Chapter 355: Everyone is Willing to Risk Their Lives for Bai

Just after Bai Wei returned, the Peasant Army in the courtyard was waiting anxiously.

Everyone gathered in the courtyard, and when the next day arrived and they still hadn't seen Bai Wei come over, many began to grow impatient.

"Leader Zhang, Bai said she was going back to transport fresh water and grain for us, but we've been waiting for a day and a night, and she still hasn't come. Could it be that she didn't manage to get any?"

"What are you rushing for? Grain and fresh water aren't that easy to come by; Bai must need time to prepare."

"There's a drought in Yannan now; the price of clean fresh water and grain has gone through the roof. Bai doesn't look like she has much money either. Could it be that she just said nice things at the time and is now standing us up?"

The crowd discussed it heatedly, with some questioning her and others defending Bai.

Zhang Yu was getting a headache from the noise of this group and shouted sternly.

"All of you, shut your mouths! Bai spent so much time and energy treating your illnesses yesterday; what are you still bickering about here?"

"Grain and fresh water are more precious than gold these days; it's perfectly normal that Bai can't get them in an instant."

"If you're so capable, go get the fresh water and grain yourselves."

His voice was severe, and once he spoke, no one dared to make a sound.

After a while, someone spoke up in a low voice.

"We... we're just too hungry and want something to eat. Bai won't let us eat tree bark or Guanyin clay. If we wait any longer, everyone will be fainting from hunger."

Zhang Yu rubbed his brow, feeling very agitated as well.

Bai had instructed yesterday not to let the Peasant Army drink dirty water or eat roots and tree bark, and he had strictly ordered everyone not to consume these things.

But everyone was hungry, and from yesterday until today, Bai still hadn't sent the grain.

If everyone continued to starve, they would likely stop following orders and go drink sewage and eat tree bark.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the courtyard gate.

Immediately after, someone shouted in surprise.

"Grain, so much grain!"

Zhang Yu suddenly lifted his head and ran out in a few strides.

Just as he stepped out of the courtyard gate, he froze.

Before him were four or five carriages, loaded with full sacks piled as high as a small hill.

Several members of the Northern Frontier Army were directing the Peasant Army to move the sacks down.

The mouth of one of the sacks had come open, revealing snow-white Refined Rice.

Instantly, the surrounding Peasant Army was in an uproar, swarming forward in a rush.

"Rice, is this really rice?"

"Grain! And it's snow-white Refined Rice at that. I haven't eaten rice in almost a year."

"Bai really did it; she came to bring us grain."

The Peasant Army was incredibly excited, shouting one after another.

Zhang Yu was also stunned, staring fixedly at the rice in the bags, muttering to himself.

"It really is grain. Bai didn't break her word; she really managed to get grain."

On the carriages, besides the grain sacks piled as high as a small hill, there were also barrels of fresh water.

These fresh waters were all stored in large, transparent barrels. The material of the large barrels was unknown; they were all pale blue and transparent, with a long spout, and there were colorful labels stuck to the barrels, looking very strange.

But this was indeed fresh water!

And it was clean, fresh water at that!

Someone opened a barrel of fresh water, carefully poured it into a bowl, and took a sip, immediately showing a look of shock.

"Such sweet water!"

The surrounding crowd swarmed up, scrambling to drink the water.

Some cupped it with their hands, others used bowls to catch it.

"This water is so sweet; I've never drunk such sweet water before."

"It's so delicious; this water is truly crisp and sweet."

"Clean water... Heavens, we have water to drink."

This fresh water was truly too precious; everyone was extremely excited, but they were all very careful, fearing they might waste a single drop.

The surrounding crowd was also incredibly moved; many of them hadn't drunk clean water or eaten fragrant rice for a long time!

Xiao Lujing got down from the carriage and walked up to Zhang Yu with a cold face.

"Leader Zhang, Bai is still resting. She asked me to bring you a message, telling you to go to the inn this afternoon to discuss attacking the Fusang People tomorrow."

Zhang Yu hurriedly made a deep bow to him.

"Thank you, young hero Xiao. This commoner will definitely arrive on time."

"Please convey a message to Bai for me: tell her that our Peasant Army is deeply grateful to her, and from now on, we are willing to lay down our lives for her."

This was no empty talk; he was sincerely grateful to Bai Wei.

The surrounding Peasant Army also crowded around, speaking one after another.

"Thank Bai for us. She treated our illnesses and brought us water and grain; she is truly our great benefactor."

"Bai is truly a Bodhisattva descended to earth, saving our lives and giving us grain to eat."

"Bai is such a good person; we are willing to fight for her. Whatever she tells us to do, we will do."

Everyone was a peasant with no ulterior motives; they only wanted to eat their fill and sleep on a warm bed.

Since Bai Wei was good to them, they were willing to risk their lives for her.

Xiao Lujing also heard the voices of the crowd and nodded slightly.

"Rest assured, I will pass your words on to Bai."

In the courtyard, stoves had already been set up, and they began to light fires to cook.

Wisps of clear smoke rose up.

Clear water was poured into the pot, followed by snowy white Refined Rice, and before long, the fragrance of white rice wafted out.

Everyone was so enticed by this fragrance that they drooled, gathering around the stove in anxious anticipation.

Some impatient people, not even waiting for the rice to be fully cooked, couldn't care about burning their mouths; they scooped up a spoonful to stuff into their mouths, and immediately cried out in shock.

"So fragrant, this rice is truly delicious, even sweeter and more fragrant than the best rice I have ever eaten."

Just as the courtyard was in an uproar, two more carriages arrived outside.

The carriages were loaded with vegetables, meat, fruit, and two full, large sacks of medicine tablets.

The person escorting the carriages was Qin Zhan; he jumped off the carriage and walked up to the stunned Zhang Yu.

"Here, these vegetables and pork were sent over by Bai."

"And the medicine on the carriage consists of common supplies; they are perfectly fine for treating headaches, fevers, stomachaches, and the like."

"The instruction manuals are inside the bags; find a few literate people to read them later and take the medicine according to the instructions."

The crowd excitedly gathered around again.

"There's pork, and it's fresh!"

"Bai actually sent us so many vegetables, and meat too."

"Not only did she send us grain, but also meat and vegetables; how... how can we ever thank Bai for her great kindness?"

The vegetables on the carriage were all succulent and extremely fresh.

The meat was also very fresh, though it still had some ice crystals on it, looking as if it had been taken out of an ice cellar.

But at this moment, no one cared about that.

Fresh vegetables and fresh pork were simply priceless treasures in the Yannan Region.

Only the wealthiest nobles could afford such things.

Moreover, sometimes even with money, one could not buy them.

Everyone had tears in their eyes, and one after another, they knelt in the direction of Bai Wei and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Thank you, Bai; you are truly a Bodhisattva who saves the suffering."

Zhang Yu was also very straightforward; he knelt before Qin Zhan and Xiao Lujing, and kowtowed three loud times, *thud, thud, thud*.

"Many thanks to Bai for her great righteousness; from now on, I, Zhang, am willing to go through fire and water for Bai, even at the cost of my life."

He might not listen to the words of Xiao Moting.

But he would certainly obey the instructions of Bai Wei.