Qingzhou City.

The prefect Wu Wenhan personally led a group of officials out of the city to greet the court's disaster relief team.

Disaster relief can be said to be beneficial to all parties. Even if Emperor Hongwu has thunderous means, it is still difficult to prevent his subordinates from doing something fishy.

According to the rules, disaster relief food must first pass through the Zhongshu Province and be deducted 10%. After arriving at the Sixth Ministry, it will be deducted another 10%. When it reaches local officials, it will be deducted 20%.

This is considered extrajudicial mercy, and only 60% of it can actually reach the victims.

A conscientious official will mix some chaff into the grain; a ruthless person will completely ignore the life and death of the people and only leave the grain for distribution.

"Sir, the people responsible for the disaster relief this time are Nanxiong Hou Zhao Yong and Hanlin Scholar Yue Lin."

A colleague of his subordinates flattered him and said, "Zhao Yong is a confidant of Prime Minister Hu. We need to be more filial to him for the food we are getting."

Wu Wenhan's face showed joy. He had long heard that the current Prime Minister Hu Weiyong was generous to his subordinates.

If he could use this disaster relief to connect with Hu Weiyong, it would be the icing on the cake for Wu Wenhan's career.

"Give all my share to Marquis Nanxiong!"

"Hurry and go outside the city to greet you. Don't make your superior official displeased!"

"By the way, what kind of person is Yue Lin, the Hanlin scholar?"

——

An hour later, Qingzhou officials were thirsty, but they still did not wait for disaster relief measures to arrive.

Wu Wenhan felt bitter in his heart. If he left now, if Marquis Nanxiong and others arrived and he was missing as the prefect, wouldn't all his previous efforts be wasted?

The victims in the city heard that people were already providing disaster relief outside the city, so they decided to go in groups to collect food.

"Have you heard! Lord Yue is coming to our Qingzhou again!"

"Master Yue is really the reincarnation of Bodhisattva, allowing us people to live!"

"Go quickly, your Excellency is providing disaster relief twenty miles outside the city!"

The faces of the victims were full of hope, an expression that had not been seen since the new prefect Wu Wenhan took office.

Wu Wenhan also had a hard time following such a mess.

He wanted to go to a prosperous mansion in the south of the Yangtze River, but he had limited money and no one in the court who could talk to him.

This time, making friends with Zhao Yong and joining Hu Weiyong's sect was a top priority.

Hearing that there were people providing disaster relief twenty miles away, Wu Wenhan was furious and said, "Quickly follow me and go have a look!"

"Sir! Horse! You haven't mounted the horse yet!"

When it comes to his official career, Wu Wenhan would rather lose his horse than go quickly.

——

The disaster relief team opened a porridge shop on the spot, and Yue Lin strictly ordered everyone to thicken the porridge so that at least everyone could eat enough.

Hou Yong, a personal soldier of Marquis Nanxiong, sneered at this.

Zhao Yong hadn't spoken yet, so he could only complain on the sidelines.

"Master Hou, Yue Lin is clearly pretending to be a good person, but it seems that you, Master Hou, are unsophisticated."

Hou Yong joked: "He wants to monopolize the credit for disaster relief!"

Zhao Yong's expression remained unchanged and he allowed Yue Lin to direct his soldiers to provide disaster relief.

"What do you know? In addition to me, Yue Lin, and Lan Yu, the officials of Qingzhou Prefecture also have to share in the disaster relief effort."

"This guy is still too young! He didn't get along with the prefect, so he distributed food for disaster relief wantonly. Without me opening my mouth, those Qingzhou officials would come to trouble him."

"Let's just wait and see the good show. Maybe the impeachment package is already on its way to Jinling!"

Zhao Yong looked at the smiling victims, with a sneer on his face.

Lan Yu also sent his soldiers to help maintain order. Mei Yin wanted to go to help, but because of Zhao Yong's face, he could only stare from the sidelines.

Yue Lin wrote down the total amount of food and salary distributed.

Shen Wansan reminded quietly: "Master Yue! The court is providing disaster relief, but you are not as upright as you!"

"The local magistrate has not yet appeared. If you just release the grain, it will inevitably lead to conflicts between the two parties..."

Before Shen Wansan finished speaking, he heard someone roar.

"Who released the grain without my permission?"

Wu Wenhan was sweating profusely, and it was obvious that he had put in the effort to feed himself while on the road.

The magistrate is a fourth-rank official, which is higher than Yue Lin's fifth-rank Hanlin.

Seeing that the other party was approaching fiercely, Yue Lin was not afraid, but took the initiative to step forward to greet him.

"I am Yue Lin, a scholar of Hanlin Academy. I wonder who your lord is?"

"I am Wu Wenhan, the prefect of Qingzhou!"

Wu Wenhan looked at Yue Lin carefully. He was wearing a fifth-grade white pheasant uniform and had a handsome face. His face was as clear as a sculpture, and he had a vigor that was different from other officials.

Yue Lin was also looking at the Qingzhou magistrate, who was nearly forty years old. He was wearing a fourth-grade Yunyan official robe and always had a smile on his face, giving the impression that he was thoughtful and scheming.

"Yue Hanlin, is this your first disaster relief?"

Although Wu Wenhan was dissatisfied with Yue Lin in his heart, he still smiled on the surface.

"What the prefect said is that this is indeed my first time sleeping with you. I wonder if you have any advice for me?"

Yue Lin was neither humble nor arrogant. He had already smelled a hint of hostility in the other party's tone.

"Master Yue, please take a step to speak!"

Wu Wenhan and Yue Lin came to a place alone. The Qingzhou magistrate smiled and said: "Do you know, sir, that disaster relief is a good thing for all three parties?"

oh?

Yue Lin cupped his hands and said, "Please give me some advice, Lord Magistrate!"

Seeing Yue Lin's attitude, Wu Wenhan was very satisfied.

"The first is the imperial court! By providing relief to the victims, the emperor can gain the reputation of loving the people!"

"The second one is officials such as Nanxiong Hou and Yue Hanlin. From now on, their official careers will be smooth and they will rise to prominence. It's no problem!"

"Third, it's us local officials! Master Yue eats meat, so he always leaves some soup for us."

Wu Wenhan's words made Yue Lin understand what it means to be a slippery official.

"Master Prefect."

Yue Lin cupped his hands and said, "You mentioned the benefits to all three parties, but why is it that none of them are common people?"

"We are waiting for this disaster relief to keep the people alive and delay the disaster!"

"Three parties benefit? I don't know those things, and I don't care how many parties you benefit. I just want more people to survive!"

Wu Wenhan had a look of astonishment on his face. He saw that Yue Lin was a talent that could be made, so he told him the secrets.

But I didn't expect that the other party was a rigid person who kept saying that he would make decisions for those untouchables.

"Master Yue, the land of Shandong has a large population. Every year when disaster strikes, some people will die."

Wu Wenhan sneered and said: "Yue Hanlin has the heart of a Bodhisattva. Even a Bodhisattva can't save all sentient beings, so why do you meddle in others' affairs?"

"Listen to my advice. It can be profitable for both of us, so why not?"

"If your Excellency insists on doing this, then you are making enemies of my colleagues and me."

Yue Lin's eyes flashed, and he realized why he went to provide disaster relief this time. Shen Wansan had always told him to be careful.

Nanxiong Marquis Zhao Yong, why didn't he stop him when he saw him distributing grain for disaster relief?

Co-author Even if Zhao Yong does not take action, local officials like Wu Wenhan will come to obstruct it for their own benefit.

"The magistrate is joking, but I never want to be an enemy of my colleagues."

Yue Lin looked at the victims who were moved to tears while drinking porridge, and strengthened his belief, "Whoever is an enemy of the people and hurts them just for his own selfish desires is an enemy of Yue!"

Wu Wenhan said sarcastically: "Master Yue, do you know how many officials in the court behave like this? How can you alone change the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty!"
Chapter completed!