Quick Transmigration: Kitten's Healing Handbook - Chapter 64
Chapter 64: Raccoon Dog! To Combat! 19
In this small world, besides the help Tuánzi provides with her spiritual sense, her other abilities have been severely suppressed. She can’t even lower her own temperature…
Liuli couldn’t help but flip off the Heavenly Dao of this place in her heart.
A month passed, and the granaries of Nanzhou City were empty. There was still no news of the Imperial Court’s disaster relief funds. Jia Yu began using the food from the Prince’s Mansion’s private treasury, distributing porridge every three days. The refugees who could grab some were few and far between. There was no such thing as equal distribution at this time; those who grabbed some could live a couple more days, while those who couldn’t might starve to death on the streets.
Jia Yu didn’t use much from the Prince’s Mansion’s private treasury. A peck of rice feeds one, but a bushel feeds an enemy. It was merely a show.
Only when they experience the deepest despair will the commoners of this place completely lose hope in the Imperial Court.
While distributing porridge, Jia Yu occasionally said ambiguous things, mentioning the difficulties of the Prince’s Mansion, saying that the Princess Consort had fallen ill, and criticizing the Imperial Court’s inaction. He guided these people to remember the Prince’s Mansion’s kindness and cultivate an ever-growing hatred for the Imperial Court.
Another half month passed, still no news of the disaster relief funds.
The scorching sun was like fire snakes licking at the cracked earth. A network of ravines crisscrossed the parched land. The riverbed revealed its skeletal remains, the bark of dead trees and the roots of the grass on the ground stripped bare, becoming the refugees’ last food.
Nanzhou City, once prosperous, now had closed shops on its streets. Pale and emaciated commoners huddled in the shadows between buildings, avoiding the scorching sun, their eyes grimly watching those around them and the situation on the streets. At this point, as soon as someone fell, others would swarm from the shadows, their sunken mouths mechanically chewing on the flesh of their own kind.
Liuli knew the situation outside was dire, but as a cat, all she could do was stay quietly in the Prince’s Mansion and avoid causing trouble for Zhou Qingyan. Liuli couldn’t help but ask Tuánzi, “Tuánzi, what’s the situation outside? Has the disaster relief grain still not arrived? ”
Tuánzi had taken one look two days ago and dared not look again. Now that Liuli asked, Tuánzi was very hesitant: “Madam, it’s best not to ask. Madam can’t help now, and asking will only increase your suffering. Zhou Qingyuan is determined to drive Zhou Qingyan to a dead end. He took on the task of disaster relief but has not taken any action. Waiting for the disaster relief grain, it’s likely that 70-80 percent of the people outside won’t make it. ”
“What about Jia Yu? Didn’t you say Jia Yu is Zhou Qingyan’s most trusted strategist? If he’s involved, shouldn’t the thinking be fine? ”
“Madam, hope obtained in desperation will create the most loyal faith. Those were Jia Yu’s exact words this morning in his study with Zhou Qingyan. ”
“You mean there is still grain, but Jia Yu isn’t distributing it to the people…?”
Tuánzi could only focus on comforting Liuli’s emotions now; after all, besides not causing trouble, they couldn’t do anything else. “Madam, the granaries are indeed empty. At the time, Jia Yu even let refugees in to confirm this. ”
“According to Qi Yu, the next widespread rainfall is still a month and a half away. Even with minimal consumption, the grain in the Prince’s Mansion’s private treasury may not last until the rain comes. And the rain only means the drought ends, not that food will instantly grow, so the famine won’t end because of the rain. ”
“Jia Yu has a solution, right. ”
“Madam, you used an affirmative sentence… This solution is indeed a last resort. Jia Yu plans to use the military grain. ”
No matter who controls the military power, and no matter how Zhou Qingyuan and Zhou Qingyan fight, the monthly supply of grain for the border city garrison will never be cut off.
They risk their lives guarding the border; even if Zhou Qingyuan and Zhou Qingyan fight fiercely, they won’t gamble with the safety of the border.
Even the Crown Prince wouldn’t dare to take the military grain without authorization. Zhou Qingyan would naturally be very cautious before making such a move.
“When does Jia Yu plan to use the military grain? ”
“Soon. He’s already sent people out to spread the news. In two or three days, once the news spreads among the suffering people, he will begin using the military grain for disaster relief. ”
Night fell. After months of scorching sun, the earth was still steaming even after sunset; the roof tiles were hot.
Liuli ran to the outside of Zhou Qingyan’s study. The trees in this courtyard were only bare branches. Liuli climbed up; without leaves for cover, she was very conspicuous.
Liuli looked down from above through the open window of the study at Zhou Qingyan, who sat at his desk, his brow furrowed, his figure thin. Perhaps their bond in this world was too shallow, so shallow that after a long absence, seeing Zhou Qingyan like this, her anger hadn’t subsided in the least.
Perhaps because she had once controlled reincarnation, her attitude towards living beings, including humans, was different from most deities of the Shangxiao Realm.
But the commoners outside were so innocent. Although Tuánzi didn’t tell her about the situation outside today, she had seen, in the Forbidden Zone, how humans, under the wrath of natural disasters, resorted to desperate measures to survive—men using skulls as drinking vessels, women hanging ribs from rafters. In such extreme circumstances, these actions were considered normal to survive. Even more insane was using corpses to make a business: a young person’s ribs could be exchanged for three liters of bran, while the limbs of the old and infirm were worth only half a bowl of mud soup. They forced people who couldn’t bear the burden of conscience to exchange corpses for food; the meat was then sold to wealthy families.
The commoners here shouldn’t have been forced to such an extent. They had the possibility of surviving, yet they became victims of power struggles. How many people abandoned their basic humanity to survive, only to end up grateful to those who sacrificed them…?
Ever since she learned that this was to help Zhou Qingyan ascend to that position, she had been resistant. Her resentment was merely self-justification. One general’s success means countless bones; among these bones are countless innocent lives.
For those who would harm Zhou Qingyan, she never showed any mercy. But to obtain that wisp of purple Qi, so many lives were sacrificed. Does Jianbing feel at ease taking that purple Qi?
“Tuánzi, did Zhou Qingyan agree to Jia Yu’s actions this morning? ”
Tuánzi felt that its affirmative answer would make Liuli make a very outrageous decision…
But its hesitation already gave Liuli the answer.
Zhou Qingyan and Jia Yu’s actions were no different from Zhou Qingyuan’s taking on disaster relief but doing nothing, treating human lives as grass. No, there is a difference: Zhou Qingyan and Jia Yu’s actions are more shameless!
At this moment, she was truly angry at Jianbing. Zhou Qingyan’s actions were indeed orchestrated by the Star Lord of Fate, pushing him forward step by step. But the ultimate beneficiary is Jianbing, isn’t it undeniable?
At this moment, Zhou Qingyan felt something and looked towards the window, meeting the gaze of the raccoon dog perched on the bare tree trunk. Being stared at by those eyes, Zhou Qingyan felt that his unconscionable decision was exposed.
Since Jia Yu left the study, he had been using official business to numb his conscience. But at this moment, he couldn’t deceive himself. When Jia Yu presented him with the options, conscience versus power, despite any excuses or justifications, it was still his own choice.