The Gathering Peace Stronghold tells the story of Xia Feng, who possesses modern knowledge and a mysterious Treasure-Gathering Disc. In a time of chaos, he leads villagers to build a stronghold in a barren land, relying on farming for survival and defenses for protection as they gradually prosper.
As the Qing army invades south and lays waste to the land, Xia Feng uses the disc to accelerate crop growth and improve tools. First, he helps his neighbors defend their homes; then he reclaims wasteland and builds irrigation works, turning once-barren fields into a source of bountiful harvests. As refugees from neighboring villages flock to join them, the stronghold grows. Xia Feng establishes rules and assigns responsibilities, organizing everything from farming and ironwork to patrols and public affairs.
The Treasure-Gathering Disc continues to evolve, progressing from simply accelerating growth to granting precise enhancements. It helps cultivate high-yield rice and wheat and forge fine weapons. The villagers each contribute their strengths: old farmers pass on their agricultural skills, skilled craftsmen build equipment, and warriors guard the gates. Shen Yue'e, clever and resilient, and Lao Zhou, rich in experience, work alongside Xia Feng as they face crises such as floods and bandit raids.
When news arrives that Nanjing has fallen, the shadow of chaos draws near. Xia Feng strengthens the stronghold's army and expands iron production, while maintaining an exchange of goods with the rebel forces. As he protects his home, he is gradually swept into the tide of the times. From the steady work of clearing land and sowing spring crops to the terror of a granary fire, from villagers helping one another in a field-side classroom to the excitement of discovering a new mineral vein, every step in the stronghold's growth is built on sweat and ingenuity, with new challenges gathering just beyond the horizon.
This is an epic of survival rooted in the soil amid chaos, and the story of ordinary people who sow hope with their own hands and unwavering faith amid the flash of blades.
