Cheng Jing's entourage traveled for a while more refugees appeared in front of them.
The tall man's expression darkened. He raised his hand and ordered the guards to surround the carriages to prevent Cheng Jing from being offended by the refugees.
He had thought that the situation would improve slightly at the pass, but he didn't expect to see so many refugees outside.
In an instant, the man's face turned green.
"Mr. Cheng, I'm afraid we can't get through."
Cheng Jing frowned when he felt the carriage stop. He raised his hand to lift the bamboo curtain and asked the man on the horse outside.
"Huan Shu, what's going on?"
The man on the horse was called Yuan Chong. His courtesy name was Heng Shu. He was a capable general under Huang Song and had been sent to escort Cheng Jing.
Hearing Cheng Jing's question, Yuan Chong hurriedly clamped the horse's belly and made it move a few steps forward until it was level with the window.
Yuan Chong said respectfully, "Mr. Cheng, there are refugees gathered at the pass ahead. I'm afraid we won't be able to get through for a while."
Cheng Jing didn't do something as rude as sticking his head out of the window. Instead, he ordered the driver to stop and got out of the carriage.
He was shocked when he saw the scene in front of him.
He knew that the refugees from Wolong County had all gone to Wanzhou, but he didn't expect there to be so many!
From what he could see, there were at least a thousand refugees!
Yuan Chong jumped off the horse and walked to Cheng Jing's side. "Liu Xi is too careless to allow so many refugees to gather outside Wanzhou Pass."
With so many refugees, it was easy to cause trouble.
If these refugees were incited, there was no telling what they would do.
Yuan Chong couldn't help but frown when he saw so many refugees gathering outside Wanzhou Pass, and even more refugees gathering here.
The sun in the sky was as hot as fire, causing the ground to be covered in mist.
Anyone who casually wiped their face would find their palms covered in greasy sweat. The sun made them feel irritated and powerless.
"Yes … they're all refugees …"
No one knew what Cheng Jing was thinking, but he subconsciously responded.
Yuan Chong didn't disturb Cheng Jing. Instead, he crooked his finger at the guard beside him. The guard understood and immediately took out a paper umbrella from another carriage and handed it to Yuan Chong. Yuan Chong took the paper umbrella and opened it to cover Cheng Jing's head from the sun.
A military general's skin was coarse and thick, and he could take a beating and fall, but a scholar always wore a scholarly gown. He looked elegant and delicate, and needed to be carefully served.
Noticing the shadow above his head, Cheng Jing only raised his gaze slightly. He did not decline or thank her.
"Mister Cheng, this general will send someone to inquire about it. Let's see the situation first."
Yuan Chong suggested, and Cheng Jing nodded in agreement.
"Hmm, it's good to send someone to ask."
He wanted to know how these refugees would be settled in Wanzhou. If they weren't settled well, these refugees would become thorny tumors.
"This general will do it right away."
In terms of official positions, Cheng Jing and Yuan Chong were equal, and the latter did not need to be humble.
However, even their lord, Huang Song, was so respectful to the strategists that his subordinates naturally followed suit and did not dare to slight them.
Yuan Chong was one of the more good-tempered generals. When he was young, he loved to read and did not have the bad habits of ordinary martial artists. If it were someone else, perhaps they would complain about the delicacy of scholars and the fact that they had to stop for a while. However, Yuan Chong would not. On the contrary, he respected Cheng Jing very much.
Not long after, the soldier who was sent out to investigate returned.
Cheng Jing called the soldier over and asked him carefully.
"What's the situation at the pass?"
The soldier answered truthfully. As he asked and answered, Cheng Jing's expression became more and more solemn, which attracted Yuan Chong's attention.
"Sir, is there something wrong?"
Yuan Chong carefully recalled what the soldier had just said and could not think of anything that could make Cheng Jing so serious.
Cheng Jing could not withstand the heat. He had his own rules and regulations. No matter how hot the weather was, he wore his scholarly robes tightly, and his sleeves could cover half his fingers. Now that he was outside the carriage, even with a paper umbrella over his head to block the sun, he was still sweating from the heat.
"There's something wrong."
Cheng Jing's voice was a little weak and full of solemnity.
Yuan Chong was suspicious. At this moment, he was like a monk scratching his head. No matter how he thought about it, he could not figure out what was wrong.
Although his IQ could make him look superior to ordinary generals, he could not keep up with a brain expert even if he used all his strength.
Yuan Chong was puzzled. "I'm stupid. I really can't figure it out. Please enlighten me, sir."
Cheng Jing explained, "Just now, the soldier said that Wanzhou will send people to register the refugees at the pass and carefully ask them about their origins, birthplace, age, and family. They will select them one by one based on their family, gender, and age. They will then form groups of 100 and bring them into the pass. "
Yuan Chong nodded and said, "I just think that this method is a little stupid. Not only is it a waste of time, but it's also tiring."
Cheng Jing shook his head and said, "Waste of time? Not necessarily. As for whether it's tiring or not, it's hard to say. Registering the refugees is indeed beneficial to management. When a large number of refugees gather together, it's easy to cause trouble. If someone is sincere in stirring up trouble, it will inevitably bring trouble to Wanzhou. Wanzhou did not ignore the refugees. Instead, they sent people to register the refugees at the pass and then brought them into the pass in batches. Isn't this also surveillance? Now, people are needed everywhere in Wanzhou. These refugees came at the right time. "
Bring the refugees to places where people are needed so that they can work there.
However, Yuan Chong's thoughts went astray. He thought of forced labor, and a look of pity appeared on his face.
The refugees were willing to leave their homes to escape the flames of war and protect the lives of their families.
But forced labor was too hard, and it was often a narrow escape from death. It was probably much scarier than the flames of war.
Yuan Chong really couldn't figure it out. Why did these refugees gather in Wanzhou?
He voiced his doubts, but Cheng Jing smiled bitterly.
"You're wrong. Forced labor in Wanzhou is different from other places."
Cheng Jing and Feng Zhen knew each other. The two of them had successfully gone from pen pals to real friends during the alliance meeting.
Although their positions were different, as long as they didn't mention official matters, they could still maintain a private friendship.
Through Feng Zhen's words, Cheng Jing knew that forced labor in Wanzhou was not free or unpaid. It was more like an employer and a laborer.
You contribute, and I contribute money and food. It's an equal exchange.
Once the refugees were uprooted, they were like duckweed without roots.
Not only could Wanzhou provide a stable place to live, but it could also provide work and food. It was simply a holy land in the hearts of the refugees.
When Yuan Chong heard this, he couldn't help but be speechless.
"If we were to distribute money and food to the people doing forced labor, how much money would that cost?"
Cheng Jing lowered his eyes and said, "Liu Xi doesn't lack money."
Yuan Chong nodded in agreement. "That's true. Liu Xi's father, Liu She, still secretly controls Hu County. He does indeed not lack money."
Cheng Jing looked at the slowly moving crowd of refugees in the distance. They were crowded together in a dense mass, and they looked like black algae.
Although the workload of registering refugees was great, the benefits that followed were endless.
The most direct benefit was that the risk of a refugee riot was reduced. Another benefit was that the labor of these refugees could be used reasonably.
Yuan Chong, who was beside him, said, "But … even so, Sir, you shouldn't look so pale …"
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