Chapter 1028: 866 chapters, internal and external troubles
The matter was resolved, and Daohua returned to her carriage as the caravan continued to advance.
As the carriage passed the group of bandits, Daohua once again saw the only little boy among them through the curtains of the carriage.
Unusually underdressed, the boy was barefoot in the frosty, snowy conditions. His feet were covered in festering frostbite, with so areas starting to ooze pus. If not treated promptly, Daohua worried he would not be able to walk at his tender age.
“Guyu, get a box of ointnt for frostbite and a few packets of foot-soaking dicine for that little boy. Instruct him to take care of his feet to avoid becoming crippled in the future. See if you can also find any children’s clothes and shoes and take so to him.”
Guyu nodded, got off the carriage, and quickly found the dicine. Since there were no children’s clothes or shoes in the caravan, she took her own old cotton-padded coat and cotton shoes.
The boy instinctively stepped back as he saw Guyu approaching.
Guyu glanced at the boy’s feet and couldn’t bear to look again. She imdiately stepped forward, draped the cotton coat over him, and stuffed the dicine wrapped in cloth into his arms.
“Put on the shoes.”
The boy, seemingly too cold to think, instinctively did as Guyu said.
After telling the boy how to use the dicine, Guyu was ready to turn around and leave. She had taken a few steps when she turned back and slipped a silver peanut into the boy’s hand.
“Don’t let anyone know.”
With that, she ran quickly to catch up to the carriage.
The boy stood there, holding the dicine, gazing after the departing caravan for a long ti without a word.
Wang Wu and others were in the sa state.
It was not until a middle-aged scholar accompanied by three or four won arrived that they snapped out of it.
“Did you rob soone?”
Looking at the grains by the roadside, Wang Qi stared angrily at Wang Wu and the others.
Wang Wu hurriedly explained, “No, we didn’t.” But recalling they had indeed committed robbery, he imdiately stopped talking.
Wang Qi was furious, “Haven’t I told you? I am finding a solution. Robbing others is the way of bandits. Once a person becos a bandit, they should be denounced. Why wouldn’t you listen to ?”
One of the middle-aged n and won who had co along quickly chid in, “The gentleman entered Wei City and borrowed a cartload of grain.”
Wang Wu’s eyes lit up, “Really?” Seeing Wang Qi’s cold gaze, he slowly modulated his expression and spoke hesitantly, “Now, if this grain wasn’t robbed by us, but rather given to us willingly, would you believe that?”
Hearing this, Wang Qi grew even angrier, “Do you think I am a three-year-old child?”
Just then, the little boy Wang Lifu ca over and pulled on Wang Qi, “Sir, we really encountered an angelic sister. Look, the clothes, shoes, and dicine were all given by the angelic sister.”
Wang Qi first looked at the clothes and shoes on the boy, then took out the dicine to examine it. He knew a bit about dicine and, upon examining the ingredients and scent, recognized it as high-quality dicine for treating frostbite.
After a mont of silence, Wang Qi sternly looked at Wang Wu, “Now, tell in detail exactly what happened just now.”
Wang Wu hastily recounted the incident.
“Sir, you have no idea how formidable those people were. I always thought I was skilled, but I was subdued in just a few moves.”
“Sir, I truly thought we were done for, but instead, the lady not only spared us, but also left us with grain to survive the winter.”
Upon saying this, Wang Wu quickly led Wang Qi to where the grain was stored, “Sir, look, this is the grain the lady left for us.”
Wang Qi grabbed a handful of wheat seeds in his hand, observing the large, full, and smooth seeds with a flicker of excitent in his eyes.
The land in Xiliang was barren, and if the seeds were poor, the yield would be very low.
“What kind of seeds are these?”
Wang Qi grabbed another handful of corn and examined it.
Wang Wu scratched the back of his head, “It seems to be called corn, and it’s said to have a high yield.”
Looking at Wang Qi carefully putting the seeds back and tying up the bag carefully, Wang Wu tentatively asked, “Sir, who do you say these people are?”
“I see they are quite formidable,” said the lady. “If she knew we continued being bandits, she said she’d send troops to wipe us out.”
Wang Qi’s eyes flickered, realizing that anyone who dared to say such a thing must be significant.
Wang Wu looked hopefully at Wang Qi, “Sir, those people even dared to curse the commander after hearing about the slaughter in the town. Do you think they could be high officials sent by the Imperial Court?”
Wang Qi remained silent, only turning his head towards Beijing.
Was the Imperial Court starting to pay attention to Xiliang?
After a pause, Wang Qi picked a few particularly clever clansn, “Go back to the mountain for a al. After eating, follow them quietly and try to find out who these people are.”
…
“The inns in Xiliang are not only far apart, but are also dilapidated and old. I really wonder how the Commander manages Xiliang,” said Guyu as she and Lixia and Bi Shi were cleaning the room, replacing the damp, moldy bedding with their own.
Daohua sat by the stove, watching the herbal dicine in the ceramic pot while saying, “The situation here in Xiliang is different from that in other inland provinces.”
“This place is a borderland and doesn’t implent the inland administrative system. The current Commander used to be stationed here to defend against the western borders.”
“Xiliang has always been ant to fend off invasions from Xiliao, focusing on military aspects. Affairs such as managing or developing Xiliang are completely neglected.”
“This results in extrely harsh living conditions for the people here!”
Bi Shi frowned, “The military doesn’t seem too impressive either. Didn’t those bandits just say that Xiliao people ca and slaughtered a town not long ago?”
Daohua couldn’t help but feel a headache for Xiao Yeyang, “This place in Xiliang really has both internal and external troubles. A whole array of problems.”
Seeing that the herbal dicine was nearly done, Daohua personally delivered it to Gu Jian.
Gu Jian’s room had already been tidied up by Dongli and Caiju.
“Master, it’s ti for soup.”
Seeing his apprentice preparing herbal dicine soup again, Gu Jian found solace but said sternly, “You don’t need to make herbal dicine every other day. My body isn’t that frail. You should rest more when you have the ti.”
Daohua smiled, “We have been traveling for nearly two months, and people are almost falling apart. It’s always good to replenish.”
Gu Jian started to drink the herbal dicine, “Will we arrive at Gan State Guard in three or four days?”
Daohua nodded, “If nothing unexpected happens.” Then she had soone call Dr. Ge.
She needed to handle things regarding the caravan and couldn’t stay with her master all the ti, so she had Dr. Ge co to keep him company.
After Dr. Ge arrived, Daohua drank a bowl of soup and left to take care of other matters.
“Thank goodness for the Crown Princess on this journey.”
Dr. Ge drank the herbal dicine happily.
With nearly two months of travel, and the roads being so harsh and the weather cold, nearly no one in the caravan fell ill. As a doctor, he couldn’t help but be impressed.
“Earlier, providing the refugees with food was another great action by the Crown Princess. This surely will make people inquire about us. Through their word-of-mouth, the Crown Prince will surely earn a good reputation.”
Hearing this, Gu Jian’s lips curled into a smile, his face showing a touch of pride.
Yeyang’s trip to Xiliang was not only to defend against the people from Xiliao but also to manage Xiliang.
In warfare, strong military forces and a firm fist suffice, but managing a territory’s resources cannot neglect the hearts of the people.
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