Zhou Fuan was overjoyed when he heard this, it really took no effort to break through the iron shoes and find nowhere to get them. Now that there is a famine in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, there is food in hand, that is, gold and silver! Sure!.

He wanted to buy this batch of grain at the market price of three taels of silver per stone.

However, how could Huang Qianshan miss this great opportunity to rip off the bamboo? He told Zhou Fu'an with a calm face: "These 200,000 stone grains are not ordinary goods, they are high-quality wheat from Kaifeng, with full grains, and each stone gets six taels of silver." ”

Zhou Fuan frowned a little embarrassed after hearing this. Now the grain he sells is ten taels of silver per stone, and if he buys it for six taels per stone, the money he makes is greatly reduced.

Huang Qianshan noticed Zhou Fuan's hesitation, and his face sank: "If Boss Zhou is unwilling to buy it, then please do it." I believe there are people who are willing to take over the business. ”

Zhou Fuan weighed the pros and cons in his heart, and he knew that cooperating with Huang Qianshan could bring a stable supply of goods and profits, but at the same time, he had to pay higher costs.

Eventually, in the battle between greed and reason, greed prevailed. He gritted his teeth and stomped his feet: "Good! Just do it at the price you say! ”

With Qin Hui's order issued, the household department began to get busy.

The task they faced was to distribute the 300,000 stone of grain according to the proportion of the population of each state and county.

However, this seemingly fair plan gradually changed its flavor in the process of implementation.

Officials at all levels, like greedy hungry wolves, regard the food that was originally used for disaster relief as their own. Under various pretexts, they deduct and embezzle, leaving a part of each level.

In this way, the food that should have been used to save the lives of the victims was lost in the hands of officials at all levels.

By the time the grain finally reached the affected areas, it was less than 100,000 stones.

In the face of the people who are waiting to be fed, this food is a drop in the bucket. Inside and outside the city of Xuanzhou, the hungry people wandered around, their faces were yellow and thin, and their eyes were full of despair.

On October 20, Zhao Yingluo disguised herself as a man and quietly came to Xuanzhou with Xia He, Dong Xue and a few guards.

She witnessed all this, and her heart was filled with anger and helplessness. She had thought that the relief food from the imperial court would alleviate at least some of the starving people's plight, but the scene in front of her made her completely disappointed.

At the disaster relief food distribution office, officers and soldiers held whips to maintain order. Those who dare to rush forward to crowd are often beaten severely.

When she saw that there were hundreds of victims here, but there were only a dozen sacks of relief food, she couldn't help but go up to ask why.

"Why is there so little food for disaster relief?"

When the officers and soldiers saw that she was dressed well, they thought it was the son of an official eunuch, so they politely told her: "This gentleman doesn't know that this relief grain was originally going to be distributed to more than 100 sacks. But those officials are corrupt layer by layer, and there is only so much left of us. ”

Zhao Yingluo was furious when she heard this: "These people are simply careless of human life!" How could they bear to watch these innocent people starve? ”

She turned to a more secluded place, changed her men's clothes into women's clothes, and put on a veil to hide her face.

"I have to find a way to solve this problem and not let these people suffer." Zhao Yingluo said firmly.

She thought about it for a moment and decided to use her influence to call more attention to the disaster and take action.

After returning to her residence, Zhao Yingluo immediately wrote a memo, asking the emperor to thoroughly investigate the embezzlement of disaster relief grain, and demanding that those corrupt officials be severely punished.

She handed over the fold to a trusted escort and asked him to travel to the capital day and night.

At the same time, Zhao Yingluo also launched a huge protest in the local area. She led the victims to the yamen of the state capital and demanded that the state officials disclose the distribution of relief food and severely punish the corrupt elements.

The protest has attracted more and more attention. Many scholars with a sense of justice joined in to support Zhao Yingluo's actions.

Finally, under the pressure of public opinion, the imperial court had to send the imperial historian to Xuanzhou to investigate the matter.

After some investigation, Yushi found that what Zhao Yingluo said was true. Officials at all levels have committed serious corruption in the distribution of relief food, resulting in a large amount of food loss.

Enraged, the court ordered severe punishment of the officials involved, and recovered some of the lost relief grain.

Zhao's actions not only saved the lives of many hungry people, but also triggered the imperial court's reform of the disaster relief grain distribution system. Since then, the imperial court has strengthened the supervision of disaster relief grain to ensure that every grain of grain can be implemented.

After receiving the approval of the imperial court, Zhao Yingluo did not stop her actions. She knew that it was not enough to rely on the power of the imperial court alone, and that in order to truly solve the problem of famine, it was necessary to mobilize the power of the people.

As a result, she began to run around, advocating for wealthy merchants, landlords, and ordinary people from all over the country to participate in the disaster relief operation. She led by example and was personally involved in the relief efforts, calling on everyone to donate generously to provide food and supplies to the victims.

Inspired by Zhao Yingluo, many people have reached out to help. They donated their own food, silver taels and various materials to send warm care to the disaster area. Some wealthy businesses have also set up porridge sheds to provide free meals to the hungry.

As more and more aid poured into Xuanzhou, the local disaster situation has been effectively alleviated. People are beginning to emerge from the shadow of hunger and despair and rekindle hope for life.

Although this disaster brought endless pain to Xuanzhou, it also awakened the kindness and compassion in people's hearts. Under the leadership of Zhao Yingluo, everyone worked together to spend an unforgettable winter.

In that cold winter, Zhao Yingluo has been sticking to Xuanzhou and fighting side by side with the victims. Her deeds spread throughout Jiangnan and became a good story. Many were moved by her and admired her courage and selfless dedication.

The people of Xuanzhou will never forget that winter. They witnessed the brilliance of humanity and how a woman carried the burden of disaster relief with her weak body.

Driven by Zhao Yingluo, Xuanzhou gradually regained its vitality. The victims regained their confidence in life and began to rebuild their homes. And those kind-hearted people who once emerged in the disaster have also become heroes in the hearts of the people of Xuanzhou.

Zhao Yingluo did not stop her steps. She is well aware that this disaster is only a temporary relief, and that if the poverty situation in Xuanzhou is not fundamentally changed, similar disasters may still be repeated in the future. As a result, she began to think about how to promote Xuanzhou's economic growth and improve the people's living standards.

She went out into the fields to learn about the farmers' production and encouraged them to adopt advanced agricultural techniques to increase food production. At the same time, she also pays attention to the development of the handicraft industry, advocates the spirit of craftsmen, and helps Xuanzhou create unique handicrafts.

Under the leadership of Zhao Yingluo, Xuanzhou's economy gradually prospered. The lives of the peasants have improved dramatically, and industry and commerce in the cities have flourished. People are beginning to believe that this land has unlimited potential and that if we work together, we can create a better future.