Feng Chunya kowtowed heavily, her iron helmet clanking sharply and loudly against the stone slabs. Every word she spoke was powerful and resonant.
“This general will not fail the trust of the Divine Lady! If anyone dares block the path, my blade shall carve a way for the Divine Lady!”
The soldiers behind her and Pei Du also echoed in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized and carrying a boiling hot-blooded energy.
“We swear to follow the Divine Lady to the death!”
Although the commoners were not as organized as the soldiers, they also joined in the shouting one after another. Some raised their hands high, while others lifted the children in their arms a bit higher, as if wanting them to remember everything they witnessed today.
The twilight deepened a bit more. Leaves rustled in the evening breeze, and the sound of billowing waves of rice drifted over from afar.
The Divine Lady stood at the boundary where the tree shadows intertwined with the sunset glow.
“Wait at the city gates tomorrow at the Hour of the Dragon.”
With that, her figure gradually faded, like a wisp of golden mist dispersed by the wind. Within a few breaths, she vanished completely from beneath the old tree, leaving no trace behind.
Shen Yu stood in place, gazing in the direction where the Divine Lady had vanished for a long moment before turning around.
His gaze swept over Feng Chunya and then over Pei Du. In a raspy voice, he said, “General Feng, Zirang, time is pressing, and you must still have many matters to attend to. Go on and busy yourselves first. You can rest assured leaving all affairs of Wuling City to me.”
Feng Chunya and Pei Du exchanged a glance, quickly bowed to Shen Yu, and then both rode away on their horses.
“Fang Shuo, take some men to the fields first to harvest the rice.” Shen Yu did not expect Fang Shuo to accomplish anything grand, so he could only assign him tasks that required very little brainpower.
Fang Shuo responded weakly.
He hated planting seedlings and harvesting rice!
Fan Miaozhen snapped out of her thoughts, her expression complex.
Witnessing the Divine Lady perform a miracle once again today, she finally realized how foolish and pathetic the Fan family's past line of thinking had been. They had actually thought of remaining neutral in their own corner, neither drawing close to the Divine Lady nor offending her, treating her entirely like a grand Buddha statue to be merely enshrined.
In reality, those who wished to sacrifice themselves for the Divine Lady were as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river; it was not the Fan family's turn at all.
They should have realized long ago. To have a peerless general like Feng Chunya willingly serve her, to have brilliant strategists like Shen Yu and Pei Wanning pledge their allegiance, and to win the hearts of all the people—how could that Divine Lady possibly be an ordinary person?
They had taken too much for granted, never treating the Divine Lady as a true deity, and thus missed the perfect opportunity to pledge their allegiance.
This campaign against the Yong Dynasty was her last chance.
Only by rendering meritorious service in this crusade would the Divine Lady remember the Fan family of Liaodong, and remember her, Fan Miaozhen!
However, she was a newcomer, and as the Young Mistress of the Fan family, it would certainly be awkward for Shen Yu to assign her tasks.
Thinking of this, she said straightforwardly, “Young Master Shen, if there is any place where Miaozhen can be of use, please do not hesitate to command me!”
Shen Yu did not exchange polite pleasantries either. “Young Mistress Fan, then I must trouble you to help me settle the city's commoners.”
Although the Divine Lady had used her divine power to restore Wuling City to its original state, there were still many things to be busy with, and he would definitely struggle on his own. That Fan Miaozhen could become the Young Mistress of the Fan family was not only because she was the only daughter of the head of the Fan family, but also because she had been exceptionally intelligent since childhood and was proficient in naval offense and defense. She was a rare scholar-general, making her the perfect choice to train the navy.
With Fan Miaozhen's help, Shen Yu quickly settled the city's commoners. Considering that the people had just experienced a major disaster and had not yet recovered their energy, he did not rush to make them work in the fields, but instead had the Zhenbei Army boil several pots of white porridge as usual.
Standing before the large pots, Shen Yu looked at the commoners who were obediently lining up for porridge, his voice steady and powerful.
“The Divine Lady protects Wuling City, but we mortals must strive to strengthen ourselves and learn to take up weapons to defend Wuling City. Beside me is the Young Mistress of the Fan family of Liaodong, Fan Miaozhen. If you wish to join the army and practice martial arts, you may seek her out to register your names.”
As soon as his voice fell, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen stepped out of the crowd, his eyes burning as he looked at him.
“My name is Zhu Jingzhe!”
“I want to join the army and protect Wuling City. My Lord, although I am not good at fighting, I am an illusionist. I can create illusions and mechanisms to confuse the enemy!”
Even Zhu Jingzhe himself was surprised when he said those words, for he had not expected to possess such great courage.
In Wuling Prefecture, there was an industry rule among illusionists that they must not use their illusions on the battlefield.
Making this decision that went against his ancestral teachings at this moment, he did not feel a single shred of regret. Just as he had said, he wanted to protect Wuling City and his younger sister.
He did not want to remain a useless weakling who could only cry and beg others to save him whenever he encountered danger. He wanted to become strong!
“Me too!” Yao Sanyi also stepped forward.
With someone leading the way, many more people came over one after another, surrounding Fan Miaozhen so tightly that not even water could trickle through.
“Young Mistress Fan, I want to join the army too!”
“Register me first...”
Seeing the endless stream of people signing up, the anxiety in Shen Yu's heart regarding the future lessened slightly.
When all the people were of one mind, their unity was like a fortress. No matter what difficulties they encountered in the future, they would always get through them!
After standing silently for a moment, he suppressed his chaotic thoughts, turned around, and walked along the official road toward a less crowded area.
The night wind brushed against the eaves of the newly refurbished houses, and lamps lit up one by one, stretching his shadow long and thin.
Instead of returning to the Zhenbei Army camp outside the city, he walked toward the small temple in the city.
With his doubts unresolved, it was truly difficult for him to fall asleep.
Originally, he had only wanted to come to the small temple to try his luck, but he had not expected to actually get his wish.
He saw.
The Divine Lady stood with her back to him, right beneath the clay statue, her pale gold skirt spread across the blue brick floor.
She turned her face slightly, her voice as clear and cold as a spring.
“Shen Yu, I know why you have come.”
“Divine Lady, please resolve my doubts.” Shen Yu knelt three paces away from the Divine Lady, his tone laced with a hint of urgency.
The Divine Lady's eyelashes drooped slightly as she sighed. “The great cataclysm that will destroy the mortal realm is approaching. My time is running out.”
Shen Yu's heart trembled, and he abruptly raised his head.
However, before he could ask anything else, the Divine Lady's figure had already vanished into the temple like smoke and mist.
As if she had never appeared.
The little fox looked at the invisible Yun Shu. “Host, why didn't you explain it clearly to Shen Yu?”
Yun Shu reached out and scooped it into her arms.
“When it comes to revealing heavenly secrets, speaking too much will only expose more flaws. Shen Yu is a clever man. I only need to tell him that danger is coming, and he will naturally find ways to guard against it.”
Seeing Shen Yu stumble out of the small temple, the little fox showed a look of sympathy. “I'm afraid he won't be able to sleep even more tonight.”
Yun Shu walked out of the temple gates and looked at the city scenery. “The one unable to sleep tonight is probably not just him.”
On this night, Wuling City was brightly lit.
Some were sharing the joy of joining the army with their families, while others were busy preparing for tomorrow's march.
Yet even more ordinary commoners held steaming bowls of white porridge, sitting on the thresholds of their refurbished homes and looking up at the starry sky, their hearts filled with hope for the future.
“Once the Divine Lady leads the Zhenbei Army to end this chaotic world, we should be able to live a good life, right?”
No one answered him. There were only the continuously twinkling stars and cart after cart of grain being transported back from outside the city through the night.
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