Chapter 384: Can There Be a Perfect Solution in the World?
Next, the ice disaster continued, and the weather grew colder.
The Great Wu Empire managed to withstand the ice disaster as a nation, maintaining control, while other countries gradually crumbled.
The number of affected people kept increasing. Even though the court was doing its best to provide relief, the harsh icy conditions made resource transportation difficult. They could only watch their citizens silently perish. The resulting social unrest couldn’t be quelled either.
But at this time, something was happening in the borderlands.
Hulao Pass, the gateway from the Great Wu Empire to Great Xia, was heavily guarded year-round.
Before the year began, Lin Beifan led hundreds of thousands of troops and defeated an 800,000-strong Great Xia army, capturing Great Xia’s Crown Prince Xia Tianqiong. This marked the beginning of his legendary military career.
However, at this moment, this place was also covered in snow, with white landscapes and howling winds.
Despite the bitter cold, the Great Wu soldiers continued to stand guard, shivering uncontrollably, their bodies covered in snow. Seeing their leaders absent, two nearby soldiers discussed quietly.
“Damn this weather! I’ve been alive for over 20 years, and this year is the coldest!”
“Isn’t it? We’re all wrapped in thick cotton coats, but it’s still freezing. It’s too damn cold! Just endure a little longer, another stick of incense, and we’ll rotate and get some warmth inside!”
“Thank goodness the Supreme Commander prepared for this, bringing plenty of charcoal and blankets. Otherwise, we’d all freeze to death!”
“Supreme Commander is truly wise! Before the disaster struck, he made thorough preparations, building numerous shelters nationwide, centralized heating, giving our mothers and children a place to go! Otherwise, I couldn’t stay here right now!”
“Yes, Supreme Commander is wise! Most of us have made so many preparations, yet it still feels challenging. Other countries must be in even worse situations. Many people might die this year!”
“True, but that’s not our concern. Let’s focus on our own duties!”
“Agreed!”
Just then, they spotted dozens of figures in the distance on the snowy plain.
“Look, are those Great Xia soldiers?”
“It’s hard to see from this far, but it’s highly likely. Who else would come here in such cold weather? Do they have a problem with their heads?”
“Report this immediately and prepare for combat!”
The enemy’s presence was quickly reported, and all the soldiers at Hulao Pass donned their armor and raised their weapons. Groups of soldiers rushed to the pass, bows drawn.
A Great Wu general shouted loudly, “Listen up, anyone approaching Hulao Pass will be considered a provocation, and we won’t hesitate to strike!”
The people who had come closer panicked and raised their hands, shouting, “Don’t shoot! We’re just ordinary civilians!”
“We heard you’ve built many shelters and centralized heating. Let us in, please! We’ve run out of charcoal, and our blankets aren’t enough. The court isn’t helping us, so we came to seek aid!”
“Please, have mercy and give us a way to survive!”
“We really don’t want to die!”
The general’s gaze hardened, “Hold your fire for now!”
At this point, the group of people finally reached Hulao Pass. They appeared emaciated, their skin yellowish, and some had frostbite on their ears. They huddled in their thick cotton clothes, shivering, with a mix of fear and hope in their eyes, looking pitiable.
They indeed seemed like harmless civilians.
They were all soldiers who had sworn to defend their homeland, hot-blooded and brave. They were willing to risk their lives in battle, but they couldn’t bring themselves to harm civilians, even if they were from an enemy nation.
The Great Wu general shouted from above, “In consideration of your ignorance, I won’t blame you this time. Leave quickly!” The refugees from Great Xia became agitated and started pleading.
“We can’t leave; leaving means death!”
“We really can’t survive, so we came here for refuge, hoping for your mercy!”
“Please, open the gate and let us in!”
“I really don’t want to die!”
They looked extremely pitiable.
The leaders of Hulao Pass hesitated. Their own heating resources were extremely limited, and they had to conserve them. If they allowed these people in, what if their resources ran out? Moreover, what if there were spies among them, causing trouble?
It could endanger their own soldiers and civilians! No one wanted to bear that responsibility.
But watching them freezing outside, some couldn’t help but feel sympathy. In the end, it was the Deputy General of Hulao Pass who made a decision. He had a heart of iron and said, “You may leave! We are soldiers of the Great Wu Empire, and you are civilians of Great Xia. We have no obligation to protect you! I advise you to leave quickly; the gates will not open!”
“No, please, have mercy!”
“We will surely die if we go back!”
“Give us a chance to survive!”
The Great Xian civilians fell to their knees.
The surrounding officers looked at each other, and one of them said, “General…”
General Zhao waved his hand and said with a stern expression, “I don’t need to hear more. I am responsible for the 200,000 soldiers of Hulao Pass and the 200,000 civilians living here!”
In the end, these Great Xia refugees left with hoarse throats, unable to move the Deputy General’s unyielding heart. Some collapsed on the road and never got up.
On the second day, another group of refugees arrived, pleading to be let in. But General Zhao still refused, allowing them to shout themselves hoarse, cry, and even hurt their knees.
Many of them froze to death right in front of Hulao Pass. On the third day, the fourth day…
More and more refugees came, seeking warmth inside the city. But General Zhao still didn’t agree.
As a result, the bodies in front of Hulao Pass piled up, turning into frozen statues, each showing expressions of despair.
But without exception, they all looked hopeless. These scenes continuously shook the hearts of the Great Wu soldiers.
“General, what if we let them in?”
“They are unarmed civilians, who have endured so much hardship just to come here, seeking to stay alive!”
“We have plenty of resources; we can spare some for them!”
“General, I can’t bear to watch this every night!”
“You feel pain, don’t I feel pain too? But our duty is clear; we can’t do this!”
“But, General…”
General Zhao waved his hand weakly and said, “Let’s report this matter to the court and let them decide.”
So, an urgent military report quickly made its way to the imperial court.
Meanwhile, similar information from various border fortresses rapidly gathered and reached the hands of Lin Beifan.
Lin Beifan understood their predicament very well, but he couldn’t open the gates due to his responsibilities. However, not opening the gates meant watching them freeze to death outside, which weighed heavily on his conscience.
So, it had to be his decision. “Alas! Can there be a perfect solution in the world?” Lin Beifan sighed.
“Sir Lin, why do you sigh? Have you encountered some difficulties?” The empress-level figure walked in slowly.
Lin Beifan quickly stood up. “Your Majesty, why have you come? It’s bitterly cold outside, and your health isn’t fully recovered. You might catch a chill!”
The empress smiled and said, “I’ve been lying in bed for days, and my body has stiffened up. It’s very uncomfortable, so I came to move around and clear my mind. Don’t worry, my lord, I’m fine!”
“Your Majesty, please take care of your health!” Lin Beifan advised.
The empress slowly approached Lin Beifan’s desk, looked at the mountain of memorials, randomly picked one up, and while glancing through it, she smiled and said, “Sir Lin, have you encountered some difficulties? Tell me about it.”
“I have indeed encountered some problems.” Lin Beifan reported the situation.
The empress nodded in understanding. “It’s indeed a difficult situation, a dilemma between opening and not opening the gates. I’ve faced such dilemmas often during my years in power. Sir Lin, what’s your opinion?”
“My humble opinion is…” Lin Beifan glanced at the empress, “to do what is within our means and help each other. If the border garrisons still have resources to spare, we can open the gates to allow some refugees from other countries to seek shelter. If we don’t have enough resources, we should prioritize the safety of our soldiers and citizens.”
“But what if our well-intentioned actions lead to an ungrateful response, like the farmer and the snake?” the empress asked.
Lin Beifan’s expression grew stern. “Then we fight. We fight fiercely! Once the ice disaster is over, we lead our armies to their capital, and we demand justice.”
“Sir Lin, do what you believe is right, and I fully support you,” the Empress declared.
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding and support,” Lin Beifan replied. They continued their discussion for a while before the Empress returned to her rest.
Lin Beifan then issued his orders to the various border fortresses. Huolao Pass quickly received a reply from the court.
“What does the court say?” General Zhao asked, holding the military orders with excitement.
“This is the Supreme Commander’s command,” General Zhao said. “It says to assess our capabilities, prioritize the safety of our soldiers and citizens, and, if possible, allow some refugees from other countries to enter cautiously without causing chaos.”
“So, the court agrees? That’s great!” The soldiers were excited.
“Let’s not celebrate too soon. I have to ask, how many people can our refuge hold if we squeeze in?” General Zhao asked.
“If we squeeze in, it can accommodate around ten thousand people,” a soldier replied.
“Good, then let’s open the gates. After verifying their identities, let them in,” General Zhao ordered.
And so, the city gates were opened, and refugees from other countries, affected by disaster, were allowed into the refuge in Da Wu. The refugees were overjoyed.
“Thank you, Great Wu, for giving us a lifeline!”
“We promise to follow the rules, we won’t cause any trouble!”
“Thank you! Thank you all!”
Despite the continued cold of the winter, there was now a bit more warmth in the air.
