The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 972: Chapter 949: Honor Amidst Chaos 17

Anning hurriedly closed the windows, then rushed out to close the windows in the children’s room, and loudly called Hui Family and Xiao Ling to quickly close the windows and doors, making sure to latch them tightly.

She then brought the clothes that were drying outside all into the house in a hurry.

By this time, Xiao Yuan had already put on his clothes, and as soon as Anning entered the room, he quickly bolted the door shut.

Anning leaned against the door, holding the clothes in her arms, her heart pounding quickly.

At that moment, one could hear cries of surprise, screams, and the sound of locusts hitting the doors and windows from outside.

With the doors and windows tightly shut, Anning couldn’t see what it was like outside. Xiao Yuan reached out to take the clothes, threw them onto the bed, and embraced Anning: ”It’s okay, we are all prepared, nothing will happen.”

Anning took a deep breath, wrapped her arms around Xiao Yuan’s waist, and pressed her face against his chest. The two of them just quietly embraced like this, with the chaotic noises outside and the sound of locusts flying, chewing, and hitting the walls in their ears.

The dense noise made one’s scalp tingle, even without going outside to see, one could imagine what it was like out there.

Surely there were people who didn’t have time to hide indoors and got bitten, the flowers and plants in the courtyard must have been eaten clean, and the crops in the fields and the trees by the roadside were probably almost all eaten by the locusts.

In another room, Xiao Jin was holding the Hui Family.

The Hui Family had never seen anything like this, she was pale with fear, and kept sobbing softly.

Xiao Jin was also afraid, but he was a man, he couldn’t show fear in front of the Hui Family: ”Don’t be afraid, I’m here, as long as I’m here, I will surely protect you.”

The Hui Family looked at Xiao Jin with tears in her eyes: ”My lord, I’m still a bit scared now, I... I feel a lingering fear, what if we hadn’t been with Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law, what would it be like now?”

Xiao Jin was taken aback for a moment.

Then, he thought of the old master and those people.

What would they do?

”It’s okay, aren’t we with Third Brother?”

Xiao Jin didn’t dare to think about how the old master and the others were doing, he could only softly reassure the Hui Family: ”Third Sister-in-law anticipated everything, and we made full preparations, nothing will happen to us.”

”I trust you.”

The Hui Family was still worried but didn’t show it anymore.

She was quite content with the situation as it was.

Locusts were flying everywhere, the town was in chaos, and there were cries and shouts all around.

Everyone stayed inside their houses, afraid to come out, and the children were quite scared too.

Xiao Fu was holding Xiao Yin with one hand, and Xiao Ke’er with the other, while Xiao Ying took care of a few younger brothers. Seven children were in one room, not daring to make a sound, eyes wide open in fear, listening to the chaotic noises outside.

”Sister, I’m scared.”

Tears filled Xiao Ke’er’s big eyes, she didn’t dare to cry out loud, just said softly with a milky, tender voice.

Xiao Yin held Xiao Ke’er’s hand: ”Don’t be afraid, we are all here.”

Xiao Yin was also scared inside.

Even though she was an orphan raised in an orphanage, the orphanage was well run, and many kind people often came to help. The children of the orphanage never worried about food and clothing.

The world she lived in was stable and prosperous. She had only known peace and stability. She had never seen a disaster like this. Now, Xiao Yin felt uncertain. She didn’t know if her family could survive to reach Southern Yi, and even if they did, what would they do there? She heard it was a particularly poor place where people had a hard time living.

Xiao Ying listened carefully to the sounds outside, not sure how long passed, but it seemed like the locusts had gone.

He went to the window, wanting to take a closer look, but Xiao Rong grabbed him: ”Brother, don’t open the window.”

Xiao Ying shook his head: ”I’m not opening the window, I just want to listen carefully.”

Xiao Zhong squatted by the door, looking out through the crack.

The crack was very narrow, so locusts couldn’t get in, but through this thin gap, one could vaguely see the situation outside.

He took a glance and exclaimed: ”All the flowers and plants outside are gone.”

”What about the locusts?” Xiao Yun asked him.

”Seems like they are gone too.”

”Let me see.” Xiao Yun also squatted down to look outside.

He hadn’t seen much yet when he heard Anning’s voice from outside: ”Open the door, it’s okay now.”

Xiao Yun hurriedly opened the door and rushed into Anning’s arms: ”Mother.”

Anning let the children out, and once they stepped outside, they saw that all the flowers and plants originally planted in the courtyard were gone, and even the big tree was bare, its leaves completely eaten by the locusts.

”Where did the locusts fly to?”

Xiao Ying asked.

Anning pointed to the north: ”They flew north, this time the affected areas must be especially large, the price of grain will definitely soar in the future.”

Now that the old grain is almost all eaten, everyone was waiting for the new grain to come in to make up for it, but before the new grain even came down, it was eaten by the locusts. What will we do for the next year?

”Doesn’t the government have a granary?”

Xiao Ying said softly.

Anning took the seven children to her room, talking as they walked: ”Who knows, it’s possible that the grain in the granary could have been embezzled.”

The children froze when they heard this as they entered the room.

Xiao Yuan gestured for them to sit down: ”That’s quite possible. We can’t rely on the granary now.”

”Why is that?”

Xiao Zhong, who was only a year younger than Xiao Ying, was now a half grown child too and understood a lot of things. With a question in his mind, he asked directly.

Xiao Yin also fixed her eyes on Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan smiled bitterly: ”Even though the common people work hard all year round to farm, the grain harvested isn’t enough to feed a family for a year. Every year, when the old grain is consumed and the new hasn’t come in yet, they have to borrow money to buy grain. At such times, grain prices go up a bit. When the new grain comes in, it’s plentiful and prices drop. In many places, the government uses granary grain to make a profit by selling it when people are desperate, and then replenishing it with new grain once it’s in. This way, they can make a bit in the margins.”

The children instantly understood.

”The new grain is about to come in, so many granaries are already empty.”

Xiao Yuan sighed: ”Yes.”

The children’s expressions started to turn serious.

Even Xiao Ke’er understood what was going on, and started to worry: ”Will we starve?”

”Not only will we starve.”

Anning squatted down to meet Xiao Ke’er’s gaze, quietly telling the children: ”Droughts, locusts, these will leave us with nothing to eat or drink. We will encounter many refugees who will want to rob us of our grain, and there will be those who die from famine. As more people die, in such weather, epidemics might strike. From today on, we must be careful and keep our spirits up to deal with it.”

The children all nodded solemnly: ”We will eat less and be careful.”

Anning continued: ”On our journey, we’ll meet many pitiable people, but I have to tell you, no matter how poor they seem, begging you for charity, no one is allowed to give away grain or water, and I will give you something to protect yourselves. You must carry it with you.”

As Anning spoke, Xiao Yuan brought over a box.

Anning took it, opened the box, revealing seven daggers gleaming with a cold light.

Anning handed them out one by one: ”Take them, and if you encounter someone who doesn’t know better, use this to fight for your lives.”