Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 1040: Chapter 951: First Rank Official 12

After major repairs, I suggest looking at the previous Chapter again.

Whether hunting or not, Murong Shuangshuang has gotten used to getting up early in the morning and taking a walk in the mountains. Fang Keixin also needs to get up early for business, and the chances of Murong Shuangshuang running into Fang Keixin have steadily increased.

But Murong Shuangshuang always just greeted him and left quickly after making sure no one could criticize her for being impolite. She never had more than a word to say to the Fang Family.

Every time Murong Shuangshuang appeared, brimming with energy, especially with her long, dark hair, Fang Keixin’s gaze felt obscure and made Murong Shuangshuang increasingly uncomfortable dealing with him.

Today, Murong Shuangshuang’s luck was good. While in the mountains, she encountered the wild boar herd again and managed to hunt one effortlessly. Getting such large prey two days in a row is rare good fortune, even though she initially planned to hunt another boar and preserve it with lard, Murong Shuangshuang didn’t expect to catch another so soon.

Since there was no shortage of meat at home, Murong Shuangshuang decided to deliver the live boar to the restaurant in town she collaborated with and buy some sweets and pastries to enjoy.

The town was bustling as always. However, upon entering the town, Murong Shuangshuang saw many people dressed in ragged clothes, like refugees, gathered with their families near the woods at the town entrance.

Murong Shuangshuang felt puzzled; the past few years have been prosperous, and she hadn’t heard of any refugees nearby. Though they looked like refugees, their demeanor was more akin to startled birds rather than the numbness of long-term escape from famine.

The expressions filled with panic and fear, with traces of shock, reminded Murong Shuangshuang of memories from her past life with refugees who fled war and accidentally arrived at Yu Family Village.

When delivering the game to the restaurant, Murong Shuangshuang casually inquired with the shopkeeper weighing the goods and paying the money. Over the years, Murong Shuangshuang always came to deliver the game, and since her visits were frequent, people around the restaurant knew that Murong Shuangshuang always sold game there, earning quite a sum of money each time. Some town hooligans even set their sights on Murong Shuangshuang.

These people, without exception, ended up half-dead after encounters with Murong Shuangshuang. Over time, everyone knew about her fierceness, so no one dared to cause her trouble anymore, choosing instead to avoid her.

The shopkeeper, aware of Murong Shuangshuang’s skills, was always warm towards her. Upon hearing her inquiries, he sighed sympathetically, ”Ah, they are a pitiful group.”

After this sigh, the shopkeeper lowered his voice and leaned closer to Murong Shuangshuang, ”Recently, bandits have been causing trouble in the mountains. It’s said they are extremely fierce, robbing several villages in succession and killing many people. Those who seem like refugees this time are actually survivors from villages harmed by bandits, seeking a way to survive.”

The shopkeeper lamented, ”What’s the use of coming here? It’s better to go to the county; the County Magistrate can always find a way to settle them, unlike now, relying on the mercy of wealthy families in town to give them some food.

Yet the wealthy families in town are few, and even if they wish to be charitable, who can support so many people? There are kind-hearted ones who’ve given food several times; we’ve kept leftovers from the restaurant to offer them, but it’s just a drop in the bucket.”

The shopkeeper spoke from experience; he too was a farmer by birth. It was because of early family conditions that allowed him to study at a private school for two years that he could become a shopkeeper, but it was only enough to cover taxes for himself and his family of four, not enough to help his parents, brothers, and nieces and nephews. Though he might appear as the shopkeeper of a large restaurant, he could only barely feed his family.

His family still had to farm because farming didn’t incur as harsh taxes. Without farming, taxes were too high, and he couldn’t support his whole family alone. Seeing these refugees reminded him of his own family. If his family encountered such an event, despair was inevitable.

On the way back, Murong Shuangshuang felt heavy-hearted. Bandit disturbances weren’t surprising; even in peaceful times, there would be bandits, much less now when life was tough, forcing many common folk into banditry rather than slavery.

Though regular common folk turned bandits generally wouldn’t kill easily, preferring to seize food, only the inherently vicious bandits would rob and murder.

Upon reaching the town entrance, Murong Shuangshuang found a steamed bun shop and bought all the black bean buns, spending two strings of coins, distributing each bun to the disaster-stricken people.

Murong Shuangshuang couldn’t offer much help; she could only afford so little. While distributing the buns, Murong Shuangshuang casually chatted and learned that the villages robbed by bandits were close to Yu Family Village, further darkening her mood.

Though Yu Family Village was distant from war zones, it had experienced turmoil before. Murong Shuangshuang feared these bandits would come to steal grain during the autumn harvest tax collection.

The current court is not empathetic to the people. Previously, in the face of disasters, the court would reduce taxes and distribute relief grains and seeds, but not now. Encountering disasters leaves the common people without a path, leading either to slavery or banditry, with no other options.

Murong Shuangshuang worried whether these bandits might raid Yu Family Village. Her past life’s memories showed no recollection of bandits attacking during this period.

However, upon her return to the present, those so-called memories were no longer immutable history but rather a direction towards the future. With endless variables, her presence constantly alters the surroundings, and any small change could trigger significant consequences.

Assuming no crisis occurs based on memories would be foolish. Murong Shuangshuang planned to return and find the village chief, encouraging him to gather the village’s youth to patrol and defend against bandits and keep the village informed.

Not necessarily for them to completely fend off bandits, but at least alert her timely. With her skills, she truly doesn’t fear a few bandits.

Murong Ting was well-liked within the village. Murong Shuangshuang previously helped the village deal with wild boars damaging crops, providing plenty of meat to each household and exchanging it for grains, ensuring no one starved after taxes.

Though young, Murong Shuangshuang was influential in the village; her words were carefully considered by the village chief and elders. Especially as Murong Shuangshuang’s concerns were serious, the village chief and elders were aware of the tragic aftermath of bandit raids on nearby villages.