In front of the Rock Fort is a vast and fertile plain. When Dong Ce left, there were only a few peasant households living in the vast plains north of the Huanshui River, west of the Gan River, and south of Panshibao, and less than 10% of the fields had been cultivated. At this time, as far as the eye can see, there are all large and small settlements.

There are only hundreds of large settlements, and dozens of small settlements, scattered across this vast land, I don't know how many, but the total number of thousands can still be reached.

In the vicinity of these settlements, the patches of land that were originally occupied by wild grass have also been reclaimed at this time. The crop planted is wheat, at this time, it is the end of the eighth year of Chongzhen and the spring of the ninth year of Chongzhen, and the wheat seedlings in the field have grown two inches to do, and at a glance, a sparse green.

From the neat and horizontal Qianmo, it can also be seen that this place has been leveled and reclaimed.

It was early afternoon, and there were still many people working in the fields, and in the easternmost part of the land was a large kiln factory covering a large area. There was a chimney rising from the ground, several feet high. At this time, black smoke was billowing out of the chimney, and although it was far away, it seemed that the voices of people could be heard there, and I don't know how many people were working hard.

Even in this bleak winter, people can feel that this rock fort is a thriving scene.

It's back, it's finally back!

After nearly a year outside, he finally arrived home, Dong Ce looked at the rock castle in the distance, and his whole body was trembling slightly. He was so excited, and there seemed to be something in his chest rushing left and right, which made his heart soar. His chest was heaving, his nose was panting, his eyes were a little sore, and he was almost in tears. Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer, sat upright on his horse, and looked up to the sky and roared.

Seeing him looking up to the sky and howling, Yelu Lihe on the side was also funny, and followed the sky and roared. Seeing him like this, many people also did the same, and the sound of ghosts crying and wolf howls was endless for a while.

Dong Ce's originally agitated mood was destroyed without a trace, he turned around and glared at them fiercely, and scolded with a smile: "Don't fucking howl, stop Lao Tzu, beware of recruiting wolves." ”

The gang stopped talking one by one, with a wry smile on their faces.

Dong Ce faced everyone, stretched out his hand and pointed to the rock fort, and said loudly: "You are here, this is the city of this official, and it is also your home in the future!" In the future, I am afraid that you will live here for a short time. Take a good look, this is the Rock Fort, the thriving and growing Rock Fort! ”

Dong Ce's subordinates didn't need to look at it anymore, they had gone out from here, but those Dong Ce families who came from the Chahar Department were all curiously looking at this castle not far away.

Compared with the big cities of the states and counties that passed along the way, this city is not very large, but it is exceptionally tall and strong, standing majestically. And most importantly, the castle and the land around it, the people, the atmosphere that exudes from it, even if they have just arrived, can feel it deeply.

After leaving Chengcheng County, they traveled thousands of miles for two or three months before returning here.

Needless to say, the journey was chaotic and difficult. When Dong Ce took them out of Chahar Department, it was late spring, and when they arrived in Chengcheng County, it was late summer and early autumn, and when they returned to Panshi Fort, it was already winter.

The cold wind howled, and the grass withered.

At this time, they were all dressed very bloated, first wearing a thin cotton robe, then putting cotton armor on the outside, and then a layer of cotton on the outside of the cotton armor.

Generally speaking, in the Ming army, generals with some status will wear a big hat, but this ordinary soldier has no money to buy a big hat, even if he is rich, who dares to wear it? If Shangguan sees that he is unhappy and finds a way to clean up, wouldn't he be wronged?

However, when Dong Ce was passing by a county town on the road, it was when the weather was getting colder, so Dong Ce generously spent silver to order a thin cotton robe and a cotton coat for everyone. After taking over this business, the largest garment shop in the county started working day and night, and it took three full days to finish all the cotton robes and cotton coats that Dong Ce needed. Although the shopkeeper to the shopkeeper in the store were tired enough, they also made a lot of money because of this transaction.

Because of the cotton coat on the outside, although they wore it very thick, even slightly bloated, it was not ugly at all. Riding on a horse, he has a blue cotton armor inside, a big coat on the outside, and a pointed iron helmet on his head, which can be said to be majestic.

Not only does it look good, but it also has excellent warmth. Cotton armor is the best warmth among all armor, plus there is that layer of cotton jacket inside, and then wrapped in a thick cotton coat outside, even if you are riding on a horse, the body is warm, there is not much cold.

Just as Dong Ce and the others were staring at the Rock Fort in the distance, the soldiers guarding the wall of the Rock Fort had already discovered their traces. And earlier than them, the soldiers guarding the bridge on the Huanshui River, the head of the bridge and several guard towers behind the bridge, also found Dong Ce and others.

Suddenly, the terrible sound of the horn sounded and spread far and wide, but I was afraid that the whole Rock Fort could hear it clearly.

Originally, there was a bridge over the Huanshui River, and there was only one guard tower behind the bridge, on which three or five soldiers were stationed, but now there are two guard towers at the head and end of the bridge. These four watchtowers, like four strong arms, guard the only way to the Rock Fort. Originally, the only watchtower behind the bridge was only one zhang high, with only two floors. Now these newly built guard towers are all made of large trees and huge stones, more than three zhang high, up and down four floors, and each guard tower can be stationed in twenty or thirty people.

The watchtower is full of dense shooting ports, and people can't help but think that once a battle starts, from this shooting hole, there is a scene of random arrows flying outward, and they suddenly shudder.

In fact, this can no longer be called a simple watchtower, and it is more appropriate to describe it as a watchtower.

Since the last time they fought with the rebels of the White Lotus Sect, the people of the Rock Fort have more experience and sufficient preparation for dealing with emergencies, not only have they built three additional guard towers, but also according to the rules set by Shi Jin and others after the battle, on the guard tower behind the Huanshui River, as long as the soldiers see an unknown number of people and horses approaching from a distance, they will blow the horn.

I'd rather misunderstand than be beaten up and have no defense.

The sound of the trumpet travels far and wide, and it can be heard in the city, and as soon as it is heard, preparations can be made. If it is the enemy, of course, it can meet the enemy immediately, but if it is not the enemy, those mobilized soldiers have nothing to complain about, and it will be regarded as a drill.

After all, Shi Jin and the others were very impressed by the assembly whistle that sounded from time to time at night when Dong Ce was training the first batch of family members. If it's a misunderstanding, it should be regarded as a sentry drill at night, and there is no harm in it, on the contrary, it can also improve the soldiers' ability to respond to unexpected situations.

Hearing the sound of the horn coming from the sentry tower behind the bridge, Dong Ce was not angry but very happy, gently flicked the horsewhip, and smiled at Alatan Ula on the side: "How is it?" These boys under my command are not slow to react, are they? ”

Alatan Ulla nodded and exclaimed, "It's not just slow, it's very fast. ”

Dong Ce laughed, and was about to say something, when suddenly, hundreds of soldiers poured out from behind the bridge, and he didn't know where they were hiding before. I saw that these hundreds of soldiers were all wearing red mandarin duck battle jackets, holding spears, wolf stalks, sticks and other weapons in their hands, which were the standard mandarin duck array equipment.