Shi Kefa did not dare let the thirty thousand displaced families enter Pingyang Prefecture.
If even a single spark of disorder ignited inside the city walls, the situation would spiral out of control instantly. He ordered the people to camp outside the gates, strictly forbidding entry. Then, dressed plainly and accompanied by only a small group of household guards, he went into the city himself.
The sight of thirty thousand figures pressed outside the walls was impossible to ignore.
Pingyang Prefecture Magistrate Dou Wenda had already rushed to the city gate the moment he received word.
Shi Kefa, whose official rank was lower, immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"This humble official acts under the direct command of Imperial Censor Wu Shen," he reported. "I am escorting thirty thousand surrendered rebel dependents from Hequ County back to Chengcheng County. As we pass through your esteemed jurisdiction, I must trouble you for temporary passage."
Dou Wenda nodded coolly.
"As long as they behave, there will be no issue. But should they dare stir trouble—"
His tone hardened slightly.
"—Pingyang Prefecture has its own means of maintaining order."
With that, he turned and gestured to the officer beside him.
"This is Squad Commander Wang Xiaohua, a trusted general under Grand General Wang Cheng'en of Shaanxi. The defense of Pingyang currently rests in his hands."
"Wang… Xiaohua?"
Shi Kefa twitched internally.
What kind of parents burden a grown man with a name like that?
Outwardly, he clasped his hands politely.
"Squad Commander Wang, your efforts in safeguarding the prefecture are deeply admirable."
Bai Mao's soul nearly left his body.
Every time someone said that name aloud, he felt a powerful urge to hurl himself from the city wall and end it all with dignity.
He returned the salute stiffly and leaned over the parapet, scanning the vast sea of refugees outside.
As he looked, his mind automatically began calculating.
Tianzun will be delighted…
No young men, but that's fine. The elderly can weave bamboo goods, press tofu, ferment soy. The women can run sewing machines, print books, bind manuals. The children can go straight into the Prison Valley schools…
While he was deep in this extremely heretical mental arithmetic, Shi Kefa spoke up.
"My provisions have run out."
The moment the words left his mouth, Dou Wenda reacted as though stung.
"Pingyang has no grain either!" he declared loudly. "Not a single kernel!"
Shi Kefa gave a tired, helpless smile.
"I am not asking for charity. This humble official has silver. I wish to purchase grain."
"Oh!" Dou Wenda's face instantly relaxed. "If you're buying, that's a different matter."
He laughed.
"Master Shi comes on orders from Imperial Censor Wu Shen—surely you carry disaster relief silver? A full hundred thousand taels, no less! Hahaha!"
Shi Kefa sighed inwardly.
Everyone knows Wu Shen carries a hundred thousand taels.
No one knows he's already been bled dry.
Aloud, he asked carefully,
"May I ask… what is the current grain price in Pingyang?"
Dou Wenda spread his hands.
"It isn't cheap."
Shi Kefa's heart clenched.
Dou Wenda raised three fingers.
"Three hundred copper coins per dou."
"What?!" Shi Kefa gasped. "Three hundred?!"
He had just come from Taiyuan, where grain sold for eight hundred per dou. He had nearly destroyed his throat bargaining it down to seven hundred.
And here?
Three hundred?
"What sorcery is this?" he blurted out. "Why is Pingyang so cheap?"
Dou Wenda chuckled and gestured toward Bai Mao.
"It's thanks to Xiaohua."
"Pfft—!"
Bai Mao nearly coughed blood.
"Please," he cut in urgently, "address me as Squad Commander Wang."
Dou Wenda pretended not to hear.
"Xiaohua's family is well-off," he continued cheerfully. "They transported massive quantities of grain from Shaanxi and sold it to the prefecture at a low price. Thanks to that, Pingyang has stabilized nicely. Hahahaha!"
A vein throbbed violently on Bai Mao's forehead.
"I beg you," he hissed, "call me Squad Commander Wang."
Shi Kefa heard none of it.
His ears rang with a single phrase:
Three hundred copper coins.
Overjoyed, he spun around.
"Quickly!" he ordered. "Bring all remaining silver! Buy every grain sack available!"
He had fifteen hundred taels left.
He wagered it all.
The result?
Fifty to sixty thousand catties of grain.
Shi Kefa laughed aloud, eyes shining.
"With this," he declared, "we will reach Chengcheng County! We will make it!"
He ensured the refugees ate a full meal, stabilized morale, then bade farewell to Dou Wenda and Bai Mao and resumed the journey south.
With grain in hand, his steps felt lighter, his spine straighter.
Several days later, they reached Hejin County.
Or rather—what remained of it.
The city walls lay broken. Half the houses were burned to the ground. No living soul remained.
Shi Kefa dismounted and wept openly.
"Hejin is destroyed…" he murmured. "If there were even one refugee left, I could offer relief—but there is no one."
He wiped his tears.
"…Let us go on."
Beyond Hejin lay Dragon Gate Ferry. Once crossed, they would re-enter Shaanxi.
Hope returned to Shi Kefa's heart.
When they reached the ferry—
He froze.
Before him rose not a ferry, but a vast water-city, walls packed with tens of thousands of people, bustling with life.
"So… Hejin's people all fled here?" he breathed.
Encouraged, he hurried to the gates.
Standing guard was Shi Jian—the very commander who had relieved Pingyang. Formerly a centurion, now promoted.
Shi Kefa greeted him warmly.
"I have long heard of General Shi's deeds! Two hundred men holding off ten thousand rebels—truly peerless!"
Shi Jian waved it off.
"No, no. The credit belongs to Major Li Huai."
Shi Kefa smiled knowingly.
"Only officials in the capital believe that."
Shi Jian chuckled awkwardly.
Lowering his voice, Shi Kefa gestured at the crowded city.
"With so many refugees, have provisions been arranged? I can recommend Pingyang—grain there is only three hundred copper coins per dou."
Shi Jian laughed softly.
"Three hundred? That's expensive."
Shi Kefa stiffened.
"Here," Shi Jian continued calmly, "grain is one hundred fifty copper coins per dou."
"…What?"
"One hundred fifty."
Shi Kefa made a strangled sound.
"Pfft—!"
He staggered.
His guards rushed forward.
"Master! Are you unwell?"
Shi Kefa beat his chest and stomped his foot like a ruined scholar.
"Why—why did I spend everything in Pingyang?! I should have saved a thousand taels! Imperial Censor Wu… I have squandered your silver! Squandered it completely!"
He clutched his sleeves, face pale.
"I am a fool… a useless fool…"