Chapter 196: Opening the Warehouse and Releasing Grain (asking for monthly tickets)
The Qin army arrested all the members of the Zhao royal family and a large number of Zhao nobles, but did not crack down severely on the powerful and merchants.
These people may not have a high status in Handan City, but they have a lot of wealth and material things. Lu Buwei was one of them. These people are very capable.
What Zhao Yuanxi wants now is to make them earn some gold coins.
Anyway, if she doesn't take action, Ying Zheng will send people to confiscate their property. It is better to let them contribute it now, which can be regarded as taking from the people and using it for the people.
Li Mu didn't understand why Queen Mother Zhao was so excited about being a bandit. She wanted to rob the rich and help the poor. I wonder if she ever thought that she was now the one who was rich enough to rival a country.
"What do you want to do?"
Zhao Yuanxi sighed deeply and feigned sorrow. "General Li, the city is short of food and medicine. The people don't even have a roof over their heads. Yet, look at those wealthy merchants and powerful people in Xiaobei City, who are still drinking and having fun every day, and they're driving up the prices of food, cloth, and medicine in the city."
"I just want the people in the city to have a full meal like them."
“How many people do you need?”
Zhao Yuanxi clapped his hands and laughed, "General Li is indeed very generous. Not many, just eight or nine hundred men first! It would be best if they were ordinary people who couldn't afford to eat. No nobles are not allowed."
Zhao Yuanxi was worried that those people would not be able to do it, but ordinary people would not have so many concerns and might even applaud in their hearts.
As for why they used the surrendered Zhao army instead of the Qin army.
The situation in Handan City was already serious enough. If she used the Qin army, the people of Zhao would only think that the Qin army was plundering Zhao's wealth, and would instead sympathize with these wealthy businessmen and powerful people. Wouldn't she be caught between a rock and a hard place?
If the Zhao army was used, the resistance of the Zhao people in the city would be reduced, and they would be more happy that the Zhao soldiers had found food and medicine for them.
"Is the Queen Mother so sure they can afford so many things?"
Although Li Mu's family background was not prominent, he was from a family of generals. He had always looked down on these wealthy businessmen and powerful people. In his opinion, these people were just a little clever and traveled between countries to make some money for a living.
"General Li, you underestimated these people. Their wealth rivals that of the royal court officials. If you hadn't taken Handan so quickly, they would have already fled. We wouldn't have had the chance to target this piece of fat meat."
"Did you learn these from books too?" Li Mu asked curiously.
Zhao Yuanxi laughed dryly and said, "Let's just call it a day!"
She couldn't admit that she had the talent to be a bandit, not to mention that what she was doing was called chivalry, robbing the rich to help the poor!
Upon hearing that it was the Queen Mother's mission, Qu Ji accepted it without hesitation and became the vanguard of the team. He led the Zhao army to knock on doors from house to house in Xiaobei City, appealing to their emotions and explaining things to them with reason.
Those who don't listen to reason also know some martial arts.
Some people wanted to resist, but as soon as the Queen Mother of Qin issued the token, they stopped. Offending the surrendered troops of Zhao was nothing, but if they angered the Queen Mother of Qin, the thousands of Zhao royal family members who were buried alive would be crying in the ground!
Those wealthy businessmen and powerful people didn't want to go down and accompany them.
In one day, Qu Ji visited dozens of merchants and raised 600,000 dan of grain, tens of thousands of dan of medicine, and thousands of pieces of coarse cloth. These grains were enough to feed the people in Handan City for a month.
Even so, Zhao Yuanxi still felt that there were not enough things.
It will soon be time for spring sowing. In addition to providing food and drink for the civilians, these grains must also be used to prepare for the new year's farming. If the farming season is missed this year, there will probably be a famine in Zhao State.
Zhao Yuanxi ordered Qu Ji to continue plundering, not limited to the wealthy businessmen in Xiaobei City, but also to the nobles in Dongcheng. Although they had been plundered by the Qin army, a cunning rabbit has three burrows. How much more they have hidden, probably only they themselves know.
As food became more abundant, soup kitchens of all sizes appeared throughout Handan City.
The people in Handan City, who had been hungry for many days, finally got a warm meal.
"The Queen Mother has ordered that from today onwards, every household may send elderly, children, and women here to receive three days' worth of food. More food will be distributed after three days. Adult men must participate in the reconstruction of Handan City and must also come here every three days to receive their rations."
"If you have another skill, such as carpentry, bricklaying, pottery, bamboo weaving, etc., you can register here and receive additional wages based on the amount of work you complete each day."
Someone asked, "I can chisel stone, can I get paid for that?"
Qu Ji held the booklet, glanced at the crowd, and nodded, "Yes, anyone who can be of great help to the reconstruction of Handan City can come and register with me."
"Then what can we women do?" The timid voice was not obvious in the noisy crowd, but Qu Ji still heard it. Not only did he hear it, but Zhao Yuanxi also heard it.
Zhao Yuanxi walked over slowly and said with a smile, "Of course there are things you can do. If you're willing, you can come to these porridge stalls to help out, make more clothes, or clean up the debris like those men. If you think you can do it, you can do it. You will also be paid according to your workload."
"I, I know some medical skills. I learned them from my father."
Zhao Yuanxi's eyes lit up: "That's great. What Handan City is lacking right now is doctors."
Female doctors are particularly scarce.
Although female chastity was not as strict during the Warring States Period as it was in later generations, the separation of men and women still existed. In addition, women are not allowed to receive education nowadays. Not to mention female doctors, there are few who can even read.
Not only men but also many women were injured in this earthquake.
If the wound is on the head or hands, it is easy to treat. However, if it is on some private parts such as the chest or legs, it cannot be treated. It may be that the woman herself does not agree, or her family is unwilling.
Many women often die because they cannot get medical treatment.
The woman was startled by Zhao Yuanxi and explained in a low voice, "I only know a little bit of basic knowledge, I'm not really a doctor."
"That's okay. Knowing something is better than knowing nothing. From today on, you will follow the medical team to treat those people. If there's anything you don't know, you can ask the military doctors in the medical team."
Zhao Yuanxi asked again: "What's your name?"
"My name is Saitama."
"That's a good name. If you have a family or know a doctor, feel free to ask them to come over. I will double your wages." Zhao Yuanxi's voice was not loud, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Do I have it too?" Saitama was surprised.
"Don't you also heal illnesses and save lives? Of course you do."
"Thank you very much!" Saitama bowed deeply, his voice slightly choked with sobs.
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