CH 20

Once everything had been properly arranged, Ming Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief. It was just the beginning now, and he believed that it would not take long for his territory to become better and better.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner. Xu Wen began to lead people to visit the village. Selecting the village was the test point, and he began to implement Mingyu’s plan. On one side, he asked the villagers to dig tunnels according to the craftsman’s design, while on the other hand, he chose capable and strong youth, letting them sign up for training in the guard camp.

The commoners nowadays were all honest and simple. Whatever affairs that the officials ordered out, they would always grin and bear it. They didn’t know what they needed to dig the tunnels for and also didn’t dare to ask. But making people go to train and so on would take place once every three months, which was a bit of a hassle.

In the past, the government officials would recruit strong laborers for various purposes every year, either to transport supplies for the army, or cast military fortifications, and even have these unarmed and defenseless people go to the frontlines to throw their lives away during wartime.Almost all the dirty and hard work was done by these commoners.

Nowadays, the word labor force would already make people’s complexion change. They were all afraid it would fall on their heads. As long as one was a little capable, they would try to think up every possible method to avoid forced labor. If there really was nothing to be done, one could only feel apprehensive and go into the plague and pray from the bottom of their hearts for heaven’s blessing and protection to make them be able to return back home safe and sound, then it would be fine. 

Now was not the time to do forced labor. This time, this nuisance training shouldn’t be the method that these officials thought of to toss people aside again, right?

Everyone was watching from the sidelines. No one wanted to do this training task that had never been heard of before, and the government officials also did not say that people were forced to go. For this kind of thing, the best way to avoid getting caught up was to stay away. 

No one came to sign up for several days in a row, which made Xu Wen worry until his hair turned gray. Wangye had already ordered that he could not force the request, so the notice he gave out was for strong young people to come forward to take the initiative, but the outcome was already obvious.  

There was indeed no other way, so Xu Wen once again ran to Duan Wang’s Mansion, and requested to meet Ming Yu with a bitter expression.

“Your Highness, there’s simply no one willing to go train at all. Xiao Chen really has no choice now. If we force each household to make one person go, as long as this regulation is in place, we won’t be afraid that no one will go.” Xu Wen explained the current situation in detail, then finally he offered a suggestion.  

Ming Yu listened very carefully, then finally asked: “Have you explained to everyone why they have to go train and the purpose of training already?”

Xu Wen nodded. He did everything according to Wangye’s instructions. Naturally, he explained all this clearly. “Your Highness, on the first day, the ministers have posted notices everywhere, which clearly and obviously stated the meaning of Your Highness’s intention very clearly.”

It was reasonable to say that this was impossible. Since it was said and understood clearly already that this matter was not dangerous or difficult, how could no one be willing to come forward to sign up?

He was strolling and thinking. Could it be that he made a mistake? After all, he had never really understood these common people, and his own thoughts were impossible to replace their way of thinking. If there was really no other way, then he would take a trip and visit each family to see the situation…Huh?

That’s not right! Ming Yu frowned and thought about Xu Wen’s words, “Notice?” Ming Yu’s mind suddenly flashed with divine light, “You said you only posted the notices?”

“Exactly!” That’s right! Xu Wen thought suspiciously, any affairs in the government have always been assigned through notices, was there something wrong with this?

Ming Yu smiled, it turned out to be like this. How many commoners have learned to read these days? There was nothing wrong with officials posting a notice and informing them this way, but commoners are illiterate. Not every one would take a look and understand it, but the more they gossiped, the more out of context it would be. 

Therefore, the huge possibility was that Xu Wen’s notice here was clearly written out, but the villagers had not figured it out yet, so no one dared to act rashly, right?

Ming Yu thought for a while. He already had an idea in his mind.

Baiping Village had the majority of people with the surname Wang. Years of wars had reduced the population of the village by one-third. In the past few years, many people died in the village due to barbarian invaders plundering. That’s when Wang Da from the west of the village of Wang Four had their parents pass away. This only left the two brothers who escaped to be mutually dependent on each other.

These past few years, the days had not been good from one year to the next, and they were also troubled by the bandits and the barbarians. The harvest in the field was not even enough for them to plunder. The people in the village all had a hard time.

A few days ago, many lord officials came to the village, saying that they were going to build tunnels in the village so that when the time came they could protect the villagers and prevent bandits and barbarian invaders. The people in the village didn’t understand this. They only knew that as long as they were involved in the work, they could have two full meals to eat. For this, all the people in the village were dispatched. This kind of good thing was hard to come by.

The Wang Da two brothers naturally went there too. Every day, they could muddle along with two meals to eat, enough to make everyone’s heart move. They really hoped that this work would last forever, but they all knew in their hearts that the tunnels that the officials made them dig would one day be finished. What should they do when that day comes?

“Big Brother, today I heard that as long as strong young people agree to be recruited to that training base, they will not only have enough food every day but they will have meat to eat. Moreover, as long as they are in the training camp, they will be able to receive the same amount of money as those soldiers at the end of the month. Not only is there food, but there is also money to take. Unexpectedly, there is such a good thing that has fallen on our heads, everyone is talking about it now.” As soon as the two brothers arrived at the doorway of the house, Wang Si was excited to tell his Big Brother what he had heard.

Wang Da frowned. He had also heard about this. Before, the government officials announced that strong young people will be recruited for training. Everyone had never heard of such training. They thought it was forced labor issued by the government, so everyone was worried and didn’t understand as a result. Thus, naturally, no one wanted to go.

Early this morning, the officials sent someone to read the contents of the notice and if these uncouth fellows were unable to make sense of what they heard from those bookish speeches, they also had it explained clearly, word by word.

At that time, he also listened. They said that this training was not as hard as the forced labor work. Everyone was recruited voluntarily, and what they did was not sweated labor and heavy work. And just like the army, they would be trained in the skills to attack enemies with swords, spears, clubs and so on. Train one’s skills in this way and return to the village in the future, so that even if there were bandits and barbarians coming, they would be able to fight against the other.

He didn’t quite believe it. They were just ordinary common people, could they really be capable of learning high-ranking officers’ skills, or capable of killing those black-hearted barbarians? He was afraid the officials once again had come up with some tricks, probably to send them to throw away their lives, right?

Wang Si didn’t notice Wang Da’s expression at all. He was still muttering to himself excitedly, “Big Brother, do you think this is true?” Before Wang Da answered, he hit both of his palms together and said happily, “En, It must be true. This is what the government officials said. The notice was also stamped with the government’s official seal, so it must be true. The rest is not important. The important thing is that if they can really teach us the ability to kill the enemy when the evil invader comes, we can kill them without leaving a piece of them alive.”

Wang Da’s complexion was a little gloomy. Could those bandits and barbarians be killed if they say they can kill them? Can there be immortals in war? Not to mention others, but even the government army already had a countless number of them dying under the swords of those bandits and barbarians on the battlefield. The government officials put it this way, if it wasn’t calling them to come forward to throw away their life, then what else was it?  

“Big Brother, why don’t we go too…”

Before Wang Si finished speaking, he was interrupted by Wang Da, “Go what? You are not allowed to go anywhere!”

Wang Si was stunned, he didn’t understand why his Big Brother reacted so strongly like this, “Big Brother?”

Wang Da wiped his face and said solemnly: “This matter, we won’t go.” 

“Why? This is a good thing. We would be able to learn skills to defend ourselves and we won’t be afraid when those barbarians come anymore. We will be able to raise our faces and exhale.” Wang Si didn’t understand why his Big Brother resolutely opposed this matter.

“No reason, in short, I said no, so you are not allowed to agree to be recruited.” Wang Da didn’t explain anything to him. Even if he spoke out his suspicion, his fourth brother would definitely not believe it, so he could only refuse it by force.

When Wang Si heard his Big Brother say this, he felt a little dissatisfied. He had already thought of a good idea. He wanted to go to the recruitment place to try it out tomorrow. Now that Big Brother resolutely refused him without listening to him, it was somewhat unimaginable. 

“If you don’t want to go, then don’t. In any case, it’s also based on an individual’s wish. Nevertheless, I want to give it a try.” Wang Si saw that his Big Brother wanted to stop him, so he hurriedly said: “Big brother, I want to learn some skills, I want to kill the barbarians, I still can’t forget the tragic death of my parents and siblings to this day. I want to kill those barbarians to avenge them!”

Wang Da’s heart trembled. His eyes were red, but he only had this one younger brother. He couldn’t let his only younger brother throw away his life. How could he not remember the enmity of his parents and siblings? It’s just that this enmity in this life, he’s afraid it will be hard to get revenge.

Wang Da’s voice was a little dry and rough, “Fourth Little Brother, you have to know that bandits and barbarians are fierce and savage, and those soldiers all find it difficult to resist them. We are just ordinary common people, how can we be capable of fighting against them? Anyways, it will be merely going to throw away one’s life!”

Wang Si refused to believe it. What Big Brother said was too one-sided, and all the officials had already said it. This was the Wangye sympathizing with the commoners like them and being unable to bear the commoners being harmed by bandits. This was how he can teach them the skills.

He was the prince, but he left the good days in the capital, and unexpectedly came to this land. This was because Wangye cherishes the land under the heavens and he knew the hardships of the commoners in the borderland, so he came here to rescue them.

Wang Si tried to persuade his Big Brother, “It’s not like that. They said it already, it’s just two months of training and nothing more. When that time comes, we will still be able to return to the village. We, these strong young people, will be able to patrol and guard the village. Didn’t Xu Daren take us to build this tunnel in order to protect the villagers? Usually, the excess food will be hidden inside. Just in case, if those evil invaders come, the villagers can also go hide inside. When the time comes, those evil invaders will have to work to no avail, and we can also save our lives.” 

“Only you young and ignorant people would be convinced by this speech.” Wang Da rigidly believed these were the words of officials who deceived others.

Seeing that his Big Brother couldn’t be convinced, Wang Si was frustrated and immediately stopped saying anything more. He simply stopped paying attention to Wang Da and entered the house with anger. However, he also made up his mind. He has grown up now and it was time for him to make his own decision.

Wang Da looked thoughtfully at his fourth little brother’s back and finally left out a helpless sigh, slowly blending into the darkening night.