Chapter 9 Preparations Before Taking Action

  Taishi Ci naturally didn't know about Li Chong's worries, and he was still puzzled by Li Chong's words. From what Li Chong meant, it seemed that Dong Zhuo would be in trouble next year, but who exactly could bring trouble to Dong Zhuo? Moreover, Li Chong's tone towards this person was both somewhat admiring and suspicious.

  After Li Chong left, Tai Shi Ci was still pondering the question, and it wasn't until Old Lady called him several times that he heard her.

  "What's wrong?" Tai Shi asked.

  The old lady was both angry and amused, pointing outside the window: "It's already dark, what else is there to do? Of course, it's time to eat."

  Tai Shi Zi hastily said: "I was thinking of something and didn't notice the time."

  The old lady nodded and said: "Your own future should indeed be carefully considered, but I have an idea."

  "Huh!" Tai Shi Ci exclaimed: "Mother, please speak, I will definitely listen and obey your teachings."

  The old lady said slowly: "Just now I heard Li Zihui's meaning, except for one person, the heroes of the world seem to have no one who can look up to him. This person you can consider."

  Tai Shi Zi said helplessly: "I also know this, but he didn't say who it was, and from his tone, it seems that he is not very sure either."

  Li Chong couldn't be sure, and the Battle of Tiger Trap Pass hadn't even started yet.

  The old lady smiled and said: "You just rest assured at home, next year will soon see the outcome."

  "But who knows if such a person exists?" Taishi Ci shook his head and said.

  "You're still a bit naive." The old lady smiled and said: "Can't you see Li Zihui's intentions?"

  Tai Shi Zi was taken aback, suddenly reacted and exclaimed: "Could it be that mother's meaning is to say that Li Zihui plans to... carve out his own territory? He plans to recruit me!"

  The old lady smiled but didn't speak.

  Tai Shi Zi said with a disappointed tone: "Li Zixu's vision is indeed extraordinary, but he is currently still mixed up with the Yellow Turban bandits, without any official position or place to settle down. How can I rely on him?"

  The old lady smiled: "Li Zihui now indeed has no official position, but who knows what will happen in the future. If nothing else, you can also use the excuse of teaching him martial arts to observe and see his views on the heroes of the world, isn't it a plan that kills two birds with one stone?"

  Tai Shi Zi's eyes lit up, then immediately dimmed: "But he is with the Yellow Turban bandits, and having too much contact with him will tarnish his own reputation."

  The old lady sneered, "You know Liao Huaguang, but others don't. As long as he himself doesn't admit it, and you won't say anything, who will know? Besides, Li Zihui has always said that Liao Hua is his bodyguard. Moreover, isn't there a principle in the world that one should abandon evil and follow goodness?"

  "Then I'll listen to Mother!" Taishi Ci indeed attached great importance to the old lady's opinion, although he looked down on the Yellow Turbans in his heart, but still felt that his mother's words made some sense.

  Li Chong did not know that he had taken another step closer to his goal of recruiting Taishi Ci, and at this moment he was meeting with Guan Hai in the forest outside Donglai City.

  Guan Hai brought dozens of people this time, and so many people naturally found it inconvenient to enter the city. Therefore, these people prepared their own tents, salt, and rice, and spent the night outside Donglai City.

  Li Chongduan sat in the sheepskin tent, looking at the big and small leaders in front of him, feeling very helpless. This was his first time seeing his future subordinates, these people couldn't even afford a full set of leather armor, each face had a miserable look, a picture of poverty and desperation.

  "The thieves have really sunk to your level, without any technical content at all." Li Chong was very disappointed, he had thought that the bandits should be like those on TV, each one strong and skilled in martial arts.

  These bandits were also sizing up Li Chong, but they didn't seem as disappointed as Li Chong. They didn't have any objections to recognizing a scholar as their leader. After all, no matter how you looked at it, Li Chong seemed more reliable than Guan Hai. Some people even secretly fantasized that if this leader were to become an official, wouldn't they also be able to rise to prominence?

  Even if we take a step back, Lao Da is just in charge of food and accommodation. Li is not doing a good job, so everyone can just recognize a new big brother.

  "I have confirmed that on October 14th, Xu Zhou's family indeed transported a batch of grain to Donglai County, at least 800 dan, personally delivered by Miao Fang, the younger brother of Miao Zhen." Li said slowly, looking around.

  The leader of the thieves heard this and his eyes immediately shot out green light, 800 stones of grain, enough for the people in the mountain stronghold to eat well for several months. This way, his own wife and children could eat their fill and no longer have to gnaw on grass roots and tree bark to get by. As for Mei Fang from the Mei family, sorry! The big brother didn't recognize this person, anyway everything would be solved by the boss, he just had to take out his knife and these thieves were still reliable, they knew that being a younger brother required having the awareness of being a younger brother.

  These bandits, though seemingly a motley crew, were far superior to the imperial army in terms of morale. At the very least, under the temptation of food, Li Chong had already sensed that these people were somewhat crazy.

  "Great, this time we can eat our fill, where is the grain, let's grab it."

  The gang of thieves all chimed in, wishing they could immediately take up their knives and rush towards Xuzhou.

  Li Zhong coughed twice, attracting the attention of the thieves.

  Guan Hai saw Li Chong's face turn iron-green, and only then did he think that the gangsters' performance was a bit too much, perfectly demonstrating the negative words "united in evil" and "greedy to the point of madness". He hastily called out: "Quiet down, everyone, listen to Mr. Li's idea."

  Li Chong and others waited until the thieves had quieted down, then he said with confidence: "First, we need to send a scout to Xuzhou. I've thought it over, Liao Hua, you go personally, and make sure to find out the specific number of people in the Mi family's grain transport team, as well as their defensive strength."

  Liao Hua nodded in response, and Li Zhong instructed: "Yuan Jue, you must pay attention to their advancing speed, which will determine our ambush location. Once you've figured it out, return a day in advance. Go now."

  Liao Hua turned around and left with the two thieves. Li Chong continued, "I estimate that at least 200 people from the Mi family will come, so we must be careful. After all, the combat power of the Mi family's guards is very strong. My intention is to avoid fighting as much as possible."

  "Will they voluntarily deliver food to us without resorting to robbery?"

  The leader of the thieves also looked at Li Chong with an incredulous face.

  Li emphasized: "Intimidation! Do you understand? The Art of War by Sun Tzu has taught us to defeat the enemy without fighting. You have to pretend to be very powerful and scare the Mi family, so they don't dare to fight hard with us. My plan is to take action at night, pull out all the people in the mountain village who can go to battle, put the strong ones in front and the weak ones in the back row, each holding two torches."

  Guan Hai was overjoyed and calculated for a moment before shouting: "This way, we can at least make it seem like we have 500 elite soldiers. The Jiang family will definitely not dare to fight us head-on. What a great idea!"

  The thieves all shouted in unison that their leader was brilliant and would definitely scare the Li family to death. These people, for the sake of food, although fierce and fearless of death, could not help but applaud with both hands. The atmosphere in the tent became very enthusiastic, if these people's attitude towards Li Chong earlier was expectation, now it has become some admiration.

  Li Chong turned to face Guan Hai and asked, "What I said earlier was just a glimmer of hope. The most reliable method is to capture Miao Fang alive. If Brother Guan can capture Miao Fang alive, the Miao family will definitely surrender."

  Guan Hai smiled wryly and said: "Don't look at me, I haven't even seen Miao Fang, nor do I know what his martial arts skills are like. How would I know if he has a chance?"

  Li Chong thought for a moment and said: "Liao Yuanjia's martial arts are definitely better than those of Liao Fang, but not much worse. What do you think?"