Chapter 37 Refugees

The tree-cutting task was arranged, and soon the prisoners began to work.

The captives were not vicious people to begin with, and when they heard that they were paid for chopping wood, no one ran away.

Two meals a day and earning money, what a good job! God knows Yang Yuanzhen already owed them half a year's military pay!

If Yang Yuanzhen hadn't been really poor, he would never have boarded the Four Kings' pirate ship.

Yang Yuanqi promised him that if he conquered Xuzhou, he would give him all the money he had saved over the years. But in the end, he did not get any money and became a prisoner. He lost both his wife and his army.

These prisoners knew they would not die and could make money, so they cut down half of the mountain into sparse trees in less than a week.

They followed the rules and didn't dare to cut down all the trees that were one foot apart, because if they cut down all the trees, the mountain would be out of control, and landslides would easily occur during the rainy season next year.

The chopped firewood was piled up in a corner of the camp, more than ten feet high.

In fact, the loyalty of ancient soldiers was not very high. For example, the Qingzi Army became the Chengtian Army at the command of the commander. They were also human beings who needed to eat and sleep. If they could fill their stomachs by following the Chengtian Army, they would not mind whether they were scheming to rebel.

The soldier who had undergone the appendectomy surgery also recovered. His name was An Feng. He had previously served as a baggage guard in Sheng’s army and was a meticulous person.

He heard that he was rescued by the Chengtian Army, and felt mixed emotions. He also learned that his sworn brother had joined them, so he resolutely joined the Chengtian Army.

*

On the third day of the twelfth lunar month, Song Yuzhu and Zhao Xiao led a team of more than 3,000 soldiers and set out for Dongzhou.

When Yang Yuanzhen attacked Xuzhou, he took away almost all of his military forces. Now there are less than a thousand soldiers left in Dongzhou, so these three thousand people are enough to enter the city.

On this trip, Song Yuzhu only brought Song Quan, while Zhao Xiao brought Li Jichen, who was more familiar with Dongzhou, to help.

Xu Bing and two deputy generals stayed in Xuzhou to garrison. After spending these days together, Song Yuzhu's trust in Xu Bing was second only to Zhao Xiao.

This middle-aged man really cares about the people, but unfortunately he joined Yang Yuanqing's camp at the beginning. Now he has finally found another wise master, and he is very busy. He only rests for three hours a day, and the rest of the time he works hard for Xuzhou. He is worthy of being called an ancient model worker!

The matters concerning Xuanyi Tower were handed over to Liu Yanzi.

Zhao Xiao was busy leading his troops in battle and had no time to manage the organization, so Song Yuzhu handed over the power to Liu Yanzi. Although this person seemed a bit unserious on weekdays, she was still reliable in doing things.

Song Yuzhu had no intention of putting Xuanyi Tower in the open. This organization was equivalent to the Special Affairs Office in the future, specializing in handling matters that could not be made public.

He ordered Liu Yanzi to recruit talented people from all over Xuzhou to serve him.

*

The carriage was traveling through the snow and ice. Although there was a brazier in the carriage, it was still not warm enough. The temperature was too low. Song Yuzhu felt that the temperature was at least minus 15 degrees Celsius.

Song Quan moved the charcoal and said, "Master, it's so cold, and you're running around. To be honest, you might get sick."

Song Yuzhu knew that Brother Quan was concerned about his health, so he smiled and said, "It's okay. Xuzhou is not far from Dongzhou. Let's go over and see the local customs and people. When we come back, we can bring some local specialties back home."

"Master, are you going home?!" Upon hearing this, Song Quan stopped complaining. In fact, he had been missing home for a long time, but he was just too embarrassed to say it out loud.

"If there's nothing else, let's go back during the New Year." Song Yuzhu also missed home and the crystal shrimp dumplings her mother made. Although less than half a year had passed, she felt as if she were in another world.

"Great! Master, I want to bring someone to Xuzhou this time when I go back, is that okay?"

"Bring someone? Who?"

Song Quan blushed, and after a long while he stammered, "Well, let's help deliver Xiaomei."

Song Yuzhu was surprised and said, "Take her with you? Will her family allow it?" She vaguely remembered that Xiaomei had a powerful mother-in-law.

"There is no one at her home." Song Quan told Song Yuzhu what happened later.

"After you left that day, I sent her home, only to find that she was beaten by her mother-in-law. I was so angry that I took her back to the clinic. Unexpectedly, the army left the next afternoon, and when I sent her back, I found that her husband and mother-in-law had all been killed by the soldiers!"

She was alone with her child and had no one to rely on, so Song Quan asked his father to help find a job for Xiaomei to make a living.

Song Dayi was not a mean person. Feeling sorry for the woman, he asked her to work as a helper in the kitchen. Although she could not earn much money, she was provided with food and shelter, and the child could survive.

After listening to this, Song Yuzhu said, "This way, she can finally have some peace and quiet."

Song Quan nodded and said, "Yes."

"Do you want to marry her?"

Song Quan blushed and said, "I have...thought about it."

Song Yuzhu patted his shoulder and said, "This is a good thing! Men should get married when they are old enough, and women should get married when they are old enough. It's not something shameful. There's nothing to be ashamed of!"

Song Quan scratched his head: "I haven't told Xiaomei yet, maybe she won't agree."

"As long as you treat them mother and daughter sincerely, I think Xiaomei will agree." It is already difficult for women in this world. She is a little widow without any family from her mother's side. It is really too difficult for her to live alone and take care of a young child.

Whether it is for love or for livelihood, Xiaomei should not refuse.

Song Quan said, "When I go back, I will buy a small house with two entrances in the city and settle them mother and daughter in it." Song Yuzhu was very kind to him. Over the years, she had saved more than three hundred taels of silver from her monthly salary and bonus, which was enough for him to buy a spacious courtyard in the city.

As the two were talking, there was a commotion ahead.

The carriage stopped, Song Yuzhu lifted the curtain and stuck her head out to ask, "What happened?"

Zhao Xiao rode up to him and said, "There's a large group of refugees ahead, about three hundred of them."

Song Yuzhu held his arm and jumped out of the carriage.

Not far away, a large group of ragged refugees gathered in front, including men, women, old and young. They had no intention of avoiding the soldiers, like zombies, with no hope of survival in their eyes.

"Stop the troops!"

The soldiers pulled on the reins and stopped in the middle of the road.

Song Yuzhu walked hurriedly towards the refugees, and Zhao Xiao quickly dismounted and followed him.

When I got closer, I found that there was a woman in the crowd holding a baby in her arms. The child was crying faintly, and both mother and child were bruised all over by the cold.

Zhao Xiao didn't wait for Song Yuzhu to speak, and shouted, "Hurry up and get some spare uniforms!"

Song Yuzhu took a deep breath, the cold air filled his chest, making him tremble with pain.

Soon, a soldier brought in a team of military uniforms. The Chengtian Army's winter uniforms were all lined with cotton. They were heavy and very warm.

Zhao Xiao: "Go, distribute them to these women and children!"

"Yes!" Soon the group of refugees became agitated, and a man in his thirties walked out of the crowd. He was thin, his face was weather-beaten, but his back was straight.

He walked up to Song Yuzhu and Zhao Xiao and bowed deeply: "I am Li Yong, the magistrate of Jiangyu County. Thank you for your kindness in giving me clothes!" After saying that, he took out his official seal and documents from the bag on his back.

Song Yuzhu quickly helped him up: "Jiangyu County? Which prefecture governs you?"

"It is under the jurisdiction of Dongzhou Prefecture."

"Then why would you leave Dongzhou and go somewhere else?"

The man's eyes were red, his lips were trembling and he was choking with sobs and couldn't speak.

Song Yuzhu quickly comforted him, "Don't worry, just speak slowly."

"Oh!" The man sighed heavily and said, "We wanted to seek refuge in Dongzhou before, but the gates of Dongzhou were closed and refugees were not allowed to enter. Now there are tens of thousands of refugees gathered outside Dongzhou city. The government doesn't care at all, and those people are so hungry that... they started to eat dead bodies!" He didn't want his people to become food in other people's mouths, so he had to lead them on an aimless journey.

Li Yong wiped his nose and continued, "Our Jiangyu County was severely affected by the disaster. Out of tens of thousands of people, only less than a thousand survived, and countless others died of illness and starvation. In the end, only we are left. I don't know where we can go to survive..."

After hearing this, Zhao Xiao said, "Come here! Divide the food on the baggage cart among them!"

The soldiers came over carrying bags of rice, and the refugees carried pots and pans on their backs. More than ten bags of rice should be enough for them to reach Xuzhou if they eat them quickly.

Song Yuzhu asked Song Quan to bring paper and pen. The weather was so cold that the ink had frozen into ice. He simply put the brush in his mouth and waited for it to melt before writing a letter of introduction on the paper.

"Take this letter to Xuzhou, and they will definitely take good care of you!"

The man took the letter with trembling hands and choked up, "I don't even know your name, sir?"

"They all call me Master Zhu, you can call me that too."

"Thank you, Master Zhu!" Li Yong kowtowed in thanks. The refugees saw that they had food and clothes, and their faces slowly brightened. They all knelt down and kowtowed. Some cried with excitement, while others danced with joy. They were all grateful to the man who had extended a helping hand.

After settling these people, Zhao Xiao saw that Song Yuzhu looked pale, and hurriedly pulled him back to the carriage.

Sitting in the car, she gently wiped the ink from the corner of his mouth with her finger and said, "Next time if something like this happens, just tell me. Don't get typhoid fever."

"Okay." Song Yuzhu didn't try to be brave. He knew that his body couldn't stand the torture.

The carriage continued to move forward. Li Yong sang loudly behind him, and the refugees clapped their hands to see him off: "I am walking slowly, thirsty and hungry, my heart is sad, but no one knows my sorrow. I have received your help and my stomach is full of rice and millet. I wish you good luck and I will go out to predict the future with the millet in my hand."

He studied for seventeen years, passed the imperial examination and became a county magistrate. He thought he could benefit the people, but he didn't expect to end up like this. Fortunately, Master Zhu came to their rescue and they were able to survive!

This favor is greater than heaven, and he is willing to use all he has learned in his life to do his best for Mr. Zhu!

When Song Yuzhu heard his singing, his heart was moved. His goal became more determined. One day, he would make sure that the people would no longer be displaced, that they would have enough food and clothing, and that the elderly would have a place to rely on and the children would be educated!

*

Three days later, the army arrived outside Dongzhou City.

From afar, you can see refugees living outside the city.

They were all skinny and wore several layers of tattered clothes of different colors, which made them look a little funny.

Some of these clothes were their own, and some were taken from the dead. They didn't care whether the clothes fit them or not, as long as they could keep them warm.

As the army approached, some refugees were so scared that they quickly packed up their things and left, while others gave up struggling and looked at them with dull eyes.

Song Yuzhu originally thought that there would be a big battle, but unexpectedly the gate of Dongzhou city suddenly opened. First, a group of people rushed out and drove away all the refugees outside the city. Then the prefect, the grand marshal and a group of officials came out to greet them in person.

The news of Yang Yuanzhen's defeat and capture had already reached Dongzhou. These officials also knew that the Chengtian Army would arrive sooner or later, so they simply opened the gate to welcome them.

These people were used to a comfortable life and had never thought of sending out troops to resist. Moreover, even if they wanted to resist, they had no troops. The soldiers in the city were all taken away by the seven kings...

The two men in official uniforms walked forward and bowed respectfully towards the carriage.

"I am Gongyang Qing, the Grand Marshal of Dongzhou." "I am Qian Ming'an, the Governor of Dongzhou."

"Welcome, my lord."

The curtain of the carriage shook, and a young man in a navy blue cotton robe got out of the carriage.

"Get up."

(End of this chapter)