Chapter 906 - 805: Serious

Chapter 906: Chapter 805: Serious

Of course, these notices have just been posted and the outcomes are still minimal, but they are orderly and systematic.

Xia Wenjin heard not widespread praise but rather skepticism. It seems the people here have suffered too much from local corrupt officials, making them distrustful of the imperial envoy sent by the Court.

However, Xia Wenjin is confident. Someone clearly capable of avoiding trouble in the inland but willing to risk everything to prevent foreign invasion and serve the country loyally is incomparable to someone like Huangfu Yuxuan.

Moreover, at Haotian Village, she interacted with Prince Cheng and Princess Cheng, who are broad-minded and clear-spirited. Their depth and sentiment are far above ordinary people, giving Xia Wenjin much confidence in them.

Not having met Prince Cheng did not faze Xia Wenjin, nor did she wait long; instead, she directly entered through Yiyi Hall.

Within less than three days, the disaster victims in Huotai County realized that there was a skilled young woman at Yiyi Hall. Though she was young, she was respected by those in Yiyi Hall. Later, the astute doctors discovered that the steward and doctors of Yiyi Hall in Huotai County called her Hall Master and even referred to themselves as her subordinates!

This meant that the young woman was actually the owner of Yiyi Hall.

Yiyi Hall does not belong to the Government; it was originally meant for free diagnosis.

Poor families unable to afford medical treatment, especially those who had previously received Yiyi Hall’s kindness, inherently trusted Yiyi Hall more.

Yet none of them expected that this altruistic, profit-disinterested clinic, which charged nothing for consultations and sold medicine cheaply, was run by such a young girl.

Of course, it might be the elders behind her, but regardless, this young girl dared to come here. Moreover, she brought so many medicines, and her medical skills surpassed all present doctors. For difficult ailments, those physicians unable to treat would consult her, and she readily shared her insights, quickly devising solutions.

The rare quality was her youthful patience towards the poor, destitute patients. Her smile was as bright as spring sunshine, dispelling the gloom in the hearts of these homeless and sick people.

The populace held a wait-and-see stance towards Prince Cheng’s notices, but Prince Cheng did not stop working despite the distrust. After issuing seven or eight notices regarding disaster relief efforts and completing several tasks, the disaster victims, originally desperate and hungry, tried and found the notice true.

One person told ten, ten told a hundred, and with Yiyi Hall’s cooperation, the disaster victims in Huotai County were both happy and sad.

They were happy that this imperial envoy was truly working for the people but sad that this county had been ruined so much by the County Magistrate that the population had halved.

Many of the surviving half had lost family members.

If this envoy had arrived earlier, perhaps their relatives wouldn’t have died?

The hapless rebellion-minded victims realized no punishment upon return and reconsidered; when provided sustenance, who wouldn’t prefer living peacefully?

Rebellion is born out of desperation!

Thus, the ten or so rebellious victim groups quickly disbanded.

However, although progress on Prince Cheng’s side was smooth, it wasn’t entirely unimpeded.

Firstly, the initial batch of relief silver bought food that was nearly exhausted. Local congee shelters provided two meals a day but had to reduce to one when waiting for the second batch of food.

Secondly, though most rebellious groups are disbanded, three stubborn ones remain, and they are the largest. The largest comprises over five thousand; the smallest, over six hundred.

These are not merely Huotai County’s victims but groups made up of disaster victims from all over Baoshan County and severely hit surrounding prefectures.

Prince Cheng set the primary disaster relief site in Huotai County since it was the earliest and worst affected. The relief efforts, of course, radiate outwards. But since he himself has just arrived, and local governments shirk responsibility, all his men were dispatched, yet manpower remains scant.

The effective workforce is even less.

Though Prince Cheng is busy without pause, he’s not omnipotent. With time short, he’s tirelessly working these days, eyes red with fatigue.

Prince Cheng had pre-arranged plans en route to Qingzhou. Half of the relief silver is for buying food to combat famine; the other half for rebuilding houses to settle victims and purchasing seasonal seeds so people might soon harvest grains for sustenance...

Amongst these, building medical tents was essential. The victims’ starvation deaths abounded—corpses not timely disposed could cause plague.

This was Prince Cheng’s biggest worry, as he hurried without requesting the Emperor send Imperial Physicians along.

Though the medical tents were built quickly, mobilized local physicians from clinics were few. Given the circumstances, capable locals fled, leaving scant medical personnel. He worried about insufficient manpower, considering sending a letter to request the Emperor send Imperial Physicians to help.

Luckily, before he wrote the letter, Yiyi Hall’s doctors voluntarily stepped in, buying their herbs and mobilizing many doctors, alleviating his urgent need.

Recently visiting the medical tent, he found Yiyi Hall’s doctors responsible and diligent, easing his worries.

These days, he lacked time to visit Yiyi Hall due to overwhelming tasks. He was unaware that both his son and future daughter-in-law had already arrived in Qingzhou.

The third issue was more severe.

The purchased disaster relief food couldn’t be delivered in one batch.

After all, needing so much food immediately was impossible for both time and silver coin allocation. Thus, the food arrived in several batches.

During transit, the second batch of relief food was robbed by a rebel army of farmers.

Three thousand shi of grain, though only part of one batch, meant the congee shelter could continue two meals a day for ten days. By then, the third batch would arrive, stabilizing everything. When housing was settled, refugee placement done, this disaster would be resolved in one and a half months at most.

But now such a situation arose.

Those bandits plunder government warehouses, wealthy households, but unexpectedly dared rob the Court’s relief food.

And this food had a three-hundred escort team, official soldiers, and laborers transporting grain. Robbing from them indicated no fewer than two thousand on the opposing side.

This was a shocking case!

Especially during such a disaster, it couldn’t be ignored!