Chapter 396 Cave
Gu Jiayue stood on the gate and saw all of this.
By the time everyone had almost registered their names, it was almost noon.
The original plan was to start learning to read today, but Gu Jiayue looked again and again and couldn't find a suitable place for teaching.
There are rolling hills in front of the gate of Annan City, and a flat area of medium size at the gate.
Now, the hillsides were covered only with withered trees, bare and without shelter, their trunks twisted and reaching toward the sky, their leaves long since fallen. Everyone was practically scorched by the sun, a blazing heat that burned their skin.
How can we concentrate on reading if we can’t even open our eyes?
The refugees are already short of water and their lips are dry and chapped. If they continue to be exposed to the sun for a long time, there will definitely be problems.
She frowned, wondering what to do.
She brought up her discovery, and Zheng Qinghe nodded, the worry still etched on his face. "I've noticed this a long time ago, but there are so many refugees, at least several thousand. I can't possibly build a shelter for every one of them, right? It's unrealistic."
He sighed, his tone full of helplessness.
Yes, it is unrealistic to have one shack for each person. There are not enough materials and manpower.
Is there any way to avoid the heat without any hassle?
Gu Jiayue thought and thought, her fingers unconsciously stroking the collar of her clothes.
Suddenly his eyes lit up and he thought of the papermaking workshop in their village.
Their workshop was built in a cave. The cave was warm in winter and cool in summer, and there was always a moist cool air inside. There was no need for any renovation, just cleaning it up and people could live in it.
There is nothing else in Annan except mountains. The rolling mountains stretch as far as the eye can see. With so many mountains, wouldn’t there be more caves?
"We can see if there are any caves nearby and place some of our people in them."
Zheng Qinghe's eyes lit up and he slapped his thigh. This method works!
Compared to being exposed to the sun under the city gate and living in a cave, this can also be a way to reward yourself!
Those who behave well can go to the cave to hide from the sun, so they don’t have to be dizzy and dazzled by the sun all day long; those who behave poorly will be left here in the sun to let them experience the sun’s power.
This way, the refugees can be managed separately. Each cave can elect a leader and implement the cave chief responsibility system, which can save a lot of trouble!
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed to him. The worry on his face faded a lot, and he quickly waved to call Chen Ada over.
Chen Ada can now be regarded as the leader of this group of yamen runners, so he does not have to go to the registration office to work. He only needs to stand not far away and watch, shouting a few words from time to time to maintain order.
Seeing Zheng Qinghe waving at him, he hurried over and bowed slightly. "Sir."
Zheng Qinghe said, "Take some people and look around the nearby hills to see if there are any caves. I plan to arrange for these refugees to live in the caves, which will make it easier to manage them. They've been exposed to the sun all day and are almost wilting. They won't have the energy to work."
"Besides, it's not a good idea to have them blocking the city gate all the time. It will affect traffic in and out of the city."
So that's what happened. Chen Ah Da thought about it, then smiled, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out. "Sir, you've really asked the right person about this! I grew up in the county town and have climbed many nearby mountains. I'm very familiar with the area."
"On the mountain not far away opposite, there is a big cave with several small caves next to it. The big cave is called Suomi Cave. I heard from the old people that when there was a famine in the past, someone found rice in it, so it was called this name. It can probably accommodate thousands of people!" He spoke very clearly and could even tell allusions, which immediately attracted Zheng Qinghe's attention.
oh?
"There is such a big cave?" Zheng Qinghe was a little surprised and raised his eyebrows.
Chen Ah Da nodded, his tone firm. "We have many mountains here, and with many mountains, there are many caves. However, there are indeed very few caves this big, but it's not difficult to find some smaller ones! Even if we can't find any, we can build some shelters by the mountainside using trees. It's better than building on the flat ground at the city gate, and it saves materials."
"Okay, then you take people to confirm it. See how many people those caves can accommodate, and then arrange these refugees there as soon as possible! Try to arrange it today, because they will have to start learning and working tomorrow!" Zheng Qinghe said in an urgent tone with a commanding tone.
"Yes!" Although this job required walking on a lot of mountain roads and was a bit tedious, Chen Ada did not complain at all and responded loudly.
However, the county yamen was busy with registration and staff was tight, so they really didn't have time to go with him to look for a cave.
He changed his mind, turned around and went into the city to greet a few friends who grew up with him.
They are all locals who were born and raised there and wander around the mountains all day long. Of course they know where there are caves and where there are not.
Chen Ada promised to give them 10 kilograms of food and two buckets of water as reward.
When they heard this, their eyes lit up and excitement showed on their faces. They quickly agreed and followed Chen Ah Da out happily.
On the way, they kept pointing directions to Chen Ah Da, telling him where there were hidden caves and which caves were drier.
Chen Ada led them through the caves, carefully examining the size and depth of each one. Finally, he selected a dozen or so locations not too far from the county town entrance, drew a map, and gave it to Zheng Qinghe.
"As for beating people, these refugees are quite clever. When I went to these caves, I found signs of life inside. I guess someone must have lived there before. But they ran away when they heard our footsteps."
Zheng Qinghe took the map and examined it carefully. It was clearly marked, showing which cave was larger, which was smaller, and how far apart they were. Satisfied, he nodded. "Those who survived the disaster are generally quite intelligent. They can think of things we can. If they come back, just register them."
"Okay, I'll take good care of them."
If the refugees are properly resettled, then Zheng's contribution will be indispensable. If he gets the benefits, he will definitely not forget the people below him, given his temperament.
Isn't that the case that if one person succeeds, everyone around him will benefit? He is the most important person around the master. Although he is a little tired now, the benefits are obvious.
"Okay, then you can arrange those who have signed up into the caves. Try to put those who are familiar with each other together so that it will be easier to manage. Then choose one cave manager from each cave!"
Chen Ada took the order and turned around to make arrangements.
Zheng Qinghe looked at Gu Jiayue, who was sitting beside him, and said with some concern, "Rest for a while, and then we'll do it after dinner."
Gu Jiayue put down her brush and shook her aching wrist. "They're a bit old, and the textbooks they use are a bit too advanced and unsuitable. I want to come up with some more suitable materials for them."
As he said this, he handed what he had written to Zheng Qinghe.
Zheng Qinghe took it and took a look at it. It was indeed very simple and easy to understand, without any obscure sentences. The explanation method used was also very simple and straightforward, combining it with daily work and life.
The content also includes words and arithmetic methods that are often used in daily life, such as how to keep accounts and how to write your own name.
"Great! I think they will be very interested in such a practical class!" Zheng Qinghe praised without hesitation.
Gu Jiayue smiled, her face full of confidence. "Of course, after all, I've been teaching for so many years!"
Zheng Qinghe smiled and did not deny her little pride. Instead, he discussed the details of the teaching materials with her while having dinner.
At this moment, a yamen runner ran in quickly, looking panicked. He stumbled and almost bumped into the door frame. "Sir, this is bad! The refugees at the city gate are rioting!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com