If you can't make it on Xianyu (a second-hand marketplace), you'll end up losing your whol

Chapter 213 Ownership of the Mountain, the Matter of Fist

Wang Datie patted Wen Qilin on the shoulder again and enthusiastically suggested, "Come on, let's go for a stroll in Beishan."

The group walked towards the foot of the mountain.

From a distance, there was indeed a row of shacks at the foot of the mountain, winding along the foot of the mountain and stretching as far as the eye could see.

Wang Dali and his entourage began to introduce themselves, all talking at once.

“Those shacks are where we usually rest. Sometimes when we come back too late, we don’t want to go back to the camp, so we just rest here for the night.”

"This is also where we store our ore. We save it up until the end of the month, then take it all to the government office to be weighed."

"If you want to set up a tent, feel free to ask us for help anytime, but it will probably be a bit far away."

Wang Datie's enthusiasm seemed genuine. Pointing to the shacks at the end of the mountain, he said, "Many families have moved here completely to the foot of the mountain, and very few people have returned to the camp."

Wen Qilin was grateful. "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Wang. We'll stay at the camp for a few days first, and then we'll discuss it further."

Wang Datie: "That's right. Don't worry, ask me anything you don't understand. There's still a month before the next ore delivery, enough time for you to prepare. Don't worry."

Wang Dali: "Hey, we're all in the same camp, so it's no big deal to help each other out. We're all just trying to survive."

"That's right, Brother Wen, don't be so polite with us. No matter why we came here, from this moment on, our fates are the same."

The honesty of the Wang brothers touched the Wen family deeply; as the saying goes, one shouldn't hit a smiling face.

Wen Qilin: "Brother Wang, what you say makes sense, hahaha."

No matter what, if someone gives you a smile, you can't just respond with a cold or sour face.

So, they looked at each other, burst into laughter, and managed to close the distance between them a little.

Along the way, Wen Qilin carefully asked many questions, and Wang Datie and the others beside him tried their best to answer them.

The group quickly reached the foot of the mountain.

People in the shacks also started to come out one after another.

Wang Datie said to an old man with a white beard who was about to leave, "Dad, some new people have arrived. May I take them to our territory for a look?"

The white-bearded old man was the father of the Wang brothers. More than ten years ago, the Wang family in Kyoto committed treason, which implicated their relatives in the old village. As a branch of the Wang family, all the villagers in Wangjia Village who were related to them were sentenced to exile.

Now, more than ten years have passed. Some have died, some have been injured, but under the leadership of Old Man Wang, the villagers of Wang's family have managed to settle down and survive in this camp. Although they are not particularly wealthy, they have no problem with food and clothing.

Old Man Wang's shrewd eyes swept over the Wen family members for a moment, then he turned to the two young men behind him and instructed, "Xiao Quan, Xiao He, go with your father and take the newcomers for a walk. Go ahead, and be careful."

Wang Datie led Wen Qilin and the others to turn around and head up the mountain.

Wang Xiaoquan and Wang Xiaohe were very familiar with each other and started chatting with Wen Chengjian and his siblings.

Wang Xiaoquan: "Hehe, when did you arrive? You must have suffered a lot on the way."

Wen Chengjian: "It arrived yesterday."

Wen Chengbin chuckled in response, "Hehe, I've suffered quite a bit, but I've endured it all, so it's alright."

Wang Xiaohe: "I heard that most of the people who arrived yesterday went directly to those three places to register. Why didn't you go?"

Wen Chengfeng: "We brothers are used to being free and undisciplined, so we probably won't be easily controlled, and..."

Wang Xiaoquan: "I understand, I understand. The people in our village are also willing to continue like this for the same reason. After so many years, they have gotten used to it."

Wang Xiaohe: "Let me tell you, it doesn't really matter whether you have new resident status or not. In Mobei, money can buy you anything. There was a family on the next mountain who were lucky enough to dig up a special mineral. They sold it to the Xie family and got a new house. Now they live a life of being waited on hand and foot in Mobei City. It's so great."

Upon hearing this, Wenwen couldn't help but ask curiously, "Can criminals still order around servants?"

Wang Xiaoquan and his brother exchanged a glance, chuckled, and started talking non-stop.

It turned out that the family was the third generation in Mobei City. They happened to be there when the imperial court announced a general amnesty. So, with good luck and fortune, the family was freed from their criminal status and finally became ordinary citizens of Mobei City.

"Master He also said that as long as we complete our monthly tasks on time, he will not interfere with anything else. However, he also warned us not to recklessly compete with those three families for territory. If something happens, even Master He and Lord Hu cannot protect us."

"...I see."

The group crossed the mountain and stood halfway up, looking ahead to a spacious square.

It is clear that this square was created from the open space in front of the three large mountains and connected together.

At this moment, the square was bustling with noise, and people were already busy at work.

Wang Datie pointed to the mountain on the left and said, "Brother Wen, that mountain on the left is the territory of our Wangjia Village, the middle belongs to Zuojia Village, and the right belongs to Hejia Village."

Looking around, Wen Qilin saw groups of people pushing carts in and out of front of each mountain, the carts piled high with ore.

The ground near the cave entrance was covered with baskets and all sorts of mining tools, including shovels, hammers, chisels, axes, and more.

Wen Qilin asked, "Brother Wang, how were these hilltops designated and whose ownership was determined?"

"You've come to the right person. At first, these mountains didn't belong to anyone. It was just that as more and more people started digging, everyone decided by their fists, hahaha."

With your fists?

Wen Qilin raised an eyebrow.

Wenwen and her brothers exchanged glances, understanding each other perfectly.

It seems that even in the criminal world, strength speaks volumes; whoever has the strongest fist gets to call the shots.

Wen Qilin looked up and gazed into the distance, pointing to several mountains further away and asking, "Whose mountains are those, those even further away?"

Wang Datie glanced at the distant mountains, then looked away, his expression turning serious.

“You can’t go over there. It’s said there are ferocious beasts there. Many years ago, a group of people tried to go in and take over the mountain, but they never came out again… We usually stay in these mountains. We can’t even mine all the iron ore in these mountains. There’s no need to risk going to other mountains.”

"What kind of wild beast, do you know?"

"I don't know the specifics, it's all what our parents told us in their constant admonitions. You want to go in?"

Wen Qilin pondered for a few seconds, "We have this idea, let's go home and discuss it with our families before we talk about it."

"We need to discuss it. We've finally gotten this far, so we should prioritize safety. What do you say, Brother Wen?"

Wen Qilin expressed his sincere gratitude, "Brother Wang is right, the safety of our family is our top priority, we understand... By the way, Brother Wang, we'll just take a look around the area and won't keep you from starting your work. Goodbye."

"Alright, be careful. It's quite dangerous over there at night. Remember to come back here before dark. There are more people here, so we can help you if you encounter any danger."

After Wang Datie finished speaking, he led his family toward the Wang Family Cave.

The Wen family watched them gradually walk away.

As their figures gradually became just black dots, Wenwen smiled and said, "Daddy, let's go for a walk on a mountain further away."

Wen Chengbin was the first to agree, "Uncle, let's go and meet those wild beasts, I really miss them, hahaha."

"...You silly child, then let's meet him!"