There was also a system of prison visits in the Wild Sands Empire, but they were usually the last time the condemned prisoners met before they were executed.

Bud's eyes lit up, "Do you mean to use the bonds of family and friendship to influence them?" ”

Nick nodded slowly, "As you think, the way to pass the 'labor voucher' will only be valid for some people. We can only find more ways and try more to find the key that opens everyone's heart. ”

He thought about it again and again, but he still gave the important task to Bard: "The visitation is of great significance, but it is also prone to riots. I want you to take care of this. ”

Bard raised his hand and saluted, "Just leave it to me." ”

……

Under Bard's supervision, a rectangular room was built near the entrance, which was named the "Visitation Area."

The room has an iron fence in the middle that leads to the roof, dividing the room into two worlds: the inside and outside of the prison. There are 10 cubicles in the room, which can accommodate 10 people at a time.

Of course, Captain Bud still spent a lot of effort to explain to the prisoners that this was not the "last face" before the execution, but just to make these prisoners feel the warmth of family and friendship again.

"That's basically what happened." Bud recounted the rules of the visitation area, "This is a place for you to reunite with your friends and family, but I also hope that you will follow the rules so that it will be better for all of us." ”

He coughed, "Remember: when you enter the visiting area, there are two guards behind each person, and your words and actions will be monitored. In addition, you can only sit in chairs, and if anything is to be handed to you, it needs to be checked by the guards. ”

Unexpectedly, the first people to come to visit were a boy and a girl. They are Jomei's children.

Qiao Mei didn't expect anyone to come to visit at all. You must know that the lord she serves is on the frontier three days away from the ruined capital, and her children are ten years old and one is only six years old.

"Indeed, it is your children." Bud glanced at the information, "They took the Frontier shuttle bus and traveled for several days to get here. Are you sure you don't want to meet them? ”

"See you!" Qiao Mei shouted, "Sir! Please let me meet them! Please! ”

With a wave of his hand, Bard let the two guards lead her into the visitation area, "You don't have to beg me, it's your right." ”

When Jomei walked into the visitation area, her children immediately stood up. They recognized their mother at a glance, and although she looked a little haggard now, the familiar look and silhouette made it impossible for them to misrecognize.

"Mom!" The children shouted, tired from the fatigue of the long days, but the moment they saw their mother, their voices were filled with excitement that could not be concealed.

Qiao Mei looked at her children and was full of emotion. Ever since she was imprisoned, she has been thinking about them, wondering if they are safe or suffering. Now that they were safe and sound, her heart was finally relieved.

"How did you get here?" Qiao Mei asked, her voice shaking.

"A lady with horns on her head found us." The son replied, "She told us you were here and arranged for us to come here with a carriage and a hotel." ”

Qiao Mei was a little confused, she didn't remember any friends with horns on her head. Whether it was a subhuman or a demon, she didn't know any of them.

"Mom, how are you doing?" The daughter asked.

"Very good." Qiao Mei looked at the faces of her children, although she was a little tired, but she looked healthy, which was enough to make her feel relieved.

The daughter looked into Qiao Mei's eyes and said softly, "Mother, we know that it is not right to take a large piece of land from the lord. ”

Qiao Mei's eyes widened and she looked at her daughter in disbelief: "How do you know this?" ”

"It was someone else in the town who told us about it." The son replied.

Qiao Mei closed her eyes, and a wave of grief welled up in her heart, "Your father died too early, and I don't have any skills, so I can only do some dirty work for the lord......"

"We've got those lands back." The children replied.

Qiao Mei's eyes opened suddenly, her eyes full of horror, "You guys...... What did you do? How will you live in this way? ”

The son took out a card from his pocket with his name written on it and a blood-colored crow in the background.

"This is the certificate issued to us by the Red Pavilion." "They would give us a house to live in, someone would cook and do our laundry every day, we would go to school, and when we were older, we would go to work." ”

When Qiao Mei heard this, her originally haggard expression became a little excited, and she frowned and looked at her children: "Work? How do you have such an idea? You are the children of nobles, and you should not do such a lowly thing. ”

The son looked at Qiao Mei, his eyes were firm and honest: "Mom, we understand your thoughts. In our society, work is seen as a menial thing, something that only those who do not have power and status. However, we believe that work is an important thing. ”

Qiao Mei began to be a little impatient: "You are still young, you don't understand the rules of this world. Your task is to learn, grow, and then carry on the honor of our family. ”

The daughter whispered, "Mom, we understand your thoughts. However, we know one thing. Those who serve us, they work hard every day and give a lot for our lives. They are valuable, and they deserve to be respected and rewarded. ”

The son's eyes also became gentle: "Mom, we don't want to be those who only enjoy life and don't know how to respect and reciprocate. We want to learn how to work and how to contribute to society. ”

Qiao Mei looked at the faces of her children, and a warm current surged in her heart. She knew that they were for her good, but she still hoped that the two sensible children would be able to embark on a more comfortable path and not have to endure the hardships they should not have to bear.

"Mom, we understand your concerns." "But we don't want to live a life of insecurity and fear like you anymore." We have to be brave enough to face the reality and face the difficulties in life. ”

The daughter also looked at her: "Mom, work is not terrible. We can learn a lot from it, we can learn to live independently, and we can create a better future for ourselves. ”

Qiao Mei listened to her children's words, and her heart couldn't help but waver. She knew that they had grown up and had their own minds and judgments. She can no longer protect them as she did before, but should support their decisions and trust in their abilities.

"Mom, you once told us that life is realistic, but it is also full of possibilities." The son continued, "You did all the things so that we could have a better life, but it wasn't right. We should be brave enough to face the reality and create our own future. ”

The daughter also chimed in: "Mom, we understand your distress. But now that we're grown up, we can take care of ourselves. You don't have to worry about us anymore. ”

Qiao Mei listened to her children's words, and couldn't help but feel a sense of relief in her heart. She knew that they had grown up and could live independently. She doesn't have to worry about them anymore, she doesn't have to carry all the heavy lifting for them anymore.

"Okay." Qiao Mei nodded slightly, "I understand." You've grown up, or rather...... You know better than I do. ”

……

After a long talk with her children, Qiao Mei lay alone in her room for a day.

"Something shouldn't be wrong with her, right?" Maya asked Nick a little worriedly.

Nick shrugged, "Any change takes time, be patient." ”

Only the next day, Qiao Mei got up early and went to the recruitment sign, looking for a job that she could do.

It seems that she no longer has that lowly view of labor, but actively participates in labor and proves her change with her own actions.

This change made Maya, who was secretly observing, excited, "It seems that the effect of that 'family visit' is very obvious. ”

Nick nodded, "Yes, it means we found another key." It's just that we don't have enough keys......"

He suddenly asked, "What is the situation of those illiterate generals?" ”

Maya smiled, "I've already completed the basic reading and writing learning, but I just read slower and write uglierly." ”

Nick unfolded the plan again, "Now that dyslexia has been removed, it's time to build a 'prison school,'"

Maya didn't understand: "Why do they build a school when they have already learned to read and write?" ”

"It seems that you don't fully understand the princess's plan." Nick tapped lightly on the plan, "All you see is a prison, and what I see is an invisible battlefield - the battlefield of the soul. ”

Maya's face was bewildered.

Nick patiently explained: "It's not the sword and the soldier that we're fighting here, it's the mind. The collision of the new ideas of the Red Pavilion and the old ideas in their hearts is not simply who 'convinces' whom, but makes them 'understand' from the heart. ”

Maya was even more confused, "I don't seem to know that there is any new thought in the Red Pavilion......"

"That's the genius of the master who doesn't laugh." Nick laughed, "He can influence your mind in ways you can't detect." ”

Maya just wanted to say "I'm not affected", but was blocked by Nick's words: "Think about it yourself, how long has it been since you worshipped the 'rabbinic god'?" ”

The people of the desert have worshipped the rabbinic gods since childhood, and they should pray at least twice a week, as is customary.

After being reminded, Maya realized that she hadn't prayed for a long time, and it seemed that her faith in the rabbinic gods had long since vanished.

Nick muttered, "The divine power and the imperial power have collapsed in the face of the new ideas of the Red Pavilion, but they are still deeply rooted in the hearts of these prisoners. And opening a school is the best way to spread new ideas, and it is also the key to winning this soul battlefield. ”