The store door was ajar, and it looked like it wasn't doing business yet.
Who will come to buy charcoal when there is a severe drought?
Unfortunately, Jiang Yue is a person who does the opposite.
Just because no one is buying charcoal doesn’t mean there’s no stock in the store.
During the winter, the charcoal store was emptied out. The weather has been abnormal in the past two years. If the boss behind it didn't have a keen sense of smell and didn't make preparations in time, he wouldn't be able to open such a large store in Fucheng.
"Is anyone here? The shopkeeper."
After shouting twice, a guy came out. He was half-naked, sweating profusely, his face was red, and there was heat coming from his body.
She guessed they were either burning charcoal in the backyard or moving things. She won't run out of money today.
When the clerk saw that it was a young lady shouting, he quickly put on his coat.
Jiang Nian didn't react at all. He was half-naked at home every day (occasionally even fully naked). He didn't have the concept of avoiding suspicion in this regard.
The waiter straightened his clothes and asked curiously, "What do you two guests do for you?"
"We want to buy charcoal, already prepared charcoal."
The waiter was shocked, "The guest is not joking? It's a scorching summer season."
Jiang Yue shook her head, "Of course we are useful. I wonder how much it can be sold for now? What is the price?"
After hearing this, the two of them wanted a lot. The waiter couldn't make up his mind for the moment, so he said he would ask the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper is over forty years old, and he is a businessman with a clean face. He smiled and said, "We have some charcoal now, but we have to keep it for winter and we can't sell it all."
Jiang Yue nodded, knowing that charcoal is expensive in winter.
"We just want 100 pounds of ordinary charcoal, and we'll pay now."
The shopkeeper nodded in agreement. The quantity was not large and could be produced in two big kilns at one time.
The average price in winter is between 20 and 30 Wen. During the snowstorm, the most expensive price reaches 100 Wen per catty - of course, the price is suppressed by the government.
Now is the hot summer season, and firewood sales have already resumed in the city. The selling price is 2 cents cheaper than summer charcoal in normal weather. 100 kilograms of charcoal costs a total of 800 cents, which is very cheap.
I don’t know if the shopkeeper will regret it.
Dude packs 4 bags. Jiang Yue didn't care about the dirty work and loaded it directly into the mule cart.
Before leaving, she thought about it and approached the shopkeeper, whispering that there were many homeless people outside.
Whether their kiln is in the backyard or outside the city, the charcoal material is wood and must be brought out of the city.
Jiang Yue only reminded her to stop, and then drove home.
The shopkeeper's face tightened and he bowed to the two of them to thank them. He had a lot of experience and knew what the refugees represented. He didn't care about being "taken advantage of" and immediately went to his employer to report the matter.
Jiang Yue took Tan back into the space, and she was worried.
Jiang Nian asked, "Are Yueyue worried about the refugees rushing in?"
"Well, if the refugees rush into the city, we will definitely have a tough battle to fight. If we can't rush in, there will be a lot of chaos and everyone will be in danger. Prepare more charcoal, which is more convenient than dry firewood."
They must be prepared for the worst, which is to flee.
In the afternoon of the same day, the prefect issued a decree stating that people were only allowed to leave and not enter the city, and they had to carry their household registration with them. People who did not have their household registration were not allowed to stay in the city unless they had relatives as a guarantee.
After the decree was issued, the people started talking a lot. There was no restriction even during the worst snowstorm season. Why was it restricted at this time?
The person who knew about it said, "There are so many refugees outside! There is already a shortage of food in the city, and now we rely on major households to donate food. If it doesn't rain this year, we will suffer from hunger for another year. The food store can't receive food, you Are you willing to let them come in and steal your food?"
"Of course not!"
"That's not it. I also heard that these refugees not only eat human flesh but also drink human blood!"
The people who heard it took a deep breath, but they could understand that they were still starving and eating high-priced food. They were really about to die, so how could they care about what kind of meat it was?
Magistrate Zhang stood on the city tower and looked into the distance, and scattered refugees kept appearing.
Due to the vigilance of the guards, they were only allowed to settle 2 miles outside the city.
If the number of refugees is small, disaster relief and resettlement may be possible in the city. But now there are hundreds of people coming, and they are giving porridge every day and they can't last more than a few days.
Moreover, the people in the city still urgently need the government to solve their food problem. If they are to provide relief to the victims outside the city, how should the city comfort them?
Magistrate Zhang said solemnly, "Has the official letter been sent?"
A person behind him replied, "My lord, I have already sent someone to Beijing as fast as possible. It is expected to be delivered the day after tomorrow."
The fastest round trip takes six days. Requests for disaster relief have been repeatedly suppressed. Now the refugees are besieging the city, and they don't know what the higher-ups mean?
They are unable to save them, but these refugees are also our common people. Do we have to watch them starve to death?
"Instruct the soldiers and guards to strengthen the manpower and guard the city day and night. No one is allowed to enter or leave the city without permission, and no one is allowed to help strangers at will."
"Yes, sir!"
Jiang Yue racked her brains to prepare. What consequences will the refugees have?
1. Kill and be killed - they have their weapons ready.
2. If you cannot defeat someone, you have to flee - you have packed your things and prepared supplies and are ready to escape at any time.
3. There is another one, infectious disease!
Refugees have more or less internal diseases. Eating and drinking can bring germs.
For example, epidemics.
This epidemic is a general term for various diseases with extremely high contagiousness rates, including high fever, runny nose, severe cough, and malaria.
Jiang Yue went out again and bought a dozen large and small clay pots to collect boiled water. Although the natural water you bring is cleaner than the water exposed outside, it is better to boil it and drink it.
She flipped through medical books more diligently, trying to memorize the symptoms and prevention methods of the disease in her mind.
Jiang Nian, on the other hand, was always paying attention to the news at the city gate.
Three days later, in the dead of night, gongs and drums were beaten in the city, awakening the people in the city from their sleep.
Jiang Yue and the others quickly put on their clothes, took their knives, and guarded the door.
There was a small chant knocking on the gongs and the streets, and the voice was rushing.
"Clang, clang, clang--the refugees are fleeing, everyone close their homes!"
The sound of gongs lasted two or three times and then stopped, and then came the sound of shouting and killing.
Jiang Nian moved a ladder and leaned against the wall to observe the surrounding situation.
The number of refugees seemed small, but they were dispersed and ran specifically to people's residences. They couldn't see their figures clearly at night, and it was hard for the officers and soldiers to chase them.
"Yueyue, someone is coming to this street." Jiang Nian whispered.
