Chapter 47 A Maiden Sought by Scores of Suitors

Feiniu had just established the intelligence and security department of Zhang Village, and it had not yet formed any real combat effectiveness. Therefore, Zhang Chen had no idea who had sold the homemade grenades to the black market.

Water that is too clear has no fish, and as long as it did not cross the line, Zhang Chen would not go out of his way to hunt down the person who secretly sold the grenades. "Since there are homemade grenades, Zhang Chen, there should be real grenades as well. Our Deng-Lai Governor's Office is quite interested in the technology of real grenades. Well, let's not talk about grenades today."

Zhao Chengxuan took a sip of water. "You killed Wu Datou, the leader of the Bald Strong bandit gang in Cishan. Wu Erqiang, the second-in-command of the gang, is Wu Datou's cousin, and he will never let you go!" Zhang Chen, before the year is out, we will mobilize a large army to annihilate the Bald Strong bandit gang of Cishan."

Liu Zongyuan silently cursed Zhang Chen in his heart. "We can allow your Zhang Village militia to accompany the Dengzhou Prefectural army in attacking the Bald Strong bandit gang of Cishan."

Last year, the imperial court ordered the military and officials of Shandong to annihilate the Bald Strong bandit gang of Cishan and execute Wu Datou by a thousand cuts. Since Cishan was located within the Deng-Lai region, this task fell upon Sun Yuanhua, the Governor of Deng-Lai.

Several months had passed, and the end of the year was fast approaching, yet the Bald Strong bandit gang of Cishan was still living quite comfortably, placing immense pressure on Sun Yuanhua.

The Bald Strong bandit gang of Cishan had to be wiped out this year, and Sun Yuanhua was mobilizing a large army to prepare for another punitive campaign against them.

The combat effectiveness of the Zhang Village militia was not weak, and Zhao Chengxuan had suggested to Sun Yuanhua that the Zhang Village militia be brought into the fray.

At the time, Sun Yuanhua had agreed. "Tomorrow I will issue a formal document instructing Fushan County to notify the Zhang Village militia."

"Patron, there is no need for such trouble." Zhao Chengxuan wore a confident smile. "Tomorrow, when I go to Zhang Village to resolve the Futou Village incident, I will simply notify Zhang Village on the spot."

Believing that the sixteen-year-old Zhang Chen was merely a scholar with a bit of petty cleverness, Zhao Chengxuan thought he could easily handle Zhang Chen and get the Zhang Village militia to join the official troops in attacking the Bald Strong bandit gang of Cishan.

However, Zhang Chen was not only cunning; he possessed profound wisdom.

Zhang Chen was not easily fooled, and Zhao Chengxuan had decided to represent the Deng-Lai Governor's Office in negotiating with Zhang Chen regarding the deployment of the Zhang Village militia.

Yet Liu Zongyuan refused to accept reality, still attempting to trick Zhang Chen into dispatching troops to join the government forces in attacking the Bald Strong bandit gang of Cishan.

"Thank you for your kind intentions, Prefect Liu, but it is unnecessary. Our Zhang Village has already exerted all its strength to annihilate the two thousand Japanese pirates on Zhifu Island and the nine hundred sea bandits at Futou Village, securing victory in the Defense of Zhang Village. Although we paid a heavy price, we did not come away empty-handed."

Silently cursing Liu Zongyuan for treating him like a fool, Zhang Chen smiled faintly.

"In the coming year, no bandits, sea pirates, or Japanese pirates should dare to actively attack our Zhang Village. Unless Wu Erqiang's brain has been kicked by a donkey, he wouldn't dare lead the Bald Strong bandit gang of Cishan to our doorstep and court death."

Without a moment of hesitation, Zhang Chen flatly refused.

Liu Zongyuan cursed inwardly. This kid Zhang Chen is immune to both soft and hard tactics; a mere sixteen-year-old brat has turned into a crafty old demon. The silks, satins, and copper blocks that were almost in my grasp have flown away again, dammit!

"As everyone knows, over the past few days, our Zhang Village militia has fought two hard battles, suffering heavy casualties. The strength of the militia is severely depleted and we are no longer capable of fighting. Surely the government will not force our Zhang Village militia to march to Cishan and throw our lives away."

Qi Guoshu smiled. "Young Master Xu Zize dropped a hint before he left, advising our master to quickly send someone to Jinan City to propose marriage. Our Zhang Village will be busy with the grand event of 'proposing marriage in the back courtyard of the Governor's Office in Jinan City' over the next few days, and we simply have no time to dispatch troops to fight the bandits of Cishan."

Just like that, Qi Guoshu completely blocked off the path of the Deng-Lai Governor's Office ordering the Zhang Village militia to join the official troops in attacking the Bald Strong bandit gang of Cishan!

Qi Guoshu was not lying. Before returning to Jinan, Xu Zize had patted Zhang Chen on the shoulder. "Every fine maiden has numerous suitors; some matters must be pursued repeatedly. You rascal are a sensible man, don't let my sister down."

Xu Zize was not merely hinting; he had explicitly told Zhang Chen that to increase his chances of success, he, the young man, needed to go to their home and propose marriage multiple times.

Xu Zize had no other choice.

The Bald Strong bandits of Cishan had launched a night raid on Zhang Village, and Zhang Chen had led the militia through a bloody battle to win the First Defense of Zhang Village. During a literary gathering, he had also tossed out half of an exceptionally brilliant "Ballad of Mulan".

A talented and capable Zhang Chen had thus become a prized commodity in the eyes of unmarried women.

Then, two thousand Japanese pirates from Zhifu Island and nine hundred sea bandits from Futou Village raided Zhang Village, and Zhang Chen led the militia through another bloody battle to win the Second Defense of Zhang Village.

After the battle, when some attempted to seize his spoils of war, Zhang Chen was moved to compose another magnificent poem in the backyard of the Zhang residence.

A talented and capable Zhang Chen once again became a highly sought-after catch in the eyes of unmarried women.

Feeling quite helpless, Xu Zize had no choice but to remind Zhang Chen that it was time to come to their home to propose, to show his face before his father so that his father would know there was a young man pursuing his younger sister.

Daring not to delay, the men dispatched by Qi Guoshu had set off for Jinan early this morning.

Over fifty years of age, Zhang Zongzhou was the most senior scholar in Zhang Village. He was the sole prominent village elder—and the most respected rural figure within a radius of thirty miles.

Owning a shop on the front street of Zhang Village, Zhang Zongzhou lacked for nothing in food or clothing, and he remained quite robust in health. Accompanied by more than a dozen militia members acting as bodyguards, Zhang Zongzhou traveled to Jinan by land.

Upon arriving in Jinan City, Zhang Zongzhou would hire an eloquent and experienced matchmaker to go to the back courtyard of the Governor's Office to propose marriage to Xu Zihan's family.

Zhang Zongzhou would reside in Jinan City until Zhang Chen successfully married Xu Zihan and brought her home.

From then on, at regular intervals, Zhang Zongzhou would continue to hire experienced matchmakers to visit the back courtyard of the Governor's Office to renew the marriage proposal to Xu Zihan's family.

Furthermore, Zhang Zongzhou's overland journey to Jinan with a dozen bodyguards was not solely for the purpose of handling Zhang Chen's private affairs.

Zhang Zongzhou would travel along the official post road passing through Dengzhou City, Laizhou City, Qingzhou City, and finally to Jinan City.

Carrying out Zhang Chen's orders, as he passed through Laizhou City, Qingzhou City, and various county seats along the way, Zhang Zongzhou would post Zhang Village's recruitment notices on the bulletin boards outside the city gates.

Zhang Village, Fushan County, Dengzhou Prefecture, is offering high compensation (monthly wages no less than ten taels of silver) to sincerely recruit blacksmiths, carpenters, gunpowder makers, masons, and all kinds of artisans (anyone with a specialized skill). Room and board will be provided upon hiring.

Zhang Village, Fushan County, Dengzhou Prefecture, is offering high compensation (monthly wages no less than fifty taels of silver) to sincerely recruit scholars. Those hired will be provided with a house, a carriage (horse-drawn carriage), and a relocation allowance of no less than three hundred taels of silver.

Currently, Zhang Village could not attract scholars, and even lower-level scholars would not come to work in Zhang Village.

Possessing self-awareness, Zhang Chen's primary target was to recruit exceptional artisans from among the wandering refugees.

"We are not asking your Zhang Village militia to work for nothing."

Being extremely shrewd, Zhao Chengxuan directly laid his cards on the table:

"The Deng-Lai Governor's Office, the Deng-Lai Regional Military Commander's Office, and the Dengzhou Prefectural Office will waive the silks, satins, and copper blocks. You only need to give Qi Dazhi silks and satins worth ten thousand taels of silver, and give Shi Keren silks and satins worth two thousand taels of silver."

"If your Zhang Village militia joins the military commander's army to attack the Bald Strong bandit gang of Cishan, the three authorities will completely waive the silks, satins, and copper blocks. This is equivalent to providing the Zhang Village militia with a mobilization fund of thirty-eight thousand taels of silver."

Liu Likai cursed Zhang Chen inwardly: "This was strongly advocated by Mr. Zhao, you've gotten a cheap bargain!"