"The imperial court is so incapable." Qiao Mai shook her head and walked towards the nearby refugees.
Seeing someone approaching, the refugees' eyes all lit up. They were hoping someone would lend them a hand.
"Miss, do you have any food? Please, we're starving."
"Isn't there porridge distributed every day?"
"There's too little food for too many of us. There's just one pot of porridge, and they leave after serving it."
Qiao Mai looked at their emaciated figures and sighed. "Relying on the court's aid alone won't work. You have to find a way yourselves."
"But we need money on hand, right? When we settle in a village, don't we need to build a house, buy two acres of land, and ensure our family has enough to eat?"
"Why not find work in the city?"
"There's not enough work. We've sold everything of value. We've been waiting here for two months, and the court still hasn't arranged anything for us. We are struggling to survive."
