Qin Feng simply shrugged and pointed at the sky: "If God doesn't reward me with food, what can I do?"
In front of God, the common people, the royal family and the nobles are all the same. As long as it snows, they don't care about anything and they all hide in the house and warm themselves by the fire.
Not only humans can't bear this weather, but animals can't bear it either.
Lao Wu didn't hesitate. Even if he put a knife on Qin Feng's neck, he couldn't force him to achieve any result.
He simply changed the topic and said in a deep voice: "You were right what you said before. I came to you with a difficult matter indeed."
"The people of Changshui County have no way to survive. Since the heavy snow first fell, to this day, hundreds of people have frozen to death in Changshui County alone. If they are just the old, weak, sick and disabled, they can still bear this. Among the hundreds of people, there are many young and middle-aged people. This shows how hard this life is."
Upon hearing this, Qin Feng immediately became vigilant and asked tentatively: "Does Mr. Wu intend to ask this junior to provide money or property?"
Old Wu looked at Qin Feng with interest: "How much can you give?"
Seeing Qin Feng stretch out a finger, Old Wu couldn't help but snorted: "Ten thousand taels of silver? You are extremely rich, but you are also an iron rooster who has nothing to lose!"
Ten thousand taels? What a joke!
Qin Feng quickly explained: "Mr. Wu misunderstood, it is not ten thousand taels, but one thousand taels."
Hearing Qin Feng's quotation, Old Wu was so angry that he stopped and said with an evil look in his eyes: "Are you kidding me?"
"Who in the world doesn't know that you, with your back to the north, are as rich as anyone in the country? Not to mention a thousand taels of silver, you can get even ten million taels of silver, right? A thousand taels? Do you think this is just a waste of time? Beggar!"
Qin Feng forced a smile on his face: "Old Wu is really good at joking, ten million taels? You know how much money was spent in the war between the two countries? If I sell the entire Beixi County, I might be able to get ten million taels of silver. , but this kind of fishing in the marsh is too stupid."
"Old Wu doesn't know something, and it's difficult for the younger generation as well."
"When I came to your country this time, I only brought tens of thousands taels of silver with me. I have a thousand people under my command, and they have to spend money on food, drink, and toilet. It has reached an unsustainable point."
"When the weather gets better, I plan to go to the city to meet with your Majesty and shamelessly ask for military pay."
Asking Beidi for military pay to support Liang’s soldiers? How thick-skinned is Qin Feng?
Lao Wu was too lazy to deal with Qin Feng anymore and went straight to the point: "How can I not know what kind of style you are like? If the people who come to beg you are the people in the northern border of Liang State, you will support them even if they are trying to sell iron. If you use When it comes to the people of Dadi, you are digging and digging and refusing to let your mind wander."
"That's all, just donate money and materials. All you need to do is help me get back the winter food that was stolen from Changshui County."
Upon hearing this, Qin Feng laughed out loud on the spot.
Qin Feng thought there was something wrong with his ears, and said in disbelief: "Mr. Wu, did I hear you right? This kind of trivial matter is not your responsibility?"
"All Shanyin experts have more or less connections in the court, right?"
"It's freezing cold and it's completely normal for bandits to plunder food. We can just send some soldiers to encircle and suppress it. Why bother Mr. Wu to go there himself?"
Mr. Wu's expression was a little unnatural. He was also very embarrassed about the matter in Changshui County, otherwise he would not have come to Qin Feng.
Elder Wu sighed: "If the people who robbed the food are bandits, I can destroy them single-handedly."
"It's a pity that this group of people is not just bandits, but official people."
"The imperial court is well aware that this winter will be difficult, and has specially distributed overwintering grains to provide relief to the people. It has also strictly ordered local officials to take good care of the people under their jurisdiction. If more than a hundred people die from starvation and freezing in their jurisdiction, they will be dismissed from office and strictly enforced. Additional investigation will be carried out.”
"The imperial court is determined to do something practical for the people, but unfortunately, the king of hell is easy to deal with, and the devil is difficult to deal with. In order to maintain political performance, local officials must hoard large amounts of food."
"Where did this food come from? Some brave people came up with the idea of providing food for disaster relief."
"Counties occupied and blocked official roads and robbed each other of food."
Speaking of this, Old Wu couldn't help feeling sad. Compared with those Taoist immortals who had no regard for worldly affairs, Old Wu could be regarded as the most humane one.
Every time he thought about starving people everywhere, his heart ached.
As everyone knows, Qin Feng has heard a lot about the opening of warehouses in Beidi and the distribution of disaster relief and winter food to various places.
I just didn't expect that it would be so messy down there.
Qin Feng thoughtfully said: "Even Mr. Wu knows things that the imperial court must also know."
Mr. Wu nodded and looked at Qin Feng with slightly bright eyes: "You boy, you are indeed good at political affairs. You can find the key points so quickly. Yes, the imperial court naturally knows that counties are robbing food, but it can only Turn a blind eye."
"If some people eat more food, some people will definitely eat less. Coupled with the exploitation by officials at all levels, it is simply unrealistic to distribute it evenly to each county. Moreover, everything now is mainly to appease the people. If you intervene forcefully, you will be dealt with strictly. Officials may provoke a popular uprising."
"After all, grabbing food cannot be decided by local officials just by patting their heads. Naturally, they have already won the support of local people."
"Let me ask, who doesn't want to have one more mouthful of food to survive this winter?"
I understand, I can understand. For the common people, even survival is difficult, so how can they care about others?
This kind of matter is actually very simple to deal with. Either send more food, or let the capital officials personally supervise the matter and prohibit local officials from intervening. Of course, compared to the technical problems, the governance problems are actually bigger.
Qin Feng sighed and couldn't help but said: "Mr. Wu, it's not my fault. The people's livelihood is the core interest of your country. I am a foreign minister, so I can't interfere, right?"
"I can understand your country's difficulties, but please forgive me for watching from another side."
Of course, Lao Wu knew that Qin Feng had a special status and could not easily interfere in this matter, but as long as there was a chance, Lao Wu was unwilling to give up.
If this matter is not intervened, many people in Changshui County, which has not received any winter food, will starve to death and freeze to death.
Old Wu made up his mind and said in a deep voice: "If you can resolve this matter, the grudge between you and me will be wiped out."
Hearing this, Qin Feng couldn't help but laugh: "Mr. Wu, how do you want to solve it? Morality? Politics? Business?"
Old Wu frowned: "There are so many other explanations?"
Qin Feng shrugged: "It's natural, different methods, different results, and different costs. If it's just for morality, I can donate a thousand taels of silver, plus a few hundred quilts, and it will be the most benevolent thing."
"If it's a political aspect, I'd gladly accept it. I'm afraid that your country's officials won't be able to get over that hurdle."
