Two months later, there was a flood in Chuanyang County in the south. The emperor sent a messenger to relieve the disaster, and Wei Linzhen, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, accompanied him to assist.

As a prince, he took the money of the court to save the people from fire and water, showing the model of Mingjun, and his prestige in the hearts of the people will be greatly improved, and there will be no harm. And Wei Linzhen, as an important minister in the court, has rich experience in handling things, and can provide advice and staff for the young prince, so he doesn't have to worry too much about it. Wei Linzhen also asked his son Wei Jinzhen to go with him, saying that he read poetry and books empty-stomached, but lacked exercise, and he was afraid that it would be difficult to become a big tool in the future. The emperor praised Wei Linzhen for being open-minded and not spoiling his son.

Wei Jinchen, a weak scholar, slightly talented, the current Shaofu supervisor Shaoqing, and a young man had some contacts when he was young, and he was busy with official business after taking office, and his contacts were not as frequent as before.

At the time of departure, the emperor personally saw him off, and after some instructions, the large team set off in a mighty way.

As soon as I was concerned about the disaster area, I couldn't bear to delay on the road, and I stopped and rested hastily, and I traveled day and night, just hoping to reach the south as soon as possible. After a few days, even Wei Jinchen's body couldn't bear it, and the whole person lost a lot of weight, haggard, and took care of him personally in the carriage.

Wei Jinchen said apologetically: "I'm sorry, I didn't help you when I came out with you, but I bothered you." ”

Seeing his weak appearance, he was relieved: "You are originally a Chinese official in Beijing, and it is rare to have such a hard trip, and it is inevitable that you will be uncomfortable for a while." I'm better than you, I used to have a private visit with Cheng Zhengweifu, but I often run around. ”

Speaking of Cheng Zheng, Yilin's heart was sour, Wei Jinchen saw it in his eyes and said, "He can't accompany you anymore, I will take care of you." ”

Yilin smiled reluctantly: "Take care of me? You get better first. ”

Wen Jinchen nodded again and again: "I'll cheer up soon, I won't let you down." ”

A group of more than ten days, has not yet arrived in the territory of Chuanyang, along the way to see a large number of victims digging grass roots and bark on the roadside, a question, called Wei Linzhen to discuss: "Didn't you say that only 50,000 people were affected by the disaster?" Why do you see so many victims outside of Chuanyang? ”

Wei Linzhen also had a slight doubt: "Recently, the rainy season has passed, the weather has improved, and the disaster should not spread." Fu Yin will never underreport when he plays, could it be that the victims of the disaster know that the emperor sent a disaster relief messenger, so they rushed to survive? Or is it that the government has gathered the victims and waiting for us to inspect them? ”

Wei Jinchen complained bitterly: "Let's go to the Chuanyang Post House to settle down first, and then ask Fu Yin for the details of the disaster here." ”

Wei Linzhen saw that his son's face was not good, so he nodded in agreement: "It's okay, the disaster here is still the most clear to Fu Yin, and you can go to the post house as soon as possible to recuperate." ”

On the night of arriving at the post house, Wei Linzhen listened to the disaster report from Fu Yin Ligu before he had a moment to rest, and Wei Jinzhen was embarrassed to rest alone, so he also accompanied him. Fu Yin also came prepared, and the disaster situation was justified and well-founded, and nothing unusual happened. Then a few people began to study disaster relief.

For several days in a row, he personally went to various places to inspect the disaster and relief situation, and he was tired and emaciated. Wei Jinchen's health gradually improved, and he visited him for several days, asked for warmth, and said some words of comfort, which made him feel a lot more relieved.

After three days of recuperation, Yilin's health improved a lot, and he smiled at Wei Jinchen, "I said that I came to relieve the disaster, but the two of us are fine, one after another is sick, I bother you to come and accompany me every day." ”

Wei Jinchen joked, "Before leaving, the emperor instructed us to take care of each other, you took care of me on the way, and now I take care of you, so we can be called obeying the emperor's orders." ”

Yilin couldn't help but count him down, "Wei Shangshu brought you here in the hope that you will grow up, you put aside a bunch of things outside and don't do anything to guard me every day, which wasted your father's hard work." ”

"My father has been an official for decades, and he is very easy to deal with these things, and I can't help much if I go. Besides, if I go out, I will leave you alone, and my heart will not be at peace. ”

Speaking of Wei Linzhen, Yilin also attaches great importance to him, "Your father, as the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, is in charge of the country's water and wood fields, has a high prestige in the court, and has made a lot of contributions, because of this, my father will send him to preside over the overall situation." We two fledgling children, although it is useless, but it is also a disaster relief, so we can't sit back and enjoy the results. Wei Shangshu goes out early and returns late to work, and we can't say that we can hide and rest every day, we always have to find something to do. ”

Wei Jinchen had an idea, "There is a saying that if Xiucai doesn't go out, he will know the world." I have one thing here that can help you relieve the guilt of doing nothing, and also clear up the situation of disaster relief. ”

"What's the matter?"

"Check the books." Wei Jinchen explained, "You can tell how much grain is put in each day, where it is transported, how many porridge sheds are set up, how many victims are relieved, and how effective it is. Moreover, by checking the account book of the granary and the account book in front of it, you can also see whether all the grain in the middle of the warehouse was put into the disaster victims, and whether someone misappropriated it in the middle. ”

Yilin complained to him, "Why didn't you say it earlier, it made me bored these days, and I was anxious." ”

"I saw that you had been running around for the past few days, and I finally got two days off, and I didn't want you to bother anymore, for fear that you would be tired."

"I have received your kindness, since we are here to provide disaster relief, we must do what the Qin mission should do. I've had enough rest in the past two days, so teach me to read the books. ”

"Okay, I'll go get it."

Since the arrival of the disaster relief team, they have put food every morning and evening, and built tents for the victims to settle down, and now the people in Sichuan and Yang are also stable.

A few days after being ill, he and Wei Jinzhen checked the accounts in the post house, and all the outside affairs were handed over to Wei Linzhen. After all, Wei Jinchen has been working for many years, and his experience in reading account books is far better than that of Yilin, but sometimes he sees him bowing his head and pondering, knocking on his head and seems to have great doubts, and when he sees this, he asks if there is anything abnormal.

"Like, that's not right." Wei Jinchen explained, "If it is 50,000 disaster victims, it seems that there is too much grain to put in. According to the accounts, the release of food was enough to provide relief to 100,000 people. ”

"Is there anyone who is greedy?"

When Wei Jinchen was explaining the account problem to Yilin, Wei Linzhen suddenly came, and when he saw him in a hurry, he hurriedly asked without waiting for him to finish his salute: "Wei Shangshu came in such a hurry, did something happen?" ”

Wei Linzhen looked uneasy: "There are officers and soldiers outside the city who are suppressing the victims and preventing them from entering the city. ”

"What's going on? Haven't the victims been pacified by a wide range of porridge sheds? ”

"When the people heard that Sichuan Yang had come to provide disaster relief, they came in large numbers. Today, when the minister went to investigate outside the city, he found that the officers and soldiers were all in strict formation, and the refugees were not allowed to approach. ”

"Hasn't the grain and rice already been distributed to various places? Disaster victims can be rescued nearby, so how can they still come? ”

Wei Linzhen's sophisticated inference: "According to the minister's view, the number of people affected by the disaster is far more than the reported 50,000, and the minister has already sent someone to investigate, and the specific number is not sure for a while." ”

"More than fifty thousand? Is it because the disaster is spreading? ”

Wei Linzhen shook his head firmly: "It doesn't look like it, maybe I have to discuss it with Fu Yin again." ”

Yilin said angrily: "Go and ask Fu Yin to come." ”

Yin Ligu of Chuanyang Prefecture has been directing the release of grain in the city since he received the relief grain, getting up early and being greedy for darkness, and doing it himself, which can be described as loyal. Seeing that the disaster victims are becoming more and more stable, he is a lot haggard, and the people are praising and praising him, Li Gu still doesn't dare to take credit, what kind of emperor's grace is vast, the saint is wise, and he cares about the common people, and so on, and so on, and he also gave the royal family a lot of gold. In the past few days, he has also respected him, and he refused to persuade him to rest, showing a conscientious and diligent parental official posture.

Li Gu was ordered to come all the way, and when he first asked him about the account book, Li Gu replied in fear: "Since the disaster, the minister has been petitioning the people day and night, and the account book has always been the master of the government to ask, and the minister has not investigated it carefully, and the minister was negligent and derelict in his duties, so please punish the princess." ”

Yilin asked sharply: "As the governor of the government, how much grain have you put and how many accounts you have not known?" ”

"The minister is guilty."

As soon as he remembered that he had worked hard for many days and did not entangle with him here, he asked again: "Since you are visiting the people at the front, then let me ask you, how many people are affected by the disaster in Chuanyang?" ”

Li Gu is confident: "According to the minister's investigation, the two counties of Nanjiang and Pingyang that were more severely affected were mainly affected, and there were about 50,000 victims. ”

"Fifty thousand? Are you sure? ”

Li Gu affirmed: "The minister is sure." ”

"But according to Wei Shangshu's investigation, this is not the case."

Li Gu was not in a hurry or impatient, "The number of people affected by the disaster is indeed reported truthfully, and it is not known whether the disaster has spread in recent days, or the rogue people in other places saw that this place was profitable, so they rushed to pretend to be the victims to receive relief rice and food." ”

Wei Linzhen reprimanded angrily: "Full of nonsense! Recently, the weather has improved and the flood has gradually receded, how will the disaster spread? The people outside the city who were suppressed and prevented from entering the city, all of them were digging grass and eating roots, and even starved and ate mud, so miserable and difficult are clearly the affected people, you say that ordinary people are pretending, if there is no way out, who will risk their children's lives? ”

Li Gu knew that he couldn't defend himself, and said vaguely, "Here, the lower official hasn't investigated in detail where the victims came from, but the lower official has already sent someone to help." ”

Yilin asked him: "Rescue or suppression?" Have you heard of the officers and soldiers in the south of the city suppressing the entry of the victims into the city? ”

Only then did Li Gu calm down and said unhurriedly: "The minister knows about this matter, and the minister heard that there are people pouring into the city, so he sent troops to stop him outside the city. ”

Yilin slapped the table and said angrily: "Why are you blocking it? ”

"The minister cares about the safety of the princess, the princess is precious, if she is disturbed by the chaotic people, there is a mistake, and the minister will lose his head ten times and it will be difficult to get rid of his crime. Moreover, the minister has already set up a porridge shed outside the city, so the princess does not have to worry, and the victims will be properly resettled. ”

Li Gu didn't leak a drop of water, left and right, and eased his voice: "Okay, then later today, I will personally go outside the city to visit the victims." ”

Li Gu stopped: "The princess is kind-hearted and cares for the people, which is my blessing, and God will definitely bless the disaster to pass as soon as possible." But it is really inconvenient for the princess to go out of the city, most of the victims outside the city are from the county and countryside, they do not know the etiquette, and their behavior is barbaric, which is afraid of hurting the princess's golden body, so please think twice about the princess. ”

He asked rhetorically: "If you really resettle the victims, how can they hurt people and commit chaos?" I have been in Sichuan for more than ten days, only to see that the people in the city have settled down, but I have not seen what the situation outside the city is, but I have listened to your daily report, as a disaster relief messenger, I should go to visit, how can I avoid the disaster victims, and seek peace and stability? You stopped me from leaving the city, are you a thief or a bad job? ”

"The princess is aware of it, the minister has no bad intentions, the minister is really thinking about the safety of the princess, and he does not dare to let the princess get into danger, if the princess insists on going, the minister will arrange it."