The Elder Ge and his grandson visited several places, but whenever they inquired about any villages near the city, people hesitated and seemed fearful, eventually saying nothing.
Elder Ge's heart sank repeatedly. He hoped nothing was amiss in Jiangnan and had prayed at a temple before departing, wishing for a smooth journey without incidents.
But now, the answer was practically before his eyes.
There were no beggars in the city, creating an outward appearance of prosperity. The city's residents were unwilling to mention surrounding villages, hiding a secret of floods that had occurred, submerging villages. Beggars were likely the remaining refugees from these villages, all secretly dealt with.
The beggar witnessed earlier had not been dealt with simply because he wasn't a refugee.
