A daily intelligence report; in chaotic times and famine years, grain is plentiful.

"You're that confident?"

General Zhao didn't mind handing the task over to Chen Mo, but words alone weren't enough; the army desperately needed money and supplies to suppress the bandits.

If you can't even trust the government, how can you trust a country bumpkin?

"I have already led some fellow villagers up the mountain to clear the wasteland. If no one interferes, the harvest in the fall will be enough to fulfill my promise."

Chen Mo said frankly.

But now, the yield from those potato fields is only enough for a dozen or so households to pay their taxes.

Many people in the village still do not believe Chen Mo.

"You mean, someone is preventing you from clearing the land?"

Zhao, the adjutant, was a smart man and immediately understood the hidden meaning in Chen Mo's words.

"That's right, it's the Wang family father and son." Chen Mo sighed helplessly. "They've been making things difficult for us common folk, threatening the villagers, and preventing us from clearing the land."

"Such a thing actually happened?"

General Zhao spoke seriously, but he showed no surprise whatsoever.

He was well aware of the messy affairs of these local gentry and clansmen, but he simply turned a blind eye to them.

"How much could you do if no one stopped you?"

Zhao, the adjutant, asked again.

Chen Mo's heart stirred slightly, and he immediately understood what Zhao Canjiang meant.

If there is pressure from the government forces, he can go ahead and do whatever he wants.

Chen Mo immediately cupped his hands and said, "There are a total of eighty households in the village. As long as we can focus on farming, I dare to guarantee that before winter, we will not only be able to gather 150 catties of grain for each household, but if there is any left over, we will also hand over more to the army to fully assist the government troops in suppressing bandits!"

Upon hearing Chen Mo's words, the other officers in the tent couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

It's quite intriguing that an ordinary citizen would dare to boast in front of a general; one has to wonder if he has real skills or is just a big talker.

Sun Dazhu, standing to the side, was drenched in sweat and dared not utter a word.

He also knew that Chen Mo had a lot of grain hidden away, but mobilizing the whole village to reclaim wasteland was not that easy.

"Are you that confident?"

General Zhao's lips curled up slightly, and he became increasingly interested in the young man in front of him.

"With the general's help, I have absolute confidence."

Chen Mo said with absolute certainty.

"However, I have a request: could the grain we pay be replaced with potatoes, sweet potatoes, or other fish, meat, and game? These are much better than ordinary grain and will be helpful to our soldiers in battle."

"You can't even get enough to eat, yet you still manage to produce fish, meat, and wild game?"

General Zhao smiled faintly, but a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

"I am a hunter by trade. Given enough time, I can lead my fellow villagers on large-scale hunts and fishing to provide supplies for the army."

Chen Mo responded calmly.

"Oh? That sounds nice, but what if you can't do it? My army is waiting for food to suppress the bandits. If you delay this important matter, it will be a capital offense."

The smile on Zhao Canjiang's face disappeared, and his eyes became quite serious.

These words immediately created a tense atmosphere in the entire tent.

Sun Dazhu turned pale with fright and just wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

"General, rest assured, since I dare to say these words, I am confident that I can do them. If I fail to deliver the grain, I am willing to accept the punishment without any complaints."

Chen Mo's expression remained unusually calm.

"Do you know that there is no joking in the military!"

General Zhao suddenly shouted and drew his sword from his waist, placing the blade directly against Chen Mo's neck.

Upon seeing this, Sun Dazhu was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground.

The other officers also held their breath and lowered their heads nervously.

At this moment, Chen Mo remained calm and replied, "No matter how the general decides to deal with me, I will not resist. If I were only after money, I would have left after receiving the reward. The reason I made this request is simply because I want to do my part for the general."

Zhao Canjiang stared intently at Chen Mo, his sword moving forward slightly.

Even as the blade was about to touch his neck, Chen Mo showed no sign of begging for mercy.

"Haha! Great!"

A moment later, General Zhao suddenly burst into loud laughter.

He sheathed his sword and praised, "I admire your composure in the face of danger. Since you dared to make such a solemn pledge, I will trust you this time!"

Hearing this, Chen Mo breathed a slight sigh of relief and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for your trust, General. I will certainly live up to your expectations! However, I have one small request..."

"Anything else?" Lieutenant General Zhao laughed. "I like people like you. Go ahead and tell me."

"Bandits occasionally roam around the Black Wind Ridge area. In order to allow the villagers to cultivate the land with peace of mind, we earnestly request the general to send a small detachment of soldiers to patrol and prevent the bandits from causing trouble."

Chen Mo leaned down and said.

"It's a minor matter; I, the general, am naturally aware of it."

Lieutenant General Zhao readily agreed.

"This humble subject thanks the general!"

Chen Mo said, overjoyed.

If government troops patrol, the Wang family wouldn't dare to cause trouble openly, and the villagers could cultivate the land with peace of mind.

General Zhao looked at Chen Mo and made up his mind.

This person is a rare talent.

Now that his army is to be stationed in the Shannan area for an extended period, he must rely on the help of the locals.

Those gentry and local bullies outwardly appeared to be loyal, but in reality they were two-faced and secretly engaged in countless underhanded schemes.

If we can support someone like Chen Mo to counterbalance these local gentry, we can stabilize the local situation and completely consolidate the position of their government troops.

Thinking of this, Lieutenant General Zhao said with a half-smile, "You little rascal, you've got quite the ambition."

"General, you flatter me. I have no ambition whatsoever. In this day and age, I just want to survive, and so do my fellow villagers. As long as you can wipe out the bandits and stabilize the situation, our lives will naturally improve."

Chen Mo lowered his head and replied.

"Well said. You not only have courage, but also strategy. Why not consider joining our Zhao Family Army?"

Zhao, the adjutant, spoke with great approval.

These words made all the officers present feel ashamed.

When did they first meet? The general actually went to recruit a young man himself.

"Thank you for your appreciation, General. However, I come from a humble background and am busy clearing land to provide food for you. I have not yet considered joining the army."

Chen Mo politely declined, knowing full well that whether or not to join the army was not a decision he could make alone.

However, since General Zhao spoke up personally, it proved that the other party trusted Chen Mo.

"Then I will not insist. It is getting late. Why don't you stay in the camp tonight and go back tomorrow?"

Lieutenant General Zhao smiled again.

Chen Mo knew that Zhao, the military advisor, wanted to observe him further.

He couldn't very well refuse at the moment, since it was getting dark and it wouldn't be safe to go back to the village with the silver.

"Then thank you very much for taking me in, General."

Chen Mo bowed and thanked him, then gave Sun Dazhu a wink.

Sun Dazhu quickly stood up and thanked Zhao, the military officer.

"Take them down, set up camp, and treat them well."

General Zhao waved his hand.

"Yes, General."