Pioneer Lord: A Leisurely Imperial Life

Chapter 155 Hope Shattered

Summer June 12th.

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The early summer sun had just climbed over the tops of the black pine forest, and the fine dust it stirred up drifted slowly in the beams of light.

In the open space outside the gate of the compound, more than 500 serfs, having received a notice from their supervisor, all gathered there.

They didn't say what they were going to do, which puzzled them greatly. They whispered among themselves, speculating and guessing.

In the crowd.

Kelsarina huddled in the corner, looking like a wilted weed after the frost and snow, appearing extremely out of place.

Ever since he accidentally killed Borst and was expelled from the militia by the lord, he has become extremely taciturn.

The indomitable spirit that once shone in my eyes has vanished without a trace.

Aside from working and resting each day, he never communicates with anyone.

The other serfs avoided her like the plague, hiding in small groups of people.

There was a large empty space around her, and even their eyes were filled with disgust and contempt.

Yes.

The other serfs all hated her.

As serfs, we were bound together on the same miserable boat from birth.

They were all unfortunate people who had never met their parents, so they regarded other serfs as their brothers and sisters.

Although Borst did wrong, he should be punished according to the rules by the reserve or serf steward.

It shouldn't be someone like you, a reserve soldier still in serf status, who takes action.

In the eyes of the other serfs, Catherine's actions were those of a petty person who would oppress other serfs once she gained power.

Ruthless!

Snobbish and forgetful of their roots!

Many serfs privately lamented that only their great and benevolent lord had expelled her from the militia and had not hanged her.

Faced with the alienation of others, Kelsalina remained as silent as a stone.

She did deliberately use a lot of force that day, beating the person to the point of near death.

She had assumed the lord would despise someone like Borst, but this was the unexpected outcome.

When the legion commander found her.

When it was explained to her that the lord was more concerned with "the power not being abused," she realized she was wrong.

pity...

There is no medicine for regret in this world.

The militia team lost its qualification.

The hope of turning things around has been shattered.

She even extinguished the last bit of warmth from those around her who shared her plight.

Only intense daily labor could numb that despairing heart...

...

Just then.

The sound of orderly and heavy footsteps came, and two hundred Qifeng guards marched out of the camp in formation.

The gleaming steel armor shone with a cold, hard light in the sunlight, and the golden swirling cloud pattern on the breastplate shone brightly.

With a 1.6-meter-long double-edged sword slung across his shoulder, each step he took brought the clanging sound of his armor clashing together like a heavy hammer striking the heart.

Without any unnecessary movements, the group quickly dispersed, forming two steel walls that firmly locked the open space and the crowd.

The serfs, who had been buzzing just moments before, fell silent instantly, their more than five hundred heads bowed, not daring to utter a sound.

Everyone felt a jolt of unease.

Normally speaking.

The security of a territory has always been maintained by the reserves, while the high-ranking legions are only responsible for guarding the area outside the territory.

High-ranking legions will only step in to take over when a major incident occurs within their territory.

And now...

Someone secretly glanced around.

I felt even more panicked.

Where did the militia go?

Not a single militia member was seen today, even though they usually keep an eye on them every day!

...

Just as the serfs were feeling uneasy, the entire internet was abuzz with the novel "The Pioneer Lord: A Leisurely Imperial Life," a heartfelt work by author Zang Tianmin, available exclusively on Cola Novels. Six maids dressed in Lolita dresses slowly walked onto the high platform in the center of the open space.

Their glamorous appearance, like someone who stepped out of a painting, was a stark contrast to the coarse-clothed serfs below the stage.

Followed by.

A dark figure drifted down from the sky, hovering above the high platform, hands behind its back, looking down at all the serfs.

The imposing aura made the serfs shudder and they lowered their heads even further.

They revered the young lord, but his nobility, his power, his aura of looking down upon all...

This instilled fear in them from the bottom of their hearts, making them dare not harbor the slightest disrespectful thought.

"Militia, step forward!"

The lord spoke, his voice not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

As soon as the words were spoken, nineteen figures emerged from the stone house next to the entrance of the camp.

Today they weren't wearing their usual leather armor, but rather clean and appropriate light-colored robes.

They all stood tall and proud, their faces glowing, and marched in unison to the foot of the platform, forming small teams.

Upon seeing this scene, many serfs suddenly realized something, gasped, and stared wide-eyed.

Even the dumbest among them would realize it by now...

Could it be...?

What is this...!?

Everyone's breathing became heavier as they stared intently at the lord in the sky, their faces filled with anticipation and longing.

...

Richard looked at the nineteen people below the stage, his tense lips relaxed slightly, and his tone became less authoritative and more approachable.

Congratulations!

"You have enough work points."

"Through hard work and sweat, you have earned Chiffon's respect, and more importantly, you have won your own life."

"From this day forward, you are no longer anyone's private property, but your own masters. Live for yourselves."

As they were talking.

Lina, representing Chiffon Castle, walked down from the platform carrying a stack of yellowed papers.

Those were nineteen slave documents, with their origins and identities written on them.

And that cold seal representing "slave" is a heavy shackle that has been around their necks since birth.

Lina unfolded the documents one by one and threw them into the brazier that had been prepared beforehand by the platform.

The moment the paper came into contact with the flame, it immediately curled up, and the black ink twisted and charred in the orange-red flames.

It eventually turned into black ash, which drifted into the air with the steam.

The nineteen militiamen stared at the burning documents in the brazier, their hearts pounding wildly!

From as far back as I can remember...

They knew they were serfs, belonging to the lord, lower than livestock, and their lives were not in their own hands.

They had seen many serfs die from exhaustion in the fields, seen the elderly driven from their lands because they were no longer useful, and seen children starve to death from malnutrition...

The identity of a slave is a brand etched into one's bones, a boulder weighing down on one's head.

They once thought they could never escape their predetermined fate.

But now...

The document that decided their fate is turning to ashes in the flames...

Some people clenched their fists so tightly that they trembled from the pain, but refused to loosen them.

Someone covered their mouth, tears falling in large drops to the ground, their shoulders trembling violently.

The sobs that had been suppressed for more than twenty years were stuck in his throat, making muffled whimpering sounds.

Some people stared intently at the flames, their eyes empty and bewildered, yet shining brightly as the flames burst forth.

That was not just a simple burning of paper; it was the end of their life's suffering and the beginning of a new life!

The shackles around my neck have shattered.

Starting today...

They are free now!