The first batch of disaster relief grain shipped from the Americas was not delivered to central Sichuan, or even arrived in Chongqing. It was unloaded directly in Changshou, Fuling, Zhongxian, Wanzhou, Yunyang, Fengjie and other counties in eastern Sichuan. Especially in Fuling,
It is a major disaster-stricken county, and countless hungry people are waiting for food to save their lives.
People in counties in eastern Sichuan have gnawed all the roots of bark and grass and relied on white mud to satisfy their hunger. The white mud is also called "fairy rice" and "Guanyin soil" and is often mixed with plant ash and water to make cakes.
It can make hungry people feel the happiness of being full.
After eating the white mud, the stomach is full, and the rest is to wait for death. Because the white mud cannot be pulled out at all, it is blocked in the intestines, and the person is strangled to death.
But even so, the starving people regarded the white mud as a treasure, and even a large-scale fight broke out to dig up the white mud. People in the third district of Fuling County dug out the white mud and actually hollowed out the foot of the mountain, causing the rocks to collapse. 50
Many hungry people digging in the earth were crushed to death by rolling stones. However, their surviving companions turned a blind eye and continued to dig in the earth and eat next to the bloody corpses. Some people ate too much and died on the spot.
Yibin Commissioner Leng Yindong wrote a letter to ask scientists about the nutrition of white mud. A professor from Shanghai wrote back: "White mud contains minerals needed by the human body. Eating 100 kilograms of white mud can obtain 300 calories of heat energy."
Leng Yindong immediately reported it to Liu Xiang excitedly, and also invented a scientific way to eat white mud. One method is to eat white mud with grains, with grains accounting for 60-70%, which is less harmful;
The method is to boil rice straw or cucumber root with water after eating white mud and take it to help digestion.
When Liu Xiang received the news, he immediately instructed the provincial government to send letters to all cities and counties and use official channels to widely publicize it.
Is Liu Xiang a fool?
of course not.
For hungry people, eating white mud was drinking poison to quench thirst. But sending a letter to promote the method of eating white mud meant that Liu Xiang was drinking poison to quench thirst. He had no other way to think of.
Liu Xiang definitely had money and food, but it was not enough to cover the expenses of the army and civil servants. In order to ensure his warlord rule, he could only save money and food for future use, and watch the victims of the Sichuan disaster die!
The first batch of disaster relief grain shipped from the Americas immediately gave the hungry people in counties in eastern Sichuan a respite. Now there are relief societies everywhere and jointly with the county governments to set up porridge for disaster relief. As for building factories with work-for-relief, Zhou Hexuan does not dare to do so for the time being.
Judging from the current situation of the disaster victims, it is easy for them to die from exhaustion if they are asked to work.
News about Zhou Hexuan spending huge sums of money for disaster relief spread like wildfire. Even the strange stories about his public trial and the death of Liu Congyun and the sudden rain in Chongqing spread to various counties in eastern Sichuan. Countless ordinary people who survived spontaneously set up longevity memorial tablets at home.
Zhou Hexuan was worshiped as the Second Master Guan.
The second batch of American disaster relief grains also arrived soon. This time Yin Changling couldn't help but kneel in front of Zhou Hexuan and carried the grains to Suining, Ziyang, Jianyang and other counties. Zhou Shenxian's name also spread to all parts of central Sichuan.
At this time, major news came from the northwest: Lao Jiang was detained by Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng.
…
The 1,000 tons of grain transported by Wang Er, Yuan Wujiu, and Zheng Rentong were unloaded in Fengjie County and handed over to the local relief society for distribution. They continued to sail upstream by boat and soon arrived at the main city of Chongqing. What they saw along the way was
The disaster caused the three people's shirts to get cold.
In the original words of the ghost fortune teller Zheng Rentong: "I have traveled throughout East and South China and have witnessed various disasters, but none are as terrible as those in Sichuan. In the rich land of Bashu, people are starving and dying in the fields. Dead bodies are carried along the road, and they exchange children for food.
It's almost like a ghost."
Until we entered the jurisdiction of Chongqing City, the situation changed greatly. There were very few corpses along the banks of the river, and there were almost no hungry people. It was like returning to the world from hell.
Zheng Rentong repeatedly sighed: "If you are poor, you can take care of yourself; if you are rich, you can help the world. Mr. Zhou can protect a people and save countless lives. He can be called a great sage in this world!"
"Old Zheng, don't risk the sour water. The boatman said that the Zhou Mansion is ahead." Yuan Wujiu reminded.
"Ahem, just a few words of emotion." Zheng Rentong coughed to relieve his embarrassment.
These two people have been old partners for many years. Before taking refuge with Wang Yaqiao, Yuan Wujiu was a mountain king who robbed families and homes, while Zheng Rentong was a dog-headed strategist in the village.
When Yuan Wujiu was more than ten years old, he started a revolution with his fellow villagers. He became the chief of the local (county) security group before he was twenty years old. As a result, because he couldn't stand the corruption of the county magistrate and the violation of the law, he moved the county to death in anger.
The elder was killed, and he could only take a few brothers into the mountains of Lingnan to become bandits.
Zheng Rentong is not a good guy either. This guy was born in a remote place. He is still reading the Four Books and Five Classics when he is more than ten years old. He finally opened his eyes to the world and was admitted to school to learn Western knowledge, but he is still addicted to "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Water Margin"
Waiting for traditional readings. He lamented that he was born at the wrong time, and it was rare to find talents. On a journey, he met the bandit Yuan Wujiu. People thought he was too poor to rob him, but he followed him to the bandit's den and recommended himself to be a dog-headed military advisor.
He also gave himself the nickname "Ghost Calculator".
Later, Zheng Rentong came into contact with books related to the French Revolution, and encouraged Yuan Wujiu to go to the capital every day to make revolution. Later, he met Wang Yaqiao and learned about the anarchism that promoted anarchy. Zheng Rentong immediately became an anarchist believer, and with him
Drag Yuan Wujiu to join Wang Yaqiao's Ax Gang.
Among these three people, two were bandits and one was a thief. They had committed countless crimes and deserved to be shot. However, they claimed to be upholding justice and claimed that they had never harmed a good person.
In a blink of an eye, they arrived at the Zhou family's private dock. The three of them climbed up the stairs. On Banpo, they saw people burning incense and kneeling in worship. There were many ashes of burned paper money around them.
Zheng Rentong asked curiously: "Old lady, what are you doing?"
The old woman pointed to the Zhou Mansion in front of her and said, "I am burning paper money for Zhou Shenxian. My granddaughter is sick. Please protect her from Zhou Shenxian."
I also heard a lot of rumors along the way, and knowing that Zhou Shenxian was Zhou Hexuan, Yuan Wujiu said curiously: "Mr. Zhou is not dead anymore. He is alive and well. How can you use the paper money for him? Why don't you just give the paper money to him?"
."
The old woman explained: "Shenxian Zhou is a god who descended to earth and will eventually ascend to heaven. I'll burn some for him in advance."
Wang Er laughed loudly: "The paper money you burned was only collected by Mr. Zhou after he ascended to heaven. How can you bless your granddaughter now?"
The old woman was stunned for a moment, then hesitated and said: "Then I just give the paper money to Zhou Shenxian? I'm afraid that's not a good idea."
The three of them were so happy that they didn't talk to the old woman anymore, but walked quickly towards the gate of Zhou's mansion.
Zheng Rentong sighed again: "Mr. Zhou, Mr. Zhou, was born and became a saint in Chongqing. Zheng is really fascinated!"
Wang Er slapped the big iron door, and the concierge Old Man He asked: "What do you want to do at Zhou's residence?"
Wang Er said quite proudly: "My name is Wang Tianliang, and I am Mr. Zhou's fellow prisoner. Go and inform Mr. Zhou that Yanzi Wang Er is visiting. He will definitely know about it."
Concierge He was confused after hearing this. He knew about fellow countrymen, classmates, and comrades, but what the hell was a fellow inmate?
Finally, Concierge He expressed his doubts.
Wang Er laughed proudly: "Being in prison together means we have been in prison together. I also talked and laughed with Mr. Zhou in the cell!"