Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Chapter 182 Shortage of Supplies

Gu Jinyan stood on the city wall, wearing a heavy cloak, his gaze fixed intently on the outside of the city.

Her hands were clenched into fists, her palms slightly sweaty—in such a cold winter, there was not enough food, and the people did not have enough supplies to keep warm. If the bandits took advantage of the situation to attack, how many days could the city hold out?

However, the firmness on his face was unwavering.

Beside him, Liu Yao rode up, his posture upright and his face full of murderous intent.

He stopped his horse beside Gu Jinyan, his eyes filled with worry, but the words that came out of his mouth turned into a sigh.

"General Gu, the city's granaries have been inventoried, and the current grain can only last for a month at most."

If the bandits besiege the city, I'm afraid..." Zhao Lingfeng was stopped by Gu Jinyan before he could finish speaking.

“I know.” Gu Jinyan’s voice was calm, but his gaze remained fixed on the distant mountains. “But if we put all our troops on the city walls, the lives of the people will become even more difficult.”

We cannot simply hold the city walls; we must also keep the morale of the people in the city stable, lest they panic before the enemy even arrives.

Liu Yao frowned and said in a deep voice, "General Gu is right, but we are short-handed and the bandits' movements are unclear. I'm afraid it will be even more difficult to take care of both sides."

He paused, turned around and waved behind him. Bai Nishang, wearing a leather cloak, slowly walked over, her expression serious.

"General Gu," Lin Min bowed slightly and clasped her hands in a fist salute, "I have carefully examined the city's defenses."

The foundations on the north and southeast corners of the city wall are unstable, making them the weakest points. If bandits were to attack the city, they would most likely target these two directions.

We can reinforce the city walls, but with the winter winds approaching and the workers facing food shortages, progress will be very slow.

Gu Jinyan listened and nodded, but his gaze never left the distance.

After a long silence, she slowly said, "Lin Min, you should immediately arrange for people to reinforce all the defensible points first, and then add sentries to each weak point."

Although the enemy situation is urgent, while guarding the city gates, we must also pay attention to the movements of the people inside the city, and not let them feel insecure by strengthening the city's defenses.

Lin Min was slightly taken aback, then nodded in understanding and turned to assign tasks.

Watching her departing figure, Liu Yao couldn't help but ask, "General Gu, you explained things to Lin Min in such detail, but if we really have to consider both sides, how long can the city's defenses hold out?"

"At least until the bandits attack, the people must feel that the city is still secure."

Gu Jinyan's voice was firm, and his eyes revealed a hint of determination: "If the people are filled with fear, we will be no match for the bandits when they reach the city walls."

Her words carried a silent power that filled Liu Yao with admiration.

Despite the critical situation, Gu Jinyan was still clear that he had to strike a delicate balance between the people and the city's defenses.

On the other side of the city, Lü Qian was visiting each household, chatting with the people in the streets and alleys with a gentle smile on his face.

Every time he passed a household, he would inquire about their food and heating supplies, and sometimes he would even personally help the elderly and children carry firewood.

As he appeared on various street corners, the initially worried people gradually showed signs of relief.

"Lord Lü, how much longer can our food supply last? I heard the bandits are coming again..."

An elderly woman asked, her voice trembling, her eyes filled with worry.

Lu Qian smiled and comforted her, "Don't worry, ma'am. The generals and officials are working hard to raise funds. This is not the first time Hesha City has faced such difficulties."

"We'll guard the city walls; you just need to focus on living your lives well and taking good care of your children."

As he spoke, he looked up at the distant city wall, and a sense of heaviness settled over him.

He understood Gu Jinyan's difficult choice: she had to defend the city while ensuring the stability of the people's lives.

However, all of this had to be done within limited resources, and even he could not foresee what would happen next.

At each household, he listened patiently to everyone's needs and comforted them.

This not only reassures the people, but also buys time for Gujinyan.

The elderly and children seemed to relax a lot after his greetings, and the chill seemed to lessen as they chatted and laughed.

As night fell, Gu Jinyan sat alone under the lamp, silent.

The city defense map was laid out on the table, and Liu Yao and Lin Min stood on either side of her, quietly waiting for her decision.

Gu Jinyan's gaze roamed over the blueprints, his fingertips lightly tracing over several key points, as if he were pondering how to maximize the use of limited resources.

Suddenly, she raised her head and looked at the two of them with a firm gaze: "Liu Yao, go and select a team of elite soldiers to be in charge of emergencies. If there is any disturbance in the city, they should respond immediately."

Lin Min, you continue to strengthen the defenses of weak points and inspect all construction sites to ensure the reinforcement work is carried out correctly.

Liu Yao and Lin Min exchanged a glance and replied in unison, "Yes, sir."

Just then, Lü Qian pushed open the door and entered, carrying a chill with him.

He gently brushed the snowflakes off his cloak, walked up to Gu Jinyan, and whispered, "General Gu, the emotions of the people in the city have basically stabilized."

"Thanks to your timely dispatch of people to reassure everyone, otherwise the city would probably be in a state of panic by now."

Gu Jinyan nodded, gave him a grateful look, and said slowly, "Lü Qian, thank you for your hard work. Next, I need you to continue patrolling the city and report any abnormalities immediately."

Lü Qian smiled gently and bowed slightly, saying, "General Gu, rest assured, I will certainly do my duty."

After they finished their discussion, they each went their separate ways.

Gu Jinyan sat alone at the table, his fingers gently tracing the outline of the city wall on the map.

The safety of Hersha City rests entirely on her shoulders and those of these loyal people.

A few days later, the city's defenses were progressing smoothly, and the people's emotions stabilized.

Although snowflakes occasionally drifted down from the sky and the cold wind grew increasingly biting, there seemed to be a greater sense of certainty and composure in everyone's eyes.

The sight of Lü Qian calming the crowd on the street, Liu Yao inspecting the city walls, and Lin Min issuing instructions to set up the defense line gradually dispelled the unease in the hearts of the people in the city.

Gu Jinyan saw all of this and couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth in his heart.

These loyal comrades conveyed her beliefs to everyone in the city in their own way.

The winter night was exceptionally quiet, as if even the cold wind could feel the city's resilience and protection.

Gu Jinyan stood on the city wall, looking up at the starry sky, a smile appearing on his lips.

That night, the city of Hersha silently carried this warmth and determination, awaiting the dawn.

The winter wind, carrying a biting chill, swept through the villages surrounding Hesha City, causing the bare branches to rustle in the wind.

Outside the village, wisps of smoke rose faintly from the depths of the mountains and forests, drifting in the air like spider webs in the night.

In the darkness of night, a group of shadowy figures lurked silently in the forest, led by a burly man with a stubble beard and a fierce expression.

Tie Man stood in the cold wind, his gaze fixed coldly on the village not far away, a cruel smile in his eyes.

"It's winter, city dwellers must be short of food, right?" Tie Man grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth, his voice low but tinged with sarcasm.

He waved his hand, and his men behind him nodded in agreement. They were all wearing black cloaks and carrying torches, and they made their way towards the village.

Tie Man's men had already received orders, and that night, almost no one in the village was spared.

They lit the rooftops with torches, watching the smoke rise as the raging fire consumed the cold night, reflecting on the villagers' terrified faces.

The villagers fled their homes in panic, their eyes filled with shock and helplessness. Some elderly people and children were still at a loss, standing blankly in the firelight, trembling as they stared at everything in front of them.

"Quickly, run into Hesha City!"

Someone shouted, and the villagers fled towards Hesha City like a tidal wave, their only thought being to find a place of refuge.

Although Hersha City was not large, they knew that it would always provide them with food, which was much better than being homeless on this cold winter night.

Tie Man stood at a distance, watching coldly, his eyes flashing with indifference.

He did not stop the villagers from fleeing into Hesha City; in fact, he deliberately guided them in that direction.

Once these villagers flood into the city, they will quickly deplete the city's food reserves. At that point, without him even lifting a finger, conflicts will arise among the city's inhabitants due to resource shortages.

"Let them fight it out."

Tie Man said in a low voice, and led his men silently into the darkness.

The firelight illuminated his face, revealing a sinister smile.

The villages outside the city were reduced to ashes overnight, and the villagers flocked into Hesha City with their families.

He pleaded with the soldiers guarding the city, "Let us in! We have no home, and it's too cold outside to survive!"

Their voices were filled with despair, their hands clasped together, pleading for shelter.

The soldiers guarding the city stood by the city gate, looking at the ragged, dust-covered villagers outside the city, their hearts filled with complex emotions.

They are people displaced by war, their eyes filled with hope.

It was as if Hersha City was their last refuge.

Some soldiers looked on with sympathy, while others showed hesitation and unease, but military orders were hard to disobey—they could not let these civilians into the city without authorization.

Finally, an older soldier couldn't help but step forward and ask the leader, "Sir, these people..."

"Can't we really let them in? They all look so weak..."

The team leader looked up and glanced into the distance, where the wasteland was gradually turning yellow with sand, and the ruins of villages after the war were still faintly visible.

The team leader sighed and said in a low voice, "Military orders are absolute. We are soldiers guarding the city, not philanthropists."

If we put them in the city, how many days could the city's food and water supplies last?

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from inside the city. The soldiers turned around and saw Gu Jinyan riding up on horseback. Her expression was cold and stern, with a hint of anxiety.

Behind her, Hongye followed closely, her hands holding the cloak, as if afraid that the wind and sand would disturb the young lady's clothes.

Gu Jinyan dismounted and walked directly towards the city gate.

When she saw the people outside the city, her face darkened slightly. She walked up to the leader and asked in a deep voice, "Why are you delaying the entry of people into the city?"

They were also ordinary people, fellow citizens of Hesha.

The leader bowed his head and replied, "General Gu, it's not that I'm unwilling, but resources in the city are already scarce. If we take in so many more refugees, it may not be enough to sustain the livelihood of the entire city's population."

General, please reconsider.

After listening, Gu Jinyan remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the weathered faces.

These people, some old and some young, had pale faces and tattered clothes. Some were holding thin children in their arms, while others were supporting their elderly parents.

A slight tremor ran through her heart; those helpless eyes seemed to pierce her soul.

She walked slowly toward a woman who was holding a thin child in her arms. The child's eyes were lifeless, and he seemed to have no strength to even cry.

Gu Jinyan crouched down slightly, gently took the woman's hand, and asked softly, "Where did you come from? How did you end up here?"

The woman choked up, unable to speak several times.