After resting for a few days, Xiao Mochen's wounds had almost healed.
But the stitches on my arm left an ugly scar, like a centipede, that will never go away.
However, Xiao Mochen didn't care. On the contrary, he was quite happy. After all, it was sewn by his aunt herself, and no one else had the honor of doing so.
In addition, he planned to personally go to the northern border to deliver the batch of grain that Li Xiangping had bought.
According to his calculations, if food supplies run out, the northern army probably won't be able to hold out for much longer.
But how could he bring this up with Yan Qingqing? He was afraid his aunt wouldn't agree.
Yan Qingqing was also extremely busy.
These past few days I've been busy following Ling Ziyuan around, not only trying to win over the wealthy merchants in the city and get them to donate money and goods.
We also need to mobilize the disaster victims to be self-reliant and to do everything within their power.
Of course, there are also some cunning disaster victims who always think about getting something for nothing and enjoying the fruits of others' labor, and they even bully men and women.
Yan Qingqing has been kept in sight.
That day, Yan Qingqing and Ling Ziyuan delivered another batch of supplies to them.
Before the officers and soldiers who took over had even finished counting, one of them shouted, "You are the people's parents, and you not only won't let us into the city, but you also won't provide enough supplies!"
The shacks we sleep in now are still built by ourselves, and we still have to cut firewood on the mountain to exchange for money.
Is this how you treat refugees?
Yan Qingqing looked at him and asked in return, "Then how do you think we should treat you?"
Seeing that Yan Qingqing was a woman, the man said disdainfully, "Naturally, we will be allowed to enter the city and given a place to settle down. After this winter, we will be given some houses and land so that we can make a living."
If there's a good girl, she can be my wife. However, I can't afford the dowry right now.
Yan Qingqing felt like she was listening to a joke. This wasn't a refugee, it was someone who came here to act like a lord.
Yan Qingqing didn't indulge him and said, "You are already refugees. I'm helping you out of consideration for our shared kinship with the Great Yan."
Magistrate Ling is the most responsible official for the people of Chengyang County. He is only concerned about their safety. Preventing you from entering the city is his duty.
He settled you outside the city, provided you with food and drink, and even clothes, quilts, and medicine. This was his duty as an official of the imperial court.
How could you say such a thing to such a kind and compassionate official?
If you feel stifled staying outside Chengyang County, you can go somewhere else! We won't stop you!
The man was rendered speechless by Yan Qingqing's words, though of course not all disaster victims were unreasonable.
They actually knew in their hearts that the government had already taken extra care of them.
Not only do they have a place to stay, but they also get porridge at every meal, which at least fills their stomachs.
Moreover, the government would send people to brew several large pots of medicinal soup every day. Where else could you find such good treatment?
I don't know if it's a placebo effect or if the medication worked.
Many sick people actually recovered gradually.
So people weren't so panicked anymore, and some even doubted that they had the plague at all.
In fact, Yan Qingqing thought so too. Based on her observations over the past few days, although many people had fevers and coughs and the disease was highly contagious, not many people died.
This illness is more like some infectious viral colds that were prevalent in my previous life.
However, it won't easily take someone's life.
However, medical conditions in ancient times were too poor. Some people who fell ill could not receive timely treatment, and coupled with hunger, cold, and fear, they could not withstand it and died.
So when people panicked and called it a plague, it was more likely that they were deliberately misled by someone with ulterior motives.
At this point, another person questioned, "But he is the county magistrate, so we can't say anything about him."
Who are you? What gives you the right to point fingers at us?
"When a grown man is speaking, what right does a woman like you have to interrupt?"
Before the man could finish speaking, he suddenly felt his knees buckle and he fell to his knees with a thud.
Mu Xi suddenly appeared beside Yan Qingqing, holding a sword.
Yan Qingqing looked at the man with icy eyes. She was certain that he was not a refugee at all, but someone who had come to cause trouble.
Before Yan Qingqing could speak, Ling Ziyuan said, "Let me tell you why she has the right to interrupt."
Because she was bestowed the title of Mingzhao Shuoren by the Emperor.
The porridge currently being distributed by the government is all donated by Ming Zhaoshuo.
Do you think the government has enough grain reserves to support tens of thousands of disaster victims like you?
It is only because Ming Zhaoshuo gave away all his wealth that you have survived to this day.
We don't expect you to be grateful, but your attitude is really hurtful.
Our temple in Chengyang County is too small to accommodate such great figures as you.
Go find a way to make a living elsewhere.
After Ling Ziyuan finished speaking, he instructed the officers and soldiers who were counting the supplies not to bother anymore, and to just take these things back to the city later.
The real disaster victims panicked. They had lost so many companions and finally found such a place to stay. If they were driven away, they would surely die.
I don't know who was the first to kneel down and beg them not to be driven away, to be given a way to live, and then a whole bunch of them knelt down.
However, Yan Qingqing and Ling Ziyuan remained unmoved; they simply wanted to teach these people a lesson.
We should always know how to be grateful and not take other people's kindness for granted.
Seeing that Yan Qingqing and Ling Ziyuan showed no sign of backing down, one of the older men spoke up, "Lord Mingzhao, Lord Ling, these people are not disaster victims at all."
You can't abandon us to save our lives just because of a few of them.
Several people looked flustered upon hearing this, and Yan Qingqing noted them all down.
Yan Qingqing looked at the old man who had spoken and asked, "I don't know why this old man said that? You can't stay here for your own sake and disregard the friendship between fellow villagers, can you?"
The old man replied, "I am telling the truth; they joined us later."
Moreover, they are a group of people who often bully men and women; we are all afraid of them and usually dare not resist.
As soon as the old man finished speaking, Yan Qingqing faintly heard the soft sobbing of several women. How could Yan Qingqing not understand?
Yan Qingqing hated this kind of person more than anything in her life.
But then the old man's words confirmed to her that the whole thing was a conspiracy, and that there might not have been any plague at all.
The old man paused for a moment and then said, "Once, I overheard them whispering and discussing how to get us into the county town and cause panic among the people."
They have some kind of secret recipe, and they said that revealing it would be a great achievement.
But I was sick at the time and didn't hear very clearly.
Yan Qingqing and Ling Ziyuan exchanged a glance, then looked at the group of people.
Feeling guilty, the group turned and ran.
But with Mu Xi with them, how could they possibly escape?
In no time, Mu Xi grabbed them all and threw them all over the ground.
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