The person who mocked Rumilie just now smirked. "Don't worry, Rumilie. You know it very well that Yu Mu Li La is an expert in espionage. There is also Suo Junhuan "The Murderer Physician" and De Ta "The Black-White Dao Priest" with us. We will keep fighting, and we will win. Hahaha, I want to become Emperor!"
"And I want to become the Fan Wang!"
"I want to become chancellor!"
All of them shouted and giggled in a lusty manner. Rumilie curved a slight smile, but inside his mind, he snorted disdainfully. Only power which can be the bait to allure them to help me... Well! What else can I do?! But you want to be in power in the future? No way! It's the Yuan who should be in power, forever!
***
Even though Zhu Su's limbs had not recovered perfectly, he still kept pushing himself to manage Kaifeng's government, especially the problems of the Yellow River flood. The mysterious voice defaming him and Zhu Di was successful in leading many people to believe that this flood was really the curse from Heaven for the Ming government. And until now the flood had not receded yet. Kaifeng was in turmoil. The people did not dare to say it frontally for fear of being punished, but the panic could not be concealed. This panic caused people's productivity to drop, and gave a bad impact on economic conditions.
"The flood has ruined farms, fields, and gardens. The earth is destroyed. Nothing can be planted. Now famine spreads all over Kaifeng," An official reported to Zhu Su.
"Then, we should allocate food supplies from areas not affected by the flood," Zhu Su instructed.
"However Your Highness, until when we should allocate food supplies? Other areas' people also need the food," Another official expressed his opinion.
Qu You replied, "Ming is at the peak of glory, how come we don't have money to help disaster area? Besides, we can ask for help from the other Fan Wang Guo... or from the central government."
"But if that's the case, we will be dependent on other cities?!..."
The officials began to argue with each other. Zhu Su also pushed his brain hard to solve this complicated problem.
"You don't know what's going on there, Sir Qu. This time the flood is so devastated it even may be categorized as the most devastating flood of all time! Let's say that Kaifeng is very rich, but it can't help to supply the basic needs of people!"
Qu You glared. "How can't I know? I participate with His Highness when investigating the disaster area, and also become the victim of the crushing flood!" He rolled up his sleeves, showing scars and bruises that were still clearly marked there.
"That is the past, the situation right now is far worse!"
Zhu Su tapped his fingers on the table. The Great Hall quickly turned quiet.
"All of you, nobody is wrong. I am sure that the situation at this time must be more severe than the last time I investigated there. Therefore, I want to go to that area once again, so that I can have better knowledge about the case, and thence can get a good solution."
The entire Great Hall twitched in surprise with Zhu Su's decision.
"Your Highness, you haven't got recovered perfectly! Don't be so hard on yourself! Let us do the work, Your Highness!" Qu You said in a haste.
"But I'm getting better, Sir Qu. Don't worry. It is so boring and dreary for me to stay here like a sick person."
"Your Highness?!..."
"Alright!" Zhu Su sprang out of his seat - two servants immediately supported him. "Prepare the carriage! I'll go there right now!"
Nobody had the gut to protest him. All of the officials bowed in a respectful manner, and did as instructed.
***
The official who brought the report just now was correct. The situation in the disaster area was far worse than before. The earth was not just destructed - the flood was even still overflowing on the farms and fields. Some lethargic-looking peasants were sitting dumbfounded while staring at the flooded land.
In order to investigate unimpededly, Zhu Su disguised himself as a commoner, and only took Wu Qi, Liu Ku, and Qu You with him so as not to be conspicuous.
They approached those dumbfounded peasants, asked, "Are you the residents in this area?"
One of them, the oldest, looked at them. He answered sluggishly. "Yes."
"Now this area is flooded, all of you don't live here anymore, do you?"
"Yes. We evacuate to the next village."
"Where is it? Can you take us there?"
"It's fine." The peasant stood up, thus took them to that village, which was located quite far from the location they first visited. It took about twenty minutes to reach that village due to many of the terrain they should pass through was damaged by floods, furthermore, they could not walk fast since Zhu Su was not able to move as freely as a healthy person, and by then was forced to hobble. That village was parched and safe from the flood so the houses there were still standing strong.
What made Zhu Su surprised was, he found that so many people inhabited the village it made the village overloaded. Some people even had to sleep only with a mat on the porch. Lots of people walked in lethargy, what they did was merely sighing and complaining. Some men were reclining on their mats, shirtless. And those who got dressed, their clothes were shabby and even tattered. The conclusion was, the situation in that village was very pathetic.
"How can this village be so crowded?" Zhu Su asked the old peasant who took all of them.
"In fact, the original residents of this village are few. What makes this village is so crowded, is the evacuees. The residents from five villages have moved here."
"What, five villages?" Zhu Su's eyes widened. He turned his eyes, observing the people who were lying on the mats. "No wonder every porch is full of people sleeping on mats..."
Some children began to cry, "Mommyyyy... I am starviiiinnggg..."
"Hey! Have I told your child to be quiet?! So annoying, just crying for the same damn thing all this time!" A man with a rough and bearded look scolded angrily. The mother of those children - a young woman whose lethargic face made her appear older than her true age - replied miserably, "I am really sorry, Sir... because we haven't eaten anything all day long... we adults can stand it, but the children can't..."
"It is all because of you, the evacuees! Because you fill this whole village and make food supplies run out! If you didn't come here, it would still enough for us!..."
This time, another man who remained silent, decided to join in the conversation. He furrowed as he said, "Hey, don't talk about the status of a refugee! Do you think it is our will to evacuate? I tell you, we are forced to do this!"
"But speak honestly, the reason why we natives are starving, all because of you!"
"You?!..."
"No, all of you are wrong. The reason why we get starving, all is because of government's fault."