The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Su Jinqiang suppressed the anger in his heart. He just didn't understand that in this era, most of the people who are famous and admired by people in later generations are people trying to gain fame. No matter what happens, they put their own interests first. Things also use this as a reference, and if there is a slight overstep, they will push back and refuse.

The matter in front of him has already reached the time of burning his ass. This Song Xiang is still entangled in the principle that the military rations cannot be tampered with, and does not change. In fact, he secretly uses the military rations instead of alms. Deadheaded, unwilling.

Su Jin took a few deep breaths, calmed down a little, and patiently started persuading and educating, but from the beginning to the end, Song Xiang's head was as if he had taken an ecstasy pill, and arcs were drawn left and right, expressing his firm disapproval.

Su Jin finally got angry, and said harshly: "Prefect Song, don't blame me for not reminding you, if you don't want to be flexible, there will be chaos in the city, and you will regret it later."

Song Xiang said with a dark face: "Special Envoy Su, this is my business, you don't need to worry about it, you don't need to intervene in the city's affairs immediately, you can't raise food to relieve my Yangzhou government's emergency, my government treats you I don’t give too much hope, but if we want to use military rations to stabilize the price of food, and put this government and a group of Yangzhou officials in a situation of violating the law, this government will never agree.”

Su Jin sneered and said: "You are afraid of losing your black yarn and head, so you let the people starve to death and freeze to death. If there is a bigger mistake later, can you keep your official hat at ease?"

Song Xiang was furious, stretched out his hand and slapped the table, and scolded Su Jin angrily: "Master Special Envoy, you are too presumptuous, I have a sincere heart, look up to the world and have no shame, but you are so embarrassing by what you say; You are young, and your words and actions are thoughtless, and this government will not care about you, but if you insult this official's personality, don't blame this official for suing you for slander at the court."

Su Jin laughed back angrily and said: "You are holding your ridiculous and noble heart here and watching the people suffer. Although I am young, I am not confused. I would like to advise you that the disaster is right in front of you. If you don't change your mind , there will be big troubles, when the time comes you want to be loyal and righteous, it is absolutely impossible. Farewell!"

Song Xiang flicked his sleeves and turned around, humming, "No."

Su Jin rushed out of the room angrily, knocked a person who was walking towards her and nearly fell down, Su Jin didn't even apologize, and hurried away.

The person who was hit was Song Quan. He rubbed his chest for a long time before recovering. He looked at Su Jin's back and said, "What's the matter? It's a mess outside, and there is still a war inside."

Song Quan walked into the house, Song Xiang thought it was a servant who came in, turned his back and shouted: "Get out!"

Song Quan hurriedly said: "Daddy, it's a baby, what's the matter with you?"

Song Xiang turned around, his face turned pale and he said, "Quan'er is here, sit down."

Song Quan said: "Why is Daddy so angry? Just now, when the boy saw Su Jin, he also went out angrily. Did you quarrel?"

Song Xiang sighed and said: "I don't know what the imperial court thinks, but I have no way to help me when I send such a food-raising envoy, but instead come up with some muddled ideas, I don't agree, so he spouts alarmist words, it's really a headache. "

Song Quan said: "Father, he is a special envoy appointed by the imperial court. I'm afraid it's not good if he becomes stiff. Besides, this person has some skills. He can be highly valued by the Holy Spirit at a young age. It's hard for ordinary people to do so when he is so young. Such an achievement."

Song Xiang scolded: "Have the ability? If I have the ability, you want me to open a warehouse and use military rations to stabilize the food price? Isn't this asking me to risk my life and wealth?"

Song Quan was surprised and said, "Su Jin actually wants to use the army rations?"

Song Xiang said: "If it weren't for this, how could I have turned against him? This is not an ordinary crime. Dozens of officials in Yangzhou City have been implicated. Is this a joke?"

Song Quan pondered for a while, then suddenly said: "Father, maybe Su Jin's thoughts also have his reasons. The food in Luzhou has not yet arrived, so he borrowed the army rations to make up for it. As long as you keep your mouth shut, how will the higher-ups know about it?" What's more, this move is for the sake of the people of Yangzhou, and he has no selfish intentions."

Song Xiang said angrily: "Confused boy, the 50 shi of grain he said is purely nonsense. With him alone, how can 50 shi of grain come from? Where is Luzhou? It's just a barren small state capital, and the grain has been paid for in good years. After that, he can only be self-sufficient. How can he get 50 shi of grain to be transported? It is obviously a lie; as far as I can see, he is in a hurry to go to the doctor, and the military rations can indeed relieve the urgent need. , once the court convicts him, he will definitely say that he does not know if it is military rations, and that it will be your father and a group of Yangzhou officials who will be unlucky."

Song Quan thought for a while and said, "That's not the case, Su Jin shouldn't be that kind of person."

Song Xiang nodded Song Quan's nose and said, "What do you know? People are sinister, how much do you know? Daddy, I was originally in the center of Bianliang, and I never offended anyone. It was just because I opposed Fan Xiwen's policy of guarding the border that I was banned So far, how much do you know about official affairs?"

Song Quan said unconvinced: "But in any case, Su Jin's move is beneficial to the people of Yangzhou. No matter how you look at it, he doesn't want to be selfish. Besides, if the matter is revealed, it is not because Dad said he can shirk it. take his."

Song Xiang said displeasedly: "Leave this matter alone, Yangzhou is in chaos, and you can take your wife back to Bianliang soon, so don't make any trouble here."

Song Quan said no more, bowed his head and said, "Understood."

……

Overcast and gloomy, the city of Yangzhou was lifeless for two consecutive days, and the air was oppressive like a thick gel that stagnated, making it difficult for people to breathe and gasp.

The longer the peaceful years pass, the lower people's ability to resist suffering.

The news that Wang Laoliu's family of four committed suicide due to cold and starvation spread like wildfire. The people in Yangzhou City have heard and witnessed many tragedies in the past 20 days. Dozens of people, and dozens of people were taken into prison by the government, and then they witnessed the human tragedy of Wang Laoliu's family being staged in front of their eyes, with hungry stomachs, empty rice buckets, and empty money. Bags, the biting cold weather, all these made the endurance of the people in Yangzhou reach the critical point again.

There are more and more soldiers on the streets of Yangzhou, which is due to Song Xiang's strategy of strictly guarding against death, but the fire of hunger has already burned the minds of the people. The soldiers in the Panqiao area interrogated a man who was holding a wooden stick and was about to turn over. When the wall climbed into the backyard of Mei Hanlin's house to beat the hungry people, all of this suddenly seemed like a flame dropped on the oil field, which instantly sparked a raging fire.

At that time, the commoner argued a few words, and the Xiang Bing soldier slapped him twice without knowing the current affairs, which immediately aroused the man's anger. He fought back angrily, and broke the soldier's arm with a stick. , the soldier sent this person to the west with a knife, and the news spread like a frying pan.

First, the hungry people wandering around began to gather around Panqiao. After rushing past the guard post at Panqiao, someone loudly instigated them to go to the big family's house to grab food, so the wind and clouds surged, and the number of hungry people went from dozens to hundreds, and gradually counted. Thousands; they swept through six luxurious mansions in the northern city like a storm; they robbed food, beat people, and some even set fire to them in an extremely restless manner.

The raging smoke rose into the sky, and the prosperous and prosperous Yangzhou City seemed to have suddenly turned into a hell. The wealthy nursing homes spontaneously organized to fight against the mob, and the Yangzhou Xiang Army rushed to reinforce. Unable to withstand the joint attack of the officers, soldiers and the guards, they dispersed one after another, leaving behind seven or eight dead bodies and dozens of wounded.

At dusk, Su Jin brought Wang Chao Mahan to the scene. The scene was under martial law. The soldiers cleaned up the mess and blood on the ground. Some people were busy putting out the burning fire. The corpses on the ground had been removed, with injured arms and broken legs. The civilians were dragged and shackled by soldiers, ready to be taken to the cold and dark state prison.

Su Jin walked silently, watched silently, he had a strong sense of self-blame, he was an imperial envoy to raise food, and he had been in Yangzhou for four days, not only failed to reverse the situation, but a bigger murder broke out, he Feel guilty for his incompetence, and at the same time feel angry for Song Xiang's stubbornness and stupidity.

Su Jin knew that all of this was just the beginning, and he was extremely eager for Long Zhen to deliver the food soon, but Su Jin also knew that this was impossible, and it would take six or seven days at the earliest to arrive, but this fragile Can the famous Yangzhou City survive these six or seven days?

Su Jin looked up at the gray sky, and prayed secretly, don't let it snow, once it snows, the lives of the people in Yangzhou will be even more difficult, and the official road after the snow will greatly hinder Longzhen's grain delivery convoy That's the worst case scenario.

Su Jin raised his head, his thoughts were tumbling endlessly, suddenly, his face felt cold, and this coldness penetrated into Su Jin's heart like a cold current, turning Su Jin's already anxious heart into an ice cellar in an instant; Under the gaze of the eyes, the sky is falling with heavy snow.