Small groves of trees grew on both banks of the Xiaochenxi, mainly because few people lived by the river.
Now, they provided the perfect cover for Chen Nuo and his men.
Chen Nuo lay prone on a branch, his figure concealed by the dense leaves.
He narrowed his eyes and peered at the opposite bank.
At that moment, the upright figures gradually approached the Xiaochenxi, their forms becoming clearer.
'They really are people. And from their clothing and build, they don't look like refugees. They're masked and carrying tools like hoes... that can only mean they're from around here. Nearby? Hu Family Village!'
In an instant, Chen Nuo had deduced the answer.
He slid down from the tree and, stooping low, darted into the grove.
He slapped two adjacent, crooked trees twice.
THUD!
Two burly men jumped down from the trees. It was Chen Li and Chen Yong.
"Clan Leader?"
"It's people from Hu Family Village. Let's go. Back to the manor, now."
Hearing the words "Hu Family Village," the expressions of the two men changed drastically.
"Those bastards. I'll kill every last one of them sooner or later," Chen Yong cursed furiously.
Chen Li's face was grim, a fire seeming to burn in his eyes.
"Enough. Let's move."
The three of them quickened their pace, cutting through the grove and running toward the manor.
...
「Chen Manor.」
Outside the manor, a man harvesting grain looked up at the big sun. "It's so hot. I wish I had some water."
"Huh? Is that... the Clan Leader?!"
"Why is the Clan Leader running?"
While he was still dazed, he saw the Clan Leader approaching at an incredible speed.
Chen Nuo's arms and legs pumped extremely fast.
There was little technique to his run—it was all pure power!
He put his all into every step.
This method consumed a lot of stamina and wore out his shoes, but there was no denying it was genuinely fast!
Chen Li and Chen Yong were still lagging far behind.
Chen Nuo shouted at the clansman here to have everyone gather in the village immediately.
"Quick! Everyone gather in the village!"
Then he bolted toward the village, shouting as he ran, completely devoid of the dignity and decorum expected of a Clan Leader.
Chen Yong and Chen Li, who arrived shortly after, herded the still-hesitant clansmen back toward the village.
And so, Chen Nuo ran all the way back to the ancestral hall. In a side room, he found and took out a copper gong.
GONG GONG GONG!!!
Someone quickly ran over, and it happened to be one of the ten men he held in high regard.
"Clan Leader? What's going on?"
Chen Nuo wasted no time on pleasantries. "Go. You head east and get all the clansmen. Quick."
Without a moment's hesitation, the man immediately ran off to relay the message.
More people arrived one after another, and Chen Nuo sent them all out in different directions to summon everyone.
Soon, the open space in front of the ancestral hall was filled with people.
The whole time, Chen Nuo was counting. 'Forty-eight adult men, thirty-four young men...'
He didn't count the women, girls, elderly, or children.
"There are still people who haven't arrived."
"Brother Nuo, it's the autumn harvest. They're farther out and won't make it back in time," Chen Li said from the side.
"What do we do now?"
Chen Nuo frowned slightly. 'After all, this is just an ordinary village; it's impossible to have something like a beacon tower. But a large bell should be possible. Next time, I'll need to arrange for sentries, or I won't even be able to gather the clansmen in time.'
Just then, "Ah Nuo, what is happening?"
The Uncle Ancestor had also rushed over.
"Uncle Ancestor, people from Hu Family Village are here. They came from Xiaochenxi. I think they're here to act as bandits."
!
Age brings wisdom. The Uncle Ancestor understood immediately. Seeing everyone subconsciously look at him, he said nothing, instead turning his gaze to Chen Nuo.
"What do you plan to do?"
Chen Nuo had already figured out the answer to that question on his way back.
"Move the women, children, and elderly. Arrange for them to stay in the ancestral hall. All the men will follow me to set an ambush. I'm fast, so based on their travel time, we still have a little time to prepare. This is our home ground, and they don't know we've spotted them. We can absolutely turn the tables and ambush them."
"Uncle Ancestor, I'll be relying on you to command things here."
The Uncle Ancestor didn't object to Chen Nuo's plan. "Mm, go on. Don't worry."
Chen Nuo turned to everyone. "The people from Hu Family Village are here! What do you think they've come for?"
Everyone's expression turned grim.
Did they even need to ask?
It couldn't be for anything good.
Everyone knew instinctively that the people from Hu Family Village had ill intentions.
"Now! All you men—if you don't want your grain stolen and your women bullied—everyone except the children and the elderly, follow me."
This was where the benefit of the prestige Chen Nuo had previously earned began to show.
Everyone believed his words, trusted in his abilities, and was willing to follow his arrangements.
No one objected or caused a commotion.
In silence, everyone followed Chen Nuo toward the village entrance.
Watching their backs, the women present were all silent, filled with fear and anxiety.
Sister La and her mother were also among them. The Uncle Ancestor called them over but did not let them enter the ancestral hall.
Women were not allowed inside the ancestral hall. That was the rule in mainstream society.
"La Zi, help the Uncle Ancestor settle everyone down. Those with children, come over here..."
...
「On the other side.」
Chen Nuo had people prepare hoes, wood-chopping knives, axes, and other such items. Everyone took one in an orderly fashion, showing no signs of panic.
"Everyone, listen to me. There are about eighty of them, and they don't know that we know they're coming. So, we can ambush them from both sides. Chen Li, Chen Yong, each of you take some men to the flanks."
"The rest of you will stay with me. A few of you will act as a lure. Don't let them see through the deception. Once my group engages, Chen Li, Chen Yong, you make your move."
"Also, we can send more people to... cut off their retreat..."
"Dig pits... signal flares..."
Even though this was his first time commanding a "war," Chen Nuo still wanted to try and use all the miscellaneous tactics and whatnots from his past life.
But, looking at their bewildered expressions, Chen Nuo came to a realization.
They probably understood the first part, but the stuff after that about cutting off retreats, digging pits, and signal flares? They likely didn't get any of it.
To a group of uneducated people, wasn't talking about these abstract concepts without any practical instruction or drills just complete nonsense?
'Combine theory with practice, consider the actual situation... I was the one being unrealistic!'
"Alright, forget that last part. Chen Li, Chen Yong, you each take your men and set up ambushes on the left and right. Make sure you're not discovered."
"Do you all understand now?"
"Oh, oh, oh."
At this moment, Chen Nuo discovered that not a single person present was afraid. Their eyes were filled with excitement and fury. Some of the younger guys were even licking their lips.
There wasn't a shred of hesitation! Not a hint of fear!
'They're all seasoned brawlers!'
Chen Nuo's mind suddenly wandered.
'The Chen Manor isn't even that poor, and my people are like this. I can't imagine how fierce the people from truly harsh and impoverished lands must be.'
'And now the taxes have suddenly gotten so heavy...'