Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Despite his concentration, Meng Hun could not understand what she meant.
Jiang Pengji explained further, “Lots of civilians in the surrounding counties have been robbing households in Hejian the past few years due to serious drought and famine in their hometowns. The news about rebellion in Cang will only encourage the mobs.”
Meng Hun began to understand. “The mobs will act more recklessly in the chaos?”
She nodded, but then shook her head. “Still, there’s another concern.”
Meng Hun furrowed. Although he was more detail oriented than most of his companions, he was no match for the witty Jiang Pengji.
“Imagine what people will do when they hear about the rebellion,” she hinted. As Meng Hun appeared to have understood her point, she continued, “Food is always the priority for commoners. It’s spring now, and the rumors will spread across Hejian by summer. By then, people will have consumed most of their crops from last year, but there’s still a few months before this year’s harvest. What will happen if there are hearsays about Hejian becoming a battlefield?”
Meng Hun’s throat was dry and burning. He swallowed and replied with uncertainty, “They will rush for grains in case battles affect their harvest. Sellers could then raise their prices for greater profits.”
When Meng Hun had left the county Meng, the price of grains was already five times higher than usual. Even so, there was a shortage for food. It was not surprising that merchants would maximize their profits with the aid of rumors. In the end, prices may even soar to thirty times higher!
“Don’t forget the mobs in Hejian. They’ve got no food now, and they won’t be able to afford any by that time. The result is a more frequent disturbance to the commoners.”
The picture stunned Meng Hun, who came from a poor family. He spent his childhood hungry and had witnessed many digging up grass and tree roots for food. Some who could find none would swallow white clay that tasted like rice, and they eventually died of digestive problems.
There were even cruel scenes of people stealing children or chopping up their friend’s corpses for flesh. There was no peace for the dead.
On their way to Hejian, Meng Hun and his brothers had spotted traces of mobs and bandits in the woods but they ignored them. At the moment, as Meng Hun related to them what Jiang Pengji had mentioned, he tightened his lips.
Despite Hejian’s prosperous appearance, the surrounding forests posed considerable threats to the people.
Even Meng Hun, who had quickly passed through the woods, had noticed more than one group of mobs. How many of them were actually hiding near Hejian?
Because of the local soldiers, the mobs used to refrain themselves from hurting civilians. If they had heard about the rebellion in Meng, they would stop at nothing for grain, especially when the local guards were distracted by the rebellion.
Meng Hun understood that the situation occurred partially because of him. His voice caught; his companions also fell into silence.
They all had had the experience of living in destitution, and they felt sorry for the people’s misery.
Jiang Pengji sighed. “I have a plan that may help lower the price a little.”
Her words immediately drew Meng Hun’s attention. He looked up and gazed at her. It took awhile for him to compose himself before he could ask, “Is there any way I can be of help?”
Jiang Pengji touched her forehead as if it was a thorny issue. “I was thinking about my father. As you may know, he is the county chief of Xu. He relieved the draught with underground water and has cultivated farmland in the area. Now, Xu is well-developed and its annual crop yields an excess of what its people need.”
Meng Hun nodded with admiration. “I’ve heard merchants say that Xu used to be poverty stricken until Officer Liu became its chief. Since then, it has transformed into everyone’s dream homeland.”
He paused, then suggested hesitantly, “I appreciate the idea of sharing fortunes in Xu with people in other regions, but Officer Liu may show an objection. Even if he agrees to provide aid, it would certainly cost your family an enormous sum to transfer the grains. It would also provide a chance for your father’s political rivals to criticize the expensive decision.”
Through lending a helping hand, the Liu’s would gain the people’s gratitude and support, and that was what would make bureaucrats, such as the county chief in Hejian, jealous.
Jiang Pengji frowned. “I’ve thought about that, too, but I can’t let that stop us. We must do something.”
Meng Hun could not think of a better way, either.
She added, “The crucial concern is the source of grains. Where can we find generous families with so much food? The houses will refuse to help.”
All the men furrowed at her question. They knew no house would help them.
Soon, the youngster that Jiang Pengji found cute looked at Jiang Pengji with an expression of, “Oh! I have an idea,” and pointed at Meng Liang, who had not ceased moving about. The adorable teenager stammered, “What… what about him?”
Everyone gave him the same look: Are you kidding?
They had not forgotten the culprit of the military chief’s misery.
While the men did not understand, Jiang Pengji acted as if she understood what he meant but could not decide. Meng Hun observed her face and knew she had conceived another plan, so he said, “Langjun, please tell us what you think. We’ll do whatever we can to help.”
Before Jiang Pengji replied, the young soldier explained hurriedly, “Chief, the grains in the Meng’s are turning old and rotting! Didn’t you say the guards at the granaries always complain about mice and insects eating the excess food?”