Chapter 557: Damage
Refugees are not labor force, people who can be tied to the fields honestly are assets.
Refugees with nothing will only be a burden to the government and a source of unrest.
As the drought further intensified, the collection of grain taxes was also gradually carried out. Sporadic hungry people began to appear in various parts of Hezhong County, fleeing from the countryside and mountains to Hezhong Prefecture.
Hezhong Prefecture was not as wealthy as they imagined, and many locals in Hezhong Prefecture were also begging on the streets.
The governor of Hezhong County ordered the city gates to be closed and refugees not allowed to enter the city. At the same time, he wrote a memorial to Kyoto to apply for disaster relief resources.
The situation in the following counties is no better than that of Hezhong Prefecture.
Population also accounts for a large part of the assessment content of officials. In addition to the Pingyang County magistrate breaking the jar and smashing it, he not only failed to retain the refugees, but also led them to Wudu County.
Other county magistrates did not dare to let the refugees leave the county at will.
However, if you want to provide disaster relief, you also need to store grain. The county's grain store is not enough, so the state must provide food for disaster relief.
So a letter requesting the governor to approve grain was delivered to the desk of the governor of Hezhong County.
Li Mingde's heart was pounding: "Master Governor, there are more and more hungry people outside the city. If we don't give out porridge and food, I'm afraid there will be civil unrest."
The governor of Hezhong County glanced at Li Mingde indifferently: "There is no food in Kyoto, how can we provide disaster relief?"
The governor of Hezhong County looked like he had no money and didn't care about this matter at all.
Li Mingde had no choice but to be pulled over by Tong Xuan as soon as he left the Governor's Mansion.
"Don't worry about him, you come with me and let's go put out food!"
Every state and county has Chang Pingcang.
The key to Changpingcang in Hezhong County is in Wu Tongpan's hands.
Li Mingde led a group of government officials and followed Wu Tongpan directly to Changpingcang.
Although the key is in Wu Tongpan's hands, the people responsible for guarding the granary are the governor's men.
Wu Tongpan shouted angrily: "Get out of my way! Anyone who dares to stop the disaster relief will be arrested!"
A group of government officials rushed over and quickly opened the warehouses everywhere.
Li Mingde followed Wu Tongpan into one of the warehouses and found that only spices were stocked inside, not food.
Wu Tongpan: "Sell all these spices and exchange them for grain."
They went to several other warehouses and found that those warehouses had old grain piled outside and sand inside!
Wu Tongpuan's head was buzzing, what a stupid governor! He was reselling official food and wanted to take the blame himself!
If this matter were brought up, neither of them would be able to get anything out of it.
However, the imperial court is not a fool. Even if it wants to provide disaster relief, it will take into account the local food storage situation in Hezhong County, rather than allowing Hezhong County to provide as much as it asks for.
Li Mingde lowered his head, waiting to see what choice Wu Tongpan would make in the end?
After half a stick of incense, Wu Tong said: "Take the old grains for disaster relief as well."
Then there is no more.
It seems that the sand does not exist, and the reselling of government food does not happen.
Li Mingde sighed secretly in his heart. The only clear stream in the officialdom of Hezhong County was nothing more than this.
There are more and more hungry people outside the city, and these old grains are just a drop in the bucket.
Many lower counties really couldn't hold on any longer and had to open their gates and no longer restrict the movement of these hungry people.
People in various counties heard that Hezhong Prefecture was providing disaster relief, so they helped the old and young, begged along the streets, and headed to the prefecture city.
Along the way, people starved to death and their bodies were eaten by wild dogs. The number of followers of the evil god also increased, and many people went hungry and prayed for the evil god's blessing.
It's just that the closer they get to the city, the more information they get. Rather than trusting those evil gods, it seems more reliable to defect to Shuozhou.
"I heard that Shuozhou Mansion was occupied by Duke Yun."
"That was how long ago! I also know that in Shuozhou, the land and fields are owned by the government."
"Oh, then their life will be even more difficult!"
"You are wrong! The government provides fields, improved seeds, and cattle for farming. Including grain taxes, the revenue is only 40% a year!"
People around them turned their heads: "Really or not? Do you want to sign a deed of betrayal?"
"No. It's just that you have to move your household registration there and rent the land for at least ten years."
A man licked his lips: "Is it okay to be a refugee?"
"I heard people say that refugees can do it. Didn't Yunzhou just finish the war? It's when there is a shortage of people, so they offer such tempting conditions. When there is no shortage of people, will there be such a good policy? OK.”
Everyone was a little excited.
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"I think about it again, if I sign for ten years, wouldn't it be equivalent to taking root in Shuozhou?"
The reason why refugees are not welcomed is because it is difficult to leave their homeland.
When famine occurs, they flee to other places to survive.
When the famine is over, they will return to their hometowns.
This is equivalent to putting the pressure of disaster relief on other counties, and then returning to local construction when the victims can create value.
Which county magistrate would be willing?
The condition that Shuozhou proposed that the contract must be signed for at least ten years was also to prevent the refugees from abandoning the cultivated land and running away again after spending the famine years.
The hearts of the refugees outside the city were floating.
Who would want to leave their hometown if they could have a meal in their hometown?
People are cheap when they leave their hometown. The people in Shuozhou say it sounds good, but who knows what the real situation is?
In the city, the decree from Kyoto also arrived.
The young emperor ordered Hezhong County to immediately start disaster relief work to ensure that civil unrest similar to the last time must not occur again!
In response, the young emperor specially allocated a large amount of disaster relief food and was about to take the canal to Hezhong County.
The governor and the magistrate glanced at the amount of relief food, looked at each other, and then looked away silently.
After a long time, Wu Tongpan could not hold back his anger and said: "This disaster relief food seems to be a lot, but only 7 out of 10 of them fall into our hands. If we can make up for the shortfall, these disaster relief food will probably not be enough."
Speaking of this, Wu Tongpuan became angry.
He hasn't seen a single penny, and he still has to take the blame. The key is not to expose this matter, otherwise his official career will be over.
It’s so frustrating!
The governor touched his beard and a glint flashed in his eyes: "Let's give porridge first to stabilize this wave of hungry people. Then we will find a way to lead them to Shuozhou."
"Gu Nanxi is not a fool. Can she accept these hungry people?"
The governor sneered: "She has to accept it even if she doesn't accept it! Isn't her name just to serve the country and the people? Why don't she care about the hungry people?"
Wu Tongpan thought more deeply: "We have at least 40,000 to 50,000 refugees in Hezhong County! With so many refugees going to Shuozhou, if they are really stabilized by Gu Nanxi, there will be tens of thousands of troops! If the official The family will investigate..."
Governor: "Even if we want to stabilize these refugees, it will be after next year. What we have to consider now is whether we can get over this hurdle. Do you want to do it or not?"
Wu Tongpuan still hesitated. Seeing this, the governor whispered a few words in his ear.
Wu Tongpuan touched his beard, his eyes became brighter and brighter: "Do it!"