Lu Qingwan's sudden assertive stance indeed flustered them, but it was only a momentary panic, not enough for them to fully grasp their predicament.
One man shamelessly declared, "Demoness! I respect you as the Qin Consort, but do not spread malicious words! Our Great Wei is vast, with fertile lands and strong horses. From Guihua City to Yongning City, even horses could be run to death. Why would we need to seize the property of the southerners? If it weren't for the southerners' cunning, constantly defrauding our Great Wei's merchants, would our Great Wei have launched a punitive expedition? You southerners boast of cherishing peace. You marched on Guihua City, invaded our territory, and bullied our people. Is this your way of cherishing peace?"
Lu Qingwan was quite astonished that the self-proclaimed barbaric and ignorant Northern Wei people had also learned the art of twisting concepts.
Just as that man and some scoundrels hidden in the crowd waited to see Lu Qingwan speechless and attacked by the Northern Wei populace, Lu Qingwan spoke with utmost calm.
"Thank you for the reminder. Had you not said it, I would have truly forgotten that we southerners and Wei people are enemies, and I would have freely distributed the Xuanjia Army's provisions to you Wei people!"
As she spoke, her face unchanged and her heart steady, she instructed Li Qing, "Relay this consort's order: apart from the supplies needed for the city's garrison, all surplus grain, winter clothing, and seeds for next spring, along with winter stores, are not to be transported into the city."
After she finished speaking, the approaching horse convoy in the distance turned around and left. Perhaps it was intentional, but as the convoy turned, the cold wind lifted the canvas of the carriages, revealing piles of white steamed buns. The Northern Wei citizens, who had already gone hungry for a day, instantly began to salivate.
Lu Qingwan acted as if she heard nothing of the continuous sounds of swallowing, and continued to speak eloquently.
"Post notices. Effective immediately, Guihua City will commence reconstruction. The court will uniformly recruit people to repair the ruins, residences, and shops, paying a commission of fifty percent of the Xuanjia Army's monthly salary. Those willing to participate will be registered. Once Guihua City is rebuilt, they can leisurely reclaim their former property and residences. Those who were previously homeless can, after this collective reconstruction, be allocated dwellings according to their contributions. As for those who do nothing but wait to live off handouts, they will be expelled from the city to fend for themselves. We are all children of the grassland. I believe that without the court's sustenance, they can be self-sufficient and will not starve."
The Northern Wei people were originally from nomadic tribes. Even though they were now influenced by the court and most had settled down, when the weather was warm and the grass and water abundant, they would still herd livestock to accumulate resources. Moreover, most Northern Wei people possessed strong hunting skills. Lu Qingwan's words were not mere jest. Even if she drove those people out of the city, they would not starve, provided they hadn't seen the piles of white steamed buns, nor smelled the aroma of cooked mutton and beef.
The Northern Wei had been at war for months, and the Northern Wei court's exploitation was relentless. Even before being plundered and burned by those impersonating the Xuanjia Army, most people could barely get enough to eat. Dried mutton and beef, often left for a long time, and spicy oat tea were their most common staples. The aroma of freshly cooked beef and mutton, however, was something they hadn't smelled in months, let alone the white steamed buns and filled buns, which were considered a luxury in Northern Wei!
A group of people desperately wanted to tell Lu Qingwan with backbone, "Go ahead and leave, who's afraid of whom?" However, their feet felt rooted as if by the fragrant food, and they couldn't move at all. Even more infuriating, Lu Qingwan spoke again, "This consort never forces anyone. Those unwilling to follow the court's leadership can leave of their own accord. Those willing to heed my words, contribute to the reconstruction of Guihua City, and earn their sustenance and homes, should go to the square ahead to register their family information and receive food."
Looking at the dense crowd of homeless Northern Wei people, and then at the busy cooks working frantically, Lu Qingwan added, "Everyone can see that there are many of you, and our soldiers responsible for distributing food are overwhelmed. Are there any women who know how to cook willing to help them? The treatment will be the same as those participating in Guihua City's reconstruction, but you can receive your commission now..."
The prospect of free meals and commissions naturally attracted a rush of people. Soon, a group of women volunteered. Lu Qingwan waved to Li Su, "Select a few capable ones and assign some of our people to prevent anyone from tampering with the food."
More than words, tangible benefits were more persuasive. As food began to be distributed in the small square, hot mutton and beef soup, accompanied by steamed buns as large as an adult's palm, was served to those who had obediently lined up, their mouths glistening with oil. Those who still wished to bargain with Lu Qingwan and the Xuanjia Army could only stare with envy, their mouths watering. Soon, their feet, acting on their own, led them to the food distribution line.
Lian Yu appeared beside Lu Qingwan at some point, sighing faintly, "The Consort sacrificed the soldiers' lunch for this?"
"Yes," Lu Qingwan admitted without guilt. "I know the soldiers were a little unhappy at first, but now, I think it's worth it. What do you think, strategist?"
Lu Qingwan was not foolish. How could she not know that these people readily agreed to be managed by her and the Xuanjia Army, representing the court, merely to fill their stomachs temporarily? In fact, she never expected them to curb all their sharp edges for a single meal and honestly submit to the court's authority. What she wanted from the beginning was their personal information. Once the backgrounds of these people were understood, even if Guihua City couldn't immediately restore normal order, if anyone caused trouble, the troublemakers could be quickly identified. Furthermore, if even just one or two out of these people felt even a shred of goodwill towards Lu Qingwan and Si Fengwu, representing the court, due to a meal, the embers of the new dynasty could spread like wildfire in the border regions of Northern Wei.
Lian Yu smiled as he listened, "It is indeed quite worthwhile, though this trick is a bit… devious…"
"Black cat, white cat, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat. What does it matter if the trick is devious, as long as it works?" Lu Qingwan said, glancing sideways at Lian Yu, "Did the Prince send you to find me?"
Lian Yu guiltily touched his nose, "It's just that… I was afraid you'd get too angry and hurt yourself?" Lian Yu then added provocatively, "But by the looks of it, the Consort still hasn't found those people?"
As they spoke, a plump little sparrow, now round from eating, fluttered onto Lu Qingwan's shoulder. It chirped noisily, unafraid even of the golden eagle circling nearby. It even provocatively pecked with its beady eyes at the white eagle, which, due to its large size, couldn't land on Lu Qingwan's shoulder.