Walking out from Old Laver's house, a few military officers and soldiers stayed in the courtyard.
Kaler lowered his head, while a few companions patted his shoulder, silently keeping each other company.
Inside the house were the loud cries of a mother, the suppressed sobs of a son, and the sighs of Lalor sitting with legs apart on a small stool.
Although the corps could assist in sending the ashes, most soldiers' ashes were often sent ho by their comrades.
After all, the camaraderie ford on the battlefield, akin to brotherhood, naturally called for accompanying them on their final journey.
"You go ho, the rest of us have no family, we'll keep an eye on Old Laver's household."
A fellow brother who once garrisoned together at Bear Chomping Castle pinched Kaler's shoulder: "You should hurry back ho, you still have family there, if you don't go back soon, they will be worried."
Kaler originally intended to stay until Old Laver was buried, but it seed that the Hundred Households District was to hold a collective funeral for the fallen soldiers, which would take twenty to thirty days to prepare.
Having been away from ho for a year, for so reason, Kaler felt especially hosick at that mont.
"I'll go ho for a bit, report my well-being, and co back imdiately," Kaler hesitated for a while before making the decision.
"Go on, go on, we'll take care of things here."
After bidding farewell to his comrades, Kaler mounted a mule brought by the local Wandering Cultivator Bryson, and the two headed towards Hot Spring Town together.
When he first ca, Kaler was still imrsed in grief, but on the way back, he felt sothing was amiss.
Why is this mountain road so easy to walk on, it's even better than the king's road on the Shattered Stone Plain.
The horse's hooves tapped on the hard and flat road surface, echoing with a thumping sound.
Sensing Kaler's puzzlent, Bryson, riding on his mule, chuckled, "How do you find our road?"
"It's a very good road, did the Village Monastery build this?"
"We built it ourselves, the Village Monastery has expenses everywhere, plus they have to support a new town, Hot Spring Town, where would they get the money for this?"
Based on data from the Hundred Households District, the total area of South Mangde County spans roughly 20,000 square kiloters.
Within this, habitable areas, naly the mountain valleys and forested basins, cover about 6,000 square kiloters.
The majority of the Holy Alliance's registered population of 140,000 people are concentrated within these 6,000 square kiloters of livable zones, so the distances are relatively close.
Across the 276 Hundred Households Districts, the average linear distance is about 4 kiloters, and due to the mountainous terrain, the actual road distance is approximately 6-8 kiloters.
"So after the South Mangde County Monastery's head attended the eting at the Holy Court Barracks this year, he implented a policy which, more precisely, is being carried out across all nine counties in the Thousand River Valley."
"What policy?"
Bryson smiled and pointed to a sign hanging by the roadside; Kaler followed his gesture and saw written, "To get rich, first build roads; have more children and cut more trees."
According to the monastery head, each Hundred Households District is responsible for a portion of the road, approximately 6 to 8 kiloters each.
"It looks heavy, but it's actually manageable." Bryson seed quite familiar with this, "We have about 6 kiloters in total, expected to be completed in three to four years."
Bryson was not just boasting.
The Ansel Hundred Households District (including Adrian Manor), where Bryson resided, had a total population of about 430 people.
With soldiers returning ho and the rging of villages, this population figure was expected to rise again.
Through agricultural mutual aid organizations like the Hundred Households District and the Brotherhood, Bryson could mobilize 100 to 150 robust laborers (including won).
However, during the agricultural off-season, around 80 individuals could be actively engaged in the principal road construction daily.
Along the way, Kaler could clearly see the various stages of road construction by the villagers.
The first thing visible was the final installation of the wooden planks.
Transporting stone in the mountainous region was too challenging, so the waterproof ironwood cedar planks were used as a makeshift solution ant to last two or three years.
Two elderly villagers wearing coarse linen vests, displaying their bony chests, laid 5-cm-thick planks horizontally on the ground.
Children carrying buckets mixed potato root paste, gelatinized Sli Cocoon, and li sand to create a simple li slurry.
They then used pig bristle brushes to spread the greyish-white li slurry on the plank surfaces and filled the gaps between them.
This was the final step in the road construction.
Moving further, a dozen muscular won were seen holding rattan baskets, dumping gravel onto the ankle-deep road surface.
Several slightly leaner won used wooden scrapers to smooth the surface, followed by donkey-drawn stone rollers compacting the road.
These scantily clad, sweat-drenched won, upon seeing Kaler pass by, did not panic but instead whistled at the young Kaler.
"Hey, mule rider, I saw you look at ."
"Officer boy, co down, sister will give you so goat milk to drink."
This made Kaler blush a deep red, and he hurriedly urged the mule to quicken its pace, leaving only the laughter behind him.
These mountain won are indeed different from those on the plains.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, before Kaler could look up, he heard the rhythmic sounds of chanting.
"Hey!"
"Ya!"
The ground trembled slightly.
Eight ropes were tied to a wooden hamr, one end of each rope attached to a long wooden pole.
Young n with bronze-toned muscles, like threshing wheat, lifted the poles in unison, causing the enormous wooden hamr to rise into the air.
Then they let it drop hard, and the hamr slamd down, compacting the previously loose clay firmly.
Four large hamrs took turns pounding down, forcing the roadbed into a deeper layer.
At the very front line of road construction, loggers felled ironwood trees along the roadside to be cut into planks.
Besides this, they were responsible for clearing shrubs and weeds.
Such a road is approximately 3 to 4 ters wide, capable of accommodating at most two horse-drawn carts or four horses passing by each other.
For larger towns, it may not be sufficient, but for rural areas, it's quite generous.
"Can the Hundred Households District afford to build the road itself?" Kaler couldn't help but wonder.
"Yes, it can, the grain expenditure for road construction can be covered by the public treasury. Starting next year, unless there's another foreign invasion, there's no need to pay grain for three years, no need to keep much in reserve.
As for gravel and li, when everyone's done with farming and returns ho, they can collect a basket for themselves, and gradually it accumulates.
The wages co from wool revenue. Once the road is finished, it will be more convenient for the weavers to buy and sell wool yarn, saving a lot of money.
Also, buying donkeys and tools from the Village Monastery is basically free, just pay for the transport."
Upon hearing that donkeys only require transport fee paynt, Kaler's perpetually sullen mouth couldn't help but smile a little.
Why are donkeys from the Village Monastery essentially free?
Isn't it because these donkeys and mules were war spoils seized from the Border Knight Order and the Leia people?
Kaler reluctantly felt he could take a share of credit for this.
"So, Old Laver's family's life will get better and better, right?"
"Of course." Bryson said, his heels striking the donkey's belly, laughter wrinkles spreading on his face, "They'll live better than anyone."
Other residents of the Hundred Households District village will just be exempt from paying grain for three years in the future.
Old Laver's family can be exempt for a lifeti. The cross at their doorstep blessed by Horn is proof of permanent grain (direct tax) exemption.
This benefit will continue until Little Laver passes away.
Turning to glance at the distant faint outline of the village and the villagers enthusiastically building the road, Kaler felt the victory tangibly for the first ti.
At the fork in the road, Kaler noted the notably rundown, muddy path and asked, "Why is this road so broken? Isn't anyone fixing it?"
Bryson replied aningfully, "That's the Mason District over there. They haven't implented the Hundred Households District system, so they lack the grain or manpower to fix roads.
A few days ago, they went to town to plead with the Village Monastery to restore their Hundred Households District but were refused.
I've heard that a large number of Mason Region villagers are migrating towards surrounding Hundred Households Districts, while the Wild Wolf Battle Group is buying land in the Mason District.
Within three to five years, if their population falls below a certain standard, it's likely the district will be abolished and turned into a Battle Group farmstead."
Kaler, although unfamiliar with the Mason District, couldn't help but feel a bit of disdain: "That's their own fault; they did nothing for this victory, so they have no right to enjoy the fruits."
After bidding farewell to Bryson, Kaler took a carriage back to the nearby Hot Spring Town dock, which is now just a large construction site.
From Hot Spring Town, he boarded a boat on the Tai Bo River, sailing downstream to Daze Village.
Switching to a ferry, boarding Autumn Dusk Island, he took the tram to the ry Court Barracks.
Passing through the familiar Vegetable Market Street, Kaler arrived at a quiet townhouse district, stopping in front of a villa as per the letter instructions.
After confirming the house number three tis, Kaler finally set down his luggage.
He straightened his attire, setting his dallion aright, and knocked on the green-painted oak door.
"I'll get the door."
"Let , aren't you cooking?"
"I said I'll get the door!"
"What about the stew?"
"You do it!"
"I don't know how..."
Inside, the sound of chaotic footsteps rang out, and Eglintha abruptly pushed open the door.
She instantly saw her brother Kaler but hesitated to recognize him.
In a year, he'd grown half a head taller, lost a lot of youthful acne, and his face seed sculpted by a knife, angular and defined.
Most importantly, compared to the naive young boy before, the person in front carried a sharp aura.
"Kaler?"
"Sister..." At the mont he called out 'Sister', the rarely tearful Kaler's eyes suddenly reddened.
The grievances, fears, and panic accumulated over the year suddenly erupted at this mont.
Recognizing her brother, Eglintha imdiately embraced his head: "Holy Father, Saint's Grandson, you finally returned."
Eglintha hadn't intended to cry but slling the blood on Kaler's forehead and seeing his maroon-striped shirt, she couldn't help but sob.
The siblings' tears fell simultaneously.
In the sound of rapid footsteps, Grosien ran up with a ladle: "What's the matter? What's the matter? Who are you? Get away from my wife!"
Just as the siblings were about to revisit old mories, they suppressed their emotions instantly.
Eglintha turned with irritation, tugging Kaler's sleeve: "You look again and see who."
"......Kaler!"
"See, it was you who persuaded little Kaler to join the army, and now look what he's been through?"
"Long ti no see, brother-in-law." Wiping away his tears, Kaler laughed and stepped forward, hugging his sister and Grosien.
Sister and brother-in-law are the only family he has in this world.
Though he beca the little brother later, Grosien, having no relatives, treated him like a dear younger brother.
Patting Kaler's back, he sniffled: "What's past is fine. We won this ti, no major wars to fight later."
The trio embraced at the door for a long ti, until a burnt sll wafted over.
"Ah! Purple Egg Beef Soup!" Eglintha rushed to the kitchen as if waking from a dream.
Grosien held Kaler's arm tightly, sighing deeply: "It's good to have you back, good to have you back."
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