Lord: Starting with Summoning the Regular Army of Earth

Chapter 136 Home (Please subscribe at the end of the month)

The first batch of experimental fields at Jinshiling are about to yield a bumper harvest, marking the complete success of the agricultural team's work to improve this originally barren and compacted farmland.

These legumes have well-developed root systems that live in symbiosis with rhizobia in the soil, effectively fixing nitrogen from the air and improving the structure of barren soil.

Once the beans mature, some seeds will be reserved for the next season, while the plants will be used as green manure and incorporated into the soil to continue nourishing the land. This is the first step in the agricultural group's "land conservation" strategy and the foundation for future crop rotation systems.

The hundreds of acres of farmland reclaimed from the riverbank are now thriving.

The crops grown here are buckwheat with a short growth cycle and Chinese cabbage that can thrive in poor soil.

The buckwheat has already sprouted tiny white flowers, which, from a distance, look like a layer of light snow covering the emerald green canopy, rippling in the breeze.

The Chinese cabbage grew sturdy and thick, with broad, glossy green leaves, and was growing very well.

Although these two crops are not staple foods, they greatly enrich the food source. Buckwheat flour can be used as a staple food or a supplementary food, while cabbage is an important autumn and winter vegetable.

Moreover, with the arrival of the rainy season, the Qixue River did not flood as it had in previous years, nor did the water level rise so high that it submerged this farmland.

The newly built upstream simple dam and diversion gate played a key role in effectively delaying and regulating the flood peak.

The widened and straightened main channel calmly transported most of the floodwaters downstream.

The arc-shaped diversion and flood discharge channel protecting the core area acts like a loyal guardian, steadily guiding potentially overflowing floodwaters into the adjacent natural gullies.

Although the river water has become turbulent and muddy, and the water level has risen significantly, the riverbank that is submerged every year remains unharmed.

The newly built rammed earth embankment steadily protects the edge of the farmland, with only a very small amount of water flowing slowly into the irrigation canal through the reserved overflow outlet.

When the first torrential rain subsided, the dark clouds dispersed, and the sun shone again on Jinshi Ridge, people saw the still sturdy riverbanks, intact homes, and farmland that had not been flooded.

At that moment, the fear and gloom that had been building up in many people's hearts for years were swept away by this real sense of security.

This also signifies the initial success of the water control project.

The indigenous people of Elmstone Ridge, such as Old Sam, Old John, and Grandma Martha, felt this particularly deeply.

They love this land, they love the home they have lived in for decades, and they want it to get better and better more than anyone else.

In their youth, this place was not like this. Instead, it seemed cursed, with floods and abandoned farmland. Later, it was gradually abandoned by the kingdom, plagued by goblin raids from the Misty Mountains. Under the multiple calamities of natural disasters and man-made catastrophes, it was virtually...

Most people left.

Even those who remained saw no hope and could only eke out a living.

So now, every time Old Sam sees the changes in Ember Ridge, he feels a sense of disorientation, as if he's dreaming.

Looking back at Emberstone Ridge just a few months ago, it was a desolate "dead land" that inspired despair. Now, however, everything has changed. He has witnessed the miracle of Emberstone Ridge and the possibility that "human will can conquer nature."

But every time I think about how I treated the lord back then, I feel ashamed and my face burns with embarrassment.

On the other hand, the lord never held this matter against him, and even entrusted him with important responsibilities, making him, who was originally just a nominal sheriff of Emberstone Ridge, a full-fledged sheriff.

His and his granddaughter's lives have also undergone tremendous changes. They eat well and sleep warmly, no longer feel fear, no longer worry about tomorrow, and can even buy new clothes for their granddaughter. The little girl has gained a lot of weight.

Every time he sees his granddaughter and the children of Jinshiling laughing and playing, he feels an indescribable sense of happiness.

Today is also a significant day for the first group of temporary residents who migrated from Baisendi, as they have been in Jinshiling for three months and have met all the requirements through their diligent work.

Not long ago, they were notified to gather in front of the lord's mansion tomorrow to apply to become official citizens of Emberstone Ridge.

So for many people, this night was destined to be sleepless.

Mick lay in bed, tossing and turning.

He was staying in a large dormitory for temporary residents, surrounded by men from the same batch who had come before. Usually at this time, the area would be filled with shouts, but tonight no one could sleep.

Mick remembers the last time he had insomnia was more than three months ago, but back then it was because of hunger and fear that he couldn't sleep. Now it was because of excitement and great hope.

The past three months have felt like a beautiful dream. Although the work was hard every day, I felt incredibly at ease and happy. It was like building a house for myself, a home of my own, little by little on an empty plot of land.

Every day is filled with hope and joy.

Looking back on his time at the Earl's quarry, he was always just "Mick who could chisel stones," his wages were cut, no one cared when he was sick, and he was treated like a stray dog ​​when he died.

Back then, although he was alive, it was no different from being dead. But now, here, he truly felt what it meant to be alive.

He felt a respect and freedom he had never experienced before. Although he was only a temporary resident, the adults of Jinshiling never treated him as a slave, but even treated him as a friend, which moved him deeply.

And tomorrow, he would no longer be "Mick, a temporary resident," but "Mick, a stonemason and official resident of Elmstone Ridge," he believed.

Under the wise leadership of the lord, I can truly have a happy life in the future.

He even started planning that once he had exchanged for his own little house, he would exchange for some farmland in the future to grow some beans.

Once the beans are cooked, grind them into powder and mix them into flour to make steamed buns—my wife loved bean flour buns the most when she was alive.

Thinking of this, his nose felt a little sore, but he blinked hard to force the moisture back down.

Can't cry.

His wife is watching from heaven.

Under the same eaves, a few bunks away, Eloi gently wiped the edge of the iron hook with his good right hand.

Moonlight seeped in through the cracks in the wooden window, shining on the cold iron hooks and giving them a dim glow.

He once thought that this was how his life would be.

A veteran who has lost an arm has no other way out but to wait for death, or one day, out of extreme hunger, to steal or rob and then be hanged.

It was Lord Conrad who gave him the opportunity, and it was the lord who gave him dignity.

Here, no one looked at his iron hook with strange eyes.

When moving ore in a mine, iron hooks can firmly grip the knots in sacks, even more steadily than some people's hands.

At the logging camp, the strength with which he swung the axe with one hand left many young men speechless.

Work points? He has accumulated more than many people with both hands intact.

But what he cared about most was that on that day of rest, Lord Conrad sought him out alone.

"Aloy, I've been observing you for a long time. You haven't lost your skills, and you're still alert. The territory's militia is being formed, and they need experienced veterans to train them. Would you like to come? It won't be for nothing; there will be extra training allowances. If you perform exceptionally well, you might be able to join the regular army in the future."

standing army.

This word made his heart, which had been frozen and numb in the Northern Army, suddenly skip a beat.

He gave a perfect military salute, the iron hook striking the leather armor on his chest with a dull thud.

At that moment, he felt like he had come back to life.

Living not just to have food to eat, but to live as a soldier.

After tomorrow, he will be Eloi, the militia instructor of Emberstone Ridge.

Perhaps in the future, he could be Eloi, a soldier of Emberstone Ridge.

He gently stroked the iron hook, as if he were stroking a battle sword that had once been used for battle.

This time, what he wants to protect is no longer a cold border, but a home that is truly worth protecting.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere was equally turbulent in the longhouses of the women and children's quarters.

Ella held the sleeping Ark in her arms, while gently patting Lina's back with her other hand.

The little girl's eyes were bright and sparkling, showing no signs of sleepiness.

"Mom, we'll be officially citizens tomorrow, right?" Lina's voice was low, but filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"Mmm," Ella responded gently, her fingers running through her daughter's dry but beginning to shine hair.

For three months, the children were able to eat their fill every day, with occasional meat soup. Their faces became fuller, and their eyes became more lively.

She felt as if her body had been reborn.

"Then—will we have our own house?" Lina asked longingly.

"Yes, we will. We'll exchange them for the work points we've saved up. Didn't you see those houses under construction? Once they're all finished, we'll be able to exchange them for our own houses." Ella smiled, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Although she couldn't earn work points as quickly as the men and craftsmen, she was literate and could do accounting. In these three months, besides participating in the market...

In addition to physical labor, under Will's arrangement, he also helped organize and copy some simple documents, and earned quite a few work points.

With the two children being well-behaved and sensible, Lina helping to gather firewood and look after the younger children, and Yak also being able to do some errands, the family's work points accumulated faster than expected.

They have long since met the standards to become official citizens.

Although they are still some distance from earning enough work points to exchange for a house, in this safe and fair home, their lives are full of endless hope and possibilities.

She gently hummed a lullaby her mother used to lull her to sleep when she was a child, and Lina gradually drifted off to sleep to her gentle voice.

Ella couldn't fall asleep for a long time. Gazing at the moonlight streaming through the window, she silently made a decision.

Once settled, she would make good use of her literacy and accounting skills to do more for the territory and repay this immense kindness.

The next morning, the sun shone brightly.

The first group of temporary residents from outside gathered in an open space in front of the lord's mansion.

Many long-time residents and the second batch of temporary residents spontaneously gathered around, their faces filled with kind smiles and envy.

Matthew stood on a makeshift wooden platform, with Will, Conrad, old Sam, and others standing beside him.

Below the stage, Mick, Eloi, Ella's family, and more than 150 others all stood ramrod straight.

They changed into the cleanest and tidiest coarse cloth clothes provided by the territory, which were still patched but washed very clean.

Although the marks of time and hardship still linger on her face, her eyes shone with a brilliance that was nowhere to be seen three months ago—hope, steadfastness, and unwavering confidence in the future.

Matthew's gaze slowly swept over everyone in the audience. He cleared his throat, and his voice rang out clearly: "Three months ago, Knight Conrad brought you here from Whitewood. At that time, you were homeless, starving refugees. Three months later, you stand here today. Your clothes may still be simple, but your faces are fuller, and your eyes shine. More importantly, you have proven your worth with your sweat and your own hands, winning the dignity and future that belong to you!"

He paused, and the audience fell silent, everyone holding their breath as they listened.

"I hereby declare that, upon verification, Mick, Eloi, Ella, and 156 others have abided by the territory's laws and regulations, worked diligently, accumulated over 30 work points, and have no criminal record during their temporary stay. From this day forward, they are officially citizens of my Ember Ridge territory, enjoying all the rights and obligations conferred upon them by the territory's laws!"

As soon as he finished speaking, after a brief silence, the crowd erupted in suppressed cheers and enthusiastic applause.

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