The Empress’ Livestream
chapter-395

Chapter 395: Moving the Capital to Chenzhou (II)

Moving the capital was a foregone conclusion. It had been six days since the earthquake.

The plague did not spread in Shangjing because Jiang Pengji was quick to act. Everyone was treated in time.

However, according to the cook who transported the grains and the search and rescue troops in Fengyi County, plague symptoms had started to appear in other areas.

Jiang Pengji’s limbs were coated with medicine. The last day of the rescue would be left to the troops and the 1,000 imperial guards. She just had to invigorate her body.

Host V: “I feel like a loser.”

Jiang Pengji’s most important tasks now were to invigorate her body and let the wounds on her limbs heal as soon as possible.

Over the past few days, ever since the earthquake struck, Jiang Pengji had almost no time to rest. She led the team that was rescuing people buried in the ruins. After all, no one could accurately find traces of life as she could.

Therefore, her wounds looked horrible. As the rescue effort was coming to an end, Feng Jin strongly urged her to nurture her wounds in the camp.

In fact, her body’s ability to recover was several times greater than that of ordinary people. If she was not afraid that she might scare the doctor and that the doctor might think she was a monster, she would have been completely healed already.

Allowing the time for her wounds to heal was boring, so Jiang Pengji chatted with the audience members.

Perhaps the dark clouds of the earthquake had temporarily faded. The audience in the streaming room had become a lot livelier.

Dahongzao: “If you’re a loser, then what about the pitiful Xu Ke, Feng Jin, and the handsome Qiguan Rang? What are they? Ultimate losers who are whipped and enslaved by a loser? …I haven’t seen the handsome Qiguan Rang in a while.”

Host V: “Wen Zheng is a married man.”

Zuiai Fengjin Baobao: “I haven’t seen Feng Jin in a long time, either. He’s mature and charming. I’m starry-eyed.”

Host V: “Huaiyu is married as well.”

Da Zhanggongzhu: “All of you get lost! In terms of handsomeness, I think Xu Ke is the most charming. Streamer, do you still remember the young, handsome man in our streaming room that looked very similar to Xu Ke? Let me tell you. Xu Ke has a lot of fanboys and fangirls now. The young, handsome man hasn’t been doing well for the last two years and relies on Xu Ke’s popularity. He recently acted in a historical drama where he imitated Xu Ke.”

Holding a bowl in her hands, Jiang Pengji blew on the medicinal soup to cool it down. She gulped down the bitter medicinal soup in the bowl and adjusted her body into a more comfortable position.

Host V: “Xiaoyu is also married.”

Huanyang Mianshou: “So what if they’re married? You all are really childish and shallow. Feng Jin, Xu Ke, and Qiguan Rang are all scholars. They can’t carry heavy things on their shoulders and lift heavy items with their hands… If they don’t have an IQ that they take pride in, they’ll just be useless… They’re like sliced, cold chickens. I’d say that Meng Hun is better. I’m envious of his muscles. A married couple’s life can only be harmonious if the man has a functional penis.”

Jiang Pengji glanced at the bullet screen. It was as if she heard the sound of a train passing by. Choo choo!

Host V: “His wife is dead.”

The viewers in the streaming room were speechless. Can we still have a pleasant chat?

Laosiji Lianmeng: “The streamer’s friends are all married. Why are you still single?”

Jiang Pengji was not someone who would readily admit defeat.

Host V: “Sigh. I’m keeping you all company.”

Although Jiang Pengji was recovering, she did not lack things to do. After flirting with the audience, she was in a better mood. She raised her hand and grabbed a piece of drawing paper that was on the taboret.

It was not the Great Universal Geographical Map of Dongqing, but the topographic map of several counties in the vicinity. It was drawn very simply and was barely understandable.

At that moment, Feng Jin entered the tent.

“Huaiyu, how many injured are there outside?” Jiang Pengji ate some candied fruits to get rid of the bitterness in her mouth.

“A specific number has been derived. There are 19,812 people. The number of the dead cannot be counted. It’s roughly estimated to be 85,000.” Feng Jin could not help but sigh when he reported the number.

Shangjing was once prosperous, with a population of 120,000. An earthquake had killed 70 percent of the population.

Jiang Pengji calculated and felt that the number seemed accurate. Even if they had conducted an inch-by-inch search twice, there was no guarantee that no one would be missing. Jiang Pengji had set up a gruel stall and rescue camp in Shangjing, but there was no guarantee that the survivors did not flee to other places… The number was in line with her prediction.

“I’m planning to take office in Xiangyang District in two days,” Jiang Pengji said.

“So soon?” Feng Jin was stunned. He continued, “How will the people out there get settled?”

Jiang Pengji smiled and replied, “If the people are willing to follow us, they can come with us. If they feel that it’s difficult to leave their homeland, we can leave some food behind. We have done everything called for by humanity and by our civic duty. We have to leave as soon as possible, otherwise an undue delay may bring trouble. The court has kept silent about the earthquake and has insisted on moving the capital. How can the people who have been abandoned tolerate this? I fear that the people will start an uprising. There are countless rioters out there…”

Jiang Pengji wanted to take office before the situation got too serious; she wanted to plan out her next move somewhere safe.

Feng Jin suddenly revealed a bitter facial expression and replied, “It’s not a fear… It has already happened.”

Jiang Pengji raised her eyebrows and asked, “Is there really a mob?”

Dongqing was a weird country. Natural and man-made disasters had been happening continuously over the past few years, but the people had surprisingly great endurance.

If they had Jiang Pengji’s temper, they would have started an uprising when the court wreaked havoc long ago. Why did they wait until then?

“There are two groups. One claims to be the Tsing Yi Army, and the other claims to be the Red Lotus Group. These two groups have risen in their rebellion over the last two days. They flaunt the banner of the mercilessness of God and the extermination of tyranny… They also claim they want to create great harmony, and that they plead in the name of the people. It’s gigantic and vigorous. The troops had previously sent 1,000 dan of food to Fengyi County, and it was almost snatched by the Tsing Yi Army. We’ve also lost a few troops…”

Jiang Pengji had a grave look on her face when Feng Jin finished speaking. The vague sound of something shattering was heard.

He lowered his head and saw that Jiang Pengji had broken the handle of the support into bits.

“They almost snatched the troops’ food?” Jiang Pengji scoffed with an intense, murderous gaze in her eyes. “Since they’re flaunting such a noble banner, do they know that the food sent to Fengyi County is used to relieve the victims? Do they want to rob them of that?”

Looking at the broken bits on the ground, Feng Jin could not imagine how much strength Jiang Pengji had used. However, that also meant that her wounds had healed, right?

Feng Jin scoffed. “What’s the use of flaunting the banner of righteousness? They’re just a lawless mob without any discipline. In the end, it’s just a lot of cry and a little wool. They can’t form a huge riot…”

The words seemed to be fine, but the audience in the streaming room had different opinions.

Laosiji Lianmeng: “Tsk, tsk. I think Feng Jin has set up a huge flag. Think about the Yellow Turban Army in the late Han Dynasty. Who paid attention to them at first? In the end, didn’t they create a large-scale riot that shocked the court and the commonalty?”

Maixi Zhaozilong: “Feng Jin is born of an aristocratic family and has a rigid impression of the ordinary peasants. He’s right to judge things in such a way. That’s how a lot of people in the current era think. Tsk, tsk. They don’t understand the peasants’ anger.”

Jiang Pengji smiled and said nothing in response to Feng Jin. She took the side of the audience in the streaming room.

“The Tsing Yi Army, the Red Lotus Group… Tsk. The heavens have helped me.” A light flashed across Jiang Pengji’s eyes. She asked, “Huaiyu, don’t you think that the position of the magistrate of Xiangyang District is not in line with my status?”

Feng Jin’s heart jolted, and he somewhat had a bad premonition.