Junior sister took first place again

As the banquet progressed, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. Zhao Cai had specially invited renowned musicians and dancers from afar, and their performances brought the atmosphere to a climax. The musicians played melodious music, while the dancers danced to the rhythm of the music. Their movements were light and graceful, like clouds drifting across the sky or fish swimming in the water.

Although Li Hanlin felt uncomfortable with such luxurious scenes, he had to admit that these performances were indeed pleasing to the eye.

His mood gradually relaxed with the music and dance, and his guard was lowered unconsciously.

Halfway through the banquet, Zhao Cai suddenly stood up, raised his glass high, and said to Li Hanlin, "Sir Li, you have come a thousand miles to our remote place and worked so hard for the people. We are deeply grateful. Tonight, we have specially prepared a special gift for you to express our respect for you."

Then, the steward led several servants into the banquet hall, carrying a huge wooden box. When the box was opened, it revealed an exquisite silk scroll embroidered with the magnificent mountains and rivers of Zhaoyang Kingdom in vibrant colors and lifelike.

Zhao Cai stepped forward and said with a smile, "Lord Li, we prepared this scroll especially for you. We hope you enjoy it. It represents the boundless respect our people of Border Town have for the Imperial City, and it also symbolizes your great achievements in this disaster relief effort."

Li Hanlin looked at the scroll with mixed feelings. He knew that this gift was not only a token of respect, but also a way for Zhao Cai and the others to win him over and test him.

He took a deep breath and said slowly, "Boss Zhao, I appreciate your kindness, but disaster relief is a matter of life and death for the people. We must go all out and not slack off in the slightest."

Zhao Cai heard the refusal in Li Hanlin's words, and a subtle gloom flashed across his eyes, but he quickly regained his smile. "Master Li is absolutely right. We, the humble people, will fully cooperate and do our part for the great cause of disaster relief."

As the banquet drew to a close, Zhao Cai stepped forward again, holding an exquisite wooden box in his hands. He respectfully handed it to Li Hanlin, "Sir Li, this is a small gift from me. Please accept it."

Li Hanlin opened the wooden box and saw a crystal clear jade pendant inside. It was finely carved and obviously worth a lot of money.

He frowned, wanting to refuse, but Zhao Cai spoke first, "Sir Li, this is just a local specialty from the border town, not worth mentioning. If you don't accept it, wouldn't that mean you look down on us, the people of the border town?"

Li Hanlin hesitated for a moment, but finally accepted the gift. He knew that continuing to refuse would only put his work in a difficult position.

With the end of the banquet, Li Hanlin and officials such as Zhao Cai and Wang Tingxiao began the disaster relief work on the ground.

They went to the disaster area outside the city to distribute food to the people affected by the drought.

Outside the border town, the shadow of drought is like a gray curtain, covering this once fertile land.

The sun scorched the earth mercilessly, cracking the soil into countless dry cracks, as if the skin of the earth was torn apart, revealing deep scars.

The surrounding farmlands, once lush and green, are now only left with withered stalks, hanging limply to the ground, as if telling everyone who passes by about their despair.

Looking around, the fields that should have been golden wheat waves are now a scorched earth.

Dust flew across the cracked earth, and every gust of wind blew up a cloud of yellow sand, making it difficult to open your eyes. The river in the distance had dried up, its riverbed exposed, and cracked into countless crevices, like wrinkles on an old man's face.

The leaves of the trees had long since fallen, leaving only bare branches, stretching weakly towards the sky, as if praying for a little rain.

In such a harsh environment, the affected people gathered at the food distribution site, and their appearance was heartbreaking.

The men's skin was tanned, their faces were covered with traces of dust and sweat, their lips were cracked, and their eyes revealed fatigue and helplessness.

The women hugged their children tightly, their faces full of anxiety and worry. The children's cries were one after another but very weak. Their thin bodies looked even more fragile under the scorching sun, their skin was sunburned and some had even peeled off.

The children's eyes were full of desire for food. Their voices were weak, but every "I'm hungry" hit everyone's heart like a hammer.

The old people sat aside, their faces were full of the vicissitudes of life, and their eyes revealed a deep helplessness and sadness. They had witnessed too much suffering, and now they had to face such a disaster.

In the crowd, some women were holding sick children in their arms. The children were breathing rapidly and their foreheads were hot. They were obviously sick due to lack of food and clean water.

Some men were using crutches, their feet swollen from long hours of walking and working, but they still persisted, hoping to get some food for their families.

When Li Hanlin and the officials arrived, a glimmer of hope flashed in the eyes of the victims, and they rushed forward, hoping to get food as soon as possible.

Their clothes were tattered, and some could only wrap their bodies with cloth strips. They held various containers in their hands, some were worn-out pots and bowls, and some were simple cloth bags. They all hoped to use these containers to get some life-saving food.

Li Hanlin stood on the high platform, his gaze piercing through the dust to the expectant victims. Complex emotions surged in his heart.

As an envoy from the imperial city, he knew that his mission was to bring hope and relief to these suffering people, but at this moment, his heart was troubled by a deep contradiction and guilt.

Because he knew that among these mountains of rice bags, only the surface layer was real grain, and underneath was ruthless sand.

This secret weighed on his chest like a heavy stone, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

He saw the desire and trust in the eyes of the victims. These innocent people had no idea of the cruel truth hidden in the food they were about to receive.

Li Hanlin felt an unprecedented sense of guilt, but he couldn't stop, couldn't turn back. Although his hands seemed to be distributing food, they were actually aiding and abetting the evil.

He sympathized with the victims; their suffering and helplessness deeply touched his heart, but he had been assimilated into this corrupt system, and every compromise he made was a surrender to power and greed.

In front of the crowd, Li Hanlin tried hard to remain calm and dignified.

His voice was firm and his gestures were powerful, but only Li Hanlin himself knew how much conflict and pain was hidden behind it.

His eyes occasionally revealed a hint of melancholy and confusion, although he tried to hide it with a smile and words of encouragement.

Li Hanlin stood atop the platform, his gaze slowly sweeping over the ragged, starving civilians below. He took a deep breath, his voice carrying a hint of heaviness and solemnity on the morning breeze: "Fellow villagers, I am Li Hanlin, the imperial envoy. I have come from afar today to witness the drought wreaking havoc on this land, the devastation of people's lives, and my heart aches. The emperor, with his benevolent grace, has sent me here with food to alleviate your urgent needs."

He paused, his eyes revealing a hint of determination and compassion. "I know you are starving and cold, your homes destitute, but the Emperor's grace is immense, and he will not abandon you in times of distress. Today, I will personally hand you a bag of grain, hoping it will alleviate your suffering. I also hope that the weather will be favorable, with rain soon, so that the bountiful harvests of the past can return."

When the people heard this, they knelt down, tears of gratitude flowed from their eyes, and chanted words to pray for the emperor's grace and express their gratitude for his kindness.

Li Hanlin raised his hand, motioning for everyone to stand, and continued, "We are all subjects of the Emperor's service. We should work together to overcome this difficult time. Although I am an envoy from the Imperial City, I am still but a mortal. I wish to stand with you, my fellow countrymen, and overcome this difficult time together. Today's grain is a gift from the Imperial City. I hope you will cherish it and use it wisely."

His voice gradually deepened, and he almost murmured in the end: "May the heavens bless my people, may the earth nourish my people, may the grace of my emperor forever bathe my border town."

After saying that, Li Hanlin personally picked up a bag of grain, slowly walked down the platform, and handed it to an old man.

The old man's hands were shaking, tears were in his eyes, and he bowed deeply. Li Hanlin patted his back gently to comfort him.

Afterwards, he returned to the platform and continued to supervise the distribution of food, but he felt mixed emotions, because he knew very well that the secret hidden behind these foods was like a sharp knife hanging over everyone's head.

Zhao Cai and Wang Tingxiao stood aside with satisfied smiles on their faces, as if they were also proud to be able to help these victims.

However, there was a hint of cunning in their eyes, and Li Hanlin saw all of this, but he did not say much, and just continued to distribute food silently.

On one side of the platform, several large pots were placed on the stone stove. The firewood was burning brightly, and the rice porridge in the pot was rolling in the boiling water, emitting an enticing aroma.

This was a porridge-giving activity specially arranged by Zhao Cai and Wang Tingxiao to show their loyalty to the court and their concern for the people.

The people lined up in an orderly manner to receive the hot porridge. Each bowl of porridge was personally served by Zhao Cai and Wang Tingxiao's servants and then handed to the victims.

The common people took the bowls of porridge with both hands, tears in their eyes and long-lost smiles on their faces. They knew that this bowl of porridge was not just food, but also the court's care for them and hope for their lives.

The people expressed their gratitude: "Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor!" Someone in the crowd began to shout, and soon the shouts gathered into a torrent, resounding throughout the porridge distribution site.

The people knelt down and kowtowed towards the imperial city to express their gratitude to the court.

"Thank you for the emperor's great grace, and thank you for Lord Li's kindness!" An old man, holding a bowl of porridge, tears streaming down his face, his voice trembling with gratitude. "In this time of disaster, it is the court that has not forgotten us, and it is Lord Li who has brought us hope."

"Yes, yes, the imperial court is our adopted parent!" A woman nearby also said excitedly, the child in her arms greedily sucking the porridge with a satisfied expression on her face.

In a corner of the soup distribution center, several elderly men spontaneously beat gongs and drums and sang folk songs praising the imperial court. Their voices, though hoarse, were filled with power and emotion, each word revealing their boundless admiration and gratitude for the court. "The emperor's grace is immense, benefiting all people. Though the drought is raging, the emperor's grace is even greater." "Lord Li is kind-hearted, saving the people from disaster. The people of the border town will forever remember his kindness."

These songs were sung among the crowd, and more and more people joined in the singing. They expressed their gratitude to the court and Li Hanlin in the simplest language.

The atmosphere on the scene was pushed to a climax, and everyone's face was filled with hope for the future and trust in the court. Li Hanlin stood on the high platform, watching all this, with mixed feelings in his heart.

He knew that the people's gratitude was sincere, but they did not know the cruel truth hidden in the food they were grateful for.

He felt a deep sense of powerlessness and sadness because he knew he had become part of this lie.

A few days later, Li Hanlin set off back to Beijing to report with a full harvest.

But when the people opened the grain bags and took out the grain one after another, they were shocked to find that the bottom of the grain bags was full of sand.

Their faces showed expressions of disbelief, followed by anger and despair. "What's going on? Where is our food?" an old farmer shouted angrily, his voice filled with despair.

"How could the court do this to us? What should we do?" a woman cried, her child crying with hunger.

At the same time, Li Hanlin's memorial on disaster relief had reached the emperor.

In the memorial, he described the complete success of the disaster relief work, the people's gratitude to the court, and their praise for the emperor's grace.

With the return of Li Hanlin, all the ministers gathered in the magnificent hall of the court, waiting for Li Hanlin's report.

He entered the hall and saw the emperor sitting high on the dragon throne, looking majestic and solemn. Li Hanlin knelt and bowed, then stood up and began to report on his work.

"Your Majesty, I have been ordered to go to the border town to provide disaster relief. Fortunately, I have fulfilled the mission." Li Hanlin's voice echoed in the hall.

An old official with white hair and beard, dressed in a purple robe, stepped out of the ranks and bowed to the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, Li Hanlin's visit not only alleviated the urgent needs of the people in the border towns, but also demonstrated the grace of the court. His contribution is truly invaluable."

Another minister immediately said, "Your Majesty, when Li Hanlin was in the border town, the people praised him endlessly, calling him a 'living Bodhisattva'. This popular support is enough to show Li Hanlin's achievements."

The emperor nodded slightly, his gaze resting on Li Hanlin. He spoke slowly, "Lord Li, I heard that you have made great contributions to disaster relief in the border towns, and that the people are living and working in peace and contentment. I am deeply relieved. You have lived up to my expectations and are truly a pillar of the court."

Li Hanlin felt a mixture of emotions. He lowered his head and replied respectfully, "I dare not take any credit for this. This is due to the great blessings of Your Majesty and the grace of the court. I have only done my humble part."

The emperor waved his hand and continued, "Lord Li, there's no need to be so modest. I have decided to reward you with a thousand taels of silver and ten pieces of brocade. I hope you will continue to work hard and serve the court."

"Your humble servant accepts the order and expresses his gratitude. Long live the emperor."