A sickly fellow ridiculed by the entire army? I'll be the most beautiful woman in the barracks!

Zhao Daxuan raised an eyebrow slightly, his eyes cold. Just as he was about to speak, he heard A Liang on the ground speak.

Ah Liang, who was kneeling on the ground, suddenly raised his head, a look of disappointment on his face, and looked at the middle-aged man.

"Uncle Li, what are you doing here?"

The middle-aged man glanced at A-Juan, who was huddled in the corner trembling, and at the pieces of clothing scattered on the ground. A look of shame flashed across his face. He shook his head and let out a sigh.

"Oh, Liang and Juan, we're late, and we're sorry you had to go through this!"

Ah Liang shook his head, a hint of anger in his voice, "I don't need your pretense. You guys go, I can handle this myself!"

A look of pain flashed across Uncle Li's eyes. He opened his mouth as if to explain, but swallowed the words back down.

Seeing that Uncle Li did not continue to explain, the villagers behind him could not help but speak up.

"Ah Liang, it's not your Uncle Li's fault. He went door to door begging us for a long time, saying that he would take responsibility for everything, and that's why we dared to come together."

"Sigh, if your Uncle Li had been as lucky as you on his wedding night, with someone coming to help, his family wouldn't be in this state now."

Uncle Li lowered his head and remained silent. When he heard the villagers defending him, he waved his hand to tell them to stop.

Ah Liang, who was kneeling on the ground, looked at Uncle Li in surprise after hearing what the villagers said. The anger on his face gradually dissipated, but he still gritted his teeth and remained silent.

They didn't show up when he was at his most desperate, so what's the use of them coming now?

After a moment of silence, Uncle Li raised his head again, his gaze fixed firmly on Zhao Daxuan beside him.

"Young master, I know you are a capable man, but if you leave today, Ah Liang will surely die, and Ah Juan's fate will be even worse!"

"If you truly care about Ah Liang and his wife, then I hope you will stay!"

Zhao Daxuan's expression softened slightly upon hearing this, but then he frowned again. He was in a hurry to get back to Zhenbei City, so how could he possibly stay here?

"I don't think that will work. I have important business to attend to and must leave as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Uncle Li's face showed a hint of disappointment, and a trace of worry flashed in his eyes. He opened his mouth, wanting to continue to persuade him.

"Uncle Li, I did everything tonight, and I'll take full responsibility. You're not allowed to make things difficult for my benefactor!"

Ah Liang also looked determined as he gazed at Uncle Li at the door.

"But..." Uncle Li opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.

He then pursed his lips and remained silent, but his body still stood tightly blocking the doorway of the house, while the villagers around him also looked worried.

Seeing this scene, Zhao Daxuan had a sudden realization and understood another layer of concern among the crowd.

Three Tartars died in the village tonight. Even if A Liang takes all the blame, this matter will not be resolved so easily.

It is estimated that what the villagers are worried about now is that the Tartar authorities will still take their anger out on them, at least a few more lives will be lost, and it is even possible that the village will be massacred.

After all, the lives of Han people are as worthless as grass in the eyes of the Tartars. How could they possibly exchange Ah Liang's lowly life for the lives of three Tartars?

Thinking of this, Zhao Daxuan looked at Uncle Li and the others, and said softly, "Gentlemen, I'm afraid you're not only worried about A Liang's life, but also afraid that my actions might implicate you all?"

Uncle Li's expression stiffened upon hearing this. He looked up at Zhao Daxuan, who was still pursing his lips. Although he didn't speak, his eyes revealed a hint of surprise.

Seeing that Uncle Li and the others remained silent, Ah Liang opened his mouth and realized the seriousness of the matter. Perhaps the subsequent development of this matter was not as simple as he had imagined.

Looking at everyone's expressions, Zhao Daxuan understood. He lowered his head and pondered for a while, when a bold idea arose in his mind.

Zhao Daxuan slowly scanned the area and spoke in a deep voice.

"Under the rule of this foreign race, you have been living in misery and suffering. Have you ever thought of returning to the land of my Great Xia?"

Upon hearing this, everyone was immediately taken aback, and a look of longing appeared on their faces, but it quickly faded away.

Uncle Li sighed softly, looking at Zhao Daxuan with a bitter expression, his voice revealing a hint of helplessness.

"Returning to the Great Xia territory is something we all dream of, but after so many years, no one has been able to do it!"

"Don't be fooled by the fact that this place is only a few days' journey from the border of the Great Xia Dynasty, and can be reached in two days by fast horse. It is like an insurmountable chasm, and no one can cross it safely."

"Years ago, some people tried to cross this insurmountable barrier, but now no one dares to attempt it anymore; it's just a futile death!"

After listening, Zhao Daxuan smiled and spoke decisively.

"You couldn't do it before because you hadn't met me. Now, if you want to go back, I can take you back to the Great Xia territory!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the people around him looked at Zhao Daxuan with a strange expression, even Ah Liang, who was grateful to him to tears, looked suspicious.

Zhao Daxuan looked at their expressions and shook his head. "I know you might not believe me, but I can show you."

After saying that, he walked towards the door. Uncle Li, who was blocking the doorway, hesitated for a moment, but then stepped aside to let Zhao Daxuan walk out of the house.

Zhao Daxuan went straight outside and stopped beside a banyan tree with a trunk as thick as a waist bucket. He looked up at the canopy that covered half of the eaves.

After looking him up and down, Zhao Daxuan twisted his waist and hips, his forearm muscles tensed, and his clenched fists with veins bulging, as he slammed them straight into the tree trunk.

"Bang! ~ Crack!"

A crisp sound came from the tree trunk, and then the trunk slowly fell to the ground to one side.

"Squeak squeak squeak... Boom!"

After a series of teeth-grinding noises, the entire banyan tree collapsed with a loud crash, slamming heavily to the ground and sending up clouds of dust.

The villagers who followed them outside were so shocked by what they saw that their eyes almost popped out of their sockets and their mouths were agape enough to fit a goose egg.

Zhao Daxuan covered his nose and slipped back into the courtyard. Only then did the people standing outside realize what was happening.

Everyone gasped in surprise, then rushed forward to investigate, ignoring the billowing dust.

A jagged gap appeared on the original tree trunk, with the part above the gap completely fallen to the side, only a little bit of bark connecting it at the gap.

Uncle Li rubbed his eyes and, somewhat incredulously, reached out to touch the notch in the tree stump.

The wood fibers protrude unevenly above the notch, the cross-section has the pale color of fresh wood, and a layer of sap is faintly seeping out.

Uncle Li reached out and smelled the tree sap on his fingertips. A unique, bitter aroma filled his nostrils, giving him a jolt.

Everyone turned to look at Zhao Daxuan, who was standing with his hands behind his back in the courtyard. The distrust in their eyes was no longer the same as before, but a complex emotion mixed with admiration, curiosity and fear.

Zhao Daxuan's calm voice came again.

"Give it a try, you might still have a chance."

"If you don't try, you'll have to bear all the consequences yourself."