At this moment, their only wish is to find the child's body, bring it back home, and let the wandering soul rest in peace.

Facing these faces that were carved by time and now washed by tears, Xu Liyun's heart was also tangled.

She quickly responded in a gentle tone, trying to calm the waves in the hearts of the elderly: "Auntie, please don't worry too much. Your children are all safe and sound. Although they have some scratches and cannot walk easily, they have been properly placed in the village and taken care of by the second son and several other strong men. Please believe that our fight with the bandits was very successful this time. No one in the village was injured. Even if there are injured villagers, the second son will never give up and will definitely try to heal them and bring them back safely!"

After hearing Xu Liyun's words, the elderly people's uncontrollable tears gradually subsided, and were replaced by rekindled hope.

At this moment, the dusty village chief came in a hurry. He calmed everyone down and directed them to go back to their homes first.

He also proposed that in a few days, every household in the village should prepare a special dish and together they should hold a grand celebration banquet in the spacious threshing ground to commemorate the victory.

Seeing that the village chief had successfully stabilized the situation, Xu Liyun quietly retreated to the edge of the crowd, without stopping, and walked straight towards home.

By the time the village chief suddenly remembered that he wanted to talk to her in detail, her figure had already disappeared on the winding path.

In desperation, the village chief could only pull his son over and ask him over and over again about every detail of the battle that day.

When he learned that Xu Liyun not only broke through the sentry alone, but also captured the bandit leader alive, the old man's eyes flickered with disbelief: "For our Zhangjia Village, good days are really coming! Who would have thought that the second brother's family, who were once unknown, would have such a shocking turnaround today, and pulled Zhangjia Village back on track from the brink of despair?"

As for whether Zhang Fu's family had any regrets in their hearts, Xu Liyun didn't take it to heart.

She walked through the crowd who were still immersed in joy and quickened her pace back home.

Looking from afar, the four children of the family were neatly lined up on the threshold of the house. The youngest, a girl, was holding a lantern tightly in her little hand.

The moment she stepped into the house, the determination that Xu Liyun had felt in her heart from fighting against the bandits suddenly disappeared.

She picked up a handful of hay from the side and wiped the blood stains on the blade patiently and carefully. The expression on her face softened as she welcomed her little daughter who flew into her arms.

"Mom, Dad, are you hurt?" The little girl clung to her mother. A faint scent of herbs floated through her tender nostrils, and her little face suddenly wrinkled with nervousness.

Xu Liyun gently stroked her daughter's head with her loving hand and gave the other three children a comforting smile: "Don't be afraid, the bandits have been dealt with by us, your parents are both fine. Your father stayed in the village and is helping to take care of the other injured villagers."

Hearing this, the children's expressions were visibly relaxed, especially the little girl. She excitedly hugged her mother's neck and coquettishly asked her to tell her about the heroic "battle".

Xu Liyun smiled and led the children into the house: "Of course you can tell that story, but it's too late today. Let's rest first. I will tell you in detail tomorrow."

Amid her mother's gentle whispers and the tranquility of the night, the sleepiness that the little girl had been fighting for for so long finally came over her and she fell into a deep sleep.

"Okay, then mommy, don't forget it." The little girl's voice was childish.

Xu Liyun felt the weight of her daughter's words, and her heart was warmed. A gentle smile spread across her face, and she responded in a gentle tone: "Don't worry, mother will remember it!"

Perhaps it was the gentleness in Xu Liyun's words that was too soothing, or perhaps it was that after a day of expectant waiting, the little girl's small body could not bear any more fatigue.

The next day, she fell into a rare deep dream. It was not until the sun generously filled the room and reached noon that she was gently awakened by Wu Niang's slightly naughty yet caring voice, urging her to enjoy breakfast together.

Today in Zhangjia Village, the air is filled with an unusual sense of liveliness and joy.

On the one hand, this was because the villagers, with their courage and wisdom, had managed to repel the fierce bandits who had once ravaged the countryside;

On the other hand, it was because the warriors who participated in the resistance miraculously brought back many precious items from the bandits.

Whether it is a few taels of heavy, gleaming silver coins, a few simple but intact clothes, or a few simple but practical porcelain bowls, or even a wooden barrel that can carry a family's drinking water, each one is a rare treasure for this ordinary village.

These families who had gained unexpected benefits were grateful and found Xu Liyun, asking her to go deep into the surrounding mountains and forests again to explore whether there were other thieves' dens so that they could organize resistance again and fight for more welfare.

Although these suggestions were made with good intentions, they made Xu Liyun feel helpless and smile bitterly. Fortunately, at the critical moment, the village chief stepped forward and cleverly resolved this slightly embarrassing situation.

However, amidst all the laughter and joy, not everyone's mood could match the collective joy.

Old Mrs. Zhang was one of them. Her brows were furrowed, and her eyes revealed a bit of loss and unwillingness.

The reason was that when she was selecting people to go to the rebellion, she insisted on leaving behind her eldest son, Zhang Lao Da. This decision now seems to be a regret.

For Boss Zhang, asking a farmer like him to pick up a hoe and fight against well-equipped bandits would undoubtedly put him in a desperate situation.

Reason told him that this would be tantamount to digging his own grave.

Despite this, he did not raise any objections due to his face.

Mrs. Zhang's opposition unexpectedly catered to his wishes and allowed him to avoid this dangerous action.

When the brave warriors of Zhangjia Village set out on the road to Black Dragon Mountain with high spirits, Zhang Lao Da looked at their backs, secretly feeling fortunate but also a little complicated. He then turned around and began to encourage his family to pack their bags and go to Zhang Lao Da's parents' home for refuge, as if he was trying to escape from the world.

While the Zhang family thought they had a good plan and were plotting how to use this opportunity to ensure their own safety, they did not realize that when they asked the villagers who had returned, they learned that the bandits had been completely eradicated, and that the people involved were not only safe but had also brought back many treasures. Old Mrs. Zhang couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in her heart.

Hu Cuimei also began to criticize her husband's short-sightedness and selfishness.

Boss Zhang seemed quite annoyed by the endless complaints. He simply threw up his sleeves, walked out of the house, and disappeared into the morning mist.

As for other families in Zhangjia Village, they did not pay much attention to the unrest in the Zhang family.

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