novelraw Chapter 215
Chapter 215
Qi Yanzhou walked to the table, looked at the marked map of the rivers and mountains, and shook his head.
"This is a massive project that will cost a lot of manpower and financial resources, and the life or death of the common people has nothing to do with the emperor."
When the national treasury was abundant, he had proposed regulating the river channels.
Not only did the emperor disagree, but he also took all the silver to build Daoist temples and refine elixirs in pursuit of immortality.
Ye Chutang lightly tapped the map on the table.
"If I provide the money, can it be built?"
"No. If you want to touch these river channels, you must first go through the official procedures. Although we can forge an imperial edict to make the local government obey, when it involves money, we must have our own people watching over it, and I currently do not have this condition."
River regulation needs to be done in sections. Just the management personnel alone would require a lot of people.
Moreover, they must understand water conservancy, and he didn't have many subordinates like that on hand.
"Atang, river regulation cannot be rushed. Wait until we reach Tianshan Prefecture to do this."
Ye Chutang nodded in agreement. "Alright, anyway, the government has a lot of grain reserves. Let alone a one-year drought, even if it lasts for three years, no one will starve to death."
After speaking, she folded the map and put it into her bundle of clothes.
After the two packed up, they went downstairs to wash up.
After washing up, Ye Chutang casually collected the clothes drying in the backyard.
Ever since Concubine Su died, the chore of washing clothes fell on Qi Jingyao.
She seemed like a changed person, taciturn and quick at her work.
Of course, having never done heavy work before, she couldn't do anything well at the very beginning.
But she improved quickly. In just five days, she had become a qualified servant.
Aside from working for the Qi family, Qi Jingyao kept to herself.
She ate the free meals distributed by the officials and slept on a makeshift bed on the floor.
Ye Chutang had a grudge against Qi Jingyao before, so she only used her as labor and gave her no preferential treatment.
Seeing Qi Jingyao growing thinner by the day due to a lack of nutrition, she completely ignored it.
After packing away the dried clothes, Han Chong called everyone to eat.
Breakfast was made by the post station attendants: vegetable porridge, steamed buns, and pickled vegetables.
Five copper coins for a full meal.
Ye Chutang gave the postmaster thirty coins.
Concubine Gao glanced at the lonely Qi Jingyao and bought three portions of breakfast from the postmaster.
"Yao'er, I have already paid. Come over and eat."
To quickly pay off the two hundred taels she owed Ye Chutang, Qi Jingyao was also acting as a servant for Concubine Gao.
Although she could only earn thirty coins a day, it added up over time.
Thinking that the money had already been spent, she did not stand on ceremony with Concubine Gao.
"Thank you, Concubine."
After breakfast, the exile procession set off.
Ye Siyin had accompanied Zhao Qingshu for half the night again last night, and her legs were trembling now.
Thinking of last night's madness, she touched her belly.
Her monthly cycle had not come this month; she was very likely already pregnant!
The exile procession left the post station.
At this time, the sky was just getting bright.
There were already vendors selling things on the street.
An old man selling wontons said to an uncle buying vegetables nearby, "Old Man Chen, after you finish selling your vegetables, go to the granary in the western suburbs to buy rice. It's half the price of the rice shops, only five coins!"
"The government granary is only selling for five coins? Really?"
"Of course it's true. If you don't believe me, go take a look later and you'll know."
"The heavens have finally opened their eyes!"
Listening to their conversation, Ye Chutang smiled at Qi Yanzhou.
"I didn't expect the government to act so quickly."
"The government doesn't care what the price of grain is. Anyway, it will all be handed over to the national treasury in the end. After receiving the imperial edict, they will naturally obey orders immediately."
"The emperor just ordered the price of rice to be raised, and then immediately issued an edict to lower the price again. Doesn't the local government suspect anything?"
Qi Yanzhou took Ye Chutang's hand, their fingers interlacing.
"The emperor has done so many absurd things that the officials have long been accustomed to it."
"That's true."
After Ye Chutang finished speaking, she saw a medical clinic on the street that had just opened.
She leaned close to Qi Yanzhou and asked in a low voice, "You only have two months left. Can the Miao border witch doctor arrive in time?"
Qi Yanzhou shook his head uncertainly.
He hadn't received a message from Xize for a long time.
He didn't know if they were busy traveling or if some accident had occurred.
Ye Chutang's expression changed slightly, and she asked again, "Do you know any other doctors who know Gu poison?"
"I do, but they are all in the southern border. Moreover, the Gu planted by Aman cannot be cured by ordinary people."
The implication was that if Aman could not arrive in time, he would surely die.
"Don't worry, I will definitely save you!"
What Ye Chutang thought was that if Aman could not arrive in time to meet up with Qi Yanzhou, she would use her special abilities to take him to find Aman.
Then she would use hypnosis and drugs to erase their memories and keep her secret.
But the merit points she had accumulated were not enough to support the two of them running to the southern border.
So, the primary task now was to earn merit points!
Unfortunately, the idea was beautiful, but reality was cruel.
Because the further northwest they went, the more mountainous the roads became, and they barely encountered anyone.
Occasionally helping someone only increased her merit points by one or two.
It wasn't even a drop in the bucket.
Five days later.
The exile procession was about to leave the Bingzhou boundary.
Along the way, the price of rice was normal, showing that the imperial edict had worked.
Han Chong looked at the dark sky and said, "We will rest in Dayang Town tonight and enter the Dingzhou boundary tomorrow."
Everyone had been crossing mountains and ridges along the way. Not only were they tired, but they also hadn't eaten well.
Hearing that they could rest in the town for a night, everyone was very happy.
Wu Chenggang took the exile documents to negotiate with the town pacifier of Dayang Town.
The town pacifier readily agreed and even came out of the town personally to welcome them.
"Officers, the town office is not big. I'm afraid it can't accommodate so many people."
Han Chong looked at the fawning town pacifier and said expressionlessly, "It doesn't matter. If there isn't enough space, they can just sleep on the street."
"Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Please come inside."
The group followed the town pacifier into Dayang Town.
Ye Chutang immediately noticed something unusual. When she looked at Qi Yanzhou, she met his gaze.
There was nothing noticeably strange about the town itself; the clothes and behavior of the commoners were normal, but the town gave off a feeling of hidden deadliness.
Qi Yanzhou walked up to Han Chong and whispered, "There is something wrong with this town. Something might happen."
Han Chong also had this feeling and asked, "Should we withdraw?"
"Withdraw!"
Since they sensed danger, there was no need to take risks.
Just as Han Chong was about to order the exile procession to withdraw from Dayang Town, a woman selling cloth shoes on the street suddenly collapsed to the ground.
Her head hit the bluestone slab with a muffled thud.
Hearing the commotion, the town pacifier hurried forward to help the unconscious woman up, scolding her with heartache, "Auntie Wang, I told you, don't come out to set up a stall if you are seriously ill!"
After speaking, he looked at the leader, Wu Chenggang.
"Sir, the town office is not far ahead. I will not accompany you further; I have to send her to the clinic."
Ye Chutang looked at the woman's flushed face, and her expression changed slightly.
"Wait, it looks like she has the plague."
Just as everyone turned pale with fright at the word plague, a squeaking sound suddenly came from far to near.
It sounded like countless rats swarming over.