Chapter 488: Shi Kefa Arrives
Censor Wu Shen was suffering from a splitting headache.
Oh, my head was throbbing!
Thirty thousand displaced families of rebels were now crammed into the small Hequ County town.
Although he knew he shouldn't think it, a dark curse still flashed through his mind: "Wang Jiayin, you absolute scoundrel, why didn't you take your dependents with you when you broke through? Why abandon them here? Am I supposed to foster these rebel wives on your behalf?"
In that instant, even the civil official's heart harbored a thought similar to a military officer's: How splendid it would be to just slaughter them all!
However, such a thought was absolutely forbidden for a scholar steeped in the classics of the sages. After suppressing his dark side, he returned to his more righteous demeanor, frowning deeply: These people had to be resettled.
Moreover, they couldn't be resettled in Shanxi.
These people were all from Shaanxi. If he were to propose settling them in Shanxi, Governor Song Tongyin of Shanxi would certainly be displeased. That displeasure would lead to poor cooperation, and then, in a chaotic rush, these thirty thousand people would simply be dumped into some random valley, given no food, no farmland, and left to fend for themselves. Within days, they would rebel again.
Even though they had no able-bodied men, only the elderly, weak, women, and children, a rebellion led by a group of old people and women armed with hoes would only make the imperial court appear more unjust, wouldn't it? Then what? Kill them all again? Slaughter them until rivers of blood flowed, then send up thirty thousand severed heads of the vulnerable? The Emperor would be furious, and Censor Wu Shen's own head would be the first to roll.
The thought of relocating them back to Shaanxi immediately brought to mind Chengcheng County, a place that seemed capable of miracles.
"Alas, I wonder if Chengcheng County would even agree to take in these thirty thousand old, weak, women, and children."
"Report!"
A subordinate entered, announcing loudly, "Your Excellency, Shaanxi Judicial Commissioner Shi Kefa seeks an audience!"
A surge of joy filled Wu Shen: "Has Shi Kefa arrived? Excellent! Invite him in."
Soon, Shi Kefa strode in.
Shi Kefa was twenty-nine years old, at an ambitious age for building a career. His current official position was Judicial Commissioner for Xi'an, Shaanxi. A judicial commissioner's primary duty was to manage judicial affairs and assist in ceremonial rites.
However, since taking office, he hadn't spent many days on the proper duties of a judicial commissioner. Instead, he had been constantly engaged in providing relief to the populace.
There was no choice; without relief, the people would suffer!
If relief wasn't provided, the people would turn to crime, and then the judicial commissioner's work would become endless.
Therefore, providing relief *before* the people turned to crime, nipping disaster in the bud, meant he wouldn't have to perform the commissioner's arduous duties. That was the mark of a true judicial commissioner, much like a master swordsman who holds no blade in hand.
The moment Wu Shen saw Shi Kefa, tears welled in his eyes, as if seeing a long-lost family member: "My dear Shi, you've arrived at just the right time. These families of displaced rebels, who have fled from Shaanxi to Shanxi, must be sent back to Shaanxi for resettlement. The journey will incur substantial expenses, and if the person in charge of this matter succumbs to greed and pockets these funds, these thirty thousand people will surely rebel again. Only by entrusting this task to you can I find peace of mind."
Shi Kefa's face was filled with confidence and composure, his eyes resolute: "Your Excellency, rest assured. If I were to embezzle even a single copper coin of relief funds, may I be reborn as a paving stone in my next life, trodden underfoot by the countless common folk."
Wu Shen declared, "I can only place my trust in you."
He waved his hand, and a subordinate brought out a chest of silver: "Use this silver to send these thirty thousand vulnerable people back to Shaanxi and deliver them into the hands of Chengcheng County Magistrate Liang Shixian."
Shi Kefa glanced into the chest and gasped, a cold breath catching in his throat: "Your Excellency, if I'm not mistaken, there are at most three thousand taels of silver here. How can I possibly settle thirty thousand people with such a paltry sum?"
Wu Shen replied, "This is only for travel expenses, for what you'll spend on the road."
Shi Kefa asked, "Just travel expenses? After arriving in Chengcheng County, I'm not expected to manage anything further?"
Wu Shen nodded, a somber expression on his face: "No, you won't be expected to, and indeed, you couldn't. Alas."
He looked dejected: "I brought one hundred thousand taels of silver into Shaanxi. The moment I arrived, Hong Chengchou demanded twenty thousand taels to pay overdue military salaries. I was left with only eighty thousand. After countless relief efforts, east and west, the silver in my hands is now less than fifty thousand. These three thousand taels, I gritted my teeth to scrape together for you."
Shi Kefa's eyes widened in alarm.
Wu Shen quickly stepped forward, grasping Shi Kefa's hand: "Besides you, I can't trust anyone else. They would all be greedy for this silver. Only you are worthy of trust."
Shi Kefa's spirits lifted: "Understood, Your Excellency. You can rely on me. Though my abilities may be humble, I shall strive with all my might."
Soon after, Shi Kefa, accompanied by a thousand government soldiers and the thirty thousand vulnerable people, embarked on the long journey to Chengcheng County.
The fastest way from Hequ to Chengcheng County should have been by boat.
However, the upper reaches of the Yellow River were turbulent, making river travel difficult. The imperial court's transport capacity here was insufficient, making it impossible to deploy large numbers of riverboats to transport thirty thousand people. Shi Kefa had no choice but to travel by land, first to Taiyuan, then from Taiyuan to Pingyang Prefecture, then from Pingyang Prefecture to Hejin Prefecture. They would cross the Yellow River via the Dragon Gate Ferry, then pass through Han City and Heyang County to enter Chengcheng.
This route stretched for hundreds of miles!
Shi Kefa knew it would be difficult, but he was not afraid. Though he felt inadequate, he never retreated.
Days later, he led the group to Taiyuan Prefecture.
The provisions they had started with were exhausted. The elderly, weak, women, and children cried out in hunger, many unable to walk. Their spirits were at breaking point; if they weren't fed soon, trouble would surely erupt.
Shi Kefa had no choice but to enter Taiyuan Prefecture to buy grain.
Upon inquiring at the government granary within the city, he learned the grain price was eight hundred copper coins per dou.
A sharp ache shot through Shi Kefa's head.
At that rate, three thousand taels of silver would only buy around fifty thousand catties of grain. How could that possibly be enough for thirty thousand people to travel hundreds of miles?
There was no choice but to press on.
Shi Kefa first negotiated with the granary, using his official authority to push the price down to seven hundred copper coins per dou. He then spent fifteen hundred taels of silver, buying over twenty thousand catties of grain. This allowed the vulnerable group to eat a single, half-filling meal, which helped to quell their restiveness and soothe the people's hearts. Afterwards, he led them further south.
Along the way, they were digging for roots, foraging for wild vegetables, and stripping tree bark. Desperately economizing, they cooked these foraged items mixed with the meager grain. After arduous travel, they covered several hundred more miles.
Those twenty thousand-plus catties of grain were now all but gone.
A subordinate reported: "Your Excellency, our grain supply is bottoming out. We need to find somewhere to buy more."
Shi Kefa's brows furrowed deeply: "Which city is next on our route?"
The subordinate replied, "Pingyang Prefecture."
"Pingyang Prefecture, you say?" Shi Kefa immediately recalled a recent military report: Pingyang Prefecture had been attacked by ten thousand rebel troops led by the Southern Camp Eight Great Kings. Brigadier General Li Huai had suffered a defeat, and the city had barely avoided falling, only narrowly holding out thanks to reinforcements from Shi Jian, a Centurion under the Shaanxi Commander-in-Chief. Shi Jian had since been promoted to Commander.
Shi Kefa sighed deeply: "Pingyang Prefecture was recently attacked by rebels; I fear the grain prices there will not be cheap either. Alas... what are we to do?"
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