The development of Hengshui Town was, naturally, inseparable from the long-term plans of Gao Family Village.
After all, the Yellow Turban Fortress on Eagle Beak Mountain was highly likely to be transformed into a fully militarized stronghold in the future. If that happened, it would be extremely inconvenient to have large numbers of warships concealed there while ordinary civilians wandered in and out every day.
Because of this, Bai Yuan—who was also known internally as Li Daoxuan—had already formulated a clear development plan.
Hengshui Town and Yellow Turban Fortress would be built up simultaneously.
Once both locations were completed, carefully vetted and trustworthy individuals would be left behind at Yellow Turban Fortress. Over time, they would either become soldiers of the Gao Family Village militia or logistical personnel for the river fleet.
As for the majority of the common folk, they would be settled in Hengshui Town.
Separating the military from the civilians—this was the only truly rational approach.
Of course, none of this could be explained to the magistrate's aide. Let him assume the town was being rebuilt on a whim; that was simpler and safer.
Once the mud sleds were no longer needed, the group continued on foot.
Moving at a brisk pace, they covered more than a dozen li, arriving at their destination in just over an hour.
Ahead rose the famous Eagle Beak Mountain.
Even now, Liu Bawan felt an instinctive chill when he looked at it. Among the people living nearby, who wasn't afraid of the Xiaolangdi water bandits?
Yet before they had even begun ascending the mountain, he saw something unexpected.
The slopes were filled with people.
Common folk were digging earth, carrying stones, and laying foundations, busily constructing roads that wound their way up and down the mountain. These roads were deliberately designed with long, winding curves, clearly meant to reduce the slope and make passage easier for carts and horses.
Workers were everywhere. The entire mountainside buzzed with activity.
This was not the sort of work water bandits would ever do.
Only honest, hardworking common folk would toil like this.
The fear in Liu Bawan's heart vanished instantly, replaced by a flicker of excitement.
"So many laborers?" he exclaimed. "Master Bai, where did you find so many people to build roads?"
Bai Yuan sighed softly. "All of them are disaster victims from the Yellow River flood zone."
Liu Bawan immediately understood.
Master Bai had built more than five hundred mud sleds. Of course, they weren't meant solely to rescue the people inside the county town.
The common folk scattered across the countryside needed saving even more.
During a natural disaster, those sheltering behind city walls still had a chance to survive. But rural villagers—trapped on rooftops or isolated hills—would starve to death within three to five days if no one reached them.
Clearly, Master Bai had used the mud sleds to rescue large numbers of rural common folk first, before ever coming to Mengjin County.
Liu Bawan's respect deepened further.
The group followed the newly carved mountain road and soon arrived at a battered fortress clinging to the mountainside.
Bai Yuan smiled faintly. "Aide Liu, care to guess what fortress this is?"
Liu Bawan's heart skipped. "Yellow… Yellow Turban Fortress?"
"Correct," Bai Yuan chuckled. "This is the Yellow Turban Fortress where water bandits entrenched themselves for years. A few days ago, I led my household guards and the refugees in an assault and captured every bandit inside. From now on, this fortress belongs to the refugees."
As they spoke, a group of common folk emerged from the fortress gate, carrying shovels and sledgehammers, clearly heading out to join the road construction.
When they spotted Bai Yuan, they immediately bowed deeply.
"Greetings, Master Bai!"
Bai Yuan straightened his robes, struck a dashing pose, and waved cheerfully.
"Greetings, everyone!"
Liu Bawan was stunned.
Such a powerful lord… yet he greets ordinary common folk so warmly, even returning their bows?
Just then, Bai Yuan laughed. "No matter who greets me, I always return the courtesy properly. Of the gentleman's six arts, I'm especially particular about 'rites.'"
Liu Bawan was left speechless.
Entering Yellow Turban Fortress, he saw construction everywhere.
Fortress walls were being rebuilt, watchtowers and arrow towers erected, living quarters expanded. Men labored tirelessly, while large numbers of women cooked meals, boiled water, and washed clothes, efficiently managing logistics.
After walking through the fortress inside and out, Liu Bawan realized there were no fewer than twenty thousand common folk here.
The scale was astonishing.
At the innermost area lay a vast open ground.
There, a large group of able-bodied young men stood in neat formation, arranged in rows. Each held a wooden staff and was clearly undergoing training. A man dressed in Bai family guard attire commanded loudly from the front:
"Left turn!"
"Right turn!"
"Forward—march!"
Liu Bawan nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Master Bai!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing? Are you training troops for rebellion?!"
"Rebellion?" Bai Yuan shook his head with a smile. "I am a law-abiding commoner. How could I possibly train troops for rebellion? This is merely militia training—preparing to deal with the dozens of smaller water bandit factions still lurking in Xiaolangdi."
He continued calmly, "The Xiaolangdi water bandits have existed for over a thousand years. The authorities suppress them again and again but never truly eradicate them, largely because they commit too few resources. I've given it careful thought—only a large militia, sweeping through the entire region like a carpet, can leave the bandits with nowhere to hide."
Liu Bawan pondered this. It did sound reasonable.
Bai Yuan went on, "After eliminating the bandits, we must also station common folk in their former strongholds, turning those places into proper settlements. Only then will the water bandits have no chance of reemerging."
Liu Bawan thought it over again, then his eyes lit up.
"Brilliant! Truly brilliant! Places where bandits gather are always devoid of ordinary people. Once common folk settle there, the bandits will lose their foothold entirely. Only this method can eradicate the Xiaolangdi water bandits once and for all!"
He hurriedly bowed deeply.
"Master Bai, what extraordinary talent!"
Bai Yuan merely chuckled inwardly.
If I raised a banner tomorrow, he thought, every one of these people would follow me into rebellion. But there's no need to tell you that.
Just as the two were speaking, a shout rang out from the watchtower.
"Water bandits! Water bandits approaching on the river!"
Liu Bawan's heart clenched.
The twenty yamen runners and attendants who had accompanied him immediately began to tremble.
But inside the fortress, there was no panic.
Many workers simply paused what they were doing and looked toward the water.
Below Eagle Beak Mountain, a flotilla of small sampans appeared—around twenty boats in total. Each carried five or six water bandits, adding up to roughly a hundred men. On the lead boat fluttered a banner bearing a single character:
Li.
Liu Bawan gasped. "Where did these water bandits come from?"
Bai Yuan glanced at them and smiled faintly.
"From the southern waters," he said confidently. "Led by Li Dayu, chieftain of Stone Stronghold. He usually keeps his distance from our fortress. For him to show his face today…"
His smile deepened slightly.
"…it seems he's been left alone for too long and is itching for trouble."