Chapter 3 Do You Believe?

As Wang Dou calmly lowered the drawbridge, opened the pier gate, and walked away, Zhong Dayong finally came to his senses. In a fit of rage, he shouted, "Crazy, this fool is truly insane... I, I will not let him off the hook."

In fact, what happened earlier was intentional on his part. He has been very clear about the situation these days; apart from the Han and Chao brothers, the others are all individuals who appear fierce but are weak at heart, including the squad leader, Zhong Dayong. These people, when faced with firmness, will yield completely, posing no future threat.

Wang Dou strode along the road, shouldering his long spear

Yang Tong got up, his face and mouth covered in blood, with several of his front teeth knocked out. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he shouted, "You scoundrel, how dare you hit me? I will fight you to the end."

Wang Dou lowered his head in contemplation, occasionally greeted or teased by familiar villagers as they passed by, to which he merely responded casually. His home is located to the north of Xinzhuang, near the Caishen Temple. This Xinzhuang, like other villages, is not particularly different; what stands out are the numerous temples and opera stages within the village, including the Caishen Temple, the Fushen Temple, the Dragon King Temple, the Guanyin Temple, the Five Grains Temple, and many others, too numerous to count

Wang Dou sighed inwardly; Xin Zhuang could be considered wealthy in Sanggan, yet even so, the common people at the end of the Ming Dynasty were impoverished, which reveals a glimpse of the situation.

Wang Dou stopped in his tracks, looked at Liu for a moment, and said lightly: "Since it is my sister-in-law who is pleading for him, I will let him go today. However, sister-in-law, you should advise Tong Ge well in the future, lest he regrets it later."

A gust of wind blew, and a surge of heroism welled up in Wang Dou's heart. He couldn't help but hum a song: "For you, I bring forth the true nature of a man, wholeheartedly striving for the future. For you, I offer the genuine feelings of a man, wholeheartedly accompanying you through life. Rely on my hands, rely on my abilities, to create a happy family..."

As one travels along, the land is entirely flat. Walking west from Jingbiandun for several miles leads to Dongfanghe. After crossing the river and continuing west for a few more miles, one arrives at Xinzhuang Village, which is the home of Wang Dou. Although Wang Dou serves as a militia member in Jingbiandun, his child bride, Xie Xiuniang, along with his mother, still resides in Xinzhuang.

Is this person before me still the same timid and cowardly Wang Dada who used to be so meek and submissive? ... Although everyone has recently sensed some changes in Wang Dou, they did not expect ...

With a shout of "Go!", a powerful fist struck heavily on Yang Tong's face, causing him to roll and immediately fly out.

He had just intended to step forward and tear at Wang Dou, but he saw Wang Dou take a step forward and throw a punch directly at him

Wang Dou looked at him coldly and said slowly, "Dare you insult me again? Damn your mother, do you believe that I will shoot you dead with one bullet?"

Some women, upon hearing this, also chuckled and laughed, pointing at each other and making a commotion

Wang Dou slowly turned to him, a hint of disdain flickering in his eyes. He said contemptuously, "I am free to speak with Zhong Hou; when did it become your turn, you worthless fool, to interrupt?"

He did not dare to move at all, fearing that if Wang Dou trembled even slightly, it would be the end for him. He had no choice but to be cautious, for although the punishment for killing officials in the Ming Dynasty was extremely severe, soldiers who killed their squad leaders or captains fell under the category of "ten evils" in Ming law, which generally warranted the death penalty. However, who could say whether this fool understood the law, and it was possible that after committing murder, he would simply flee to join the bandits, leaving him with no place to seek justice. Such incidents had occurred before in Dongjia Village.

Wang Dou looked at Zhong Dayong and asked, "Is it really accurate?"

In Wang Dou's memory, after his father's death, the Li family had attempted to seize their family's land and property, but it was only through his mother's desperate struggle that they were able to preserve those assets

After Wang Hu retreated to Ba'an Prefecture, he purchased land and established a family estate. Unfortunately, by the time of Wang Dou's father, the family had fallen into decline, and over one hundred acres of fertile land had been reduced to only a few dozen acres of poor land. This was also the reason why Wang Dou joined the army; on one hand, his mother did not want the family’s martial skills to decline, and on the other hand, it was a consideration to supplement the household income with military pay. In any case, since the recruitment of soldiers was from the civilian population, there was no danger of all descendants becoming military households. It is a pity that the current army lacks the prestige and might it had during the time of Grandfather Qi.

In order to prevent the incursions of bandits and marauders, the civilian fort villages in various border towns of the Ming Dynasty were largely indistinguishable from military fortifications, possessing the same defensive systems, including fortress walls, ramparts, drawbridges, and gate towers. Xinzhuang was no exception. The earthen walls, compacted with loess, were tall and sturdy, with the entire outer wall extending nearly 2 li. The southern gate was the only entrance, and the gate tower was constructed with brick and stone arches, standing tall and imposing.

No one responded to them, and within the platform, only the heavy breathing of the crowd could be heard, along with the occasional painful groans of Yang Tong.

Withdrawing the gun, he let out a few cold laughs and strode away.

He was about to rush forward recklessly when he saw a shadow of a foot growing larger before him. Wang Dou sidestepped and swept a kick onto his shoulder. Yang Tong spat out a mouthful of blood, rolled several times, and fell heavily to the ground like a sack, in so much pain that he could not even groan, his whole body merely convulsing.

In fact, most of the soldiers stationed at the Jingbian Dunes are like this, passed down from generation to generation. Each military household inevitably has a considerable number of family members, and when the soldiers are on duty, they often have their wives and families accompanying them. However, the remaining military families reside within the Dongjiazhuang Fort, and it is not only Wang Dou who is in this situation.

Suddenly, his words came to a halt, as Wang Dou's long spear was pointed directly at his throat, causing Zhong Dayong to become completely stiff.

Wang Dou swaggered out of the fire road mound, feeling immensely joyful. He had finally vented his pent-up frustration, and after today's events, he believed that his days within the mound would be more pleasant.

After thinking it over, there seemed to be no good solution. I don't even have the minimum starting capital, and I only have seven or eight coins on me. What can I do with that? In the end, Wang Dou thought, I'll take it one step at a time, but I won't give up!

It can be calculated that Wang Dou's ancestors were not originally from Bao'an Prefecture, but rather from Jiangnan. However, since his ancestor Wang Hu, the Wang family has resided in the vicinity of Xinzhuang for several decades, and over generations, they have become a typical local indigenous family. Wang Dou recalls hearing from his mother that his ancestor Wang Hu was once a renowned member of the Qijia Army, who accompanied Grandpa Qi in campaigns east and west, south and north. Although he was merely an ordinary soldier, he acquired excellent martial skills during his time in the army.

Zhong Da was drenched in cold sweat, and the icy tip of the gun made every hair on his body stand on end. He stammered, "Brother Wang, be careful... be careful..."

... ...

Zhong Dayong was taken aback; he had not yet spoken when Yang Tongji beside him sarcastically remarked, "Wang Dou, you know very well that we need manpower here at this critical moment. What do you mean by leaving now?"

Upon reaching the vicinity of Xinzhuang, one could sense a certain vitality among the people. Gradually, one could see men and women working around the village, yet each person wore a vigilant expression, frequently looking up and glancing around. At the fortress gate or on the watchtower, some villagers were patrolling back and forth. Last month, after the invasion by the Later Jin army, some villagers who were working outside Xinzhuang were unable to escape in time; some men and women were either killed or captured by the Later Jin forces. The lesson remains fresh, compelling everyone to exercise caution.

He approached Zhong Dayong quietly and cupped his fists in a gesture of respect, saying: "Master Zhong, I would like to request a few days of leave. The autumn sowing season is approaching, and at home, there are only my elderly mother and young wife. I fear that the two women will be overwhelmed with the work, so I plan to return home for a few days. I will come back immediately after I finish my tasks."

Gently withdrawing her foot from Liu's hand, she cast a sidelong glance at Zhong Dayong and said lightly, "Zhong Tou, what do you think about the matter of taking leave?"

Xinzhuang Village is the residence of the Wang Dou family and is also located in Sanggan Li of Baoding Prefecture. Although Baoding Prefecture is referred to as a prefecture, it is not even comparable to a single county in the interior, with fewer than 1,000 households and a population of less than 10,000. The township is only divided into seven miles, and Sanggan Li is one of the townships. Among the more than 100 households in Sanggan Li, the majority are concentrated in Xinzhuang, with about 70 to 80 households and a population of over 400. The remaining households are concentrated in the two natural villages of Fangjiagou and Yizhuang.

... ...

In this world, who fears whom

Looking at her silhouette, Wang Dou slightly shook his head

When Wang Dou returned, some villagers along the way saw him and all began to tease him loudly: "Oh, our General Wang has returned?"

Zhong Dayong's wife, Wang, approached with a pale face. She looked at Wang Dou's expression and cautiously smiled, saying: "Wang... Wang Ge'er, weapons have no eyes; let's speak nicely. It's just a matter of asking for leave, right? We will approve it!"

Just as Wang Dou arrived in front of the God of Wealth Temple, a figure suddenly darted out from a nearby alley, nearly colliding with him. Wang Dou quickly sidestepped, and it turned out to be a beautiful young girl, her face pale, head lowered, biting her lower lip, not saying a word, and hurriedly making her way past.

Sensing the dangerous aura emanating from Wang Dou, everyone instinctively moved a little further away from him

As they were about to lift Yang Tong's body, several voices called out simultaneously: "Don't!"

The exterior of Xinzhang is quite decent, but it is only upon entering that one can discover its decay. The main street is riddled with potholes, making it very uncomfortable to walk. On either side, there are narrow alleys filled with low, dilapidated earthen houses. Everywhere is littered with garbage and the excrement of chickens, ducks, and pigs, emanating a foul odor. The hurried men and women mostly have a sallow complexion and appear numb, while many children are even without clothes, running around bare-bottomed.

Wang Dou pointed at him and shouted angrily: "You filthy scoundrel, I toil day in and day out in the worksite, are you just going to take advantage of me here? Today, I will beat you to death!"

Wang Dou smiled and said: "Thank you!"

Yang Tong's wife, Liu, rushed forward, tightly embracing Wang Dou's feet, her face streaming with tears. She pleaded, "Brother Wang, I beg you not to hit him anymore; if this continues, someone will die! It is all my husband's fault; I, as his sister-in-law, am here to apologize to you."

Just now, Zhong Da was left dumbfounded by what had happened. It was only when Wang Dou asked this question that he came to his senses. He was filled with a mix of shock and anger, pointing at Wang Dou, struggling to articulate his words: "Well... well, you Wang Dou, truly have some audacity!"

Zhong Dayu repeatedly said: "It's settled, it's settled..."

Wang exclaimed from the side, "What a reckless outlaw..."

Perhaps the wealthiest family in Xinzhuang is the Li family, located on the western side of the village. Their large estate, with several entrances and exits, is surrounded by fertile fields, most of which belong to them. Many residents of Xinzhuang are tenants of their family. It is said that the Li family's ancestor, Li Tinggui, once passed the imperial examination and that the authorities built a scholarly district for them in the city of Bao'an. In the area around Sanggan River, the Li family has always held a prominent reputation, and even the village leaders and heads of households within the neighborhood must consider their family's wishes in their dealings.

The recent fight has also proven that this body is indeed quite remarkable; possessing his memories while simultaneously inheriting his abilities, Wang Dou was still satisfied with this initial test of skill

Suddenly, he shouted sharply: "You still want to take leave, you worthless scoundrel, I am going to ... ... "

Wang Dou's pace was swift, and he soon arrived at Xin Zhuang.

Upon hearing this, everyone present gasped in astonishment, and Yang Tong exclaimed in disbelief: "You foolish Wang, how dare you speak to me like this? You truly must not want to live."

Wang Dou, previously known as the great fool of Wang, was not only quite famous in Jingbiandun, but also well-known in Xinzhuang, as he had grown up here. These people were certainly unaware of what had just transpired in Jingbiandun, and Wang Dou could not be bothered with them. Carrying his long spear and with his hand resting on his waist knife, he directly entered Xinzhuang through the gate of the suspension bridge.

As he walked, Wang Dou found himself lost in thought. Making his life in the village better was merely the first step; the real challenge was how to survive and even thrive in a chaotic world. But how should he go about it? Wang Dou came from a future time and possessed insights that were hundreds of years ahead of those of the Ming people. Unfortunately, a multitude of his ideas for changing the current situation became futile in the face of reality. A skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice, and Wang Dou deeply understood this.

The sound of a needle dropping inside the pier could be heard, and everyone wore an expression of disbelief. Han Zhong stared blankly at Wang Dou with his mouth agape, drooling without realizing it. His brother Han Chao also changed from his usual lazy demeanor, his sharp gaze fixed intently on Wang Dou. Even Wang Shi, the wife of Zhong Dayong, was astonished.

... ...

He was determined and walked forward with great strides