https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-451-The-Special-Building-of-Shen-Nong-Temple/13041672/
Chapter 452: Inside the Refugee Camp
Chapter 452: Inside the Refugee Camp
Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Qiangyin has always been the core of the three northern counties in Bingzhou.
Or rather, it should be the focal point for the three northern counties to gather refugees.
During the Wu Xian Rebellion, Dingxiang and Yunzhong sent hundreds of thousands of refugees to Qiangyin, while Yanmen did not send many refugees during that time.
However, as the Wu Xian Rebellion was suppressed by Lu HaiKong, Dingxiang and Yunzhong sent fewer refugees, and during the subsequent period, Yanmen became the main source of refugee support.
After all, Yanmen borders Youzhou and Yizhou, two key areas of the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Therefore, during this time, many commoners fled the Yellow Turban Rebellion and came to Qiangyin from Yanmen.
These refugees had been wandering for a while and were finally settled in Qiangyin. As the first city willing to accept refugees on a large scale, these suffering commoners held a favorable impression of Qiangyin and Lu HaiKong.
In Qiangyin, not only was there food to eat, but they also heard that arrangements would be made to help them settle down. Later, they would be provided with a means of livelihood, allowing them to establish new homes in Bingzhou. For these refugees, this was the best possible outcome.
Of course, not all refugees were completely satisfied with every aspect. Some had complaints about certain matters.
Some felt that the food rations were insufficient. It was barely enough to half-fill the stomach of a robust young man, and with the continuous influx of refugees, they were eventually relocated outside the city. Dozens, even hundreds, of refugee camps were established outside the city walls.
While this facilitated the management of the refugees, the living conditions were significantly worse. However, there was no other choice; with tens of thousands of refugees pouring in, being able to gather them was already a feat in itself. How could they expect perfection?
………………
Outside Qiangyin City, within a refugee camp.
A burly man, with a sullen expression, rubbed his stomach. Despite just having eaten a steamed bun, his hunger remained. Although the bun was substantial, it wasn't enough to fill an average adult, let alone someone like him who practiced martial arts.
Not only was he hungry, but almost everyone in this refugee camp, especially the newcomers, was in the same state.
"Come on, can't they distribute a few more buns?" A young man with a pointed chin and puffy cheeks couldn't help but complain.
"You young people, what do you know? The Governor isn't just taking care of you alone. He has gathered hundreds of thousands of refugees, with hundreds of thousands of mouths to feed. Some of you getting one bun is already not bad." An elderly man chided him.
Hearing this, the young man with the pointed chin pouted, about to say something, when he suddenly noticed a man in the food distribution line holding two buns in one hand, while another man had four. Seeing this, the young man became agitated and pointed at the man, addressing the elderly man who had just spoken.
"It's not fair! Why can I only get one, while he can take four? Are those distributing the food bullying us newcomers and taking advantage of us?"
"Nonsense! The Governor is upright and honest. His soldiers are all good men. They are assigned to military farming and receive two meals a day, with four buns per meal and even ten copper coins. You're getting free food; how can you compare yourself to them? If you're unhappy, you can go and farm too."
"Can we eat more by farming?" The surrounding refugees seemed curious, and some quickly gathered around, asking eagerly.
"Not only farming, but I heard the Governor is also recruiting farmhands. As long as you have skills, you can go. If you're chosen, you can eat more and even live inside the city. By the way, are any of you skilled in martial arts?"
The governor was setting up a recruitment platform outside the city to enlist generals, proclaiming that in these turbulent times, every able-bodied man should join the military and establish a name for himself.
Amidst the crowd of refugees, an old man was speaking eloquently, detailing Lu HaiKong's recruitment process and emphasizing the various benefits.
Familiar with Lu HaiKong's recruitment process and passionately engaged in his work, this old man was clearly not an ordinary refugee. Even the young man with a pointed chin and monkey-like cheeks were part of the plan, specifically tasked with promoting this aspect of the recruitment.
Unaware of this, the refugees had been captivated by the old man's words from the very beginning.
Upon hearing Lu HaiKong's recruitment of soldiers, the burly man's eyes lit up, and he was about to inquire about joining when someone nearby asked on his behalf, and the old man provided a thorough response.
After understanding the situation, the burly man headed towards the platform outside the city.
This man had just arrived from Yizhou, and unlike the other refugees who traveled in large groups, he had journeyed alone for over a thousand miles. During this chaotic period of war and chaos, his ability to travel alone for such a distance indicated extraordinary capabilities.
Indeed, among the several dozen refugee camps outside Qiangyin City, there were quite a few individuals with exceptional abilities, but not many could match this man's skills.
Following the old man's directions, the burly man made his way to the platform.
As he approached, he saw a sea of people gathered below the platform, looking somewhat lost and unsure of what to do next.
"Brother, are you here to challenge the platform as well?" As the burly man stood there perplexed, a young man with a dirty but remarkably spirited appearance approached him.
"I'm not here to challenge the platform; I'm here to enlist in the military," the burly man replied.
"It's all the same. The governor has set up this platform specifically to recruit warrior generals. I heard that as long as you perform well on the platform, you can join the military and even become a military officer, possibly reaching the rank of colonel," the young man responded with a smile.
Upon hearing this, the burly man's eyes lit up, but he soon became suspicious, "Can one become a colonel? Isn't that a position only reserved for the offspring of noble families?"
"You're mistaken about that. Under our governor, there are no officers from noble families. You should know that our governor himself rose from a commoner background and is a legendary hero," the young man said, clearly in awe.
The young man looked around and said to the burly man, "I heard that the governor was once a commoner, but due to persecution by the noble families, he couldn't make ends meet. He became a mountain bandit, but even then, he never harmed the common people. He only targeted horse bandits, fierce outlaws, and noble families who oppressed others."
"Later, when the governor offended the noble families, the government authorities launched a crackdown on him. With sheer strength, he single-handedly annihilated the government's 100,000-strong army and successfully cleared his name, becoming the county magistrate of Qiangyin."
"After that, when the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, and the Wu Xian and Qiang Yin tribes rebelled, the governor led an army of 400,000 and conquered Wuyuan Prefecture. As the Wu Xian army was about to march south, endangering the lives of the common people, the governor took decisive action and annihilated the 400,000-strong army, establishing an immense military achievement before assuming the position of Governor of Bingzhou."
The young man's words were all part of Xi Zhicai's edited speech in favor of Lu HaiKong, but he wasn't actually one of Lu HaiKong's men nor was he arranged by Lu HaiKong. He was a passionate follower of Lu HaiKong, or perhaps a die-hard fan...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
