Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 359: Delivering Grain (Part 1)

Ten days later, Yu Chong led a thousand elite soldiers from the Nanyang Army, escorting an endless convoy of grain trucks on their journey.

Transporting grain was not considered hard labor, yet it required vigilant attention. Within the borders of Jingzhou, the little bandits, upon seeing the strong and vigorous Nanyang Army, would flee quickly, not daring to show themselves. Once outside Jingzhou, the number of refugees and starving people visibly increased.

"Reporting to the General, the group of refugees from yesterday is still following us," a personal soldier reported with a grave expression. "There are around two hundred of these refugees, no women or children, nor elderly, all men between their twenties and forties."

Such refugees were essentially bandits. The absence of women, children, and the elderly might mean they had settled elsewhere, but more likely, they had died for various reasons.

Yu Chong coldly ordered, "Convey the general’s order to drive away these two hundred refugees. If they refuse to leave, kill a few to serve as a warning."

Generosity cannot command soldiers, and benevolence cannot manage the military. Transporting grain is a major task for the court and also for Nanyang County, and there must not be any oversight. The heart must be steeled.

With Yu Chong’s command, the Nanyang Army immediately sprang into action.

The two hundred or so refugees eyed the grain convoy with a fierce gaze, but lacking sharp weapons, they only wielded makeshift sticks and shovels, their faces gaunt and limbs too weak to pose a threat. In contrast, the elite Nanyang soldiers were tall and sturdy, adorned in soft armor, wielding long spears and galloping on horses, driving the refugees away like herding livestock.

Some refugees, unwilling to flee, met their end under the soldiers’ blades, becoming lonely souls in pools of blood.

The dead were simply dead, while those who narrowly escaped had long become numb to death. Constantly on the run, they opened their eyes to hunger each day; death was not frightening to them, perhaps even a form of release.

The further north they traveled, the more frequent the refugees’ attacks on the grain convoy became, starting as once every few days and eventually occurring several times a day.

The Nanyang Army also began to suffer casualties, though thankfully no large encounters with refugees occurred, and they eventually reached Yan County with only minor scares.

Indeed, the destination for this grain shipment was Yan County.

Yan County was the first to suffer from a locust plague, prompting the court to dispatch three waves of imperial envoys, with Zheng Chen being sent to Yan County. Calculating the time, these envoys had already been in Yan County for four months.

How was Yan County faring now?

Yu Chong led the grain convoy, moving slowly along the official road, where almost nothing but desolation stretched out before him. Vast tracts of land lay uncultivated, and white bones were periodically visible by the roadside.

Even the hardest hearts couldn’t help but feel a twinge of compassion at such a hell-like scene.

This natural disaster had claimed nearly half of Yan County’s population from starvation. Others had fled in search of survival, dying along the way. As it stood, Yan County was essentially a ghost town.

It wasn’t until they neared the city gates of Yan County that they saw farmers in the fields. The replanted crops, wilting under the glaring sun, had at least managed to grow.

"General Yu, they are planting corn here."

"And sweet potatoes."

"These are the new crops from our Nanyang County."

The Nanyang soldiers escorting the grain became suddenly excited upon seeing these new crops, as if seeing their own children.

Yu Chong relaxed his brow and said, "Along the way, I’ve already seen several areas planting our new crops. The re-sown seeds in Yan County are from Nanyang County, so naturally, they are corn and sweet potatoes."

These two new crops are not only drought-resistant but also have a high yield. The farming methods have been gradually promoted. It seems that within a few years, all of Da Liang will be cultivating the new crops from Nanyang County.

The growth of crops means there will be a harvest, lives can be saved. With the hope of survival, Yan County gained a bit of vitality. Seeing such a scene filled the soldiers of the Nanyang Army with a newfound sense of pride.

When the gates of Yan County opened, and the guards, gaunt and feeble, appeared, that pride and self-satisfaction reached its peak.

The Yan County guards looked with astonishment at the column of imposing and vigorous troops that had come from afar, their mouths agape in disbelief.

With military pay arriving later and less frequently, everyone was tightening their belts, getting by neither hungry nor full.

How come the Nanyang Army looked so robust and mighty, as though they had never suffered hardships?

Rumor had it that Nanyang County was the Northern Jewel, prosperous and abundant, with plenty of grain—indeed, not a false claim!

Amidst the envious and jealous glances of the city guards, Yu Chong calmly led his troops and the grain convoy through the city gates. The citizens gathered along the streets sparsely, their eyes bright with hopeful anticipation.

Grain had arrived.

They could continue to live.

No one knew who knelt down first, sobbing and kowtowing, unsure to whom they should offer thanks.

Yu Chong swept his gaze over the crowd and suddenly shouted, "These are the grains donated by the Nanyang County Princess to the court, sent to Yan County. There’s no need to fear; you won’t go hungry anymore."

So, it was the grains sent by the Nanyang County Princess again!

With teary eyes, the people cried out their blessings for the Commandery Princess.

To the people constantly battling life and death, every mouthful of grain was precious, saving their lives. They did not care if the Commandery Princess was male or female, unclear of what the Nanyang County Princess looked like, only knowing it was her grain that saved them.

Yu Chong watched as the people fervently shouted for their Princess, feeling quite satisfied within.

The Commandery Princess had donated so much grain; spreading her good name was only fitting.

An hour later, the grain convoy finally reached the outside of the governor’s mansion of Yan County.

Several people were already waiting outside the mansion’s gates.

At the forefront was a handsome youth of about ten years, his sharp gaze and extraordinary demeanor unmistakably marking him as the imperial envoy and Imperial Attendant, Young Master Zheng from Duke An’s Mansion.

On Young Master Zheng’s left was Doctor Jiao from the Ministry of War, also the Vice Imperial Envoy. On the other side, a frail-looking man in his fifties was Liu Junshou, the Prefectural Governor of Yan County.

Yu Chong dismounted, stepped forward, and cupped his hands in greeting: "The humble general is the main general of the Nanyang Army, Yu Chong, here to deliver grain as commanded by the Commandery Princess."

A good one, on command of the Commandery Princess.

Zheng Chen remained silent, but Doctor Jiao couldn’t help saying, "The Nanyang Army is the court’s garrison, and General Yu is the court’s military general, not a private pawn of the Nanyang County Princess. Even if ordered to deliver grain, it is at the court’s command. General Yu, do not make a mistake."

Yu Chong responded neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Doctor Jiao, far away in Yan County, you probably aren’t aware. A few days ago, the Emperor issued an edict, stating that from now on the Nanyang Garrison is to follow the Commandery Princess’s orders."

Doctor Jiao, startled, quickly looked at Zheng Chen.

Zheng Chen, of course, received this news earlier, five days ago.

So what if he knew?

Nanyang County provided grain and assistance, resolving the court’s urgent need for food. Taking the opportunity to make one or two not too excessive requests, how could Emperor Taihe refuse?

The Nanyang Guard Camp belonged to Jiang Shaohua, and for the past three years, the Nanyang Garrison had also become Jiang Shaohua’s possession. Now, it was merely made official.

Prime Minister Wang remained silent, and the Ministry of War did not object; thus, the matter proceeded smoothly.

Liu Junshou, disregarding all else, urgently said, "Let’s discuss these topics later; for now, let’s proceed with accepting the grain!"

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