As dawn broke, the grain distribution points in the capital were already bustling with activity. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er arrived early, fully aware of the significance of this grain distribution for the people of the capital, and knowing that no mistakes could be tolerated, their personal supervision was crucial to ensuring fairness and impartiality.
Xiao Yichen stood tall and straight on the high platform at the grain distribution point, his gaze sharp as a hawk's, sweeping over the entire distribution area. Dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, he appeared even more imposing in the morning light, the sword at his waist swaying slightly, as if demonstrating his determination to uphold fairness. Lin Wan'er, in white, resembled a white lotus blooming in the mortal world. Standing beside Xiao Yichen, her gaze, gentle yet firm, watched the busy crowd, carefully checking each step of the grain distribution list in her hand.
The distribution of grain proceeded smoothly. Soldiers rigorously checked household registration certificates at the entrance, carefully verifying each person who came to collect grain. The queue stretched like a long, winding dragon from the distribution point all the way to the end of the street. Some people looked anxious, while others had expectant eyes, but all waited patiently.
"Don't worry, everyone. As long as you meet the requirements, you can all receive the food." Lin Wan'er's clear voice echoed across the scene. Her words seemed to have a calming magic, gradually calming down some of the restless people.
In the core area where grain was being distributed, clerks were busy weighing and packing the grain. An experienced old clerk was in charge of weighing; his hands were skilled, and he was fully focused on weighing each portion of grain to ensure the quantity was accurate. "This household has four people, and according to regulations, they should receive [x] jin of grain," the old clerk said, handing the weighed grain to his assistant, who then packed the grain into sacks and handed them to the soldiers in charge of distribution.
Xiao Yichen leaped down from the high platform and arrived at the weighing area. He picked up a bag of freshly weighed grain, felt its weight, and said to the old official, "This grain distribution concerns the lives of the people; it must be precise, without the slightest deviation." The old official respectfully replied, "General, rest assured, I will do my utmost." Xiao Yichen nodded slightly. He knew these officials were experienced, but at such a crucial moment, he still needed to be constantly reminded.
However, just then, a commotion suddenly arose from the crowd. Xiao Yichen frowned and quickly walked towards the source of the commotion. It turned out that a young man claimed that his household registration certificate was lost, but he insisted that he was a resident of the capital and demanded to receive grain rations. The soldier in charge of the inspection refused him according to regulations, and a dispute ensued.
"Sir, I really am from the capital. My home is in the east of the city. My house leaked a few days ago, and my household registration certificate got wet and damaged. Please make an exception for me," the young man said anxiously. The soldier replied sternly, "Without a household registration certificate, I cannot let you in. That's an order." The surrounding people began to murmur amongst themselves. Some sympathized with the young man's plight, while others worried that he was a fraud and that it would affect their own rations.
Xiao Yichen approached the man and sized him up. The man was simply dressed, his face haggard, but his eyes revealed sincerity and urgency. "You say you're a resident of the east side of the city. Do you know what the landmark building is in the east? What shops are near your home?" Xiao Yichen asked. The young man hurriedly replied, "There's an old stone bridge in the east, and a blacksmith's shop and a tavern near my home." Xiao Yichen thought for a moment, then said to the soldier, "Send two men with him to the east to verify. If the situation is true, have him come back to collect his rations." The man thanked him profusely and hurriedly left with the soldier.
Back at the center of the grain distribution point, Xiao Yichen continued to observe each step of the distribution process. He noticed that some elderly people and children in the queue were struggling to keep up due to their weak constitutions and the long wait. He immediately summoned a soldier and instructed, "Set up some simple rest areas next to the queue so that the elderly, children, and those who are unwell can rest for a while. Don't make them stand for so long." The soldier obeyed and left. Soon, the rest areas were set up, and some elderly people and children were helped to them, looking at Xiao Yichen and the soldiers with gratitude.
Lin Wan'er was also working diligently. She noticed that some families had large members, but the grain distribution seemed unreasonable. After carefully reviewing the grain distribution standards, she told the officials in charge of distribution, "For large families, the amount of grain distributed should be appropriately increased to ensure they can sustain their livelihoods. We cannot simply follow rigid rules; we must adjust flexibly according to the actual situation." The officials immediately revised the grain distribution plan according to Lin Wan'er's instructions and rechecked the list.
As time passed, the sun rose higher and the weather grew hotter. The atmosphere at the grain distribution site became increasingly tense. Although the soldiers tried their best to maintain order, the long wait caused some civilians to become agitated. Some minor skirmishes broke out in the middle of the line.
Two women started arguing over a minor misunderstanding. One accused the other of cutting in line, while the other claimed she was simply pushed along by the crowd. Neither would back down, and their voices grew louder until bystanders gathered to try and mediate. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er arrived at the scene again.
Lin Wan'er walked between the two women and said softly, "Sisters, we're all starving, it's not easy for anyone. Arguing won't solve anything. We need to stay calm and proceed in order." Hearing Lin Wan'er's words, the two women gradually calmed down and realized their impulsiveness. "Young lady, it's my fault, I was too hasty," one of the women said. The other woman quickly apologized as well, and the atmosphere returned to harmony.
To prevent similar incidents from recurring, Xiao Yichen decided to assign volunteers to the queue to help maintain order and mediate disputes. These volunteers, composed of enthusiastic local residents, moved through the queue, reminding everyone to keep their distance, wait patiently, and promptly resolve minor issues. This measure effectively eased the tension within the queue, allowing the distribution of grain to proceed more smoothly.
In another corner of the grain distribution point, a group of soldiers were inspecting the delivered grain. Suddenly, one soldier noticed something unusual about a bag of grain. Upon opening it, he discovered some impurities inside. Xiao Yichen's expression turned grave upon learning this. He knew all too well the serious consequences if substandard grain fell into the hands of the people.
"Inspect all the grain immediately and make sure every bag is clean and edible," Xiao Yichen ordered. The soldiers quickly sprang into action, carefully inspecting each bag of grain. After a thorough check, only a few bags were found to be problematic. Xiao Yichen ordered these problematic bags to be placed separately and their origin investigated. At the same time, he explained the situation to the people, reassuring them that the imperial court would guarantee the quality of the grain distribution.
In the afternoon, the sun hung high in the sky, its scorching rays baking the earth. Although there were shade facilities at the grain distribution site, the heat still made everyone drenched in sweat. However, neither soldiers, officials, nor civilians showed any sign of slackening their efforts.
In the final stages of the grain distribution, some people from remote areas rushed to the scene. They were exhausted from their long journey. Seeing this, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er decided to extend the grain distribution time for these latecomers.
"We can't let any civilian go home empty-handed; they've already worked so hard," Xiao Yichen said to the soldiers. Although exhausted, the soldiers remained at their posts, continuing to distribute food to the latecomers.
As the last bag of grain was handed to a ragged old man, it was already getting dark. The old man accepted the grain with trembling hands, tears welling in his eyes: "Thank you, Imperial Court! Thank you, General and young lady! You are our great benefactors!" Xiao Yichen smiled and said, "Old man, go home now and take good care of yourself."
The crowd at the grain distribution site gradually dispersed, and soldiers and officials cleaned up the area. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er stood before the distribution point, gazing at the bustling city after a day of activity, their hearts filled with mixed emotions. Although the day had been full of challenges and difficulties, they had successfully completed the grain distribution mission, ensuring fairness and impartiality.
“Wan’er, everyone worked very hard today, but it was all worth it,” Xiao Yichen said. Lin Wan’er nodded slightly: “Yes, seeing the smiles on the faces of the people after receiving the food, I feel that all our efforts were worthwhile. However, we must continue to investigate the underlying causes of the food crisis and prevent such a thing from happening again.”
That night, the people of the capital returned home with their provisions, their homes finally filled with long-lost warmth. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er, however, returned to their lodgings, filled with thoughts and anxieties about the future. They knew the battle against the food crisis was far from over; many more mysteries awaited their unraveling, and many more difficulties awaited their overcoming. But they were fearless, for they were the guardians of the capital's people, and for the peace and prosperity of the capital, they were willing to give everything.
The sun hung high in the sky, relentlessly scorching the earth, yet the grain distribution site remained bustling with people. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er worked tirelessly without a moment's rest, but an ominous premonition quietly began to grow in Xiao Yichen's heart.
As the grain distribution continued, a clerk responsible for tallying the grain ran up to Xiao Yichen with a worried expression and reported, "General, the situation is not good. The grain is being consumed much faster than we anticipated. At this rate, we may face a grain shortage." Xiao Yichen's brows furrowed instantly. He knew the seriousness of the problem. If there wasn't enough grain, the people who were still waiting anxiously would fall into despair, and the situation that had just stabilized would plunge back into chaos.
He immediately went to the core area of the grain distribution point and, together with the officials in charge of distribution, rechecked the grain inventory and distribution records. After careful inventory, they found that due to insufficient estimation of household population and some temporary special circumstances (such as appropriately increasing the distribution amount to take care of the elderly living alone and the sick), the expenditure of grain far exceeded the original plan.
Lin Wan'er looked at the statistics with a serious expression: "Yichen, we must find a way to solve this problem as soon as possible, otherwise all our previous efforts will be in vain." Xiao Yichen nodded, his brain working at lightning speed, thinking of a solution.
At this time, the people at the grain distribution site were unaware of the impending crisis, and they continued to patiently queue under the scorching sun. However, some observant people had noticed that the distribution of grain seemed to have slowed down, and they began to whisper among themselves.
"What's going on? Is there not enough food?" a middle-aged man asked the person next to him with concern. "No way, the imperial court should have made ample preparations." Although the person next to him answered this way, a hint of unease was also revealed in his tone.
Xiao Yichen realized that he had to stabilize the people's emotions first and prevent panic from spreading among them. He climbed onto the high platform and addressed the people loudly, "Fellow villagers, the distribution of grain is proceeding in an orderly manner, so please do not worry. The imperial court has enough grain to relieve you all; we just need some time to adjust the distribution process to ensure fairness and impartiality." His voice was calm and powerful, which temporarily reassured some of the people.
However, this was only a temporary measure. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er immediately summoned the officials and soldiers involved in distributing the grain to discuss solutions.
An official suggested, "General, could we reduce the amount distributed to each household? This would allow us to provide relief to more families on top of the existing food supplies." Xiao Yichen shook his head in rejection: "No. The people are already on the verge of starvation. If we reduce the amount distributed, we simply cannot maintain their basic living standards, and it will only cause greater discontent."
Another official suggested, "Then we can suspend the grain distribution for now and resume it once new grain arrives." Lin Wan'er immediately retorted, "No, if we suspend the grain distribution, the people will think that the court is incapable of solving the problem, panic will spread rapidly, and the situation will completely spiral out of control."
At this moment, a soldier said, "General, when we were inspecting the grain, we found that some of it was damaged due to storage issues, but it's still edible, just a little less palatable and of lower quality. Can we distribute this grain to the people as well?" Xiao Yichen pondered for a moment and then said, "Yes, but we must explain the situation to the people and not conceal it. We cannot let the people eat grain that poses a safety risk, but it's better than letting them go hungry than just eat slightly lower quality grain."
So the soldiers began sorting out the damaged grain and set up a special area at the distribution point, explaining to the people queuing up: "Fellow villagers, although this grain has some flaws, it is still edible. The imperial court has decided to distribute this to everyone so that everyone can receive grain. If you are willing, you can collect it here." Most of the people, after understanding the situation, expressed their willingness to accept the grain, as having some grain was better than having none.
This only alleviated a small portion of the pressure; the food shortage problem remained severe. Xiao Yichen decided to seek food from other channels. He dispatched several teams to check with wealthy households, temples, and government-run warehouses in the capital to see if there were any available grain reserves.
The first group arrived at the homes of wealthy families in the capital. These families had already donated some grain at the urging of the court, but Xiao Yichen hoped they could contribute more. However, the wealthy families did not respond enthusiastically.
“General, we’ve already donated a lot, and we don’t have much grain left at home,” a wealthy household said reluctantly. The soldiers thoroughly searched the wealthy household’s home and found some hidden grain, but the amount was far from enough. Moreover, this forced search provoked strong resentment from the wealthy households, who began pressuring the court to stop this practice.
The second team headed to a temple in the capital. Temples usually kept some food reserves to help disaster victims in times of famine. However, when the soldiers arrived at the temple, they found that the food was almost gone. The abbot said helplessly, "General, too many disaster victims have come to the temple for help lately; we have already distributed most of the food."
The third team's search of the government-run warehouses also did not go smoothly. Some warehouses originally stored grain, but due to poor management, a large amount of the grain had become moldy and wasted, leaving very little usable grain.
In the process of finding grain, Xiao Yichen also faced pressure from within the imperial court. Some ministers believed that he had mismanaged the distribution of grain, leading to shortages, and demanded that he take responsibility. The Prime Minister also questioned Xiao Yichen: "General Xiao, this grain distribution is crucial to the stability of the capital. If you cannot properly resolve the grain shortage problem, the consequences will be unimaginable."
Xiao Yichen argued forcefully: "Your Excellency, this food crisis is inherently complex, and some unexpected situations are inevitable. I am working hard to find a solution, and I request the court's support."
At the grain distribution site, the people's emotions began to fluctuate again. Although Xiao Yichen and others had taken some measures, the fact that the grain distribution was getting slower and slower still made the people uneasy. Some people began to complain in the ranks, and some even wanted to leave the ranks and go elsewhere to find food.
"Is the imperial court lying to us? Why is the food supply dwindling?" a young man shouted angrily. His words resonated with those around him, and a small commotion began to break out in the ranks.
Lin Wan'er was extremely anxious. She went to the crowd and said to the people, "Please don't be impulsive. The imperial court is trying to solve the food problem. We will not let you go hungry. Please give us some more time." Her eyes were full of sincerity, but in the face of hunger, some people had lost their reason.
Seeing this, Xiao Yichen knew that he needed to find a large amount of grain as soon as possible to stabilize the situation. He decided to take a risk and sent urgent requests for help to the surrounding counties, hoping they could transport grain to the capital in the shortest possible time. At the same time, he also sent people to investigate suspicious individuals who were deliberately inciting the people's emotions during the grain distribution. He suspected that these people were sent by the mastermind behind the scenes to sabotage the grain distribution and cause greater chaos.
While awaiting responses from surrounding counties and the arrival of new grain, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er continued their search for any possible food sources within the capital. They visited several merchants, inquiring about any grain reserves. Some merchants expressed willingness to help, but their grain supplies were limited and insufficient to meet demand.
In addition, Xiao Yichen came up with another solution. He posted notices throughout the capital, encouraging people to help each other, and families with surplus food were encouraged to share it with their neighbors. The notices read: "Fellow citizens of the capital, we are facing an unprecedented food crisis. While the court is working hard to solve the problem, we hope that everyone can promote the spirit of mutual assistance. If you have surplus food, please share it with your neighbors in need so that we can overcome this difficult time together. The court will remember your good deeds."
This notice caused quite a stir in the capital. Some kind-hearted people began to share their meager grain with those around them. Although each household distributed only a small amount of grain, this act of mutual assistance alleviated the hunger of some people and eased the tense atmosphere to some extent.
However, the shadow of food shortages still loomed over the capital. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er were under immense pressure during this difficult time. They knew that every minute of delay could worsen the situation, and they had to find hope amidst despair to secure enough food for the people of the capital and restore the city to its former glory.
During this process, they did not forget to investigate the conspiracy behind the food crisis. They discovered that the suspicious individuals causing trouble at the grain distribution site had intricate connections with certain江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) forces and opposing forces within the imperial court. These forces seemed to want to use this food crisis to overthrow the court and seize control of the capital. Xiao Yichen knew that to completely solve the food problem, it was necessary to expose and crush these conspiracies, restoring stability to the capital from the inside out.
As time passed, responses gradually arrived from surrounding counties. Some counties expressed their willingness to provide food aid, but due to their own limited food reserves and the time required for transportation, it would take at least several days to reach the capital. This was still a long wait for the capital, which desperately needed food. However, this glimmer of hope gave Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er the motivation to persevere. They continued to work hard despite the difficulties, fighting for the future of the capital.
The sun relentlessly baked the earth, and the grain distribution site was sweltering with heat. The crowd was as restless as ants being roasted. Although Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er had done their best to maintain order, as time passed and anxieties about the food spread, the atmosphere became increasingly tense, like a bomb that could explode at any moment.
Suddenly, a gasp rang out from the crowd. Xiao Yichen's heart tightened, and he quickly used his lightness skill to rush over to investigate. In the middle of the line, due to the prolonged crowding and shoving, some people had fallen to the ground. Those around them were in a panic, unsure of what to do. Some tried to avoid them, while others were tripped up and fell on top of the fallen. The scene was chaotic.
"Don't panic, everyone! Back up!" Xiao Yichen shouted, channeling his inner strength into his hands to gently push aside the crowd of people who had fallen, creating a clearing. Lin Wan'er also arrived quickly with a squad of soldiers. The soldiers linked arms to form a human wall, preventing more people from crowding forward.
Lin Wan'er hurriedly checked on the injured. An elderly man had hit his forehead and was bleeding profusely; he had already lost consciousness. A young woman had fallen to the side while holding her child, who was crying loudly in fright. The woman also had several abrasions on her arms and legs. Several young and middle-aged men had bumped into each other when they fell, some twisting their ankles and others scraping their elbows.
"Quickly, take the wounded to the shade and find a doctor!" Lin Wan'er anxiously directed the soldiers. The soldiers carefully helped the wounded up and carried them to the makeshift sunshade next to the grain distribution point. While comforting the families of the injured civilians, Lin Wan'er arranged for someone to fetch a doctor.
However, this unexpected event was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples everywhere. The people, who were already uneasy about the slowdown in food distribution, completely lost control of their emotions.
"We're out of food! Everyone's going to starve! We can't wait any longer!" a voice shouted from the crowd. This shout acted like a fuse, instantly igniting the fear and despair in the hearts of the people.
"Yes, we can't wait any longer, we need food!" More people echoed, and the crowd surged forward like a tidal wave, crashing against the soldiers' defensive line. Although the soldiers fought with all their might, the line began to crumble in the face of this overwhelming tide.
Seeing this, Xiao Yichen knew the situation was critical. He leaped onto a high stack of grain and shouted with all his might, "Everyone calm down! The imperial court will not abandon you. The grain is on its way. Crowding now will only cause more people to get hurt, and all our previous efforts will be in vain!" His voice was like rolling thunder, echoing in the air above the grain distribution site, but the people, already gripped by panic, could hardly listen to reason.
Under the onslaught of the crowd, some facilities at the grain distribution point were knocked down. Grain sacks were torn apart, scattering grain on the ground. Some people, disregarding the danger, crawled on the ground to grab the grain, making the scene even more chaotic.
Lin Wan'er was frantic with worry; she knew she had to quell the chaos as quickly as possible. She shouted to the soldiers around her, "Protect the grain that hasn't been distributed yet! We can't let any more grain be lost!" Then she yelled at the people looting the grain, "Fellow villagers, what you're doing is wrong. This grain is meant by the court to relieve everyone, not for us to kill each other. If everyone grabs it, more people will get hurt, and the grain will soon be gone. What will happen to those still in line?"
Some of the people who had been scrambling for food stopped after hearing Lin Wan'er's words, their eyes showing shame. But some, blinded by hunger and panic, continued to fight.
At this moment, Xiao Yichen leaped down from the grain stack and rushed into the crowd. He used exquisite agility to weave through the crowd, snatching grain from the hands of those who were grabbing it and putting it back into their sacks. His movements were incredibly fast; before the people could even react, the grain was already gone.
"Stop now, or I'll show you no mercy!" Xiao Yichen roared. His eyes were sharp as lightning, and some people were intimidated by his aura, no longer daring to continue snatching. But just then, a dark figure darted out from the crowd, wielding a dagger, and stabbed at Xiao Yichen.
Xiao Yichen was prepared. He dodged the dagger attack by sidestepping, and at the same time grabbed the shadowy figure's wrist, twisting it forcefully, causing the dagger to fall from the figure's hand. Xiao Yichen looked closely and saw a strange man with a ferocious face and a fierce look in his eyes.
"Who are you? Why are you causing trouble here?" Xiao Yichen demanded. The man didn't answer, only struggling to escape. Xiao Yichen increased the pressure on his hand, and the man broke out in a cold sweat from the pain. The surrounding crowd fell silent, watching Xiao Yichen and the mysterious man.
Just as Xiao Yichen was about to interrogate the man further, another commotion broke out on the outskirts of the crowd. It turned out that some unidentified people had set fire to the area around the grain distribution point, and the fire spread rapidly with the help of the wind, producing thick smoke.
"Oh no, they're trying to burn the grain!" Xiao Yichen exclaimed in alarm. He handed the mysterious man to the soldiers beside him and ran towards the fire. Lin Wan'er also organized the soldiers to fetch water to put out the fire, and some civilians joined the firefighting effort as well.
The fire grew larger and larger, and the thick smoke made people cough incessantly. While directing the soldiers to fight the fire, Xiao Yichen observed the surrounding situation. He discovered that the location of these fire points was very clever, clearly premeditated, with the aim of disrupting the grain distribution point and causing greater chaos.
Thanks to everyone's efforts, the fire was finally brought under control. However, the grain distribution site was a complete mess; much of the grain had been burned, and even more had been soaked and could no longer be distributed. The number of injured was also increasing, and the doctors were extremely busy.
Looking at the tragic scene before him, Xiao Yichen was filled with anger and self-reproach. He knew that all of this was a conspiracy by the enemy, who wanted to exploit the panic and chaos among the people to destabilize the capital.
"We can't let them succeed!" Xiao Yichen said to Lin Wan'er. Lin Wan'er nodded, her eyes filled with determination: "That's right, we must reorganize the distribution of grain as soon as possible to stabilize the people's emotions."
Therefore, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er began to redeploy. First, they comforted the injured civilians and their families, promising compensation and medical treatment from the imperial court. Then, they organized soldiers to clean up the grain distribution site, collecting any usable grain and rearranging the distribution points.
To avoid a recurrence of overcrowding and injuries, they decided to change the way food was distributed. Instead of having people gather in one large area to queue, they dispersed the distribution points to various neighborhoods, setting up a small distribution point in each neighborhood, and notifying people to come and collect their food in batches according to the neighborhood divisions.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yichen strengthened security at the grain distribution sites. He drew more soldiers from the capital's garrison and imperial guards to maintain tight surveillance around each distribution point. Watchtowers were also set up near the distribution points to promptly detect suspicious individuals and any unusual situations.
During the reorganization of grain distribution, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er did not forget to investigate those suspicious individuals who had disrupted the distribution. They started with the mysterious man who had been captured, trying to find out his identity and the mastermind behind him. After some interrogation, the mysterious man finally confessed.
“We were hired by someone. All we know is that they are a mysterious organization whose goal is to throw the capital into chaos,” the mysterious man said. Xiao Yichen frowned: “What is the background of this mysterious organization? What are their plans?” But the mysterious man said he didn’t know either; he was just doing his job for money.
Xiao Yichen knew that this mysterious organization was the mastermind behind the food crisis in the capital, and they had to find it as soon as possible. But right now, the most urgent task was to resume distributing grain and stabilize the people's emotions.
After the new food distribution points were set up, the soldiers began to notify the people in each neighborhood to come and collect their food. The people were initially hesitant, but after seeing that the distribution site was orderly and that there was enough food to distribute, their emotions gradually calmed down.
However, the chaos left deep scars on the capital. Some of the wounded succumbed to their injuries, leaving their families devastated. A somber and tense atmosphere pervaded the entire city, as people received their food while simultaneously worrying about the next crisis.
Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er knew that the challenges they faced were far more than these. The enemy's plots continued, the food crisis had not yet been completely resolved, and they had to remain vigilant at all times, continuing to fight for the stability of the capital and the safety of its people. In this difficult time, they were the beacon of hope for the capital, carrying the fate of countless people, and bravely marching towards an unknown future.
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