noffsinger Chapter 605: Disaster Victims Enter the City
Chapter 605: Disaster Victims Enter the City
In the middle of the night, when the gates of Qingzhou were opened, countless people outside the city crowded in. The people were cold and hungry, and for a moment the entire Qingzhou city seemed to have turned into a refugee camp.
At the same time, the officers and soldiers of the yamen also besieged Qingshan Inn with fire in hand.
The innkeeper was so scared that he jumped out of bed and said, "Sir, it's so late, what happened?"
"Refugees from outside the city have crashed into the city, and bandits have mixed in. I have been ordered to capture the bandits. Search."
The shopkeeper was startled, "I... no robbers broke in here!"
"We'll know if there's any truth to this after I investigate." He pushed the shopkeeper away.
At this time, Xie Shang and Jiang Fenghua, fully dressed, walked out of the guest room on their own initiative.
Zhao Yuan was also following the order of Magistrate Fan to arrest people. He only heard him say in a cold voice, "Take them away."
Xie Shang said calmly and without haste: "What crime have we committed that the government wants to take us away?"
"You bold bandits, you disguised yourself as merchants to enter the city and attempted to rob people of their property. Fortunately, our lord is wise and has recognized your identities. Now follow me to avoid physical pain." Zhao Yuan said.
Jiang Fenghua also recognized Zhao Yuan. They had met in the government office during the day. She said, "We donated grain to help the people of Qingzhou with good intentions, but we did something bad with good intentions. Now you are arresting us as bandits. I think you are the real robbers!"
Zhao Yuan said, "Stop talking nonsense and kidnap them."
However, the next moment, secret guards appeared around to protect Xie Shang and Jiang Fenghua. Zhao Yuan was stunned and ordered the archers to step forward, "Anyone who dares to resist will be killed without mercy."
"Whoever dares to take action, I will kill all nine generations of his clan." A sharp male voice sounded.
Zhao Yuan looked carefully and saw General Situ also coming out of the house. He asked, "General Situ, why are you here?"
"Zhao Yuan, you are so brave to murder the imperial envoy sent by the court." Situ Sheng was a general in charge of the army in Qingzhou. He usually lived in the military camp. Normally, these trivial matters in Qingzhou were not his responsibility. He only led the troops and obeyed the emperor's orders at any time. He rushed to Qingzhou city only after receiving the emperor's secret order.
When Zhao Yuan saw General Situ, he didn't dare to move. He knew that the yamen runners were no match for the well-trained soldiers.
He said quickly, "I was only following Lord Fan's orders to arrest the bandits. I didn't know they were imperial envoys. Please forgive me, General. Please forgive me, Lord Imperial Envoy."
Xie Shang asked, "Did Fan De send you to arrest me?"
"It was Lord Fan's steward who ordered me to arrest you. He said that you are not wealthy businessmen at all, but bandits who want to rob Qingzhou City. Now all the disaster victims outside the city have entered the city, and it was Magistrate Fan who ordered the city gates to be opened."
Xie Shang said in a deep voice, "Situ Sheng, have your men guard the city gates tightly, Fan De is trying to escape."
Situ Sheng said respectfully, "Yes." He immediately sent someone to catch the man.
He was also puzzled because Magistrate Fan did not look like an official who would embezzle or accept bribes, and he usually seemed very frugal.
Could it be that he was mistaken? His frugality was all fake.
It was almost impossible for the officers and soldiers to catch Fan De because the situation inside and outside the city gate was too chaotic. It was only then that Situ Sheng sent troops to maintain order and intimidate the people, which made the people stay where they were.
Xie Shang and Jiang Fenghua also went to the street. Looking at the dense crowds of disaster victims crowding into the city, he just wanted to find the culprit hiding in the crowd. He should have realized that the increasingly serious disaster in Qingzhou was caused by the mastermind behind the scenes.
On the one hand, he helped the vassal states and provoked wars between the vassal states and the Southern Kingdom, and on the other hand, the disaster in Qingzhou was severe. The disaster relief money from the court may have already gone into Prince Kang's pocket.
It's really hard to guard against a thief in your own home.
Lin Feng and his men followed Xue Nu and others, but by the time he reacted, they had disappeared.
He asked the secret guard, "How did they slip away from under my nose?"
"There are too many refugees. It's not your fault, sir." said the secret guard.
Lin Feng angrily found Xie Shang and Jiang Fenghua and said, "I lost them."
Xie Shang glanced at the refugees filling the streets and said, "I have no idea either."
For the first time, the master and servant felt a little depressed. Since when had they been targeted?
Jiang Fenghua said, "It's useless to think too much now. Your Highness should think about how to arrange for so many refugees! It's the middle of the night now, and the victims are sleeping on the streets. Once the city gates are opened, there will probably be more and more victims tomorrow morning. Your Highness's food should be arriving soon!"
Xie Shang said, "Well, it's almost here. I'm worried that there will be too many disaster victims and there will be a rush to loot the food when it arrives."
Jiang Fenghua said, "We should take advantage of these few days to evacuate the disaster victims. Your Majesty is now the Imperial Envoy. First, call together the officials from various towns and villages and ask them to take out their stored grain to help the disaster victims. You can also make some porridge for everyone to fill their stomachs! Just distribute it in various counties and towns. When everyone knows there is food, they will naturally go back."
At this time, Situ Sheng came over and bowed respectfully to Xie Shang, "Your Majesty..."
Xie Shang looked at him and said, "The king and the princess are going on a tour incognito, so there is no need to be polite outside. General Situ, just say whatever you want to say!"
"Yes, I have asked my subordinates to arrange for the prince and princess to stay in the inn. I have also sent soldiers to guard the people in the city. There will be no chaos for the time being." Situ Sheng said: "It is still two hours before dawn. The prince and princess should go to rest first!"
"Send the princess to rest. I will discuss with the general how to resettle the people first." Xie Shang added, "The rice merchants in Qingzhou, I want to meet them within an hour."
Situ Sheng said: "Your Highness wants to buy grain from rice merchants. Since the drought in Qingzhou began, merchants have started buying large quantities of grain. The price of rice in Qingzhou has been rising, just to sell high-priced grain in the next few months. If you want to buy grain from them now, I'm afraid the price will be sky-high."
Xie Shang understood that even if the imperial court sent grain, it would not solve the problem of the entire Qingzhou, because there would be no grain from now until the autumn harvest next year, and the people would only be able to survive if there was enough rain next year and the drought was not as severe as this year.
Now the only way is to buy food from merchants or from other countries.
Xie Shang was about to send Jiang Fenghua to rest, but Jiang Fenghua said, "The prince and General Situ have to stay up all night to help the people, and I also want to do my part. Besides, I can't fall asleep if I go to sleep."
Xie Shang was also worried about her going to a strange place to rest alone, "If you feel tired, just rest beside me."
Several people went to the government office immediately, and Situ Sheng brought all the merchants in the city to the Qingzhou government office within half an hour.
The city gates were suddenly opened today and no one reacted. Fortunately, it was late at night and their shops were closed, so there was no situation of victims stealing food.
When entertained by the government, everyone just dared to sit there quietly, and no one was willing to speak the first word.
They have been in business all their lives, so it is impossible for them not to see what General Situ meant, but wanting their food without any silver was no different from being a robber.
The imperial court probably doesn’t want to be robbers!