Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 1195 - 1192_1

Xiao’er looked around at the ruins and rubble saying, "Just repairing these houses alone is a daunting task!"

"Whoever wants to live in them can fix them themselves!" Shangguan Xuanyi replied upon hearing her remark.

"That’s right!" Xiao’er agreed.

When Shangguan Xuanyi and others arrived at the Government Office, Jinghao spotted them immediately. He quickly approached them and, to prevent any potential traitors from Nangong Country amongst the townsfolk from discovering their identities, greeted them saying, "Sir, Sister Xiao, and Young Master, what brings you here?"

"Hmm." Shangguan Xuanyi merely grunted, then asked, "Do we have enough food?"

"General Shangguan just had a batch sent over. We have enough for now. Also, couple of other counties have grain shops and grocery stores open. They’re sufficient." After saying this, Jinghao gestured invitingly for them to enter the Government Office to continue their conversation.

Shangguan Xuanyao finally saw Xi’er. He had been anxious about her, but now he could rest easy.

Once inside, Shangguan Xuanyi and Jinghao discussed arrangements for the town’s people.

Xiao’er excused herself to tend to the children in the space, only emerging half an hour later.

"The crops in the entire country’s fields have been destroyed. We need to have people replant crops quickly. If not, the imperial court can’t afford to feed so many people!

Keep in mind, it’s a long time until next year’s harvest. Most of the people who stayed are poor and cannot afford to buy grain." Jinghao raised the most crucial issue.

Relying on the imperial court to distribute food is unrealistic, especially since the crops were completely devastated by Nangong Country’s soldiers. This year, the county essentially has no harvest at all!

Now it’s already August, and the crops that were almost ripe have been destroyed. What a pity!

But there’s no helping it! Nangong’s imperial court can’t possibly leave the food for Minze’s soldiers to harvest—there’s no such thing as this level of generosity in the world!

"The crops in the field have all been destroyed. It’s no longer possible to plant a new crop of rice in August, right?" Shangguan Xuanyao asked after hearing Jinghao’s words.

"It’s already August, it’s impossible to plant rice now. The season and climate are wrong. Even if we plant it, there won’t be a harvest. We can only plant potatoes for the autumn, so they can be harvested before the end of the year. This place doesn’t get cold in winter, so we can grow a lot of vegetables." Xiao’er suggested after considering it.

It’s not possible to plant staple foods anymore, but the winter here rarely drops below freezing, and it doesn’t snow, so many vegetables can be grown. Although eating vegetables doesn’t satiate hunger as much as consuming rice and noodles, at least one won’t starve.

"Potatoes have a high yield, and they taste good too. Let’s plant potatoes! I will arrange for some potato seedlings to be purchased. They can be sown at the right time in September." Jinghao decided after listening to Xiao’er.

By the time the potato seeds were purchased, the people in Jiangdong County had almost settled down. After the household certificates were distributed, the farmland could be allocated according to the certificates. This way, right when the seeds arrived, the townspeople could start planting their own food.

Although for now they could only plant crops in fields near the city, there was fear that if the fields were too distant and unseen, they would be destroyed by Nangong’s soldiers. Nonetheless, planting gave people some hope.

"Not only should we bring potato seeds, but we should also bring seeds for various vegetables! We can’t have potatoes for every meal, can we?" Shangguan Xuanyao chimed in.

"Young Master is right, we should also bring seeds for various vegetables." Jinghao agreed.

"Once the crops are planted, we have to let the people guard them themselves. We also need to patrol with soldiers. As soon as anyone is found causing damage, they should shout loudly to let the soldiers arrest those people. We need to let the people know that only if the officials and people are united can we have better lives!" Xiao’er stated her strategy.

If the crops were destroyed again after planting, it would be in vain!

"Additionally, the imperial court can only provide a month’s free food supply for them. Moreover, they have to actively repair the houses and roads in the city to exchange for the grain. Otherwise, if this continues for too long, they would start thinking that the imperial court should feed them daily." This world doesn’t offer free lunches. If they were fed for free every day, they might feel resentful the day they aren’t.

To avoid this situation from occurring, it is better to exchange labor for food!

Exchanging labor for food has always been the rule of survival in this world.

After discussing some other potential issues, Shangguan Xuanyi and Xiao’er went to visit the wounded soldiers.

When Xi’er heard that Xiao’er was visiting the wounded soldiers, she offered to go along since she also had medical skills.

Xiao’er did not refuse.

As for Gu Qiling, she naturally stayed by Jinghao’s side to help distribute the household certificates. The faster they could handle these people who had surrendered to them, the better.

The main force was camped thirty miles outside of the city, but the wounded soldiers were kept in the city for treatment. Therefore, it took less than fifteen minutes for them to arrive at the place where the injured soldiers were treated.

The facility used for treating the wounded was originally a wealthy merchant’s mansion. Although it had been damaged, it had been hastily repaired by the soldiers, at the very least it provided shelter from the sun and rain.

The moment they stepped into the mansion, they were hit by a wave of anguished cries and the smell of blood.

There was a shortage of beds so soldiers could only lie on the ground for recovery. Whether soldiers had injuries on their bodies or on their limbs, many were fully bandaged up. Some had even lost a hand or a leg.

The military doctors were bustling around.

Di Shaowei was also administering medication to the soldiers himself.

It was the first time Xi’er had been exposed to such a scene and she was shocked, her eyes wide.

Upon seeing this, Shangguan Xuanyao covered her eyes: "Xi’er, why don’t you wait outside?"

Xi’er immediately slapped away Shangguan Xuanyao’s hand: "Don’t be ridiculous, I am a doctor, I am here to heal the soldiers!"

After saying this, Xi’er ran to Di Shaowei: "Brother Di, let me help you!"

Di Shaowei was pressing down on a soldier to prevent him from flailing around as a military doctor was medicating his amputated leg.

Upon hearing Xi’er’s voice, Di Shaowei noticed their arrival. Busy as he was, he didn’t have time for courtesies, he simply said, "You’re here!"

Xiao’er saw the soldier’s leg wound. His left leg was missing below the knee and the wound was bloody and raw.

The imperial doctor was tending to his wound, and the pain was making him bite down on the piece of wood in his mouth and sweat profusely.

Seeing this, Xiao’er hurriedly took out a bottle of healing medicine, removing the bottle cap: "Sprinkle this ’Gold Wound Medicine’ on the wound. It’s very effective for stopping bleeding and reducing pain!"

The military doctor had met Xiao’er before. He took one look at Xiao’er, didn’t have time to salute her, and took the medicine Xiao’er offered and sprinkled it on the soldier’s wound.