PFC Chapter 376 The night after the day...
Chapter 376 The night after the day...
Ten days later, the night was bright with a bright moon and few stars.
There are five large ships docked at the pier of Eleven Trees in Taohuayuan.
When the five ships approached the pass of Taohuayuan River, the guards there rang the bell.
This so-called "clock" was a piece of half a steel ring that Li Lanzhen saw in space, about half a meter wide and long.
There was a round hole on one side of the steel ring. Li Lanzhen had an idea and took it out, tied it with a hemp rope, handed it to the guard, and hung it on a big tree next to the Yakou guard room.
Several sets of signal bells were developed.
Encountering an enemy attack is a sound signal, and encountering a familiar person is a message.
The people who were still sleeping were awakened by the two long and three short knocking sounds.
They knew that there was a ship entering the Peach Blossom Spring, and it was a friend, not an enemy.
The adults comforted the awakened children and asked them to go back to sleep, leaving the women at home to look after the house. The men got up, put on their clothes, and gathered at the Eleven Trees Pier.
People came out of their homes, guessing as they walked that the more than 100 wounded soldiers who retreated from the battlefield as mentioned in the letter brought back by Han Mingjiang had arrived.
Sure enough, when they arrived at the Eleven Trees Pier, it was brightly lit with torches.
People from the village committee had already been standing here waiting.
There were five large ships with escalators lowered, and people were coming down from them one after another. They looked like they had just come down from the battlefield.
They still got off the boat in an orderly manner, and no one spoke in the neatly lined up team.
Everyone saw it clearly. Every one of the more than 100 people had injuries on their bodies, but the injuries were in different parts of their bodies. One person lost a leg, and on both sides were people with similar injuries supporting each other. The one who passed away had lost an eye...
The people in Taohua Spring stood quietly, without making any noise, pointing or talking about where they were injured, or uttering any pitiful or sorrowful groans.
Manager Hua walked down from the first large ship, carrying a small bag in his hand. He walked straight to Li Lanzhen and saluted with his hands clasped together.
"Madam Li, this is the letter Han Mingjiang brought back.
He went to the capital with the young general."
Li Lanzhen nodded and took the small bag.
She knew that after winning the battle, she should go to Beijing to meet the emperor and be rewarded for her achievements.
It seems that this kid is going down this path.
No matter what official position you get or how much gold and silver rewards you receive, none of this matters.
The important thing is that Han Mingjiang can come back safely and healthily, that's the best.
"Manager Hua, is that 113 people?"
"Yes, exactly 113 people, and they were injured in different parts of the body.
Eleven people were seriously injured.”
Li Lanzhen saw that the eleven people were carried down on stretchers.
Shopkeeper Hua turned around and waved to a man at the front of the line.
"Da Lei, come here, this is Han Mingjiang's mother, Madam Li."
The tall man ran over immediately when he heard his shout, and bowed and greeted Lanzhou.
"Meet Aunt Lan Zhen, thank you for accepting us, sorry for the trouble."
Li Lanzhen saw that his legs and feet were fine, and his stomach was wrapped in thick cloth. He must have injured his abdomen or back, right?
The most serious injury should be his left eye, because there is a round black object of unknown material covering his left eye.
Li Lanzhen knew that the young man had lost his left eye forever.
She smiled and said, "It's not a bother. You're welcome home. Come on, your accommodation has been arranged. Let's go eat first."
Da Lei turned around and put the seriously injured soldiers on the ox cart.
Others who can walk should walk in a line.
The villagers went up to help them carry their luggage.
Their luggage was actually very simple, probably just some spare clothes and a bedding roll.
The eleven wounded men, still unconscious and lying on stretchers, were sent directly to their dormitories.
Bai Houpu and a few others followed closely behind to check on their injuries.
The others followed the people from the village committee to the dining room, washed up briefly in the basin under the shed outside, and then went in and sat in the dining room.
This was despite them repeatedly saying they were full, not hungry, and not bothering.
But Li Lanzhen knew that with so many people coming to Youzhou Prefecture, they would definitely not be able to enter the city. The most that could be done was for Manager Hua to send some food to the Moon Bay Pier.
I ordered a simple meal. Since I was here, I should have something hot for my first meal.
At least let them know that they are home.
Li Lanzhen had thought of this a long time ago. Since she had accepted them, she should treat them well.
They were all new soldiers who had fought in the war. They were quick and efficient. They took out their towels, wiped their heads, faces and hands in a few seconds, and then went in and sat in the dining room.
After a while, large pots of delicious food were served on the table.
They all seemed to be convenient and simple meals, cornmeal porridge, scrambled eggs with leeks, stewed beans with eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and the staple food was soft wild vegetable pancakes.
Han Dazhong asked the other villagers to go back and continue sleeping.
Those who remain now are all from the village committee.
They sat with Manager Hua under a thatched shed outside, with torches sticking out from the side.
Xue Nizi and Tonghua brought a bowl of cornmeal and a plate of food and placed them in front of Manager Hua.
Li Lanzhen motioned for him to eat a little too. Shopkeeper Hua picked up the bowl without hesitation and ate the dishes slowly.
People from the village committee were sitting around, and the men were smoking tobacco leaves.
Speaking of tobacco leaves, it was Li Lanzhen who initially planted a few tobacco plants for Li Erhan in the yard.
Although Li Lanzhen repeatedly advised Li Erhan not to smoke, Li Erhan always secretly picked some grass leaves on the mountain, and after returning to dry them, he rubbed them into foam and smoked secretly.
Seeing him like this, Li Lanzhen found tobacco seeds in the space and planted a few in the yard.
Unexpectedly, other people saw it and started to pester Li Erhan to give it back.
Li Erhan left a tobacco seed, and everyone started planting it slowly.
But I don’t dare to plant too many, I just plant a few in my own backyard for my own enjoyment.
Li Lanzhen could see that everyone was in a heavy mood.
These wounded soldiers were not very old.
Han Mingjiang only said that they were homeless.
Then, there must be a sad story behind them.
Li Lanzhen didn't want to ask, nor did she want to uncover their scars. She just wanted to do her best to give them a place to settle down and live a quiet life.
Xue Lao Hu sat at the table, his thoughts wandering far away. Ever since Xue Bao left, his heart had been tense.
Now looking at these soldiers, he felt sad, scared and worried.
The dining room was silent except for the sound of food snoring.
They were quick and finished eating in a short while. Those who were able to move started to clean up the bowls and chopsticks, and one after another people brought out the bowls and chopsticks to wash.
Li Lanzhen stood up and stopped them.
"Okay, Da Lei, tell your comrades to stop. We won't be cleaning today.
From now on, you can wash your own dishes, okay?
Come with me to your dormitory now and I will settle you down. It is already very late."
Da Lei touched the back of his head and thought, it is indeed late, it should be almost midnight, I feel embarrassed to disturb their rest.
"Yes, Aunt Lanzhen, I will gather them and take them to the dormitory."
After forming a team, they followed Li Lanzhen. The people from the village committee accompanied them to the last row of courtyards of each household in the village.
This is the dormitory for veterans.