Zhang Feng walked into the county government office. Every step and movement seemed to be in slow motion. He looked at the makeshift desk, opened the curtain, and saw Meng Changqing's simple bed.
"You live here?"
"Yes, it's sheltered from the wind and warm underground." Meng Changqing said, "Except for being a little damp and dim, everything else is fine."
"You spared no effort to squeeze in time to build the city wall, so you have to live in a place like this." Wei Fangyun lectured her: "It doesn't matter if you live alone, you also let your mother live with you! In the past, I thought of you for national affairs. , I won’t talk about you, now you have to build the county government in a decent manner, and you can’t wrong your family anymore.”
Meng Changqing took a look, oh, this uncle, with his acting skills, shouldn't be just a fifth-rank official!
"Yes, yes, Master Futai said so!"
Zhang Feng took a deep breath and said, "Master Xiao Meng, if it is convenient, please take me to see Mrs. Meng."
Meng Changqing quickly led the way, "My lord, please come this way."
The place where Wen and the others live is not far from Meng Changqing's Yamen, and they can be reached within a dozen steps.
Before Zhang Feng could go down, Wen and Liang Jiujiu came out first, "I've met these two adults."
Zhang Feng quickly stepped forward to help her up, "Mrs. Meng, there is no need to be polite, please get up quickly."
"Mother, please come and sit inside."
Zhang Feng drank a bowl of white porridge at Wen's place, and was dragged to the kitchen to eat by Meng Changqing. Unless he couldn't eat the white porridge, he would be given a bowl of rice.
At this moment, Zhang Feng was filled with emotions. Unexpectedly, he met the common people who came to fetch food in the kitchen. With Zhang Feng's curiosity, whenever he saw some signs, he was bound to see it with his own eyes.
At this glance, he saw the common people recuperating in the kitchen.
Zhang Feng left with tears in his eyes.
The common people did not know the identity of this person, but they could vaguely see that this person seemed to be more powerful than Lord Meng, so they started saying good things about Meng Changqing like crazy.
Meng Changqing saw off the two Shangguan officials and came back to have lunch with the people who stayed here.
"Everyone." Meng Changqing stood in the middle of the kitchen, "Meng is here to say goodbye to you today. When you finish eating, I will ask my men to drive you to Yangmen County. Several folks from Hongjia County, I We have already discussed with the guards in Hongjia County and you can walk directly through the wall."
The people stood up and thanked him again and again.
"No need to be polite, let's all sit down and eat." Meng Changqing continued: "The injury is not healed. We will continue to recuperate after we return. Don't be careless."
Meng Changqing not only gave them millet seeds and medicine, but also let them take the millet rice left in the pot to make dry food on the road.
Once these people left, the remaining people around the city wall were all people from Beishan County.
Apart from the people brought over by Meng Changqing, there were only the original two hundred refugees and the garrison stationed in Beishan County.
At present, the defenders in Beishan County are directly under the control of the Wei Fang, just like those in Yangmen County.
Although the defenders are in Beishan County, they still belong to Weishan Camp. For the time being, their command is not in Meng Changqing's hands, so Meng Changqing does not need to take care of their trivial matters, but they need to provide food every year.
Fortunately, Wei Fangyun knew the situation in Beishan County and exempted himself from this year's supply.
In other words, the only people Meng Changqing could really control were the 200 refugees and the 100 personal soldiers approved by the emperor.
Meng Changqing sat in his yamen and sighed. There was a piece of white paper spread out in front of him, but he had not yet put pen to paper. How should he arrange this? It's hard to do anything with this little manpower.
As Uncle Wei said, we need to build government offices, open inns, and repair official roads. In addition, with spring approaching, if we don't want to beg for food in the second half of the year, we must take advantage of this season to cultivate fields.
What can we do with just two to three hundred people?
When Meng Changqing was doing eye exercises for himself, Yang Zheng came in.
"Sir, those people from Hongjia County sent them down the city wall. It was a smooth trip."
"That's good, thank you, Brother Yang."
"That's right. If there's nothing else, I'll go out first."
As soon as he said this, Zhang Yuan walked in and said, "Sir, the defenders from Weishan Camp have come and asked you where it is appropriate to station."
Meng Changqing stood up and said, "Go out and take a look."
In the flat open space past the stable, many people were standing in a queue.
When the young man at the head saw Meng Changqing, he stepped forward to say hello: "Mr. Meng, we meet again."
"Guardian." Meng Changqing bowed his hands and saluted, "I haven't thanked him for saving his life that day."
"Mr. Meng's words are serious. Defending the country and resisting the enemy is what we soldiers should do." Yu Tai returned the salute with clasped fists, "Accepting the order of the general, I will lead seven thousand soldiers to be stationed in Beishan County. From now on, I will have to take care of you, Master Meng."
"I'm the one who wants to trouble all the officers and men to take care of you." Meng Changqing said, "It's a pity that we in Beishan County are so poor that I can't find a shelter for you all."
"Master Meng just needs to mark a place, and we will bring our own food and tents."
"Then you all can camp here." Meng Changqing said, "This is the angle between the city walls of the two counties. It is better to be blocked by two walls than to camp in the open space."
"Mr. Meng, you're polite. It's just that the people have already settled here, and it's not easy for soldiers and civilians to mix. We'd better choose another place."
Meng Changqing: "Don't worry about the guards. I have chosen another place to build a government office to accommodate the people. I will take the people away after a while."
"So, thank you, Master Meng. I still have things to do..."
"Guard troops, go quickly." Meng Changqing said politely: "If there is anything I can do to help in the future, just ask."
Yu Tai nodded and walked towards the neatly arrayed soldiers: "Set up camp on the spot."
Zhang Yuan asked: "Sir, where is the location of the Yamen?"
"Not sure yet, but it's not here anyway." Meng Changqing turned to Yang Zheng and said: "Colonel Yang, please call those two hundred people to the kitchen door. I have something to say."
"yes."
Zhang Yuan asked again: "Do you need to call in soldiers?"
"No need for the time being." Meng Changqing noticed Zhang Yuan's mood and added, "I won't bother Captain Zhang until I finish talking to the people."
"yes."
Two hundred people, a total of four groups, gathered quickly.
Meng Changqing walked over and stopped in front of them, "Everyone, I have worked hard for you these days. You are small in number and are not so conspicuous compared to the 30,000 slaves, but I know that you have contributed to the construction of the city wall. We faced Yan that day." You soldiers have never retreated.
I remember your sacrifice.
Now, the servants are gone, and those who remain here are the real Beishan County people.
Let me ask you, are you still satisfied with your current life? "
The people looked at each other, not daring to be the first to speak.
"I see that you are more afraid of me than the slaves. What are you afraid of me for?" Meng Changqing asked.
I dare not answer this even more.
Meng Changqing did not expect them to answer, so he continued: "Are you afraid that with my murderous intention, I will chop off your heads too?"
(End of chapter)
