Chapter 176: Food Depletion
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He Yan smiled at her and said, “So, saving those captives makes me a true hero?”
“A true hero sees things others don’t. Many men speak for men, and many women speak for women,” Qiluo said. “But there are few men who speak for women.”
He Yan looked at her sincere expression and couldn’t help but smile wryly. However, she was not a real man, so what Qiluo wanted, she couldn’t truly provide.
The world is like this; shaking it up is not an overnight task.
Seeing He Yan’s silence, Qiluo seized the opportunity to say, “Young Lord He, after you left last night, many ladies in the city came to inquire about you. The county magistrate’s wife also asked about you. They said if you could come back alive, they’d like to introduce their daughters to you. It doesn’t necessarily have to be marriage; being your concubine is also an option.”
The topic changed too fast for He Yan to respond. Facing Qiluo’s hopeful gaze, He Yan could only use the excuse he often employed, “Thank you all for your kindness, but I already have someone in my heart.”
“Already have someone?” Qiluo looked disappointed, but quickly turned curious. “Young Lord He’s beloved, who is it? Is she beautiful? What kind of person is she?”
A faint smile appeared on He Yan’s lips. “Yes, she’s very beautiful. She may seem cold, but she’s a very gentle person.”
The usually calm and gentle young man seemed a bit shy and nervous at this moment.
Qiluo became even more curious. “By the way you describe her, she must be outstanding. Does she like you?”
He Yan hesitated for a moment and shook his head.
“Not interested?” Qiluo was surprised. “Young Lord He, you’re skilled, handsome, kind-hearted, and even appointed as a military officer by His Majesty. Such a person not being liked—why is that?”
“Because she is very good, and there are better people around her,” He Yan shrugged. “And I have things to take care of on my own; I don’t want to burden others.”
Qiluo looked at him and laughed, “Young Lord He, you’re good in every aspect, just not in this one. As long as your beloved hasn’t made a decision yet, the situation isn’t final. Just go for it. When the master was choosing concubines back then, there were dozens of us sisters in the yard. I flaunted in front of the master every day, dressing up carefully. The master’s most beloved concubine was also won over by me. If you truly like that girl, don’t worry about the rest. People better than you might lose out to you due to their high status. A virtuous woman fears a persistent man. If you persist day and night, it’s not guaranteed that the girl won’t fall for you.”
Unexpectedly, He Yan could hear “a virtuous woman fears a persistent man” here. He thought of the urgency in Jiyang at the time and couldn’t help but smile to himself. Qiluo seemed to be eager to give advice on how to win the heart of a loved one, but He Yan had to stop her: “Miss Qiluo, thank you for your kind intentions. However, we are still struggling to protect ourselves. If Rundu can be defended, and the Wutuo people are driven away, I will follow your advice. But for now… let’s leave it at that.”
Upon hearing this, Qiluo sighed and said, “True.”
She fell silent, looking melancholic and disheartened. He Yan felt a bit sorry; she had come in such high spirits, and with just a few words from him, she became so emotional. Thinking about this, he took out a piece of dried apricot from his belongings and handed it to her. “Don’t worry, we will defend the city.”
Qiluo, seeing the dried apricot in He Yan’s hand, was first surprised and then happily accepted it. “Young Lord He, how do you still have sweets?”
“I grabbed it when I left Liangzhou Garrison,” He Yan scratched her head.
When they left Jiyang, Cui Yuezhi had grabbed many local specialties for her. Xiao Jue didn’t like these, so He Yan took them all back to her room. They mainly carried dry rations when they left, and they didn’t bring many snacks like these. However, He Yan picked up some, thinking that it wouldn’t take much space.
Qiluo licked the dried apricot cautiously, then looked at He Yan gratefully and said, “Thank you, Young Lord He. Since the Wutuo people came, I’ve been hungry every day, and I can’t even eat regular meals, let alone think about eating sweets. Now, thanks to Young Lord He, I’m extremely happy.”
He Yan replied, “Can’t even eat regular meals? That seems a bit too much. The Wutuo people besieged Rundu for just over a month. How could the city be in such a dire situation in such a short time?”
Since she arrived in Rundu, she and Wang Ba ate the dry rations they brought from Liangzhou Garrison. Knowing that Rundu was short of food, she was busy these days and didn’t even have time to go into the city. If Qiluo hadn’t mentioned it herself, He Yan wouldn’t have known that Rundu had reached such a desperate situation.
You must know that if Qiluo couldn’t eat well, He Yan couldn’t imagine l the ordinary people.
Qiluo took a bite of the dried apricot, then widened her eyes and said, “Young Lord He, you don’t know. The Wutuo soldiers have besieged Rundu for over a month, but after the snow disaster last year, there was a famine in Rundu. Even if the Wutuo people didn’t come, the people of Rundu were already struggling. Not to mention that the city’s food is not much, all of it has been taken out for the army, and the people have already been eating grass, bark, and tree roots. In the past few days, there have already been people starving to death.”
“What!” He Yan sat up suddenly. “Is this true?”
“I dare not deceive Young Lord He,” Qiluo said. “Otherwise, Rundu is famous for its grapes. Why did Young Lord He receive only a bowl on the first day in Rundu? It’s because… that was the last bowl of grapes in Rundu.”
News of the famine in the city is a major issue. But such a serious matter, Li Kuang didn’t tell her!
If that’s the case, defending the city makes no sense. Li Kuang is waiting for He Rufei, who is not going to come, and the people of Rundu are waiting for endless despair and hunger. They are waiting to die.
He Yan frowned, got up without saying a word, and put on her shoes. Qiluo asked, “What is Young Lord He going to do?”
“I want to see Li Kuang.”
…
Li Kuang was in the room counting yesterday’s battle report. Suddenly, he saw He Yan striding over from outside, a little surprised, and asked, “Didn’t you go back to rest? Why are you out again?”
He Yan sat down on a chair on the side. She was indeed very tired, and sitting down would be more comfortable. She looked at Li Kuang and asked, “I came over to inquire about the situation. After burning the Wutuo people’s food last night, Lord Li, what are your plans?”
At this point, Li Kuang looked at He Yan and earnestly clasped his hands. “Yesterday’s victory was thanks to Young Lord He. Now that the Wutuo people have run out of food, I plan to continue waiting for reinforcements. Without provisions, the Wutuo people will be more anxious than us. If they forcefully attack the city… we can set up traps. What does Young Lord He think?”
He Yan replied, “I think it’s not appropriate.”
Li Kuang frowned, “Why?”
He Yan stared into his eyes, “Lord Li plans to confront the Wutuo people, which is understandable. However, how long can the people in the city endure? I’m afraid they will starve to death before the reinforcements arrive. After the snow disaster this year, there was already a shortage of food in the city. Why did Lord Li hide this from me?”
Li Kuang, hearing this, did not answer He Yan’s question but instead asked, “Who told you about this?”
“With so many people in Rundu, does Lord Li think he can keep it a secret?” He Yan’s gaze was sharp. “Even if you can deceive one person, when more and more people starve to death, how can you not know?”
Last night, when she led the five hundred elite soldiers of Rundu out of the city, she felt that the soldiers of Rundu were exhausted. At that time, she thought it was the result of the continuous defense of the city. It wasn’t until Qiluo mentioned the reason that she realized it.
Even in the military, this was a taboo in warfare. To defend the city until the people inside starved to death was recorded in history books. It was a h*ll on earth, something she dared not imagine.
Li Kuang remained silent for a while and asked He Yan, “What do you mean?”
“We cannot continue to defend the city. Lord Li and I will take the forces of Rundu and have a decisive battle with the Wutuo people outside the city.”
“Impossible!” Li Kuang responded without hesitation. “Initiating an attack is the worst option.”
“We already launched an attack last night.”
“Last night was with five hundred elite soldiers. But Rundu has a total of thirty thousand soldiers, which is the last hope for Rundu. If, as you said, we have a decisive battle with the Wutuo people, and if we lose, the city will fall, and all the people in the city will fall into the hands of the Wutuo people! Young Lord He and the Wutuo people have fought twice. It’s impossible not to know how cruel and vicious they are. If these people fall into their hands, it will be more miserable than death. I am the Zongming of the defense in Rundu. Even if all the people in Rundu starve to death, it’s better than dying in the torture of the Wutuo people!”
“Who said we will definitely lose?” He Yan furrowed her brows. “The battle has not yet begun; anything can happen. We might also be the victorious side.”
“Thirty thousand against several hundred thousand, how can we fight?”
He Yan said, “The Battle of Jiyang was also won with fewer troops against more.”
Li Kuang turned around, his voice icy, “I am not the commander of the Right Army, and you are not Flying Phoenix General. I can’t fight a battle with fewer troops against more, and neither can you.”
“I can!”
Li Kuang turned back to look at her, as if he were looking at an ignorant child, shaking his head. “Brother He, I admit that you are somewhat capable, and you have a way to deal with the Wutuo people. However, war is cruel, and it blocks the lives of the people in the city. I can’t sacrifice the lives of the entire city’s people for your military exploits. For us, those who die are just one life, but the city gate cannot be breached. I will not actively engage in battle with the Wutuo people. If they want to attack the city, we will defend. If they want to stalemate, we will wait for reinforcements.”
Li Kuang was like this back then, exceptionally conservative in warfare, and He Yan knew this very well. However, she was no longer just a deputy general and had command over tens of thousands of Fuyue soldiers, things were different. Now…
“This is Rundu. Lord He, even if you are the Wuan Lang, without my permission, you can’t command the soldiers and horses of Rundu. So, don’t waste your effort!” Li Kuang said coldly.
He Yan took a deep breath. This guy’s temperament was as stubborn and tough as a rock, and it hadn’t changed after so many years. She asked, “Alright, if we follow Lord Li’s suggestion and don’t attack but retreat to defend, the city will eventually run out of provisions. The current situation of Rundu’s soldiers and horses is clear to both of us. If this continues, even if the common people don’t starve to death, the soldiers and horses will. For the Wutuo people, isn’t it advantageous to have so many soldiers of Rundu die without using a single soldier or pawn?”
“The soldiers and horses won’t starve to death.” Li Kuang’s face was grim. “I have my ways.”
He Yan pressed, “What ways?”
Li Kuang glanced at her and said, “You don’t need to know.” After that, he ignored He Yan and turned away, entering the room.
He Yan watched his back, feeling somewhat uneasy. Food was not an issue that could be easily resolved, but Li Kuang seemed confident. Could there be secret granaries in Rundu? But if there were such provisions, how could the soldiers and people of Rundu suffer such hunger?
He Yan shook her head. She planned to discuss with Jiang Jiao’s group. Just as she stepped out, she ran into someone, and it was Zhao Shiming, the magistrate of Rundu.
Zhao Shiming wiped away the sweat from his forehead with some embarrassment, glanced inside, and said, “I, I was originally going in, but when I just arrived at the door, I heard you and Lord Li arguing, so I didn’t feel right going in.” He looked at He Yan’s expression and comforted her, “Lord He, don’t take Lord Li’s words to heart. This person is just like a piece of stone, stubborn and unyielding. He has a good heart, and he doesn’t dare to gamble with the lives of Rundu’s common people. Lord He came from Liangzhou, maybe you don’t understand yet. Those of us who have been in Rundu all the time… truly dare not take such a risk.”
“I’m not angry,” He Yan sighed. “I just feel that it’s not right.”
She looked at Zhao Shiming. Previously, Zhao Shiming had arranged for craftsmen to make the straw men and masks. Zhao Shiming, the magistrate, seemed to be quite popular in Rundu. Now that Li Kuang was dissatisfied with her, He Yan couldn’t ask him to provide people. Jiang Jiao and the others were still with her and couldn’t be sent away. This Zhao Shiming… he should have capable people by his side, although not many.
“Lord Zhao.” After thinking for a while, He Yan bowed deeply to Zhao Shiming. “I have a favor to ask.”
Zhao Shiming was startled and said, “Lord He, feel free to ask.”
“Does Magistrate Zhao have capable people around him, like guards? I want to borrow two people to do something for me. Please keep this matter from Lord Li and don’t let him know.”
Zhao Shiming looked at the young man in front of him, and publicly or privately, he had been in contact with Li Kuang for a longer time. He shouldn’t help He Yan hide it from Li Kuang. However, on the other hand, he believed that this young man did not have malicious intent, and he was even a rare pure-hearted person in the world.
Otherwise, last night, he wouldn’t have taken risks to rescue those women from the enemy camp.
Without thinking for too long, Zhao Shiming said, “Alright.”
…
The sky over Rundu was gloomy, as if the sun hadn’t shone for a long time. The entire city was filled with a decaying, old-fashioned atmosphere.
In a household, two naked boys pushed out a corpse. It was likely their grandfather, laid on a straw mat, and his emaciated body revealed every bone… He had starved to death.
Such incidents had become increasingly common in Rundu recently. As Ying Xiang walked by, watching, a hint of pity flashed in her eyes.
Their food was running out.
“Fourth Young Master, if we stay in Rundu, we might end up like this too,” she reminded in a soft voice.
Chu Zhao remained silent and continued walking.
The people of Xu Xiang had already left Rundu. Staying here was equivalent to waiting for death, and no one would actively plunge into a city that was destined to fall. Even if it was the Fourth Young Master of the Chu family, there wouldn’t be much difference when that day truly arrived.
Death was an extremely fair thing; it wouldn’t show mercy based on status or nobility for even a moment.
“We…” Ying Xiang wanted to say more.
“Wait a little longer,” Chu Zhao interrupted her.
Wait for what? Ying Xiang fell silent for a moment and asked, “If the Fourth Young Master is really worried about Miss He, why not take her away with you?”
“She came here alone, not even informing Xiao Huaijin. She came all the way to Rundu alone to save the people of the city. How can you think she would abandon the people of the entire city and leave with me?” Chu Zhao smiled. If everything settled down, she would probably leave silently. The more critical the situation, the less likely she would leave alone.
He considered this foolish, but sometimes, he couldn’t help but want to continue watching, to see what astonishing and outrageous things this girl could still do and to what extent she could go.
Walking with her head down, Ying Xiang asked softly, “Fourth Young Master, can’t you let her go?”
“I just… don’t want to see her die so easily,” Chu Zhao said lightly.
If she lived, there would probably be more interesting things in the world. If she died, women in the world would only look like that one type.
As they spoke, Ying Xiang suddenly said, “Fourth Young Master, Miss He…”
Chu Zhao followed her gaze and saw He Yan standing on the street, lost in thought as she looked at a family. At the doorway sat a woman, digging in the soil, trying to unearth some edible grass roots and bark.
He Yan stood quietly, with a subtle expression that was not clear. Chu Zhao walked over and greeted, “Brother He.”
Only then did He Yan notice the two of them and replied, “Brother Chu, Miss Ying Xiang.”
Ying Xiang lowered her head and greeted him. The three of them walked together, and Chu Zhao asked, “Brother He, you just fought fiercely with the Wutuo people all night. Why aren’t you resting in your room?”
“It’s okay, I just came out for a walk,” He Yan said.
Ying Xiang asked, “Young Master He, have you had your meal? If not, there’s some dry rations in my bundle. Unfortunately, with the current situation in Rundu, there’s no hot food available.”
He Yan shook her head, “Thank you, but I’m not hungry.”
She simply couldn’t eat.
Chu Zhao thought for a moment before speaking, “Brother He, are you distressed about the people of Rundu because there’s no food in the city?”
He Yan looked at him, “Brother Chu, do you know about it too?”
“I arrived in Rundu earlier than you,” Chu Zhao shook his head with a smile. “There has been ample time, and what I’ve seen are the people of Rundu in such a state.”
“If Brother Chu can persuade Xu Xiang…” He Yan tentatively asked.
He Yan had always been skeptical of Chu Zhao’s identity. Although Chu Zhao was a student of Xu Xiang, it seemed that he didn’t directly work for Xu Xiang. Indeed, Chu Zhao’s ability to show his face in front of Chu Linfeng couldn’t be separated from his relationship with Xu Xiang. However, Chu Zhao, in many situations, seemed to make choices that contradicted Xu Xiang’s original intentions.
For example, in Jiyang, the military defense map that Chu Zhao sent.
He was a person with his own ideas. People like him were better not to be made enemies. Before he showed hostility, one had to be careful. Like how Chu Zhao wanted to use her, if she could get close to He Rufei with Chu Zhao’s help, it wouldn’t be bad. After all, the current He Rufei had gone mad and lost all humanity.
If in the past, He Yan hoped to rise in rank under Xiao Jue’s command, now she had changed her mind. She decided not to involve Xiao Jue and tried her best to do it herself.
Chu Zhao’s smile faded a bit at his words. After a moment, he shook his head and said, “Brother He, I am not omnipotent. As for Xu Xiang… he won’t listen to my advice.”
His words seemed a bit aggrieved.
He Yan raised an eyebrow. The relationship between Xu Jingfu and Chu Zhao seemed to be profound.
“I can’t help the people of Rundu. The only thing I can do is accompany them. However, Brother He, what do you plan to do?” He looked at He Yan. “You also know that Rundu can’t hold on for much longer.”
A city without food could only hold on for so long. Li Kuang hadn’t explained the situation to her at the first opportunity, and now he refused to confront the Wutuo people directly. Whichever way you looked at it, it was a dead end.
“Are you going to give up?” he asked.
The man’s gaze was gentle, like the warm breeze in the March of Shuojing, yet it carried a bit of chilly spring coldness, sober and with a hidden anticipation.
He Yan met his gaze without evasion, “How does Brother Chu hope for me to do?”
Chu Zhao was surprised for a moment, then smiled, “Why are you asking me?”
He Yan walked forward slowly. “I thought in Brother Chu’s heart, there already seemed to be an answer.”
After a while, his voice came from beside her, “I have never seen anything that can stop Brother He’s footsteps, nor have I seen anything that can make Brother He lose hope.”
“You may be thinking too highly of me.”
Chu Zhao said, “That’s not true. If Brother He is omnipotent, can’t you solve the urgent problem in Rundu now?”
He Yan fell silent.
Chu Zhao continued, “Brother He, do you know that during the most severe famine in the past, people in the city, in order to survive, even resorted to cannibalism? It’s an especially terrible thing. If Rundu continues like this, such a situation might occur.”
He Yan lowered her head, chuckled softly, and looked into the distance.
The streets were empty, the shops had long closed, and anything edible had already been found and consumed. Clearly, it was a lively summer day, but Rundu seemed lifeless, with even the trees along the road bare—leaves were plucked off long ago by those driven mad by hunger to fill their stomachs.
If it weren’t for the scorching sun, it wouldn’t look like summer at all but more like winter. This wasn’t the Rundu in He Yan’s memory—small and lively, with crystal-clear grapes and fine wine.
War changed everything.
She whispered, “Do you know what is scarier than cannibalism?”
Chu Zhao was somewhat surprised, “What is it?”
He Yan didn’t speak, just looked at the dead city, a sense of powerless sorrow rising within her.
That kind of thing… if possible, she hoped to never see it, never experience it in her lifetime.
That was a true h*ll on earth.
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