I

   Chapter 676 673 [Grannary]

   "Your Majesty, according to local reports, Shaanxi and Henan have experienced a severe drought this year, and some prefectures and counties may have lost more than 50% of their autumn harvest."

   "Let's do our best to help."

  Last year, the weather was good all over the country, but this year God started to make trouble again.

   In the north where there have been no major disasters for several years, the drought in Shaanxi and Henan provinces has lasted for half a year this year, and there was not much snow even last winter. At the same time, the Yangtze River, Ganjiang River, and Huaihe River basins experienced heavy rains again after July, and the water levels of rivers and lakes in various places continued to rise.

   Fortunately, after several years of immigration and reclamation, the Changping warehouses in various counties and counties in Henan are more or less stocked with grain. Moreover, farmers in Henan have only started to pay the land tax in full this year, and every household actually has food in storage.

  Even if there is a shortage of food in Shaanxi and Henan provinces, it is not necessary to transfer all the food from the south, but directly use the Changping warehouse in Henan, and the effect of Zhao Han's recuperation is immediately highlighted.

  While the central government ordered the distribution of food and disaster relief, the inspectors of the clean government were also dispatched.

   Whenever there is a major action involving money and food, the Metropolitan Procuratorate will send inspectors to supervise it either explicitly or covertly.

  Xiaohong is a woman, it is inconvenient to visit secretly, she is in the open this time.

  Going up the Grand Canal, the flood has just receded, and the people on both sides are rushing to harvest rice. Most of the rice is soaked in water, and if soaked for two more days, it will all rot.

   "Look at Huang Xiantai, there are peasant associations and peasant-soldier flags there!"

  The person who spoke was named Zhan Wenfeng, a female inspector of the Metropolitan Procuratorate.

   Before Zhan Wenfeng graduated from Jinling University, he was booked by Xiaohong to enter the Metropolitan Procuratorate immediately after finishing his studies. Of course, that was before the resumption of the imperial examination, and now you must take the imperial examination first.

  Xiaohong stood on the deck of the official ship, looked up, and saw the flag flying on the shore.

  Xiaohong sighed: "It seems that the matter is urgent, and the local magistrate has to use the peasant association and peasant soldiers. Nowadays, except for building bridges and paving roads, these two flags are rarely seen."

  The farmlands on both sides of the bank that have been flooded must be harvested in a hurry, and a lot of manpower must be dispatched.

   At this time, the government can mobilize the masses and make overall arrangements without favoritism. Which paddy field needs to be harvested first, which farmland can be abandoned directly, and which farmland needs to be mobilized. Only with a plan can efficiency be improved.

  Of course, the farmers who received the help had to express themselves afterwards. For example, one person from each household will be responsible for repairing and maintaining roads in villages and towns this year.

   Such an efficient grassroots mobilization ability can last for at least several decades. As for decades later, these two generations will die out, and then they will definitely weaken gradually, and finally the government will not be able to effectively mobilize the people—this process may take thirty or fifty years, or it may take a hundred years.

   If it can last for a hundred years, Zhao Han will be gratified.

  Zhan Wenfeng lay on the railing, quietly watching the soaked rice harvested by the bank. She remembered that she used to do farm work at home. During the busy farming season, the primary school in the village would be closed for a few days to let the students go home to help.

   Jinling University has more than one female student. The reason why Zhan Wenfeng was selected by Xiaohong is because she came from a poor background and has a relatively quiet personality.

   "Huang Xiantai, how come there are no female Jinshi in this year's imperial examination?" Zhan Wenfeng asked suddenly.

Xiaohong smiled helplessly: "It is inconvenient for women to be officials after all. Female students in universities in various provinces get engaged or get married before they graduate. Once they graduate, they immediately go home to find husbands and raise children. Which husband's family is willing to let them go to Beijing to catch the exam? A few Those who are ambitious, either went to the official examination early, or went to the Hanlin Academy or Qintian Academy as a graduate student. In this year's general examination, let alone a female Jinshi, there are not even women who participated in the imperial examination."

  Zhan Wenfeng said: "If I didn't enter the Metropolitan Procuratorate, I would definitely take the National Examination this year."

  Xiaohong smiled and said: "Then I really shouldn't have picked you, maybe I will be the first female Jinshi in this dynasty."

  Now, Xiaohong's official position is the Imperial Envoy of Zuoqian Capital, the fourth grade, which can be understood as a department-level official. The level is the same as when she was the magistrate, but now she belongs to the real power Beijing official, which is infinitely close to the deputy ministerial level.

  As for Zhan Wenfeng, he was a ninth-rank minion in the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and because of his gender, he was able to run around with Xiaohong.

  Zhan Wenfeng joked: "Maybe I can really pass the exam."

  Two women, chatting on deck.

   There are also some male inspectors playing mahjong in the cabin. You can't gamble, this is the principle. What they are betting at the moment is that if they need to disguise themselves when they get to the place, those who win can be the master, and those who lose can only be errands.

   All the way by boat and car, finally arrived at the border of Henan.

  Xiaohong took Zhan Wenfeng and two male inspectors, and went straight to the provincial capital to supervise the disaster relief in the open.

  The rest of the Integrity Inspectors were immediately dispersed to conduct private visits and inspections in various states and counties.

  Liu Chuanzong, Luo Fang, and Wei Gan were unlucky. When the three of them drew lots, they got four counties of Lingbao, Yanxiang, Shanzhou, and Mianchi. These places are all in the corners of Henan, and the other side of the Yellow River is the boundary of Shanxi.

  They wandered around Mianchi for more than half a month, except for the severe drought, they found nothing unusual.

  So continue to go west and come to the boundary of Shanzhou, which is Sanmenxia City hundreds of years later.

   "Hey, there is a foreign monk over there." Wei Gan said, pointing to the front.

  In the wilderness, Nan Huairen was watching an old woman visit the grave of his ancestor with great interest.

   It is normal to worship ancestors. Nan Huairen has seen it a lot, but this time he is a little different, completely subverting his concept of Chinese people's ancestor worship.

   I saw the old woman burn the paper money, and then placed sacrifices in front of the grave. Then, the old woman walked around the grave with a wooden stick in her hand and beat her: "The money is burned, and the meat is also offered. As an ancestor, one should have the virtue of being an ancestor. Your great-great-grandson is the only seedling of our old Li family. Don't you If you dare to come again, I will beat you to death. I can't beat you to death, please ask monks and priests to recite scriptures, and curse you so that you can't be reincarnated!"

After beating and threatening the ancestors, the old woman pointed at the tomb next to her with a stick, and scolded: "None of you are allowed to come. My grandson takes the exam and ranks first every year. The old Li's family will rely on him. Who dares to come?" Touch my grandson, whoever you are, will dig up your graves one by one!"

  For the next full half an hour, the old woman kept cursing in the cemetery. If there were really ghosts here, those ghosts would probably be scolded and hide.

Nan Huairen was thoughtful, and said to himself: "Chinese people worship ancestors, just like they worship gods, not because of belief, but out of practical interests. Pray to gods and Buddha, and only when it comes true will you fulfill your vows. Worshiping the ancestors also requires the protection of the ancestors. If the ancestors do not bless, but instead hurt the younger generations, then their respect for the ancestors will be lost.”

  Three Integrity Inspectors, carrying their bags, passed by the cemetery, and stopped to watch the excitement with great interest.

  The old woman cursed so dryly that she finally received her supernatural powers. When leaving, he picked up a piece of pork that was given to his ancestors and carefully put it in the basket. The ancestors had already eaten it, and what they ate was the essence of pork. Of course, the rest of the meat was taken home for the living to eat.

  Liu Chuanzong suddenly said: "Old man, the drought here is severe enough, the leaves on the mountain are all withered."

The old woman answered: "Isn't it? Emperor Zhao sat in the world, and the first two years were dry to death, just like in the Ming Dynasty. After four or five years, it got better. If there is wind, there will be rain. The rain is said to be due to the virtues of Emperor Zhao. This year, it is very strange, and Emperor Zhao is useless. There was not much snow last winter, and there have been only two rains since the beginning of spring. The wells in the village are almost dry. gone."

   "Then there is no famine?" Liu Chuanzong said.

The old woman smiled and said: "It's not bad. The harvest was good a few years ago, and Emperor Zhao is doing very well. He only pays half of the grain to the government. Every family has surplus grain in their warehouses. Even if they can't harvest grain this year, they will not be able to eat it until next year." People won’t starve to death. It’s just that it’s not convenient to drink water, and every household has to have someone guarding the well, and if a bucket is soaked, it will be washed away immediately.”

  After the old woman finished speaking, she went home with a basket. There was a village in a nearby ravine.

  Liu Chuanzong walked up to Nan Huairen, cupped his hands and said, "Brother Taiwan is well."

  Nan Huairen bowed his hands in return: "Hi, my name is Nan Huairen, from the Netherlands (Brussels, Belgium) in Europe."

  Wei Qian said with a smile: "Your Excellency is actually speaking official Chinese."

Nan Huairen said: "I have been to Nanjing, and I almost met the emperor. In the past few years, I have traveled to Guangdong, Jiangxi, Jinling, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, and Shaanxi. This time I came from Shaanxi to Henan. "

   "You can run away and preach in various provinces?" Luo Fang warned, "Your Majesty has ordered that Christianity can only preach in churches, and it is against the law to preach outside churches."

  Nan Huairen said: "I am not preaching, but just traveling in China. I plan to write a book about China."

  The few people chatted and followed the old woman, planning to spend the night in the village ahead.

  As soon as I arrived at the entrance of the village, I heard noises.

  Liu Chuanzong inquired in the past and found out that he was a grain merchant in the county, who went to the countryside to collect grain at a high price.

   "Something is wrong." Wei Gan muttered.

  Luo Fang sneered: "Of course something is wrong. I have only heard of harvesting grain in good years and selling grain in disaster years, but I have never seen a grain merchant who went to the village to collect grain at a high price in a disaster year."

  Liu Chuanzong said: "Go and have a look."

The three of them came to the noisy place, only to hear the village chief say: "Are you confused? There won't be a few grains harvested this year, and every household is saving food, so how can I sell you any more grain? Hurry up, don't come here." Amuse us."

  The person who took the lead is a guy from the grain merchant's family. He has tried the soft one. These farmers will not sell grain. There is no other way, so he just came forward and threatened: "My second master is doing canon history in Hui County. My third master is the head of the Rites Department in this county. My fifth young master is an experienced Datong Bank in this county. If you don't Selling grain, you will have a better time next year! Know what rites are for? They are in charge of the school! You have offended my family, and your children and grandchildren will not be able to graduate from elementary school!"

A captain of peasants and soldiers rushed up: "I moved here from Jiangxi. In the eighth year of Chongzhen, I fought with His Majesty. If I hadn't been disabled and retired from the army, I would at least be a regiment leader now! This Ming Dynasty has been defeated by us. Afraid that you are the head of the etiquette department? If you dare to play tricks again, I will beat you up before reporting to the official!"

   "Woo!"

  The captain of the peasants and soldiers blew the bamboo whistle, and the farmers in the village stepped forward one after another, still copying messy guys in their hands.

   Those who came to buy food were so frightened that they ran away immediately, for fear that they would be beaten to death if they stayed.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

  The villagers laughed.

  The three of Liu Chuanzong borrowed to live in the village that night, and wanted to inquire about the news, but they couldn't find any inside information.

  Continue to walk forward and find that several nearby villages have grain merchants who have sent people to buy grain. Moreover, the prices are all high. There are indeed farmers who have a lot of grain and sell some of their grain in greed for the high price.

  It was another evening, and Liu Chuanzong called a meeting: "I am afraid that there is something wrong with the Changping warehouse of Datong Bank in this county. Naturally, there is nothing wrong in a good year, but it will be revealed in a bad year. These officials and businessmen are so scared that they rush to buy grain at a high price to make up for it."

   "It must be so!" Wei Qian nodded and said.

  (end of this chapter)