The hot tears that flowed gradually warmed my heart.
The boy beside him had already understood. He took a few deep breaths, clenched his fists excitedly, and his dark, thin face turned bright red.
"The general has driven the barbarian horses away! He's driven them away!"
He shouted excitedly and turned to run towards the city.
He was running too fast and tripped and fell, but he acted as if nothing had happened. After getting up, he continued to stride towards the city.
He ran faster and faster.
The excited shouts gradually turned into sobs, and finally became loud wailing.
But the words that came out were exceptionally clear.
"General! The general has driven the Hu horses away! He's driven them away!"
The tranquility of the early morning was shattered by the boy's shouts, and the desolate and dilapidated border town was completely awakened by the continuous shouts and cries.
The doors and windows that had been sealed off to defend against the Huma were smashed open by the people.
One after another, they rushed out of their dilapidated homes and surged to the city wall.
Cheers, sobs, shouts of approval, and cheers mingled together, creating a chaotic yet vibrant atmosphere—the most energetic moment in the city's history.
The girl, her eyes brimming with tears, looked up at the soldier with her thin, frail face and asked;
"My lord, the general still needs to drive away the barbarian horses. If you give me this grain, what will you eat?"
The noise immediately subsided. All the people understood that if the Prince of Zhenbei hadn't come here, they would have slowly died at the hands of these barbarian soldiers.
Or perhaps, they will starve to death.
The soldier patted her head, then turned to the crowd and said in a resounding voice:
"The general said that Huma's food is his food, and if he has nothing to eat, he will take it from Huma!"
Upon hearing this, a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd!
Amid the cheers, someone asked:
"My lord, when will the general return?"
Upon hearing this, the soldier turned to look at the vast sky beyond the city walls, then declared in a resounding voice:
"The general said, 'Having fought a hundred battles in the yellow sands, I wear golden armor; I will not return until the barbarian hordes are defeated.' The day the barbarian hordes are wiped out will be the day I return!"
"The general also said that he would conquer the entire Beiku Grassland and give it to every citizen!"
"So that everyone has food to eat, and no one is ever bullied!"
After a brief silence, sobs began to rise, followed by weeping, which was then replaced by thunderous cheers.
Among the many voices, one childlike voice stood out, even though it was somewhat hoarse.
"My lord! I am willing to join the army! I am willing to go with the general to fight against the barbarians! We will make them... we will make them never dare to come and steal my family's grain or kill my family again!" It was the young man who spoke, his eyes filled with tears, raising his thin and weak arm as he shouted loudly.
"I want to join the army! I want to join the army!"
"Me! I'm still here!"
It started with one person, then a whole group of people.
The hatred for Hu Ma, the longing for the dead, and the desire to survive ignited a blazing fire among the people when the flame of hope was extinguished.
Feeling the enthusiasm of the people, the soldier took a deep breath and then said in a resounding voice:
"The general said that it is our mission to fight on the battlefield and protect the peace of the people!"
"Wait until your families have surplus food and you are strong and healthy before you go to the battlefield! Until then, survive!"
"Only by surviving can you protect your land!"
The girl's tears, falling with these words, soaked her clothes. She cried and hugged the soldier, but could no longer utter a word.
The autumn wind whips up withered grass, stirs up dust, dispels the stench of blood, and also dispels the gloom...
The news of the Prince of Zhenbei's slaughter of 80,000 Hu cavalrymen spread like the countless autumn winds, reaching Hurong Pass, Shifeng City, and all parts of Beiliang.
The messenger, traveling at an urgent pace of eight hundred li, also hurried towards the capital...
P.S.: This chapter is 3,000 words long, and it took me a very long time to write. Tears streamed down my face as I typed it...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
