CHAPTER 307: CHAPTER 307: RESETTLEMENT (PART 2)

County Magistrate Cai spent half a day temporarily settling all the starving people. That evening, he sent food according to the number of people in each household of the starving populace, along with one pound of rental grain.

There were more than four hundred starving people, making up a total of ninety-two households. One village couldn’t accommodate them all, so they were temporarily housed in three villages altogether.

Early the next day, County Magistrate Cai personally visited these three villages, going door to door. He first praised the villagers willing to accept the starving people and then comforted the newcomers, who were uneasy and unsettled.

In the eyes of other county magistrates, County Magistrate Cai was seen as ugly and best at flattering the Commandery Princess. But in the eyes of the common people, County Magistrate Cai was considered the best magistrate under heaven and earth.

Which county magistrate is willing to lower himself and cherish his people like they are his own children?

The people of Li County never thought County Magistrate Cai was ugly; in their eyes, Lord Cai was very appealing.

"Your name is Shi Dayong, right?" County Magistrate Cai had an uncommon ability: after meeting someone once and exchanging a few words, he could remember a person’s face and name. Arriving at the village chief’s house, he immediately called out Shi Dayong’s name.

Shi Dayong responded excitedly, reflexively wanting to kneel.

County Magistrate Cai chuckled, reached out to stop him, and said, "No need to kneel, just stand nicely. By the way, let me ask you, do you know how to farm?"

Shi Dayong straightened his back and replied, "In response to you, Lord, I’ve been working the fields since I was young. I can farm over a dozen mu of land by myself."

A farmer who knows how to farm and is willing to work is excellent!

County Magistrate Cai’s gaze grew increasingly kind, "Here in Li County, there are plenty of barren lands. You fill your stomach for a few days to regain strength, then I’ll have people bring you wooden plows and hoes. The seeds will also be provided by the county government, so you need not worry."

Shi Dayong was so excited he kept rubbing his hands, "No need to wait a few days. I can go to work today."

Beside him, Shi’s mother and Shi’s wife added, "Although we are women, we are strong and can do fieldwork as well."

County Magistrate Cai laughed and said, "That won’t do; rest for four or five days before starting work."

Da Ni and Er Ni, two skinny girls nearly unrecognizable from their famished state, seeing County Magistrate Cai laughing, bravely interjected, "County Magistrate, we can work in the fields too."

County Magistrate Cai looked at the two yellow-haired girls with pity, "You both are too thin. Take good care of yourselves, gain some strength, and then help your parents with some light work."

Pausing for a moment, he then said to Shi Dayong, "Despite all hardships, you haven’t abandoned your daughters—you’re admirable!"

The village chief could see this clearly, and naturally, County Magistrate Cai understood it long ago. When registering the list yesterday, without exception, there were elderly and children.

Shi Dayong’s eyes reddened again, and he said quietly, "To be honest, Lord, on the way to escape famine, everyone was starving. Some people sold their children. If no one bought, and the hunger became unbearable, they exchanged their children with others...

What would happen after the exchange?

Shi Dayong couldn’t continue, remembering the frightening scenes witnessed on the road during the escape, he cried painfully, "I refused to exchange my daughters, and I wouldn’t eat meat from other people’s pots."

"At that time, I thought, if there was no way for the family to survive, we would altogether descend to the Yellow Springs."

"On the road escaping famine, the dead and the bones were everywhere to be seen. Many walked and walked, then fell down, never to rise again. When it was truly grim, people ate tree roots and grass bark, and even Guanyin clay, eating until their bellies were swollen, ending up dying from bloating."

"Later, those eating human flesh grew increasingly numerous. Some ate and survived, others ate and died. When I was desperate from hunger, I thought of simply eating too. Living was too difficult; we couldn’t survive. If we hadn’t met Commander Qin by chance that day, all five of us in the family would have starved."

"Lord, why doesn’t the court save us?"

County Magistrate Cai was unable to answer this heavy question.

The officials high up in the court, at the critical moments of collecting grain for famine relief, were constantly fighting for power and profits.

At the border, the Left General demanded high military expenses. The military expenses were intercepted at the Ministry of Revenue, reduced at the Ministry of War, some parts were sent to the Prime Minister’s Mansion, and the rest were finally sent to the troops...

No one truly cared about the pitiful starving people suffering from disasters.

The cries of Shi Dayong’s family echoed long in the ears, making one’s heart ache.

After a day’s busyness, County Magistrate Cai returned to the county government at night and wrote a thick letter to the Commandery Princess.

...

"...The drought in Bingzhou is the most severe, people are fleeing en masse, the dead scattered across the fields, and the land is barren for miles. The horrifying scene of swapping children for food is all too common. Listening to the starving people recount this, the anger in my heart is unbearable. If the court united its efforts for full relief, it wouldn’t be like this."

"In the eyes of those in power, what are the common people? They are not even as good as cattle and horses."

"My heart is filled with an angry flame, very difficult to calm. I know the Commandery Princess is helpless as well. Although Nanyang is wealthy, it is only one county, and its capabilities are very limited. Yet, doing something is better than doing nothing."

"The ninety-two households of starving people sent by Commander Qin are all from Bingzhou. Commander Qin selected them for their responsibility and commitment, having not abandoned their wives, children, elderly, or young. I will certainly settle them well and let them establish roots in Li County."

"Although conscious of my limited abilities, unable to manage the affairs of the court or save many starving people, at least I can properly settle the starving people sent by Commander Qin..."

This letter contained a thick six pages.

Jiang Shaohua sat by the table slowly reading the letter. After finishing it, she remained silent for a long time.

Chen Jinyu, accompanying her side, noticing the Commandery Princess’s unhappy expression, felt his mood sink as well. He asked softly, "Commandery Princess, did County Magistrate Cai specially write to you because he encountered troubles with settling the starving people?"

Jiang Shaohua shook her head, "That’s not the case. The starving people recruited by Commander Qin were carefully selected, they are all honest and straightforward folks. The starving people only ask for a chance to live, and upon arriving at Li County, were all obedient and honest, causing no trouble."

"It’s County Magistrate Cai who, hearing the starving people speak of the post-drought horrors in Bingzhou, felt unsettling resentment and specially wrote to me. After reading it, I feel unease as well."

Saying this, she handed the letter to Chen Jinyu.

Chen Jinyu quickly read through the letter, dark eyes flashing with anger and dissatisfaction, "Now the court is busy with increasing troops to suppress the rebel army in Pingzhou, where is there money and food left to relieve those affected by the drought?"

Jiang Shaohua sighed lightly, "Indeed! To accomplish something, one must first seize power. From this perspective, factional strife is unavoidable."

"Let’s hope the Crown Prince ascends the throne soon so he can swiftly take control of the court," Chen Jinyu said softly, "and eliminate the disaster of factional strife soon."

Images of the Crown Prince’s young, inexperienced face flashed through Jiang Shaohua’s mind, and recalling the chaotic Capital City when the new emperor unexpectedly died in her past life, her heart felt heavy.

"Sister Jin Yu, I must write a reply."

Chen Jinyu responded by going to prepare the ink.