At this point, Huang Tianhu yawned again and slowly stood up.
"Enough said. We've been running all night and are exhausted. Once the grain is harvested, let the soldiers rest early. We'll set off for the Beiku Grassland first thing tomorrow morning."
After saying this, Huang Tianhu ignored Huang Yuanlang and left.
Watching his bulky figure stagger away, Huang Yuanlang clenched his fists, his face turning icy cold.
"Hmph, you stupid pig, if you hadn't been born into a good family, you wouldn't even deserve to be a general."
"If one day I can command a large army, hmph!"
Huang Yuanlang's face was full of resentment...
Inside the city.
The people were overjoyed to learn that the imperial court had sent troops to aid the Prince of Zhenbei.
But now, faced with this group of arrogant and rude soldiers who directly demanded food, they were all stunned.
In front of a house, two soldiers carried two bags of grain out of the house and strode out.
A thin, dark-skinned boy hurriedly chased after him, shouting:
"Sir! You must leave us some food, or we won't survive!"
Upon hearing this, a soldier turned around and coldly rebuked, "You brat, how can you be so unreasonable!"
"We are fighting for you, going to the grasslands to confront the Hu horses. Without food, how will we have the strength? Are you going to take our place and fight the Hu horses?"
The boy, his eyes brimming with tears, said in a trembling voice:
"The prince sent us two loads of grain to help us survive the winter when he saw that we were about to perish. Now, sir, you've only left us two catties of millet. How many days can that last?"
The soldier snorted coldly and pointed at the boy, cursing:
"Hmph! You really only have two catties of millet left in your house? Do you think I'd believe your nonsense!"
"If you have no surplus grain at home, why would you lead us to the rice jar to get rice? You little brat, you're full of lies, trying to fool me!"
Tears streamed down the boy's face as he hunched over and said in a trembling voice:
“Sir, you are the imperial army, and the renowned Panlong Army. This time you are here to assist the prince in suppressing the Hu horses. How can I not take you to get the grain?”
“My home is empty except for this little bit of food. I did not hide anything from you, sir. I am telling the truth.”
Another soldier standing nearby shook his head.
"Kid, I've seen plenty of guys like you."
"Everyone's complaining about being poor and having no food, but once we leave, you never know where you'll find it again."
At this point, he patted his companion on the shoulder and said, "Let's go. There's no point in saying more. Let's finish harvesting the grain and get some rest. We still have to cross the border tomorrow."
As they spoke, the two men, carrying their rice sacks, left without looking back.
The boy wanted to chase after him again, but a cough came from inside the house.
“Baby, let’s go home. Hang in there, it will pass.”
The boy wiped away his tears and watched the two soldiers walk away until they disappeared from sight before heading home, turning back every few steps.
Looking at his mother on the bed, he could no longer hold back and threw himself down beside the bed, bursting into tears.
"Don't cry, baby. There are still two catties of millet left. Take a little each day to cook thin porridge, add more water, and you'll feel full after drinking it." The woman on the bed was pale and thin, but she had a faint smile on her face. She stretched out a withered hand from under the covers and gently touched the boy's head.
The boy seemed not to hear his mother's words; he sobbed and asked her:
"Mother, why do we believe the official's words, but the official doesn't believe ours?"
The woman sighed and whispered, "Even among officials, some are merciful, some are not..."
She didn't say the second half of the sentence, but instead said, "If everyone were like the prince, the world would be at peace."
“On the day the prince entered the city, you carried me to see him. I saw that although he was in full armor and looked very majestic, he was only about ten years old. His mother was waiting for him at home, hoping that the prince could return safely from the grasslands soon.”
She coughed several times as she said this.
"Mom, I'm going to cook for you. Wait for me." The boy hurriedly prepared to leave.
The woman grabbed his hand and said, "Bao'er, listen to me."
The boy nodded quickly and held his mother's hand tightly.
The woman paused for a while before slowly speaking:
"I suffered a lot after escaping from those Hu people. Those people are really... sigh."
She sighed, her eyes already red, and then said:
“Bao’er, your mother won’t live much longer. You’re already a teenager. Although you’re a bit thin, you’re a real man. You must live well. If you have the chance, you should join the army and protect people like us from suffering. And when you join the army, remember to follow the prince.”
At this point, she shook her son's hand forcefully.
The boy was already in tears, and he quickly nodded in agreement.
"I've seen many military officers, but people like the Prince are really rare."
"Mother believes that the Prince will definitely keep his word and wipe out those barbarian horses. He will then send a large army to protect us. If the Prince says he doesn't want you to join the army, you can stay home and grow crops. If he does want you, you can follow the Prince."
"The prince will lead us to survive."
As she spoke, the woman's breathing grew even weaker.
The boy had a premonition of what was going to happen; he could only cry, unable to utter another word.
Just then, a commotion arose outside.
"The prince distributed grain, but you stole our grain, leaving us with only this little bit. How are we old men supposed to survive? Soldiers, aren't you people sent by the imperial court? How could you...?"
The voice stopped abruptly at this point.
Then a scream was heard, followed by several shouts and curses.
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