Crying While Filling the Pit I Dug - Chapter 76

Sometimes she even wanted to hope that Yi Qing would continue to be busy with work and not miss her, or that it would not be so strong in the first place. 

She didn’t want him to suffer like her because the days of missing him like that were too difficult. Or maybe he was still angry about the quarrel before he left. 

She was contradictory, hoping that he would be angry, but also hoping that he would not be angry. 

She looked forward to returning to the previous “sweetness” immediately after he came back. Song 

Miaomiao, who suffered from longing, could only live by looking at the moving dot on the electronic map every day.

Thirteen days later, Song Miaomiao was summoned to the palace, finally able to deliver the letter attached to the book her husband sent to her. The letter contained only a few words from outside: “Don’t read this letter, take care of yourself. – Heng Zheng.”

Song Miaomiao’s heart was sour, and she shed tears. Although their relationship had gone bad before he left, she still missed him. She used to live so heartlessly, presuming that the person he loved was Gu Jiaren.

She didn’t know what to give him back. Explain to him about herself and Ling Qi? Or tell him that she was in love with him? But according to his personality, she had long expressed her love for him. If she said so, wouldn’t it mean that it was all deception before?

Xiao Chengqi and the Emperor, as well as ministers from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry, were discussing disaster relief strategies in the court.

As a rule, princesses were not allowed to participate in political affairs, but when Song Miaomiao was announced to be there by the Emperor, his anxiety outweighed any regard for such a thing. Other officials, witnessing the Princess’s presence, hesitated to comment as the Emperor made no indication for her to leave.

Though the Zhanggan Hall contained ice cubes to maintain a cool temperature, the ministers found themselves sweating profusely.

Clutching the notebook in his palm, the Emperor tapped anxiously, his words gritted through his teeth, “A mediocre official is wronging the country!”

The ministers knelt, pleading, “Emperor, calm down.”

“How can I be calm?” The Emperor retorted, “My son-in-law sent me this letter, stating that this isn’t merely a local flood in Jinzhou but also Mizhou, Cangzhou, Huangzhou, and Liaozhou. Two provinces are ensnared, and the victims have scattered across four provinces. Officials from near and far colluded in deception, betraying both their superiors and subordinates.”

With a wry smile, the Emperor sighed, “Being deceived is one thing, but delaying aid to the disaster victims and the common people is unforgivable.”

The ministers echoed the Emperor’s sentiments, scolding the local officials for their audacity.

Standing, the Emperor gazed sadly at the clouds beyond the window, “Do you know what happens to the disaster-stricken lands? The flood washes away all the houses, crops, and food. The living people will first eat leaves. But when the leaves are gone, do you know what they do?”

Pausing for emphasis, the Emperor sighed, “They exchange their children for food.”

Exchanging their children for food?

When Song Miaomiao heard this phrase, she nearly vomited. Back in high school, she vividly recalled the meaning of the word “Yi” in classical Chinese, especially its definition as “transaction” or “exchange.”

Exchanging Children for food.

The Emperor continued, “In these two major provinces, issues such as food scarcity, housing, epidemic prevention and control, and future resettlement pose immense challenges for the disaster victims. This cannot be resolved with just one or two months of disaster relief! Minister Liu, how much silver remains in the treasury?”

Liu Shangshu replied, “The Prince Consort took ten million taels of silver, and currently, there are still fifty million taels of silver and thirty million taels of gold in the treasury.”

The Emperor sighed wryly, “Ten million taels hardly make a dent. Issue the order to allocate another ten million taels to the Prince Consort for disaster relief.”

Recognizing the necessity of careful financial management, the Emperor understood that all the money in the national treasury couldn’t be expended for disaster relief at once. In modern society, post-disaster reconstruction efforts often extended over several years, encompassing projects such as housing reconstruction.

Liu Shangshu responded, “This humble minister will comply with the orders.”

Along with the supply-laden horses, Song Miaomiao put a change of clothes for Yi Qing, some food, and her own handkerchief. Unsure of what to write, she could only express her thoughts through these items.

Then, another prolonged period of waiting ensued.

Just as Song Miaomiao continued to hope for a swift resolution to the disaster and for Yi Qing’s return…

Ten days later, an urgent letter arrived from Yi Qing, sent from a distance of eight hundred miles. The people in Jinzhou, Mizhou, Cangzhou, and other areas had revolted. Refugees flooded into the surrounding counties, looting the warehouses and capturing local officials. Magistrates were deposed, some declaring themselves kings, while others took to the mountains, becoming bandits and plundering homes.

The news sent shockwaves through the court, sparking an uproar.

In response, the Emperor swiftly sent one hundred thousand troops and provided silver to the affected regions to restore order and deter further unrest. He instructed Yi Qing to prioritize pacification efforts and safeguard innocent civilians. Additionally, ministers were tasked with escorting supplies, medicine, surrender pleas, and other items to areas plagued by chaos.

At that moment, Song Miaomiao realized that the electronic map she had acquired was now useless. She couldn’t locate Yi Qing’s coordinates at all. The last location she saw was in Cangzhou, and there had been no updates since then.

Moreover, her connection to the system Oppa had been completely severed. She couldn’t reach the system Oppa in any way. Was the system truly crashed?

If the system crashed, would this world still persist? Would she be forcibly ejected? Would Yi Qing still exist?

Song Miaomiao struggled through the days, consumed by worry about the disaster, the ongoing turmoil, the system, and her own well-being.

Ten days later, news arrived from Northern Xinjiang that the Tartars had launched an invasion.

A shrewd Tartar businessman, upon learning of the internal strife in there, reported it to Prince Abul. Abul seized upon this opportunity, urging the Tartar King to exploit the chaos and invade them.

Upon hearing this news, the Emperor was struck with such distress that he vomited blood in the court hall. He urgently dispatched General Yi, Yi Qing’s father, and General Li, along with an army of five hundred thousand troops, to Northern Xinjiang to confront the enemy.