Chapter 243 Who? Who is it?

When Zhang Zhongming, the governor of Zangke County, heard that someone from the court had arrived, he hurried over to greet them.

"What is this?"

Zhang Zhongming was shocked when he saw the steam carriage.

"This is a steam carriage." Qi Lian casually introduced the carriage and began to ask about the forest fire.

"Alas, I don't know which family went up the mountain to worship their ancestors and left too early. The paper money and candles were blown away by the wind, and it was a dry day, so they caught fire. The fire broke out at night and no one noticed it. By the time they found it, it was too late and there was no way to put out the fire." Zhang Zhongming couldn't help wiping away his tears when he said this.

"This fire burned for three days and three nights. It was only put out by the recent rain. The people are suffering."

Qi Lian ordered his men to move all the silver brought from the other steam carriage.

"This is the money the emperor has allocated for disaster relief. The food for disaster relief will be transported here by horse-drawn carriages and will arrive in a few days. Let the people have food first."

"Okay, okay, I'll arrange someone to do it right away." Zhang Zhongming nodded repeatedly.

Qi Lian stayed behind, while Wang Taifu and Shen Ping drove a steam carriage back to the capital to report the incident.

The ministers had not expected that a forest fire would actually break out, so no one dared to object to Lu Li's attendance at the court, and they all offered suggestions on how to resettle the refugees from the disaster in Zangke County.

After all, their homes had been burned down, and the temporary shelters built by the government were not enough to live in.

What should be done with the burned birds and animals, as well as the corpses of the people?

Everyone started talking one after another.

As Lu Yanshi listened, he suddenly heard Lu Li roaring in his heart.

【Disgusting.】

Lu Li slammed the table hard with her little fist.

Lu Yanshi quickly touched her little hand and blew on it.

"What's wrong? Who made our Xiaojiu angry?"

[I just couldn't sleep. How should I tell my father that someone embezzled the money for disaster relief?]

[They were afraid that the people would complain, so they killed several people.]

When Lu Yanshi heard this, his expression changed immediately.

Which guy is so audacious as to embezzle money intended for disaster relief?

Lu Li glanced at Lu Yanshi out of the corner of her eye and started talking to herself in her heart.

[Father was just listening to the adults' reports, so he probably didn't notice whether I was asleep or not, right?]

[If I say I slept, he will believe it, right? ]

Lu Yanshi: ...

The main purpose is to fool people, right?

Thinking of this, Lu Li said, "Father, I dreamed of a bad guy who was greedy for money."

Lu Li's voice was so loud that the court officials below all looked over.

What, someone is greedy for money?

Who? Who is it?

Everyone looked at each other, afraid that they would be implicated.

"Did Xiaojiu dream about that person's name?" Lu Yanshi asked again.

"There were so many people. Xiaojiu only remembers one named Zhou Qi, who was a subordinate of Lord Zhang Zhongming." Lu Li replied hurriedly.

"Zhang Zhongming is a good man. Father, please don't blame him. He doesn't know either."

Fearing that Zhang Zhongming might be misunderstood, Lu Li hurried to explain for him.

Zhang Zhongming was a good official, but some of his minions were not necessarily good people.

They actually embezzled the money for disaster relief.

Originally, every household that suffered losses could receive one or two taels of silver per person, but they simply took advantage of it and only gave one or two taels of silver to the whole family.

Some scholars discovered that the amount distributed was different from what was posted by the government, so they went to question them, but they were caught and killed.

The people are angry but dare not speak out.

"Okay, father got it. He will send someone to investigate now." Lu Yanshi's face turned cold.

These people, relying on their superior status, dare to act so arrogantly.

…

Lianping Village, Panning Township, Kaiyang County, Zangke County.

"Brother Wu, this won't be discovered, right?" Xiao Liuzi, who had just killed someone, felt a little uneasy.

"What are you afraid of? If we really investigate, we'll find that their superiors have embezzled more than we have." Wu Yang counted the silver in front of him nonchalantly.

He went to the county to inquire about it, and learned that the higher-ups gave one or two taels of silver per person, with children being counted as half. However, the higher-ups deducted all the children's money, so it seemed reasonable for him to deduct some from the adults as well.

The house he had just built was burned down by the wildfire. He could not swallow this humiliation.

Since no one admitted that they had started the fire, he had to look for help from elsewhere.

"But Song Shucheng is a student, is he really okay?" Xiao Liuzi still felt a little uneasy.

"A tongsheng is nothing. My father wouldn't be afraid of him even if he was a scholar. He's not a nobleman. He has a blind mother and a seven-year-old sister at home. No one will look for him if he dies." Wu Yang looked up at him impatiently.

"Here, just keep your mouth shut. If you leak the news, don't blame me for being rude." He stuffed a piece of silver into Xiao Liuzi's pocket.

Xiao Liuzi immediately put it in his pocket and nodded repeatedly: "Brother Wu, don't worry, I will definitely not go out and say nonsense."

After getting the silver, he immediately went to the county to buy meat and wine and enjoyed them happily.

The money he earned was worth his life, so it would be better to spend it as soon as possible. Who knows if Wu Yang will push him out to take the blame one day?

He sipped the wine, ate it with relish, and an expression of enjoyment appeared on his face.

Just as he was enjoying it, a timid voice reached his ears.

"Auntie, have you ever met my elder brother? My elder brother is called Song Shucheng. He wears a dark blue short-sleeved shirt and a knotted straw rope tied around his waist. A water bottle made of a gourd is hung on the rope."

Xiao Liuzi looked carefully and saw that it was Song Shucheng's sister Song Wan.

He turned his head away in panic, not daring to look at her.

But Song Wan ran straight towards him.

"Sixth brother, have you seen my eldest brother? He came to the county the day before yesterday and hasn't been home for two days."

With tears in her eyes, Song Wan looked at Xiao Liuzi eagerly.

This is their fellow villager, maybe he has met the eldest brother.

"No, no, I haven't met your elder brother." Xiao Liuzi pushed her away rudely.

Song Wan was not careful and fell to the ground.

"Go away and don't disturb me from enjoying the delicious food." Xiao Liuzi didn't dare to look at her and raised his voice guiltily.

"Waiter, how can you let anyone in here? How do you run a business?"

"Go, go, go, hurry up and don't delay our guests' dinner." The waiter came over quickly and pushed Song Wan out.

Song Wan stared at Xiao Liuzi for a few seconds without saying a word. She wiped away her tears and continued looking for her brother's whereabouts.

But she inquired for a long time and still had no clues.

She looked at the setting sun and knew she could no longer stay in the county. She had to hurry home as her mother was still alone in the village.

The houses in the village were burned down, and now everyone is housed in caves on the mountain. There are several families in one cave, and my mother is the only one living there. She can’t see and might be bullied.

She spent a penny to take a bullock cart from the county back to the township, and then from the township to the village.

She seemed tireless and didn't care even though her straw sandals were worn out. Finally, when the moonlight was high in the sky, she returned to the cave.

"Mom, I'm back."