There were few people among the disaster victims to stir up their emotions. Everyone recalled that they had eaten all the food that Prince Zhongshun and the Princess had tried their best to get, and everyone's anger subsided a lot.
Regardless of whether the emperor cared about them or not, at least Prince Zhongshun and Li Zhixian did their best.
They were instigated to riot when they were in panic.
But after venting their emotions, many regretted it again, and they even began to worry about being held accountable. They stopped rushing into the yamen in a irritable manner, but there were bursts of crying from the crowd.
This sadness made everyone feel the same, and the cry of the victims became louder and louder, shocking people's hearts.
Qin Yining leaned on Pang Xiao's side and shed tears when she heard that sad cry.
Pang Xiao put his arms around Qin Yining's shoulders and rubbed them, then said loudly, "Don't be afraid, everyone. Since this king has received the decree to come here, he will definitely do a good job of the disaster relief ambassador. There are many roads, making it even more difficult to transport food into the city, but this king will find a way to solve these problems. Please be patient and don’t waste your energy.”
Some of the people who were sobbing and weeping said loudly: "How can we trust you?"
"Yeah, we have been sleepy here for so long, and so many people have died in vain, and many of the injured should not have lost their lives!"
"You disaster relief workers came so slowly and came empty-handed. How can you tell us little people to trust you?"
…
Everyone is a pitiful person, and they all lost their relatives more or less in this disaster, and Li Qitian's actions are really chilling, and it is no wonder that these people in the disaster area hold grudges in their hearts.
In fact, Pang Xiao and Qin Yining did not agree with Li Qitian's approach.
However, their position cannot be said to be wrong with Li Qitian, so they can only make a stern guarantee that they will never abandon any of the people.
The two abolished the power of nine bulls and two tigers to suppress a riot. No serious damage was caused.
If today's riots continue, even if Pang Xiao has excellent martial arts skills and is surrounded by experts to protect him, but a good tiger can't beat a group of wolves, and the people who are madly fighting for their lives rush up. More serious consequences are still unknown.
After finally reassuring the victims, Pang Xiao took Qin Yining to discuss countermeasures with Li Zhixian and Gong Zhifu.
In an open space, everyone sat on the ground regardless of their status, and the Longchong Army also surrounded everyone.
Gong Zhifu said: "The situation is very clear now. Although the saint's disaster relief money has not yet arrived, the money donated by the prince has been enough for a long time, but the transportation is inconvenient, and we have nowhere to buy rice. Those big households who had rice, but they killed the price of 10 taels of silver and one stone of brown rice, and refused to lower the price at all. If the price was 10 taels of silver and one stone, the money would have to buy medicine and rice, and I don’t know how long they would be able to support these people’s lives. .
Pang Xiao gritted his teeth and said, "Those thieves who are rich and unkind!"
Everyone's heart is very heavy, because when the people are suffering, some people get together to find a way, and there are also morally ruined families like the Ding family and the Pei family standing on the dry bank to watch jokes.
Such a strong contrast is embarrassing.
But the disaster victims didn't understand their difficulties, they only saw the food and money that the Holy Spirit did not give for disaster relief, and many people died of starvation and sickness.
Disaster relief is not only about keeping the victims alive. From the point of view of the sage, the more important thing is to stabilize the hearts of the people.
If the former can't do it, I'm afraid it will lose popular support. If the latter can't do it, it may lead to death!
Qin Yining pursed her lips. In fact, she had a cruel solution circling in her mind, but she never said it.
Seeing so many suffering people today, she finally no longer hesitated and said firmly: "Actually, I have a way to temporarily relieve the urgent need without money. It's just that this way is too sinister..."
Everyone looked at Qin Yining.
Pang Xiao thoughtfully said: "What is your method?"
"Rob the rich to help the poor."
After Qin Yining finished speaking, he pursed his lips and frowned, unable to speak for a long time.
Li Zhixian said: "Xiaguan understands what the princess means, but we don't have enough troops. If we attack those big households, we may not be able to grab food at all, and it will only increase casualties."
Gong Zhifu also nodded: "That's right. Besides, we went to rob those people, and I'm afraid that in the end, we will be charged with a crime."
Qin Yining pursed his lips and closed his eyes before saying, "But what if the people who collided with those big households were disaster victims?"
Everyone was stunned when they heard the words.
Pang Xiao hugged Qin Yining distressedly, and patted her on the back soothingly, ignoring everyone's gaze.
"Sister Yi, I'm embarrassing you."
Qin Yining shook his head, gently pushed Pang Xiao away, and said, "You may think that the method I think is too sinister. Because once the victims of the disaster attack the wealthy households with anger, it will definitely cause serious casualties on both sides. Moreover, the victims rushed into the splendid homes of large families, and things like smashing, looting and burning are unavoidable, and even some old people, children and women will...
"However, I really can't think of any other way to save so many people now.
"The treasury of the Sage is empty, and I don't know when the food and grass will be delivered. But the people in the disaster area have to eat and take medicine every day. If things go on like this, there will be widespread resentment among the people, and the country of the Sage will not be stable. The most important thing is that I am afraid of these people. , will become victims.
"And this method of attacking the big households, although cruel and casualties, is the least casualty method compared to the fact that all the common people starve to death, and eventually develop into the point of changing children to eat."
Qin Yining lowered his head and murmured, "I have come up with such a cruel way, maybe I will go to eighteen layers of hell in the future."
"Sister Yi, don't say that." Pang Xiao smiled and put his arms around her shoulders comfortingly: "I understand what you mean and think, just like when I killed people on the battlefield, in fact, at first I was Those who can't go down with the knife, because the opponent is also a human being, and maybe there are people in everyone's family waiting to go home. If I go down with the knife, it will cause a tragedy for a family.
"However, I still can't hesitate when it's time to strike. Because if I don't kill, they will not only kill me, but also more people. If I don't kill, the troubled times will not end, and the people will not be able to live in peace. It's a good day. Sometimes killing hundreds of people can feel cruel and bloody. But after thinking about it, these people's sacrifices can exchange for the happiness of more people, so it's worth it.
"As for the murders committed, it doesn't matter if you go to eighteen levels of hell after death. After all, there is a saying in Buddhists, 'Who will go to hell if I don't go to hell?'"
Hearing this, Qin Yining couldn't help but murmur: "If I don't go to hell, who will go to hell... Yes. I came up with such a sinister method. As long as more people can survive, the sacrifice of these few people is worth it, even if it is the next one. Hell also recognizes it. Moreover, such an action can play a role in killing chickens and warning monkeys. The rest of the big households in the city and county will not continue to bite the price when they hear about the end here. We don’t want to rob them. Food, we just want a fair price."
The more Qin Yining spoke, the more determined his mind became, and his eyes cast aside the weakness just now, and became firmer and wiser.
At this time, everyone present understood what Qin Yining meant.
They thought about it carefully. Indeed, in the absence of soldiers and horses to suppress, the only way to reduce casualties and let most people live is to instigate a riot and let the victims go and snatch the food of the big households.
If the law does not blame the public, how could the sage be held accountable for the actions of a large group of disaster victims
It's just this matter that pity the victims. The old and weak women and children of those big families. After all, they are not decision-makers, but they have to lose their own lives.
When everyone looked at Qin Yining, their eyes changed.
How smart and decisive is a woman who can think of such a decision? She has compassion and will feel guilty for those who are about to die, but her purpose is to save as many people as possible. Although the method is cruel, who can blame half a sentence
That night, Qin Yining fell asleep.
She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. What appeared in front of her eyes was a scene of a mob rushing into a big family's house to burn, kill, and loot, and another scene of a miserable woman and child being abused.
She fell asleep easily, but was awakened by a nightmare.
Pang Xiao was awakened by Qin Yining's scream in her dream, and seeing the tears on her face, she couldn't help but hug her tightly in her arms.
"Sister Yi, you did nothing wrong. There is nothing wrong with your approach. If there is a mistake, the culprit is the one above, not you."
"But someone will die because of this method of mine."
"But most of the people will also survive because of your methods. Not only the people in Yangxian County, but all the people in the rest of the disaster area can survive because of your methods."
Qin Yining leaned on Pang Xiao's shoulder, closed his eyes and nodded.
In the face of the cruel discovery, only by putting away weakness can we move forward.
In the early morning of the next day, the victims learned of the unkindness of the big households: Prince Zhongshun went to buy grain, half sand and half brown rice, but it rose to twelve taels of silver and one stone. They also knew that Prince Zhongshun went to eat several times behind closed doors because the money was not enough. There was no way to buy rice locally, and the people suddenly became angry.
After noon, there was a riot by the victims, and news came that they rushed to the Ding family and the Pei family.
At the same time, Hu Zi carried a man with five flowers tied up in front of Pang Xiao and Qin Yining.
"Back to the lord, after the two carefully interrogated them yesterday, they recruited them. It was indeed someone who ordered them to deliberately incite the emotions of the victims, causing the victims to have a riot as big as yesterday. This person is the mastermind behind the scenes."
The two of them lowered their eyes, looking at Madam Lu who was lying on the ground with a rag in her mouth with complicated expressions.
Qin Yining said in a deep voice: "Why is it you? Didn't you go back to the village in the countryside? Why are you here, and you still do such a thing? You know that because of your actions, the riot happened yesterday. Stampede, how many people died?"
Mrs. Lu bit the rag and glared angrily.
Qin Yining said, "Take it off for her and let her talk."
"Yes."
Hu Zi immediately took the rag away.
Madam Lu was like a giant cicada. After a long time, she sat on the side with all her strength, looked up at Pang Xiao, then looked at Qin Yining, and said, "I just want the victims to live, what's wrong with me!"