sbdcsierra Chapter 437 If my sister can go, so can I!
Chapter 437 If my sister can go, so can I!
Dou's army of 50,000 soldiers launched a northern expedition.
In the Yue Dynasty, where productivity was low, it would take at least 30,000 auxiliary troops to support 10,000 combat soldiers.
Supplies, fortifications, miscellaneous tasks, camp repairs, and medical care—auxiliary soldiers were needed to complete all these tasks.
Fifty thousand soldiers need to be supported as if they were two hundred thousand.
The total population of Ling'an Prefecture is less than 500,000.
After removing the elderly who cannot reproduce and the young children, there are hardly any people left.
Dou Zhan personally led the expedition, leaving Dou Xiaoxiao to oversee the country, and also leaving an order for Ling'an Prefecture.
That is, Ling'an Prefecture was designated as a permanent war preparedness zone for the Yue Dynasty.
To prepare provisions for the front lines and to supply fresh troops to the soldiers.
The whole nation is a soldier.
Men and women aged sixteen to sixty are all registered.
The men practiced swordsmanship and military formations, gathering at the training ground during the off-season, their sweat pouring down like rain.
Strong women also gathered at the training ground.
Those who are physically weak stay at home spinning and weaving to prepare food, farming and weaving during the day, and still twisting ropes and sewing shoes under the lamp at night.
Even the elderly and the infirm are not idle.
An old man patrols the alley at night, repairing armor and weapons.
Children learn to recognize grains and fodder, and even toddlers know to gather firewood to help with cooking.
There were no idle officials in the government office; they checked the grain and fodder inventory every day.
The grain was collected, dried, stored, and transported. The wheels of carts never stopped, and the official roads were full of oxcarts carrying grain and able-bodied men hurrying along.
In the countryside, no field is left idle; spring planting and autumn harvest are done in a race against time.
In short, no one was idle!
Originally, there was a fixed amount of tax to be levied each year, but the people spontaneously kept only enough for one family's needs and handed over the rest to the front lines.
When the country is destroyed, where can one find a home?
Only when the country is stable can families be reunited.
Every year, able-bodied men and women would bid farewell to their relatives and neighbors before heading north to the battlefield, without anyone weeping or wailing.
Only the words "Wait until I have defended this land, wait until I return home" became the final farewell of everyone who left.
The imperial examination system was not reinstated, but all the students from the academies spontaneously dispersed to various places to teach and educate, to enlighten and civilize the people, and to help them become literate and literate.
"Sis! Take this!"
Lin Lin wielded a miniature version of the Red Cherry Spear with great power and skill.
The older Lin Lu quickly raised his sword, his two blades steadily meeting Lin Lin's attack. They fought evenly, each move a deadly strike!
Da Niu stood on the wall, watching the two fighting in the courtyard below, and looked speechlessly at the guard who was touching his nose.
Asking him to teach the village children martial arts might seem like martial arts training to those who don't, but they might think he's training bodyguards for some deadly assassination mission.
Meanwhile, Lin Lin, who was in the courtyard, thrust her spear tip straight at Lin Lu's heart. Lin Lu spun around, took a step back, and parried with her crossed swords.
He then pressed the back of the knife against her wrist with perfect precision, causing only a slight numbness in her gun-wielding hand without injuring her skin.
But after Lin Lin lost control of the red-tasseled spear, it flew out with a "whoosh" and landed directly in the corner of the courtyard, near the large water vat.
With a sharp clang, the water vat cracked, revealing spiderweb-like patterns, and clear water gushed out.
Upon seeing this, Da Niu turned and ran!
Lin Lu's expression changed drastically upon seeing this!
She immediately lightened her foot and leaped out of the yard, shouting, "Little sister, you're too small, Auntie won't beat you!"
"Hey, sis, don't run away!"
It's true that we should share the good times and the bad times, so why can't we share the punishment?!
Her mother hits people, and it hurts terribly!
Lin Lin picked up her gun and gave chase, her short legs moving incredibly fast.
He shouted loudly, "Sister, you're not loyal! We're the ones who broke the jar, so we should be punished together!"
Upon hearing the sound of the vat shattering, Yang Qing's heart skipped a beat. She abruptly put down the insole in her hand and ran out quickly, not forgetting to grab the broom by the door as she left.
"You little brats, you've gone too far! You've broken the water tank again, haven't you?!"
She ran out with a broom and, sure enough, saw the shattered water vat in the yard. She immediately flew into a rage: "Damn it, this is the tenth water vat you've broken this month! Are you even going to eat?!"
With a flick of the broom tip, Lin Lin immediately slipped away.
She ran towards the edge of the yard, repeatedly turning back to explain, "Mom, let me explain!"
Yang Qing chased after her angrily, sweeping her lower back with a broom.
He deliberately shifted his strength slightly, while cursing fiercely, "Still trying to explain? Explain my ass!"
Ten vats would have been enough for half a cartload of grain, and you, you hit your target every time!
Lin Lin panicked and stumbled onto a ridge in the village field, falling flat on her backside.
Yang Qing caught up, but instead of actually hitting her with the broom, he lightly patted her on the back twice and yelled even louder, "Run! Why aren't you running anymore!"
Lin Lin was already feeling guilty, and then her bottom hurt from the fall.
Startled by her mother's two words, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.
She pouted, not daring to cry, but still whispered, "My sister shot me first..."
Yang Qing poked her forehead in an annoyed tone: "She's the older sister, she won't give in to you?"
"Martial arts are for protecting your family, not destroying it. If you keep fooling around like this, I'll take your gun away and send you to copy books with the teacher!"
"Wow... I don't want to copy books, I want to practice shooting, and then go to the battlefield to find my dad!"
Father and daughter go into battle together.
She wanted to grow up quickly so she could protect her father and ensure his safe return from the battlefield, so her mother wouldn't have to hide under the covers and cry secretly at night.
As soon as he said that, Yang Qing's broom, which he had raised, suddenly stopped in mid-air, and his eyes instantly turned red.
Her throat tightened, and she reached out to pull Lin Lin into her arms, her voice softening considerably.
But he still maintained a certain toughness: "Why are you crying!"
"Your father is fighting on the front lines hoping that you children will protect the home, not that you will show off and cause trouble on the battlefield!"
"Your marksmanship is so clumsy, you can't even protect a small jar. If you go to the front lines, and the enemy parries your shot, wouldn't you be deliberately trying to demoralize our troops?!"
"Wow……"
Yang Qing's words made Lin Lin cry even harder.
Her mother mocked her!
Gao Mengli had just returned from her shift at the Shenji Camp when she immediately saw Lin Lin, whose eyes were red and swollen from being beaten, and who was sobbing softly.
She quickly picked Lin Lin up and asked softly, "What's wrong with our little Lin'er? Third sister-in-law, why are you scolding the child again?"
Seeing someone plead for her, Lin Lin felt even more aggrieved and hugged Gao Mengli's neck, calling out softly, "Auntie!"
Gao Mengli nodded, smiled and wiped away her tears, then said to Yang Qing, "Third sister-in-law, Lin is still young, only eight years old."
It's normal for martial arts practitioners to have difficulty controlling their strength, but I see that her marksmanship is improving day by day, she's a good prospect.
Tomorrow I will send Xiaolin'er to Pang Dahai's martial arts school so she can become his apprentice and be personally taught by him!
Yang Qing was taken aback upon hearing this, and then waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no!"
The school run by Instructor Pang is full of boys who are not yet grown up. Lin is only eight years old, with delicate skin and tender flesh. How could she endure that kind of hardship?
Besides, he teaches hard-hitting techniques for actual combat; I'm afraid my child won't be able to handle them.
She was even more afraid that her daughter, Xiaolin, would back down, causing unnecessary trouble for others and delaying the boys' martial arts practice.
Upon hearing that she could go to the martial arts school, Lin Lin immediately stopped crying. "Mother! I can endure hardship! If my sister can go, so can I!"
Yang Qing affectionately reached out and poked the little girl's head: "Look how capable you are!"
Her husband went to the battlefield, and this was the only son left in their three households.
Deep down, she didn't want Xiaolin'er to learn martial arts.
However, if everyone thinks like her, then there will be no one to guard the area.
However, from the day her daughter Lin'er chose to learn martial arts, she was prepared for the possibility of outliving her child.
Yang Qing felt a mix of sadness and helplessness, and glared at Lin Lin, who was in Gao Mengli's arms.
That's it, that's it.
It's probably because she owed the Lin family father and daughter something in her past life; the worst thing she can do in this life is to guard their coffins for the rest of her life.
If I die on the battlefield, that's fate.
"Alright, alright, you can go to the martial arts school to see Instructor Pang tomorrow, okay? Otherwise, you'll stay at home and ruin the water tank every day!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Lin immediately jumped out of Gao Mengli's arms.
The little girl straightened up and replied in a clear voice, "Don't worry, Mother!"
"I'm going to the village martial arts school to study hard, and I promise I'll never break a water vat again!"
As he spoke, he shoved his red-tasseled spear into the ground, mimicking the way Instructor Pang used to train his troops.
With a tense little face, she shouted, "Get into a firm stance!"
This sight amused Gao Mengli, who couldn't help but laugh.
Yang Qing reached out and tapped her forehead in annoyance: "Don't try anything funny. The martial arts school is not like home. Instructor Pang is strict. If you don't learn the skills, you'll be sent back. Then you'll see how I deal with you."
He was stern in words, but his hand unconsciously touched the top of his daughter's head.
At night, she would quietly get up and secretly sew a wristband for her daughter.