Yuzhou's geographical location was truly perilous. With Yuzhou secured, one could sever the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, and it also served as the southeastern exit for Sichuan Province. As a transportation hub for the entire southwestern region, Yuzhou's strategic importance was paramount.
Shen Feng had personally experienced this before returning to Yuzhou. Although they had entered Yuzhou's territory early on, the area was filled with mountains, especially on both sides of the Yangtze River. There were virtually no shallow beaches suitable for landing, and only two or three roads were passable for entry. Yuzhou was situated on the only route.
When Shen Feng saw Yuzhou from afar, he finally felt at ease. He was home, and he would soon see his senior sister.
However, at that moment, a nimble figure suddenly leaped from a roadside tree and landed directly on the roof of Shen Feng's vehicle.
Zhang Xixi was startled and exclaimed, "Enemy attack! Quick, protect the leader!"
Shen Feng also quickly honked his horn, signaling the convoy behind him to stop. He opened the car door and found Chang Haojie standing on the car, holding his phone and making a call.
"Sister, my brother-in-law is back! Hurry and get ready, let everyone come out to welcome him," Chang Haojie shouted into the phone.
Shen Feng smiled and said to Zhang Xixi, "Don't be scared. This is my brother-in-law, Chang Haojie. He's also an ability user."
Zhang Xixi nodded, looking at this young man who was even younger than her. She felt a bit bewildered. How could someone so young be an ability user? It seemed exaggerated. This kid probably hadn't even graduated from elementary school yet.
Chu Zhaoyan quietly instructed Zhang Xixi, "I'll arrange accommodation for you when we get to Yuzhou. But there's one thing: absolutely do not say anything foolish in front of the Deputy City Lord, especially about me and Shen Feng. Not a single word!"
Although Zhang Xixi didn't understand why, she nodded obediently, indicating that she understood.
When Shen Feng returned to Yuzhou, he saw a sea of people gathered outside the city. Chang Jianyi stood at the very front. She was dressed simply in casual wear, but wore a snow-white coat over it. This was made from the fur of the mutated dogs that had attacked Jiangyang, pure as snow. It was the first time she had worn it in public.
Chang Jianyi's attire was simple, but she exuded a noble aura. The others surrounded her like flowers amidst green leaves, so dazzling and eye-catching.
When Chang Jianyi saw the convoy approaching from a distance, she couldn't help but smile. Shen Feng had been away for nearly half a year. During this time, the war situation in Yanjing had been unpredictable, and Chang Jianyi had been worried. Now, she finally saw the person she had been longing for, and her excitement was beyond words.
Zhang Xixi saw Chang Jianyi standing outside the city from afar and exclaimed, "So beautiful!"
Chu Zhaoyan coughed lightly, "Ahem."
Zhang Xixi quickly said, "Sister Chu, you're also very beautiful."
As Shen Feng led his people back into Yuzhou, the crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers. Everyone applauded, offering their applause generously. They knew Shen Feng was their hero, who had led the young people of Yuzhou to victory. In the future, the entire Yuzhou would surely be cleared of zombies, just like Yanjing.
Chang Jianyi walked up to Shen Feng and said softly, "Welcome home. I missed you so much."
"Me too. I often dream of you," Shen Feng replied quickly.
Chang Jianyi smiled and said to Shen Feng, "Let's go home. I want to show you our new home that we're building. It will definitely shock you."
Shen Feng nodded and turned to Yang Chang and Guo Pinming, "You two, quickly take the men back to the camp. For now, arrange for the soldiers to visit their families. We'll take action again later."
Shen Feng left with Chang Jianyi. Chu Zhaoyan sighed helplessly. She felt she could never truly be in the spotlight. As soon as Chang Jianyi appeared, Shen Feng would instantly leave her side.
Chu Zhaoyan looked back at Zhang Xixi and then at Du Xinshi and said, "Come with me. I'll arrange your accommodation. In Yuzhou, everyone has to work. If you don't work, you don't eat. Remember this. When I have time, I'll find you a leisurely job, like tending to fruit trees, or if that doesn't work, I can always arrange something in an office."
"Thank you for the trouble," Du Xinshi said gratefully to Chu Zhaoyan.
Zhang Xixi looked curiously at the unfamiliar city. Entering from outside, it felt a bit desolate, probably due to the low population. As they walked further into the city, the terrain gradually rose. The entire city seemed to be built against the mountains. Many ships could be seen on the banks of the Yangtze River, bustling with activity.
"This place was a dead city before. Not to mention anything else, the plague alone was enough to deter people. There were mutated rats everywhere in the city. The mutated rats weren't afraid of people and would sometimes walk openly on the streets. It was desolate," Chu Zhaoyan explained as they walked.
The reason the city was so desolate was the lack of people. The brutal battles in Yuzhou had caused survivors to flee. Later, with the plague sweeping through, those who remained couldn't find clean water and perished.
Chu Zhaoyan, being one of Shen Feng's early supporters, had considerable influence. She quickly found a good place for Zhang Xixi and Du Xinshi – a detached house on the mountainside with complete water and electricity facilities. After arranging for over two hundred catties of food to be left behind, she departed.
Zhang Xixi and Du Xinshi would live together, along with a child. The issue of living facilities was resolved.
Zhang Xixi and Du Xinshi already knew each other, and there were no conflicts between them. Living together would allow them to look out for each other. Chu Zhaoyan had considered this aspect carefully.
Meanwhile, Shen Feng was taken by Chang Jianyi to the mountaintop area, where a clearing had been made. Chang Jianyi had been planning since the New Year to build a magnificent residence. Construction had been underway for a long time, with workers busily laying the foundation. According to Chang Jianyi's vision, the residence needed to be not only beautiful but also practical. Therefore, she opted for a split-level design, planning a five-story complex with three floors underground and two above ground.
The split-level design offered many advantages, particularly in terms of defense. The number of windows would be reduced, minimizing exposure and making it harder to target. The three underground floors provided robust defensive capabilities. The buildings would have seven terraces, where machine guns could be mounted, making it virtually impossible for ordinary people to breach. A city wall would also be built around the perimeter, creating an extremely strong fortress.
Of course, such a massive project would not be completed in a short time, requiring at least another three months. It would cover an area of dozens of mu, with gardens and ponds, and a blend of Chinese and Western styles. The resources required would be considerable.
Chang Jianyi pointed to a detached villa in the distance and said, "We'll stay there for now. Once this palace is built, we'll move in. Since it's just the three of us, it's enough for the time being. For now, you should rest. If there's a need to clear zombies from the surrounding cities, let your subordinates lead the soldiers. You don't need to do it yourself."
Shen Feng stood on the mountaintop, feeling the strong wind, and his mood greatly improved. Looking towards the edge of the city, he could see the river and densely packed buildings.
"Life is like this, what more could one ask for?" Shen Feng sighed. He felt he had reached the pinnacle of his life. In just over half a year, he had transformed from an unknown nobody into a powerful figure in the southwest. Such was the trajectory of life.
In reality, Yuzhou was far from as peaceful as Shen Feng perceived. Crises and difficulties were countless. Upon arriving at the Yuzhou City Lord's Mansion, he thoroughly understood this. Numerous matters required his attention, and Chang Jianyi was also extremely busy. Shen Feng had no choice but to immerse himself in the demanding work.
Zhou Xiaoxiao suggested building city walls outside Yuzhou. Yang Ye proposed that Yuzhou dispatch troops to attack the zombies within its jurisdiction. Tu Xuhuai, on the other hand, suggested that Shen Feng begin agricultural cultivation and issue grain coupons.
The plans of the three individuals had clear objectives. Building city walls was essential, at least to alleviate fear and anxiety among the populace. Furthermore, it would provide employment for the city's inhabitants. The expedition to eliminate zombies was a practical consideration. Yuzhou had too small a population and needed to supplement it from other areas. Recapturing other smaller cities was particularly important. Tu Xuhuai saw the situation most clearly: the food issue was the most severe, hence the need for agricultural cultivation and grain coupons.
Shen Feng immediately approved all three suggestions, emphasizing that all of them needed to be implemented, especially agricultural cultivation.
It could be said that the grain crisis of the previous year was solely managed by Chang Jianyi. Fortunately, her ability was to accelerate plant growth, allowing for harvests in a short period. Although the affected area was not vast, its continuous ability was significant, barely enough to support hundreds of thousands of people. Cornmeal porridge didn't taste good, but it was sufficient to sustain people.
Plans needed to be formulated to be executed. Shen Feng immediately arranged for everyone to discuss the proposals. During this time, he secretly went to find Chu Zhaoyan. Chu Zhaoyan lived in a villa by the river, surrounded by woods, making it very secluded.
Whenever Shen Feng had free time, he would visit Chu Zhaoyan. With Chu Zhaoyan, Shen Feng experienced a different kind of feeling. Perhaps Chu Zhaoyan was not as gentle and considerate as Chang Jianyi, but she was perceptive. After Shen Feng had a busy day, she would give him a gentle massage and listen to his troubles. With her, Shen Feng could temporarily forget his worries.
Chu Zhaoyan had turned this place into a love nest for herself and Shen Feng. They didn't have to worry about external troubles or suffer from the pressure brought by Chang Jianyi. It was far from the crowds, a quiet and warm nest.
Chu Zhaoyan and Shen Feng also consummated their relationship here. A man and a woman alone in a room, at an age where passion ignites easily, it was hard to say who was more proactive. They talked about everything here. To keep Shen Feng, Chu Zhaoyan employed all her charms.
That evening, Shen Feng and Chu Zhaoyan were watching television in the living room. Chu Zhaoyan leaned on the sofa and casually placed her fair legs on Shen Feng's lap.
"Afeng, Chang Jianyi is building a palace for you, isn't she? Once you have the palace, you won't come to me anymore, will you?" Chu Zhaoyan asked with a frown.
Shen Feng shrugged and squeezed Chang Jianyi's calf, helping her relieve fatigue. He said indifferently, "Don't worry, I definitely won't forget you. That's not really a palace. If you want one, I'll find a way to build one for you too."
Chu Zhaoyan looked at Shen Feng's profile seriously and asked, "Do you know what your actions are called?"
Shen Feng replied without thinking, "Being indecisive? Or philandering?"
"Neither is correct. This is keeping a mistress in a golden house! You should go and check the history books. In short, I'm like a canary that you can dispose of as you please, looking at me when you want to, and locking me up in a cage when you don't," Chu Zhaoyan said with a smile.
Shen Feng sighed helplessly and reluctantly said, "Then I'll find an opportunity to test my senior sister's intentions and see how she reacts."
Shen Feng always took a thorough bath before returning home, so he was clean when he got back. However, even so, he couldn't completely reassure Chang Jianyi. Chang Jianyi had keenly noticed that Shen Feng would frequently disappear for periods of time for several days. During these times, no one knew where he went. Such abnormal behavior naturally made Chang Jianyi suspicious.
"Why does Shen Feng disappear so often? What is he doing?" Chang Jianyi decided to investigate secretly.