Chapter Twenty-Two: The Invitation

"To the west," the priestess whispered.

"The west? Isn't that Hat Mountain?" Chen Shu frowned.

West of the fishing village lay a deep forest. Beyond that, dozens of miles of mountain paths led to the territory of Hat Mountain.

And Hat Mountain—infamous for its bandits.

Chen Shu had once ventured to Hat Mountain for hunting, and was well aware of the ferocity and brutality of its bandits.

It was said that Scar Brother's chief was a leader among the Hat Mountain bandits.

"Yes, Hat Mountain!" Before the priestess could respond, the little girl clutching her steamed bun shouted, "It was those bandits who killed my father!"

Her eyes were bloodshot. After speaking, she buried herself in her mother's arms and cried.

Her sobs deepened the sorrow of the already cold and hungry refugees. The destruction of their village, the loss of loved ones, the endless wandering—who knew when it would end? One by one, heads drooped and tears began to flow. Even a few burly men could not help but embrace their heads and weep.

The priestess quietly wiped her tears.

Witnessing this, Qin Zhen felt a tumult of emotions. Today’s fate of these refugees—could it not someday befall the fishing village as well?

Simply accumulating wealth had no meaning. As the saying goes, when disaster strikes, you hoard guns, I hoard grain, and your home becomes my granary.

In times of chaos, survival depended only on oneself.

Returning to the village.

Liu Juan was the first to rush forward. "Zhen’er, are you all right? Did you get hurt?"

Qin Zhen pointed to the refugees following behind him. "It’s fine, just a misunderstanding. They're not bandits, but refugees fleeing from the west." He glanced at Liu Quan and the others. "Juan’er, gather a few people to cook some porridge and build a fire. Let them warm themselves."

"Refugees?" Liu Quan cast a wary look at the priestess and her companions, lowering his voice. "How can we just let refugees into the village? Who knows if any of them are troublemakers? And food is precious these days! We barely have enough for ourselves—how can we give it away to strangers?"

"Are you calling us troublemakers?" The young priest, face flushed with anger.

"May I ask your name?" Qin Zhen stepped between them.

"My Daoist name is Miaoyun," the priestess replied, coming over to mediate. "This is my junior brother, Shanhai."

"Priestess Miaoyun, my friend here speaks bluntly. Please forgive him," Qin Zhen gave Liu Quan a look, and he wisely fell silent.

"Of course," Miaoyun hastened to agree.

Were it not for Qin Zhen’s kindness in letting them rest in the village, they’d have spent the night hiding in the forest. Not to mention now being offered porridge—Miaoyun could confront anyone, but to Qin Zhen she remained courteous.

She glared at her junior brother, who lowered his head, still defiant.

At that moment, the old village chief emerged from the cellar, followed by the two village guard members who had fled.

Seeing Qin Zhen, the two looked deeply ashamed.

"You dare return?" Chen Shu sneered. "Run, then! If others flee, that's one thing, but you—members of the village guard—also ran? You disgrace us! If those had been real mountain bandits, the village would be slaughtered. What use are you then?"

A man of military background, he held nothing but contempt for cowards who deserted their post.

If you couldn’t stand the heat, don’t join the village guard. If you accepted the benefits but didn’t do your duty, you deserved to die.

"Qin Zhen, we—" The two were consumed with shame and anger.

Qin Zhen looked at them quietly; he knew he had to make an example now.

Otherwise, if everyone fled at the first sign of trouble, the village guard would be nothing but a formality.

"Your wives work at the textile factory, don’t they? From now on, they needn’t come."

Hearing that their wives could no longer work at the factory, the two panicked.

These days, villagers depended on work at Qin Zhen’s factory for a living.

Though the wages were meager, at least they weren’t starving.

Everyone tried desperately to get in, and now, because of their cowardice, not only were they expelled from the guard, but their families suffered too.

"Qin Zhen, we were wrong! Please give us another chance!"

"We were truly confused for a moment!"

They begged pitifully, tears streaming down their faces, moving many to sympathy.

The old village chief couldn’t bear it and pleaded, "Zhen’er, we’re all neighbors. Let it go! Who wouldn’t be scared in the darkness outside? Give them one more chance. Next time, if they run again, I’ll break their legs myself!"

"When the pirates landed years ago, if my brother had run, would any of you still be alive?" Qin Zhen’s retort silenced the old chief.

"Who isn’t afraid?" Qin Zhen’s gaze was icy. "Why don’t we run? Because the village is our home. If you won’t protect your own wives and children, do you expect mercy from bandits?"

He turned to Chen Shu and the others.

"All members of the village guard who protected the village tonight will have an extra meal!"

Punishment must be followed by reward.

Those who stayed to defend the village were true heroes.

The two who had fled now regretted their actions bitterly, wishing they could slap themselves.

How could they have been so foolish to run? They deserved punishment.

At that moment, Liu Juan arrived with steaming bowls of rice porridge topped with dried fish, its aroma filling the air.

"Eat," Qin Zhen personally handed a bowl to Priestess Miaoyun. "Rest well and sleep soundly."

Miaoyun looked at the porridge with mixed feelings.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Qin Zhen smiled faintly and walked away.

The refugees around them were already eating eagerly. The hot porridge burned their mouths, but they dared not stop for a moment.

Many wept as they ate, bowing to Qin Zhen in gratitude.

In a year of calamity, rice was more precious than people, yet Qin Zhen gave it freely to refugees. What else could he be called but a living Bodhisattva?

"What do you plan to do with these people?" Liu Quan asked gravely. "Let them stay for the night, then send them away in the morning?"

They were strangers. Offering porridge was already a great kindness; Liu Quan wanted to see them gone as soon as possible.

He wasn’t alone—most in the fishing village felt the same.

Chen Shu watched Qin Zhen in silence, knowing that Qin Zhen must have his own plans.

Qin Zhen gazed into the darkness beyond the village and spoke slowly, "Sooner or later, the mountain bandits will sweep through here. Don’t you think our village is a bit... empty?"

That night, Miaoyun tossed and turned.

Beside her, the little girl asked timidly, "Mama, will they drive us away?"

Her mother, hair disheveled, held her close and answered bitterly, "We don’t belong here."

To let them stay would mean dozens more mouths to feed—who would make such a foolish choice?

Miaoyun pondered silently and drifted into exhausted sleep.

At dawn the next day,

Miaoyun and her companions packed anxiously to leave, only to see Qin Zhen approaching with a group.

His words stunned the homeless refugees.

"You may stay."