Chapter 18: To the County Town to Gather Information

was even more unbearable. Even with a thick blanket, I couldn't stop the wind from whistling through it all night long.Especially the elderly and children, seeing that they were almost reaching the c...Gu Huanxi was just about to take a midday nap when Xu Huaiyi came back with a serious expression. Seeing her lying on the earthen kang, he asked puzzledly, "Why didn't you sleep in the car This kang is so hard..."

"Get used to it, you can't just rely on the RV all the time. How are we going to live here if that's all you do" Seeing his face wasn't looking good, Gu Huan didn't press him. "Go take a shower and cool off first, then we can talk."

Xu Huaiyi nodded, his whole body felt sticky and uncomfortable. He dashed into the van and about ten minutes later, came out wearing a pair of shorts. He lay down on the earthen kang with her, still fanning himself with a palm leaf fan in his hand.

Gu Huanxi leaned sideways and asked, "Is the situation very bad"

Xu Huaiyi sighed heavily, "Hmm," and told her in detail everything he had seen and heard in town. At last, he said with worry, "Wife, I'm afraid things are going to get chaotic here soon, not just natural disasters, but also... I just went to the village well and saw that the water level has dropped significantly. Uncle was there too, and I asked him what his plans were. He actually still wants to wait for disaster relief, he even wants to wait another three months! Three months Does he really think it'll be alright by then"

Gu Huanxi frowned, "You didn't try to persuade him"

Xu Huaiyi sighed, "I told him what I heard in town, but looking at his expression, he seemed half-believing, perhaps still holding out hope for the court Anyway, as long as there's even a sliver of hope, he doesn't want to leave..."

"That's understandable. It's hard to leave your hometown, and who wouldn't want to stay alive"

“But things are different this time. A few years ago, when there was a drought, the imperial court provided relief because the affected area was small and manageable. But now Over ten prefectures and states are facing disasters! Such a huge problem, can the imperial court possibly handle it Especially with the Tartars invading in the northwest, supposedly all the collected grain has been sent to the northwest as military supplies. Where is there any leftover to care for the lives of the people”

"Heaven leaks just as it rains for days on end..."

"Alas, who would disagree It seems like it's even worse than that. I heard a merchant whispering that there's fierce competition at court over choosing the next crown prince. They've become so preoccupied with their own ambitions that they've completely disregarded the plight of the common people. Those high and mighty officials wouldn't care about the lives of ordinary folks, would they 'Let them eat cake,' I can't believe we've found ourselves in such a situation."

When Gu Huan heard this, he pondered for a moment and said, "The current emperor is the grandson of the founding emperor. I hear he was even taught by me when he was young. He's considered a wise ruler, so it shouldn't be that he's so foolish..."

Xu Huaiyi let out a hum, "That's not necessarily true. Maybe he was enlightened before, but now his brain isn't as sharp as it used to be. Isn't this a common plot in TV dramas Young and capable, but then when they get old, they become suspicious of everyone. They see their sons as thieves, plotting for the throne, and eventually it leads to chaos…" He paused, then spoke again with a more serious tone, "Daughter-in-law, power struggles are too dangerous. We absolutely can't get involved."

Gu Huanxi said speechless, "Succession struggle You really dare to think, that kind of high-end game, is something anyone can touch"

Xu Huaiyi grinned.

After chatting with his daughter-in-law for a while, Xu Huaiyi felt much lighter. He cooked up several hearty dishes for dinner and the couple had a wonderful meal together.

Especially the tomato stewed beef brisket, Gu Huan liked it paired with rice and finished two bowls. Her body wasn't in good shape at first, so she didn't dare to eat too much for fear of upsetting her stomach. Now that she had adjusted after a few days, she dared to replenish herself, and the effect was naturally obvious. Not only did her complexion look good, but the places where she should gain weight also gradually became rounder.

She is now pacing around the yard, finally able to walk without gasping for breath every few steps.

Making great strides, success is just around the corner.

The next day, before the sun even rose, Gu Huanxi urged Xu Huaiyi to get up. After breakfast, while it wasn't too hot yet, she urged him again to go to the county.

The county is much farther away from the town than I thought. It would take more than an hour to get there on foot. Luckily, these past few days I've been eating well, otherwise Xu Huaiyi suspects he would have passed out halfway through his journey.

Thus, when he saw the city gate, his legs began to tremble.

The county town was more bustling than the town, with people coming and going. It didn't seem like there were any signs of trouble, but many shops were deserted, except for the grain store, where there was a crowd of people at the door.

Xu Huaiyi went up to them, without needing to ask anything, all sorts of information poured into his ears.

"Officer, it's thirty cents a pound now..."

Gasps arose, with some widening their eyes in disbelief and questioning, "Thirty wen Wasn't it twenty-five yesterday"

Someone immediately rolled their eyes and scoffed, "Why don't you say it was twenty just the day before yesterday"

Someone cursed, "Damn it, one price a day, who can afford this"

Among the crowd, some well-off people jostled and shouted, "If you can't afford it, don't come to join in the excitement. You know, who knows if it will be thirty-five wen tomorrow"

There are also honest and cautious ones who probe carefully, "What about the beans"

There was a kindhearted man who earnestly said, "Beans cost twenty wen, wheat fifty wen. If you still have silver, hurry and hoard some! Don't delay any longer. Look at this weather, will there be rain If it doesn't rain, the fields will yield nothing. If you don't prepare some grain now, what will you eat and drink in the second half of the year"

The other party slapped their thigh and cried, "Oh my, it's so expensive, how can I afford it"

Immediately, someone from the crowd chimed in, "Hmph, there's still stuff for sale here. You better hurry and burn some incense! I heard that some grain stores have already shut down."

Upon hearing this, someone whispered, “Doesn’t the imperial court really allocate grain to provide relief Our county office also has granaries…”

Before he could finish his words, someone poured cold water on him. "Don't daydream," they said. "The grain has already been transported to the northwest. We need to prioritize feeding our soldiers at the front first; otherwise, how can they fight on an empty stomach"

To say that those Tatars are savage and drink blood, if they really invaded, who among us would survive

This statement wasn't a secret anymore. After he finished speaking, most people weren't surprised. There was just a glimmer of hope fading from their eyes, replaced by a sense of despair. "Alas, our situation here is dire. If we don't receive aid, I fear that before the enemy invades, we will perish from starvation."

Xu Huaiyi listened for a while, then with a simple and honest face, he asked straightforwardly, “Since life is getting harder and harder, why don't you all think about fleeing as soon as possible”

There was a moment of silence around him, followed by various admonitions.

"Fleeing You think fleeing is a way out"

"That's it, where can we run away to Ten or so prefectures around here are all experiencing famine. Where could we go that wouldn't be the same as starving and waiting for death It's better to just stay home and tough it out. Wait for the rain, and things will gradually get better."

"Yes, I'd rather starve to death at home than die on the run. To become a wandering spirit without even a grave to return to—wouldn't that be worse"

Xu Huaiyi pursed his lips, "Fleeing famine isn't that scary, is it"

Hearing this, someone immediately lamented, "Fleeing to seek refuge, nine out of ten will perish! Is this not terrifying Shouldn't we be avoiding the path where there is no way forward and water runs dry That road demands life as a gamble."

Xu Huaiyi, “…”hem to shine.""Aren't you afraid the shopkeeper will check on you again""Disguise and impersonation, it's easy anyway. The tailers I left behind won't be able to find me no matter how hard they try.""...