After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 768 - 758 Changes

Shi Le’s plan was good, but the situation changed too quickly.

The disaster in Youzhou and Jizhou was too severe, ninety days without rain, and since after Qingming, the sunlight in both places became more intense. After Xiaoman, the temperature soared as if it were entering Xiaoshu.

At this time, don’t even mention the plants that always lacked rainwater; even people couldn’t bear it. Fights breaking out over water resources were becoming increasingly common.

Wang Jun had no mind to attend the heaven worship ceremony in Yun City at this time. More critically, young locusts began appearing throughout Youzhou. Some farmers walked into the cracked fields to see if there was any chance of saving the sprouting seedlings, only to disturb countless locusts swarming into the sky...

They were still young, but flapping their wings against people’s faces brought waves of pain.

The farmers standing in the fields were instantly filled with despair. If it were just a drought, they could hold onto a glimmer of hope, thinking that maybe the heavens would rain overnight, or they might find some water to irrigate;

But with these swarms of locusts, could they, as humans, compete with them?

Because of the drought, less than two-thirds of the planted wheat had sprouted and emerged. Over the past two months, more wheat seedlings had died due to the drought, and what was left was short and small, with not even a single ear visible in two months.

The farmer stood in the field, licked his dry, peeling lips, and looked up at the blazing sun above. His eyes flickered with light spots, and his mind was dizzy; he fainted backward without any awareness.

He fell with a thud into the field, the back of his head hitting the cracked field with a jolt of pain. At that moment, he thought, dying like this might be a relief, wouldn’t it?

The thought flickered through his mind, but the memories in his mind were even faster than the thought. Almost as soon as the thought emerged, the faces of his wife and children at home appeared in his mind.

The farmer opened his mouth, moved powerlessly like a fish stranded on the shore, then propped himself up on his arms and got up. He still couldn’t see clearly in front of him, only feeling a misty haze.

He forcefully propped up his body, disregarding the locusts flying at his face and head, stumbled forward...

Life couldn’t continue here, Youzhou couldn’t sustain life, he had to leave, he had to take his wife and children away, he couldn’t die, if he died, his wife and children surely couldn’t survive either, he had to go back, he had to go back...

There were many farmers who, like him, were filled with despair and chose to leave.

This was the only way they could find to survive.

The situation in Jizhou was a little better than in Youzhou, but locusts also began appearing in the fields. Coupled with rampant banditry within its borders, Liu Kun handed over the territory to his clansman, Liu Xi, after occupying it. Liu Yuan and Shi Le couldn’t just watch him establish himself in Jizhou, so they continually sent troops to harass him.

Furthermore, to the south, Zu Ti occasionally clashed with Shi Le over territory, making Jizhou’s political environment unstable, and more commoners fled the region.

Under such circumstances, Liu Kun had no choice but to seek assistance from the court, hoping it could allot some money and grain to aid Jizhou’s people in disaster relief;

When Wang Jun heard that Liu Kun had asked the court for money and grain, he was unwilling to fall behind, so he too submitted a memorial requesting money and grain.

The emperor, upon receiving memorials from both regions and seeing the severity of the disaster, felt a chill in his heart.

The courtiers were also uneasy; after all, Yun City wasn’t very far from Jizhou, and if the north fell out of control due to the disaster, Yun City and Yan State would surely be greatly affected.

Is it not the Xiongnu who seek to bring down Great Jin, but rather heaven itself?

Even Zhao Zhongyu was left speechless, pondering silently. Could it truly be that the founding of the country was illegitimate, and thus the heavens couldn’t bear to see Great Jin prosper, hence disaster after disaster befalling the nation?

Although the court was in dire straits as well, the emperor still decided to gather some money and grain to be sent to Jizhou and Youzhou.

Zhao Zhongyu, as the Chief of Staff, was tasked with raising these resources.

Zhao Zhongyu accepted the task. In addition to gathering grain, he also wrote a letter to Zhao Hanzhang, informing her of the news from Yun City, saying, "There is still some time before the summer solstice, and the heaven worship ceremony may be subject to change. In the current deteriorating global situation, your safety is paramount. Try to find a way to forgo the heaven worship ceremony."

Zhao Hanzhang received the letter but didn’t reply immediately. She set the letter down with a serious expression and asked, "Has Xie Shi responded?"

Fan Ying immediately responded, "Mr. Xie said there were no signs of military mobilization in Pingyang City."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Have him continue to keep a close watch. Report immediately should there be any anomaly in Pingyang City."

"Yes."

Zhao Hanzhang thought for a moment but still felt uneasy, "Have Mr. Ji keep an eye on the Han Kingdom and Shi Le’s movements. What about Wu Erlang? Is he still in Bingzhou? Let him stay in Bingzhou for now, don’t rush him back, and have him investigate the Han Kingdom’s news."

Fan Ying: "To investigate military mobilization news?"

Zhao Hanzhang shook her head, "Investigate everything—the harvest, farming operations in Bingzhou this year, the merchants and migrants entering and leaving Bingzhou. Even if it’s only rough impacts, let him report everything, comparing it with the intelligence Mr. Ji received."

Fan Ying took note, feeling a bit worried, "Are the Xiongnu going to attack us again?"

Zhao Hanzhang shook her head and said, "I don’t know, it’s just that I feel uneasy, so I’m keeping track of a bit more."

After giving her instructions, Zhao Hanzhang got up, "The official documents are all dealt with. Sort them out and issue them."

Seeing her heading out, Fan Ying quickly followed, "Lords, today we received another visiting card. He claims to be Wang Meizi, do you want to see him?"

Zhao Hanzhang: "No need, I’ve already seen eight Wang Meizi recently. Let Ting He meet him—she has met Mr. Wang."

Fan Ying hurriedly kept up, asking, "And the envoy from Jingzhou..."

"Have him go to Uncle Ming if he has any issues," Zhao Hanzhang had personally met the Jingzhou envoy when he first arrived, thinking Wang Cheng had some important matter to discuss with her in secret. It turned out he sent the envoy all the way over just to bring Wang Hufeng and Wang Si Niang to Jingzhou.

Could Zhao Hanzhang agree to that?

Of course not.

Whether Wang Hufeng or Wang Si Niang, both are now among her most capable officers. Moreover, Wang Hufeng has a special status that can suppress the aristocratic families of the Central Plains. Why should she let her leave? 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Nevertheless, Zhao Hanzhang wrote a heartfelt letter to Wang Hufeng, who was far away in Luoyang, inquiring about her intentions, successfully persuading her to stay.

As for Wang Si Niang, the two were close; when the Jingzhou envoy first brought it up, she refused outright, explaining that her father was buried in Luoyang and she was unwilling to leave Luoyang.

Envoy: ... But this is Yu State; if you don’t want to leave Luoyang, how did you get here?

However, he didn’t voice this thought, instead stating the second purpose of his visit, "The young master has been studying abroad, and after the fall of Luoyang City, the young master’s whereabouts became unknown. Logically, after such a significant event as the fall of Luoyang City, which happened over a year ago, the young master should have heard the news and returned long ago, yet there has been no sign of him."

He added, "The inspector is very worried and hopes Governor Zhao can assist in the search."

Concerned about Wang Xuan’s safety, both Wang Hufeng and Wang Si Niang wished to find him as well, and Zhao Hanzhang was eager to locate this family brother, promptly agreeing to help.

She immediately ordered the local offices to post notices seeking assistance in finding him, and in just ten days, eight people had come to the office claiming to be Wang Meizi, making a total of nine with today’s, averaging 0.9 Wang Xuans appearing each day.

Infuriated, Wang Si Niang took on a commission and left on official duty, unwilling to see impersonators every day here.

Zhao Hanzhang was tempted to figuratively pry open the heads of these individuals to see what was inside; Wang Xuan had only been missing for two years, not twenty—many people recognized him. Did they really think they could impersonate him without being caught?