After a day and a night of traveling, Fan Li and Zimei entered the disaster area. The flood water has receded, and where the flood has passed, most of the trees have been washed away and skewed, and some have been uprooted. The weeds on the ground, clinging to the ground, fall downstream.

The farmland has been washed away, creating many ravines and standing water in low-lying areas.

In the villages through which the flood passed, there were few intact houses. There was no one in the village,

The people have all withdrawn to the high post.

On a low hill, they met the victims. This is a man who has been evacuated from the village. Fan Li asked, "How many people are there in your village?" ”

An old man said, "There are 120 people in our village. ”

Fan Li said: "When this flood came, did anyone die? ”

The old man said, "Thank God for the blessing of God, the flood came during the day, everyone ran out, all alive, no one was killed." ”

Fan Li felt a little better: "That's good, it's okay to lose a little property, as long as everyone is alive,"

The old man looked at Fan Li, then at Zimei, and said, "Where did the two masters come from?" ”

Fan Li said: "My name is Fan Li, this is my entourage, I am from the capital Gusu." It was the King who sent me to comfort you. ”

Hearing that it was someone sent by the imperial court, everyone gathered, knelt down and kowtowed one by one, and said in unison: "Xiaomin knocks to see Lord Qincha." ”

Fan Li said: "Fathers and elders get up, this is a wonderful water, we must fear the gods, do good deeds and accumulate virtues, and pray for God's blessing." Speak up about any problems you have, and the king will help you. ”

The villagers chattered:

The house has collapsed, where to live?

When the food is gone, what will you eat?

The quilt was not snatched out, how could I spend the night?

Fan Li said: "The most important thing now is food, with food, we can eat, we can work, here the mountains are full of trees and thatch, we can build a house." If everyone persists for a few more days, the food relieved by the imperial court can be transported and distributed to everyone, so that there is no need to starve. ”

Seeing hope, the common people knelt down one by one, chanting long live the king, praying that God would bless the king and bless the kingdom of Wu.

Leaving this village, Fan Li and Zimei visited several villages again, and the situation was similar, and the most fortunate thing was that there were no casualties. But homes have been destroyed, and civilians are threatened with starvation.

Far from the political and economic center of Gusu, it is sparsely populated, and there is generally only a small village more than ten miles apart, and the two farthest villages are even twenty miles away. Because of this, not many villages were destroyed by the floods, which means that the damage was not very serious.

After walking a few villages, the sun was already in the west. When the local magistrate heard that the imperial court had sent a representative, he also hurried over.

"Xiaguan Ouyang Zi Zhang knocked to see the uncle."

Fan Li said: "Lord Ouyang is exempt. ”

Ouyang Zizhang got up and said, "I didn't know that the uncle was coming, and the lower officials were disappointed, please forgive me." There is already a banquet in the lower official office, and the uncle is invited to move over to eat, not far, more than ten miles away. ”

Fan Li said: "When the adults say this, Fan is really hungry." However, it is not necessary to travel more than ten miles to eat. Well, then, if you have something to eat, take it and eat a little, and fill your stomachs. ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "This subordinate has already prepared, come, bring the food over." ”

Immediately someone brought food, a large bag of beef wrapped in lotus leaves, a large bag of mutton, as well as cakes and water.

Fan Li and Zi Meiye are not polite, take it and eat, the cooking technology at this time is very poor, the beef and mutton are basically the original flavor, the cake is not good because the grain is not crushed, it is very rough, but it is cooked.

When you're hungry, your appetite is good. Fan Li and Zimei devoured a large piece of food, and they were full after a while.

Fan Li said: "Thank you, Lord Ouyang, we are full." ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "In a hurry, the hospitality is not good, my lord forgive me." ”

Fan Li said: "Fan Li came on behalf of the king this time to comfort the victims and give relief to the victims, reflecting the king's love for the people. We have to get things done. The top is worthy of the king, and the bottom is worthy of the people affected by the disaster. Do you say yes and no? ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "Yes, what the adults said is very right. ”

Fan Li said: "Let's talk about the situation, where are you in the past few days of the disaster?" ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "Xiaguan has been understanding the situation in the disaster area. ”

Fan Li said: "Is the situation clear? ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "It's generally clear. ”

Fan Li said: "Okay, let me ask you, how many villages were affected by this flood? ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "There are more than a dozen villages affected by the disaster. ”

"How many are a dozen?"

"Fourteen or fifteen."

"Fourteen or fifteen?"

Someone next to him whispered: "My lord, fifteen." ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "Yes, yes, fifteen." ”

"Are you sure?"

"Sure."

"How many people were killed?"

"Report to my lord, there are not many people killed, they are all old men and old ladies, about seventy or eighty."

"How many are there?"

Ouyang Zizhang's entourage nervously calculated: "My lord, it's eight." ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "It's eight." ”

Fan Li's face was cold, and he sighed: "Okay, even if it's eight, what is the total number of people affected?" ”

"This ...... This one...... I'm afraid it's about 2,000 people. ”

Fan Li said: "My lord, don't think about it, you didn't know the number of people affected at all, right?" ”

Ouyang Zizhang's face began to sweat: "The lower official is derelict in his duties, please punish the uncle." ”

Fan Li sighed and said, "Lord Ouyang, the imperial court wants to issue relief, you don't have any numbers, what is the basis for the imperial court to issue relief?" Fortunately, you met Fan Li, if other courtiers come and report your situation to the court, do you say that you can still be an official? ”

Ouyang Zizhang knelt down: "Uncle forgive the lower official for his ineffective work, and the lower official will definitely work hard to remedy it." ”

Fan Li said: "Forget it, I think you are not a treacherous person, but you are a little confused." If we eat the king's money, we will do things for the king. How many households are there for adults? ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "There are two thousand households. ”

Fan Li said: "The king gave 2,000 households to feed you, don't you do things seriously, are you worthy of the king?" ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "Yes, the lower officials must work hard to do things for the king." ”

Fan Li said: "Fan Li doesn't care about your past. Please do the following things. ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "Yes, please command, my lord." ”

Fan Li said: "You will dispatch 20 people tomorrow, one person from each affected village, and find out how many people are affected by the disaster in each village, how many deaths, how many houses are destroyed, how much property is destroyed, and how much relief is needed. Can this be done? ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "Yes, this must be done." ”

Fan Li said: "The second point, don't sleep tonight, requisition 22 carts, pull out the grain from your warehouse, and send it to the affected villages, and before dark tomorrow, the grain will definitely be distributed to the victims." Everybody's starving. If the grain is not enough, borrow grain from large households, and return it to them when the food from the court comes. Until the relief of the imperial court arrives, the victims must not be left without food. Can this be done? ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "It's a little difficult, but the lower officials must do it well." ”

Fan Li said: "How many troops do you have?" ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "I have two thousand people. ”

Fan Li said: "From tomorrow, mobilize all your troops, go up the mountain to cut trees and grass, build houses for the disaster victims, pay attention, build houses with the disaster victims, if there are lazy people, military law will do it, if there are disaster victims who are lazy and do not cooperate, stop distributing relief food." It is guaranteed that all the victims will be moved into new houses within 20 days to a month. ”

Ouyang Zizhang said: "This subordinate can do it well. ”

Fan Li said: "Finally, mobilize the victims to repair the farmland that has been washed away and replant crops, and we can't always rely on relief to get by. ”

Fan Li and Zimei have been running around the disaster area for a few days, and the relief materials from the imperial court have arrived. Fan Li wanted to report to the imperial court to the officials who escorted the supplies, and he would do a national hydrological survey and return to Gusu later. Then he Zimei rode on a horse and left the disaster area by night to find Wu Ban.