617 Huo Zhi's Letter for Help
The next morning.
"Young Master, I'm from Jiangnan." Xiao Wu was holding a pigeon in his arms. The pigeon looked listless, probably because it was very tired.
Ping An took the note from Xiao Wu's hand and said, "What's wrong with Huo Zhi?"
Before he finished speaking, his face changed drastically: "Xiao Wu, go to Mr. Da's house quickly, he is still at home."
"Yes." Xiao Wu flew out of the house.
Ping An hurriedly took Lin Feng out and didn't even have time to say hello to the Sun family.
The carriage quickly left the yard and drove towards Wang's house.
Sun Sicheng didn't catch up with the carriage, so he asked Xiao Ming, who was mumbling, "What's wrong with your young master?"
"Master, Master Xiao Wu received a pigeon from Jiangnan. When the young master saw it, his face changed drastically. He took Lin Feng and the others away, saying that he was going to Master Da's house. I had no time to catch up."
Sun Sicheng was in a state of panic. What was going on in Jiangnan? If it was Huo Zhi's personal matter, Ping An would never go to the master's house.
What is going on?
Ping An sat in the car, looking at the small note: "Ping An, there was a flood in Jiangnan, and countless people were killed and injured. The city is fine for now, but I am worried that something will happen in the hot weather. Report it to the court."
He looked at the date. It was eight days ago. The normal journey from the capital to Yuhang Prefecture takes about forty days. Unexpectedly, this pigeon only took eight days.
The imperial court must have received letters of this kind.
Whether they have received it or not, this letter has been given to you, and you can tell the higher-ups as you wish.
Huo Zhi said that his carrier pigeons were the most authentic, and that ordinary carrier pigeons rarely could fly from the south of the Yangtze River to the capital, so he specially sent him two trained carrier pigeons.
In fact, they seldom use carrier pigeons to communicate with each other. Basically, they send one letter every two months, and occasionally two letters in a month.
In the past few years, he, Wang Qing and Fu An have been like this.
Good friends also need to keep in touch and communicate frequently, otherwise, over time, even the best friendship will gradually fade.
The carriage stopped at the gate of the palace.
Dean Wang was about to leave the courtyard to go to the Hanlin Academy, "Ping An, why did you come to my house? Are you here to pick up the gentleman? Are you so kind?"
"Sir, look at this. This is a letter from Huo Zhi in Jiangnan sent by carrier pigeon." Ping An was not in the mood to joke with the gentleman today. Yesterday, he sent the gentleman to the Ministry of Revenue, but the ministry was still calm. It seemed that they had not received the letter from Jiangnan yet.
When the Grand Chancellor Wang took the letter and read it, his expression changed immediately: "How could this happen? The capital hasn't heard about this yet. Ping An, come with me to the palace."
The two got into the carriage.
"Sir, has the court not received the letter yet? The government should have reported it immediately."
"Ping An, as far as I know, even if the message is delivered by pigeon, it will probably take ten to twelve days to get from Yuhang to the capital, and it may not be able to fly successfully halfway. If you rush the horse, day and night, changing horses and people, it will take half a month.
Huo Zhi is a very powerful pigeon, but even so, I guess Huo Zhi will not send out more than just this one pigeon. "
"So how many days will it take for the court to believe this note?"
"They can't help but believe it. At least they will make preparations first. The letter will come in two days. Sir, I will take you to see the emperor directly."
Ping'an followed his master into the palace quickly. Without waiting for a moment in the side hall, he was taken to Baohe Hall by the eunuch.
Because the morning court had just ended, when the emperor heard that Dean Wang brought Ping An to ask for an audience, he just stayed where he was and did not return to the Qianqing Palace.
"Your servant Wang Zihan (your servant Wan Ping An) pays homage to His Majesty. Long live the emperor."
"Please stand up, Dean Wang. Ping An, help your husband up quickly."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Master Wang, what's up so early in the morning?"
Dean Wang held up the note with both hands and said, "Your Majesty, Ping An received a pigeon letter from Huo Zhi of Huashou Hall in Jiangnan early this morning, saying that there was a flood in Jiangnan, with countless casualties."
"What?" The emperor stood up in fear. "When did it happen? Wan Ping'an, are you sure this letter is true?"
"Your Majesty, Huo Zhi and I are classmates and friends, and we have always had a good relationship. I am familiar with this pigeon, and there is our seal on the letter, so it cannot be fake.
Your Majesty, the date on the letter was eight days ago, which means it has been eight days since the flood. The weather is hot and muggy, and some diseases are prone to occur, so Huo Zhi sent this letter and asked to report it to the court. "
The emperor's hands began to tremble: "Eunuch Wei, go and get those ministers back."
Eunuch Wei trotted out.
Dean Wang was unwilling to get involved in these matters.
He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the letter has been delivered. I will take Ping An back to the Imperial Academy to take up my post."
The emperor waved his hands feebly.
Jiangnan is the land of fish and rice of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and it can be said to be the granary of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Now it is the end of July, and the letter was sent eight days ago. I don’t know whether some of this year’s grain has been stored in the warehouse?
If not, what to do?
Just as Ping An said, it is hot and stuffy now. What should we do if an epidemic breaks out?
Eight days had already passed. Even if the troops and generals were sent three days later, it would have taken more than a month for them to arrive there.
The emperor felt unwell.
Ping'an followed his master out of the palace.
Dean Wang looked at him and sighed, "Ping An, I'm afraid the court will not let you and your master off this time. The epidemic may have already begun. There will be a flood in midsummer. The bodies of both humans and animals will rot soon. Once they become diseased, what will we do?
No, you can't go. I'm going to the manor to find the emperor now. Be safe, you go back to the Hanlin Academy first."
Ping'an looked at the carriage hurrying away and he felt sick.
He was reluctant to go to Jiangnan at this time. If an epidemic really broke out, no matter how much you prevented it, it might not be effective.
But if the master wants to go, he must follow. If one of the two of them has to go, it can only be him.
Huo Zhi is still waiting for people from this side in Jiangnan. He is his good friend.
good friend?
Ping'an suddenly thought of Wang Qing. Wang Qing was promoted the year before last. Because he managed the county well in recent years, he was promoted twice and transferred to Jiangnan. He is currently the sixth-rank judge in Yuhang Prefecture.
And he moved to Jiangnan with his whole family.
This guy has really bad luck. His parents, wife and children are all here. He must be extremely anxious right now, right?
No, I have to quickly organize the epidemic prescriptions. If only the imperial doctors go, I can take some prescriptions and submit them to the court, which will also be considered as my contribution.
"Xiao Wu, go to the hospital and tell my master so that he can be mentally prepared. If things go wrong, the court may ask us to go to Jiangnan.
Lin Feng, when I get to the Hanlin Academy, you go to the village to find Da Wu and ask him to arrange for people throughout the city to urgently process a batch of masks. The more the better. You also need outer coats. Then go find Master Qin and Xiao Shan and ask them to quickly prepare more anti-epidemic pills. If there are not enough, go to the city to buy them immediately. I may go to the village this afternoon."
As soon as Ping An arrived at the gate of Hanlin Academy, he immediately asked Xiao Wu and Lin Feng to do their own things.
He checked more information in the morning and then saw what the result of the discussion among the court ministers was.
Whether he goes or not, he has to be fully prepared.
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