落尘小说网

第 40 章（第1页）

Theborderdidnotreturntonormalaftertheraidersdisappeared，forseveraldays，thesoldiersremainedbusy。Thedamagedvillageneededfood，theburnedhomesneededrebuilding，andthemilitarysupplycamphadtobereanized。Horsesweremovedtodifferentlocations，patrolsweredoubled，andeveryroadleadingtowardtheborderwaswatched。XieZhengbarelyreturothebarracks。Everym，herodeoutbeforesunriseandhealwaysreturnedafterdark。

Heneverseemedtostayinoneplaceforlong。Whenhewasntiingthevillages，hewaschegthesupplystores。Whenhewasntchegsupplies，heeakingwiththefarmers。Andwhentherewasnothingelsetodo，hestoodovermapswithhisofficersuntilthedlesburnedlow。ItwasstrangelydifferentfromtheKhanshehadknown。TheKhansatinagrandhallandwaitedforpeoplethimanswerswhileXieZhelookingforthemhimself。Suyuanfoundthatdifficulttoignore。

"Youvebeenstaringathimforfiveminutes。"

AyaosvoicemadeSuyuanturn。

"Iwasnt。"

"Youwere。"

"Iwaslookingatthehorses。"

Ayaoglathehorses，thenatXieZheng。SuyuangaveherawarninglookbutAyaosmiledily。Theywerestandihevillagethathadbeenattackedafewdaysearlier。Severalsoldierswererepairingaroofwhilevillagerscarriedtimberfromthenearbyforest。AnelderlymanapproachedXieZheng。"General。"XieZhengasked，"istheresomethingyouneed?"Theoldmanbowed。"Weheardthearmyisgivingeveryhouseholdgrain。"Theoldmanlookedembarrassed。"Weotrepayyou。"

XieZhengshookhishead。

"Youdontowethearmyanything。"

Theoldmanstaredathim。

"Thesoldiersareprotegthisland。Feedingthepeopleispartofthat。"

Heturowardoneofhisofficers。"Makesurethegrainisdividedfairly。Nohouseholdreceiveslessbecausetheyhavefewerpeople。""Yes，General。"TheoldmanboweddeeplyandSuyuanwatchedquietly。Shehadseengenerositybefore，hermotherhadbeengenerous。ShurangaveawaywhatlittleshehadbecauseshecouldntbearseeingsomeoneelsesufferbutXieZhengwasdifferent，hetreatedhelpingthevillagerslikearesponsibilityratherthankindness。Perhapsthatwaswhypeopletrustedhim。

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Bymidday，Suyuanhadwanderedintotheruinedsupplybarn。Thesoldiershadalreadyremovedmostofthedamagedgrain。Theremainingcrateswerebeingted。Suyuanstoppedhedoorway。"Stillw?"

Asoldiercarryingaledgerlookedup。

"Yes，Princess。"

Shewatchedhimt。

"Howmuchwaslost?"

"Enoughtocauseproblemsiftheshipmentisdelayed。"

"Howlonguntiltheshipment?"

"Twoweeks。"

Suyuanfrowned。"Thatsalongtime。"

Thesoldiersmiledbitterly。"Itisduringwinter。"