https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-457-The-Legend-of-the-Stone-Horse/12918821/
Chapter 458: A Penny for Your Thoughts
Chapter 458: A Penny for Your Thoughts
Hu Ma's heart, unlike Miao Shan Fairy's, seemed to have completely forgotten about the County Magistrate outside, focusing solely on making the Lantern Festival Fair a grand success.
His heart felt heavy, sensing that the situation in Stone Horse Town was becoming increasingly uncontrollable.
Although the One Coin Sect had planned the Lantern Festival Fair and spread the news, and the Great Virtuous Master had indeed set the principles in motion, everyone knew that with the current dire circumstances, the fair had become less significant.
With their lives on the line, who would have the mind for such supernatural affairs?
Moreover, after sealing off the town, it was easy to deceive the residents, as most were sect members and merchants who wouldn't take things too seriously. But now, with the sudden influx of commoners, how could they be fooled?
A smaller number could be deceived, but with so many people, the sheer number of heads alone represented a heavy burden of cause and effect...
Furthermore, the arrival of these people was strange. Had they not noticed the town's current peril or the ghostly fog blocking the road?
Or perhaps, the County Magistrate and the Meng family had intentionally allowed them to enter?
No, even if they were simply allowed in, there shouldn't be this many commoners. They were in the mountains, where the roads were treacherous, and even with good fortune, how many could make the journey? Yet, it seemed like everyone within a hundred li had rushed over.
As Hu Ma pondered these questions, his mood grew increasingly somber.
He stepped out of the door, now bustling with activity, and surveyed the town, his gaze falling upon the faces filled with joy and sorrow.
Most of those who had come to Stone Horse Town were ragged and emaciated, some barely clinging to life, having traveled from far and wide.
Stone Horse Town already had a sizable population, and with the arrival of the locals from the surrounding areas, the town became even more bustling and lively. The pressure brought by the New Year Hall Official seemed insignificant in comparison.
Hu Ma, accompanied by Little Red Tang, walked among the crowd, wanting to see if there were any sinister methods at play. However, to his surprise, the town was indeed filled with commoners from various places.
He circled around and saw nothing but poverty, as if someone had intentionally gathered all the locals from the surrounding areas.
"Don't worry, the Lantern Festival Fair will begin at night, and the Immortal Official will bestow blessings upon you."
At the street corners, One Coin Sect members dressed in white paper robes welcomed the locals from all directions, standing guard by a large cauldron. They burned paper talismans and threw them into the cauldron, calling out to the crowd, "Come and get your charm water that cures all ailments!"
Pale and emaciated faces eagerly held bowls, waiting for a share of the charm water that could cure a hundred illnesses, unbothered by the black talisman ash floating on it, as if they truly believed it was a life-saving elixir...
Even Hu Ma would have believed it, as the charm water had floating oil and meat-covered bones, bubbling and gurgling with apparent magical power.
Seeing the desperate faces, he knew this wasn't the work of others; these were indeed locals who had come seeking relief from their hardships. Otherwise, they wouldn't yearn for the charm water so desperately.
The small, emaciated child nestled in an adult's arms almost stuck his little head into the cauldron...
"But it's strange..."
Hu Ma stood among the bustling crowd, his brows furrowing slightly as he muttered to himself, "I haven't heard of any major droughts or floods in the area. This place is under the jurisdiction of Runzhou, and the recent disaster caused by the Five Evils in Mingzhou hasn't affected this region..."
"Why are there so many destitute people here, as if a disaster had struck?"
"...There couldn't be so many victims, they're just commoners..."
As he was deep in thought, a weak voice caught his attention. Hu Ma turned in surprise and saw Old Abacus with his sullen face, accompanied by a sullen donkey and a disdainful horse.
Old Abacus held a bowl and blended in with the crowd, waiting for his share of charm water. His appearance was indistinguishable from the other disaster victims.
"There are still many people behind, and the charm water's power might not be enough..."
He lined up and received a bowl of charm water, squatting next to Hu Ma. As he slurped it down, he suggested to the One Coin Sect member by the cauldron, "Hurry and throw in the other half of the sheep to cook as well!"
Hu Ma wasn't surprised to see the old man, but he was puzzled. "This region of Runzhou, even if it's not entirely peaceful, still collects taxes. But because they keep a low profile, they don't oppress the people too much. Could it be that they can't even make a living?"
He was genuinely perplexed. If it were just one or two households struggling, it wouldn't be enough to spark a rebellion, which was why he had always doubted the One Coin Sect's intentions to rebel.
In his past life, he knew that rebellions often arose in places where the people suffered and had no other choice but to fight for survival. If they could live on, but were incited to rebel, then they were truly evil, and countless lives would be lost.
"But that kind of situation wasn't just happening in one or two households..."
Old Abacus stretched his neck, looking at the large pot in front of him, and muttered, "It's like this everywhere, especially in recent years, it's becoming more and more apparent."
"The harvests are getting smaller and smaller, and strange calamities and diseases are on the rise."
"Of course, if you only look at one household, it's not that obvious. It's just that the collected grain is one or two percent less, and occasionally, there's a household with one or two sick people. But what if everyone is like this?"
"Compared to twenty years ago, the taxes haven't increased, and the officials above are suppressing bandits. But every year, there's a one or two percent decrease, and now, over time, it adds up. By now, there's already a one or two percent shortage..."
"If the harvests across the land are all one or two percent less, what do you think that means?"
"Those with silver, or even those with increasing silver, don't care about this one or two percent. They might even feel that with no one above them, things are getting more and more relaxed..."
He spoke slowly, his eyes scanning the people on the street, and muttered, "But they can feel it..."
"The officials above only need to spend a few more taels of silver to fill their stomachs, but for the people below, just this one or two percent shortage means countless lives lost to starvation..."
"..."
"One or two percent?"
Hu Ma's heart trembled as he listened to Old Abacus' words, and he couldn't help but recall what the Elder Pine had told him: "Is this what the old man meant by the world becoming lighter?"
Suddenly, the information that Great Crimson Robe had shared with him about the weighing of the world seemed to come together.
The world had become lighter, and thus calamities had increased.
Could it be that the world was truly being sold off bit by bit, and the consequences of this transaction were already manifesting?
No wonder there were so many poor commoners, and no wonder the One Coin Sect had gained such momentum, affecting so many people...
Only in times of chaos would rebellions arise, and only when there was no other way to survive would people rebel. The Non-Vegetarian Sect's disciples weren't just coercing the commoners and ambitious families; there was an underlying reason for their actions.
Upon closer thought, nothing could be more terrifying than this. For twenty consecutive years, the harvests had decreased year after year, and there were also demigod disturbances, natural disasters, and man-made calamities. For ordinary commoners to survive through all this, it was truly a miracle...
"Why are you making that face?"
As if Hu Ma had figured something out, Old Abacus sighed softly, finished half a bowl of meat soup, and gave the bowl and the remaining meat to a weak, big-headed little child. Turning to Hu Ma with a smile, he said,
"It's not us who can't go on, it's these poor souls."
"You're a respected Blood Feast Gang manager, you wouldn't listen to those heretical words and join the One Coin Sect to rebel, would you?"
"..."
"How could that be possible?"
Hu Ma smiled at him and said, "I'm not an expert in these matters, and with our limited abilities, even if we wanted to follow them, they might not be willing to accept us!"
"Don't wander off, go back to the inn and stay there. Keep an eye on our donkey and horse. I see many poor people in this town, and if someone is so hungry that they eat our livestock, we won't even have a place to cry!"
"..."
"I..."
Old Abacus wanted to say something but stopped, seeing Hu Ma walking away so carefree. He could only sigh heavily, his face filled with helplessness, and reminded him, "You should be more careful too..."
"My old life is in your hands..."
"..."
"I understand."
Hu Ma merely waved his hand and said, "Your life is precious to me!"
These words made Old Abacus feel much better, and he led the donkey back to the inn, "At least there's some conscience left..."
Hu Ma, who had realized this, also sighed deeply, pushed through the crowd, and headed towards the Grand Headquarters Mansion. Miao Shan Fairy, who had not followed earlier, had been waiting by the mansion. White Fan and the others were anxiously waiting to ask her questions.
But upon seeing Hu Ma from a distance, she waved them away and waited for him with a probing expression, "Senior, what do you think about our Lantern Festival Fair?"
"The people have arrived, and the word is out. How can we not go through with it now?"
Hu Ma sighed softly, waved his hand, and said, "I've seen your ledgers, and you've prepared very well, haven't you?"
Miao Shan Fairy's face lit up with joy, as if with Hu Ma's words, the Lantern Festival Fair was already a success. She hurriedly said, "But what about the blessing from the Tang Pavilion Master..."
Hu Ma stopped in his tracks and said, "The Tang Pavilion Master is dead, isn't he? Then I'll lend you a life for a while..."
(End of Chapter)
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