Taking them in

The scene was truly too gruesome to bear. A group of youths could not help vomiting, and several of the aunties fared little better.

Only the clan uncles, who had fought in many clan battles, were accustomed to such bloody battlefields. Broadswords in hand, they approached the gravely wounded and ended each one's life with a single stroke.

They bound those with minor wounds. Those who had thrown down their weapons and lain on the ground in surrender waited for them to come and bind them.

The clan chief, Wen Tiancheng, led his clansmen in clearing the battlefield. They gathered the ox carts and horse-drawn carriages together and loaded swords, sabers, and other spoils into the carriages.

"Father, we can go back now. Their small bands won't dare come near us anymore. If a large force comes, we won't be able to beat them anyway, so we should head back," Wenlong suggested.

Wen Tiancheng nodded as well, then turned and ordered the clansmen to escort the prisoners back to the village, leaving experienced members behind to erase their tracks.

They had won an overwhelming victory in this battle, capturing nearly a hundred members of the Kai clan. Not one member of the Wen clan had been killed or wounded, yet the clan's youths had contributed the most. This filled the clansmen with boundless confidence.

It also gave the Wen clan nearly a hundred slaves. As the clansmen saw it, their clan had few people and even fewer laborers.

Now that they had captured nearly a hundred slaves, their shortage of labor had finally been resolved.

The returning party had barely reached the village entrance when the victory drum sounded in the ancestral hall. The aunties brought the little children to the entrance to welcome the victorious clansmen home.

After beating the victory drum at the ancestral hall entrance, Long'er's mother hurried over too. She was delighted to see that all the clansmen had returned safely.

"We've returned victorious today! Let's hold a victory feast!" Wen Tiancheng laughed heartily and announced the celebration in a ringing voice.

Everyone cheered and leaped for joy, then headed into the village. Once inside, they each set to work, securing the prisoners and storing the spoils properly.

The women began preparing a lavish meal, while the men gathered to talk about the heroic deeds of the battle.

Wenzhu and Wen Daniu had performed the best this time. The clansmen surrounded them, showering them with praise for their performance in battle.

There was little need to say anything about Wenlong. Blessed by the ancestor, he possessed abilities no one could match.

In the main hall, everyone sat around a large table and discussed what to do next.

Wenlong was the first to speak again. "Any slave who has killed a member of the Wen clan must not be spared. Anyone who resists must be eliminated too."

Everyone agreed, and Wen Tiancheng added, "Form four squads to take turns overseeing the slaves at work. If anyone makes a suspicious move, shoot them dead with arrows."

"There's one more thing. I plan to build houses on Front Mountain and take in a group of youths to strengthen our forces. With our people on Front Mountain, we can also keep the village safe." Wenlong's words met with approval from every clansman.

The victory feast bustled with merriment all night long. Their overwhelming victory in their first clan battle since coming to the Ancestral Grounds kept the clansmen excited throughout the night.

Early the next morning, nine of the uncles were already at the Martial Arts Training Ground, wielding all manner of weapons. Despite the cold weather, they practiced their martial arts until sweat poured from them like rain.

Perhaps the younger generation had dealt their pride a blow. After seeing such outstanding martial skills from their juniors, the clan uncles naturally refused to fall behind.

The sun was already shining on his backside before Wenlong leisurely got out of bed. The Martial Arts Training Ground was already bustling, and the clansmen had been practicing for much of the morning.

After eating, Wenlong accompanied his uncles to Front Mountain to choose a site for the houses.

Standing on the mountain and looking ahead, he saw a broad plain below, ideal for reclaiming farmland. Behind him lay the Ancestral Grounds. Anyone entering the Wen clan's village would have to pass through here.

It seemed this was the best defensive barrier for the village. According to his plan, once the site was built, he would turn it into a sect to ensure the Wen clansmen's safety for years to come.

After surveying the terrain, Wenlong drew up a simple construction plan, using nearby stone as the building material.

The clan chief, Wen Tiancheng, immediately arranged for a guard squad to escort the slaves over and begin work, speeding up construction.

Every member of the guard squad carried a powerful bow and wore a broadsword at his waist. If any of the shackled slaves made a suspicious move, death would surely follow.

The following day, Wenlong took Shitou and Wenzhu to Brightlight City to see whether they could bring Xiao Tie and his group of little beggars to settle on Front Mountain.

The three rode swift horses and entered Brightlight City without incident. When they saw Xiao Tie again, they found that he had grown much weaker.

"Xiao Tie, what happened to the money I gave you? Didn't you seek treatment?" Wenlong asked, his heart aching.

Xiao Tie said nothing. A little beggar beside him hurriedly explained, "There are still lots of us who have nothing to eat. Brother Tie spent all the money on food." After speaking, the little beggar kept wiping away tears.

Wenlong let out a long sigh, momentarily at a loss for words. He had never experienced their suffering himself and did not understand just how desperate their circumstances were.

Weak as Xiao Tie was, his eyes remained full of longing as he looked at Wenlong, seeming to want to speak but holding back.

Of course, Wenlong knew what he was thinking. Softening his tone, he said, "Little Flower is doing well. If you miss her, I can take you to see her. You can even stay there for good."

Xiao Tie nodded desperately, tears streaming down his face. Supported by the little beggar, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly.

Wenlong could never bear to see this and hurriedly helped him up. He had Shitou buy several dozen steamed buns, then asked Xiao Tie to take them to meet the other beggars.

In a small, dilapidated temple east of Brightlight City, a large crowd of beggars huddled together. There were old people and children, some as young as two or three.

Xiao Tie introduced an old man. "This is Grandpa Zhang. He's been looking after us all along."

When Grandpa Zhang heard that Wenlong and his companions had saved Xiao Tie and taken Little Flower in, he said, "Young master, you've shown such great kindness! It was Little Flower's good fortune to meet someone as kind as you."

Wenlong told Shitou and Wenzhu to distribute the food, then turned to Grandpa Zhang. "Grandpa Zhang, we've reclaimed some farmland, and we'd like you to come help us look after it. What do you think?"

Grandpa Zhang looked at the other elderly people and the few women, hesitating. For a moment, he could not make up his mind.

Seeing his hesitation, Wenlong added, "Grandpa Zhang, you needn't worry. We'll provide food and clothing and teach the children to read and practice martial arts. You won't be selling yourselves into servitude. If you're dissatisfied, you can leave whenever you wish."

Seeing that none of the other elderly people or women objected, Grandpa Zhang immediately dropped to his knees to thank him for taking them in.

"Young master, your kindness is immense! We'll make sure to look after the children and tend your farmland well. We won't cause you any trouble." Grandpa Zhang's eyes brimmed with tears, his heart full of gratitude.

After helping Grandpa Zhang up, Wenlong continued, "The weather is cold now, and I'm afraid many people will struggle to survive. Here's what we'll do: gather all the homeless people begging for food, and we'll go to your new home together. I'll wait here for a day."

Grandpa Zhang was delighted. At last, they had met someone kindhearted. He immediately sent people to gather the beggars from elsewhere so they could all leave with Wenlong.