落尘小说网

第 49 章（第1页）

Them，SuyuanclimbedthehilloverlookingthesouthernvillagewithAyaofollowingafewstepsbehind。Theclimbwasnotdifficult，butSuyuanstillhadtostoptwicetocatchherbreath。Fromthetop，shecouldseealmosteverything—thevillagebelow，thefieldsbeyondit，theroadleadingtowardtheborder，andthesmallwatchplatformXieZhenghadorderedbuiltseveraldaysearlier。

Shestoodquietlyforawhile。

“Theplatformisinthewrongplace，”shesaid。

Ayaolookedather。“Youclimbedalltheherejusttoinsultthesoldiers?”

“Iclimbedupherebecausetheybuiltitwhereitlooksimpressive。”

Ayaostaredatherbeforelaughing。“Thenwhereshoulditbe?”

Suyuanpoiowardtheeasternslope。

“There。”

Thesoldiershadchosenthehighestpointofthehill，butfromthere，partofthesouthernroadwashiddenbehindaridge。Theeasternslopewasslightlylower，yetitgaveamuchclearerviewoftheroadandthefields。Ayaonarrowedhereyes。“Wouldntthelroundmakeiteasierforsomeooattack?”“Perhaps。Butawatchtowerisuselessifthepersonstandinginsideotseewhatheissupposedtowatch。”Ayaonoddedslowly。

Whentheyreturothevillage，SuyuanfoundXieZhengspeakingwithseveralsoldiershegrainstore。Shewaiteduntiltheyfinishedbeforeapproag。“Thewatchplatformshouldbemoved。”Xielookedather。Sheexplainedwhatshehadseenfromthehill，thenpointedoutseveralblindspotsalongtheroad。Xiedidnotinterrupt。Whenshefinished，heturooneofhisofficers。“Taketwomenandchecktheeasternslope。”

Theofficerboweda。AyaoglaSuyuanwithasmallsmile。Shehadexpectedanargument。Instead，Xiehadsimplysentsomeoocheck。“Youdidntaskwhethershewascertain，”Ayaosaid。Xieansweredcalmly，“Shegaveareason。Thatsenoughtoverifyit。”Suyuanlookedathimforamoment，thatwassomethingshehadbeguntonoticeabouthim。Hedidnotexpectpeopletoobeysimplybecauseheheldauthority。Ifsomeonebroughthimasensibleidea，helistenedfirst。

Laterthatafternoon，thesoldiersfirmedthatSuyuanwasright，theeasternslopehadaclearerviewofthesouthernroad。Sotheplatformwasmovedthefollowingday。Suyuandidnottakecreditforit。Shesimplytinuedwalkingthroughthevillage，chegthethingsthatmostpeoplewouldoverlook。Thegrainstorewasmovedfartherfromthemainroad。Asparecartwaskepthevillageentrancasesomeoneotransportaninjuredpersonandtwowellsweremarkedasemergencywatersources。Thevillagersweretoldwheretogatherifthewarningbellsouherewerenogreatwalls，noarmymargthroughthestreets，andnopromisethatdangerwouldnevereagain。

Butlittlebylittle，thevillagebecamestrohatevening，Suyuansatoutsidethesmallhousebelongingtoanelderlyfarmer。Thelacedabowlofeinfrontofher。“Youvebeenwalkingaroundallday，”theoldwomanplained。“Eat。”

Suyuanglathebowl。

“Ipayyou。”

Theoldwomanlookedoffended。

“DidIaskformoney?”

Suyuanloweredhereyes。

“No。”

“The。”

Ayaocoveredhermouth，tryingnottolaugh。Suyuanpickedupthespoon，thepelain，butwarm。Shetookasmallbiteandforsomereason，shethoughtofhermother。Justhermothersittingbesideasmallbrazier，quietlywatghereat。Suyuanloweredhergazeandtinuedeating。Acrossthevillage，thenewlymovedwatchplatformstoodagainsttheeveningsky。Ayoungwatclimbedthewooden□□andtookhisplace。Forthefirsttimesiheattacks，thevillagehadsomeogtheroadbeforetroublearrivedandsomewherebeyondthatroad，hiddenfromeveryoneinthevillage，someonewaswatgthemtoo。