What do you mean by that?

"These bandits have come from afar, clearly wanting money and provisions. Let's give them some and send them on their way!"

Zhen Yao said defiantly.

"Really? If I'm not mistaken, these bandits must be the Black Mountain Army from the Taihang Mountains!"

"They've come from afar, do you really think it's just for this little bit of money and food?"

Liu Wei remained calm.

The two widows, Zhang and Zhen, and their five daughters immediately turned pale.

Wuji is located at the southern end of Zhongshan State, while the Black Mountain Army of Zhongshan State and Changshan State is located in the Taihang Mountains, hundreds of miles to the west.

In between are several county towns, and also Zhen Ding City, which is garrisoned by three thousand Han soldiers.

The Zhen family was not unprepared for the arrival of the thieves; they organized local militia, distributed weapons to protect the village, and informed the government.

If attacked, report it immediately.

However, this time, they did not expect the Black Mountain Army to penetrate so far!

They bypassed Zhengding and surrounded Wuji County, appearing directly at Zhenjiazhuang.

And they were all cavalry.

This makes one wonder if the Black Mountain Army was not only after the Zhen family's money, grain, and wealth.

They might even be after their five daughters!

Therefore, Liu Wei's words caused panic among the Zhen family.

"This is alarmist!"

Upon hearing Liu Wei's words, Zhen Yao still felt that Liu Wei was deliberately creating anxiety and had ulterior motives.

Needless to say, he must be after his sister.

At that moment, shouts erupted from outside:

"Why hasn't the person in charge of the Zhen family come out yet?"

"If you don't come out now, don't blame us for storming in and setting the place on fire!"

Zhang and Zhen Yao hurriedly went outside.

However, she still listened to Liu Wei's advice and let the five Zhen sisters and their two widowed sisters-in-law stay at home for the time being.

"Mr. Liu, I see you possess extraordinary skills and abilities. Could you please protect my mother and brother, in case any thieves harbor ill intentions..."

Without hesitation, Zhen Mi went to Liu Wei's side, raised her face, and pleaded.

Liu Wei replied with a half-smile, "Young lady, you trust me that much?"

"I think you are definitely not a bad person, and I can tell that you have the world in your heart and are no ordinary person!"

Zhen Mi said earnestly, "I believe that you will definitely take action, sir!"

"Haha! Since it's your invitation, then I'll go out."

Liu Wei laughed heartily when he saw that the woman he liked wanted something from him.

If I were to communicate with Zhen Mi now as a prince and General Zhenbei, she would surely be intimidated by my status and authority, and would not be able to communicate with me as an equal as I am now.

Perhaps in this chaotic world at the end of the Han Dynasty, Liu Wei had very few opportunities to experience such moments.

Enjoy this moment before it's gone!

"Thank you very much, sir! Please be careful, sir!"

Zhen Mi's eyes sparkled, and she looked at Liu Wei with affection in her gaze.

This man says he wants to marry her, could it be true?

Suddenly, Zhen Mi also felt that she would marry no one but him.

When Liu Wei walked out of the Zhen family courtyard and arrived outside the Zhen family manor, a thousand cavalrymen had already surrounded the main roads leading in and out of the manor.

The bandit leader had already dismounted and arrived at the Zhen family's doorstep with over a hundred men as fierce as wolves and tigers.

Zhen Yao, supporting Zhang Shi, came to meet the bandit leader, surrounded by dozens of servants and villagers.

"Are you Madam Zhen?"

"We are subordinates of Commander Zhang of the Black Mountain Army, and we've been waiting for you for ages! If it weren't for the Commander's instructions to be courteous before resorting to force, we would have stormed in long ago!"

"You've been dawdling for so long, have you prepared our provisions yet?"

The bandit leader stroked his chin, stared at Zhang, and said viciously.

Zhang forced a calm expression and said, "So you are subordinates of Commander Zhang of the Black Mountain Army. How much grain do you need?"

"Not much! Only 100,000 shi!" The bandit leader chuckled.

"What?! One hundred thousand shi!"

Zhen Yao immediately shouted, "Why don't you just rob it?"

The bandit leader was stunned. What they were doing was no different from robbery!

"Stop talking nonsense. If you offer it voluntarily, that's called paying respects. If we have to do it ourselves, that's just stealing!"

He wasn't stupid; he immediately turned the corner.

"Where would we get so much grain? Don't you know that in this chaos of war, even landlords don't have any stored grain!"

"Being able to contribute a thousand shi (a unit of dry measure) is the greatest sincerity and capability our Zhen family can offer!"

Zhen Yao looked miserable. "Only a thousand shi (a unit of dry measure), that's all we have!"

Gold is valued in times of peace, and grain is valued in times of chaos.

The Zhen family's grain reserves, at most, amount to only ten thousand shi (a unit of dry measure).

Are they going to empty the Zhen family's house as soon as the Black Mountain Army arrives?

It turned out that Zhang Yan, the leader of the Black Mountain Army, led 30,000 troops out of Jingxing Pass and then split his forces into two groups.

One route was led by Huanglong and Baibo, who surrounded Zhengding with 30,000 infantrymen. They also set up ambushes on other key routes to Zhengding, employing a strategy of besieging a point and attacking reinforcements.

Zhang Yan himself led two thousand cavalrymen eastward along the Zishui River, heading straight for Wuji.

The Zhen family was extremely wealthy in Ji Province, and Zhang Yan's goal was clear: to levy grain taxes on the Zhen family.

Zhang Yan personally led a thousand cavalrymen to besiege Wuji, and then sent these thousand cavalrymen straight to the Zhen family to demand grain.

He also instructed the bandit leader to first try diplomacy before resorting to force.

Zhang Yan was somewhat farsighted; he intended to live in the Zhongshan and Changshan area for the long term.

They took the Zhen family's supplies, but didn't let the Zhen family be completely wiped out!

In this way, they can come back for more grain next time, and the supply will be inexhaustible.

"What!"

"A thousand stones!"

"Are you trying to fob me off like a beggar?"

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