Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 360: Delivering Grain (Part 2)

That’s right, receiving the grain is the top priority at the moment.

Zheng Chen and Doctor Jiao nodded in agreement, saying no more. Prefectural Governor Liu stepped forward to receive the grain personally. Looking at the seemingly endless convoy of grain carts, tears unexpectedly welled up in Prefectural Governor Liu’s eyes.

The droughts of the previous two years had not affected Yan County too severely. Who would have thought that this year there would be a locust plague? Swarms of locusts swept over Yan County like a storm, devouring the crops and even the wild vegetables at the field edges, leaving even the bark and leaves of trees stripped bare.

The people either starved to death or fled to other places; only about twenty percent of the population managed to survive. The once vast Yan County now had less than twenty-thousand people... It was truly tragic.

The court sent an imperial envoy, and Nanyang County sent grain, barely stabilizing Yan County. A new crop has been replanted, but it will take another three to four months until the harvest. During these months, the people must rely on this batch of grain to survive.

Fortunately, Yan County was the first to report the locust plague. The court’s response, timely as it was to set an example, ensured the survival of Yan County. Thus, the grain sent was quite prompt.

At this moment, Prefectural Governor Liu felt immense gratitude toward the rumored Nanyang County Princess whom he had never met.

Currently, grain prices in the North have soared, tripling despite the government’s efforts to suppress them. A dou of grain could even purchase an adult male.

Nanyang County offered grain to the court, sending thirty-thousand stone without hesitation. This was truly life-saving grain.

Prefectural Governor Liu wiped his eyes with his sleeve and bowed deeply in gratitude: "General Yu, you have traveled a long way to deliver grain, saving the people of Yan County from disaster. On behalf of all the people of Yan County, I thank General Yu."

Prefectural Governor Liu, now fifty years old, had hair entirely turned white, his face full of fatigue and sorrow.

With the severity of this disaster, Yan County wouldn’t recover for ten to twenty years. Prefectural Governor Liu’s career was effectively over. The court, currently unable to attend to this matter, would undoubtedly hold accounts after the worst of these times has passed.

Yu Chong sighed inwardly and earnestly replied with a bow: "I came to deliver grain under the command of the Commandery Princess and dare not speak of hardship. These twenty-thousand stone of grain, if rationed, should last until the re-sown grain is harvested. If Prefectural Governor Liu wishes to thank someone, it should be the court, the Commandery Princess, and the hardworking people of Nanyang County who grew the grain. There’s no need to thank me."

Prefectural Governor Liu said, "I will write a letter to the Commandery Princess and ask General Yu to deliver it on my behalf when you return."

Yu Chong nodded in agreement.

Afterward, the convoy transporting grain slowly moved towards the granary of the Governor’s Mansion. The elite soldiers of the Nanyang Army, despite inevitable injuries along the way, all came to help transport the grain. The personal soldiers of the Governor’s Mansion also busied themselves.

Zheng Chen turned and gave an order, and the accompanying Imperial Guards stepped forward to help move the grain.

Someone accidentally sprained an ankle while moving a sack of grain, causing it to fall to the ground and tear open, scattering golden-yellow corn kernels everywhere.

Even Zheng Chen felt heartache watching this. After spending months in famine-stricken Yan County, he deeply understood the meaning of life-saving grain. How could it be wasted?

Before Young Master Zheng could give an order, a trusted aide immediately stepped forward to carefully gather up the scattered corn kernels.

By midday, the once empty granaries were filled.

The overworked Prefectural Governor Liu let out a long breath, his face relaxing, and said to Zheng Chen and Doctor Jiao, "Now that grain has arrived in Yan County, and the people have seen it with their own eyes, their hearts will naturally be settled. Perhaps in a few days, we should open the granaries and distribute the grain."

The task of relief and pacifying the populace had always been handled by Zheng Chen.

Zheng Chen nodded slightly, "First, have someone post a notice that grain distribution will occur in two days. As per usual, distribute grain to each household based on the number of people, with five pounds of grain per person."

Five pounds of grain, when cooked with extra water and mixed with wild vegetables, should last about ten days.

Prefectural Governor Liu took his leave to make arrangements.

Doctor Jiao quietly reminded Zheng Chen, "Young Master, the Imperial Guards’ meals have also been cut down recently. With the court’s grain delivery, allow the guards to eat until full."

It was unfortunate indeed. When setting out from the Capital City to Yan County, for the sake of safety on the journey, as many men as possible were taken. However, feeding a thousand Imperial Guards adequately each day consumed a staggering amount of grain. The court was far away, unable and untimely in supplying us. Eventually, they had no choice but to use the grain meant for relief.

Even so, they had gone nearly half a month without a full meal. The Imperial Army, which was the court’s most elite force, stationed year-round in the Capital City guarding the Imperial Palace, and mostly composed of members from military families or well-off backgrounds, had never suffered such hardships. Privately, they were full of complaints.

Zheng Chen nodded in agreement, "Pass my order to allocate two thousand stone of grain from the granaries to the Imperial Army."

Though the new grain was not difficult to eat, to the Imperial Guards accustomed to wheat, millet, or beans, it seemed less palatable. Occasionally having it was one thing, but eating corn mush and boiled sweet potatoes daily, with no trace of grease, was hard to endure.

Nonetheless, it was better than nothing; they had no choice but to make do.

"General, the grain we delivered is first being used for the Imperial Army," a personal soldier covertly reported.

Yu Chong’s expression remained unchanged as he said lightly, "Our task was to deliver the grain. Once it’s delivered, our job is done. How the grain is used is up to the imperial envoy and Prefectural Governor Liu and has nothing to do with us. Don’t meddle."

The personal soldier, who had been with Yu Chong for years and was trusted by him, acknowledged this but couldn’t help muttering a few more words: "The Commandery Princess donated grain to the court, and without a word, it was allocated to Yan County. This is out of fear that Young Master Zheng and the esteemed Imperial Guards would go hungry."

Such was the way of officialdom.

Yu Chong cast a glance over, and the personal soldier immediately fell silent.

That evening, Young Master Zheng personally hosted a small banquet to welcome Yu Chong.

The people lacked food and drink, but of course there was no shortage of grain in the Governor’s Mansion; the table was full of chicken, duck, and fish. Yet even with this, Young Master Zheng felt the food was coarse and simple, eating only a few bites before putting down his chopsticks.

Prefectural Governor Liu, however, seemed to eat with relish. Yu Chong, accustomed to life in the military camp, sharing meals and accommodations with soldiers, was not particular about food, swiftly moving his chopsticks.

Zheng Chen raised his glass with a smile and said, "General Yu, your reputation precedes you. Meeting you today exceeds what I’ve heard. I drink this toast to you, General Yu."

But Yu Chong did not raise his glass; instead, he picked up a teacup and said, "Young Master Zheng, please forgive me. There is a rule in the Nanyang Army Camp against drinking. As the main general, I cannot knowingly break it. I will raise this tea in place of wine to toast Young Master."

Refusing to drink alcohol at a banquet could be seen as an act of a military general’s integrity or interpreted as indicating differing paths and intentions.

Jiang Shaohua indeed had skillful means, holding Yu Chong firmly in her grasp. Recruitment seemed unlikely.

Zheng Chen smiled slightly, raising his glass and downing it in one go.