On the village path, villagers were finishing their day’s work. Some trudged home carrying hoes as if they were old, weary companions, while others gathered under the trees, chattering like a flock of cheerful birds. Upon seeing Li Xiu, they greeted him with great enthusiasm. The entire village was filled with a sense of peace, a stark contrast to the brief yet harrowing encounters in the county town; they felt like two entirely different worlds.
Clan leader Li Daqing was sitting comfortably under the old locust tree in his courtyard. He looked like a leisurely patriarch, holding a large tea mug and sipping slowly. The moment he spotted Li Xiu, he hurriedly set the mug aside, his face crinkling into a smile. He hurried over, taking two steps in one. "Li Xiu, you’re finally back! How was the county town? Was it a lot of fun?"
Li Xiu had no patience for small talk. He spoke bluntly, "Clan leader, we must immediately recruit more refugees. The more, the better. Get as many as we can."
Chapter 106