The word "levy" in "A few people returning from ancient wars" could be understood as "campaign" or "conquest". In this sentence,"conquest" referred to the wars in history, which referred to the battles, conquests, and invasions between countries or groups. In ancient times, war was a common social phenomenon. Many wars were for the pursuit of power, territory, resources, and other interests. Therefore, the word "levy" also represented violence and cruelty.