Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Chapter 155 The Last Barrier

Lin Qingya lowered her head and remained silent, seemingly touched by something.

She said softly, "Lord Lü is right."

"If Hesha City is gone, what use are all this wealth and property?"

She paused, then said firmly, "I am willing to donate all the food stored in my home, to do my part!"

Lin Qingya's words startled everyone, and Shen Wanfu, who had been hesitant, showed a hint of guilt on his face.

He said in a low voice, "Lord Lü, although I cannot go bankrupt, I am willing to donate half of the grain stored in the granary to support the front line!"

Upon hearing their statements, Zhu Dachang and Hu Gongwang exchanged a glance.

Finally, he nodded: "In that case, we can't just think of ourselves."

"The cloth and herbs in the household are at Lord Lü's disposal!"

A warm feeling welled up in Lü Qian's heart, and a look of gratitude appeared on his face.

Although these people have never experienced the baptism of war, they are still willing to step forward when it comes to the safety of their homeland.

He bowed deeply to the ground in front of everyone.

He said sincerely, "The people of the next generation of Hesha City express their gratitude to you all."

Your contributions are the hope for Hersha City to persevere!

The wealthy businessmen signed donation documents one by one, indicating their willingness to distribute their respective supplies to the warehouse.

Lü Qian then instructed his scribes to count and register the types and quantities of the supplies one by one, so that they could be allocated reasonably.

Grain, cloth, herbs, gold and silver were transported to warehouses one by one, and each warehouse was guarded by designated personnel to ensure that they could be delivered to the front lines in a timely manner when needed.

Standing beside the granary, Lü Qian looked at the bags of grain that had been delivered and felt a sense of reassurance.

He declared loudly, "From now on, all personnel responsible for transporting supplies must remain vigilant at all times."

All city gates must be resupplyed promptly; any negligence would be a betrayal of our brothers on the front lines!

A young deliveryman carefully inspected the grain sacks, clenched his fist, and said, "Don't worry, Lord Lü, although we are not on the front lines..."

But we will make sure every bag of food reaches the soldiers on the front lines!

His face was full of seriousness and solemnity, and his eyes burned with the belief in protecting his homeland.

Lu Qian walked up to him, gently patted his shoulder, and said with a firm yet warm gaze: "Each of us is protecting this land."

No matter where you are, every effort you make is the greatest support for Hersha City.

The wealthy merchants watched silently as the grain was loaded and transported, their hearts filled with emotion.

They were initially hesitant to donate too much due to various concerns.

But when I actually put in the effort, I felt a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction I had never experienced before.

Shen Wanfu stood at the warehouse entrance, watching the carriages and horses slowly drive towards the front line.

She sighed softly, "This is probably the most worthwhile donation I've ever made in my life..."

Hu Gongwang patted him on the shoulder and laughed, "Brother Shen, this is true sharing of hardships."

Everyone nodded, a warm feeling of unity rising in their hearts.

Lu Qian stood beside them, gazing intently ahead: "As long as each of us does our best, there will be hope for Hesha City!"

After settling in, Lü Qian once again stepped onto the high platform and looked down at the people before him.

Although he had been placed in refuge, he knew that some people still harbored fear and worried about the safety of their loved ones.

Then he proclaimed loudly: "Fellow villagers! Hesha City does not belong to any one person, but to each and every one of us!"

Today, as long as we work together, we will surely overcome this difficulty!

His voice was powerful, seemingly awakening the courage buried deep within everyone's heart.

Someone in the crowd shouted in response: "Hersa City is our home; we must not let the enemy set foot in easily!"

Lü Qian deeply understood the importance of morale. In such a critical moment of life and death, every word of encouragement would become the belief that the people would hold onto.

Looking at these determined people, he felt a warm current flow into his heart.

Night fell, pressing heavily over Hesha City, and the air was filled with tension and a chilling atmosphere.

The soldiers on the west wall silently went about their tasks, making final preparations for the upcoming battle.

He Qingshan patrolled back and forth.

This night may well be the end of the lives for many of them.

Even so, an ancient and somber calm remained on everyone's face.

Death is an inevitable fate, so there's no need to worry about it anymore.

He Qingshan walked slowly along the city wall, carefully inspecting every defensive structure.

He gently stroked the rough stone bricks of the city wall with his hand. This city had been with him for most of his life, witnessing his glory and loss.

Tonight, he will live or die with it.

His gaze swept over Yang Zhen, Liu Tao, Zhang Hu, and others beside him, each of whom was a comrade-in-arms for many years.

He Qingshan walked to Liu Tao's side and said softly, "Liu Tao, later arrange for a few brothers to check the reserve of arrows and oil. Although there aren't many, we can't waste a single drop."

Liu Tao nodded and replied in a deep voice, "General, rest assured, everything is ready, and we will definitely defend the west wall."

After speaking, he lowered his head and wiped the spear in his hand with a cloth, his gaze calm, yet with a thoughtful expression.

He Qingshan watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but sigh softly.

Having witnessed countless deaths and separations over the years, he perhaps understood the danger of this situation better than anyone else.

He Qingshan then walked over to the young Yang Zhen, who was inspecting the arrows in his quiver with several archers.

He held the quiver and gently stroked each arrowhead, as if silently praying for them.

He Qingshan patted Yang Zhen on the shoulder and smiled slightly: "Yang Zhen, this time it's probably going to take a lot of your effort."

With not enough arrows, we must make sure every arrow hits its target.

Yang Zhen looked up, a stubborn smile on his young face: "General, don't worry, we'll hold out for as long as we can."

Even if all the arrows are shot down, there are still these fists!

He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes flashing with resentment and determination.

He was young, unmarried and childless, with a bright future ahead, but at this moment he was ready to put all of that behind him.

Beside Yang Zhen, another archer—the slightly older veteran Uncle Li—whispered, "Young Yang, don't be reckless."

When it really comes down to using fists, we should be thinking about how to get back alive.

Upon hearing this, Yang Zhen chuckled and said, "Uncle Li, once we've secured this city wall, I'll have to ask you to take me out for a few drinks, otherwise it'll be a real loss!"

Uncle Li sighed, patted Yang Zhen's shoulder meaningfully, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately chose to remain silent.

As night deepened, Zhang Hu and several companions sat in a corner, forming a circle and talking quietly to each other.

Zhang Hu is a lively and cheerful young man who usually teases everyone, but today, there was a hint of seriousness on his face.

"Hey, Lao Liu," Zhang Hu said softly, "Do you think we can get out of here alive this time?"

Liu Tao grinned and shook his head: "Little Tiger, why are you saying all this useless stuff?"

You'd be better off thinking about how to spend your salary after the war is over.

Zhang Hu chuckled, scratched his head, and sighed, "That's true, but I just feel really down."

Brother Liu, if I can't get out tomorrow, please remember to tell my mother for me...

"Just so you know, I didn't embarrass her when I left."

A hint of sadness flashed in his eyes, as if the suppressed fear in his heart had been instantly washed away.

Liu Tao's face darkened, and he patted Zhang Hu on the shoulder: "Kid, don't think about these things."

"Live! We all have to live! After this battle, let's go back to our families together!"

An older soldier nearby interjected, "Little Tiger, don't be afraid, all of us veterans are still here."

If you really leave, I won't allow it.

They smiled at each other, a smile tinged with bitterness, yet this silent mutual support brought warmth to everyone's hearts.

He Qingshan stood at the edge of the city wall, gazing at the dark night in the distance.

It seemed as if one could see the direction in which the enemy was lurking through the darkness.

He had so much to say and so many thoughts to organize, but he had no way to express them.

Defending Hersha City is their mission, and the sacrifice of each individual is perhaps inevitable.

Suddenly, he felt a warm presence approaching him; it was Yang Zhen.

He stood silently beside He Qingshan, gazing up at the night sky, and whispered, "General, do you think we can win this battle?"

He Qingshan was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Yang Zhen, victory or defeat is not something we can predict."

We are here to give the people in the city a glimmer of hope.

As long as we are here, the city will remain.

Yang Zhen nodded slightly, but his eyes still held a hint of confusion: "But, General, what if we..."

His words trailed off, the unspoken words revealing the fear in his heart.

He Qingshan patted him on the shoulder, his tone firm and unwavering: "Yang Zhen, no matter what, don't give up easily until the very last moment."

Remember, we are not just soldiers defending the city, but also the people's support.

His words were heavy and resolute, as if the foundation of this city had been deeply rooted in his bones and blood, becoming his only faith in living.

The soldiers gathered in twos and threes, talking quietly about their families and hometowns.

It was the last moment of warmth before nightfall.

"Old Liu, your daughter must be all grown up by now, right?" Zhang Hu asked with a smile, a hint of envy in his eyes.

Liu Tao nodded, smiled slightly, and gazed tenderly at the night sky: "Yes, he's probably old enough to call me 'Dad' by now..."

Her mother said that when I get back, she'll teach her to call him "Dad."

Uncle Li, who was standing next to him, also smiled and said, "Brother Liu, after this battle is over, let's go back together to see the children!"

The young soldier beside him said softly, "After this battle is over, I'm going back to propose to Xiaolian. I don't want her to wait any longer."

A hint of shyness and determination flashed in his eyes.

I have already envisioned a beautiful future in my mind.

These words drifted gently in the night, like the soldiers' deepest desires, revealed in this moment of peace.

No one mentioned the impending life-or-death battle anymore.

The future is still far away, waiting for them to embrace it.

As the night deepened, He Qingshan stood before the soldiers once more, his gaze sweeping over each face, his heart filled with reluctance and pride.

He spoke slowly, his voice heavy and firm:

"Brothers, we are all from Hersha City."

Tonight, we are not only guarding this city wall, but also our homeland and our loved ones.

I don't know how tomorrow's battle will end, but I hope that everyone can stand on the city walls with love for their families and for this land.

The soldiers remained silent, but their gazes were as firm as iron.

Everyone understood that the fate of this city was intertwined with their own lives.

He Qingshan concluded in a deep voice, "Remember, we must never back down!"

After saying this, he stood quietly on the city wall, looking down at the land shrouded in night, pondering tomorrow's battle and every comrade who would face life and death.