Chapter 906 A Dream of Youth 438
After the room was cleared out, a girl dressed in straw sandals and tattered clothes emerged from behind a screen on one side. She disguised herself as a boy and came here to find her father, or rather, to collect his body.
Tears washed away the dirt on her face, and she knelt at Xie Ning's feet, sobbing uncontrollably.
Her grandfather died in the Battle of Xili a few years ago, and her father and brother are also missing here, their fates unknown. They were just an ordinary family.
The family owns a small plot of land, barely enough to make ends meet. In recent years, they've planted cotton, which makes winters less cold. The children have survived the winter, and everything is moving in a positive direction.
But when war broke out, her father and brothers were forced to serve as conscripts, her grandmother went blind from crying, and the burden of the family fell on her mother, sister and sister-in-law.
Not long ago, the man next door who went out to serve in the military returned with a limp. He had been beaten. According to him, his situation was the best, because some people never made it back.
A laborer whose Achilles tendon has been severed will not be able to walk for more than ten days before his leg is completely broken, leaving him stranded on the grain transport route.
In this way, not only can the military rations be successfully transported to their destination, but a large portion of the grain for the laborers can also be saved.
That very evening, my grandmother passed away.
Looking at her mother's ashen face, she cut her hair to a man's length, put on her brother's clothes, and headed towards the place the man had told her they were serving in.
If her father and brothers died, she would drag their bodies home; she didn't want her mother to become like her grandmother.
"The journey is long, and I'm afraid you'll collapse on the road before you even bring your father and brothers home." Xie Ning didn't know the specifics of the girl's father and brothers, but they probably couldn't escape having their Achilles tendons severed.
So, where can we go?
The girl sniffed, a smile spreading across her face, her eyes bright. "No, I'm very strong, and God favors me the most. I was able to get here safely, and I'm sure I can bring my father and brothers home safely too."
Whether it's a living person or a skeleton.
"There's no need for that."
Xie Ning pulled her to sit on a chair. The girl's straw sandals were covered in dried blood, indicating that her feet were worn out.
The girl thought Xie Ning didn't want her to take her father and brothers away, and tears welled up in her eyes again. Her calloused hands tightly gripped Xie Ning's slender fingers, and she only came to her senses when she touched the warm and cool jade thumb ring on his fingers.
"Sir, spare my life."
Seeing that she was about to kneel again, Xie Ning said directly, "Sit properly."
"The number of Madam Ding who is injured is still uncertain, and it is unknown whether your father or brothers are among them. Even if they are, whether they are alive or dead, they must be temporarily placed in one place and not moved. Once the fighting has subsided, I will make other arrangements to send them home."
Medical care will also be arranged for the injured.
The girl's emotions gradually calmed down.
"That will leave us short-handed. Would you like to work there? You could cook and help the doctor."
"willing!"
The girl did not hesitate at all. This way, she would not only have a place to stay, but also have her food problem solved. Lord Xie was willing to help her, but she could not rely on Lord Xie because of this.
Moreover, it would be best if their father and brothers could receive medical treatment if they were injured, but their family is poor and they probably can't afford it.
Xie Ning could only do this much. She knew that the doctors here probably couldn't treat a foot with a severed Achilles tendon, but she could give it a try. However, she simply didn't have the time right now. After all, the battle on the front lines was intense, and as time went on, she became increasingly busy.
There are priorities, and Xie Ning could only postpone the issue of finding suitable laborers.
The girl followed Qingxu downstairs. Qingxu handed the girl a set of clean clothes and shoes that she had prepared, saying, "You're thinner than me, but you should be able to fit into these. Take them and change into them first."
"I... Sister Qingxu, I have clothes." The girl lowered her head, her gaze falling on her feet. She moved her toes uncomfortably, which looked... awkward.
"Where did your courage to stop cars go?" Qingxu pinched the girl's pointed little face. She was too thin, which made her eyes look big.
"The master does have some old, soft, plain-colored clothes, but he is tall, and you certainly wouldn't be able to fit into them..."
Xie Ning only looks thin; if she didn't have some muscle, she wouldn't be able to wield a longsword and go to the battlefield to kill enemies.
"No... I didn't mean to look down on Sister Qingxu. I just feel that you and the adults have already helped me a lot. How can I accept such nice clothes? I've received too much kindness. Heaven will take it away from me from other places."
Qingxu couldn't understand this idea and hesitated before saying, "Then I'll sell it to you? You can pay me back when you make money in the future, is that okay?"
The girl breathed a sigh of relief and nodded earnestly, "I will definitely make money."
She learned weaving from the aunt next door, and when the time comes, she can make money by spinning cotton cloth and selling it.
Seeing that the girl accepted, Qingxu also relaxed. She had said that on purpose. Xie Ning herself did not mind giving her old clothes to others, but she could not make the decision for Xie Ning.
"There's still medicine. Your feet must hurt a lot, right? This medicine was made by an adult, and it works very well."
"Actually, it doesn't hurt anymore." Because it's all scabbed over, it's hard, and it only occasionally feels uncomfortable.
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