The next day, at dawn, Gongchangwei's soldiers and Gongchangfu's government officials had gathered all the doctors together.
Three doctors were left to take charge in Gongchang Mansion, while the others set off towards Shouyang Town.
In Shouyang Town, all the people from various villages have gathered in the town. The officers and soldiers of Gongchang Guard Shouyang Station have also begun to cook porridge.
Seeing Xiao Chen and others, Qian Hu, who was in charge of Shouyang Station, hurried up and saluted Zhang Xing, the commander of Gong Changwei: "Commander, why are you here in person?"
Zhang Xing pointed at Xiao Chen next to him: "This is the imperial envoy sent by the imperial court for disaster relief. All future relief arrangements will be made by the imperial envoy."
The thousand households hurriedly saluted Xiao Chen: "See you, Your Majesty the Imperial Envoy."
"Yeah." Xiao Chen nodded, "What happened yesterday? Did any victims die of disease?"
"Sir, after the victims have eaten enough, their resistance has improved. But even so, more than ten slightly weak people died yesterday."
"Have the funeral arrangements been properly arranged?"
"The body was transported to a place far away from human habitation and buried in a deep pit."
"Okay, let's prevent the disease from spreading again." Xiao Chen turned around and looked at Wei Li, the magistrate of Gongchang Mansion, "Arrange doctors to do their best to treat the sick victims in the town. Use drugs to prevent and treat other people who are not sick.
"
"Yes, I will go and make arrangements right away."
In response, Wei Li led all the doctors and walked towards the town.
"Commander Zhang, let's go to the nearby town and have another look." Looking at Zhang Xing, Xiao Chen said.
"good."
As noon approached, the two of them had thoroughly understood the disaster situation in several surrounding towns, and even arranged appropriate manpower to step up disaster relief and provide porridge to ensure people's livelihood first.
When we returned to Shouyang Town, we had just finished giving porridge to the victims.
After working all morning, neither of them had eaten, and their stomachs were growling a little and they began to express their dissatisfaction.
"Sir, the food in the kitchen is ready. You have been busy all morning. Let's go over and eat." Zhang Xing said, looking at Xiao Chen.
Glancing at the half-pot of unfinished porridge, Xiao Chen was silent for a moment: "How about we eat some porridge here?"
"Sir, the food in the kitchen is ready."
Pointing to the people in the distance who were either leaning on the door or simply lying on the ground dying, Xiao Chen said: "After the doctor's treatment, most people's diseases have been controlled. However, regarding this disaster, they
Still can't see any hope. We are here, eating a pot of porridge with them, more or less, letting them see the sincerity of the court in disaster relief. Only when the victims cheer up and return to production can the disaster be truly solved.
ease."
"What you said makes sense." Zhang Xing nodded, walked to the iron pot, picked up the wooden ladle, filled a full bowl, and brought it to Xiao Chen.
"I have been busy all morning. Sir, please use it first."
Xiao Chen was not polite, took the bowl, and took a big sip.
Compared with the rotten vegetable leaves of my childhood, this polenta is absolutely delicious.
When Zhang Xing served the porridge for himself and Wei Li, the magistrate of Gongchang Mansion, before he even started to use chopsticks, Xiao Chen came over again carrying a bowl.
"Here, give me another bowl."
Zhang Xing was stunned, and hurriedly took Xiao Chen's bowl and picked up the wooden ladle.
At noon, the sun had become a bit hot. After drinking porridge, the three of them came to the office hall of Shouyang Institute.
Qian Hu, who was in charge of Shouyang Office, poured tea for the three of them himself, placed the teapot on the table respectfully, and then left.
Zhang Xing lowered his head and sighed: "I have experienced ups and downs in my life as an official. But this is the first time I have seen such a down-to-earth imperial envoy."
Xiao Chen laughed: "My position is just for a thousand households. Whether it is Commander Zhang or Wei Tongzhi, their official positions are higher than mine. Who am I to show off for you?"
"In the entire Ming Dynasty, there is only one purple-clad captain. Your Majesty's status in the court is still known to the lower officials. However, your Majesty is so considerate of the people, and even eats from the same pot with the victims regardless of his status. This
I really never thought of that." Zhang Xing said with a smile.
"Commander Zhang is right, the imperial envoy is really down-to-earth. This is the blessing of the people of Gongchang."
Next to him, Gongchang Tongzhi Wei Li also said sincerely.
"My lords, please stop complimenting me. Even so, I was ambushed on the way here. If I had gone too far, someone might have attacked me in Gongchang City." Xiao Chen laughed at himself.
"ambush?"
"ambush?"
Zhang Xing and Zhang Xing were stunned at the same time.
"In a valley about a hundred miles away from Qingshui County, someone ambushed Dongchang's disaster relief team." Xiao Chen smiled lightly.
"Who is so bold? Ambushing the imperial envoy and killing the nine tribes." Zhang Xing's eyes widened in anger and he said loudly.
"Ambushing an imperial envoy is not a trivial matter. I believe that the truth may not be simple." Wei Li said with a serious face.
Xiao Chen smiled faintly: "The other party used gunpowder to blow up the eight army horses in Dongchang alive."
"Gunpowder?" Zhang Xing frowned deeper.
As the commander of Gong Changwei, he certainly understood the imperial court's management of gunpowder.
In the nearby area, only Gong Changwei had a large amount of gunpowder.
It has been two days since Xiao Chen arrived at Gong Chang Mansion, and he just told the story about being ambushed today. Could it be that he suspected Gong Chang Wei was responsible?
"What do you mean, my lord, it was the imperial army that ambushed you?" Zhang Xing said.
Xiao Chen shook his head: "It's not that I underestimate the imperial army. Those people's foot strength and ability to cross mountains are not comparable to those of ordinary imperial troops."
"What do you mean, sir?"
Looking at Zhang Xing, Xiao Chen's face became serious: "I would like to ask Commander Zhang whether Gong Changwei's gunpowder management can be strict?"
"Absolutely strict." Zhang Xing stood up, "I can assure you, the Imperial Envoy, that the gunpowder provided by the imperial court to Gong Changwei will be stored intact in the warehouse."
"Okay." Xiao Chen nodded, "So, the source of the opponent's gunpowder is not Gong Changwei."
"The lower official can use the head on his neck to guarantee that if there is no war, Gong Changwei's gunpowder will never leave the warehouse."
Zhang Xing said firmly.
"Okay, I believe Commander Zhang." Xiao Chen smiled and looked at Gongchang Tongzhi Wei Li, "Mr. Wei, I heard that all the information about the caravan is recorded in Gongchang Mansion?"
Wei Li hurriedly stood up and clasped his fists: "Sir, the number of people in the caravan and the weapons and equipment have been recorded by Gongchang Mansion."
"Are Wei Tongzhi familiar with the leader of the caravan?"
Wei Li had a look of embarrassment on his face: "To be honest, although the caravan is just a non-governmental organization, it is nominally under the management of Gongchang Mansion. But the people in the caravan do not take Xiaguan seriously. As for the leader of the caravan, he has never interacted with him.
."
"Oh?" Xiao Chen was stunned, "A private gang actually has no court officials in its eyes, and it is an official of Gongchang Mansion who is in charge of itself. Why is this caravan?"
"Your Excellency, you don't know. This caravan has almost monopolized all the cargo escort business west of Fengxiang Mansion. No one knows how much the annual income is. It is rich and arrogant," Wei Li said.
"You can be arrogant if you have a lot of money? Is the Gongchang Mansion letting it go like this? If they are allowed to develop like this, won't it be possible that one day they will be harmful to the imperial court?"
"Your Majesty, you don't know. The caravan ignores the lower officials, but they treat the prefect with great respect."
"Why is this? Aren't the caravans looking down on others?"
"Because the prefect is the young marquis, and the caravan obeys the advice of the Dingxi marquis."
Looking at Wei Li, Xiao Chen couldn't calm down for a long time.
"Do you obey the words of Marquis Dingxi? Is it possible that this caravan is the private gang of Marquis Dingxi?"
"It's not a private gang. However, the leader of the caravan has fought under Dingxi Hou before." Wei Li hesitated as he raised his head and glanced at Xiao Chen.
"Is this true?" Xiao Chen's eyes were extremely sharp.
"I dare not believe what I said."
Xiao Chen stood up, put his hands on his back, and walked back and forth in the hall.
Wei and Li lowered their heads, not daring to express their anger.
From the gunpowder to the caravan, anyone can tell who Xiao Chen is suspicious of.
"Where does the leader of the caravan usually live?" Xiao Chen stopped.
"Sometimes I'm in Gongchang Mansion, sometimes I'm in Fengxiang Mansion, and sometimes I'm in Shanmen Town, where the caravan is located in the Qinling Mountains."
