As soon as Xiao Xi Tian said this, the room fell silent.
Gu Shi and Old Man Yun exchanged a glance, saying nothing.
The village chief stared blankly at Xiao Xi Tian, a wry smile on his face. "Sweetie, do you know how powerful those earth dragons are?"
Let alone killing them, just getting close would result in being bitten in half.
They were like trained killing machines.
The villagers didn't want to court disaster.
"Earth dragons can swallow a little baby like you in one gulp!"
The village chief described it vividly, as if he had personally fought an earth dragon.
Xiao Xi Tian rolled her big eyes and gestured with her small hands, "More people!~"
The village chief: "???"
More people? What did she mean?
He couldn't understand.
Da Shui Village had no shortage of people.
Xiao Xi Tian was so anxious she spun around, explaining in her tender voice, "More people, kill dragons, fight wolves~"
Alas, when would she grow up!
Da Shui Village had an excess of idle hands, with strong young men aplenty.
If they were all gathered to kill the crocodiles by the lake and hunt wolves in the mountains, the situation would be reversed.
There was strength in numbers!
Once the hidden dangers were removed, they could freely catch fish from Gou Gou Lake and pick monkey head mushrooms and wild vegetables from the mountains.
Would they still worry about starving then?
Of course, the lazy ones were an exception.
The Yun Wang Cai family, for instance, was so poor that even refugees wouldn't bother with them.
The village chief still didn't understand.
He turned to Gu Shi, his eyes full of help. "What does Sweetie mean?"
He greatly respected Xiao Xi Tian's ideas.
After all, she was blessed with fortune and good luck.
She was the little Bodhisattva, the little lucky star of Da Shui Village.
Gu Shi picked up her daughter and smiled. "Sweetie means that the village chief should gather the refugees and have them go to Gou Gou Lake to kill the earth dragons!"
Xiao Xi Tian pursed her lips and smiled.
My mother understands me...
Before the village chief could speak, Old Man Yun chimed in with a smile, "That's right! Without the earth dragons, Gou Gou Lake would be free for fishing."
The lake was oval-shaped and teeming with freshwater fish.
Crucian carp, silver carp, common carp, loaches, river crabs, and more.
A casual haul could feed a family for a day.
Fu Da Qiang and Du Lao San also nodded in agreement.
The village chief felt a bit apprehensive, not because he feared the refugees' refusal.
It was just that the earth dragons and wolves were too ferocious.
There was a high chance of casualties.
He hesitated for a moment before murmuring, "Why don't... I go ask the prefect for instructions first?"
If Prefect Chen agreed, Da Shui Village wouldn't be held responsible even if lives were lost.
Old Man Yun hummed, "I'll accompany you to the county town!"
"Alright!"
The matter was settled quickly.
Old Man Yun hitched up the carriage, packed the clothes and pickles Zhao Gui Hua had prepared for Yun Jin He, and headed to the city.
Yun Jin He's monthly tuition was always delivered by Yun Da Man.
When the family had extra, they would give him more pocket money.
He Yang County was different from the countryside; most children studying there came from wealthy and affluent families.
At least, they were much better off than Da Shui Village.
In those days, few farming families had children studying.
Therefore, Gu Shi and Old Man Yun paid special attention to their eldest grandson's well-being and sustenance.
Outside the Yun family's gate, more and more people came begging for food.
Some refugees even climbed the wall, intending to jump into the courtyard.
But Yun Jin Shan had driven them down with his slingshot.
Yun Da Man and Yun Er Man stood in their own fields, clutching their sickles.
If anyone dared to damage their crops, the brothers would not hesitate to swing them.
Even so, more than ten ears of their corn were taken.
"Why haven't Father and the village chief returned yet?" Yun Er Man peered towards the village entrance.
He wondered if his sister and mother were safe at home.
Once people were driven mad by hunger, they could do anything.
Yun Da Man chewed on an ear of wheat and spat out the husks.
"Perhaps they were intercepted by refugees on the way!" Yun Da Man guessed.
If any refugees in the surrounding villages saw a carriage, wouldn't they swarm it?
In fact, Old Man Yun was not intercepted.
He and the village chief obtained a document from Prefect Chen and hurried back home.
On the earthen platform at the village entrance, the village chief summoned all the villagers and refugees.
He announced loudly, "Listen up! If you want to fill your stomachs, each household must send one person to Gou Gou Lake to kill earth dragons and hunt wolves in the mountains!"
As soon as he said this, everyone erupted.
A buzzing murmur of discussion spread through the crowd.
The people of Da Shui Village reacted most strongly.
"Why should we risk our lives to kill earth dragons?"
"Exactly! What does their hunger have to do with us?"
"I only have one son. If something happens to him, will you support me?"
"......"
The refugees also disagreed.
They had personally witnessed earth dragons biting people and leaving them with broken limbs.
The terrifying scenes could wake them up from their nightmares.
The village chief waved his hand, signaling everyone to let him finish.
"Villagers, think carefully. As long as the earth dragons and wolves are gone, Gou Gou Lake will have endless fish, and you can freely eat mushrooms and wild vegetables from the surrounding mountains."
"You all have families. Don't you want to see your elders and children starve to death?"
The village chief's words had little effect.
Were these people not born of parents?
Who was willing to die for nothing?
Old Man Yun tugged at the village chief's sleeve and gently reminded him, "Stop beating around the bush. Hurry and take out the prefect's document!"
The village chief was too emotional just now and almost forgot about it.
He took out a scroll from his怀.
Unfolding it, he cleared his throat and announced loudly, "Everyone, quiet down. I have Prefect Chen's personal document here."
"As long as each household is willing to send one person to kill earth dragons and wolves, next year's tax grain will be waived!"
After speaking, the village chief shook the document in his hand. "It's clearly written on this paper. You can judge for yourselves!"
This time, everyone was stunned.
If they didn't have to pay taxes next year, they could keep everything they grew and harvested.
They could eat as much as they wanted.
They could even sell what they couldn't eat.
This temptation was too great to refuse.
So, the refugees surrounded the village chief three layers deep, eagerly signing up.
The villagers were not to be outdone.
They exclaimed that if they could send three people from their family, could they have three years of tax grain waived?
Da Shui Village erupted in cheers.
Some carried sticks, some shouldered hoes, and some held stones...
Led by the village chief, they marched in a mighty procession towards Gou Gou Lake.
The person sent by the Old Yun family was Yun Er Man.
He carried a sickle, and with every swing, it flashed with a cold glint.
In fact, everyone was holding onto a sliver of hope.
After all, with so many people going to kill the earth dragons, they wouldn't be the unlucky ones.
No matter how ferocious the earth dragons were, they couldn't possibly eat hundreds of people in one go!
Xiao Xi Tian also rode Snow Spirit, her Dan Xia screen tied around her.
She was about to join the 'dragon-slaying' army.
Unexpectedly, before she could run out of the house, her mother scooped her up...