I Built a Territory in Ancient Times

Chapter 48

Ming Yu observed the battle from a high vantage point in the rear, accompanied by Xie Yixiu, Mo Jiang, and others. This was the first time the Guard Camp engaged in a genuinely formal battle, making it a valuable experience for each participant. Regardless of future conflicts, this encounter undoubtedly held significant importance.

In the preceding days, people on the watchtower in Wang Village had already noticed signs of trouble. Many young men and women from their village had undergone training at the base, where they learned practical skills such as self-defense, counterattacks, assessing enemy situations, and organizing villagers to avoid danger.

Upon returning, they organized patrol teams. In addition to the underground passages, they had a watchtower about three to five meters high, facilitating observations of distant activities outside the village.

They established a rotation for patrol duty, allowing the remaining villagers to continue their work without affecting farming schedules. This approach safeguarded the village effectively. When they noticed strangers lurking near the village recently, their vigilance heightened. The bandits had set their sights on their village, but the villagers remained composed. They discreetly observed the strangers while dispatching someone to the base for reinforcements.

Months of training had instilled calm and composure in the young patrol members. They didn't inform the villagers of the situation to avoid causing panic. Worried that premature actions might alert the bandits, they kept it under wraps. Not only did they hide all the village's food in the underground passages, but every night, they had the villagers practice hiding in the tunnels, claiming it was to enhance their adaptability and familiarity with the tunnels for future use.

The underground passages were built by themselves and were easy to navigate. Despite resistance from the elders initially, the persistence of the younger generation prevailed. After a few days of this routine, everyone grew impatient. Little did they expect that tonight, bandits would truly invade the village.

The village head and elders were secretly relieved. If the younger generation hadn't insisted on having everyone hide in the underground passages, Wang Village might have faced a catastrophic disaster tonight.

Now they truly understood the reason behind the government's directive to construct the underground passages. Initially perceived as a task handed down by the authorities, they never thought it would prove essential. But reality had shown that the tunnels were indeed a lifesaver.

After cleaning up the battlefield, Ming Yu and the others entered the village to reassure the residents. The village head and elders led the villagers in kneeling to express gratitude for Prince Duan's life-saving grace. They hadn't realized before that the construction of the underground passages could save lives. It was all thanks to Prince Duan's grace, and they were immensely grateful.

Ming Yu helped them up, exchanged some conventional pleasantries, and reminded them to remain cautious. After all, the bandits were not entirely eliminated, and they needed to stay vigilant.

Everyone respectfully acknowledged the orders.

Xu Wen was ecstatic. He had personally overseen the construction of the underground passages, and today's events allowed him to witness the true purpose of these tunnels.

Initially, when Ming Yu proposed the idea, Xu Wen admitted to harboring some doubts. He found it hard to believe that merely constructing underground passages and relying on ordinary villagers could change the situation. The villagers had always been a vulnerable group, and only Ming Yu genuinely considered protecting and enabling them to help themselves.

When the bandits first searched the houses, the hidden patrol team had already seized the opportunity. Striking when the enemy was exposed while remaining in the shadows was the easiest method. They had practiced such scenarios countless times at the training base, so they felt no fear. Excitement was the prevailing emotion – encountering them meant bad luck for the bandits.