Chapter 629: You Can’t Go Back On Your Decision
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The sudden turn of events shocked everyone.
Zhao Dahe gripped the bowl in his hand and glared at Su Ying with an unpleasant expression. “If you don’t want us to stay, you can just tell us to go. Why do you have to harm us?”
“Is there… is there poison in this soup?” The villagers who did not drink stood rooted to the ground with their bowls in their hands. They did not know whether to drink or not.
Su Ying raised the corners of her lips slightly. “Everyone, you have misunderstood. There’s no poison in this soup. It’s just that I saw that the weather was very cold so I told my men to add some chili to the soup. I wanted to help everyone get rid of the cold. I didn’t know that you guys aren’t used to spicy food.”
Zhao Dahe took the bowl of soup and sniffed it. Then he dipped his fingertips in it for a taste. The moment the soup touched his tongue, he experienced a rush of spiciness.
“Looks like I didn’t think it through. However, food is very precious here. If you guys don’t want to drink it, then give it to my other brothers. Don’t waste it.”
As soon as Su Ying finished speaking, Cheng Ming and the others stepped forward to take a bowl of soup and began drinking.
Su Ying instructed her men to make spicy soup because she wanted to see if this group of people were really fleeing from famine.
When a person suffered from a long period of hunger, his stomach would be extremely weak. At this point, if he ate something too aggravating, it would cause extreme discomfort to his stomach.
These people were genuine disaster victims, so it was normal for them to throw up after drinking the spicy soup.
When those people saw that Cheng Ming and the rest didn’t experience any abnormal reactions after drinking the soup, their hunger overcame the fear in their hearts. They picked up the soup bowls and began drinking.
Zhao Dahe was someone who had experienced many things, so he was able to see things more clearly than the average villager. He quickly understood Su Ying’s intentions.
Although he did not know Su Ying’s identity, anyone who could stand firm in the northern wilderness was definitely no ordinary person. It was better not to antagonize her when they were still new here.
Su Ying’s gaze swept across the villagers who were drinking the soup. When she saw that they wanted to finish up all the soup despite the discomfort of their stomachs, she instructed the black-robed men to change the soup to a non-spicy version and also bring some dry food.
Zhao Dahe was grateful to Su Ying for giving his group a place to stay as well as food and drinks.
“Thank you for bestowing us these things.”
“Are you the leader of these people?” Su Ying asked.
“Mistress, I am the village chief.”
Su Ying then brought Zhao Dahe to another room.
“You’ve seen it for yourself. The houses in my place are definitely sufficient. If all of you are really good people, it’s possible for you guys to stay.”
Su Ying’s words made Zhao Dahe’s eyes light up.
“May I ask if there are any conditions for staying?”
“Of course, there are. Once you guys decide to stay, you are considered the people of the northern wilderness. You are no longer the citizens of any kingdom. In other words, you have to abandon all your past and start anew here.”
In other words, even if the snow disaster in the Nan State was over, they could not leave.
Su Ying was not doing charity. She could not simply help them when they needed it, and then when they did not need her, allow them to just abandon everything and leave.
Since they were here, they had to make themselves useful in the northern wilderness. She would never keep idle people.
“If you guys can abide by this condition, I’ll get someone to tell you the rest of the rules.”
They couldn’t leave after they stayed. This condition was indeed sufficient to make them think twice, especially when many of them still had relatives in the Nan State. Would they not be able to go back ever again in the future?
“This is no small matter. I can’t make the decision for them. Mistress, please give us some time. I’ll inform you after I’ve asked them.”
“Alright. I’ll give you one day.”
“Thank you, Mistress.”
When Zhao Dahe returned to the house next door, a villager approached him and asked him.
“Village Chief, who on earth are these people? Are they all criminals who have been exiled to the northern wilderness?”
Zhao Dahe was not able to answer this question.
“Everyone, listen to me first.”
Zhao Dahe called everyone to gather around him while he stood in the middle of the crowd. He only relayed Su Ying’s words to everyone after everyone was present.
“Not allowed to leave? How… how can we accept this?”
“That’s right. We’re people from the Nan State. We’re different from the people here. We’re good citizens.”
These people knew what kind of place the northern wilderness was, so instinctively, they felt some disdain toward it.
Zhao Dahe listened to their exchanges and remained silent for a long time.
“Village Chief, can’t you talk to that woman? We’ll stay for a while. When the weather isn’t so cold, we’ll leave.”
Zhao Dahe glanced at that guy icily.
“Do you think she’s some great philanthropist? You expect her to let you stay here for free? Then she is supposed to give you that hot soup because she owed you?”
These words made people clam up and they did not dare to say anything anymore.
“You’re the village chief. Almost the entire village is here. What do you think we should do?”
“That’s right, Village Chief. You tell us. We’ll listen to you.”
Zhao Dahe had been a village chief for many years, so he had a certain understanding of these people’s characters. He was not stupid enough to take on such a heavy responsibility on their behalf. If anything happened, they would blame him.
“I can’t make the decision for you guys. That lady said that she’ll give you a day to think about it. You can make your decision after you think it through.”
Meanwhile, Su Ying told Cheng Ming and the rest to continue searching for suitable wasteland.
If these people were willing to stay, they would become a labor force. Naturally, the more land they could get, the better.
There was enough charcoal for warmth in the northern wilderness, and after eating a meal during the day, these people felt they had come back to life again.
Many people made up their minds before the sky turned dark. They wanted to stay.
If they stayed, they might still have a chance to return after their lives stabilized. If they did not stay, only death awaited them.
“Have all of you thought it through? No one is forcing you to do this.” Zhao Dahe asked in a solemn tone. After all, this was an era where one’s roots were valued. No one would be willing to give up their nationality so easily.
“No matter what, we have to survive first.”
“That’s right. Survive first. We’ll talk about the rest in the future.”
Zhao Dahe also had the same thought. That night, he approached Su Ying.
“Mistress, we’re all willing to accept your conditions and stay.”
Su Ying was not surprised by this answer at all, because leaving this place meant death for them.
“Have you thought it through carefully? I have no room for regrets here.”
“Yes.”
“Alright. I’ll get someone to tell you the rules here tomorrow, as well as settle all of you down.”
“Then I’ll have to trouble you, Mistress.”
After taking in so many people at once, they had to move things in from outside.
Su Ying told the black-robed men to send a message to the city telling them to send a batch of food supplies over tomorrow. The food could at least ensure that these people would not starve to death.
“Tomorrow, bring them to the three districts to take a look. Let them choose which district they’re willing to stay in.” It would be easier to manage them if they were gathered in one area.
“Yes, City Lord..”
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m