Today's morning meeting didn't involve anything particularly big, it was just about the recent disasters that have hit the world.
However, regarding the disaster victims, I have also arranged manpower to deal with it.
Tai Chi Hall.
"Your Majesty, this is the news from Shandong Prefecture. Please make your decision."
Seeing the contents of the letter, Li Er's face became very unhappy.
This year's drought affected so many places and caused such serious damage, it was beyond my plan.
I originally thought that after the wise brother finished speaking that day, Li Er had already sent people to prepare food.
Should be able to face drought.
It's just that this drought is more severe than what I imagined.
So much so that there are some things that catch you off guard.
Shandong is also a province with a large population, and it also distributes the most grain itself.
But I didn't expect that such a situation would really arise, and there would be insufficient food.
There are so many victims in Shandong that many counties cannot handle them.
On the one hand, we send people to report to the top.
On the other hand, we began to provide support to various surrounding cities.
Except for Shandong, all prefectures and counties that can help have also begun transporting grain and rushing towards Shandong.
Because of the shortage of food and insufficient water reserves, the local government thought over and over again and lowered the minimum food standards for the victims required by the court.
Although I don't have enough to eat, I can survive by just scraping by.
The local officials did this. On the one hand, they sought help from the court, and on the other hand, they also pleaded guilty, hoping that His Majesty would punish him.
Li Er shook his head.
As the saying goes, plans are not as fast as changes. Who knew this damn drought could be so overbearing?
On the contrary, he is such a loyal official who knows how to adapt.
If I am indiscriminate and punish such officials, isn't this telling the world that I, the emperor, are a fool?
An 800-mile letter was dispatched on an urgent basis, asking all local officials to make arrangements for themselves if they were short of food.
With the lowest standards, we must first ensure everyone's basic living conditions.
Finally, he called the officials from the Ministry of Revenue and asked them to continue to send more grain supplies to Shandong.
To save the people.
well.
Li Er sighed secretly, although many people lost their lives due to drought.
But what can I do if I feel uncomfortable?
The only way to ensure that food and grass continue to be delivered to the victims is to prevent local people from causing trouble.
Shandong is a province with a large population. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it was the capital of Qi State. According to historical records, people in the city were rubbing shoulders with each other.
Let the states and counties around Shandong also be prepared to help the people.
At the same time, local officials in Shandong were also asked to provide relief to the victims at all costs.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
On the other hand, in a county in Shandong, when a disaster occurred, they had already received arrangements from His Majesty and began to take in the surrounding victims and provide relief to the people.
However, this disaster has exceeded their expectations.
It is said that there is not enough food in many places, and the victims can only continue to flee.
As a local official and an official of the court, we must resettle these victims no matter what.
He began to give porridge to the people according to the order of the court, two meals a day, and every time the porridge was inserted into the chopsticks, it would not fall down.
Otherwise, it would be a serious crime of beheading.
However, there were too many victims and food was in short supply.
All the surrounding counties were in panic, and they had no choice but to report to them via letter.
At the same time, even if it means risking the crime of beheading, the daily amount of rice porridge is reduced by half, from two meals a day to one meal a day.
But even so, the food reserves are now about to bottom out.
If the later supplies of food and grass are not delivered, they may not be able to defend the city.
"Sir, why don't we ask the big families in the city to open warehouses to store grain and help the people?"
"It's useless, those clan members don't care about the lives of the people at all.
Even if all the people are dead, it is just dispensable to them."
Speaking of these, everyone couldn't help but get angry.
But they didn't borrow it, and they didn't violate the laws of the Tang Dynasty. I couldn't arrange for government officials to break into their mansions and forcefully ask for food, right?
The people outside the city were terribly hungry, but the big families in their city had to eat refined grains for three meals a day.
Even the dog they raised at home ate better food than he, the county magistrate, did. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel helpless.
"Sir, this news must have reached Chang'an City.
Will His Majesty blame us for disobeying the imperial decree and providing relief to the victims?
This is a crime of deceiving the emperor and is punishable by beheading!"
Having said this, the official sighed helplessly.
If it's a beheading, I will be responsible for it alone, and I won't blame any of you.
Besides, who is the Holy One today?
A man who can start digging wells in the spring and save himself in the summer.
I also believe that Your Majesty knows the reason why I am waiting for you, and you will definitely spare your own life if you punish me, right?
If His Majesty really beheads him when the time comes, he will admit it. Now, the top priority is to continue to provide disaster relief.
"Master."
It is said that Confucius and his party saw the victims that day and rushed towards the route they were taking.
When we arrived at the county town they were talking about, we saw people giving porridge outside the county town.
Walking forward, when he saw what was put in the porridge basin, his whole face became very unhappy.
Although he said that he did not care about the important affairs of the court, he was also very familiar with the court's relief to the victims.
Just insert chopsticks into the cooked porridge so that it doesn't fall over.
But these porridges today are simply not up to standard.
In other words, the local government was cutting corners. Thinking of this, his bad temper rushed forward. He walked straight forward, looked at the government servant who was giving porridge, and shouted angrily.
"What are you people in the government doing, and what are you feeding the people?
Is it possible that you ignore the decrees of the Tang Dynasty and feed the people this kind of food?"
The master shouted angrily, and all the people looked at him.
As victims of the disaster, everyone dared not speak out, even though they were watching the porridge becoming thinner day by day.
But the eldest official in the government has already done this, so everyone can only bite the bullet and live on.
When there was really nothing to eat, he gnawed the bark of the tree.
A few days ago, someone was so hungry that he ate dirt, and in the end, he choked to death.
Thinking of those who have died, those who are alive are already lucky.
"Who are you?"
The yamen servant saw that the way these people were dressed did not match that of ordinary people. Could it be that they were big shots?
If he is a big shot, he is definitely not something that little people like them can offend.
Although they are also members of the government, you know that the first level of government can suppress people to death.
"I came to Shandong to belong to the Kong family."
The Kong family is also a famous big family in Shandong, maybe not as big as the seven big families.
But the world is filled with peach blossoms, and with a wave of his arms, his reputation and influence are even stronger than the influence of the seven major families.
When they heard that he was from the Kong family, everyone quickly saluted.
"It turns out to be Confucius. I wonder what Confucius wants to do here today?"
"I am asking you, my court has already issued a decree.
This porridge to help the victims is not up to standard at all. Could it be that you are using this kind of thing to fool the people?"
Hearing Confucius's angry rebuke, the old government officer's face became very ugly, but he could only greet him with a smile.
"Confucius, you don't know something about this."
"It's useless to tell me these things. Where is your adult? I want to see him in person."
In the city, Confucius looked at the local officials with displeasure.
“You officials are so corrupt and bend the law that you dare to deduct food from the victims?
You simply don’t put the lives of the people in your eyes, and having such a court official is worse than a pig or a dog.”
After hearing Confucius's angry rebuke, the county magistrate dared not speak out.
If I send people to drive them all away and this news spreads, I will probably lose my black hat on the second day.
I can only greet him with a smile like his group of government officials.
"Confucius, you just arrived today. In fact, things are not as you imagined. Please, Confucius, come with me."
He led everyone to the granary and opened the door of the granary.
These grains have long been at the bottom of the pile.
He then brought Confucius and his party to the county government office. The county magistrate waved his hand and let them search the entire government office as they pleased.
If you can find out that you have committed corruption and violated the law, then you have embezzled a copper penny.
I will definitely surrender and send someone to escort him to Chang'an City, leaving him at your Majesty's disposal.
After hearing what the official said, Confucius' angry expression gradually dissipated.
So, is it true that the county magistrate was wrongly blamed?
"Confucius, you don't know something. Your Majesty has already sent people to prepare food in the spring.
Start preparing for disaster relief.
These grains and grasses are also transported one after another.
But the world is so big. It is said that this year's drought is so severe that even the south has been greatly affected.
The world is so big that even more food needs to be dispersed throughout the world.
When they arrived in each county, there was only so much food left in their hands.
If we had followed the instructions of the court to provide relief to the victims, I am afraid that all of them would have died long ago."
Seeing the group of victims and hearing the county magistrate's words, he was so decisive, which was enough to prove that he was not corrupt.
In other words, these grains and grasses are really not enough.
"Then are those the only ones left in the granary?"
The county magistrate nodded.
"Except for the granaries, the entire city doesn't have any grain or grass?"
The county magistrate nodded again.
Soon the granary will be cleaner than my own face.
If the subsequent food supply does not come, their city will not be able to survive.