Chapter Seven: The Common People Flee Overnight for Shelter

As night fell, Fang Han was just about to go to bed when he heard voices outside.

Since the Protectorate Mansion had not yet been cleaned, they had to make do with spending a few nights in the carriage. That was when he caught the sound of voices outside.

Outside the mansion, a few people dressed as poor commoners were whispering among themselves.

“Brother Lin, what do you think the new Protector looks like?”

“How would I know? But from what I see, he seems the real deal. Didn’t you notice those soldiers? Each one looks imposing and fierce, probably sent from the capital. Let’s just wait here through the night and sign up for the army first thing in the morning.”

Fang Han was just inside the main gate.

He had initially thought this would be trouble, but listening carefully, it seemed these people had come to seek refuge. So he ordered the soldiers to bring them inside.

A handful of commoners.

Fang Da explained, “During the day when we posted the notice, many commoners gathered around. They must have heard about the recruitment and want to join for a meal.”

The few brought inside were pressed to the ground. When they saw Fang Han, they immediately shouted out.

“Sir, we are here to enlist!”

“Yes, sir! We saw the city notice and came to join the army. As long as we can enlist, we’re willing to do anything.”

Fang Han’s gaze swept over them, searching for any clues.

Soldiers, regardless of faction, were welcome— the more the better.

He had thought that with the ongoing turmoil in the southern borderlands and scant manpower, the able-bodied men would have already been conscripted by those stirring the unrest.

So when he first heard these men’s words, he assumed they were old, weak, or disabled. To his surprise, they were strong laborers.

It was very likely they had been sent to scout.

“Who sent you?” Fang Han asked coldly.

The men quickly pointed to one of them.

“It was Brother Lin. We came with him.”

That man nodded vigorously without fear.

“Sir, I’m Lin Ergou from Wuxing Village outside the city. I brought them here to enlist.”

After saying this, Lin Ergou’s face was full of expectation, thinking Fang Han would reward him.

“Kill!” Fang Han ordered sharply. Fang Da immediately drew his blade and pressed it against Lin Ergou’s neck.

Fang Han had used this tactic many times— killing a chicken to warn the monkey— and Fang Da’s cooperation was seamless.

Feeling the blade against his throat, Lin Ergou instantly dropped to the ground, trembling as he begged for mercy.

“P-Please, sir, spare me! Spare me!” he stammered.

The other men were so frightened they didn’t dare move.

Fang Han turned his back to Lin Ergou and asked, “Speak. Who exactly sent you?”

The commotion had disturbed Liu San in the side courtyard, who now arrived belatedly.

“Master, please show mercy.”

Liu San breathed a sigh of relief seeing Lin Ergou was still alive.

“Master, you may not know. The southern borderlands are mountainous and arid, with insufficient grain production. Without support from the court these past years, even the mountain bandits have begun farming themselves.”

Liu San then went on to describe the situation in the south.

The southern lands were mountainous and sparse, naturally producing little grain. Previously, merchants transported grain here, or the court directly supplied it.

But frequent wars and the court’s own struggles forced them to abandon the region.

To this day, production has yet to recover.

Even the bandits turned farmers barely survive by tilling the land.

Thankfully, the population in the south is thin, so hunting sustains them.

The bandit strongholds recruit only after battles.

Fang Han frowned slightly, then relaxed.

This scenario bore both good and bad news.

The good news: those warlords and separatists also have little grain. As long as he had supplies, recruiting troops wouldn’t be a problem. With enough soldiers, the southern border could be stabilized.

The bad news: with the Protectorate’s current strength, it would be hard to vigorously develop production.

But as the saying goes, science and technology are the primary productive forces. Fang Han possessed advanced technology; producing grain was no obstacle.

“So you really came to enlist? Not spies sent by the enemy?”

Lin Ergou knelt, crying out, “It’s true, sir! We really want to join. We’re not afraid of death. As long as we have food, we’ll do anything. There are thirteen people in my village who can serve you.”

Hearing there were more people, Fang Han’s interest piqued.

If one village had a dozen able-bodied people, ten or a hundred villages would mean thousands.

“Where is your village? Are there other villages nearby?” Fang Han asked.

Lin Ergou replied, “Just fifteen li outside the city. We can come tomorrow.”

Fifteen li beyond the city didn’t sound far.

“Sir, when we saw the notice during the day, many wanted to enlist. They must be rushing from home overnight. They’ll probably arrive here tonight.”

Fang Han nodded. What he needed most now was people—the more, the better.

But soon he realized: rushing overnight meant the city gates would remain open late?

Back in his previous life, he hated when the dormitory shut its doors at night, feeling like being penned in.

Coming to this world and experiencing the most turbulent years of the Great Zhou, Fang Han understood the wisdom of curfew.

Because nights were truly unsafe here. Most rebellions and uprisings happened at night.

The thought of the city gates remaining open late sent a chill down his spine.

Fortunately, it was Lin Ergou who came tonight. If it had been bandits or warlords, his life might have been forfeit.

Fang Han glared darkly at Fang Da.

“Fang Da, tell me, why are the city gates open?”

Fang Da was helpless.

“Sir, the main city gate door is gone. When we arrived, you were in the carriage and didn’t see it.”

“Tomorrow, I give you one day. You must repair the city gate. What kind of city defense is it without gates?”

Knowing he was at fault and unwilling to be ridiculed for a city defense camp without gates, Fang Da promised to go to the mountains at dawn to cut timber.

Once assured, Fang Han didn’t press further. He didn’t demand immediate action; after all, his own safety was paramount.

After dispersing everyone present, Fang Han returned to the carriage. Lin Qingwei was still awake.

“Why aren’t you resting yet?”

Lin Qingwei pouted. “With all that noise, even if I slept, I’d be woken up. I heard the recruitment announcement. But what about the grain?”

They had just arrived in the southern borderlands and hadn’t established a foothold. They were living off rations carried along the way, but the situation allowed no respite.

Fang Han sighed. “At worst, we’ll hunt in the mountains.”

Suddenly, Lin Qingwei stood and opened a chest beside her. Inside was a box filled with gold, silver, and jewels.

“Take these for now. You can use them to buy grain in Qingzhou Prefecture. The Li family of Qingzhou is my maternal clan. I believe they will help us out of respect for me.”