Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 955: Another Headache

Chapter 955: Chapter 955: Another Headache

In short, his territory’s affluent people hoarded food immediately upon learning about the truth.

They feared that they might be locked down next, so they immediately made huge purchases to ensure they had ample food.

This was exactly one of the reasons why they did not announce it publicly immediately until the pests were at least cleared, and there was assurance that the disease would be controlled soon.

And yet people still panicked. Their fears might be even worse than the pests and the plant disease actually reaching them.

It had just been two days since the announcement was made, yet it already led to this.

Their fears caused a food shortage faster than the pests or the plant disease.

It was hard to control people’s reactions even if they tried.

Arabella glanced at the other territories bordering the Naia River and had bridges leading to Edra.

They reported the same happening to their territory, plus other problems.

"Due to the possibility of a lockdown, merchants in my territory stopped all exports to meet the demands but increased the prices more than twice the usual," one reported.

"On my territory, since local supply ran out, those who could afford it had bulk orders from nearby territories, and merchants from these territories increased the prices exorbitantly, knowing everyone wanted to store supplies at all costs," another reported.

"In my territory, merchants complained that all the goods they exported were returned because we are near Edra. It led to huge losses," one complained.

"This happened to my territory as well."

"Farmers in my territory harvested all their crops earlier than supposed to be, in fear of the pest infestation and plant disease reaching our territory. This led to oversupply and an extreme drop in prices."

"People in my territory refuse to buy or use anything from the locked-down territories or those near it in fear of the pest infestation and plant disease possibly distributed through them."

"Merchants in my territory refused to lower prices to the usual rate because people purchased anyway."

"Farmers in my territory kept giving false reports about pests and plant disease on their farms, saying it might be from the lockdowns. Cross-checking it always said otherwise."

Arabella had a terrible headache just from listening to all their reports.

Announcing the pest infestation and plant disease was intentionally delayed to prevent all these, and yet, it still happened so quickly after the announcement was made.

All the pests were already eradicated except those securely kept for use in the experiments, and yet, people still feared them.

’Maybe, we shouldn’t have announced it and just resolved it silently...’

But if they didn’t, a lot of territories would complain that they ignored safety issues and the like once they learned about it from the locals and merchants staying in the afflicted territories.

Should they have chosen to receive the anger and hate of the people to prevent this chaos?

But wouldn’t doing so make the people doubt their sincerity as leaders of the Empire?

Arabella sighed deeply as she pondered it.

The issues the ruling households reported presented another concern: that even if the lockdown was over and the pest infestation and plant disease were both controlled, life would not return as it usually was for the lockdown territories and those near it.

Due to the people’s fears, they and their products would likely be discriminated against or even shunned, just as it had begun to happen in several territories now.

This meant locked-down territories and those nearby needed to be self-reliant for a while until the issues died down.

But how long would it take?

Will the territories be able to handle it?

’We must resolve this issue as well,’ Arabella noted to inform everyone about this.

Arabella pondered how exactly the territories would be able to survive without trading with other territories.

This would be a huge loss to merchants and locals alike who were hoping everything would become better once the lockdown was over.

Merchants were especially thinking that they might be able to get back their losses once the trade routes reopened.

However, just looking at the people’s behavior now, trade would not return to normal even after the lockdown due to the people’s fears.

’Trading with each other might help...’

Those who were discriminated against could trade with each other only in the meantime.

At least, this way, they could sell resources to each other that were not present in their territory.

"Please reiterate to everyone that the pests carrying the plant disease have already been exterminated.

Further, the researchers said that severe pest infestation is not likely to happen to your territories if you take proper care of your crops and immediately report any sign of pest activity behaving differently than usual.

For instance, sudden increased sightings and damage, or an abnormal increase in numbers.

As for the plant disease, copies of the list of signs will be sent to all of you.

Have it posted widely in your territories so they know if a plant disease was indeed related to the one from the locked-down territories.

Also, the researchers found that the plant disease can only be transmitted by other infected plants and the pest carriers.

Since all pest carriers were exterminated, it’s unlikely to reach other territories through the pests.

For the plant transmission, it’s no longer possible due to the lockdowns.

There are protective barriers all around the locked-down territories that prevent entry and exit, so until the plant disease is fully controlled, it will not be released.

For the exorbitant prices, we will issue an edict for a ceiling price.

And please warn your people against unnecessarily banning exports from territories that were not locked down.

For those with oversupply, please trade with the territories in need. As you heard from the others, they are in need of more supplies.

For those with food shortages, try importing from those with oversupply and other territories willing to trade.

If it’s not possible, supply from Riva may be released."

Arabella explained to the rulers possible solutions that could help the people calm down and solve the problem with the merchants.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Our deepest gratitude for your immediate response," the rulers said in unison.

Arabella was glad she could decide on things like these on her own, without having useless long meetings.

Once the Court Session was over, she prepared to head to Sibruh again.