Wang Pan and Cai Jing entered the city and saw an even more grim scene, for Wang Pan, who had modern knowledge, he knew that if he did not deal with it in time, there would be a plague epidemic. They inquired from the people in the city about the location of the county office, where was the county office, and the county government was already the same as the people's houses, only the faintly visible pedestal, on which the collapsed buildings were piled up in a messy manner.

Wang looked around and saw a middle-aged man in his forties, directing a group of people to clean up the scene. Seeing how the man was dressed and how he behaved, if not the official in charge of the place, at least some prestige. So he stepped forward and asked respectfully, "May I ask this lord, how can I find the prefectural magistrate." ”

The middle-aged man commanded others while rolling up his sleeves and following the work. Seeing someone talking to him and raising his head, when he saw the king next to him, he was stunned: "Where did this son come from, and what do you have to do with the county order?" The man asked, wiping the sweat from his head with his sleeve.

Wang was also stunned to see that this person was somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it, he said: "I came from Bianjing, passing through here to Yanzhou, and I came to ask if there was anything I could do to help." ”

The middle-aged man frowned and looked around, the current thing was very difficult. He looked at Wang Jian and heard him say that he came from the capital, so he asked: "Childe, let me ask you about someone, Lord Bao Zheng has a righteous son named Wang Bian, I don't know if Gongzi denies it?" ”

Cai Jing heard that this person inquired about Gongzi, so he stood by and looked at the king. The king smiled and replied respectfully, "It's down there." ”

The middle-aged man laughed when he heard this, and was about to pat the king on the shoulder, but seeing that his hands were full of dirt, he hurriedly took it back and said: "Wang Gongzi don't come unharmed, I didn't expect to meet here, I'm Xue Xiang, doesn't Gongzi recognize me?" ”

When Wang heard that it was Xue Xiang, he immediately remembered that he had served in Kaifeng Mansion, and Xue Xiang was the branch official of Kaifeng Mansion at that time, and the two had met a few times.

Wang Bi has a little understanding of Xue Xiang, Xue Xiang once told the emperor when he joined the army as a judicial officer in Pizhou: Nowadays, the method of building a city with a board is popular, and officials cut down trees everywhere with axes, and cut down trees everywhere, and the people dare not speak out.

Xue Xiang's advice was adopted by the emperor, and Lord Bao once praised him in front of the king, Xue Xiang dared to make suggestions and was good at financial management. Wang saw that it was the old man and hurriedly said: "Lord Xue's face is full of mud, covering his face, I said that it looked familiar at first, but I dare to recognize it." ”

Xue Xiang also returned: "Wang Gongzi is much more mature, and I didn't dare to recognize it at first." Although Xue Xiang had served in Kaifeng Mansion, Wang Bi was still a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy at that time, and Kaifeng Mansion knew that Wang Bi was the righteous son of Lord Bao Zheng, and he was also called Gongzi in private.

Even if the old acquaintance speaks, he is not so restrained, and during the conversation, Wang learned that Xue Xiang is now the deputy envoy of the right to Shaanxi, and he also went here to see the disaster situation, responsible for mobilizing materials, and now the officials of Duncheng were killed in the disaster, so he personally supervised and commanded the post-disaster relief work.

Seeing that it was not early, the king asked, "I don't know where the victims of the disaster will be resettled in such a scene in the city?" ”

Xue Xiang pointed to several temples and courtyards around and said: "Fortunately, these towers are located at a higher level, and a few of them have not been washed down by the water, and now the victims are all settled there." I'll take you over to have a look, but ......" His face was slightly embarrassed: "But recently, there have been thieves who steal things at night, and if these victims bring out some money and food, they will also be stolen." ”

As he spoke, Xue Xiang took Wang Bian to the tall tower, and Wang Bian remembered the group of people in the jungle just now, so he told Xue Xiang about the situation he encountered, and also told Xue Xiang about his own analysis.

Xue Xiang was ordered to mobilize supplies here, and 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 retinue I brought over, plus the remaining troops stationed in the original city, are only a dozen people." Today is more than hard work, is there any good way for the prince?"

Although Xue Xiang has been an official for many years, he is also an official eunuch family to supplement the official family, so he naturally knows the background of this king, but there is another reason why he is so modest. Wang Bian used coal to make grades, buy high and sell low to control the price, which touched Xue Xiang, who was well-managed. Such a young man is proficient in the way of buying and selling, and he admires it very much. What's more, as a transshipment envoy, he is mainly responsible for Cao Yun and other things, and on the Yellow River Cao Yun channel, the Zhou family dock is dedicated to Wang Bei's business, and Wang Bei is also famous.

Seeing that Xue Xiang was modest, Wang Jian knew that his experience and age in the government could not compare with Xue Xiang, so he replied politely: "My lord is too modest, I don't know if my lord can send someone to mobilize materials again." ”

Xue Xiang told the king that a few people had been sent out from the surrounding areas, but if he sent people again, the garrison in the city would be empty, and he was afraid that the thief would come again, and there would be no horses.

Wang said beside him: "My two horses are fast, Lord Xue can send someone to Yunyan and Yanzhou to transfer some militia and supplies." Xue Xiang hesitated slightly, Cai Jing looked around, and asked Wang Bian suspiciously: "Son, aren't we in a hurry?" ”

The king waved his hand, signaling that he didn't need to say much, turned his head and continued to Xue Xiang: "Let's stay for a day or two." Don't get in the way, the adults will handle it quickly, and in addition, Yunyan County ordered Zhang Zaitong to have some medical skills, so please ask him to prepare some medicines. ”

Xue Xiang saw that the king said this, and hurriedly arranged for two soldiers to hurry up to handle it. After the arrangement, I walked a few steps to the vicinity of the tower, and saw that there were mostly some victims around the ancient tower, and some of the slightly injured took care of some seriously injured people. There are also people who make gas fires, and use large pots to stand on them, boiling some porridge and rice. Distributed to these victims.

Cai Jing secretly tugged at the corner of the king's clothes and asked in a low voice, "Childe, do we really want to live here at night?" ”

The king booed him and said, "We don't stay here at night." Then he blinked. Cai Jing breathed a sigh of relief, although he was a scholar, he had not suffered much since he was a child, and although he was not clothed and fed by Wang on weekdays, he did not live in the wilderness and be with the victims.

Although he was sympathetic to these victims, Cai Jing was still a little resistant to this kind of accommodation, but when he looked around, except for these ancient pagodas, there was not even a decent house around. Now the horses have been loaned out, and it is getting dark, and there is no place to live.

Cai Jing pondered psychologically, and suddenly heard someone shouting that the meal was open, and suddenly the victims took the household goods that could hold porridge and rice, and stood in line next to the cooking fire, that is, someone brought some porridge and rice to these people. Cai Jing also felt his stomach rumbling, and touched the bag wrapped in his body, except for some personal clothes, there was nothing to eat, and then he thought that the food king had already asked him to share the disaster victims on the road.

Wang Bei saw Cai Jing's depressed expression, patted him on the head and said, "Hungry, right?" In fact, Wang Xiang himself was also a little hungry, Xue Xiang didn't know when to leave, and when he came back, he held a big bowl and said: "Wang Gongzi, there is nothing to entertain you, if you don't mind, eat some porridge and rice first." After speaking, he sighed and said, "Those thieves stole more than half of the grain in the middle of the night a day or two ago. I don't know when I'll come back when I'll go back to transfer supplies, so I have to arrange some water and rice for the past two days. ”

Seeing this, Wang felt that there was no need to be polite, too polite made people feel picky, so he took the bowl and drank a few sips. Wang next to the rest of the bowl of thick hands to Cai Jing, Cai Jing looked at Wang next to the king, the son drank this porridge and rice, what did he hesitate about, he was also hungry and thirsty. However, seeing that Gongzi left so much for himself, in addition to gratitude, he actually felt that this porridge and rice were also very delicious.

Seeing that he was sucking and drinking very fragrantly, Wang was amused in his heart, thinking of Zhu Yuanzhang in later generations, and eating some folding baskets when he was down, it was delicious. When he was really hungry, he ate chaff as sweet as honey, and even gave the beggar's folding basket soup the name pearl jade white jade soup.

Cai Jing raised his neck and drank all night, and when he saw Wang Fang looking at himself and laughing, he was embarrassed to say, "Childe, I drank it all." ”

Wang Hehe: "Don't worry, we still have food in the evening." ”

Xue Xiang looked at the scene in front of him, at this time the sky was gradually getting dark, and the late autumn evening was breezy. He pointed to an ancient pagoda not far away and said, "Childe can sleep there with me tonight, and we will have a while, and it just so happens that the man who rides the horse to deliver the news still has some rich bedding." ”

The king said, "We will not stay here tonight." If it is rich, it will be distributed."

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

When he heard that he was going to the woods at night in the dark, Cai Jing was really a little nervous. He stared at the king's side, but Xue Xiang understood and said, "Yes, why didn't I expect it, this thief stole something, and he must find a place to hide." Hey, I'm just busy with the supplies here, and I'm still smart. ”

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

Cai Jing pouted and muttered: "I'm more scared of this, it's better to follow Childe." ”

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

The king didn't want to arrange more people, so as not to startle the snake with too much movement. Xue Xiang and Cai Jing are civil officials, Wen Xianxuan can't fight at all, and the other is a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy idiot, so he can't think of this king and said: "Then you go and follow Lord Xue, find a few ropes, and if there is a slight movement here at night, we will go to the woods and wait for them." Remember, if I throw one down, you will bind one. ”