A journey through ancient times, a journey of exquisite divine skills

Chapter 210 Request for Return

"Come and eat, everyone must be hungry!"

An auntie called out to them with a smile, even though the burdens of life often weighed them down.

But her smile remained as warm as a spring breeze, as if it could dispel all fatigue and hardship.

Hearing her call, everyone stood up and walked toward the simple yet heartwarming meal.

A sheet of kraft paper was laid out on the grass, upon which were placed several dishes. The food was not lavish, and could even be described as extremely simple, but in this difficult time, these simple meals became a source of comfort for everyone.

Everyone sat together, happily enjoying this simple dinner.

The sweltering heat of the evening seemed less unbearable.

The time for a meal passes in the blink of an eye, and the next day arrives in the blink of an eye.

After three days of arduous travel, the Su family and their fellow villagers finally caught a glimpse of the outline of Illusionary Spirit City.

The majestic city appeared even more solemn and magnificent in the afterglow of the setting sun, like an inviolable fortress.

The city gates are now more heavily guarded than ever before, and Daya and her group arrived at the city gate.

Da Ya, riding on horseback, took out a token from her waist. The pattern engraved on the token gleamed in the sunlight.

Upon seeing this, the guard immediately bowed and paid his respects.

"Sir, I recognize you."

Daya was not surprised to hear the guard's address.

Although Daya and the others couldn't recognize all the guards, their heroic performance on the battlefield had already become a topic of conversation among the guards, who admired them.

It can be said that the war between the Ling Kingdom and the Gu Xuan Dynasty is being discussed almost all over the continent, and Da Ya and her friends are the best in this war.

Upon seeing this, Da Ya quickly dismounted and helped the guard up, saying, "Young man, there's no need for that. None of us hold any official positions, so there's no need to call me 'sir'."

The guard insisted, "My lord, you flatter us. You gentlemen were able to repel the enemy forces of Gu Xuanchao and protect our homeland. You are our heroines. Please come in, my lord."

Daya nodded slightly to the guard in a helpless gesture of thanks.

The group then headed into the city.

The guards at the city gate looked at Daya and her companions with respect and admiration, as if they were the guardians of the city.

Meanwhile, a soldier had already mounted his horse and was galloping quickly toward the Illusionary Spirit Mansion, seemingly to report the arrival of Daya and the others.

Da Ya led the people of Su Family Village in a grand procession toward the Illusionary Spirit Mansion.

The procession proceeded along the winding official road, and the shops on both sides of the street looked listless under the scorching sun.

The occasional chirping of cicadas from the trees inside the shop added to the summer heat.

When the group finally arrived at the vicinity of the Illusionary Spirit Mansion, they could see from afar that the mansion gate was crowded with people.

Yue Zhiyang stood tall and straight, dressed in a magnificent official robe, leading a dozen or so civil and military officials who stood neatly in front of the Illusionary Spirit Mansion.

Their official hats shimmered in the sunlight, making them particularly dazzling.

When Daya and the others walked to a distance from them, Yue Zhiyang took the lead and stepped forward with steady and powerful strides.

He looked at Da Ya and her group with excitement, his gaze sweeping over each of them.

"Miss Yun Jiao, Miss Yun Meng, have you had a safe and smooth journey these past few days?"

After dismounting, Da Ya bowed slightly respectfully and replied, "Thank you for your concern, Uncle Yue. We are all fine and have not encountered any danger. I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting."

Upon hearing Daya's report that she was safe, Yue Zhiyang's tense expression instantly relaxed, and he let out a long breath, his tone filled with relief.

"I'm just relieved you're safe. I was genuinely worried. I told you to bring more people, but you insisted on going on your own."

My father-in-law has been nagging me these past few days, saying I haven't taken good care of you."

Daya responded sincerely with a grateful smile on her face.

"Thank you all so much for your concern. The journey was fraught with danger but we made it through thanks to everyone's support."

At this moment, Yue Zhifei also walked up quickly, his face beaming with a warm smile.

"You've all had a long and tiring journey. Let's go inside quickly; it's getting hotter and hotter outside."

After a detailed introduction by Daya and others, the officials politely led everyone into the mansion.

The servants had been waiting for a long time. They were well-trained and immediately guided the people of Sujia Village to another pre-prepared residence in the mansion.

The rooms were spacious, bright, and well-ventilated, and the courtyard was filled with blooming flowers and fragrance, providing a comfortable environment for everyone to rest.

Daya turned to look at Grandma Su.

"Grandma Su, why don't you go to the backyard with them to rest? We'll be there shortly."

Grandma Su smiled and waved her hand: "You all go ahead and do your work. This isn't our first time here, we can manage on our own."

"Row."

Then, Daya, Xiaoyue, Xiaohe, and Shui'er followed Yue Zhiyang and his group to the main hall of the mansion.

The hall is spacious and grand, with exquisite decorations, and the carved beams and painted rafters exude nobility and majesty.

After everyone, along with the civil and military officials, took their seats in the hall, servants moved gracefully among them, serving each person fragrant tea.

The aroma of tea rose gently, filling the entire hall and adding a touch of elegance to the meeting.

After everyone had taken a sip of fragrant tea, Yue Zhiyang spoke first, turning the conversation to Daya.

"Da Ya, how's your schedule these past few days? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Daya responded concisely and clearly, her words revealing her competence.

After a brief chat, everyone...

At this moment, a middle-aged civil official stood up from his seat, his expression solemn.

He bowed slightly to Daya and the other three, his tone earnest.

"Ladies, I have a favor to ask of you, and I hope to receive your help."

Upon hearing this, the four women, including Da Ya, all turned to look at the civil official.

Daya asked politely, "Oh? Is there anything we can help you with, Lord Lu?"

Lord Lu frowned slightly, his eyes revealing worry.

"Although Gu Xuanchao has now withdrawn his troops, King Ling is still doing his best to resist the Qin army's invasion at the border of Nanyang City."

Our Ling Kingdom suffered heavy losses and was severely weakened by this battle.

There are fewer than 10,000 soldiers available to be deployed in the city now, and I know that the young ladies are all capable individuals.

Therefore, I would like to request that a few young ladies lead several generals and five thousand soldiers to Nanyang City to support King Ling.

After listening to Lord Lu's words, Yue Zhiyang couldn't help but sigh, his face filled with helplessness.

“Miss Yun Jiao, although this is a major event for the Ling Kingdom, after more than a year of war, all aspects have been greatly affected.”

After discussion, we realized we were severely understaffed, which is why we had no choice but to trouble you.

Da Ya replied without hesitation, "Uncle Yue, as citizens of Ling Kingdom, it is our duty to serve Ling Kingdom..."

But before she could finish speaking, Xiaoyue interrupted her.

"Uncle Yue, aren't there four Sister Lingxing? They are all highly skilled. Why not let them lead troops to support King Ling?"

Upon hearing Xiaoyue's words, Yue Zhiyang and more than ten others shook their heads helplessly and sighed heavily.

The atmosphere in the hall instantly became even more somber, as if shrouded in a layer of gloom.

After a while, Yue Zhifei finally couldn't help but speak up to explain.

"It's all because of this damn weather. It's getting hotter and hotter, and it hasn't rained for half a year. The river water has also decreased significantly."

If this continues, signs of the river drying up will soon appear, and some local officials have already reported this.

Therefore, the four spirit stars have gone out to see if there is any solution.

Upon hearing Yue Zhifei's words, Shui'er stood up in surprise and said excitedly.

"How is that possible? When we came back, the river was still full. How could it have dried up?"

Yue Zhiyang patiently explained to Shui'er, "Miss Yunyu, you may not know this, but you came from the northeast, and the terrain to the east is higher, which is why you felt that the river water hadn't decreased much."

But in other lower-lying areas, the river water is already running low.

You see, our water flows down from the lakes and ponds on the mountaintop, so the lower-lying areas are naturally more affected.

Xiaoyue asked with a worried expression, "Has any bad news come from Nanyang City?"

After thinking for a moment, Yue Zhiyang slowly said, "I received a letter from Nanyang City a few days ago, the day you left."

Because of the hot weather, the Qin army did not launch any large-scale attacks, except for occasional small-scale harassments.

However, their intentions are unclear, and our Ling Kingdom dares not let our guard down.

At this moment, Daya hurriedly asked, "Uncle Yue, did the letter contain any news about Shanzi and the others?"

When Xiaoyue, Xiaohe, and the other two heard Daya mention Shanzi, they suddenly realized that they hadn't seen them for over a year.

Xiao He asked eagerly, "Yes, yes. Uncle Yue, is there any news about Brother Shanzi and the others?"