Chapter 868 Chapter 868, Refugees
As the convoy got closer to the city gate, Daohua noticed that many refugees had gathered outside the gate.
In the biting cold wind and snow, the refugees shivered and huddled together. When they saw the convoy coming, they eagerly surrounded it.
When the guards saw this, they immediately drew their swords and looked at the refugees warily.
When the refugees saw the guards take out knives, they were so scared that they stepped back.
On the city wall, the general guarding the gate saw the convoy downstairs and immediately guessed that it was the family of the newly appointed governor. He quickly ordered the city gate to be opened, and led his men out to greet them and disperse the refugees so that the convoy could pass freely.
"This is the family of the pacification master, and no trouble is allowed."
After hearing this, the refugees who had been staring at the supplies on the carriage with green eyes all silently withdrew their gazes.
The new governor was a good official. On the second day after he arrived, he set up a porridge stall at the city gate and had people build straw huts to prevent them from freezing to death in the snow and ice.
In the carriage, Daohua frowned as she saw the refugees, all of whom were skinny and wearing thin and tattered clothes. The life of the people in Xiliang was even worse than she had imagined.
Seeing that the convoy had arrived in the capital smoothly, the gatekeeper breathed a sigh of relief.
The last time the Xiao Mansion's guards entered the city with a large amount of supplies, the refugees rushed forward recklessly, and many people were killed or injured.
Fortunately, nothing happened this time.
The convoy entered the city and the city gates were closed again. The refugees retreated to the straw huts, staring eagerly at the porridge shed, waiting for the porridge to be distributed in the evening.
Xiliang implemented the Wei Suo management system, without setting up prefectures, states, counties and other regions. The Wei Suo were responsible for both military construction and civil administration.
Liangdu, where the Duzhihuishisi was located, was equivalent to the provincial capital of other provinces, and the nine garrisons under it were equivalent to the provincial capital.
Ganzhou Wei is the garrison with the largest defense area in Xiliang and the garrison closest to Western Liao. The city of Ganzhou is built on a large scale, and the city walls are thick and high. It looks very magnificent from the outside, but the city is a bit depressed.
There weren't many shops open for business on the street until we reached the city center, where it became a little more lively.
“The economy is so bad.”
Not long after, the soldiers guarding the gate brought Daohua and his group to the Xiao Mansion.
Deshou, who had received the news in advance, was already waiting in front of the gate.
"Princess Princess, you are finally here!"
Deshou gave the gatekeeper a dime of silver, greeted Daohua and Gu Jian outside the carriage, and led the convoy directly into the mansion through the corner gate next to it.
"This mansion is quite large!"
After entering the door, Daohua got off the carriage wearing a cloak and looked carefully at the house where she would live in the future.
De Shou smiled and said, "This mansion is where all the successive commanders lived, so it's naturally built larger."
Daohua couldn't help but laugh after hearing this: "Your young master is not polite at all. He is just a small pacification officer, but he actually lives in the commander's mansion."
She understood why Xiao Yeyang did this.
What I saw and heard along the way after entering Xiliang fully demonstrated that the situation in Xiliang was very bad.
In this situation, Xiao Yeyang has no time to develop slowly and get along and negotiate with others. He just wants to act more high-profile and domineering so that he can better implement his orders in the future.
Living in the mansion where all the previous commanders lived is to tell everyone that he has taken over Ganzhou Guard and he has the final say here.
Deshou glanced at Daohua's expression and saw that she was not surprised at all, nor did she think it was wrong. He thought to himself, the Crown Prince's wife really understands her master.
When the master wanted to move in, he and Defu spent a lot of time persuading him.
The master gave them a look that said 'you don't understand'.
Daohua asked as she walked, "Where is the prince?"
Deshou: "The master has taken people to inspect the defense area."
Daohua asked again, "Why are there so many refugees gathered outside the city gate?"
De Shou was furious when this was mentioned: "It's all the fault of the Western Liao people. Every winter, the Western Liao people like to cross the border and rob money and food. Several villages and towns under the jurisdiction of the Hundred Households have been robbed by the Western Liao people."
"Those Western Liao people not only looted things, but also set fire to houses. The people have no money or food to survive the winter, and they have no choice but to flock to Ganzhou City to seek survival."
Having said this, Deshou became even more angry.
"Princess, you don't know that before the master arrived, not a single official stepped forward to take care of the refugees outside the city. I heard that many people froze to death or starved to death."
Daohua frowned: "The officials of Ganzhouwei are too inactive." Xiliang is a vast country with a sparse population. The population is already sparse, and the people can't survive. Who will guard the border then?
The mansion has five courtyards. After Xiao Yeyang moved in, he only tidied up the front yard a little and moved in. He had no time to tidy up the other courtyards.
Daohua took a quick look around, and then asked someone to clean up the two adjacent courtyards on the second floor.
There are only three masters in the family, her, Xiao Yeyang and her master, so there is no need to live in a too spacious house. Now that they have just arrived in a strange place, she is also worried that her master will not be able to adapt, so she thinks it is better to live closer.
As for the other courtyards, we’ll deal with them when she’s free.
After traveling for two months, Daohua and Gu Jian were exhausted. After cleaning up the house, they ate something and then went to rest.
The next morning, Daohua was still curled up in the warm quilt when Guyu came in and said that Deshou wanted to see her for something.
Listening to the howling wind outside, Daohua didn't want to get up and asked, "What does Deshou want to talk to me about?"
Guyu: "The prince previously allocated a batch of grain and asked Deshou and the officials of the garrison to provide porridge to the refugees outside the city. Now it seems that the grain has run out."
When Daohua heard about this, she immediately sat up, got dressed and washed, then went to the outer room to see Deshou.
"Who's in charge of the porridge stall?"
Deshou replied, "It is a servant, and a governor of a garrison."
Daohua nodded and looked at Guyu and Lixia. "You two should take your men and go take inventory of the warehouse."
Although she brought a lot of supplies, Xiao Yeyang had already used up a lot of them. Now she had to see how much supplies were left so that she could have a clear idea.
Daohua looked at Deshou and said, "The prince allocated a certain amount of grain before. You go and get another batch. Remember, you must keep an eye on the grain and don't embezzle it."
Deshou nodded quickly: "Don't worry, Princess, I will take good care of it."
Daohua hummed, then pondered for a moment, "Just giving out porridge won't do. It's too cold outside, with the wind and snow. Staying indoors is freezing, so how are the refugees outside the city supposed to survive?"
"Well, after you get the food, go find Guyu and get some herbs. Make two pots of cold-dispelling soup for the refugees every day."
"By the way, if you're short of manpower, go find Doctor Ge. He has several medical apprentices under him."
Deshou nodded and agreed: "I will do it right away."
After Deshou left, Daohua put on her cloak and went to Gu Jian's yard to have breakfast with him.
In the front yard, Governor Zhang Da saw Deshou pulling out several carts of grain, and his heart finally settled down in his stomach.
God knows how worried he was. He was worried that without Lord Xiao, they would not be able to get food. Without food, at least half of the refugees outside the city would die.
(End of this chapter)
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