Chapter 94: Time to Start the Quest

Mo Xiaobai knew clearly that discussing the concept of a “girlfriend” with his mother would never end, so he simply fell silent immediately. He only spoke of his results at the County Government Office after returning to the Zhang Family and summoning Li Ji and He Chun.

“Maogong, Jianli, the Magistrate of Ping’ao has already agreed to my plan to relocate 120 female refugees, but I cannot stay here forever. I must leave someone behind to guard this place.”

As soon as Mo Xiaobai finished speaking, both Li Ji and He Chun understood.

One of them had to stay in Ping’ao.

After glancing at each other, He Chun spoke first: “Let me stay. With the Flying General present, My Lord does not lack capable warriors for protection. Big Brother Maogong is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and he can offer advice to My Lord at critical moments.”

“Jianli, have you thought this through carefully?”

“This subordinate will spare no effort to protect the Territory Citizens under My Lord’s rule.”

He Chun knew exactly what he was doing. His martial strength was decent, but it was far from a match for Li Guang. In terms of intelligence, he was even further behind Li Ji. Although he really wanted to stay by his Lord’s side, he was clear that if one of the three had to stay, it would inevitably be him.

Actually, Mo Xiaobai also thought leaving He Chun was the best choice. However, ordering him to stay directly might have felt a bit too cold, so he had asked the question just now. Now that He Chun had volunteered, Mo Xiaobai readily went with the flow: “Jianli, if you stay, my mother and younger sister are now entirely in your care.”

“Acknowledged!”

Upon hearing this, He Chun clasped his hands together heavily. Being entrusted with the Lord’s family by his superior was a sign of high trust and importance.

Once the person to stay was decided, Mo Xiaobai turned to his mother: “Mom, tomorrow when we bring those people back, I need you to help look after them. I will leave one thousand units of rice and ten gold for them. Just let them manage their own lives. When the Instance ends, I will lead them to leave.”

“Okay, I can definitely help with this small matter.”

Mother Mo did not refuse; in fact, she was somewhat happy. She never wanted to be a burden on her son, so being able to help in any way was the best thing possible.

With arrangements made on both sides, Mo Xiaobai immediately made the final decision: “Once Lady Zhang’s condition stabilizes and the refugees are settled, Maogong and the Flying General will come with me to Xudu. Let’s go meet the heroes of the End of Han together.”

Seeing that Mo Xiaobai was acting like a “meeting adjourned” posture, Mother Mo stopped her son: “Wait a minute, Xiaobai. You haven’t said where those refugees will be housed yet. They can’t possibly stay in other people’s homes, and anyway, there is no space there.”

“I will go handle it right now. I will check for any empty rooms nearby and just rent a few.”

“Houses for rent in the Han Dynasty?”

“Mom, this is a game. To make it convenient for Players, some things certainly exist.”

Mo Xiaobai explained with a smile, turned to leave, but then saw the limping old man, Uncle Lu, standing at a corner about ten meters away. He wanted to approach but dared not.

“Uncle Lu, is there something you need?”

Upon hearing Mo Xiaobai’s inquiry, the old man immediately bowed deeply: “Reporting to the Baron, my Lord has woken up. Upon learning that his Lady can be saved, he wishes to meet you in the Main Hall to express his thanks.”

“Magistrate Zhang has finally woken up? Lead the way.” Upon hearing this, Mo Xiaobai smiled. Zhang Wang, that drunkard, had woken up at just the right time.

“The Baron is this way.”

Uncle Lu stepped aside, gesturing for Mo Xiaobai to follow him. As they walked down the hallway and the old man was about to step into the Main Hall, he suddenly spoke: “Just now, the old man did not intentionally eavesdrop on the Baron’s deliberations. I only heard that the Baron was looking for a residence within the city to stay. Since the Lady’s life can be saved, it is entirely thanks to the Baron providing a powerful medicine. My Lord also has a few unused old residences within the city. If the Baron does not mind, he may use those residences first. My Lord will certainly agree.”

“Does the Zhang Family also have other residences?”

“Please forgive the Baron’s embarrassment. Had it not been for the disaster two days ago, although my Lord was not the richest man in the region, he was quite wealthy in Ping’ao. Having a bit of farmland and real estate was not at all strange.”

“Then I shall not decline your generous offer.”

Mo Xiaobai did not refuse further. Firstly, he was too lazy to cause trouble. Secondly, having helped the Zhang Family save Madam Shan, living in two of their courtyards did not seem excessive at all.

“Old servant will inform my Lord shortly. The Baron, please follow.” After saying what he needed to say, the old man led Mo Xiaobai into the Main Hall.

Inside the Main Hall, the middle-aged County Magistrate Zhang Wang, who had previously been drunk and dizzy, paced back and forth. Seeing the old man and Mo Xiaobai arrive, he immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply to Mo Xiaobai: “The Baron’s kindness, Wang will never forget in this life.”

“No, no, please don’t. I cannot accept such a grand gesture.” Mo Xiaobai stepped aside and quickly reached out to support Zhang Wang. In terms of age, Mo Xiaobai was at least half as young as Zhang Wang, so accepting such a deep bow would shorten his lifespan.

Although this guy was not a man of great responsibility, Mo Xiaobai still spoke with a smile: “Magistrate Zhang, since you have safely returned to Ping’ao, you should walk out of the shadows of the past and live your life well.”

“The Baron speaks truly. Wang also feels deep shame.”

Zhang Wang might have lacked the courage to rule a region, but he was a decent person. At least he knew to thank Mo Xiaobai for saving his wife. When he heard that Mo Xiaobai needed a few residences to stay temporarily, he happily offered two empty courtyards for Mo Xiaobai’s use.

With a temporary place found for the refugees, Mo Xiaobai could finally feel at ease about recruiting them.

Early the next morning, when Mo Xiaobai went to the County Government Office again, County Commandant Liu Tan was already waiting outside with over twenty Soldiers.

Seeing this scene, Mo Xiaobai couldn’t help but chuckle: “Mom, don’t say anything. Although these people are stubbornly focused on money, which isn’t very proper, they are very efficient in getting things done.”

“Hmph, you always have so many twisted theories.”

Mother Mo still couldn’t stand the “corrupt officials” of the End of Han, but Mo Xiaobai didn’t care about those things. He walked forward to greet them familiarly, and then the whole group set off for the Earth Temple in a grand procession.

At this moment, not less than seven or eight hundred Refugees were gathered inside and outside the Earth Temple, looking emaciated and yellow from starvation.

Because of the County Magistrate’s instructions, Liu Tan selected people strictly according to Mo Xiaobai’s standards. He didn’t even pick many women over the age of thirty-five. After selecting one hundred and twenty people, they were all women between the ages of ten and thirty.

However, even picking the best from a bad group, most of these one hundred and twenty women still looked unhealthy, not even as good as the refugees spawned by the Plane Intellect in Daming Village.

“Let’s just say they are a bit lacking. If they are nursed for a while, they will surely recover.”

Mo Xiaobai could only comfort them in this way. He settled the one hundred and twenty female refugees in the old Zhang Family residence. Ten people crowded into one room, but at least no one was left sleeping on the street.

…

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Madam Shan, who had just stepped across the gates of the Ghost Gate, gradually regained some of her color. The over one hundred refugees, after the initial uneasiness, slowly calmed down.

Mother Mo had her own things to busy herself with, while Mo Xiaoyou still spent every day with Zhang Chunhua.

“Finally, I can detach and leave.”

On the morning of the third day, after casually having some porridge, Mo Xiaobai exhaled a puff of warm breath.

Beside him, Mo Xiaoyou held her small bowl and tilted her head to ask: “Big Brother, when will you come back?”

“I will come to pick you up before the Instance ends. Little Dot, please be a good girl here, okay? Learn a lot from the Zhang Family’s girl; she is much more sensible than you.”

“Oh.”

Mo Xiaoyou muttered quietly, rarely refraining from arguing back with Mo Xiaobai.

“Alright, your Old Brother has to go do the quest. Maogong, Flying General, let’s go.” With a crisp stand and a wave of his hand, the three of them disappeared from Mo Xiaoyou’s sight.

Walking out of the city straight to the ferry, Mo Xiaobai arrived just as a ferry boat was docking at the shore.

A young man in splendid clothes and a middle-aged man dressed as a Scholar disembarked together, brushing past Mo Xiaobai.