Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

133. The Initiator of Evil

Translator: Sissy That Walk

“Tell Shizi Madam he can take care of the settling down matter with full authority, he doesn’t need to bother me with minor matters like this. As for combating desertification, I don’t want to hear like nonsense again, enough with this fuss!” Xiao Yugui told the servant off.

… …

Cao Mo got the reply, he was a bit upset about Xiao Yugui’s attitude towards combating desertification, but he didn’t say anything for he was Xiao Yugui’s assistant, he needed to obey Xiao Yugui.

‘How I wish Yi were here with me, Yi will support me.’

With that in mind, Cao Mo wrote a letter to Xiao Yi and he got Xiao Yi’s reply the next day. To Cao Mo’s surprise, Xiao Yi echoed Xiao Yugui’s opinion, he fully support Cao Mo’s thoughts on helping the villagers to settle down, be it cutting taxes or slashing administrative fees, but he was against combating desertification, he even said it was no difference than wasting manpower and money.

Xiao Cheng now entered Cao Mo’s room, he saw how upset Cao Mo was and he reported cautiously, “Shizi Madam, I’ve brought the people you are looking for.”

“Invite them in.” Cao Mo pressed his forehead.

About twenty Lizheng from the surrounding towns walked into Cao Mo’s room, they greeted Cao Mo with great respect. (T/N: Lizheng, village junior officers.)

“Marquis Valour and I are here to help the victims, such a daunting task requires pooling the wisdom and efforts of everyone, allow me to say a thank you in advance.”

“Shizi Madam, we are honored to meet you today, we are ready to be at your service!” the Lizheng from Xiashan Village was somewhat literate, he looked Cao Mo up and down and thought he could take advantage of Cao Mo considering how young Cao Mo was.

“The first batch of victims need our help desperately, please help them to settle down in your villages, your generosity is much appreciated.”

That raised an uproar in the crowd, everyone started to talk in confusion with each other.

The Lizheng from Xiashan Village replied, “Shizi Madam, we are lucky that we are not affected by drought, but taking in the victims would be a stretch for the limited resources we have, plus taking in a large number of new villagers isn’t good for our stability and unity.”

Cao Mo nodded, “I’ve considered that too, don’t worry, we will arrange the victims in a separate area, plus I guarantee you they will only be grateful to your villagers, no way will they make trouble. The villages help to settle the victims will enjoy preferential tax policies, the more victims you take in, the more tax exemption will be granted.”

Hearing that, all the Lizhengs looked pretty satisfied, the victims wouldn’t affect their resource and they could save money on tax, why not?

However, the victims weren’t happy about this arrangement. They didn’t want to restrict their activities to a designed area and live on other people’s favour.

Some victims even changed their mind and insisted they should go to the capital city to appeal for help.

Cao Mo asked with confusion, “The victims were happy about this yesterday, why did they change their mind overnight?”

Xiao Cheng gritted his teeth and replied, “Rumor has it that you are tricking them back to their hometown and let them die.”

Cao Mo was shocked, “Who made this rumor? This is ridiculous!”

“The second batch of victims, they say no way the government will waste time and efforts on victims like them because they all carry some unspeakable disease now.” Xiao Cheng sounded so disheartened.

Cao Mo felt so wronged, he had been racking his brains for these victims, but they just didn’t trust him or appreciate his efforts.

“Shizi Madam, I say we let them be, you’ve done everything you can!”

Cao Mo pressed his forehead again, “No, you go find out who starts this rumor, I want to know what he is up to.”

Xiao Cheng nodded.

“Fire! Fire!”

Some villagers set the depot on fire that night, they plundered the food, regardless of other people’s lives.

Cao Mo carried out the contingency plan and left the dept with his people.

Those villagers who had plundered the compressed biscuits soon had regretted their life choices, because Cao Mo had cut off the water!

Cao Mo knew it was just a matter of time before those rebel villagers came back for water but he didn’t want to ambush them, they were not worthy it.

Xiao Cheng had blended into the rebel villagers, trying to find out who started the rumor. The rebels went back to the depot for water only to find everyone had disappeared.

A man with a beard stamped his foot in anger, “I knew I shouldn’t listen to him!”

Xiao Cheng’s eyes sparkled, “Who are you talking about?”

A short man asked the man with a beard, “Niu, what should we do now? I’m parched!”

“Let’s go to town, there must be water there.” Niu swallowed some saliva, he was parched too.

The short man said cautiously, “But Niu, they will guard the water for sure, I don’t wan to walk right into the trap.”

“That’s better than dying of thirst!” Niu humphed, “Who is willing to look for water with me? The thing is we might never come back.”

No one dared to risk their lives.

Niu sneered and walked to the second depot with that short man.

Xiao Cheng followed them, “Niu, wait for me.”

Niu turned around and saw Xiao Cheng, “You are not from our village, right? I said we might not be able to come back, aren’t you afraid of death?”

“I am, just like everyone else. But I have a hunch, we will be fine.” Xiao Cheng chuckled, “Fortune tellers say I will live to be a hundred.”

Niu laughed, he tapped on Xiao Cheng’s shoulder, “You are a fun one, this is all my fault, I shouldn’t listen to that bastard and now everyone is suffering with me.”

“Which bastard?”

“The Lizheng of Xiashan Village, he says Shizi Madam is tricking us, we won’t get any resources in other people’s villages and we will keep suffering.”