The county didn’t lie. After a while, steaming hot porridge was ready. Although it was only half a bowl, it was soft, glutinous, and sweet. These disaster victims couldn’t bear to swallow after taking one bite.
But the aroma of the food was really too tempting. Few people could resist the temptation. After half a bowl of porridge went down their stomachs, in the warm room with something to eat, it really felt like a dream.
These people had been too tense along the way. Once they relaxed, they started developing fevers.
Late at night, half the doctors in the county came over, brewing medicine and forcing it down their throats. Relatives and friends around them provided care, and government officials also helped carry medicine.
They were busy all night long. The County Magistrate also stayed with them the entire time.
He Zifeng was someone who could get things done. He said to the County Magistrate: “Five hundred sixty people came this time!” Counting both adults and children.
Among them, over eighty people were seriously ill. The doctors were using various methods to treat them.
These people had gone without food or water for many days. Their bodies were already very weak.
The County Magistrate had also entered some rooms earlier and felt uncomfortable seeing those disaster victims.
The County Magistrate said: “Their clothes are too tattered. Not only can’t they keep out the cold, some can’t even provide basic covering. But the county can’t spend more money. Can we think of some other way?”
All the county’s coarse cloth had been taken to make cotton jackets. After the snow disaster, fabric prices skyrocketed. Buying it was obviously not cost-effective.
He Zifeng said: “See if we can ask for donations from wealthy families.”
In these times, the wealthy still lived in luxury while the poor starved to death. This was an unfair world!
Constable Zhu said: “I’ll handle this matter.” He had deep roots in the county and was familiar with these people. As long as he spoke up, asking for some old clothes they didn’t wear was possible.
He Zifeng said: “I’ll also talk to the supervisors!” Those government supervisors had many people under them. They could ask everyone if they had unworn clothes to donate for good deeds. Some people would be willing.
Hearing this, the County Magistrate said to the two: “The county is fortunate to have you both.” Having capable people under him made things much easier.
Constable Zhu said: “My lord, you also haven’t slept all night. Please hurry and rest. Your health is most important.”
Hearing him say this, the County Magistrate said: “Alright.” He was indeed somewhat tired. “You two also rest. Transfer half the people back to sleep. The other half will keep watch at night, then switch shifts during the day.”
He Zifeng agreed. The County Magistrate had stayed up all night and couldn’t hold on anymore.
Early the next morning, when He Zifeng went to check, five of the seriously ill had already died. The rest had all improved somewhat.
Those five people were really too severely ill – their conditions were hopeless, beyond medical help.
The families of those five who died, perhaps having seen too much separation and death along the way, accepted it easily.
Being able to reach a warm place before dying was already considered fortunate.
These few people were wrapped in mats by government officials and taken out for burial.
Early the next morning, those who had relaxed and developed fevers yesterday also felt some relief in their bodies.
What woke them wasn’t their relatives, but the fragrant aroma of mixed grain porridge.
This time each person was also given a small mixed grain steamed bun.
Most people ate the porridge but couldn’t bear to eat the steamed bun, unconsciously hiding it away.
Yesterday everyone had been dizzy from hunger and exhaustion. As long as they were given something to eat, they would do anything.
Now that they were clear-headed, they became uneasy instead: “Official sir, what will we do in the future?”
Along their refugee journey, they had witnessed the coldness of human nature and knew there were no free lunches in the world.
So many people – how much money would the daily coal and grain cost? Who knew when they would stop providing for them?
The government officials reported the disaster victims’ condition to He Zifeng. He Zifeng went directly to the first room. As soon as he entered, everyone’s gazes gathered on him.
Some gazes were anxious, some uneasy.
He Zifeng said to them: “I am the county’s Deputy Constable He Zifeng. The County Magistrate knows your county suffered severe disasters, with many people forced to leave their homes. It’s truly pitiful. Our lord often worries so much he can’t sleep at night. Even before you came, he prepared grain and charcoal. You can rest here. Although conditions are poor, we’ll make further arrangements later!”
Just after hearing what he said, others said one after another: “The County Magistrate is truly a good person.”
“We want to kowtow to him.”
Some also cried for the relatives they had lost on the road. If only they could have persevered until now.
He Zifeng said the conditions here were poor, but these disaster victims couldn’t agree. This was already the warmest and most secure place they had stayed along their entire journey.
He Zifeng continued: “Of course, our county has also been impacted by the snow disaster. Our grain isn’t enough either. Since you’ve come, you must work to earn your own grain. The county has a government-run tile factory and brick factory. You can exchange labor for copper coins to buy clothes, buy grain, even buy houses. If you perform well, you can even buy farmland here!”
As soon as these words fell, everyone present held their breath. When they came, they clearly felt this county was different from other counties. The accumulated snow on roads was cleared away.
In winter, there wasn’t even a single beggar. It was definitely more prosperous than their county.
They all had the thought that it would be wonderful if they could survive here. But before others could refuse them, they themselves felt it was impossible.
Who would want disaster victims like them? Yet they hadn’t expected to receive such tremendously good news on their first day here.
When they fled, only broken houses remained at home. They had brought all the people and money with them – there was nothing to miss.
If they could really stay in this place, it would actually be a good thing.
The surrounding government officials were also somewhat surprised to hear He Zifeng say this. This was what the County Magistrate had told him.
The brick kiln factory area was rather desolate, with no village in front and no shop behind. It wouldn’t be appropriate to mix these disaster victims into any village. It was better to let them independently become a village.
As for housing, that was easy to solve. They could make do in dormitories for now while they got the brick kiln factory running. They wouldn’t lack for building houses.
As for the farmland that common people yearned for, that was even easier. There was lots of wasteland here. They could let them clear and cultivate it first, using compost to fertilize it well. At most, they wouldn’t collect agricultural taxes from them for the first three years.
There were always more solutions than difficulties.
When He Zifeng told these words to the disaster victims, their originally numb faces suddenly lit up.
“When do we start working?” Someone was already fantasizing about big houses.
He Zifeng said: “No rush. Rest for another ten days. Your bodies are too weak. This afternoon, doctors will bring frostbite ointment. If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, tell the doctors. Two meals a day, and absolutely no troublemaking, or you’ll be kicked out. Five government officials will be here day and night. If you need anything, tell the officials.”
“Yes, official sir.” Several people said in unison.
He Zifeng went to other rooms to explain these important matters. After he left, there was slight commotion in the room. But what everyone was talking about were their hopes for future days.
