It's really hard to just farm peacefully.

Chapter 208

The early October morning was noticeably chilly, and Jiang Yan shivered as she left the guesthouse. Remembering the old saying, "cover up in spring and keep cool in autumn," she didn't put on another coat after a while.

This was her sixth day staying in Xiakou County. News had come the day before yesterday that Commander Lu and his entourage had evacuated from Rongcheng County again, but they did not go to Rongding Prefecture. They might have hidden in the mountains, and no one knew where they were now.

After waiting for a day, I looked across the lake at the sky in the direction of Rongding County and saw no fire or black smoke. Ordinary people in Xiakou County who had fled from several counties with the word "Rong" in their names had decided to return in a group today.

The wealthy families or those who still had assets were not in a hurry to go back. The money they had on them could support them in Xiakou County for many days, and they had time to wait until it was safer.

Jiang Yan was determined to go back. After struggling for a while between joining a group and walking alone, she finally chose to follow the group returning home.

She wasn't sure how long the wealthy family would stay, but Heding Prefecture always got cold early. Although she didn't know when winter would come this year, if they stayed too long, the weather would get worse and their travel would be restricted.

Jiang Yan had experienced this last year when she went south. At that time, she could still hitchhike and wear maid's clothes made of slightly thicker material, but she still felt cold and uncomfortable at night.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but shudder.

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The high-ranking officials of Northern Jin received news much faster than ordinary people through word of mouth.

On the third day of Jiang Yan's stay in Xiakou County, Wu Dande, who was far away in the capital, as well as the governors and provincial governors stationed in other prefectures, learned that Lu Wei of Heding Prefecture had only stayed in Rongcheng County for one day and then fled in a panic.

Wu Dandecai sent someone to send the redeemed Wu Guipin to the imperial city. He returned to his study and sat down to wait for the doctor's diagnosis and treatment results for Wu Fusui, when he heard the news.

Wu Shande was not angry. Ever since he failed to defend the provincial capital in Lü Wei, his expectations had been lowered time and time again. But at least Rongcheng County had been defended for three days...

At the residence of Governor Xie in Guyuan Prefecture, Xie Tian's two children were staying in the study, clinging to Xie Changjian who had returned safely from Zhongyuan Prefecture. When they heard the news of the fall of Heding Prefecture, they were in disbelief and worried about the safety of their former rivals Fu Weishen and Miss Fu.

Xie Changqian asked, "Shu Niang, have you been writing to her these days?"

Without waiting for Xie Changshu to answer, Xie Changyu interrupted and said, "No, this is the first time she has thought of me in this year."

Xie Changshu lightly kicked her brother who had exposed her shortcomings: "Aren't you the same? I don't know how busy I am after returning home. I don't even have time to attend the gatherings of other sisters in the prefecture."

Afraid the two would start arguing and come to him for judgment, Xie Tian coughed lightly and said, "You two should explain why Lü Wei was so vulnerable this time. Let Qiongniang hear about your progress this year."

This was not a problem at all for Xie Changyu and Xie Changshu, who had been exposed to the news of this matter either actively or passively.

One said that Commander Lü was short of troops and had fled in a hurry when the city fell, without bringing many soldiers with him. Later, he failed to gather the scattered soldiers back in time in Heyang County.

Another added that it was not that Commander Lu did not want to call the soldiers back, but that he had rarely participated in the daily training of the garrison in recent years, so if his subordinates betrayed him at the critical moment, he would have no soldiers to use.

"Furthermore, he was too unkind to the people under his rule. There weren't many young and strong men available in the place where he stayed. Furthermore, both inside and outside the city were his relatives and neighbors. With the enemy outnumbering us, it was not surprising that he lost."

……

At the end of his analysis, Xie Changyu still had a puzzlement. "I heard that Commander Lu sent people to Rongyang County to throw dirty stuff, and the rebels were stuck there as he wished. Under such circumstances, why did they stay in Rongcheng County for more than a day?"