Although the design is simple, it is exquisite and shows the care put into making the purse.
Jiang Yu looked at Qi Nuan with exceptional tenderness. The carriage stopped by the city gate, and Jiang Yu got off first, then carried Qi Nuan down from the carriage.
"Stay close to me in a bit."
Qi Nuan nodded. At this time, many wealthy families outside the city were distributing porridge.
Some people are even cutting down trees in the wild to build houses.
Upon seeing Jiang Yu and the others approach, Uncle Wang stepped forward to greet them.
"Young master."
Jiang Yu nodded and asked about the situation outside the city.
The two walked toward the porridge tent. The tent closest to the city gate belonged to the Fan family. When the others saw Jiang Yu coming, the heads of each family took the initiative to come to the tent set up by the Fan family.
In recent days, refugees have been migrating from other places, and now there are far too many refugees outside the city.
Although the city's wealthy people did their best to give alms, this was not a sustainable solution.
Many refugees were injured or ill, and the increasingly cold weather only made things worse for them. Some of the people they brought with them had even contracted typhoid fever.
The refugees were dressed in very thin clothing.
Although a doctor at the clinic prepared a herbal decoction to dispel the cold, it was not very effective.
Relief for refugees is like a bottomless pit for them. In just five days, they have already invested a huge amount of manpower and resources. If this continues, they will find it difficult to sustain themselves.
"Cough cough cough..."
Qi Nuan heard bursts of coughing coming from around her and thought that this was not a solution.
"No, Mother, wake up! Wake up! We've arrived in Shangjun! We have food! Mother... open your eyes..."
Hearing the cries, the group went to investigate.
In the crowd, a young man was seen holding a woman and weeping bitterly.
Uncle Wang stepped forward, checked the woman's breath, and shook his head.
Even though she knew it was already a fact, Qi Nuan still felt a little sore.
The boy was only wearing a thin garment, which was now torn in places, revealing his skin that was red from the cold, and his cloth shoes were also cracked.
He was holding the woman and crying uncontrollably.
The people around them merely sighed once before lining up to receive their food.
Seeing Qi Nuan's confusion, Old Fan took the initiative to say, "People die every day. Some of them just arrived in Shangjun and only managed to get there by sheer willpower. Now that they've arrived and seen hope, that willpower is gone, and they can't take it anymore."
Even the most hard-hearted person would be saddened after seeing these things, and Mr. Fan and his colleagues were no exception.
"Some of them are due to injuries and ailments accumulated over many years."
How did you dispose of these bodies?
There's not much energy left to worry about these things. Those with relatives will have their bodies buried by their own families. Those without relatives have been dumped in mass graves.
Qi Nuan frowned. The corpses piled up together would easily breed disease over time.
If too many people die, this is not a problem.
Qi Nuan raised her question, and Old Fan glanced at her and said, "Some doctors have suggested burning the bodies of those who died of illness on the spot, but the refugees are very agitated. If we force it, it will inevitably incite unrest."
There is no doubt that the ancients valued their bodies; even in death, they sought to preserve their bodies intact.
It's not a problem now that the weather is cold, but what will happen when the weather gets warmer?
Qi Nuan saw that everyone else took a bowl, drank the porridge, and then leaned against the corner of the wall without moving.
Although the government has sent people to build houses for them, there are not enough people, and it will take a long time to complete the repairs.
Jiang Yu stepped forward and asked, "Since you've used food, why don't you cut down trees to build houses?"
The middle-aged man leaning against the wall saw that Jiang Yu was dressed in fine clothes and was very polite. He also saw that the men distributing porridge were all following behind him, so he guessed that Jiang Yu must be someone important.
A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he said weakly, "Young master, it's not that we don't want to move, it's just that the porridge is too thin. We haven't even had a full meal yet, so how can we have any strength left?"
Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone following Jiang Yu changed.
Seeing their reactions, Jiang Yu knew that what the middle-aged man said was probably true.
But Old Fan remained calm and looked at Jiang Yu's cold face, saying, "Young master, you may not know this, but the daily consumption of refugees is already over 500 catties. Moreover, our purpose in helping refugees is to save their lives. As for food and clothing, that is not what we care about, nor is it the most important thing right now."
Jiang Yu knew that what he said made sense, but he still walked to the big pot and scooped some out. Although the porridge was thin, it was not very clear and met the standard for relief food.
Old Fan looked at the middle-aged man with a cold gaze. He said to Jiang Yu, "Human desires are insatiable. Although we pity the hardships of the people, we are not people who are overly compassionate."
Qi Nuan also knew that what Old Fan said made sense. Some people might be grateful if you save their lives, but after you provide them with food and clothing, they will complain that you gave them too little and thus harbor resentment.
Human nature has always been this way.
When you are kind to others, you should hold back a little. If you are too kind, they will forget all the kindness you have shown them.
Moreover, is it really true, as the middle-aged man said, that he had no energy left?
Among the refugees, some were cutting down trees with government officials. Qi Nuan also saw some children picking up branches even though they couldn't do anything themselves.
In contrast, the sight of able-bodied people waiting for handouts beneath the city walls evokes a strong sense of disgust.
If they don't care about their own lives, why should others bother to care about them?
Jiang Yu looked at the refugees below the city wall. Some were drowsy, some were in unbearable pain, some were huddled together for warmth, and some were actively helping the government officials and those who came to provide aid.
The group includes the elderly, the infirm, the disabled, and those who are physically healthy and strong.
"Is the refugee information registered?"
"All have been registered."
“Starting tomorrow, the porridge and meals provided to everyone and the government will no longer be distributed free of charge, as will the warm clothes. However, medical treatment and rescue will continue as usual.”
"What?"
Some were surprised, while others were secretly pleased. However, some knew that Jiang Yu had more to say, and many secretly admired his quick thinking, wondering how he would handle the situation.
Relief for refugees is not something that can be accomplished overnight. There are more than a dozen problems involved, which others have already discovered, but that is none of their business. They only need Song Jingning to see their efforts.
This is Song Jingning's test for Jiang Yu, and also everyone's test for Jiang Yu.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com