I was kicked out of the house, and I was reborn and became the emperor

On the other side, Pingqiu Village comes into view.

Fang Yi and Xiao Rou rode their horses closer and saw the village in ruins and devastation.

The outline of the former Ping'an Town is vaguely visible in the ruins. It was huge in scale, second only to the once prosperous Jiuyuan Prefecture City.

"After several years, has it come to this?"

Fang Yi was filled with emotion; the desolation before him far exceeded his expectations.

Xiao Rou was also touched by this scene, and sighed and asked, "Is it all because of the plundering by the Northern Chiefs?"

Fang Yi nodded in confirmation: "Yes, Pingqiu Village is located in the extreme north of Jiuyuan. Five years ago, the Northern Chieftains broke through the Yanzhou border defense, and the war extended to Jiuyuan. Fortunately, the Yanzhou border troops quickly counterattacked, and many people were saved from destruction."

"However, Pingqiu Village still cannot escape the disaster it has faced today."

"Because the main battlefield of the counterattack was the Pingqiu Village area, looking at this ruined city, you can imagine how tragic the battle was back then." Fang Yi sighed repeatedly.

"What the Marquis said is chilling. I have no intention of investigating further."

"Remember this Pingqiu Village now. I will make it glorious again someday." After saying that, Fang Yi urged his horse into the dilapidated village.

Walking into the village, the scene is even more desolate.

Although Pingqiu Village is three times larger than Mujiang Village and has many houses, most of them are abandoned.

"Nine out of ten houses are empty" is not enough to describe it. Everywhere you look, ten out of ten houses are empty!

After a long search, Fang Yi finally found the head of the village, He Zhenxun, in a few sparsely populated households. Unlike the elderly head of Anping Village, He Zhenxun was only in his forties and had served as the magistrate of Ping'an County.

In the past, Ping'an County had a population of over 70,000, making it the largest county under the jurisdiction of Jiuyuan Prefecture.

County magistrate He Zhenxun is about to be promoted to fifth-rank prefect for his outstanding political achievements.

However, natural disasters and man-made calamities followed one after another. After the severe drought, there was war, and the prosperous county was instantly reduced to a village with only 500 people.

He Zhenxun was blamed for this and demoted to the position of village head.

Ping'an County was renamed Pingqiu Village, a name that reflects the people's resentment towards the Northern Chiefs.

Fang Yi heard about his experience and expressed deep sympathy.

During the conversation, Fang Yi realized that He Zhenxun was ambitious and knowledgeable, and was even more surprised to hear that he was a Jinshi in the 11th year of Dezai!

Unfortunately, natural disasters, war and Lu Dongxun's man-made disasters caused He Zhenxun's career to take a sharp turn for the worse, from a meteoric rise to a sudden fall.

"He Lizheng, forgive me for being blunt, but you are the most unfortunate person I have ever met." Fang Yi looked at the downtrodden He Zhenxun and said with a wry smile.

"Your Majesty, what you said hits the nail on the head. Alas, other successful candidates in the same exam have either become prefects or have entered the Imperial Academy. Some have even been appointed as provincial governors. Only I, He, am relegated to the position of village chief." He Zhenxun sighed, his voice hoarse.

"He Lizheng, don't lose your ambition! You are still in your prime, why do you look old? When Jiuyuan is restored to the prefecture, you must be the magistrate again."

Although Fang Yi tried her best to comfort him, He Zhenxun seemed to become even more depressed after hearing it.

"Thanks to my Lordship's kindness, I may only be the head of a county in my lifetime."

"Forget it, don't be sad anymore. He Lizheng, or He Zhenxun, please take us on a tour."

Fang Yi wanted to use this to divert He Zhenxun's negative emotions.

Afterwards, He Zhenxun led Fang Yi and Xiao Rou for a stroll in Pingqiu Village and described everything in detail.

Fang Yi stared at the scene in front of him, his heart churning.

The people lived in a fertile land, but they were still ragged and hungry. The vast fields and towering city walls seemed to be an ironic background.

Fortunately, the distribution of money and grain has slightly eased the hardship, and the seeds of hope have quietly sprouted with the approach of spring. If the seedlings can be planted in time, the granaries may be full again when the autumn wind blows.

Unfortunately, in Yanzhou, finding an agronomist with such knowledge is like looking for a needle in a haystack. He can only work hand in hand with local rice farmers, explore step by step, and accumulate bit by bit.

They strolled through Pingqiu Village and finally stopped at the North Gate. Around the gate, the scars of war were clearly visible, with the marks of swords and spears and scattered bones silently telling of the tragic past.

The brutality of the Battle of the Northern Chiefs. Through these remnants, Fang Yi seemed to have witnessed with his own eyes the wailing and struggle of unarmed civilians in the war. The helplessness and fear were heartbreaking.

Passing through the city gate, Fang Yi's eyes were attracted by a figure on the city wall - an old soldier wearing old armor, silent like a sculpture, with deep eyes looking towards the north.

The midday sun shines, making the old soldier's figure slender and lonely. His thin body reveals the hardships of time and life, but it can't hide the majestic outline of his youth.

"He Zhenxun, the border is peaceful now, why is this old soldier still on the move and guarding here?" Fang Yi was full of questions.

He Zhenxun sighed and explained, "This is Pei Shan, the former centurion of the Yanzhou border army. He served in the battlefield for twenty years and made countless contributions. He retired due to injury and was once my squad leader. Although he is over forty years old and was injured in the battle, his left eye is blind and his left arm is disabled, but his demeanor is still the same as before. Under his jurisdiction, the people are safe and thieves are not allowed to rob. Even those scoundrels dare not act rashly."

He Zhenxun's words were filled with nostalgia and reluctance. The contrast between the beautiful memories and the cruel reality made him feel mixed emotions.

He would rather indulge in the dream of seven years ago, where there was no war, no suffering, only tranquility and peace.

Fang Yi accidentally touched the pain in He Zhenxun's heart. When he was about to start a conversation, Xiaorou's sigh added a bit of heaviness.

"My lord, the atrocities committed by the Northern Chiefs are too cruel, and this old soldier is so pitiful. You should comfort him personally." Her eyes were red and her voice trembled.

Fang Yi felt the same way about Pei Shan's experience and wanted to approach him to talk to him, but was stopped by He Zhenxun anxiously: "My Lord, don't act rashly! Pei Shan hates the Northern Chiefs to the point of madness. If a stranger approaches, he might misunderstand me, and even I might not be immune."

But Fang Yi had made up his mind. His hand unconsciously touched the Youlong Sword at his waist and he walked towards the city wall with determination.

He Zhenxun and Xiaorou followed closely behind with concern. They knew very well that at this moment, understanding and reconciliation were more important than anything else.

At this moment, Fang Yi stepped onto the ancient city wall and was only ten steps away from the weathered veteran.

On the city wall, the figure of the old soldier seemed particularly lonely, with a matted beard on his face, like the ravines of time; his armor was mottled and full of holes, witnessing the traces of countless battles. His left arm was empty, swaying lightly in the wind, while his right arm tightly grasped a slender and sharp Miao Dao, as sharp as a rice ear!

Although his back revealed an indescribable sadness, the only flicker in the old soldier's eyes contained a fierce light that could not be ignored! Obviously, what He Zhenxun said was true. The mind of this former warrior seemed to have been eroded by the burden of war.

Fang Yi did not dare to act rashly, and kept a cautious distance, trying to strike up a conversation with him: "Pei Shan, you..."

Before he finished speaking, the old soldier seemed to be possessed by an evil spirit. His single blood-red pupil suddenly locked onto Fang Yi, and his hoarse voice was filled with uncontrollable anger: "You thief from the Northern Chiefs! I will avenge my people and take your life!"