The drought did indeed arrive; not a drop of rain fell for half a month. Although it was already autumn, the sun was scorching hotter than in the height of summer.
Just when it was time to harvest, the rain stopped, and the farmers were worried all day long.
When news spread that a three-year drought was imminent, the anxious and frustrated people vented their anger on the Su and Wen families.
They couldn't bear to eat rotten eggs, old vegetable leaves, or old mud, so they smashed them with gusto.
In the capital, people with the surnames Wen and Su have been walking very carefully these days. There's nothing they can do; ordinary people can't control who's who.
With a thud, a memorial was thrown to the ground, and Li Yue flew into a rage:
"The people are starving, and yet someone dares to lay a hand on disaster relief grain? Is my sword not sharp enough?"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."
The ministers all knelt down respectfully.
Li Yue gave a mocking smile:
"Calm down? I also want to calm down. It's just that some people are eager to take this opportunity to anger me to death, and you'll be happy with that."
His words, though pointed, went unanswered.
Since the severe drought truly began, everyone is seething with anger. The entire Great Jin Dynasty is now a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest provocation.
After three years of severe drought, the old farmers who had experienced it felt as if the sky had fallen when they heard the news. People were filled with fear and anxiety. Although there was still food, everyone consciously tightened their belts.
At this critical juncture, some people still dare to defy public opinion and hoard goods for profit. Although they are fools, they are fools with connections.
The world is never short of people who harbor侥幸心理 (a gambler's mentality).
As for their fate—
"Kill them!"
Li Yue said menacingly.
The storm swept all the way from Jiangnan to the capital, bringing in fresh blood to the officialdom, and only then did this monstrous trend finally stop.
This massive purge directly cleansed up the atmosphere in officialdom, allowing many talented and honest officials to showcase their abilities.
"It can be considered a blessing in disguise," Li Yue murmured.
Early that morning, Su Lie prepared to go out to build a temple under the cover of darkness, carrying incense made by the women of his family and walking with his head down.
"Wait a minute." A voice called from behind.
Su Lie tensed up, feeling somewhat helpless. He himself had become a night owl, staying up all day and going out at night, yet the people still had the patience to fight him.
Turning around and speaking:
"Things didn't go my way. If you want to hit me, then hit me. But if you go too far, I'll fight back."
He seemed very self-righteous, and the visitor, after a moment of stunned silence, quickly came to his senses and left the dark place.
Dressed in loose-fitting robes and wearing a Taoist crown, he was quite old, with a long beard hanging down gracefully, exuding an air of otherworldly elegance.
“My believer, I noticed that the black aura surrounding you seemed a bit off, which is why I stopped you.”
The Taoist priest chuckled to himself, thinking to himself that he was quite lucky, having heard that a goddess of Mount Tai had appeared in the capital.
He was certain that business would be good in the capital, so he traveled day and night to get there.
Sure enough, they caught a fat sheep as soon as they arrived in the capital.
If someone goes out at night (afraid of being attacked during the day), looks unwell (not eating or sleeping well), and has a furrowed brow (afraid of being killed), they've definitely run into some trouble. A little trickery will make you a fortune.
"You can tell, isn't there a hint of resentment?"
Su Lie was overjoyed and grabbed the Taoist's hand in a few quick steps, extremely excited.
The Taoist priest's surname was Xu. Taoist Xu did not expect the fat sheep to react so strongly, and he did not even suspect anything.
My hand hurt a little from being gripped, but he was experienced and only hesitated for a moment before continuing the conversation:
"That's right, it's just a grudge. I'm afraid the believer has gotten himself into serious trouble."
The Taoist priest shook his head and said in a profound and enigmatic tone.
"Master, your magical powers are immense. I have committed a grave error, which is why I have to travel in the middle of the night to atone for my sins. If you can resolve my problems, you will be a great and virtuous person who has saved countless lives!"
Su Lie completely believed it and clung to the "expert" relentlessly.
"No problem, no problem."
The Taoist priest was somewhat surprised... How could you drag the safety of the people into your personal affairs? You shameless bastard.
However, the customer is always right, and Master Xu is very professional and guarantees that he can get things done.
Su Lie stopped burning incense and building the temple, and then pulled Xu the Taoist priest home.
This image was transmitted to Ling Xiao by a system that was spying from afar.
He laughed so hard he rolled on the ground, a jade bead trembling violently as if he were having a grand mal seizure.
"Oh my god, the fake Taoist priest has met the real general."
"We were thinking about how to find a chance to go back before the drought ends, and here we are," Ling Xiao said with a smile.
"This bald-headed Taoist priest?"
The system said dismissively.
"What do you care what he looks like?" Ling Xiao smiled faintly.
………………
Xu Daoshi fell asleep with dreams of a better future, dreaming of gold and silver treasures, as well as fame and fortune.
"Hehehe, mine, mine."
"What do you mean, 'your'?"
"My...who!"
The Taoist priest Xu woke up with a start and saw the fat sheep from last night sitting at the head of the bed, staring at him with a hungry look in his eyes.
After a chaotic scene, Taoist Xu struck a pose:
"Good believer, I am ready. Speak, tell me the whole story."
Su Lie shifted his buttocks closer to him, and the Taoist priest barely managed to remain still before speaking: "
"May I ask where the Daoist priest's immortal abode is?"
After a night, Su Lie calmed down a bit and prepared to find out where they came from.
"Do you know the Six Emperors of Heaven? This Daoist is the lineage passed down to the mortal world by the Great Emperor Ziwei. Originally, I cultivated in seclusion at the mountain gate for many years, but I could not bear to see the people suffering, so I went down the mountain to relieve their suffering."
Xu Daoshi's words were well thought out; in the past, he only boasted about having connections in his family.
Now that we're in the capital, we can't afford to be too sloppy and become a laughingstock among our fellow capital city dwellers; otherwise, our boasting will be overblown.
The Purple Star Emperor!
Su Lie was overjoyed. The words "the people are in trouble" confirmed it was him.
So he quickly explained the situation:
"...The people have suffered terribly from the three-year drought. Please help us, Taoist priest."
You just wanted to scam some money to spend, you don't have to do this to me!
Upon hearing Su Lie's words, Xu Daoshi felt a chill run down his spine, and his mouth trembled as he was unable to utter a word.
The legend of the Goddess of Mount Tai is widely known, along with several related events.
Xu Daoshi was quite well-connected and had some lineage. He heard that the orthodox branches of the Daoist sect had joined forces and were preparing to come to the capital to meet him.
While trying to catch a fat sheep, I ended up catching a hedgehog with steel needles!
If he had the ability to solve the three-year drought, why would he need to cheat people out of money?
"Master, what's wrong?"
Upon receiving the suspicious look in the eyes of the person before him and the hand on his sword, the words that Xu Daoshi was about to say were swallowed back, and his smile was more like a grimace.
"It's nothing, I was just thinking about how to solve it."
Ling Xiao stayed in a mountain cave, spending her days watching Xu Daoshi scratch his head and try to smooth things over, which was even more entertaining than a comedy.
The emperor and his ministers either watched coldly or tried anything as a last resort, stirring up trouble and pushing Xu the Taoist priest to the forefront.
They set up an altar and performed rituals to pray for wind and rain!
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