Chapter 364: Dong Shi Imitating the
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After dinner, Wei Ruo and Xiui were tidying up things in the room at the inn. “Miss, although Lin’an Prefecture is more prosperous than Taizhou Prefecture, there are noticeably more displaced people on this route, and the number of holess outside the city gates is almost catching up to those in Taizhou Prefecture’s reclaid land,” remarked Xiui with a hint of lantation over what they had seen in the last few days. Within the city of Lin’an Prefecture, displaced people were sparse as they were blocked off from entering. Many of them were starving, with so dying of hunger.
As the provincial capital of Zhejiang under the rule of the imperial envoy, Lin’an Prefecture used to be the busiest city in Zhejiang. However, it was now ho to many displaced people who appeared disheveled and malnourished.
“There’s been a poor harvest for two years straight. Naturally, there are many victims,” Wei Ruo reasoned.
“But didn’t the imperial court dispatch the sixth Prince to relieve the disaster? Why hasn’t there been any improvent? At the very least, shouldn’t they be providing so form of help to the displaced, instead of just keeping them outside the city watching them starve to death?”
Xiui thought simplistically, believing that people’s lives were most important and should be saved first.
Therefore, she began to harbor a slight dissatisfaction towards the sixth Prince who was assigned to relieve the disaster after experiencing the plight of so many displaced people.
“I’m not sure about that. I just mind my own business,” Wei Ruo stated, having no interest in discussing the disaster relief plans of the sixth Prince.
Wei Ruo was examining the map of Lin’an Prefecture while talking to Xiui.
“We’ll go here to investigate the situation tomorrow,” she said, pointing to the northern suburbs of Lin’an Prefecture.
“Wherever you say we go, Miss, I’ll go.” Xiui agreed without a second glance, determined to follow Wei Ruo wherever she went.
“Then I might as well sell you off,” Wei Ruo joked.
“By all ans, if the price is right, you can. Once you’ve received the money, I’ll escape and you can sell again,” Xiui replied with a laugh.
“You certainly know how to do business,” Wei Ruo chuckled, finding Xiui’s quip amusing.
“Of course, having been with you for so long, I’ve picked up a business sense,” Xiui said.
“My ii is smarter than now. At least I’m trading sothing, while you’re making a fortune out of nothing!” jested Wei Ruo.
“It’s only natural to surpass the master,” quipped Xiui playfully.
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Early the next morning, the four of them set off from the inn to the north of Lin’an Prefecture.
To facilitate their movents, Wei Ruo and Xiui disguised themselves as males. With three out of the four now in disguise, only Xiaobei was left without a disguise, his face making it hard for him to be spotted in the crowd.
Since she was dressed as a man, Wei Ruo did not ride in a carriage but rode a horse instead, which was more convenient.
After a few experiences of horse riding, Wei Ruo no longer experienced the sa pain in her buttocks and thighs as she did before.
Thanks to the specially made stirrups that Wei Jinyi had gotten for her, which had a thick layer of padding, her ride was much more comfortable.
As they rode out of the city gates, the scenery beca barren. There were many villages and farmlands along the way, but none of them seed as thriving as those in Taizhou Prefecture.
Upon closer inspection, they noticed that the rice plants in the paddy fields were not growing well. The leaves were yellow, and the yield was not promising.
“Why do the rice plants here in Lin’an Prefecture look like they’re in such bad condition?” asked Xiaobei, who was riding behind Wei Jinyi and Wei Ruo.
The one riding beside Xiaobei, Xiui, explained, “The weather this year hasn’t been great. It’s not uncommon for the rice to grow poorly.”
Xiaobei was still confused, “But the rice in Taizhou Prefecture seems to be growing well.”
Xiui pointed out, “A lot of the seedlings in Taizhou Prefecture were changed to the variety promoted by Miss. They’re resistant to diseases and adaptable. Plus, the magistrate has organized people from the governnt office to work with the locals to fertilize the fields and prevent pests. So of course the rice would grow well.”
Xiaobei finally understood, “I see, all rice plants aren’t the sa after all. The difference is quite lucid.”
Xiaobei imdiately followed up, “The harvest has been poor for the past two years. If this year remains the sa, won’t the crisis escalate?”
Xiui muttered, “Indeed, we can only hope for a good harvest this year. I certainly don’t want to see any more deaths.”
Xiaobei nodded vigorously, “Lady Xiui is correct!”
A little later, they encountered a group of governnt soldiers driving a group of raggedly dressed displaced people in a certain direction.
So of the soldiers were holding whips, occasionally lashing out at the displaced people, hastening them to move forward.
Xiui frowned in anger, “Who do these soldiers belong to, and why are they beating and driving these displaced people?”
Xiaobei quickly hushed Xiui, “Lady Xiui, keep your voice down. Those n belong to the sixth Prince. If they hear us, it would cause trouble.”
Xiui lowered her voice and asked Xiaobei, “Why are the sixth Prince’s n treating the displaced people so violently?”
We Ruo looked over at them, sharing the sa confusion.
Xiaobei didn’t imdiately answer, his gaze shifting to Wei Jinyi with hesitation.
Only after Wei Jinyi gave a slight nod did Xiaobei go on to explain to Wei Ruo and Xiui, “It seems that the sixth Prince is lately attempting to imitate Miss’s disaster relief approach by arranging for the displaced to reclaim and cultivate the land.”
Xiui was more confused than ever, “Why do they have to treat the displaced harshly if they’re learning from Miss’s thod of land reclamation? Couldn’t they just tell them directly? These people would undoubtedly be willing. We’ve already practiced this in Taizhou Prefecture.”
Xiaobei whispered in explanation, “Your thod in Taizhou Prefecture involved providing the displaced with shelter and food, and they were naturally pleased; but the sixth Prince isn’t providing lodging here and is said to offer very little food. On top of that, he pushes the displaced to toil from dawn until dusk for the sake of progress, making them work extrely hard. Naturally, nobody is willing.”
It was better to hide in the wilderness and survive on eating roots and grass than to be forced into strenuous labor where the chances of dying may be higher.
Wei Ruo furrowed her eyebrows, “If he’s learning, why doesn’t he fully learn it? There’s no one stopping him.”
This ti, Wei Jinyi answered her question, “Because he can’t persuade the people of Lin’an Prefecture to invest ti and money, and he lacks the ability to adapt accordingly. He tried previously but failed to improve the land. So, even though so ti was spent, nothing was able to grow on the land.”
The fact that Wei Ruo could revive the work-for-aid project and evoked participation from everyone in Taizhou Prefecture was largely due to her ability to reassure them that she could successfully improve the land, ensuring that everyone would benefit.
If this prerequisite couldn’t be t, then no one would be willing to participate and invest in it.
The sixth Prince only studied the frawork of Wei Ruo’s disaster relief thod and missed the key points, resulting in a different outco.
Xiui blurted out, “Even so, he shouldn’t maltreat the displaced the way he does. Their lives are already hard enough. What’s the use of persecuting them if they can’t grow crops?”
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