Chapter 17 Countermeasures (1)
Yingchun went inside and didn't come out for a while. She whispered to her, "Come with me to carry the water inside. Keep your head down and only look at the road. Don't look around."
Li Xiaoxiao said "oh" and quickly helped her pour the water into the bathtub in the bathroom.
After pouring out the water, Yingchun gestured for her to take the bucket outside, while she herself quietly walked up to Magistrate Meng and bowed: "Sir, the water is ready, you may take a bath now."
Liu wiped away her tears and stood up: "Master, you must be tired after traveling all day. Let me help you wash up..."
Magistrate Meng nodded and led Liu into the washroom.
Li Xiaoxiao returned to the kitchen, where Mama Mao was busy preparing a banquet to welcome Magistrate Meng back. Upon seeing her return, she hurriedly said, "Master is back. There isn't enough water. Go and fill these two large vats again. Once they're full, come and help me."
Li Xiaoxiao responded and pondered as she drew water. Magistrate Meng had been away for so long and hadn't brought back a single penny or grain. How was he going to solve this huge problem at the city gate? Should he continue to empty his own savings to fill the gap, or could he come up with a better solution?
What will he do?
She was very curious.
The next day, when she went out of town to herd cattle, she happened to meet Constable Shi patrolling with a broadsword at his waist and a solemn expression. She sat on the oxcart and greeted him with a smile: "Constable Shi."
Officer Shi knew her too; she was the girl who had accompanied Meng Guanqi to the county office that day. He frowned and said, "You're going out to herd cattle again today? You can buy fodder for just a few coins. Why do you have to go out every day? Don't you know it's not safe outside?"
Li Xiaoxiao said nonchalantly, "My old ox likes to eat tender grass, not dry grass."
Officer Shi was taken aback by her words and was about to reprimand her, but remembering her status, he swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
Li Xiaoxiao jumped off the oxcart and pulled Officer Shi aside: "Officer Shi, there are so many people outside the city, did you register them?"
Officer Shi was taken aback: "What's the point of registering names? It's a mess, people come and go every day."
Li Xiaoxiao's eyes widened: "If we don't register the names, then the grain we gave away will be given away for nothing?"
The head constable was completely baffled: "What do you mean? This grain was released by the officials from the granary, how can we ask for it back?"
Li Xiaoxiao whispered, "Our magistrate went home yesterday. I heard from the government that they couldn't borrow any money or grain. Since the higher-ups aren't taking responsibility, are they going to drag our magistrate out and behead him to pay for the grain? Of course, whoever ate it has to send it back!"
Officer Shi was puzzled: "Those people were all left homeless by the flood, and they're just surviving on a bowl of porridge. How can you expect them to repay you?"
Li Xiaoxiao said, "If we can't pay it back now, then we can pay it back when we have more grain. We can't all pay it out of our own pockets, can we? Lord Meng doesn't have mountains of gold and silver. We can't just fleece him like this."
Seeing that Constable Shi still looked confused, Li smiled and said, "They are refugees now, without land or food. What if the magistrate requires them to settle in Biyang County? Once they become residents of the county, wouldn't the money and grain they owe the county government be recovered sooner or later?"
Officer Shi's eyes widened: "Settle down? But, but—" According to the laws of Da Wu, these refugees only temporarily have nowhere to live. Once the disaster is over, the imperial court will still send people to deal with the disaster, and most people will still be arranged to return to their hometowns. That's why the magistrates of various counties are unwilling to accept these refugees.
Li Xiaoxiao said, "Lord Meng is incredibly audacious, daring to even open up the granaries. Why not let them settle down here directly? We can't just let them eat and drink their fill and leave, leaving Lord Meng to clean up the mess, can we? If we let these people settle down, the tax grain can be collected sooner or later. Although Lord Meng was wrong to open the granaries without permission, the county's population will increase significantly, and taxes will rise. That would be a real achievement, wouldn't it?"
Officer Shi stared at her in shock, unable to utter a single word.
Li Xiaoxiao said, "So, we should strike first. Anyone who wants to get porridge here must agree to settle down in this county unconditionally before Lord Meng can possibly pay off this debt."
The head constable stammered, "But, but, if we set this precedent, other counties will probably follow suit and try to take people from us—" A county suddenly increases its population by over a thousand, that's a real achievement, who wouldn't want to take it?
Li Xiaoxiao didn't care at all: "Let them come and rob us. We'll charge them 50 catties of grain per person. Just say it's what they owe us for eating and drinking for free in our county. As long as they're willing to pay this amount of grain, these families can choose which county to settle in."
Looking at her, Officer Shi sighed, "What a rogue!"
This is killing two birds with one stone! It immediately solves Magistrate Meng's predicament.
If the refugees have no grain to repay, they can only settle in Biyang County, where the owed grain can eventually be repaid. Magistrate Meng can manage this for a few years and make up for all the grain deficit, while also increasing the county's population by over a thousand. If magistrates from other counties come to seize the refugees, it's simple: just make up for the grain the refugees have been eating and lodging for free in Biyang County for over a month, and they can take them away at any time. In that case, Magistrate Meng can also make up for all the grain deficit and even have a surplus. Then, the measure of opening the city to distribute porridge will not be considered a mistake; it will win the hearts of the people and resolve the crisis.
As long as Lord Meng agrees to this, then I, as his subordinate, will handle the rest! All I need to do is be a little thick-skinned, a little domineering, and a little rude. Lord Meng won't be that kind of villain; I, Shi Yi, will be!
Having figured this out, Chief Constable Shi was filled with excitement and clapped his hands, saying, "I'll register them right away, and none of them will escape my notice!"
Li Xiaoxiao nodded in deep agreement: "Go quickly, I won't keep you any longer, I have to go herd the cattle."
Officer Shi took a few steps forward, then walked back and bowed deeply to her: "Sister, I'm shamelessly calling you sister. Your idea really saved our entire Biyang County. On behalf of everyone in the county government, I thank you."
Li Xiaoxiao quickly replied, "No need to thank me, no need to thank me. After you register, remember to offer your advice to Lord Meng. Do you think he won't value you?"
Officer Shi's face was a mixture of emotions: "This was clearly your idea..."
Li Xiaoxiao waved her hand dismissively: "What would I, a mere fire-starting girl, need such great merit? I'm content just to herd cattle in peace."
Officer Shi deeply appreciated her righteousness, clasped his hands in a fist salute to her, and strode away.
Li Xiaoxiao jumped back onto the oxcart, cracked the whip, and the old ox leisurely pulled her towards the outskirts of the city.
Meanwhile, in the study in the backyard of the county government office, Magistrate Meng heard his son make almost the exact same suggestion. He was shocked: "You mean I should just take in these refugees and settle them in Biyang County?!"
With dark circles under his eyes, Meng Guanqi thought for a whole night and finally came up with this idea: "Dad, this is the best way, and the only way to get our family out of this mess in the end."
Magistrate Meng had already planned to plead guilty, but he never expected his son to come up with such a solution: "But, but, this is against the rules. The procedures for displaced people to register their household registration in this area are very strict—"
“Father—” Meng Guanqi interrupted him: “Do you have a better idea? Do you want to plead guilty? We’ve only been in Biyang County for half a year, and we’ve already made such a big mistake. If the higher-ups investigate seriously, what should the law say about the punishment? You know what I mean, right?”
Magistrate Meng had previously worked in the Ministry of Justice, so of course he knew the answer.
He stammered, unable to speak.
Meng Guanqi's eyes were red: "If it weren't for Father's love for the people and his inability to bear seeing them starve to death, how could you have softened your heart and opened the granary to relieve the refugees? We have taken such a great risk, and now we are just trying to eliminate the risk. What is wrong with that? Moreover, I have thought about it carefully. If someone really impeaches you for this matter, you can write a memorial to defend yourself. Only then will the difficulties of Biyang County, the difficulties of the refugees, and the long-delayed disaster relief funds from the imperial court have a real chance of reaching the ears of the emperor, and only then will the blame not fall on your head!"
Magistrate Meng said helplessly, "Prefect Song will not agree."
Meng Guanqi's gaze was firm: "If Prefect Song really blames you, just say that you went to the prefectural office to ask him about this matter, but he avoided seeing you, not because you didn't discuss it with him."
Magistrate Meng was shocked: "This—" This is going to drag Prefect Song down with him! Isn't this going to offend him to death?
Meng Guanqi said, "Only if all the refugees settle in Biyang County can we possibly get back the grain we gave away. Or you can make an agreement with the refugees that they can only settle there temporarily for three to five years to pay off all the grain they owe. Whether they stay or leave, we will not make things difficult for them."
Biyang County is very poor, with vast land and sparse population. Large tracts of wasteland are left uncultivated. If these thousand or so people can settle here and reclaim the wasteland, the tax revenue that can be collected in three to five years will definitely increase significantly. The population and tax revenue will both increase significantly, which can be included in Magistrate Meng's performance evaluation.
With these two obvious achievements, even if Prefect Song was his father's superior, he couldn't deliberately make things difficult for him.
Magistrate Meng thought and thought, and indeed had no better solution. He sighed and said, "Let's do as you say. I'll have Clerk Peng..." He stopped abruptly, realizing that Clerk Peng had already left.
Because Biyang County was too poor, the position of county magistrate had been vacant for a long time. He originally planned to wait until he was in a stable position before recommending Master Peng to be the county magistrate. Who would have thought that he would lead the way in betraying him, leaving not only himself but also taking most of his confidants with him.
Thinking of this, Magistrate Meng felt a pang of pain in his heart and couldn't help but cough again.
Meng Guanqi looked at him worriedly: "Father, you haven't been taking good care of your illness. Why don't you hand over all the work to the people below and stay home to rest and recover?"
Magistrate Meng shook his head: "I haven't appeared for a long time. Today, I must see everyone in the county government and deal with the official business that has accumulated over the past two weeks."
Having no other choice, Meng Guanqi could only send him to the county government office and then go to the county school to attend classes himself.
Magistrate Meng had just sat down when Constable Shi rushed in: "Sir, I have something to report."
Magistrate Meng put down his pen and said gently, "You've come at the right time. I also have something for you to do, concerning the refugees at the city gate..."
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