Chapter 111 – Disastrous Event for Lujiang Nobles
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
Editor note: For clarification a “shi” is equal to 60kg or 132lbs
“New grain and provisions are in the storage?!” The following noble clan heads who are currently enduring the pain of eating “pig feed” congee, quickly set up their ear after Lu Bu's announcement.
"Now is not the season for fall harvest, where did this new grain come from? “Isn’t Lu Bu's grain and provisions already exhausted? Isn’t his purpose right now to borrow grain and provisions from us? How is there news of new grain and provisions going into storage?!” Now is not the season for harvesting, where the hell did this new food come from?
Also the news stated that whole of grain and provisions already filled the whole warehouse? This Wancheng city is the capital of Lujiang, its grain storage is really big and can fit 100,000-shi of grain and provisions. That warehouse unexpectedly has been filled until full and also there is surplus of 4,000-shi of grain and provisions. How can this be?
From what or where on earth did he produce so much grain and provisions?! When Sun Ce's army went to Jiangxia, he pulled out all the grain and provisions until it was empty. Did Lu Bu want to create an illusion that he had grain and provisions? Is he putting up a show in vain? If that is the case, then it is for the best, we no longer need to provide him with “donated” grain and provisions! All of clan heads do not believe the news at all.
“Go, transport those surplus grain and provisions in front of Administration Office gate!” Lu Bu waved with his big hand.
“Yes sir!” The messenger comply the order.
Before long, carts containing grains and provisions arrived in front of Administration Office.
“This many carts, I do not believe that inside those carts are grain and provisions! Perhaps only sand and stone are inside it!” some people just voiced their opinions, disbelieving it.
“Hehehe!!!” Lu Bu beckoned his hand happily. His own guard nodded and went forward to help carry a sack of grain and provisions but he carelessly tore the rice sack.
"Pshhhhh!" The white rice poured like waterfall to the ground.
“Ai, WORK CAREFULLY. THIS FOOD IS VERY VALUABLE FOR US!!!!” Lu Bu put up an angry act.
“Yes, yes!” Lu Bu's guard became really terrified and quickly looked for a cloth sack to clean up the rice.
Is this really white rice? Looking at the color of this white rice, this is definitely a grade-A white rice. Where the hell did Lu Bu obtain this? If Lu Bu’s army and his 40,000 soldiers' grain and provisions are exhausted, then this white rice must be from those lesser clan heads who have confided toward Lu Bu army.
While people are still pondering, Lu Bu opened his mouth “Gentlemen, because all of you are in a very difficult position, therefore Bu finds another solution for grain and provisions. See, my new grain and provisions have arrived! With this, even though Bu is also in great difficulty now, Bu will help all the gentlemen here!” Lu Bu deliberately show this excessive generosity.
“Now Bu wants to reciprocate the gentlemen's donation. As the saying goes, one must return even the smallest favor. So, Bu must reciprocate all of the gentlemen here. Whoever decided to donate Bu grain and provisions earlier, will get double the grain and provisions that he donated earlier!”
“Wang clan head, did not you just say that your family is unable to cook after you donated to Bu? I, Lu Bu, return 40-shi of grain and provisions from 20-shi that you donated to Bu!” Said Lu Bu while pointing at the head of Wang clan who earlier was pretending to be poor from the very beginning.
“Eh?!” Head of Wang clan was stunned, then he became a little panic, did Lu Bu just say unable to cook? Earlier I joked with you, deceiving you Lu Bu. Even today is time of war, we nobles will definitely able to eat various delicacies.
“And the clan head over there! You take 60-shi, with this amount of rice, you can sell back the grain and provisions to buy 1 or 2 pieces of clothes so you can survive the winter!” Looking at Lu Bu's expression, those noble clan heads finally knew the feeling of receiving charity from people, they finally knew the feeling of the people who begged for food. If they did not take the gift, they do not respect Lu Bu, but if they took Lu Bu's gift, then they are admitting they are poor. So poor that they do not have anything to cook in their home. Furthermore, what is the meaning of this 60-shi of grain and provisions to them?
“Let's just take General Lu's generosity, why we should reject it?!” Chen Yao sneering toward Lu Bu “Whatever this Lu Bu gives, we need to receive it!” Why was Chen Yao this confident? Because he had obtained a reliable information. Lu Bu's grain and provisions are truly exhausted, otherwise how can Chen Gong come knocking on their door asking to borrow grain and provisions? Moreover, today is the start of summer, so all the farmers in Lujiang’s vicinity have finished their harvest, so it is impossible for Lu Bu's army to get it from commoners. The only possible place to obtain grain and provisions is Shouchun. But Shouchun has become a dead city. There are thousands of refugees in Shouchun, it is impossible to have adequate grain and provisions. The only place that he can get food is south, toward Jiangdong. However, Jiangdong is now fighting with Jiangxia, how can they possibly share their grain and provisions with Lu Bu's army?
With these news, Chen Yao took a pre-emptive action by raising grain and provisions price in Wancheng city. He was not afraid Lu Bu, only afraid that Lu Bu's army cannot afford his price.
Now Lu Bu puts out these grain and provisions, it should be his army’s final military provisions right? Why come out with this scheme? Is this to tell us that you, Lu Bu, did not lack grain and provisions, so we can drop the price huh? Do you think we are fools that we will fall for your scheme?
“General Lu, according to your discourse, My Chen clan has donated 200-shi of grain and provisions, should not I get compensation of 400-shi of grain and provisions?!” Chen Yao reminding of what Lu Bu just said.
“Of course!!!” Lu Bu also looks at Chen Yao. This person is the current head of Chen clan, before it was not him who is the head. The former head is Chen Duan; the same Chen Duan that died being choked by him.
“Then I say many thanks to General Lu!!!” The corner of Chen Yao's mouth raised. In Lu Bu’s army, grain and provisions is already less than 10,000-shi. If it was divided again to them, Lu Bu’s army will run out food the day after tomorrow. With prices staying at high, Chen Yao is looking forward to what Lu Bu’s army will do in the end.
With Chen Yao getting a head start, the other clan heads naturally followed his gesture “Thank you very much General Lu!!! General Lu is truly righteous!!!” After that, those 4,000-shi of grain and provisions were distributed by Lu Bu.
Chen Yao is smiling, because they are laughing at Lu Bu's end.
Lu Bu is also smiling, he is smiling at these noble clan heads. Looking at their attitude, these people are truly what is wrong with this world.
“Wait, something is amiss!!!” The head of Wu clan, suddenly discovered that something is not right.
“Anything else? Old man Wu, are you not satisfied with General Lu's division?!” Some people said it while smiling. Although 4,000-shi are really a lot, Lu Bu had not divided them all.
But they do not mind at all, because these dozen-shi meant nothing to their eyes.
The head of Wu clan felt very wrong. He felt very wrong not because of those grain and provisions, but because he is looking at that grain and provisions carts.
The style of this cart, these symbols. “Why are those carts so familiar?” thought the head of Wu clan. Then he goes nearer for further inspection.
“This, this!!!” The head of Wu clan's eyes suddenly enlarged to the max suddenly. Finally he knows why these carts so familiar. These carts are his clan's grain and provisions carts.
This is his Clan Wu's carts, how this could appear here?
The Wu head of household was a little hurried, hurried to run up to the grain pile to look. How can this be? The head of Wu clan is nervous quickly sought after the rice.
Although the rice bag is ordinary, but looking closer to see whose rice bags these, because in ancient times, they differentiate with the technique that was used to make these rice bags.
These meters are not his Wu Jia mi lines. After inspecting it, the head of Wu clan can breathe in relief. These are not his Wu clan's rice bags. These rice are not his, save for the cart.
The head of Wu clan wiped his sweat over and over again.
“Old Wu, are you all right?!” Some noble heads inquired.
“I am okay, I am okay!!!” Although the head of Wu clan did not know why his transport cart appeared here, as long as those rice is not of his family, it is still good.
“If you are okay, how can you sweat like this?!” Some noble heads are laughing at him.
“Hahahahaha!!!” The head of Wu clan just laugh bitterly.
At this exact moment, suddenly outside of Administration Office, there is a steward quickly running to the office.
“En?!” The head of Wu clan felt very strange, isn’t that person is Yuan clan's butler? Yuan clan is the newest addition of nobles in this Wancheng city and also his mansion is the closest to this Administration Office. Previously the head of Wu clan interacted a lot with Yuan clan, therefore he is very familiar with this butler.
Why did he come? Did he want to call back his boss? The madam of Yuan clan is a tigress. Everyone knows that the head of Yuan clan is afraid of his wife.
“Hey, Brother Yuan. Does sister ask you to go back?!” Earlier he was teased by Lu Bu and his fellow noble heads, so the head of Wu clan now must tease people.
“But now is General Lu’s banquet, if you are to go back now, it is very disrespecting to General Lu!!!”
The head of Wu clan thinks that his teasing will make the head of Yuan clan embarrassed, but who knows that brother Yuan's complexion is very bad after getting message from his steward and even shoved him aside while saying “GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!!!!”
“Why are you so angry with me? Can't you take a joke?!” The head of Wu clan is also angry. He was told to get out of his sight and also shoved by the head of Yuan clan. Who does that head of Yuan clan think he is? I am also head of Wu clan.
“This is a disaster, a disaster!!!” The head of Yuan clan hurriedly ran toward Chen Yao and co while shouting “disaster”.
“Eh? Watch your etiquette! You are a clan master! Calm down!!!!” Chen Yao's brow wrinkled. He originally do not have a high opinion toward the smaller noble clans, but seeing the head of the Yuan clan running toward them and shouting like he was in marketplace, raised his disgust!!!
“No, it is not...!” The head of Yuan clan wanted to explain that he is in anxious and in a hurry, but he cannot speak those words.
And another two stewards appeared in Administration Office, they are Chen Yao's house stewards who are responsible to manage grain and provisions. “Master, master, there is an emergency matter!!!” After those Chen stewards said that, they gathered beside Chen Yao ears to say the information.
“WHATTT!!!!!” Chen Yao suddenly stood up. On his face complex expression was displayed, there is anger, shock, and disbelief.