The best county magistrate

In order to avoid embarrassment, Yang Xuanchen chose to drive with Wang Tieshan on the way back.

The two of them chatted for a while, and the dilapidated city gate in the distance got closer and closer.

A fast horse rode from far to near, raising dust.

"Hey~" Zhang Biao stopped in front of the car with an extremely anxious look on his face.

"Sir, it's bad, thousands of refugees have arrived from Ximen, clamoring for us to open warehouses to release grain!" Zhang Biao shouted hurriedly.

Hearing this, Yang Xuanchen raised his whip and slapped the horse's butt, "Drive!"

"Master Wang, go back quickly! This is a serious matter. If you go late, you may get out of control!"

Then he shouted something to Zhang Biao, "Assemble reinforcements to the west gate, and keep an eye on the other three gates. Don't let the victims into the city for the time being."

"I ordered Wei Junzhi to summon the people in the county to cook porridge. I will see the porridge delivered within an hour!"

Zhang Biao made a promise and galloped away on his horse.

Outside the west city gate, a large number of victims were surrounded, with curses, cries, and noisy sounds coming and going.

The government officials struggled to prevent the victims from entering the city. A dozen knives and water and fire sticks were lined up across the simple Juma and Luzhai.

"Stand back! If anyone pushes forward, don't blame me for my lack of eyesight." Xiao Ba roared.

The red-eyed victims were already so hungry that they could not care less about his threats. Their mutterings were louder than before, and they seemed to want to break through the city gate and enter.

"Master! We haven't eaten for several days and we really can't stand it any longer!"

"Okay, you guys, we just want the ones who stutter."

"Why don't you let us in? We are the people of Dayan."

Yang Xuanchen, who had just arrived at the west city gate, did not expect that the situation was so critical. If the city gate was breached, Qingshui County would inevitably be devastated by the hungry and anxious victims.

He climbed onto the high platform usually used to award awards, raised his loud voice and shouted.

"I am the magistrate of Qingshui County, Yang Xuanchen!"

"Everyone, please don't mess around. If you have anything to say, please speak up!"

Yang Xuanchen shouted a few words but had no effect, but instead triggered a new round of verbal offensive from the victims.

At this time, Zhang Biao jumped from the city gate to the front of the crowd with his sword in hand, looking around with a pair of bull's eyes.

He yelled, "Whoever beeps again, I will chop him!"

The victims were frightened by his arrogance, and those in the front showed timid expressions, and some were even frightened to the point of crying.

Seeing that the victims had calmed down a bit, Yang Xuanchen shouted again.

"Folks, don't worry! Now that we have arrived in Qingshui County, I, Yang Xuanchen, will not leave you alone!"

"Now! Please ask the villagers to recommend a few people who can take charge of the matter. I have something to ask!"

The victims lowered their heads and communicated for a while, and then a young man in ragged clothes stood at the front and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Your Majesty the County Magistrate, Fan Xian is a child born in Linping County, Xiajiang Prefecture!"

"Please, sir, save us Linping people!"

After saying that, Fan Xian knelt on the ground, and several scholar-looking people following him also knelt down.

As more and more people kneeled down, the noisy voices gradually became quieter.

Seeing the county magistrate arriving, with a dozen more shining long knives, a look of fear appeared in his eyes.

Yang Xuanchen waved to Fan Xian, and when he came closer, "What is your name Fan?"

Fan Xian was about to say that his name was Fan Xian, but before he could speak, Yang Xuanchen frowned and continued.

"Are you a scholar? Take your time and ask the scholars behind you to cooperate with you to find a few highly respected people among the victims who can appease everyone."

"Li Zheng, village chief, country squire, no matter what their previous status was, as long as they can control people, please call me here!"

As soon as Yang Xuanchen finished speaking, Fan Xian hurriedly bowed and returned to the victims.

Looking at the dense crowd of victims at the city gate, I wiped the sweat from my forehead.

In feudal society, the common people are generally a group that is relatively content with the status quo.

Unless something big threatens their survival, they will not choose to leave their hometown.

Moreover, the common people have one thing in common, that is, they are afraid of officials and swords.

Otherwise, there are more than thirty people here, and they will never be able to suppress the thousands of victims in front of them just by relying on swords, sticks and their reputation as county magistrate.

While waiting for them to elect representatives, he looked into the city from time to time, hoping that the rice porridge for disaster relief would arrive soon.

After a while, Fan Xian and his friends led about ten people to the city gate.

"Sir, we are from Linping, Jiangzhou. It has been raining heavily in Jiangzhou for more than 20 consecutive days, and there are many embankments on the Hongfeng River. We..."

Yang Xuanchen interrupted Fan Xian and came to the crowd, "Fellow folks, stop talking nonsense!"

"Which among you was previously Li Zheng and who was the village chief, as long as there is someone with an official position, please raise your hand first."

A middle-aged man who looked tall and strong raised his hand and replied loudly: "Sir, I was originally the village chief!"

Yang Xuanchen pointed to an open space far away and continued: "You will cooperate with the Qingshui County government officials to place the villagers who are familiar with you there."

The strong man's eyes shone, he clasped his hands into his fists, and said gratefully: "Zhu Cheng is following your instructions."

After everyone's work was arranged, he took Zhu Cheng and Fan Xian into the city gate.

At this time, Wei Junzhi and a group of people from Qingshui County arrived not far from the west gate pushing carts of porridge buckets.

"Master, a lot of rice porridge has been cooked, and shopkeeper Chen and the others are still working hard."

"These few carts of rice porridge can probably feed about 2,000 people."

Yang Xuanchen nodded, satisfied with Wei Junzhi's report.

At this time, two scholars and several scholars from the county government also arrived.

After everyone gathered together, Yang Xuanchen's sharp eyes swept over everyone, and his deep gaze made people shiver.

"At this time, there are about four to five thousand victims outside the city gate. The weather is hot, so we must be fast!"

"Whoever dares to play dirty tricks with me and desecrate his duties at this juncture, I will definitely let him try the guillotine that Brother Biao has just polished!"

"Did you hear that clearly?"

The urgent, serious attitude and firm, unquestionable tone shocked everyone.

What happened to our master today? Aren't they just some disaster victims?

As usual, just give some rice porridge, close the city gate and send them away, and that's it.

Several scholars with high ambitions and low abilities couldn't help but secretly curse.

Looking at Zhu Cheng and Fan Xian with haggard faces and ragged clothes, they couldn't help but express disdain.

"What are you looking at? What expressions are you looking at? I'm used to you, aren't I?"

Yang Xuanchen roared, then pointed at a few scholars and cursed.

"Grandma's bear, if you are careless and slack, I will tell Brother Biao to slap your eyes."

In the fearful eyes of the scholars, he took a mouthful of rice porridge in the rice bucket.

It's bland and has no nutrition at all.

The weather is hot, and the victims are not only hungry but also short of water and salt.

Pointing at a yamen servant casually, "You! Go to the yamen to get some salt and mix it into the rice porridge. Make sure the rice porridge tastes delicious!"

"I brought my words to Shopkeeper Chen and the others. Salt must be added to the rice porridge later!"

Yang Xuanchen clapped his hands and asked everyone to gather closer, "Wei Junzhi, please notify Ma Fugui and ask him to send another batch of food!"

"You scholars and scholars will each take care of a cart of porridge buckets, and you will give porridge to the villagers later."

"Zhang Biao, lead a team of government officials and ask these two folks from Linping to cooperate with you in rectifying the victims. The old, weak, women and children must eat porridge first!"

"Let the villagers line up to receive porridge. If anyone makes trouble, he will be tied up!"

"If you find anyone who is feeling unwell or sick, find a shady place to gather them together. Don't let them run around."

Then, Yang Xuanchen tore off a long strip of fabric from his clothes, soaked it and covered his face.

"You all are the same, cover your mouth and nose, and change it every two hours!"

"What are you looking at? I don't have time to explain to you. Just do as you are told. Do you hear me?"

Following Yang Xuanchen's orders, everyone started to move.