The entire Yun family gathered in the main hall, their faces etched with worry.
Who could have imagined that so many people would flood into Dashui Village overnight?
Little Xi Tian trotted to the main gate, peeking through the crack.
Good heavens, there were thirty to forty people crammed outside.
They knelt or lay prostrate, begging the Yun family to open their granary and distribute grain to save their lives.
Outside the neighboring large house, a similar scene unfolded, a sea of people stretching as far as the eye could see.
Xiao Jin Heng climbed onto the wall, craning his neck to look outside.
"Why have so many people come to the village?" Xiao Jin Heng asked Kong Xing Zhuo.
Could it be a rat infestation?
He recalled that the imperial court had already dispatched disaster relief supplies, so why were there so many refugees?
Kong Xing Zhuo sighed softly, a hint of unspeakable difficulty in his tone. "Your Lordship, you may not know, but these villagers are from the surrounding ten to eight villages."
"Their crops were ruined by rats, and with no food at home, they've come to Dashui Village to beg for sustenance!"
Xiao Jin Heng frowned. "What about the imperial court's disaster relief supplies?"
Had they been embezzled by those corrupt officials, like a hawk plucking feathers?
Kong Xing Zhuo sighed helplessly. "Those meager supplies were skimmed off at every level. By the time they reached Heyang County, only two bags of grain remained."
Nowadays, corrupt officials ran rampant, and wicked clerks were rampant.
The imperial court couldn't execute them fast enough.
In the end, it was the innocent common people who suffered.
Xiao Jin Heng's face flushed crimson upon hearing this. "How dare they! They even dare to embezzle the people's disaster relief supplies?"
How glorious and prosperous the Great Liang Kingdom once was.
How had it become so desolate and ravaged?
Kong Xing Zhuo gave a wry smile. "Among the officials across the country, how many are not corrupt?"
Their purses were bottomless pits, never to be filled.
Xiao Jin Heng closed his eyes and instructed Kong Xing Zhuo, "Take out the grain from the manor and distribute it to the refugees outside the gate."
"Yes!"
Old Yun's family.
Liu Cui Rong cried out in panic, "Father, Mother, we only have so little grain at home, how can we help them?"
The wheat and corn in the fields had not yet been harvested.
She truly feared that these refugees would swarm and ravage their crops.
The old Yun family had thirty mu of land, which was better cultivated than anyone else's in the village.
The wheat ears were plump, a golden expanse.
The corn cobs were fat and long. If the refugees took just one cob each, the fields would be bare.
Yun Er Man frowned. "What are you shouting about? Has the family ever starved you?"
Liu Cui Rong couldn't hear a word of it.
She grabbed a sickle and was about to rush out. "No, I can't let them ruin our fields."
Little Xi Tian: "..."
Second sister-in-law, if you really have the guts, go ahead!
It seems no one in the family is stopping you!
Liu Cui Rong took a couple of steps forward, then, seeing that no one in the family was looking at her, she stood awkwardly at the doorway.
She put down the sickle and stammered, "The family... the family still has men, why should I go!"
Old Yun, annoyed, shot her a glare. "Just be quiet and don't stir up trouble and cause problems for the family!"
Liu Cui Rong snorted. "I don't want to manage it anyway!"
As long as she and Xiao Bao weren't starved, that was all that mattered.
"Second sister-in-law, it's okay!~"
Little Xi Tian walked up to Liu Cui Rong, hands on her hips, cheering her on.
Liu Cui Rong's gaze faltered, and her expression brightened.
Was her little sister-in-law comforting her?
"Sweet Baby is becoming more and more lovable!" Liu Cui Rong patted her head.
Little Xi Tian's eyes curved into crescents. She really didn't want her family to argue.
As long as her second sister-in-law behaved, no one in the old Yun family would have a red face.
Outside Dashui Village, swarms of refugees carried their bundles, bringing their wives, children, and elders to beg for food.
Outside the gate of every household, people were crammed in a dense mass.
The village streets were even more packed, countless numbers of them.
"Don't block my doorway! Go, go, get away!"
"Hey, why are you trying to snatch? If you take another step forward, I'll report you to the authorities!"
"My rice jar is empty, go check other houses!"
"Isn't there that Gou Gou Lake? There are fish in it, go catch them! Why are you blocking my doorway?"
"..."
Dashui Village had completely descended into chaos.
Seeing that they couldn't get grain, the refugees went to Gou Gou Lake to catch fish.
Many had just reached the lake when they disturbed the earth dragons on the shore and in the reeds.
They attacked collectively, biting the refugees and leaving them with broken limbs, a truly tragic scene.
Then, some people began to go into the mountains to dig for wild vegetables and pick fruits, only to be attacked by wolves.
Helpless, they had no choice but to return to Dashui Village and set their sights on the vast cultivated fields.
The village head, after finally squeezing out of his own doorway, took Fu Da Qiang and Du Lao San and hurried to the Yun family.
They needed to discuss a plan.
Otherwise, no household in Dashui Village would be spared.
The old Yun family's house was large, with high walls, and built on the mountainside.
Therefore, the village head always liked to come here to discuss matters.
"Village head, what should we do now? The government isn't intervening!" Fu Da Qiang complained.
The village head puffed on his pipe and sneered, "It was Magistrate Chen's notice that caused the refugees to flock to our village."
Now, Dashui Village had become a piece of fish meat to be carved up at will.
Everyone wanted a bite.
If this continued, their way of life would be cut off.
Old Yun mumbled, puffing on his pipe, his old face as black as the bottom of a pot.
Du Lao San gritted his teeth. "Magistrate Chen is truly not a good person. He looks refined on the surface, but who knew he had such a wicked heart!"
"It's not entirely his fault!" The village head took a sip of tea. "Who told us to drive away the rats and save the crops."
Gu Shi, holding Little Xi Tian, suddenly thought of something.
"Village head, have there always been earth dragons in Gou Gou Lake?" Gu Shi asked in surprise.
The village head shook his head. "There weren't any before. It was only a few years ago that a group of earth dragons appeared on the lake shore."
"After the villagers were bitten, no one dared to go fishing anymore!"
Du Lao San nodded in agreement. "That's right, that group of beasts bites anyone they see. They come and go without a trace, very frightening!"
Even strong young men dared not hunt earth dragons alone.
Little Xi Tian listened, feeling a hint of curiosity.
Dashui Village was located in the far north of the Liang Kingdom, so there shouldn't be any crocodiles.
Moreover, after winter set in each year, Dashui Village was freezing cold, with harsh winds and snow.
Wouldn't alligators freeze to death?
How did they get here?
"And, ever since the villagers discovered the earth dragons, the wolves in the mountains have also increased!"
The village head lit another pipe. "Old Sun's two sons were bitten to death by wolves."
"Later, the government strictly prohibited villagers from hunting in the mountains or fishing in the rivers..."
Little Xi Tian's head was full of questions.
Why did she feel that this matter was a bit strange?
Currently, the refugees were homeless and starving.
If the earth dragons and wolves could be wiped out, then food could be found everywhere.
Why would they covet the meager crops of Dashui Village?
So, Little Xi Tian called out in a milky voice, "Kill the dragons, fight the wolves..."