Wow! This Big Tree Uncle Is So Handsome!

The trees all fell silent. One willow tree spoke up, "I know where the survivors are. There were a few children from this village who were hidden in the mountains and are still alive."

Zhou Wanwan looked at the willow tree and said, "Don't worry, we won't harm these children."

The willow tree sighed and said:

"These are the only few left in this village."

Even married daughters who changed their household registration were found and killed by them.

Zhou Wanwan genuinely found the governor utterly disgusting; he would stop at nothing to protect this territory.

The more things are like this, the less Zhou Wanwan will let this governor have an easy time.

She channeled energy into the willow tree, and soon it would be able to move. Originally, one side of the willow tree had been scorched and had not grown any new branches.

Unexpectedly, when Zhou Wanwan supplied it with energy, a new branch actually grew on its other side, although the branch was still very thin.

The willow tree said excitedly, "Thank you so much! I never thought I could grow new branches, and I feel so much lighter as a tree."

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said, "Take me to find those children! Don't worry, I'll definitely protect them."

Liu Shu led Zhou Wanwan directly into the deep mountains, where the mountain paths were rugged and overgrown with weeds.

Soon, Liu Shu pointed to a cave and said, "These children have never dared to show themselves. They know that if they do, they will only face death."

Zhou Wanwan called out from outside the cave, "Are you children from Broken Kiln Village? I need to talk to you. Could you come out for a moment?"

Three men and three women came out, all dressed in rags, carrying hoes and machetes.

Zhou Wanwan was stunned. This was a child?

The willow tree beside him coughed and said, "Oh dear! I forgot, they've been hiding in the mountains for over 20 years, they're not children anymore."

Zhou Wanwan was speechless. Looking at them, she said, "You're villagers from Broken Kiln Village, right?"

They looked at Zhou Wanwan cautiously and asked, "Who are you? What are you doing here looking for us?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said, "Don't panic, I mean you no harm, I'm here to help you."

The leading man suddenly laughed:

"Hahaha... You want to help us? What can a little girl like you do for us?"

Do you know how much trouble we've gotten ourselves into? Do you know who we're going to fight?

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said, "I know, he's just a minor county magistrate, isn't he?"

The man stared wide-eyed at Zhou Wanwan and asked, "How did you know?"

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said:

"Not only do I know, I can also help you. Do you want to stay here forever?"

You can live in the cave forever, but what about your children?

Zhou Wanwan looked at the children behind them; a dozen or so children were looking at her with curious eyes.

The man in the lead, named Liu Hu, frowned and said, "But what can we do? Do you think a mere young girl like you can save us?"

Zhou Wanwan nodded calmly and said, "Yes, I can save you. Do you know that all the women in your village who got married have died?"

Liu Hu stared wide-eyed at Zhou Wanwan and said:

"Dead? Impossible. More than 100 daughters from our Broken Kiln Village have married out."

How could they all be dead? My eldest sister, my second sister..."

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said:

"It can't be completely confirmed yet, but many have already died."

These are the details of the deceased. You can check them against your records. Of course, it's possible their names have been changed.

Looking at the list of more than 20 names, tears streamed down Liu Hu's face.

"These bastards, worse than pigs and dogs, killed so many people for their own benefit."

"Haven't you killed our entire village enough?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at Liu Hu and said, "Can you tell me what exactly happened back then?"

Liu Hu remained calm and slowly began to recount events from over twenty years ago:

"Back then, the villagers in our village went up the mountain to collect medicinal herbs and accidentally found a coal mine, as well as black stones and black kerosene in the mountains."

At first, everyone in the village wanted to keep these things for themselves, so they secretly transported the black kerosene and coal out to sell for money.

But it wasn't long before the authorities discovered the affair.

At that time, the magistrate of Linchuan County was named Wen Jingshan. After learning about this, he forced the villagers to reveal the location of the mine in the mountains.

The authorities arrested several villagers and tortured them to extract confessions. The villagers could no longer endure the beatings and had no choice but to reveal the location of the mine.

No one expected that Wen Jingshan would lead a large number of men and surround the entire Liu Family Village that very night.

We happened to be going up the mountain to chop firewood that day, so we weren't in the village.

When we returned from gathering firewood, we saw from afar that the village was completely surrounded by government soldiers, and we dared not approach it at all.

They could only hide deep in the mountains, and only dared to come down after two days, but all they could smell was the stench of kerosene permeating the village.

There was a room filled with charred corpses.

We... we knew we had committed a terrible crime, and we ran into the mountains overnight. Even now, all these years later, we still often dream about that day."

Tears streamed down Liu Hu's face, and those around him wiped away their own tears.

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said, "That's precisely why you need to stand up. Don't worry, I will protect you."

Liu Hu's wife looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Little girl, you're only five or six years old, right? How can you protect us?"

Zhou Wanwan naturally knew they didn't believe her. Liu Hu sighed and said:

"Alright, little girl, I believe you, I'll go with you."

However, my wife and children shouldn't go; I need to protect their safety.

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said:

"Alright then! I'll bring them into the mountain village, and you can get used to the environment there first."

"After all, we can't keep living here indefinitely. Look at your clothes, they're all tattered and worn out."

The Old Scholar Tree led them directly into the mountain stronghold. Liu Hu clung to a branch of the Old Scholar Tree, trembling with fear.

"You... your trees can walk?"

Good heavens! I'm starting to doubt my eyes. Has the world outside really become like this?

The children, clinging to branches of the Old Scholar Tree, cheered and exclaimed, "Wow! This big tree uncle is so handsome! He can even walk! Dad, why didn't you tell us?"

Liu Hu rolled his eyes and said, "This is the first time I've ever met your dad, okay?"

The Old Scholar Tree quickly led them to the mountain stronghold, leaving Liu Hu and the others utterly dumbfounded.

All the children in this mountain village can go to school, and everyone in the village is self-sufficient and lives in peace and contentment.

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said:

"Your children can settle here for now, and they can go to school later."

As for the six of you who are coming with me, don't worry, don't be afraid, I'll avenge you."

Three days later, the coal and oil mines in the mountains had been almost completely moved.

To avoid suspicion, Zhou Wanwan left a small portion behind, piling it up into a small mountain, and they didn't remove it completely.

Zhou Wanwan then invited all the officials over again...