Thus, on the last day of late spring, this war that affected half of the country from north to south finally came to an end.

Xu Wenkai assembled his troops that night and personally led them to the northern border early the next morning.

However, before leaving, he rearranged the defense line in northern Tianjin overnight, and handed over the command and most of the elite generals he left behind to another famous general of the time, Zhu Shizhang, and appointed Generals Xi Shangliang and Xu Wulang to assist him.

Xu Wenkai took away 150,000 Northern troops, and there were nearly 350,000 strong generals and elite soldiers left. Even if Yang Yanzong agreed to a ceasefire, he should not relax his guard. Xu Wenkai still took the most comprehensive and thorough precautions.

Yang Yanzong didn't care. After all, he did the same thing. Putting all your trust in a piece of paper or a book is the stupidest thing to do.

Yang Yanzong ordered his men to build a camp in the south of Jin, dismantle the Jinshui Ferry, and redeploy defenses along the line of Fushan Pass, Hubo, Taiqiu and Zhangmen using the geographical advantages. After freeing up 80,000 troops and horses, he immediately ordered them to be divided into four routes to strengthen the defense of the passes from Qingwu to Zhengzhong. He had not moved the border troops facing the northwest before, and although he had not touched the northern Rong, he immediately adjusted the defense policy and troop deployment.

As soon as he moved the defensive troops on the eastern front, Jinnan also immediately made corresponding adjustments, and the military strength on both sides is now relatively equal.

After doing all this, Yang Yanzong took Su Ci and the child and slowly returned to the west.

Leaving Jiangling, they entered the southwest via Linyuan Mozi Road and then turned north. Their destination was Nanzheng.

Nanzheng is the capital of Zhengzhong, and Zhengzhong is the ancient Hanzhong. Ancient Hanzhong is connected to the northwest in the upper part and the southwest in the lower part. The Hanzhong Plain is fertile, prosperous, and has a key geographical location. It has always been a battleground for military strategists. Yang Yanzong planned to establish his future military and political center in Nanzheng.

As time was not in a hurry, Yang Yanzong walked slowly with his wife and children, and along the way he also learned about the direction of public opinion and the mood of the people.

The result was OK, because the war did not affect the interior of the country at all, and the lives of the people along the way did not change at all. No one was afraid and they had heated discussions in taverns and restaurants.

——The public opinion is not bad nowadays. When the ten kings competed for the throne, the heated discussions among the people could at least fill the space of several hundred drama scripts.

It is no exception now. The people of Zhengzhong in the southwest and northwest, as the parties involved in the change of ownership of the territory, are talking about it with great enthusiasm.

On the way, Yang Yanzong and Su Ci stopped to listen at a few places. Overall, everything was fine. Life had not changed and no one was panicking. In addition, many well-informed people in the community had already found out that the people in Jiangling who were involved in the war and whose territory had been taken away were fine, except that the officials above them had been replaced.

That’s good. Isn’t this what the people care about most? As soon as the worry was gone, someone said, "Liang's governor is Yang Du's man. I think Yang Du should be able to do it!"

Liang Wenliang was one of Yang Yanzong's confidants. The governor was the most important official in the local area. Liang Wenliang was a good official who got things done. He always had a very good reputation and was loved by the people.

After this person said this, many people nodded.

In the early stages, local officials were extremely important as role models. Yang Yanzong nodded slightly, and was very satisfied with Liang Wenliang.

Very good. After repelling foreign aggression, it is time to stabilize the country and win the hearts of the people.

After listening to this for several rounds, it was generally believed that the people were not opposed to the change of ownership. Just as Yang Yanzong had expected, the common people did not ask for much in their lives, and the only thing they cared about was the stability of their own environment.

So in the end, what they were more worried about was whether the world would enter a turbulent period of chaos at the end of the dynasty.

Yang Yanzong and Su Ci didn't listen to what happened next.

The wheels rumbled slowly and steadily. The journey was not too far and it took less than half a month to arrive.

The journey was relatively leisurely, but things became busy after arriving in Zhengnan.

There were so many things to take over that Yang Yanzong and his subordinates were all extremely busy.

Yang Yanzong went to inspect the passes and defenses first, during which he issued numerous decrees and instructions. After he sent Su Ci and her son to the Zhengnan Governor's Mansion, he rode a horse to personally inspect all the important passes and towns from the northwest to the southernmost part adjacent to Annan to ensure that nothing went wrong.

As for Su Ci, she was also very busy. First of all, there was a shortage of manpower in internal affairs, especially in finance, and the task could only be entrusted to someone Yang Yanzong trusted. Su Ci was originally in charge of his private accounts, and now some of the private accounts would be incorporated into the public accounts, so Yang Yanzong simply handed over this aspect of matters to her.

Among other things, she was in charge of the migrant camps.

The latter is also a very, very important job.

…

Since the ceasefire, various border areas in the northwest and southwest have welcomed a large wave of immigrants.

They brought the old and the young, pushed carts and carried loads on their backs, and those who had livestock also brought livestock and poultry. The farthest ones walked thousands of miles and arrived in the southwest and northwest respectively.

Although tired, each of their simple faces showed hope for a new life.

Even Akang's widowed mother and his elderly grandparents were among them. The latter could hardly walk, and it was Akang's mother and the people sent by the team leader who pushed the cart for hundreds of miles. Sometimes the people who helped were too busy, so the neighbors just helped push the cart.

On the day they arrived, Akang specially asked Su Ci for a day off to pick them up. Su Ci immediately approved it and asked him to bring a few greetings.

These people were originally scattered in various villages and towns, or received pensions in their hometowns. They were all the families of the wounded or fallen soldiers under Yang Yanzong. They had more or less, and even for a long time, received care from their fathers'/grandchildren's former superiors.

Many of them even reorganized into a new village, which was filled with people like them. Even the village chief was appointed by Yang Yanzong.

This time Yang Yanzong set up his own business, and they all decided to move with him, abandoning their familiar homes and native lands, and following him across thousands of miles with great difficulty.

In order to accommodate them, houses are being built in the southern suburbs of Zhengzhou as a new hometown for immigrants.

Yang Yanzong was unsure about handing this matter over to someone else, so Su Ci finally took it over personally.

From demarcating land to building houses, from resettlement to naturalization, she arranged everything personally.

The houses are made of blue bricks, and the walls and animal pens are made of adobe and fences. They are not built particularly well, but not bad at all, and are maintained at a similar level to nearby towns and villages. Su Ci has even considered the issue of future integration.

After Yang Yanzong came back, he took the time to see it in person. Su Ci didn't ask him whether he was satisfied or not, but the joy in his eyes was never concealed in front of her, and his mood remained good for many days in a row.

…

It is also worth mentioning that Yan finally passed away.

Originally, the old doctor said that even if she had taken medicine, it would not have been this serious. However, the death of Aunt Yan and Yang Yanxin in front of her was too much of a blow to Yan. She actually fell ill after that day, and her illness was quite serious. She stopped taking the medicine afterwards, but she still passed away this year.

Yang Yanzong was silent for a moment after hearing the news, and then said, "Let's do what we have to do."

Yang Yanzong and his brothers had only one mother, and her mother could not just disappear out of thin air, so they simply held a normal funeral, which was neither complicated nor simple. Yan was finally buried in Fengping Mountain in the eastern suburbs of Zhengnan.

Fengping Mountain is very high. It is a branch of Yuncangling, a large mountain range that borders the southwest and Zhengzhong. Once you enter the territory of Zhengnan City, you can see it from most of the suburbs.

The wheels rumbled. It was still early that day when they returned from the West Suburb Pier. When they passed Fengping Mountain not far away, the curtain of the carriage just happened to be facing that direction. Su Ci saw Yang Yanzong looking at the direction of Yan's new tomb in silence. She stuffed her naughty son into his arms and said with a smile: "Do you want to go to Xinxiang to take a look? It's almost finished."

Three months had passed since Yang Yanzong last visited her.

Houses were built very quickly in ancient times. After more than half a year of construction, all the 28 villages in one township, four towns and 28 villages have been completed.

Xinxiang is connected to Suxiang in the east and Tongxiang and Jiaodao in the south. According to people down there, we have integrated pretty well with the folks on both sides.

The driver flicked the whip and the carriage turned to the other side.

From a distance, you can see brand new houses and flat country roads.

The carriages drove along the gravel road at a leisurely pace.

The couple's trip today was still very low-key, riding in an ordinary car with no markings on the body of the car or the clothes of their personal guards. However, after coming in, he was quickly recognized, mainly by Su Ci. Su Ci came here often, and A Zheng and others were familiar with her face, so there was no need to rely on the signs to identify her.

Soon, villagers brought meat and vegetables. The vegetables were freshly picked from the fields and the best were selected. The meat and fish were also cut with great difficulty to add meat to their families. When they saw Su Ci's car, these villagers immediately packed up the best things in their homes and sent it over. More people came to pay their respects from a distance.

Soon, a large pile of meat and vegetables was piled in front of the car, until there was really no more room, and the people at the back reluctantly carried them back.

Yang Yanzong had no intention of showing up, so Su Ci lifted the curtain a little and waved to the villagers who saluted with a smile: "Thank you, now, go home and cook."

Of course, in addition to meat and vegetables, there were some troubles. After the carriage had gone around and was about to leave, they heard someone arguing. I heard that a family's rat poison killed a sheep, but unexpectedly, when the latter went to seek justice, he accidentally broke the head of the opponent's youngest son. He spent a lot of money on the medicine, which was more expensive than the sheep. The two sides quarreled over whether to pay compensation or not, and even the village chief couldn't stop them.

Just as they were about to get into trouble, the two families saw Su Ci's car and wanted Su Ci to judge the dispute.

——Su Ci had often done this job before. When a new place was moved in, there was a lot of dust and chaos. The villagers had different temperaments and there were bound to be constant friction. However, they all trusted the lady, so if Su Ci encountered this task while busy with work, she would always handle it from time to time.

She was happy to do that too.

She handled the situation very efficiently, which made everyone convinced. No matter how difficult the person was, they would not cause trouble anymore.

Seeing everyone looking over, Su Ci rolled up her sleeves and jumped out of the car.

Everyone greeted the lady in a flurry, and the children also excitedly crooked to greet her. Su Ci often gave candies to the little ones, and because the children were not afraid of her, they would gather around her when they saw her. Two little ones were barefoot and grabbed the hem of her skirt one by one.

Su Ci smiled, touched their little heads cheerfully, looked up and listened carefully to the two victims' accounts of the cause and effect, as well as the villagers' supplementary comments.

The winter sun is warm and the clouds are rolling and unrolling.

The afternoon sun fell on the rammed earth village yard. She looked serious, nodded from time to time, her face flushed, and her delicate eyebrows and eyes reflected the winter sun, shining brightly.

Yang Yanzong watched with a smile, hugging his fat son who was jumping on his thighs and wanted to jump out of the car to join his mother, "Yuanbao, Yuanbao, mother is busy, let's wait in the car, okay?"

Little Dayuanbao pouted and agreed reluctantly.

Yang Yanzong patted his fat forehead and held his one-year-old chubby son on his thighs.

He leaned back comfortably, feeling more relaxed than ever before.

The burden on your shoulders has been shared with half by someone else.

The better these villagers lived, the more comfortable he felt.

Yang Yanzong closed his eyes, tilted his ear, and listened with a smile to her faint and clear voice outside the window.

When Su Ci came back, her eyes were bright and her smile was brilliant. She said with a smile: "Okay, it's not a big deal. Just take a step back and it will be fine."

She tripped over the meat and vegetables on the shaft of the cart, took her fat son and shook it, and told him excitedly what winter vegetables and meat she had seen, how to cook the vegetables and the meat.

The shaft of the carriage was covered in mud, which even stuck to her skirt, but she didn't mind at all and even looked very happy.

Su Ci cherished these meat and vegetables very much. They were the villagers' kindness to Yang Yanzong. She asked A Zheng to ask someone to go back and find out who sent them, and then give them some other subsidy. It was not easy for ordinary people to have good food and meat. She was unwilling to accept them for nothing, and was even more reluctant to waste them. She kept thinking about how to cook them and how to eat them. If she couldn't use them up, she would quickly distribute them to the Royal Guard Camp.

The most important thing is that Yang Yanzong got to eat it.

Yang Yanzong listened with a smile. No matter how she arranged it, he said, "Okay."

As he was talking, Su Ci also suggested: "After Xinxiang is built, we will have to come back and create some simple rules and regulations to distribute."

It is inevitable that some people are more aggressive and unreasonable, and some are more pitiful and lonely. Simple rules and regulations, as well as how to provide appropriate daily assistance to the latter, are all things that need to be considered.

Yang Yanzong said: "Okay."

His eyes were gentle and he said yes to whatever she said.

Su Ci glanced at him sideways, threw herself into his arms, and bit his face lightly.

Dayuanbao laughed loudly, jumped over, and squeezed into his father's arms, jumping and dancing excitedly.

Yang Yanzong held both of these big babies in his arms.

The family played around for a while, and Fat Yuanbao yelled that he was thirsty. Su Ci pinched his fat cheek and stood up to pour him some water.

When he turned around, he saw Yang Yanzong leaning on the short couch by the window, with Fat Yuanbao sitting cross-legged on his thighs, holding his father's hand and playing something. Yang Yanzong looked down, the setting sun fell on the window, shining on his profile, he concealed his sharpness, his brows were calm and gentle.

The wheels rumbled and the voices of people gradually faded behind them. They turned onto the official road and left Xinxiang.

However, in this direction, you can still see brand new fences and houses.

This man has experienced his mother's distortion and his brother's betrayal, but he has never changed his original intention. It is so rare.

He has never changed.

Su Ci fed the fat Yuanbao some water, and when she found an opportunity, she whispered in his ear, "My man is so handsome."

So cool!

Yang Yanzong's eyes suddenly lit up. He turned his head to glance at her and quietly bit her ear.

The two of them secretly touched their foreheads while their son wasn't paying attention.

The tenderness and smiles in each other's eyes were so full that they almost burst out.

…

After returning home and settling the somewhat clingy fat little Yuanbao, the couple spent an extremely romantic night.

Finally, he bit her lip and said, "When Yuanbao grows up a little bit, let's have another child!"

Su Ci was so sleepy that she shooed away mosquitoes, "... Well, let's talk about it later."

After a night of winter rain, the temperature dropped again, but inside the soft tent, the two people's body temperatures were intertwined, and it was warm and cozy without feeling any coolness.

Su Ci got up late today. In a daze, she felt a pair of hands tuck in her quilt carefully.

The force was so light and gentle that one could clearly feel the other person's tenderness.

Su Ci seemed to have dozed off for a while, but when she opened her eyes, it was already bright outside and Yang Yanzong had already gone out.

She lay in the tightly tucked-in quilt, listening to the sound of the rain, and couldn't help but smile.

His movements were so gentle at that time that Su Ci was reluctant to lift the quilt.

Just as she was planning to stay in bed for a while, she heard the door creak open and Su Yan poked half of her head in.

"Sister——"

She made sure that Yang Yanzong was not there, so she stepped over the threshold and slipped in.

Su Yan came over mysteriously, rubbed her hands excitedly, and told Su Ci: "Sister, let me tell you, I found one, and he's very handsome!"

Su Yan has been looking for a candidate for her son-in-law recently. She is not young anymore, but after thinking about it, she finally thinks it would be better to pick one from the refugees. After all, if she doesn't like him, she can just kick him out without any trouble.

She searched for a long time and finally found one that she was very satisfied with during this mission.

Su Ci: “???”