"What are you saying? People have already starved to death in Jiangyang, and over 3,000 of them? How could such a thing happen, especially in the region under my jurisdiction?" Shen Feng, despite having prepared himself mentally, was still extremely shocked upon hearing this news for the first time. In his mind, such a situation was virtually impossible.
The place where Shen Feng made his fortune was actually called Luzhou, which was later renamed Jiangyang. This renaming was done to reduce the influence of other regions and to declare his sovereignty over the city. Shen Feng had a deep affection for this place, so even after leaving, he often looked out for its people, ensuring they could live good lives.
Furthermore, to facilitate management of the city, Shen Feng had specifically dispatched his trusted subordinate, Li Xiang, to oversee it. Li Xiang was not only Shen Feng's capable aide but also an ability user. With such a person in charge, matters would be much simpler.
Yet, now Shen Feng had learned that the place where he had prospered was suffering from a famine. Wasn't this a slap in his face? He had thought he had produced enough grain to at least ensure his people had enough to eat and wear, but now he realized he might have been too naive.
"What exactly is going on? Tell me quickly!" Shen Feng immediately wanted to know the real reason for the famine.
To Shen Feng, the 3,000 people who starved to death were not the main concern, but the impact was very detrimental. If this news spread, people in other regions would question his ability as the city lord. If his own people were starving, how could he possibly feed people in other regions?
Especially since Shen Feng was currently the leader of China, his position was even more prominent. Once in a high position, any outstanding or exceptionally poor performance would be noticed and remembered, to be discussed and judged later.
"I haven't told anyone else about this yet because I know the impact is very bad. If others find out, it could lead to unnecessary trouble or attacks on us. If it can be handled internally, then it should be dealt with internally!" Xu Xing said hastily, knowing that Shen Feng was already having a bad premonition. He believed that if his subordinates made mistakes, even if they had to be punished, it shouldn't be done publicly.
Upon hearing this, Shen Feng said, "You did very well in keeping this quiet. For matters with such a significant impact, it's crucial not to casually inform others, as it could easily cause displeasure or provoke attacks. If it can be resolved internally, then by all means, handle it yourself!" Shen Feng already had a bad feeling, so he felt that if his subordinates made mistakes, even if they had to be punished, it shouldn't be done publicly.
Xu Xing replied, "I think it would be very difficult to handle this internally. The matter has already spread among the common people. If this isn't dealt with publicly, the public's anger will be difficult to quell. The people below will think that you, the City Lord, are unfair and are protecting your subordinates, neglecting the needs of the general populace."
"Let's put that aside for now. Just tell me what happened. Only by knowing the exact situation can I proceed with the next steps!" Shen Feng said.
"It's quite simple, actually. It all started three days ago when I went there to recuperate. My mother had erected a cenotaph for my father there, and she needed to pay respects annually. This year, she was too lazy to go, so she asked me to do it. So, I went, partly to pay respects to my deceased father, and partly to rest, as I had been traveling extensively and was exhausted. I wanted to take a break for half a month..."
Xu Xing then recounted his experiences on his way to Jiangyang. Shen Feng listened intently, wanting to know what significant events had occurred in Jiangyang, especially why there was such a widespread famine. Famines in other places might be understandable; the emperor was far away, and transporting grain wouldn't be easy. However, Jiangyang was only about half a day's journey from Yuzhou, and transporting grain was not difficult. Yet, a famine had occurred right under their noses, which was indeed very strange.
As it turned out, upon arriving in Jiangyang, Xu Xing had already begun planning his subsequent actions. First, he would return home, rest, prepare the necessary items for the ceremony, and then offer incense and burn paper at his father's grave. However, as he disguised himself and returned to his hometown, he was suddenly struck by the desolation that had befallen the city, both inside and out.
What was once a relatively prosperous city had become somewhat dilapidated. On many streets, people walked like zombies, listless and appearing like the living dead.
Upon discovering this situation, Xu Xing quickly approached people around him to inquire about what had happened. However, all he could learn from them was one thing: the famine had arrived. They hadn't received any grain for several days, and even with strenuous work, they couldn't sustain themselves. In contrast, many hotels and entertainment venues were bustling with activity every day. Many young people had already left to find food elsewhere.
As for the elderly and infirm who couldn't leave, they were forced to remain in the city, awaiting the onset of starvation.
"City Lord Li is truly heartless. We all thought he would provide relief, but we never expected him to hoard the grain and refuse to release it. If we were required to work for grain, everyone who was diligent would choose to do so. But he neither created job opportunities nor provided grain to his subordinates. He simply hoarded the grain, continuously exploiting the people, and those below can no longer endure it," an elder replied to Xu Xing's question. They felt they could no longer go on, and their future was filled with despair.
Xu Xing was very perplexed by this situation. It was well-known that Yuzhou frequently dispatched grain to Jiangyang precisely to prevent potential food shortages there. Yet, despite multiple grain shipments, the situation remained dire, with many people starving to death. This was indeed very strange.
Upon learning of this situation, Xu Xing immediately knew his mission. Originally, he was supposed to visit his father's grave, but seeing the current state of affairs, he felt compelled to investigate. His immediate focus was the granary, as all the transported grain was sent there.
"I had intended to take a vacation, but now that hope is gone. I can only investigate this trivial matter. I wonder why this opportunity has arisen. Is someone unwilling to hand over the grain?" Xu Xing mused.
Later that night, Xu Xing quietly made his way to the granary. Using his abilities, he snapped the large lock on the door, causing the lock cylinder to fall out, allowing him to enter the granary silently. He intended to inspect the grain situation, but upon entering, he found no grain. Instead, several plump rats were scurrying about on the ground, and scattered corn kernels were faintly visible on the floor.
These golden corn kernels were sparse, and only these rats were running around the granary. These rats were significantly larger than ordinary house rats; their size indicated they were well-fed.
"What a bunch of greedy rats. I didn't see any grain, but I saw fat rats!" Xu Xing muttered to himself.
Just then, Xu Xing caught a strange scent. He immediately began to sniff the air. The smell was very faint, but he detected it.
"That's odd, this smell seems a bit off. I feel like I've smelled it somewhere before, but why would there be a strange smell in the granary? Could the grain have gone bad?" Xu Xing became even more perplexed.
He continued forward and suddenly saw large dark shadows in the empty granary. Upon closer inspection, he realized they were large oil drums, which were the source of the peculiar smell. He then understood: these oil drums were filled with gasoline, and the smell he had detected was the scent of evaporating gasoline.
"Aren't flammable and explosive materials prohibited in the granary? Who would dare bring gasoline here in this situation? Aren't they afraid of a fire? If a fire were to break out, a single flame here could burn down the entire granary!" Xu Xing thought to himself.
But at that moment, he suddenly recalled a serious issue. It seemed that in ancient times, grain shortages were common. If there were inspections from higher authorities, officials managing the granaries would often fabricate stories of "fire dragons burning the granary" or "ghost soldiers borrowing grain." These were all excuses concocted by the officials.
"Could it be that all the grain in this granary has been taken away, and this gasoline is meant to deal with inspections? If someone from above comes to inspect, they'll just set fire to the granary. That way, they'll only be accused of dereliction of duty, and the problem of grain deficit will be resolved!" Xu Xing suddenly realized. Now he finally understood why the gasoline was placed there – it was for setting fires at crucial moments.
"These damned people are audacious enough to embezzle so much grain and then attempt to destroy the evidence with fire. No, this matter must be investigated thoroughly!" Xu Xing declared internally.
Although Xu Xing had abandoned the idea of killing bandits, her sense of justice had not diminished. She knew she had to uphold justice for the common people, as they would otherwise have no chance of survival in this apocalypse. For this goal, she was determined to investigate who had taken the grain.
Subsequently, Xu Xing visited several nearby hotels. These hotels featured lavish meals, including rare items like chicken, duck, and fish. At a time when many people couldn't even afford a full meal, it was strange that the wealthy could still afford such delicacies. It was not difficult to understand that many people had diverted grain that belonged to others to themselves, thus ensuring their own comfort and sustenance.
Coincidentally, upon arriving at a hotel, Xu Xing quickly encountered an old acquaintance: Li Xiang.
Li Xiang was now the city lord of Jiangyang. His subordinates had to consult him for any action they took; otherwise, the matter could not be completed.
Upon Li Xiang's arrival, many people from the hotel came to greet him. A line of hostesses stood at attention, welcoming their city lord. These hostesses were dressed in vibrant qipaos with high slits that reached their thighs, inadvertently revealing patches of pale skin as they moved.
Xu Xing frowned and thought to herself, "I didn't expect this fellow to become so extravagant. He needs so many people to welcome him just for a meal at a hotel!"