Chapter 21

The families to the west said, "If we finish by the end

The eastern neighbor said, "My father said since we don't have time to plant anything else, let's just plant some bok choy; storing more is better for winter. If it doesn't grow well, it still can't grow poorly, right……"

Everyone worked together and looked forward to a bountiful harvest.

Even wasteland is still land; some poor families don't even have five mu of their own land.

The Wang family next door to the Yu family also mobilized the whole household, even the daughter-in-law was digging up tree roots in the field. Shan'zui Village is not close here; at noon, the Wang family's old lady and granddaughter early brought baskets to deliver food. Seeing that the Yu family's lunch hadn't arrived yet, the head of the Wang family greeted Old Man Yu to come over for a bowl of water, having sweated all morning, people were already parched. The two families gathered together to drink water and chat, discussing how this wasteland didn't even have a big tree, so they might as well build a thatched shed together, providing a place to rest and cool off at noon.

Once people had hope, their spirits and appearance changed completely.

That day, when the Young Lord, who had gotten out of class early, came over with Zhao Chuan, what he saw was such a harmonious, fervent labor scene.

Although they had just begun reclaiming the land, the northern suburbs were still a wasteland of weeds, but the Young Lord saw four words there: thriving and prosperous.

The Young Lord was happily riding on Xiao Zao when Zhao Chuan's face suddenly changed.

On the northern horizon, a fast-approaching cavalry unit appeared, tall horses, each rider holding a curved blade, numbering dozens!

The Young Lord's eyesight was also good; he now saw those riders with small braids, one hand holding a knife, the other reins, charging straight south.

"Not good! Your Highness, run!"

"Northern barbarians are coming!" "Run!!!" "Save- life!!!"

Bai Li Jing saw the riders lift their lassos, like roping livestock, to snare his people.

After lassoing a person, they tighten the rope and drag them behind the horse; relatives refuse to rush forward to seize them, the able-bodied continue to be lassoed, while the elderly are simply cut down with a single blade.

"Run!"

"Ah——!"

"Save me! The northern barbarians have come to capture slaves!"

"Dad! Run!"

The entire wasteland was filled with wails.

The Young Lord blankly watched the gleaming blade flash by, the spurting crimson blood line shooting into the sky; his eyes instantly turned red.

"Zhao Chuan, meet the enemy!"

Zhao Chuan was frantic, trying to step forward and snatch Xiao Zao's reins.

"Your Highness, hurry, it's too dangerous! Your Highness!"

Seeing he refused to leave, Zhao Chuan assigned two people to escort Bai Li Jing back to the city, while he himself stayed behind to resist and cover the retreat.

"If Your Highness is captured, more people will die, Your Highness! You can't even wield a blade, I'll stay! Zhou Ze, Zhao Er, you escort Your Highness back to the city, quickly!"

Bai Li Jing wasn't stupid either; he quickly realized that staying would only be a burden, he needed to return to the city swiftly, letting Zhao Chuan bring the remaining few to help. He was just dazed! All this brutality felt like a nightmare.

The riders deliberately charged into the fleeing crowd, watching helplessly as a boy just over ten was swept under the horses' hooves, falling and never lifting his head again…… He turned his horse's head with tears, and behind him came arrogant laughter.

They, they indiscriminately slaughtered the Jin people for fun!

Xiao Zao lifted its hooves and galloped swiftly toward the city gate, the Young Lord on its back wailing loudly.

"I will kill them! I will kill them!"

!

In one breath they raced into the city; Xiao Zao carried him, charging straight through, all the way to the You Prince's Manor, even throwing two guards far behind.

The townsfolk curiously watched a child on horseback dash down the street, leaving a trail of wailing cries.

This little noble's crying is truly heartbreaking; I don't know whose child rides such a fine horse.

Bai Li Jing rode straight to the guards' camp, had Zhang Tu muster the cavalry for support, and himself led Xiao Zao to the front hall.

He sat at the head, silent, his gaze unfocused, staring blankly at the hall doors; besides occasionally sticking his paw into his mouth to gnaw, he did nothing else.

Zhao Bao heard something had happened up front, came running and circled him a few times; seeing the Young Lord completely unharmed put him at ease. Unable to learn anything, he only thought the child was slightly frightened, and gradually the noise faded; he dared not provoke him.

Soon Minister Xue, Grand Tutor Xu, and the officials of the manor heard the news and came, but Bai Li Jing still said nothing, just focused on gnawing his hand.

The hall was eerily silent; only when Zhao Chuan entered, covered in blood, did Bai Li Jing lift his head to look at him.

"Report to Your Highness, the border-crossing slave-raiding Hu have been repelled. Commander Zhang is handling the aftermath, and the wounded have been carried back to the city for treatment."

Bai Li Jing swallowed, "How many civilian casualties?" his voice hoarse and rough.

Zhao Chuan lowered his head, "Outside the city, 27 civilians died and 31 were injured. Our side… lost two, with three wounded. Commander Zhang's timely support meant the Hu lost four, and the rest fled."

As he finished speaking, the hall grew even quieter.

Only four died!

They fled!

Bai Li Jing felt his anger echo, "They aren't regular troops, are they? Just a small band of bandits, crossing the border at will can easily take over thirty lives—human lives?!"

The officials collectively knelt to plead guilty.

Bai Li Jing blinked his red rabbit-like eyes, asking the Wang Lang official who had previously served in Youzhou, "Has this happened before? I've been here so long, why haven't I heard of it?"

"Report to Your Highness… occasionally. During the autumn harvest or when they lack slaves, they sometimes detour south from Mount Zhi Yan to harass Youzhou's populace. The scale is small, and they never enter the city, so… when the Young Lord first arrived, no one mentioned it."

The Young Lord jumped up from his throne with a yell, "Is this a trivial matter?! What about the border troops?! Letting them cross the border like that?! Do you know how miserably those civilians died! I will kill them!"

The officials in the hall again pleaded guilty together, but what good is that? The boy who died under the horses' hooves can never come back.

The fact is, the border troops at Shanggu Pass cannot control such low-probability incidents.

They are supposed to monitor the large armies of the Xianbei and the Xiongnu.

"Give the fallen soldiers a proper burial, awarding each fifty taels of consolation silver."

Zhao Chuan knelt to express gratitude on behalf of his comrades' families, and Bai Li Jing's face turned ashen.

Returning to the bedroom, he pulled the covers over himself and sobbed loudly; at his age, this was the first time he had directly faced so many deaths. Just moments ago, everyone's faces still bore smiles of anticipation for a new life, and the next moment they met the butcher's blade.

All he heard were wails; closing his eyes, he could still see the blood glinting in the sunlight.

Zhao Bao stood beside the bed, silently sighing.

He knew he should now advise the Young Lord, but he couldn't open his mouth.

He had already asked Zhao Chuan about the whole story; now saying anything feels powerless.

And His Highness is also a spiritually perceptive child.

He already knew that coming to Border Prefecture would someday happen like this. He kept his head down, guarding by the bedside, his heart cursing the old emperor with great impiety. In such a perilous borderland, how could you bear to appoint His Highness, such a child, as a feudal lord?

King's Diary:

【July 1st, Youzhou City.

Blood color.

Shriek.

This king's world is raining.】