Chapter 128 Li Lingcang
After Chi Ming arrived with 50,000 soldiers, he ordered the soldiers to go to the mountain to cut trees. They didn't care even if the mountain became bald, because if people were gone, everything would be gone.
Fuzhou is vast, but because it has cold winters for most of the year, it does not have a large population.
If everyone died in this snowstorm, this place would become a thousand-mile wasteland.
It was difficult to go up the mountain, but there was strength in numbers. A steady supply of wood was transported down, and people started fires and kept warm. Only then did they recover a little from the endless cold.
His hands and feet could move, and his face was no longer dead.
The houses were gradually repaired by the soldiers, and the people in the city had a place to live and porridge to drink, so they could get by.
There is hope for the disaster in Fuzhou.
Early that morning, Chi Ming summoned officials to the government office to discuss matters.
Li Lingcang, the prefect of Fuzhou, flattered him: "Thanks to Your Majesty for arriving in time, so that the people of Fuzhou can have food to eat."
"On behalf of the people and officials of Fuzhou, I would like to thank His Majesty for his great kindness."
As soon as he stood up, all the officials in Fuzhou stood up and knelt down:
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Chi Ming raised his hand and asked them to stand up. Li Lingcang was Yun Yizi's disciple. He had been entrenched in Fuzhou for many years and was a cunning old fox.
He had been there for several days, but still couldn't find his fault.
Asked why the porridge was not provided in time?
Because there is no rice!
Asked why not build houses for the common people?
Without wood, even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice.
Anyway, he always has a reason and he can't be blamed for any major mistakes.
He implemented it according to previous disaster relief procedures, but due to shortage of supplies, the implementation was not thorough.
After all, the blizzard in Fuzhou was a fact, and the roads were blocked and there was no food.
He calculated that there was no way he could do anything to him.
But logically speaking, every state capital has its own grain reserves, which should be at least hundreds of thousands of kilograms.
He didn't believe that it was distributed and eaten so quickly.
We can only wait for him to reveal his true colors.
"Lord Li has worked hard. It is my fault that you have not been promoted for so many years. When this disaster is over, I will transfer you back to the capital. How about that?"
The subordinate officials were all extremely envious as they were being promoted personally by the Regent.
What is Lord Li doing?
Why don't you thank me yet?
If they were here, we would thank them profusely!
Li Lingcang wondered if the Regent had noticed something?
He felt a little nervous, but pressed it down again.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I am old now and it is hard for me to leave my hometown. I am quite familiar with the government affairs in Fuzhou. Please allow me to stay here until I retire. Leave the opportunity to display my talents in the capital to more capable young people."
He looked like he was willing to die for Fuzhou and was selfless to others. If you didn't know him well, you would be really moved.
I thought he was a good official.
Then he said modestly: "Since the snowstorm, I have been able to do very little. How the people can get through this winter and how to avoid delaying spring ploughing next year are all issues that need to be resolved. I dare not take credit for it."
"Lord Li is too modest. I believe that Lord Li can do a good job in these matters. He can also care for the younger generation. This prince appreciates this very much."
He did not force Li Lingcang. If he didn't leave, there must be something fishy going on.
The officials were a little confused. Why didn't the lord go?
That was the capital city they dreamed of visiting.
But in this situation, I didn't dare to ask too much.
Lu Jinshu then reported the disaster relief situation in the city, and then said:
"Your Highness, although there are few people in Fuzhou City, the winter is long. If we rely entirely on the imperial court for food supply, with so many mouths to feed, the amount needed is not a small amount."
In just a few days, half of the food and fodder he was escorting was eaten.
He also knew that the Ministry of Revenue’s food and fodder were not sufficient.
If the war breaks out again, or if there is a snowstorm in other states, there will definitely not be enough food and fodder.
Fuzhou now seems to be a bottomless pit.
Chi Ming's brow has never been relaxed since he came to Fuzhou.
It is definitely not a long-term solution to keep distributing porridge like this.
Lu Jinshu has been calculating his rice rations so much these days that he would even break a grain of rice into two halves to eat. He has seen all of this.
"We will provide porridge for another five days, and then we will ask the able men in Fuzhou to chop wood, repair houses, clear roads, and clean snow off roofs. Anyone who can work will be paid."
"But...many families don't have male heirs anymore."
Speaking of this, Lu Jinshu was also extremely sad. There were elderly, weak, women and children at home who were crying for food, and as a man he could only go out to find food.
Some froze to death, while others never returned after entering the mountains.
Some were killed by being crushed by the roof.
It's good enough if one third of the men in Fuzhou City are qualified.
"If there are no male children, women can mend clothes and cook for them, and they will be paid."
"Let them bring money to buy food, and we will sell it at a fair price."
"Your Majesty is wise."
Lu Jinshu felt that this method was very good. It was better to make a living by one's own ability than to wait for relief every day.
But he was also a little worried: "My Lord, will this cause a civil uprising?"
If we stop giving them food these days, they will easily become dissatisfied, and if they start a rebellion, there will be chaos.
Chi Ming looked at Li Lingcang deeply and said, "It won't happen unless someone causes trouble."
The meaning is very clear. As long as there is no one instigating behind the scenes, everything will be safe.
Li Lingcang had a hunch that the Regent had set his sights on him, so he had to be more careful in the future.
"Li Lingcang, you guys draft the rules and I want to see them before sunset."
Li Lingcang was so stared at that his forehead was covered with sweat, but he had to reply despite the tight schedule: "Yes, I will obey your command."
I have to take my subordinate officials to draft the regulations. There is no time to lose.
Despite this, Chi Ming was still worried.
It’s not that he was reluctant to give up the food. There were countless casualties in Fuzhou City alone, not to mention the villages outside the city.
Fuzhou is mountainous, and there are countless villages in the mountains.
Almost all the houses collapsed and many people were buried alive.
Fortunately, many people were trapped in their houses by the heavy snow. Those who had surplus food at home were better off, but those who didn't were frozen to death or starved to death.
It was icy and snowy here, and the mountain roads were impassable, so they had nowhere to go if they wanted to escape the famine.
"Order the soldiers and able-bodied young men to open a mountain road and go into the mountains to rescue people."
Deputy General Tao accepted the order: "Yes."
Chi Ming waved away everyone and wanted to go and open the mountain road to see for himself the extent of the disaster in the mountain village.
But as soon as they left the government office, they were blocked by a pretty girl.
On this street covered with ice and snow, the pink clothes are particularly eye-catching.
"Brother Shufeng, where are you going?"
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