Shuiyun lowered her head and pecked at the bamboo tube on her claws.
Xiao Bei smiled and helped her take it off. "I saw it. I just wanted to ask you."
Many children from the county came over, but Shuiyun was unwilling to talk to them. She waited quietly on the spear pole. She still had to fly back later.
The mission this time was urgent, so she was more tired and had to recover her strength as soon as possible.
The children liked Shuiyun, but they didn't dare to touch her. Firstly, they were afraid of being nagged, and secondly, it would seem that they didn't respect the general of the imperial court.
Xiao Bei took out a stack of papers from the bamboo tube, looked at the words, and read aloud, "We are worried that you don't have enough gasoline and diesel supplies. Shuiyun will go to check the route. From Shuiyun, transport planes will deliver supplies to your department. Minister of War Xiao Song. "
"Here, look at the blueprints." Xiao Bei handed the blueprints to the people of the protection team and complained, "Damn the telegram. It's not useful at the crucial moment, making Shuiyun fly back and forth. It's snowing."
Xiaoyuan sighed and said, "It must be the idea of Brother and Sister. Others wouldn't have thought that we use more fuel."
Xiaohai added, "Since the supplies are coming, we can continue to send people to He River and set up a few contact points on the road. We can gather people as soon as possible and think of a way to cross the snow-covered area."
The children nearby were obviously concerned about different things from the adults. When they heard that there was a plane coming, they spread the news one by one. Soon, all the children knew. All kinds of happy voices were heard in the snow.
A few sensible adults felt sad. Sun Mao came forward and asked Xiao Bei and the others, "Is our arrival making things difficult for you? What kind of oil are you using? Is it the thing that the machine needs? "
"It has nothing to do with you. How many people do you have? We have a lot of people, so don't worry. The oil is not valuable. The pilots who came can also be treated as training. "Xiao Bei naturally couldn't say that he was right.
Sun Mao nodded slowly and said, "If you need us, just let us know."
He had already understood. At night, the lights outside were on. During the day, the tents were also open so that it wouldn't be so stuffy inside.
If the people in his county felt comfortable and at ease, then the protection team would definitely do something. They couldn't just open the tents for no reason, and it wouldn't be cold in the tents.
Sun Mao sighed. Xiaobei and the others were just putting on an act. Their goal was to not let the people in their county suffer a little. When they returned home in the future, they would be full of energy when they started rebuilding.
After thinking about it, Sun Mao felt conflicted. He wanted to tell the people in the county to suffer a little and not let Xiaobei and the rest waste things. However, he was also afraid that Xiaobei and the rest would waste their efforts.
"Why don't we close the tent? Just say that the wind is too strong," Sun Mao muttered, wanting to help.
"You better not interfere." Xu Yilong's voice suddenly sounded from behind Sun Mao.
Sun Mao turned around. Xu Yilong smiled at him and said, "In fact, we are not very short of gasoline and diesel at the moment. According to the current consumption, it is not a problem to last for twenty days."
"Then …" Sun Mao uttered a word, meaning to ask, then why did Xiao Bao and the others airdrop them? How could a plane fly in a snowy day?
"The Seedling Protection Team has a habit of constantly maintaining the level of logistics that is enough to support and win a battle, which is ten times the battle reserve level of their enemy. Obviously, according to this consumption, the amount of firewood and gasoline reserves will be reduced. The Seedling Protection Team does not like this feeling. Currently, the amount of firewood and gasoline used is 2.5 times that of a normal Seedling Protection Team. Don't you realize that it is not cold walking near the tent? "
Xu Yilong winked at Sun Mao, allowing him to feel the temperature of the land and the stickiness of the snow under his feet when it rolled.
Sun Mao stuck out his tongue and licked his lips. He swallowed two mouthfuls of saliva. His expression changed and he said in distress, "It's all our fault. Xiaobei and the others intend to give us a very safe environment."
"Yes, Xiaobei and the others need the Seedling Protection Team to leave an impression on you with their absolute strength. You don't have to feel guilty. Xiaobei and the others are the same in any county. The ones that I admire the most are Xiao Bao and Cuckoo. It is only the second day, not even 24 hours. After the telegram communication was cut off, they could immediately respond in the capital. I guess Xiaobei and the others took this into consideration, so they dared to operate the machine at a high capacity. The Tang Empire today is not the past. "
Xu Yilong saw that she had said too much. She was afraid that Sun Mao's heart would be heavy, so she immediately added to comfort him.
Sun Mao stood and thought for a while. He showed a special smile and said, "Yes, the Tang Empire with Xiao Bao and Cuckoo is very strong. Since they have decided, let's enjoy it. The Seedling Protection Team has always been our most solid support. "
"You should take the opportunity to organize the people in the county and let the Seedling Protection Team teach you the little knowledge in daily life. Don't think that you are more familiar with life than others because you usually live like this. The Seedling Protection Team is systematic learning. If you are not their enemy, you don't know how scary they are. "
Xu Yilong helped to come up with ideas. Since everyone was here, it was a waste of resources to only let the people in the county do some manual labor.
Sun Mao touched Xu Yilong's head happily and said, "Thank you, I will arrange it later. I really don't know how scary the Seedling Protection Team is. Even if you say that they can defeat ten times the enemy at any time. I only know how firm I was when I saw them in despair when it snowed yesterday, because I am not their enemy. "
"It is an enemy ten times the same armed, not an unarmed farmer." Xu Yilong emphasized, "They are not only responsible for the foreign war at the critical moment, but also for the rebellion of the army in a certain area. For example, the military and political officials in a slightly remote place in the Tang Empire join hands to rebel. What the Seedling Protection Team has to do is to go over and then annihilate.
Don't think that the army in other places can compete with the Seedling Protection Team with the same weapons. They can't afford the training fees. I have seen it with my own eyes once. It was a training session for the Seedling Protection Team. "
"Really?" Sun Mao was curious.
"Really, artillery and infantry work together. That was a real fight. The artillery fell as if it did not cost money. The artillery's data was very tight because the infantry was not far from the landing point of the artillery. A row of artillery shells fell, the second row of artillery shells fell, and the third row of artillery shells pushed forward. Before the artillery shells hit the ground, they entered the first row of artillery shells.
This is called slowly entering the bullet screen. The infantry needed to step on the artillery points and shoot during the attack to destroy the targets that were not damaged by the artillery shells. That was a real artillery shell. If there was a mistake between them, they would die.
Previously, they needed to train separately. It was said that an artillery soldier needed to shoot 300 artillery shells a year. The error rate of the last few dozens of artillery shells was less than three meters to participate in such a live-fire exercise.
What did I see that day? The artillery shells fell, the people pushed forward, followed by rocket launchers, artillery shells, grenade launchers, rifle grenades, and hand grenades. The entire position was full of all kinds of smoke and explosions. There was no blind spot, and all the targets were blown up.
Only the army in other places of the Tang Empire dared to rebel. Even if the fortifications were built, they could not withstand the charge of the Seedling Protection Team because they did not have the money to train like this. Their battalion level commander could not even compare to the leader of the Seedling Protection Team. "
Xu Yilong said as she gestured, trying to describe the situation of the exercise to Sun Mao.
Sun Mao was already confused. He smacked his lips and asked without confidence, "How many artillery shells can a sheep be exchanged for?"
"It can be exchanged for at least ten," Xu Yilong answered with uncertainty.
"Their artillery training used up 30 sheep a year?" Sun Mao swallowed again. It was so expensive.
"More than that. Their artillery soldiers not only need to know how to fire, but they also need to know how to repair, know how to airborne, snipe, dodge during the process of swimming and counterattack on the other side. If an accident happens to the artillery soldier, any soldier can immediately take over the position of the artillery soldier. Although the shooting is not so accurate, the data needs to be calculated skillfully.
Their artillery soldiers are amazing. There is a newly built cannon that can rotate. The artillery soldier blindfolded on it. When others report the position and distance, he can blow up the targets one by one. It is said that it is specially prepared for the scouts in special environments and terrains. When the scouts find the enemy, they measure the distance and position. In the case of fog, the cannoneers hit the target with one shot.
Therefore, the Seedling Protection Team is a standard combat force, not a simple rescue force. You don't have to worry about whether they have enough supplies. They just calculate the logistics for the battles that they encounter at any time. "
After Xu Yilong finished speaking, Sun Mao was finally not as anxious as before. He greeted the other party and went back to inform the people in the county to be prepared and learn more from the Seedling Protection Team.
Xiaobei had already written a reply and stuffed it back into the bamboo tube.
"Shuiyun, it doesn't matter if it takes a little bit of time. Fly slowly when you go back. When you have enough rest, bring them back in the afternoon. Look at the sky, the snow will be lighter in the afternoon, right?"
Xiaobei was always worried about tiring Shuiyun out, just like how he did not want the Seedling Protection Team to operate at full capacity.
Shuiyun looked up at the sky and nodded slightly to Xiaobei, meaning that the snow in the afternoon would indeed be lighter.
Normally speaking, Shuiyun had the last say in the weather. He could easily fly to the stratosphere and glide up there for fun.
He had seen a lot and naturally knew what kind of clouds would have what kind of changes.
Asking him to lead the transport plane only showed that the Tang Empire's technology was not good enough and could not fly to such a high altitude. Otherwise, it would be easier to airdrop.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan only had one word for this: endure.
Endure the Tang Empire's technology and slow progress. Yes, slow. At the same time, the two of them lamented and complained. Why didn't they learn more about this back then? They were all geniuses, right? Even if they had to spend two more years to learn and remember, it would not be as difficult as it was now.
Although the current speed of development had surpassed the historical speed of the Industrial Revolution, at that time, the Industrial Revolution did not have a clear path and was summed up in failure.
It was not like the two of them who were very clear about how many detours the Industrial Revolution had taken. The light bulb did not need to be tested thousands of times. The sealing of steam engines was a law. The operating principle of internal combustion engines was very clear, including the faults that would occur and several design concepts that the two of them knew.
Of course, for children who did not study hard, it was impossible for them to remember and use at will. The two of them did not have to worry about whether they studied well or not. It just depended on what they wanted to learn.
Zhang Xiaobao never felt that he was qualified to waste time on playing and college feelings. He carried the wishes of the dean's grandfather, and he had to do what the dean wanted to do but could not do.
As a member of the Red Family, Wang Juan grew up in internal and external competition. She was also very talented and was never willing to submit to a man. No man dared to look down on her, not even Zhang Xiaobao.
Thus, they controlled the overall program of the Tang Empire's economy, society, human nature, politics, military, and diplomacy. However, the two of them still felt that they had learned too little, and their evaluation of themselves was ignorance.
Zhang Xiaobao had only attacked the loopholes in the economic system of other countries, but he had not helped in the construction of that era. That was because it was too difficult, and he did not have the opportunity. He was not willing to help a small country, and he would be caught helping China.
Wang Juan only had a master's degree. Although she had learned a lot and was very good at it, she did not have a systematic understanding of the top areas. Physics was not good, chemistry was not good, and mathematics was not good. In that era, no one could be multi-specialized. If you thought you were a genius, then who was not a genius at the top?
Thus, the two of them spent most of their time learning. They taught each other what they knew and then studied it. Others would think that they were trying to solve difficult problems in the field of political economy, but in reality, the two of them had no such thoughts.
The two of them spent most of their time studying biology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics, because this involved specific applications of medicine, weaponry, agriculture, and processing.
Nowadays, the people of the Medical Academy almost regarded the two of them as gods. When the antibiotic penicillin was invented, the two of them were directly pushed to the altar. Later on, the two of them helped to develop erythromycin, and now they were developing a series of drugs for tuberculosis.
As long as Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan had time, they would have the Medical Academy submit research reports to check the research progress and mass production of various tuberculosis drugs.
"This is the advantage of the free medical system. Many people are afraid of spending money. Even if they are not feeling well, they will not come to see a doctor. When they find out that they have tuberculosis and are in the terminal stage, it is impossible to say that they will die immediately. It can only be maintained, and then more money will be spent.
If the disease is known in advance, it is easy to treat it, and the social value created by this person's life will definitely be far greater than the cost of treatment. There may be exceptions for a single person, but the social value has never been calculated for a single person. "
Wang Juan was waiting for the morning court to end so that Li Longji and the others could come to see Shui Yun. Then, they could send out the transport plane. During the free time, she analyzed the report with Zhang Xiaobao and sighed with emotion.
Zhang Xiaobao flipped through the report. "Why do you think there are so many kinds of tuberculosis? Other than the common cold, it is probably the only kind that has many kinds. What you said just now was wrong in terms of calculation. Isn't it social value that they buy medicine when they are sick? Medical care has been industrialized. If they are not sick, they can create social value in other aspects. If they are sick, they can still create social value in medical institutions. "
"Go, go, go. We agreed not to criticize the past. Look at the report. The little monkey is so pitiful. It is actually being inoculated with tuberculosis bacteria. In a few years, when the white mice are cultivated, the monkey can relax."
Wang Juan saw that the report mentioned many monkeys and then said that she was not a member of the protection association. She just said that she did not care. It was fine as long as the monkey was dead and the human was alive. If they wanted to take pity on the entire world, that would be a god.
True gods were not the gods of various religions. The gods of religions had always brought about control, exploitation, and slaughter.
"You were the one who said something about social value first. Shui Yun has not returned yet. It seems that she will only send out a team in the afternoon. This is a kind of test for the Tang Empire's air force. If we force an airdrop in this snowy day, who knows where it will land?"
Zhang Xiaobao did not care about the monkeys. His thoughts were on the people. To be precise, it was on the pilots. Since the beginning of the airplanes, six pilots had died. This number was heavy and light at the same time.
Every life was heavy, but just like what was said on the day of the airplanes, this road to heaven was full of heroes.
Wang Juan flipped to the last page, closed the report, and said, "It can only be said that our technology is not good enough. Shouldn't we airdrop in snow? The reason is that we don't have satellites. There is no remote sensing detection system on the airplanes. Otherwise, what is snow? When we pass through the clouds, we are frozen in ice. Can we not fly?
When we don't have an air force, we don't need them to do anything. Since we have an air force, they must bear the responsibility of the air force. Otherwise, why do they eat beef and mutton every day? Why do they build such a beautiful house? It is not because they are pilots, but because they are always prepared to sacrifice. "
"You misunderstood me. I don't feel sorry for them. I feel sorry for the diesel and gasoline. In order to throw 500 kilograms of things, more than a ton of fuel was consumed. I am afraid that they will not be able to throw accurately and waste the money." Zhang Xiaobao argued.
"It would be strange if I believed you." Wang Juan muttered, got up, and looked out the window. She called Zhang Xiaobao, "Go and cook. Shui Yun will probably be back soon. Xiaobei and the others are probably afraid that Shui Yun will be tired, so they let him fly to the stratosphere."
*****
Shui Yun did come back from the stratosphere. He flew close to the ground to observe the terrain. When he came back, he could also observe the clouds.
It was almost noon. Shui Yun landed easily and began to drink water. As he drank, he exhaled to lower his body temperature. There was another guided flight in the afternoon.
His wife, Hong Luan, and the children were also there. When he went in the afternoon, Hong Luan and the five children had to follow him. Starting tomorrow, they would be separated from morning to afternoon. The main thing was color. Shui Yun was too white, and it was not good to dye him with other colors. He could only rely on different colors from his family for the pilots to observe.
After an hour, Shui Yun indicated that he was ready. Everyone followed him to the airport in the suburbs of the capital, including the emperor, Li Longji.
The airport was clean and flat. Occasionally, there would be a gunshot or a few reared falcons hovering in the sky. Their purpose was to shoot and catch birds. At the same time, they could practice their marksmanship.
Sixteen transport planes were pulled out and parked on both sides. 366 pilots were neatly dressed and lined up in formation. There were also publicity staff from the capital newspaper taking photos with precious cameras.
At the same time, more than a thousand people appeared around them. They were still vigilant against each other. When they looked at unfamiliar people around them, they felt that they were saboteurs.
Li Longji was invited to the stage to speak first.
His gaze swept across everyone's face. Li Longji said into the microphone, "When I first heard of the heavy snow in Yin Province, I was very worried. Later, I found out that Xiaobei, Xiaoyuan, Xiaohai … nine people happened to pass by. However, I am afraid that it will be difficult for the protection team to continue their supply and rescue. Shui Yun brought back news that they are heading west to meet the east current. Their code name is Countercurrent. Therefore, you are ordered to wait for the long-distance airdrop. Here, I wish you victory. Now, Wang Juan will swear the oath. "
Applause sounded. It was from the people and publicity staff. Only then did Li Longji not get angry.
Wang Juan came up and applause sounded again.
Wang Juan frowned and said with a cold expression, "Stop clapping. There are still people waiting to be rescued. There is nothing to be happy about."
The people and publicity staff immediately stopped. They were very nervous, afraid that they would anger their Cuckoo.
"There are 366 pilots in Great Tang." Wang Juan stared at the pilots. "However, only 35 people can participate in this mission. The others are all unqualified. If you don't work hard during training, you will be eliminated at the crucial moment. There is no need to talk about feelings. I am very disappointed in those people who, under good weather conditions, can actually make a low altitude airdrop with a margin of error of one mile. This is a great humiliation. "
Three hundred and thirty-one pilots lowered their heads, and some of them even shed tears. Another three pilots knelt on the ground. Obviously, they were the ones who had made the airdrop a mile away.
"The remaining 35 people." Wang Juan changed her target again. "You just did better than the others. It doesn't mean that Xiao Bao and I are satisfied. This mission will be carried out by you. There will be 16 people in each group. Bring along 16 people who are better trained to participate. The remaining three will be on standby and be ready to be replaced at any time. "
Wang Juan paused for a moment to let everyone understand.
Then, she said, "The airport in Beijing will provide you with logistical support. Takeoff and landing will not cause you any trouble. I won't encourage you. I don't want to talk about how difficult the mission is, and I don't want to talk about how honorable you are. My request is simple. Fly over, drop the airdrop accurately, and fly back.
As for the distance, bad weather, and low visibility, that is your problem. You are the pilots. I don't care about the process. I only want the results. If it was easy, why would I need you? Pilots carry out such missions. The meaning of your existence is this moment.
Now, there is no road on the ground that can be passed at the required time. What should we do? Go up and fly over from the sky. Thus, this time, we will call it … Long Sky Pass. Get on the plane and set off. "
"Yes!" The 16 pilots and the 16 pilots who followed to learn how to adapt shouted and ran to their planes.
The people who came to watch the show and the publicity staff were confused. All of them felt a surge of emotion and were very puzzled.
Just now, Cuckoo clearly said that she did not encourage them. Moreover, she was indifferent to the life and death of the pilots. She said that the mission was not difficult and that it was not honorable when they did it.
Then why did it sound so prideful? It was as if being a pilot was something to be proud of. Especially that operation code, Long Sky Pass, was so domineering.
How was it "pass"? It was clearly to force their way through. It echoed Xiao Bei and the others' code name, Countercurrent. Listening to it, one would feel that they were full of energy.
Li Longji and the other officials were very satisfied with Wang Juan's pledge. Not mentioning how dangerous it was, just saying that they had to complete the mission was a form of trust. Trust in the pilots was even better.
The transport planes that had been resupplied took off in two waves. Seven of Shuiyun's family were mobilized. They tied two-foot-long strips of colored cloth to their feet. At the end of the strips of cloth were red lights powered by batteries. When they entered the snowy region, the pilots had to rely on the colors of Shuiyun's family and the strips of cloth and lights to determine the altitude and direction.
The people on the ground looked at the sky and did not look away even when the planes became small black dots. They were waiting for all the people who flew to come back.
The publicity staff began to think about how to write a script. They had to do their best to publicize this matter and let the people of Great Tang know what kind of strength their country had.
"Let's go. We still have to nurse Mingming when we get home." Wang Juan breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave. Feeding the child was the most important thing.
"Shuiyun said that the snow will be lighter when we fly over. This is good news." Zhang Xiaobao followed.
"Let's go back. Everyone, go back to your own departments. Don't be lazy." Li Longji waved his hand at the people and strolled back.
"Everyone, it's been hard on you. Let's go to Savant's Restaurant tonight." Zhang Zhong found a bicycle somewhere and rode it away.
Wang Ke rubbed his stomach. "You didn't eat lunch, right? What time is it? If you eat again, can you still eat at night if you're full? It's so confusing. "
"I'm old. It doesn't matter if I eat more or less. When I go back, I'll just eat some snacks and drink a pot of tea. It's good for my health."
Yuan Qianyao was obviously planning to eat a lot tonight and find an excuse to stay healthy.
Yu Wenrong: "We're eating and drinking well in the capital. I wonder how the people in the snowy regions are doing? If we can find a kind of food that can be grown in the snow, then … "
"Aiya, I'm still nurturing the seedlings. I can't delay. Everyone, I'll make a move first. See you at Savant's Restaurant tonight." Without waiting for Yu Wenrong to finish speaking, Jiang Cen cupped his fists and strode away, disappearing in front of everyone.
*****
Yu Wenrong was right. There were really people suffering in the snow. It wasn't because of their food, but because of their mentality.
He He River had a long history. It was a village, but it was of a higher level than a village. It also shouldered the heavy responsibility of defending against foreign enemies and transmitting information.
It was built next to the ferry, and the population had always been small. No one was willing to live here. In the past, there were only military households and not civilian households, and many of the military households had fled.
With the birth of the Imperial Court's welfare benefits, He He River had a population of less than 60 households and less than 300 people.
The reason for this situation was simple. Some people lived in the mountains and hunted for a living. They only opened up a few acres of land and could harvest some food, but not much. The soil was not good.
There were also people who lived on boats, ate in the river, and used in the river. In the winter, they brought the boats ashore and cut ice to get water.
Only when they needed to trade would they come to the pass and barter with the merchants who came over. Usually, they didn't register because they were afraid of paying rent and tribute, as well as working.
When the Imperial Court's welfare policies caught up, they came over to register because there were subsidies. For example, the simplest salt was rationed according to the number of people's hair. Remote areas were free of charge. There were also daily medicines. There were no medical centers in the area, so they could only send the medicines over. Since medical treatment was free, there was no such thing as reselling.
Finally, when there was a disaster, people who didn't live in He He River usually felt danger when they suddenly saw the weather change. They immediately remembered that they were from He He River, so the Imperial Court's disaster relief would definitely be managed according to a fixed location.
The previously inaccurate data finally confirmed the number of people. There was probably no one on the mountain or by the river. If it wasn't accurate, it would mean that there were people who died and didn't report it. There were also newborns who were young and didn't register in time. They took a boat and went downstream.
At this moment, He He Village, or rather He He River Jin, had just finished counting the number of people. There were 42 people under the age of 15. To be precise, they were under the age of six. There was no one between the ages of six and 15. There were 15 people over the age of 60. The remaining 201 people made a total of 258 people.
"This is the most in the past few years, right?" Huangfu Yechi, the Guan Jin of He River Jin, said to the person beside him after counting the number of people.
The person beside him was Guan Jincheng. Like him, he had a compound surname. However, he wasn't Huangfu, but Xiahou. His name was Yi.
Both of them were ninth-rank officials. One was a ninth-rank official, while the other was a ninth-rank official. One was thirty-seven years old, while the other was thirty-four years old. Both of them had families and children. They didn't lack elderly people either, but they didn't live in He He River. The two of them had been here for four years. They would go back after two more years. No one was willing to stay in a poor place.
Xiahou Yi nodded. "That's a lot. The snow came so quickly. We have to thank Xiao Bei."
"Yes. Otherwise, even if they knew the weather was bad, it would be too late. They knew that Xiao Bei and the others would pass by a few days ago, so they ran over to welcome them. If someone didn't want to welcome them and didn't come over, they would probably freeze to death. In this remote place, one or two families can't survive this snow. "
Huangfu Yechi was filled with emotions. The people of He River Jin deliberately brought their families to meet Xiao Bei and the others despite the hardships. They brought a lot of game and frozen freshwater fish to express their gratitude to Xiao Bao, Cuckoo, and the imperial court.
"Yes, those who aren't close to Xiao Bao, Cuckoo, and the imperial court will eventually suffer retribution. Who can save them? Who knows where they are? It's just that there are too many children here, so it's too noisy. "
Xiahou Yi was even more pious when faced with such a situation. He believed that this was fate. They clearly knew that Xiao Bei and the others were coming, but they still didn't come to He River Jin to wait respectfully. The snow was merciless. Who could help?
Huangfu Yechi took out a water bag and drank two mouthfuls. He praised, "Good wine. It's strong enough. It's a pity that there aren't any side dishes."
"I have some. Change." Xiahou Yi snatched the water bag and took out two handfuls of broad beans with fine salt. He let Huangfu Yechi put them in his pocket.
Huangfu Yechi looked over in surprise.
Xiahou Yi drank a mouthful of wine and explained, "A child gave it to me. He said that it was too hard to chew, so I gave him a piece of jerky."
"You can chew it with jerky?" Huangfu Yechi asked.
Xiahou Yi smiled. "Who knows?"
"It's still a lie. They're young, so they like to eat meat. Those over six years old have all been sent to other places to go to school."
"There are even younger ones sent out. They cry. They can't bear to part with them, but they have no choice. It's He River Jin's fault for not having a school. I don't know when Xiao Bei and the others will send people over."
"It should be soon. It snowed yesterday. I bet that the protection team will come in three days at most, no matter how difficult the road is. It's a merit for us to take care of the two hundred and fifty-eight people. "Huangfu Yechi's expression was relaxed.
The people in He River Jin weren't worried either. With the resources in He River, it wouldn't be a problem to hold on for more than ten days. Before that, the protection team would definitely come and deliver more things or lead everyone to leave.
The firewood was burning, and the pot on the rack kept steaming. The food inside never stopped cooking. Whoever was hungry would scoop it out to eat. Everyone had packed their luggage.
Huangfu Yechi and Xiahou Yi had said that the wind at He River was strong, and the snow was flying everywhere. It had to be cleaned up, and it was difficult to guard. When the protection team arrived, there was a high possibility that they would lead everyone to leave.
Since that was the case, they should prepare first. They shouldn't wait for them to come and pack up, which would be a waste of time.
The snow was still falling. The sky seemed brighter at noon, but after noon, it gradually became gloomy again. Some people rested by the fire, and some people were not sleepy. They sat there and continued to wait. Their eyes were not empty, and they were not anxious. Instead, they were peaceful and expectant.
They didn't believe that Xiao Bei and the others would give up on them.
It was just like the conversation between a father and his daughter when he was baking a scallion pancake for his child.
"Little Darling, the pancake will be cooked soon. Eat it with the soup. Don't always run around. Eat more and have more strength. When the protection team comes, you can follow them."
"It's the Vigorous Protection Team. Will Xiao Bei come back?" Little Darling sniffled and waited for the pancake to be baked. She corrected her father's way of addressing her and asked with uncertainty.
"Yes, it's the Zhuang Zhuang Sapling Protection Team. Little Darling knows so much. Little Bei is making toys for Little Darling in a safe place. He won't come. Little Darling will see when she goes over." The father knew that the rescue team could not include nine children.
"Oh." Little Darling was a little regretful, but she immediately became happy again. "Xiao Bei must have a lot of toys. Daddy, I heard from Big Mother that Little Darling has an uncle who also walked out in the snow when it was snowing. He froze to death. Why didn't he wait for Xiao Bei?"
A flash of sadness appeared in the father's eyes, but he was not sad. Perhaps it had been too long. He only said to his daughter, "My brother is eight years older than me. Twenty-three years ago, he was as old as your second brother, nineteen years old. At that time, there was no Xiao Bei and no Vigorous Protection Team. There was no hope if he couldn't wait. "
"I have. I can wait, can't I? Daddy, is hope the side of disappointment?"
"Yes, Little Darling is so obedient."
"I don't want to be disappointed."
"Then you have to protect Xiao Bei and the Protection Team first."
"It's the Vigorous Protection Team. I know that I'll die if I'm disappointed. I don't want to die. I'll protect Xiao Bei. Why aren't they coming? " Little Darling, who did not completely understand what it meant to protect Xiao Bei, had a determined look in her eyes. Then, she became anxious. She was afraid of death.
As if to fulfill her wish, a group of bright colors appeared on the ice and snow in front of the ferry as soon as she finished speaking. They were approaching very quickly.
"They're coming, they're coming."
"Look, that's skis. Their clothes are so pretty. They're so colorful."
"Where are Xiao Bei and the rest? They've arrived in one day? "
"Get up, get up. We'll leave immediately."
"Let them rest and drink some soup."
As the Protection Team arrived, various voices appeared in the crowd.
When they got closer, the crowd realized that the Protection Team had tired expressions on their faces. Their bodies were also covered in snow. All of them gathered at the shore and waited.
There were more than a hundred people in the Protection Team. When the leader saw that the people they were supposed to receive had already packed their things, he shouted happily, "Come, come with us. Leave now. Bring whatever you can bring. Leave the rest. If you don't leave now, the road will be blocked again."
Huangfu Yechi and Xiahou Yi looked at each other and quickly called out. They did not care about putting out the fire or the pot. They led the people, children, and the young and strong people to support the old people and spread out. They followed the Protection Team who turned around and walked to the other side of the river. All of them paid attention to their feet.
After an hour, the people finally knew why the Protection Team asked them to evacuate directly. In front of them was a valley between two mountains. Those who were familiar with the local situation knew that it was about two miles long.
What they saw now was the wind blowing the snow down from above. The highest pile of snow in the valley was as high as two people's height. There was a road in the middle that had been cleared.
Moreover, there were large piles of snow falling from time to time. Some members of the Protection Team waved their snow shovels and rushed in with something over their heads. They disappeared directly. Behind them, there were people who rushed in. At the same time, they tried their best to push the snow to the side and step down.
Occasionally, a pile of snow would suddenly spread to the sides, revealing the heads of the people who had rushed in before. Then, there would be people who helped to lower and compress it.
They were cutting a road in the snow.
"When we pass, don't make a sound. Leave the children to us." The leader of the Protection Team gave the order and passed it down. The people became nervous and nodded one after another.
The children went first. Each child was carried by a member of the Protection Team. There was also a backup at the side. Oxygen masks connected to oxygen tanks were ready.
Twenty minutes passed. There was only one time when it was more dangerous. A large pile of snow fell from above. A member of the Protection Team and a person who was buried together went back and forth using an oxygen mask. They were dug out after a few minutes.
As for the cold, how could they care about it?
After passing through the most difficult valley, the road ahead was easy to walk. The snowmobiles were still parked outside and were not used.
Huangfu Yechi let out a long breath and looked back. He still had a lingering fear. The two miles of the valley was covered in snow. It was really a separation between life and death. He did not know how long the Protection Team had dug.
After walking for more than ten miles in the snow, everyone felt relieved. There were more than a hundred members of the Protection Team waiting in front. They took the children and sped up.
Every ten miles they advanced, there would definitely be a wave of reinforcements, which made them feel very relaxed. After five times, the people of Hehe River met up with the main group. Some were crying, some were laughing, and some were crying for Xiaobei everywhere.
After receiving these people, Xiaobei and the others were finally not worried anymore. The rest was to wait. There was no need to worry about supplies. The snow could not keep falling. Besides planes, there were also groups of eagles or a sleigh team sent from Feng Province.
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