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That's right, receiving food is the top priority right now.

Zheng Chen and Doctor Jiao said no more and nodded. County Magistrate Liu went forward to receive the grain himself. Looking at the long and winding grain transport convoy that seemed to have no end in sight, County Magistrate Liu's eyes suddenly became moist.

The drought in the past two years did not have a serious impact on Yan County. Unexpectedly, a locust plague struck again this year. The overwhelming locusts swept through Yan County like a storm, eating up all the food in the fields and the wild vegetables around the fields, and even eating away the bark and leaves of the trees.

The people either starved to death or fled from famine, and only about 20% of them survived. In the huge Yan County, there were less than 20,000 people left... It was really tragic.

The imperial court sent an imperial envoy and Nanyang County sent grain, which barely stabilized Yan County. The new crop of grain has been planted, but it will take another three or four months to wait for the harvest. In these months, if the people want to survive, they have to rely on the current batch of grain.

Fortunately, Yan County was the first to report the locust plague, and the court responded promptly. In order to set an example, the court wanted to protect Yan County at all costs. Therefore, the food delivered was quite timely.

At this moment, County Magistrate Liu was extremely grateful and was also filled with gratitude towards the legendary Princess Nanyang, whom he had never met.

The price of grain in the north has skyrocketed. Even though the government has tried to curb it, it has tripled. One bushel of grain can buy an adult male.

Nanyang County offered grain to the imperial court, sending 30,000 dan of grain without hesitation. This was truly life-saving grain.

County Magistrate Liu wiped his eyes with his sleeves and bowed solemnly to express his gratitude: "General Yu has come from afar to deliver food and save the people of Yan County from danger. On behalf of all the people of Yan County, I would like to thank General Yu."

Magistrate Liu is fifty years old this year. His hair has turned completely white and his face is filled with fatigue and sorrow.

Yan County will take at least ten or twenty years to recover from this disaster. County Magistrate Liu's career is also completely over. The court is now too busy to deal with it. After this most difficult period is over, they will definitely settle the score.

Yu Chong sighed inwardly, then bowed his hands and replied earnestly, "I am here to deliver grain on the orders of the princess, and I dare not say that it is hard work. If we eat these 20,000 dan of grain sparingly, it should be enough to last until the new grain is harvested. If County Magistrate Liu wants to thank someone, he should thank the court, the princess, and the people in Nanyang County who worked hard to grow the grain. There is no need to thank me."

County Magistrate Liu said, "I will write a letter to the princess. Please give it to her on my behalf when the general returns."

Yu Chong nodded in agreement.

Next, the convoy carrying food slowly drove into the granary of the prefectural governor's mansion. The elite soldiers of the Nanyang Army were inevitably injured along the way, and those who could move came to carry the food. The personal soldiers in the prefectural governor's mansion also got busy.

Zheng Chen turned around and gave an order, and the accompanying royal guards also came forward to move the food.

Someone accidentally sprained his ankle while moving a grain bag, and the bag fell to the ground, getting torn, and the golden corn kernels were scattered all over the ground.

Even Zheng Chen felt heartbroken when he saw it. After spending a few months in Yan County, where there was a shortage of food and people were starving everywhere, he deeply felt what life-saving food meant. How could it be wasted?
Without waiting for Young Master Zheng to give the order, his personal guards immediately stepped forward and carefully picked up all the corn kernels that had fallen on the ground.

Half a day later, the empty granaries were filled.

The overworked Magistrate Liu heaved a long sigh of relief, his brows relaxed, and he said to Zheng Chen and Doctor Jiao: "The grain has arrived in Yan County, and the people have seen it with their own eyes. I think people's hearts are at ease. Why not open the granaries and release the grain in two days so that the people can get some."

Zheng Chen has always been in charge of providing relief and comfort to the people.

Zheng Chen nodded slightly: "Let someone post a notice first, and distribute the grain in two days. It's still the old rules, each household will be given grain according to the number of people, five kilograms of grain per person." Five kilograms of grain, add more water when putting it in the pot, find some wild vegetables, and save it to eat for ten days.

Magistrate Liu took the order and made arrangements.

Doctor Jiao reminded Zheng Chen in a low voice: "Young Master, the food for the imperial guards has also been reduced recently. Take advantage of the food sent by the court to fill the guards' stomachs."

It was helpless. When I left Beijing for Yan County, I wished I could bring more people with me for safety. But the food consumed by these 1,000 imperial guards was an astonishing number. The court was thousands of miles away, and the supply was weak and untimely. In the end, they had to divert the food for the relief of the people.

That's it. I haven't had a full meal for half a month. The Imperial Guards are the most elite troops in the court. They are stationed in the capital to guard the palace all year round. Most of them are from generals or good families. They have never suffered such a crime. They complained privately.

Zheng Chen nodded and agreed: "Pass my order to allocate 2,000 dan of grain from the granary to the Imperial Guards first."

The new grains were certainly not bad, but they were not that tasty to the imperial guards who were used to eating wheat, corn and beans. Eating them occasionally was fine, but eating corn paste and boiled sweet potatoes every day without any oil or smell was really unbearable.

Of course, this is better than having nothing to eat, so we can only make do with it.

"General, the food we sent is being given to the Imperial Guards first." The personal soldier came quietly over to report.

Yu Chong remained calm and said calmly, "Our mission is to deliver the grain. Once the grain is delivered, our mission is completed. How the grain is used next is the business of the imperial envoy and the governor of Liu. It has nothing to do with us, so don't meddle in it."

The soldier had been with Yu Chong for many years and was his confidant. After he responded, he couldn't help but mutter a few words: "The princess donated grain to the court, and the court immediately allocated it to Yan County. They were afraid that Young Master Zheng and the Imperial Guards would starve."

That’s how officialdom works.

Yu Chong glanced over and the guards immediately shut up.

That evening, Young Master Zheng personally hosted a small banquet to welcome Yu Chong.

The common people were short of food and drink, but the county governor's mansion certainly had no shortage of food, and the table was full of chicken, duck, fish and meat. Even so, Young Master Zheng felt that the food was rough and simple, so he put down his chopsticks after taking a few bites.

Liu Junshou ate with relish. Yu Chong had been in the military camp for many years, and was used to eating and living with the soldiers. He was not particular about food and ate with chopsticks very quickly.

Zheng Chen raised his glass and said with a smile: "I have heard of General Yu's great name a long time ago. Seeing you today, you are even more famous than I heard before. I toast to General Yu."

Yu Chong did not raise his glass, but held up his teacup: "Young Master Zheng, please forgive me. There is a rule in the Nanyang military camp that drinking is not allowed. As the commander, I cannot knowingly violate it. I will use tea instead of wine to toast you, young master."

Refusing to drink at a banquet can be seen as a military ethics, and it can also be understood as an attitude expressed through this action, indicating that people with different ideas cannot work together.

Jiang Shaohua was indeed very resourceful and had firmly secured Yu Chong. It seemed unlikely that he would be able to recruit him.

Zheng Chen curled his lips and drank the cup in one gulp. (End of this chapter)