Chapter 54: Under Natural Disasters, There Is No Sentiment

At the orchards, Xu Chuan watched silently in the dark, without the slightest intention of intervening.

"Perhaps I overestimated the danger this time. Not a single person has died." Xu Chuan thought secretly, then shook his head with a smile. "Not entirely though. If our Xu family hadn't been prepared, although the Xu family estate wouldn't have had problems, quite a few guards would probably have died, and the orchards and farmland everywhere would have suffered huge losses."

Thinking it over, he felt the inauspicious divination was generally correct.

He had originally thought there might be several peak Postnatal martial artists, but he hadn't seen a single one.

"I wonder how the other places are doing?"

Seeing only a few scattered people remaining, Xu Chuan suddenly emerged and shouted, "Everyone stop."

"Father?"

"Family Head."

Xu Mingyuan and Xu Mingxian walked to Xu Chuan's side. The other guards all cupped their hands in salute.

"Yes, yes, yes. We'll immediately take you there."

Seeing they had a chance to live, the last two people immediately knelt and kowtowed, leading the way for Xu Chuan and the others.

Not long after they left, the encirclements and killings at the other locations also stopped. It could be said to be a great victory and return.

More than half an hour later, they arrived at a large compound in Huanxi Village, fifty or sixty li east of Dongxi Village.

In the corner of the great hall were piles of grain, some fruits and vegetables, and wild game.

"Family Head Xu, considering how cooperative we've been, please spare our lives. We were also captured by those bandits. They were strong, we had no choice but to obey their orders!"

The two men banged their heads on the ground, humble as dust.

"Under natural disasters, there is no sentiment."

"Those who offend our Xu family, die!"

As soon as the words fell, a silver light suddenly flashed.

One sword, blood splattered.

Two blood flowers.

"Move everything back."

"Yes, Family Head."

The guards were all unmoved, without the slightest pity in their eyes.

If they weren't in the Xu family, perhaps they would be dried bones by the roadside in this drought disaster, or perhaps they would be one of these bandit members.

Natural disasters were merciless. All they could do was protect themselves.

As for those who harmed their interests, even without Xu Chuan's orders, they would fight desperately against them.

The guards found some flatbed carts from somewhere, loaded everything on, and returned to the Xu family.

The Xu family guards had barely slept all night.

Moving and handling corpses, they searched out quite a bit of silver from those bandits, bits and pieces adding up to over ten thousand taels.

Not a single person dared to secretly pocket any. All was turned in.

Among them were also several internal force secret manuals and some Qi and Blood Pills.

"'Wondrous Beast Taming Techniques'?"

Xu Mingwei flipped through it and found it quite interesting. "Xueji should like this."

Before long, Xu Mingshu returned riding the white tiger, wanting to claim credit from Xu Chuan, but was told he wasn't there.

"Xueji, look at this."

Xu Mingshu casually looked it over. "These records of so many fierce beasts' habits are quite interesting. Elder brother, let me look at it for a few days before I return it to you."

"Take it. In the Xu family, probably only you would have use for it."

"Thank you, elder brother. I'm a bit tired. I'll go back to sleep first."

"Mm." Xu Mingwei nodded slightly.

Soon, Xu Mingxuan returned, followed by Xu Chuan, Xu Mingyuan, and Xu Mingxian.

Xu Mingyuan accompanied Xu Mingwei in handling and registering the stolen goods.

The rest all went back to sleep.

The next day, the Xu family's patrol teams returned to three rotating shifts.

All the guards also received a month's wages as a reward.

Not one of them complained.

Because they could also see that the ones who contributed the most this time were the several young masters and Miss Xueji. They were just supporting roles.

Following such a powerful master household, even without this reward money, they would be willing.

Xu Mingwei brought the registered ledger to Xu Chuan to see.

Xu Chuan merely casually glanced at it. There was nothing special, so he just asked about the "Wondrous Beast Taming Techniques."

Hearing that Xu Mingshu had borrowed it, he didn't continue asking.

"This grain harvest, plus our original grain reserves, should be enough for our Xu family to hold out for another year and a half."

"Mm." Xu Chuan responded casually. After thinking, he added, "From when the drought showed signs until now, it's been over half a year without rain. At most another month or two, it should end."

"It will rain?"

Xu Chuan shook his head. "Not sure, but the Great Wei imperial dynasty shouldn't sit by idly anymore."

"Otherwise, large numbers of disaster victims should be assaulting the commandery city."

"Those commandery city aristocratic families, considering their own interests, will also definitely work together to have the court dispatch immortal officials to resolve it."

"Drought is more harmful than floods. Floods can be diverted by opening channels, but drought inevitably causes all things to perish, with starving corpses for a thousand li."

Upon hearing this, both Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan deeply agreed.

Water was the source of life, the root of all things.

Without water, no living creature could survive.

Even if fleeing disaster, if there was drought for a thousand li around, where could one flee to? Wouldn't the result still be starving to death on the road?

"However, Father, the nearby water sources are almost dried up." Xu Mingwei said.

"The fruits and vegetables in the farmland and mountain forests that should be harvested have all been harvested. If it's truly difficult, then also temporarily stop supplying water to the medicinal fields. With gauze covering and autumn dew condensing at night, they can barely survive."

"The mountain forests even more so need no water."

"Also, have someone dig a deep well near Jade Cold Pool. The water level of Jade Cold Pool hasn't dropped at all, which means there should be an underground water vein in that area. With good luck, it might succeed."

"The water of Jade Cold Pool can also be used. Ordinary people touching it will freeze to death, but first-rate martial artists can still carry water down. After letting it sit for a day and night and boiling it, it can also be drunk normally."

"Yes, Father."

Both men deeply admired Xu Chuan's wisdom.

Having experienced this great drought, Xu Chuan also had more understanding of the Great Wei imperial dynasty.

They didn't care much about managing the various commanderies and counties.

As long as it didn't shake the dynasty's foundation.

Otherwise, with months of drought, how could no one come to resolve it?

The cries for help from various county towns had probably long been flying to Yuehu Commandery City like snowflakes.

Yuehu Commandery City suppressing this news most likely meant it didn't threaten the commandery city's rule and interests.

Simply put, county town and commandery city official positions held great deterrent power over common people but for aristocratic families, the deterrent power wasn't great.

"Immortal and martial as one body, the martial Dao is just for show. The Great Wei imperial family definitely takes immortal cultivation as fundamental. The dynasty's official system is just for conveniently managing localities."

Xu Chuan sighed slightly in his heart.

If so, for the Xu family, whether someone held office didn't matter much.

If there was opportunity, Xu family disciples taking official positions would be fine, and they could appropriately seek some benefits for the family.

Not taking positions wouldn't cause too much loss either.

As long as the Xu family's foundation was sufficient, local government offices couldn't easily touch them.

…

In Qingjiang County, all the major aristocratic families were having hard times.

The deep wells they themselves had dug had almost all dried up. They were searching everywhere for water sources.

At the county office, County Magistrate Wu and County Captain Fang both had worried faces.

"No, people are starting to die in the county town. If this continues with everyone in a panic, I'm afraid the numerous aristocratic families and wealthy merchants will all rebel. If it really gets out of hand, we two will probably find it hard to escape death."

"Brother Fang, tomorrow we'll make a trip to the surrounding county towns and invite our colleagues to go to the commandery city together to request aid."

"Good, let's do that." County Captain Fang said through gritted teeth. "If this continues, even if the aristocratic families don't rebel, we ourselves will have to rebel."

"In the commandery city, there are many immortal cultivators who can use techniques to bring rain, but there are few traces of immortal cultivators in the various county towns. If the big shots in the commandery city won't let us survive, then we'll also have to make them uncomfortable."

What a ruthless person!

County Magistrate Wu looked at County Captain Fang across from him, thinking secretly.