The Demonic World I designed-Chapter 689 - 679: But What if They Really Just Came to Deliver Food?
Chapter 689: Chapter 679: But What if They Really Just Came to Deliver Food?
Accompanying the vast Yin Army was an even larger crowd of ordinary people. No one had anticipated that before the spring, amidst the freezing weather with snow fluttering everywhere, the Imperial Court would organize such a massive migration.
Since the onset of the Great Cold Moon on the fifth day, when the first group of vanguard troops set out, people from all over the Capital City had been leaving their homes behind. Under the military’s forced relocation, they proceeded toward the north in an overwhelming tide!
Such large-scale actions were known to all within just a few days.
Chen Qing also received the news promptly and summoned everyone to start a meeting.
"The Four Regions of Dragon Capital are the four barriers surrounding the Great Jin Dynasty, and they are the main destinations for the refugees from all places. Based on our previous conjectures and the descriptions from the merchants who have lived through chaotic times, the four cities are now overcrowded with a population that is fearful of reaching upwards of a hundred billion. The Siao Family must have made preparations to force the migration of people out, aiming to restart the other cities before spring farming, especially those agricultural cities close to the north."
"Four cities... with a hundred billion people... can they fit them all?" The young Shen Eleven asked curiously, "Even our entire Southeast combined with Jiangnan would struggle to accommodate so many people at once, could the Capital City prepare that much food?"
This question made the atmosphere in the room freeze for a moment. Third Elder Shen looked at Shen Eleven, hesitated, but still decided to give him a dose of the world’s cruelty.
"You’ve been in Jiangnan for too long; perhaps you don’t understand what it’s like when the Central Plains face natural or man-made disasters. Do you think it would be like when those Northern People fell on hard times and came to our Jiangnan? Endless starved corpses, bones scattered across the land, people swarming like locusts, resorting to eating their children—these tragedies were common sights during truly desperate times. Now that the Earth Spirit has awakened and demons roam the land, the cities in the Central Plains near the north are almost deserted. For many, being able to find a broken temple to shelter from the wind or a bowl of life-sustaining rice porridge is already an immense stroke of luck."
"Um... Can people really survive days like that?" Shen Eleven couldn’t understand.
"Those who couldn’t survive have died!" Second Elder Shen said coldly, "The fertile lands in both eastern and western Central Plains used to span millions of miles, housing hundreds of billions of people. Where do you think they all went?"
"Uh..." Shen Eleven was taken aback, "Isn’t it said that they fled all over the place? Some escaped to Jiangnan, and many others went to the Four Regions of Dragon Capital."
"You just said it, the Four Regions of Dragon Capital can only shelter so many people, and the food is limited. The thought of a hundred billion people is inconceivable to you, so where do you think those several hundred billion people went?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Eleven swallowed hard and said nothing, while Xuu Hu silently stared at the Warm Jade on the table without speaking.
In Jiangnan, everyone had enough food and clothing. Even the destitute, once they reached this land, would have something to eat and warm clothes to wear at the very least. But he had also experienced the battlefield and knew firsthand what a real natural disaster was like. He dared not imagine the severity of such a massive disaster this time around.
But who speaks of it on regular days?
The lives of several hundred billion beings, just within this one winter... vanished into thin air, human life... in times of chaos is truly as fragile as ants.
"But now with such massive relocation, can they ensure the supply of food?" Xuu Hu couldn’t help but ask.
The members of the Shen Family looked over. Wei Gongcheng directly said, "Old Xuu, you also manage troops, and even if you’re not entirely responsible for logistics, you must have some understanding, right? With the relocation of a hundred billion people, do you think the current Imperial Court can provide sufficient provisions? And it’s the deep winter... if even half of them survive this migration, it would be fortunate."
Xuu Hu: "....."
Chen Qing looked at the map and said, "The Yin Army has one advantage—they don’t need a large amount of food; they can maintain their bodily functions with the energy from Jade Stones. This is an advantage of the Ghost King Army’s power, which can save a lot of food for the people. But even so, in the case of a hundred billion migrating, it’s unlikely to ensure a complete supply. Most will just have barely enough food to survive, and in such severe winter and after a long journey, the number that can endure to the end is..."
"Then His Majesty...," Xuu Hu looked up directly at Chen Qing, "what can we do?"
As this question was raised, once again, a silence fell upon those present.
The Siao Family wanted to relocate the population to replenish the northern cities, to bring the cities back to life, even at the risk of launching a large migration during this deadly winter, disregarding the lives of their own people. Logically speaking, what has it got to do with us?
We are adversaries, after all. The slower their progress, the more time for us to prepare. The best outcome would be their complete failure, with the general populace raising complaints. That would deal an even greater blow to their national fortune.
But still...
Would Chen Qing do this?
"How much grain can we provide?" Chen Qing looked at Chen Ying.
Chen Ying felt a warmth in her heart and hastily said, "Your Majesty, this year has been a bountiful harvest, and the whole of Jiangnan has an abundance of grain, but... we have just taken over the southeast, many people there need grain to survive the winter, and the migrants from the West Sea also need a large amount of grain for reserves. Additionally, the military provisions needed for the spring campaign... Even with our current abundant stores, I fear they might not be enough..."
Though her words advised caution to Chen Qing, her heart harboured a different kind of anticipation. Reason told her that she shouldn’t harbor such a thought now, yet...
"Your Majesty, please reconsider..." Seeing that Chen Qing was truly calculating the grain, Shen San frowned and said, "You also said that the battle in the spring will be crucial. Xu Hu’s Warrior Army will be fully deployed. We won’t talk about victory or defeat for now, but we absolutely need the military provisions, Your Majesty. You should understand the consumption rate of the Warrior Army in wartime."
Chen Qing naturally knew that warriors, during preparation for battle, must always keep their vital energy active. The consumption of food in wartime could even be three times that of normal. Considering the need to ensure morale, it might even be higher. At this time, there must be no shortage of grain.
A war is a contest of military strength and resources. I can’t compare with the Siao Family on that front. My soldiers all need to eat.
"I have a measure of control..." Chen Qing took a breath and said, "Send a message over, Jiangnan is willing to share the Imperial Court’s worries about this migration and provide a certain amount of grain support to help the migrating people survive the winter."
"Your Majesty..." The Shen family members couldn’t help but look up, Xu Hu’s face was excited, but also somewhat hesitant. He obviously knew that if they still supported sending out grain at this time...
"Just do it..." Chen Qing waved his hand: "Send the message immediately."
The great battle was looming, and in this Demonic World, the hearts of the common folk have never truly mattered. Yet, the only exception was the way of the Heavenly Dao, and since I’ve chosen this path, at the toughest of times, even if tears must be shed, I must continue on...
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Chen Qing’s declaration quickly spread throughout the world, and at that moment, all forces were shocked by Chen Qing’s move.
The first to be astonished was the Capital City itself.
In the great hall, all the civil and military officials were shocked upon receiving this news. For a moment, there were whispers across the hall, and the ministers couldn’t believe the King of Qin of Jiangnan’s announcement.
Everyone knew that Jiangnan wasn’t sincerely aligned with the Imperial Court. A battle between the two was inevitable; and at such a time, they were coming to deliver grain? Had they lost their minds?
The Emperor looked at the announcement that had come from afar and then at the courtiers in the great hall: "What do you all think?"
"Pandering for popularity!" One black-robed scholar said hastily: "It’s just a publicity stunt to gain fame, Your Majesty need not pay it any mind. Chen Qing would love nothing more than to see our people suffer. This announcement is just to showcase how benevolent he is. Later, we can simply say that we didn’t receive any grain from Jiangnan. What can he, Chen Qing, do about it?"
The Emperor looked at the speaker: "Chen Qing’s memorial requests that we let down our defenses so that their grain delivery team can enter and ensure that each person receives grain..."
"Your Majesty, that must not be allowed!" several ministers urged hastily: "What if it’s a ploy to..."
"A ploy to what?" The Emperor suddenly laughed. At this time, if they were trying something sneaky to provoke a fight with him, he was indeed looking forward to it.
At the Imperial Court, all the Ghost Generals revealed sinister smiles. They did not believe there was any force in the world that could contend with them.
"But what if they truly came to deliver grain?" A gentle voice rang out, the Emperor looked over, and the speaker... was the Weichi Clan’s Family Head, the only Military General at the Imperial Court who had not turned into a ghost.
These words caused the whole court to erupt in laughter. At that moment, almost no one believed it, yet the Emperor sitting on the throne suddenly fell silent.
For some reason, although he thought the idea was utterly foolish, he still felt... that matter... that kid... might just be capable of doing it...
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