Chapter 645: Chapter 645 Life and Death Matter Chapter 645: Chapter 645 Life and Death Matter “After so many years, haven’t you come up with a way to resolve this matter? This is a matter of life and death,” Situ Yongjie glanced coldly at the county magistrate.
The county magistrate’s heart shuddered.
In Mo Family Village, this poor and remote mountain village, he had indeed not paid attention. A few years earlier, the village head really reported to him the issue of wild beasts attacking the villagers, but he did not take it seriously, thinking that these were just poor wretches. If a few died each year, no one would notice, so he had never taken this matter to heart.
Now that General Situ asked about it, he stuttered, not knowing how to answer.
Situ Yongjie grew a bit angry and said, “What kind of county magistrate are you? Such incidents happened years ago, and you didn’t quickly think of a remedy? Could you not have built a wall around the mountainside as a defense?”
Upon hearing this, the county magistrate immediately put on a mournful face and said, “Jingshan Town is full of high mountains and steep ridges, where would we find enough silver to build a wall?”
“So we should just let our fellow villagers live in fear and anxiety?” General Situ’s expression darkened.
The county magistrate felt fearful and uneasy, he didn’t even dare to sit, quickly stood up, bowed his head, and admitted his fault, “General Lord, please calm your anger. I am incompetent, and I have failed you.”
“You have not failed me; you have failed the trust the common people have placed in you.”
Xuexue walked in, holding a tray. As she placed a few small snacks on the table, she said, “Father, why get angry over this matter? I believe I have a method to prevent wild animals from entering the village.”
Hearing this, General Situ looked at her incredulously. They, a few grown men, couldn’t come up with a solution, and Xuexue, a little girl, had a method!
“Oh! Let’s hear it,” General Situ frowned as he looked at her.
Xuexue moved a stool next to the table, sat down elegantly, poured herself a cup of tea, sipped from it, and said with a smile, “In the mountains, there are so many thorny vines. Just a command from the village head, and I believe the villagers, for their own safety, would agree to dig them out and plant a few rows at the edge of the mountain. Once the vines grow, their thorns can effectively prevent wild animals from entering the village.”
The county magistrate and the village head looked at each other, then suddenly realized the potential of the idea.
The village head slapped his thigh, “Right! How did we not think of that? This method is good! It can save silver and effectively serve as a defense.”
The county magistrate quickly started to flatter, “The young miss is indeed the General’s daughter, truly more intelligent than ordinary people.”
Situ Yongjie felt that this method was indeed good, and couldn’t help but burst out laughing, “Who would have thought that we, a few grown men, racked our brains and couldn’t find a solution, yet Xuexue easily solved it.”
The village head also laughed in agreement, “The young miss is exceptionally smart; she’s well-known for it in Mo family village.”
Xuexue stood up, “Well then. You all don’t need to flatter me. Since I’m taking care of the meals these days, Uncle Village Head, you’d better hurry and get the villagers to dig up and plant those vines.”
Village head: “Right, right, right. We need to hurry with this task. We can’t delay any longer.”
A problem that had caused headaches for many years was finally addressed. The village head finally breathed a sigh of relief, exchanged some pleasantries, bid farewell to the two officials, and left to call the villagers to plant vines.
The county magistrate, afraid that General Situ might still blame him and wanting to redeem himself, dared not stay by his side to flatter him and quickly stood up to follow: “Hey! Wait for me, I’m coming too.”