Forced Into the Palace: Becoming the Emperor's Favorite-Chapter 450: Rescuing the People

No matter how icy and snowy it gets, everyone keeps working hard.

Rescuing, treating injuries, cooking, caring for the elderly, women, and children.

Everything is clearly divided.

However, only thirty thousand came to aid this time.

The rest still need to help the villagers of Anzhou to restore their livelihood first.

The recent earthquake affected Ganzhou and Anzhou the most.

But in fact, the whole Northwest felt the tremors.

They just didn’t know the truth.

Yet, this made rumors spread even more easily.

Therefore, Uncle Liu from the Northwest Army in Ganzhou didn’t expect the situation outside to change so quickly.

He always thought this matter was nothing but the result of Cold Mountain.

As long as the issues over there were resolved, everything would be easily solved.

However, he didn’t expect the Emperor, far away thousands of miles, to plan everything so early.

By the time he realized it, the rumors were already flying everywhere.

Such as the Northwest Liu Family being detested by Heaven, leading the Heavenly God to punish the Northwest Army Camp.

With the surrounding people also suffering.

There were also claims that the Northwest Liu Family’s excessive killing led to unsettled vengeful souls beneath, causing this emergence to take the living as retribution.

They didn’t really understand the happenings in Anzhou and Ganzhou.

But the people usually trust these matters of gods and deities most.

So naturally, everyone was terrified.

The rumors spread more and more fiercely.

There was even talk that the Northwest Liu Family was possessed by an evil spirit, leading them to disregard the lives of the people.

In an instant, past achievements became history.

Leaving only endless curses and blame for the Liu Family.

After all, there had never been talk of earthquakes in the Northwest; if this isn’t punishment from the Heavenly God, what is?

The generals in the four provinces neighboring Ganzhou were also quite troubled by these rumors.

They wished to suppress them, but as soon as troops were dispatched, the people started spreading the news excitedly.

They’re not the Northwest Army; they don’t have several hundred thousand soldiers to suppress the rumors.

Each location only has forty to fifty thousand troops, and resisting the people is truly difficult.

Thus, they could only let it go.

Once they let it go, there was no end to the rumors and gossip across the Northwest.

Someone, somehow, leaked the incident of Red Leaf Village.

In an instant, public outrage boiled over.

The image of the Northwest Army disregarding the people once established, would be hard to dispel for a long time.

Just as Uncle Liu was busy trying to clear the "grievances" of the Northwest Army.

Mr. Liu’s rescue forces finally arrived, albeit tardily.

Compared to the exhausted Feng Qi’s group, they looked quite robust.

This time, only three thousand elite soldiers were brought.

Perhaps they thought this small number was enough for the rescue.

But once on site, they found it was just a drop in the bucket.

"What’s going on? Such heavy casualties, yet no one reported it?"

Mr. Liu seemed to put on an act.

Unfortunately, the people below didn’t buy it.

"General, the local people have lost their homes, everyone is busy searching for possibly surviving family members, who has the time to report?"

Having been retorted, Mr. Liu’s face was a bit unsettled.

Upon closer inspection, he spotted several soldier faces.

"Anzhou Army?"

Why are they here?

Could it be they’re deliberately doing this for the people, to make them feel the Anzhou Army cares for them like their own children?

Thinking of this, his expression turned grim.

So he raised his voice and said.

"This general is ordered to rescue the disaster-stricken people of Ganzhou, the people of Ganzhou have the protection of our Northwest Army, Anzhou Army should quickly leave this territory and return to Anzhou."

Upon hearing this, the Anzhou Army that was just enthusiastically engaged in work became quite displeased.

Indeed, they were being faulted while trying to help.

So, the deputy officer in command today came forward to speak up.

His expression carried some anger.

"Mr. Liu, that’s not how it should be said. The earthquake has been over for three or four days, and the Northwest Army only now sent people to aid. Did you ever consider whether those under the rubble for three or four days could still be alive?"

With one sentence, he revealed the truth.

Accusing the Northwest Army of tardiness and ignoring the people’s lives.

The people, each of whom had a clear understanding, were also greatly indignant upon hearing this.

Having held power for so long, Mr. Liu wasn’t accustomed to grounding himself.

So he sneered and replied coldly.

"Such a trifling deputy dares flaunt in front of this general? Who gave you the courage? Liang Qingde?"

Liang Qingde is the chief general of the Anzhou Army, a loyal and righteous person who protected the Northwest for decades.

But in Mr. Liu’s words, he sounded like an insignificant lackey.

Suddenly, the Anzhou Army was displeased too.

They put down the stones and broken wooden beams they were carrying.

They surrounded Mr. Liu.

Looking at these dirty-faced people, they all glared fiercely.

Mr. Liu felt even more disdainful in his heart.

A mere fifty thousand Anzhou Army dares to confront his Northwest Army, surely they’re forgetting their place?

In his eyes, there were only the battle-glorious Northwest Army.

As for the local armies of the other five provinces in the Northwest, they were merely for numbers.

To the outside world, he could boast of a million-strong army in the Northwest.

But in reality, he only felt the Northwest Army could fight.

Very soon, the two sides were at odds.

One side was for rescuing the people, the other for intimidating those below.

Different paths lead to different goals, naturally, they opposed each other fiercely.

Mr. Liu even considered taking action, dealing with a few troublemakers.

But before he could do so, unexpected guests arrived!

The exhausted Feng Qi, and the Anzhou Army leader Liang Qingde who had been resting outside, both appeared.

The two heard the news and rushed over, just in time to witness Mr. Liu’s "flaunting".

In an instant, the rebellious mentality emerged.

Liang Qingde, who was leading, felt immensely proud of his Anzhou Army soldiers these past few days.

But his valued people were being belittled into insignificance by Mr. Liu.

He couldn’t swallow this indignation.

Thus he raised his voice and shouted.

"Oh, isn’t this Mr. Liu? How come you’re not rescuing your own in the Northwest Army, instead you have time to show off here?"

"General Liang! You can be careless with food, but not with words! When did the Northwest Army need rescuing?"

Liang Qingde said as he walked forward.

"Oh? Isn’t it said that the Northwest Liu Family’s excessive killings angered the Heavenly God, causing punishment, and the Northwest Army Camp was heavily damaged in this earthquake? Could this news be false?"

These days he had already made up his mind, originally having significant objections to the Northwest Army for their inaction upon receiving the information.