Upon learning that Yucun not only agreed to the request but also willingly accepted the elderly and weak from Quancun, the witch doctor of Quancun immediately knelt before Yusuo, tears streaming down: "Thank you, Lord Yusuo. For your great kindness, I will ensure that everyone in the village remembers it and strives to repay you."
Yusuo helped him up, saying: "This is not solely my idea. As long as they join Yucun and work diligently, it is a repayment to Yucun."
The witch doctor of Quancun hastily promised to make sure those joining Yucun would work hard.
To accommodate the incoming people from Quancun, Yusuo ordered the expansion of housing near the slave camp and sent people to assist them in Quancun.
Within the first two days of Quancun's relocation, the elderly witch doctor of Quancun passed away.
Yusuo went to express condolences and escorted him on his final journey.
...
Several days later, Quancun moved to Yucun, formally joining the village.
Yucun's population expanded to over three thousand people.
Half a month later, Yusuo received a letter from the eastbound caravan, informing Yucun of a major event.
The large villages of Daji and Mang in the eastern plains were at war.
Daji and Mang, both large villages with over ten thousand residents, had a significant impact when they clashed, causing havoc to the smaller villages caught in the middle.
The initial plan for the first caravan heading north to Daji was temporarily halted in other villages.
The letter mentioned that both Daji and Mang suffered heavy losses during the winter. In spring, they actively sought more food and territory. They simultaneously targeted a fertile piece of land, leading to the conflict.
The small villages caught in between suffered greatly, forcing them to scatter and flee. The caravan encountered several groups of refugees, and Yuye, seeing their plight, directed them to Yucun.
Yusuo was aware that Yuye was trying to attract more people to Yucun, so he didn't express any blame upon receiving the letter. Yuye's letter stated that three groups, totaling around two hundred people, were heading towards Yucun.
While Yusuo urgently needed to expand Yucun, he was selective in whom he accepted. The initial inclusion of Daheshan, Southern Five Villages, and the closely connected Quancun had been based on thorough understanding. The acceptance of Hongshan Village was due to the Hongshan clan's ties. As for the refugees from the north, Yusuo was open to the idea but set conditions for their approval. Only those who passed the screening would become true residents of Yucun; others would not be accommodated.
So, for these two hundred people, if they genuinely intended to join Yucun, he planned to set conditions for their approval. The task of handling this matter would naturally fall to Yufeng.
Yufeng: "Lord Yusuo, rest assured. I will handle this matter properly."
Yusuo nodded: "Then, I trust you to arrange for the patrol team to receive them."
Yufeng: "Yes."
...
After several days, as expected by Yuye, over two hundred people from the east, refugees from the affected villages, arrived successively at Yucun. These individuals had suffered greatly, with most either taken as slave soldiers or perishing in the conflicts between the two large villages. They were now homeless.
Initially skeptical, they half-believed Yuye's guidance and arrived at Yucun.
Before coming, they worried that Yucun might treat them like Daji or Mang, capturing them as slaves.
Upon learning that Yucun was willing to shelter them but required them to pass a screening to become villagers, each one was pleasantly surprised and readily agreed without hesitation.
Yucun was far more prosperous and powerful than they had imagined, resembling a kingdom where the gods dwelled. It seemed like a stroke of luck had hit them, and refusing such an opportunity would be foolish.
Yufeng documented their information, arranging for them to cultivate the western wilderness, similar to the group from the north.
This event caused a significant stir among the refugees from other villages.
Almost immediately, they considered these newcomers from the east as competitors.
Yufeng informed Yusuo that, with the addition of the eastern refugees, the northern group became more active in their work, fearing their chance for official inclusion might be taken away.
Yusuo smiled, "It's good this way. Competition brings a sense of urgency, making things better. Keep an eye on them and consider promoting those who perform well at the right time."
Seeing the benefits, these people would work even harder.
Yufeng nodded, "Understood."
...
Daji and Mang's war turned out to be more intense than Yusuo had anticipated.
Returning from the east, Luyan informed Yusuo, "They are capturing people everywhere to serve as slave soldiers. Many people from small villages have been taken."
Both Daji and Mang desperately needed reinforcements, and small villages without the protection of larger ones became their targets.
Even Daocun almost suffered, but timely intervention from Yucun spared it from Mang's grasp.
Tuxiong Village faced a similar situation, but its residents proved formidable, causing Mang to abandon the idea of taking Tuxiong villagers as slave soldiers.
However, other smaller villages were not as fortunate.
Villages that could trade with Yucun before the new year became cannon fodder in the war between Daji and Mang after the new year. The young and able-bodied were taken as slave soldiers.
Yusuo frowned, "This is extremely absurd. They fight among themselves but capture people from other villages to serve as slave soldiers. It's nothing short of robbery."
Luyan, more composed than Yusuo, had witnessed such situations during his time wandering the wilderness. When small villages faced larger ones, there were few options other than being beaten.
Being raided by Tucun or having villagers taken as slave soldiers or women abducted, and even their food stolen, life for small villages was incredibly difficult.
Luyan remarked, "On my way back, I saw several groups heading towards Yucun."
These were people who, upon hearing that Yucun could shelter and accept them, fled to Yucun, hoping to become villagers like the previous batches.
Yusuo said, "I'll have Yufeng contact them."
Then, he added, "We can't let the conflict between Daji and Mang continue."
The victims were those living in small villages on the eastern plains, and survival for human tribes was already challenging. Having their own people consume each other left Yusuo speechless.
Luyan suggested, "If you want to intervene, I can lead a team over."
Though Yucun's population might not be as numerous as Daji and Mang, its strength surpassed both. If Yucun intervened forcefully, the conflict between the two large villages would likely cease.
Yusuo stood up, looked at the newly drawn map, and firmly told Luyan, "I want to intervene."
Luyan nodded, "Good."
He agreed readily.
Yusuo couldn't help but ask, "Do you think I'm doing this unnecessarily?"
Luyan shook his head, "No. Do what you want to do. However, by doing this, those people from small villages won't come to seek refuge in Yucun anymore."
Yusuo smiled confidently, "Even without this method, I believe more and more people will come to Yucun in the future."
Luyan, looking at Yusuo's confident eyes, thought the same.
With Yusuo around, Yucun would become stronger and more renowned. There would be no shortage of people seeking refuge in Yucun.
Moreover, if Yucun successfully halted the battle between Daji and Mang this time, it would significantly enhance its reputation, echoing across the eastern plains.
Luyan's eyes flashed, "I'll set out with the team tomorrow."
Yusuo said, "Thank you for your efforts."
Luyan put down the face-wiping cloth, walked over, and said, "Can I ask for a reward in advance?"
Yusuo asked, "What reward do you want?"
Luyan reached out, lifting him up and holding him face to face. Their eyes met intensely, and Luyan said, "You know."
Yusuo, hands on Luyan's shoulders, lowered his head, meeting Luyan's gaze.
Luyan's eyes were deep, burning with an intense flame. It emerged from his eyes, enveloping Yusuo, and both ignited together.
Yusuo knew what Luyan wanted.
After establishing their relationship, they remained in the stage of mutual assistance, not progressing further. The main reason was Yusuo's lack of experience in that area. Even with comprehensive elf knowledge, he found it daunting, especially considering Luyan's exceptional talent, far beyond ordinary people. The mere thought frightened him.
Yusuo said, "Choose something else."
Luyan was somewhat disappointed, "Why?"
For Luyan, the day they established their relationship was when they could start deepening their connection. Waiting so long had made him somewhat impatient.
Yusuo's face turned red, "You... you might hurt me."
Luyan assured, "I won't. I'll be very careful."
Yusuo, blushing, insisted, "Anyway, not now. You have to let me prepare more."
Luyan asked, "Until when do you need to prepare?"
He could feel Yusuo's resistance, so even though he was eager, he suppressed it, but he hoped for a specific deadline; otherwise, he might go mad.
Every day of just touching, hugging, and kissing couldn't satisfy him.