bookrebus Chapter 150 The Dog Official Is Too Heartless
Chapter 150 The Dog Official Is Too Heartless
"Yes, if God doesn't rain, we will starve to death!" The lawyer's shrill voice echoed like thunder in the silent hall.
Every word was like a heavy hammer hitting the hearts of everyone in the hall. The New Year's Eve dinner on the table, which was not rich to begin with, seemed even more precious at this moment.
The prefect knew that if this continued, the people in the city would fall into endless despair and suffering.
His sense of responsibility was like a heavy burden, which made it almost impossible for him to breathe.
The drought has made Liangzhou, which was not wealthy to begin with, even more desolate, and the court salaries have not been paid since last month.
The prefect sat at the dining table, sweat dripping from his forehead like autumn dewdrops, soaking his brand new embroidered robe.
Even the air seemed extremely heavy, as if even the sky was wailing over the drought.
"How can I save the people in the city?" The prefect glanced at the officials around him and asked with a frown.
The officials were also thinking secretly in their hearts, and the expectant eyes and anxious calls of the people kept flashing in their minds.
Seeing that everyone was silent, the prefect clenched his fists, not knowing what to do.
Just when everyone was anxious, the door of the hall was suddenly pushed open, and a young guard leader hurried in with a nervous look on his face.
"Sir, the only water source in the mansion is almost dry. If we don't find a way to divert water, I'm afraid everyone in the mansion will die of thirst!"
The words of the guard leader were like a thunderclap, shocking the prefect and the official.
Everyone frowned anxiously, and their anxious eyes were filled with the people's sorrowful cries due to lack of water and food.
The prefect frowned and asked, "Are the refugees outside the city still unwilling to leave?"
"Your Excellency, there were no refugees outside the city more than ten days ago!" The guard leader answered honestly.
"What's gone? Did they all starve to death?"
"No, according to the commander guarding the city gate, all the refugees have fled."
"Run away? Where else can the refugees run to?" asked the prefect in surprise.
"It was said that there were some villagers living in the mountains hundreds of miles away. They had water and food in their village to help the refugees, so they all left."
"Pass on my order to open the city gates and tell the people at the gates which direction has water and food."
"In reply to your Excellency, the city gate was opened ten days ago." The young guard leader said in a low voice with his head down.
"It was opened ten days ago? Then why didn't the refugees swarm in?" The lawyer exclaimed in surprise.
"Master, are you confused? Didn't my subordinate just say that there are no more refugees outside the city?"
"No wonder we haven't heard the people wailing recently!" The prefect said belatedly.
The lawyer said sheepishly, "Yes, then, what about the poor people in the city?"
"The poor people in the city, all the young ones have fled outside the city, leaving only their wives, children and the elderly at home."
"Then why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Isn't the Lord shutting himself up to see you?"
"Go and find out how far that village is from here."
"I obey your command." The leader of the guards bowed and withdrew.
Looking at the receding figure, the prefect stroked his beard and laughed wildly three times.
"There are still people with food? Hahahaha... God is really willing to help me!"
He excitedly picked up the wine glass in front of him and said, "Come, let's have a drink together."
His heart no longer felt the piercing pain of needles, nor the cries of ordinary people who had no food to eat.
Not to mention the miserable cries of the refugees outside the city. Now his whole heart was silently shouting: The people under my jurisdiction will not starve to death.
He slowly walked to the window, pushed open the old wooden window, and the scene outside came into view.
At the gate of a house, an old lady was busy kneading dough while directing her grandchildren.
"Hurry up, go catch that big chicken! I'm going to make chicken soup for you tonight."
The little guy ran away with excitement on his face, leaving behind a string of childish laughter.
In the yard, the pot on the stove was gurgling, and the boiling soup was shining with an attractive luster against the backdrop of the flames.
"This year's New Year's goods are so abundant!" The old man sitting at the long table sighed with a gleam in his eyes.
"It's all for the sake of giving our children and grandchildren a good New Year!" The pregnant daughter-in-law next to her responded with a smile, her face full of happiness.
Their faces were filled with joy, and their blessings to each other were like fireworks flying in the sky.
Seeing this, the prefect was shocked and asked, "When will the people have food to celebrate the New Year?"
"Since the city gates were opened, the people inside the city have been exchanging their silver for water and food outside."
"I really didn't know there had been such a huge change in the past ten days. A month ago, whenever I opened the window...
All I could see was the loess in the distance, which looked increasingly dry and cracked under the sunlight.
The land is covered with fine cracks, as if countless scars are accusing me.
There's not even a pesky old crow hanging from the dry branches, which has made me afraid to open this window for a long time!"
A light suddenly flashed in the prefect's eyes, as if at this moment, a glimmer of hope rose in his heart.
He took a deep breath, then turned around with a determined look, "Get the horses ready, let's go find that village."
"Sir, I heard it's very far from here!"
"Stop talking nonsense and prepare the horses."
As his voice fell, the guards outside the door began to act quickly and orderly like warriors receiving orders.
Soon, the neighing of horses came one after another, and the crisp notes of horse hooves colliding with iron tools echoed in the air.
The prefect walked out of the mansion with steady steps. When he rode on the tall horse, the strong sense of mission in his heart surged again.
He looked up at the sky, and seemed to hear the villagers' calls and expectations.
After a long day, the prefect and his entourage arrived at the county town. "Sir, the county town that was previously deserted is now filled with refugees!"
"Go and ask." The prefect gave the order while sitting on a tall horse.
"Excuse me, did you originally live here?" an attendant dismounted and asked.
"No, we fled from other places to Liangzhou Prefecture, hoping that the prefect would have pity on us. Alas! Who knew that the official was so heartless!"
"........."
The dog-official prefect frowned at the man who was speaking, and was inwardly glad that he was not wearing official uniform.
The follower wanted to rush up and hit someone, but was held back by the prefect. Then he heard another Hanzhong next door speaking angrily.
"Yes, that bastard official not only closed the door and refused to open it, but also ordered the city guards to suppress us with force."
"We thought we would starve to death in Liangzhou, but we didn't expect Village Chief Mo to take us in."
"Village Chief Mo?"
The prefect's eyelids were twitching. His superiors insisted that the descendants of the Mohist school had disappeared in their Liangzhou, but he insisted that the descendants of the Mohist school had not entered Liangzhou.
"Yes! Village Chief Mo is very kind. He not only gave us food but also found a house for us to stay in."