Chapter 152: Chapter 102: Mastering the Black Crow Flame, The Right to Erode Bones_3
 

And another portion of the grain was supplied for the use of the Luo Family’s army and the common people.

This portion of the grain, although it had been accumulated over some time,

was significantly larger than the reserves from a few days earlier.

But as the family’s influence continued to expand under their command,

and with the increasing numbers of both the army and the people under their control,

the grain reserves in the hands of the Luo Family gradually became insufficient.

“One month’s time…”

“The grain reserves will last at most for a month’s consumption…”

“And for the crops in the fields to be harvested,”

“it will take at least about two more months.”

“Meanwhile, we need to gather a month’s worth of grain reserves…”

Luo Ping felt a headache coming on as he looked at the situation.

Moreover, this was all based on the most optimistic scenarios.

The drying up of the Huai River, the nascent locust plague, and the stability of trade with the Luo Family Clan,

none of these had he considered.

If the water resources were sufficient and the number and scale of locusts were successfully controlled, then all would be well.

But if the Huai River dried up, and the water in the deep wells was exhausted,

and if the water resources could no longer sustain the crops in the fields,

and the number of locusts gradually increased to form a full-blown infestation,

only then would a real disaster erupt.

If that time came, the only way for the Luo Family and the other forces within Huai Shui County to survive,

would be to annihilate the Tang Family.

To seize their massive grain reserves for themselves.

In doing so, the crisis regarding grain would be completely resolved.

…

In the room, after Luo Ping set down the document he was holding regarding the grain reserves,

he casually picked up a new one.

He opened it and began to read it carefully.

However, just as he started,

from the very first glance,

Luo Ping couldn’t help but frown slightly.

The content of the document in his hand was concerning one of the Four Great Families of Jiangnan Prefecture, the Luo Family Clan.

With a feeling of trepidation, Luo Ping silently read the document.

The more he read, the uglier the expression on Luo Ping’s face became.

Until he finished reading the document,

he threw it forcefully onto the table.

From today henceforth, the trade between the Luo Family and the Luo Family Clan would cease completely.

Yes, you read that right.

It means exactly what it says.

The Luo Family Clan unilaterally terminated the trade with the Luo Family.

The wording on the document was euphemistic,

but in essence, what it meant was that two or three prefectures in the north had begun to experience locust plagues.

The number of locusts was extremely large,

so much so that saying the sky was filled with locusts would not be an overstatement.

Furthermore, with the increasingly hot weather in recent days,

the yield of grain was expected to continue to decrease this year.

Therefore, the Luo Family Clan unilaterally and directly cut off trade with the Luo Family.

…

Luo Ping was truly angry.

It seemed that ever since he had been sitting in this main seat every day,

dealing with these governmental affairs without much time for rest,

Luo Ping’s emotions had gradually begun to change.

Sometimes, he even unwittingly became more irritable.

Luo Ping wanted to control his emotions,

but often, when he saw those terrible things, he couldn’t maintain his calm.

He didn’t know if this was due to his own personal problems,

or the result of the environment’s influence.

…

After cutting off trade with one of the Four Great Families of Jiangnan Prefecture, the Luo Family Clan,

the Luo Family’s grain sources were once again severed.

Luo Ping sat in the main seat of the room, ruminating alone for a long time,

yet he could not come up with any satisfactory solutions.

After a while, he silently stood up

and walked towards the courtyard where his family’s ancestors resided.

…

Luo Ping was at a loss.

He really was at a loss.

With the Huai River on the brink of drying up and the locust plague’s fledgling appearance,

as well as the Luo Family Clan from Jiangnan Prefecture unilaterally terminating trade,

they trampled the friendship established with the Luo Family into the ground.

In the north, two or three prefectures even directly suffered large-scale locust plagues.

The sheer number of locusts covered the sky and the earth,

devouring crops until nothing was left.

It is foreseeable that the subsequent grain production in those prefectures will be reduced further and further,

and it’s not impossible that they will face complete crop failure.

Even the prefectures near Luo Mountain Prefecture, even if they haven’t experienced large-scale locust plagues yet, are probably not faring well.

Bearing such bad news alone, Luo Ping truly didn’t know what to do.

Of course, if the Luo Family were willing to give up those towns,

and keep only Qingshi Town, sitting high on his platform,

watching the Chen Family, Tang Family, and King of Huai Shui Feng Wentai struggle against each other,

the Luo Family could disregard locust plagues, droughts, refugees, and bandits.

But now, the biggest problem was…

with seven towns in possession, controlling over a hundred thousand, even more than two hundred thousand troops,

and having millions of people under their banner,

was the Luo Family really willing to give up all they held in their hands so easily?

Not to mention Luo Ping, it’s likely that the majority of the Luo Family would be unwilling.

Many times, power is like a bone-corroding poison,

it’s all right if you don’t touch it.

But once you come into contact with power and grip the mighty reigns of authority in your hands,

your heart will become reluctant to let go of power,

your heart will develop an endless dependency on power.

To ask you to abandon the power you hold?

It would be better, instead, to make one last effort.

If you truly fail, then so be it.

The family’s reserves are enough to provide a worry-free life for the members of the Luo Family Clan.

But what if, in the end, you succeed?