We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

In the outer city, in a dilapidated wooden house.

Shi Yong took down the hunting bow hanging on the wall and stroked the willow bow with his calloused hands.

"Oh..." Shi Yong sighed deeply.

He was originally one of the best hunters in Ninggu County in terms of archery skills.

When most people in the city were struggling for survival, he could go up the mountain with a bow and bring back food for his family.

At that time, people in the entire city had a hard time. The Shi family had a large number of people, but Shi Yong was indeed good at tracking prey.

Not only can they feed the families they visit, but they also often share their surplus prey with their neighbors.

Later, His Highness entered the city, good days came, and the Ninggu County City was renamed Chaoyang City.

Shi Yong also felt that Chaoyang City sounded better, as it sounded more energetic.

His Highness is indeed a good man. Within just a month of entering the city, he provided free medical treatment to the elderly, sold grain and clothes at low prices, and even spent money to let the people repair the city walls.

Even the leg disease that had troubled my father for many years was cured by the doctors.

During the plowing ceremony yesterday, His Highness distributed land to everyone. Since there are many people in his family, he was given a full 100 acres.

Not only that, His Highness also distributed seeds to everyone for free and lent oxen and farm tools.

My father and elder brother went to pick it up excitedly early in the morning, and they haven't come back yet.

In theory, it is a great joy to have a large piece of land at home and be able to make a living from the land.

After all, farming is much more stable than hunting.

But Shi Yong felt inexplicably unhappy.

When everyone had no land, I relied on my hunting skills and my neighbors all looked up to me.

Now that everyone has divided the land, and although I can still hunt, everyone can have enough food to eat, and no one will look at me with admiration anymore.

After all, what people like is the prey they bring back, not themselves.

Thinking of this, Shi Yong suddenly felt a little ashamed. How could he think like this?

Isn’t it a good thing that everyone can have enough food to eat and no one will starve to death?

Compared to that, my little trouble is nothing.

Thinking of this, Shi Yong prepared to put away the hunting bow in his hand.

Perhaps, there will never be a chance to use it again in the future.

Just then, there was a noise at the door.

But I saw my father, eldest brother and eldest nephew coming out of the house happily, leading an old yellow cow and several half-grown lambs.

Father Shi grinned, revealing the dark holes in his teeth, and looked at Shi Yong: "Little boy, come and see, what did Dad bring back?"

Without waiting for Shi Yong to answer, Shi Dad said with a smile:

"Your Highness is truly a wise and enlightened monarch. Even the officials under his command are all upright and honest officials."

"Seeing that we have a large family and a lot of land, they not only gave us a large amount of seeds, but also lent us a cow!"

Shi Yong also looked at the yellow cow in surprise: "Really? There aren't many cows. Can't every family have one?"

"Of course not. Only families with a large family are eligible to borrow a cow." Father Shi was very proud. "Old Li next door even tried to snatch it from me, but I fought him back with just one sentence."

"You have two daughters, I have three boys and one daughter. What qualifications do you have to compete with me for cattle?"

Shi Yong didn't listen to his father and Uncle Li's daily bickering. Instead, he looked at the sheep and asked curiously, "Dad, what are these sheep..."

"Don't mention it." Dad Shi waved his hand. "Those old guys are really unrefined."

"I went to the government office, and they told me there's a policy where I can buy sheep at a low price and take them home to raise. When they give birth to lambs and produce wool, I can earn extra income.

The young official kept introducing them to us, but the old guys were very timid. They said they had never taken care of these things and didn't dare to buy them to raise.

The official talked his mouth off but still couldn't sell many sheep. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I bought a few.

You have no conscience. His Highness is so kind to us people, so what's wrong with buying a few sheep to show your support?"

Shi Dad was indignant, as if those old neighbors had violated some heavenly law by not buying the sheep sold by His Highness.

Shi Yong touched the lamb's head. The lamb didn't try to hide, but looked at him with its big watery eyes.

I couldn't help but smile.

"This sheep...isn't it expensive?"

"It's not expensive, it's just a small amount." Father Shi waved his hand, "Your Highness has no intention of making money at all, he really wants to improve the lives of our people, those old fools don't appreciate it..."

"If you ask me, there is no monarch in the world more wise than Your Highness. It's a pity that Your Highness is not the crown prince, otherwise..."

Shi Yong was startled and quickly covered his father's mouth: "Dad, don't dare say such things."

After saying this, he looked towards the door with lingering fear, fearing that someone passing by might hear his father's rebellious words.

Just by looking at it, Shi Yong broke out in a cold sweat on his back.

There were actually a few figures passing by the door!

"Who?!" Shi Yong shouted vigilantly.

"Hahaha, Shitou, it's me!" A hearty voice came from outside the door.

Shi Yong felt that the voice was somewhat familiar. After taking a few steps towards the door and seeing who it was, he said with surprise, "Brother Jie!"

Brother Shi Yong hurried over and opened the door.

Jie Ming nodded at him and strode in, holding a lamb in his hand.

"Kid, just come and what else do you want to bring?" Dad Shi looked at the lamb in Jie Ming's hand, and the corners of his mouth twitched.

Jie Ming then noticed the yard full of cattle and sheep, and immediately smiled and said, "Uncle Shi, your family is getting more and more prosperous."

Jie Ming and Shi Yong are both from hunter families, and the two families are old friends.

Because they offended someone they shouldn't have, both families were implicated and exiled to this place outside the Great Wall.

Even so, the two families have never severed their relationship.

It was not until Yang Zhongsi led his troops out of the pass that the three brothers of the Xie family were noticed by Yang Zhongsi and left the city, and contact between them was severed.

Now that they saw Jie Ming, the Shi family didn’t think too much about it.

Just seeing the other person's high-spirited look, I knew that he was doing well now, and I was naturally happy for him.

Jie Ming was invited into the house by Shi Dad and sat down at the front of the room.

His eyes casually swept over and immediately fell on the hunting bow.

Jie Ming grinned. "Shi Tou, you still have this skill, right?"

"Of course." Shi Yong was much more cheerful in front of his childhood playmate. "It's a food. A few years ago, I relied on it to support my family."

"Then what are you going to do? Are you going to put away your bow and stop hunting?" Jie Ming asked.

A trace of desolation flashed across Shi Yong's eyes. "Thanks to Your Highness, my family was allocated a hundred acres of land. I'm afraid my family won't be able to handle it, so I plan to work more in the fields in the future."

Jie Ming shook his head. "Shitou, why are you pretending to be so rude to me? You're not cut out for farming! You don't even know how to use a hoe, what are you doing in the fields? Are you trying to cause trouble?"

Shi Yong smiled bitterly and said nothing more.

Jie Ming looked him straight in the eyes and said seriously, "Shi Tou, come with me."

"Before, I followed Marshal Yang. You thought he was rebelling under the banner of the previous dynasty, so you didn't go with me."

"Now, I follow His Royal Highness the Prince of Ninggu, and I am a legitimate Daqing official soldier. Are you still going to refuse?"

"Your eyes, your hands that can shoot an arrow through a hundred paces, prove that you are a natural archer. How can you waste your whole life in the fields?"

Shi Yong looked at Jie Ming in surprise: "Brother Jie, are you with His Highness?"

Jie Ming nodded. "Marshal Yang left and left the Huan Guo Army to Your Highness, renaming it the National Protection Army. I am now a captain in the National Protection Army, and naturally a soldier under Your Highness's command."

"I remember that you went to school when you were little, right?"

Shi Yong nodded: "I studied in a private school for a few years."

Jie Ming excitedly punched him. "What are you talking about? His Highness has just established the Military Supervision Department, and he needs a man like you who is both civil and military, to serve as...a political commissar."

"I'll recommend you. With your ability, you might be able to achieve great success!"

"But..." Shi Yong hesitated and looked at his old father behind him.

It is a great honor to be able to serve under that wise prince.

However, my father just turned 70 this year, and his health is getting worse day by day. If I don't show filial piety to him, one day...

Filial piety is the most important virtue. Although Shi Yong only had a few years of education, he still knew this truth.

Before Shi Yong could think clearly, his father, who was over seventy years old, had a flash of sadness in his eyes and raised his hand tremblingly...

Then... a crutch hit Shi Yong on the head!

"You little bastard, what are you still thinking about!" Shi Dad yelled angrily, "Working for His Highness is a blessing that ordinary people can't achieve in several lifetimes, and you're still hesitating about your father!"