Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 206 Inside Story
More than half an hour later, Wang Zhi'an and his party arrived at Xinyangzhou City around Si hour.Several people found a carriage and horse shop outside the city, stored the war horses in the shop, and then asked for two rooms to wash and change into casual clothes. After inserting them into the boots and stuffing the flintlock pistols into his bosom, leaving a lieutenant behind, Wang Zhian took the two lieutenants to the city.

On the road from Zhongshan Town to Zhoucheng, the closer to Xinyang City, the more people fleeing famine.

A few people came to the east gate of Xinyang not far away, and saw hundreds of shacks of various kinds had been set up under the walls on both sides of the city gate. Leaning against the base of the city wall and basking in the sun with squinted eyes, there was very little noise among the nearly 2000 victims.

Many people hadn't eaten for several days, how could they still have the energy to talk and make noise, even the most noisy children in each family became quiet.

Outside the city gate, there was a squad of strong men with knives and guns on duty. Several horses blocked the front, and the figures of several archers could be seen at the top of the city. This was obviously specially arranged to prevent disaster victims from flooding into the city.A middle-aged man dressed as a yamen servant was sitting on a chair at the city gate, holding a teapot and chatting with a man dressed as a clerk next to him.

There are not many people who want to enter the city, either merchants or residents of the city. After each person paid the entry fee of [-] copper coins, several merchants were moved away by the strong class without even showing their guides. The horses were released into the city, and several people dressed as civilians were also released after taking out the note issued when they left the city.

When it was the turn of Wang Zhian and others, a guard from the strong class shouted and asked: "Stop! Where are you guys from? What are you going to do in the city? Take out the guide!"

A school captain named Zhao Sheng who followed Wang Zhian was furious, and he was about to step forward to knock down the guard.Only Jin Yiwei has always asked others, who dares to speak to Jin Yiwei in such a tone?What's more, it's such a lowly person like a cat or a dog.

Wang Zhian took a step forward calmly, stood in front of Zhao Sheng, clasped his fists with a smile and said, "This servant, this villain is a merchant from Xiangyang Prefecture, Huguang. Xinyang, I want to go to the city to rest for a day before leaving, and I would like to ask the messenger to make it easier for me!"

After paying the entry fee of [-] copper coins, the three of Wang Zhi'an entered Xinyang City smoothly.

Seeing that no one was paying attention, Zhao Sheng said angrily, "If Baihu hadn't blocked Shicai, one punch from his subordinates would have knocked that thief down!"

Another school lieutenant, Zhang Shun, asked puzzledly: "Baihu, why don't we go directly to the city without revealing our identities?"

Wang Zhian said as he walked: "Judging from the situation along the way, the Xinyang government probably didn't take the Shangling to heart at all; there were so many victims, and no one from the government went out of the city to release food for the people. Let me investigate first. What is the reason, we will make a decision after Ma Bao returns!"

While they were talking, there was a sudden sound of chaotic footsteps behind them. The three of them quickened their pace almost at the same time, and rushed towards the shops on both sides separately, reaching into their arms to hold the handle of the firecracker.

Wang Zhian flashed into a silk shop, turned around with one hand in his arms, and saw six or seven people in civilian clothes trotting forward along the street.

Wang Zhian took his hands out of his arms, pretended to brush off the dust on his robes, and stepped out of the silk shop, which made the waiter who was about to go up to inquire a little bit.

"Go find out the whereabouts of these people!" Wang Zhian softly instructed Zhang Shun who came over.

Zhang Shun hurried away, Wang Zhian and Zhao Sheng followed slowly, looking around.

After walking a few hundred steps, Zhang Shun turned back in a hurry, and said in a low voice when he came close: "To Wang Baihu, there is a grain store not far in front, those people just went to buy grain My subordinates inquired, and the price of grain in Xinyang has been rising since last year, and today it is three taels of silver per stone! The clerk in the grain shop said that if you don’t buy it, it will go up again!”

Wang Zhian and Zhao Sheng were also taken aback when they heard this.

Although the continuous drought has caused food prices to rise everywhere, in the counties such as Guangshan they visited before, because the government opened warehouses to release grain to stabilize food prices, the highest price of rice noodles was only one tael or two yuan a stone. In Xinyang, which is only two hundred miles away from Guangshan, the food price is so high.

Seeing that it was almost noon, Wang Zhian decided after pondering for a while, find a restaurant to eat, and inquire about various news by the way.

After turning the corner, the three of them walked a short distance, and came to the busiest street in the city, and walked into a restaurant.

After the three of them went up to the second floor according to their previous habits, they found a seat by the window and sat down. A shop waiter in his early 20s came up to greet them politely and asked them what wine and food they ordered.

Wang Zhian took out a one-two-weight silver scorpion from his pocket and put it on the table, staring at the waiter in the shop and said: "Xiaoer, just pick up a few of your specialty dishes, and the wine is free! See this ingot Do you have any money? A certain family wants to inquire about something with you, as long as you tell the truth, the money will be yours!"

Xiaoer He has seen such things before, these few people in front of him don't look like thieves like Jiangyang thieves, on the contrary, they all have a kind of official air.What's more, this ingot of silver can cover his income for several months, isn't it just to inquire about some things?I lack everything in this line of work, except news.

Xiao Er looked around, there were no other guests on the second floor at this time, he slowly stretched his hand towards the table, grabbed the silver ingot and quickly put it in his arms, then said with a smile: "This guest officer, do you have any questions?" Feel free to ask. The villain lives in the city and has worked in Deyuelou for five years. The villain can almost know what is going on in the city. But the villain will definitely answer the truth if he knows! It's a lie, a villain will be reborn as a beast in his next life!"

In ancient times, it was very credible to swear poisonous oaths. People at that time paid attention to holding their heads up to have gods, and they would not swear carelessly. People generally believed in the existence of karma.

It's not like people in later generations, as long as there are enough interests, he would dare to swear that his parents are dead, and then turn around and sell others.

Wang Ancheng nodded and said, "Let me ask you, when did the disaster victims outside the city gather here? Why didn't the government open a warehouse to release relief? No one asked these victims how to survive? Tell the truth as you know!"

After hearing Wang Zhi'an's words, Xiao Er's expression became hesitant. When his expression changed, he finally calmed down. After scanning again to make sure there was no one there, he leaned forward and said in a low voice, "Although I don't know who the guest officer is The origin, but I felt that the guest officials were not bad people, so I told the truth! The disaster victims outside the city came as early as last month, but I heard people say that those who came earlier would have died long ago! My lord There are hundreds of children! They all died of freezing and starvation! Now this group has escaped from the surrounding area one after another, but I have never heard of the government opening a warehouse to release food! The group of victims outside the city is miserable, and there are people every day If they die, they will all be thrown into the wilderness! If those vicious wolves and wild dogs are cheap, they won’t even have a whole body left behind, so how can they be reborn as human beings in the next life?”

Wang Zhian's expression remained unchanged, but his fists were clenched tightly. Zhao Sheng and Zhang Shun also stared and bared their teeth, obviously angry.

"Do you know why the government doesn't open official warehouses? The price of food in the city is so high, how can the common people afford it?" Wang Zhian continued to ask.

Xiaoer sighed and said: "Guest officer, you should have seen it, this disaster has spread to the world, our restaurant business has slowed down a lot, and the old owners in the past don't come to drink and have fun, they all say they want to save money to buy The grain is stored. Does the guest officer know where the grain sold by the grain stores in the city comes from? That is the grain in the official warehouse! Those grain stores have heard that the masters of Zhizhou all have shares!"

In fact, before Xiao Er finished speaking, Wang Ancheng had already thought of this point.

The grain stored in the official warehouse was supposed to be used for emergency purposes, but was sold at a high price.

Wang Ancheng waved his hand and said: "You go and serve the food, I will leave after eating! Don't worry, what you said just now will never teach others to know!"

Xiaoer clasped his fists in both hands, bowed deeply, then turned and went downstairs.

Zhao Sheng said angrily: "Baihu, why are these thieves from the government of Xinyang Prefecture so bold? There are so many people outside the city waiting to eat, are they blind?"

Zhang Shun was also furious: "Hundred households, Xiao Er said just now, people die outside the city every day, they are all the people of the Holy One, how can the dog officials harm them? What should we do?"

Wang Ancheng said with a calm expression: "Eat first, and then go out of the city and go back to wait for Ma to protect them. I was thinking of reporting what I saw and heard in Xinyang Prefecture to Shangfeng in a letter, and then waiting for Shangfeng's instructions; It took more than ten days to go, but looking at it now, I can’t wait! Shicai’s Xiaoer has already stated that there are countless hungry people starving to death every day, and innocent people will die because of the government’s inaction if you wait one more day! Wang Shuanzhu's poor family, old and young, if they hadn't met us, the family would have rushed outside the city to wait, and in the end they would have fed wild dogs! As the emperor's pro-army, we should always think of saints everywhere! This time, I would rather Fighting to be punished and resigned, I will take you to do something! Do you have the guts to wait?!"

(End of this chapter)