When Zhang Feng heard Shen Xi ask this, he smiled bitterly: "It is naturally not easy to escape thousands of miles. The prefectures and counties all have portraits of fugitives. I naturally dare not go there. Before, I was accidentally captured by a group of bandits, but I was involved with human traffickers. They kidnapped people and then sold them to traffickers."
"They used some low-class drugs, how could I possibly guard against them? The traffickers traveled thousands of miles, and others were also taken along the way. They took us to a mountain and sold us to the people there. Our group consisted of young and strong men, and we were forced to mine gold underground."
"A gold mine?" You should know that gold mining is the responsibility of the state, and private mining is strictly prohibited.
If it were a state-owned enterprise engaged in mining, it certainly wouldn't buy people to do the mining.
In other words, this is a private mine, and the person with this capability is definitely not an ordinary person.
Do you know who owns the gold mine?
Zhang Feng shook her head: "We were taken directly into an underground cave, where we had to eat, drink, and relieve ourselves. The food and drink were not good, and we were basically supervised and forced to work day and night, never seeing the light of day."
Recalling that time, Zhang Feng still felt extremely uncomfortable: "Those cave entrances were all guarded. Judging from their posture and movements, they were not ordinary people. Some of them were well-trained soldiers."
"Oh?" It seems there were military personnel involved. "So how did you escape?"
Zhang Feng said with lingering fear, "I was lucky. The mine I was in suddenly collapsed, and I was lucky enough not to be buried underneath. There was chaos at the time. Some of the people who were supervising us and guarding us were also buried underneath. I took advantage of the chaos to run away."
Chen Xi nodded and continued, "Judging from your current condition, you seem to be in good health, so you shouldn't have been in the mine for long!"
“Yes, I stayed for less than five days before the mine collapsed.” Zhang Feng felt very lucky: “The mine wasn’t far from here, it was in a big mountain in Dun County, Xianghe Prefecture.”
Chen Xi carefully considered the map. Indeed, it wasn't far. Next to Jianming Prefecture was Xianghe Prefecture, and next to Ai County of Jianming Prefecture was Dun County of Xianghe Prefecture. It was only a few dozen miles away.
The three counties of Bian'ai, Ju, and Dun are connected at the border. I wonder where the big mountain that Zhang Feng mentioned is.
Thinking this way, Zhang Feng asked the question. He replied, "It's connected to the mountains here. I ran through the forest for many days and was lucky not to be eaten by any large wild animals."
That's lucky!
"Do you still remember the route?" Shenxi was very interested in the gold mine. If he wanted to conquer the world and seize territory, how could he do it without money?
Zhang Feng shook her head: "The mountains are high and the forests are dense, and I just wandered off randomly, how could I possibly remember the way?"
Many people who venture into the deep mountains, even if they are not eaten by wild animals, find it difficult to get out, mainly because they get lost.
Sometimes, even with markings, if chased by wild animals, they won't run back the way they came, and getting lost is common.
It's a bit of a pity about Chenxi. The mountains here are very deep, and I don't know if there will be a chance to encounter that gold mine. If we do, we need to make preparations in advance.
If she doesn't prepare in advance and runs into them unexpectedly, she and her small group might end up becoming the other party's labor force.
Ordinary civilians are no match for the army.
Shenxi pressed her temples. She had been too simplistic in her thinking. This group of refugees was a mob, lacking cohesion. If they encountered any disturbance, they would either run away or be frightened, just like when hunting a tiger.
Shen Xi waved her hand, signaling Zhang Feng to step aside. She needed to come up with a plan regarding the gold mine. Either she should avoid it for the time being, or if she wanted the gold mine, she needed to understand it thoroughly and make all the necessary preparations.
She looked at Song Zhen, who was in his early twenties, refined and scholarly, and although he was quite down on his luck, he still retained his good character.
Seeing Shen Xi looking at him, Song Zhen stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Song Zhen, a native of Bian'ai County, is a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations)!"
Shenxi was stunned this time - how could a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations be so down on his luck? She remembered Fan Jin passing the imperial examinations very well. Passing the imperial examinations meant entering the officialdom and would bring wealth and honor.
Seeing Shenxi's doubts, Song Zhen replied nonchalantly, "I was originally the county magistrate of Bian'ai County, but who knew that refugees would rush in and cause a ruckus of burning, killing, and looting? I only managed to escape with the protection of my servants."
Chenxi sighed. In chaotic times, even low-ranking officials could hardly protect themselves!
"So, Bian'ai County is already in chaos!"
"Indeed, the county magistrate has been killed, and the yamen runners and soldiers have been almost entirely wiped out. More than 20,000 refugees have stormed the county magistrate's office; it seems unlikely to end well."
"More than 20,000 refugees?" Shen Xi exclaimed in surprise. "As far as I know, Bian'ai County is a small county town. How come so many refugees are pouring in?"
Song Zhen sighed, "The magistrate of Bian'ai County is a good man, but not a smart one. At first, he let a few hundred refugees into the county town and found them things to do. If they had nothing to do, he used the county government's grain to cook porridge to keep them alive."
He's a good magistrate, but if things continue like this, he's bound to end up badly.
Sure enough, Song Zhen continued, "Several hundred refugees were grateful and spread the word. Later, the refugees got better and better, and they all knew that the county magistrate had allowed refugees to enter the city and provided them with food. Gradually, more than 20,000 people came, and the county could not afford it. The county government also ran out of food."
Song Zhen sighed again: "At first, I tried to persuade the magistrate, but he said that the refugees were already suffering enough, and if they were not allowed to enter the city, wouldn't they be doomed? The magistrate also called on wealthy families in the county to donate money and grain, but with the sudden increase in the number of people, even thin porridge could not be supplied. Some of the refugees not only did not appreciate the magistrate, but also said that the magistrate was unwilling to do his best. So they incited the refugees to storm the county government office and burn, kill, and loot everywhere. It's a pity that the magistrate who was working for the people was killed by the refugees!"
Shenxi also sighed. There are not many officials here who serve the people, otherwise there wouldn't be unrest everywhere.
This county magistrate clearly meant well but did something wrong, harming himself and the people in the county.
"You are a county magistrate, but are you truly loyal to me?" Scholars have their pride, let alone officials!
“Of course, it is my true heart. The reason why I follow our lord is because our lord has a heart that truly cares for the people. Although the leader is not old, his heart is the same as our lord's, and we are both for the sake of the people!”
Upon hearing this, Shen Xi realized that she would not be like that county magistrate, who died without bringing light to others.
Her motto was, "When poor, cultivate your own virtue; when successful, benefit all under heaven." She herself was struggling, so where would she find the energy to care about others?
Of course, she wouldn't say these things to Song Zhen, who had already been labeled as such.
Seeing Song Zhen's sincerity, Shen Xi nodded and agreed.
The last one, Zang Huatian, was short and stocky, and stood out among the refugees—he was too fat!
Most of the refugees were very thin, and those who weren't thin weren't fat either. It was truly rare to see someone as fat as Zang Huatian!
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