Transmigrated Into an Ancient Famine Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (ABO, GL) - Chapter 72

Chapter 72

“We can only hope this big Buddha leaves soon,” Jiang Jinhuang whispered softly.

Ye Qing nodded in agreement. “That’s all we can do,” she said.

Xiao Ying watched Jiang Jinhuang and Ye Qing from a distance. They walked some distance away. From the shelter, she could see them standing close, talking intimately.

Xiao Ying marveled quietly. Was the Minister of Rites’ daughter with this female Qianyuan? That was unusual. Noble ladies typically married equals. They shouldn’t fancy a commoner like this female Qianyuan.

Still, the female Qianyuan was somewhat attractive. No wonder Jiang Jinhuang was with her.

The little one noticed Xiao Ying looking. She followed Xiao Ying’s gaze. She saw her sister and Ye Qing standing sweetly together. Her eyes sparkled brightly.

“Hehe, Sister Ye loves Sister the most,” the little one said.

Xiao Ying looked at the little one. She felt certain. Those two were secretly betrothed.

This didn’t concern her. Xiao Ying planned to blend with refugees after escaping. She wanted to observe conditions along the way. Local officials always reported good news, hiding troubles. To know the truth, she relied on herself.

This wasn’t her first attack. After several, Xiao Ying planned to slip away, letting her cousins’ men lose her trail. She wasn’t worried about safety. Her visible guards were few, but many hidden guards protected her secretly.

Last night, she deliberately kept her hidden guards from acting. She pretended to flee in panic. This let her shift from open to hidden, observing refugees’ lives closely.

Ye Qing felt better after learning Jiang Jinhuang and Xiao Ying weren’t close. Returning, she showed less hostility toward Xiao Ying. She didn’t treat Xiao Ying as a princess.

Travelers needed to help each other. Ye Qing didn’t want to serve a master.

Ye Qing handed Xiao Ying a basin of potatoes. “Ying Er, right? Roast these potatoes. Everyone works, except her,” she said.

Ye Qing pointed at the little one. The little one giggled at Ye Qing. Ye Qing pinched her cheek and smiled. “Go play,” she said.

“Yay!” the little one said. She grabbed a stick and squatted to draw on the ground.

Ye Qing implied that unless you’re three and helpless, everyone works, no matter who.

Jiang Jinhuang took a deep breath. She closed her eyes briefly. Had Ye Qing ignored everything she said? She dared order a princess?

Surprisingly, Xiao Ying took the basin. She studied Ye Qing curiously. Did she just roast them? Or dig a pit?

“No need. Toss them in the fire to roast,” Ye Qing said casually. She went to do other tasks.

Song Zhao gathered firewood nearby. Ye Qing prepared salted duck egg rice porridge.

Jiang Jinhuang saw Xiao Ying holding the basin. She hurried over. “Let me do it,” she said.

“No need. She’s right. Don’t be polite. I’ll do it,” Xiao Ying said. She carried the basin to roast the potatoes.

She never prepared meals on this journey. Xiao Ying found it novel. No one had spoken to her so plainly in years. In the palace, she had no friends. Noble Qianyuan only flattered her. Simplicity was better.

Jiang Jinhuang saw Xiao Ying comply. She couldn’t intervene. She went to find Ye Qing.

Soon, Ye Qing’s salted duck egg rice porridge was ready. Its aroma spread far.

Ye Qing served porridge to everyone. Jiang Jinhuang put roasted potatoes in the little one’s bowl. The little one ate porridge and potatoes, feeling satisfied.

Ye Qing enjoyed it too. The potatoes were crispy outside, soft inside, and delicious. The porridge with salted duck eggs was excellent.

Ye Qing thought she should store a sack of potatoes and cabbage in the cart. Producing items from nowhere could raise suspicions. Xiao Ying wasn’t one of them.

Thinking this, Ye Qing ate her porridge quickly. She finished and went to the cart to arrange things. She couldn’t let Xiao Ying suspect her special abilities.

After traveling all night, Ye Qing decided to build a shelter and rest.

Song Zhao kept watch first. Xiao Ying would relieve her later. Everyone napped. After noon, Ye Qing’s group set off again.

Xiao Ying took on driving the cart. Song Zhao did too, fearing the newcomer would steal her tasks. She sat outside the cart quickly.

Inside, Ye Qing and Jiang Jinhuang stayed with the little one. Worried she was tired, Ye Qing spread blankets for her. The little one rested comfortably.

Ye Qing sat beside Jiang Jinhuang. They exchanged glances and sighed at each other.

With others outside, Jiang Jinhuang couldn’t speak loudly. She moved to the cart’s inner side. She beckoned Ye Qing to join her.

Ye Qing obeyed and sat closer. Jiang Jinhuang leaned to her ear. “Be careful with your things. Don’t show flaws. The Second Highness isn’t me,” she whispered.

Ye Qing understood Jiang Jinhuang’s meaning. She touched her nose awkwardly. Jiang Jinhuang knew about her conjured items but never mentioned it. Now, she spoke up. Ye Qing felt embarrassed.

Ye Qing nodded at Jiang Jinhuang. “Yes, I understand,” she said.

Jiang Jinhuang relaxed, reassured.

At sunset, Ye Qing’s group stopped to camp.

They lit a fire. Nearby, cries rang out. An elderly person from a family starved to death. Her gaunt children knelt, wailing uncontrollably.

“Mother, why are you gone too? It’s only been days, and you’re all gone,” a woman cried faintly.

“I say, death is good. Death is better. Living is suffering. Big Sister, look at our lives. We eat roots or clay. Better to die,” another woman said, crying.

“Yes, death is good. Death means no more suffering,” another agreed.

“The officials drive us south. How many reach their destination?” someone said.

The topic stirred pain. Some refugees wept quietly. Others cursed angrily.

“When they want head taxes, officials come. Now we’re starving, who cares about us?” one said.

“Damn court, damn officials. They’re heartless monsters,” another cursed.

“At first, they pretended to help, giving watery porridge. Now, even that’s a luxury. Where’s our way out?” another cried.

Desperate cries opened a floodgate. Hungry refugees wailed in pain. Most had lost family on the road. Many had no food, surviving on roots and clay.

Many were numb. Hearing cries, some refugees wept loudly too.

Ye Qing told Song Zhao to keep cooking. She felt uneasy hearing the cries. She could do nothing. She was ordinary. The Second Highness could help these refugees.

Xiao Ying traveled with her guards, seeing people collapse and die. Tonight’s cries hit her harder.

Xiao Ying looked at Ye Qing. “Do you have much food left?” she asked.

Ye Qing frowned and glared at Xiao Ying. “What are you planning? With so many refugees, giving food to one family will bring others rushing us. Do you want to kill us?” she asked.

Xiao Ying faltered, choked by Ye Qing’s words. She knew her suggestion was unwise. Seeing refugees suffer, she felt pity. As royalty, she was their sky, but she could do nothing now.

Ye Qing looked at Xiao Ying calmly. “You don’t need to go south. It’s a waste of time. The disaster is severe, yet no relief comes. That says enough. Contact your people and return to solve this. It could save lives,” she said.

Xiao Ying looked at Ye Qing. She realized Jiang Jinhuang had revealed her identity. She nodded slowly. She sat beside Ye Qing. “Can you tell me everything you’ve encountered on this journey?” she asked.

Ye Qing handed cooking to Song Zhao. She began recounting their journey to Xiao Ying.

“It’s a long story,” Ye Qing said.

Ye Qing started from their departure from Linzhou. She mentioned passing Huai City, encountering human traffickers, and Huai City’s closed gates. Some guards killed refugees. She described being captured by bandits, nearly dying in their stronghold. She recounted refugees attacking them, meeting soldier-bandits, and other incidents. Ye Qing told Xiao Ying everything.

Xiao Ying looked at Ye Qing. She sighed. “You’ve been very lucky,” she said.

She understood refugees’ struggles better. In this chaos, what was the point of investigating? Catching corrupt officials wouldn’t save refugees. Trusted people with grain needed to oversee relief directly.

“I suppose. I hope we reach the south safely,” Ye Qing said.

“What should I do when I return?” Xiao Ying asked. She regretted asking instantly. Ye Qing was a commoner. Could she know statecraft? Still, she asked. She’d hear her out.

“With the current situation, court relief funds are useless. Layers of officials skim them. Little reaches locals. Even if funds arrive intact, only the south has grain. Local officials can’t buy food elsewhere. Instead, send relief grain directly. Dispatch trusted, disciplined troops to manage it. Otherwise, it’ll cause chaos,” Ye Qing said.