Chapter 156: Fortify the Wall and Clear the Fields
Dongfulou has closed down.
Just over a quarter of an hour after returning to the building, Manager Xu had his waiter hang up a notice that the business was temporarily closed. He then gathered all the cooks and waiters in the building behind closed doors to inform them of the current situation. He then distributed the grain, vegetables, meat, and other items in the warehouse to everyone, and told them to return home and find ways to store their food to avoid disaster.
After Dongfulou put up a sign saying it was closed, several shops, large and small, that were still open in the county town followed suit and began to hastily pack up their things and look for a way out.
At this time, the second batch of soldiers entered the county. Shopkeeper Xu had just distributed what could be distributed in the warehouse when he heard footsteps outside. He ran to the front hall and looked out the window. He saw the Shezhou garrison lined up to enter the county. There were more people than the first batch. He watched for a long time but couldn't see the end of the team.
Chef Yu watched from the side and murmured, "They actually mobilized so many troops? Will this make our safety more secure?"
Shopkeeper Xu didn't know either. He shook his head and said, "I hope so."
…
People in the county town were in panic, and the situation in the villages outside the county was not much better.
In Shili Village, the gong sounded, and the dozen or so households left in the village were so frightened that their hearts trembled. Zhou Lizheng had come? Was this a conscription, a grain collection, or a military service?
Everyone's scalp felt numb at that moment.
We can't just collect grain. There is no grain left. If we collect more, we'll be collecting their blood and their lives.
However, in terms of being domesticated, there is actually no fundamental difference between humans and domesticated animals. Just like now, even if you are frightened to the point of numbing your scalp and breathing rapidly, when you hear the sound of the gong, whether you are willing or not, frightened or not, you will subconsciously follow your usual reaction and step out of your house and approach the drying yard at the sound of the gong.
Even though he walked very slowly, the direction of his toes never shifted at all.
Shen San and Li, as well as Shen Jin's siblings who happened to be at home, also went to the drying yard hesitantly.
The person who came was Zhou Lizheng, but this time was different from any previous time. Not only were there yamen runners, but also ten soldiers in armor. Zhou Lizheng no longer held a roll of notice in his hand, but stood at the very edge with his head bowed, letting the yamen runners speak. He no longer had his former dignified demeanor, and only panic was left on his face.
The people of Shili Village listened to the words of the yamen runner with great concern, only to find that they had guessed wrong too.
It was not conscription, grain collection, or military service, but they were asked to live in the county town? It was said that the refugees in the north had gathered into bandits and were very close to Qiyang County. A few days ago, some county was massacred, and some county was besieged. Wherever the bandits passed, the county town with city walls was better off, but the people in the countryside suffered a tragic fate. The bandits demanded money and grain, killed people, set fires, raped, and looted, leaving no one alive wherever they passed.
The villagers of the several counties named Shili Village mentioned by the yamen runner had no idea. For most of them, the farthest place they had ever been to in their lives was Qiyang County. But they all knew about the refugees and bandits, and could understand the string of four-character words at the end.
With every word the bailiff spoke, the villagers breathed heavier. They were just refugees and bandits driven mad by hunger.
Their minds were filled with thoughts of being robbed and killed, so much so that the suggestion of asking them to move to the county was ignored. Everyone had only one thought in their mind: it's over!
About sixty or seventy people were in a panic.
Seeing that none of the people had grasped the key point, the bailiff snatched the gong from Zhou Cunzheng's hand and struck it again with a clang.
"Have you listened? The imperial court has sent troops to garrison the county. If you want to survive, take the food, clothes, and bedding from your home and immediately take refuge in the county. Take all the food with you! You can only come back after the bandits are defeated."
Now everyone finally heard the key point.
Two key points.
First, the imperial court sent troops to protect them.
Second, they had to live in the county town, which had city walls and garrisons.
The people who were desperate and panicking just now seemed to have found a way out. Some were overjoyed: "The imperial court has troops stationed there. We don't have to be afraid!"
Some of the more sober ones frowned, realized something, and asked, "We don't have much food left. We can still find some wild vegetables in the mountains to fill our stomachs in the village. But once we enter the county, where will we find wild vegetables to eat?"
After these words came out, the people who were happy just now finally reacted: "Yes, where will we live after entering the county town? There is no place for us to find food?"
In the county town, even going in and out requires money, not to mention food and lodging.
"Also, if we all leave, what will happen to the crops in the fields? Without anyone to take care of them, won't they all dry up and die?"
Everyone agreed at this point. Crops are their life. Especially since everyone has very little food left, they all depend on the crops in the fields to grow and survive.
Even someone as fearful as Chen San suddenly realized that once he entered the county town, not only would he not be able to take care of the crops in the fields, but where would his two sons go to catch pheasants and rabbits for him?
He has just tasted the sweetness twice.
Everyone asked at once, but Shen San didn't dare to say a word. He just pricked up his ears and stared at the officials above to see what they had to say.
What can the bailiff say?
The county government has stored grain, but it is hard to say whether it can supply so many people, and whether Lord Wei will open the granary without orders.
But this was not what he needed to worry about. At least he could not be timid at the moment. Even if the sky fell, the tall people would hold it up. It would not be the turn of a small clerk like him. He only needed to complete this mission well.
Thinking of this, the yamen runner raised his chin and said, "Food and lodging will be taken care of by the master. You just need to do as he says. Go back and pack up quickly. I will give you one hour to take away everything you can eat. We will wait here in the drying yard."
No one moved.
An old man bravely asked, "Sir, we haven't even talked about this yet. What are we going to do with the food in our fields? When will the bandits come, and how long will it take to drive them back? If the crops in our fields go to waste, someone will die. We will have no food at home."
The old man's voice was trembling, but he still tried to ask the questions that concerned him most clearly and coherently.
This was not something the yamen runner could answer. He turned his head to look at the leader of the group of soldiers who followed him.
The leading soldier had been stern all the way. Now he noticed that the yamen runners didn't look at him sideways, but stared at the group of people in front of him, young and old. He adjusted the sword at his waist and said, "I let you into the city to protect your lives. You can't ask about military affairs. If the bandits really come, not to mention the crops, all of you will be killed by the sword. The money and women in your homes will also be those of the bandits."
"Don't waste your time. I'll give you one hour. Men go home and pack up your things. Each family should send a woman to work in the fields. Take away everything that can be eaten, including the vegetables in the fields. Don't leave a single grain of food or vegetable for the bandits."
If it wasn't still early for the autumn harvest, even the seedlings would have to be pulled out and destroyed.
As soon as these words were spoken, the villagers were in an uproar, but the soldier only pulled out his knife an inch, and the scene immediately became quiet again.
The man held the knife, and said calmly but oppressively, "Everyone, hurry up."
Zhou Lizheng finally spoke the first words since entering the village, echoing the man's words, urging: "Yes, yes, hurry up, listen, one woman from each family should go to the fields, and the others should go back to their homes to pack up. Take away all the food, oil, salt, and other edible things, as well as clothes, bedding, and valuables."
The people of Shili Village looked at the dozen or so soldiers with swords, then looked at the several yamen runners. They all looked at each other, and at this moment they really didn't dare to ask.
Not to mention that the village had been conscripted several times and so many families had left. There were only a few young and strong people left now. Even if there were, they would not dare to confront the soldier with a sword.
Besides, the bandits are coming...
Everyone swallowed and walked back in panic.
As soon as they left, the leading soldier nodded his head, and the soldiers under him understood and followed the villagers.
I asked Zhou Lizheng before coming here. There are only more than ten households left in Shili Village, so one person is more than enough to keep an eye on one household.
The villagers originally wanted to leave the drying yard to discuss things with their neighbors, but then they found soldiers with swords following them. Well, now they didn't even dare to open their mouths.
Fortunately, the soldier only followed them into the yard and watched them clean up, but did not follow them closely.
As soon as Shen San's family entered the main hall, they turned into the main room a little further away from the yard. Only then did Li lower her voice and ask, "What should we do? Are we really going to the county?"
Shen San looked at her like a fool: "Why don't you go? Are you waiting here for the bandits to kill you? Do you think your life is too long? Don't you know what it's like when refugees become bandits?"
Li had escaped famine, so he knew it very well.
Her lips trembled, and she was at a loss for a moment.
Xiao Jin squeezed his mother's hand, and Li looked down and saw her son making mouth shapes.
Burrow in the ground.
Burrows in the ground. Yes, there are burrows in the ground.
But is the cave really safe? Can they hide in the cave for a while, or forever? If the bandits stay in this area, they can only go deep into the mountains.
Going deep into the mountains... Li was still a little scared.
But if we enter the county town, there are high walls and garrisons in the city, but we can't find wild vegetables or hunt wild animals. Will the government really provide us with food?
Where to go?
Li was very confused.
She had no rules, and subconsciously asked out loud, "Once we enter the county, if we run out of food, will the government really take care of us?"
Shen San was already rummaging through the boxes and cabinets, looking for money, land deeds, and house deeds, all of which needed to be taken away.
After hearing what Li said, he said without even turning his head: "No matter what, people from all the towns and villages will go there. With so many people, how can they all starve to death? Before they starve to death, they will surround the county government office and drag a few people down with them."
"Don't worry. No one will care if you are the only one starving. But if hundreds or thousands of people are starving, the government won't be able to just sit there and watch. Didn't the refugees receive food and resettlements last year? The government will be afraid if there are too many people."
Li felt relieved: "That's right."
She thought of the food and dried meat hidden in the cave and dared not delay any longer. Although she didn't know why the men were asked to clean up at home and the women were asked to dig vegetables in the fields, it would be more convenient for her to go out to get the food from the cave.
Li turned around and went to the kitchen to find an empty basket and hoe. Shen Jin and Shen Yin saw the opportunity and ran to follow her. The soldiers were in the yard and just glanced at them without moving.
Shen Jin waited until he entered the kitchen, then he lowered his voice and asked Li: "Mom, do we really have to go to the county?"
When he looked at those officers and soldiers, he always felt that they were very unkind. Moreover, considering the previous incident where the yamen runners robbed grain and beat his mother, Shen Jin did not have much trust in the government runners and felt a little nervous.
Li hesitated for a moment, but nodded and lowered his voice, "The county has high walls and soldiers guarding the city. It's safer than hiding in that cave. If we hide in the cave, we will always need to eat and drink, and we will always have to go out. If the bandits and the soldiers come into conflict, how long can we stay here? If they collide, we're done for."
Shen Jin couldn't make up his mind either.
His eldest brother only taught him to be on guard against refugees, but he did not tell him what to do if the government wanted to take them into the county to avoid refugees and bandits.
Shen Jin was only nine years old, how could he understand all this? After hearing his parents say that the county was safer, he suppressed his uneasiness and turned his attention to something more important at the moment.
"Mom, in addition to the cave I dug, there are also some food hidden in the two caves that my eldest brother dug for me."
His eldest brother taught him at that time that when the bandits came, he might not have the chance to choose which cave to go to. He could only dig several caves in different directions and hide in whichever one he could. So he put a little food in each cave.
Li knew that Chen Lie had helped dig two caves, but she had only been into one of the caves with the two children and had not been to the other two.
Now when he heard that there was food in the other two caves, his heart tightened: "Are there a lot of things?"
Shen Jin whispered, "There is some dried meat given by my elder brother, and some soybeans."
Li gritted her teeth and said, "Then you carry a backpack and come with me."
The mother and son, one carrying a basket and the other carrying a backpack, were stopped by the soldier when they reached the door.
"I told you that only one person can go out."
Li coughed twice with a bitter face: "General, I was seriously ill before and my body is still weak. There are several vegetable plots in the mountains. I am afraid I can't harvest them all in an hour. Ask me to bring a child to help."
The soldier saw that Li's face was thin and sallow, and it didn't seem fake. He looked at Shen Jin again, and he saw that she was less than ten years old.
Seeing three children leaning against the doors of the kitchen and the main hall and looking out, he waved his hand and said, "Go ahead, be honest, don't run around blindly. People from every county around have entered the city, and there is no food or vegetables left outside the county. What do you think those refugees and bandits will eat when they come?"
Once everyone enters the county town, the army will send people to sweep all the villages, clearing the fields and leaving nothing for the bandits. The county will also be heavily guarded, and by then, the eight or nine-year-old children will be the best meat dishes.
Li somehow understood the meaning of the last sentence from the soldier's meaningful smile. She shuddered, nodded vigorously, and bowed: "I know, I know, we are really just going to pick vegetables. You see, there are still several children at home."
The soldier smiled and didn't care.
Their only concern on this trip was to ensure that all the young and strong men entered the city and that not a grain of food was left behind. As for the women and children, it would be good if they could take them away. But if they really ran into one or two who wanted to die, there would be nothing he could do since he had already given them a warning.
…
Shen Jin followed Li outside with a backpack on his back. After walking for a while, he looked back and saw that there was a soldier outside the door of every house that still had people in the village.
He asked in a low voice: "Mom, if you were protecting us, why did you have to watch over us?"
Li's legs and feet went weak as she thought about what the soldier had just said.
Going into the city doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll starve to death, but if you don’t go into the city, you’ll either go into the mountains and be eaten by wild beasts, or if you don’t have the ability to go into the mountains, you’ll be eaten by humans…
She had actually seen cannibalism.
There was a severe drought that year... The distant memory hit her. She put herself and her child in that situation again. Li's hands on both ends of the carrying pole were shaking like sieves. After a while, she said in a trembling voice: "Don't ask, don't ask, let's hurry up and collect the things to go into the city."
…
At feeding time, when smoke rises from every household, the villages outside the county are deathly silent. However, the official road leading to Qiyang County is filled with a long line of people fleeing, carrying baskets and bags on their shoulders. There is no end in sight. Each village has a team, and each mile has a group, all of them half led and half driven by yamen runners and soldiers to Qiyang County.
Not far from the city gate, many county residents came to watch the scene after hearing the news. There were ordinary people as well as wealthy and common people who had moved into the county when the chaos in the south first started.
Originally there were two classes, but now looking at the endless long queue outside the city, they confirmed that the rumor was true, but their expressions changed as well.
The timid ones retreated back and forth, then turned around and ran home. From then on, they could only stay at home and be careful when living in the county.
The wealthy commoner family had servants following them, so they were not in a hurry to leave, but their faces looked very ugly.
Some people who could not hold their temper had already gritted their teeth and whispered to someone they knew well, "With so many people coming to the county, where will the food come from? People like us..." Wouldn't that Wei guy be skinned alive again?
He kept his composure, turned his head and glanced at the person who had spoken earlier, and said, "Our food can't grow just by the wind, so it will all go to waste in the fields. Where is there any food left? Could it be that Brother Chen still has some surplus food at home?"
The man surnamed Chen choked a little, then his eyes flickered and his expression relaxed: "Brother Wang, you are joking. Who can have surplus food in this year?"
…
Shopkeeper Xu and his old servant mixed in the crowd, watching groups of people entering the city. When a group of people entered, the old servant Xu Shu suddenly whispered, "Ah Lang, look over there, the two adults and four children who just came over..."
Shopkeeper Xu looked over when he heard this. There were people gathered together. It was hard to tell who they were. But when they came closer, Uncle Xu whispered, "Come here."
He saw the group of six people and turned his head to ask Uncle Xu: "Are they those children?"
The old servant nodded.
Shopkeeper Xu closed his eyes and sighed.
It was hard for him to say whether going into the city was a good thing or a bad thing.
He didn't say anything more. After the group of people from Shili Village walked a little further away, he said, "Let's go and see where they are placed."
The old servant opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.
They don’t have much food left in the city, especially after their families come over. They may not even be able to take care of themselves, so how can they take care of others?
Shopkeeper Xu knew what he was thinking and said, "Let's first decide where to stay, and then we can talk about other things."
What Chen Lie asked him for that day was just to do what he could.
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