Chapter 85: They Were Still Alive

Chapter 85: They Were Still Alive

Watching Shen Hu volunteer himself, Shen Bao also recommended his elder brother.

His thinking aligned with Xiao Ce’s.

Although Shen Bao was the former leader of Tiger-Leopard Stronghold, in terms of personality,

Shen Hu was more steady, while Shen Bao was more aggressive!

Xiao Ce nodded and said, “This Prince’s promise to you all before still stands. Shen Hu, the troops you lead will all be handed over to Shen Bao to command. Shen Hu, you go and prepare. You can take some of your trusted men and then take all the Divine Engine Hall craftsmen over there.”

Shen Bao bowed with clasped hands to Xiao Ce and said, “Thank you, Prince!”

Shen Hu bowed with clasped hands: “This subordinate obeys, Prince. What do I need to do after going over there?”

Xiao Ce said, “You will be mainly responsible for defense and daily personnel management. As for the production of those things, I will later send Uncle Zhong to your side to cooperate with you.”

Shen Hu nodded, bowing in agreement: “Can I take more people? After all, the safety of Tiger-Leopard Stronghold is very important to you, Prince. If there are too few people, I won’t be able to manage very well.”

Xiao Ce nodded: “How many do you need?”

Shen Hu said, “Just like the people that were there before, at least three thousand.”

Xiao Ce nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll give you five thousand first. You can choose them yourself!”

“Prince, does that mean after going over, we cannot leave?” Shen Hu asked.

Xiao Ce nodded and said, “In principle, that is correct! Leaving is not permitted for at least three years. However, their family members can all be brought over to live. For anyone willing to go, they will be assigned housing! Including medical treatment when sick, education for their children, even their basic monthly rations and meat, This Prince will cover it all! And they can participate in the industries This Prince has established there to work, and they will also receive a wage of no less than five taels of silver per month!”

As he spoke, Xiao Ce took out some blueprints from the side.

“This is my re-planning based on the blueprints Shen Bao provided earlier. After you go over, organize the reconstruction! It includes a medical clinic, a school…”

Shen Hu looked at the blueprints and said, “Prince, with such good conditions from you. Even making them stay for their whole lives would be fine!”

Shen Bao said, “Yes, Prince! If you offer conditions like this, they will definitely fight to go… However, if I bring five thousand soldiers over, with their families in tow, there will be at least over twenty thousand people. You have to manage food and shelter for so many, that’s a considerable expense.”

Xiao Ce said with a smile, “The benefits they produce will far exceed This Prince’s costs! Shen Hu, managing them well will require some thought and skill.”

Shen Hu looked slightly nervous: “Prince, I’m afraid I won’t do it well.”

“I will have Uncle Zhong come to help you then. It’s actually not difficult. Make them feel a sense of belonging to that place. They will listen to you. They have all suffered hardships before. With such a life, they will surely cherish it.”

Shen Hu listened, then took those blueprints and nodded repeatedly.

After giving his orders, Xiao Ce waved his hand, signaling them to go about their business.

Xiao Ce also summoned Qian Lai, and together they went to the Divine Engine Hall.

Because, since they were being asked to go over, it still needed to be discussed.

Upon arriving, it was extremely quiet inside, with only the sounds of various tools.

The people inside were all focused intently on making things.

Xiao Ce reached Lu Xiu’s side, but he didn’t even notice.

“Lu Xiu!”

Only upon hearing Xiao Ce’s voice did Lu Xiu startle. Seeing Xiao Ce approach, he became somewhat nervous: “Prince, I have already ordered my subordinates to proceed with production at full speed. This time, we will definitely increase output.”

Xiao Ce smiled and waved his hand: “Coming to find you this time is not about that matter.”

Lu Xiu looked at Xiao Ce with a trace of confusion.

Xiao Ce asked Lu Xiu to call all the craftsmen over.

Lu Xiu nodded, and soon after, he had all the craftsmen gathered.

Xiao Ce then explained the matter of them relocating to Tiger-Leopard Stronghold, including all the benefits.

The craftsmen listened and began whispering among themselves.

Xiao Ce said to them, “If you have any questions, or any thoughts, you can tell This Prince.”

Lu Xiu’s face showed excitement as he listened: “Prince, do you mean, as long as we are willing to go, we can take our entire families? I have three sons, three daughters-in-law, my family has eleven people! Can they all go? After going there, will each person have monthly rations, and will work be arranged?”

Xiao Ce nodded and said, “Correct, as long as they are your direct relatives, they can apply to go. When the time comes, housing will be assigned by household! Not only will there be monthly rations and meat, but also free medical treatment for any minor illnesses! Your sons can learn the craft from you. Your wives, daughters-in-law, as long as they are willing, will later be assigned work paying no less than five taels of silver per month. Your children can also attend school for free…”

“Then I will definitely go… Prince, please register my family of twelve.”

“Prince, I’ll go too, my family has sixteen!”

These craftsmen expressed their intentions one after another.

Xiao Ce had still underestimated the appeal of his benefits. These Bonded People had been enslaved their entire lives.

The conditions Xiao Ce offered were, without a doubt, like a paradise to them.

“Think it over carefully. You cannot leave there for at least three years! In the future, decisions will be made based on This Prince’s development plans!”

Lu Xiu spoke up: “Prince! As long as it can truly be as you say… I could stay there for my whole life!”

“Yes, Prince, the place you describe is far from war, and we wouldn’t worry about food and drink. It’s simply a place like heaven. Even if you chased us away, we wouldn’t want to leave. We could stay there for our whole lives.”

Xiao Ce, being a modern person from the past, perhaps cared more about freedom, and did not know the common people’s longing for a peaceful life…

…

Over the next few days, everything went very smoothly.

Shen Hu took five thousand troops and went to Tiger-Leopard Stronghold.

Most of the five thousand he chose were not from the Four Northern Desert Prefectures, so they all sent letters home.

They were given the address to have their families find their way there.

And Xiao Ce had the craftsmen from the Divine Engine Hall contact their families, who then relocated with their entire families to Tiger-Leopard Stronghold.

Among them, they also recommended some other craftsmen, and under Qian Lai’s arrangements, they went together.

It wouldn’t be long before they could officially start production.

The Noble Clans and Prominent Families all obediently sent letters home, just as Xiao Ce had said.

Xiao Ce had them firmly under his control step by step; they had no choice.

Unless they were willing to die, and have their families rebel, but people feared death.

What they wanted now was to leave this hellish place as soon as possible.

As for Yin Pan’er and Nie Bing, these past few days they were so busy they were barely seen.

They were in charge of land reform in nine cities, Disaster Victim resettlement work, and a series of reform tasks, keeping them swamped.

In contrast, Xiao Ce, the hands-off manager, was having a great time.

In the mornings, he would go watch the training of the one thousand elite Cavalry that Yan Jia had selected.

In the afternoons, he would go and teach some spy training to the Solar Term Maidens.

Time passed quickly. Seven days later, one day,

Yan Jia said excitedly, “Prince, Uncle Zhong and Han Da will arrive outside Lingxiao City soon!”

It had been a long time since they last parted with Han Da and Uncle Zhong.

“Yan Jia, call Shen Bao and bring troops to line up for the welcoming ceremony!”

Xiao Ce happily changed clothes, and Yan Jia bowed in acknowledgment.

He also had Xiao Jiu go call Yin Pan’er over.

He had Qian Lai go bring Kan Zongye and the people from the three Noble Clans over.

Not long after, Yin Pan’er arrived alone, wearing a splendid dress.

Seeing Yin Pan’er come alone, Xiao Ce asked curiously, “Pan’er, where is Nie Bing?”

Yin Pan’er shook her head and said, “Sister Nie Bing went to handle some matters. She left early in the morning!”

“Don’t you two usually go together for everything?” Xiao Ce asked.

Yin Pan’er smiled awkwardly: “Prince, our work assignments are somewhat different. Should I send someone to look for her?”

Xiao Ce waved his hand and said, “Forget it, let her go about her work. Whether she’s here or not doesn’t matter, as long as you, the Princess Consort, are here!”

Yin Pan’er’s face turned red as she looked at Xiao Ce.

Xiao Ce saw that Yin Pan’er seemed to have something to say and asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong? Do you have something to say?”

Yin Pan’er smiled awkwardly and shook her head: “No… nothing…”

…

At this time, inside Lingxiao City, in an inn.

Nie Bing arrived at the door of a Private Room. She took a few deep breaths at the door.

Finally, her gaze became a bit more determined, and then she knocked on the door.

Soon after, the door was opened.

The one who opened it was a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy who looked like a Little Page Boy.

“Miss Nie, the master has been waiting! Please.”

Nie Bing glanced at the boy, then walked inside.

After entering the room, there was a screen inside.

Someone was sitting behind the screen. A man’s voice came from behind the screen: “Miss Nie, you have arrived! Please, have a seat.”

Nie Bing looked warily at the screen and asked, “Who are you?”

The person behind the screen said, “Don’t be nervous, we are on the same side!”

Nie Bing said to the person behind the screen, “Is my mother still alive?”

The person behind the screen said with a laugh, “Yes, not only is your mother alive, but your younger brother and sister are also alive!”

After hearing the words from behind the screen, Nie Bing became very excited: “Where are they?”

The person behind the screen said, “At the appropriate time, I will let you meet them! But before that, I need you to help me with something!”

Nie Bing said cautiously, “What thing?”

The person behind the screen clapped his hands, and the little page boy walked out directly.

Soon after, he brought in a rough-looking man.

Although these men wore Xiao Kingdom clothing, their faces and the smell on them.

Made Nie Bing guess that the men who entered were Turks.

“I will not work for Turks!” Nie Bing said with a dark expression.

The person behind the screen said to Nie Bing, “That is a pity then! You may leave.”

The person behind the screen made no attempt to keep her, leaving Nie Bai stunned. Her expression turned ugly as she said, “How do I know they are really alive!”

The person behind the screen said, “You should have received the thing I gave you. Isn’t that proof enough? If you help us with this matter, I will arrange a meeting for you. Of course, if you refuse, I will not contact you again! You will never see them in this lifetime.”

“Don’t overestimate yourself! Without you, we can still accomplish that task. This is merely giving you an opportunity.”

After a brief internal struggle, Nie Bing’s gaze grew more determined: “Can I know what you want me to do?”