East Factory Governor

Chapter 379
From Datong to Taiyuan, there are more than 500 miles in total.

Qin Shuhuai and his party rode horses during the day and stayed at night. In the evening of the next day, they arrived at Dai County, which is more than 200 miles away from Taiyuan.

When I entered Dai County, I saw devastation everywhere and all industries withered.

In the county town, many houses are still burning, emitting traces of black smoke.Countless people in ragged clothes sat on the side of the street, staring at something with empty eyes, motionless, as if they were dead.

Obviously, the bandits have just passed here.

Rogues are bandits who roam around.They will often concentrate their forces to capture a county town, and after entering the city, they will plunder a little, and then disperse before the arrival of the official army, and go to the next stop.

Qin Shuhuai and his party entered the county seat, and many sallow-faced and emaciated refugees rushed up, begging for food from them.And more people glared at them.

Qin Shuhuai understood the reason for their glaring.Because Li Jingting and others were wearing the official uniforms of Jinyiwei, these refugees regarded them as officers and soldiers.

As an officer, if he failed to protect the people, he would naturally be cast aside by the people.

As an official soldier, he always waited for the bandits to leave before coming back, so he would naturally be despised by the common people.

As officers and soldiers, they caught and released these heinous rogues, released them again, and arrested them again. If they didn't avenge the law-abiding people, they would naturally be hostile by the people.

To a certain extent, Yang He's policy of emphasizing care and ignoring suppression has become an accomplice of the bandits.

If this continues, these refugees lying on the ground with no food or clothing will soon join the bandits.

Because the price of obeying the law is far lower than the price of rioting!

After Qin Shuhuai got off his horse, he immediately ordered Li Jingting to take all the food he was carrying and distribute it to the refugees.

Without further ado, Li Jingting immediately called Jin Yiwei's brother and began to move supplies.Seeing this, the Jianghe Gang and others also went up to help.

When Jiang He's gang came out, they brought three cartloads of supplies, and everyone also hid a lot of dry food in their bags.What Qin Shuhuai meant was to give all the edible food, not even a single grain of rice, to the refugees.

So, everyone took out the dry food, and no one asked what they would eat next.

Refugees rushed up immediately, surrounding several carts of the Jianghe Gang full of food and supplies, and the scene was suddenly chaotic.

Seeing this, Lai San'er, Meng Wei and others dismounted quickly and went up to direct the Jianghe Gang and Jin Yiwei to form a human wall to maintain order.

Sitting on the horse, Qin Shuhuai saw seven or eight people just sitting on the ground in the corner of the street, and did not come up to grab food.

Looking at their clothes, they are all silk and satin, and you know that they are local gentry.In order to maintain the dignity of the gentry class, they would rather starve to death than grab food with the refugees.

There is also a bit of iron bones.

Among the seven or eight people, the oldest one looked to be in his early sixties, with gray beard and hair, but he sat upright with his back straight.There are two middle-aged men beside him, who should be his sons, and they are also sitting upright, not in a mess.The rest of them have wives and children.The child kept crying for hunger, and several female family members looked at the refugees looting food, wanted to say it several times but dared not say it, hesitated to speak.

Qin Shuhuai admired the character of this family, although they looked a little stupid and pedantic.

Just as he was about to get off his horse and go to visit, he saw that several refugees had stuffed their hands with food after they got it.

"Master Huang, you can just eat something. It doesn't matter if the family is gone, we still have land. We will continue to work for you, and the Huang family will definitely make a comeback in a few years."

"Yes, Mr. Huang, even if you don't eat it, the child must."

Mr. Huang didn't speak, but kept clapping his hands to these refugees, with tears in his eyes.

Qin Shuhuai thought in his heart that this old master Huang must have a very high reputation in the local area, otherwise these refugees would not treat him like this.

At this time, Zhang Chengshan, the county magistrate of Dai County, rushed over with a group of soldiers from the government office. Seeing Qin Shuhuai, he knelt down abruptly, and said in tears, "Zhang Chengshan, the magistrate of Dai County, pays his respects to the imperial envoy."

The refugees were startled, the imperial envoy came?

When Master Huang heard this, he couldn't help casting a strange look at Qin Shuhuai.

Qin Shuhuai's face was extremely gloomy, and he shouted coldly, "Zhang Chengshan, as the magistrate of Dai County, you are responsible for guarding the land. Let me ask you, when the bandits entered the city and robbed you, where were you as the parent official of Dai County?"

Zhang Chengshan was dripping with cold sweat, and said loudly, "My lord, when the bandits attacked the county seat, Guizhi and the guerrilla general Wang Zhenshan were at the top of the city to command. Guizhi and General Wang defended for a day and a night, but the bandits were so numerous that they took their place. There are only a thousand defenders in the county, which is really beyond what they can do. General Wang died in battle and was martyred for his country. Under the escort of his brothers, he was lucky enough to break through. Drive out of the city."

Qin Shuhuai looked carefully at Zhang Chengshan, saw that his face was stained with blood, and his official uniform was in tatters, it seemed that what he said was true.

Seeing that the refugees around him were all glaring at him, as if they dared not speak out, they felt that something was wrong.

So he asked, "Zhang Chengshan, let me ask you, how many thieves are there?"

"About six thousand."

"Which gate do you enter the city from?"

"North City Gate."

Zhang Zhangshan answered fluently.

Qin Shuhuai took a closer look at his attire, but saw that the collar of his official uniform was clean and almost spotless.

I couldn't help being furious in my heart, the civil servants of Ming Dynasty have a way of deceiving their superiors and inferiors!
He said coldly, "Magistrate Zhang, please take off your official uniform."

Zhang Chengshan was stunned and sweated even more.

Seeing this, Li Jingting came up with a few Jinyiwei, and shouted at Zhang Chengshan, "Did you hear that my lord told you to take off your official uniform? Do you still want our Jinyiwei opponent?"

Zhang Chengshan couldn't help shaking, he had naturally heard of Jin Yiwei's vicious name.

So tremblingly, he took off his official uniform.

The white as new lining gown inside was revealed.

Qin Shuhuai said coldly, "Master Zhang, you said you guarded the city for a day and a night, but why is the gown inside spotless? Also, your official uniform has several holes, why is the gown inside as white as new? "

Seeing this, the refugees present knew that Qin Shuhuai was going to punish the county magistrate Zhang!
This imperial envoy is not here to be protected by officials!

Immediately the crowd became angry.

"Master Imperial Envoy, this county magistrate Zhang is always dominating the county and taking advantage of the common people. This time when the bandits came, he wasn't at the top of the city at all, but at his concubine's place!" A refugee came up and shouted.

At this time, one of the yamen servants behind Zhang Chengshan jumped out and shouted at Qin Shuhuai, "Yes, the imperial envoy is clearly aware! General Wang died unjustly! Many gentry and wealthy households in our county have actively donated money and food in recent years Repairing the city wall, but I don’t want half of the money to be corrupted by this bastard, so that the city wall that came out is so fragile that it will collapse after a few bombardments from the bandits!"

"My lord, Li Er is right, I can testify." Another yamen servant came up and said.

Zhang Chengshan pointed at these yamen servants and said incoherently, "You, you, you..."

Saying that, his body softened, and he sat down on the ground.

(End of this chapter)