The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

(For collection!)

Five days later, Su Jin, who was waiting for the Yangzhou government to mobilize animals to haul the remaining grain, did not wait for a single animal. Instead, he was awakened by the uproar early in the morning. Before he could get dressed, Ma Han rushed in He shouted, "my lord, it's amazing, the refugees are gathering, and they're almost to the left."

Su Jin was startled, and hurriedly asked: "The rioters? Where did the rioters come from, and how many people are there?"

"I don't know where it came from. It came from the east, and there was a large area of ​​darkness. I don't know how many there are. It is only seven or eight miles away from the camp."

Su Jin hurriedly washed up and ordered: "Pass my order, all the officers, soldiers and bandits will rush down the mountain to protect the grain carts, and order the horse army Zhao Dutou to send the horse army sentry to investigate."

Ma Han agreed in a few voices, turned around and ran out. After a while, people neighed and horses screamed everywhere, and the whole camp was in chaos. .

Su Jin hurried out of the big tent, and just happened to meet Li Chong who was worried. When Li Chong saw Su Jin, he said, "What's the matter? Why do you say that there are refugees approaching, and there is another disturbance in the state capital."

Su Jin said: "I'm not too sure, just look it up."

The two hurriedly climbed up to the top of the camp and looked towards the east. As Ma Han said, there was a dark crowd five or six miles away, at least thousands of people, striding towards this side.

Su Jin frowned and said, "It doesn't look like a refugee. There are no women, children or children among them. They all look like men."

Li Chong also gathered his eyes to look carefully, nodded and said: "It doesn't look like it." Suddenly he was shocked and said: "Could it be another group of bandits? They are all men. Look, there are still people with sticks and other things."

Su Jin shook his head and said, "The bandits are so blatant. Besides, it's not a stick, it's... a shoulder pole! And a cloth bag... I know, it must be the people of Yangzhou who came to pick up the food."

Li Chongdao: "Didn't you ask them to raise the animals to pull the cart?"

Su Jin smiled and said: "Where are there any animals? People are starving to death, and are there any animals to pull carts? I forgot about this problem that day. Fortunately, Song Xiang was not too confused, and mobilized the young and strong people of Yangzhou to come and use them. Human transportation of food is not bad, it is a way.”

Li Chong took a long breath and said: "That's good, I was shocked."

Su Jin pulled Li Chong's arm and laughed loudly, and sent someone to confirm it; Ma Jun's sentry reported that it was indeed a rickshaw team from Yangzhou. The people went to the grain carts to distribute the carts, and waited for the order to go.

Li Chong was silent by his side, watching Su Jin giving orders and being very busy, until Su Jin finished assigning everything, then pulled Su Jin's sleeve and said: "Brother Su, my trip can be regarded as a successful completion The mission is over, I will bid farewell and return to Tianchang later, I don’t know how the people in the county are doing after I have been out for more than ten days.”

Su Jin said in amazement: "Are you going to leave so soon? I plan to go to Yangzhou with you for a few days. I have been focusing on suppressing bandits and running errands, so I haven't had a deep chat with you."

Li Chong said with a smile: "It's been a long time since you came here. You are very different from when you were in Luzhou at this moment. I will look at you with admiration after three days. Brother Su has a limitless future in the future."

Su Jin held Li Chong's hand and said solemnly: "Brother Zhao Ting, you should know me best. I, Su Jin, don't have much ambition. I just do what should be done and do what should be done. Brother Zhao Ting is my Su Jin." Jin's biggest achievement this time is that from now on, I, Su Jin, will treat Zhao Ting as an elder brother for the rest of my life, but I will not hesitate to do so if I have a job."

Li Chong smiled and said: "Brother Su can talk like this, it is not in vain for me to come to help you this trip, but the burden on your shoulders is really heavy, you have to be careful about everything, even a small matter of food transportation It is conceivable that you are not a good food envoy to cause such a big disaster."

Su Jin said with a smile: "Through one thing, one will gain wisdom. How can you see a rainbow without going through wind and rain? I have written down what brother Zhao Ting said."

Li Chong clasped his hands and said, "Then I'll go back and pack my things, and bring people back. We'll meet later."

Su Jin waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, I have something to give you."

Li Chongdao: "What?"

"I'll send you twenty carts of food, do you want it?" Su Jin smiled.

Li Chong opened his eyes wide and said, "This...but...this is Yangzhou's relief food, how dare I accept it."

Su Jin said: "I am the special envoy for food affairs. I will give it to whoever I say, unless you have no shortage of food."

"Lack! Why is there no shortage, I am so worried."

Su Jin smiled and said: "Then why are you refusing? Twenty carts of grain are only worth ten thousand stones, which is a drop in the bucket for you. You can use it for emergency, but you have to use thunder to send the big grain merchants in the county's central village Only by digging it out can we survive this crisis; today is already November 26, and the court’s deadline has passed long ago, so don’t be soft-handed and make up your mind, otherwise it will be you and Tianchang’s people who will be in trouble.”

Li Zhong said solemnly: "I know this all. I won't let you go to Tianchang to fight the fire. If you go, you will go there with me in poetry and wine, not for disaster relief for the displaced people."

Su Jin smiled and said, "Do you want more food?"

Li Chong laughed and said, "In this way, the county will thank the special envoy for his kindness on behalf of the people of Tianchang."

Su Jin laughed and said: "Yes, the food belongs to the common people. As for Brother Zhao Ting, I have another gift. I have already ordered someone to send a box to your account, but you have to get Tianchang before opening it. I also mentioned your name above, as for whether you can win glory for Brother Zhao Ting, that can only depend on God's grace."

Li Chong was very grateful, and went back and ordered the soldiers to pack up their things. Su Jin personally took the reins of Li Chong's little donkey and sent Li Chong outside the camp. Yan Biyun and others also came out to see him off, and everyone watched Li Chong's lonely figure Together with more than 100 yamen servants and arresters, [-] grain carts full of grain were escorted away.

On this side, the grain carts had already been allocated. Su Jin ordered the soldiers to pull out the barracks. After packing up, with a wave of his hand, the team of 6000 people slowly marched towards Yangzhou for seven or eight miles.

Everyone was enthusiastic and full of emotions, and Su Jin was also very relaxed, chatting and laughing with the common people. The people in Yangzhou have become accustomed to calling Su Jin Su Qingtian. Su Jin was not used to it at first, but after several times of persuasion, everyone just did not change their minds. So forget it, but in the end I became complacent.

Xiaoxing stayed overnight along the way, and nothing went wrong again. On the last day of November, the food transport team arrived outside the west gate of Yangzhou City.

Song Xiang and Gou Dasheng, who had already received the news, opened the city gate and led the people of Yangzhou to welcome them. When Gou Dasheng saw Su Jin, his tears almost flowed down. Su Jin knew that he was worried, but what he was worried about was not his own life or death. But if the food can't be snatched back, his own head will have to move, and he is crying like he has survived a desperate situation.

Song Xiang also admired him very much. All the dissatisfaction and complaints he had about Su Jin before had been thrown away. Although the lord acted rashly, he was really capable. He poked such a big hole and made up for it in a blink of an eye. For Song Xiang, this is an impossible task, but the young man in front of him has made all the impossible possible.

Su Jin entered the city gate on a tall horse. The streets of Yangzhou City were clean and spotless. The shops on both sides were open, but the streets were empty.

Su Jin asked Song Xiang and Gou Dasheng beside him strangely, they both smiled mysteriously but did not answer.

When everyone walked to the Ximen school yard at the end of West Street, Su Jin was suddenly surprised to find that the whole school yard was full of men, women, old and young. The alleys and alleys were also full of people.

Su Jin stopped his horse and asked, "What's going on?"

A white-haired old man walked out of the crowd, and handed over a bowl of wine, tearfully said: "Master Special Envoy, please drink a bowl of triumphant wine sent by the people of Yangzhou."

Su Jin hurriedly got off the horse and took the wine bowl and said, "Thank you, old man, I'll drink this wine." After saying that, he raised his neck and gulped down the whole bowl of strong wine.

The old man took the empty bowl, raised his hand and shouted: "Su Qingtian, please accept my Yangzhou people's worship."

As soon as his words fell, tens of thousands of people fell to their knees and kowtowed to Su Jin. With tears in their eyes, they shouted loudly: "Su Qingtian, please be respected by the grassroots."

"Master Qingtian, I wish you a long and happy life."

"Master Qingtian, you are the savior of our people in Yangzhou."

"..."

Su Jin stood there dumbfounded, unable to speak, only felt that something slipped from his face and fell into his mouth, which was unbearably salty.