Chapter 375 – Dongqing Earthquake (7)
“How much silver do we have left in the storeroom? I don’t even know if the pharmacy is still standing, or if we can acquire medicinal materials… It would be better if we could hire a resident doctor…” She couldn’t save those who died in the earthquake, but she was determined to do her best for the surviving common people.
If she had known the earthquake would strike so suddenly, she should have sought out doctors back when she first arrived in the capital.
“Also, we should allocate some silver to hire the surviving common people, provide them with food or some wages, and have them help clear the rubble, searching for any survivors trapped beneath… You should draft some guidelines and estimate the costs; if it’s not enough…”
No need to estimate; Xu Ke already knew that the silver in the storeroom was insufficient.
So, he told the truth.
“Young Master… the storeroom simply doesn’t have enough silver.”
Jiang Pengji pressed her lips together and said, “I’ll find a way for the silver and food. For now, just do this…”
Xu Ke suggested, “If we could persuade the families to open their granaries, it might yield some results.”
She snorted coldly and replied rudely, “What do you think the chances of that are?”
During the snowy disaster years, countless common people froze and starved, and how many families in the capital opened their granaries to help?
Now, after the earthquake, everyone would prioritize their own safety; survivors would want to leave this chaotic place as soon as possible. Who would stick around?
To the supposedly noble clans, the common people were like ants.
Who would stay in this dangerous place because of mere ants, let alone open their storerooms and share silver and food?
Xu Ke fell silent in response to her question.
Just as the two were speaking, a chaotic sound of horses’ hooves approached from afar.
Upon closer inspection, the leading figure was the disheveled Huang Song, followed by several soldiers in official attire.
“Liu little brother!” Huang Song reined in the horses, stopping in front of Jiang Pengji, “Where is Jue?”
Dismounting, he noticed her pale face, disheveled hair, and the loose cloak she was wrapped in, letting out a silent sigh of relief.
It seemed she hadn’t sustained any serious injuries, just looking a bit unwell.
Having listened to Jiang Pengji’s words the night before, Huang Song had patrolled several rounds with his subordinates, catching two rowdy noble brats who were causing trouble in the streets, just as the earthquake struck without warning.
Huang Song assembled his men to rescue people immediately, riding back to his residence to take a look.
His old man, who usually stayed up late, had sustained some minor injuries during the earthquake but was fortunately alive.
Huang Song instructed the surviving servants to rescue people, searching the rubble for silver and food, while relocating his father to a relatively safe place.
After making these arrangements, he brought his men to this area to rescue the nobles trapped beneath the debris.
The entire capital had turned to ruins, nearly every house collapsed; Huang Song felt increasingly heavy-hearted as he went along.
He wondered how many survivors would be left after this great disaster passed.
Jiang Pengji glanced at Huang Song and the soldiers behind him; they all looked as if they had just come from a construction site, covered in dust and dirt.
“Huai Jian is fine, just suffered a minor injury to his arm; he’s inside now.”
Though the city patrol was a minor position, akin to a head of urban management, there was one advantage—it came with manpower.
“That’s good to hear…” Huang Song sighed in relief and kindly advised Jiang Pengji, “Given the current unstable situation, this is not a safe place. To prevent riots and looting for food and silver, Liu little brother should make plans to leave soon…”
Jiang Pengji frowned upon hearing this; she knew what desperate common people might do, but first, there had to be a premise…
“I heard there are a hundred thousand Imperial Guards in the capital. If they were deployed, they could absolutely pacify the common people and rescue more lives. If the court opened the granaries, the common people wouldn’t need to take risks,” her voice was icy and sharp, dripping with sarcasm.
Huang Song was left somewhat embarrassed by her question.
He helplessly replied, “When the earthquake struck, the Emperor was outside in the summer residence, and the Imperial Guards needed to protect his safety, and so they cannot leave easily.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Pengji slightly closed her eyes, while Xu Ke sensed Huang Song’s implication and almost couldn’t help but step forward to question him.
Just as he took a step, Jiang Pengji raised her hand to stop him.
The audience in the live stream was still immersed in the despair of the ruined landscape and debris when they heard Huang Song’s words, and they completely erupted.
【Old Driver Alliance】: What is this? There are a hundred thousand Imperial Guards, and they can’t spare even ten thousand to protect the Emperor while the rest go rescue people?
【Discount Coupons】: Pfft! How many do you need to protect a single person? Does the Emperor think he’s that special?
【Nutritional Express】: I’ve been following this livestream for a while, and according to what I know, the Imperial Guards are the largest armed force in the capital. If they won’t even mobilize to save the common people… Are these beasts just going to watch the survivors die right in front of them?
Jiang Pengji caught sight of this comment and couldn’t help but smirk coldly.
If the earthquake had been less severe, occurring in daylight with fewer casualties, the Emperor might have been willing to deploy the guards for rescue.
Now that the capital had become a wasteland, how could it still be called an imperial city?
The cost of rebuilding would likely far exceed what the current treasury could bear.
In this situation, the Emperor of Dongqing would naturally choose the method that incurs the least loss.
【Love Spicy Strips】: Haha, you need to know that in ancient times, common people’s lives were as worthless as grass. Life is indeed precious, but only if you are a highborn noble. Just like Huang Song here, the people he saves are those with status in the capital. With rescue speeds being so slow in ancient times, saving a common person at the same moment might mean a noble meets their end. When the two are weighed against each other, who do you think gets saved first?
【Haha】: I remember the Luchuan earthquake; I was in university there when it happened, and the dormitory collapsed. I was rescued from the rubble by soldiers. Watching this livestream, all I want to know is if I were a common person, would I even survive?
【Beef Soup No Ginger】: Don’t joke, if that were the case, your body would have turned cold by now, and you’d probably have even finished the reincarnation process.
【Bald Butter Mixed Rice】: No more! I’m filled with negative energy, and it makes me want to smash my keyboard. I’m going to do something positive to lighten my mood, maybe post a thread on Baidu Tieba to see if I can snag a rich guy to come and reward me in the livestream…
After years of accumulating prestige and trust in the livestream, the audience chose to believe Jiang Pengji, and various amounts of rewards continued to pour in.
Huang Song seemed to have some sources of information; he had a good impression of Jiang Pengji and subtly hinted, “Given that the Emperor is too preoccupied with his own safety, Liu little brother should take this chance to leave quickly. Once the skies are high, let the birds fly freely; once the sea is wide, let the fish leap. If you’re late and the Emperor remembers you and brother Feng, you might not be able to leave…”
After saying that, he resumed his serious demeanor.
Jiang Pengji, however, sneered, “I, Liu Xi, may lack other things, but I still have my pride. If I abandon everything and flee now, how is that different from a coward? You don’t need to hide it from me, Bo Gao; I’m not stupid. I know all too well that the Emperor sees the capital in ruins and is too lazy to spend a fortune on rebuilding, so he plans to take the nobles and high-ranking officials and relocate, am I right?”
If they were preparing to move, who would still invest the tremendous manpower and resources to restore the capital?
If there were no intention of relocation, even if the Emperor feared for his life, he would still send the Imperial Guards to save the common people, if only for show.
A dignified imperial city shouldn’t only have an emperor; it needs the common people too.
Now, withholding the Imperial Guards and refusing to provide rescue meant abandoning the common people.
Naturally, the intention to relocate had also become glaringly obvious.
Huang Song’s face suddenly changed drastically, turning as pale as a sheet.
