Wen He’s gaze changed: "...Outside there are bands of thieves plundering, various troops approaching, and internally, it is the officials oppressing people with no ans of livelihood. Next, I fear we will reach that point, my Lord."
People eating each other.
Li Guanyi was silent for a long ti, then said:
"Sir, do you truly believe we haven’t reached that point yet?"
Wen He said, "I see those who buy [earth], their clothes cannot even cover their bodies, they are emaciated, presumably from already poor families, and there is no [vegetables and at] to be found in the market, not yet to that point."
Li Guanyi responded: "Sir, just look at the grain warehouse we passed; the grains below are already beginning to mold. And listen, to the laughter and music coming from distant mansions."
"Look at these people in front."
"In a ti of internal and external danger, so people eat at and drink wine, so can still fill their bellies, while others can only eat this kind of earth."
"If this is not [people eating each other], then what is?"
"When it truly reaches the last step, will people bite and devour each other?"
Wen He remained silent for a long ti.
Li Guanyi gripped his sword, saying: "Today, I have finally seen clearly."
"This world is inherently [people eating each other]!"
Hao Yuanxia’s steps beca increasingly frantic and urgent, exerting more force, as the surrounding scene was almost like the hell depicted in Buddhist Scriptures: fear, grotesqueness, numbness, coldness, death, the mass of black crows perched under the eaves, the wild dogs watching from street corners.
The destitute lay against walls with protruding bellies, quickly boiling thin porridge, and from afar ca the sll of roasted lamb, while large households opened back doors to throw the rotting at, having too much to consu, onto the ground.
Hunting dogs and poor people crowded together to fight for food.
Those with strength kicked the emaciated ones away, gorging themselves like pigs or dogs. The servant who dumped out the decayed at seed to beco a nobleman himself, looking at those who were once like him fighting beasts for food, growing a sense of pride in his heart.
Such scenes are indeed striking.
Only one word—chaos!
Li Guanyi and the others found Hao Yuanxia’s attendants to inquire about the current situation.
The attendants, upon seeing Hao Yuanxia alive, on their faces were ecstasy, reported the current situation: "The city’s residents are divided into different classes, the upper class people still live quite well, able to last for a long ti."
"As for the common folk, they manage to eat so thin porridge, but there is no more at to eat."
"As for the servants, with the current situation, they are only given sothing called [Bodhisattva Soil] to eat, allowing them to live a little longer, it’s also a way to save grain."
This habitual thing from the Western Regions, speaking out, Hao Yuanxia didn’t know why, but an enormous sense of guilt and sha arose in his heart, he turned to look at Li Guanyi and said: "...my Lord."
The attendants and ministers looked towards Li Guanyi, displaying varying expressions on their faces.
Outside, the wind and snow gradually picked up, Li Guanyi clad in ink-colored felt garnts, asked:
"How many people are left in the city?"
An old minister furrowed his brows, answered: "Who are you?"
Hao Yuanxia rely asked: "How many households remain?!"
The old man, having no other choice, lowered his head and said honestly: "There are still eighty thousand households, roughly more than four hundred thousand people."
In such a big city, how could there be so few people?
Li Guanyi said: "Include the slaves you ntioned."
The old man raised his head, puzzled, and said: "Weren’t you asking about people?"
"Slaves are not people."
"So they weren’t counted."
Hao Yuanxia was speechless, just lowered his head, seeing this, the old man said: "Including those slaves, there should be more than a million."
Li Guanyi gripped the sword at his waist, saying: "Prepare to open the granary, relieve the disaster victims."
"Distribute porridge based on the headcount, if people co, prepare for the next step."
Wen He said: "Yes, my lord."
Li Guanyi intended to relocate all the people. When they ca, looking down from the back of the nine-colored deer, there was already a chaotic army approaching the entire city, and signs of looting in the nearby towns.
Li Guanyi had grown much, knowing that in this situation, only through [threat] and [enticent] could the populace be gathered together in a short ti.
The old man respectfully yet ingratiatingly inquired:
"Should slaves also be counted as people?"
Hao Yuanxia told the old man to stop speaking.
He felt his heart aching, having grown up in the desert during his childhood, surrounded by many female slaves and servants taking care of him. However, at the age of eleven, he was sent to the Central Plains, where he spent the most crucial three years being educated.
Afterward, having many experiences, he held both experiences of the Western Regions and knowledge of the Central Plains, causing him extre pain between the two paths of thought.
Here settling down quietly, the at porridge cooking, its aroma tempting, containing quinoa and minced at, while a servant respectfully knelt beside, attending.
Li Guanyi gripping the sword, without answering, rely said:
"Just decide like this, Yuanxia, handle this matter with the sir."
Hao Yuanxia said: "My lord, what about you?"
Li Guanyi said: "I am going to settle my karma."
He turned and strode out, the sky dim and overcast, in the distance, the majestic palace of the Dangxiang Kingdom capital could be seen. Wen He and Hao Yuanxia stepped out, Li Guanyi gripping his sword, emotions surging within, he said: "I understand more and more."
"I ca here, not for the so-called kingly enterprise of the Dangxiang Kingdom, nor for the throne promised by the Wolf King. Such twisted so-called dominion is not worth a glance."
User Comments
0 comments from readers