Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Upon hearing Lü Qian's words, the stubbornness on the faces of the elderly people in the hall softened slightly, but a trace of hesitation remained.

The long-bearded old man sighed and said in a deep voice, "Lord Lü, we have guarded this land all our lives and have never left."

Now that we're being asked to leave, we're still reluctant to part with them.

Besides, even though we are old, we can still wield this sword when the enemy comes. Rather than hiding in the city and eking out a living, it's better to stay and defend this last piece of our homeland to the death.

Lu Qian smiled slightly and nodded, saying, "How could I not know the old man's heart?" His tone turned serious, and he looked firmly at the old men.

"However, the situation today is different from the past. The Black Rock Alliance has been planning this for a long time, and this attack is extraordinary."

The general laid out heavy defenses precisely to repel the enemy outside the city gates. If the people of the southern ward are all safely evacuated, the soldiers inside the city can then fight with all their might.

If you old folks stay here, it will only disperse the city's troops, making it impossible to concentrate them."

The elderly men looked at each other, remained silent for a moment, and seemed to waver.

Seeing this, Lü Qian seized the opportunity and said, "You have dedicated your lives to protecting Hesha City. Your decision not to leave today is not out of cowardice, but to preserve your strength."

The general has instructed me to tell you all that once the war is over, you will be arranged to return to Nanfang.

When the people of Nanfang can return home and live in peace, that will be a true victory.

The long-bearded old man pondered for a moment, nodded slightly, and sighed, "Alas, Lord Lü is right."

"Whether I leave or not, I can't risk my life." As soon as he finished speaking, he got up and called on the other elderly people to help him prepare his luggage.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, followed by a close attendant walking in quickly.

He said anxiously to Lü Qian, "Lord Lü, just now at another house, several young people refused to leave and said they wanted to gather together to guard the house. The situation is getting a little out of control."

Lu Qian frowned, turned around and cupped his hands to the elderly people, saying, "Gentlemen, please pack your belongings first. I will take care of things and arrange your transfer later."

The elderly men nodded in agreement, their expressions solemn.

Lu Qian hurried to another house and found several young men in their twenties gathered in front of the door, all with indignant expressions and holding wooden sticks and hoes.

Their eyes were filled with stubbornness and resentment as they surrounded a middle-aged villager, shouting, "Why are you leaving?"

"We're staying here to defend our home and the city! We're not like those old folks; we can still fight!"

One of the young men raised his hoe high, his expression agitated: "When the enemy comes, we'll smash them with this hoe! Why should we abandon our ancestral home and flee to the city?"

Seeing this, Lü Qian understood that these young people were hot-blooded and only thought about protecting their homeland, but they did not understand the current situation.

He stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "What are you doing?"

The young men quieted down a bit when they saw Lü Qian arrive, but one of them still said defiantly, "Lord Lü, we're not afraid of death, so why should we run away?"

Lu Qian's gaze was cold as he walked up to them and said in a deep voice, "You are not afraid of death, but staying in Nanfang today is not fighting for your homeland, but rather throwing yourselves into a dead end."

The enemy is coming on strong. Do you think you few, armed only with hoes, can stand against their armored soldiers?

He scanned the crowd, his tone growing increasingly stern: "The general has ordered all the people of Nanfang to evacuate. This is to preserve our strength, so that you can remain in the city and fight the enemy when the time is right."

If you insist on not leaving, when the enemy invades, the city will be unable to concentrate on defense, and you will only lose your lives in vain!

The young people looked at each other, their eyes filled with resentment, but also with a hint of wavering.

Seeing their hesitation, Lü Qian slowly said, "Today's retreat is for tomorrow's victory."

"If you truly wish to protect your homeland, you should obey the general's orders. Once the city's defenses are in place, your day will come to fight the enemy."

Hearing this, the young men finally put away their weapons, lowered their heads, and remained silent.

Seeing this, Lü Qian breathed a sigh of relief and said in a deep voice, "Quickly pack your things and come with me into the city."

"We'll discuss the safety of Nanfang while we're still in the city." He turned to the village head and said, "Take them there and make arrangements for their relocation."

Muramasa accepted the order, cupping his hands in acknowledgment: "Yes, Lord Lü."

Lu Qian glanced at the crowd and turned to leave. He understood that although these young people were hot-tempered, their love for their homeland represented the future of Nanfang.

Today's retreat is for the sake of future return, and he cannot shirk this responsibility.

As he was leaving, Lü Qian looked up and gazed towards the direction of Nanfang. The city walls were faintly visible in the night, and the threat of the enemy was like a mountain weighing on his heart.

Only by staying inside the city can we possibly fight them.

As night deepened, the streets and alleys of Nanfang appeared exceptionally long and quiet, with only a few dim oil lamps flickering at the doorways, casting swaying shadows.

The wind whistled through the alleyway, carrying a chill that was as unsettling as an impending battle.

The women, holding their young children, gathered quietly at the meeting point arranged by the village head, their expressions complex.

Lu Qian stood at the alley entrance, looking at the group of tired and anxious people in front of him, and his heart was heavy.

The mood of these women and children was as somber as the night, filled not only with uncertainty about the future but also with fear of war.

As the civil official in charge of the relocation in the city, his task was not only to safely move them to the city center, but also to soothe their anxiety as much as possible.

"The general has ordered that all women and children be moved to the city center with me. As long as you follow the order, you will be safe."

Lu Qian stood at the alley entrance, his voice not loud, but every word was steady and powerful.

A young mother carrying an infant walked to the end of the line, her face pale.

The baby in her arms was still in swaddling clothes, but kept crying incessantly. The child's cries were especially jarring in the quiet night.

The mother looked anxious, soothing her child in a low voice while constantly looking around, as if waiting for someone.

Seeing this, an older woman nearby reached out and gently patted her shoulder, whispering, "Don't panic, the child can't be frightened."

Lord Lü has said that as long as we follow his instructions, we will definitely be able to save our lives.” Although she said this, there was a hint of unease in her eyes.

The young mother hugged her child tightly, fighting back tears, and choked out, "But what if the enemy troops outside the city... will they break in?"

Can we really survive until the war is over?

The older woman sighed and shook her head: "Fate is unpredictable. We can only hope that the general's defenses are solid."

Lu Qian stood not far away, his gaze sweeping over the trembling people.

He knew their fear and helplessness at this moment, especially these mothers holding young children, who not only had to take care of their children, but also had to bear unknown pressures.

War is merciless, especially cruel to innocent women and children.