Even Zhang Shigen went ho, grabbed an iron shovel, and carried it in his hand.
He specifically took Zhang Anxiu to find Chu Xun. On the way, he instructed in a low voice, "When we get to Ah Xun's place later, no matter what you say, you cannot let him follow along."
"If he insists on following, you threaten him with your life, understand?!"
Zhang Anxiu froze, seemingly not understanding why she had to do this.
Zhang Shigen said, "Ah Xun is a good boy. If you can be with him, you definitely won't suffer any losses in the future."
Zhang Anxiu understood. Her dad was doing this just in case, entrusting her to Chu Xun.
"Dad, can't you just not go?"
Zhang Shigen shook his head without hesitation. He gestured to the fierce-looking n, young and old, ahead of them. The old Village Chief walked at the very front; his two sons and three grandsons had all co.
Only farrs like them, who faced the yellow earth with their backs to the sky all day long, knew how important water was.
Without water, they couldn't farm the land, and they would starve to death.
Today, one Li Ermao died. If they didn't go, who knew how many would starve or die of thirst in the future.
Even if they had to risk their lives, they had to fight!
If they won the fight, the children wouldn't have to suffer.
Zhang Anxiu seed to understand that she couldn't dissuade him, keeping her head down and sobbing softly along the way.
Before long, the father and daughter arrived at the small courtyard.
They happened to see the old Village Chief's second son sternly driving Chu Xun, who was holding a wooden club, back inside.
"For the matter of fighting for water, there are those of us to bear the brunt, we don't need you. Go, go, go, stay at ho obediently!"
Although Chu Xun was strong, he was still pushed into the courtyard.
Just as he was about to speak, Zhang Shigen ca over and forcefully dragged him into the house.
After closing the door, Zhang Shigen said, "The Village Chief said you don't need to go, what are you running out for!"
This was naturally to protect Chu Xun, not wanting any accidents to happen to him.
Chu Xun said, "I am also a person of the village, I can't just watch helplessly."
"A half-grown boy, what are you trying to show off for. Girl, co here," Zhang Shigen called out.
"Dad..." Zhang Anxiu walked over with red eyes.
Zhang Shigen gripped the wooden handle of the iron shovel tightly and said to Chu Xun, "I know you've saved quite a bit of silver these past few years. If I go and don't co back, go find Li Ermao's wife. His family has too much land, one woman can't farm it all, don't let others take advantage."
"But don't buy too much either, three to five acres is enough, lest others gossip."
Zhang Shigen looked at his daughter again, gritted his teeth, and reached out to pat Chu Xun heavily on the shoulder. "Sanchun has an honest temperant. When he does short-term work for wealthy families and gets his wages deducted, he doesn't even dare to speak up. If I really don't co back, take care of the siblings for , don't let them be bullied!"
"If... if you really don't fancy her, just help find a good family for Anxiu in the future."
"Dad, don't be like this, I'm scared..." Zhang Anxiu was already so anxious she was about to cry.
Zhang Shigen stroked her hair and said, "Listen to Ah Xun more, he is smarter than anyone in our village."
Saying that, he looked at Chu Xun again. "This girl's temperant is a bit stubborn. If she really makes you angry, do whatever you want, just don't hit her."
Chu Xun only felt a heavy heart. "Uncle Shigen, things might not necessarily be that bad."
"It's hard to say, preparing early isn't a bad thing. Also, if Sanchun cos back and can't think straight, wanting to take revenge, you must help stop him."
After saying that, Zhang Shigen turned and left carrying the iron shovel, not forgetting to close the door before leaving.
"Uncle Shigen!" Chu Xun shouted. Just as he was about to chase after him, Zhang Anxiu hugged his waist from behind, holding on tightly and refusing to let go.
"Let go!"
"No!" Zhang Anxiu wouldn't let go no matter what. "Dad said not to let you go! I won't let you go either!"
Although she didn't have much worldly experience, she had seen with her own eyes the scene of Li Ermao being hacked to death on the spot.
She couldn't stop her dad. If she couldn't even stop Chu Xun, she didn't know how devastated she would be if she saw both of them being carried back together.
Although Chu Xun was strong, he was also afraid of hurting this girl.
The footsteps outside gradually faded away, and finally, there was no sound at all.
Helpless, Chu Xun could only give up, hoping that the villagers could all return safely.
He gently patted Zhang Anxiu's hand and said softly, "I won't go. Let's wait in the courtyard together, okay?"
Zhang Anxiu buried her face in his back and asked muffledly, "Really?"
"Really."
Opening the door, Chu Xun pulled Zhang Anxiu and stood in the courtyard.
The bright moon hung high, and the sky full of stars turned into a dense, starry river.
The young boy and girl stood in the courtyard, looking towards the village entrance.
Not long after, a few village won also ca with their toddlers.
They really couldn't stay at ho; they just wanted to see their loved ones quickly.
A mont later, a few more elderly, weak, won, and children arrived.
The figures gradually increased. The moonlight spilled down, imprinting those silhouettes on the ground.
One after another, they gradually connected into a patch, just like the rice seedlings in the fields.
The hot wind blew. The rice seedlings in the fields were moving, and the weeds by the roadside were moving.
Only the nurous figures at the village entrance remained motionless.
There were only worried, uneasy faces, appearing even paler under the moonlight.
The long and scorching night slowly passed just like this.
Zhang Anxiu was so sleepy her eyelids were trembling. Leaning against Chu Xun's shoulder, her head would drop from ti to ti, then quickly lift up again.
Many toddlers had long been unable to bear it and fell into a deep sleep in the won's arms.
The elderly were persuaded to go back, while the others either sat or lay on the ground waiting.
It wasn't until the sky brightened slightly that Chu Xun seed to notice sothing and looked into the distance.
A mont later, a woman climbed up from the ground holding her child, shouting, "They're back! They're back!"
This shout awakened everyone.
They hurriedly climbed up from the ground, not caring to brush off the dust, and stood on their tiptoes to look ahead.
Zhang Anxiu also woke up and subconsciously wanted to run out of the courtyard, but was pulled back by Chu Xun.
Others couldn't see clearly, but Chu Xun saw it distinctly.
The people who returned were all bearing injuries. Those who could walk without being supported could be counted on one's fingers.
They supported each other, dragging and carrying many people, slowly walking towards the village.
Zhang Anxiu instinctively tried to break free from his hand while opening her eyes wide to look outside.
When the crowd arrived at the village entrance, the old Village Chief's second son was carrying the lifeless old man on his back, his eyes completely red.
Beside him, his eldest brother's face was covered in blood and dirt, and one of his ears had been forcefully torn off.
Two of the younger generation stood behind, carrying their breathless brother.
The two brothers looked at the elderly, weak, won, and children ahead, their bloodstained bodies trembling.
Then, they took a deep breath and suddenly roared loudly, "From now on, that old well belongs to our village!"
There wasn't that much impassioned fervor, let alone excitent.
They went for this sentence.
And they returned with this sentence.
After a night of fierce fighting, Pinecone Village had won.
The Martial Master of Three Stones Village was very brave, but he was still beaten until he fled with injuries.
Both sides suffered casualties, and Pinecone Village actually suffered more.
But they still won.
Even when the lords from the governnt office brought bailiffs to persuade them, they never put down the iron tools in their hands.
Since they ca, they didn't plan on going back alive.
Either they fought for this old well for the village so the children wouldn't have their throats smoking from thirst in the future, or they would fight to the death right here!
The old Village Chief had done what he said. Even if his old bones broke there, he absolutely would not let anyone look down on Pinecone Village.
n must act like n!
(End of Chapter)
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