Chapter 127 Chaos
Such a significant operation as sending troops to suppress bandits was naturally difficult to conceal.
The next day, news of the looting of the disaster relief grain spread throughout the city.
Even worse, news came from an unknown source claiming that "the state granaries are already empty, and the grain stored in the city will not last more than three days."
This news completely threw people into disarray.
The wealthy households in the city were the first to act, locking their doors tightly overnight and hiding their surplus grain even more discreetly.
They would rather let the grain rot than risk taking it out, because in times of famine, food was life itself.
Ordinary people rushed to the grain shops in a panic.
But the doors of the grain shops that used to be open were all closed.
Even if we have money, there is no grain left to buy.
The normally orderly city has become chaotic, filled with arguments and cries.
The public was thrown into turmoil and filled with anxiety.
At Chenshi (7-9 AM), the soup kitchen at the city gate opened on time, but the number of refugees queuing was several times greater than usual, and everyone's face was filled with anxiety and unease.
Just then, an angry shout suddenly came from the crowd, "This is hardly porridge! It's clearly dishwater!"
Everyone looked over and saw a lean young man holding a ceramic bowl he had just received. His voice was filled with anger. "Look for yourselves, how many grains of rice can you count in this bowl? Can this fill your stomachs?"
The surrounding refugees also chimed in with their own opinions.
"Yes! Yesterday's porridge was thinner than the day before, and today it's even worse! Is the government really out of food?"
"Didn't the imperial court send the Second Prince to provide disaster relief? Where is the grain? Where did it go?"
"Stop dreaming! I heard from the clerks at the prefectural government office last night that the city's granaries are already empty, and we won't even have any soup to drink tomorrow!"
The discussions grew louder, and the pent-up discontent, fear, and anger of the past few days were slowly being released.
"I think the grain isn't empty at all; it's been divided up by those wealthy landowners and officials!"
The young man gritted his teeth and said, "They live a life of luxury in the city, while we're stuck here fighting over this dishwater. Why should we?"
"And the Second Prince!" someone in the back of the crowd suddenly raised their voice. "You don't know, do you? He spends his days feasting and making merry with those rich people; he's been in cahoots with them for a long time!"
Someone else whispered, "You're new here, aren't you? Stop talking. A few days ago, an old man went to the Second Prince to plead his case, saying the same thing, and he was arrested on the spot. He hasn't been released yet, and he might have been beaten to death by now..."
These words further fueled the anger of the crowd.
"People are starving to death, what's there to be afraid of?"
Led by someone, everyone began shouting, "We want to see the Second Prince! Call the Second Prince out!"
"Yes! Let him come out! Let him explain himself! Otherwise, we'll smash this soup kitchen!"
Seeing the crowd's commotion escalating and almost out of control, the officials in the soup kitchen hurriedly dispatched someone to the prefectural government to report to the Second Prince.
Li Yuanyou arrived in haste, accompanied by Cui Dalang. As soon as he stepped out of the city gate, he was surrounded by angry refugees.
The officials hurriedly formed a circle around Li Yuanyou, shielding him in the middle, and shouted sternly, "Step back! You must not offend His Highness!"
But the refugees had already been driven to desperation by hunger and panic, and they no longer cared about etiquette and rules.
An old woman, holding her grandson who was starving and on the verge of death, knelt on the ground and cried out, "Your Highness! Please tell me the truth! Will we have anything to eat tomorrow? My grandson has been drinking thin porridge for three days, and he's about to collapse..."
"Yes! Everyone's saying the granaries are empty, is that true?"
"The wealthy families in the city have mountains of grain piled up, why don't you ask them to take it out? Is it really as they say, that you have already colluded with those people?"
Looking at the desperate faces before him and listening to the questions posed, Li Yuanyou's expression grew increasingly grim.
He abruptly shoved aside the officials blocking his way, took two steps forward, and shouted, "Quiet down, everyone! Listen to me!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried the majesty of a prince, and the chaotic crowd fell silent for a moment.
"I, Li Yuanyou, hereby promise that I will never watch you starve to death!"
His gaze swept over the crowd, his tone resolute.
"Within three days, no matter what method I use, I will make the wealthy households in the city provide grain so that everyone can have enough to eat!"
Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope ignited in everyone's eyes.
The old woman held her weak grandson, sobbing softly, "Three days? How can we wait three days... My grandson fainted yesterday, if we wait another three days, I'm afraid... I'm afraid he'll be dead by now..."
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, instantly casting a shadow over his newly risen hopes.
The young man suddenly stepped out from the crowd, stared directly at Li Yuanyou, and loudly questioned, "Promises? Anyone can make empty promises!"
"Who doesn't know that you hold lavish banquets at the prefectural government office every day, calling those local gentry and wealthy families brothers? One meal from them is enough to feed hundreds of us for several days! You clink glasses with them, but then you promise us food without any real knowledge. Why should we believe you?"
Li Yuanyou's face paled, and he explained hastily, "I was... I was trying to persuade them to donate grain..."
"Where is the grain? Did they donate it?"
The young man refused to budge, saying, "All I see is you feasting and drinking every day! Have I ever seen a single grain of rice fall into our bowls? I think you're all birds of a feather, never caring about our lives!"
Li Yuanyou was speechless for a moment.
Cui Dalang quickly stepped forward, blocking Li Yuanyou's path, and sternly rebuked the young man.
"You audacious commoner! His Highness is earnestly urging donations, yet you dare to spout nonsense and incite unrest! If you dare to speak recklessly again, don't blame me for punishing you for offending a prince and spreading rumors!"
He intended to quell the unrest with his official authority, but his words only added fuel to the fire.
The young man, however, was not afraid at all. "What? You want to kill people to silence them? Just like on your way to Weizhou, didn't you indiscriminately kill innocent people because they were asking for food? Do you think you can shut the mouths of the world like that?"
Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in uproar, their suppressed anger bursting forth once more.
"He's right! Why should we believe you?"
"It's clearly a case of officials protecting each other and conspiring to deceive us!"
"Don't try to intimidate us with your official power! If we don't get our grain today, nobody's leaving!"
Several agitated refugees pushed their way forward, trying to break through the officials' obstruction.
The officers tensed up again, their hands on the swords at their waists, the atmosphere tense and ready to erupt.
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