Song Qingchao explained as she walked with a few people.
"This place is quite hidden. If I hadn't strayed a bit today, I probably wouldn't have found it so soon."
Aunt Fang, who was supporting her, chided gently, "Mistress, while discovering this dwelling is good, you must never walk alone again. You must bring this old servant with you."
Song Qingchao chuckled, "Aunt Fang, have you forgotten I know martial arts?"
Aunt Fang remained insistent, "This is different. You should still have someone with you; it would be a support no matter what happens."
Song Qingchao listened to Aunt Fang's nagging without impatience.
After all, it was out of concern for her, and she would not disregard such kindness.
"Mistress, be careful." Aunt Fang's timely warning prevented Song Qingchao from tripping.
"This place is indeed hidden, but why has Mistress returned here?"
Song Qingchao laughed it off.
She couldn't possibly say it was to meet...
The last time she was here, she was solely focused on chasing the dark figure and wasn't watching where she was going.
However, looking at it now, the path needed some work, and the location was indeed quite remote.
She would also need to find a mode of transportation.
A carriage would be too extravagant for this area, and with their large group, that was certainly not an option.
Before she could ponder further, they arrived at their destination.
However, the few people did not see the cave entrance Song Qingchao had mentioned.
Song Qingchao pointed to a spot covered by a pile of weeds, "Mu Mu, clear it all away."
Just as Song Qingmu was about to act,
Lao Yu beat her to it.
After the weeds were removed, a half-human-high cave entrance was indeed revealed.
Lao Yu threw away the weeds in his hand, his expression showing little excitement.
"Mistress, are you sure you meant this place?"
Song Qingchao nodded, "Yes, shall we go in and take a look?"
Although Lao Yu still doubted that such a place could accommodate a hundred or so people, he could not disobey his Mistress's orders.
Thus, he took out a fire starter from his embrace and, bending over, prepared to enter the stone cave.
"Mistress, this old servant will scout ahead. You can enter after it's safe."
With that said, he turned and went into the cave first.
Song Qingchao, Song Qingmu, and Aunt Fang waited by the entrance for news.
Song Qingchao had no clear understanding of the situation inside.
She had simply hollowed out a mountain wall for emergency purposes at the time.
Now, a large pile of stones was in her space, and she hadn't had a chance to examine them yet.
However...
Song Qingchao became curious listening to Lao Yu's startled exclamations from inside the cave.
Before she could figure out what was happening, Lao Yu emerged, clutching a stone.
His expression was one of genuine excitement; his eyes, usually narrowed, were now as wide as a bull's!
"Mistress! It's a gold mine!"
Song Qingchao's expression instantly became the same as Lao Yu's.
A gold mine!?
She had been worrying about money, and now a gold mine had appeared.
"Don't spread the word yet."
She was the first to calm down, then looked up at the continuous mountain range.
If this was a gold vein, then the entire area might have the same potential?
Song Qingchao's consciousness entered her space, and she examined the pile of stones within.
Indeed, there was gold...
If gold were to be mined here, then people could no longer reside here.
Furthermore, the people dispatched to mine gold here must be her trusted confidantes.
This news could not get out!
This was Ling Shi Valley, imperial territory. Even if she were the local boss, she did not have the ability to oppose the imperial court now.
It seemed she needed to rapidly increase her capabilities.
Time waited for no one.
Song Qingchao opened several more openings in other mountain walls.
Her vast space was almost unable to hold everything.
Fortunately, all the materials had been stored outside; otherwise, they would have been crushed by falling rocks.
Song Qingchao then pointed to the newly opened entrances, "Let's go and check the mountain opposite. I saw similar small caves there too."
Upon hearing this, the group immediately sprang into action.
Lao Yu also used the discarded weeds to thoroughly conceal the mountain range again.
At the other location, Lao Yu entered with anticipation, but regrettably, it was an ordinary mountain cave.
However, it was spacious inside and could accommodate a hundred or so people without issue.
"Then we will convert this place into dwellings. I will have Zhou Er bring people to help support us. The pace must be swift."
After making arrangements, Song Qingchao prepared to return and check on the people she had brought back.
She asked Song Qingmu and Lao Yu, and both said they wanted to examine this place further before starting work.
Song Qingchao had no objections to this.
She felt at ease.
However, "What about the latrines?"
Song Qingmu looked up, "One has been completed. The specifics have all been handed over to Zhou Ri to build. His work is not problematic."
Song Qingchao nodded.
Thus, a huge challenge had been solved.
Upon returning to the courtyard,
Song Qingchao was surprised that Zhou Yi was not wasting any manpower at all.
His reason for this was simple:
"After eating, one must work."
But Song Qingchao had other plans for these people.
First, she inquired if anyone among them could read.
Approximately nine people could read, including the young children, making a total of twenty-one.
The remaining men numbered sixteen, and the women numbered five.
There were indeed not enough to divide...
Song Qingchao had Zhou Yi first select six people with good foundations for training. The remaining ten were instructed to go with Zhou Er to the mountain cave to support Song Qingmu and Lao Yu.
If these six people proved capable later, they would become captains of the guard.
The ten who left, if all went well, would form a construction team and undertake the base's construction and all behind-the-scenes work.
As for the five women, Song Qingchao intended for them to learn temporary external wound treatment and bandaging techniques from Ying Zhong, laying the foundation for a future medical team.
After all arrangements were made, Song Qingchao felt a sense of relief.
She directly led the nine literate individuals back to her cave dwelling.
It was truly cold, but fortunately, the cave blocked the wind.
She quickened her pace and sat by the brazier, looking at the nine nervous individuals. "Don't be so tense."
She pointed to several spots by the brazier, "Please sit first."
The nine exchanged glances, then, steeling themselves, sat down.
One of them was bolder and asked, "May I know what Mistress wants us to do?"
Song Qingchao, holding tea leaves, replied, "I want you to read."