In the early years of Dahao, the plague in Qizhou.

Thousands of people have been displaced and left homeless.

They gathered in groups of three or five and flocked to Maple Leaf City from all directions, but they had to stop at the towering city walls.

The defenders of the government did not dare to open the city gates, and let the wailing spread everywhere, the cold wind raged, and the people outside the city, who were regarded as refugees, told the heavens to be unacceptable, and the earth was not spiritual.

There was a boy of eleven or twelve years old in the crowd, dressed in tattered clothes, with a red nose and a dirty face, rubbing his hands and stomping his feet.

The boy's name is Mu Dongfeng, a native of Shiqiao Village, 20 miles away, and his parents both died in the plague. The boy who had dried his tears was taken away by a kind neighbor and fled here, and it has not been two days since the water and rice were eaten.

Mu Dongfeng's parents moved from Qingzhou, and no one knows what they used to do. When they came to Shiqiao Village, the two rented two acres of thin fields, raised chickens and pigs, and their lives went by.

Eleven years ago, Mu Dongfeng was born.

The husband and wife are easy-going and righteous, and have a harmonious relationship with their neighbors.

Mu Dongfeng was a little older, and he and a group of children of the same age studied in a private school at the house of Luodi Xiucai at the head of the village. Mr. Kou Shixun is a talented man who has studied the past and the present, but he failed to participate in the Qiuwei Township Examination twice, gave up the scientific examination in a fit of anger, set up a private school, and vowed to bring out the champion apprentice in his lifetime.

The people of all over the country are famous, and they all want to send their children to him to study.

Maple Leaf City is the smallest county under the jurisdiction of Qizhou, the population of the city is only 50,000, and the total number of officials and helpers is no more than 300.

He stood on the city wall, pacing back and forth, thinking in his heart: if the city gate is not opened, the refugees outside the city will accumulate more and more, and once there is a mutiny, he cannot afford to wait; if the city gate is opened, not to mention that the plague is difficult to control, even the security inside the city will become a problem, and the resettlement of personnel will be a headache.

The county Cheng Cui Wufu stood beside He Dapeng, equally anxious. His family, old and young, returned to their hometowns and waited outside the city to enter the city.

At this moment, a servant hurriedly ran up the city wall and arched his hand: "Lord He, Zhuo Bufan, the big boss of the Wanmatang Dart Bureau, led the big families in the city to ask to see!"

"Please!" He Dapeng said busily.

After a while, Zhuo Bufan and more than a dozen big families in the city came to the city wall.

Zhuo Bufan got straight to the point: "Lord He, I'll come and share my worries!"

He Dapeng knew that Zhuo Bufan was chivalrous and courageous, and hurriedly asked, "I don't know what Zhuo Da Da has to say?"

Zhuo Bufan arched his hand and said: "Lord He, you have always loved the people like a son and sympathized with the people's feelings. Now that the plague is rampant and the refugees are approaching the city, we must not stand by and watch without help. This..."

Zhuo Bufan pointed to the person next to him and said, "This is our Maple Leaf City's wonderful hand doctor Saint Zhong Dongyue, and he is willing to do his best to eradicate the plague." ”

The long-bearded old man beside him bowed slightly, and said, "Old and talented, you should do your best to benefit the township." ”

He Dapeng hurriedly stepped forward, held Zhong Dongyue's hand, and sighed: "With Doctor Zhong's help, it will naturally be successful." ”

Zhuo Bufan added: "The east and west school fields can accommodate at least 2,000 people for temporary resettlement, and the big families in the city are willing to contribute money and efforts to prepare first aid materials such as felt cloth, tents, quilts, food, and water. In the face of the disaster, we are willing to follow the power of dogs and horses and advance and retreat together with adults. ”

He Dapeng said three words in a row: "Good, good, good!"

After a pause, He Dapeng was dressed properly, his old tears were horizontal, he fell to the ground, and said: "Xiaguan thanked you for your help on behalf of the people of Qizhou, and sent charcoal in the snow." ”

The crowd hurriedly returned the salute.

He Dapeng got up and glanced at the refugees outside the city wall, straightened his waist, turned his head and shouted: "Cui Wufu!"

County Cheng Cui Wufu took a step forward and said loudly: "Here!"

"Give you two hours, take someone to clean up the east and west school fields, call on the people in the city to contribute money and efforts to resettle the refugees, and build a quarantine area in the east school field, and if you find people infected with the plague, isolate them first. Dr. Zhong Shengyi is responsible for inquiring about the formula. You are responsible for the allocation of materials. ”

"Obey!" Cui Wufu bowed, turned around and hurriedly left with Zhong Dongyue and the big families in the city.

Just before leaving, Zhong Dongyue said: "My lord, remember! All the officials and people in the city will cover their faces with green scarves in the next few days, cover their mouths and noses, and try to avoid contact with each other. ”

He Dapeng nodded, looked at Zhuo Bufan, and said: "Zhuo Da Master, you and I are responsible for maintaining order for the refugees outside the city, this official first shouted on the city wall, let the refugees line up, and you and the county lieutenant Lu Chuan will leave the city in half an hour." ”

Zhuo Bufan hugged his fists and said: "Follow the instructions of the lord! All the dart masters of Wanma Hall are waiting under the city!"

He Dapeng looked at the county lieutenant Lu Chuan and said, "Leave ten people and this official to shout on the city wall, and the rest of the people will be brought down by you, and cooperate with Zhuo Da to maintain order." Anyone who does not obey the order will be summarily executed. In extraordinary times, extraordinary laws, we must not be merciful. ”

Lu Chuan pressed the saber in his hand, straightened his chest and said, "Obey the order!"

He Dapeng watched Zhuo Bufan, Lu Chuan and others walk down the city wall, sorted out their official uniforms, came to the city wall, cleared his throat, and said loudly: "Be quiet, be quiet..."

The refugees outside the city were bustling, and when they saw someone shouting on the city wall, they all raised their heads, and instantly quieted down, and people from a distance slowly gathered over.

He Dapeng's eyes were resolute, he glanced around, and said loudly: "Fellow villagers in Paoze, I am He Dapeng, the commander of Maple Leaf City County, today..." paused, and said: "Two hours later, this official will open the city gate and let everyone enter the city." ”

"Good!" cheered outside the city.

He Dapeng pressed his hand down, waited for his voice to be quiet, and continued: "Due to the large number of people, it takes time for personnel to be placed, and everyone needs to cooperate to maintain order. ”

Some refugees outside the city shouted: "On such a cold day, open the city gate first, let us enter the city." ”

Someone chimed in: "Yes, it's cold and hungry, and if we don't open the gates, we'll all freeze to death." ”

He Dapeng's eyes lit up, and he shouted: "Don't be noisy, listen to me, the people outside the city will automatically stand in four teams, the elderly, women and children are in front, and after the team is lined up, the official will naturally arrange to open the city gate as soon as possible." If they all squeeze forward, no one will be able to get in. ”

"Why? I came first, why did I give it to them?"

"Yes, yes, why do you say that whoever is allowed to enter first will be the first, and I won't let it. ”

...

He Dapeng coughed and did not make a sound. The officials shouted from the city walls: "Quiet, quiet! Listen to the adults!"

Outside the city is like a boiling pot, and it can't be quiet anymore.

He Dapeng turned his head and muttered a few words to the official beside him, and the official ran down the city wall.

After a bag of cigarettes, the city gate creaked open, and a hundred-man team lined up to go out of the city, all the officials unsheathed their swords, their bows wound, and their spears lined up, waiting for the battle. There were two tall horses in front of the team, and it was Lu Chuan and Zhuo Bufan who were sitting upright.

The refugees rushed over like bees, but they could only watch as the drawbridge that had not been lowered could not be done.

Zhuo Bufan reined in his horse and shouted loudly: "Listen, line up in four teams according to what Master He said, otherwise the drawbridge will not let go, and no one will be able to enter the city." ”

The refugees are still in a mess, you push me, I squeeze you, and they don't give in to each other.

Mu Dongfeng was pushed around in the crowd and almost fell several times. He looked around, and could only squeeze out.

finally squeezed to the side, and saw Erniu from the same village staying on the side in a daze. Mu Dongfeng grabbed Erniu's cuffs, pulled them aside, and said loudly to Erniu: "Lift me up." ”

Erniu's face was full of questions: "What are you doing?"

Mu Dongfeng was angry and said, "Lift me up, otherwise no one will be able to enter the city." ”

Erniu thought for a while and muffled: "Okay!" As soon as he stretched out his hand, he lifted Mu Dongfeng up.

Mu Dongfeng stood on Erniu's shoulders, swayed his hands, slowly stood up, and shouted: "Listen to me, don't squeeze!"

No one paid any attention to him.

Mu Dongfeng shook his body and continued to shout: "Calm down! ”

The sound is like a stone sinking into the sea.

Suddenly, Erniu tightly grabbed Mu Dongfeng's feet and shouted: "Don't make noise, be quiet!"

The sound is like a bell, deafening.

The crowd fell silent in an instant.

Mu Dongfeng was startled, gave a thumbs up to Erniu, staggered up straight, and shouted loudly: "Folks! ”