Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: He Will Believe
Chapter 291: He Will Believe
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Herlyee Translations
The sky was filled with locusts.
The land where the locusts passed through was barren.
All the crops in Shanghe Village’s fields had been swept away.
The villagers knelt on the barren field and cried bitterly.
The villages around Dingyuan County suffered more and more.
County Magistrate Ji Ting’an was overwrought. The affected citizens rushed into the county city and knelt outside the county office on their own accord, begging the officials to open the warehouse and release the food.
However, that night, the granary of the county office actually caught fire. All the food was burned to ashes.
What was even more terrifying was that the county magistrate, Ji Ting’an, had disappeared.
The leaderless Dingyuan County seemed to have become a purgatory on earth
Looking at the scenes in her dream, Ji Zhao covered her face sadly and kept crying—
“Zhaozhao?” At dawn, Shen Yao sensed the abnormal movements of the person beside him. He opened his eyes nervously and hurriedly called out, “Zhaozhao?
What’s wrong?”
Ji Zhao, who was still asleep, cried extremely sadly.
Her palm-sized face scrunched up in sadness, and tears covered her entire face.
‘Zhaozhao?”
Shen Yao called out to her several times anxiously before waking up Ji Zhao, who was crying her heart out.
“Shen Yao, boohoo…”
Ji Zhao, who had woken up, threw herself into his arms sadly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed sadly.
Shen Yao quickly reached out and patted her back gently, comforting her silently.
After a long time, Ji Zhao gradually regained her calm.
Shen Yao wiped the tears on her face and asked softly, “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”
“It’s even scarier than a nightmare.” Ji Zhao sniffled as tears filled her eyes. Her tone was filled with worry. “Shen Yao, the locust plague is really terrifying!”
“Did you dream about it?”
Shen Yao was also a little surprised. Although he had long known that Ah Tao had an unknown warning ability that could be related to the people around her in her dreams, could this be a warning from the heavens?
“Shen Yao,” Ji Zhao tugged at his sleeve and said firmly, “I want to see Official
Ji.”
“Official Ji?” Shen Yao frowned in confusion.
“The locust plague is really too terrifying. If Official Ji can get everyone to take precautions in advance, perhaps it will have some effect? After all, Official Ji is also our Dingyuan County’s parent official!” Ji Zhao explained seriously, “So I think it’s necessary for us to tell Official Ji about this.”
“But Ah Tao, Official Ji might not believe us,” Shen Yao said worriedly. “After all, the locust plague hasn’t happened yet. Everyone still has hope.”
Although there had been a drought for so long, the villagers who had worked hard in farming still hoped that the heavens would open their eyes and rain early.
“He will believe it,” Ji Zhao said with a determined expression.
She had a feeling that Ji Ting’an would believe her.
“Okay.” After weighing the pros and cons, Shen Yao nodded and agreed. “After breakfast, I’ll accompany you to the county city.”
Early in the morning, the Shen family sat at the dining table in the central room and enjoyed a delicious breakfast.
The sharp-eyed Zhao Lanhua saw the tears on Ji Zhao’s face and hurriedly asked, “Ah Tao, are you crying? Did Third Brother bully you? ‘
“No, no.” Ji Zhao, who was eating xiaolongbao, hurriedly waved her hand and said, ‘Mother, I didn’t cry.”
“You punk, your wife is meant to be pampered, but you’re bullying her, aren’t you?’
Zhao Lanhua glared at Shen Yao angrily and berated him.
“Mother, it’s really not like that…”
“I’m going to accompany Ah Tao to the county city later.” Shen Yao smiled indifferently. “Mother, take your time eating.”
Before Zhao Lanhua could respond, Shen Yao had already left the Shen family’s courtyard holding Ji Zhao’s hand.
Ji Zhao felt a little guilty. She shook Shen Yao’s arm, her eyes filled with confusion. ‘Mother misunderstood just now. Why didn’t you explain?’
Shen Yao raised his hand and rubbed her cheek. Then, he explained softly, “Mother and Second Sister-in-law always like to read novels when they’re free. If I explain, she’ll overthink even more-”
Ji Zhao, who seemed to understand but actually not quite, nodded in confusion.
Dingyuan County, county office.
Ji Ting’an’s brows had never relaxed since he personally went to see the grain storage in the official warehouse yesterday.
After his inspection, he found that the amount of grain stored in the account book was very different from the actual stock in the granary.
This also meant that someone was secretly selling official grain to fill their own pockets.
In addition, the drought in Dingyuan County had been very serious in recent years, but the county office had never opened the granary.
“Official?”
‘What is it?”
“Shen Yao and his wife request an audience.”
An hour later, Ji Ting’an frowned and looked at Ji Zhao with a dark gaze.
“You mean, you want me to open the warehouse in advance and release the food?” Ji Ting’an lowered his head and played with the jade pendant at his waist. His tone was a little unfathomable. He was just about to investigate who in the county office was the stinky rat who had stolen the official food when she came to suggest opening the warehouse and releasing the food?
“Yes,” Ji Zhao said in a neither servile nor overbearing manner. “During the summer of last year, many fields around Dingyuan County had dried up and cracked. Some villages even had the situation of selling their children. It’s just that the previous county magistrate, Official Ma, was a bad judge of character and had no understanding of the sufferings of the common people. However, Official Ji, you’re different. You sincerely want to benefit the common people. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have reformed so boldly and prohibited those brothels. That’s why we, husband and wife, mustered our courage and came to offer our suggestions. ‘
“We need the right time to open the warehouse and release the food.” Looking at her sincere expression, the doubts in Ji Ting’an’s heart were dispelled. Perhaps this was really a coincidence?
“It hasn’t rained in Dingyuan County for nearly two months.”
“But didn’t we welcome a rainstorm in late June last year? Perhaps this year will be the same as last year?’ Ji Ting’an asked without thinking.
“Sir, you’re wrong. No one can guarantee that the weather this year will be the same as in previous years.” Shen Yao handed over the book he had brought and explained softly, “Sir, why don’t you take a look at the records in this book? If it droughts for more than two months in midsummer, it will cause another even more terrifying disaster.’
“Locust plague?” Ji Ting’an immediately understood what Shen Yao meant and looked up in surprise.
‘Yes, the locust plague.” Shen Yao nodded seriously. “Once the locusts pass through, the crops in the fields will be completely destroyed.”
Ji Ting’an narrowed his eyes slightly, and there were complicated emotions in his eyes.
“If it’s really as you said, I should think of a way to prevent the locust plague this time.” Ji Ting’an thought for a moment and shouted again, “Someone, go and invite Qin Minghong.”
“I heard that you and your wife have some relationship with Qin Minghong?”
“Yes.” Ji Zhao nodded frankly. “Official, we have business dealings with Big Brother Qin.”
“That’s good.” Ji Ting’an suddenly smiled and nodded.
For some reason, Ji Zhao could read a hint of insidiousness in the smile on his face..