Worries

Worries

Zhao Siqi had been rushing around all night. The butcher, the Hunters, and the others rested for a while, then, taking advantage of the snowstorm stopping at daybreak, packed up their supplies and hurried back against the clock.

After seeing them off, Zhao Siqi turned around and realized that Ming Shu had disappeared somewhere.

The wounded were all sent to rest first. Under Zhao Dun and Zhao Chuan's division of labor, everyone else began inspecting the traps outside the village, while Old Zhao led people in repairing the eastern courtyard wall.

Zhao Siqi searched through the village and finally found Ming Shu. He had actually run up to the watchtower, where he was meditating and cultivating alone.

This was her first time climbing up there. Looking out, she saw a boundless expanse of white in every direction. If one ignored the bloodstains and wreckage left by the recent battle nearby, the scene outside was a peaceful and beautiful painting.

White snow blanketed the entire village. The rooftops, branches, and fields were adorned with pure snow, as though wrapped in silver.

The morning sun rose over the sea in the east and shone across the land. The snowfield glittered with crystalline light, as if the entire world were surrounded by a gentle radiance.

The fields and woods after the heavy snowfall were covered by a white quilt. From the distant forest, a few birds occasionally leaped into the air, fleeing the fate of being preyed upon.

The birds startled the snow piled on the treetops, and icicles fell. When a breeze passed, Zhao Siqi shrank her neck from the cold.

She had not expected Ming Shu to cultivate so quietly, while also remembering to stand watch.

"The family head is standing watch personally?" Zhao Siqi asked Ming Shu with a smile.

"It's all right now. You don't need to worry." Ming Shu had repeatedly confirmed that there were no people carrying demonic spirits hiding nearby. As for anyone else sneaking over, he would not be able to detect them.

The Life Book inside him had only reacted to Ghost Spirits, demon spirits, and monster spirits so far. It had shown no reaction to mortals or cultivators.

"I'm not worried about anything in particular. Are you tired? Should we go down and rest?"

"I'm not tired. Thank you."

"We're husband and wife. Why are you thanking me?" Zhao Siqi's hands were cold as she gently rubbed Ming Shu's temples. "Were you injured last night?"

"I'm fine." Ming Shu stopped cultivating and stood up as well. He took Zhao Siqi's icy little hands in his own. "If those pirates were only after money and didn't kill people, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. I want to make a fortune off them too!!"

"Besides, we're so poor right now that we can't buy our way to peace! If they won't leave us a way to live, we'll make them pay a sufficient price as well." Ming Shu carefully calculated the cards in his hand. In truth, he did not have many.

Still, they should be able to get through the New Year. After that, he could consider the other possibilities. The pirates definitely possessed more strength than this, but if they wanted to bring people over from elsewhere, it probably would not happen quickly.

Moreover, more than thirty of their brothers had been captured by him. Would they not have to show some restraint, to prevent him from killing the prisoners?

He was not being merciful. He merely wanted to make the best use of everything. What they lacked here now was effective labor. They would soon begin planting Spirit Rice and Spirit Medicine, and they also had to expand the town. All of that required a great deal of labor.

These men were strong and sturdy, making them especially useful. He might as well squeeze them dry.

After daybreak, Old Zhao selected several pirates without external injuries and dragged them away for reformation.

First, they would repair the courtyard walls they had damaged.

The New Year would arrive soon. It would be the first year of the new emperor's new reign title, and many major events would likely occur.

The wheels of the times had begun turning, and everyone was helping press the accelerator. No one was pulling the brakes. Who knew how many people would be swept along?

It was better to look at the situation around them first. To the north lay Langya Prefecture, and the Chen Family of Lotus Hill bordered Baishi Village. To the south was still the territory of Donghai Prefecture, where several neighboring lineages were located: Liu Xu Liu Family, Liu Keng Liu Family, Dongguan Meng Family, and Huang Zhuang Huang Family.

This region had originally profited greatly from the sea, whether through fishing or boiling seawater to make salt. Unfortunately, pirates had run rampant in recent years, leaving the population sparse.

Desolate scenes could be found everywhere. Many places where several lineages had once crowded together had now become occupied by a single lineage instead. More likely than not, those surviving lineages had secretly joined forces with the pirates and driven their rivals away.

The lineages that could no longer remain had no choice but to migrate elsewhere with their families in tow. Most likely, everyone was continuously moving southward.

The Central Plains had long since become overpopulated. After a thousand years of stable development, the court had been forced to continually relieve the pressure through policy, forcibly relocating many people to the four borders.

The south, by contrast, had welcomed a wave of major development thanks to large-scale spontaneous migration.

During the previous dynasty and the early period of the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty, the south—especially the regions south of the Azure Dragon Great River—could not compare with the Central Plains in terms of economy or industry.

But now, that was difficult to say.

Many of the rising lineages there were champing at the bit, eager to adjust the old-established powers of the Central Plains.

Over the years, the various lineages and their respective alliances had clashed countless times across every field of the Great Jin.

From grain, porcelain, cloth, and tea to ink, paper, writing brushes, inkstones, and books, they had engaged in round after round of competition. Even the number of examinees and their results in each round of the imperial examinations, north and south, had to be compared.

"For all these years, everyone has suffered no shortage of bullying at the hands of bandits. Many households here have already had their fields and houses destroyed by them. Leaving the people with an empty shell would count as merciful. More often, families were shattered and lives were lost. Usually, they also had to hand over grain, wine, cloth, and similar goods to the bandits, in exchange for the bandits not harassing them nearby." Zhao Siqi had also sorted out the problem.

The pirates were relying on their superior force and trying to seize the work of the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty. Ordinary people normally paid these things to the Immortal Dynasty as well, in exchange for the stability of its order and its protection when it mattered.

Now, it was obvious that in this region, the Immortal Dynasty no longer had the strength to protect everyone. They either had to move somewhere else to live or turn in another direction to worship and offer tribute.

If Ming Shu's Zhang Family wanted to develop steadily here in the future, it would have to face this problem.

For the young couple now, this already seemed like a heaven-shaking problem. No wonder Ming Shu had hidden away to think in silence. The pressure was truly enormous.

Noticing Zhao Siqi's expression grow solemn, Ming Shu comforted her. "You don't need to worry either. Since the Sky-Toppling Observatory and the Zhao Family could make such an arrangement, they must have seen a glimmer of hope within it. Aren't we fine right now? They're only a few pirates."

"Once we grow strong enough, we'll wipe out their lairs. I'd like to see just how much treasure they've stockpiled there."

"Let's spend the New Year in peace first. To be honest, I haven't truly celebrated the New Year in many years."

"All right, husband. I'll make the arrangements for you right away and let you have an unforgettable New Year for once! Are there any customs we absolutely have to observe?"