With all kinds of speculations, Song Youliang rushed to Dengzhou Mansion with Xu Erduo and hurried his horse first. Along the way, Song Youliang saw that a large number of victims with their children were pouring into Dengzhou Mansion, many of whom were lying on the side of the road because they were too weak, and they never got up again. Song Youliang couldn't stand it anymore, so he took out the dry food he brought with him and distributed it to them, and a large number of victims immediately surrounded him. Song Youliang's master and servant only brought a dozen wheat cakes in total, which was a drop in the bucket.

"Where are you from?" Song Youliang took the opportunity to talk with the victims

"We are from the cities of Qingzhou~" A skinny middle-aged man gave all the cakes to his four children, "I don't know what day it is, we only heard that the Laizhou Imperial Court is going to open a warehouse in Dengzhou Mansion for relief, so we will come~"

"What day? It wasn't even six days ago~" said another man who was also skinny to the bone

"How did I find out the day before yesterday?" Another old woman was surprised

"Where are you two from?" Song Youliang hurriedly asked

The skinny man said: "I am from Mengyin~"

The old woman said, "I'm from Laiyang~~"

"Where are you from, and when did you hear about it?" Song Youliang asked the other victims

"I'm from Weixian, I knew it the day before yesterday~"

"I'm from Juzhou, and I knew it three days ago~~"

Those who are far away first heard the news that Dengzhou Mansion is going to open a warehouse and release the town, and those who are close will know it later, which is why a large number of victims will flock to Dengzhou Mansion at the same time in a short period of time, Song Youliang faintly felt a little uneasy.

After entering the Dengzhou Mansion, I found that the city was full of people fleeing the famine, and the streets were full of weak and hungry people. Officers and men on patrol rode through on horseback, and occasionally heard news of hungry people being hacked to death in the street by patrol officers and soldiers for stealing food. Men who constantly wrapped their mouths and noses with white cloths carried dead bodies out and in

After some inquiry, Song Youliang found the official office of Wang Zilin's office, and after showing the sealed letter, the official led Song Youliang into the official office. "Lord Song, wait a minute, Wang Tongzhi is having lunch~~" The official said

"The streets are full of hungry people waiting to be fed, and he still has the heart to eat lunch? What a prince Lin Wang knows~" As soon as Song Youliang heard this, his blood suddenly surged, "Get out~~" Song Youliang pushed the official aside and walked straight to the back room

"The surname Wang~~" Song Youliang kicked open the carved wooden door, "You~~" Song Youliang opened his mouth and was about to scold, but was stunned by the scene in front of him. I saw Wang Zilin's cheeks sunken, his face was full of vegetables, holding a palm-sized dough cake in one hand, and a bowl of gruel that could count rice grains in the other hand was about to be sent to his mouth

"Song Qianhu~~ Why are you here?" Wang Zilin was surprised and quickly put down the things in his hand

"Wang Tongzhi, what's wrong?" Song Youliang originally thought that Wang Zilin should be a big fish and a big meat at this moment

"Song Qianhu, it's really time for you to come~~" Wang Zilin's expression was excited and happy, and he grabbed Song Youliang's hand, "Brother Song, did you transport that Wu Qianshi grain?" ”

Song Youliang snorted coldly, "Last time, Wu Qianshi's grain was eaten so quickly?" Song Youliang lukewarmly pointed to the bread and gruel on the table, "Like Tongzhi is so economical, then Wu Qianshi can't eat all the grain for a few lifetimes~"

Wang Zilin was stunned for a moment, and then said angrily: "What does Song Qianhu mean? Is it an allusion that my Wang has blackened the food for the relief of the victims? ”

"How's that?" Song Youliang also said angrily: "I came all the way, only to see starvation everywhere, the city is full of victims who died of hunger, and everywhere are hard-working people who were killed by officers and soldiers because of grabbing food, but you told me that even if only half of Wu Qianshi's grain was distributed to the victims, it would not be like this, right?" ”

As soon as he heard this, Wang Zilin suddenly felt like a deflated ball, "Don't hide it from Brother Song, the second night when the grain was transported to the warehouse, it was burned down by a fire~~"

"What?"

"Anyway, this grain is from Brother Song, so Brother Song should know about it~" Wang Zilin began to call Song Youliang Brother Song

"Does the prefect know about this?" Song Youliang asked

"Of course I know~" Prince Lin said dejectedly: "The prefect Lord Chen is a good official, but it is difficult for a good woman to cook without rice, and Lord Chen is just anxious about when Brother Song's other Qianshi grain will arrive." ”

"I'm tired of Wang Tongzhi taking me to see Governor Chen~" Song Youliang said coldly

There is a large square in front of the prefect's yamen, which is dedicated to holding celebrations. Next to the yamen, there is a high platform more than one person high, dozens of square sizes, which is specially used for criminals to display their flail to the public. There is a flagpole on this high platform. It was used to display the heads of the people, but sometimes they were also hung at the gates of the city. The square in front of the yamen covers a wide area, and it is empty on weekdays, and ordinary people walk around, but at the moment it is full of disaster victims. Many arresters, people, and officers and soldiers stood in front of the gate of the yamen and stood on guard.

According to the rules of officialdom at that time, visitors were required to hand over a sticker. If it is a subordinate who wants to see a superior, he often needs to send another concierge silver, which is called door respect. Now that Wang Tongzhi is leading the way, Song Youliang is naturally green all the way and goes straight to the flower hall.

When the prefect Chen Guoying heard that Song Youliang was coming, he didn't dare to put on a score, after all, people had food in their hands. After saluting each other, Song Youliang asked straight to the point: "I heard that there was a fire in the warehouse, and all the grain for the relief of the victims was burned?" ”

Chen Guoying is in her early fifties, and she has gray hair on both sideburns. He glanced at Wang Zilin and said with a guilty face: "That's a few Kuding who watched the warehouse were negligent in their duties, living in the warehouse to bake cakes, which caused a fire. Those Kuding were also buried in the fire, which is considered to be deserved~"

"Xiaguan came all the way and found a strange thing, and it was rumored among the victims that the government had released news that grain would be released in Dengzhou Mansion. Therefore, as far as Qingzhou, the people who are as close as Denglai have poured into Dengzhou Mansion. And those who are far away get the news first, and those who are close get the news later, so the victims from near and far almost all arrived at Dengzhou Mansion at the same time~~" Song Youliang said solemnly

"Is there such a thing?" Chen Guoying's eyes widened, "Lord Song is his own person, and this official can't care about face now." In fact, the official did not get the official document from the chief secretary asking the official to release the relief, let alone the news that the relief was to be released, but the victims gathered more and more, and the official was afraid of causing a civil uprising, so he had to send Wang Tongzhi to Lord Song to find a way~~ It was also driven to the shelves, and the matter was helpless~"

Wang Zilin's head turned quickly, and he suddenly realized: "That is, someone deliberately released rumors to guide the victims of the disaster, but who is the initiator and what is the purpose?" ”

Chen Guoying stroked his beard, "Could it be that the thief and the thief are the same party?" They are far away in the northwest, even if there is a civil uprising here, it will not help~"

"Could it be the East Prisoner?" Song Youliang blurted out, "My Ming enemies are rogues inside, and they are Donglu outside~"

Chen Guoying shook his head, "Donglu and Shandong are separated by the sea, even if there is a civil uprising in my Dengzhou Mansion, what can Dongyu do?" Dongyu is good at riding and shooting, but not good at boats, so they don't necessarily come in a big boat to take advantage of the void, right? ”

Song Youliang touched his chin and said, "I always feel that this matter is not simple, can the adults let the lower officials go to see the warehouse that was burned by fire?" ”

"Of course, Wang Tongzhi, you lead Song Qianhu to take a look~" Chen Guoying said

Xu Erduo was about to follow, but Song Youliang stopped him and said: "Erduo, you go back to Haiyang immediately, and then transport Wu Qianshi grain, remember, send more people to guard, and you must transport it safely as soon as possible~"

"That son, you~~"

"Don't worry about me ~ Go immediately ~ It's important to save people"

"Deling~~"