As the city closest to Sizhou, it is natural that this place has the largest number of victims. In addition to the victims, there are also floods that follow closely behind.
After the continuous rain finally stopped, the floods still permeated the earth tenaciously, making it impossible to stop. But as soon as the haze faded, the sunshine in the sky was like a blazing flame, scorching the world.
This kind of heat is like roasting people on an iron pan, making life hopeless.
"Prevent the plague!"
Xin Yande led the people and walked among the gathering places of victims outside the city.
He is definitely much thinner than when he was in the capital, his cheeks are as sharp as a knife, his eyes are bloodshot and anxious, his official boots are stepping on the warm mud soup, and his official uniform is full of stains.
"There is no shortage of food, and a place to live cannot be built in a short time! The top priority is to prevent the plague, because the weather will get hotter and hotter!" Xin Yande's eyes swept over the faces of the victims who were like walking corpses, without any glory. He was worried.
These victims were first soaked by the floods, then they were frightened, tired and hungry, and now they were exposed to the scorching sun. The place where they lived was next to the stinking flood ditch...
He looked over and saw that many elderly people among the victims stood up one after another, as if using their last strength to salute Xin Yande from a distance.
Many people recognized the imperial envoy. It was this gentleman who ordered the state capitals to take them in, it was this gentleman who gave them food and clothing, and it was this gentleman who gave them a sense of peace.
Those who have lived for a long time know that when there are many men among the disaster victims, sometimes it is not a good thing...
Master Xin, while relieving the victims, also selected all the young adults and sent them to the river embankment to work as laborers.
Following Xin Yande was one of the officials who followed him out of Beijing, the former Councilor of the General Affairs Department and now the temporary registered prefect of Huai'an, Hu Lian.
"According to your instructions, there is a large pot in each porridge shed for twelve hours, boiling medicine all night long, and distributing it to the people. There are doctors deployed from Beijing, the Ministry of Industry, Yangzhou and other places,
Also ready!”
Hu Lian said, "The other two resettlement sites for the victims will be available immediately. In five days at most, the official will be able to separate these victims and resettle them separately."
"Five days is too long!" Xin Yande frowned, "I'll only give you three days!"
"Sir!" Hu Lian whispered, pulling Xin Yande's sleeve, "There are many civilians who can't hold on!" He said, and added, "First they were transferred back from the Ancestral Tomb Works, and then they were on the river embankment.
Now we have to build a resettlement site for disaster victims. Working like this day and night, even a tough guy can't stand it."
"You have to bear it if you can't bear it!" Xin Yande shook his body slightly and gritted his teeth and said, "Give me more wages!"
"Where does the money come from? Huai'an's treasury has been emptied!"
"First go to the big households in the city to raise donations!" Xin Yande said, suddenly looking into the distance.
"Woo! Woo!"
Among the victims, several old people suddenly bent over and vomited, and then fell down while vomiting.
"Go and have a look!" Hu Lian waved his hand and shouted.
Several government officials rushed over and leaned over to check.
"Sir, I am very hot and my breath is not stable!" A guard responded by feeling his pulse.
"Take him to Nanshan immediately and let the doctor over there look carefully!" Hu Lian shouted immediately.
Huai'an is a plain, and the highest point is Nanshan. As the highest point in Huai'an, Nanshan is not used to resettle the victims, but is used to resettle the sick among the victims, which is very puzzling.
Immediately afterwards, Hu Lian dragged Xin Yande to the side and whispered nervously, "Sir, I think this disease... I'm afraid it's impossible to prevent it!" After saying that, he sighed, "In the past two days, I have been
There are no less than fifty people who died of exhaustion and dehydration due to fever alone, including vomiting and diarrhea!"
"I know!" Xin Yande lowered his head, "Diseases can be prevented, no matter how good the medicine is, they can't cure them!" He said, sighing, "Either the disease won't come, and when we find out it's coming, haha, I'm afraid.
It’s already starting to spread!”
"Moreover, it will get worse! The places where the victims gather are old, weak, sick, disabled, women and children!" Hu Lian whispered, "These people are already weak!"
"That's why we have to isolate them from other people!" Xin Yande's eyes narrowed, "Especially the young people, they must not be allowed to come into contact with the sick!" As he said, he suddenly pulled an official behind him and said, "Pass this imperial order.
, Starting from today, all civilians, young men, military officers, etc., must separate the water sources used for food and drink, and no civilians and others will be allowed to trespass to the resettlement place for the victims. Anyone who disobeys the order will be beheaded!"
"Yes!" the man agreed and hurriedly went to deliver the message.
"Also, we must not let the victims and people know about this, and we must not panic!" Xin Yande turned around and said, "Block the news. Once a patient is found, he will be taken directly to Nanshan. There must be no mistakes!"
"Then..." Hu Lian swallowed hard, "Sir, what if you die if the treatment is not done properly?"
Xin Yande didn't say anything, walked to a slightly drier place and sat down.
After sitting down, he refused the kettle offered by He Ping'an behind him and moved his dry lips, "You should know that I chose the place in Nanshan just to bury people!"
"Those who can't be cured can't be saved!" Xin Yande continued, "What we can do is to try to save those who are not sick. And among those who are not sick, the ones who should be saved as much as possible are young and strong men.
Boy..."
"Woo!" Hu Lian covered his mouth fiercely, and tears silently fell down between his fingers.
In fact, he understood Xin Yande's reasons for doing this.
If he had been an imperial envoy, he might have done more ruthlessly than Xin Yande.
Because many things are simply impossible to do.
In troubled times, the same applies to treating disasters, because they want to ensure that most of them can survive. Even if they cannot, they must try their best to let valuable people survive. As for the old, weak, sick and disabled...
...
Yes, they are disciples of saints who read the books of saints and sages, and they are full of benevolence, righteousness and morality.
But, at this moment, they are more making difficult choices, even if their conscience is destroyed.
"Those who can't be cured should be buried on the ground!" Xin Yande felt as if his heart was being pressed and he spoke with great effort. "We must not let the plague break out among the victims. If we find it, we will drag them to Nanshan, regardless of age." As he said this, he raised his head and said,
"Burying them in Nanshan, so that their bodies will not be disturbed by floods after death, is the last thing I want... have a good conscience!"
"Sir!" Hu Lian couldn't stand listening anymore, "Actually, you don't need to do these things..."
Yes, Xin Yande does not have to fight against these things.
He is an imperial envoy, and he can instruct his subordinates to do these things.
Some things really require cruelty, and there is no other way but to do them. But once you do these things, you will lose your conscience and will be criticized by thousands of people.
"I am an imperial envoy, so of course I have to shoulder my responsibilities!" Xin Yande smiled bitterly, "Am I asking you to do it? How can I let you bear the infamy for my own responsibilities?"
As he spoke, he let out a long sigh, "If there is no disaster, prevent it. If there is a disaster, just think about saving more energy for the Ming Dynasty!"
Speaking of this, his bloodshot eyeballs seemed to be covered with a layer of crystal, "When I was young, I read books about sages and imagined that one day I would serve my family and the country. Now as an adult, as an official of the imperial court, there are many things that I can't help myself!"
Immediately, he looked into the distance and remained silent for a long time.
Hu Lian looked at the direction he was looking at, which was exactly the direction of the Ming Dynasty's ancestral mausoleum.
He also sighed, "Sir, you don't have to think about that, it's impossible!"