Chapter 96: Turbulent Times

◎ Yu Lian couldn't help but think of her damned luck! ◎

Spring turned to fall, and two harvests of wheat had come and gone. The third crop was now golden, hanging heavily on the stalks, awaiting the hands of its owners to reap it.

In these past three years, many things had transpired.

Indeed, Yu Lian felt that most of it was unrelated to her, but she couldn't deny that the shifting tides of society had impacted her life and her various plans.

Business ventures, for instance, and agriculture.

Ever since she became the largest landowner in the town three years ago and personally oversaw the tenants planting crops, the world began to change at breakneck speed, with twists and turns like a roller coaster ride. Not only were people affected, even the heavens seemed to conspire against her.

The first year, after a generous snowfall the previous winter, experienced farmers predicted a bountiful harvest. However, summer brought relentless downpours, flooding many fields and decimating much of the delicate wheat and millet, causing significant losses.

Just as Yu Lian had taken over vast tracts of land, she faced a natural disaster in her first year, resulting in substantial financial setbacks. The villagers sympathetically remarked on her unfortunate luck.

Fortunately, barley proved hardy, and despite the adversity, a considerable yield was still harvested by winter. Through brewing ale with the barley, she earned a considerable amount of silver, which somewhat compensated for the agricultural losses.

The following year, she learned from her mistake and, defying her second uncle and other elders in the village, sowed barley in the moderate-quality fields as well. As a result, most of their fields were now planted with barley, and the anticipation of a golden harvest in autumn was palpable.

But the villagers said, "How can this be acceptable?"

Barley isn't worth much! You already suffered losses in the superior fields last year. Instead of promptly planting more lucrative crops to recuperate, you're choosing to cultivate an inexpensive crop? Are you mad?

According to the conventional wisdom of the seasoned farmers, Yu Lian had been blinded by the hardiness of barley, assuming it would yield a harvest just because it could grow. Unbeknownst to her, while it could indeed be cultivated, its low value made it futile – it was like wasting fertile land.

Alas, disaster struck again the second year – a drought!

The entire summer was scorching, with scarce rainfall. Come autumn, vast stretches of fields yielded almost no harvest; the crops had withered and died long before their time. This year's calamity was even more severe and terrifying than the previous one.

Fortunately, Yu Lian's moderate and inferior fields were planted with barley – a resilient crop that could withstand drought. By the end of the year, she reaped a substantial harvest, at least filling up the granaries...

Villagers: "..."

In the Upper Village, there was a river that flowed right in front of Yu Lian's doorstep. This river had relieved much of the burden for the villagers, barely securing a meager harvest. However, the situation outside the village was dire.

Rumors had it that calamities were rampant across the land. The southern regions were flooded, while the north suffered droughts. There were also locust plagues. It seemed as if the heavens were venting their anger all at once.

Countless people wandered homeless and starved to death. What was even more detestable was that instead of taking action, the authorities exploited the disasters to increase taxes under the pretense of relief efforts, causing widespread fear and resentment among the population.

The barbarians from the borders, such as the Liao and Jin people, took advantage of this chaos, plundering and harassing everywhere they went. They looted precious treasures from the court and even kidnapped several princesses for political marriages.

The divisions within the imperial court intensified. One day, one faction held the upper hand, and the next, another waved its banner with great fanfare, engaging in bitter struggles that seemed to determine life or death.

The child of the Empress was killed by the Concubine, whose son was then crowned the Crown Prince only to be incapacitated by the former. Amidst this turmoil, the daughter of Lord Chen emerged as a formidable force. She gave birth to a son and was thus elevated to the rank of Chen Concubine, becoming a significant power in the palace, sandwiched between the Concubine and the Empress. To strengthen her position, Chen Concubine even formed an alliance with the current prime minister, who wielded considerable influence...

She was known as the Demon Concubine Chen outside the palace walls.

Yu Lian: "..." If not for the overwhelming natural disasters and the constant uncertainty of the times, she would have been content to sit back and watch these intrigues unfold like a drama while munching on sunflower seeds.

These matters of the royal court and the harem were of no concern to common folk. The disasters were beyond their control, but what truly alarmed Yu Lian was the peasant uprising!

Beneath the weight of natural disasters, oppressive taxes imposed by the court, corruption, and lack of food, the people rose up in rebellion!

Rebels rose in every corner of the kingdom, from bandits turning to piracy, to those who took up arms in defiance, fighting merely for a morsel of food by enlisting as soldiers, and those coerced into fleeing to the mountains... The chaos outside was all-encompassing.

From the second year onwards, Yu Lian dared not brew alcohol anymore. The grain was stockpiled in the granaries, its existence kept discreet, guarded day and night. Even though barley was difficult to hull and had an inferior taste, usually fed to livestock during bountiful years, when people were hungry, they would consume even grass and soil. How much more so would they rely on barley, a legitimate source of sustenance?

This barley must be reserved for our own consumption, to sustain the entire Upper Village; it cannot be casually exported elsewhere.

In this year, he ceased trading in canned goods; those that remained stored in the cellar were left untouched, reserved to see them through any lean times that might lie ahead.

Yu Lian initially planned to capitalize on the chaos in the emperor's harem by inventing soap and selling it, hoping to earn some silver. She vaguely recalled a method for making soap from online educational videos. This idea was set aside after her brewing project, and eventually, she abandoned it altogether. Her sole desire now was to maintain the lowest profile possible, yearning for a peaceful existence within this small corner of the world, awaiting the turmoil to subside.

Indeed, a turbulent era.

She sensed that chaos had suddenly descended upon the world.

Amidst the chaos outside, the emperor either found himself ruling over a fragmented realm, with rebels holding sway in various territories, or he must suddenly muster the strength to quell all uprising, lest his dynasty meet its doom!

As for who the victor would be, who would become the next emperor, and what the next dynasty's title would be, those were matters beyond the concerns of a mere commoner like her.

In her previous life, the highest accomplishment she could boast of was being a high-ranking HR executive with a seven-figure annual salary. While her income surpassed that of many, it still fell within the realm of what one would consider normal. Upon transmigrating here, the most unconventional thing she had done was to manipulate everyone into playing their parts in a grand scheme, thus escaping the awkward position of her original body and carving out a space for herself in this new world.

From that day forward, her greatest aspiration was to become a moderately wealthy landowner, living a peaceful life until old age gracefully embraced her.

Countless calculations led me to believe that, after acquiring vast tracts of land and becoming a lord, it would be the moment to flourish in my career. Little did I expect to encounter a tumultuous era...

Yu Lian couldn't help but think of her damned luck!

In her childhood, when her wealthy biological father had just located her in the slums with intentions of bringing her back to inherit his vast fortune worth millions upon millions, fate intervened before he could; he went bankrupt. In her adulthood, having just secured a contract paying an annual salary of one million, she found herself transported to another world. She now inhabits the body of a well-born young lady from the House of Wei Duke, yet the original owner of this body finds herself in an awkward position fraught with dangers and setbacks at every turn as she begins this new chapter of her life...

Another sigh escaped my lips.

At this moment, she was standing amidst the fields. For the third consecutive year, she had decided to take a risk no matter what. Concerned about potential disasters, all the fields were planted with barley, except for a mere dozen acres of prime land, which were reserved for wheat and millet, intended for personal consumption. Even if a calamity struck, the loss of those ten acres would be bearable.

Fortunately, despite the prolonged drought that persisted from the previous year, it posed no significant threat to Yu Lian. Her barley was exceptionally drought-resistant, especially on the prime lands where it yielded an abundant harvest. The people of Upper Village had relied on Yu Lian's barley donations to survive the past two years. In the third year, they too became wary and looked at the life-saving grain with a sense of kinship. Following Yu Lian's lead, they all planted barley.

This year, Upper Village enjoyed a bountiful harvest.

Now, the fields were awash with a golden glow as villagers and tenants rushed to gather the crops. Yu Lian was not short of help.

Amidst the suffering of the displaced populace, many refugees sought refuge. Witnessing their plight, Yu Lian's compassion led her to take in some of them.

She wasn't simply displaying altruism randomly. On one hand, she was wary that in such chaotic times, with so many grains at their disposal but few people to protect them, they would be akin to a child holding onto gold in the streets, vulnerable to theft. With so many refugees arriving, it was only a matter of time before someone resorted to robbery. Therefore, she chose to extend a helping hand proactively, defusing potential crises. By having these refugees indenture themselves to her, they would become her allies. Once the turmoil subsided, if they wished to return home, she would release them from their contracts; if they chose to stay, they could farm her lands or work in her workshops – either way, they would have a means of survival, which was better than waiting for death outside.

On the other hand, she couldn't bear to witness lives being snuffed out due to hunger and thirst right before her eyes, nor could she stand idly by as people resorted to eating their children or dirt.

The gaunt, desperate faces... It was difficult to truly comprehend the gravity of their situation through mere images, texts, or hearsay. Only those who experienced it firsthand could feel the profound impact it had on their souls. Yu Lian's emotional threshold was continually challenged.

Fortunately, the profits from selling wine and canned goods earlier had been substantial. She allocated a portion to establish a new village on the outskirts of Shangyi Village. This would serve as a temporary refuge for the refugees. The houses were simple earthen huts with thatched roofs, all constructed by the refugees themselves. Grateful for the food and sustenance that enabled them to build homes and survive, they revered their benefactor.

Initially, the village had no name, so some called it Refugee Village. Later, as word spread about the kind-hearted person who had taken them in, it came to be known as Kindness Village.

Yu Lian gazed upon the villagers, their thin, sweat-drenched faces beaming with joy as they toiled diligently to harvest the barley. She couldn't help but sigh once more.

In ancient times, especially during times of chaos, she had come to understand the immense hardships ordinary people endured.

Despite living in such dire conditions, with each day uncertain, their hearts swelled with gratitude at even the slightest harvest or hope, as if they wanted to kiss the earth in thanksgiving. It was a sight that tugged at one's heartstrings.

All those assisting her in the fields were kind-hearted villagers from Shàn Village. These refugees, who had fled from all directions, were well aware of the turmoil outside. Since being taken in, they worked tirelessly and behaved honestly, fearing expulsion. Regardless of age or gender, they all shared this sentiment. Any troublemakers were swiftly dealt with; either Zhu Ying would dispatch them with a single thrust of her sword, or the refugees themselves would take matters into their own hands.

No one wished to lose the hard-won peace and sustenance they had found. If they ventured out again, where could they go? How far could they travel? How would they survive?

In Upper Village, situated in a remote area, the situation was already considered an idyllic paradise compared to the outside world. Especially Yu Lian's farmland, which was well-known for miles around as a source of abundant grain!

But why did nobody dare to attempt robbery? Besides the fact that her two men were martial arts experts who had intimidated many by killing, she also had thousands of refugees who had sold themselves to her and were protecting her. How could anyone even attempt to seize anything?

Lost in thought, Yu Lian felt the gentle warmth of the autumn breeze brush against her face, carrying with it the fresh scent of newly harvested wheat.

Occasionally, villagers would pass by, affectionately addressing her as Miss Lian or Little Lian. She responded to each of them with a smile.

In the past couple of years, having endured various calamities together, she and this village had become inseparably intertwined, forming a large family-like bond without any conflicts. United in their struggles, they supported one another through hardships.

The villagers owed their survival to her abundant barley crop, and they were deeply grateful to her. Similarly, she was grateful to them. Before the refugee village existed, when other regions faced poor harvests, only her barley fields thrived. This led to numerous thefts and robberies, prompting many villagers to voluntarily move closer to her home. Even the village chief, who usually kept his distance, sent his sons to take turns guarding her granary. Through these shared battles, deep bonds were forged.

Suddenly, a panicked, childish voice cried out, "Sister-in-law, Sister-in-law, save us! The government is conscripting soldiers again, and they want to take both Second Brother and Third Brother!"

Yu Lian was abruptly startled. The court had lost its mind.

It truly had.