As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 91 Is this... Is this Qian Yuan?

The autumn wind is bleak and fine sand is flying everywhere.

When things are prosperous, they behave like they are prosperous; when things are depressed, they behave like they are depressed.

The heaven and the earth are always there and will never change. The only things that change are the people living in them.

In the desolate land, the trees had died because their bark had been stripped off. The dried-up wood made a series of tooth-grinding creaking sounds in the wind. The ground was empty without even a blade of dry grass.

In sharp contrast, on the official road, well-equipped soldiers guarded the exquisite carriages, moving forward at a leisurely pace.

Covered by curtains, the officials could not see the world outside the carriage.

"Your Highness, why are you silent?"

The autumn wind blew gently, blowing the woman's long hair like a waterfall.

Mingchen turned to look at the solemn-looking Second Princess and asked with a chuckle.

It is now the fifth day. The envoys are not moving very fast, but they have traveled a long way. They are already far away from the capital and have arrived in another province.

The princess, who was smiling and full of anticipation when she left the city, stopped smiling as she walked further. Her face became increasingly serious and she gradually stopped talking.

It wasn't because he was about to go to the execution ground where his life or death was uncertain, but because...

"Mingchen, this... is this Qian Yuan?"

“Is this my country?”

Xiao Xinyue seemed to have lost her soul, her eyes were somewhat empty as the convoy moved forward.

It was not until Mingchen called her that she came back to her senses. She did not turn to look at Mingchen, but looked around and murmured softly.

Following her gaze,

Around the official road, in the dilapidated villages, a few empty gazes were cast over.

Several women and children sat on the ground in groups of three or four, staring at the convoy. They were wearing tattered pieces of cloth that could not cover their bodies. Their cheeks were sunken, their eyes were hollow, and they were so thin that their bones were visible, looking like wild ghosts.

Along the way, Xiao Xinyue saw this scene several times.

From the initial shock and grief to the current numbness and doubt...

The soldiers marched on, oblivious to the situation and seemingly unconcerned.

Dong Jingming and other officials also sat quietly in the carriage, not paying attention to what was happening outside.

As if everything was taken for granted.

No one seemed to pay attention to these people, as if they were just dead grass on the roadside.

Xiao Xinyue felt that either she was abnormal, or the world was abnormal.

It was not until Mingchen called her that she found someone to talk to.

The atmosphere around her and the empty gazes of the people were like a hand, tightly pinching her throat, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Mingchen lowered his eyes, his face calm, and replied: "Your Highness, this is Qian Yuan."

"how could be?"

"how could be?"

"How can this be Qian Yuan?"

Xiao Xinyue seemed to have heard something unbelievable. Her eyes widened and she kept shaking her head, unwilling to believe it, and murmured softly.

Mingchen raised his eyebrows and asked, "Your Highness, what do you think Qian Yuan is like?"

They are now heading north, which is close to the northern battlefield. When a country starts a war, it will give priority to drawing food and manpower from the nearest place.

Food, manpower... When the state issues an order, grassroots officials will act like a blood pump, continuously extracting resources from the local area and supplying them to the central government.

As expected, the life here was even more miserable than the poor villages he and Ling Yu had seen on their way to Beijing for the imperial examination.

Xiao Xinyue opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say: "I...I..."

She has never left the capital.
No matter how poor the capital was, people never lacked food and drink. Even the beggars and lazy people on the street had never seen people like those here.

She knew the country was in decline and the people were having a hard time. But the intelligence reports and the actual scenery she saw were completely different shocks, completely beyond her imagination.

So... this is what the world outside is like.

The prosperous capital city is fake. Yueyang can only represent Yueyang, not Qianyuan.

But here is the most true portrayal of countless families.

It turned out that Qian Yuan had reached such a situation.

No wonder, no wonder there are people in the South who rebelled, covered in blood, and were not afraid even if it meant death.

Qianyuan has made it impossible for them to survive, so how can they still recognize this country?

Xiao Xinyue stopped talking. Mingchen had enlightened her before, so she would not take the responsibility and blame herself now.

Having left the paradise cage of the capital's scenery, she has now come to the real world and glimpsed unimaginable views. She may need some time to think and accept.

……

The sun sets in the west and the sky becomes dark.

The envoys entered a city with few people on the streets. When people saw the soldiers coming, they ran away.

"Hey~ My Lords, you are here!"

"It's been a hard journey."

"I have already prepared a delicious meal, and I hope you will honor me with your presence."

At the gate of the county magistrate's office, a little old man dressed in an official robe, dressed appropriately and with a rosy face, formed a sharp contrast with the scattered civilians seen on the street.

He was waiting at the door early. When he saw Mingchen and his group coming from afar, he walked up quickly and personally helped Dong Jingming out of the carriage. He rubbed his palms, put on a flattering smile on his face, and spoke to Dong Jingming.

"Hmm~"

Dong Jingming nodded slightly, responded softly, and looked down at him: "You are..."

Dong Jingming dragged out his words, waiting for the other party to respond.

The old man hurriedly said, "I am Dong Jianhui, the magistrate of Luoli City."

He is obviously older, yet he is extremely humble.

Dong Jingming raised his eyes and asked with interest, "Dong Jianhui? Your last name is Dong too? Where are you from?"

The old man bowed and said, "In reply to your Excellency, my ancestors were from Linhai, Pengzhou."

"Oh?"

Dong Jingming's eyes lit up: "Then you and I are from the same hometown!"

The old man's face lit up with joy, but he lowered his head and said humbly: "I dare not, I dare not~"

"Master Dong is the pride of Pengzhou~"

Dong Jingming is indeed from Pengzhou, but it is not certain where the old man was born.

Having the same surname and hometown is the most common way of connection in official circles.

As long as we are from the same clan and were a family eight hundred years ago, then we are all brothers now.

A few words here and there formed a short chain.

Mingchen got off the horse and watched the two people being so hypocritically polite, and couldn't help but shook his head slightly.

The old man was a little anxious, and his intentions were too obvious, which was not very decent.

Xiao Xinyue also had a gloomy face and just watched from the side without saying a word.

The old man's compliment was very helpful to Dong Jingming. He smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll have to trouble you to take care of us."

"Your Excellency, this is truly humiliating to me! It's only right, only right!"

……

(End of this chapter)