Planning

Zhou Ping was still fretting when Zhou Changhe walked over, carrying a scroll.

"Uncle, this is the layout I've drawn up for the four villages. Please look it over."

Zhou Ping took it and swept his gaze across the pages. He found that the four locations were situated near Niu Family Village, only one or two li away, cleanly dividing their territory into four distinct sectors.

"With you handling matters, I can put my mind at ease."

This eastward expansion had not only resulted in Zhou Changxi's murder, but also the loss of a full two to three hundred able-bodied men. It was a disastrous blow.

As a result, even with the other two fronts advancing steadily, the total population under the Zhou family's rule now amounted to a mere eight hundred. For the extent of their current territory, it was far too sparsely populated.

To recover their vitality as quickly as possible, the best method was to break up these eight hundred people. By scattering them into villages of several dozen households across the territory, they could ensure the fertile fields would not lie dormant, naturally yielding greater harvests of grain.

Furthermore, by collecting only a two-tenths rent, the tenant farmers would be able to hoard surplus grain. With full bellies, they would naturally be eager to bear children and expand their families.

However, demonic beasts still roamed their borders. Scattering the mortals too thinly would invite peril. If they encountered a more formidable beast, an entire village could easily be wiped out.

Thus, Zhou Changhe planned to divide the eight hundred into four consolidated villages. While not as productive as scattering them everywhere, it provided a necessary measure of safety. If danger struck, the family could dispatch timely aid.

Zhou Ping spoke slowly, "Once things settle down outside, send men to establish contact with the county town. Seek out the merchant houses in particular, and purchase some grain."

Over the past several days, the Zhou family had organized their subjects to plant crops like sweet potatoes. But no matter how early they matured, it would take at least a month or two for the harvest to arrive.

Even though the family had seized a fair amount of stores from the local wealthy households, it would still be difficult to feed eight hundred mouths for months on end. This was the perfect opportunity to thoroughly open trade routes with the county town.

Although their foundation was shallow, they possessed spirit rice, which mortals desperately coveted. In the future, when the mountain bore spirit fruits, even unranked ones would be considered wondrous treasures in the mortal world. These could all serve as bargaining chips in their dealings with the merchants.

Zhou Ping was confident that merchant houses would flock to pledge their allegiance. Before the drought, several merchants had sought to attach themselves upon hearing the Zhou family had ascended to become an Immortal clan, only for the disaster to stall their plans. Now that peace had returned, they would naturally swarm over.

"I understand," Zhou Changhe replied.

Zhou Ping continued, "Also, establish a clan school at Niu Family Village. Gather all the children of appropriate age and have Zhou Chang'an serve as their master. See that these young ones are properly taught how to read and write."

The tragedy with Zhou Changxi had laid bare one of the family's greatest failings: their cultivation and guidance of the younger generation was practically nonexistent.

If the family had properly disciplined and educated their youths, even with Changxi's flawed temperament, he would not have met such a miserable end.

Yet, their hands had been forced. When Changxi was young, the Zhou family had appeared prosperous on the surface, but dark undercurrents churned beneath. Zhou Ping had even been forced to hide away in the deep mountains and ancient forests just to preserve the bloodline.

In those days, everyone's hopes had been pinned entirely on Zhou Minghu, praying he would become an Immortal Master. It was inevitable that the second young master of the third generation was pushed to the periphery.

Even the later arrivals, Zhou Xuanya and Zhou Chang'an, enjoyed far better treatment than Zhou Changxi, simply because the family had gradually stabilized by then.

Now that the family had firmly planted its feet, Zhou Ping could no longer turn a blind eye to this oversight.

Gathering all the mortal children for schooling was also a deliberate move. It would allow the Zhou family's youths to mingle with the offspring of the tenant farmers. This prevented the dangerous disconnect of masters not knowing their servants, and servants failing to recognize their masters, ensuring the next generation could seamlessly take over the administration of the villages.

Of course, this arrangement was largely born of necessity; the Zhou family currently suffered from a severe lack of manpower, making a single, unified clan school the most practical step.

Now, with the restructuring into four outer villages, the original Baixi Village had been completely emptied. This transformed the entire mountain interior into the Zhou family's exclusive, private domain.

In the future, once the family flourished, Zhou Ping intended to properly cultivate Baixi Mountain. He would transform the mountain interior into a worldly paradise where their kin could live in peace, using the wealth of the outside to nourish the inside-allowing a hundred families to provide for one.

Should they accumulate enough Spirit Stones, he would absolutely purchase another formation array to envelop the entirety of Baixi Village. This would grant the younger generation a haven free of worry, sheltering them until they grew strong enough to stand alone and Return the favor to the family.

Zhou Changhe nodded, then added, "I plan to transfer all the clan soldiers over, reshaping that location into the Zhou family's central town. It will allow us to better control the four villages."

To combat the sudden influx of demonic beasts, the Zhou family had drafted fifteen men from their estate guards and twenty-five from the farming households. This forty-man clan militia now served to defend their borders from all directions.

A gratified smile touched Zhou Ping's lips. "Send all the estate guards from the mountain down as well. With me stationed up here, nothing will go awry."

"Also, regarding the stewards for the four villages, how do you intend to arrange them?"

Zhou Changhe spoke methodically, "I've decided to have Zhou Hu manage the Northern Village, and Wang Hui oversee the Southern Village. As for the Eastern Village, I will place Wang Feng and Niu Zhou in joint command. For the Central Village, it is best to leave it under Qian Fangsu's jurisdiction."

"The Eastern Village is the furthest from us. I wouldn't feel completely at ease entrusting it to just one man. Letting the two of them compete and balance each other out is a safer bet."

Zhou Ping nodded. "These are trivial matters. As long as Niu Family Village is swiftly restructured to serve as our central town, the four villages naturally won't splinter away."

Every gathering of forces required a sturdy backbone to anchor its authority and maintain control over the surrounding lands. Villages and towns were no exception.

As a spirit mountain, Baixi Mountain was logically the most fitting place to serve as that core.

However, the grand formation array was far too crucial. If a bustling town were built within its bounds, their defenses would inevitably drop. Should malicious actors slip into the array under the guise of commoners, the family might not even realize it until it was too late.

Niu Family Village, on the other hand, sat squarely on the inevitable path leading out of Baixi Mountain. Situated at an ideal distance from the four outer territories, it was simply the perfect location.

"I understand." Zhou Changhe bowed his head in acknowledgment and took his leave.

He promptly led a company of guards down the mountain. The moment they stepped off the mountain path, they were greeted by a massive crowd, standing with tools in hand, craning their necks in eager anticipation.

Zhou Changhe naturally knew what these people were yearning for. He immediately roared, "Move out!"

The tenant farmers erupted into a cacophony of excited shouts, hoisting their spades and hoes as they marched toward the horizon.

The Zhou family had decreed that all this land could be opened up and cultivated, and they only required a two-tenths rent!

The vast majority of them had never even heard of a two-tenths rent. Since the day they could remember, the wealthy landlords had wrung five or six tenths from their harvests, not to mention land taxes and an endless string of exorbitant levies.

But now, they only had to surrender two-tenths. Everything else was theirs to keep!

As for Niu Zhou and the other former landlords, though they had lost their personal estates, not a single one among them felt a trace of sorrow. They were now village stewards. By clinging to the Zhou family's coattails, they had ascended to power in a single stroke.

Up on Ming Peak, Zhou Ping and Zhou Minghu stood side by side, gazing into the distance at the departing procession.

After a long moment, Zhou Ping turned his head and asked, "Minghu, are you willing to take a daughter of the Niu family?"

Zhou Minghu bowed deeply. "Your son is willing."

For any rising power, marriage alliances were a necessary tool. Among the subordinate forces gathered under their banner, only the Niu family lacked a deep connection to their bloodline. Naturally, Zhou Ping could not rest easy.

Yet, Zhou Xuanya was still young, and an Immortal Master at that; the position of his principal wife was incredibly precious. The Niu family simply did not possess the worth to warrant such a grand gesture. Meanwhile, Zhou Changhe's current concubine was Qian Fangsu's younger sister. Placing a Niu daughter beneath her would inevitably smack of an insult, cheapening the Niu family's dignity.

Making her a concubine to Zhou Minghu, however, struck the perfect balance.

After all, Minghu's first concubine, Lady Wang, hailed from the Wang family-a clan whose seniority and strength both eclipsed the Niu family.

"Minghu, you must understand. Some things do not require you to invest your heart. They are merely a means to an end."

"Minghu understands."

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