Chapter 138 She Wants to Protect This Place
Shen Yuexi rode a warhorse and rushed back to Xiaogang Village overnight under the escort of soldiers.
When they arrived at the village entrance, Qiu Liming was sitting on a rock, staring at the village in a daze. Turning around, he saw Shen Yuexi coming and quickly stood up and said, "Madam, why are you here?"
"Are the villagers still in the village?" Shen Yuexi jumped off the horse and handed the reins to the soldier next to him.
In order to make it easier to ride a horse, she changed into men's clothes.
Qiu Liming raised his hand and pointed in the direction of the village square: "No, they are all gathered in the square, worshiping the statue."
He was no longer surprised by Shen Yuexi's casual changes of clothes.
"General Qiu, what do you think?" Shen Yuexi wanted to see if Qiu Liming also believed this.
Qiu Liming said, "Madam, when the Western Rong attacked, you produced 40,000 crossbow arrows in just three days. This general has never understood it. It shouldn't be possible with the villagers' abilities. It's not that they couldn't produce it, it's that you did it too quickly. I think perhaps the gods were secretly helping you. Didn't you think it was too fast at the time?"
"I was also surprised at first. I thought the blacksmiths were just working too fast," Shen Yuexi rolled her eyes. "So... does the General also believe in the existence of God?"
The more backward the era, the more people believe in gods and spirits. This concept cannot be said to be deeply rooted, but it is a common phenomenon.
Qiu Liming said, "Of course. Not only me, but even the imperial palace in the capital has gods to worship, blessing the country with peace and prosperity. It's just that generals like us have killed too many people, so the gods will definitely not bother to bless us, and we are too lazy to offer sacrifices to them."
For those of them who have been fighting on the battlefield for a long time, they don't care about these illusory things.
After hearing this, Shen Yuexi pondered in her heart.
In this backward ancient world, the universal manufacturing machine was a god. If it weren't for the material limitations, it would be easy to create more advanced things in the blink of an eye.
Ancient people were quite superstitious, so it was pointless to talk to them about science. Their understanding wasn't at that level, so it would be pointless. Furthermore, if someone were to propose advanced theories, and if an organization like the Space-Time Administration truly existed, they would be arrested as a criminal disrupting the course of history. That would be a disaster.
How about this? Under the guise of a god, she could use the universal manufacturing machine to create something less perverted and more beneficial to the people. Something like a drilling machine would be her contribution to the people of this era.
"General Qiu, I'm going to the square to check on everyone," Shen Yuexi said as she walked towards the village. "Please ask the sergeant to wait for a moment."
"Then will the general still persuade these villagers to leave?"
Qiu Liming asked this question out of a sense of responsibility. He didn't consider these villagers that important. He only evacuated them because Shen Yuexi had asked him to.
Xiao Zhuo is his lord. And Shen Yuexi is not only his mistress, but also the benefactor who saved him from the Xirong general Dan Muji. He obeys Shen Yuexi's every word.
"I'll just ask."
Shen Yuexi said goodbye to Qiu Liming and arrived at the square of Xiaogang Village. Thousands of villagers gathered in the square, their torches blazing like daylight.
Shen Yuexi was wearing men's clothing and had no torches, so the people didn't recognize her. They were all engrossed in listening to the speech given by the village headman standing at the temple gate.
"Even if the Crown Prince of Dayan was deposed by that foolish emperor, he is still a true dragon!"
The people raised their hands and cheered, the scene was like a rally.
"The real dragon and the gods are here to protect us. The gods possessed the soldiers before and drove away the demon for us," the village head raised his hands. "Now there are no evil spirits wandering in the village!"
"Yes!" a woman exclaimed excitedly, "The swelling on my son's body has completely disappeared. This is a sign that the evil spirit has left."
Shen Yuexi walked around the crowd and headed towards the village head.
Li Zheng had been present when the child's symptoms were examined. The child's condition was caused by a crab allergy, so why was he still using the term "demon" as an excuse? It seemed Li Zheng didn't believe her. If that were the case, Miep's identity as the demon would remain unshaken.
"Now the evil bandits from Xirong are coming to invade our Xiaogang Village again. With the gods' secret blessing, we will definitely defeat them."
"Oh!" Everyone cheered again.
Shen Yuexi felt it was inappropriate for her to intervene and throw cold water on everyone at this moment. The villagers firmly believed in the existence of the gods and would not be moved by her words. However, if she left them alone, the Xirong army would rush in and these villagers would surely die without a burial place.
These people are not unrelated to her.
These were the people Xiao Zhuo had protected through countless bitter battles, and they trusted her and her unconditionally. During the battle against the Western Rong, the men tirelessly forged arrows in the workshops to supply the soldiers at the pass, while the women cooked meals at home and carried them on their shoulders to the soldiers on the front lines. It was thanks to this collective effort that Xiao Zhuo achieved the feat of resisting ten thousand with only five hundred men.
Xiaogang Village is now brimming with life. Houses are rising from the ground. Chickens and ducks are clucking in every household. Children's laughter fills the streets again. Villagers are flocking to the village from nearby villages, and the fields surrounding it are a vibrant green.
This was Xiao Zhuo's foothold outside the Great Wall. Whether these villagers stayed here out of superstition or because they were reluctant to leave their homeland, this place could not be handed over to the Western Rong.
Even though Xiao Zhuo is not here, doesn't she still exist?
She wants to protect this land full of hope. She believes she can do it.
Shen Yuexi quietly left the bustling crowd and returned to the village entrance.
Seeing her turn around, Qiu Liming stood up and said, "Madam, these villagers won't retreat if they don't. I'll escort you, Madam, and we'll return to Baixiushan. We can return after the Western Rong retreat."
"No, I want to stay here," Shen Yuexi looked at Qiu Liming with clear eyes, "I hope the general can lend me a hand."
Qiu Liming was startled and said to Shen Yuexi, "Madam, the enemy now has 25,000 men. Our Lord is in the north and cannot return. How can we resist them?"
Even a master as brave and as meticulously planned as he is can only deal with a 10,000-man enemy force, ultimately relying on the Xiliang cavalry to save the day. What's the mistress's chance now?
Shen Yuexi said: "I believe that the gods are on our side and they will appear to protect us."
Qiu Liming was speechless.
The mistress went to the square and was brainwashed by the village head.
Although it is true that the gods helped forge the crossbow arrows, who knows whether the gods are sleeping or wandering outside now, and it is still unclear whether they are in Xiaogang Village. The mistress swore so confidently.
Shen Yuexi looked at Qiu Liming firmly and said, "General Qiu, are you willing to help me?"
Qiu Liming bowed and said solemnly, "Since my mistress has such intention, Qiu Liming is willing to die for her."
"Okay, tell Prince Mei that I've decided to stop the Western Rong army at Langya Pass, and ask him to send his thousand soldiers to help me."
"I will prepare immediately," Qiu Liming agreed and said to Shen Yuexi, "Where are you going now, Madam?"
Shen Yuexi said, "I'll go to the pass and take a look."
Qiu Li knew that there were soldiers patrolling near the pass, so he wasn't worried about Shen Yuexi's safety. He mounted his horse and said, "I will go to pay my respects to Xiushan right away."
After breaking up with Qiu Liming, Shen Yuexi rode a horse to Langya Pass.
During the previous ambush at Langya Pass, the Yan army dropped a large number of rocks and rolling logs into the passage, completely blocking it and still not clearing it. Now, anyone trying to cross Langya Pass has to take the small path up the mountain.
Shen Yuexi dismounted and first glanced back at the twinkling lights of Xiaogang Village to the south, then turned back to the dark passage in front of her. She thought to herself, "Is Daxiong here?"
"Dear Master, Big Bear is here. What do you want to make?"
Hearing the babyish voice of Big Bear echoing in her mind again, Shen Yuexi walked into the passage against the wind. She didn't care about the bend in the passage at all and walked straight towards the north.
As she moved, the stones, wood, and even the stone wall in front of her within a five-meter radius disappeared without a trace.
A straight road ten meters wide appeared behind her, leading directly to the north.
When Xiao Zhuo ascends the throne in the future, he will walk this road again hand in hand with Shen Yuexi.
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