Chapter 65: The Recent Situation of the Li Family

Li Qingyue said that the Li family was living in quite miserable conditions now. When she went there in the morning, the whole family was preparing to leave for work, hoping to earn labor points. It was worth noting that they hadn’t done much fieldwork for years, relying instead on their daughters to support them.

Father and Mother Li complained bitterly to Qingyue, claiming there wasn’t a penny left at home and that they were on the verge of running out of food, having borrowed some coarse grains from the village to get by until year’s end when they’d pay it back with labor points.

Qingyue, of course, ignored their pleas, simply stating that her own family was struggling and they shouldn’t count on her for help.

Mother Li then tried to ask after Qinghuan’s leg injury, likely scheming something again.

The conversation gradually shifted to lighter topics, and as everyone settled into regular chatter, the atmosphere slowly improved. The first victorious and successful gathering ended amidst warmth and excitement.

Fang Qifo and He Conglong’s attempts at persuasion failed, and even Bai Sheng’s efforts were futile. “Don’t you want to live to see your dear brother Qin again?” he pleaded. Even after hearing this, Pang Qiuxia still refused to take the medicine.

At that moment, whether it was Baofei or anyone else present, everyone sensed from the situation that this might well be their last meal together.

But for Ma Chao, whose heart was set on avenging his father, this was far from enough—nowhere near enough, in fact.

Especially when, after the group inside emerged, they counted and found seven scholars missing, along with twenty-four ordinary workers and sixteen mercenaries. The high-ranking mercenaries hadn’t encountered them along the way either. Almost fifty living souls had vanished without a trace.

Each relief center must be able to accommodate at least five thousand disaster victims—at the very least, I repeat, no cutting corners. Apart from the shelters, food, water, medicine, and cotton clothing must all be supplied in a timely manner.

Even ordinary people felt as though a mountain had been placed on their shoulders, let alone the cultivators. In a single instant, at least eighty-five percent of the fifth-rank cultivators spat blood and collapsed, while the faces of the eighth-rank cultivators turned grim as they struggled to resist.

After a while, Xia Xue returned carrying a medical kit. She opened it, took out some gauze, and swiftly bandaged Wang Qitian’s wound.

The Xia Dynasty used the decimal system for regional divisions: ten counties made a prefecture, ten prefectures a province, and ten provinces a territory.

Su Laining, judging by Huang Gunniu’s expression and tone during his confession, believed that this time he was speaking from the heart.

He recalled how, just before departure, Qingkong had clung to him persistently, and the young lord had said coolly, “In the palace, apart from guards, the only men are eunuchs. If you insist on joining the retinue…” Before he finished, Qingkong had turned and sprinted away.

Thinking back, wasn’t his own family the same way in the past? Now he found himself thoroughly annoyed with his eldest sister, Peony, and his younger sister, Jasmine. Lazy, arrogant, domineering—those were the impressions they left on him now.

Hua Fenglian’s eyes filled with tears, but she spoke with determination: “No matter what, I will save Brother Yun Di. If he dies, I won’t go on living either.”

When Yu Qing arrived at Old Master Yu’s room, the old man was still sitting there, lost in a daze.

In five days, it would be Guyu’s wedding—a humble affair, but still lively enough. This happy event finally brought a touch of joy to Qianshan Village, easing the oppressive cloud that had long hovered overhead.

With a major problem finally resolved, Bai Li Wushang felt lighter as he ran, though his short legs still made the journey take a long time. By the time he returned to the Yun Residence, dawn was already about to break.

“Sorry, we have other matters to attend to and can’t stay,” Bai Li Wushang spoke before Yun Jingchu had a chance to reply.

Hua Fenglian, thinking of herself and Qin Yun Di, suddenly found Fish Lady Zhao not so disagreeable after all. “What about His Majesty? Does he wish to release her from the palace or see her dead? After all, she did betray him.”

Feeling displeased, his self-reference shifted from “I” to “this official,” his tone becoming aloof and distant. With a strong sense of justice, what he detested most were those who sought to use his official authority for personal gain.