Chapter 59: Chapter 59 The Snake is Coming Out of the Hole!_1
The next day, early in the morning.
While the sky had not yet fully brightened,
the Luo Family in Qingshi Town had already received the news that the Qingshi ore veins and their farmland had been destroyed.
“Chuan’er, this time it’s not just the remaining Qingshi ore veins that have been destroyed, but even the farmlands outside of Qingshi Town…”
“have also been ruined by Blackwind Stockade.”
In Qingshi Town, within the Luo Family Ancestral Land.
In the room where the Luo Family Patriarch handled various trivial matters,
Luo Ping spoke while sighing somewhat helplessly.
The destruction of the Qingshi ore veins had a significant impact on the Luo Family,
but considering the Qingshi reserves accumulated by the Luo Family and the Zhao Family Clan over the years, there should be no problem in expanding Qingshi Town and building new city walls.
However, the destruction of the farmland outside Qingshi Town was indeed a tough pill to swallow for the Luo Family.
Even if there was an extremely large food reserve within the Luo Family Ancestral Land,
in times of chaos, who would ever complain of having too much food?
“The destruction of our farmland was expected…”
Inside the room, Luo Chuan, while sipping his cup of hot tea, said in a low voice, “But, given that it’s winter now, the damage to our Luo Family isn’t as severe.”
“Chuan’er, what should we do next?”
“The necessary sacrifices have already been made.”
“If we continue the stalemate with Blackwind Stockade…”
“the development pace of our Luo Family will be severely hindered.”
“Next…” After narrowing his eyes and contemplating for a moment, Luo Chuan gave an answer, “Let’s organize a trade caravan!”
“With the Qingshi ore vein sources destroyed and the farmlands ruined, our Luo Family’s assets outside Qingshi Town are nearly depleted.”
“To draw the snake out of its hole, we always need to offer our opponent an irresistible reason, right?”
Luo Ping: “Organize a trade caravan? Is that all?”
“No, besides that, we must also spread the word far and wide, ensuring that even the people at Blackwind Stockade are well aware of it.”
Luo Ping: “Why would we do that?”
“This time it’s a probe against Blackwind Stockade, to see if they will actually strike at the Luo Family’s caravan.”
“Regardless of whether Blackwind Stockade makes a move this time, the next time…”
“will be the perfect opportunity to completely eradicate Blackwind Stockade!!!”
…
Although Luo Chuan’s voice was not loud,
it nevertheless transmitted clearly into Luo Ping’s ears.
Not understanding, Luo Ping still found it somewhat hard to grasp.
However, whether he understood or not was no longer important.
As the current Family Head of the Luo Family, all he needed to do was act according to what his son had said, and that would be enough.
“Alright, I understand.”
“I will have someone organize a caravan to head to other cities.”
After taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, Luo Ping spoke in a low voice.
“Father, since that’s the case, if there are no other matters, I shall take my leave…”
After Luo Chuan finished saying these words,
he silently stood up.
And made his way out of the room.
…
Compared to the Luo Family, which had suffered substantial losses,
at Blackwind Stockade, located within a large mountain outside of Qingshi Town,
Xiong Qi, the leader of Blackwind Stockade,
sat casually in his armchair at that moment.
A rugged face was filled with a willful smile.
“This Luo Family from Qingshi Town isn’t much to speak of!”
“If it weren’t for that old ancestor of the Luo Family, seated in the Organ Refinement Realm at the Luo Family Ancestral Land,”
“why would I need to skulk around in front of the Luo Family?”
Inside the Blackwind Stockade’s Hall of Righteousness,
Xiong Qi laughed heartily and spoke with evident excitement,
seemingly having destroyed the Luo Family’s farmland and ore vein sources outside Qingshi Town in one fell swoop.
And thus, he regained the confidence of his past days.
Even leading him to the illusion that the Luo Family of Qingshi Town was nothing significant.
“Chief, chief…”
Just as Xiong Qi was about to continue speaking.
Outside the Hall of Righteousness, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly resounded.
“What’s the matter to be so flustered?”
Xiong Qi’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he looked somewhat displeased at the person before him.
“Chief, I heard that the Luo Family from Qingshi Town seems to be organizing a caravan today.”
“What? Organizing a caravan?” Xiong Qi became immediately excited upon hearing this.
“Is this news reliable?”
“Chief, this news is absolutely true…”
…
Inside the Hall of Righteousness.
Following the departure of that underling.
Xiong Qi excitedly looked at the scholar Qu Yan beside him and said, “Sir, what do you think about this matter?”
“Is the Chief considering taking action, to resolve the matter with that Luo Family caravan on the way to the other cities?”
“The thoughts in my mind, indeed, can’t be hidden from Sir.”
“I believe, Chief, it’s better not to take any action this time…”
Xiong Qi frowned deeply and asked, “Why is that??”
“Chief might want to think about it. Just yesterday, we made our move on the fields and the Qingshi ore veins of the Luo Family from Qingshi Town.”
“Logically, the Luo Family from Qingshi Town should be guarding against us, Blackwind Stockade, as much as possible.”
“Yet, today, they have directly organized a caravan.”
“Moreover, the news of organizing a caravan was easily obtained by our Blackwind Stockade.”
“With this, the Luo Family’s intentions from Qingshi Town have become clear.”
Xiong Qi said, “Does Sir mean, this is a trap set by the Luo Family from Qingshi Town specifically to deal with our Blackwind Stockade?”
“Is it to lure us out and then annihilate us in one fell swoop?”
Qu Yan silently nodded, waved the white goose-feather fan in his hand, and said in a low voice, “That is probably the case.”
…
Consequently, under Blackwind Stockade’s self-imagined scenario.
The caravan left Qingshi Town very smoothly.
Heading towards the city closest to Qingshi Town, it continued to forge ahead.
After about two days and nights, the caravan returned, heavily laden with a large amount of food.
Although the Da Feng Dynasty had been struck by drought for several years.
Countless commoners were living in misery, with food production dropping rapidly every year.
But located beside the Huai River, Huai Shui County didn’t have this worry.
Exchanging gold and silver for food, this could still be easily done.
It’s just that the price of food was now several times higher than usual.
…
In the Luo Family Ancestral Land, Qingshi Town.
Inside the room where Luo Ping was.
At this time, Luo Ping and his son Luo Chuan were silently sitting on an armchair.
With a cup of hot tea in hand, they took occasional sips.
“Chuan’er, the caravan actually returned safely.”
“Blackwind Stockade didn’t make a move during the process, which is somewhat surprising to me…”
Luo Chuan: “Maybe Blackwind Stockade didn’t dare to make a move!”
“Didn’t dare to make a move?” Luo Ping thought for a while, then asked again, “Now that the caravan has returned safely, what should we do next?”
“Continue to organize caravans, but this time, we will organize two of them.”
“One in the open, one hidden!”
“For the caravan in the open, bring less gold and silver; for the one hidden, bring as much gold and silver as possible!”
Luo Ping asked, “The same as the last time?”
Luo Chuan shook his head and whispered, “No, this time we can have the third uncle bring the army, to follow behind the hidden caravan and lie in ambush.”
“Chuan’er, do you mean the snake is about to leave its hole?”
Luo Chuan looked at his father beside him, his expression calm as he said, “This time, Blackwind Stockade cannot refuse the opportunity…”