Chapter 31: Claiming Territory of His Own

They selected a site encircling the camp and immediately marked out the ground and began construction.

The whole place presented a thriving, bustling scene.

Time flew. In the blink of an eye, the sun had sunk beyond the western hills.

At dusk, Zhao Mang organized a grand bonfire gathering.

This time, naturally, it was held outside, near the entrance to the camp.

At first, only the people from their own camp sat gathered around the fire, talking and laughing among themselves. Soon afterward, the refugees from the surrounding area began to converge as well.

Wei Xian, who stood at their head, asked Zhao Mang, “General, are you celebrating the victory of the battle?”

Zhao Mang answered with a radiant smile. “Naturally. We soldiers ought to enjoy ourselves while we can. So long as we are not harming Heaven or reason, what is wrong with it?”

“One never knows when one’s life may be lost.”

“If we can be happy for a day, then we should be happy for that day.”

“Why don’t you all join us? It is a good chance for everyone to get better acquainted.”

Watching Zhao Mang enjoying himself so openly, Wei Xian found himself infected by the spirit of the occasion. He then instructed his men to explain the situation to the refugees.

Only after hearing Zhao Mang’s explanation did the refugees surrounding the camp dare to draw closer.

Even Wang Wu, who was usually the least talkative of them all, had become unusually lively after the evening’s festivities. He pulled the young woman from the artisans’ team close and began boasting to her.

“You have no idea how impressive Big Brother Mang was back then. He held up the entire camp gate by himself.”

“He kept that gate from moving even an inch.”

With that, he put an arm around the girl beside him and whispered softly into her ear, “Can you guess who the other person was?”

The girl shyly nestled into Wang Wu’s arms and said sweetly, “How would I know? Hurry up and tell me.”

Wang Wu was instantly flustered. The profound expression he had worn a moment earlier vanished, and he hugged her tightly with a fond smile.

“The other person was, of course, me!”

“I knew it!” the girl replied at once.

Scenes like this were common around the bonfire.

Quite a few refugees took part. Moved by the atmosphere, they came forward of their own accord and joined in.

Word spread from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred.

Zhao Mang’s reputation spread like wildfire.

At first, people said that Zhao Mang had held back the camp gate alone, possessing the strength of ten men.

Later, the tale became that Zhao Mang alone was worth a hundred men, even a thousand.

In the end, he was said to be a celestial deity descended into the mortal world.

From that point on, everyone looked upon Zhao Mang with worship. Some regarded him with deep reverence, treating him as the hero in their hearts, and came forward one after another to offer him tea.

Ever since the last time they had become drunk, Zhao Mang had issued an order forbidding alcohol at evening gatherings.

The previous drinking session had left most people utterly intoxicated. At the time, there had been few people, but now their numbers were growing. If everyone drank until they were senseless, then with battles likely to erupt at any moment, excessive drinking would inevitably affect their ability to fight.

Thus, from then on, the army’s evening gatherings consisted of offering tea and drinking soup instead.

Everyone had a wonderful time.

Among the refugees, the able-bodied young men eagerly volunteered, hoping to join Zhao Mang’s forces. The young women, meanwhile, began to regard him as the object of their admiration.

That very night, some even crept quietly into his tent.

Unfortunately for them, he drove every one of them out.

He truly embodied the old saying: where there is fragrance, butterflies will come.

But Zhao Mang had no desire for such things to happen inside his tent. If word somehow reached Jiang Wan’s ears, he would surely receive a thorough punishment.

And so, a night of happiness and contentment passed.

The following morning, Zhao Mang received Jiang Wan’s reply.

The moment she received his letter, she had explained the true situation regarding the red-iron mine to her family. She had also immediately arranged for grain, supplies, and tools to be sent to Zhao Mang, along with several hundred artisans.

She had even written instructions in the letter detailing how to handle this group of refugees.

Jiang Wan had arranged everything flawlessly, with several matters proceeding at once.

After making all the arrangements, she carefully put the letter away.

There was a special pleasure in corresponding with a pen pal.

By late morning, Xiao Han finally returned from the frontier army camp.

This time, however, Zhao Mang had not received a new appointment, nor had his military rank been raised.

He had merely been given a cart of grain, a chest of silver, and verbal praise from Zhao Wuji.

In addition, he had been granted administrative control over the land surrounding Dunzi Peak.

As for the exact size of the territory, Zhao Wuji had not given him a definite boundary.

That left plenty of room for maneuver.

It was something Zhao Mang himself had asked Zhao Wuji for.

He intended to use the people gathered during this refugee crisis as the foundation for his future development.

With people came the need for land. Only with land could they truly establish themselves and prosper.

Although he had not been promoted in rank, these rewards were genuinely substantial. Once he considered Zhao Wuji’s military position, he realized that after one more promotion, he would stand at the same level.

Before long, he had come to terms with it.

For someone like him to rise several ranks in succession was already exceedingly rare in the military.

After experiencing that previous frame-up, Zhao Mang was no longer surprised by the suppression of his official rank.

If he was not promoted, then so be it. It was nothing serious.

As long as he had people, he would have an army.

In this age, people were not the crucial issue. The crucial issue was whether one could afford to support them. That was precisely why this region was home to so many powerful clans and great families.

Zhao Mang gazed across his territory and, taking Xiao Han by the arm, sighed.

“Xiao Han, look at me now. I have so much land and so many people.”

“How should I arrange everything?”

Xiao Han immediately looked at him as though he had seen a ghost.

“Boss Zhao, do I look like someone with any talent in that area?”

“You might as well ask anyone at random rather than ask me about something like this.”

Zhao Mang gave an awkward laugh and shook his head.

He supposed Xiao Han was right. What advice could a scout known as Flying Sand possibly offer him?

Abandoning all hope of help from Xiao Han, Zhao Mang went to Wei Xian’s residence. Among the refugees, Wei Xian was the only one with any real ideas.

By then, Wei Xian’s wooden house had already been built.

They had been pressed for time and had not constructed anything more elaborate.

Zhao Mang had come to explain how they would be arranged from then on.

“Old Wei, I will address you that way for the time being.”

Wei Xian hurriedly cupped his hands and shook his head.

“General, you must not. I am unworthy of such a title.”

“You may simply call me Old Wei.”

Zhao Mang laughed heartily and dispensed with the formalities. He went straight to the matter at hand.

“Old Wei, the authorities have already issued an order granting me the land surrounding this area.”

“From now on, you will be common people under my jurisdiction.”

“You have also been given official status. You are no longer refugees without standing.”

When Wei Xian heard Zhao Mang personally deliver the good news, his entire spirit seemed to revive.

He no longer looked like the utterly dejected, dispirited laborer who had only just emerged from the mine.

He hurriedly prostrated himself and praised Zhao Mang without cease.

“General, your benevolence is boundless! You have saved us poor commoners!”

Zhao Mang quickly waved his hand.

“Do not celebrate too soon. You have seen the land within ten miles of Sunzi Peak.”

“It is all barren wasteland.”

…