Twenty days passed in a row, and the rain in the capital did not stop.
The pitter-patter of rain didn't seem like much, but regardless of whether it was day or night, large numbers of dead animals began to appear in the capital, needless to say, the Zhuang Family. Not only the capital, but the entire Great Jin Dynasty was shrouded in the shadow of the flood. A few days ago, the water level of the moat rose and broke the dam. Many people who lived near the moat drowned. The government's disaster relief efforts were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, so controlling the flood became a top priority. The imperial court had allocated a large sum of money to various places for disaster relief. It looked like a large sum of money, but when it was passed down layer by layer, the officials who received the money had to be scraped with oil as usual. When it reached the hands of the victims, it was nothing more than a few bones.
As a result, the number of disaster victims in various places increased. Many of their houses were washed away by the flood, and they became homeless refugees. The refugees all chose to go to Shangjing. Firstly, Shangjing's terrain was higher, so it was less affected by the disaster compared to other places. Secondly, it was under the Emperor's jurisdiction after all. They thought that they might be able to eat a mouthful of hot rice from the Shangguan Residence.
But the rain kept accumulating, and the refugees kept surging up. The government could not afford to pay the huge amount of money and food, so they stopped providing food three days ago. As a result, the starving refugees began to rob the rich and powerful. The rich and powerful naturally had personal guards, and the conflicts between the refugees and the high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital deepened day by day. A few days ago, it was just individual robberies. These days, they had begun to rob houses in groups of three or five. The doors of the rich and powerful were tightly shut, not daring to go out. For a moment, the people of the capital were in a state of panic, hoping that the flood would pass as soon as possible.
The Jiang fu's rations were still enough to last them for a period of time, so no one was aware of the crisis. If there was anything different, it was that the Second Young Master of Prime Minister Li's fu, Li An, would visit the Jiang fu every few days. He did not do anything, but only talked to Jiang Quan. His attitude was also considered polite. How could Jiang Quan not know what Li Dong was thinking? He only saw that Li An did not look like he wanted to become enemies with him, so Li An openly and covertly indicated that he wanted to be on good terms.
Lian Qiao walked in with a flower basket in her hands, and said disdainfully, "That Second Young Master Li has come again today. Those who don't know would think that the Jiang fu is his home. It looks like he doesn't care about Young Master Li's injury and wants to shake hands and make up. "
Jiang Ruan was lying on the couch reading a book. When she heard these words, her gaze slightly moved. It was impossible for the Li family to shake hands and make peace with the Jiang fu. Li Yang had become a cripple, and Li Dong and Li An were not magnanimous people. Based on Li An's current performance, he no longer intended to view Jiang Quan and Jiang Su Su as enemies.
Bai Zhi frowned, "When I passed by the courtyard this morning, this servant met Fifth Yiniang again. Fifth Yiniang said that Laoye had proposed to send Miss's Geng card over, hoping to make friends with the Li family. That Second Young Master Li didn't agree, but he didn't obviously refuse either. Miss, what should we do? "
"Don't worry about it." Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, "Li An, this person's thoughts are profound. If he really wanted me to enter the Li family, he would certainly wait until I was utterly defeated and unable to resist before slowly torturing me. It would definitely not be so simple." Unfortunately, this time, Li An would no longer wait until that time.
Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao were somewhat worried, but when they saw that Jiang Ruan did not seem to mind, they swallowed the words in their mouths. Just as they were speaking, they saw Lu Zhu hurriedly walk in from outside, unable to conceal the joy on her face. Just as she walked in, she closed the door, walked to the window, and looked around to see that there was no one around before closing the window.
She walked in front of Jiang Ruan, lowered her voice, and said with a smile, "Miss, Young Master Gu's personal servant has sent a message saying that there might be news of Eldest Young Master, but General Guan has spurred his horse back at full speed. The army is still on the way, and it will take another ten days for them to return." She said, "Young Master Gu said that he can't be sure now, but there is an eighty to ninety percent chance that the person is Eldest Young Master." Lu Zhu laughed, "Eldest Young Master is now the Deputy General."
Lu Zhu and Bai Zhi were stunned. Jiang Ruan stood up and grabbed Lu Zhu's hand, "Is that true?"
Lu Zhu looked at her excited appearance and smiled, "Absolutely true."
Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao both laughed and said, "Now the bitterness is over, and the sweetness is coming. When Eldest Young Master returns to the fu, he will definitely protect Miss well."
Jiang Ruan sat back on the soft couch, and her eyes began to heat up.
Jiang Xin Zhi was still alive! Her only big brother was still alive! In this world, she was not a person who had no one to rely on. In this life, it was still not too late. She must help Jiang Xin Zhi rewrite the ending of his violent death!
With this thought, the worries and melancholy from the past few days were swept away, replaced by a strong fighting spirit. In this life, Jiang Xin Zhi was alive and healthy. The two of them, brother and sister, must make the enemy of their previous life die a tragic death, and pay blood for blood!
Jiang Ruan suddenly stood up again, and her pair of beautiful eyes were charming and moving, "Since this is the case, there are some things that should be prepared." She said, "Lu Zhu, go outside and hire a few people, use the foreign refugees. Ensure that they eat and drink as a reward, and buy a big pot."
"Miss, what is this for?" Lian Qiao asked hesitantly.
"I want to give out porridge," Jiang Ruan said lightly.
The plan that she had been patiently waiting for for a long time could finally be put to use at this time.
There were more and more refugees in the capital, and the influx of a large number of refugees caused the capital to be shrouded in a sense of unease. On the streets, the common people walked hurriedly, each of their faces ashen. Most of them dragged their hungry bodies, hoping to get a job from a rich family as a reward to eat. Not to mention the refugees, the strong and healthy refugees began to openly rob on the streets. The city guards were busy, but the patrol office was unwilling to arrest these people and send them to prison — food in prison also required food.
But even so, the Emperor did not expel the refugees. Now, the Great Jin Dynasty was calm on the surface, but the turmoil in the court was only understood by those involved. At this time, nothing major could happen. But in such a situation, the Emperor was not in a good mood, and the officials trembled with fear when they went to court every day. There were honest and upright ministers who were worried about the common people, and proposed to distribute grain for disaster relief, but all they received was an increasingly unkind expression from the Emperor. The national treasury was empty. The disaster relief funds that had been distributed to various places in the past few days had already exhausted the silver in the national treasury. This year, the crops had been destroyed, and the grain tax paid was also an empty account.
In such a time of panic, there were people in the city who set up sheds and began to distribute grain.
At this critical juncture, the imperial court was powerless and had long since stopped casting curses. The common people and refugees were naturally happy. The imperial court still cared about the common people, and they all rushed to spread the news.
The porridge distribution shed was simple. On one side, there were people casting curses, while on the other, there were people setting up huge pots to cook porridge, ensuring an uninterrupted supply. The queue was so long that it almost filled the two streets in the city. There were eight people in total guarding the pots. The eight people were all burly middle-aged men, each of them tall and sturdy, with fierce expressions on their faces. Some of them had been tempted to fish in troubled waters, but now they gave up on that idea.
The person distributing the porridge was a benevolent-looking woman. She said in a loud voice, "There are strange phenomena in the sky, and floods are wreaking havoc. Everyone here has a hard life. Our general takes pity on the common people, and specially exchanged half of our family's assets to distribute to everyone. From today onwards, we will distribute porridge here every morning. Everyone can receive a bowl, but only one bowl. The ways of the world are not easy. The general said that if half of the family's assets are used up, the remaining half will be used to help the common people. Everyone, please understand that the heavens care for Great Jin, and His Majesty is magnanimous and wise. I believe that we will definitely survive this disaster! "
Her words were very encouraging, and in an instant, it gave hope to the people. Someone asked, "May I ask Madam, who is the general in this fu?"
"How can a mere servant woman dare to address herself as Madam?" The woman smiled, "This fu belongs to the Zhao family of the Great General Who Supports the State."
"General Zhao!" Some people in the crowd started discussing. Zhao Guang had a good reputation among the common people, and the crowd started shouting, "Many thanks to General Zhao for his benevolence."
"General Zhao is indeed a hero."
"If he wants us to work like an ox or a horse, we will agree."
Many people exclaimed in admiration. Outside the crowd, there was a carriage parked. Lu Zhu lifted a corner of the carriage's curtain and peeked inside. She excitedly said in a small voice, "Miss, this is great."
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "The person you found is very good." Just by listening from the outside, she felt that the servant woman's words were very clever. Lu Zhu blushed and smiled, "That woman was originally an etiquette instructor for the young miss of a noble family in Cang Zhou. She is literate and speaks clearly. However, that family died in the flood, and she was the only one left, so she came to the capital. This servant thinks that her speech is appropriate. Since she is going to pretend to be someone from the General's fu, she naturally has to look presentable. "
"This appearance is already very good." Jiang Ruan smiled.
Not far from the carriage, there was another person standing. He was tall and straight, and his black clothes could also create a scene that was like an orchid or a jade tree. At this moment, he faintly looked at the crowd queuing up to receive the porridge, and a trace of deep thought flashed through his beautiful eyes.
After a moment, he said to the imperial bodyguard beside him, "Investigate that woman."
"Not someone from the General's fu?" Embroidered clothes stared blankly, "Could it be … who would do a good deed and leave someone else's name?" Moreover, food was currently scarce in the city. A bowl of porridge a day was not considered much in the past, but now, it was not an ordinary act.
Xiao Shao did not speak, but Jiang Ruan's indifferent smile appeared in front of his eyes. More than a month ago, she had bought all the surplus grain in the capital just for this day? His intuition told him that this matter could not be separated from Jiang Ruan's involvement, but more than a month ago, it had only rained for a few days. How could she have known that there would be a flood?
In the General's fu
Zhao Guang sat in the study. Although he was already sixty years old, he still appeared hale and hearty. His facial features were upright and awe-inspiring. With one look, one could tell that he was a general who had experienced many battles.
His three sons all stood in front of Zhao Guang, their expressions extremely solemn.
"Jun Gong Ye went to court yesterday and leaked some news to me," Zhao Guang said, "His Eighth Highness is preparing to deal with the Zhao family."
The Third Young Master of the Zhao family, Zhao Yuan Feng, had a fiery temper. He said, "Father, we are not afraid of him. A straight body does not fear a crooked shadow. If there is anything, just bring it on. The Zhao family is not something that a mere prince can shake."
"Shut up." Zhao Guang angrily said, "Jun Gong Ye has said that this matter is troublesome. Get lost, don't cause trouble for your father! "
"Third Brother," The Second Young Master, Zhao Yuan Ping, was fair and handsome. He had the bearing of a scholarly general. He said, "You don't know what kind of person Xuan Li is. A few years ago, many people in the court who were not on his side fell into his hands. He will not use normal methods that are just and honorable. "
The Eldest Young Master, Zhao Yuan Jia, sighed. "Second Brother is right. However, why would the Eighth Prince suddenly want to deal with the Zhao family? The Fifth Prince has not been purged yet. We are supporting His Highness the Crown Prince. Why would he act rashly?"
"I'm afraid he is preparing to go to war." Zhao Guang's gaze was heavy. "His Majesty has protected the Crown Prince for so many years. Based on the Eighth Prince's intelligence, I'm afraid he has long seen through it. He wants to drag the Zhao family into this. "
"Then what should we do?" Zhao Yuan Feng was unwilling to give up. "Let him scheme like this?"
"Jun Gong Ye would rather die than reveal even the slightest bit of information." Zhao Guang sighed. "I'm afraid it is not a small matter." He changed the topic. "Now that there are more and more refugees in the capital, the floods will not stop anytime soon. His Majesty has also sent the Eighth Prince and the Li family to manage the reservoir. I just feel that it is not that simple."
Zhao Guang had won countless battles when he was young. He had a natural sensitivity to danger. It was the instinct of a soldier.
Zhao Yuan Jia muttered, "Yi 'er has said the same thing these few days. The number of guards in the city has more than doubled. I'm afraid the capital is going to change."
Just as he was speaking, a manservant suddenly rushed in from outside and said, "Master, something has happened!"
Zhao Guang frowned. "What is it?"
The servant was quick-witted. In two or three sentences, he explained the situation clearly. "Someone is giving out porridge in the city. One bowl a day, but they are doing it under the General's banner."
"What?" Zhao Guang stood up from his seat. "Is this true?"
Zhao Yuan Feng said, "It can't be. Father, this is the Eighth Prince's idea? Is there something wrong with his brain? "
Zhao Guang frowned. "Do you know that person?"
The servant shook his head. "The people in the residence have gone to take a look. I don't know anyone. But they did nothing else. They are just giving out porridge. "
"Father, should I go take a look?" Zhao Yuan Jia asked softly.
"No." Zhao Guang waved his hand. "This matter is strange. Let's wait a few more days."
What was certain was that the person giving out porridge was definitely not from the General's household. What did they want to do under the General's banner? Was it Xuan Li's men or someone else? If it was Xuan Li, did he have a backup plan? If it was someone else, who could afford to give out so much food? What was their background and what did they want to do?
No matter what, they could not act rashly.
The news of General Zhao's distribution of food and porridge spread like the wind throughout the capital that day. In a short while, the streets and alleys were full of talk. The Eighth Prince's residence naturally received the news as well.
Xuan Li smashed the porcelain cup in his hand. Although he still had a warm smile on his face, upon closer inspection, one could see that the muscles at the corners of his mouth were twitching. He was obviously very angry.
"Zhao Guang!" he said coldly.
An advisor asked, "Your Highness, how did the news get out? Could there be a traitor in the residence?"
Xuan Li laughed coldly. "What other reason could there be? Zhao Guang actually had this trick up his sleeve. What an eye-opener! " He had originally wanted to use this opportunity to suggest that Zhao Guang give out food for disaster relief. Then, he would have his men support him. Now that the national treasury was in a deficit, the Emperor was anxious and would naturally agree. With the Zhao family weakened, it would be much easier to deal with them in the future. If he proposed this method, he would be able to win the Emperor's favor, and the voices of the people in court would also rise.
Now that Zhao Guang had taken the initiative to give out porridge, although it seemed that the Zhao family's financial resources would still be weakened, the significance to him was vastly different! Zhao Guang's initiative to give out porridge not only earned the Emperor's praise, but also increased his prestige among the commoners. On the surface, it looked like the Zhao family's power had been weakened, but in reality, it had not been weakened at all. In fact, it had increased significantly. And if he didn't have the chance to intervene in this matter, it would be a waste of such a great opportunity!
"Why would Zhao Guang take the initiative to provide disaster relief?" The advisor said, "He has always had a bad temper. The Zhao family's accumulated wealth over several generations has been squandered just like that. How could he be so heartless?" To donate all the money one had accumulated over several generations required a great deal of courage.
"He is very courageous," Xuan Li said, "but all the more reason to keep him alive." To even think of such a method of advancing by retreating, the Zhao family's several generations of officials were not so easily toppled. He had never thought that someone else would use Zhao Guang's name to give out porridge. After all, food was now more expensive than silver. No one would be willing to spend such a large sum of money on someone else's wedding dress.
"Your Highness, the traitor in the residence …" the advisor asked hesitantly.
"To be able to pass information to the Zhao family right under my nose, they naturally won't be found out so easily. Kill them all and replace them with another batch, "he said.
"Your Highness," the advisor was shocked. "These are all carefully selected people." Training each one of them required a great deal of time and money. Killing them all just like that was not worth it.
Xuan Li was unmoved. There was a cruel smile on his face. "I would rather kill a thousand wrongly than let one go. Kill them. "
The news that the General-in-Chief Who Supports the Nation, Zhao Guang, had spent all of his family's wealth to help the people quickly spread to the imperial court. The Emperor was naturally very pleased. Zhao Guang's actions gave the Emperor an excuse to ask other officials to help. Thus, all the officials in the imperial court contributed a sum of silver to fill the empty treasury. Zhao Guang received a verbal reward and gained a good reputation among the people. It seemed that he did not lose out.
As promised, the people who gave out porridge came to the city early in the morning to give out porridge to the people. With a stable supply of food, the number of robbers in the capital decreased significantly. For a time, the city was much more peaceful. Zhao Guang did not deny that he gave out porridge, nor did he personally go to the places where the porridge was given. He lived peacefully. On this day, the commander of the city garrison, Zhao Yi, was leading his troops on horseback through the streets of the capital. These days, the peace of the refugees made his daily tasks much easier. But at this moment, he saw a soldier galloping over on horseback. He looked very anxious and said, "Sir, a couple of refugees from Chong Xin Village in the east of the city are fighting with the commoners. They are trying to steal food."
Zhao Yi frowned. As the eldest grandson of the Zhao family, he had inherited Zhao Yuanjia's upright and plainspoken character. He hated these robbers the most. He said angrily, "Now that there are people giving out porridge every day, they are still so arrogant. This is too much!" He then turned to the soldier behind him and said, "Follow me to take a look."
"Sir!" The soldier said, "There are also refugees fighting with the commoners at Wang Mountain in the west of the city. There are many more people there than at the east. Let another group of brothers go to Quwang Mountain in the west."
Zhao Yi thought for a moment and said, "Since there are not many people at the east of the city, I will take two people. Since they are all unarmed refugees, they are only fighting for food. Don't kill them. "
He then turned to the two soldiers behind him and said, "You two come with me."
After the soldier who passed the message saw Zhao Yi leave, he turned to the soldiers and said, "Follow me."
The two groups of people went their separate ways. Zhao Yi, however, only brought two people. His martial arts were outstanding. Usually, he did not need so many people to suppress the refugees. Therefore, he did not put this matter in his eyes.
The horse beneath him was galloping very fast, but in the distance, a carriage rushed out from the side. Zhao Yi was startled and quickly stopped the horse. The carriage also seemed to be startled, the horse let out a long neigh and with great difficulty came to a stop.
Zhao Yi was worried. He dismounted and said, "The person inside, I wonder if she is injured?"
The driver was obviously hired at the last minute. He also looked inside, not knowing what to do. A moment later, the curtain of the carriage was lifted. A pretty girl in emerald green clothes jumped out.
The girl jumped out of the carriage and said to Zhao Yi, "You are so rude. If my family's Miss is injured in the slightest, I will definitely make you pay!"
Zhao Yi was an upright and kind-hearted person. At this moment, he said guiltily, "It is all my fault. However, I have important matters to attend to. If Miss does not mind, please report your residence's name. In a few days, I will come and apologize."
The servant girl in emerald green clothes angrily pouted, "Who wants you to come and apologize? With your attire, you must be a city guard. Are you going to work? The capital is currently peaceful. Could it be that someone is causing trouble? "
Zhao Yi cupped his hands in greeting, "There are refugees at Chong Xin Manor in the east of the city. This matter is urgent. I will have to trouble Miss to let us pass. When I have dealt with this matter, I will definitely apologize."
"Chong Xin Manor?" A gentle voice came from the carriage. Immediately after, the curtain was lifted, revealing a bright and moving face. Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "Daren, are you mistaken? Why would someone rob Chong Xin Manor? "
Zhao Yi was somewhat absent-minded as he looked at that face. Their Zhao family had been practicing martial arts for three generations. He had heard that they used to have an aunt. However, she had lost contact with the Zhao family a long time ago. Usually, he came into contact with the boorish Miss of the Wu family. When had he ever met such a bright and gentle young lady? Although his uncles all said that the young ladies of the scholarly families only knew how to embroider, they were actually very cunning. However, when he looked at this beautiful young lady in front of him, he actually blushed slightly.
The soldier behind him coughed lightly. Zhao Yi abruptly returned to his senses and scratched his head in embarrassment, "This Miss, why do you say so?"
Jiang Ruan took in his expression. This older cousin of the Zhao family was indeed an interesting person. She smiled and said, "A few days ago, I passed by Chong Xin Manor. It is close to the mountainside and has been severely affected by the rain. The owner of Chong Xin Manor has long moved his entire family away. Many refugees have moved there. There are no commoners living there. How could there be a robbery? "
Zhao Yi was stunned and his expression became solemn, "Is what Miss said true?"
"Why would I lie to you?" Jiang Ruan smiled lightly, "Moreover …."
Zhao Yi stared at her closely. Jiang Ruan said, "Moreover, when I went there a few days ago, the group of refugees all had knives and rods. They looked very fierce and fiendish. Daren, are you really planning to only bring these two people? I'm afraid that before we reach the manor, we will be killed by the refugees there. "
The two soldiers behind Zhao Yi were startled and hesitantly said, "Daren …."
Zhao Yi had sat in the position of City Guard. Naturally, he was not an ignorant child who did not know anything. The meaning behind Jiang Ruan's words made him immediately suspect that today's incident was a premeditated conspiracy. Thinking of this, he unconsciously frowned.
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "Let me give Daren an idea. There are so many refugees in the east of the city. Daren, with only two people under you, it will certainly not be enough. Why don't you borrow some people from the capital governor to go to the east of the city. If the capital governor knew about this matter, he would not just stand by and watch. "
Zhao Yi's mind moved. Indeed, he only had two people. Advancing rashly was indeed not the best strategy. However, if they did not go to Chong Xin Manor, they would not be able to clarify today's incident and capture the person behind the scenes. The capital governor was also in charge of maintaining order in the capital, so it was not difficult to borrow some people. Thinking of this, he looked deeply at Jiang Ruan. This young girl's appearance was inexplicable. It was as if she had specifically waited for him to say this to her. It seemed as if she had said it unintentionally, but …. Zhao Yi pondered, did she really not know anything? No matter what, if what Jiang Ruan said was true, she had saved his life. Zhao Yi cupped his hands, "Many thanks to Miss for telling me."
"Daren is too polite." Jiang Ruan smiled lightly and lowered the curtain of the carriage. Lu Zhu returned to the carriage. Jiang Ruan's voice came from the carriage, "Let me warn Daren again. The refugees in the east of the city are fierce and fiendish. They are not ordinary bandits. Daren, borrow people from the capital governor, the more the better. Otherwise, the entire army will be wiped out." Finished speaking, the carriage rumbled as it moved forward.
Zhao Yi watched as the carriage gradually disappeared from his field of vision. He mounted the horse and shouted, "To the capital governor's office!"
In the carriage, Jiang Ruan was leaning against the cushion in a daze. She had used the excuse of finding Lin Zi Xiang to go to the Lin fu to save Zhao Yi's life. In her previous life, Zhao Yi had been hacked to death in a frenzy while suppressing the refugees at Chong Xin Village. At that time, Jiang Ruan had always been puzzled as to why the unarmed refugees would suddenly become so savage. No matter how weak Zhao Yi's skills were, he should not have met such a tragic end. Thus, when the refugees had entered the capital, she had sent Lu Zhu to find people to keep an eye on the movements at Chong Xin Village. Yesterday, someone had reported that a group of people had suddenly arrived at Chong Xin Village. They were all armed and dressed as refugees.
How could ordinary refugees carry so many weapons? Moreover, they were a group of people. Presumably, someone had disguised themselves as refugees and was preparing to surround and kill Zhao Yi today. This person's calculations were also very precise. He had pushed all the blame onto the refugees. With Zhao Yi's death, the Zhao family's eldest legitimate grandson would be gone. The Zhao family had suffered such a heavy blow, and their strength would certainly be greatly weakened. Moreover, that person had cooperated and taken the Zhao family's money …. It was very likely that the Zhao family would not be able to stand up again.
Who could this person be? The Jiang family? The Xia family? The Li family? Jiang Ruan's gaze was deep. She was afraid that Xuan Li could not escape this matter. The weakening of the Zhao family was what he was most happy to see.
However, in this life, she had provided the Zhao family's food for disaster relief. Zhao Yi had also not died. The Zhao family was standing well among the nobles in the capital. Now that Xuan Li knew of this matter, what kind of attitude would he have?
Zhao Yi had captured that group of people. No matter what, he knew that there was a spy in the garrison army. When he returned and told the Zhao family, the Zhao family would not be easily deceived. At the same time that he had thought things through, he would also begin to be vigilant. If Xuan Li wanted to make another move, it would not be so easy.
Most importantly, Jiang Ruan sighed softly. What had happened in the past had always been a hurdle for her and Zhao Guang. She had saved the Zhao family and Zhao Yi. She didn't know if she could use this as a reward to enter the General fu. No matter what, for Jiang Xin Zhi, she had to give it a try.
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