High Wall

"I know everyone is very tired right now, having not slept all night, and very drowsy. The reason I gathered everyone here at noon is because I have several matters to arrange. These matters concern the lives and families of everyone here." Tran Mac's gaze swept across the crowd, his expression serious.

Hearing this, the villagers, originally enveloped by drowsiness, immediately perked up, their ears pricked. Since it concerned their lives, how could they not care?

"Firstly, although the government soldiers who left the city this time were killed by us, and we've achieved an initial victory, everyone should not think that because of this one time, the authorities will not dare to come again. That would be completely wrong."

Tran Mac said loudly, "There are still several thousand garrison troops in the city, well-equipped. Once they leave the city to surround and suppress us, it will be very difficult for us to cope."

Although it was better to show the good and hide the bad in the current situation, Tran Mac currently lacked both money and grain. To prevent them from relaxing, now that the hard-won unity risked scattering, Tran Mac had to constantly keep their bowstrings taut, to make them clearly understand that they had not yet escaped danger.

Only in this way could Tran Mac better lead them.

After all, if you want to live, you must listen to me, and moreover, you cannot be two-faced.

"To prevent future worries for everyone, I plan to establish a patrol team. The patrol personnel will temporarily be filled by able-bodied young men from Phuc Trach Village and Vuong Gia Trang. The captain of the patrol team will be Truong Ha," Tran Mac pointed towards Truong Ha.

Truong Ha immediately stepped forward, making an appearance before everyone, his neck even stretching a bit. He was secretly delighted that he too had become an 'official,' but his expression feigned seriousness, his eyes couldn't help but glance towards Han Vu.

"Immortal Master Tran, is this patrol team very useful?" a man from Vuong Gia Trang asked.

"Naturally, it concerns our safety. I plan to build a watchpost on Tieu Cao Mountain, ten li outside the county seat. Patrol members will take turns standing guard day and night. Once government soldiers are seen leaving the city, they must immediately return to the village to report. Furthermore, patrolling the villages, maintaining public order, and protecting the villages are also the responsibilities of the patrol team," Tran Mac said.

Hearing this, the able-bodied young men from Phuc Trach Village and Vuong Gia Trang inexplicably felt a bit excited. Having toiled in the fields for half their lives, spending every day with the yellow earth, they could actually do work similar to that of yamen runners for the authorities.

For a moment, they just felt a sense of mission welling up in their hearts.

Under the situation of no salary, to motivate their enthusiasm, Tran Mac added, "Those among them who perform outstandingly, after confirmation by Truong Ha and with my gracious approval, Truong Ha can teach you a saber technique. And this saber technique was taught to Truong Ha by my own hand; it is something only martial artist masters possess."

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd was greatly invigorated.

They were all peasants who dug food from the earth and had never seen any grand scenes. Hearing Tran Mac speak of a saber technique, they thought it was something very formidable. Some even regarded this saber technique as an immortal technique, feeling that after learning it, they too could be like Tran Mac, killing people from a distance with a swing of their saber.

Even Han Vu was moved and excited.

Tran Mac naturally noticed Han Vu and said, "You too. Starting tomorrow, you and your men will be called the fishing team. Han Vu, you are the captain. Tomorrow, I will personally teach you the saber technique. After you learn it, you can teach it to the outstanding performers in your team."

"Thank you, Immortal Master Tran!" Han Vu immediately expressed his thanks.

"Immortal Master Tran, what about us then?" The remaining unassigned villagers couldn't help but ask.

"The rest of you will directly follow my orders. Starting tomorrow, survey the mountain forests and begin building fortifications. Build a defensive system at the mountain passes. That way, if too many government soldiers leave the city, after the forward watchpost notifies us, we can take our families and flee to the mountains," Tran Mac said.

As his voice fell, the people from the patrol team and the fishing team immediately felt they were somewhat less favored; after all, Han Vu and Truong Ha could not compare to Tran Mac.

"Vuong Binh," Tran Mac said.

"I... am here."

"You lead people to register the patrol team, the fishing team, and those who directly follow my orders into a roster, for everyone's easy reference," Tran Mac said.

"Yes, sir."

After arranging everything, Tran Mac felt his mouth was a bit bitter and his tongue dry. He pressed his lips together, scanned the crowd once, and finally said:

"I hope everyone works harder and doesn't slack off, because the ones who will suffer will be yourselves. If the government soldiers attack, I can just go up the mountain and completely ignore you. And what about you? Even if the authorities show mercy and spare your lives, by then, you will revert to your former state: not enough food to eat, endless taxes to pay, and unbearable suffering."

The crowd members all nodded.

"Alright, Truong Ha, Han Vu, stay behind."

Tran Mac waved his hand: "The rest of you, disperse. Get some rest, and do what you need to do."

The villagers dispersed in groups of three and five. However, several dozen people remained standing there motionless. These people were all from Thanh Dinh County.

Tran Mac frowned and said, "What is it you want?"

These villagers glanced at each other, then one stammered out, "Immortal Master Tran, when will you go and bring our... our families here?"

As his voice fell, Han Vu also looked towards Tran Mac.

Among these 812 people, although most were from Binh Dinh County, there were still some from Thanh Dinh County, and they were also worried about their relatives at home.

Regarding this, Tran Mac was silent.

To rush from Phuc Trach Village to Thanh Dinh County was quite a distance. If they rushed there now, it would be dark.

The Binh Dinh County yamen had sent men out of the city this morning to arrest people. Thanh Dinh County wouldn't be much slower. By the time he led people there, their families might have already been captured by the Thanh Dinh County authorities.

Worst case scenario, rushing over might even be walking into a trap.

In his heart, Tran Mac had actually considered giving up on it, but at the moment, initial unity had been achieved. If he spoke bluntly, it might disturb people's hearts.

He looked at them, pondered for a moment, then said, "Tonight, I will have Han Vu take you back home to scout. If your families have been captured by the authorities and taken into the city, then I am powerless. If no one is there, then bring them directly here. I will shelter them."

They had actually been prepared for this, but hearing Tran Mac's sincere words, they still felt a measure of joy in their hearts.

Needless to say, Han Vu, on the road to Phung Tien earlier, when he killed officials alongside Han Tam, had already mentally prepared himself for losing his family.

Tran Mac kept Han Vu behind mainly to instruct him on managing the work at Dai Dong Lake, even giving him a quota, telling him how many fish to catch and deliver each day. Even if he couldn't meet it, he had to try his best to get close to this target.

After all, Dai Dong Lake was currently their important source of food.

Afterward, Tran Mac pulled Han Vu aside alone and said, "Tonight, when you return to Thanh Dinh County, if you find able-bodied men who, like you, fled back from the road to Phung Tien, you can try to pull them over to our side."

Tran Mac wanted to strengthen his forces and needed a sufficient population base to support it.

Thanh Dinh County had conscripted a thousand men, but now under his command, including Han Vu and his group, there were only about a hundred.

If he could draw over the remaining able-bodied men and their families, then everything would be very promising...