Peace Order

Chapter 1848 - 1: Shifting Roles of Offense and Defense

"Woof woof woof! Ooo—woof!"

The sound of barking echoed.

It was late autumn, harvest season, the farmland a sea of golden yellow. Zhou Laosan whistled, and the little yellow dog he had picked up at the time was now fully grown, very robust, mouth holding a plump field mouse, running back and placing the mouse at Zhou Laosan’s feet.

Then it lay down, tail wagging vigorously, the shadow trailing behind, woofing as if offering a treasure. Zhou Laosan laughed, rubbing the dog’s head, saying: "You, you, a dog catching a mouse."

Big Yellow didn’t know what Zhou Laosan was saying, just suddenly sprang up, paws resting on Zhou Laosan’s arm, barking away, licking madly with its tongue. Zhou Laosan laughed heartily yet cursed: "Damn!"

"This awful stench—have you secretly eaten feces again?!"

Zhou Laosan got angry, wielding the iron knife, chasing after the big yellow dog. In his hands, the knife with a dog head carved into the hilt, the one used by his comrade, now no longer needed for human skirmishes, but only for cutting grass, cutting wheat.

After coming back from the battlefield, Big Yellow became his good companion.

When Zhou Laosan returned with the big yellow dog, he saw several twelve or thirteen-year-old youths sitting in a row near the field ridge, digging out things. They discovered a nest of field mice; these past two years, with abundant harvests, plenty of good things were found in the field mouse nests.

Around, several plump field mice were scurrying about in panic.

Big Yellow barked vigorously, rushing up to "play" with these field mice.

Zhou Laosan, having just washed his face, let his old companion go play. Suddenly, a field mouse moved, very nimbly, eluding Big Yellow, but was swiftly caught by a twelve-year-old youngster, raising his hand to grab it.

No matter how the field mouse struggled, it could not escape the palm force of this young lad.

Zhou Laosan couldn’t help but applaud: "Good palm skills, good Qinggong!"

The youngster smiled shyly, while his friend proudly said: "He’s among the top five in Qinggong at our public school. An adept at the Sky-reaching Palm, even the tutors can’t necessarily beat him!"

Zhou Laosan smiled and nodded, somewhat filled with emotion and envy.

This veteran, the last member of the Charging Army under the Vice General of the Gui Character Camp during three years of Tianhe, had now laid down his blade to return to rural life. These days were quite fulfilling, yet seeing these young lads, he felt a tinge of envy.

Back then, they didn’t have such systematic guidance.

Nor did they have such resources.

That step just now, it was heard to be the Chasing Wind Technique from the top-tier Qinggong in the Chen Country’s royal martial arsenal back then, and that Sky-reaching Palm force was also the core Absolute Skill of Sky-reaching Sect, then the largest sect in Northern Chen.

Nowadays, however, these have been dismantled, and after three to five years of fundamental training, when their vitality and physical fitness reach a certain level, local children can choose a martial art from many to learn.

This is a plan by someone named Yan Daiqing...

Hmm? Or was it Western Regions Yan Daiqing, or Southwest Yan Daiqing?

Zhou Laosan stroked his chin, momentarily unsure of which Yan Daiqing it was.

Though the world is vast, it’s common for different people in different places to share the same name, but there seem to be quite a few Yan Daiqing out there.

Anyway, it was the strategy of a Mr. Yan Daiqing.

He directly instructed the systemization of martial arts stronger than what the martial world commands teach, thus breaking one of the key foundations of martial world sects. People seek entrance to martial world sects either to train in martial arts or to seek protection.

Nowadays, martial arts stronger than most sects are taught systematically.

Along with the famous Hou Zhongyu Family’s line of pills.

The attractive points of martial world sects are lost.

This has led to the major martial sects facing a lack of successors, each becoming more sedate; the foundational disruption inflicted great harm, and the martial world saw a significant decline in defiance of laws through martial arts.

Now, disciples from martial world sects cannot compete with a Qin Country youth trained systematically from a young age, whose setup generally includes high-tier Qinggong, superior Inner Strength, a well-honed external martial skill, an array of apparatus, hand-to-hand combat, and proficiency in Hou Family pharmacology.

They can fight, run, and are skilled in poisoning and some medical arts.

Thus, martial world sects gradually declined.

Meanwhile, society flourished.

It is now the autumn of the second year of Emperor Qin, just over a year since the last major battle, and Chen Country’s territory is now governed. This land occupying the prosperous regions of the Central Plains finally showcased its intrinsic foundations.

Everywhere was a bountiful harvest, under Emperor Qin’s rule there was an air of peace and stability.

Zhou Laosan held the knife, looking at the somewhat ugly yet smoothly worn dog head on the hilt, remembering those fallen comrades, muttering: "It’s a pity if only you could see this day."

"Wouldn’t it be great."

His eyes were a little sore, yet he didn’t mind, loudly declaring:

"Enough!"

"You were not so lucky! Only this old man gets to see this for you!"

"Haha, serves you right to envy me; who let me have the luck to survive!"

The children curiously looked at this loud-muttering, half-aged man, not knowing if he was talking to himself or speaking to someone. Big Yellow lay on the ground, wagging its tail, gleaming spirit watching those few field mice huddled together and trembling.

Second year of Emperor Qin, also second year of Emperor Ying’s reign.

Compared to Qin’s prosperity, Ying too showed stability and development.

Since Emperor Ying Jiang Yuan ascended the throne, under the assistance of ministers, he exerted himself diligently, alleviated taxes, allowing Ying Country’s national power to recover to some extent. In the years before Jiang Wanxiang’s death, he eradicated many family forces within the country, ensuring clean governance.