Chapter 64: The Sin of Gender 64
Before setting out, Qin Shuangshuang and Fang Zhongyi carefully planned the journey. It would not be a short trip from Qin Family Village to the border city, with three major State Mansions to pass along the way. These people were so starved that they resembled living skeletons, a gust of wind could carry them away. Even though all their belongings were loaded on the ox carts, and they traveled light, they could still only cover a few miles a day. It was estimated that reaching the border city would take no less than three months.
Only after setting out did they realize their food supply was insufficient. Qin Shuangshuang initially thought that with everyone eating two meals a day, the food would last until they reached the border city. However, she discovered that even without burdens, after a day of travel, two meals were inadequate.
Barely two days into the journey, with not much ground covered, two villagers fell ill directly because the minimal food intake was too little. Their already emaciated bodies couldn’t handle the exertion.
Regrettably, the ration of two meals a day had to be increased to three, with portions increased to almost full servings. Fortunately, after laying on the ox cart for three or four days, the two sick individuals gradually recovered without major issues.
Not knowing beforehand, only after starting the journey did they realize the disastrous impact was extensive. Despite the group’s slow pace, covering barely ten miles a day due to weakness, after ten days on the road, the desolation persisted. Often, disaster victims would approach the Qin Family Village’s group with pitiful faces to beg for food!
The food on the cart seemed plentiful, but they didn’t know how long it would take to leave the disaster area. Adding to that, their own group had many mouths to feed, leaving them no choice but to advise these victims to head for the border city, where government aid awaited to stop them from starving to death!
Of course, these disaster victims didn’t heed the advice. Despite their attempts to persuade them with broken mouths, these victims weren’t like the learned people from Qin Family Village, guided by Qin Shuangshuang to understand the situation. Naturally, they wouldn’t listen!
Some disaster victims started cursing maliciously when refused food, their words so venomous that it made one want to slap them dead out of rage! Such repeated incidents wore out the group’s sympathy completely!