“Everyone, disperse.” Feng Jin waved her hand. With someone else taking the lead, there was no trouble for her. She just had to wait to collect the harvest.
…
Lu Shi worked quickly. Cartload after cartload of grain was pulled into the government office. All the granaries were filled to the brim. This grain was enough to feed the people of Yingzhong Commandery for a year.
“Reporting to the Young Madam, there are still six thousand dan of grain stored in the courtyard with no place to put it.”
“Boil porridge and distribute food. Summon all the citizens of the city.”
The people had been hungry for many days. The priority was to fill their stomachs.
“Yes, Young Madam.”
“My wife truly has remarkable methods. In just one day, you’ve filled all the granaries in Yingzhong Commandery. Your husband is truly impressed!”
Ling Mohan had not expected Feng Jin to be able to procure so much grain in such a short time.
“Merchants naturally stored a lot of grain, waiting for the disaster year to inflate prices and make a fortune. Yingzhong Commandery had ample grain, but the people had none to eat.”
“If not for the sudden rebellion, and their attempt to curry favor with the rebels for survival, we wouldn’t have found leverage. Using this as an excuse to pressure them, what is more important, wealth or life? It was clear at a glance. Witnessing someone executed for colluding with rebels naturally caused panic…”
“Seeing one person donate wealth and supplies being praised, naturally, there will be others who imitate to please you and avoid death. This grain was collected effortlessly.”
Ultimately, it was about seizing human nature. Faced with death, everyone felt endangered. To preserve their lives, the money naturally seemed unimportant.
“It is still your wife’s brilliant strategy that made them obedient.”
Ling Mohan’s every word was now full of praise for Feng Jin, as if he wanted to elevate her to the heavens.
He had come to believe that whatever Feng Jin did or said was correct.
“Stop your flattery. General Ling is opening the granaries and distributing food, an act of supreme virtue. Why don’t you go out and let the people of Yingzhong Commandery remember your kindness and boost your reputation?”
Since good deeds were being done, the good reputation should be reaped. It wouldn’t do to do everything and not even receive a compliment. That would be truly foolish. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
After speaking, Feng Jin pulled Ling Mohan outside. The two of them stood on a high platform. Below them, people were lining up to receive porridge. In the crowd, Feng Jin had already arranged for people to stir up support. Seeing the couple, they immediately shouted.
“It’s General Ling and the Young Madam! Yingzhong suffered from the rebellion, thanks to General Ling saving our lives!”
“If not for General Ling procuring the grain and opening the granaries, we would all starve!”
“General Ling, your great kindness and virtue will be remembered forever!”
People are easily swayed by the voices of others. Instantly, the assembled citizens echoed the sentiment, praising Ling Mohan’s benevolence, as if he were their reborn father.
Even Feng Jin, by association with Ling Mohan, received praise.
Feng Jin felt the admiration of the crowd with a sense of self-satisfaction, becoming somewhat giddy and losing her bearings.
No wonder Chu Yanxi had put so much effort into building his reputation and even given himself the nickname “Wise King.”
At critical moments, these ethereal things could be of great use.
It was a pity that Chu Yanxi’s meticulously crafted reputation was largely ruined by her scheme, and he had also been labeled with the infamy of being greedy for beauty and ignorant of right and wrong.
“Well, General, doesn’t being admired feel good? This is all my doing.”
“Thank you, my wife. I will definitely thank you properly tonight, with action.”
Ling Mohan deliberately leaned close to Feng Jin’s ear and whispered. After speaking, he did not forget to blow warm air into Feng Jin’s ear, causing her delicate body to tremble noticeably.
Feng Jin’s face suddenly flushed. She pushed Ling Mohan away, “Say one less word, no one will think you’re mute.”
After opening the granaries and distributing food, Feng Jin and Ling Mohan walked through the streets. The streets were bleak and desolate.
“Before the natural disaster, this street must have been bustling with prosperity. After the disaster and subsequent looting and burning by the rebels, Yingzhong Commandery is left in ruins and in need of rebuilding.”
Feng Jin looked at the empty streets, and a sense of desolation filled her heart.
In the medical hall, the wails of countless patients echoed to the heavens.
“It hurts! It hurts so much…”
“Help… help…”
Even though Feng Jin had witnessed countless partings of life and death, her heart was still violently clutched when she saw this scene.
“How are you?” Feng Jin stopped before a woman and asked.
“Madam… please save me, I… I don’t want to die…” As soon as she finished speaking, the woman spat out a mouthful of blood, which splashed directly onto Feng Jin’s dress.
Feng Jin, regaining her senses, grabbed her hand to feel her pulse. The pulse was weak and unsteady, a sign of critical illness. Looking at the woman’s pale complexion, vacant eyes, pale lips, and burning skin that was too hot to touch.
“Doctor, have you determined the illness?”
Feng Jin, unable to ascertain the woman’s illness for a moment, asked the physician.
“Reporting to Madam, we haven’t determined it yet. I have prescribed medicine to stop the high fever.”
The physician, overwhelmed with work, took a moment to reply to Feng Jin.
Feng Jin examined the condition of the patients in the room. Several of them had symptoms similar to the woman just now, some milder, some more severe.
“Ah…” A man on the bed cried out loudly, vomiting, then spitting out a mouthful of blood, and immediately fainted.
Feng Jin felt his pulse, her eyes widened, and her expression froze. She uttered a few words from her lips: “He… is dead…”
Then she had two soldiers carry the body out. Instantly, the fear of death enveloped the entire room.
Feng Jin’s face turned pale. She continued to examine the symptoms of the other patients, confirming her suspicions.
“What’s wrong? Your face looks so bad. Are you feeling unwell?”
Ling Mohan noticed Feng Jin’s discomfort and asked in a worried tone.
Feng Jin raised her eyelids and looked at Ling Mohan. The words on her lips had not yet been spoken when she suddenly pushed away Ling Mohan’s hand that was holding her sleeve and took a step back, creating distance between them.
“You…”
“You go out first, get out!” Feng Jin yelled.
Ling Mohan was stunned. Under Feng Jin’s insistence, he retreated from the room.
Immediately after, the door to the room was heavily closed by Feng Jin, and the two of them were as if separated by thousands of miles.
Feng Jin leaned against the door, took a deep breath, and steadied her emotions. She said, “Ling Mohan, listen to me…”
“This is no ordinary illness. It’s… it’s a plague…”
Plague. Ling Mohan’s eyes tightened, and his heart immediately panicked.