After eating at Wuxian's camp, Zhao Tai got up and left.
Wu Xian sent him outside the camp, and Zhao Tai cupped his hands and said, "Stay! After I settle down in Suining, I will send food and grass to my brother."
Wu Xian and the generals stopped and said, "Then I won't give it away. Brother, if you are free, come and sit here often!"
Zhao Tai immediately got on his horse, clasped his fists in a salute, and rode away.
Wu Xian looked at Zhao Tai's back with deep eyes and murmured, "A man was born between heaven and earth, how can he live in depression for a long time? This child will definitely be extraordinary from now on!"
Zhao Tai galloped on horseback. Instead of entering the city, he circled the city and arrived at the western suburbs of Xuzhou.
At this time, the hungry people gathered in the western suburbs were busy under the command of Chengde. Some of them helped build stoves, while others found firewood. The porridge shed had already been built.
"My husband is back!" Someone saw Zhao Tai riding over from a distance, pointing at Zhao Tai and shouting.
Groups of hungry people were surrounding the porridge shed with bright eyes, watching the soldiers light a fire, pour water into the pot, then open the grain bags and pour the grain directly into the pot.
They looked straight at each other, with happy expressions on their faces before everyone had eaten.
At this time, the hungry people heard the cry and knew that the kind-hearted official was coming back, so they turned to look at Zhao Tai who was running towards him.
Zhao Tai slowed down his horse. The hungry people stared at him and consciously moved out of the way.
Zhao Tai was a little surprised to be stared at by so many people at once, but at this moment, an old man in the crowd took the lead and knelt down.
For a moment, the hungry people all knelt down like rice fields blown by the wind.
Zhao Taylor halted his horse and asked in surprise: "Why is this?"
The hungry people shed tears and shouted in unison: "Thank you sir for surviving!"
Nearly 10,000 hungry people kowtowed and shouted loudly. The sound moved the sky, making people moved when they heard it.
Zhou Rongchang, the magistrate of Xuzhou, who was rushing to help, came with a group of government servants. When he saw this scene, he felt ashamed and happy in his heart, and he had mixed emotions for a while.
Zhao Tai turned over and dismounted, helped up the nearest old man, looked around everyone, and said loudly: "It's better to be an official than to make decisions for the people~"
Zhao Tai suddenly got stuck mid-sentence and could only change his words, "Then what's the point of being an official?"
At this time Chengde came over and said, "Ms. sir, the porridge is ready. Please give me porridge!"
Zhao Tai waved his hand after hearing this, "Everyone, get up, let's eat porridge."
At that moment, Zhao Tai walked to the porridge shed and picked up a spoon. Chengde opened the lid of the pot, revealing the rolling millet porridge.
Millet, also known as millet, has been the staple food of people in the north for a long time.
The hungry people gathered around, looking at the tumbling hot porridge, greedily inhaling the aroma. Some people in the crowd couldn't stand it, and their legs went weak and they fainted from excitement.
Zhao Tai took a spoonful and said, "Everyone lines up and there is something to eat."
Seeing this, Zhou Rongchang reacted and quickly ordered the government officials to maintain order.
Zhao Tai served porridge to the people in line. Everyone held the bowl in both hands and bent down to say thank you. Zhao Tai comforted them with a warm voice, "Eat the porridge and soup slowly."
At this time, Zhao Tai noticed Zhou Rongchang standing aside, so he said: "Zhou Zhizhou, you also give porridge to the people!"
Looking at the spoon handed over by Zhao Tai, Zhou Rongchang felt a little ashamed and waved his hands repeatedly.
Zhao Tai said seriously: "You are the magistrate of Xuzhou, this is your responsibility. I will go to Suining later, so don't evade your responsibility!"
Zhou Rongchang couldn't help but refuse, so he could only take the spoon and give porridge to the hungry people.
When they learned that it was Master Zhizhou who was giving him porridge, the hungry people thanked him one after another, "Thank you, Master."
Zhou Rongchang listened to the grateful words of the hungry people, and thought about how he had helped the court to collect taxes and expropriated money for so many years, but he had not benefited from it. The people also cursed him, saying that he was Zhou Bapi, and his eyes couldn't help but get wet.
"Zhou Zhizhou, what's wrong with you?" Zhao Tai asked.
Zhou Rongchang wiped his face and said, "The heat is a bit smoky to the eyes!"
Zhao Taidao: "Then I'll do it!"
Zhou Rongchang, however, did not hand over the spoon and was full of energy, "No, no, no, I'll get used to it right away."
Seeing this, Zhao Tai walked aside and sat down. He glanced at Zhou Rongchang, who was smiling and giving porridge to the hungry people. He turned around and whispered: "Zhou Zhizhou seems to be enjoying this process!"
Chengde said: "No, I don't know why I feel sad but also a little proud when I hear the words of thanks from the hungry people."
Zhao Tai nodded slightly and glanced at him approvingly. Although this boy was a Jurchen, his conscience was still intact and could be cultivated.
Zhao Tai ordered: "This Xuzhou is not suitable for me. I will take you to Suining tomorrow. You will distribute the rations back to Bianjing to the civilians and soldiers who came here with the grain, and then pack them up and prepare to set off tomorrow."
Chengde saluted and accepted the order, then went to distribute it.
At dusk, as the sun set, the hungry people who drank a bowl of hot porridge sat on the ground with satisfaction, feeling the remaining warmth of the sunset, as if they were alive again.
Zhao Tai and Zhou Rongchang, who had been busy for an hour, sat in the porridge shed, drinking porridge and talking.
Zhao Tai informed Zhou Rongchang that he was about to leave Xuzhou and go to Suining. This made Zhou Rongchang, whose face was flushed, change his expression immediately, "Ms. sir, what about these hungry people?"
Zhao Tai knew what he was worried about and comforted him: "I borrowed fifteen hundred shi of grain from Lord Hengshang. I will keep half of it for you, so you can use it sparingly. I will find a way to continue transporting grain here later. In addition to giving porridge, you must also resume production as soon as possible."
The land of Xuzhou is the strategic point between the north and the south. With the Southern Song Dynasty at its back, Zhao Tai can capture Shandong to the east, march to Henan to the west, and threaten Hebei to the north.
Therefore, Zhao Tai helped the hungry people out of compassion, but also did not want Xuzhou to be destroyed.
Zhou Rongchang was a little surprised when he heard Zhao Tai's words. Zhao Tai was the deputy envoy of Xuanfu, and his responsibility was to manage the army. Xuzhou's political affairs were not under his control, and he did not need to bear any responsibility for Xuzhou's political affairs.
Now Zhao Tai actually borrowed food for the hungry people in Xuzhou, which made Zhou Rongchang happy but not understanding at the same time, "Ms. Xianggong, I don't understand something. My husband didn't care about the hungry people in Xuzhou. Even if people starve to death, the court can't blame my husband. Why? ~~~"
Zhao Tai said: "Why do you want to wade into this muddy water?"
Zhou Rongchang nodded, "My husband doesn't care about anything."
Zhao Tai stood up and suddenly asked: "Zhou Zhizhou, I want to ask you, who provides you with food and clothing?"
Zhou Rongchang replied hesitantly: "It's the imperial court!"
Zhao Tai shook his head and pointed at the hungry people outside, "No, it's them. What you and I wear is the cloth they weave, and what we eat is the food they grow. You said they are suffering, how can I just sit back and watch? That's still the case. person?"
Zhao Tai turned around, raised his head with his hands behind his back, looked up at the sky at a forty-five degree angle, and said in a gesture of compassion, "Everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world! The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. I am supported by the people and do things for them." , the responsibility is unshirkable!”
When Zhou Rongchang listened to Zhao Tai's words, he felt that Zhao Tai's back was unusually tall. He was fascinated for a moment and was deeply attracted by the man in front of him.
