The relentless downpour had persisted for so long that those already steeped in despair had lost track of time. Such prolonged rainfall had cast a deep shadow over them, accompanied by a bone-chilling cold.
Yet it was only now they realized the superficial chill had merely numbed them. The young woman before them, with her striking beauty and an aura of authority that radiated effortlessly from her calm brows, sent a frigid dread shooting from the soles of their feet straight to their hearts, leaving their spines icy.
Even the person restraining the man who sought to dash his head against the wall in a desperate act of protest instinctively released his grip under Shen Xihe’s gaze. The middle-aged man, nearly forty, collapsed limply to the ground, as though he had forgotten his resolve to die for his cause.
Shen Xihe took two unhurried steps forward and stopped before him. “Why not strike?”
The man faltered, muttering incoherently, his face suddenly ashen.
“Moyu!” Shen Xihe called out.
In the blink of an eye, a piercing scream tore through the air. When the crowd focused, they saw a woman in tight-fitting attire had already lifted the would-be suicide by the collar. With one hand pressing the back of his head, she slammed it violently against a stone pillar. Blood splattered instantly, causing everyone to recoil in horror.
Even Xiao Changqing and Xiao Changyan were startled!
One of them had assassinated numerous high-ranking officials, while the other had slaughtered countless on the battlefield. To them, blood was as unremarkable as flowing water. Yet neither had ever dealt with common folk in such a manner, even if this man was a troublemaker.
This woman’s ruthlessness sent an inexplicable chill down their spines.
As soon as the man’s head was cracked open, a physician rushed forward. Moyu released her grip and dropped him to the ground.
Shen Xihe lifted her gaze to meet the fearful and angry crowd, speaking with utter calm. “In the fifth year of Youning, the great flood of Yangzi Zhou surged forth, sweeping everything in its path. The people used their own flesh and blood to build barriers to protect their homes, surviving on little more than a bowl of thin broth each day. Some of the most severely affected even drank murky water to stave off hunger. In the seventh year of Youning, Duli Town was inundated. The government relief grain, due to the negligence of the transport official, was lost at sea. The people resorted to eating mud to fill their bellies. In the tenth year of Youning, Gan Zhou suffered a flood…”
Shen Xihe recounted each of the dynasty’s major floods in detail, describing the dire straits the people had faced each time.
After she finished, she paused, her eyes sweeping over the crowd as they gradually lowered their heads. “You… faced with the drought that came first, received relief grain from the court with remarkable speed. Even during the worst of the drought, the court exhausted every means to ensure you were fed and cared for.
Then came the disaster brought by the heavy rain. Before it even escalated into a full-blown flood, you never went hungry for a single meal. Prince Jing, to keep you fed, did not hesitate to sacrifice his own reputation, pressuring the wealthy to supply your food. He even vacated fine establishments to provide you shelter. These were acts of grace from Prince Jing, as a member of the royal family, who could not bear to see you suffer. They were not rights you were entitled to.
Yet you took them for granted. Since the disaster began, you have been well-fed and well-cared for, living a life where food and clothing were handed to you, and in the process, you’ve developed the entitled attitudes of lords.
No matter how ignorant or unenlightened you may be, you ought to understand that no one’s granary is bottomless. For over a month, you have been supplied—have you ever considered that those providing for you have now exhausted their resources? You have eaten their food and used their provisions—have you ever felt even a shred of gratitude?”"You must understand that if they hadn't supported you, neither they nor their closest relatives would be sharing half a bowl of soup with you to stave off hunger at this moment. They haven't even complained or resented you. How dare you resent them first?"
Most people hung their heads lower and lower, though someone still couldn't help muttering: "We... we can't just sit here waiting to die either..."
"Has the court ever abandoned you?" Shen Xihe raised her voice. "Whatever you eat, I and even the bedridden Crown Prince eat the same. Even now, we haven't withdrawn or left. Do you know why?"
The torrential rain splashed on the ground, its pounding sound seeming to strike right at these people's hearts, leaving them breathless and speechless.
"The situation in the county hasn't been exaggerated nor concealed by the authorities. The roads are cut off, making it difficult to transport grain into the city. It's not that the court is unwilling to send more relief supplies." After a moment, Shen Xihe continued, "The Crown Prince and I have devised a method to transport grain inside, but it will still take two or three days. With current grain reserves running low, we've temporarily reduced rations to ensure you won't run out completely before the relief grain arrives."
"I may not be able to fill your bellies, but I won't let you go so hungry you can't sleep. Most of you are farmers - were you eating your fill at every meal even before the disaster?"
This was truly a soul-searching question. In fact, most of these people had eaten worse before the disaster than after. While not starving, they certainly couldn't eat their fill, especially those with big appetites or large families - being half-full was their normal state.
Shen Xihe gave a light scoff: "You could endure hunger at home, but in times of crisis, while eating others' rations, you suddenly can't bear it anymore?"
Anyone with any sense of shame felt so embarrassed they wished they could crawl into a crack in the ground.
For a moment, they all wanted to leave, but Shen Xihe was too imposing. Without her dismissal, they didn't dare go.
Seeing their thoughts, Shen Xihe said calmly: "Go to Guang'an Hall for a bowl of ginger soup, then disperse."
These people scattered as if granted amnesty. The person whose head Moyu had knocked was also carried to Guang'an Hall. Moyu had controlled his strength - the man would be fine.
Shen Xihe turned and went inside, immediately berating Xiao Changyan: "Prince Jing, you bear inescapable responsibility for today's incident."
Xiao Changyan had long known Shen Xihe disliked him, but with her currently holding power, he could only admit: "Sister-in-law is right to scold me. I was negligent."
"Negligent? You're ambitious for greatness but short-sighted!" Shen Xihe said sharply.
Xiao Changyan clenched his fists, bowing his head: "Please instruct me, Sister-in-law."
"You think I'm referring to your shielding disaster victims who looted wealthy households?" Shen Xihe's eyes filled with thick mockery. "Though inappropriate, you acted out of concern for the people, and the county's situation indeed forced you to take such measures. That's somewhat understandable."
"However, you don't understand the common people yet recklessly provided generous relief. Without knowing how long the heavy rain would last, simply because you could extort grain from wealthy households, you showed no restraint, feeding all disaster victims to fullness without ever learning their normal consumption levels.""If you had controlled their food intake from the beginning, with the provisions you obtained, you wouldn't have worried about running out of grain even if the heavy rain continued for ten more days. Nor would you have cultivated such large appetites among these ignorant commoners, who even developed the greedy notion that the government-distributed rations were meant for them to eat until they were stuffed!"
If the rule had been established from the start that disaster victims should not go hungry, today's farce would never have occurred.
Xiao Changyan, who had initially felt somewhat defiant, now slumped his shoulders, his face turning ashen.
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