Chapter 68: United We Stand
Back in the house, the two sat at the table. Shen Yuexi held her chin with both hands and listened to Xiao Zhuo's account of what had happened.
"So my husband didn't kill that centurion?"
According to Xiao Zhuo's previous style, he should have killed them all, so why did he let the leader go?
Xiao Zhuo smiled faintly. "That man was an officer from the Western Rong. If we had killed him directly, I'm afraid the Western Rong army would have come to our door tomorrow. I simply forced him to swear on the spot that he would never come to Xiaogang Village again, and then let him go."
Shen Yuexi nodded, not quite understanding.
That’s right. If the Xirong officer was really killed, how could the Xirong army let it go?
Xiao Zhuo reached out and lifted a strand of her hair that had fallen on her cheek. His eyes were gentle. "Although that Xirong officer swore an oath, he still can't get over the murder of his son. He might come back soon. We must take precautions early."
Shen Yuexi frowned, thinking that there might be more than just these people next time.
"Don't worry, my men will be here soon." Xiao Zhuo seemed to sense her uneasiness and spoke soothingly, "I've asked the villagers to collect the weapons of the Western Rong people. Tomorrow morning, I'll begin teaching them the art of fighting in battle."
To defend Xiaogang Village, we cannot wait until the Xirong army arrives before taking any last-minute measures.
With Xiao Zhuo considering the overall situation, she didn't have to think too much and talked to Xiao Zhuo about the well drilling machine in the yard.
"That's right," Xiao Zhuo reached out and touched her head, smiling, "If we want to start developing from this place, we must first solve the problem of food and water. I was thinking about how to deal with this matter, but I didn't expect that my wife has already solved it."
Shen Yuexi raised the corner of her mouth proudly: "If anyone wants to dig a well, we can take this thing out and give it to the villagers to use."
We will all live in the same village in the future, so we still need to maintain good relationships.
Xiao Zhuo was about to respond when there was suddenly a noise outside the yard.
Shen Yuexi quickly stood up and walked to the door, where Yang Cong was sweating profusely as he twisted the handle. He turned around and called out with a smile, "Master Pei, Madam Pei, it's the village head who brought everyone here to visit the master."
The two men went out of the yard and saw the village head and dozens of villagers waiting outside the door. Every villager was looking at them eagerly with an expression of admiration and worship on their faces.
Seeing Shen Yuexi and Xiao Zhuo coming out, the village head said with a smile: "Madam Pei, if it weren't for Master Pei today, we would have been robbed. Please accept these things as an apology for our previous disrespect."
After saying that, the village head waved to the side, and the villagers handed him a basket with dozens of eggs in it.
Today was the first day the invading Western Rong were driven away. After years of frustration, they finally felt proud. Everyone proposed thanking Master Pei, with the village head leading the charge.
Xiaogang Village was frequently plundered, with chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep being the worst off. Whenever the Xirong came, they would seize any chickens or ducks they saw in the village. These eggs were only preserved by being hidden in the villagers' cellars.
Of course, Shen Yuexi knew that given the current situation in Xiaogang Village, it was not easy to offer such a thank-you gift.
However, this was also what Xiao Zhuo had earned, so she did not refuse it hypocritically. She accepted it generously, took the basket and put it into the house, then turned around and went back to the gate of the yard.
"Don't worry, sir. We've all become disheartened because the imperial court has shown no concern," the village head said excitedly. "Now that we have a strong leader, all the villagers of Xiaogang Village are willing to do their utmost to protect the village and are ready to accept your orders at any time."
Xiao Zhuo nodded and said, "When the sun rises tomorrow, have everyone gather in the village square."
The villagers shouted, "We are willing to obey your orders, sir."
Everyone was arguing when they suddenly heard Yang Cong in the yard shouting in surprise:
"Madam Pei, everyone come and see!"
Shen Yuexi quickly pulled Xiao Zhuo towards Yang Cong, and the villagers outside the yard rushed in. They surrounded the well drilling machine.
Yang Cong had already raised the drill rod and pointed at the wet drill bit at the end, which was dripping with water, in surprise.
"It's water, it's water!" The village head opened his eyes wide and exclaimed in surprise.
After such a long drought, the feeling of seeing water is like a hungry person suddenly seeing delicious food.
"We've found water! That's great!" Shen Yuexi happily shouted to the surrounding villagers, "Everyone, we've found water! Hurry up and expand the pit!"
The drill rod went down more than ten meters, but it only made a small hole the size of an egg, and there was no way to draw water. With so many people here, it would be a waste not to use it.
The crowd cheered and went home to get shovels, pickaxes and other things.
The news of the water being dug out spread quickly throughout Xiaogang Village. Even the women who were cooking at home could no longer sit still and all ran out to see what was happening.
Before, every bucket of water we needed had to be carried back from the mountains. The journey alone took half an hour, and we had to worry about running into Western Rong soldiers. Now that the village has tapped into a well, life has become much more convenient.
The small courtyard was bustling with noise and brightly lit. Nearly a hundred people worked together, some digging, some transporting the earth. When one group of villagers got tired of digging, they would go down to rest, and another group would take over.
Shen Yuexi stood at the door of the house, holding Xiao Zhuo's arm, watching the well gradually take shape with a smile, feeling indescribably comfortable in her heart.
She worked hard for a long time by herself and finally drilled a small hole half a meter deep.
Now that so many people are digging, it's so fast that she can't believe it.
This is what unity means.
Xiaogang Village had long been harassed by the Western Rong, and the villagers lived in constant fear. They had no time to think about their quality of life. But now with Xiao Zhuo, everyone's passion for life has been rekindled.
"Madam Pei," Yang Cong said excitedly, "someone wants to borrow a well drilling machine."
Of course, Shen Yuexi wouldn't object; that was her original plan. If anyone wanted to dig a well, they could use this simplified version of the well-drilling machine.
She had already taught Yang Cong how to use it, and when the time came, she would just have to follow and watch.
Shen Yuexi nodded: "That's right, anyone who needs to dig a well can come to my house and borrow it."
She thought for a moment and added to Yang Cong, "Let them drill directly down from their own wellhead. If they still don't find water at the depth of our well, they shouldn't continue."
Underground waterways are crisscrossed and their depths may not be consistent.
Her idea was to find a suitable place in the village and dig a well deep enough for everyone to share.
This not only solves everyone's drinking water problem, but also eliminates the need to go door to door looking for water sources.
Yang Cong agreed and, together with a dozen villagers, lowered the well drilling machine and carried it out of the gate of the small courtyard.
Although it was almost midnight, everyone was still enthusiastic. A villager popped his head out of the well and shouted excitedly, "It's done!"
Several villagers pulled the people below to the ground, and then pulled up the ladder below. The village head walked over to Shen Yuexi and Xiao Zhuo with a bowl of water and a smile.
"Mr. Pei, Mrs. Pei, look."
Shen Yuexi looked at the water in the moonlight. It was yellow and turbid. It was mixed with a lot of mud and sand. It was not drinkable now. It needed to settle first.
Is it possible to consider asking Big Bear to make a water purifier or something like that?
The village head smiled and said, "Tomorrow I will arrange for people to line the well with stones, and the water will no longer be turbid."
Xiao Zhuo also revealed a hint of a smile: "Everyone has worked hard, go back and rest early."
After saying that, Xiao Zhuo took Shen Yuexi's arm and said, "Madam, let's go back to the house."
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