C100. The Governor of Bingzhou Has Escaped.
In the quiet gaze, both Guo Mao and Liu Jixin fell silent.
They both confirmed that the other had the same thought as themselves, a thought so powerful that it left them speechless, with even their spirits trembling in a mix of shock and inexplicable excitement.
The concept of the Emperor as the ruler appointed by the heavens, someone chosen by fate, has deeply ingrained itself in the hearts of people throughout history.
Even though some scholars might vaguely perceive the idea of "divine right of kings" as a means for the royal family to rule the world conveniently, they would not deny such an idea.
The Northern Zhou Dynasty had existed for over three hundred years, and the influence of the Qin clan had penetrated deep into the hearts of everyone, whether it be Guo Mao, Liu Jixin, or anyone else present - they were all born as people of the Northern Zhou.
But with so many emperors from the Qin clan, could any of them compare to their lord?
Was this the will of the heavens?
The news of the downfall of the Northern Zhou Dynasty and the emergence of a new Emperor being nearby... It was all just too much to comprehend.
A strong wind suddenly swept in, causing the doors and windows to bang loudly.
Guo Mao startled, shaking himself out of his thoughts in a hurry.
The study door was pushed open abruptly, and Yuan Li entered with a sense of urgency. As soon as he entered, all eyes in the room turned to him, and they all bowed respectfully, saying, "My lord."
With the arrival of the snow disaster, everything that the lord had done before now made sense. Yuan Li's subordinates were filled with fiery admiration, witnessing such miracles once again, they were still in awe, unable to come out of their shock.
Seeing the lord in person again, everyone's eyes were filled with eagerness, as if they were willing to do anything for Yuan Li, to show their loyalty.
Yuan Li paid no heed to the change in his subordinates, he didn't even bother with pleasantries, and instead, he briskly issued orders, "Wu Kai, you lead a thousand soldiers to rescue people in the three villages, save as many as you can and move the villagers from the foot of the mountain to the city to prevent further snow avalanches. Wang Meng, take food and firewood to the four counties, have the county officials open their gates to accommodate the refugees and distribute grain from their granaries to save the people."
"We also need to expand the relief shelters in Ji County, open the gates to the refugees, and add more porridge distribution points in the city," Yuan Li continued, "The recent drop in temperature has made it unbearable for the people. Inform the people in the city that the government will provide a fixed amount of firewood daily, with only one portion allowed per household. Move quickly while the snow is lighter."
Everyone saluted and said, "We obey your command."
Before the break of dawn, the bustling sounds of the crowd began their busy work.
By the time the sun had risen, Xiang Hongyun finally learned about the snow disaster. For the first time, he showed a shocked expression in front of Zhang Liangdong, and quickly ran out to the streets where he saw orderly soldiers settling refugees and distributing porridge.
The refugees lined up in front of the porridge distribution point, with soldiers calling out orders in a scattered yet orderly manner.
Xiang Hongyun looked on in astonishment, a strange thought emerging in his mind -
Had Lord Yuan Lejun's previous actions been a foresight of this scene?
*
Chu Hechao, along with Yang Zhongfa, led the food supplies to the northern border, also taking on the task of delivering supplies to Yuyang County.
Along the way, Chu Hechao inspected each county he passed, checking if they had accommodated refugees, if the food supply in the granaries was sufficient, and if the county officials were fulfilling their duties.
The snow was thick, making their journey difficult, but they were pleased to find that the disasters in different regions were under control.
The county magistrate of Yuyang County welcomed Chu Hechao with great respect. After receiving the food supplies, he expressed his gratitude, "Thanks to the timely instructions from the governor after the autumn harvest, I was able to quickly settle the refugees and reinforce the houses, which prevented many collapses."
Chu Hechao nodded, glanced around, then continued on to the northern border with Yang Zhongfa.
On the way, Yang Zhongfa sighed, "General, is Lord Yuan truly just a mortal?"
Chu Hechao gave him a sideways glance, "What are you trying to say?"
"I just have great admiration and awe for Lord Yuan," Yang Zhongfa chuckled, "General, if one day Lord Yuan's prestige surpasses yours in Youzhou, don't be upset. We truly can't compare to such mystical methods..."
Even the guard in his heart was extinguished.
Who could have anticipated this outcome in advance?
Yang Zhongfa, who had lived for over fifty years, had never seen such a person before, leaving him speechless.
After the snow disaster, it was clear that in the hearts of the people in Youzhou, the prestige of Yuan Li would soar. It would exceed that of the General and become the most beloved figure in the hearts of the people.
But even knowing this, Yang Zhongfa couldn't do anything about it, for he too held Yuan Li in such high regard.
Having witnessed such events firsthand, Yang Zhongfa couldn't help but feel a chilling sensation. He began to doubt if Lord Yuan was truly just a mortal, or perhaps a divine being reincarnated from the heavens.
Chu Hechao casually remarked, "Do you think I care?"
Yang Zhongfa chuckled in response, "General, indeed you do not."
From past to present, the General's focus had never been on wealth, power, or high-ranking officials, but rather on his soldiers, the barbaric Huns, the arrogant Wuhuan, and the crafty Xianbei.
All those who dared to challenge the northern border of Zhou.
Yang Zhongfa brightened up, "It's great that you think that way. I was just worried that you and Lord Yuan might not see eye to eye on these matters of fame and fortune."
"He is my..." Chu Hechao's words trailed off abruptly; then, changing the subject, he said, "Let's pick up the pace, don't dwell on it."
Yang Zhongfa responded with a loud "Yes Sir".
*
The gates of Jixian County stood wide open, welcoming in the refugees who had lost their homes due to the snow disaster.
The refugees entered the city slowly, with a mix of young adults, mostly elderly people and children. Their faces were pale from the cold, their hands and feet had frostbite, and their clothes were tattered, offering little warmth.
Yuan Li stood on the city wall, wrapped in a cloak, braving the wind and snow as he watched the shivering refugees. He let out a sigh.
Suddenly, the system made a noise.
[System activated: Talented Official System]
[Task: Shelter the refugees, win the hearts of the people]
[Reward: Medical books]
Yuan Li's brows furrowed slowly, stirring up emotions within him.
Medical books.
Where could these medical books be put to use in the future?
In the military camp?
Or closer at hand... in the aftermath of the snow disaster and the ensuing epidemic?
With this thought, Yuan Li's heart sank. He turned and descended from the city wall, calling Liu Jixin, Guo Mao, and others to handle the epidemic prevention measures.
The snow disaster was already a major catastrophe, and he couldn't afford to let an epidemic follow in its wake.
After the snow disaster, temperatures would rise, causing the snow and ice to melt, potentially leading to the spread of diseases. Viruses can survive longer in cold temperatures, and with people's immune systems weakened from the cold, they were more susceptible to getting sick.
Yuan Li couldn't afford to be complacent.
The number of refugees seeking shelter increased, as did the porridge distribution points.
Thanks to Yuan Li's prompt response and stockpiling of supplies four months in advance, the disaster relief efforts quickly fell into place, minimizing the damage.
Despite this, over a hundred people had succumbed to the cold, and thousands of refugees had been settled in the surrounding areas, with over two thousand houses collapsing. The forests and grasslands had also suffered significant damage, with countless animals freezing to death.
For every person or animal found dead from the cold, Yuan Li immediately ordered the bodies to be cremated. New latrines were built, and the refugees were instructed not to defecate in open spaces, ensuring maximum hygiene at the shelters.
Any sick individuals were promptly isolated and treated together, cutting off the spread of infection at its source.
Additionally, Yuan Li prohibited the refugees from drinking cold water.
The porridge distribution points operated from dawn till dusk, with a pot of hot water continually boiling for the refugees to drink from whenever needed.
Although this practice did consume coal and firewood, in the grand scheme of things, it was a small sacrifice compared to the preservation of lives and disease prevention.
Due to the extreme cold weather, many cattle, sheep, and pigs froze to death on the pastures. These frozen animals were sent to the military camp by Yuan Li, where they were used to supplement the soldiers who worked tirelessly day and night to save lives.
Following Zhang Zhongjing's example, Yuan Li used the frozen mutton, peppercorns, and warming herbs as filling to make dumplings for the refugees to ward off the cold.
While the taste of these dumplings was not pleasant, being quite gamy and pungent, and with minimal meat, a bowl of dumplings and soup warmed their bodies, banishing the cold and making them feel the heat throughout.
Due to this act by Yuan Li, countless refugees tearfully thanked the governor for his kindness and benevolence.
Yuan Li's actions gradually began to be praised and spread outside.
With swift and effective responses from various regions, the situation in Youzhou gradually stabilized. However, half a month later, the number of refugees coming to Jixian continued to increase.
It wasn't just Jixian - reports from various counties indicated that the number of refugees being accommodated across Youzhou was rising.
Upon investigation, Yuan Li discovered that these refugees were not only locals from Youzhou but also those who had braved hardships to escape from Liangzhou, Bingzhou, Yizhou, and other regions.
As the days passed, the influx of refugees did not decrease but instead continued to grow in numbers.
Yuan Li was forced to expand the shelters once again and sent people to neighboring provinces to gather information. Soon, he learned about the situation in the surrounding provinces.
The snow disaster had not only affected Youzhou but also regions like Liangzhou, Bingzhou, Yizhou, Qingzhou, and others. The sudden cold spell had struck the entire northern region.
Every region had suffered varying degrees of disaster, but without the preparedness and timely response as Youzhou did, the situations in these provinces were much more severe. Countless people had frozen to death, hundreds of thousands of refugees were homeless and without food.
When news spread about Youzhou accepting refugees and providing relief supplies, the refugees flocked to seek shelter in Youzhou.
Furthermore, Yuan Li received shocking news.
Due to the severe snow disaster in Bingzhou, a rebellion had broken out, and the Governor Liu Quan had fled with his trusted followers!
Bingzhou was now under the control of the rebels, in a state of anarchy, with the disaster situation spiraling out of control and causing a mass exodus of people from the province.
Upon hearing this news, Yuan Li's heart began to uncontrollably pound in his chest, beating faster and faster.
Anarchy - did this mean that whoever got there first could claim ownership?