Chapter 54: Let’s not rest either!

"The lord has done this for us. He hasn't slept for days and nights. He's been distributing food door to door, collecting food, and leading people on inspections. He's a good official, and he must not let anything happen to him!"

He kowtowed as he spoke, thinking of the prefect Chu Deyun of Changping City, and compared him with the little magistrate who cared about the people today, it was really a pity.

"He will wake up soon, don't worry too much."

The red-faced man felt relieved and stood up tremblingly. Ruan Mian then realized that his legs seemed to have some difficulty.

As if sensing her gaze, the messenger said, "My...my legs have been like this since I was a child, but the magistrate didn't despise me at all and even gave me a job! I'm very grateful to him! Now our county has run out of food, and we're just waiting for the relief grain to come and save our lives."

Ruan Mian asked him to go in and accompany the magistrate, but when she returned to the team, she heard people from the Qi Mansion and the Bo Mansion talking to the officials.

"We have to leave quickly! If these villagers see we have food, they'll steal it all!"

"That's right, they're almost out of food. If we don't leave, we'll be in the same predicament as them."

A middle-aged man in the Bo Mansion was particularly loud. When he heard the officer say they wanted to question Ruan Mian, he flew into a rage: "You are the official! What about Ruan Mian? He is just an exile like us!"

"She can't drag all of us down if she wants to meddle in other people's business. Sir, let's go! We don't want to rest either!"

If I remember correctly, this man was put into the team together with Li Ming. He was from the second branch of the Bo Mansion, and was Li Ming's uncle, Li Mao.

In the original book, Li Mao didn't have many roles, and Ruan Mian couldn't remember whether he was important or not.

But now it seems that it is not a good bird.

She was about to speak when she was interrupted by a messenger running over.

"Your Excellency, County Magistrate! This is terrible! The mountains on both sides of the official road to the north have collapsed, and the road is completely blocked! The canal is also frozen, so the ships carrying grain and goods can't get in."

When these words were spoken, everyone was slightly shocked, even Qi Nanfeng in the crowd couldn't hold back!

"What did he say?! Doesn't that mean we're trapped in this damn place?"

He couldn't go to Ji County, and he couldn't get in, so how could he make a move?

At the same time, in Xie Mansion in Kyoto.

The carriage and horses were ready. Minister Dong rode his horse at full speed to the front of the mansion and handed a letter to the man in the carriage.

"Sir, the spies report that the imperial relief grain has arrived in Changping City, but the situation in Ji County is not optimistic. Perhaps we can rest in Changping City and wait for the road to open before heading north."

Xie Huaian glanced at the letter and said, "No need to stop, just keep going north."

If nothing unexpected happens, Ruan and his group should have arrived in Ji County.

Minister Dong had no idea what the gentleman was thinking, so he could only follow his wishes.

On the other side, the messenger who came to report had already arrived in the small room.

County Magistrate Lin, who had just woken up, almost fainted when he heard the news of the landslide and frozen river.

It was the red-faced servant who supported him and comforted him: "Sir, sir! You must hold on."

The magistrate's eyes suddenly turned red, and even his voice began to tremble.

"How can I hold on? The official road to the east is our county's only main road to the outside world, and the canal is our largest commercial transportation hub. With this collapse and blockage, even if the imperial court's grain is delivered, it can't be transported in!"

“Now the granaries in the city are completely empty, and the food people have stored won’t last long.

There are mountains and forests nearby, and even other roads out are now difficult to get out of. If this continues, I'm afraid that thousands of people in the city will be handed over to me!"

He had been hoping for food to arrive, but now there was no way out.

A feeling of despair arose spontaneously, and County Magistrate Lin was in great pain.

Ruan Mian was puzzled. "The canal is frozen, and the cargo ships can't pass through. That's difficult to solve, but the landslide blocking the road means we can all work together to clear it. If everyone works together, the road will definitely be dug out one day."

County Magistrate Lin sighed and said with tears in his eyes.

"My lady, you don't know that the landslide on the official road to the east is so severe that even if we all work together to clean it up, it will take more than a day or two to resolve. Furthermore, the city has run out of food, and everyone has nothing to eat, let alone the energy to do such hard labor."

"But... I've reached a dead end. Even if it doesn't work, I have to give it a try."

He called out to the messenger and was about to speak when Ruan Mian spoke first: "Sir, I have a plan, but I need to talk to you alone."

County Magistrate Lin was slightly startled. He looked at the people around him and motioned for them to leave.

Ruan Mian spoke only when they were the only two left in the room.

"If you're worried about food, I have some here that can help you get by. At least it'll keep the people from starving to death in the next few days. It'll give them enough energy to clear the landslide and dig the official road. Then the food for disaster relief can naturally be delivered."

County Magistrate Lin was slightly surprised: "Madam Ruan, there are more than a thousand civilians in the city. You are just a group of exiles. How can you sustain the supplies?"

"Your Excellency doesn't need to ask how much food there is and where it is stored. The most urgent task is to mobilize everyone in the city to clear the landslide and dig a life-saving food road, isn't it?"

County Magistrate Lin nodded repeatedly. Although he was confused, he had no other choice.

He must hold on to any hope he has.

"You're right. Then, Madam Ruan, why don't you come with me? Where are your provisions?"

Ruan Mian said, "Sir, you can take me to the granary in the city first. It's getting dark now. I will ask my own people to put the grain in the granary later. The grain can be distributed tomorrow morning, but..."

"But what?"

"You need to add one more condition to the food distribution. It will be distributed to each household, and only women, children, or young children can come to collect it. If there are no women, children, or young children in the family, then the elders can come to collect it."

When County Magistrate Lin heard this, he was a little puzzled: "I'm afraid it will be inconvenient for women and children to go out."

"What's the inconvenience? If we don't do this, can you imagine how many people will die? Only by providing protection to the vulnerable and making them feel valuable will some people give them a bite to eat when they are in extreme hardship. Otherwise, the food would have already been eaten by some men, leaving not a drop behind."

In years of famine, when lives are at stake, never underestimate human nature.

"Your Excellency should have seen that the majority of the deaths in the city these days are probably women and children."

This was true. After Ruan Mian said this, County Magistrate Lin was enlightened and became very excited.

"Yes! That's right! I didn't even consider this aspect. Madam Ruan, on behalf of the people of Taoqiu County, I accept your kindness!"

He was about to kneel down when Ruan Mian quickly helped him up. "Your Excellency, there's no need to be so polite. As a human being, I just need to live up to my conscience. Besides, you're a good official, and I have the ability to help, so I won't turn a blind eye."