As soon as the emperor issued this decree, people in Yuan'an had all kinds of opinions. Some said that the emperor was wise, some did not believe it, and some saw an opportunity to make a fortune.
Whether these people believe it or not, the prices in Yuan'an have risen visibly.
However, most of the people in Yuan'an still believed in the emperor's edict. They carefully calculated the food and money at home, and looked for wild vegetables everywhere to dry and store.
In a short time, all the wild vegetables outside the city were pulled out, and most of the people had suffered from hunger, so when the emperor's edict came, they were both panicked and relieved.
Only those who are taking chances will exchange all the food in their homes and want to take advantage of this opportunity to make a fortune. They are completely beyond the reach of the emperor's rescue.
The person who was most worried about the emperor's decree was Xie Zixin. She had always been arrogant because she knew about her past life, or in other words, knew the direction of the future.
She felt that she was the one most favored by God, but the emperor also had a dream that predicted the future, and Xie Zixin suddenly felt that her advantage was gone.
Therefore, the decorations in Xie Zixin's yard inevitably fell into her hands.
But Xie Zixin still didn't feel satisfied with just this, so she went to the main courtyard and told the emperor about how good the second prince was to her. She felt that she had offended the main wife Duan Jianing, and only then did Xie Zixin feel less aggrieved.
What Xie Zixin didn't know was that Duan Jianing wasn't angry at all. Duan Jianing wanted wealth and glory, and she didn't care how the Second Prince played along with Xie Zixin.
As for the claim that Xie Zixin was the Second Prince's true love, Duan Jianing found it even more ridiculous. Duan Jianing felt that the Second Prince's true love for Xie Zixin could be summed up in one sentence: "He really loves to exploit her."
When Zhou Qiongyue heard the decree in the palace, she was shocked at first, but then she felt that the emperor was a good person. At least he really cared about the people, and it wasn't too late to announce it now.
They can still harvest another season's crops, and even those without land have the opportunity to find other ways to make ends meet, rather than being forced into a desperate situation when disaster strikes.
Zhou Qiongyue was thinking about what Xie Zixin said about the drought in the previous life that brought devastation to the people of Yuan'an, and about eating one's own children... Just hearing these words, Zhou Qiongyue felt her hair stand on end.
Although Zhou Qiongyue had prepared everything she needed, she also followed everyone else's lead and stocked up on some food, dried mushrooms, and other things.
Despite the royal control, the panic among the people of Yuan'an continued to intensify, and soon many grain stores in Yuan'an City were empty.
Various foods that can be stored for a long time are also in short supply.
Just when Zhou Qiongyue felt the situation was getting increasingly difficult to control, everyone suddenly seemed to regain their composure. Perhaps it was because of the recent rains that everyone thought the drought was just a dream.
Don't take it too seriously, and don't rush to stockpile food. After all, it's not easy for ordinary people to save some money, and not everyone has the courage to empty out all their belongings.
However, the situation was not as optimistic as everyone expected. With the start of the autumn harvest, Yuan'an was sunny every day and it did not rain once.
Even the most optimistic people began to panic, and the whole Yuan'an was swept by a craze of stockpiling food.
Zhou Qiongyue even felt that even the air she breathed was dry, and she seemed very restless.
Zhou Qiongyue looked at the weather and felt that the past two years would definitely be more difficult than she had imagined.
She immediately waived the rent for her tenants this year, and they no longer had to pay grain. She sincerely hoped that those who rented her land would be able to survive this disaster safely.
Zhou Qiongyue was not the only one who did so. All the more kind-hearted wealthy families in Yuan'an responded to the emperor's call this year and gave some reductions to their tenants.
After all, if they had made preparations in advance, these wealthy families would not be short of food. Many wealthy families' farms and fertile fields were not confined to one place.
Many people have properties in many places, but because of the drought in Yuan'an, they are not completely unable to obtain any food reserves.
I am also willing to use this thing to exchange for the master's reputation for kindness at this time.
As the time without rain got longer, everyone became more and more anxious. Zhou Qiongyue had already arranged a farm outside the city.
All the edible things in the village were collected, and those that needed to be moved were moved underground. She also moved the people in the village to another village. This would prevent the refugees from having no food and breaking into the village to rob.
Of course, the farm where these people gathered was a mountain farm that Zhou Qiongyue came with as a dowry. It was lush with trees, so at least there was no shortage of drinking water for the time being.
If they were truly short of food, they could still go into the mountains, so they wouldn't starve to death. Furthermore, if they gathered together, when refugees attacked the village, they would have the strength to fight in large numbers, and their safety would be better guaranteed.
As for bringing these people to the city to support them, not to mention whether there would be a backlash, just the provision of food, clothing, shelter and transportation for so many people would not be easy.
Even if Zhou Qiongyue earned some money, she still couldn't afford this expense. Moreover, living in the city, getting water might be a big problem, not to mention anything else.
Even Zhou Qiongyue had thought about moving her people directly to the manor if Yuan'an City ran out of drinking water. Therefore, it was even more impossible to bring these people to Yuan'an, as it would cause chaos.
As for the other farms, Zhou Qiongyue was not stingy with the seeds, and still ordered people to go back and plant the spring seeds. She didn't even think about how much grain she could harvest when the time came, and she didn't even think about letting these people harvest it when the time came.
She just wanted to plant the seeds and leave the rest to fate. Whether they could save those who intentionally or unintentionally strayed into the manor would depend on their luck.
Recently, the amount of ice used in the palace has been decreasing, and Zhou Qiongyue and Yuan Bohua have started to make a bed in the yard to sleep on.
Of course, there are people guarding the gate and no one is allowed to get close, so it still feels safe. The most important thing is that it is cool and you can save a few pieces of ice.
That day, Zhou Qiongyue had just finished her simple breakfast with Yuan Bohua when someone reported, "Master Lu and Miss Lu are here."
"My uncle and cousin are here! Please come in." Yuan Bohua stood up immediately and prepared to go out to greet them in person.
But Yuan Bohua looked at the sun outside and then at the princess next to him. He instantly dismissed the idea and sat back calmly.
Although Zhou Qiongyue had a neutral impression of the two men, she still smiled gently and turned around to tell the waiter next to her to prepare tea.
As soon as Zhou Qiongyue finished giving her order, she saw Lord Lu and Miss Lu coming in. As a princess, Zhou Qiongyue naturally couldn't stand up to salute, so she just sat quietly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
