After returning to Pingyang County, Cen Ang hurriedly went to the county government office.
"Luan'er, where is your Wang Zheng?"
"They're approving documents up front."
"Call him over, it's urgent."
The woman didn't dare to delay. Cen Ang was rarely in such a hurry, so she quickly called a maid to summon Wang Zheng.
"The Xiongnu army has gathered at the border. They should not have reached the border yet, but they are not far away."
This news surprised Wang Zheng and his wife. The Xiongnu had never launched a war in the spring. They usually only gathered troops on the border in the winter when they were cold and hungry and could not survive.
"Then all these things in the county have to be stopped. We can't let people walk around on the streets... just in case..."
"No way!" Cen Ang retorted.
"You're making them all stay home and hide now, isn't that just making the people panic?"
"What should we do then?"
"Build high walls, store up grain, and work hard at blacksmithing."
"But there are only a few days left... what if..."
"Every bit higher the city wall can be, and every extra day of food we can eat is a blessing!"
Wang Zheng frowned, then asked...
"What about the county school? Surely we can close the school for now."
The two women nodded. Indeed, both the county school and the schools run by Pingyang County itself were going to be closed for the holidays. Spring plowing was coming soon, and many children would be going home to help. Consider this an early holiday for them this year.
"Alright, I'll arrange for someone to send the Prefect's son and daughter back right away."
"OK!"
Cen Ang arrived quickly and left quickly. He returned to the brothel and brought the children the good news that they didn't have to go to school, but the children weren't particularly happy.
"Long'er, what do you think war is like?" The hardest time in Xiaohai's life was the few days she ran from Beining to Pingyang County, and she really couldn't imagine what war was like.
"Dead people, dead people all over the mountains and fields."
Da Nier, unusually, did not respond. Normally, even if she didn't know what to say, she would at least manage to squeeze out a "hmm".
"Sister Dani, are you scared?" Hou Xiangxiang asked when the little girl didn't speak.
"Hmm? A little, I guess."
Anyone could tell from Da Ni'er's perfunctory answer that she harbored some hatred for the place where she was born.
Why insist on fighting?
Her father was a good-for-nothing, not even as good as the local prefect. At least the king knew how to teach those refugees how to support themselves, but her father couldn't even come up with a solution. If it weren't for the fact that the throne is hereditary, how could such a person have ascended to the throne of the grasslands?
He's not even as good as the High Priest.
She finally had parents.
—The Prefect issued an order
All blacksmiths and blacksmith shops in Pingyang County are now only making arrowheads and weapons! Here are the blueprints!
The constable threw down the blueprints and left, hurrying to the next house. In fact, the people weren't stupid; they all understood that if someone was making weapons and collecting grain, there was definitely going to be a war.
Otherwise, why were they recruiting soldiers the other day?
But few people said they wanted to leave Pingyang to escape. Firstly, their roots were there, and secondly, if they all left, Pingyang County would be an empty city, an empty city with nothing but the garrison.
If the defending army had lost the battle, they could still put up a fight; everyone has pride, even ordinary people.
They didn't want to be criticized by the Yan people. Look, it was them who ran away before the Xiongnu even raised their swords.
That won't do, absolutely not!
It's okay to take small advantages, but it's unacceptable to abandon the greater principles in your heart!
Even so, Pingyang County remained unchanged, still bustling with activity at the market. The only change was the addition of a few more vendors selling self-defense weapons.
"I think this thing could be hung higher; that way, it would hurt more if it hit someone!"
"And this! This! And this! Tighten these ropes a bit, so these spikes will shoot farther and with more force!"
Huo Xiaolong was picking and choosing behind Lu Feigong. The atmosphere in the county town was a bit tense. Their brothel was the same, with all sorts of mechanisms and secret passages set up. Little Tuanzi was inspecting everything from behind.
"We can't tighten it any further. If we do, the spikes will shoot towards the other side of the door. What if there's someone inside?"
"Then...how about we buy the apartment across the street first?"
"??????"
Lu Feigong couldn't understand just how wealthy the Huo family and Cen Ang were to raise such a consumerist mindset in their child, wanting to buy everything! "Will you buy the dragon throne or not?!"
"I think it's okay."
Oh dear nephew, can you please stop making things worse? Your legs can barely walk a few more steps. Or you could go and spend some time with Miss Mando!
"Okay! I'll go find my mom and tell her to buy the place across the street!"
"..."
Whatever, the eldest master of the Mohist school didn't want to say any more. Back in the day, he had also been carefree, just like his nephew, without having to worry about money.
"I won't leave! I won't leave!!"
Next door to the Huo family, Hou Xiangxiang's tantrums and crying carried far, even Huo Xiaolong could hear them from inside the building. The little dumpling ran out of the brothel, climbed over the wall, and sat atop it watching her friend get beaten.
To be honest, the little girl learned these moves of mine quite well!
Hou Xiangxiang, once a well-known, sensible young lady from Beining, is now rolling on the ground in a pale yellow dress. The dust on her body is a sign that she's about to get a beating.
"Hou Xiangxiang!" Madam Hou was already used to her daughter's way of doing things, and she couldn't persuade her anymore; she was exhausted from talking to her.
"I don't care! I'm not leaving!"
Lady Hou wanted to take her daughter and parents away from Pingyang for a while, and return after the war subsided. Her family was different from others; they consisted of the elderly, women, and children. If anything happened, there wouldn't be anyone to fight for them.
"I'll leave when my grandparents leave!"
Now my daughter has not only learned to be unreasonable, but she's also learned to manipulate people's hearts. This little rascal knows perfectly well that her grandparents are reluctant to leave their hometown, yet she still asks me to persuade them.
Originally, Madam Hou planned to have Hou Xiangxiang persuade her parents after she agreed to leave Pingyang County, but now the situation has reversed!
"Hou Xiangxiang, don't be stubborn and ask for trouble. I don't want to beat you up, so get up now! Pack your things and get out of here!"
"I! Will! Not!"
"..."
Many times, it wasn't that the Lady Hou, as the mother, wanted to take action; it was that her daughter was truly wicked! Her adorable face alone was enough to make one's hands itch!
The woman who had once wallowed in self-pity at the prefect's mansion was now striding into the main hall to fetch a feather duster. Hou Xiangxiang, who was on the ground, was still a little surprised as she watched her mother's departing figure. Did her mother walk so fast now?
A pebble flew by, and looking in that direction, I saw the two girls sitting on the wall, laughing at me.
What are you laughing at!?
"Don't be silly, run away now, or your mother will go find something to beat you up!"
"ah?"
"Hey, look back!"
The little girl turned around and saw her mother, who had just left, walking towards her with a feather duster in her hand.
"Grandma and Grandpa! My mom wants to hit me again!"
Watching the chaos at the Hou family's house, the little girl laughed heartily against the wall, completely unaware of Cen Ang and He Yi watching her from behind...
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