Chapter 6

It must be said that the efficiency of the bandit camp's kitchen was quite remarkable. Under Zhou Zhi's direction, a feast for nearly a thousand people was prepared within an hour. The leaders and their subordinates dined in the Hall of Righteous Gathering, while outside, on a flat expanse of land, sixty to seventy large round tables were densely arranged for the bandits not on duty to sit and enjoy the rare feast.

Wang Lun, along with Du Qian, Song Wan, and Zhu Gui, sat at the head table. Since Wang Lun did not drink alcohol today and barely touched the meat, Du Qian and Song Wan felt the atmosphere was not lively enough, so they called over Wang Lun's two newly promoted subordinates, Yan Qi and Jia San, to join the leaders' table and drink with them.

These two young men, though unreliable in their duties, were skilled at eating and drinking. They were in high spirits today and frequently toasted the others, quickly livening up the atmosphere.

Wang Lun watched Yan Qi and Jia San, who were getting carried away, with a sense of disgust. He knew that Du and Song's actions were a way to curry favor with him. Otherwise, why would they have chosen these two among so many subordinates? However, Wang Lun now felt a bit of revulsion at the sight of them. Coupled with his recent recovery from a serious illness, he could not eat much. After sitting with everyone for a while, he got up and greeted Du Qian, Song Wan, and Zhu Gui, then left the table alone to get some fresh air.

It was now late winter, and the New Year was approaching. However, the weather today was surprisingly good, with the fierce north wind of last night having abruptly stopped. The sky was a clear blue, and the warm sun shone brightly, making people feel a pleasant warmth and an indescribable joy.

Outside the Hall of Righteous Gathering, the large tables were already filled with people. The busy cooks, stepping on the shallow snow, moved nimbly among the crowd. They served the best beef, mutton, chicken, goose, vegetables, and village-brewed wine, one after another. The enthusiastic men played drinking games, boasted, joked, sang, and feasted, creating a lively and bustling scene.

Wang Lun looked at all this and smiled contentedly. He knew that from today on, his fate would be closely intertwined with these vibrant and real people. He would share their joys, embrace their victories, and welcome their hopes together. At the same time, he was also aware that the difficulties of the road would cause some of them to fall behind along the way, but...

Wang Lun shook his head vigorously, took a deep breath, and his mind became particularly clear in the cold air. He raised his head and gazed at the vast sky, silently vowing: "Old senior, rest in peace! As long as I am here, I will lead them to create the future!"

He did not know how far they could ultimately go, but he was sure it would be longer and farther than the predetermined old path.

...

"Chief, would you like a steamed bun?"

Wang Lun, whose thoughts had been interrupted, turned around and saw Zhou Zhi standing beside him with a plate of steamed buns. Wang Lun took one, indicating that it was enough. Zhou Zhi walked to the nearest table, put down the plate, and took a steamed bun for himself, then came to join Wang Lun.

Wang Lun smiled and gestured for Zhou Zhi to take a walk with him. After taking a bite of the steamed bun, which was not much different from the ones he had eaten in the future, he asked Zhou Zhi, "How is the food in the bandit camp usually?"

Just as Zhou Zhi was about to answer, he heard a commotion at a nearby table. Seeing that Wang Lun's attention was drawn there, he did not directly answer the chief's question but said, "The men are used to playing and joking around, and they have made a fool of themselves in front of the chief!"

Wang Lun looked at the table and saw a simple-looking man with a red face, looking embarrassed as he tried to refuse the others, saying, "This is enough, I shouldn't take any more!"

The others at the table jeered, "Enough my ass! A half-grown kid can eat his father poor. Even if your delicate wife doesn't eat, the child will!"

Amidst the laughter, a burly man stood up, reached into the red-faced man's food box, and took a steamed bun for himself, then threw the rest back onto the empty plate. He then picked out the best chicken legs and roast goose and put them in the food box, muttering through a mouth full of steamed bun, "Why bring steamed buns? Bring more meat so your wife and children can have a taste!"

The red-faced man, full of gratitude, bowed and tried to refuse, saying, "Everyone is only half-fed on most days. How can I take food from my brothers?" The burly man ignored him and continued to fill the food box. Soon, the red-faced man's eyes welled up with tears, and the other men at the table fell silent, no longer teasing him, and instead began to put more food into the food box.

Wang Lun looked at Zhou Zhi with some confusion. Zhou Zhi smiled awkwardly and explained, "The camp's rule is that only the men on the roster get meals. However, for those with families, the cooks usually add more portions." He knew that his benefactor had lost his memory and briefly explained the situation, "Since winter, there have been few merchants passing by the camp, and the income over the past two months has been poor. Everyone's stomachs are empty, and the single men are still well-fed, even though the meals have been reduced from three to two a day. However, those with families are having a hard time!"

Before Zhou Zhi finished, Wang Lun had already understood.

As a bandit camp that primarily relied on plunder, ensuring that the able-bodied men were well-fed was the top priority. As for the families who followed them up the mountain, since they could not directly contribute to the camp's economic benefits, their material distribution depended on the camp's financial situation. Wang Lun understood the approach of his predecessor, but understanding did not mean he would follow it.

Wang Lun patted Zhou Zhi on the shoulder and instructed, "Set up more tables and serve the same amount of food as the others. If there's not enough, slaughter more livestock. Send people to invite the families over. The old rules end here. From now on, everyone who comes up the mountain, regardless of age or gender, will have a share!"

Zhou Zhi was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and left. Wang Lun walked to the table where the red-faced man was sitting. When the men saw the chief approaching, they all stood up and bowed. Without a word, Wang Lun reached into the food box, took out the plate piled high with food, and placed it in the center of the table, saying, "Everyone, eat your fill first!"

The red-faced man, seeing this, immediately burst into tears and knelt down, crying, "Chief, I... I didn't dare to be greedy. It's just that my wife and children came up the mountain with me, and they need to eat too, Chief. I didn't eat anything myself just now. I... I was wrong, I am willing to accept military law... I am willing to accept military law..."

His cries drew the attention of the surrounding people, and the noisy environment suddenly fell silent. People at other tables, seeing what was happening, quietly put back the food they had intended to take home for their families.

The burly man who had been putting food into the food box spat out the steamed bun in his mouth, took a few large steps to Wang Lun, and bowed deeply, saying, "Chief, it's not that we don't understand the rules. It's just that Li Si has only been on the mountain for a short time, has no savings, and has a wife and children to feed. This was a last resort. Please, Chief, consider our loyalty and forgive him this time!"

The others, who had been feeling a sense of shared hardship, now saw someone leading the way in pleading for mercy, and they all knelt down, begging, "Chief, please show mercy and forgive him this time!"

"Lei Ang, why is it always you? The chief is still recovering, how can you act so rashly!" At this moment, Zheng Qian, who had come out to relieve himself after drinking too much, saw the scene and hurried over, shouting at the burly man as he ran.

The man, hearing Zheng Qian's rebuke, lowered his head even more but remained kneeling.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming tense, the cooks, led by Zhou Zhi, brought new tables and benches and arranged them along the edge of the feast.

"Everyone listen! Those with families, go and call them. See the tables and benches over there? The chief has ordered that all the old and young in the camp be invited to the feast. Eat your fill, and the kitchen will provide enough food and drink!" Zhou Zhi, seeing the awkward situation, shouted at the right moment.

The crowd, hearing Zhou Zhi's words, looked surprised. However, they did not react with the joy Wang Lun had expected. Instead, they all looked at their chief with a mix of doubt and hope.

Wang Lun sighed inwardly. Old senior, it seems your image of being meticulous and frugal is deeply ingrained. Even the head of the kitchen has spoken, but they still don't believe it. They need confirmation from me to feel at ease. Sigh, is this a blessing or a curse?

Becoming the focus of everyone's attention, Wang Lun coughed awkwardly and said loudly, "Zhou Zhi is right. Everyone, remember, once you're on Liangshan, you're part of Liangshan. From now on, the camp will consider and properly arrange everyone's clothing, food, housing, and travel. Since everyone is here today, let me start with something immediate. From today, the camp will also take care of the families of the brothers. Now, everyone, continue to enjoy yourselves. Eat and drink well, and don't let your stomachs down!" Wang Lun smiled and bowed to everyone.

Finally, the silent crowd erupted into thunderous cheers. Dozens of people rushed from their seats, sprinting to the back of the mountain to bring their families. The remaining bachelors, now in high spirits, sat down to drink and play drinking games, their faces beaming with genuine joy. Wang Lun, seeing all this, breathed a sigh of relief, glad that his decision had not been made too late.

Regaining his composure, Wang Lun saw that Lei Ang and Li Si were still kneeling anxiously. He went over and helped them up. Zheng Qian, seeing their stunned expressions, kicked them lightly, and they finally came to their senses, kneeling again and choking out, "We wronged the chief. The chief treats us so well, we have nothing to repay you with, except to sell our lives to the camp. If the chief orders us to die standing, we will never live kneeling!"

"You don't need to die. We all need to live, and live well!" Wang Lun corrected them with a smile, supporting them to prevent them from kneeling again.

"Yes, yes! Whatever the chief says, we will do! We will live! We will live well!" The two men's faces broke into honest smiles. The laughter and cheers from the feast behind Wang Lun echoed through the valleys around the Hall of Righteous Gathering, lingering for a long time.