A Mortal’s Immortal Gourd
Chapter 59: Settling Down Peacefully

Ergouzi guarded his small plot of land every day, content with having food and drink, truly unwilling to leave.  

But the county magistrate's conscription order couldn't be disobeyed.  

He could only make hasty preparations overnight.  

First, he planted a large number of seeds for the geese, mixing in some ginseng seeds among them, watering them thoroughly.  

He also prepared ample grain and placed it near the goose pen for the flock to eat.  

Feeling it still wasn't enough - geese needed water to drink -  

He spent the night using his heavy sword to carve out a large stone trough, filling it with clean water.  

The entire night passed without sleep as he used the heavy sword to smooth the cliffs of Shekou Mountain further.  

At the mountain's treacherous points, he planted iron thorns - unless one could fly, no ordinary person could pass through.  

Of course, the main defensive force guarding Shekou Mountain still relied on the giant white geese.  

He then gave Qiuyue a strict order to station at least 200 people at the mountain's base daily.  

No one was permitted to ascend the mountain.  

Before leaving, he fed each goose two Peiyuan Gutben Pills and took two giant geese with him from the mountain.  

Against flying locusts, the giant geese were more effective, and in critical moments, they could carry him through the air.  

As the sun just rose, he arrived outside the county town.  

The two giant geese accompanying him were too conspicuous to bring into the city conveniently.  

After some thought, he had the two geese hide in the wilderness outside the city before entering alone.  

Outside the city gates, a dark mass of refugees had gathered.  

These were people driven desperate by hunger, capable of anything for a bite to eat.  

With so many refugees gathered, they could turn into riotous bandits at any moment, storming the city.  

Moreover, these refugees had been catching and eating locusts, their eyes bloodshot from consumption, irritable and emotionally unstable, liable to erupt in violence at any moment.  

Fortunately, several large cauldrons had been set up, boiling porridge, with hundreds of refugees queuing to receive their portions.  

As long as there was food to be had, people's hearts could be stabilized.  

Approaching, Ergouzi discovered Sima Yi standing before the cauldrons distributing porridge, sweating profusely from the effort.  

"Ergou, lend me a hand - I need to relieve myself."  

Sima Yi, likely holding it in for a while, tossed the ladle to Ergouzi and hurried off.  

Ergouzi had no choice but to take up the ladle, serving porridge to the queuing refugees.  

What passed for porridge in the cauldron was more like rice water - thin and watery with some bran and a few grains of rice floating in it.  

A bald refugee stood by the cauldron with a broken bowl, craning his neck to stare at the watery rice while swallowing saliva.  

Having experienced hunger himself, Ergouzi understood the man's thoughts. He stirred the ladle deep into the cauldron, scooping from the bottom.  

This scoop contained more rice than water - the most filling portion.  

The bald man hurriedly received it with both hands, voicing profuse thanks.  

Those familiar with hunger knew - the same pot's porridge had more rice at the bottom, more water at the top.  

Whether one got rice or water depended entirely on the server's mood.  

The next refugee was a skeletal child - from whom Ergouzi seemed to see his own past reflection.  

He likewise scooped a thick portion from the bottom.  

The following refugees all appeared wretched, so Ergouzi served several more bowls from the bottom.  

After some time, Sima Yi returned looking relieved. Seeing Ergouzi's distribution method, he hastily reclaimed the ladle.  

"Distributing like this, there won't be enough to go around!"  

"You weren't this stingy before?"  

Ergouzi examined Sima Yi, noticing his hair had grown whiter in their months apart.  

"I'd like to be generous, but there are too many refugees - so many mouths to feed daily. Even the black market has no grain left."  

"Only after much pleading did my uncle help procure some government relief grain."  

"Relief grain?" Ergouzi was curious - he'd never heard of such a thing.  

"Shh!" Sima Yi glanced around before lowering his voice:  

"The court allocated relief grain that arrived long ago."  

"Several county officials are hoarding it, reluctant to release it, selling only tiny portions periodically."  

"Claiming it's for long-term distribution, but really to drive prices higher."  

"This grain cost me 18 taels per dan."  

After brief conversation, Ergouzi took his leave for the city - the magistrate's summons couldn't be delayed.  

Inside the county office was a large hall.  

As martial scholars of some standing, chairs and tea had been prepared for their seating.  

Today, all of Anchang County's young martial scholars gathered here.  

In the crowd were many acquaintances: cousin Zhang Youliang, several instructors from Zhengwu Hall, Deputy Hall Master Sima, and Ding Family Village's Wooden Peak Wang Ying.  

With so many martial scholars gathered, acquaintances and strangers alike introduced themselves, calling friends and chatting - the scene was lively.  

Only Ergouzi sat silently - not out of aloofness, but social awkwardness. Unfamiliar with most, he didn't know what to discuss.  

It seemed only with Sima Yi could he chat and joke freely - with others, he found no common topics.  

After some waiting, the county registrar appeared with a roster to take attendance.  

The registrar's arrival made the martial scholars' conversations grow even livelier.  

Topics smoothly transitioned from brothel beauties to the magistrate and other officials:  

"The magistrate loves the people as his children..."  

"The magistrate works tirelessly for Anchang's disaster victims..."  

"We should exhaust our efforts to share the magistrate's burdens..."  

Ergouzi, never eloquent, found himself further excluded as conversations turned to these loftier topics, sitting awkwardly among the crowd.  

A simple farmer, he couldn't conjure such pleasant formalities even if he racked his brains.  

Bored, he secretly used his Qi Observation Technique on the assembled martial scholars. Of 86 present, only 7 had reached Qi Refining stage -  

Including himself, Deputy Hall Master Sima, and Zhang Youliang.  

Deputy Sima seemed slightly weaker than himself - only about Qi Refining third layer.  

Of the remaining four: one at first layer, two at second layer,  

And one slightly stronger than himself - likely fifth layer.  

Previously, Ergouzi always considered himself weak in cultivation - merely a beginner on the immortal path.  

Yet today's observation showed the other martial scholars were even weaker - most hadn't even touched the threshold of cultivation.  

Zhang Youliang reaching first layer surprised him - having recently checked and found him still an ordinary martial artist without Qi sensitivity.  

To reach first layer so suddenly at just over 20, with no notable background...  

Even squeezing every drop from his uncle's few hundred acres shouldn't provide such cultivation resources.  

For a moment, he doubted his newly-learned Qi Observation's accuracy.  

Noticing the registrar nearby, he inexplicably turned the technique on him.  

The registrar's internal Qi surged like raging waves, emitting formidable pressure - at least eighth or ninth layer Qi Refining.  

Before Ergouzi could observe further, the registrar's powerful Qi repelled his spiritual sense.  

Groaning, Ergouzi felt as if struck by a hammer between the eyes, his consciousness in turmoil.  

The registrar turned and gave him a cold, warning look - the probing had offended him.  

Ergouzi lowered his head, not daring to use the technique recklessly again.  

Perhaps executing subordinates before battle was considered inauspicious, as the registrar let it pass.  

Mounting the county office steps, the registrar began assigning tasks:  

86 martial scholars plus 20 county constables made 106 men total.  

Their mission was simple - divide into 20 teams assigned to refugee camps outside the city to recruit laborers for locust extermination.  

Participants would receive food - each team could collect two dou of grain daily from the county office.  

The seven Qi Refining martial scholars were split among different teams.  

Ergouzi was temporarily appointed a team leader with three martial scholars and one constable under him.  

Though constables might be weaker martially, they knew local areas well.  

Their team was assigned to Daqing Township's locust extermination.  

How many laborers they recruited depended entirely on their own efforts.  

Cousin Zhang Youliang lucked out being assigned to Sanchazi Town's team.  

After receiving assignments, they collected five days' rations - one dan total, packed in two large bags containing mixed grains, wheat, beans and grass seeds.  

Hefting the bags, Ergouzi's lifelong experience with grain told him they'd been shorted by about two dou - the actual amount was closer to eight dou for five days.  

With grain in hand, recruiting became easy.  

Hearing the government would provide food for locust exterminators, able-bodied refugees outside the city eagerly volunteered.  

However, with less than two dou per team daily - supplemented by locust consumption - each could support at most 200 people.  

Teams naturally selected the strongest men first.  

The twenty teams immediately took over 4,000 people, leaving only about a thousand weak and infirm refugees outside the walls -  

Now too feeble to pose any threat.  

The county office had resolved a potential crisis by expending just twenty dan of grain to disperse all refugees.  

Shortly after the locust teams departed, soldiers arrived outside the city, proclaiming to remaining refugees:  

All must immediately return to their original residences - wandering would be treated as banditry, punishable by death!  

The weak remnants dared not resist, obediently dispersing...  

......  

"All by the magistrate's brilliant strategy - effortlessly resolving both locust disaster and refugee crisis!"  

In a county office hall, the assistant magistrate, sheriff, and registrar sang praises.  

"Refugees? Anchang County's people live in peace and prosperity - there have never been any refugees!"  

"All mere rumors."  

The magistrate stroked his beard, declaring proudly.