SCT-Novel #301 - Smell the little fish fried in lard, they are so delicious!
#301 - Smell the little fish fried in lard, they are so delicious!
It was noon, outside Lingzhou City.
The commoners repairing the official road were lining up for food.
Several hundred meters away, soldiers were distributing the meals.
At each distribution point, hundreds of people were waiting in line to receive their food.
Although it wasn't exactly a picture of strict discipline and absolute obedience, it could still be considered orderly.
The governor's carriage passed through the center of the well-repaired road, heading towards the outside of the city. Through the gap in the curtains, Qin Hong looked at the commoners outside, a mixture of emotions stirring within him.
There was no fighting or snatching, no cursing or brawling.
The people's faces had color, and their eyes held vitality.
They spoke to each other amiably, their expressions friendly.
Were these really refugees?
He even saw some of these people holding their bowls, listening to a little girl teaching them how to count.
Many aristocratic families, or those of good birth, greatly disliked the common people of the countryside, considering them lowly, ignorant of etiquette, unreasonable, and like wild beasts, only knowing how to fight for immediate small gains.
"Bullshit! Have you heard of 'Those who eat meat are base'? Have you heard of 'When the granary is full, people know etiquette; when clothing and food are sufficient, people know honor and shame'?"
Sitting in the same carriage, Xu Chengxian immediately dredged up the ancient literary knowledge he had accumulated in junior and senior high school, of which little remained, and showed it off.
It's true that transmigrators love to show off their knowledge.
It's so damn satisfying!
"Daoist Xu's words are very true," Qin Hong said, "If you weren't so focused on pursuing the great path of cultivation, Daoist, and instead devoted yourself to the study of governance, you would surely achieve great things."
"Haha," Xu Chengxian laughed loudly.
See, this is the key.
The key is that Qin Hong could understand and was very good at flattery.
It couldn't help but make him feel even more satisfied.
Qin Hong smiled and looked out of the carriage window again.
He saw a golden-armored warrior maintaining order and thought, perhaps Daoist Xu, who had cultivated the great path, was more useful after all.
In the past, the government had also considered using labor as a form of relief.
But there were too many commoners, and it was very easy for chaos to erupt.
Why would they rather keep the disaster victims alive with thin porridge than drive them to do great things?
Like now, repairing and widening the official road, and then repairing the river and digging canals?
These were all tasks that required corvée labor every year, dragging people from their homes to do them.
If the disaster victims did it, wouldn't it be the same?
In fact, the difference in cost was not significant, the most important thing was the people being driven.
The people conscripted through corvée labor had families, and their families still had a way to survive. Both sides were afraid to cause trouble for fear of hurting the other, even if they were worked to death, their families could still live.
The refugees were different.
Seeking survival in death, they were willing to risk everything.
Also, driving the commoners required manpower.
The former was based on villages, townships, and counties, with people leading them to and from the work. The disaster victims came from all directions, making them difficult to manage, and there were not enough people to manage them.
People have selfish desires and greed.
Whenever there was a bit of power, there were many who would use their meager power to make things difficult for others.
With these gods watching over them, the commoners trusted them.
At least compared to the government clerks and those who relied on ferocity to eat and take more, these believers who spread the compassion of the gods seemed more trustworthy.
Qin Hong sighed slightly.
To govern the people for the Emperor!
If he could make all the people in the world as vibrant as those before him, then he would not have lived this life in vain!
But alas, this was almost impossible.
Believing that a compassionate god was protecting them, they were full of hope for the future.
With hope, people seemed to 'live'.
But could he really make all the people in the world believe that the White Maiden was a benevolent true god who could protect them?
Even if the commoners believed, could the White Maiden withstand this trust?
Many of the commoners outside Lingzhou City were discussing in private that after working for half a month, recovering their health, and taking the accumulated wages, they would go home to farm.
After finishing the spring plowing, they would come back to build a temple for the Maiden.
Lingzhou was located in a warm, humid, and rainy area, so delaying for a month would not affect the harvest.
Although, according to common sense, their fields had already been occupied by the gentry and wealthy families in the villages and townships.
But they could ask for help from the White Maiden.
Thinking of this, Qin Hong couldn't help but look at Xu Chengxian.
Or rather, ask for help from the Daoist Xu in front of him.
But he didn't know if this trust would be betrayed.
Privately, he hoped it wouldn't be.
If he had not been praised by the people, if he had not personally seen how sincerely, almost piously, these country bumpkins, despised by the aristocratic families, wished him endless generations of nobility.
Qin Hong really found it hard to believe that he would have such naive expectations.
And he was actually just taking advantage of the situation, going with the flow.
Thinking that he would occasionally feel ashamed because of this, he found it incredible.
He thought his conscience and sense of justice had long been thrown away to the dogs.
Now he saw that they were still there.
"Tsk," Xu Chengxian glanced at Qin Hong, who had a calm and indifferent expression, and couldn't help but grin.
Good fellow.
This guy has quite a rich inner life.
But, does Old Qin have the shame of being a good person?
What's wrong with wanting to be a good person?
It's not a bad thing.
As long as it's not at the expense of others, pulling close people to sacrifice and fulfilling one's own dedication, then what's the problem?
It's really a bit incomprehensible.
At this time, Qin Hong had already thought that if the White Maiden couldn't fulfill it, should he intervene and help the commoners?
After all, protecting the people of Lingzhou was also his duty.
Of course, it would be even better if the White Maiden could help him further.
"The White Maiden, who is willing to use the hard-earned incense and divine light to help the government with disaster relief, should be a kind woman," he thought to himself, "It's just that I haven't had the chance to meet her."
"Heh," Xu Chengxian chuckled.
What kind woman?
Our Xiao Cui is still a lively young girl!
At the same time, his heart moved, and he decided that when he met Qin Hong, he would not let Xiao Cui use her human form.
"Meeting in her original form would show more sincerity, right?"
Hehe!
"Daoist Xu, why are you laughing?"
"I remembered something funny."
"..."
"Hey? Wait!" Xu Chengxian suddenly called out.
"What's wrong?" Qin Hong straightened his back nervously.
Could it be that there was danger...
"Wild vegetable dumplings!" Xu Chengxian shouted, "This thing tastes best with zhuyu sauce!"
"..."
"Good fellow! There are also pan-fried small fish! They're selling this outside the city now? Amazing, little brother, give me a rolled pancake!" He waved and called the guard over to him and said.
Then he asked Qin Hong, "Old Qin, do you want some? Small fish fried in lard, smell it, it's fragrant!"
"... Daoist Xu, we are going to the territory of the Shamen."
"I know, so what?" Then he signaled Qin Hong to pay.
The immortal Daoist Xu Xianchang didn't have a single copper coin on him.
"..."
Thus, Xu Chengxian walked into the Tiancan Temple while gnawing on a small fish rolled pancake and carrying wild vegetable dumplings.
And he turned a blind eye to the smiling gaze of the receptionist monk.