The Foolish Husband of the Landlord's Family (GL)

Chapter 39: Prince Jing

The chaotic cries of distress were unsettling yet evoked sympathy, as most were from women and children. Everyone in the carriage, except Lin Kong, understood what was happening outside.

Abu lifted the curtain, respectfully informing Song Keyan, "Miss, refugees are blocking the road."

Jiang Yuan looked out through the opened curtain, seeing a crowd of a hundred or so people blocking the road. They were in tattered clothing, mostly wearing old, worn-out linen garments. Some huddled together for warmth, while others hesitated to approach, wary of Song Keyan's guards, choosing instead to block the road timidly.

Curious, Lin Kong asked, "Wife, what are refugees?"

Jiang Yuan succinctly explained, "People fleeing from disaster."

Lin Kong nodded, only partially understanding.

Song Keyan, her expression grim, instructed Abu to find out where the refugees were coming from, as they couldn't just block the road indefinitely.

Abu left to investigate, amplifying the noise outside as people clamored for food and blankets.

Though they had only two carriages, there were many guards on horseback. The refugees, emboldened by their numbers, dared to gather and block the road but were cautious, fearing the guards might treat them like the city soldiers who disregarded their humanity.

Abu quickly returned to report to Song Keyan. "Miss, they came from Jiao Prefecture in the north. Two weeks ago, there was a Turkic invasion, coinciding with a severe snowstorm, forcing these refugees to flee south."

Jiang Yuan pondered, "Did they enter the city?"

She referred to Yuanzhou City.

Abu explained, "I've heard the city is already overwhelmed with too many refugees."

Jiang Yuan frowned deeper, asking Shiqi, "Miss Shiqi, did you notice anything unusual when you arrived in Yuanzhou?"

Pressed for time during her last visit, Shiqi hadn’t noticed, but recalled, "There weren’t this many refugees then."

Her last visit was just five days ago, yet the number of refugees had surged.

Watching their discussion, Lin Kong, curious and concerned, peered out at the scene. She saw adults and children, some frozen to death by the roadside, unnoticed by passersby. The refugees, numbed to it all, only had a few relatives mourning.

Recalling her parents' death, Lin Kong said compassionately, "Wife, someone else has died. They're so pitiful. Should we share our food?"

Jiang Yuan glanced at the scene, decisively saying, "No."

Surprised and confused by the outright denial, Lin Kong asked, "Why not?"

"The little food we have is a drop in the ocean for them. Seeing food might incite violence or cause them to cling to us," Jiang Yuan reasoned. "We’d eventually have to fight them off. It's better to save them later in a meaningful way."

"Yes, a grain of rice breeds gratitude, but a peck of rice breeds resentment. They're desperate like wild beasts, unlikely to appreciate our help, seeing us as endless food sources," Shiqi added.