Dahe Village.
Winter is bleak, now it's the twelfth lunar month, and the weather is even colder.
Cheng Wanwan stood in the backyard, watching the progress of the pond excavation, and couldn't help but sigh deeply. More than 30 people started working together, but it was still too slow.
Two hundred acres of land, hundreds of thousands of square meters, and digging to a depth of one and a half meters would be much more convenient with an excavator. But in ancient times, it could only be done manually. Thirty people would have to dig for several months. Digging is one thing; It is also a big project to transport the excavated soil away.
At least two hundred more people would have to be added to complete the project within a month.
When she was worried, Li Zheng brought news from the county: "It is said that the county magistrate wants to resettle the refugees on the spot. There are more than 1,700 refugees assigned to Ping'an County. With so many people, I don't know what you will do." How to arrange it? Just thinking about more than a thousand refugees living next to us makes me a little panicked."
Mrs. Zhao patted her chest and said, "That's right. These refugees will go crazy when they are hungry. I'm really afraid that something will happen to them."
Cheng Wanwan calculated in her mind that more than 1,700 people would be divided equally into various villages. Each village would have about fifty people. Fifty people may not be too many, but it is actually not much if they really want to cause trouble. , it is true that some troubles can be made. After all, not every village has a patrol team.
"If the refugees are sent back to their place of origin, the risk will be even greater." Master Yu said slowly, "Resettling them on site is the best solution for the country and the people."
Li Zheng also knew this truth and murmured: "The current one hundred and twenty-five people are quite good. They are obedient, obedient, and work very hard. If I take them in, I am quite willing to accept them."
Cheng Wanwan laughed and said: "There are thirty-six villages in Ping'an County. Our village should recruit about sixty people, and some of these people will be able to go out."
"Hey, this can't be done. Who will do the work if they are separated?" Li Zheng was anxious, "There is so much work to do. The ditch on the mountain has not been repaired yet, the Cao family's mulberry trees have not been planted, and the house has not been finished yet." Construction started, but one-tenth of the pond was not dug..."
Just now, the old man thought that more than a thousand refugees were too many, and now he wished for more labor force.
While they were discussing casually, Magistrate Shen's carriage slowly stopped at the entrance of the village.
Li Zheng was suddenly excited: "They must be here to resettle the refugees. Dashan Niang, you come with me."
Cheng Wanwan nodded and followed to greet him.
As soon as a few people left, the refugees not far away gathered together to chat.
"How come I just heard that we refugees are going to be given a home?"
"We have been on the run for three or four months. Can we really settle down?"
"If you really want to settle down, Dahe Village is very good. The people in Li Zheng are kind and the people in Sui Ru are generous. I am willing to stay here and help with the work."
"My mother-in-law and children are still in a ruined temple in Ping'an County. If I can settle down here, I will bring my mother-in-law and children immediately."
"But just now Sui Ruren said that a village can only accept fifty or sixty refugees, and there are so many of us..."
A group of refugees looked at each other and immediately threw away their tools and rushed towards Magistrate Shen.
Zhao Sanniu was watching them digging the pond when he saw a group of people suddenly going crazy and said sternly: "Why are you running? Everyone is dying, right? If the county magistrate is shocked, he will be punished with murder..."
The refugees were immediately frightened. These days, no one is not afraid of the government.
As a result, dozens of people all knelt on the ground and crawled towards Magistrate Shen on their hands and feet.
Magistrate Shen saw this magical scene as soon as he got off the carriage.
"My Lord County Magistrate, the common people have been in Dahe Village for many days. If they want to settle down, they want to stay in Dahe Village!"
"Please grant me your permission, the county magistrate!"
A group of refugees knelt on the ground and kowtowed.
Li Zheng then held his hands and said: "There are four thousand acres more wasteland in Dahe Village. There are enough conditions to receive the refugees. The grassroots people are willing to share your worries."
Magistrate Shen stroked his beard.
When everyone avoids the refugees, Dahe Village takes the initiative to keep the refugees. This village always exceeds his expectations.
"Zhao Lizheng, you have great righteousness."
Magistrate Shen's brief comment made Li Zheng feel guilty.
He was simply worried that no one would work, so he invited people from the village and neighboring villages to plant trees for at least thirty or forty coins a day. However, these refugees only need two meals of porridge a day, and a handful of rice can make two bowls of porridge. Don’t waste such cheap labor force...
"Sir, please let these more than 100 people stay in Dahe Village." Li Zheng said with integrity, "The village will allocate fields to the refugees, help them build houses, and help them survive this winter safely."
Many people in their village now work at Dashanniang's house. After the Cao family's silkworm-raising and weaving workshop is built, a lot of labor will be diverted. This means that the villagers will no longer devote labor to tending the fields. In the event of an accident, I will not buy wasteland again.
Thousands of acres of wasteland are really a waste. It might as well be given to the refugees to farm, and the village can collect rent.
No matter how you calculate it, this is a good deal.
Magistrate Shen nodded: "Then it will be as you say."
After speaking, he looked majestically at those kneeling on the ground, "Dahe Village is the most stable place to live in Ping'an County. You can stay here, which is your blessing in your previous life. If you dare to cause trouble again, you will be punished. !”
There are more than 120 refugees, including their families, which is about 300 people, and they can form a small village.
When there are a large number of people, it is easy to cause chaos, so we cannot always rely on patrols to keep an eye on them.
Therefore, these refugees must be made aware of the consequences of causing trouble.
"Sir, have you forgotten something?" Cheng Wanwan said with a smile, "There are still ten people locked in the pig pen."
Magistrate Shen nodded: "That's why I came here."
The resettlement of refugees is not an easy task. For the future peace of the county and villages, for the smooth integration of locals and refugees, and for the prosperity of Ping'an County, the first thing he has to do is to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys.
Li Zheng gave an order, and Wang Yongcheng and the patrol team brought the ten people who had committed the most heinous crimes.
When those ten people saw the county magistrate, it was like seeing their reborn parents.
"Lord County Magistrate, save us, this Dahe Village is looking down upon human life!"
"They actually put us in a pig pen, and we had to compete with the pigs for chaff every day, woo woo woo!"
Magistrate Shen's brows darkened: "You, who have committed such heinous crimes, can still eat chaff. You know how valuable this is!"
He raised his foot and kicked hard.
Among the ten people, four of them were the first to charge and were pierced in the abdomen by horse rifles. After being injured that day, Li Zheng only put a little plant ash on their wounds and gave them a little medicine. They were not dead, but they looked too miserable. , which is unbearable to look at.
"Treating you is a waste of medicinal materials!" Magistrate Shen said coldly, "Kill these four people directly!"
The four people originally thought that the savior was coming, but when they heard this, they jumped up from the ground in fear.
"Sir, we were wronged!"
"We are good citizens, please let us live!"
County Magistrate Shen said coldly: "You really think that I am a fool. Before coming to Dahe Village, I have already investigated the origins of the ten of you. You have committed crimes and committed crimes, and your hands are stained with blood. You can live to this day." Now, it’s Zheng Ren from Dahe Village! I’m not a kind person! Why are you guys standing there in a daze? I’ll kill you immediately!”
The officer behind him waved his long knife, and the four people died.
The refugees kneeling on the ground screamed in fear.
Magistrate Shen's face was full of majesty: "Zhao Lizheng, I will give you this bloody sword. If these refugees cause trouble in Dahe Village, you have the right to kill them first and then punish them later!"
Li Zheng knelt down: "Yes, sir!"
The other six heinous people nearby were also frightened. After reacting, they immediately begged for mercy: "Sir, we were wrong. We will never dare to do it again. Please let us live..."
Magistrate Shen gave the yamen officer a look: "It's all tied up tightly, and there will be some big dramas to be performed later."
Cheng Wanwan knew that this beheading drama would have to be staged several times in order to let all the refugees know that the magistrate of Ping'an County was not a soft-hearted person.
In this way, the refugees who were originally a little cautious will naturally become obedient and obedient.
