Hearing that they would only need three more days to get out of the mountains, everyone's faces lit up with excitement, and they all said in unison, "Great! We're finally getting out of the mountains!"
During the days we stayed in the mountains, although there was water and food so we were not starving or thirsty, we still felt like savages, and we were eager to get out of the mountains as soon as possible.
The village chief was also filled with excitement. He raised his hand high and shouted to everyone, "Did you hear that? We can get out of these mountains in three more days! Everyone, work harder. Let's get out of these mountains and head south as soon as possible!"
The loud voice echoed through the valley, as if injecting new strength into everyone.
After three days of long journey, the people of Sujia Village finally arrived at the edge of the mountains.
Along the way, everyone carried with them their longing and expectation for the outside world. Although their steps were a little tired, they were still firm and powerful.
However, the further you go, the more disappointing the scene becomes.
The vibrant green that used to be seen everywhere in the mountains is now gradually becoming scarce, replaced by the endless and overwhelming withered yellow.
Looking at the bleak yellow scenery, the villagers' excitement about leaving the mountains seemed to be extinguished by a basin of cold water, and they suddenly became extremely lost.
Many people couldn't help but sigh secretly. It seemed that the outside world was not as good as the mountains where they lived. After all, in the mountains, they could always see the green that made them feel full of hope and vitality.
Just when everyone was feeling a little down, someone noticed that after pulling away the thick dry grass that had not been stepped on for a long time, they could clearly see the winding official road at the foot of the mountain.
And on that official road, groups of people were walking slowly like a slowly flowing stream.
Seeing this long-lost group of people, the villagers' dim eyes instantly rekindled their light, and their weather-beaten faces once again showed simple and sincere smiles.
Yes, no matter what the outside world looks like, they are finally returning to the crowd and finally being able to connect with the outside world again. This feeling is really good.
At this time, it was already late, the last ray of afterglow in the sky was gradually disappearing, and night was about to cover the earth.
The village chief stepped forward, his resounding voice echoing through the crowd: "Everyone, it's getting late, and we've been walking for days, we must be exhausted. Let's rest up here tonight, get our energy up, and prepare everything we need before we head down the mountain!"
After hearing the village chief's words, the villagers nodded in agreement and then began to prepare dinner in an orderly manner.
Over here, the village chief found Su Wencheng with a serious expression on his face, and asked with concern in his eyes, "Wencheng, do you know where we will be after we go down the mountain?"
Su Wencheng frowned slightly when he heard this, and quickly thought about the contents of the geographical records he had read before. After a moment, he slowly said, "Village head, I remember that the geographical records said that after Changning County, it is Sanhe County, and after Sanhe County, it is Changliu County. If you continue walking, you will reach Huainan Prefecture.
"In my opinion, we're probably somewhere near Changliu County, or even closer to Huainan Prefecture. However, if we want to know the exact location, we'll have to ask the locals after we get down the mountain."
The village chief listened and nodded slightly, but the worry on his face did not dissipate, but became even more intense. He stared at Su Wencheng again, his tone revealing deep worry: "Well, as long as it's not Changning County, it's fine. Wencheng, do you think Changliu County and Huainan Prefecture will also conscript men like before?"
When Su Wencheng heard this, his heart skipped a beat and he became really worried about this matter.
After all, they were afraid of being drafted, so they had to hide in the mountains and walk the rugged mountain road with great difficulty.
What should we do if this place also conscripts men now?
He shook his head helplessly, sighed, and said, "This... I can't say for sure. I really need to find out the specific situation."
After saying that, both of them had worried expressions on their faces, looking at the unknown land at the foot of the mountain that they were about to step into, feeling extremely uneasy.
The village chief frowned and paced back and forth for a long time. After thinking it over, he finally decided to call a meeting of all the villagers to let everyone discuss what to do next.
Soon, the villagers gathered together, each with confusion and anxiety on their faces.
After hearing the village chief express his concern about the possibility of conscription, everyone was shocked and immediately exploded.
"Ah, they're not going to conscript more men, are they? What should we do?" A young man opened his eyes wide and shouted in horror.
"Village chief, what should we do? I don't want to go to the battlefield. It's so dangerous there. I might not be able to come back! I haven't married yet!" A man said anxiously in a crying voice.
"Yes, Village Chief, what do you think we should do? We'll all listen to you. You have to make a decision!"
Everyone echoed in agreement, their eyes full of helplessness. Like a group of headless flies, they ran around in panic, muttering to themselves. The whole scene was in chaos.
Seeing this, the village chief cleared his throat and raised his voice, trying to get everyone to quiet down.
After a little quiet, he slowly said, "Don't worry, everyone! The matter of conscription is still uncertain. So, someone needs to go down the mountain tomorrow to find out the details.
"Once everything is confirmed, we can all go down the mountain together. Now, everyone, think carefully, who can go down the mountain to investigate tomorrow?"
The village chief's eyes swept across everyone's faces, waiting expectantly for someone to step forward.
When everyone heard that they had to go down the mountain to find out what was going on, they immediately panicked and started talking about it one after another.
"Will we be captured if we go down the mountain? This is too scary. What if we really run into conscripts? What shall we do then?" a timid villager said with a worried look on his face.
"Oh, it's so scary. I dare not go there! I still want to keep my life and live a good life." Another villager shrank his neck and shook his head like a rattle.
The village chief looked at their cowardly appearance and couldn't help rolling his eyes. He said unhappily, "Humph, even if I let you go, I still don't feel at ease! Ahem... "
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