Lin Luoluo and her group arrived outside Tianyang Prefecture City before nightfall.
“Master, should we enter the city or go around it?” Lin Zhong stepped forward and asked.
Lin Luoluo thought for a moment before replying, “We’ll enter the city. We’ll rest in Tianyang Prefecture for a day, then leave the city and take a detour.”
After receiving her instructions, Lin Zhong paid the entrance fee. Once they entered the city, he found a fairly large inn for everyone to stay in.
After traveling all day, everyone was somewhat exhausted. They ate dinner and then retired to their rooms to rest.
After taking a bath, Lin Luoluo noticed while getting dressed that her lower abdomen had begun to bulge slightly. She unconsciously placed her hand over it, and the corners of her lips curved upward.
“Hello, Mommy’s little treasure.”
As if responding to her greeting, Lin Luoluo felt a slight movement in her belly. Excited, she continued talking to the baby.
“Little treasure, can you hear Mommy talking to you?”
The moment she finished speaking, she felt another movement from her belly, even more distinct this time.
“So you really can hear Mommy. Mommy is grateful that you’ve come into my life. I’ll do my best to be a good mother.”
After getting dressed, Lin Luoluo lay down on the bed and continued chatting with her baby, saying a few words now and then. The baby occasionally responded with gentle movements. The feeling was wonderfully magical to her. Only when she could no longer keep her eyes open did she stop talking and gradually drift off to sleep.
The next morning, Lin Luoluo had just come downstairs when she saw Chun Tao carrying a food box upstairs.
“Miss, you’re awake.”
Seeing that Lin Luoluo was coming down, Chun Tao hurried over and lifted the food box in her hand.
“Miss, Chun Tao brought you some breakfast.”
“Come on, let’s go back to the room and eat.”
Once they returned, Chun Tao took out the breakfast dishes one by one. The aroma immediately whetted Lin Luoluo’s appetite. Although she was no longer vomiting at the smell of fish like she had been at the beginning, she still hadn’t had much of an appetite these past few days.
Perhaps because she had slept well the previous night, or perhaps because she was in a good mood, the nauseous feeling had disappeared. Instead, everything smelled especially delicious this morning.
“Have all of you eaten?”
“Miss, we’ve all already eaten. Chun Tao thought these dishes were especially tasty, so I packed them up and brought them back for you first. The others are still strolling around the streets.”
After hearing that everyone else had already eaten, Lin Luoluo began eating without hesitation.
She picked up a steamed bun and took a bite. Her eyes instantly lit up.
“Mmm! Delicious! Chun Tao, this bun is so good. Later, let’s buy a lot more and store them in the Space.”
With that, she sped up her eating.
Before she knew it, she had finished everything. When she finally stopped and let out a satisfied burp, she noticed Chun Tao standing there blankly with her mouth wide open, her face filled with disbelief.
It took Chun Tao quite a while to recover before she finally closed her mouth.
“M-Miss… Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere? Would you like to go for a walk?”
Afraid that Lin Luoluo had overeaten, Chun Tao asked cautiously.
Lin Luoluo rubbed her round, full stomach. She had accidentally eaten too much and indeed felt rather stuffed, so she nodded.
“Then let’s go out for a stroll as well. We’ll buy some of everything we had this morning and save it for eating on the road later.”
Hearing that her mistress wanted to buy food to take with them, Chun Tao’s eyes immediately brightened.
After tidying herself up, Lin Luoluo changed into men’s clothing and left with Chun Tao.
First, Chun Tao led her around to buy every breakfast item they had eaten that morning, practically clearing out the shops. Afterward, they continued wandering through the city, observing the local situation before finally returning to the inn.
Not long after Lin Luoluo returned, everyone else came back as well.
She had Chun Tao invite Uncle Zhong and Lin Da to her room for a discussion.
“Uncle Zhong, Lin Da, you’ve spent the entire morning looking around. Did you discover anything?”
After inviting them to sit down, Lin Luoluo got straight to the point without wasting words.
Lin Zhong thought for a moment before analyzing the situation.
“On the surface, Tianyang City appears peaceful and unaffected by the refugees outside the city. But in reality, this appearance won’t last much longer. Grain prices at the city’s grain shops are somewhat higher than in Yancheng, though not outrageously so—they’re still within a controllable range. However, this situation won’t continue for long. Soon there won’t be enough grain to supply everyone.
“Already, quite a few shops have hung signs saying their grain is sold out. I’ve also heard that the two daily servings of porridge distributed outside the city have been reduced to one, and even that porridge is becoming thinner and thinner.”
Lin Luoluo nodded and turned to Lin Da.
Understanding her meaning, Lin Da began speaking.
“There are quite a few beggars on the streets. Many people have also gathered around the City God Temple. Some refugees who paid to enter the city are staying there as well.”
Lin Luoluo pondered for a while before speaking.
“Uncle Zhong, go to the Prefect of Tianyang City and tell him that we have a batch of grain available, but we want jade stones and jade artifacts in exchange.”
“Lin Da, send people to the City God Temple to distribute some grain to those people. While you’re there, look for children or teenagers of good character who are willing to come with us. Of course, we’d rather have fewer than accept unsuitable people.”
“That’s all. You may go.”
“Oh, Lin Da, leave Lin Liu through Lin Shi behind. This afternoon, I’ll take them to transport another batch of grain.”
After lunch, everyone went off to handle their respective tasks.
Lin Zhong arrived at the government office and asked the guards to announce his presence, saying that he had a batch of grain and wished to discuss it with the Prefect.
Upon hearing the guard’s report, the chief clerk immediately instructed him to invite the visitor inside while he hurried to inform the Prefect.
The Prefect, who was currently worrying over the grain shortage, could hardly believe what he heard. At a time when grain was scarce everywhere, someone had actually brought a large supply.
Whether it was true or false, he decided to meet the man anyway.
Lin Zhong waited in the main hall for a short while before a middle-aged man wearing official robes entered. He had an elegant scholarly appearance, and behind him followed a young man who looked like a clerk.
Lin Zhong stepped forward and bowed.
“Greetings, Prefect.”
The Prefect examined him for a moment before asking,
“Who are you? The chief clerk told me you have grain.”
“This humble man is Lin Zhong. It is my master’s grain that I speak of. We heard that tens of thousands of disaster victims have gathered outside Tianyang Prefecture, so my master intends to sell the grain to the government office. We are also willing to exchange it for jade artifacts or jade stones.”
The Prefect fell silent for a moment before asking another question.
“At what price do you intend to sell the grain?”
“Please rest assured, Prefect. My master is kind-hearted, and the price will certainly be fair.”
“The grain will be transported this afternoon. At that time, Prefect, you may come to Yue Lai Inn, and we can discuss the matter in detail.”
The Prefect nodded in agreement.
Lin Zhong then took his leave and returned to the inn.
Things also progressed smoothly on Lin Da’s side.
After distributing all the grain he had brought, he asked whether any of the younger children were willing to leave with him.
“Big Brother, will we have enough to eat? Will you take girls too?”
A little girl who had fled with her parents asked.
Her parents had died during the journey, leaving only her and her younger brother behind. Using the little money she had left, she entered the city and took her brother to stay at the City God Temple, begging on the streets to support him.
“Of course. Boys and girls are both welcome. Having enough food is the most basic requirement. This is an opportunity to change your destiny. As long as you never betray your master, you will have a good future.”
“Then… can I bring my little brother? He’s only five years old. If I leave him behind, he won’t survive.”
“You can. But what we require is your loyalty. Once you betray us, you’ll suffer a fate worse than death. Of course, we won’t ask you to commit crimes or evil deeds. Can you accept that? Those who can may come over here and register.”
“Big Brother, I can.”
“I can too.”
Although the little girl’s younger brother didn’t really understand, after hearing his sister’s promise, he also answered in his childish voice.
Once the first child stepped forward, more and more people followed.
After everyone had registered, Lin Da instructed them to wait there and told them he would return the next day to take them away.
With everything finished, he headed back.