Reed Village was located not far from the foot of the mountain, about five li away, built beside an abandoned village.
Next to it was the collapsed old village, with mud walls and wood mixed together on the ground. Not far away were low houses built from a combination of bricks, mud, and thatch.
Although several brick workshops had opened around Luoyang, their production capacity was far from meeting the needs of the common people.
After all, there were too many people who needed to be settled, and besides the common folk, military camps also needed to be built.
To get through the winter, even thatched cottages had to be constructed first, so except for the first wave of refugees who could help each other build brick houses, the vast majority afterward were thatched cottages.
This previously built Reed Village, because a river flowed nearby, Zhao Hanzhang glanced at it—it should be the water flowing out from that small stream in the mountains. A large pond had formed in this area, and only after passing the pond did it flow out along the riverbed again.
There were many reeds by the river and pond, so they kept the old name and called it Reed Village.
This was information from Zhao Hanzhang’s memory; she didn’t know more than that.
But Zhao Zheng, the Luoyang County Commandant, knew! He squeezed to Zhao Hanzhang’s side and whispered in her ear: “Third Sister, this village has a total of sixty-two households with one hundred and six people.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang frowned, “How is it that there aren’t even two people per household?”
Zhao Zheng hummed in acknowledgment and said: “Many families only have one survivor. Knowing that the court will distribute land, they’re unwilling to merge households with others.”
He pointed to the only brick structure building and said: “That’s their village elder’s home. I remember his name is Wei Xian. He has surplus resources, so he was able to build a brick house.”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and praised: “Good memory. Come, let’s go take a look.”
She beckoned everyone to follow.
Before entering the village, Lu Si carried the roe deer ahead, stood at the village entrance and called out a few times. After a moment, doors of several houses opened, and people came out with hunched necks, swaying. Upon suddenly seeing so many people at the village entrance, they were frightened and immediately shrank back.
Lu Si called out again, and seeing that everyone was too afraid to come out, he shouted: “Don’t be afraid, everyone. This is the Great General. The Great General has even brought us a roe deer.”
Upon hearing it was Zhao Hanzhang, heads immediately poked out to look. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang standing among the crowd, their eyes instantly brightened, and they immediately ran out.
“It’s the Great General, it’s the Great General!”
Immediately, a child turned and ran into the village, running while shouting loudly: “The Great General has come, the young lady has come, the Great General has come—”
More and more villagers came out, and everyone gathered around.
Zeng Yue and the others put down their hunting spoils and surrounded Zhao Hanzhang, carefully on guard.
Zhao Hanzhang asked them with a smile: “What were you doing at home?”
The villagers immediately answered in a jumble: “Warming ourselves by the fire inside…”
“Eating inside…”
An old man with white hair and beard and clouded eyes enthusiastically asked Zhao Hanzhang, “Has the General eaten yet? I wonder if my humble dwelling has the honor of offering the General a meal?”
Zhao Hanzhang smiled and said: “I haven’t eaten. I saw that it’s getting late, so I brought people to borrow fire and pots from you all.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked toward Zeng Yue.
Zeng Yue immediately went to the horses and brought out a small cloth bag.
Zhao Hanzhang was about to hand it to the old man when a young man dressed in clean coarse hemp clothing ran over, pushing through from the back of the crowd, bowing repeatedly: “I didn’t know the Great General was visiting and failed to welcome you from afar.”
This person was quite different from the people in the village, because although his clothing was coarse hemp, it was intact. He wore cloth shoes on his feet, his hair was combed up, and he was very clean.
The two young men and one woman who ran over following him had similar attire. The villagers unconsciously made way for them.
Zhao Zheng said: “This is their village elder, Wei Xian.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked Wei Xian up and down, who appeared not even as old as Lu Si, and glanced at Zhao Zheng.
Zhao Zheng nodded slightly to her. Zhao Hanzhang’s face showed a faint smile, and she nodded: “Not bad, strong build. Did you serve corvée labor this winter?”
“Yes,” Wei Xian said proudly: “My family provided two able-bodied laborers.”
Zhao Hanzhang said in surprise: “You actually provided two? Isn’t only one required per household?”
Wei Xian said: “Those provided additionally receive full wages.”
Zhao Hanzhang immediately expressed understanding. This was to earn full wages. Zhao Hanzhang’s face was full of approval, and with a turn of her hand, she stuffed the cloth bag into his hands: “Since you’re the village elder, I’ll entrust this matter to you.”
Zhao Hanzhang smiled and said: “Please find us a few pots, give us some firewood, and find an open space for them to build a stove.”
Wei Xian hurriedly tried to return the cloth bag, “Great General, your visit is the supreme honor of Reed Village. How can we let the Great General provide grain? The village has enough rice and grain to entertain the Great General.”
Zhao Hanzhang said: “I naturally know you have it, and I know you’re enthusiastic, but Zhao’s Army has regulations forbidding taking even a needle or thread from the common people. As commander of Zhao’s Army, I cannot knowingly violate this.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked toward her guards.
Immediately two guards brought over two bundles of branches with leaves cut off and handed them over, “These are what we cut from the mountains. Unfortunately, they’re not dead wood, so they’re hard to burn. That’s why we need to borrow your firewood. This green wood still needs to be dried for a while before it can be used.”
Seeing that Zhao Hanzhang had even brought firewood to exchange, Wei Xian knew he couldn’t dissuade her and could only accept the cloth bag. He immediately led the villagers to make arrangements.
The villagers had also seen and heard. Looking at Zhao Hanzhang, their eyes grew even more admiring. Everyone moved closer, asking one after another: “Great General, how is your health?”
“Great General, are you thirsty now? I’ll go home and heat water for you to drink.”
“Great General, we didn’t enter the city to congratulate you when you got married. Let us wish you and Master Fu a lifetime together now.”
Zhao Hanzhang accepted each wish one by one. Her gaze swept around and found the old man again in the crowd. She walked forward and took his hand, asking with a smile: “Venerable elder, what is your age this year?”
The old man’s icy cold hands were wrapped by a pair of warm hands. He instantly felt his heart was also wrapped by warmth and hurriedly said: “This old one is forty-eight this year.”
Zhao Hanzhang was stunned upon hearing this and looked him up and down again. Seeing his white hair and beard, heavy wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and dull, clouded eyes, she was very familiar with this condition—it should be caused by crying too much.
She couldn’t help licking her lips, suppressing the complex emotions in her heart, and raised a smiling face: “Good, good…”
Zhao Zheng immediately removed her cloak from his body and handed it over. Zhao Hanzhang took it and draped it over him, asking with a smile: “Who else is in your family?”
The old man replied: “Only a granddaughter left.”
He beckoned toward the crowd, and a girl in ragged clothes and bare feet walked forward, somewhat clumsily bowing to Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze swept over their feet. The old man wore straw sandals, his feet completely red.
He seemed to sense something, squinting his eyes slightly as he looked toward his granddaughter, frowning as he asked: “Xiangcao, are you not wearing shoes again?”