401: Going to Lanzhou, Qingshui County's porridge distribution chaos

Yue Province City, Pacification Envoy’s mansion.

“Lord, Lan Prefecture has been continuously hit by disasters such as locust plagues, epidemics, and earthquakes.”

“Preliminary estimates suggest tens of thousands have already died or been injured, and the casualties are still rising. Rumors claim it’s all the work of the Divine Temple, and… they’re pointing fingers at you, Lord!”

“They’re saying you, Lord, are the great traitor who brings disaster to the country and its people, intentionally stirring up chaos in the Three Prefectures to seize wealth.”

Wang Chao reported to Chu Jiang. The reputation of the Three Provinces Inspectorial Envoy in Lan Prefecture had plummeted to an all-time low.

After speaking, he organized the documents in his hand and handed them to Chu Jiang.

“Damn it, this is clearly a setup to frame the Lord!”

Fu Yunxuan’s face was as cold as ice, a chilling glint in her eyes. Ever since her Lord entered the Three Prefectures, he hadn’t rested for a moment.

He was either killing bandits, slaying demons, or suppressing powerful aristocratic families that caused chaos in various regions.

To actually accuse him of releasing plagues and causing locust disasters was simply preposterous.

“The person behind this is extremely sinister, having calculated that Lord Chu, as the Three Provinces Inspectorial Envoy, would definitely not stand by and do nothing!”

“This move, I fear, is a trap!”

Principal General Zhao’s face showed worry. The person behind this was deliberately making these moves to lure Chu Jiang to a remote area of Lan Prefecture.

It was likely that a deadly trap had already been laid in Lan Prefecture.

If Chu Jiang went, he would fall right into their hands.

If he didn’t go, he would be ignoring the disaster and would be suspected of dereliction of duty.

This indicated that the person behind this had become desperate and would not tolerate Chu Jiang continuing his indiscriminate killing.

The previous four Special Envoys had died in office, killed by various means.

In normal logic, one should choose to avoid the limelight, first request aid from the imperial court, and then investigate the disaster and clear one’s name.

Chu Jiang’s eyes turned cold: “Leave three hundred Tiger Brave Army and one hundred Demon Suppression Guard to continue patrolling the nine counties of Yue Province. The rest, follow me to kill… to Lan Prefecture.”

Since they wanted him to go so badly, he would fulfill their wish to seek death.

“Yes!”

Everyone nodded.

Half an hour later.

A large contingent of Demon Suppression Guard and Tiger Brave Army left Yue Province City, heading straight for Lan Prefecture.

… …

Lan Prefecture, Qingshui County.

Tens of thousands of disaster victims were queuing, each emaciated and in dire straits. Dozens of steaming cauldrons were boiling, and the rich aroma of rice diffused everywhere.

Gulp!

“So fragrant!”

Many disaster victims’ throats were dry, their eyes fixed on the rice porridge in the cauldrons.

As disaster victims, they could tell with a glance whether the porridge was good or not.

This porridge had plump rice grains, thick broth, and a rich rice aroma; it was clearly of excellent quality.

“My goodness, they even put a little mung bean and cabbage leaves in it!”

Some sharp-eyed disaster victims looked on with fervent eyes. Although extremely sparse, it was unimaginable in such a year of great disaster.

“This time, I heard that the Three Provinces Inspectorial Envoy, Lord Chu, has arrived, which is why they’re making such good porridge. One bowl for children, two for adults!”

“So good, but it won’t only be for one day, will it?”

Some disaster victims asked, puzzled. In the past, during relief efforts, they could usually only get one meal every three days, and even then, it depended on luck because there were too many victims.

And the relief grain distributed by the government was too little. Even if they were lucky enough to get a bowl of rice porridge, it was mostly thin and watery, leading to many deaths from starvation.

Each time, only when a Special Envoy from the imperial court came to investigate would they get a good meal. The rest of the time, it depended on whose life was more resilient.

The disaster victims communicated with each other:

“They say it’s one meal a day, served every noon!”

“With such good porridge, those fake disaster victims are probably here again!”

“Don’t say it, they’re already here. Those bastards, Steward Li, and a dozen of his household servants, they’re all here!”

“And people from nearby Jinliu Town, their families all still have surplus grain, and they’ve also come!”

Because Chu Jiang had killed a large number of aristocratic families and corrupt officials in Yue Province City, and had also dispatched more than a dozen Demon Suppression Guard teams to patrol the nine counties of Yue Province.

Now, even the various counties in Lan Prefecture were mostly terrified, not daring to make an issue of relief grain, lest they be liquidated.

The relief porridge in the disaster-stricken county cities had now reached its highest quality in years.

Therefore, observant people would notice that the number of disaster victims present had increased more than usual. Normally there were only a few thousand, but now there were at least tens of thousands, and the number was still growing.

Some small landlords, people who were not too rich nor too poor, also rushed over, dressed in tattered clothes, to eat this relief food.

After all, if there was a bargain, they would take it.

“Sister, brother can already smell the fragrance. Hold on, we will definitely survive!”

A twenty-year-old gaunt young man, holding a six or seven-year-old girl in his arms, desperately pushed his way in.

There were even people trampled to death by the crowd.

“Dad, Mom…”

A child’s parents were knocked to the ground and trampled by several people, and the child cried inconsolably, choking with sobs.

But no one cared.

They didn’t even glance. In times of chaos, various horrific events had become too common, and everyone was numb.

Ancient disaster victims, sometimes, were not even as good as animals.

Each time there were deaths, they were in the tens of thousands.

Facing the chaos, the city defense army responsible for maintaining order only symbolically sent a few people to maintain it, and did not strictly prohibit it.

The grain in Qingshui County City’s official granary was already severely depleted, only enough for these disaster victims for ten-odd days.

He wished more of these disaster victims would die, which would mean less relief grain to distribute.

The great lords and dignitaries in the county city, however, all had surplus grain at home, and the grain was piled up like mountains.

But the officials would not spend high prices to buy it and feed it to these disaster victims.

What did it matter if some disaster victims died?

Anyway, they weren’t killed by the government; they killed themselves.

The high-ranking officials of the Three Prefectures were already accustomed to this situation.

They even indirectly hinted to officials in various counties to kill as many people as possible, and as for the reason, no one knew.

“Damn it, why don’t these officials do something about these grain snatchers? They’re not disaster victims at all, they’re all smiling. Damn it…”

“These dog officials wish we disaster victims would fight each other!”

“That’s originally our submitted grain, but now with the great disaster, it can’t be distributed to us, and they only give out meals every few days!”

Now, even if you kowtowed and begged, they might not give it to you.

Some newly afflicted disaster victims shouted unwillingly, but it had no effect and was quickly drowned in the tide of people.

“Zhang Caizhu, you beast, I know you, you are not a disaster victim at all, official, I want to report!”

A slightly robust man immediately recognized him. While others used bowls, this son of a bitch actually used a basin. His one basin, damn it, would save how many fewer people? He dragged Zhang Caizhu out and brought him before a lean grain official.

“Lord, my whole family are disaster victims, please don’t listen to his nonsense!”

Zhang Caizhu said fawningly.

“He’s lying!”

The robust man angrily said.

“What evidence do you have to prove he’s not a disaster victim?”

The lean grain official said indifferently.

The robust man said: “I know him, he’s Zhang Caizhu from Jinliu Town, he’s very rich!”

“Also, look at his complexion, he’s ruddy and glowing, where does he look like a disaster victim? Disaster victims are usually sallow and emaciated, living very miserably!”

Who knew.

As soon as the grain official heard this, he became angry.

“Who told you that disaster victims must be sallow and emaciated? You’re talking nonsense!”

“I think you’re implicitly criticizing the imperial court’s major policies. This person is spreading false statements, kick him out! There’s no porridge for you today!”