Chapter 6
Releasing The Grains
Following to enter Zi Yuan was a forty year old’s robust man, who was wearing a large navy blue Chinese attire, he had a square face with tiger eyes, his forehead was plump, his whole body was robust. Walking to the front of Murong Shu Qing, he cupped his fists to salute.
“What is the matter!” Murong Shu Qing’s hand was firmly holding a newly steep tea, and she did not say any superfluous words.
“The upstream of Hong river are in torrential rain for several months, and it triggers flooding, there is not a single grain that is reaped this year, the flooding’s outbreak is extremely fierce. The majority of the grains inside of the authorities’ granary are destroyed, the Imperial court has sent out the grains but after so many days, they have not arrived yet, the starvation is difficult to endure. A small number of refugees have begun to rob some millet shops, if this continues on, it can threaten the Murong family’s granary and millet shops.” Feng Yi respectfully reported the situation at the Zi city, then he was standing to the side, waiting for Murong Shu Qing’s commands.
“What about Li Jing Jia?” She would really like to see how this loathing government official’s head merchant dealing with this issue.
“Li Daren has already taken the remaining grains that are in good condition and distributed them to the refugees, and used his family’s own grains to be used as a disaster relief. The victims have already been placed into a safe area. But the numbers of refugees are a lot, the grains are not enough, the grains that the Imperial court have sent out, are delayed, the people do not have any confidences in the Imperial court, so the popular feelings are unstable.”
“Why are the grains that the Imperial court has sent out, delayed?” The government official was really a good government official, but unfortunately, the cleverest housewife could not cook without rice ah! (One won’t get anywhere without equipment).
“This time, most of the grains that have been sent out, are from Yuncheng region, to get to Zi city from Yuncheng is quicker by water, but because of the flooding, they have no choice but to use the land, so it takes a lot more times.”
“Still how many days for them to arrive?” Murong Shu Qing knitted her eyebrows.
“According to the scout’s reports, the quickest time will be another 20 days, the slowest time will be one month.”
“Contact the other millet shops’ bosses, let them to release about 20 percent of their own grains, if that is not enough, the Murong family’s will make up the difference. Tell Li Jing Jia, the Murong’s family will open the granary disaster relief, make him to deploy the officers and soldiers to provide a.s.sistance, and maintain the order. As for the refugees, arrange for someone to pacify and tell them that we have sufficient grains so they do not need to rob the grains anymore. Additionally, arrange someone to provide support for the Imperial court who is deploying the grains, they must arrive in Zi city within 20 days.” After pondering for a moment, Murong Shu Qing slowly instructed Feng Yi.
“Yes, this subordinate will immediately go to handle this!” Finished speaking, a shadow of the navy blue man already disappeared from the bamboo room.
Afterwards, the inside of the room was quiet, everyone was somewhat thinking on their own. Xuanyuan Yi’s face that was serious before, appeared to be even heavier. Even though he regularly went to fight the battles, he had never grasped the matter within the Imperial court at all. But he also knew that five years ago, after half of Dong Yu’s country was flooding, the Emperor a.s.signed a specialist to control the water. Five years later, how was it that the city was flooding again just because of heavy rains, and let the whole Zi city become in this serious calamity?!
Pei Che’s face was pondering and looking at the shadow of the navy blue man, his steady and reserved inner breathing, he looked like lightning that was stuck in speed. It looked like that Official Feng was a secret master, his martial arts were not beneath him either. This kind of man unexpectedly agreed to be under one person, moreover, the person was not even 20 years old’s woman yet. Looking at his respectful manners, it should be completely sincere. Transferring his line of sights back to Murong Shu Qing again, he only saw that she was lightly patting the young girl who was sinking into her own land of dreams. Her face showed a gentle smile, where was the person who was bossing people around firmly just a moment ago!
“Elder sister, we will probably suffer a loss of 30 percent of our granary during this disaster relief in Zi city.” Murong Xing Hun roughly calculated the damage during the flooding this time. He could not help to wrinkle his eyebrows.
“En.” Murong Shu Qing nodded to agree with him, looking at the young girl who was already in a deep sleep, she handed her over to Lu Yi who was by her side, so she could carry her to the bedroom to rest. Kneading her arm that was somewhat sore, then she continued to say: “Even though it will be like this, we will still have to release the grains, otherwise the victims will simply suffer the hardships! If one wants to fundamentally solve this problem, one can only succeed if one controls the water, otherwise this situation will still happen again in the future.”
“The Imperial court had arranged an expert to control the water a long time ago, it looked like there was no result.” Xuanyuan Yi’s deeply locked eyebrows had not been untied.
“Sure, the wormwood like gra.s.s that took the bloated embroidered pouch were many.” (Saying that even the Emperor was trying to fix the problem, there were too many corrupt officials so in the end, the flooding problem was still not fixed yet). En, even frowning his eyebrows did not destroy his handsome face, instead, it even added more of his cold temperament significantly, he was very visually attractive.
Xuanyuan Yi had not spoken anything, his complexion was more and more gloomy.
“We release the grains for disaster relief this time, let us see what that Li Daren will say.”
Murong Xing Hun had already heard a long time ago that surname Li had always made their lives difficult. If the Murong’s family did not agree to release the grains this time, he (MXH) was afraid that he (LJJ) would not be able to avoid wearing black muslin. (Because of the severity of the flooding & the other issues after that, MXH is implying somebody will be punished severely if Murong’s family doesn’t help out).
“I can say that Li Jing Jia is actually a good official, but he is inflexible, believes that merchants have huge profits, and everything is calculated with money. So he always makes life difficult for us. This is also a good opportunity to make him change his point of views to us, we are doing business, and there will be a lot of benefits if the authorities have a good relations with us, as for the other merchants, they will also follow our leads in the future. Either way, instead of seeing them robbing and damaging the stores, the loss of 20 percent of grains is nothing. Then we will also establish kind, charitable, and good reputations to the people even more, so in the future, they will first think of our Murong’s family when they want to buy grains.” Murong Shu Qing had tea in her hand, speaking clearly and gently, the people who were listening to her, were at a loss for words.
No wonder Murong’s family had been raising abruptly for the last three years, even when they would be suffering a loss when they released those grains, but she was actually controlling their loses to their advantages. Pei Che was examining Murong Shu Qing seriously at first. The sun that shined down on her white face, showed a continuous light smiles all along. Her face could be regarded as delicate and pretty, at the most, with a light green dress on her body, and fine black hair, but she could be regarded as graceful and free.
But Xuanyuan Yi had a smiling expression, it seemed that his mood was good. His eyes were still locking tightly at that person and not moving as if they were mountains, his light smile showed a longing for the woman.
This smile from Xuanyuan Yi was strange, his face was as black as a dense cloud just a moment ago, but it was glittering with sunshine now. Murong Shu Qing gave him a ‘gentle’ look that gave off a bitter grievance. He was extremely peaceful, did he want to take her as a prey!
“Are you guys not planning to go out?” Murong Shu Qing was looking at the glittering sunshine outside, and reminding them that they should go out.
“That is right, we are going to that mountain-like place in Zi Yun city, does elder sister want to go together?”
“I am not able to, I caught a little bit of cold last night, Yue-er came over here at dawn, so I am somewhat tired. I want to rest for a while, you guys just go, ok, take care of the two Gongzi properly.” She hoped that this Xuanyuan Yi would not look for any troubles for her like last night.
Beyond expectations, Xuanyuan Yi did not say anything in regard to Murong Shu Qing’s unwillingness to accompany them, he was just staring fixedly at Murong Shu Qing. Murong Shu Qing conveniently took out a book from the bookshelf, and allowed him to watch her. But she did not pay any attention to him, but she could say that his gazing was really oppressive.
“Alright, then we are going.” After saying this, the three people left the table to prepare to leave. Xuanyuan Yi’s handsome face was still br.i.m.m.i.n.g with smile, and looking one glance at Murong Shu Qing who was leaning beside the bookshelf. He was suddenly laughing heartily, and taking a lead to come out of the bamboo room. Pei Che and Murong Xing Hun were baffling with his laughter, and unable to understand it.
“En!” Lightly responding, she did not even look at them. Even though her eyes were looking at the book, but Murong Shu Qing’s attention was actually fixated at the laughter that shocked and distracted her. Looking at it, Xuanyuan Yi was extremely interested with her, and would also show his aggressiveness towards her like this, this handsome, bright and out of the ordinary man was moved by her and she was afraid that this would be a simple matter. But she was not Murong Shu Qing, looking at the purple bracelet that was on her hand, how long would she be staying here, she did not know it either, so could her heart be moved also? If she could not be certain that she would stay here forever, then if her heart was moved, and she fell in love with him, she would only harm him and her own self.
If she would be able to stay here forever, then she would definitely unable to accept the three wives and four concubines marriages. If she already allowed her affection towards him, then she found that that he was not the right person whom she could trust, then how could she endure this ah!
The sun was glittering outside, the water in the lake was clear, the cool breeze was blowing smoothly and making a rustling sound of the opening of a book page. Murong Shu Qing was leaning at the side of the window, allowing the cool breeze to brush her face off. Looking at the bamboo forest that was as wide as if it was a green sea, she could not help but smiling. Let it be, her other homework was always done outstandingly, but unfortunately, she neglected to take a course about affections. She was accustomed to be an apathetic person, even if she was falling in love with another person, she would not be able to be a raging firewood either, world-shaking, ok. Since it was like this, why she should care about many things. Love was just a part of her life anyway, nothing more.
Still having a light smile on her face, but this time, Murong Shu Qing’s mind was captured by the book that she was reading.