After General Gong left the Martial Hall, the County Magistrate couldn't help but complain, "These young upstarts really don't understand the rules. Disaster victims are also people. Getting the Lord to lead troops to kill civilians, do we still want our reputation? He still blames us for cherishing our feathers."
Shen Fang sighed and looked at Liu Shuyue, who stood silently to the side, "I'll ask the Immortal Master again, does that method of summoning convenient food really require the right timing and location to be performed? Can't it be done every day?"
Seeing her delay in answering, the Governor knew it probably wouldn't work and could only shake his head and say, "Then I suggest you go outside the city immediately and persuade the disaster victims to hand over their food. As long as they don't have food, I won't easily resort to arms, and the situation will be more palatable..."
"Persuade what?" Liu Shuyue suddenly spoke, "Persuade them to die?"
Shen Fang was silent.
"Without relief food, asking them to hand over their food, what difference does that make from telling them to commit suicide?" The more she spoke, the more indignant she felt, and the various tragic scenes she had seen on the road resurfaced before her eyes, "Even ants cling to life, let alone living people!"
She didn't have any Immortal Technique to conjure up food.
This food was all provided to her by Chen Xuan.
But could Chen Xuan keep providing it indefinitely? She could see that although the shop was mysterious, it was far from being able to create something from nothing... Whether it's ability or food, every transaction has a cost.
Even if she provided a few more chips to get a few more days of convenient noodles, it would ultimately be in vain. Or rather, once she left Zhangwei, those valuable food packages might bring disaster upon the victims.
"We can only... blame their bad luck." Shen Fang said.
"...Luck?"
"Exactly. Everything in the world has its fate, and they just happened to encounter the Anba demon disaster, with the border about to erupt in war. This is beyond mere human strength. The Immortal Master can divine good omens, so you should understand this better than I. This is their fate, why blame yourself?"
Fate... what a familiar topic.
That's right, didn't she talk with Chen Xuan about it not long ago?
"If the Immortal Master cannot speak, then I will bear this infamy." Shen Fang turned and walked outside the hall.
"Wait." Liu Shuyue called him.
"What orders does the Immortal Master have?"
"Since the Lord had foreseen the direction of this matter, why didn't you tell me from the beginning?"
"Well, after all, this is just a minister guessing the emperor's intentions," Shen Fang waved his hand, "It's fine if I guessed right, but if wrong, wouldn't it be a laughingstock? Of course... the key is, if I had told you, would you necessarily have given up? I can see that these days, the Immortal Master's efforts were not a show but genuine concern for those affected."
Indeed... even if he warned her, the outcome probably wouldn't change.
"I'll go talk to the disaster victims outside the city." Liu Shuyue nodded and concluded.
"It's good that the Immortal Master has come to terms." Shen Fang seemed relieved, "I'll escort you there."
...
...
At the city gate, the fully armed soldiers were already lined up holding torches, awaiting Shangguan's orders.
The Governor specially instructed everyone to calm down, then let Liu Shuyue out of the city, "Immortal Master, you see... those rustic people won't hold back for long. I give you half a two-hour period, marked by a gong sound."
Liu Shuyue went through the side door, familiar with the route to the disaster victims' gathering area.
Immediately a lookout recognized her.
"Immortal Master! It's the Immortal Master Lord!"
"Why have you come?"
"Have you taken good care of the remaining food?" Liu Shuyue asked.
"Don't worry, in your entrusted matters, we wouldn't dare be lax," a man said, patting his chest, "It's all piled in the shed, with two teams alternating guard duty outside. There hasn't been any issue so far."
The food wasn't just instant noodles.
Most of the bagged noodles were sold to city people in exchange for a larger share of pancakes, millet, and beans. These foods have one good point: they can be stored for a long time and are relatively filling.
Liu Shuyue knew the exact amount of the available food; for the current group of over ten thousand people, this supply could last about twenty days.
"Gather everyone here, I have something to tell you all!"
Her command quickly received a response from everyone, and within less than a quarter of a two-hour period, the front of the camp was densely packed with people.
Countless eyes turned to Liu Shuyue, focusing on this Immortal Master whose status was worlds apart but who brought them a ray of hope in their despair.
Liu Shuyue was also hesitating.
Because once this decision was made, there was no turning back.
At the Lotus Cloud Sect, all her teachings revolved around the two words "Assist the Nation," and as long as the Kingdom was not destroyed, she should serve until the last moment.
She suddenly understood why previous disciples could leave no trace of success... because they hadn't seen the world beyond this world, spending their lives trapped in the duties assigned by the Sect.
Although she had the insight, achieving it was another matter.
Liu Shuyue wondered if she truly had the ability to walk the path that no one had tried before to the end.
But facing the trusting gaze of the people, her hesitation gradually faded. If it weren't for that person giving her the ability to lead the disaster victims, she wouldn't have even been able to gather everyone. Since she had previously achieved the impossible, why not continue to try?
After all, this is the true demon slaying and pacifying the people.
"The troops from the Royal City have arrived, just half a two-hour ago." Liu Shuyue spoke loudly, "But they aren't here for disaster relief; everyone is on horseback with no grain carts!"
"No... no relief grains?"
"Then what are they here for?"
The crowd began to stir restlessly.
"Ridiculously, they are clad in armor, and their quivers filled with arrows, ready to act without hesitation if a riot breaks out here! That's right, this troop isn't here for relief; they're here to deal with you! As far as I know, no relief grain is coming because it was never part of the plan!"
Strangely, the scene fell into a deathly silence.
No one whispered anymore.
With the flickering firelight, Liu Shuyue saw real fear in everyone's eyes.
Even the disaster victims knew that relying on those delicately exchanged grains wouldn't be enough to survive the whole famine; they ultimately had to depend on relief and resettlement from various localities to live.
But now, to hear that there's no disaster relief at all?
Only after a while, someone murmured, "How could this be... isn't this the court's responsibility?"
"Every year, there are so many disasters everywhere... why don't we have it?"
An old man parted the crowd and trembled as he walked up to Liu Shuyue, "Immortal Master... are we going to die? I don't mind if I die, but could you... take my child with you?"
Liu Shuyue recognized her, the same elderly woman who knelt to her on that day when food was distributed.
"No, I'll take you all with me."
These words made everyone look at one another.
"This is already a dead-end place, so no one can stay here. I will take you all to find a way to survive, no matter what the final result is, I'll face it with you together!" Liu Shuyue raised her right hand, "Of course, I won't force you to set out... Maybe those who stay might have a turning point. The choice is yours to make! Whoever willing to go with me—"
Whoosh.
Not just one hand or two hands, but a massive sea of hands rose. They were raised decisively, not hesitantly!
She never expected to see a sea of hands composed entirely of people's hands!
People didn't even ask where she was going!
"Immortal Master, take us with you!"
"That's right, we'll follow you, no matter where it may be!"
"To hell with the court, I already saw through these people!"
"Damn officials, only bullying us poor folks!"
Countless voices rose, with the disaster victims seemingly venting their long-repressed anger and dissatisfaction.
Seeing this scene, Liu Shuyue couldn't help but recall Chen Xuan's words, "As long as your interests are consistent with everyone's, they will sincerely support you, which is the core of this ability."
Consistency, huh...
It turned out she had long wanted to break free.
Liu Shuyue couldn't help but smile, "Aren't you going to ask me where the path to survival lies?"
"Then... where does the Immortal Master Lord plan to take us?" someone immediately inquired, eliciting a burst of laughter.
Even in such a severe moment, they were able to laugh, simply because the Immortal Master stood before them!
"To the south, keep heading south, perhaps there's a place there able to shelter everyone!" She pointed south, "Let's pack up and set off tonight!"
"No, no!" the County Magistrate squinted, "Lord, the movements of the disaster victims are wrong!"
Shen Fang also noticed this abnormal situation, with the torches within the camp forming an orderly line, much like an army about to set out.
If it were to collect grain, it shouldn't be to this extent...
Moreover, too much time had elapsed.
He allotted Liu Shuyue half a two-hour to negotiate, yet no feedback came from her.
Speaking of which, is this group really just those displaced refugees from days ago? When did they start transforming from a discordant assembly into this united front?
"Does the Lord plan to continue waiting? This officer doesn't want to drag it out anymore." the deputy officer commanding the troops impatiently said, "Judging from the firelight's movement, there's a risk of early riot, prompt action is mandatory."
"How can... the Immortal Master is still in the camp."
"Maybe she's momentarily negligent and got seized by the mob." He revealed a cruel smile at the corner of his mouth, "If the Lord can't handle the sight of blood, you could await my triumphant return in the city. Someone, relay my command, cavalry detachment split into two wings to encircle, once in position, free to chop and kill!"
Unable to discourage him, Shen Fang had no choice but to mount his horse and follow suit.
However, just as the group rushed out of the city, they found one rider blocking the troop's way.
The person on the horse was Liu Shuyue.