An Ye walked over to Dantai Yajing’s side and handed him a jug of water. “General, take a rest first.”

Dantai Yajing thanked him right away, and this small gesture warmed An Ye’s heart considerably — it was the first time he had ever seen such behavior from someone in an official position.

The man standing before him was a general, a true and genuine general.

In all the officials An Ye had encountered throughout his life, not once had he ever glimpsed even a trace of such an approachable manner.

“I talked it over with the villagers, but their opinions weren’t unified.”

An Ye said: “Some are willing to go to Jizhou, some aren’t. It’s just as the General said — it’s hard to leave one’s homeland.”

Dantai Yajing nodded. “I understand. Would it be alright if I said a few words to everyone?”

An Ye said hurriedly: “Of course.”

Shortly after, An Ye gathered the villagers together, assembling them all in the open ground within the wooden stockade.

Dantai Yajing walked out before the crowd and cupped his fists in a bow.

“An Ye has already conveyed your thoughts to me — some of you are willing to go to Jizhou, while others still hope to remain at Mengyuan Fort.”

Dantai Yajing said: “I am not forcing anyone to make a choice. Whether you stay or go, it must be of your own free will.”

“This place is where every one of you was born and raised. You have all bled and sweated to build these wooden stockades. But fellow villagers — these wooden walls cannot withstand a single blow from a siege ram. If they could, General Qiaomu and the others would not have sacrificed themselves to burn the enemy’s siege equipment.”

“Give the children a chance to survive.”

Dantai Yajing looked out over the gathered crowd and bowed again. “They can grow up somewhere safe, with food and clothing provided — rather than leaving this world even sooner than the adults, at such a young age.”

Lin Huiyun stepped forward and looked at Dantai Yajing. “General, may I also say a few words?”

Dantai Yajing gestured for her to proceed, then stepped back two paces to make room.

Lin Huiyun still had her daughter strapped to her back. The little girl clutched a hard, cold steamed bun in her hands, gnawing on it from time to time.

Lin Huiyun drew a deep breath, then dropped to both knees.

The villagers rushed forward to help her up, but Lin Huiyun shook her head. “Please, let me kowtow for the villagers who have died, and let me give my thanks to those who are still alive.”

She bowed her head to the ground with solemn reverence and remained kneeling as she spoke: “I know the people of the Shanhai Army better than any of you. They will not spare a single person — they slaughter everyone to the last. The reason we fled all this way is because that is precisely how ruthless they are. My husband is already dead. What threat can my children and I possibly pose to them now? They simply believe we must die — and as for the villagers of Mengyuan Fort, they will think you all deserve to die just the same.”

Lin Huiyun wept as she spoke: “Living is more important than anything else. If you are unwilling to leave because this is your homeland, then would it not mean that all those who fought and died to protect us did so in vain?”

An Ye called out loudly: “General Dantai has already said — once we reach Jizhou, he will arrange for the villagers to settle wherever they wish. He will build new homes for us, distribute grain, and arrange livelihoods for everyone.”

An Ye cupped his fists. “Fellow villagers, in order to preserve the roots of Mengyuan Fort — we must go.”

“I’m going with An Ye!”

A man with bandages wrapped around his body shouted out: “Wherever he is, that’s where Mengyuan Fort is!”

“We’ll go with An Ye too!”

Many voices rose up at once.

“Let the children grow up well!”

The people who had originally wished to stay exchanged glances with one another. Though reluctant, in the end everyone chose to go to Jizhou.

Nie Datian walked up to Dantai Yajing’s side and grinned. “I want to discuss something with you.”

Dantai Yajing asked: “What is it, miss? Just speak freely.”

Nie Datian said: “The villagers of Mengyuan Fort are all willing to go to Jizhou now, and you’re taking them all. I’m also willing to go to Jizhou — will you take me?”

Dantai Yajing glanced back. “Where is your father? And your younger brother?”

Nie Datian said: “Don’t worry about what they think. If they’re willing, they’ll follow along. If they’re not willing — I’ll beat my brother until he does what he’s told, then have him tie our father up and bring him along.”

Dantai Yajing: “……”

Nie Datian laughed. “It’s mainly because — even though I didn’t take the General’s horse, I’m still a bit reluctant to part with it. If we travel together from now on, maybe I’ll get a chance to ride it sometime?”

Just then Nie Xiaodi came running over. He caught the tail end of those words and instinctively asked: “Ride who?”

Nie Datian shot him a glare. Nie Xiaodi said: “Why are you glaring at me… I’m just asking who you want to ride?”

He looked toward Dantai Yajing. “General, is she trying to ride you?”

Dantai Yajing sighed. “What you’re actually asking is — is she trying to ride you, or is she trying to ride your horse?”

Nie Datian said: “You’re riding the horse, she’s riding you — so that way everyone gets ridden, don’t they?”

Nie Datian stepped forward and delivered a kick: “Let the horse ride you!”

Now that the villagers of Mengyuan Fort had all agreed to go to Jizhou, An Ye urged everyone not to bring too many things — whatever wasn’t necessary should be left behind, as it would only slow the group down, and the Shanhai Army could easily catch up to a sluggish column.

But as the old saying goes, even a broken home is worth ten thousand taels. The villagers looked around at this and couldn’t bear to throw it away, looked at that and couldn’t bear to throw it away either.

An Ye went back and forth, coaxing one household and then the next, telling everyone to bring only provisions, clothing, and valuables — furniture and the like should not be loaded onto the carts. There were only so many carts to go around — was it better to have people riding on them, or to pile them high with belongings?

Yu Jiuling sat there watching the villagers bustle about and let out a slow breath.

He had heard about the several intelligence operatives who had been killed outside Mengyuan Fort, and his chest felt as though a stone had been lodged inside it.

Although Dantai Yajing had already killed Xu Heihu to avenge those operatives, Yu Jiuling still felt that the revenge wasn’t enough.

He only resented that he didn’t have Tang Pidi’s martial skill, nor the chief’s strategic mind. If he could, he would go right now and cut down both the Mountain-Roar King and the Sea-Surge King where they stood.

“What are you thinking about, Brother Yu?”

Nie Xiaodi walked over to Yu Jiuling’s side and asked, then sat down beside him.

Yu Jiuling said: “My people were also killed by the Shanhai Army. I want to avenge them, but I hate myself for not having the ability…”

“Don’t be afraid!”

Nie Xiaodi clapped Yu Jiuling on the shoulder. “I’ll follow you to take revenge someday. I’m capable — I’ll help you kill all those bad guys.”

Yu Jiuling smiled gratefully. “Alright, then you stick with me from now on.”

He asked: “Why did you choose to follow me?”

Nie Xiaodi said: “My sister and I are different. Look at her — she turned right around and went to find General Dantai. She goes for the pretty-boy type. I won’t do that. If I’m going to pick someone, I’ll pick an ugly one — just to be different from her.”

Yu Jiuling thought to himself: On behalf of the heavens, the earth, and all the immortals, I thank you.

Then he burst out laughing. “You little rascal, you’re the ugly one.”

Nie Xiaodi said: “That’s nonsense. I’m not ugly. You’re ugly.”

Yu Jiuling roared with laughter.

With everyone’s belongings packed up, they set off toward the southwest under the protection of Dantai Yajing’s column.

They crossed vast snowy plains and towering mountain ranges, and at last passed through Dragon’s Head Pass into Jizhou territory.

Fortunately, the Shanhai Army sent no soldiers in pursuit — whether they deemed it not worth the trouble or whether something else had come up that left them without the forces to spare, no one could say.

After entering Dragon’s Head Pass, they caught sight of the Ning Army — their armor and gear impeccably ordered — and every heart settled with relief.

The sight of that forest of weapons and armor was, to the villagers, like a solid and indestructible wall that could never be broken.

And this powerful army would not prey upon them, would not slaughter the innocent — it existed to protect them.

“I’ve been thinking…”

Zhuang Wudi looked toward An Ye and said: “It wouldn’t be impossible for you all to settle nearby around here, but there’s always the risk of danger… especially for you.”

An Ye nodded. He understood what the general meant.

Even if the Shanhai Army had sent no troops in pursuit, that didn’t mean they would simply forget the matter entirely.

If they dispatched assassins and tracked down the people of Mengyuan Fort, killing An Ye would not be a particularly difficult task for a genuine hired killer.

Besides, such things were nearly impossible to guard against. Dragon’s Head Pass could stop an army of millions, but it could not necessarily stop jianghu assassins.

“Go to Jizhou.”

Dantai Yajing said: “Once you reach Jizhou, you won’t need to worry about any of that. Those people, no matter how bold they are, would not dare to act recklessly in Jizhou.”

“We’ll be fine with wherever you arrange.”

An Ye said. “By the way…”

He looked toward Lin Huiyun: “Where would you like to go?”

Lin Huiyun thought it over, then asked Dantai Yajing: “General, you mentioned that Miss Shen is currently in Youzhou?”

Dantai Yajing said: “That’s correct, but the situation over there is still unsettled and not safe. It would be better not to go there for now. If it can be arranged, we’ll notify Miss Shen as soon as possible and ask her to return to Jizhou to visit you all.”

Yu Jiuling suddenly thought of something. “You could go to Anyang! Anyang has suffered repeated major battles, and the population losses have been severe. Didn’t our chief mention wanting to relocate people there from other regions?”

He looked toward An Ye and said: “The Anyang area — it’s a land of fish and rice, and it’s prosperous. Life there would be very comfortable. It’s truly the easiest place to build a good livelihood.”

Lin Huiyun looked toward An Ye and said: “The place is far from Yanzhou. Once you’re there, the villagers won’t need to worry about the Shanhai Army seeking revenge.”

An Ye considered it and nodded. “I have no objections — but I need to go discuss it with the villagers again.”

Lin Huiyun said: “I’ll go with you.”

At this moment, the several thousand villagers were all inside the gate complex eating — the Ning Army’s field kitchen had prepared the meal, fragrant and piping hot. Not one of them had eaten food this plentiful or this delicious in a long time.

An Ye walked into the midst of the crowd and raised both hands to call for quiet.

“General Yu says that if we’re willing, arrangements can be made for carts and horses to escort us to a place called Anyang City. It’s the land of fish and rice south of the Yangtze — food and clothing in abundance. And when we arrive, there’s an established large town we can move right into: homes, farmland. They’ll even teach us how to raise silkworms and weave cloth, so we can all live peaceful, comfortable lives from here on out.”

After An Ye finished speaking, Lin Huiyun stepped forward. She led her son by the hand and bowed deeply to the crowd.

Lin Huiyun said: “No matter where the villagers decide to settle — wherever you make your home — my children and I will always be with you. Wherever you go, I’ll go. I think too — our children were born in the frozen land of Yanzhou, so why shouldn’t they also get to see the lush and beautiful rivers and lakes of the south…”

She drew a deep breath and said: “I also want to tell everyone something, and to ask for your blessing. So many people of Mengyuan Fort gave their lives to protect us. I intend to have my son change his surname today, starting from this very day. From now on, his name will be Meng Shensheng.”

An Ye stepped quickly forward and scooped the boy up in his arms. “Good child.”

“Then let’s go to Anyang.”

A man laughed and called out: “Anyang has the character ‘an’ — meaning peace — and so does An Ye’s name. Sounds like fate to me.”

Everyone laughed. Someone called out: “Then it’s settled — Anyang it is! From now on, little Meng Shensheng and his sister are children of us all — we’ll look after the three of them together.”

Yu Jiuling stepped forward before the crowd and called out loudly: “I happen to know a place — not far from Anyang City. It’s a large town, but because of the fighting, the original residents have all moved away. The town itself is intact and has everything: houses, farmland, even ready-made workshops. The place is called Yulincun — Fish Scale Town. It’s a wonderful place!”

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