Chapter 86 Encountering Refugees
"Hey, isn't this about to fall into ambush? Anyway, all the ministries of Jiangnan County are going to Beijing to send ice gifts, so they all get mixed together." Liu Wenzheng had already made up his mind.
"Well, you can go back and find Bai Qing to make arrangements. By the way, Wen Zheng, I heard that the emperor is going to give Jiangnan County a gift. Is there such a thing?" Xiao Chen said.
"Yes, the official documents from the Ministry of Household Affairs will come down in a few days... Jiangnan County's good days are coming to an end." Liu Wenzheng sighed.
"Jiangnan County is so rich, adding some money and food is not a big deal, right?" Xiao Chen said.
"My lord doesn't know that after years of fighting, no matter how rich the south of the Yangtze River is, they have been emptied out. In fact, it is time to reduce taxes for them and let them recuperate. Your Majesty's move is... the risk of killing chickens and taking eggs!" Liu Wenzheng hesitated for a while. , still spoke his mind.
It was exactly the same as what Duanmu Nanfeng said.
As an official of the household department, Liu Wenzheng is well aware of the economic situation in all parts of the world, and naturally he also knows the current predicament Jiangnan County is facing.
But others speak lightly, even though they are well aware of the pros and cons, they cannot affect this kind of national affairs.
Liu Wenzheng was leaving, and Chen Jisheng strolled over again.
It's okay to find Xiao Chen, just chatting.
Because Chen Jisheng is a prisoner after all, he has always been simple and rarely shows up.
Under Wen Shanchang's careful treatment, he can basically walk freely now.
It's just that it's uncomfortable to stay in the house every day, so I come to chat with Xiao Chen when I have nothing to do.
Although there are still occasional quarrels, they are becoming less and less.
Of course, he still refused to admit that he would have the same temperament as this little eunuch...just to make fun of him.
"Why don't you go to bed so late, old man? It's because you're too close to your hometown?" Xiao Chen talked to him very casually now.
"You're still sleeping, you've been sleeping all day!" Chen Jisheng was extremely depressed.
"Hehe, you old man has to get used to this way of life. After you go home, isn't sleeping all day long?" Xiao Chen gloated.
"There are still ten acres of Susukida at home. The old woman can't do it anymore, and the son is bedridden all year round and can't do it. It's hard to rely on the daughter-in-law to run the family business. How dare I stay idle after I go back? I have to go down to the fields and work on the plowing." Chen Jisheng said.
"I'm surprised, you are a second-rank official, what kind of life do you live!" Xiao Chen became angry when he mentioned this, "It's okay for you to be honest and upright, but you can't ignore your family! What do you say to me, Gu Tianxia!"
"I didn't say that you have to be a corrupt official. The ice tribute charcoal tribute given every year is not old or young, right? This is something the emperor knows to acquiesce. Everyone accepts it, but you, an old man, don't want it!"
"What kind of charcoal respect and ice respect? After all, it's not all about squeezing the hard-earned money of the people! Even if I, Chen Jisheng, die of poverty and starvation, I will not be an official who drinks the blood of the people!" Chen Jisheng slapped the table and shouted.
"Okay, okay, calm down, I don't want to quarrel with you, you are a good official, and I am a bad person, okay?" Xiao Chen was about to die of worry.
"You're not a bad person, but you shouldn't go with the tide and go with the light." Chen Jisheng said.
"I'm just a eunuch, a servant of the royal family, what if I don't follow the crowd? Could it be that I'm just as stupid as you to stroke the emperor's beard?" Xiao Chen said angrily.
"I'm just wondering, how could someone like you be an eunuch?" Ever since Chen Jisheng got acquainted with Xiao Chen, he had been wondering in his heart. This kid is courageous, knowledgeable, and talented. To say he is a pillar of the country is too exaggerated , but definitely can be regarded as a scholar, how can he be a eunuch?
"I'm happy!" Xiao Chen said.
"I'll treat you as a worthless and unfilial boy!" Chen Jisheng was furious, wandering around the house looking for things, ready to teach Xiao Chen's father a lesson.
"You old man, save yourself!" Xiao Chen hugged him and walked out.
"It's inappropriate for you to let go of me!" Chen Jisheng left his feet off the ground and struggled desperately.
Suddenly there was a soft bang, but when the two were entangled, a twenty-two silver ingot in Xiao Chen's arms fell to the ground.
"What are you doing with so much money on you kid?" Chen Jisheng broke free, bent down to pick it up, and carefully blew off the dust on it.
"Big silver? This is the smallest." Xiao Chen laughed.
"Oh, I'll get it if I'm so mad!" Chen Jisheng directly put the money into his arms, and rushed out the door muttering.
"Hey, hey, that's my money, give it back to me!" Xiao Chen chased after him, but Chen Jisheng lowered his head and quickened his pace, and disappeared in a flash...
The old man!
Xiao Chen couldn't help being happy.
After resting in Jiangnan County for a few days, the group continued on the road.
After leaving Jiangnan County in a few days, the road gradually became difficult and bumpy, and gradually met some ragged people with children and children, all of them looked disheveled and looked miserable.
"Who are these people? Are they going out to do business or visiting relatives and friends?" Xiao Chen looked curiously at the horse.
"This is a refugee. Weizhou County was plagued by locusts last year, and there was no harvest. The young crops only came out in the early spring of this year, and they were washed away by a flood. The people have nothing to eat, so they can only come out to find a living." Liu Wenzheng said.
"Actually, it's just fleeing from disaster. It's still coming out. Those old, weak, sick and disabled who can't walk will probably starve to death." Ye Baiqing said with a frown.
"Master, can you give me a stutter?" Suddenly a white-haired old lady by the side of the road knelt down and kowtowed to Xiao Chen repeatedly.
"Do we have any dry food? Get some for the old man!" Xiao Chen quickly dismounted, and ran over to help her up.
Wei Yuntian hurriedly fetched some dried meat pancakes and sent them over. When other refugees on the road saw them, they all flocked to them. They knelt down on the road, stretched out their skinny hands, and wanted to beg for some food.
"What are you doing? Get out of here!" Qianhu, who was sent by the local guards, was furious when he saw this. He patted his horse and stepped forward, swiping the whip in his hand and beating him indiscriminately.
The refugees couldn't dodge in time, and many of them were hit by his horse, and there was a bloodstain on their backs that had been hit by the whip, and they got up and ran away amidst the crying.
The soldiers under Qianhu also stepped forward, yelling, cursing, punching and kicking.
"Stop it all for me!" Xiao Chen's face turned pale with anger, he rushed over and pulled that Qianhu off the horse, kicking him fiercely.
"Who told you to beat them!" kicked that Qianhu all over the floor, crying for his father and mother, still unable to understand his hatred.
Zhuge Xiaosheng and Ye Baiqing hurriedly hugged him and pulled him away, and ordered the soldiers to retreat quickly, and asked them to distribute all the dry food they carried to the refugees.
But they have places to receive and take care of them along the way, so they don't carry much dry food, which is just a drop in the bucket for hundreds of refugees.
Seeing those refugees who didn't get the dry food all looking at him eagerly, Xiao Chen couldn't bear it, and asked the local officials who followed him why they didn't set up a porridge field for relief?
A few officials stammered and said that there are too many refugees, and our local people still can't get enough to eat, so how can we take them into consideration?
Besides, the imperial court is tightening the grain collection, and all the grain stored in the local area over the years has already been transported away, and the grain depots are basically empty. This year's crops have not yet been harvested, and it is the time when the crops are not harvested...