Yu Yue nodded. “They said that once a fire is lit beneath it, the kang will warm up.”
She pushed another stack of cloth toward her mother and carefully explained, “Mother, use these to make two sets of clothes for yourself and Father.”
Yu Yue’s mother stroked the fabric. “This cloth seems different. It looks plain, but it’s very soft.”
Yu Yue’s eyes filled with longing. “They said Lord planted vast fields of cotton. All of this is made from cotton—not silk or hemp. It’s called cotton cloth.”
“Commander Lu said more supplies will be delivered in a while. Lord will issue the soldiers cotton-padded clothing. They say it’s exceptionally warm. From now on, our soldiers won’t have to fear going out on patrol in winter anymore.”
“The soldiers were also given a month’s wages.” She looked up at the night outside, which was no longer pitch-black.
Wenlong City could finally afford oil lamps. They had light now.
Yu Yue sighed with emotion. “Lord is truly good to her people and her soldiers. It’s so extravagant that it hardly feels real.”
“So, Father, you must get better soon. Then you can go see the world under Lord’s rule. I heard everyone there can eat their fill—truly eat their fill.”
If someone had told her that in the past, she would never have believed it.
But now, she did.
At the mention of this, Yu Yue’s mother smiled. “Your father has indeed felt much better after taking the restorative pill. In a while, he may even be able to get up and walk on his own.”
Yu Yue brightened. “That’s wonderful.”
“Yes, it is.” A trace of reverence appeared on her mother’s face. “The greens and white radishes we planted have really sprouted. They’re only seedlings, but they look healthy.”
Yu Yue had been rather busy lately, while Shangguan Mao had begun training the troops and had even less time. As a result, the task of growing vegetables for the city had been handed to Yu Yue’s mother.
She had personally watched the seeds sprout. Those green shoots were just like Wenlong City itself, filling her with hope.
Meanwhile, Shangguan Mao and Shangguan Zhan still felt somewhat unaccustomed to their military uniforms, but beneath that awkwardness was a faint sense of pride and security.
Looking at the two men in their completely transformed appearance, Lu Ping said with a smile, “Not bad. The soldiers’ training must also resume. We have to be ready for battle at any time.”
Shangguan Mao nodded. “We’ve already begun gradually restoring their training.”
Lu Ping shook his head. “That isn’t enough. We must increase the intensity. We don’t have many men, and we have to withstand the Jiao army’s encirclement. We also cannot afford to neglect the Nanwu Kingdom to the west.”
Shangguan Mao had no objections. Now that the soldiers could eat their fill, their training intensity naturally needed to increase as well.
Suddenly remembering something, Lu Ping asked, “Where do you usually get the firewood you burn?”
Shangguan Zhan replied helplessly, “We have to go behind Thousand Blades Mountain. There’s a valley there with some trees, but it’s quite far from Wenlong City.”
In the past, they had barely had enough grain, so they only cooked once every couple of days and conserved firewood as much as possible.
But things were different now. They ate three meals a day.
Their need for firewood had multiplied several times over. It was no longer practical to cross mountains and valleys to fetch it from so far away.
“It’s too far, and it won’t do,” Lu Ping said, shaking his head. “From now on, whether they’re civilians or soldiers, everyone in the city must drink boiled water. Otherwise, they’ll easily fall ill.”
Shangguan Mao stared at him in surprise. “Drink boiled water?”
Lu Ping nodded. “That’s right. Lord said that unboiled water contains all kinds of bacteria, which can make people sick.”
Shangguan Mao was utterly confused. “Bacteria?”
Shangguan Zhan chuckled. “Father, bacteria are tiny, tiny insects—so small that our eyes can’t see them.”
He had learned quite a bit during his time with the Jinyang Army.
And since he was an eager learner, he had already begun quietly teaching himself how to read and write.
Lu Ping smiled. “We should also begin literacy classes. Let’s strive to teach all the soldiers and civilians to read before winter is over.”
For some reason, Shangguan Mao suddenly felt as if he had fallen behind. He hurriedly nodded. “Yes, we must! Start the classes!”
Lu Ping was very pleased by their willingness to learn. There were simply too many people around him who had no interest in studying.
Then he recalled the conditions he had seen from the city wall earlier and returned to the previous subject. “There’s a forest to the south, isn’t there? Why don’t you cut wood there?”
Shangguan Mao looked deeply ashamed. “We only dare move around Thousand Blades Mountain behind the city. Everywhere else is surrounded by the Jiao army…”
Lu Ping’s brows drew together, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. “Hah. They’re truly arrogant, acting so boldly on Han territory.”
He looked at Shangguan Mao. “There’s no need to rush. We’ll wait until we’ve trained for a while.”
Shangguan Mao was startled. “You—you’re not thinking of leaving the city to cut wood in that forest, are you?”
Lu Ping gave a proud smile. “Why not? Do you know what strategy Lord used when she captured Ge Feng and was trapped there?”
Shangguan Mao shook his head, his face full of anticipation. “What strategy?”
Lu Ping smiled. “Guerrilla warfare. Jungle warfare. We can use the same tactics now—attack them, harass them, and wear down as much of their fighting strength as possible.”
Wenlong City was easy to defend and difficult to attack. Especially now that its soldiers could eat their fill, and their weapons and equipment were excellent, including repeating crossbows capable of killing at long range.
Under such circumstances, it would be even harder for the Jiao army to capture Wenlong City again. They would have to pay an enormous price.
Just as it had been in Ge Feng. With a city to rely on, what did they have to fear?
They could simply send soldiers into the forest to cut wood. If the Jiao army dared to follow them in, they could fight them head-on.
Having heard of a strategy he had never encountered before, Shangguan Zhan quickly asked, “What is guerrilla warfare?”
Lu Ping’s voice rang out clearly. “When the enemy advances, we retreat. When the enemy camps, we harass them. When the enemy is exhausted, we strike.”
The father and son froze for a moment. Then their eyes lit up.
“Brilliant!”
Lu Ping nodded. “So, being trapped doesn’t mean we can do nothing. But first, we must improve the soldiers’ physical strength before we consider anything else.”
Wen Ping, who had not spoken until then, offered a suggestion. “The people who came from Panxun County can join in Wenlong City’s construction. I think we should divide them into two groups—one to farm and the other to work on construction.”
Jiang Jin had always believed that no one should be idle.
There were several hundred civilians who had come from Panxun County. It was impossible to support them for nothing, so they naturally had to exchange their labor for payment.
Shangguan Mao was puzzled. “Construction?”
Wen Ping nodded. “I went to inspect your barracks today. They’re in terrible condition. The current environment is barely tolerable, but how will the soldiers rest once winter arrives?”
“If they don’t rest well, they won’t be able to train properly or kill the enemy. So, the barracks need to be repaired or rebuilt. We can also install heated kangs.”
Wenlong City had limited resources, but it possessed one advantage that other places did not: an abundance of stone.
Therefore, the city’s construction could make use of stone. Although building with it would be more difficult, it was still better than living in structures that leaked wind from every direction.
Lu Ping agreed. “Yes, I think that will work. The city walls need to be repaired as well.”
As the sun rose, Wenlong City launched into a vigorous campaign of training and construction.
As for Jiang Jin, she was preparing to return to Fengzhou. A mountain of matters was waiting for her there.
Yao Ji assured her, “Lord, rest assured. I will guard Punan Commandery and Shangjing Commandery well.”
Jiang Jin nodded. “This winter, look for opportunities to kill more of the Jiao troops along the border. Be more forceful.”
