At the beginning of Fu Rui's thirtieth year, Xiao Shanyu, the king of Liaodong, who had only stayed in the capital for less than ten days, left the capital.

Because the sooner he returned to Liaodong, the sooner he could ensure the safety of Liaodong, and the only difference between him and when he came was that there was an additional second prince Chu Tianxiong by his side.

On the day they left, there was still some coldness in the air, although they didn't say anything about the cold wind to the bone, but it still made people unconsciously wrap their clothes.

But despite this, Chu Zheng still brought the civil and military officials who got up early in the morning to the head of the capital to see them off.

Standing on the top of the city facing the rising sun and looking down, Xiao Shanyu and their team looked extremely lonely, except for him and Chu Tianxiong, there were only a few dozen of Xiao Shanyu's personal guards left.

Before rushing to Liaodong, they had one more thing to do, and that was to go to the Bianzhou barracks.

Because only in this way could they rely on Chu Zheng's Son of Heaven Tiger Talisman to draw 10,000 black armor Xuanqi from there and go to Liaozhou with them.

And Xiao Shanyu has been thinking about it for a long time, and wants to have another drink with Su Wang, but unfortunately this wish has not been realized until the day he left.

They were just about to part, mixed with the cheers of everyone, and the two clinked glasses and drank a glass of wine together, but this was probably a wish in Xiao Shanyu's heart for many years.

In fact, it's not that Su Wang doesn't want to drink this meal with him, in addition to the strict management of his daughter-in-law at home, he also has to worry about some Chu Zheng's feelings.

He and Xiao Shanyu, one is the head of the civil ministers, and the other is the soul of the general, if they get too close, even if Chu Zheng doesn't say anything, he won't be suspicious in his heart, but there will always be a little uncomfortable.

He is not the kind of person who doesn't care about anything like Lu Xiangrui, so he can't be as casual as him, and it is precisely because Lu Xiangrui knows Su Wang well enough that he will slap a sloppy eye for him in front of Xiao Shanyu, saying that he is afraid of his wife.

All this can only be blamed on this earthly world, how many years ago the old friends have come to this day and can no longer go back to the beginning!

The years are uncountable, and it is difficult for people to be as good as ever.

......

Just after the end of the year, the farmers who had only enjoyed a few days of comfortable life had to go back to working in the fields, especially for the farmers in Bianzhou and south of Bianzhou.

Because God is willing to appreciate food, they can grow two or even three rice a year, but since God is so close, if they don't fight hard, they deserve not to eat.

The lives of the farmers in Huanan County, Taopu County, Bianzhou and Taopu County in recent years can be said to have been smooth sailing, especially under the governance of Cheng Shi Linwu of Taopu County, who is greedy but capable.

At the end of last year, according to the statistics of the county government of Taopu County, the farmers in Taopu County reclaimed more than 400 acres of wasteland.

These farmers are thinking in their hearts that if this year is more difficult, then they will have spare money to buy a small piglet to raise next year, and then by the next year's New Year, they will also be able to live the addiction of killing pigs that only rich families can enjoy.

And those who have this plan include the old farmer's family that Su Ruyu met when he came back, the old farmer's surname is Wang, and there are a total of five people in the family, including the old man.

In addition to farm work, his son also had a small errand in the county town, which made the family much richer than other families in the same situation.

Last year, when Su Ruyu passed by, the rice planting was under the careful care of the old man, and their harvest was not bad.

This harvest not only allowed his family to have a solid harvest year, but also accumulated a lot of surplus grain for their family, which made Wang Laohan very confident in cultivating five acres of wasteland again.

After the early spring, not only the fields of Wang Laohan's original family have been planted and sown, but also some green shoots have begun to appear in the five acres of wasteland.

"Hey, hey, I really hope this year will be a bumper year, so that next year I can not only buy a piglet, but even send my little grandson to the school!"

Speaking of which, Wang Laohan remembered for no reason the young scholar he met last autumn who gave him a large piece of meatloaf.

"Hehe, with my grandson's intelligence, I will definitely be able to become a scholar with the same university knowledge as that son. ”

After saying everything to himself, the smile on Wang Laohan's dark face did not decrease, and he seemed to have seen the warm scene of his grandson reading a book under the candlelight.

......

In the blink of an eye, the time of a month has passed in a flash, and since this month, Wang Laohan has taken out free time to sit on this ridge every day after finishing the work in his hands.

However, about half a month ago, the smile on Wang Laohan's face became less and less, so that by now his face was full of sadness.

According to common sense, after this spring, Bianzhou and the places south of Bianzhou will enter the season of continuous spring rain.

But this year, it looks like it's going to be March, not to mention the overwhelming rain, except for two light rains, there is not a drop of spring dew falling.

Wang Laohan remembered very well in his heart that there were only two light rains in March, and it was still the kind of light rain that was so small that it could just moisten the ground, but if it continued like this, how would the seedlings in this field live!

Looking at the tender green seedlings in the ground that were gradually yellowing, Wang Laohan said that he would do it, and the next day he took the whole family to the river to fetch water.

But when he came to the river, he found that there were too many people who came to fetch water, and in addition to the people from his own village that he knew, almost all the people from the surrounding villages came.

Everyone sweeps the snow in front of the door, and does not care about the frost on the tiles of others. Wang Laohan has no spare time to take care of others, and the seedlings in his field are still waiting for him to carry water to irrigate!

Relying on this method of carrying water, Wang Laohan's family spent this month with extreme hardship, but this is not the most important thing, the key is that there is not a drop of rain falling in the whole March, and the sun in this March is almost catching up with the sun in May and June of previous years.

Seeing that the perennial river was about to dry up, Wang Laohan still had no way at all, and he had tried all his ways since these days.

From going to the temple to burn incense and beg for rain, to kneeling in the field and praying for a way to live, Wang Laohan tried all the methods that an old farmer could think of, not to mention the rain, even on a cloudy day.

When the river could no longer scoop up water, Wang Laohan and the rest of the farmers finally despaired.

They can't take the water from the well at home and irrigate the fields, because if the well is dry at the end, what will they drink? But they also know that a once-in-a-century drought is coming!

......

In the imperial palace, the regent hall of Chu Zheng, not only the minister of state, Su Wang, but also the Taishi Lu Xiangrui, the prefects of Santai, and the Shangshu of various ministries all stood here.

The sun at the end of March is comparable to the sun at the beginning of June, and according to the old minister, I am afraid that there will be another big drought this year!"

Lu Xiangrui finally didn't have the kung fu to sulk with Chu Zheng, to say that the only thing in his heart that was more important than his reading seeds was the people of Li in this great Chu.

"This is still for you to say, since I felt that something was wrong, I have let Jingyue take action, Jingyue said that this year is a disaster star in the north, there is destined to be a great drought, I called you not to ask about the situation outside, but how to solve the upcoming famine now!"

"Your Majesty, what else is there to discuss, let the county officials in various places prepare to open warehouses and release grain! Don't let the tragedy of changing children and eating in the past happen again. ”

Lu Xiangrui lost his previous calmness, especially after Chu Zheng said that there would definitely be a big drought this year, his tone was very anxious, as if he was the one who couldn't eat.

"Of course I know, but I'm afraid that even if all the food is released by then, it will still not be enough to eat!"

Speaking of this, Chu Zheng turned his head to look at Zhao Yunqing.

"Zhao Fatzi, how much grain is still recorded in your household department!

Zhao Yunqing changed his previous hippie smile, it seemed that he also knew the importance of this matter, and he stood up and said it with a serious expression.

"Your Majesty, even if the minister gives you the amount now, you don't know how long this food will last, in short, the minister can tell the emperor a very clear word, if the number of victims exceeds three million, then the food in the treasury will definitely not be enough!"

"Three million! There shouldn't be so many people in this disaster!"

Chu Zheng was shocked by this number, but when it came to his understanding of the household department, even ten Chu Zheng could not be worth one Zhao Yunqing.

"Your Majesty, according to the disaster situation recorded in previous history, the famine with the smallest number of victims was three hundred years ago, and the number was 4.27 million, and according to our trend this year, this number will only increase, not decrease!"

Zhao Yunqing hesitated for a moment, but still said some of the words he was still considering to Chu Zheng respectfully.

"Your Majesty, in fact, not only the victims of the disaster, but also hundreds of thousands of soldiers on the Liaodong border and the Southern Tang border, as well as grassroots officials in various states and counties, are still waiting for the imperial court to issue military salaries and salaries!

Chu Zheng has been thinking about it for a long time, but how can he come up with a good idea when he is anxious, besides, how can this food be said to be available.

"Military rations must not be delayed, this is the primary condition, as for the distribution of officials in various places, the distribution will be temporarily stopped!"

Rubbing his forehead, Chu Zheng could only come up with such a way that was not a solution, but as soon as he said it, he was vetoed by Su Wang.

"Your Majesty, this is unacceptable! If you want to talk about the official prestige in the eyes of the common people, except for the emperor, the rest of the people here may not be comparable to the status of a county order in the hearts of the people of a county, if the people find that even the county magistrate can't eat enough, then it will be the real chaos in the world!"

Su Wang's words made Chu Zheng, who was already anxious, even more uncomfortable, and he pointed to Su Wang's nose and said.

"This doesn't work, that doesn't work! Then you should give me an idea, if there is no good way, you don't want this year's money, it just so happens that I am short of food here. ”

Su Wang smiled, looking at his old god's presence, it seemed that there was really something good to do.

"Your Majesty, the old minister's annual salary is not tight, the emperor can take it back at any time if you want!"

Speaking of this, Su Wang deliberately glanced at the ministers standing in the main hall.

After those ministers saw Su Wang's gaze, they didn't know what the prime minister was thinking about.

So they all stood up and expressed their loyalty, saying that they are not in a hurry this year, and the most important thing is to let our Dachu get through the difficulties first.

Su Wang's gaze calmed Chu Zheng's heart a little, although the young men of these ministers are not much, they are nothing, but they are better than nothing.

After the ministers had already expressed their loyalty, Su Wang continued.

"Your Majesty, our Dachu last year's taxes will not be paid until the summer of this year, so we actually have some of last year's taxes that have not been collected, and now the first priority is to send a decree to all states and counties, and the places that have not yet paid last year's taxes will be suspended and deposited in various county offices in case of emergency!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Su Xiang considered this, and I made people think about it. ”

After Chu Zheng hurriedly ordered a little eunuch to go down and write the holy decree, Su Wangcai continued.

"Your Majesty, Lord Zhao just said that this year's lack of grain has become inevitable, but the old minister doesn't believe that the grain of previous years has been eaten? The next step is to let Lord Zhao collect the grain stored by the chambers of commerce in all parts of the world in the name of the household department, so as to prevent some merchants who have been blinded by lard from sitting on the ground and raising prices, once the grain becomes sky-high, the chaos in the world is not far away!"

didn't give Chu Zheng a chance to speak, Su Wang continued.

"Your Majesty, as soon as these two methods come out, plus the grain in the treasury, it is not too difficult to survive this drought, and there are other places that we didn't expect, so we can only take one step at a time and see the moves. ”

Hearing Su Wang's words, Chu Zheng's heart was a little more confident, and the rest of the ministers also exhaled a long breath, as for the annual stipend they lost this year, it was only a few thousand loads of grain, who of you present couldn't afford to lose it!

......

Sure enough, at the beginning of May of the thirtieth year of Fu Rui, Lingzhou and Yuzhou were the first in the country to break out of grain shortage.

In fact, although Lingzhou and Yuzhou pay more taxes every year than in the southern region, it is because of the developed commerce and trade, when it comes to grain production, these two states are too far behind the rest of the states, so it is understandable that these two states are the first to break out of the food shortage.

But now is only the beginning of the outbreak of food shortage, and the next few days will only get harder and harder!