The school at Snow Sea Pass upholds the traditions of Shengle City. Every month, there are five days when the children come to school not for lessons, but to engage in "extracurricular activities" led by the instructor.

Sometimes they are organized to go to military camps, watch the soldiers train, help feed the horses and polish the armor, and then have lunch with the soldiers;

Other times, they go to the workshops, helping as a small laborer for a day, and have lunch with the workers there.

Basically, all production and business activities under the Earl's Mansion, except for the Red Tent which is off-limits due to age,

can serve as target places for the students to "experience life."

No idlers are allowed at Snow Sea Pass, unless they are truly old and unable to move. As long as you can still act, you will be assigned work, like sweeping the streets.

Liu Dahu's grandmother is responsible for maintaining a section of the northern street in the city.

From a modern perspective, one might feel that living here or in areas controlled by the Earl's Mansion is indeed exhausting, but these people have no complaints.

They have all experienced the chaos of war, purged of pretension, and achieving the simple goal of having enough food to eat is a lifelong pursuit for most people in this era.

As long as they can eat enough, they are willing to do anything you ask.

Today, Liu Dahu and the children of the same age group were taken by the instructor to the construction site in the southern city of Snow Sea Pass, where row upon row of residential houses were being built in a neat and orderly manner, partitioned and sectioned like grids fitting into larger grids.

This enforced uniform pattern and symmetry reflect the obsession of Lord Zheng, who, as a painter, has a compulsion for design and composition.

Building the residential houses is not complex, the materials are not particularly good, and the schedule is tight. There are many workers involved in the construction, but the quality, when it comes to being windproof, rainproof, and not suddenly collapsing and crushing people, is still fairly guaranteed.

Because every part constructed is recorded; the names of inspectors, foremen, and workers are all registered.

It is explicitly stated that if the house has any quality issues in the future, everyone registered will be implicated. If it is a major problem like causing fatalities, the builders will be fined, and the inspectors and foremen will face execution.

It is not only in this aspect; in the weaponry workshop or casting bureau at Snow Sea Pass, it is not just every set of armor, but even every spear, every sword, bears a mark indicating who is responsible, and any issues with military equipment quality will surely result in consequences.

In fact, these details were not originally invented by the Earl's Mansion; they copied some of the Qin Dynasty's systems.

Today, students including Liu Dahu will act as small laborers on the construction site, with a dedicated foreman to guide them, allowing them to understand as much as they can, but at least gaining early insight.

After all, when they turn sixteen, most will join these industries, and growing up under "Lord Zheng's" care, with literacy and numeracy skills, their loyalty is etched into their bones, making it easy to attain supervisory positions in the Earl's Mansion industries later.

Since Liu Dahu trains his body under the guidance of the Sword Saint, although too young to strengthen muscles and bones,

his strength and build give him an advantage among his peers. After grouping, Liu Dahu became the team leader, responsible for supervising over twenty classmates to carry small bricks.

Halfway through their work, everyone felt the ground beneath their feet tremble as if in a quake.

Everyone, regardless of age, turned their attention toward the southwest, where a dark cloud appeared.

No,

it was cavalry!

The Yan Army at Snow Sea Pass, who were overseeing and patrolling, instinctively spread out, preparing to meet the enemy, but soon the alert was lifted. The Yan Army, who had spread out, began to return, coordinating with Earl's Mansion clerks on-site to maintain order and clear the road. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Ordinary civilians on the surrounding construction site, in confusion, felt their hearts hang like a swing, rising sharply and then falling.

Most of them are no strangers to war, but most do not wish to fight, at least not in their own backyard.

Liu Dahu and some of his classmates squeezed to the road's edge to watch the commotion. Although blocked by soldiers, they secured the best spot at the front.

The first to arrive was Lord Zheng, leading the charge.

The military and civilians within Snow Sea Pass know that their lord, not wanting special treatment, does not wear specially made armor, but is the same as the soldiers.

However, recognizing him is simple, as throughout Snow Sea Pass, no one but Lord Zheng can ride the Pi Beast, and under him is a Pixiu!

As Zheng Fan advanced,

besides the soldiers maintaining road order, all the military and civilians on both sides knelt down:

"Greetings to the Lord, may the Lord be blessed with health!"

"Greetings to the Lord, may the Lord be blessed with health!"

Lord Zheng swung his whip, cracking it in the air as a response to the military and civilians paying their respects, then continued at full speed through the South Gate.

Following Lord Zheng closely, many recognized the trusted general, Jin Shuke, who guarded the East Gate of Shengle City, later gaining success through military contributions recognized by Lord Zheng.