Huangbao started to find out where the enemy was living at the front, how far the battle line was, and how big the area was. The enemy was still strong, and we couldn't relax. There were not many troops in the city, and people took turns to guard the city, rest, and train. We also had to help the people. We were very busy! One day, the scouts finally reported, "The army is coming soon, and it is about a hundred miles away. It is expected to arrive at the city tomorrow night." Guoguo said to Huangbao, "Marshal Ye, I will go to greet them in person." He was very happy to hear his mother call him Marshal Ye. His vanity was satisfied, and he also knew what his mother was thinking about. "Okay!" Guoguo rode out of the city with a dozen people to meet the main force. In addition, Guoguo was thinking about choosing a place to set up the artillery battalion. He couldn't be with the people in the city.

He took a few people to survey the surrounding area. Guoguo was concerned about the location of the artillery, so that it could face the enemy's position. "Xiao Shunzi, scan the surrounding area to see where the enemy is. Where is a good location for my artillery battalion? Give me a map." "Master, right away." A few minutes later, the map appeared. Guoguo selected the location for the artillery battalion. He left a few people to clean up the area and set up the tents.

Guoguo left with a few people.

The next day, Guo Guo knew that the main force was not far away, so he ordered a group of people to go and greet them. He bought a pot of breakfast, cooked porridge, stewed meat soup, and took out all the steamed buns and dumplings made by the space mother and placed them on the roadside waiting.

There were several large pots of hot water boiling, and the shed was stocked with dishes and chopsticks. Guoguo looked at the dusty people walking over and said, "You've all become gods of the land! Hurry up and wash up, eat, and rest. We'll leave tomorrow."

Xiaodong said in a hoarse voice, "Okay." His throat was dry and burning. "Drink some water and wash up." Guoguo helped set up the tent, let Xiaodong sit in, and served him tea and food. "Eat first, then take a shower and have a good sleep. We'll think about other things later." Xiaodong: "Okay, how is the war on the front line?" Guoguo reported. "For now, it's fine. The people in the city have been resettled. Everything is back on track." "Okay, I'll eat and rest first." "Yes. Come on, eat quickly. You've lost weight. We have meat buns and steamed buns. Eat whatever you want. I'm going out." Xiaodong nodded.

Guoguo went to check the cannons, examining each one one by one. Jiale said, "They're fine. I've been guarding them all the way." "Yeah." They were tightly covered. "Uncle San, you should work in the artillery battalion from now on, managing weapons and ammunition." Jiale said, "Okay. But I'm not as knowledgeable as Xiaochen. I'll have him teach you for a while, so you can learn." "Okay." "Uncle San, have some food and rest first. I'll go check on the others." Guoguo checked the entire team. They were all fine, not too bad. This is what happened in ancient times when marching long distances on foot would tire the body. A few days of rest would be necessary to have the strength to fight!

Guoguo went back to cook and added ginseng to the bone soup. Guoguo discovered that there was water for drinking, but no water for bathing. Should she send someone out to find a water source?

The main force rested here for three days before breaking camp and setting off. Five miles from the artillery camp, Guoguo instructed the prince to leave a few dozen men behind to dig a cellar. "Store things there, keep it dry, ventilated, and cool." Xiaodong understood and said, "Okay."

Guo Guo: "There will be people guarding this place permanently. They'll set up tents. We'll talk about it later. That's it for now."

After walking for a while, "We're here." The prince ordered the troops to stop and specifically asked Jiale to leave behind 500 soldiers. Guoguo said, "Leave 200 people. The front line is short of manpower." "Okay." Jiale stayed behind with 200 soldiers to set up tents. Also, the carriages stopped and unloaded. One by one, the cannons slid down the carriages. Guoguo looked at the position, measured it, and asked someone to place the cannons. Guoguo whispered to the prince, "At this position, the cannons are adjusted to the right height, facing the enemy's position, just right for firing!" Xiaodong: "Have you checked everything?" "Yes, I came early!

This place is fifty miles from the enemy's frontline positions. Perfect. The cannons have a very long range, capable of hitting targets even a hundred miles away. It's perfectly placed to avoid our own city ahead. But the only drawback here is that it's unprotected! The enemy could bypass and attack directly here. Upon hearing this, the prince said, "Leave a thousand soldiers behind to build a protective wall." "Okay, dig trenches three miles ahead, build walls, and construct fortifications." The prince said, "Yes. This is the place where the people will be protected." "Okay, you know all this," the prince chuckled. "I've been learning this since I arrived in Taohua Village. This isn't your strong point." Guoguo smiled. "I'll listen to you," the prince said. Guoguo continued, "You can go into the city." "Okay, and be careful too." "Don't worry." Guoguo casually handed the prince a map of the area to facilitate their battle plan.

The author thanks everyone for their companionship during this period and gives you a short story.

A short story: Every once in a while, siblings would meet up at home to visit their parents. One day, after dinner, the family sat together, gossiping. Everyone was talking, gossiping about the Dong family, the Li family, and which girl was still single. The eldest sister, Yunyun, didn't like gossip, so she said, "Tell me a story to get you hooked." The younger sister, Yaonu, said, "Let me tell you a story. I don't know if it's true, but it sounds so real. There are these old guys in our neighborhood. They have nothing to do, so they get up super early every morning, before daybreak, and late at night to go to Yuanbao Mountain for morning exercise. Our neighborhood is closest to Yuanbao Mountain, and most residents love going up there, morning and night. Speaking of Yuanbao Mountain, the county government invested hundreds of millions of yuan in its construction, and it's truly remarkable. It's transformed a rock into a treasure mountain!"

Standing on the summit, I gazed around. To the east, a stream shimmered by springs, and behind, mountains stretched toward a famous temple. To the west, another county town, only southwest. Further in, peaks and valleys stretched endlessly, with few trees and mostly rocks. In recent years, migrant workers have been mining the quarry, leaving the valley much emptier. Yuanbao Mountain was built here, towering between the two county towns. Its fame draws many tourists year-round.

Yuanbao Mountain is lush and green, with numerous trees, all transplanted and replanted, and fruit trees that bloom in spring and bear fruit in autumn. A rocky outcrop has been transformed into a treasure trove of flowers, paved with winding bluestone paths. Pavilions and towers constructed from purchased marble have contributed to its fame.

According to residents, three elderly men had made an appointment that day, woke up early, and set out. They climbed the mountain, reaching the top before dawn. They checked their watches and saw it was just after two. "We're early! Let's go for a walk in the mountains, heading south. I didn't expect it's only after two." "Okay." There were streetlights along the road, one every few meters. As they walked, they entered a deep valley. They had been here so often that they didn't care. They came so often that they weren't afraid. There were even some construction workers living on the mountain. They chatted and laughed as they walked deeper, finally spotting a patch of lights they hadn't seen before. They looked, but didn't stop, continuing on. Suddenly, Old Wang stopped and said, "Old Li, I didn't remember there being any lights here. Why are there so many lights shining? Listen, there are so many people laughing and talking. It looks so lively!" Old Zhang said, "We come here often, but we've never seen anyone living here." "It's all rocky mountains, where are the houses?" Old Li remarked. "We were here during the day, but remember there were no houses here, let alone people living here." Looking at the many people, drinking and chatting, they were not dressed like them. They looked at themselves and then at them! The three of them opened their eyes wide and looked at...

Then someone said, "Cheers! Thank you all for coming to celebrate my 300th birthday. Cheers!" The three old men looked at each other and thought of demons and monsters. They turned and ran, sweating profusely, without stopping. Old Li didn't care about the other two old men, not even daring to look back. On the way, he thought he heard someone say, "Since my friend is here, let's have a drink! Meeting is fate." Old Li ran even faster, all the way home, and closed the door. He crawled into bed, trembling with fear. He fell ill and never got up again. He didn't know whether he was alive or dead. After that, no one saw Old Li again.

Later, this story became a hot topic, with some claiming it was true, even with detailed explanations. I believed it, too. Ever since hearing this story, I've never gone to Yuanbao Mountain at night again. Even during the day, I rarely go.

Morning exercises are over. I've started walking east, slogging along the streets. Going to crowded areas. I no longer dare to play in the mountains in the mornings. I've heard so many stories about monsters and demons since I was a kid that I can't tell the difference between truth and fiction. Perhaps they exist, but they're just far from the crowds of today, appearing less frequently. Occasionally, they cause inconvenience. This story isn't necessarily false; perhaps it's true. It happened right next to me. As I've experienced more, monsters and demons are no longer a mystery to me!

The story is true and false, false and true, who can tell the difference?

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