Xianxia: Hongyue Starts by Telling Albert Off

I asked in surprise, "Professor Albert, weren't our food reserves supposed to last, barely, until next June? Why have they suddenly shrunk so much? Was the grain in the granaries damaged?"

Mr. Albert shook his head. "My lord, the grain wasn't damaged. In fact, before leaving, Viscount Kanawa, Lord Laon, and the others left behind some of their military provisions."

"Then why are we short of food?" I asked in surprise.

Mr. Albert sighed. "My lord, it's my fault. When I led the people back, I also took in refugees who had been displaced by the war along the way. The Franks destroyed many villages and towns on their march to attack Hamburg, so I took in those poor, homeless people."

"Then how many people do we have now?"

"The count so far is sixteen thousand." Mr. Albert looked embarrassed. "I let my feelings get the better of me and took in a group of refugees I came across on the way back. And then..."

I finished for him, "Word spread from one person to ten, then from ten to a hundred, and all the displaced people nearby flocked here, right?"

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.