klisemfg Chapter 157 The Sudden Arrival of Refugees
Chapter 157 The Sudden Arrival of Refugees
After getting the thing he had been longing for, Yan Wanwan went straight to the yamen.
By then, the prefect had already completed the population count and finally confirmed that the earth dragon's turning did not cause any casualties among the people, and even the houses were intact without any damage.
As soon as the prefect saw Yan Wanwan enter the yamen, he jumped up from his seat in excitement. His face was filled with uncontrollable joy, and his voice was full of excitement. He shouted, "County Lady! We are so lucky this time. We are unharmed! No one was injured, and all the houses are safe and sound. There is no loss at all!"
This was the first time he had encountered such a good thing since he took office as the prefect of Nanping Prefecture.
In the past, whenever there was a disturbance, either houses collapsed and people were crushed to death, or people were trampled while fleeing. There has never been a record of zero casualties.
Yan Wanwan glanced at him, her eyes full of helplessness, thinking: Look at this unsophisticated man, and is this a lucky thing? Clearly, they used the best earthquake-proof materials and made an early assessment.
"Okay, I get it. Prefect, I'm not trying to criticize you, but Nanping Prefecture has experienced quite a few earthquakes recently. Why haven't you been so excited?"
The prefect was slightly stunned, then an awkward smile appeared on his face. He scratched his head and explained, "My Lord, you don't know that those earthquakes didn't happen in the prefectural capital. I didn't experience them myself, so I couldn't truly feel the thrill of it, so..."
Yan Wanwan nodded slightly and said thoughtfully, "Well, it seems that you need to spend more time going out to investigate the people's sentiments and gain a deeper understanding of their living conditions. You can't just stay in this government office."
The prefect was speechless for a moment, a wry smile appeared on his lips, and he didn't know how to respond.
In order to break the slightly awkward atmosphere, he quickly changed the subject and said, "County Lady, I just received news that Grand Tutor Zhou has returned to the capital."
"Oh!"
Yan Wanwan remained calm and nodded gently, as if all this was within her expectations. After what had just happened, if Grand Tutor Zhou had continued to stay in Nanping Prefecture, she was absolutely certain he would be ruined.
The prefect cautiously asked, "County Lady, aren't you worried that Grand Tutor Zhou will gossip about us in front of the Emperor when he returns?"
Yan Wanwan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile. She said firmly, "What's there to be afraid of? We are upright and honest. Everything we do is for the people of Nanping Prefecture. We are aboveboard. Why should we be afraid of his nonsense and his distortion of right and wrong?"
After hearing this, the prefect nodded silently and said no more.
Yan Wanwan suddenly turned around, looking at the prefect with a sharp gaze, and said in a serious and somewhat authoritative tone, "However, there is one thing you must pay special attention to in the future. As the parent official of Nanping Prefecture, you are in charge of the well-being of the people. There is no need to kowtow to other outsiders. Our Nanping Prefecture may seem insignificant now, but in my opinion, given time, it will surely become a place more prosperous than Jingzhao. You must show your courage and responsibility and work with your head held high!"
When the prefect heard this, he was shocked. Why did this sound so treasonous?
But he knew in his heart that Yan Wanwan was trying to test his attitude towards Grand Tutor Zhou. He was not without confidence in the future of Nanping Prefecture. His recent interactions had made him realize that Yan Wanwan's plans for Nanping Prefecture were extremely forward-looking. Perhaps within a few years, Nanping Prefecture would truly rival Jingzhao Prefecture.
But his previous status was humble, not even as high as that of a seventh-rank official in Jingzhao. How could he dare to show off in front of Grand Tutor Zhou?
"Don't worry, County Master. I understand what you mean. I will definitely remember your teachings and know how to act in the future."
Seeing the prefect's sincere attitude, Yan Wanwan's dissatisfaction dissipated a little. She nodded slightly, with a look of expectation in her eyes.
"That's good. I hope you'll keep your word. The future of Nanping Prefecture depends entirely on you and me."
After saying that, she lowered her head, as if she was thinking about something.
At this moment, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. A yamen runner rushed in with a panicked look on his face. He knelt on the ground with a plop and said breathlessly, "County Lady, Lord Prefect, something terrible has happened! The number of refugees outside the city has suddenly increased. Now there are hundreds of them, and they are rushing towards the city. It seems that they want to come in and beg for food!"
When the prefect heard the news, his face turned pale as paper, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his voice trembled unconsciously. He asked anxiously, "Did you really see it clearly?"
The bailiff's face was filled with panic, and he looked bewildered. He quickly responded, "It's absolutely true. I saw it clearly! What should we do now?"
When everyone was in a panic, only Yan Wanwan remained calm and quickly analyzed the situation: "Close the city gate immediately!"
When the prefect heard this, his face flushed with anxiety, and he quickly tried to dissuade her, saying, "County Lady, I'm afraid this is not a good idea!"
He knew that Nanping Prefecture was Yan Wanwan's fiefdom, but if he really ignored the refugees, it would have a great impact on Yan Wanwan's reputation, especially since she was also a general's wife.
Yan Wanwan naturally thought of this as well. She frowned, still looking at the yamen runner with a sharp gaze, and ordered sternly: "What are you still standing there for? Do you think that my words are no longer effective?"
Upon hearing this, the bailiff immediately ran out to close the city gate. The prefect looked at his leaving back and seemed to be hesitant to speak.
"County Lady, if those refugees come, I'm afraid they will gather at the city gate. We don't have enough food reserves in the city. Won't they cause trouble?"
What he feared most was angering the refugees and causing them to do extreme things, thus destroying the situation that Nanping Prefecture had finally recovered.
Yan Wanwan smiled and comforted him, "Why panic? As long as I don't let them in, they can't get in."
Did she really think those plants she had planted outside the city gates were just for show? If anyone dared to act recklessly and cause trouble within her jurisdiction, she would make sure they never returned, with absolutely no chance of survival.
Upon hearing this, the prefect felt helpless about her unfounded confidence and asked, "So what do I need to do now?"
Yan Wanwan frowned slightly and fell into a brief moment of contemplation. After a moment, she said in a calm and firm tone, "Go and check the amount of grain currently in the treasury immediately. Then carefully count it and see how much grain our Nanping Prefecture can provide at once."
The prefect responded quickly and left respectfully after receiving the order.
Yan Wanwan sat quietly on the chair, without moving, but slowly closed her eyes, tapping her fingers rhythmically on the table, as if thinking about something.
It didn't take long for her to understand the whole story clearly.
It turned out that those refugees had all traveled all the way from the far northwest. They were ruthlessly turned away in all the prefectures they passed through on the way. In desperation, they decided to go to Jingzhao, and Nanping Prefecture was just the place they were deliberately lured to.
She suddenly thought of something and a smug smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.