Speaking of Jinzhou, it was once the capital of several dynasties.
Although it is not as famous as the capital city of Dagan today, it is still wealthy and prosperous, and has a profound literary heritage.
Once upon a time, in the imperial examinations, students from Jinzhou were as numerous as carp crossing a river! More than half of them made it onto the list of successful candidates!
Such a brilliant achievement is truly amazing.
As for Chen Chunhua, she somehow heard these rumors about Jinzhou.
Initially, when she learned that everyone was preparing to flee to Jinzhou for refuge, she was filled with fear, regarding it as a monstrous flood, and felt that the journey would be full of hardships and dangers, and she opposed the idea.
However, as they learned more about Jinzhou, especially after hearing about its unshakeable position in the literary world, their attitude underwent a complete 180-degree change.
Now, she not only doesn't resist it, but wholeheartedly supports it.
As for the others, it's unclear whether it's because they simply couldn't let go of the efforts they had made during that long period.
In the end, all the villagers of Stone Village made the same decision without prior agreement.
The shadow of losing loved ones gradually lifted, and all the villagers of Stone Village seemed to be united by an invisible force, their eyes shining brightly.
The road ahead may be rugged, but their yearning for a better life burns like a raging fire, making them even more ardent and determined.
Seeing everyone so united, the village chief couldn't help but smile with satisfaction on his weathered face.
He nodded slightly and said in a loud voice, "Alright! Since everyone has made up their minds, let's go to Jinzhou together!"
---
Time slipped by unnoticed, and more than twenty days and nights had passed in the blink of an eye.
As the morning light, like a thin veil, brushed across the horizon, it painted the sky with a faint blush.
As the first rays of golden sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone upon the earth, the villagers of Stone Village eagerly awaited their arrival.
The gaze traveled across the seemingly unreachable distance and finally settled on the picturesque and prosperous city in front of them.
Looking out from afar, Jinzhou City resembles a dazzling pearl, firmly embedded in the vast Jiangnan land.
The river meanders at the foot of the city, flowing leisurely through the entire city of Jinzhou.
The babbling river adds a unique vitality to the city.
As the distance gradually closed, the people of Stone Village increasingly felt the magnificent atmosphere unique to Jinzhou City.
Above the magnificent city gate, many patterns were imprinted.
Every line, every color, and every detail is depicted with remarkable precision.
All of this seemed to silently testify to the prosperity of Jinzhou City.
At this moment, the people of Stone Village stood outside the city, gazing at the magnificent scene before them, their hearts filled with uncontrollable emotions.
Looking back on the trials and tribulations they have faced, they have gone through countless hardships to get here.
Only after witnessing the prosperity of Jinzhou City with their own eyes did everyone realize that all the hardships and sacrifices they had endured were worthwhile!
Jinzhou City, this dreamlike place, will be the new starting point for their lives!
Filled with anticipation for a happy future, everyone quickened their pace, eager to step into this mysterious and enchanting city and begin their new lives...
---
People come and go at the city gates, a constant flow of people.
Just then, the village chief suddenly shouted, "Everyone, don't go yet! Stop for a moment and listen to me!"
The villagers, who had already started walking towards the city gate, stopped in their tracks upon hearing the village chief's call, and turned to look in the direction where the village chief was, their faces filled with confusion.
The village chief looked serious, his face full of solemnity. "Fellow villagers, we are about to enter Jinzhou City. We've been traveling through wind and rain, so we can't lose face! Now everyone, go and check your belongings, tidy yourselves up, and find some clean clothes to change into."
Without the slightest hesitation, everyone immediately scattered and rushed to their own bundles, carefully searching through them.
In an instant, the sounds of people talking and searching for clothes filled the air, creating a tense and busy atmosphere.
Where did I put my clean clothes?
Have you seen my newer pair of shoes?
...
At this moment, the village chief quietly watched the scene before him, but he had some special thoughts in his mind.
Their journey has been fraught with hardship.
Back then, my hometown was struck by a natural disaster, leaving me with no choice but to leave my home and embark on this arduous journey of escape.
Fortunately, they encountered the black-armored general on the way, who not only left them food and water, but also a letter as proof that they could enter the city.
Holding such a precious letter, it would be disgraceful to the benefactor to rashly appear in the city as a disheveled and homeless vagrant.
Furthermore, the attitudes of city dwellers towards outsiders are unpredictable.
Even if the local official has a kind and tolerant heart and is willing to lend a helping hand to these poor strangers, if he leaves a bad impression on them from the beginning, it will probably be very difficult for him to establish himself here in the future.
Thinking of this, the village chief couldn't help but sigh softly, secretly praying that everything would go smoothly on this trip to the city.
After everyone had finished getting ready, the village chief solemnly led them slowly toward the city gate.
As they approached the city gate, they saw the village chief with a beaming smile, his back bent like a shrimp, his attitude extremely humble.
He moved cautiously to the city gate guard.
After standing still, he took a deep breath before recounting the whole story to the guard.
The village chief had been pondering these words for a long time, able to clearly describe every detail, not daring to miss even the slightest bit of important information.
At this moment, Wang Xiuxiu was standing not far from them, quietly observing the commotion over there.
The guard looked impatient and didn't seem to care much about the village chief's explanation.
Only when the village chief respectfully handed the letter, which was considered of utmost importance, to the guard did the guard's expression improve slightly.
After receiving the letter, the guard glanced at the cover, muttered a few words that were not very clear, then looked up at the village chief a few times before nodding reluctantly.
Having received a response from the guard, the village chief, as if relieved, reached out to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead and turned to return to the group.
As soon as they returned, someone in the crowd eagerly asked, "Village chief, what happened? Why aren't we allowed into the city yet?"
"What's the rush! They need to verify the situation first! Everyone, just stay here and rest. They'll let us know once they've checked everything!"
After saying that, the village chief found a shady spot to sit down, closed his eyes to rest, and ignored everyone else.
After an unknown amount of time, a person dressed in official robes slowly emerged, led by a guard.
After looking around, the guard finally fixed his gaze on the village chief and waved to him.
Standing in the crowd, Wang Xiuxiu's gaze never left the official from the moment he appeared.
Judging from his attire alone, this official does not appear to be a high-ranking figure.
At this moment, the village chief quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and began to talk to the man with utmost respect.
As he spoke, the village chief's expression gradually became serious.
The village chief looked troubled, secretly glancing in the direction of the villagers before turning back to continue pleading with the official.
The official shook his head.
Wang Xiuxiu keenly noticed this detail, and her heart sank suddenly as an ominous premonition surged into her mind.
Sure enough, a moment later, the village chief returned with faltering steps and some bad news.
"Fellow villagers! We...we're afraid we won't be able to enter Jinzhou City..."
The village chief's voice trembled slightly, as if he had used up all his strength to say those words.
These words immediately caused an uproar among the already uneasy villagers.
They looked at each other, their faces filled with shock and despair.
Some people were so shocked that they became incoherent, asking, "How could this happen? What should we do?"
The scene was immediately thrown into chaos and panic.
Seeing this, the village chief quickly reached out his hands to calm everyone down.
"Everyone, please don't get excited! Let me finish!"
After everyone calmed down a bit, he continued, "However, the situation is not as bad as you all imagine. The county magistrate just explained it to me. Although we cannot enter the city, we can go to Taoyuan Village, which is under the jurisdiction of Qingyun County, to settle down."
Hearing the village chief's words, everyone's hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.
Compared to the fear of being displaced and homeless, whether or not they have the opportunity to step into Jinzhou City and experience its prosperity and bustle firsthand seems to have become less important.
The villagers accepted the reality before them.
As for the village chief, whether it was just his imagination or not, he didn't seem to stand as straight as before after returning.
The village chief, who used to walk with his head held high at the front of the village, now gives the impression of being slightly hunched over.
Just as everyone was about to leave, Wang Xiuxiu inadvertently caught a glimpse of the village chief standing there quietly, gazing silently in the direction of Jinzhou City.
His gaze was deep and lingering, as if trying to pierce through all obstacles and look into the depths of the city.
After a long, long time, the village chief finally sighed softly, turned around, and followed the main group...
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