In the Blade

"It's difficult, it's really difficult."

At nightfall, Yang Xuan, the head of Yangjiabao and one of the three elders in the village, sighed for the umpteenth time.

Jizhou, where Yangjiabao is located, is a place of war. Not far to the north is the territory of the Hu people. Those Hu people on horseback often come to burn, kill and loot. Although there have been fewer border violations by the Hu army in recent years, there have been almost no stops for light cavalry looting.

Normal speaking, living in such a place is basically like seeking death. Anyone with a little common sense knows that at least they should move to a place away from war. But the reason why Yang Xuan still stayed here with his clan members was that he had his own difficulties.

"Uncle, we really can't retreat this time."

Just as Yang Xuan was sighing, a short-bearded man in a short suit pushed the door and walked in.

The man's name was Yang Sanlang, Yang Xuan's nephew, and the bravest one among the young generation of his Yang family. It is said that when Yang Sanlang was still a teenager, Yangjiabao and the neighboring village fought for water sources, and the two sides fought fiercely. In the process, in order to vent their anger, the young people in the neighboring village cursed the Yang family and even their ancestors.

It was at this time that Yang Sanlang stood up.

"You can curse me, but how can you curse my ancestors of the Yang family?"

After saying that, Yang Sanlang picked up a spear and threw it out. The flying spear directly nailed the shouting man to the ground. Those who opposed Yangjiabao saw this tragic scene and scattered like birds and beasts.

It was precisely because of this prestige of daring to kill that Yang Sanlang soon became famous in Jizhou.

But now, this man known for his bravery frowned.

"Last year, because of the Hu people coming, we didn't pay enough food to Governor Liu. If something happens again this time, Governor Liu might..."

"Don't make a fuss, don't make a fuss... Sanlang, don't make a fuss, I know everything."

The old Yang Xuan sighed again.

This is one of the reasons why Yangjiabao can't move. Governor Liu, who commands Jizhou and has a large army, is not only the umbrella of Yangjiabao, but also has to collect food and money from Yangjiabao to guard the border. If the Yang family of Jizhou really dares to run away quietly, with Governor Liu's violent temper, I'm afraid he will chase them thousands of miles away and give them a taste of his power.

Of course, Governor Liu is not the kind of person who only knows how to ask for things. The solid fortress in the village was built by Governor Liu's soldiers. Although the fortress is not big, it is not cut corners. The walls are solid and thick, and there are all the necessary watchtowers and corner towers. On weekdays, if there is any war disaster, the farmers in the village can take refuge in the fort, and the name Yangjiabao comes from this fort.

However, the problem is precisely on this fort.

People can take refuge in the fort, but the crops outside can't grow legs and walk in by themselves. If the Hu people's light cavalry can't rob anything, they will definitely demolish the houses and ruin the fields. The houses and property of those farmers are not a big deal, but once the grain is lost, they can't deliver enough to Governor Liu in the autumn harvest, and his Jizhou Yang family will...

"How many young and strong do we have?"

The old Yang Xuan clenched his fists.

"Count the refugees too."

"Those who can hold weapons, including myself, a total of 46."

The short-bearded man named Yang Sanlang only thought for a moment and reported the number.

"If we add the young and strong among the refugees... should we be able to make up a hundred or so people?"

"... Is that all?"

The clenched fist loosened, and the old Yang Xuan looked a little discouraged.

A hundred or so young and strong men, this is not a small number. At least they are fighting for water and land with neighboring villages, which is already a very powerful force. But the problem is that what he is facing now is not the bravery and fierceness between villages, but the fierce and vicious Hu people cavalry in the north.

How many times can a hundred young and strong men who have not received any formal training withstand?

What's more, most of them are refugees who have been gathered here. Let's not talk about whether these pale and thin refugees can fight. Just talking about their spirit, these refugees who have been gathered here may not be really like the children of the Yang family who have taken root here, willing to fight for the Yangjiabao.

The battle has not even started, and there is already a root cause of unstable military morale. This is simply...

"Uncle, don't panic."

Yang Sanlang saw Yang Xuan's worries at a glance, and hurriedly stepped forward and lowered his voice.

"If it doesn't work, we'll use the ancestral sword!"

"You..."

When Yang Xuan heard that his nephew actually mentioned this, his pupils shrank.

The ancestral sword is a treasure hidden by the Yang family. According to the family tree, the ancestors of the Yang family followed Emperor Taizu to fight east and west, killing countless enemies with this sword. Although Jizhou was destroyed by the Hu people's invasion to the south, and the once glorious Yang family also fell into decline, this ancestral sword is still powerful. The previous head of the Yang family was still able to hold this sword in a critical moment and kill more than a hundred Hu people's light cavalry.

However, just like the tooth-breaking fortress before, this ancestral sword also has its own problems.

"It's not that I don't want you to use the knife. You are the most outstanding young man of this generation of the Yang family. I will always pass the knife to you. But you also know that the previous generation of the Yang family's head has used this sharp blade to kill hundreds of barbarians. Now the evil spirit has entered the knife and it has not been cleaned yet. If I really let you use it, when the evil spirit enters your body, you will probably..."

Yang Xuan couldn't bear to say the next words. Obviously, in Yang Xuan's view, the evil spirit entering the body is far more dangerous than the robbery of the barbarians.

"If you want to use that knife, you have to find a craftsman to grind it and wash away the evil spirit. There is a polishing craftsman at Governor Liu's side, but that's not what we can afford now... Let me tell you, instead of putting hope Instead of relying on that sword, we might as well go to Governor Liu to bring in reinforcements. As long as Governor Liu is willing to save us..."

"It's too late, Uncle Clan."

Yang Sanlang just shook his head.

"The barbarians are quick with their horses and swords, and they come and go like the wind. With just the few men we have, we can't survive Governor Liu's reinforcements. What's more, Governor Liu will not help us in vain. When the soldiers cross the border, they will eat the horses." Chew, can the Yang family really afford this price?"

"Then what do you think we should do?"

Seeing that Yang Sanlang, a junior, dared to raise objections, Yang Xuan immediately became anxious.

"This doesn't work, that doesn't work either, so how do you think it works?"

"If you ask me...Uncle Clan, it's true that we don't have a grinder, but don't we still have a whetstone?"

Yang Sanlang's face darkened.

"Find a few young men from the refugees and ask them to sharpen their knives."

"But they are not grinders!"

Yang Xuan was so shocked that he almost broke his beard.

"They don't know how to sharpen knives! When the evil spirit enters their bodies...are you asking them to use their lives to fill it?"

"How can one not die in a war?"

Yang Sanlang gritted his teeth.

"As long as I can keep the Yang family, I will do whatever it takes."

…

…

…

When he was first dragged into Wubao by Carpenter Li, Du Chengfeng still didn't come to his senses until someone pulled him into the same team as the young men, and someone put a wooden spear into his hand. Only then did Du Chengfeng realize what kind of situation he was in now.

He originally thought that what he got in this encounter would be a script for ordinary people to start from scratch. Although the process was a bit difficult, the future was still promising. But who could have imagined that in just a blink of an eye, the originally peaceful and stable working life would turn into a battle to survive in troubled times.

Just looking at the cheap and crudely made wooden spear in his hand, Du Chengfeng already knew that he was going to be dragged to fill the front line together with the young men.

"this……"

Du Chengfeng was speechless for a long time.

Du Chengfeng still knew how much he weighed. Although he had the upper hand in fights, it was only because he was originally a Taiping man who used to eat well and drink well, and ended up with a strong body and bones, which made him stronger than the malnourished people around him. But if we really have to go to the battlefield and face the barbarians on horseback, the strength of these two arms alone may not be enough.

For someone like him who has no battle experience, the battlefield is an extremely dangerous place. There are no swords in front of the two armies, and the ability to fight alone is of no use.

Fortunately, he doesn't necessarily need to fight alone now.

The few gangsters who wanted to rob him before were now pulled into the team. After discovering Du Chengfeng's figure, these gangsters actually came over and surrounded Du Chengfeng. He looked like he didn't want to leave.

Du Chengfeng, who was still a little nervous at first, was overjoyed to see these scoundrels who had been taught a lesson by him several times still dare to hang out in front of him.

"You still dare to come here? Have you forgotten the beating you received last time?"

"It's because you can fight that we came here."

A few scoundrels were ashamed and decisively admitted their defeat.

"Follow others, and if they die, it will be our turn. Follow you, and if you hold on a little longer, we might be able to live a little longer."

Du Chengfeng's remarks made Du Chengfeng look at him sideways. He was not stupid to cooperate with these gangsters, and they were planning to drag him, who could fight, into the cylinder. But this is not a bad thing for him, it can even be said to be exactly what he wants.

If you fight alone, you will be killed by a thousand cuts in the chaos. But if there were a few more people to protect his flanks and back, then he might not be able to save his life in this dangerous killing situation.

Just make peace with what you've got. Even if it's to keep his half-built courtyard, Du Chengfeng is ready to fight tooth and nail this time.

But just when Du Chengfeng had just changed his mind and was ready for the war that was about to begin, a muscular man with a short beard walked over from a distance.

Du Chengfeng knew the man coming towards him. This man named Yang Sanlang was strong and powerful. He was considered the number one figure in Yangjiapu. This young and strong team was also led by him. of. Now that Yang Sanlang appears, does that mean a fight is about to begin?

"You all line up and let me see who is the strongest."

Contrary to Du Chengfeng's expectation, Yang Sanlang did not shout any morale-boosting slogans, but instead provoked people first.

Are you going to choose Pioneer? The strongest one in front?

"Wow--"

While Du Chengfeng was still trying to figure it out, the gangsters who had gathered around him all took a step back.

As soon as he retreated, Du Chengfeng's figure, which was already different from ordinary refugees, became particularly eye-catching, and Yang Sanlang immediately turned around.

"Yes, it's just you. You don't have to fight anymore. Put down your spear and come with me."

"……ah?"

The ruffians who had just taken a step back immediately regretted it, and Du Chengfeng was even more confused - why did they choose him, the strongest one, but not let him fight? Could it be that he was going to run away to report the news?

But if he was going to run away to report the news, this route was not right. At the moment, Yang Sanlang was clearly taking him into the dock, which obviously did not look like he was going to go out.

"We're here."

Yang Sanlang stopped at the door of a building that looked like a clan temple.

"Although you are not allowed to go to the battlefield, the work you have to do is not easy... See, it's that knife, help me sharpen it."

"... That's it?"

Du Chengfeng's face was a little subtle.

It's just sharpening a knife, you should have said it earlier, why do you need to make such a big fuss, as if you were selecting a death squad.

Although he had never learned how to sharpen a knife, he had seen pigs run even if he had never eaten pork. At least he had sharpened kitchen knives before. As long as he sharpened the knife, it would be fine.

Sitting on the bench and pouring water on the whetstone, Du Chengfeng was ready to start working. Obviously, compared with going to the front line to die, this was indeed a better job.

But when he picked up the sword, his face changed instantly.

Once upon a time, when he first came to this world, he thought he had a script for survival in the wilderness, and after coming to Yangjiabao, he also thought he had a script for starting from scratch, and just now, he was ready to fight for his life in troubled times.

But until he touched this knife, he knew that there might be something in this world that challenged his imagination even more.

The moment his right hand touched the handle of the knife, a fierce aura rushed straight to his forehead along his arm!

In a fuzzy state, Du Chengfeng felt that he had turned into a knife.

New author, new book, please collect and recommend, thank you all