NFBE Chapter 532 This place... will be home from now on.
Chapter 532 This place... will be home from now on.
On the border of Chu, Xiang Yan stood atop a tall watchtower. The cold wind whipped up snowflakes that lashed against his armor, making a rustling sound, but he was oblivious, his gaze fixed intently on the figures trudging through the snow.
Those were several families fleeing from disaster. The elderly leaned on canes, swaying with every step as if they might fall at any moment; the young were held in their parents' arms, wrapped in tattered cotton quilts, their faces hidden from view; middle-aged men and women carried heavy packs containing only a few pieces of clothing, trudging through the snow, slowly moving towards the Qin state.
These people were the subjects he had sworn to protect, the foundation of the Chu state, yet now they were forced to leave their homes and flee to enemy territory, just to survive. Xiang Yan's heart ached as if it were being stabbed; he gripped the sword at his waist so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"General, according to the reports from our men, over a thousand people have fled to Qin this month. This group just now was the third." The adjutant's voice came from behind him, waking him from his thoughts. His tone was full of anxiety and a hint of hesitation. "If this continues, the people on the border may all flee. Should we... send troops to intercept them?"
Xiang Yan remained silent for a long time, only gazing at the fleeing figures until they gradually disappeared into the wind and snow before slowly turning her head away.
He recalled the scene he witnessed during his mission to the Qin state last year: on the Guanzhong Plain, the sun shone brightly, and farmers worked in the fields with new curved plows, their faces showing the contentment of their labor; in the market, grain stalls were filled with millet and wheat, grain prices were stable, and people carried vegetable baskets, calmly selecting their produce, their faces full of peaceful smiles.
And what about the State of Chu now? The nobles are hiding in their warm mansions, still singing and dancing, with maids serving exquisite snacks and warm wine, and musicians playing melodious tunes, completely ignoring the starving corpses and displaced people outside the city.
The disaster relief grain in the official granaries was embezzled by officials at all levels, leaving only a few grains in the hands of the people.
For the past two years, the Qin state has been buying sugarcane at prices several times higher than grain prices. Seeing the potential profits, nobles secretly supported this, and commoners, seeing the potential for silver, secretly converted fertile land to sugarcane cultivation. Now, the sugarcane harvest is over, but it cannot be exchanged for grain, leaving the people hungry and cold. The harsh winter and heavy snow were merely the final straw that broke the camel's back; the already decaying Chu state was already teetering on the brink of collapse.
"Let them go." Xiang Yan finally shook her head heavily, her voice hoarse as if blown by the cold wind. "Forcing them to stay will only cause more people to die in this cold winter. What's the difference between stopping them, not giving them food, not keeping them warm, and killing them?"
The lieutenant opened his mouth, as if to say something, but ultimately lowered his head and remained silent. He knew Xiang Yan was telling the truth, but watching the people flee still left him with a bitter taste in his mouth.
As night deepened, the snow began to fall again, heavier than during the day. Beneath the watchtower, another group of refugees quietly crossed the border. Their steps were light, as if afraid of being discovered by the guards, yet tinged with urgency, as they slowly headed towards the Qin state. Xiang Yan stood atop the watchtower, watching their figures gradually disappear into the night and snowstorm. For the first time, he felt a pang of doubt for the country he had sworn to serve to the death.
Time flies like an arrow; in the blink of an eye, a month has passed like a shooting star.
During this short month, Wang Agong gained a deeper understanding of the strange clothes worn by the people of Qin. He learned that these clothes were called "hair garments" and were said to be made of wool.
This news astonished Wang Agong. He stared wide-eyed and asked incredulously, "Wool? How could such a smelly and dirty thing be made into such beautiful clothes?" However, no matter how much he questioned it, the people of Qin insisted that these sweaters were indeed made of wool.
Grandpa Wang sat on the warm kang (heated brick bed), pondering to himself. He would work hard after spring to earn some money to buy yarn so he could knit some beautiful sweaters for his grandchildren.
Speaking of the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed), Grandpa Wang recalled his first day on the border of Qin. When he first lay on the warm kang, he was so moved he almost cried. In that harsh winter, the kang was like a warm harbor, bringing him immense comfort; at least he wouldn't freeze to death.
The early spring winds swept across the northern land, and the ice and snow began to melt.
Grandpa Wang stood at the edge of his thirty mu of land, clutching tightly the carved wooden box in his hand—the land's certificate. The land wasn't exactly fertile, but it was flat and sunny. The old village head, Qin, who was helping him settle in, patted him on the shoulder: "Old Wang, don't worry, this land will improve with time. Here, we're not afraid of poor soil, we're afraid of lazy people."
What surprised Grandpa Wang even more was the grain seeds lent to him by the "Great Qin Bank." The grains were larger than ordinary millet, and the Qin farmer next to him told him that this stuff was cold-resistant, drought-resistant, and had a high yield. Also given to him was an iron tool he had never seen before: a curved plowshare that looked both light and sturdy.
"Is this the curved plow?" he murmured to himself.
"That's right!" Old Li said with a smile as he demonstrated, "This way, one person and one ox can plow all your land in a day!"
Following the example of the Qin people, Grandpa Wang planted the plow into the thawing earth. The fragrance of the soil wafted towards him—the scent of hope. He looked back—not far away, wisps of smoke were rising from the rows of houses built by the Qin officials and the people together. Little Grass and Stone were chasing and playing with the other children in the open space, their faces flushed with a rosy glow they hadn't seen in a long time.
In the evening, Grandpa Wang sat on the earthen kang (heated brick bed) in his new home. Firewood burned in the kang's firebox, making the room warm and cozy. Looking out the window at this unfamiliar land that had given them a way to survive, he was filled with mixed emotions.
Contrary to rumors of Qin's cruelty, the Qin state actually provided them, these desperate Chu people, with tangible land, seeds, and farming tools. He recalled the hope that flickered in the eyes of the man in the tavern in Yingdu, and the fear and struggle he had endured along the way.
"Grandpa," Little Grass whispered, nestled on his lap, "Are we going to live here from now on and not go back?"
Grandpa Wang gently stroked his granddaughter's hair, not answering immediately. He looked south, towards his homeland of Chu. There lay the graves of his ancestors, familiar fields, and also... the devastation of starving people and the biting cold.
He looked again at the heavy grain seeds in his hand, and touched the cool, reassuring curved plow on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).
After a long silence, a resolute look appeared on his aged face, as if answering the grass, or perhaps telling himself:
"I'm not going back. This place... will be home from now on."