Chapter 62 Xiao Zhuo's Ambition
Shen Yuexi and Xiao Zhuo arrived at the village. They arrived too late last night and didn't take a close look at the village.
As soon as she stepped out, Shen Yuexi was stunned by what she saw.
The trees on both sides of the path stood listlessly, as if they had been burned, their leaves having long since lost their moisture and curled up.
It is August now, and even though the temperature in the northwest has dropped earlier, it is not so fast as late autumn, with fallen petals dancing everywhere and the ground desolate.
Even the ground was rolled up. Shen Yuexi turned around and asked Yang Cong: "What's going on here?"
Xiao Zhuo also glanced around, but his eyes were indifferent, as if he already knew all this.
That's right, he went out yesterday and checked this place out thoroughly.
"It hasn't rained here for three months, and now it's harvest time, but no one has any harvest." A trace of sadness appeared on Yang Cong's dark face.
Thinking about being kicked out of the house, this was one of the reasons.
Shen Yuexi's heart sank when she heard this. Xiao Zhuo's men would arrive in two days. Right now, this place was completely desolate, with not even a blade of grass growing. How would so many people survive then?
Xiao Zhuo seemed to have thought of this problem as well. He took her hand and walked slowly to stand side by side with Shen Yuexi. He said soothingly, "There's water on the mountain near the Xirong border. There's no need to worry."
She nodded in understanding, but when she heard what Xiao Zhuo said about the mountain, she became interested again.
The universal manufacturing machine hasn't been used for a long time. Maybe a lot of materials can be dug out from that mountain.
Shen Yuexi looked at Xiao Zhuo with a smile, and Xiao Zhuo's shadow was reflected in her clear eyes.
A faint smile appeared on Xiao Zhuo's lips.
Shen Yuexi's clear eyes turned, and her voice was clear and transcendent: "Then next time you take me to that mountain, okay?"
When the time comes and she finds good materials and makes new things, and makes money, she can generously give him half of it.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but curl up the corners of her mouth.
Shen Yuexi's smile was as dazzling as the spring sunshine.
Xiao Zhuo's eyes, as deep as the sea, seemed to be filled with tenderness.
Suddenly, as if he wanted to tease her, he stretched out a hand and flicked her forehead. Seeing this, Shen Yuexi immediately covered her forehead and quickly stepped back, staying away from him.
Yang Cong, who was behind him, saw this and burst into laughter.
This couple is really interesting.
Master Pei looks cool and noble, making people dare not act rashly and unconsciously submit to him.
Such a serious person would actually do such a thing to make his wife happy.
It seems that Master Pei loves Madam Pei very much.
Shen Yuexi didn't expect Xiao Zhuo to behave like this. It was so inconsistent with his previous behavior.
Xiao Zhuo walked over quickly, continued to hold her hand, and said in a gentle voice: "Don't run around when you are in the mountains."
Of course, she knew that not only was it so close to Xirong, but there were also probably dangerous wild animals there.
She still cherishes her life very much.
"Of course, I'm just looking for something." Shen Yuexi was so happy that she almost jumped up at the thought of making money soon.
Xiao Zhuo looked at her, shook his head helplessly, and quickened his pace to follow her.
There were idle villagers sitting in groups of three or four in the farmhouses on both sides of the road. When they saw the two, some would come forward to say hello, while others would look at them with curiosity.
However, Yang Cong, who was following behind, was originally from the village. It was heard long ago that he was captured by the Xirong people, but now he saw that he had returned. He looked at Xiao Zhuo and Shen Yuexi differently.
Seeing that everyone looked malnourished, with sallow complexions and a bit of low spirits, Shen Yuexi asked, "Yang Cong, how do you all survive?"
There hadn't been a drop of rain in the past three months, and there was no harvest. She really couldn't imagine how the people here survived.
"What else can we rely on?" she said, scratching her unwashed hair. "Those who are young and strong at home have to risk their lives to go to the mountains to find food and drink."
After saying that, Yang Cong sighed.
Everyone is having a hard time now.
As she walked, she looked around. Some of the children looked to be about seven or eight years old. Their clothes were tattered, with pieces of rags hanging on their bodies. They were playing barefoot on the roadside.
"Some of the young people in the family have gone to the town to find some work to supplement the family income." Yang Cong followed Shen Yuexi's gaze and introduced the situation of the village to her as he walked.
"The drought in the village is so severe now, and the government doesn't care?"
But after asking, she suddenly remembered. The imperial court had not even bothered to address the Western Rong's raids, let alone the drought. It was clear that the people outside the Great Wall were being left to fend for themselves.
Xiao Zhuo pursed his lips tightly, his expression cold and handsome, his voice icy: "I have been stationed on the border to fight against the Northern Di since I was sixteen, and I rarely participate in the affairs of the court."
Shen Yuexi then remembered that Xiao Zhuo had fled the capital since he was sixteen due to the emperor's suspicion. Xiao Zhuo must have known everything going on in the capital, but with the emperor holding great power, it was difficult for him to do anything.
"Husband," she asked in confusion, "is Dayan not going to take over this barren land?"
She felt that the Great Yan Dynasty had no intention of taking this desolate place, otherwise there wouldn't even be a garrison there, which meant it was clearly giving it to the Western Rong people.
It is no wonder that those people from the Western Rong were able to cross the border and plunder with impunity and never received any punishment.
Xiao Zhuo's face darkened, clearly disapproving of the Great Yan Dynasty's actions. A murderous glint welled up in his eyes as he looked at Shen Yuexi and spoke slowly and calmly, "A barren land isn't an ownerless place. Since the imperial court no longer wants this place, I, Xiao Zhuo, will claim it."
There was no concealment in his eyes, nakedly exposed to Shen Yuexi.
The shock brought by his words kept Shen Yuexi in her trance for a long time.
She originally thought that Xiao Zhuo had chosen to come here just to avoid the emperor's pursuit, but unexpectedly, he had already planned it out.
At the beginning, on the road to exile, he actually had no intention of escaping.
Then doesn't everything I do seem like a joke?
"Yuexi," he seemed to see her confusion, "although coming here is my purpose, I don't intend to just sit there and wait for death."
She said that under such harsh conditions, anyone who could reach the border would either die or be disabled.
Fortunately, Xiao Zhuo had already planned to escape.
The world is so big, but there is no place for him to stay. He can only come to this ownerless land to fight for his own world.
This is the determination to risk one's life and start all over again.
Shen Yuexi heard that his calm tone concealed an unparalleled arrogance.
Trying to make Xiao Zhuo surrender would only satisfy him temporarily.
Xiao Zhuo is such a proud person, there is no way he would be willing to be inferior to others.
But she didn't expect Xiao Zhuo to tell her his true thoughts.
"What? Are you scared?" Xiao Zhuo glanced at Shen Yuexi, "It's too late. Once you get on my boat, you won't have a chance to get off."
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