The young couple from the farm fights back

Jiang Li pulled out a purse from his sleeve and handed it to the officer who had spoken earlier. "Sir, the journey must have been tough. I'm afraid you're not used to the tea served by our country folk. This is a small gift from me and my boss. I hope you'll take good care of him on the way."

It was the first time that the officers and soldiers saw a farmer who was so willing to give people and money. They did not find it strange, but they took it without hesitation. They weighed the purse and found that it was full of copper coins, at most fifty cents.

It looked like he had the proper manners of a farmer, but he was a sensible man who knew how to behave. His expression brightened a bit, "Alright, your man will come with us to serve the court. If he has great luck, your family will also benefit from it in the future."

"Your Excellency is right." Jiang Li lowered his eyebrows in response, then looked up at Zhou Chunfeng in front of him with reluctance.

Jiang Li knew very well that after this separation, it would be an unknown time before they would meet again, perhaps -

She didn't dare to think the worst, she just hoped that Zhou Chunfeng would live up to his heart and not forget his promise to her, and live a good life!

The officer who had taken the purse glanced at the mountains behind the village and ordered, "Five or six of us brothers will take the people away first, and the rest will go over the mountains!"

"Yes!"

The older villagers in the crowd couldn't help but change their expressions when they heard this.

They never expected that these cannibalistic officials and soldiers of the imperial court would actually go over the mountains to look for people. If they really found the boy in the mountains, wouldn't both father and son have to join the army together?

Thinking of this, the old men regretted it so much that their intestines turned green. You know, why let the boy hide anything? At least there should be a useful man in the family to take care of things!

Watching Zhou Chunfeng being taken away, Jiang Li's eyes welled up with warmth again, and her hand gently stroked her flat belly.

She hadn't had the chance to share this joy with Zhou Chunfeng, and she was afraid that telling him would add to his burden. No matter what the future holds, she will protect their child.

Zhou Chunfeng seemed to have telepathy. He turned around and saw Jiang Li's actions. The couple's eyes met slyly. What was there to understand?

At this moment, Zhou Chunfeng's chest was full, and his hands were clenched into fists at his sides, burying his reluctance deep in his heart.

【Jiang Li, wait for me! 】

Only when the figure in her sight blurred and disappeared did Jiang Li turn around, covering her lips and crying.

【Zhou Chunfeng, I'm waiting for you! 】

Until evening, groups of soldiers brought down batches of village men from the mountains. Some had bruised faces and noses, while others were covered in dust and dirt. They must have suffered a lot when they were caught.

When Zhou Lao Er and Zhou Lao San came out of the clan school and saw the imperial soldiers taking away the villagers, they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. They had dodged a bullet this time. Daqing law stipulated that all children enrolled in school were exempt from military service, so once Zhou Lao San had money in his hand, he immediately applied to the clan for a place to study.

Returning to school at his age, he naturally spent a fortune to curry favor with the clan leader, but that little money was nothing compared to the future defeat of the Daqing army. Unexpectedly, Zhou Laoer also managed to be reborn and enroll before this point, thus escaping the disaster.

Although the war in this life started many years earlier, Zhou Laosan didn't care about the details at all.

When the brothers heard that their eldest son, Zhou Chunfeng, had been captured by soldiers, they were filled with gloating. In his previous life, Zhou Chunfeng had escaped the imperial draft due to his frail health. In this life, even if Zhou Chunfeng dared to hide, they could have the soldiers dig deep into the ground to capture him and bring him to the barracks to be killed.

Zhou Laosan's new house was almost half built, but now all the able-bodied men in the village had been captured by soldiers, so it would probably take some time to build the new house.

Because Tiedan's right leg was injured, the soldiers turned around and took away his father and his younger brother, who was only two months away from turning fifteen. Tiedan's mother was so angry about this that she picked up a broom and beat Tiedan in the yard, scolding him for causing trouble and injuring his leg, otherwise why would the family's only labor force and obedient child be taken away?

Uncle Zhou Er and Dashuan, father and son, had taken the pills given by Jiang Li, and had already shown signs of long-term paralysis before the officers and soldiers arrived. Aunt Hu and Zhao, holding their son in their arms, nervously led the officers and soldiers into the house to check on the injuries of the father and son.

Seeing the father and son dying, the officers and soldiers could only spit on the ground in anger and leave their yard in anger.

After seeing off the ferocious officers and soldiers, Zhao almost fell to the ground with weak legs. Aunt Hu had no time to calm down and hurriedly supported her from behind, chanting "God protect her".

Clan leader Zhou, only in his early forties, had previously driven only a few of his family members to the mountains. Later, he heard that a fifty-year-old villager had also been arrested by the soldiers. Terrified, and at a loss for what to do, Clan leader Zhou finally gritted his teeth and fell from a height, breaking his own leg and narrowly escaping the disaster.

When Que'er and Heng'er returned home from school, they didn't see their father [uncle], but they noticed the sadness that occasionally flashed across their mother's [aunt's] eyes.

After all, he was a boy who could remember things and had already started school. Although he did not understand many profound principles, he guessed that something bad might have happened at home, so he did not dare to ask any questions.

Que Ge'er remembered that when he was leaving school, he heard some fragments of villagers talking about the soldiers arresting people. He probably guessed something, but didn't dare to say much.

At the dinner table, Jiang Li looked at his two eldest sons, who were eating with their heads down. Seeing their silent and forbearing expressions, a trace of sadness flashed through his heart as he said, "Brother Heng, Brother Que."

The two boys raised their heads timidly, then looked at each other, still not daring to speak.

Jiang Li took a deep breath, broke off a piece of steamed bun and handed it to Anger's hand. The still ignorant Anger smiled.

"Your father will need to leave home for a while."

Two boys: ...

No matter how ignorant they are, children have the strongest perception.

Jiang Li suppressed the worry in his heart, smiled, and said, "From today on, you two are the little men of our Zhou family. During this period when your father is away, you need to study harder and make progress. Do you understand?"

Que Ge'er nodded heavily: "Don't worry, Auntie. Que Ge'er will study hard and pass the imperial examination in the future, and be filial to you and uncle with all his heart."

Heng Ge'er also pursed his lips and nodded in response: "Don't worry, mother, Heng Ge'er and my brother will listen to you and protect you."

Hearing what the two children said, Jiang Li's nose couldn't help but feel sour, and he smiled and nodded: "Okay."

Jing Ge'er blinked as if he understood, raised his little spoon and said, "Protect mother, Jing Ge'er also wants to protect mother~"

Ang'er's eyes rolled and he said with a smile: "Mom~Daddy~"

Jiang Li couldn't help sniffing, raised her hand and stroked An Ge'er's little head: "Okay, mother, remember, eat quickly."

The children were all very obedient. Even Ao Wu, who was lying on the ground chewing a bun, was wagging his tail and looking up at Jiang Li from time to time. His dark green pupils were as bright and sparkling as gems.