Natural disasters in books: I stockpiled goods to escape famine in ancient times

When he went back, he loaded half of the car with stuff. Zhang Wu felt a little embarrassed. As soon as he got home, he went into the house to tell Song Shiwei.

When Song Shiwei heard that someone in the city was selling soaked grain, he immediately thought of those aristocratic families. If he were to think of who in Zhending Prefecture could have such a large amount of grain, it would only be the aristocratic families.

It is estimated that the amount of grain was too much and could not be moved away in time during the flood. However, the city was the first to be affected by the flood, and the people in the city were evacuated in advance. There were no corpses in the water, and the grain soaked by the flood could still be eaten, but it would take more time to cook.

"Put the food in the warehouse. As for the food that has been soaked in water, it can still be eaten. If there are still people selling it, you can ask them to buy more. When the disaster victims from the south come, don't buy any more."

Zhang Wu agreed: "Then I will go and sort it out."

Song Shiwei put down the teacup, his eyes fell on the little man wielding a knife in the inner room, and he opened his red lips slightly: "Ruer, are you bored at home?"

Feng Ru put away the knife and held it behind his back, smiling and shaking his head: "It's not boring, Ruer feels very satisfied with the life now."

Song Shiwei nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Feng Ru tilted his head and looked at Song Shiwei with curved eyebrows. After a while, he continued to draw out his long sword and practice the moves taught by Zhang Wu. The wooden stake opposite was like an opponent, with mottled knife marks on it.

Song Shiwei propped up his head and looked at the drizzling rain outside the house. The sound of rain was like the sound of bluestone. What he was thinking about was what else he had not arranged.

Five days passed like this.

Early this morning, Song Shiwei received the news brought by Li An: a large number of disaster victims in the south have headed to the northern border, and are now only fifty miles away from Zhending Prefecture.

The city gates have been completely closed to all entry and exit since noon yesterday. The prefect sent soldiers to patrol the surrounding villages and bring news that the victims of the disaster are approaching, requiring everyone to stay indoors. If they really have to go out, they should try their best to take protective measures. If possible, wear a mask; if not, just wrap some cloth around your mouth and nose. In short, you are not allowed to run around, especially not to contact the victims. Once discovered, the entire village will be quarantined.

A series of orders were issued, the tents set up outside the city were surrounded by fences, and the number of officers and soldiers guarding the city gate was increased to fifty just in case.

Several major families were afraid that the victims of the plague would spread the disease to the city, so they donated cartloads of medicinal materials to the government. Even most of the soaked grain that had been sold privately before was donated, just to ensure safety in the city.

Xie An entered the city just before the city gates were closed, bringing with him two teams of soldiers and a letter from Zhou Wende.

Now Shen Qianxue's siblings and Xie An all live in Zhou's house, and the two teams of soldiers brought by Xie An all obey Zhou Huai.

After learning these things from Li An, Song Shiwei's face became gloomy, her eyebrows slightly knitted, and she tapped lightly with her fingers on the coffee table. After a while, she spoke, her voice as cold as frost: "Can closing the city gates ensure that no disaster victims will come in? How are the officers and soldiers responsible for guarding the city gates arranged?"

"I can guarantee that. Now no one is allowed to leave or enter the city. The soldiers guarding the city gates will not come into the city. There is a place for soldiers to rest at the city gates. According to Doctor Xu, you can only return to the city after you have no symptoms for at least half a month. The city will be fumigated with wormwood every day to dispel the evil spirits."

Song Shi nodded slightly: "You have made careful preparations. This way, the city will be safe and secure."

Li An grinned and scratched the back of his head. "These things were discussed by our young master, Doctor Xu and the prefect. In order to ensure that the plague would not spread, a large pit was dug outside the city near the tents to burn excrement and corpses. The prefectural government provided accommodation for the victims and provided porridge every day. I think they will not cause any big trouble."

Song Shi smiled but didn't say anything.

Maybe, people with the plague don't have the energy to cause trouble, but if the plague is cured, the victims will have to live in simple tents all day, and they will inevitably be resentful.

Song Shiwei never underestimates human nature.

After Li An finished speaking, seeing that Song Shiwei did not ask any more questions, he stood up and clasped his fists: "I have delivered the message that the young master asked me to bring. If Miss Song has nothing else to do, I will take my leave first."

"I'm fine now. Go back and thank your master for me."

Li An chuckled and said, "Well, the master said he is too busy lately to come and see you. I will come back to bother you later. Bye."

Song Shiwei twitched his lips when he heard that and waved his hand to let him leave.

Zhang Wu and Feng Ru sent Li An to the gate. After watching him ride away on his horse, he turned around and walked back. After a moment, he was startled by something and suddenly turned his head to look at the side of the house. He saw the corner of a gray robe flash by. Zhang Wu looked puzzled and walked over but saw nothing.

"Brother Zhang Wu, what's wrong?" Feng Ru stood at the door and looked at him with puzzled eyes.

"It's okay, maybe I saw it wrongly," Zhang Wu said as he walked back and took Feng Ru home.

In the afternoon, Zhang Wu drove to Huang Changyuan with Huang Ying and told them that the disaster victims from the south would arrive in Zhending Prefecture the next day or the day after tomorrow, and urged them not to go out in the near future.

When the young couple returned to the south of the city, they saw a sneaky figure at the door of their house again. Perhaps the sound of the carriage startled the other person, and the figure quickly ran away.

Zhang Wu drove the carriage and frowned as he looked at the disappearing figure. After parking the carriage, he strode towards the hall.

"Master, I have discovered that there is always someone spying outside the house recently," Zhang Wu said worriedly.

Song Shiwei sat up straight: "Can you see who it is?"

"No, that person was wrapped tightly, but judging from his figure, he should be a man. It's just that every time he heard a noise, he ran very fast, so my subordinates didn't have time to catch him."

Song Shiwei also frowned: "It's okay if he's just spying outside, but there might be another time. Pay more attention in the next two days and try to catch him. Then you'll know what he means."

"Yes."

On the evening of the second day, when several people were having dinner, Li An came hurriedly and brought the news that the disaster victims in the south were already outside the city gate, and then left in a hurry.

Except Song Shiwei, Zhang Wu and the other two were all in a state of panic.

"Master, I want to go to the city gate to check."

As soon as Zhang Wu finished speaking, Huang Ying grabbed the corner of his clothes tightly and shook her head at him silently.

Song Shiwei saw this scene, thought for a moment and nodded: "Please wear your mask, don't get too close to the city gate, and don't let anyone get close to you."

"Yes," Zhang Wu gave Huang Ying a reassuring look and then strode away.

Huang Ying clenched her handkerchief under the table, with a look of deep worry on her face. She glanced outside from time to time, looking very anxious.

Song Shiwei put down the bowl and chopsticks and sighed softly: "Huang Ying, you have to believe in Zhang Wu."

Huang Ying smiled bitterly: "I want to believe him, but I am always worried. Shi Wei, do you think it's okay for Zhang Wu to go to the city gate? We don't know how many of those disaster victims have the plague. What if he is accidentally infected?"

The girl who was eating received Song Shiwei's look, immediately put down her bowl and chopsticks, stood up and walked to Huang Ying, took her hand and said: "Don't worry, sister-in-law, there are so many soldiers at the city gate, they won't let those people in. Brother Zhang Wu just took a look from a distance and came back, he won't be infected."

Huang Ying didn't know whether it was because Feng Ru's words worked, or because she held her hand and made her feel warm, but she felt much better than before. However, she was still worried until Zhang Wu came back.