They were in another room.
An Cui secretly hid a portion of the rations and fortune in an isolated location. After he ensured that there were no flaws in his plan, he returned to make his report as if nothing had happened.
He had initially been tasked to send out a letter. It had been a few days since he'd had his fill and his garments were worn thin. Thus, he'd fainted in the snow and had almost lost his life.
When he'd returned to the village meeting point near Chengde County, he was immediately surrounded by a few loyal brothers who could be counted on in times of trouble.
Although they didn't know how to read or write, they all had hearts burning with sincerity.
"Big brother, why have you been gone for so long? Your brothers were worried sick for you," a dark-faced, muscular man asked anxiously. He appeared very sincere and without any hint of pretense. Thus, one could tell how worried he was.