Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 61: Chapter 61: The Sin of Gender 61

After this incident, Fang Zhongyi also became alert, and he explained to Qin Shuangshuang the handling of Xiao Xia’s family and the background and consequences. Before leaving, he repeatedly warned Fang Yaoyao not to run around recklessly no matter what happened, and not to be willful anymore.

Even without Fang Zhongyi’s warning, Fang Yaoyao was already terrified from this experience, and it seemed that she had matured a lot in an instant.

In the past, although Fang Zhongyi and Qin Shuangshuang knew that people outside were starving and resorting to cannibalism, for them, it was as easy as going to Da Shan to find food, so they had never been truly hungry, and Fang Yaoyao could never understand what it felt like to be so hungry that one would resort to cannibalism!

Fang Yaoyao didn’t know the feeling of hunger and couldn’t feel the fear brought by the rumors of cannibalism. But this time, being deceived by her former good friends and almost being eaten made her truly feel how terrifying the world could be and how hunger could turn people into such demons!

Not long after Fang Zhongyi left, the village chief also came by, mainly to talk to Qin Shuangshuang about the results of handling the previous disturbances in the village. The refugees were sent to the government, and Mr. Qin’s family was driven out of the village under everyone’s watch.

The Qin Family indeed had a lot of grain, and if it was used to make porridge, it would be enough for the entire village to eat for more than a month. The villagers did not touch this grain, and let the Qin Family take it away with them by cart.

However, although the Qin Family left the village, they didn’t dare to go far and settled in a dilapidated temple not far from the Qin Family Village, seemingly hoping to continue to seek shelter under the name of the Qin Family Village.

Even after committing such vicious acts, the Qin Family still had the audacity to cling to the Qin Family Village’s shelter, which was quite irritating to the villagers. However, since they had left the village and were no longer part of the Qin Clan, everyone just considered them out of sight, out of mind, pretending the family did not exist.

After these two incidents, Qin Shuangshuang felt that the matter of going to the border city couldn’t be delayed any longer. As she understood, it wouldn’t be long before the court gave the order forcing the common people to go to the border city. Since they had to go anyway, taking the initiative to set out would definitely yield more benefits.

Now, Qin Shuangshuang had gained a certain level of prestige in the village. Therefore, when she said she wanted to gather everyone in the village to discuss an important matter, everyone quickly gathered in front of the ancestral hall, showing their respect.

The village chief and several elders of the clan, including Qin Shuangshuang, sat on chairs, while the villagers casually found places to sit or lean against.

Qin Shuangshuang felt somewhat heavy-hearted because she knew that what she was going to say today wouldn’t be easily accepted by everyone.

”Most of you here are my elders and older siblings. Many families have helped me and my mother. I have always remembered this in my heart and dared not forget it for a moment, so what I am going to say is definitely not to harm everyone.”

”Shuangshuang girl, just say what you have to say. You have saved all of us before, and no one would think you would harm everyone!”

The one speaking was an elder of the clan, the second oldest student in the clan besides the village chief. His two young grandsons were very promising and were now scholars. This elder had already somewhat understood what Qin Shuangshuang wanted to say as soon as she began speaking.

Previously he didn’t agree with Qin Shuangshuang’s idea due to one reason: there likely wouldn’t be good teachers at the border city to teach his grandsons, which made him reluctant to go.

But now, seeing that the issue of cannibalism had emerged for so long and the government was still refusing to release grain, he, being a scholar and more knowledgeable than ordinary villagers, understood that the Emperor was serious this time.

The elder understood that if the Emperor had made up his mind, not even the starvation driving the people to cannibalism or the death of all the severely affected villagers would matter to him.

The situation was forcing people to move, and by this time, the elder was ready to go to the border. It was better to go early than to provoke the Emperor and be forced to go.

His two young grandsons, having been influenced and educated by him, were also scholars, knowledgeable, and didn’t oppose going to the border city. They were even mature enough to comfort their grandfather, saying that they could take the scholar examination at the Prefecture City at the border. Given the lack of literary culture at the border, they might even find it easier to pass the exam there.

Although this elder’s family was willing to go to the border, they couldn’t persuade the whole village, and could only be anxious in their hearts. Now seeing Qin Shuangshuang, who had mentioned twice about going to the border, gathering everyone with such solemnity, they knew she wanted to bring up the old topic again.

The elder quickly interjected to pave the way for Qin Shuangshuang, hoping that the villagers would be less resistant to what she would say next.

Everyone already remembered the kindness of Qin Shuangshuang, and when the elder mentioned it, they enthusiastically invited her to speak, assuring her they were not ungrateful people who would misunderstand her.

Qin Shuangshuang gratefully glanced at the elder, cleared her throat, and began, ”What I want to talk about today is us heading to the border city.”

As soon as Qin Shuangshuang said this, many people frowned. Even at this point, many preferred to cling to a vague hope rather than go to the border city.

Qin Shuangshuang didn’t want to go back and forth in reasoning with everyone, so without waiting for anyone to speak or refuse, she directly poured out everything she wanted to say.

”I know many people think that with so many peasants, the Emperor would definitely not let us starve. But at this stage, apart from our village, people outside are starving to the point of cannibalism. Have you seen the Emperor opening the granaries to distribute grain?”

Qin Shuangshuang’s words made the villagers’ faces look grim. Apparently, even though the common people were starving to eat humans, there were no signs of the Emperor retracting the order.

Qin Shuangshuang continued before anyone could speak, ”Even assuming that the Emperor couldn’t bear to let us commoners starve, the order to resettle people to the border is an imperial edict. The way we’re acting now, taken to the extreme, is tantamount to defying the decree! This is provoking the Emperor’s authority. The Emperor is the supreme being, and his dignity cannot be violated. Moreover, his words must be honored without deviation. Do our lives really outweigh the Emperor’s dignity?”

The villagers’ faces grew even grimmer, especially some of the elderly, whose expressions were not only grim but also solemnly heavy.

The current dynasty is a new one, and being a newly founded dynasty, its politics are naturally not corrupt, and most officials are filled with zeal. Therefore, both the Emperor and officials have treated the common people well, to the point that many elders had forgotten the horrific days of the previous dynasty when countless corpses lay across the land due to a single word from the Emperor!