Chapter 287: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 287: The Shop's Grand Opening and Prosperous Business (1)
The Ba people, the barbarian tribe that had invaded Da Chu’s border in Mo Yan's dream, faced a severe drop in temperature after September. Their territory was covered by an unprecedented snowstorm in fifty years, killing countless cattle and sheep.
To resolve the internal unrest caused by the snow disaster, the Ba people's king gathered eighteen tribes and mobilized eighty thousand troops to attack the border city of Shanhai. Fortunately, the general stationed at Shanhai City had been forewarned by Xiao Ruiyuan and was well prepared, successfully repelling wave after wave of fierce attacks from the Ba people.
However, the Ba people were physically strong and skilled in battle, and their numbers exceeded the border guards by thirty thousand. Defending Shanhai City was extremely difficult, and the court had already dispatched nearby forces to reinforce Shanhai City, resulting in a stalemate.
At this moment, the Mo family’s main hall was silent. Even though the battle was far from the capital and the capital wasn't affected by the war, the thought of many people dying in the conflict and innocent civilians being displaced made everyone feel downcast.
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Xiao Hua stopped playing around and nudged the restless little furball onto its back, then quietly lay down at Mo Yan's feet.
Mo Qingze, staring at the ink-black night outside, said to Mo Yan, "The day after tomorrow our shop will open. Let's keep it simple, just hang a string of firecrackers."
"Mm," Mo Yan nodded in agreement. She hadn't planned on a grand opening anyway.
A grand celebration would mean inviting guests, and the friendly villagers would have to bring gifts. They had already hosted a banquet when they moved into their new house earlier this year and didn’t want to impose again. Moreover, with the war breaking out and being so close to the emperor's city, many common people were probably anxious. Making a big fuss would be inappropriate.
“Dad, will the bad people come to Liuyang Village?” Zhen'er asked, clutching his father's hand tightly, his eyes full of fear.
Last year's experience of fleeing had left a deep impression on Zhen'er. To him, war meant displacement, not having enough to eat, and the risk of being captured and eaten. One such experience was enough; he didn't want to flee for his life again.
Mo Qingze smiled gently and held his younger son on his knee. "No, our Da Chu soldiers are very brave. They won’t let the bad people come in. Don’t be afraid, Zhen'er."
“Mm!” Zhen'er nodded vigorously, feeling somewhat reassured as he nestled in his father's arms.
The other children also breathed a sigh of relief. It was good to know the bad people wouldn't come.
Hearing the howling wind outside, Li Zhong sighed with compassion. “In this freezing weather, those civilians affected by the war must be having a hard time, much worse than when we fled.”
Indeed, although they had fled with not enough to eat, they hadn’t had to deal with the cold of summer. Now, in such cold weather, those innocent civilians were hungry and cold, more prone to illness, making their situation even worse than what they had experienced.
Imagining the suffering of the people at the border, everyone fell silent again.
Mo Yan carefully recalled the scenes from her dream. The Ba people hadn't invaded the capital, but Shanhai City had been breached, and several nearby cities were quickly captured, resulting in widespread plunder and numerous deaths.
Before long, many displaced civilians had flocked to the capital, which was less than eight hundred li from Shanhai City. In the freezing weather, many died on the way. The only difference now was that the issue with the rotten grain had been resolved, no longer endangering the soldiers guarding the border. With this, the war might not end as disastrously as in her dream. Perhaps, this war wouldn't be as brutal.
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