lin had to admit, he was not afraid of death when he went hunting with Brother Meng Shaode last night.
It wasn't that he wasn't afraid of death, but rather that he had confidence in himself. His archery was truly peerless.
"Yes."
"Yes!" The dozen or so skilled individuals behind Chu Lin echoed in agreement.
"Give them convenience in whatever they need. After all, it's a rare opportunity to have extraordinary people residing with us."
The Chieftain had never been so pleased.
His ambition to establish a stable life was growing stronger, fueled by the burgeoning momentum of his rebel forces.
"By the way, Chu Lin, give my bedding to the Meng family's wife and daughter." The Chieftain was determined to find a way to keep this family here.
"Chieftain, what will you use then?"
Chu Lin felt this was inappropriate.
"Take it. You are young and don't understand." The Chieftain spoke frankly in front of his old subordinates.
"Yes." Chu Lin hesitated for a moment before signaling his men to roll up the Chieftain's bedding and take it away.
At this moment, A'jiu was instructing her father to make a few more holes for the wooden wedges, to hang the thick grass curtain. To prevent strong winds at night, holes were also to be made at the bottom of the entrance for securing it.
They were tied with grass ropes, leaving only enough space to open half of it.
Meng Shaode bent down, lifted the heavy grass curtain, and walked in, then out, testing it:
"Good. This will truly block the wind."
A'jiu spread another grass mat over the leaves, and added a tiger skin. Now, it wouldn't be cold.
Peng Chao, carrying a roll of grass mat, consciously walked far into the cave and spread it out, smiling sheepishly as he said:
"I'll just sleep here for one night. Don't worry, I won't snore."
No one paid him any attention. He lay down in a fetal position, his mind still replaying the words his "future master" had spoken during the day.
Just then, someone called from outside: "Brother Meng, Miss Meng, the Chieftain has sent some bedding."
Meng Shaode opened the curtain first: "Brother Chu, come in and talk."
The man entered, carrying a roll of bedding and handing it over: "Brother Meng, the Chieftain's own bedding is for your family to use."
Meng Shaode's pupils contracted. He looked at their own bedding, which included a tiger skin quilt and a well-woven grass mat, and immediately felt guilty:
"Take it back, take it back. The Chieftain needs it too."
Chu Lin saw the hesitation: "The Chieftain said he'll be fine, he's just worried about your family catching a cold."
Meng Shaode, finding no way to refuse, quickly accepted it: "Alright then. Thank you, Brother Chu, for making this trip. I'll help weave some grass mats tomorrow."
Meng Shaode couldn't sleep that night.
Meng Jiu'er noticed all this.
It was almost completely dark, with the sky full of stars. Meng Shaode quietly got up and went outside, carefully tucking in a corner of the grass curtain.
A'jiu sat up.
"Granddaughter!"
A'jiu mumbled drowsily: "Who?"
"It's your Grandma (with a grinding sound), hurry out."
A'jiu got up and carefully tucked the tiger skin around her mother. She then got up and came out. As soon as she opened the grass curtain, a cold wind blew, and A'jiu shivered.
"What are you doing so late?" A'jiu looked back, saw Peng Chao sleeping soundly deep in the cave, and then crawled out from under the grass curtain.
She immediately hugged herself tightly.
"You're afraid of the cold with your cultivation? Can't you use your qi?" Madam Wang said as she walked, scolding A'jiu.
"Oh right, why haven't the ginseng I planted sprouted?" Madam Wang.
"That's strange." Madam Wang led A'jiu through the bustling crowd, unnoticed by anyone.
Aunt Lu was boiling the venison caught during the day.
There was an unwritten rule here: only two meals a day, to prevent hunger at other times when there was nothing to eat.
A'jiu was thus led by Madam Wang to the desolate wilderness, the campfire behind them like scattered sparks.
Inside the Chieftain's cave.
Meng Shaode specifically came to express his gratitude.
"It's nothing. To have a formidable warrior like Brother Meng is my good fortune, Ma Peng." Ma Peng lifted Meng Shaode's clasped hands.
This made Meng Shaode deeply grateful: "Chieftain, from now on, I, Meng Shaode, will follow your lead." As long as it was for his family's well-being.
"Brother." Ma Peng patted Meng Shaode's sturdy shoulder: "We are all family, no need for such formalities. We are destined to achieve great things together. We will advance and retreat as one from now on."
Meng Shaode nodded.
Ma Peng paced back and forth in the cave, sighing with melancholy: "Actually, I have many spies within the enemy's main camp. A message arrived tonight stating that King Qi Ming's army has been trapped in the city by King Nan Ming's empty city stratagem. The scouts reported that the trapped general has already sent out scouts requesting reinforcements."
Saying this, Ma Peng turned around with a heroic air:
"When this batch of military supplies passes through the Qi Ming Mountain area, we can seize these supplies and hide them for the time being."
Meng Shaode looked at the Chieftain in astonishment, his eyes full of disbelief. Had they already started a conflict with the officials so soon?