The Choice Queen's

TCQ 45: Kerjai King

As Mo Wei watched the bookkeeping inspection, Nangong Zirui brought Li Fengran north, to the area that was hit by the spring flash flood. After about two hours, they arrived. The first sight he encountered was the remains of a building that had been mixed with mud and collapsed everywhere.

Though it is spring, but the remnants of the flood disaster due to melting ice in the river is still not dry. Other than the brown stains, Li Fengran did not find any color that could make one feel alive. This place was thick with the smell of death, but it was also thick with the breath of life.

The spring floods hit several villages. The Jinchuan government has built several relief posts before. The victims of the disaster were temporarily housed in a building, then there were several makeshift tents set up as soup kitchens.

Li Fengran's heart felt pain. Those who are here, are inversely proportional to those in the city center and capital.

Not only did they lose their homes and livelihoods, they also lost their families and relatives. Without feeling her tears slightly expand in her eyes.

“Come,” Nangong Zirui helped him get off the train.

At that time, the public kitchen had just finished making porridge. The residents lined up obediently while carrying bowls and glasses. Some self-conscious people put parents and children first.

The slurry divider officers were still busy moving the liquid slurry into the bowl, while other officers went around to make sure no disaster victims were missed. Nangong Zirui took Li Fengran around, looking at the extremely simple refuge.

“Your Majesty, did they sleep soundly in these tents?” asked Li Fengran. He found it hard to imagine that when a cold night came, they would have to jostle inside the tent and endure the cold until morning.

“Witnessed or not, it's not important to them. The important thing is that they still have a place to sleep. Sometimes, like this is better than sleeping in the open.”

It forces them to accept everything. Spring floods are an annual disaster that often hit areas around the river.

Nangong Zirui once told me that the construction of a barrier fortress was being carried out and almost completed. He hoped that after the fort was built, the river that hardened after the winter had passed could not overflow into the settlement residents again.

In addition to building a barrier fortress, Nangong Zirui also ordered all his subordinates to repair damaged houses.

When Li Fengran saw it, the already broken houses were almost restored by fifty percent. Maybe after two weeks or a month, the residents will get a place to stay again.

In this case, Li Fengran admired Nangong Zirui's speed of work and precision of action. As King, he really wanted to help his people. Though this kind of work should be ordered to the ministry without having to jump directly.

“Officers of the Ministry of Social Affairs and the government of Jinchuan work together to rebuild the disaster area. Maybe soon, this place will recover,” said Nangong Zirui.

“Your Majesty, you are great in planning and recovery. Since you've handled it well, why did you bother sending me here?”

“Xiao Feng, you are the Stakeholder Sword King. There are a lot of responsibilities to carry on your shoulders. I sent you here because I wanted you to learn how to handle the situation.”

Of course that's just one reason. There was still another reason why Nangong Zirui sent Li Fengran, whom he would not mention or tell.

Li Fengran looked at him suspiciously. Nangong Zirui in his eyes was not a person who had a single plan. He must be trying to use it.

“Good reason. But, Your Majesty, providing food assistance by distributing porridge is not a long-term solution.”

“I know. Come with me and see if my planning is perfect or not.”

Then, Nangong Zirui took Li Fengran to the westernmost part of the refugee camp. There, the land is fertile and not affected by flooding. Because it is rather high, it takes some effort to arrive. The first thing Li Fengran saw was a group of people cleaning up the weeds.

“Your Majesty, this?” Li Fengran asked for an explanation.

“The land here is fertile and unaffected. I want the people who lost their fields to return to find livelihoods. So, I told the guards to open a new land.”

“In a few days, officers will come carrying new seeds and seedlings. While waiting for the residence to be repaired, the healthy residents can already work again.”

What a very attentive King!

Li Fengran felt he was the useless one. He only thinks practically from his own point of view. The rich people in Jinchuan were stingy, so he just thought of giving them a lesson without thinking about what he should have done to benefit. Geez, why is he this stupid?

“Why? Feeling embarrassed?” nangong Zirui asked as if he knew Li Fengran's thoughts. Li Fengran nodded and fell silent. Nangong Zirui then grinned.

Nangong Zirui took the hoe and gave it to Li Fengran. “Because you are the Sword Stakeholder, you are my accomplice. So, represent me to help my subordinates dig the ground.”

“Your Majesty told me to hoe?”

Nangong Zirui nodded while displaying his sneaky smile.

“But, I can't hoe!”

“You can.”

“Can't, Your Honor. What if I even hoe my own leg?”

“No will.”

“Your Highness,” Li Fengran weld.

Nangong Zirui shook his head, rejecting the pithy Li Fengran.

“Xiao Feng, let's help me lighten my load.”

Li Fengran exhaled. Doubtfully, he descended into the partially hoeed land with Nangong Zirui's subordinates and the healthy residents, then slowly swung his hoe. Unfortunately, he did not exert his strength until his hoe ricocheted and Li Fengran's hand shook like it was electrocuted.

“Xiao Feng, give up that great power and try again!” shouted Nangong Zirui from near the resting tent. Li Fengran gave an annoyed glance, then tried again. Again his hoe bounced because his swing was not powered.

“Why is this land so hard?” his gerrick. A citizen who hoeed not far from him then said, “Master, not his hard ground, but the power of the Master who was not channeled properly.”

In the tent, Nangong Zirui held back his laughter. “You heard that, right? Xiao Feng, I told you to give up your strength!”

Li Fengran desperately wanted to stuff Nangong Zirui's mouth with a cloth. He suddenly regretted having come around with Nangong Zirui. If he knew that the man was going to ask him to hoe, he better join the others and distribute the porridge.

In his lifetime, Li Fengran had never hoeed or descended into the fields. His hands are used to etch a string of letters on a computer or write down important things in the office. His feet were used to visit various project sites and buildings. Hoeing like this, he was completely inexperienced.

“Xiao Feng, let's not give up! Swing again the hoe and make this soil plantable!”

Li Fengran took his hoe again. While pouting, he swung it with great energy. It worked! The hoe went through the ground! But why so deep? His hoe was already embedded, but Li Fengran had trouble picking it up and turning the ground around!

Li Fengran pulled him with all his might, yet his hoe could not be pulled. He clenched his hands, expending maximum power to pull it out. Unexpectedly, the ground flipped over and the hoe slipped off! Unable to control his energy, he lost his balance and fell on his back.

A bright sky glanced at his eyes. His ears heard a crisp sound of laughter from around and from the direction of the tent. People laughed at her falling back while her hoe somehow landed where.

“Xiao Feng, I told you to hoe, not sleep on the ground!” Nangong Zirui shouted in satisfaction.

Only then did Li Fengran realize that he had just been bullied!