The newly captured slaves were fitted with wrist shackles and leg irons, then handed over to the Clan Chief to assign. In one stroke, the shortage of labor was solved.
Some relatives from his aunts' birth families had already arrived at the Huaxia Sect, bringing their entire households with them.
Wenlong turned to his father again. "Father, discuss this with the clansmen. See if they can notify their paternal aunts and great-aunts. As long as they're willing to come, the same terms will apply."
Wen Tiancheng was delighted. "That's a good idea. I'll discuss it with them as soon as possible. I'm sure everyone will be more than willing."
"Also, we need to plan out the land below the mountain first. There will be streets and a town there in the future, so we should avoid trouble down the road. Allocate farmland to the new households according to how many people they have," Wenlong said.
"Don't worry, I'll arrange it. Long'er, there's something I want to discuss with you too. I think Xiao Tie is a good boy, and I'd like to take him as my adopted son. What do you think?" Wen Tiancheng asked, looking at his son.
"Xiao Tie seems to know how to show gratitude. As long as Mother has no objections, that's fine," Wenlong said with a smile.
Wen Tiancheng had been worried that his son would object. Seeing that he did not, he felt quite pleased. As Clan Chief of the Wen clan, he felt his own family was rather small.
The next day, Xiao Tie was brought into Wen Family Village and acknowledged the Clan Chief and his wife as his adoptive parents. Both husband and wife were delighted.
From then on, Wenlong had a nine-year-old younger brother, Wen Tie, and a six-year-old younger sister, Wen Hua.
Looking at his new brother and sister, Wenlong's heart filled with joy, and his confidence in the Huaxia Sect's future grew stronger.
It was spring plowing season, and the Kai clan dared not send out small squads. But if they sent a large force, they could not find anyone to take revenge on.
This instead allowed the Wen clan to enjoy a period of peace. With over two hundred slaves, they no longer had to worry about either spring plowing or their other construction projects.
Apart from occasionally working with Seventh Uncle on making the Repeating Crossbow, Wenlong spent most of his time in the quiet Secret Passage, practicing martial arts or studying medicine.
One day, after emerging from seclusion, Wenlong went to the Smithy to find Seventh Uncle again. When Seventh Uncle saw him, he happily brought out the newly made Repeating Crossbow.
Wenlong was thrilled and hurried to the target range to test it. After he had fired all twenty bolts, he spoke.
"Seventh Uncle, this is already very good. Make the internal parts a little more precise to improve its accuracy, and it'll be more powerful too."
He then pointed out its shortcomings and told Seventh Uncle to correct them before producing an initial batch of twenty. With this formidable weapon in the Village Guard Squad's hands, the clan would be even stronger.
However, these Repeating Crossbows needed to be strictly controlled to prevent the technology for making them from leaking out.
The clansmen's armor also needed improvement. After discussing it with Seventh Uncle, Wenlong laid out a plan for making protective gear.
Wenlong also went to inspect the Brick Kiln. They were now producing bricks and roof tiles. These did not demand much technical skill, and even slightly inferior ones could still be used.
They had also burned lime. Papermaking could wait, so he instructed the clansmen to assign the slaves to continue producing bricks, tiles, and lime in large quantities.
Once spring plowing was finished, they would build houses with the bricks and tiles and raise the enclosing walls. Every route that bypassed the Huaxia Sect would be sealed off.
After that, the only route into Wen Family Village would pass through the Huaxia Sect. This would make the clan's home safer and reduce the number of people needed to defend it.
After spring plowing, they would also recruit strong men from the new arrivals into the village guard. The Wen clan would pay their wages, giving them a source of income.
The newly arrived farming households were all connected to them through blood or marriage, and the Wen clan would build enclosed compounds for them free of charge.
If anything happened to them, it would be clearly visible from the Huaxia Sect above. The sect could send help immediately, ensuring their safety.
In Wan Family Town, many wealthy Kai households had been stripped of their money and grain. The squads they sent out never returned, and even their farm workers had been carried off.
For the already panic-stricken Kai clan, this was frost piled upon snow. Quite a few clansmen who feared trouble had already moved away with their entire families.
Only those with substantial interests there were unwilling to leave. These were all leading figures who had taken part in plundering the wealth of other clans.
Now they were all discussing how to find the culprits who had harmed them once spring plowing was over.
What they did not know was that the Wen clan was also planning how to take revenge on the Kai clan, little by little.
Wenlong was training the youngsters with the best lightness skills: Wenzhu, Wenye, Wen Shitou, Wenlin, and the brothers Daniu and Erniu.
Now that they had Repeating Crossbows, it would truly be a shame not to launch a surprise attack on the Kai clan.
Thus, the seven of them trained day and night, focusing on lightness skills and firing their Repeating Crossbows. This was their final training for the surprise attack on the Kai clan.
The Repeating Crossbows were quick to master, though. Within a day, they had more or less gotten the hang of them.
Seeing that everyone was ready, Wenlong told them to bring plenty of bolts and hidden weapons and avoid direct combat as much as possible.
Deep in the night in Wan Family Town, a dark silhouette moved like a ghost. Swift as lightning, it flashed past without even the dogs at the gates noticing it nearby.
The intruder was Wenlong. He was fully equipped, wearing his Protective Suit and a face mask. His aim was to plunder money and grain first, then kill the wealthy Kai clansmen and their guards.
He would then lure the Kai clan out so that his companions, lying in ambush nearby, could unleash a fierce attack.
By now, Wenlong had filled his storage space with money and grain. He began silently assassinating the wealthy Kai clansmen, unseen by gods or ghosts.
When he could find no more wealthy Kai targets, he began killing the Retainer Warriors. This was much easier to detect, and the Kai clan began to react.
As the commotion grew louder, Wenlong shot down the few men who came after him, one by one.
He no longer concealed himself and slowly moved toward his companions' ambush site.
When the Kai clansmen behind him saw that charging forward meant death, they no longer dared rush at him.
Seeing his pursuers keep backing away, Wenlong felt utterly frustrated. Why aren't you chasing me? I'm right here!
With no other choice, he turned around and chased them, firing bolts. More and more Kai clansmen appeared, and someone had begun organizing a pursuit.
Wenlong moved toward his companions' ambush site again. Their enemies all carried torches, allowing Wenlong and the others to see them clearly.
They were practically living targets. However, once they realized Wenlong was alone, they raised their bows and shot back.
They were out in the open while Wenlong was in the shadows, so they posed little threat to him, especially since he was wearing his Protective Suit.
When the enemy entered the ambush site, Shitou and the others fired together. In an instant, the Kai clansmen at the front fell in swathes.
Before long, well over a hundred had died beneath their crossbow bolts, and still more Kai clansmen were arriving.
"There are too many of them," Wenlong said quietly. "Fight as we retreat. Don't let them surround us."
Once the Kai clan learned how few attackers there were, they began organizing a counterattack. Some men held objects in front of themselves as shields and slowly advanced.
Hidden in the darkness, Wenlong and the others saw them shielding their upper bodies and shot at their legs instead. Kai clansmen continued to fall.
They had retreated to where they had left their horses. "Brother Shitou, take everyone and pull out first. I'll cover the rear," Wenlong said, telling them to leave ahead of him.
Shitou did not waste time arguing. He immediately told the others to mount and withdraw.
Hearing the hoofbeats, the Kai clansmen behind them grew frantic and charged forward desperately, trying to stop their enemies from escaping.
Wenlong unleashed a furious barrage of crossbow bolts, then swept his hand back and up. With Goddess Scatters Flowers, his Darts shot savagely toward the enemy.
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