All honest citizens, why worry about the city not prospering?
Those royalty and nobles in the caves were mistaken. The so-called commoners and lowly people they spoke of were shackles forged by their exploitation, forcing these people, who merely sought survival, to resist with all their might.
In less than a month since arriving in this city, Chen Yu had gained loyal citizens willing to share its hardships.
He never dreamed that the burning of the granary would actually ignite the city's unity. When he saw the people carrying grain, his eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.
Indeed, most people from the lower strata were simple and kind.
Having experienced rain themselves, they wished to hold an umbrella for others when it rained.
Such people could not be let down!
"City Lord, how will we solve the grain problem?"
As the citizens dispersed from the front of the mansion, although Klay was deeply shocked and moved, he could not ignore the city's grain shortage.
As it stood, the citizens had enough grain to sustain themselves.
Those who sympathized with the burning of the granary and the damage to the city's reserves might also reduce the likelihood of exchanging labor for grain. His own grain might last another half a month, or if he were more daring, a month.
The problem was, for a city, a month was a very short time.
Indeed, buying grain back from the citizens was a good option. The City Lord's Mansion could purchase grain from the citizens at its original price or slightly higher, then resell it to ensure everyone had enough to eat. However, judging from Chen Yu's attitude just now, he did not intend to do so.
The crops planted outside the city were not yet ready for harvest.
At this moment, they had to rely on Chen Yu to bring in enough grain for the city's operations, just as he had before.
"Why are you looking at me with such longing?" Chen Yu asked, bewildered by Klay's gaze. "You look at me, but I can't conjure grain out of thin air for you."
"Our city is out of grain."
"I know."
"You are the City Lord, you have to find a way to solve this problem."
"I never said I wouldn't solve it." Chen Yu spread his hands and smiled wryly. "Even if I solve it, it takes time, right? It's not like I can just wave my hand and tens of thousands of tons of grain appear."
As he spoke, Chen Yu gently rubbed the ring on his hand.
He actually could.
However, according to his plan, this grain could absolutely not be revealed, lest it be discovered by malicious individuals and hinder future progress.
"Do not panic."
Seeing Klay's still pitiful expression, Chen Yu patted his shoulder.
"Good fortune favors the brave. Perhaps a merchant will arrive one day saying they have grain and ask if we want to buy, and you can buy it from them, and the problem will be solved?"
Klay: "???"
What nonsense was this!
Grain merchants were not something one could just encounter. Even when these merchants did business, they dealt with the royalty of various nations or powerful city lords.
These people had money to purchase their grain.
Although Fengqi City, now under Chen Yu's control, was considered financially sound, and Chen Yu spent money like water for the city's development.
He had thrown out millions of gold coins without batting an eye.
How could it be so coincidental that a grain merchant would happily show up at their city when it was most in need of grain, bringing ample supplies and asking if they wanted to do business?
"Stop looking at me like that. Have faith in your City Lord!"
Chen Yu solemnly placed his hands on Klay's shoulders, attempting to convey confidence through his gaze.
"Anyway, if we run out of food, I'll tell them to find you." Klay tilted his head, glanced at Chen Yu, shrugged, and said, "I'm going to work."
With weary steps, Klay headed towards his courtyard within the City Lord's Mansion.
Chen Yu watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but chuckle.
"This kid."
"My Lord, my Lord!!!"
As he shook his head with a wry smile, a familiar shout reached Chen Yu's ears. He squinted and saw Liya, followed by his usual entourage, appear. Liya, at the forefront, grinned as widely as if he had received a big red envelope during the New Year, waving enthusiastically at Chen Yu.
Upon seeing Liya, the little demon immediately plunged into the City Lord's Mansion without looking back.
It wasn't that she disliked seeing Liya, but rather that she found him too noisy and prone to startling surprises. Moreover, Chen Yu's meetings with Liya often involved rather insincere official jargon, and she felt she would rather catch birds outside the city than listen to such talk.
"My Lord, I truly missed you to death!!!"
Liya shouted, opening his arms and staggering towards Chen Yu before embracing him tightly. However, Chen Yu dodged in advance, causing him to miss and embrace empty air.
"Look at you, what's the big deal about a hug?"
Liya grumbled indignantly after embracing air, craning his neck to watch the little demon's retreating back into the City Lord's Mansion.
"Why did Sister Demon leave? Did I offend her?"
"You'll have to ask yourself. Be careful, if Sister Demon really gets angry, your head probably won't be enough for her to chew on." Chen Yu chuckled slyly and raised his eyebrows. "You didn't come empty-handed for this sudden visit, did you?"
"When has Liya ever visited you empty-handed? Here."
Liya directly pulled off the ring from his finger and tossed it towards Chen Yu.
"The resources you need are all in here, various cultivation resources, and a full 100,000 high-grade blood pills. Speaking of these blood pills, I must take credit for them. These blood pills..."
Just as he was about to launch into a lengthy explanation of the blood pills' origins, Chen Yu raised his hand and pressed it over his mouth, stopping him.
Mentally scanning the various resources in the ring, Chen Yu realized most were unfamiliar to him, and he presumed the little demon would be able to identify them.
These cultivation resources were precisely what Chen Yu had asked Liya to help purchase after hearing about them from her.
He did recognize the high-grade blood pills.
They looked no different from the low-grade blood pills, except for a purer color and fewer impurities. The overall appearance of the blood pills was a pure blood-red.
He took out a blood pill and scanned it with his wristband.
[High-grade Blood Pill: Refined from demon's blood. Upon consumption, it significantly enhances strength, agility, and physique, with no side effects.]
As expected of high-grade items, they were refined from demon's blood.
And with no side effects!
The first batch of Chen Yu's dog-headed blood pill warriors had consumed the lowest grade blood pills, and their side effect was that the impurities could not be expelled after their realms increased, preventing their realms from advancing further.
If there was an opportunity in the future, he would definitely help those dog-headed warriors solve this problem.
He couldn't let the elders' hearts grow cold!
"The goods are good, but the money... I'm a bit tight on funds recently." Chen Yu raised his eyebrows after putting the blood pills back into his ring. Liya waved his hand dismissively, saying, "A few million gold coins is nothing, no need to rush. It's just, this ring you have on, my Lord..."
Liya stretched his neck, his eyes fixed on Chen Yu's demon ring.
"Don't look around so much."
"Oh, don't be so stingy, just a glance." Liya grinned and raised his eyebrows. "It must be a high-grade item, right? I think that gem alone looks extraordinary. You didn't have it when I visited last time. Looks like you've made quite a harvest recently. Where did you get rich? Want to bring your little brother along?"
"You, the son of the Chief Financial Officer, are still short of money?"
Chen Yu sneered disdainfully. Liya nudged Chen Yu playfully with his shoulder.
"Isn't it just that I want to learn from you?"
"Hmph, I know exactly what you're plotting in your head." Chen Yu chuckled lightly. "Never mind that, let's talk business."
"What business?"
"What other business could it be? What you've been doing in my city, you really think I don't know? I'm not saying anything now to save you face."
With that, Chen Yu leaned against the wall of the City Lord's Mansion with his arms crossed.
"Confess, pal!"