"When our county magistrate learned that Prince Shun was coming, he fled with his family. All the important people in the county have run away. We were just trying to get help from the county magistrate in town because we were recently hit by a locust plague. That's when we found that everyone in the county office had left!"

That's why I resorted to this desperate measure!

"Because I had run errands for the county magistrate by chance before, I knew the way to Shanping County! I went there just to give it a try, but I didn't expect that as soon as we arrived and explained our purpose, we met the Goddess!"

Lin Ru didn't react to what he said, but Lin Bai, who was standing next to her, said angrily, "These people! They're worse than pigs and dogs! How could they abandon the people of this county and run away like that!"

"These people are usually well-fed and healthy by the locals, but when trouble comes, they run faster than anyone else!"

"They are a bunch of animals."

Zhang Dazhu was also very indignant!

"That's right! Before the magistrate fled, he actually collected a batch of grain taxes from us!"

“We’re in the village every day, and we’re not well-informed. We just thought the government was collecting grain taxes early. We never imagined that he would actually keep the collected grain for himself and then run away with it!”

"My family used all our money to buy grain to pay the grain tax. Now my elderly mother is seriously ill and lying in bed, and we have no money for treatment!"

As Zhang Dazhu spoke, he covered his face and burst into tears. His crying caused the crowd behind him to start crying one after another.

"Yes! If there's another bad harvest this time, we might have to sell our children!"

"My family sold all our winter clothes to pay the grain tax. Now we only have two sets of clothes, one for men and one for women. If I go out, the men in my family have to stay at home!"

Lin Bai grew angrier the more he listened to these people!

"That incompetent magistrate! He's probably already heard the news and is rushing back!"

"Elder sister! We can't let someone like that be the magistrate anymore! He's a deserter!"

"This kind of person should have all his property confiscated!"

"Or just behead them!"

Lin Ru had already expected that these officials would run away beforehand, but she didn't expect them to be so ruthless, even taking advantage of the common people before they fled!

So she sent these people away first, and planned to go to Peach Blossom Village with them the next morning. After they had all left, she had someone bring her paper and pen, wrote down the situation and the corresponding countermeasures, and then had the Wu clan send the note back to Ji Wenxuan!

She wouldn't miss such a great opportunity!

She wanted Ji Wenxuan to compile a list of these county magistrates who had fled in advance, and then send all her own people down to replace these fleeing magistrates. After all, she was now in charge of the entire Shanping County!

She won't let these people come back and disrupt her plans!

After receiving the note, Ji Wenxuan began to make arrangements, sending out most of his trusted subordinates to take over any areas without officials in charge.

Anyway, he's already obtained the official seal of the prefect's office!

He's the one who decides on these personnel changes!

As for Lin Ru, they set off from the inn toward Peach Blossom Village just as dawn was breaking!

Lin Ru swayed in the carriage, watching the scenery rushing past her. She frowned slightly.

We've walked so far, but we haven't seen a single place with water, and the leaves on the big trees next to us have already turned yellow and withered!

Even the forest was devoid of greenery, and the bark of the trees showed signs of human damage. She recognized those marks all too well, yet some people were already so hungry that they ate tree bark!

Moreover, there were many women's figures faintly visible in the woods, and they seemed to be digging for wild vegetables or grass roots!

Such a scene touched even someone as hard-hearted as her!

Moreover, she always felt that the name Peach Blossom Village sounded very familiar!

It seems to have appeared in the original book!

Just as she was reflecting, the commotion in front of him interrupted her thoughts!

On the road ahead, two groups of people were facing off. Some were holding kitchen knives, and others were holding hoes!

They must be villagers from nearby!

Moreover, one of the villages was clearly at a disadvantage because it had more women and children, while the other village was mostly made up of strong men!

Seeing this, Kang Dachuan knew something was wrong and quickly stepped forward!

"Stop it, all of you! What kind of behavior is this?"

"How long have I been gone? How did a fight break out?"

"Didn't I say I would bring the goddess back?"

Zhang Dazhu quickly led his villagers over, and they all joined the weaker party, tightly protecting the woman and child behind them!

"What do you mean by this, Xinghua Village?"

"Taking advantage of our absence to bully our Peach Blossom Village? Don't you have any men?"

The people from Xinghua Village across the street started to look around when they saw Kang Dachuan, clearly indicating that he had done something wrong!

However, when they saw Zhang Dazhu, for some reason, they acted all self-righteous!

Did we send you there?

"Didn't you insist on going to Shanping County? You said you'd leave, so why didn't you take your women with you? These women are actually trying to steal our water!"

"What bad luck! Ever since these women started fetching water from the river, the water level has dropped considerably! It must be the river god who thinks women are unlucky! How could you let such unlucky people go to the river?"

No sooner had the man finished speaking than the women of Peach Blossom Village protested. They grabbed their hoes and prepared to fight the man on the other side!

"Zhao Dashun! What kind of bullshit are you spouting? I'll tear your stinking mouth to shreds!"

"It was supposed to be irrigation time for our Peach Blossom Village! It was your Apricot Blossom Village that broke the agreement! We agreed to take turns irrigating for one day each!"

"Why can't we irrigate the fields now that the men in our village have left?"

"Bullshit!"

"What do you mean by bad luck? It's clearly because it hasn't rained and the weather has been hot, that's why the water level has dropped!"

"What does this have to do with us women?"

"Since you think women are unlucky, then don't get married."

"Don't have children! Don't acknowledge your mother as your mother!"

Zhao Dashun retorted angrily, "I can do whatever I want, what's it to you?"

"In any case, we absolutely cannot allow you women to go to the river!"

"Who knows what you were doing by the river?"

"If you hadn't angered the river god, the water level wouldn't have dropped!"