Free Web NovelChapter 169: Chapter 169
Chapter 169
"The epidemic spread rapidly, eventually infecting all the surrounding cities, including our own village. The villagers and I were terrified. We didn’t go outside, avoiding contact with others, isolating ourselves in the village. Yet, people still caught the disease."
"At first, we thought about fighting it, but in the end, many became victims, slowly dying in a pitiful manner. Eventually, we couldn’t bear it anymore. We had to leave and take our chances rather than wait for death."
"But you, too, are heading towards a city plagued by the epidemic? Even though you are strong, respected soldiers of the Region, you can’t stop this disease. Only doctors from the capital might be able to help. Of course, if it is not severe enough to reach the capital, they won’t expose themselves. This might even be the end of the Region!" freewebnσvel.cøm
Hearing such severe words from a villager truly alarmed many soldiers. For them, protecting and defending the Region was their duty, and they were prepared to sacrifice their lives for it. However, they were not trained to handle such a deadly disease.
When faced with an enemy without flesh and blood, an enemy that couldn’t be slain with a sword, how could soldiers like them fight it?!
"Thank you for the details, but do you really think that wandering into the unknown will not lead to your deaths?" Mu Heng couldn’t help but warn them.
They had warned Mu Heng and the soldiers about entering the epidemic zone, but how could they be sure they were on the right path? Out of kindness, Mu Heng warned them in return.
"Because we have no choice. If we stay, we will only die," the middle-aged man shook his head. It wasn’t that they wanted to leave. Otherwise, why would they have waited until now?
Who would want to leave a village filled with memories, possessions, and farmland to become destitute in another city? There were no other options left. If they stayed, their descendants might all die. If they fled, at least there might be a chance of survival, right?
"............." Mu Heng remained silent. Since they had made up their minds, he decided to let them be. The young man told him to rejoin the others. From now on, their paths would diverge. If they did not die beforehand, perhaps they would meet again someday.
With this warning in mind, the previously relaxed and cheerful journey of the convoy changed. Many people felt like they were marching towards death’s door. Indeed, this gloominess did not affect Yueqian’s group at all.
"Xiao Long, what is paragraph 7 about?" Yueqian asked.
"It talks about raising rabbits for meat production."
"Hmm, and what does it say?"
"It says that black rabbits can be fed only grass and can be slaughtered after about six months. The meat will be tender and juicy," Xiao Long recited to his sister-in-law again, still puzzled.
Yueqian shook her head immediately. She knew from the start that the information Xiao Long recited was incorrect. So she asked him to review it, but he still couldn’t get it right.
"Sister-in-law, I know, I know." Huan’er quickly chimed in.
She knew where her brother had made the mistake and wanted to show off her knowledge. However, Yueqian disapproved. Although many teachers had done this, for example, if a friend in class couldn’t answer correctly, the teacher might ask someone else to provide the right answer. In the end, two intelligent students often didn’t get along, or they would be embarrassed for their incorrect answers.
While this teaching method wasn’t necessarily wrong, Yueqian had a lasting memory of being embarrassed as a child when she couldn’t answer a question, but a classmate could answer all questions. It made her feel foolish, even though others knew the answer, and she got it wrong.
In truth, as she grew up, Yueqian understood that such things didn’t matter. However, when she was young, these moments felt significant. When you’re young, small issues can seem like big deals. Of course, growing up teaches you that there are much bigger challenges to face.
"That’s good, Huan’er, that you know it. But you also need to read other parts as well. Xiao Long remembers some points very well," Yueqian stroked the young girl’s hair. She praised her but also made sure to mention that her brother was equally capable.
The little girl, who initially had no intention of competing, was very happy to receive praise. She was even happier when her brother was also complimented.
"Second Brother is amazing; you remember things faster than I do," the girl boasted about her brother, which made Xiao Long happy too.
"As for you, Xiao Long, there are still some points you didn’t get right. The breeding period should be 8-10 months before slaughtering. If done earlier, the rabbit meat will be tougher and there will be less of it. Of course, if you use other methods and feed them mulberry leaves, it might take only 5-6 months. However, they must be raised with mulberry leaves, they can’t be fed only soft grass," Yueqian advised her brother-in-law seriously.
Xiao Long nodded and tried to jot down notes for future reference. His sister-in-law mentioned that this information was crucial and would be beneficial in the city their elder brother would be managing. As younger siblings, they needed to understand this well to avoid embarrassment when questioned by villagers.
"I will remember it," the young boy said confidently.
Whether it was Xiao Long or Huan’er, both were very diligent. They knew this knowledge was essential for the development of the city they were moving to, especially regarding animal husbandry. Yueqian had spent a significant amount of time studying rabbit farming. Rabbits didn’t require much space, and the soft grass used to feed them wasn’t difficult to grow. As long as they used a portion of the land and took good care of it, preventing the spread of the valuable but problematic "Red Mo" herb, the soft grass would thrive.
Meanwhile, Yueqian had started preparing to teach food preservation methods. She had already prepared a substantial amount of food in her interdimensional space, with some being transported from the Du Region. It was expected that the preserved food would last for the next eight months. After that, they could rely on the rabbits for food.
Yueqian had also bought mung bean seeds to teach the villagers how to grow bean sprouts. This would be the first step in encouraging them to start farming. Once they had learned, she planned to introduce other vegetables gradually.
Although her department store’s dimension contained many seeds, the large quantity of mung bean seeds needed could not be brought out without a plausible source. With so many soldiers needing to witness and verify her actions, she couldn’t afford to have secrets upon entering the Bai Region.
Even though the Wang of the Bai Region claimed to trust them, Yueqian didn’t believe they wouldn’t monitor her and her husband first. After all, she was originally from the Du Region. Therefore, they couldn’t let her do as she pleased from the start. If she and her husband proved useless, the Bai Region would not keep them in the end.
Their journey took another three days. Along the way, they encountered many people trying to flee for their lives. Such movements would undoubtedly spread the epidemic further, negatively impacting the Bai Region. The severity of the situation made Yueqian begin to worry. The Bai Region seemed too complacent about this threat.
On the fourth day of their journey, they arrived at a desolate land devoid of not only houses but any sign of life... this was their border city!
Mu Heng was the first to jump down from the carriage. Their convoy had reached the entrance of a large manor marked as the Governor’s manor. Nearby was a complaint pavilion, and further along were offices for various officials, such as treasury, governance, and land officers. These offices were usually located close to the Governor’s manor for easy meetings and inspections.
Normally, this area would be bustling with activity, but now it was eerily quiet. freewebnσvel.cøm
Only the wind blew, carrying leaves that drifted in front of them. The desolate atmosphere made the soldiers tremble with fear. At that moment, the large doors of the Governor’s manor, once a symbol of prosperity, slowly opened.
Creak...
The old wooden doors groaned. Mu Heng frowned slightly as Yueqian descended from the carriage with the children. She stared at the person opening the manor doors, who wore expensive silk garments but was emaciated to the point of looking worse than a beggar!
Before coming to border city, Yueqian and Mu Heng had reviewed the city’s details and assessed the people’s needs. They knew that border city had once been quite wealthy. Although they couldn’t produce food, they had the valuable Red Mo. Harvesting and selling Red Mo had always been their main source of income.
However, the difficult journey had caused many issues with their food and supplies. The constant travel to purchase food increased their living expenses. No matter how much Red Mo they sold, their standard of living remained the same, and they gradually became poorer.
Yueqian wanted to help them manage their resources better and save money by reducing the frequency of their trips to buy food or avoiding buying from middlemen who sold goods at three to four times the regular price.
But before addressing their issues, the immediate situation needed to be handled first!
The man before them was an elderly man with a long beard that was still well-groomed, indicating he once took good care of himself. He must have been wealthy once. However, his emaciated frame was alarming, with his gaunt face showing only the bones, resembling a "ghost uncle" from the traditional plays of her former world.
It was no wonder people were frightened of him!
"Wel-cough, cough....-come... cough!... New-cough! Governor," the man’s voice sounded along with violent coughs, his face contorted in pain.
As soon as he finished speaking, he coughed up blood, clearly indicating he had contracted the deadly disease. The soldier at the front recoiled in shock, nearly fleeing to the back. If it weren’t for the fact that they would have to work here until their leader changed cities, they would have to endure it.
"Are you the assistant to the Governor?" Yueqian raised an eyebrow, asking. The position of the Governor’s assistant was a permanent one until the Governor was replaced. This person was responsible for continuously assisting the Governor and was usually a local who would provide advice and consultation on the problems here.
While Governors changed based on their merits, the Governor’s assistant remained constant. Yueqian guessed that the other party was likely the assistant. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to welcome them despite his severe condition.Additionally, given his luxurious attire, if he wasn’t the Governor himself, he could only hold this position. As for the real Governor, Yueqian had heard much about him. She knew he was incompetent, and such a person wouldn’t stay in the city and risk his life alongside the citizens. Therefore, this man’s identity could only be the Governor’s assistant.
