TIPS – Chapter 135

“Hey, you are…?” Shen Dongming felt the man looked familiar, but he couldn’t recall who he was at the moment—just that he was someone from the boat.

The man quickly said, “Listen carefully. Our second-in-command sent me with a message. He told me to tell you all to leave quickly—the naval troops from the east have arrived!”

Shen Dongming was so shocked that he froze. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he stuttered, “They’ve arrived? Where are they now?”

“It won’t be long, so you better hurry and hide! Also, take good care of our second-in-command’s father,” the man said. It was obvious he had run all the way here in a rush and had no time to linger. “Our boat is about to leave. I don’t have time to say more. Go back quickly and inform your family!”

With that, he turned to leave, and Shen Dongming’s heart sank. He hurriedly shut the gate and dashed back inside.

Seeing his pale face, everyone immediately asked, “What happened?”

He swallowed hard before saying, “Everyone, don’t panic when you hear this.” He glanced at Old Master Yuan and continued, “Just now, someone under Young Master Yuan’s second-in-command came to deliver a message. He told me that the enemy’s navy has arrived—it won’t be long before they get here.”

The next morning, the Shen family’s main household received an urgent letter marked as “Personal—For Song Jingwei’s Eyes Only.” The letter had been dispatched by Zhang Benqing, who had sent someone on horseback at top speed to deliver it.

When Song Jingwei opened the letter, his expression turned grim.

Zhang Benqing wrote that the two nations had officially gone to war on the 19th of December. The imperial troops stationed at the border were showing signs of being overpowered. Some small towns on the frontier had already been abandoned. The army had withdrawn into the interior to establish a firm line of defense, but the outcome of the war remained uncertain.

As for the towns that had been abandoned, they were now occupied by enemy forces. The civilians who hadn’t managed to escape… had all been slaughtered.

“Jingwei, what is it?” The Shen couple knew their daughter-in-law had a friend who was an official, and this letter obviously contained some serious news—but they feared it wouldn’t be good.

Sure enough, Song Jingwei said, “This year, we won’t be able to spend the New Year in peace.” He paused for a moment of silent mourning before handing the letter to others and explaining its contents to the Shen couple.

Everyone who read the letter wore a sorrowful expression. They quietly passed the news on to their family members, and soon, everyone in the household knew.

The room remained silent for a long time before someone finally spoke. “Go inform the villagers. Tell them to get ready. Let’s decide on a time to head into the mountains together.”

“Alright.”

Everyone felt as though a heavy stone was pressing down on their hearts, making it hard to breathe. But they couldn’t put the stone down, not even for a moment of peace. They grieved for the dead and were angry at the brutality of war.

Shen Junxi held Song Jingwei’s hand tightly, noticing how cold it was. He instinctively tightened his grip, using his own warmth to bring some comfort to the other. He knew his spouse was someone with a cold exterior but a warm and gentle heart.

Song Jingwei appreciated the gesture and returned the grip, accepting the comfort.

Then he pulled himself together and began giving clear and organized instructions: who should inform whom, who should prepare what—everyone sprang into action.

By the end of the afternoon, every villager in Chashan Village knew that war had broken out. Some border towns had already fallen victim to the conflict.

There was fear, there was sorrow, but everyone gathered their resolve and began packing without pause.

After a discussion with everyone, they decided to meet at the foot of the mountain early the next morning. Before heading into the mountains, Song Jingwei had some things he wanted to say—rules that everyone needed to follow.

At a time like this, no one was about to stir up trouble. They all followed the group, doing what everyone else did.

The next morning, the entire village was up before dawn. Some hadn’t slept a wink all night, too anxious to fall asleep, too afraid to miss the next day’s plan.

The Shen family’s main household arrived at the mountain base to find a vast crowd—nearly the entire village had gathered. Some faces were familiar, seen often in daily life; others were strangers—but all were villagers from Chashan.

The arrival of Song Jingwei and his family caused a stir among the crowd.

Whether intentionally or not, Song Jingwei had gradually fostered a habit among the villagers. The people of Chashan Village had come to watch his actions and listen to his words. From initial indifference, to subtle admiration, to silent following—there was a long and complicated emotional journey behind it. Even now, there were still whispers and grumblings about him, but none of it stopped them from following his lead.

That was just human nature. Song Jingwei knew it well. But he didn’t mind—it didn’t matter. Just like running a company: everyone looked to him to lead, everyone respected his abilities, but that didn’t stop employees from complaining behind his back. Even if he heard them, he wouldn’t take it to heart.

Let them vent about small matters—as long as they didn’t go against him on important ones, that was what mattered.

After a brief stir, the crowd quieted when they saw Song Jingwei step onto a large rock and raise his hand. This silent gesture prompted everyone to fall silent and look in the same direction.

Song Jingwei began to speak. “After yesterday afternoon’s notice, everyone now knows what’s happening, so I won’t repeat it. Now that we’re about to enter the mountains, I need to lay out a few rules I hope everyone will follow.”

These words carried a tone of strictness, but no one voiced any opposition. Everyone remained silent and continued listening attentively.

“First,” Song Jingwei said, “I hope everyone understands that we’re at a critical juncture between life and death. Once we enter the mountains, it’s a matter of survival. No matter what grudges or grievances you may have had with one another before, I ask that you put them aside for now. Get along peacefully, and don’t stir up trouble. Everything else can wait until after we make it through this crisis.

Second, only the people from our village know the path into the mountains. I hope you’ll put everyone’s lives above all else and not betray us from within.

Third, once inside, do not leave or return to the village without permission. If you absolutely must leave, contact me immediately.”

Song Jingwei continued, “If you violate any of these rules, you will bear the consequences yourself. If your actions harm others, the lightest punishment will be broken bones, and the most severe could mean being crushed to dust. Losing your own life is a small matter—think of your families.”

After he finished speaking, the crowd fell completely silent for a moment before breaking out into murmurs of agreement. Everyone felt that these rules made sense. All the worries they had, Song Jingwei had already thought of.

“Any questions? If so, bring them up now. I don’t want to be dealing with your problems after we’re already inside the mountains.”

Very quickly, someone shouted, “Young Master Song, this is great! We’ll listen to you—you’re absolutely right!”

One voice was followed by others: “Yes! You’re right! We’ll all listen to you!” Ever since they received the news yesterday afternoon, everyone had been on edge. Now that someone had stepped up to take charge, it was like they’d found their pillar of support.

Of course, there were also a few who didn’t say anything, and their expressions made it hard to tell what they were thinking. Among them were the main branch of the Shen family and a small number of other villagers.

Seeing the once-overlooked Eldest Shen family, whom no one paid much attention to in the past, suddenly become the leading figure whom everyone looked up to—this made the Shen family members feel complicated emotions.

Song Jingwei looked around the crowd and asked one last time, “I’ll ask again. If you have questions, speak now. Once we’re in, I won’t listen to a word.”

This time, the response was even more enthusiastic. Even those who had remained silent were nudged by others and ended up voicing agreement.

“Good. If you support me and cooperate, I’ll do my best to help everyone get through this hardship.” Song Jingwei pulled out a list from his chest and said, “This is a list I’ve put together of the people who will form the Security Team. When I call your name, come forward to this open area in front of me so everyone can see who you are.”

He began reading names off the list one by one.

With each name, a strong young man or sturdy middle-aged man stepped out from the crowd. They didn’t know exactly what they were being called for, but it clearly sounded like an honor. Being chosen felt far better than being left out.

A total of thirty people were selected. Based on everyone’s daily observations and interactions, these were all honest and upright men from farming families with strong physiques.

After putting the list back into his chest pocket, Song Jingwei addressed the crowd, “As the name suggests, the Security Team is responsible for maintaining our safety and order once we’re in the mountains. Strictly speaking, they’ll act as our enforcers for the time being. If there are any disputes or dangers, you must follow their instructions and respect their authority.”

He paused, then continued, “Originally, this was supposed to be voluntary work, but since you’re cooperating so well, I’m willing to offer a monthly subsidy of one tael of silver to each member of the Security Team.”

Upon hearing that this respectable position came with actual silver payments, many people who weren’t selected felt regretful. Meanwhile, those who were chosen were thrilled. Everyone understood what it meant to be an “enforcer”—it was nearly the same as being a soldier or an official. Most importantly, they’d be getting paid.

At this point, the crowd’s anxiety had eased, distracted by this new development. Their impression of Song Jingwei had improved even further, and a subtle, subconscious sense of obedience toward him had begun to take root. They didn’t know where this willingness to follow came from, nor did they question it—they simply felt that whatever he said was right.

Some bold ones even called out, “Young Master Song, are you only picking thirty for the Security Team? Our Daniu is strong—he can join too!” As he spoke, he pushed his son Daniu forward.

Daniu was an honest-looking man. Song Jingwei glanced at him and immediately said, “No, that won’t do. I need people who are sharp and capable. If your Daniu joins the Security Team, who would take him seriously?” The main issue was that Daniu looked too simple and naive, with a slightly foolish air about him.

“Hahaha!” Everyone burst into laughter at Song Jingwei’s words. They joked with the man, “Young Master Song is right—your Daniu really is a bit slow. You’d better take him back!” After all, if everyone could get their family into the team, they had a few members they’d like to put forward too.

“Alright,” Song Jingwei said, seeing that the crowd was getting noisy again. “Grab your things—we’ll be heading into the mountains shortly.”

With that, he gathered the thirty chosen men for a short private meeting.

“Come here. I have something to say to you,” Song Jingwei said seriously to the men.

Everyone was both nervous and excited. Some of them were Song Jingwei’s long-time hired hands and already familiar with him, so they remained calm. Others were meeting him for the first time, and those were the ones feeling nervous.

Song Jingwei glanced at each of their faces and said with his hands behind his back, “The reason I chose you all is because I trust your character. I believe each of you is someone worthy of being entrusted with important matters. So, please don’t betray my trust.”

“We won’t,” everyone quickly shook their heads and expressed their firm stance — they would live up to this trust.

“Good.” This was exactly the assurance Song Jingwei wanted. He believed in his own judgment. These men were all honest and upright with pure hearts. Then, in just a few words, he conveyed his expectations and some key issues — all likely to be encountered during their escape into the mountains.

The men listened attentively, nodding constantly. Their eyes were full of admiration as they looked at Song Jingwei, and their faces showed excitement, passion, and that unique youthful vigor.

They all believed that with such a devoted and capable leader, this operation would not fail. They would definitely make it through safely!

“Everyone, come one at a time. Don’t crowd or push. There’s plenty of time — no need to rush!” The young members of the order-maintaining team, following Song Jingwei’s arrangements, began helping everyone move into the mountains.

Because the mountain path was too difficult to walk, they had to proceed slowly. But with so many people, even a slight misstep could lead to danger.

They may not have known about the domino effect, but Song Jingwei did. Every tragedy stems from large, chaotic crowds and the loss of order. That’s why he had long thought of the need for an order-maintaining team.

Seeing their fellow villagers entering the mountains in an orderly manner gave everyone a strong sense of reassurance. Only such well-organized and disciplined actions could bring peace of mind.

The main branch of the Shen family didn’t deliberately place themselves at the front or the back. Seeing that everything was in order, Song Jingwei turned his head and said to everyone, “Let’s go too.”

Each person in their group carried a bundle on their back. Shen Junxi and Pei Hongxuan had children strapped to their backs. The elderly walked in front, the young followed at the rear, moving slowly with the crowd. Even the two family dogs came along. Xiao Hei stuck close to the main Shen branch, while Da Huang followed Yabo closely.

Ever since Yabo had returned, Da Huang had been extremely excited, sticking to him every day as if afraid Yabo would abandon him again. As a result, Da Huang began to ignore Xiao Hei. After being brushed off many times, Xiao Hei no longer tried to play with him. It was a dog with personality and dignity.

Song Jingwei let Shen Junxi walk ahead of him, so he could see Benben full of energy on the young man’s back. Benben held a spinning rattle-drum in his hands, shaking it excitedly. He still loved going out so much.

“…” Shen Junxi looked back affectionately at the little one adding extra weight to his shoulders, but didn’t have the heart to scold him.

“Quiet down.” Song Jingwei gave Benben a pat on the butt. Benben was strong and sturdy, and shaking around like that on Shen Junxi’s shoulders was really heavy.

“Ah!” Benben turned and called out to him, thinking Song Jingwei was playing with him, and started rocking around even more enthusiastically. In the end, he got another swat on the butt. He pouted and began to cry after a brief pause.

“…” Shen Junxi looked at the two of them helplessly. He didn’t know who to blame — he couldn’t bring himself to scold either of them.

“This is fine too, at least he’s quiet now.” Song Jingwei said, seeing that Benben had stopped rocking and was just crying.

Hearing their eldest grandson crying, his grandparents kept looking back to see what was going on. What happened? They looked and looked but couldn’t figure it out. Shen Dongming said to Yang Shi, “Stop looking. Xi’er and the daughter-in-law are watching him. What’s there to worry about?”

Yang Shi turned back and said, “Who’s worried? Didn’t you crane your neck too?” As if he wasn’t curious himself.

“Hey! Just watch where you’re walking!” Shen Dongming said.

The mountain paths were difficult to navigate. Everyone had to be extremely careful — especially the children and women who had never been into the mountains before. They were cautiously protected by the men in their families. They must not be injured.

Everyone had started walking just after dawn, and after nearly two hours, they arrived at a mountain hollow that had been prepared in advance.

“Everyone, be careful. Don’t panic, and don’t worry too much,” Song Jingwei had a loud-voiced man shout out. “Let’s treat this place like our own home. Cook when it’s time to eat, sleep when it’s dark — no big deal! Am I right?”

Everyone was exhausted from walking. All they could think about now was returning to their own shelters and cooking. Hearing this, they all agreed — yes, that’s right. Eating and sleeping were the true concerns of ordinary folks. Everything else could wait until they were full and rested.

“Alright, everyone go cook and eat! After eating, get a good sleep. We’ll talk in the afternoon!”

The crowd gradually dispersed, each family returning to the shelters they had prepared earlier. Among them, the mountain hollow found first by the main Shen family branch was the most populated. Those living inside felt fortunate, while those outside envied that they had secured a spot early on.

“Hey, just like that, we’ve entered the mountains. Good thing we were well-prepared beforehand.” Shen Dongming said as he arrived under his family’s grass hut and began setting down the things he had carried.