Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 646 - 0601: Personally Investigating
The Lou family’s five brothers, only Lou Chengye embraces martial skills. Still young, he is at the age where he fears nothing.
Upon hearing that Feihu Village and the Southern Yue people colluded to stir trouble, he wanted to roll up his sleeves and teach them a lesson immediately.
Prefect Lou also wanted to take this opportunity to harshly deal with the bandits in the southern forests, and further hoped his fifth son would establish some achievements to showcase before Prince Luling in the future.
Thus he said, "No matter how difficult it is, this time, we must conquer Feihu Village for this prefecture! As for how to implement it, you all think carefully, I want a reply within three days."
Prefect Lou’s finger tapped on the map, and everyone gathered around to look where he pointed.
Feihu Village was erected atop White Tiger Mountain, which serves as a boundary between Nanyue Country and Zhao Country.
The location where the village was built can be deemed a heaven-chosen place.
On one side of the village is a rushing rapid river, on the other is a dense forest filled with miasma year-round.
Attacking Feihu Village from behind is utterly impossible; only frontal attacks can be made.
Yet, the narrow pass of the mountain is scarcely three yards wide at its widest part.
Feihu Village set up a gate at the narrow pass and assigned masters to guard it, making it extremely difficult to attack.
Seeing the map, everyone’s heart sank.
No one mentioned how to attack.
Even Lou Chengye furrowed his brow in contemplation.
Prefect Lou said, "Tonight, we’ll stop here; everyone go back and think about a strategy. Reply to me in three days."
"Yes, sir." Two guests left.
"Understood, father." Lou family’s five sons also replied.
Everyone returned to their lodgings.
Lou Chengye went back to Shuanghua Garden, where he and Li Yu En stayed.
Li Yu En had already bathed and changed, sitting under the lantern waiting for his return.
"Chengye, what did father want from you?" Li Yu En found Lou Chengye’s brow was furrowed with a worried look.
Lou Chengye talked about the matter of Feihu Village to Li Yu En.
Li Yu En exclaimed, "Earlier at our second brother’s place, we heard about the Southern Yue people too. Chengye, are we going to war with the Southern Yue people?"
"Southern Yue people are cunning, and that area is mostly forests, making large-scale battles unfeasible. Yet, if we don’t teach them a lesson, they’ll continue to act more brazenly each year. Father intends to attack a few villages often colluding with Southern Yue people." Chengye stated his woes, "This year, the village colluding with Southern Yue people is Feihu Village, the most powerful in Zhen An Prefecture. Father’s intention is once that village is taken down, the other villages will obediently comply. But that village’s terrain makes it hard to attack."
Lou Chengye walked to the table and drew a simple map.
Li Yu En didn’t understand warfare, but with Chengye’s straightforward talk, she grasped the main idea.
"Truly detestable, not only robbing things but also burning houses. Those evildoers should indeed be punished." Thinking of Li Xingsheng, she advised Lou Chengye, "Chengye, tomorrow morning, discuss with our second brother. Maybe he has a solution."
While leaving Li Xingsheng’s residence, he had also reminded Lou Chengye to share any news discovered about Southern Yue people with him.
Lou Chengye indeed wanted to consult with Li Xingsheng.
Although he has four brothers, they are all conceited in their knowledge. Whenever discussing matters with them, they act as if lecturing him.
Chengye doesn’t want to be patronized.
"Hmm, that’s exactly what I’m thinking."
.
The following morning, Prefect Lou’s government office was bustling. Prefect Lou summoned those managing military affairs to hold a meeting in the office.
Lou Chengye went to find Li Xingsheng and told him about Prefect Lou’s plan.
Li Xingsheng murmured, "Feihu Village?"
"Feihu Village is on White Tiger Mountain, which borders Nanyue Country." Chengye added.
Li Xingsheng sneered, "Such arrogant village should indeed be fiercely beaten."
"However, the village is built behind One-Line Sky, easy to defend and hard to attack. If they stay inside for long, we can’t do anything about them."
"Besides the village gate, is there any other way to enter the village? Like, perhaps hard to move troops, but can climb cliffs or such?" Li Xingsheng thought and asked Chengye.
Chengye blinked, recalling tales about Feihu Village, "Probably not. One side of the village is a rushing rapid river, and the other side is a dense forest filled with miasma year-round. Even during summer, it’s dark; hunters who accidentally enter have never returned alive."
"Have you been there?" Li Xingsheng asked. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
Chengye shook his head, "No, I’ve heard about it."
Li Xingsheng raised his eyebrows in a smile, "Chengye, dare to accompany me for a trip?"
Chengye blinked, "Just the two of us?"
"The more people we take, the more suspicious we’ll become. We’ll disguise as young noblemen on an adventure, accidentally venturing there; they fear officials, not young noblemen." Li Xingsheng smiled slightly.
Chengye thought, this plan is feasible.
He rubbed his fists, "Alright, we’ll go together. Only by clearly inspecting the terrain can we devise a proper attack plan."
Listening to their adventurous talk, Li Yu En was worried, "Second brother, taking Chengye with you, you must protect him."
Li Xingsheng ruffled Li Yu En’s hair, "Of course, if he loses a piece of hair, you can hold me accountable."
Chengye patted his chest, "Yu En, I’m quite capable. I can defeat three men alone. Last time, when my brothers and I checked river channel materials, someone attempted to trick us. Luckily, I was clever and thwarted their plans; even the few brothers and Chief were saved by me."
That incident last winter made Chengye’s reputation soar; everyone saw his cleverness and bravery.
Li Yu En held his hand, "That time, it was villagers driven by desperation; they won’t genuinely kill. But now, it’s robbing bandits, not the same."
"Yu En, we’re only walking around near the village, not looking for trouble with its people. Once we’ve surveyed the route, we’ll come back; there’ll be no trouble, rest assured." Chengye repeatedly reassured Li Yu En.
Additionally, Li Xingsheng also pledged to protect Chengye, so Li Yu En reluctantly agreed.
Returning to the Lou Mansion.
After sending Li Yu En back to their Shuanghua Garden, Lou Chengye promptly visited Prefect Lou to present his plan with Li Xingsheng.
Prefect Lou was astonished, "You two going personally?"
Chengye said, "Father, one must enter a tiger’s den to catch a tiger cub. Second brother suspects the village has more than one entrance. The main gate for troops, we’ll find a small path for agile ones to sneak into the village, coordinating inside and outside and ensuring total conquest over Feihu Village."
Prefect Lou stroked his beard tip, frowning in thought, "Chengye, the method you propose isn’t impossible, just exceedingly risky. If you two are caught by Feihu Village people, there’ll be no one to send for help."
Chengye, young and fearless, not only wasn’t afraid but found the adventure thrilling.
He persistently persuaded Prefect Lou to let him go.
After much deliberation, Prefect Lou agreed.
If Feihu Village were defeated, his son’s name would rise. If he wanted to take Martial Champion exams, let him pursue it.
For their safety, Prefect Lou assigned ten masters to escort them.
Once they entered Feihu Village’s territory, the ten guards would hide in the shadows, ready to support them at any time.
Receiving his father’s approval, Chengye was even more excited.
He immediately ran to bid farewell to Old Mrs. Lou, who praised his bravery and intelligence.
Lady Lou learned that Chengye was heading out to investigate Feihu Village, feeling unhappy, "What if he gets captured by Feihu Village? Our Lou Family’s face will be utterly lost."
Uncertain how many days he’d be gone, Li Yu En prepared three sets of clothes for Chengye.
But when Chengye brought his luggage to meet Li Xingsheng, Li Xingsheng tossed his bundle aside and handed him another small one, "Carry this. Also, change your clothes."
Chengye scrutinized himself, "Second brother, what’s wrong with my outfit?"
Li Xingsheng pointed to his shirt, "When it’s just the two of us traveling, being master and servant is more believable. I’m older, so clearly, I’m the master, you’re the servant."
Chengye was puzzled, "Second brother, why can’t it be two young noblemen out traveling?"
Li Xingsheng received a set of clothes from Liu Jinbao’s hand, placing them in Chengye’s, "Have you seen noblemen travel without servants? Even households with a bit of money will hire an attendant student. Two young noblemen without attendants aren’t like those leisurely on expeditions. It looks like they’re up to something, which might raise suspicions. Wear these clothes; these are Jinbao’s, you’re about the same size."
These clothes are somewhat worn, typical attire for servant boys.
