Chapter 98 Encountering an Old Man in the City

The scene seen by Wang Bian and Cai Jing entering the city was even more severe. For Wang Bian with modern knowledge, he knew that if he did not deal with it in time, there would be a plague epidemic. They asked the people in the city where the county government was and where the county government was. The county government was already the same as the people's houses, leaving only a faintly visible foundation, and the collapsed buildings were piled up on the foundation.

Wang looked around and saw a middle-aged man in his forties, commanding a group of people to clean up the scene. Seeing the man's clothes and his manners, even if he is not the responsible official here, at least he has some prestige. So he stepped forward and asked respectfully, "Excuse me, my lord, how can I find the county magistrate?"

Middle-aged people roll up their sleeves and work while directing others. Seeing someone talking to him, he looked up. When he saw the king, he was stunned: "Where did this prince come from? What's the matter with looking for the county magistrate?" The man wiped the sweat on his head with his sleeve and asked.

Wang was also stunned to see that this man was somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him. He said, "I came from Bianjing and passed by this place to Yanzhou. Seeing this scene, I came to ask if there was any help."

The middle-aged man frowned and looked around. It was difficult to do things at the present. He looked at Wang's audience and said that he was coming from the capital, so he asked, "Son, I'll ask you about a person. Lord Bao Zheng has a righteous son named Wang Bian. I don't know if the prince denies it?"

Cai Jing heard that the man inquired about the prince, so he stood next to him and looked at the king. Wang Zong replied respectfully with a smile, "That's it."

As soon as the middle-aged man heard the smile, he was about to pat Wang on the shoulder and saw that his hands were full of dirt. He quickly took it back and said, "Mr. Wang is safe and sound. I didn't expect to meet here. I'm Xue Xiang. Don't you recognize me?"

When Wang heard that it was Xue Xiang, he immediately remembered that he had served in Kaifeng Mansion. At that time, Xue Xiang was a branch official of Kaifeng Mansion. The two had met several times.

Wang Bian knew a little about Xue Xiang. When Xue Xiang joined the army in the state judiciary, he once said to the emperor: Nowadays, the method of building a city with a board is popular. Officials cut wood everywhere with axes, and no matter where the trees are cut down, the people dare not say anything.

Xue Xiang's words were accepted by the emperor, and Lord Bao once praised in front of the king. Xue Xiang dared to speak and was good at financial management. Wang saw that it was an old man and said quickly, "Lord Xue's face is covered with mud. I said that I looked familiar at first, but I dared to recognize it."

Xue Xiang also returned: "Mr. Wang is much more mature, and I didn't dare to recognize him at the beginning." Although Xue Xiang had served in Kaifeng Mansion, Wang Pian was still a fourteen or fifteen-year-old teenager at that time, and Kaifeng Mansion knew that Wang Pian was the adopted son of Lord Bao Zheng, and he was also called a prince in private.

It was not so constrained to talk even if it was an old acquaintance. During the conversation, the king learned that Xue Xiang was now the deputy forwarding envoy of Quan Shaanxi. He also went here to see the disaster and was responsible for mobilization of materials. In addition, the current officials in the city were killed in the disaster, so he personally supervised the post-disaster relief work.

Seeing that it was getting late, Wang asked, "I don't know where the disaster victims are located in such a scene in the city?"

Xue Xiang pointed to several surrounding temple pagodas and said, " Fortunately, these pagodas are high, and several of them have not been washed down by water. Now the disaster victims are located there. I'll take you there to have a look, but..." He looked slightly embarrassed: "But recently, there are often thieves who steal something at night. If these victims bring out some money and food with them, they will also be stolen."

With that, Xue Xiang took the king to the tall tower. Wang remembered the group of people in the jungle just now, so he told Xue Xiang what he had encountered and Xue Xiang about his analysis.

Xue Xiang was ordered to mobilize supplies here. He found that the situation was more serious than he thought. He looked at the people around him who were still working, and then said to the king, "The entourage I brought over, plus the remaining troops stationed in the city, there were only a dozen people. There is more work today than running. Does Mr. Wang have any good idea?"

Although Xue Xiang has been an official for many years, he is also a member of the official family. Naturally, he knows the background of the king, but there is another reason why he is so modest. Wang's side uses coal to make a grade, buy high and sell low remote control prices, which is very touching to Xue Xiang, who is good at financial management. He is very impressed that such a teenager is proficient in the way of buying and selling. What's more, as a transshipment agent, he is mainly responsible for Caoyun and other things. On the waterway of the Yellow River, Zhoujia Shipyard specializes in the business of Wang, and Wang also has a great reputation.

Wang saw Xue Xiang's modesty. He knew that the government's experience and age could not compare with Xue Xiang. He replied politely, "Your excellency is too modest. I don't know if you can send someone to mobilize supplies again."

Xue Xiang told Wang that several people had been sent around him, but if people were sent, the city would be empty, for fear that the thief would come again, and there would be no horses.

Wang said, "My two horses are fast. Lord Xue can send people to Yunyan and Yanzhou to transfer some militia and supplies." Xue Xiang hesitated for a moment. Cai Jing looked around and asked the king doubtfully, "Sir, aren't we on our way?"

Wang waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to say anything more. He turned his head and continued to say to Xue Xiang: "We will stay for a day or two. It doesn't matter. Your excellency should handle it quickly. In addition, Zhang Zai, the magistrate of Yunyan County, can ask him to prepare some medicine.

Xue Xiang saw Wang say so and quickly arranged two soldiers to handle it quickly. After arranging, I took a few more steps to come to the vicinity of the tower. I saw that there were mostly disaster victims around the ancient pagoda, and some of them took care of some seriously injured people with minor injuries. There are also people who cook on a gas fire, using a big pot to cook some porridge. Distribute to these disaster victims.

Cai Jing secretly pulled the corner of the king's clothes and asked in a low voice, "Sir, are we really going to live here at night?"

The king gestured to him and said, "We don't live here at night." Then he blinked. Cai Jing breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was a book boy, he had not suffered much since he was a child. Although he was not a brocade food, he did not live in the wilderness with the disaster victims.

Although he sympathized with these victims, Cai Jing was still a little resistant to this kind of accommodation, but he looked around. Except for these ancient pagodas, there was not even a decent house around. Now the horse has also been lent out, it's getting dark, and there is no place to live.

Cai Jing thought about it psychologically. Suddenly, he heard someone shouting for dinner. Suddenly, the disaster victims took their belongings that could hold porridge and stood in line by the fire, that is, someone made some porridge for these people. Cai Jing also felt his stomach growling. He touched back and was wrapped in a bag. There was nothing to eat in it except some carry-on clothes. Only then did he think that the grain king had let him share with those disaster victims on the way.

When Wang saw Cai Jing's depressed look, he patted him on the head and said, "Are you hungry?" In fact, Wang was also a little hungry. Xue Xiang didn't know when he would leave. When he came back, he held a big bowl and said, "Mr. Wang, there's nothing to entertain you. If you don't mind, have some porridge first." After saying that, he sighed and said, "Those thieves stole more than half of the grain in the middle of the night of the previous day or two. I don't know when I will come back to transfer supplies, so I have to arrange some water and rice first in the past two days.

Seeing this, Wang felt that there was no need to be polite. Too politeness made people feel picky, so he took a bowl and took a few sips. The road for a day was indeed dry, and it was also good to have some porridge and rice. Wang Bian handed more than half of the thick bowl to Cai Jing. Cai Jing looked at Wang Bian. The prince drank this porridge. He had nothing to hesitate, and he was hungry and thirsty. However, seeing that the prince left so much for himself, in addition to gratitude, he actually felt that the porridge was also delicious.

Seeing that he sucked and drank very well, Wang was funny in his heart. Thinking of Zhu Yuanzhang in later generations, he thought it was delicious to eat some folds when he was depressed. When I was hungry, I ate the bran as sweet as honey. I actually gave the beggar's folding soup the pearl emerald white jade soup.

Cai Jing raised his neck and drank it all night. Seeing that Wang was looking at himself and laughing, he was embarrassed to say, "Son, I drank it all."

Wang said, "Don't worry, we still have something to eat in the evening."

Xue Xiang looked at the scene in front of him. At this time, it was gradually getting dark, and the cool breeze was blowing in late autumn. He pointed to an ancient pagoda not far away and said, "Son, you can sleep there with me tonight. Let's just take a moment. It happens that the man who rides the news is still a little rich in bedding."

Wang said, "We don't live here tonight. If you are rich, you will distribute it"

Xue Xiang and Cai Jing looked at Wang at the same time. Wang pointed to the outside of the city and whispered, "Let's go to the woods tonight."

Hearing that he went to the dark forest at night, Cai Jing was really a little nervous. He stared at the king, but Xue Xiang understood and said, "Yes, why didn't I expect that the thief had stolen something and must find a place to hide it. Hi, I'm busy with the supplies here, and I'm still smart.

Wang pointed to Cai Jing and pointed to the ancient pagoda: "If you are afraid, just stay here and wait for me."

Cai Jing pouted and muttered, "I'm even more afraid of this. It's better to follow the prince."

Xue Xiang asked, "Why don't I send a few people?"

The king doesn't want to arrange more people, so as not to make too much noise. Xue Xiang and Cai Jing are civil servants. One of them can't fight at all. The other is a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old teenager. You can't just think of this king and say, "Then follow Lord Xue and find a few ropes. If there is a little movement here at night, we will go to the woods and wait for them. Remember, if I knock down one, you will tie one up.