The words ’locust plague’ were uttered, and both Xiao Jin and Xiao Ling’s faces changed simultaneously.
Even though they were from wealthy families, they understood the horrors of a locust plague.
Once a locust plague starts, it leaves the land barren; all grains, trees, and grass would be devoured clean by the locusts. The locusts might even eat people. Should a locust plague occur, it would truly be dangerous everywhere with refugees and chaos along the roads.
Moreover, if a locust plague happens, the prices of grains and such will surely soar.
"Third Sister-in-law, are you certain?"
Xiao Ling looked at Anning, hoping for a negative response.
Yet Anning nodded: "It’s likely correct."
She glanced at Xiao Yuan, then smiled wryly: "I haven’t ntioned the worst outco yet. It’s already sumr, and the weather is getting hotter day by day. The wheat in the fields hasn’t been harvested yet; if the locusts co, there will be no harvest at all. Without hope, many people might beco refugees, mobs. Furthermore, with so many deaths in this weather, a plague might break out."
The words ’locust plague’ had already terrified Xiao Jin and Xiao Ling. When ’plague’ was ntioned, both of them could hardly stand.
Especially Xiao Jin, who had to hold onto the carriage to stand upright. His face was already pale, and he was trembling all over.
Anning knew Xiao Jin had encountered a plague before.
A few years ago, Xiao Jin was delivering sothing to an old relative in the south. On his way back through a village, the plague had occurred there. Xiao Jin almost got trapped, leaving him with a psychological shadow since then. He was truly terrified of the plague.
"What do we do?" Xiao Jin asked with a trembling voice.
Anning turned her gaze to Xiao Yuan.
Xiao Yuan held Anning’s hand: "When we reach the town ahead, we first buy horses, then grain, and tighten the journey. We four take turns driving the carriage. Let’s not think about staying at inns; haste is best. If we can pass the disaster area before the calamity strikes, all the better. If not, we’ll figure sothing out then."
"Alright."
Xiao Jin gritted his teeth.
The group quickened their pace on the journey. Soon, they reached a town, but they didn’t stay at an inn. Xiao Jin and Xiao Yuan went to buy horses, while Xiao Ling stayed with the won at ho.
When buying horses, Xiao Jin specifically inquired about this place having not much rain for a long ti. Supposedly, it hardly snowed last winter, and though it rained a few tis this spring, they were brief showers. As sumr approached, it hadn’t rained since, causing the river levels to drop significantly, and so rivers with scarce water were nearly revealing their riverbeds.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin felt that what Anning said was likely to co true.
He beca even more anxious.
Xiao Yuan, who was good at horse selection, bought three sturdy and fast-running horses. After buying the horses, he took Xiao Jin to buy grain.
They didn’t dare to buy all fine grains; most of their purchases were coarse grains.
After buying grain, they bought so dicinal herbs and then returned to where the convoy was, loading the purchased materials onto the carriage. The n ate while driving, while the won ate so dry rations inside the carriage.
By nightti, due to the urgency of the journey, they missed their lodging and had to spend the night by the roadside.
After dinner, Anning called Hui Family down. She searched for stones to construct a stove and took down an iron pot from the carriage.
"What is Third Sister-in-law planning?"
Hui Family approached to ask.
Anning replied: "Since we’re hastening the journey, there probably won’t be ti to cook als. I thought of making so durable dried food in advance. If we’re in a rush, we can eat these dry rations. Should we face disasters or difficulties, cooking won’t be possible, so these might save lives."
Anning’s words made sense; in disaster situations with refugees, who’s daring enough to cook als?
Igniting a fire would attract refugees to pilfer everything. Either eat raw rice and flour directly or prepare so dry rations to carry along.
"In this hot weather, whatever we make won’t last."
Hui Family expressed concern.
Anning smiled: "We’ll bake dry pancakes; they last longer."
She fetched so flour from the carriage, found a basin, and began kneading the dough with water.
Hui Family suggested: "Let knead the dough; you make the pancakes, Third Sister-in-law."
At this mont, Xiao Fu brought along Xiao Yin and Ke’er to help. Being the oldest, Xiao Fu ca over to assist.
Anning had the girls watch how she baked pancakes and sent Xiao Ying to gather so dry twigs.
After Hui Family kneaded the dough, she rolled them into thin pancakes.
Anning began baking pancakes.
Sparing only a bit of oil in the pot, she placed the pancakes inside over a low fire, gradually removing the moisture from them, allowing for extended preservation.
Baking such pancakes required patience, not haste.
Anning slowly baked while Xiao Ying gathered quite a few dry twigs, piling them beside Xiao Fu’s feet.
Xiao Fu squatted by Anning, responsible for adding firewood to the stove.
Xiao Yuan called the n in the family over to him, slowly instructing them on how to deal with refugees and preserve their lives.
He recounted many small stories, aiming to increase the family’s vigilance.
Anning baked pancakes for a long ti until Xiao Fu was so sleepy she was about to fall asleep, finally completing the task.
After baking, Anning divided them among everyone, instructing each to store their pancake close by for ergencies.
As they were lodging by the roadside, soone needed to keep watch at night.
Anning and Xiao Yuan took the first shift.
After everyone settled in the carriage, Anning and Xiao Yuan sat on stones not far from the carriage.
Anning sighed deeply as she gazed at the sky.
Xiao Yuan held her hand: "Don’t worry, the road always leads to soplace. With us here, these children won’t suffer much, at most endure so hardship..."
Anning shook her head: "I’m not worried about that. I feel the Dynasty’s Qi Fortune is rapidly dissipating."
Xiao Yuan furrowed his brow, quickly calculating, and then looking up at the star chart.
"It’s indeed so. But the Da Qi Dynasty has been founded for less than a century. It should be a ti of peace and prosperity, not like this..."
"Maybe soone has stolen the Dynasty’s Qi Fortune."
Anning leaned against Xiao Yuan and closed her eyes, trying to contact the world rules.
Xiao Yuan knew what Anning was doing, so he stayed beside her, guarding her.
After about a quarter-hour, Anning opened her eyes.
"There’s a woman near Emperor Jingqing carrying a system; that system is sinister. It absorbs Dynasty Destiny through its host to strengthen itself."
"Noble Princess Consort Li?" Xiao Yuan quickly speculated who the system woman might be.
Anning nodded: "It should be her, and this incident of the Duke Ping Mansion’s family being raided and exiled is likely related to her."
Suddenly, Anning laughed: "Explains a lot; turns out it’s like this."
"What’s going on?"
Xiao Yuan hadn’t communicated with world rules and didn’t understand so things.
Anning quietly explained: "Our Yin’er seems to have her qi obscured by soone. Still, her qi is strong. I’ve watched her closely these days. If my judgnt is right, Yin’er should have a phoenix fate. But, in the original mory, Yin’er died miserably, probably because her qi was also broken by that Noble Princess Consort Li. After all, Emperor Jingqing’s Dragon Energy is mostly absorbed by Noble Princess Consort Li. When the dragon is dying, where can the phoenix find solace?"
Xiao Yuan squinted slightly, then coldly chuckled: "Well then, Emperor Jingqing is much older than our Yin’er. If it weren’t for Noble Princess Consort Li interfering, Yin’er might have married an old man. I wouldn’t have wanted that."
Indeed.
Anning nodded: "The dynastic destiny losing, hence all these disasters. On this journey, we’re bound to encounter disasters. But it’ll likely be better once we reach Southern Yi."
"How many years of national destiny does Da Qi have left?"
Xiao Yuan asked Anning.
Anning quickly realized Xiao Yuan’s intention: "You’re thinking?"
Xiao Yuan agreed: "What’s received from heaven must be taken, or it will be regretted."
Anning smiled: "Our family’s Yin’er carries a phoenix fate; we can’t let her down."
The Empress is a true phoenix; what about a Princess? It’s said the Emperor’s sons and daughters are dragon sons and phoenix daughters, so the Princess is also a true phoenix.
"About ten years more."
Anning confird to Xiao Yuan.
Xiao Yuan closed his eyes and began planning: "Southern Yi is a good place to prosper."
Yes, it truly is a good place, far from the Emperor, where the court seldom interferes. Many people dislike going there, yet the land is fertile and resources rich. With proper preparation, it can develop very well.
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