Chapter 22 : Mouldy Rice

As soon as the assassin Zhang De saw that Lord Wuban had reached two or three days ahead of schedule, he fearfully invited Pei Siyan to the upper seat in the lobby, rubbing/handing his hands together on the side with a playful smile and a look of flattery and browbeating.

"Adults, all the way on the boat ..."

"Straight to the point" Pei Si Yan interrupted him, "I heard that there is not a single grain of rice in the official warehouse of Qinghe County, what is going on? Where is the grain that was stocked in previous years?"

Zhang De panicked and explained, "My lord, the poor grain harvest in recent years has resulted in the official warehouse being empty, only enough to support the victims for a few days ..."

"Is that so?" Pei Si Yan asked rhetorically, "How come we haven't heard any news reaching the imperial capital in the past few years? Also, why didn't you resettle the stragglers and let them scatter around?"

"My lord, my humble servant has done his best," Zhang De lowered his head, his smile gone, "Most of the stragglers are from the Western Yan County, my humble servant is afraid that letting them enter the city will cause unrest, so ... my lord, nowadays it is still important to release the grain ..."

Pei Siyan look at Qinghe county assassin that vice heart weak look, know that there must be something strange in it, the grain in the official warehouse in all likelihood is swallowed privately by some corrupt officials, just their own hands have no evidence, or else they must be this kind of hurtful, big hair of the nation's money of the corrupt officials head to the ground.

"Try your best? Hiding in the government office where did you try your best, Lord Zhang? Letting things go like this, do you want the stragglers to starve to death alive?!" Pei Si Yan chided, glaring coldly at Zhang De, "Is not being compassionate to the people and deeply investigating the people's / intentions the way to be an official? Could it be that you would not understand that if not dealt with properly, the people would think that the saint has lost his virtue and trigger a bigger riot?"

Zhang De secretly "hummed", he has been in the official field for many years, but today he was reprimanded by a little girl, and even put a charge on him, he has lost all his face. Think about it, if she did not rely on the family's sake to climb up to the position of the witch Pan, otherwise what a thing.

The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he was, his tone of voice could not help but aggravate, "Wuban adults, you just arrived in Qinghe today, how do you know that I have not done my best? Lord you really talk too much, how could the people think so of the Holy Spirit."

Pei Si Yan coldly smiled, "The ground in front of the government office is wet, if you have tried your best to work for the people's well-being, it's impossible for you not to step out of the government office door, right? But how come there is no mud or dust on your official boots? All right, don't explain any more! Immediately send people to fetch rice to make porridge and distribute it to the victims!"

Pei Si Yan also asked the officials of the Ministry of Revenue to investigate the current population status of Qinghe County, sent soldiers to resettle the displaced people to the inns in the city, maintained order in the city, purchased medicinal herbs to prevent and control epidemics, and burned the corpses of the victims to prevent epidemics from occurring. By the time she had explained all the affairs that needed to be done for the disaster relief, it was dark outside again.

"Your Excellency, my humble servant will definitely do my best to get things done." Zhang De followed behind Pei Si Yan who was heading out to take a look like a follower, "My humble servant has arranged a place to stay and evening meal for your lordship within the mansion, please go over."

Pei Si Yan felt disgusted when she looked at his demeanour, and said without any goodwill, "No need, we'll just stay at the post house. You send more people to watch the remaining grain wagons, don't have any accidents!"

Seeing that he didn't get any favours again, Zhang De skimmed his lips in disappointment, "Yes, my lord."

After walking away a bit, Pei Si Yan took advantage of the fact that there were no outsiders beside him, and said to Li Shengyan, "This Zhang De must be unclean, gather all the evidence, I'm going to show him the colours!"

"Understood."

Late at night, in front of the government office, the magistrates set up a porridge hut, the victims who have heard of the disaster seem to see the hungry wolves of the fat sheep, scrambling to be the first to pounce on them, people pushing and shoving each other, fighting for a little bit of forward arguing, there are children crying "father and mother", some people fell to the ground, trampled on by those behind them, almost killed. Soldiers struggled to maintain order, the scene was chaotic.

Pei Si Yan wanted to go to maintain order, but was stopped by Li Qing Zhan. He gave a heavy tap on the drum next to him to sound the injustice, and the heavy and loud sound of the drum caused the majority of the victims to suddenly quiet down.

"Lord Wuban has prepared sufficient food, everyone has a share, please don't worry," Li Qingyan said in a loud voice, "please line up and want the old, weak, women and children to receive it."

With the help of the soldiers, the victims finally lined up consciously to receive the rice porridge.

Pei Si Yan looked at the orderly queue and said, "Thank you, Li Qing Dye."

"What my subordinate should have done," Li Qingyan remained cold, "The congee has already begun, so don't worry, miss. There are still more matters to be dealt with tomorrow, so please have an early night, miss."

Although Li Qingye's words were nothing more than a business tone, Pei Si Yan, who was in a foreign land with a heavy responsibility, still felt warm, probably because she had seen another side of him, her psyche had produced some subtle changes.

"I know, I'll leave everything to you to watch over. If there is any situation, tell me immediately." Pei Si Yan looked at Li Qing Dye a few more times and walked towards the post house with Yun Qi at ease.

Pei Si Yan only stayed in Qing He County for two days, leaving the Minister of the Household Department to handle the next affairs, and then hurriedly rushed to Xi Yan County. Li Qingyan had already slightly grasped some evidence of Zhang De's guilt, and when the disaster relief was complete, Pei Si Yan was ready to turn back to Qinghe County, take Zhang De down, and escort him to the imperial capital for questioning.

When she left, both sides of the street kneeling full of people, kowtowing again and again, grateful to the person who saved their lives. Pei Si Yan spent half a day's effort to get the people to get out of the way and leave the city smoothly.

To the western yan county, the disaster exceeded Pei Si Yan's original expectations. Drought from August has continued to now, in the middle of only sporadic rain a few small rain, food crops seriously under harvest, the official warehouse is the same is not a grain storage. The victims can only rely on the bark of trees, grass roots and other food, there is really no food, and even appeared in the tragedy of food for the children.

Inside and outside of Xiyan County, there was a great deal of grief and discontent.

The former governor of Xiyan County suddenly disappeared a few days ago, and Shi Hui, the temporary governor of Xiyan County, is a mediocre and incompetent person, and the government officials have almost run away. Hundreds of people were placed in the city, did not spread out, but because no one can really preside over the situation to cause greater unrest, the city often looting and vandalism events, the situation is bad.

Before entering the city, Pei Siyan first had the grain and herb wagons covered with cloth and then tied up with rope before she dared to enter Xiyan County with confidence. Although the victims saw the food of their dreams, want to grab but can't grab it at all, can only obediently follow the instructions gathered in front of the government house, waiting for the porridge.

Things one by one in an orderly manner, Pei Siyan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, glad that he did not make any mistakes along the way, to the people and the emperor have an explanation.

The congee began, the people finally settled down, divided into a dozen long queues to receive a small bowl of rice congee, although not a lot but can temporarily fill their stomachs has made them feel very happy.

Pei Si Yan and Li Qing Dye together out of the official gate, along the road patrol, see a fat middle-aged man thief head steak in the street huts behind the door panel looking around.

As soon as he saw Pei Siyan, he hurriedly hid in the shadows, and was pulled out by the quick-eyed Li Qingyan.

"Master spare my life!" The middle-aged man shouted in terror.

"Being a thief?" Pei Siyan walked closer, amazed at the fact that most of the people in Xiyan County are starving and skinny, while this man is still white and clean, with a shiny brocade coat, if not for the accent he would have thought that he had just come from out of town.

"I'm innocent, I didn't do anything bad!" Middle-aged man kneeling on the ground and kowtowed, he was here for a while, saw the relief team arrived at the door of the government, the blue dress of the woman was respectfully invited by the crowd off the car, we know that there is a big head.

"Then what are you hiding from when you see us?" Pei Siyan asked, learning from the police, "What's your name, how old are you, where does your family live, and what do you do here?"

"Little He Ban, a native of Xi Yan, his family is doing small business," he said, his fat body trembling non-stop, "Little has never seen a big person like you, Miss, so he is very scared."

Pei Si Yan poked at his bright clothes and laughed coldly, "Small business? Can a small business afford clothes made of such fine fabrics? Are you trying to deliberately hide something? Could it be that you have something to do with the disappearance of Lord Assassin?"

He Ban let out an "ouch" and glared at Li Qingdian with a grimace, "You want to strangle me!"

Li Qingye narrowed his eyes, matched with his face that had been as cold as ice, it was permeated with a biting killing intent, which scared the hell out of He Ban, and he tried hard to shake him off.

Pei Si Yan said, "Take me to your shop and I'll let you go."

He Ban was stunned, opened his mouth, grey-headedly got up from the ground, "Miss, please follow me."

The three of them walked through the crowded crowd towards a cold and clear street. Li Qingdian was vigilant and secretly observing the movements around them, Pei Si Yan guessed what was wrong with Fatty He as they walked.

He Ban's shop soon arrived, is the biggest one on the whole street, the plaque on the cursive "He Ji rice shop" four words, at this time the shop's door is tightly closed, a thick layer of grey on the door plate, seems to be a long time has not been opened.

Pei Siyan understood what was going on, "You have a lot of rice, right? How much does it cost per stone?"

He Ban wiped the false sweat on his forehead and replied, "Thirty taels a stone ... is quite a lot of stored grain, because no one buys it."

"Nonsense," Pei Siyan saw another one who made a national fortune and lost her good face, "It's actually more than ten times higher than usual! Is thirty taels a price that ordinary people can afford? The current disaster to raise prices, really no business is not treacherous!"

"I'm innocent!" He Ban knelt down with a thud and said, "The price of goods is already high, and I also have to support my family. If I could, I would also like to help others, but unfortunately I really can't do anything about it!"

"Seeing others starve to death, indifferent, right?" Pei Si Yan really wanted to lift her foot and kick the fat man in the face, "Did the government not come to buy food from you earlier?"

He Ban shook his head, "no. In fact, the government is also very poor, it is said that the money allocated from above have been swallowed, where there is money to buy food? Miss, have mercy on the little one, if I give away all the rice, I'll be the one to starve to death! And I'm not the only one hoarding grain in the city ..."

"Strong words!" Thinking that the food he brought was also enough to tide the people in the city over, Pei Si Yan didn't bother to argue with the traitors and turned around to go back to the government house.

The people who had eaten the rice porridge licked their lips and lay comfortably by the roadside, lazily basking in the sun.

Pei Si Yan was in a good mood again and walked towards the kitchen to comfort the soldiers who were working hard and busy. Just a few steps away, she saw a soldier carrying a rice bag in front of her, and there was a subtle sound underneath her feet, like some kind of very small thing hitting the ground. She looked down, and it turned out that the rice bag had broken, spilling rice grains all over the place.

"Really careless, grains are bitter ah ..." Pei Siyan bent down to pick up the rice, but couldn't help but be surprised.

The rice grains that should have been white and full were actually attached with lime green spots!

"Wait!" Pei Si Yan bellowed, catching up with the soldier and ripping open the rice bag - a bag full of rice was mouldy!