Zhang Yanling was silent for a moment. If we follow what Huang Si said, if the water and land roads are cut off, the food roads are blocked, and the food from outside cannot be transported in, wouldn't it be inconvenient to cause the price of food to skyrocket? There are 100,000 people in the capital, and the consumption is huge.
imagination.
However, the court should have grain storage, and the situation should not be too bad. However, given the efficiency of the court, the response should be very slow. Food prices will be stabilized, but relief for those affected may not be timely. This kind of weather, after suffering
If the people affected by the disaster cannot get help, a lot of people will die within a day or two.
There are bound to be refugees and hungry people in the prefectures around Gyeonggi. This year, the entire Gyeonggi area has been plagued by insect pests. During the autumn harvest, Axiu came back and told himself that the harvests in several manors near Xishan Manor were not good, and there was no harvest.
It is very difficult to take good measures to eliminate pests.
Originally, if there was no snowstorm, we could go to the mountains to find some wild animals and fruits to deal with it. If the roads outside were open, the food shipped from the south could also keep the price of food at a normal level, and the people would have some savings on hand.
Silver can also buy some cheap grain. But in this case, that little money can't buy much grain, and the people have no choice but to come to the capital to beg for food.
These are actually foreseeable things. A snow disaster will make all of this a reality. I don’t know how many people will lose their lives and become homeless because of this snow disaster.
"Immediately gather everyone, prepare a carriage, pull in two thousand kilograms of rice, and prepare a dozen large pots. Load all the firewood and charcoal in the warehouse and escort them to Yongding Gate. Leave a few gatekeepers behind, and all men and women, old and young, go to help.
"
Zhang Yanling ordered repeatedly.
"What? Mr. Hou, Mr. Hou, what do you want to do?" Huang Si asked hurriedly.
"Relief to the victims!" Zhang Yanling strode towards the back house and replied simply and neatly.
"No, Lord Marquis, listen to me. These grains are just free money now. Relieving the victims is a matter for the court. Why are you joining in the fun, Lord Marquis? Besides, it's hard for us to have so much food in our house.
All my money has been wasted in the past six months. Mr. Hou, I hope that after selling these grains, I will have more money. Mr. Hou, you are going to get married during the Chinese New Year, and it will cost a lot of money. Mr. Hou...!"
Huang Si chased after Zhang Yanling and shouted repeatedly.
Zhang Yanling stopped and turned around. He patted Huang Si on the shoulder with a smile and said, "Huang Si, don't be short-sighted. This small amount of grain can only be sold for tens of thousands of taels of silver. Besides, if a country suffers a natural disaster and the country loses money, it will be struck by lightning. This money
I can't make money. But if I help the victims, do you know what I will get? What I will get will be good reviews and a high reputation. Moreover, saving one life is better than building a seven-level pagoda. I am doing it for myself. Don't do it.
No nonsense, hurry up and arrange it. This matter has been arranged properly. I will reward you later. Let everyone be more energetic. By the way, ask the master to write a big banner with the name of our Jianchang Marquis Mansion, so that everyone can
Know who is saving them. Hahaha."
Zhang Yanling smiled and quickly entered the second garden gate. Huang Sileng stood there for a moment, stamped his feet and sighed: "Hey, you really want to be a good person. Doing good deeds and doing good will give you a good reputation? Can a good reputation be used as food? That's all.
, the family business is yours, do whatever you like with it."
Zhang Yanling hurried back to the back house, where Axiu and others were shoveling snow in the yard. When he saw Zhang Yanling, he smiled and said, "My husband is back, what are you doing with all the noise outside?"
Zhang Yanling said: "Everyone put on their big cloaks and go out. Call the cooks, women, gardeners, and anyone who can work. Axiu, the victims outside are in great misery. We have to go to the rescue and set up porridge shacks for the people to eat."
It's hot, or you'll die."
Axiu was stunned for a moment, then nodded immediately and said: "My husband is right, I wanted to say this in the morning, but I was afraid that my husband would say that I am a bad person."
Zhang Yanling reached out and pinched her rosy face and smiled: "This is not a bad guy, it's called giving someone timely assistance. The icing on the cake is a bad guy. Get ready, Xing'er Tao'er, everyone should wear thicker clothes, it's cold outside.
very."
The Zhang family moved quickly, and at noon, more than a dozen carts and horses were ready. Three carts of food, a dozen large pots, firewood, charcoal, and some old clothes, tents, mantles, blankets and other items were all loaded and ready.
.Except for the seven or eight people left to guard the door, dozens of other people were dispatched.
Zhang Yanling gave the order, and the carriages and horses started to move along the messy streets and headed straight for Yongdingmen Square.
When they arrived at the place, Zhang Yanling immediately ordered people to clear a large area, set up a porridge shed with a cloth curtain, put a dozen large pots on the charcoal fire, put water and rice in the pot, and added some minced meat and vegetables to cook.
The people from Huang Si also pulled up the banner. The banner read: "Heavy snow has no mercy, but the Marquis of Jianchang and the people will tide over the difficulties together."
A large wooden sign was also erected with the three characters "Soup Kitchen" written on it.
The nearby officials and generals were supposed to come to check and drive them away. When they saw that Zhang Yanling, the Marquis of Jianchang, was coming to help with the porridge, they did not dare to say anything. They all looked at each other with big eyes and small eyes. They thought: The relief work from the imperial court has not started yet.
, the Marquis of Jianchang took the lead.
That's right, Zhang Yanling wanted to be the first. Only the first to do something like this would be effective. Only when people are in urgent need can they help in times of need. Not to mention, waiting for the imperial court to come to provide relief, dozens of victims may die.
Only one is willing to give up.
The aroma of the hot porridge and rice began to spread in all directions. This aroma, in the ice and snow, smelled like hope and opportunity for survival to the hungry victims. A large group of people gathered around the porridge shed.
The water is blocked.
Zhang Yanling personally directed the people to line up. Axiu, wearing an apron and a bun, stirred the pot with a big iron spoon and loudly comforted the shouting people.
"Don't be anxious, everyone has it. It doesn't matter if you have enough to eat. Even after you finish the pot, you still have to cook it. Don't be anxious. Be careful, kid, don't step on that aunt."
Soon after, the porridge and rice began to be given out. The people cheered loudly, and there were more than a dozen long queues taking turns to get the porridge. When the hot porridge and rice were received, they did not bother to heat them, and started to eat them. It was full in a while.
The scene was full of the sound of people drinking porridge, which was both funny and sad at the same time.
…
There were too many people affected by the disaster, and there were thousands of people in the square inside Yongding Gate. Therefore, more than a dozen large pots were cooking porridge and rice almost non-stop. Many people could not stand the wait, and they started fighting with each other.
, and only through guidance and persuasion can the situation be calmed down.
While he was busy, a group of carriages and horses came from afar on the imperial road. The government officials held up wooden signs to avoid the situation, and the fluttering flags read "Da Ming Hubu Shangshu Ji". Under the protection of the soldiers and government officials, a carriage approached the square.
.
The officials in the square immediately went to greet them. The team of carriages and horses stopped in the snow. With the help of servants, a tall and thin old man in his sixties got out of the carriage. This man had a thin face and a long, gray beard.
He was neatly dressed, wearing a black gauze winged hat, a crimson golden pheasant patchwork official robe, and high-soled official boots. This was the outfit of a serious second-grade civil servant of the Ming Dynasty. Standing on the snow
His eyes are majestic, looking forward and proud.
"I'll wait and see you, Lord Ji." A group of officials quickly saluted. This person was Mr. Ji Zhong, the Minister of Household Affairs of the Ming Dynasty.
"Well, hello everyone. How is the relief work going? How many shanties have been built to house the victims?" Zhong Zhong walked towards where the crowd gathered and asked casually.