CH 59.1

Translator – Xiao He Lian

Chapter 59.1

Wen Chi looked carefully and suddenly froze.

Wasn’t this the stone he had seen Wen Liang carrying around his neck? It had actually come to General Lin’s hands……

No wonder General Lin behaved so strangely at the Peach Blossom Banquet and even did everything Wen Liang was supposed to do.

Maybe it was the stone that was doing the trick in the middle.

Wen Chi was in a complicated mood and didn’t know what to do for a while. He looked up and saw General Lin’s carefree expression. He seemed to like the stone quite a bit. He was silent for a while before saying: “I don’t know if General Lin has looked for the owner?”

“Of course I have looked for the owner.” General Lin scratched his head, “I ordered the guards to ask all the people at the Peach Blossom Banquet but I didn’t find the owner. Later, I plan to give this stone to the Grand Princess for safekeeping, but the Grand Princess said it was worthless and told me to hold on to it, in case the owner comes looking for it one day.”

Wen Chi: “…”

He remembered that Wen Liang was kicked out of the Peach Blossom Banquet by the people of His Royal Highness that day. Of course, it was impossible for General Lin to find Wen Liang.

“But it’s strange to say that since I picked up this stone, I seem to have started to change my luck.” General Lin hung the thin red thread with the stone around his neck again and stuffed the stone into his collar. General Lin said with a superstitious expression, “Maybe I was destined to find this stone, this stone is my lucky stone.”

After all, this is not an ordinary stone, but a stone with a system, Wen Chi thought to himself.

But it seems that this stone has to be placed on Wen Liang’s body in order to activate the system.

Originally, Wen Chi was still a little hesitant to tell General Lin that the owner of this stone was Wen Liang but seeing General Lin’s love for this stone, he really couldn’t say those words.

The most important thing is– If Wen Liang retrieved this stone, wouldn’t everything be back on track and Wen Liang would have a reason to kill him in a fair and square manner?

Thinking of this, Wen Chi was suddenly a little thankful that he didn’t say those words just now.

He was literally asking for death.

As the biggest cannon fodder in the novel, he should stay quietly and not interfere with the protagonist’s affairs.

So next, even though General Lin took the initiative to talk about the stone again, Wen Chi was as quiet as a chicken and seriously acted as a backdrop.

When the group arrived outside the mansion, the guards had already prepared the carriage for them.

After getting into the carriage, Wen Chi found that Shi Jin’s face was still very pale, and he seemed to repel General Lin’s approach. As long as General Lin got a little closer to him, he would immediately distance himself from General Lin.

Wen Chi thought of the stone hanging around General Lin’s neck and suddenly had some vague guesses: “Prince Xuan.”

Shi Jin was resting his eyes with his eyes closed and when he heard someone call him, he opened his eyes tiredly and looked at Wen Chi.

Wen Chi said: “You look very uncomfortable, why don’t you go back to the Zhou Mansion to rest first, I’ll just go with them.”

Prince Xuan shook his head: “No, I have to take you to see it myself.”

Wen Chi paused, then said, “Have you consulted a doctor?”

“After the Peach Blossom Banquet, I went to a few doctors but unfortunately they couldn’t explain the reason.” Shi Jin sighed, thinking that this matter was a headache, “Maybe it’s due to overwork. After this matter comes to an end, I will ask my father to allow me to take a break.”

Wen Chi said, “That’s fine too.”

At this moment, General Lin, who had been listening by the side, said: “Prince Xuan, I have led troops to fight for so many years and I have also seen many strange diseases in the frontier. Tell me about your disease, maybe I know the solution.”

After speaking, General Lin stared straight at Shi Jin, waiting for Shi Jin’s answer.

Unexpectedly, Shi Jin just turned his head, gave him a gloomy look, then turned his head back without saying anything.

General Lin: “…”

He felt like he was being targeted.

**

It took more than an hour for the carriage to reach the destination.

Shi Jin couldn’t wait to get out of the carriage first and the other three followed behind him.

They seem to have come to the outskirts of the city, which is more dilapidated than the city. Looking around, it is full of randomly built sheds and there are pieces of farmland here and there.

The people in the shed heard the movement outside and ran out to watch the excitement.

Those people were dressed in ragged clothes and it seemed that they hadn’t washed their hair or bathed for a long time. There was a lot of dirt on their faces, and their original faces could hardly be seen clearly.

Although Wen Chi was mentally prepared before coming here, after seeing this scene with his own eyes, he still felt very uncomfortable.

Shi Jin and the others walking in front seemed to have the same feeling as Wen Chi, and a strange silence spread between them, even the talkative General Lin fell silent.

Only Governor Zhou, who got off from another carriage, was already used to this scene and while ordering the guards to disperse the crowd, he told them in a low voice: “If someone asks you for money later, don’t give them money just because you feel sorry for them. Everyone is afraid of poverty, as long as someone gives money, others will swarm over.”

Shi Jin nodded, his voice arduous, “How long has this been going on?”

The governor let out a sigh, “Ever since the locusts ravaged the area, the people’s lives have been deteriorating day by day, and now without food, most people have reached a point where they can’t eat enough. But with so many mouths, we can’t rely on relief alone.”

Most of the people of Jinzhou have been farmers for generations, living off the soil and growing food.

Now that the locusts have struck, both women and children are starving at home, and there is not enough work in the city to feed them, which not only depletes the country’s reserves but also wastes labor.

If this disaster is not resolved soon, I am afraid that the extremely hungry people will rebel and the situation will only become more and more serious and even cause large-scale turmoil.

Governor Zhifu said while walking along with them.

Finally, they came to a large area of ​​farmland.

It can be seen that this farmland was full of grain before, but unfortunately after the locust plague, the grain grown was gnawed until there was not much left.

Governor Zhou was powerless to do anything about it. After introducing the situation of this land in detail, he stepped aside, intending to hand over this matter to Shi Jin and others.

Shi Jin squatted on the ground, checked it a bit, then got up and looked at Wen Chi: “Take a look.”

Wen Chi picked up some soil and pushed it away with his fingertips: “Locusts like to lay eggs in such moist soil.”

Shi Jin smiled wryly: “So there will be locust plagues in Jinzhou every year.”

When Wen Chi was still in the capital, he had suggested on paper that Shi Jin should organize the people to build new water conservancy and plant trees and so on, although it would take a long time to do so, it would also be very effective.

However, now that he came to Jinzhou, Wen Chi realized how naive he was when he said those methods.

Not to mention that his methods will take several years or even decades to see results, just look at the living conditions of the people, how can they find the strength to do those things under the premise of not being able to feed themselves?

He was afraid that the locust plague would not be cured by then and the people would starve to death instead.

Even if the state distributes food, it will be impossible to feed so many people in the next few years to decades.

They still have to come up with a method that can effectively control the locusts in a short period of time, at least to ensure the food and clothing of the people first.

Wen Chi and Shi Jin watched several pieces of farmland together with Governor Zhou and time passed unknowingly during their discussion.

In the blink of an eye, it was evening.

The sun was setting in the west and the brilliant flaming clouds were like pretty floral patterns that covered half of the sky.

“Prince Xuan, let’s go back first and come to see again tomorrow.” Governor Zhou said to Shi Jin, “This place is different from the capital city, it’s not safe at night.”

Shi Jin remembered what he saw along the way and nodded solemnly: “Alright.”

When he was about to leave, Wen Chi suddenly found that Hua Zi Zang, who had followed them before, had disappeared.

He hurriedly asked Governor Zhou and only then learned from his attendant that Hua Zi Zang had been attending to a little girl in a shed where the people lived.

Hua Zi Zang has traveled abroad for many years, not only proficient in medical skills, but also understands many difficult and miscellaneous diseases that only spread among the people. He was invited by General Lin to Jinzhou not to contribute to the control of locust plagues but also because the people of Jinzhou were plagued by diseases.

Before the group reached the sheds, they heard a commotion in the distance.

It seemed that there was a conflict.

General Lin and Shi Jin glanced at each other, and when Shi Jin nodded, General Lin understood and led the guards behind him in stride, his hand also unknowingly touching the sheath of his sword.

Wen Chi and Shi Jin followed closely behind.

As they approached, they saw that the crowd had been dispersed by General Lin and his guards and in the middle of them was an ugly-looking Hua Zi Zang and a woman who was crying behind him, with an equally crying little girl in his arms.

Hua Zi Zang took out a handkerchief to wipe away tears for the little girl and comforted the little girl softly.

General Lin, who was in front of Hua Zi Zang, had a fierce look in his eyes and drew out most of his long sword from his waist. He viciously stepped on the shoulder of a middle-aged man and said in a stern voice, “If you dare to move one more time, don’t blame me for using this sword.”

The middle-aged man was trembling with fear at General Lin and begged for mercy repeatedly: “I was wrong, I dare not do it again, my lord, please spare me!”

“General Lin.” Shi Jin frowned and walked over, “What’s going on?”

General Lin sneered disdainfully, glanced at the middle-aged man who was about to piss in fear, and said mockingly: “This man plans to sell his youngest daughter to an old man in his sixties as a concubine. He has already sold three daughters before, this youngest daughter of his is only eight years old.”

T/N – Sry I couldn’t update last week. Chapter 59 is a huge chapter so I was procrastinating when translating it, hence the delay.