"It's difficult, it's really difficult."
At nightfall, Yang Xuan, the person in charge of Yangjiabao and one of the three elders in the village, uttered such a sigh for an unknown number of times.
Jizhou, where Yangjiabao is located, was originally the site of the Four Wars. Not far to the north was the territory of the Hu people. The Hu people on horseback came over at every turn, burned, killed and looted. Although there have been fewer incidents of barbarian armies invading the border in recent years, incidents such as Qingqi plundering have basically never stopped.
Normally, living in a place like this is basically courting death. Anyone with a little common sense would know that they should at least move to a place away from the disaster of war. But the reason why Yang Xuan still stays here with his clan members is because he has his own difficulties.
"Uncle Clan, I really can't retreat this time."
Just when Yang Xuan was sighing, a short-bearded man wearing a short jacket pushed the door open and walked in.
The man's name is Yang Sanlang, he is Yang Xuan's nephew, and he is also the bravest among the younger generation of the Yang family. It is said that when Yang Sanlang was still a boy, Yangjiabao competed with the neighboring village for water, and the two sides fought fiercely. In order to vent their anger, the young people from the neighboring village even cursed at the Yang family and even their ancestors.
It was at this time that Yang Sanlang stood up.
"You can scold me, but how can you scold me, the ancestor of the Yang family?"
After that, Yang Sanlang picked up the spear and threw it out. The thrown spear directly nailed the man who shouted to the ground. When those who opposed Yang Jiabao saw this tragic situation, they all became like birds and beasts and dispersed.
It is precisely because of this prestige that he dared to kill people that Yang Sanlang quickly became famous in Jizhou.
But right now, this man who was known for his bravery was frowning.
"Last year, because those barbarians came over, we didn't give enough food to Governor Liu. If something happens again this time, Governor Liu might..."
"Don't make any noise, don't make any noise... Sanlang, don't make any noise, I know it all."
The old Yang Xuan sighed again.
This is one of the reasons why Yangjiabao cannot move. Governor Liu, who commanded Jizhou and held a large army, was not only Yangjiabao's protective umbrella, he also had to collect food and wages from Yangjiabao to guard the border. If the Yang family from Jizhou really dared to run away quietly, with Governor Liu's violent temper, he might have chased them thousands of miles away to give them a taste of his power.
Of course, Governor Liu is not the kind who only knows how to take. The solid fort in the village was built by Governor Liu by his soldiers. Although the fort is not big, it does not cut corners. The walls It is solid and thick, and there is no shortage of necessary watchtowers and turrets. On weekdays, if there is any military disaster, the farmers in the village can take refuge there, and the name Yangjiabao also comes from this Wubao.
However, the problem lies precisely in this Wubao.
People can take refuge in Wubao, but the crops in the fields outside cannot grow their legs and walk in on their own. If the barbarian Qingqi cannot rob anything, they will inevitably demolish the houses and ruin the fields. The farmers' homes and property are fine, but once there is a loss of food and they cannot deliver enough to Governor Liu during the autumn harvest, the Yang family in Jizhou will...
"How many young men do we have left?"
The old Yang Xuan clenched his fists.
"Count the refugees, too."
"Those who can handle weapons, including myself, are forty-six in total."
The short-bearded man named Yang Sanlang only thought for a moment and then reported the number.
"If we add the young and strong people among the refugees... we should be able to gather around a hundred people?"
"...Is that all?"
The clenched fists were loosened, and the old Yang Xuan looked a little frustrated.
There are about a hundred or so young men, which is actually not a small number. At least competing with neighboring villages for water and land, etc., it is already a quite powerful force. But the problem is that what he is facing right now is not a brave fight between villages, but a fight against those ferocious barbarian Qingqi in the north.
How many times can hundreds of young men without any formal training withstand the attack?
What's more, most of them are refugees who have been gathered here. Let's not talk about whether these refugees with yellow faces and thin muscles can fight. Just speaking of their mentality, these refugees who have been gathered here may not really be like Yang who has taken root here. Like all the children in the family, they are willing to risk their lives for the Yang Family Fort.
The war has not even started yet, but the morale of the military is unstable. This is simply...
"Uncle Clan, don't panic."
Yang Sanlang could see Yang Xuan's worry at a glance, and quickly stepped forward and lowered his voice.
"If that doesn't work, we will use the ancestral sword!"
"you……"
Hearing that the nephew of the clan actually mentioned this issue, Yang Xuan couldn't help but shrink his pupils.
The ancestral sword is a treasure secretly kept by the Yang family. According to the genealogy records, the ancestors of the Yang family followed Emperor Taizu in expeditions east and west, killing countless enemies, and used this precious sword. Although Jizhou was destroyed due to the later invasion of the Hu people from the south, and the once-famous Yang family has also declined to this day, the ancestral sword is still majestic. The previous head of the Yang family can still hold on to this in times of crisis. With the precious sword, he killed more than a hundred barbarian Qingqi.
But just like the tooth-ache-inducing Wubao before, this ancestral sword also has its own problems.
"It's not that I don't want you to use the sword. You are the most outstanding young man of my generation, the Yang family. That sword will always be passed on to you. But you also know that the previous generation of the Yang family head has already wielded this sword. The sharp blade has been used by more than ten barbarians. Now the evil spirit has entered the knife. It has not been polished yet. I really want you to use it. When the evil energy enters your body, you will probably..."
Yang Xuan couldn't bear to say the next words. Obviously, in Yang Xuan's view, the evil spirit entering the body is far more dangerous than the robbery of the barbarians.
"If you want to use that knife, you have to find a craftsman to grind it and wash away the evil spirit. There is a polishing craftsman at Governor Liu's side, but that's not what we can afford now... Let me tell you, instead of putting hope Instead of relying on that sword, we might as well go to Governor Liu to bring in reinforcements. As long as Governor Liu is willing to save us..."
"It's too late, Uncle Clan."
Yang Sanlang just shook his head.
"The barbarians are quick with their horses and swords, and they come and go like the wind. With just the few men we have, we can't survive Governor Liu's reinforcements. What's more, Governor Liu will not help us in vain. When the soldiers cross the border, they will eat the horses." Chew, can our Yang family really afford this price?"
"Then what do you think we should do?"
Seeing that Yang Sanlang, a junior, dared to raise objections, Yang Xuan immediately became anxious.
"This won't work, that won't work either, so how do you think it works?"
"If you ask me...Uncle Clan, it's true that we don't have a grinder, but don't we still have a whetstone?"
Yang Sanlang's face darkened.
"Find a few young men from the refugees and ask them to sharpen their knives."
"But they are not grinders!"
Yang Xuan was so shocked that he almost broke his beard.
"They don't know how to sharpen a knife! When the evil spirit enters their bodies...are you asking them to use their lives to fill it?"
"How can one not die in a war?"
Yang Sanlang gritted his teeth.
"As long as I can keep the Yang family, I will do whatever it takes."
…
…
…
When he was first dragged into Wubao by Carpenter Li, Du Chengfeng still didn't come to his senses until someone pulled him into the same team as the young men, and someone put a wooden spear into his hand. Only then did Du Chengfeng realize what kind of situation he was in now.
He originally thought that what he got in this encounter would be a script for ordinary people to start from scratch. Although the process was a bit difficult, the future was still promising. But who could have imagined that in just a blink of an eye, the originally peaceful and stable working life would turn into a battle to survive in troubled times.
Just looking at the cheap and crudely made wooden spear in his hand, Du Chengfeng already knew that he was going to be dragged to fill the front line together with the young men.
"this……"
Du Chengfeng was speechless for a long time.
Du Chengfeng still knew how much he weighed. Although he had the upper hand in fights, it was only because he was originally a Taiping man who used to eat well and drink well, and ended up with a strong body and bones, which made him stronger than the malnourished people around him. But if we really have to go to the battlefield and face the barbarians on horseback, the strength of these two arms alone may not be enough.
For someone like him who has no battle experience, the battlefield is an extremely dangerous place. The two armies have no eyesight in front of the formation, and the ability to fight alone is of no use.
Fortunately, he doesn't necessarily need to fight alone now.
The few gangsters who wanted to rob him before were now pulled into the team. After discovering Du Chengfeng's figure, these gangsters actually came over and surrounded Du Chengfeng. He looked like he didn't want to leave.
Du Chengfeng, who was still a little nervous at first, was overjoyed to see these scoundrels who had been taught a lesson by him several times still dare to hang out in front of him.
"You still dare to come here? Have you forgotten the beating you received last time?"
"It's because you can fight that we came here."
A few scoundrels were ashamed and decisively admitted their defeat.
"Follow others, and if they die, it will be our turn. Follow you, and if you hold on a little longer, we might be able to live a little longer."
Du Chengfeng couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at these remarks. He was not stupid to be with these scoundrels, and was preparing to drag him, who could fight, into the cylinder. But this is not a bad thing for him, it can even be said to be exactly what he wants.
If you fight alone, you will be killed by a thousand cuts in the chaos. But if there were a few more people to protect his flanks and back, then he might not be able to save his life in this dangerous killing situation.
Just make peace with what you have come, and Du Chengfeng is prepared to fight tooth and nail this time, even if it is to save his half-built courtyard.
But just when Du Chengfeng had just changed his mind and was ready for the war that was about to begin, a muscular man with a short beard walked over from a distance.
Du Chengfeng knew the man coming towards him. This man named Yang Sanlang was strong and powerful. He was considered the number one figure in Yangjiapu. This young and strong team was also led by him. of. Now that Yang Sanlang appears, does that mean the fight is about to begin?
"You all line up and let me see who is the strongest."
Contrary to Du Chengfeng's expectation, Yang Sanlang did not shout any morale-boosting slogans, but instead provoked people first.
Are you going to choose Pioneer? The strongest one in front?
"Wow--"
While Du Chengfeng was still trying to figure it out, the gangsters who had gathered around him all took a step back.
As soon as he retreated, Du Chengfeng's figure, which was already different from ordinary refugees, became particularly eye-catching, and Yang Sanlang immediately turned around.
"Yes, it's just you. You don't have to fight anymore. Put down your spear and come with me."
"……ah?"
The gangsters who had just taken a step back suddenly felt regretful, and Du Chengfeng was even more confused - if he was chosen to be the strongest but not allowed to fight, what would he be asked to do? Could it be that he ran out to report the news?
But if he ran out to report the news, he was going the wrong way. At the moment, Yang Sanlang was clearly taking him into Wubao, and he was obviously not going out.
"Here we are, right here."
When he came to the door of a building that looked like an ancestral hall, Yang Sanlang stopped.
"Although you are not allowed to go to the battlefield, the work you have to do is not easy... Do you see it? It's that knife. Help me sharpen it."
"……That's it?"
Du Chengfeng's expression was a little subtle.
It's just a knife sharpening, I told you earlier, there is no need for such a big battle, it's like choosing a death squad.
Although he has never learned how to sharpen a knife, he has never eaten pork and has seen pigs running away. Worst of all, he has sharpened kitchen knives, so he just needs to sharpen the knife.
After sitting on the bench and pouring water on the whetstone, Du Chengfeng was ready to start work. Obviously, this is indeed a better job than going to the front line to die.
But when he picked up the sword, his expression changed instantly.
Once upon a time, when he first came to this world, he thought he was getting a script for survival in the wilderness. After coming to Yangjiabao, he also felt that what he was getting was a script for starting from scratch. But just now, he He is even more prepared to fight for his life in troubled times.
But it wasn't until he touched this knife that he realized that there might be something more challenging to his imagination in this world.
The moment his right hand touched the handle of the knife, a vicious aura ran down his arm and went straight to his head!
In a blur of consciousness, Du Chengfeng felt that he had turned into a knife.
