The cool air seeped into everyone's pores, creating a stark contrast to the scorching heat outside that almost baked people alive.
The Yan soldiers and civilians who had just stepped into this place all stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief.
"How can it be so cool under this shed?" a Yan soldier blurted out, his voice trembling.
He reached out and touched the thatched roof and the supporting wooden pillars; apart from the usual warmth, there was nothing unusual about them.
"Could this be the great supernatural power of the Mountain Goddess?" another soldier murmured.
The enthusiastic believer from Yunzhou was now smiling broadly as he distributed ceramic bowls to them.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is mung bean soup cooked with spring water bestowed by the Mountain Goddess. It's the perfect way to cool down in the summer!"
"Besides herbal tea, you also have mung bean soup?" The young Yan soldier's eyes widened in surprise.
He took the bowl and eagerly gulped it down, a cool and sweet sensation spreading from his throat all the way to the soles of his feet.
"Awesome!" He sighed contentedly, feeling as if all the summer heat had been dispelled.
The squad leader also received a bowl. He savored it carefully, feeling the strange coolness, and was deeply moved.
"Our Imperial Advisor can't even compare to the methods of this Mountain Goddess!" he thought to himself.
At this moment, a believer from Yunzhou who was in charge of registering people entering the tent and assigning resting places came over. Looking at these Yan soldiers, he politely asked, "Gentlemen, do you intend to rest here, or do you have other arrangements?"
He paused, then added, "If you have nowhere to go, there are many factories in Yunzhou—textile factories, farm implement factories, brick and tile factories—that all need manpower. The pay is very good!"
"A factory?" The sergeant was taken aback.
“That’s right!” the believer laughed. “We provide food and lodging, pay wages monthly, and there are bonuses for good performance, as well as various chilled fruits as rewards! Most importantly, in Yunzhou, we are blessed by the Mountain Goddess, so the weather is favorable and we no longer have to suffer from the scorching heat and drought!”
Upon hearing this, the eyes of several Yan soldiers immediately lit up.
The young soldier licked his lips and asked in a low voice, "So, how much is the pay?"
The believer gestured: "An ordinary laborer can earn at least this much a month. If they have some skills or are willing to learn, they can earn even more! And, we will never delay payment!"
The sergeant did the math in his mind and realized that this wage was several times higher than the salary they received when they were soldiers in Yan!
Not to mention the situation in the Yan Kingdom, where military pay was frequently withheld and delayed.
"And then," the believer lowered his voice, his tone laced with mystery.
"In our factory, there are sunshades in the summer and heated beds in the winter. We have three meals a day, which, although not fancy, are enough to fill us up! We eat fine grains and white flour, and if we get sick, we get free medical treatment. All of this is thanks to the blessings of the Mountain Goddess!"
Several Yan soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment, their breathing becoming rapid.
Is this what a human life is like? This is practically the life of a god!
Imagine them in the Yan Kingdom, training under the scorching sun, their military camps as hot as steamers, eating simple meals, and their pay uncertain from day to day.
A soldier nudged the squad leader's arm quietly: "Boss, this..."
The sergeant coughed lightly and said sternly, "What nonsense are you talking about! We are soldiers of the Yan Kingdom, we eat the king's food, and we are loyal to the king! How can we be swayed by such petty gains?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" The young soldier immediately straightened his back and said righteously, "We are born Yan people, and we will die Yan ghosts! We will never betray His Majesty!"
Another soldier chimed in, "That's right! A true man should serve his country with utmost loyalty; how can he seek comfort and ease!"
The men spoke with great passion, as if they were about to sacrifice their lives for the Yan state.
Seeing this, the believer from Yunzhou did not insist, but simply smiled and said, "In that case, gentlemen, please rest well here. If you need anything, please feel free to ask."
After saying that, he turned around and went to greet the other people.
The squad leader looked at the believer's retreating figure, then at the Yunzhou people resting peacefully in the tent, their faces filled with satisfied smiles, and felt a mix of emotions.
He took a deep breath and said to the young soldier, "You, go over there and find out what's going on with their factory."
The young soldier was taken aback: "Sir, didn't you say..."
"Enough with the nonsense!" the squad leader glared. "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated! I'm doing this to better serve His Majesty and understand the enemy's situation!"
"Yes, yes, yes! Boss is brilliant!" The young soldier immediately understood and scurried off toward the registration desk the believer had pointed out.
After a while, the young soldier still hadn't returned.
The sergeant frowned and said to another soldier, "Go and see what's wrong with him, he's dawdling!"
The soldier responded and left.
As a result, it was gone forever.
The squad leader's face grew increasingly dark, and an ominous premonition rose in his heart.
He suddenly stood up and said to the last soldier, "Let's go! Let's go take a look together!"
When he stormed up to the vicinity of the registration desk with his last subordinate, he saw the two men he had sent out earlier crammed into a line, peering intently at a table.
Behind the table sat a clerk from Yunzhou, taking notes.
"Name?"
"Yan Qi!"
"age?"
Twenty-three!
"Are any family members accompanying you?"
"No, no, it's just me!"
Squad leader: "..."
He felt a rush of blood to his head.
The young soldier seemed to sense something, turned around, and met the squad leader's fiery gaze, which made him shudder in fear.
"Boss, boss..."
The sergeant's lips trembled with anger: "You, you all..."
"Boss! Let me explain!" the young soldier hurriedly said, "I'm just trying to get a better understanding of the situation! How will I know if they're bragging if I don't experience it for myself!"
Another soldier nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes! Boss, Yunzhou is really something else! They said that as long as you register, you'll be assigned temporary accommodation, and you can go to the factory tomorrow to take a look. If it's suitable, you can stay!"
The squad leader pointed at them, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
At this moment, the clerk looked up, saw the squad leader, and grinned, "Soldier, are you also here to register? We don't care about background here; as long as you're willing to work, even the Mountain Goddess welcomes you!"
The sergeant's forehead veins bulged, and he took a deep breath, then another.
Then, he glanced at the scorching sun outside the shed, and then felt the refreshing coolness inside.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace: "Um, I, I'll take a look first, just a little bit..."
He said this, but his feet involuntarily moved towards the back of the line.
The last remaining loyal soldier: "???"
Boss, what happened to loyalty to the emperor and love for the country? What happened to being born a Yan citizen and dying a Yan ghost?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
