Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

He slowly shifted his gaze to the soldiers playing and frolicking. Each of their faces shone with youthful energy and vigor, filled with longing and anticipation for their future lives. These young, vibrant lives were now in his hands. They came from diverse backgrounds, each with their own loving families. Their parents had painstakingly raised their children, then, with full trust, sent them off to the army, handing them over to Li Jing. This heavy responsibility, like a mountain, weighed heavily on Li Jing.

Defending his country was his unshirkable mission and the goal he dedicated his entire life to. Yet, whenever faced with the death and suffering brought by war, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pity and compassion. He desperately wanted to protect every soldier, preventing them from even the slightest harm; yet he also knew that war was always ruthless, and sacrifice was inevitable. This conflicting feeling tormented Li Jing, causing his breathing to become rapid, as if an invisible hand were clutching his chest, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

Li Jing stood quietly by, watching their laughter and playfulness with a smile on his face. Time slipped slowly by, and after a long moment, he turned and walked towards the tent with steady steps. He knew that these days of leisure and carefreeness were coming to an end. The impending war would be like a surging tide, mercilessly sweeping away the joy they now possessed, leaving not even a trace.

Others might choose to "drink while the wine lasts," savoring the moment's pleasure to the fullest. But Li Jing couldn't. He knew he shouldered a heavy responsibility and had to return to his tent immediately to begin the intensive deployment. He meticulously considered every detail and every step, leaving no room for error. Even the slightest oversight could jeopardize the outcome of the battle, costing countless soldiers a tragic price.

Therefore, he needed to repeatedly consider every possible scenario, constantly mulling over countermeasures. He would never overlook even the smallest detail. Only in this way could he maximize his chances of victory and minimize casualties. After all, every soldier saved meant a family saved. However, despite racking his brain, exhausting his thoughts and planning, he still couldn't be sure if his efforts were enough. So, no matter what, he would carefully and meticulously review every conceivable issue, big or small. Even if perfection and infallibility were still far from being achieved, he would at least strive for perfection and a clear conscience.

Li Ruoyue had been in the northwest for several months, and during that time, she had deeply experienced the hardships of ordinary people. In years of good weather and abundant harvests, farmers toiled diligently, finally hoping for a good harvest and an abundance of grain. However, even then, they couldn't rejoice, as they faced heavy taxation. The imperial court imposed exorbitant taxes, demanding nearly all of their hard-earned grain be surrendered. As a result, there was little food left to feed their families.

They had to budget carefully, strictly controlling their daily food consumption, and even had to tighten their belts to get by. Even with such frugality, hunger was still difficult to avoid, and they could only maintain basic survival needs and avoid starvation. However, in a year of drought and little rain like this one, the situation became even worse. The fields were barren, and the crops had all died from drought. The people were already facing a food crisis. However, the government showed no mercy and continued to forcibly impose various menial tasks and harsh and onerous taxes. This was undoubtedly a double blow to the people, who were already suffering from lack of food and clothing due to the drought.

Faced with this harsh reality, the people felt hopeless and helpless. They cried out to the heavens, begging for mercy, but all they heard was dead silence. They cried out to the earth, hoping for some solace, but the land remained silent. With no food to eat, people were forced to resort to extreme measures to survive. Some abandoned their dignity and begged for a bite to eat; others fled their homes, seeking a glimmer of hope. Some, driven to desperation, resorted to crime and the path of robbery. With no other options, they risked everything to feed themselves and survive.

Li Ruoyue gazed upon the heartbreaking scene before her, her heart filled with helplessness and pain. Faced with such a difficult situation, she knew her role was limited, yet she remained determined to devote all her energy to helping those suffering. So, she resolutely embarked on this arduous journey, armed with the meager resources she possessed, visiting each safe house, offering free medical services to the residents.

That day, Li Ruoyue arrived at a remote village far from the county seat. The village's safehouse was tiny, housing only a few hundred people. For various reasons, most villagers had been forced to flee famine, tragically succumbed to illness, or even perished at the hands of unscrupulous refugees. When Li Ruoyue, Lu Zhu, and their accompanying soldiers arrived, they had two crucial missions: to thoroughly inspect the locals' living conditions and identify any potential dangers; and to do their utmost to help the villagers address the various illnesses they had long been plagued by.

Li Ruoyue followed closely in the village chief's footsteps, trudging through the thick snow. The world outside was blanketed in a blanket of silver, with heavy snow falling like goose feathers. The northwest wind roared like an angry lion, emitting bursts of piercing whistles.

Finally, they arrived at the safe house. As Li Ruoyue, Luzhu, and the group of soldiers entered the doorway, a turbid, scorching air surged in like a tide. This heat instantly collided with the biting cold wind outside, creating a stark contrast in temperature. Instantly, Li Ruoyue and her companions shuddered, as if countless icy needles were piercing their bodies simultaneously.

As Li Ruoyue and the others filed into the room, the scene inside gradually became clearer. The village chief's hair was gray, and his long beard cascaded down his chest like silver threads. His weathered face appeared thin, yet the outlines of his youth could still be seen—he must have been a typical Northwest man. Although time had left deep marks on his body, making his figure slightly thinner, his posture still gave one a glimpse of the village chief's youthful sturdiness and elegance.

The village chief enthusiastically led Li Ruoyue to the warmest kang in the safe house and gestured for her to sit down and rest. Li Ruoyue looked at the village chief with gratitude, her heart slightly at ease.

Li Ruoyue hurriedly said, "Village Chief, please don't be so polite to us! We are only following orders. This time, we are ordered by the government to inspect each village. We will also take the pulse of each villager and check their health to see if there is anything ailing that needs treatment. So, there is really no need for you to be so polite!"

After hearing Li Ruoyue's sincere words, the village chief couldn't help but respond with a smile: "Oh, girl, you don't know! It's a great joy that you can come all the way to visit our village! This is enough to show that the court has not forgotten ordinary people like us! Not only did they send you to visit us, but they also brought doctors to help us with the treatment. We are so happy in our hearts!" As he spoke, the village chief was so excited that he could hardly contain himself, and he couldn't help but raised his sleeves to wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes.

Seeing this, Li Ruoyue hurriedly comforted him, "Village Chief, why are you doing this? The Fourth Prince is currently overseeing disaster relief efforts here, and he's also responsible for managing all matters, big and small, across the entire Northwest region. This shows how deeply His Majesty, the Emperor Qian, cares for the people! All we can do is take good care of ourselves and get through this cold winter safely. When spring arrives, all our hardships will surely be overcome!"

Upon hearing this, the village chief's face was filled with gratitude. He nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, yes, I really have to thank the Fourth Prince and Emperor Qian! This disaster relief operation came so quickly and so timely. If it weren't for their prompt decision, I'm afraid these old, weak and sick people in our village would have collapsed long ago!" After saying that, the village chief couldn't help but sigh a long sigh, his eyes revealing a hint of worry about the future.

Li Ruoyue, who was standing by, listened to the village chief's words and quickly agreed, "That's right, the village chief is absolutely right! So, no matter what, we must be firm in our beliefs and believe that we can survive this cold winter! As long as everyone works together, there are no difficulties that cannot be overcome." Her clear and firm voice seemed to inject a powerful force into everyone present.

Li Ruoyue asked with a smile, "Village Chief, have you received the supplies sent by the court? Have you learned how to grow mushrooms? This is a big deal. If you learn, this winter will be smooth sailing!"

Upon hearing this, the village chief burst into laughter and said, "Got it, got it! The imperial court's disaster relief efforts were incredibly fast this time! Look at these kangs you're sitting on; they were all prepared by people sent by the government. And this safe house was also built under the guidance of people sent by the court. Look how warm it is in this house! If it weren't for this house, who knows how many people would have frozen to death this year!"