Zhou Rouqiang stood up and instructed Cong Fei: "You immediately take someone to set up a cauldron in the square in front of the yamen, prepare the things for boiling porridge, and cook a few large pots of hot porridge first." In addition, send people to order a large number of steamed buns from major restaurants in the city, the more the better. Cong Fei led the order to take people away.

Zhou Rouqiang instructed the other two yachas: "You two go with me to visit and comfort the refugees everywhere, and inform them to go to the yamen and wait to receive food." ”

Ding Cheng took a step forward and said to Zhou Rouqiang: "Lord Zhou, see what we can do for you?"

Zhou Rouqiang had been busy arranging the refugees, but he didn't see Ding Cheng and Yunying following behind, and when he saw that Ding Cheng hadn't left, he said happily: "Aren't you leaving?"

Ding Cheng said: "We plan to stay and help you settle these refugees first, and then make plans." ”

Zhou Rouqiang said: "Great, with the help of the two of you, I will save a lot of heart." In this case, you can calm these refugees for me first, and then help me keep an eye on them, so that there is no cause for any trouble. ”

Ding Cheng and Yun Ying happily agreed, and left with the two yacha.

Half an hour later, refugees from all over the world gathered in the square in front of the yamen, and there were about 100 refugees in total. The five cauldrons had already been set up, and the rice porridge in the pot was bubbling with aroma. Cong Fei took more than a dozen errand officers to the scene to maintain the continuity, and at the same time gave everyone the collected buns and steamed buns. Then the refugees lined up again, and no one received a steaming bowl of rice porridge.

Seeing that everyone had eaten, Zhou Rouqiang's heart settled slightly. Then there will be a big problem, and that is the problem of housing for so many people.

Zhou Rouqiang saw that he was almost busy here, so he instructed Cong Fei to lead people to prepare to build simple houses in the square, so that these refugees could have a place to live at night and not sleep on the streets.

That Cong Fei is also a shrewd and capable person, and after Zhou Rouqiang gave the order, he took people to collect wood, thatch and workers.

Next, Zhou Rouqiang personally took people to the infirmary to invite doctors to treat the injured refugees.

While he was busy, someone suddenly came to report that the commander of the infantry battalion had led people to guard the city gate to prevent the refugees from continuing to enter the city, and he was also going to bring people to drive the refugees out of the city.

When Zhou Rouqiang heard this, he immediately became angry, and just as he was about to attack, a person rode a horse and walked this way, followed by more than 20 heavily armed soldiers. This man was none other than the commander of the infantry battalion.

When the Han commander saw Zhou Rouqiang, he didn't get off the horse, but still sat on the back of the horse and bowed his hand to Zhou Rouqiang: "Lord Zhou, there are so many refugees in the city suddenly, and this commander suspects that there are spies in it, so this commander has to drive them all out of the city." ”

Zhou Rouqiang looked at Commander Han, calmly, and said without anger: "Commander Han, look at these refugees, all of them are old, weak, sick and disabled, and they still have injuries on their bodies, where do they look like spies." Moreover, our county is not an important military town, so what are the spies doing in the process of gangsters? Besides, our county does not close the city gates on weekdays, and the people are not allowed to enter or leave, so why should the spies become refugees if they want to enter the city?"

Commander Han was speechless for a while, and his face turned red and said: "Even if there are no spies among these refugees, so many refugees entering the city at the same time will inevitably bring hidden dangers to the safety of the county." So no matter what, these refugees can't stay. ”

Zhou Rouqiang said: "I am the lord of a county, I will deal with these things, and I don't have to worry about the commander of Han." Commander Han only needs to take his infantry battalion and prevent the rebels from invading our county, even if he has fulfilled his duty. Even if there is chaos because of these refugees, the county will take it all in its power and will not implicate the Han commander. ”

Commander Han felt that he had no face, and said loudly: "What if this commander is determined to drive these refugees out of the city?"

Zhou Rouqiang said: "Then you can try it." Although his tone was extremely calm when he spoke, to the ears of Han Commander, Zhou Rouqiang's words were more powerful than those spoken angrily. Because he knew that this Zhou County Order did things neatly on weekdays, and he would never drag mud and water. And dare to act, has always been strong. What's more, he heard that Zhou Rouqiang has martial arts, and he is probably not his opponent.

Thinking of this, Han Tong said: "Lord Zhou, this is what you said, except for chaos in the future, don't blame me for not reminding you." After saying that, Le turned his horse and led the troops away.

Zhou Rouqiang said loudly behind him: "Commander Han, don't forget to withdraw the soldiers you arranged at the city gate. ”

After Han Tong left, Zhou Rouqiang muttered: "With so many refugees entering the city, if it is not handled well, I am afraid that there will really be chaos." I solved their food and housing problems for the time being, but it was not a long-term solution. If the war in the north continues, these refugees will not be able to return home. But this matter cannot be solved in a day or two, and needs to be considered in the long run. The only thing we have to do now is to settle them down. ”

That night, Zhou Rouqiang was in the study to handle official business. Suddenly, someone came to report that an urgent official document had been sent from the DPRK and China. Zhou Rou forcibly ordered someone to submit the official document, and when he saw it, he couldn't help but be shocked, his hands loosened, and the official document fell to the ground. Then he brushed his face with his hands, hugged his head and cried.

Ding Cheng was taken aback when he heard Zhou Rouqiang's cry in the room, he didn't know what was going on, and hurried to Zhou Rouqiang's study. Seeing this scene, he quietly picked up the official document that had fallen on the ground. He knew that Zhou Rouqiang was crying for this official document, so he glanced at the content of the official document.

I saw that the official document was to the effect that in the early morning of March 19, the 17th year of Chongzhen, Li Zicheng led his troops to attack the palace. The emperor hanged himself from an old locust tree in the coal mountain of the Imperial Forbidden Garden. When he was dying, he left an edict of guilt and said: "I have been on the throne for seventeen years, and the traitor is approaching the Beijing Division, although I bow down to the bandits, and the heavens are angry, causing the traitors to approach the Beijing Division, but all the ministers are mistaken, and I die, and I have no face to see my ancestors in the ground, and I remove the crown and cover my face with my hair, and let the thief split the corpse, so as not to hurt the people." ”

Ding Cheng was not an official in the DPRK and China, and he was not interested in government affairs, so he had no special thoughts when he saw this official document. Seeing Zhou Rouqiang like this, I didn't know how to comfort him.

Zhou Rouqiang cried for a while, raised his head and said: "In recent years, there have been riots of hungry people all over the country, and Wang Ziyong, Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng, and Zhang Xianzhong have started one after another. Zhang Xianzhong proclaimed himself emperor in Sichuan, and Li Zicheng founded the country Dashun. Liaodong has been invaded by the Qing army, and it is eyeing our Ming Dynasty.

I have long known that the Ming Dynasty has reached a precarious point, but I still hope that one day I will be able to calm down the civil strife and drive out the enemy.

I didn't expect things to change so quickly, now that the emperor has died, and the capital is occupied by Li Zicheng, Daming is completely finished. ”

(End of chapter)