"Prince Qian, please tell me slowly, where are the victims rioting?" Zhang Sanyi was confused when he heard that the situation was just developing in a good direction, why did this happen at this time?
"Xiao County, the news that just came today should be that the conflict broke out the day before yesterday. The cause was that villagers from two villages were competing for relief grains. Then Xiao County Lieutenant Xia Guangping took people to mediate. I don't know how, but it intensified the conflict.
Later, several groups of victims joined in and fought against the officers and soldiers, saying that the Xiao County government did not regard the victims as human beings and that the food they gave them was for livestock."
Qian Tong quickly told Zhang San what had happened. Zhang San was very surprised after hearing this. The drought broke out first in Xiao County. Didn't most of the victims there flee to other places?
Zhang San mentioned his doubts to Qian Tong, and Qian Tong replied: "I don't know either! I have sent a military officer to join the army to investigate the cause."
"That's strange. No matter what we say, this matter must be settled as soon as possible. We can't cause trouble again at this juncture, but we can't intensify the conflict between the victims and the government. I'll go check it out tomorrow."
"I think there must be someone behind this matter. Firstly, it is impossible for so many victims to appear in Xiao County for no reason. Secondly, the government is also vigorously providing disaster relief and guiding the victims to save themselves. How could there be a conflict at this time over the food provided, and even more so?
Pointing to the government. It is very unsafe there now. County Uncle Zhang should wait for news in Xuzhou City. Will you be in the past when the cause is found out?" Qian Tong now regards Zhang San as the hope of disaster relief in Xuzhou, and does not want Zhang San to put himself in danger.
.
"If something like this happens and one of us doesn't handle it well, we're all involved. Besides, disaster relief now also requires a peaceful and stable environment. If victims in other places follow the example of Xiao County, Xuzhou will be doomed.
Governor Qian, you are stationed in Xuzhou, and you will send additional personnel to various counties to check the disaster situation, publicize the government's disaster relief strategy, and let the victims know that the court has been sparing no effort to rescue the victims," Zhang San warned.
Qian Tong also knew that Zhang San, as the inspection envoy to Xuzhou this time, would not be able to hide behind him if this happened, so he said: "You are right, in that case, I will send some more officers and soldiers to protect you together."
Your safety, the victims there are currently hostile to the government, you are our hope in Xuzhou, nothing can go wrong."
"Then I'll ask Governor Qian to make arrangements. I'll set off early tomorrow morning," Zhang San replied.
That night, Yu Mingsheng and Xu Changliang came back one after another. They also learned about the riots by the victims in Xiao County and were very worried.
"Uncle Zhang, let me go with you tomorrow. The disaster situation in Xuzhou is relatively stable now, and I don't have much to do here." Xu Changliang said.
"It's okay, more people can do more work. We need to calm the emotions of the victims as soon as possible and not let this matter spread to other places." Zhang San originally wanted to call Xu Changliang together, but with him here, he could discuss it with more people.
Countermeasures.
"Then you should pay more attention to your safety. I can't be separated from you for the time being. I will take care of the things here as soon as possible and go to Xiao County to meet you." Yu Mingsheng said.
"It's okay, you can go about your business in peace. It's especially important to help the victims carry out self-rescue now. It's time for autumn planting soon, so you should do these things first," Zhang San said.
After the three people discussed and analyzed for a while, they dispersed. That night, there were a few more homing pigeons flying towards Chang'an in the sky outside Xuzhou City.
When the sky was slightly bright, Zhang San got up and got into the carriage with Xu Changliang, said goodbye to Qian Tong and Yu Mingsheng, and rushed to Xiao County.
When Zhang San came to Xiaoxian County, he saw that the low earthen city wall was tightly closed. Only after Zhang San revealed his identity was he allowed to enter the city.
After receiving the news, Xiao County Magistrate Zheng Daiyi and Chief Secretary Yao Zhihua hurried to the city gate, and the two parties met in the city.
"The magistrate of Xiao County, Zheng Daiyi, and the registrar of Xiao County, Yao Zhihua, have met the inspection envoy." They both saluted and said hello.
"Hello everyone, let's go to the Yamen first and talk while walking. Tell me about the current situation." Zhang San said.
The chief bookkeeper Yao Zhihua led the way, and Zheng Daiyi accompanied Zhang San and Xu Changliang, "Yesterday, the prefectural government official and the army officer Mr. Zheng and the county lieutenant Xia Guangping went to the incident site to investigate the incident. The victims of the riot were also driven ten meters outside the city by the officers and soldiers.
In a mountain forest a few miles away, the victims are now confronting the officers and soldiers."
"Are there any casualties?" Zhang San was very dissatisfied with Yao Zhihua's handling method, which could easily intensify conflicts.
"This..." Zheng Daiyi hesitated, not knowing how to answer.
"What? You don't know, or you don't want to say it?" Zhang San suddenly sounded stern and looked at Zheng Daiyi.
"I don't dare to lower my rank. Twenty-five people were killed or injured by the disaster, and more than a dozen officers and soldiers were injured." Zheng Daiyi's head was covered with beads of sweat, and he didn't dare to wipe it off. He was so frightened that County Uncle Zhang's reputation spread throughout Xuzhou's official circles these days.
, which is daunting.
"You! Let's go to the place you said immediately." Upon hearing this, Zhang San didn't know what to say to him. It was hard for Zhang San to accuse him now that the situation was unclear.
Xu Changliang also glared at Zheng Daiyi fiercely, then got into the carriage with Zhang San, preparing to leave the city to see the victims.
Zheng Daiyi and Yao Zhihua also hurriedly asked people to bring their horses and rushed to the front to lead the way.
When Zhang San came to the woods that Zheng Daiyi was talking about, he was immediately furious at the scene in front of him and yelled at Zheng Daiyi: "Is this how you handled it?"
Xu Changliang also pointed at Zheng Daiyi and blew his beard and glared, just because many injured victims in the woods were lying on the ground groaning, their tattered clothes covered with blood stains. More than a dozen corpses, without burial, were so exposed.
wilderness.
"Come here, take these injured people back for treatment quickly and bury the bodies." Zhang San originally thought that Zheng Daiyi had properly arranged the injured victims, but when he saw that these people were left there to die, he suddenly felt a wave of panic.
Anger welled up in my heart.
Due to the hot weather, the corpses were already infested with mosquitoes and emitted a foul smell. Two teams of about a hundred officers and soldiers were surrounding the woods, eyeing the victims in the woods.
This is an isolated land massif. It looks like there are about one or two hundred victims, including men, women, and some children.
At this time, everyone was looking at Zhang San and others with angry faces. Some of them had bad tempers and had already picked up their hoes. When the officers and soldiers saw the county magistrate accompanying a young man who seemed to be a big shot, they were afraid that the victims would collide again and injure them.
The peripheral magistrate and the young man.
"Zheng Daiyi, you must give me an explanation, otherwise don't blame me for being rude." Seeing the officers and soldiers he brought forward to carry away the wounded and bury the bodies, Zhang San asked angrily.
"This, this is all handled by the county lieutenant. It is to give the victims a warning and make them behave honestly." Zheng Daiyi was frightened and said stumblingly.
"Where's the county captain? Call him here. There's also a recorder joining the army. Ask him to come see me." Zhang Sanqiang suppressed his anger and ordered Zheng Daiyi.
Zheng Daiyi quickly asked people to find the county captain and the secretary to join the army. The chief secretary Yao Zhihua was being reprimanded by Xu Changliang.
"As the chief registrar of a county, do you know your responsibilities? You should have done your duty of supervision and supervision, but now? You just tolerate the people leaving their bodies in the wilderness without asking questions?" Xu Changliang, as the supervisory censor, asked
I am very disappointed with what the bookkeeper did.
Yao Zhihua didn't dare to fight back after being spat on by Xu Changliang. In fact, Yao Zhihua tried to dissuade him, but the county magistrate and county lieutenant didn't take it seriously. They felt that only by making them feel afraid of these unruly people could the turmoil be quelled as soon as possible.