Xuanyuan Zhan led Mu Lingchen out of the Northern Lands overnight and found suitable water sources in Jinlin City, Yongning City, and Baichuan City, all near the Northern Lands.
After comparing the routes of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the two finally decided to open the canal in Baichuan City.
Mu Lingchen walked along the Baichuan River, looking at the gurgling water below, and said with satisfaction, "This Baichuan River is really big. It should be connected to the Red River. However, Baichuan City is still quite a distance from the North. Digging a canal from Baichuan to the North is a huge project. If it is handed over to the Ministry of Works, it will probably take at least a year and a half to complete."
A year or two would be too long.
Xuanyuan Zhan raised an eyebrow: "So we won't hand it over to the Ministry of Works, but let the people of the North dig it themselves!"
And those soldiers and bandits can all be sent to dredge the canal. Rather than wasting manpower locking those bandits in prison, it's better to send them here to dredge the canal; it'll be a way of making amends for their crimes.
Mu Lingchen nodded silently, agreeing that it would indeed be faster to let the people dig themselves.
After all, no one wanted this water source more than the people of the North.
"Should you report this to your superiors?"
Xuanyuan Zhan didn't take it seriously: "The Emperor has entrusted me with the responsibility of managing the drought in the north. There's no need for a special report. Just mention it in the memorial whenever it's needed."
He doesn't need anyone from the Ministry of Works, so what's the point of reporting it?
"Let's go, let's go back to the North first."
Xuanyuan Zhan leaped onto his horse and galloped back to the North with Mu Lingchen in tow.
When the two returned to Beian City, the refugees had already started queuing up again, and the soldiers had set up large pots and steamers to cook porridge and steam buns.
Compared to yesterday's refugees, there are far fewer people today. They must have listened to Xuan Yuanzhan's advice and gone back to their own cities to queue up.
"Your Highness, Your Lordship."
The soldiers and refugees saluted the two men.
"Your Highness, Your Lordship."
Ye Feng and Ye Yun, along with Shan Bai and Shan Shui, rushed forward to greet the two upon their return: "Where have you two been? We've been looking for you everywhere."
Ye Feng and Ye Yun usually accompany Xuan Yuanzhan. Even when Ye Yun is on business, Ye Feng is a bodyguard and will usually protect Xuan Yuanzhan in secret.
But both of them were sent out on business yesterday, so no one was with Xuan Yuanzhan.
Shan Bai and Shan Shui were also worried because Mu Lingchen didn't tell them when he went out. So no one knew where the two of them had gone!
"I went to Baichuan City with the Prince for an inspection." Mu Lingchen dismounted and gave a brief explanation without saying more.
The group didn't understand what the two were going to Baichuan City to investigate, but they didn't dare to ask any more questions.
Xuanyuan Zhan dismounted and asked Ye Feng and Ye Yun, "How did things go with what I asked you to do yesterday?"
Ye Yun bowed and said, "Those bandits have all been put in jail, and notices have been issued. Yesterday, people were also arranged in other cities to distribute porridge and food."
Xuanyuan Zhan nodded. Everything was proceeding smoothly, which was good!
Ye Feng bowed and said, "Your subordinate first led men to search the prefect's mansion. The rice and other items seized are now in the courtyard of the mansion. We also seized all the items from several villages."
Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Zhan entered the government office.
Seeing this, others followed suit.
At this time, there were indeed many things piled up in the courtyard of the government office.
Ye Feng stepped forward and explained, "This pile belongs to the Prefect's residence, and the other pile belongs to the three villages."
Looking at the pile of boxes of all sizes and the small mountain of rice, Mu Lingchen couldn't help but sigh, "Chen Chuan is indeed a parasite. He has hoarded so much rice. This is enough to feed the people of the North for many days."
Ye Feng then went over and opened several boxes: "Chen Chuan's family has quite a few valuable things too."
Seeing the several boxes of gold and silver, Mu Lingchen sneered: "He's embezzled quite a lot. Chen Chuan has been the governor of the North for several years, and he's doing quite well!"
The prefect was the highest-ranking official in the north, and it's estimated that he received a lot of gifts from the officials and gentry under him on a daily basis. In addition, there were those who embezzled money by taking advantage of their positions, so naturally, there were many.
What's even more unexpected is that, despite the severe disaster in the north and the starving people outside, he still managed to hide so much grain in his mansion. That's quite remarkable!
Even more crucially, not content with embezzling these funds, he dared to covet disaster relief grain and even conspired with bandits to rob government grain. Such an insatiable and utterly disregardful official deserves to die!
Xuanyuan Zhan glanced at what had been searched in Chen Chuan's mansion, then looked at another, slightly smaller pile: "Were those taken from other villages?"
"Yes." Ye Feng nodded: "The supplies from all three villages are here, mostly rice and grains, with very little gold and silver."
That's quite surprising.
There was no gold or silver in the bandit stronghold?
Does this mean they didn't rob gold and silver, or did they exchange all the stolen gold and silver for rice and grain?
Xuanyuan Zhan thought of Zhang Debiao, and it seemed that Zhang Debiao and his group were indeed quite concerned about rice and grain.
Perhaps these people turned to banditry just for a bite to eat.
Are there any women they kidnapped in the village?
Ye Feng shook his head: "There are a few women in the village. I asked around, and it seems they married the bandits in the village willingly. They weren't kidnapped by them."
He even specifically asked those women, and they seemed to realize that they hadn't been robbed.
Xuanyuan Zhan thought of Silver Tiger Stronghold, but it seemed there were hardly any women there.
There were quite a few women among the refugees in Bei'an City before. If these villages were only engaged in rape and abduction, then those women would not be able to openly roam the streets of Bei'an.
Xuan Yuanzhan then looked at Mu Lingchen and asked, "You remembered the grievances people reported yesterday. Were there any particularly serious miscarriages of justice?"
Mu Lingchen understood what he meant: "Are you asking about those bandits? Some bandits have committed rape and robbery in the past, but not too many cases. However, quite a few bandits have suffered many injustices and have filed lawsuits against many officials, but the cases have not yet been investigated."
Xuanyuan Zhan thought for a moment and said, "I'll leave these matters to you. Check everything you recorded yesterday. Whether they are bandits or officials, investigate and punish all those who have done bad things. Those who should be beheaded should be beheaded, and those who should be dismissed from office should be dismissed."
Mu Lingchen nodded, then, as if remembering something, asked, "What about those who turned themselves in before?"
Xuan Yuanzhan sneered: "Those who surrender themselves will be dealt with according to the severity of their crimes. Those with serious crimes will be beheaded, while those with minor crimes will be punished by digging river channels."
Mu Lingchen raised an eyebrow; there were no preferential treatments offered.
This guy is making people turn themselves in because he's worried that there won't be any victims left, or that the victims will be too afraid to report it. So he added this turn-in step to prevent any from slipping through the net!
"Alright, leave this to me! I'll verify these things as soon as possible."
Seeing how much Chen Chuan embezzled, he's even more despicable than those bandits. It's time to clean up the officialdom in the north.
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