CCWAD – Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Natural Disasters and Human Calamities

Epigraph:

“As I stood on the cracked bed of the Yellow River, gazing at the ravaged land strewn with corpses of the starving, an old farmer knelt before me and cried, ‘Your Majesty, we are not waiting for a female scholar, we are waiting for a meal!’ At that moment, all my ambitions were shattered.”

—

The drought in the north was even more severe than described in the memorials. Yan Qing, setting aside state affairs, traveled north incognito with Li Shishi and several important ministers. The further north they went, the more shocking the scenes became. The once lush wheat fields had turned into a patch of withered yellow, and the cracked earth resembled the wrinkles on an old man’s face, deep and bottomless.

In Zhen Ding Prefecture, Hebei, they encountered the first group of refugees fleeing the famine. These people were ragged, gaunt, their eyes devoid of any spirit, leaving only the instinct for survival.

“Old man,” Yan Qing stopped an elder leaning on a branch, “Where are you going?”

The elder looked up blankly, “Where? Wherever there is food to eat… I heard the capital is distributing porridge…”

Li Shishi took dry rations from her travel bag and distributed them to the refugees, immediately causing a commotion. If not for the timely intervention of the accompanying guards, there might have been a scramble.

“Your Majesty,” the Prefect of Zhen Ding knelt before Yan Qing, his voice choked with emotion, “Over three thousand people have already starved to death in the prefecture, and hundreds more flee every day. Your subordinate… your subordinate is truly powerless…”

Yan Qing looked at this once spirited Jinshi scholar, now emaciated and his official robe tattered.

“Have the granaries been opened for distribution?” she asked.

“They were opened long ago…” the Prefect gave a bitter smile, “but the grain in the official granaries is not enough for all the prefecture’s people for even three days.”

What was even more heartbreaking was the scene they witnessed while inspecting the old course of the Yellow River. The once surging Yellow River had now become a dry riverbed. An old farmer knelt on the cracked riverbed, crying out to the sky:

“Heavens above! Give us a way to live!”

Yan Qing stepped forward, wanting to help the old man up. But the old man grabbed her sleeve, his clouded eyes filled with despair:

“Your Majesty, we are not waiting for a female scholar, we are waiting for a meal!”

This sentence struck Yan Qing like a heavy hammer. All her ambitions, all her reform ideals, were shattered at this moment. Yes, for these starving people, what meaning was there in whether women could study or hold office?

That evening, Yan Qing convened an emergency meeting in the field camp. The candlelight flickered, casting solemn shadows on everyone’s faces.

“Grain must be transported immediately for disaster relief,” Yan Qing’s voice was hoarse. “Zhong Shidao, you will return to the capital immediately and oversee the canal transport to bring grain from Jiangnan.”

Zhong Shidao showed a difficult expression, “Your Majesty, the canal transport… I fear it cannot be relied upon.”

“What do you mean?”

Li Shishi said softly, “Your subordinate has just received secret intelligence that the Cao Gang… has rebelled.”

It turned out that Li Jun, the leader of the Cao Gang, although outwardly compliant with the new dynasty, had always harbored dissatisfaction with female rule. Taking advantage of this great drought, he had seized all the canal grain, demanding the abolition of the Women’s Examination and the restoration of the old system.

“Scoundrel!” Yan Qing slammed the table, “He is using the lives of millions of disaster victims as a threat!”

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger,” Lu Junyi advised, “The priority is to resolve the grain shortage. I suggest opening the imperial granaries immediately and borrowing grain from the local princes.”

Wu Yong shook his head, “The imperial granaries have limited reserves. As for the princes… they are only too happy to see the new dynasty in trouble, why would they offer assistance?”

The meeting continued until late into the night, but no viable solution was found. Yan Qing walked out of the field camp alone, looking up at the starry sky, feeling powerless for the first time.

“Your Majesty.” Li Shishi appeared beside her at some point, “Do you remember our vows from the beginning?”

“I remember,” Yan Qing said softly, “To build a different world. But now…”

“Now is the time to fulfill that vow,” Li Shishi held her hand, “The more difficult it is, the more we cannot give up.”

The next day, Yan Qing made a bold decision: she would personally go to meet Li Jun.

“Impossible!” Everyone objected.

“Your Majesty is of golden stature, how can you lightly venture into danger?”

“Since Li Jun dares to rebel, he must have made preparations.”

But Yan Qing’s mind was made up: “If I cannot even deal with a Cao Gang, how can I talk about governing the world?”

The headquarters of the Cao Gang was located in Jining Prefecture, by the canal. When Yan Qing’s fleet arrived, thousands of Cao Gang disciples had already gathered on the pier, all armed and glaring menacingly.

Li Jun stood at the front of the crowd, sneering, “Your Majesty’s personal visit is truly an honor for Li.”

Yan Qing disembarked alone, her blue robes fluttering in the river breeze, “Leader Li, I ask only one question: Will you release that canal grain or not?”

“I can release it,” Li Jun said proudly, “As long as Your Majesty agrees to three conditions: First, abolish the Women’s Examination; second, disband the Flying Phoenix Camp; and third… abdicate in favor of the virtuous.”

The atmosphere immediately became tense and confrontational.

Yan Qing, however, smiled, “Leader Li, do you know why the Great Song perished?”

Before Li Jun could answer, she continued, “It is because too many people placed their own interests above the lives and deaths of the common people!”

She suddenly raised her voice, addressing all the Cao Gang disciples: “Among you, there are parents and sisters, wives and daughters. Now that the north is suffering from drought and millions of disaster victims are starving, you are here withholding life-saving grain for your own selfish reasons! Is this the righteousness of your Cao Gang?”

A stir arose among the Cao Gang disciples. Although these men were loyal to Li Jun, they were not entirely without conscience.

Seeing the morale waver, Li Jun shouted, “Do not listen to her seductive words! Female rule is going against the natural order! This great drought is the best proof!”

“Is that so?” Yan Qing suddenly took out a ledger from her embrace, “Then please explain, Leader Li, where did the million taels of silver from the canal transport last year go?”

The ledger was passed around the crowd, clearly recording evidence of Li Jun’s embezzlement of canal silver. It turned out that his so-called “opposition to female rule” was merely an excuse to cover up his crimes.

“You… you are slandering me!” Li Jun’s face changed drastically.

“Whether it is slander or not, a thorough investigation will reveal,” Yan Qing said coldly, “I have already sent people to seal your residences in various places, and the gold and jewelry found are enough to buy the entire Jining Prefecture!”

The Cao Gang disciples were immediately in an uproar. They could oppose a female emperor for the sake of “righteousness,” but they could not tolerate someone lining their own pockets.

“Leader! Is this true?”

“We risked our lives to transport grain, and you enjoyed yourself at home?”

Seeing that the situation was lost, Li Jun suddenly drew his sword and charged at Yan Qing. At that critical moment, a silver light flashed, and Yang Bamei’s silver spear was already at his throat.

“Traitor Li Jun, surrender!”

The Cao Gang rebellion was thus quelled. Yan Qing immediately issued an order for all the canal grain to be transported north immediately to relieve the disaster victims.

A month later, when the first batch of grain arrived in the disaster area, the common people knelt along the roads, shouting “Long live!” The old farmer who had once questioned Yan Qing held a bowl of hot porridge, tears streaming down his face:

“Your Majesty… Your Majesty has really sent us grain…”

Yan Qing helped the old man up, her heart filled with mixed emotions. At this moment, she finally understood that no matter what new policies were implemented, they must be based on the premise of the people’s well-being. Otherwise, any beautiful ideal would be nothing more than a castle in the air.

Upon returning to the capital, Yan Qing immediately implemented a series of reforms: rectifying the canal transport, investigating corruption, establishing the Ever-Normal Granary… More importantly, she began to focus more energy on improving people’s livelihoods.

“Your Majesty seems to have changed,” Li Shishi said after a court session.

“Yes,” Yan Qing looked at the sky outside the palace walls, “I finally understand that reform cannot be achieved overnight. First, the people must be fed and clothed, and then we can talk about other things.”

She turned to Li Shishi, her eyes rekindling with fighting spirit, “However, the Women’s Examination will not stop, and the Women’s School will not close. The road we have to travel is still long.”

Outside the window, the spring rain finally arrived, nourishing the parched land. Just like this country, it was undergoing a rebirth.

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(End of Chapter 39)