The sun was tilted to the west, and the river wind carried the smell of rancidity and sweat, making people's brains ache.
This area of the dock is usually a place where coolies carrying big bags sweat, but today it has become a living hell on earth.
After a while, a burst of chaotic but powerful footsteps came from the street.
The leader is Xu Chun, the chief steward of Ping'an Cart Company, followed by the old brothers Jin He, Li Gou, and Ma Laifu.
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They didn't come empty-handed. More than a dozen Flatbed Carts were piled up like a hill and covered with thick oilcloth. Although they couldn't see what was inside, the unique aroma of grain floated over them in the wind.
Immediately afterwards, the sound of chanting also came from the river.
Dragon King Society's several flat-bottomed sand boats, with green and black flags, broke through the waves, like chasing ducks, and trapped the dozen or so shabby refugee boats in a water area, which not only prevented them from running around and crashing into the water gate, but also blocked some of the rapid waves of the river.
Abacus Song ran over from the back of the motorcade with a ledger in his hand and was sweating profusely. His long gown was soaked through and stuck to his back.
Seeing Qin Geng, Abacus Song did not rush to let people unload the car. Instead, they grabbed Qin Geng's sleeves and dragged him two steps back to a quiet place.
"Fifth Master, do we still need to consider this matter again?"
Abacus Song's triangular eyes were full of shrewdness and worry, and he lowered his voice. "Since ancient times, it has been that the officials did not give out porridge, and the people did not raise the fire. Although the world is chaotic now, the yamen's airs are still there. If our car dealership puts up the banner of donating porridge, it will be to win people's hearts."
"If you look at it at a small scale, it's an act of subjugation; if you look at it at a big scale, it's just to win over people's hearts and have evil intentions. What if the higher-ups--"
He pointed in the direction of the Yamen, "If you don't feel happy, give us the label of inviting people's hearts. If you can't be a good person, you will have to suffer."
Qin Geng looked at Abacus Song. Although this old boy had good calculations, his concerns were not unreasonable.
Throughout the dynasties, only the government could open warehouses to release grain. If the wealthy households made a big move, that would be the fate of Shen Wansan.
But Qin Geng turned his head and looked at the pair of eyes that were glowing green with hunger, and at the child who had been put down and lying on the deck in a daze.
"I can't care less."
Qin Geng The sound is not loud, but it is as hard as iron.
"If these thousands of people don't have a stutter, the camp will be blown up tonight. When thousands of hungry ghosts rush into the city, it will be a huge disaster."
"If something happens, I'll take care of it."
Qin Geng flicked his sleeves and looked at Xu Chun: "Uncle Xu, unload the truck! Set up the pot!"
"Okay! Listen to Fifth Master!"
Xu Chun is a real person who couldn't bear to see this miserable situation. As soon as he heard Qin Geng speak, he immediately shouted at the top of his voice, "Li Gou! Put up those big iron pots! Ma Laifu, take people to find firewood! Be smart in your movements!"
"Brother Dragon King Society, pull the boat over and build a gangplank! Don't let anyone push you into the water!"
At this order, the dock immediately became busy.
Several large iron pots with a diameter of five feet were lined up in a row, with dry firewood stuffed underneath, and the flames started to fly.
The water is ready-made river water. Although it is a bit muddy, you can drink it after boiling it.
The rice bag was opened, and although there was not much white rice, most of it was old rice and broken corn noodles, but at this juncture, it was life-saving gold dust.
"Listen up!"
Xu Chun was holding a big iron spoon in his hand, standing on the edge of the pot, shouting at the refugees who had started to commotion, "If anyone dares to rob or squeeze, I will smash his head with a spoon! Get in line! Come one by one!"
The refugees smelled the fragrance of rice, but they couldn't bear to hear it, and they rushed to the trestle like crazy.
"Pah!"
Li Gou led several strong young men from the car dealership, carrying hardwood sticks removed from the shaft of the car in their hands, and slapped the ground hard several times without politeness.
"Back off! Fuck back!"
"Who dares to blow up the thorns? This stick doesn't recognize anyone!"
Under the threat of sticks, the crowd finally calmed down a little and began to line up in a crooked line.
The first pot of porridge started rolling quickly.
But that can't be called porridge at all.
Take a large pot of water, sprinkle two handfuls of rice into it, and throw in a few chopped steamed bun pieces.
Take a spoon and stir it up. The clear soup is devoid of water and there are hardly any rice grains. It is just rice soup.
"Isn't this--this is too rare?"
There was a kind-hearted Junior Banner Officer next to him who couldn't stand it anymore and whispered in a low voice, "Fifth Master, we are not short of this little rice. What will happen if we drink this?"
Qin Geng stood by the pot, looking at the rolling rice soup, his eyes a little straight.
"You don't understand."
Qin Geng said lightly, "These people have been hungry for so long that their intestines and stomachs have shrunk into a ball of paper. If they are given dry food or thick porridge at this time, if they eat it and their stomachs bloat, they will die immediately."
"Drink water and rice soup first to moisten your intestines and save your life. I'll give you something thicker tomorrow."
Then Junior Banner Officer was stunned and said nothing.
Xu Chun is also an old Jianghu, and understands this principle. Every spoonful is a full spoonful of soup, with some broken rice stars in it.
"Drink! Drink slowly! Don't burn yourself to death!"
A skinny old man tremblingly took the broken bowl and poured it into his mouth without caring about the boiling hot soup.
"Gudong, Gudong----"
After drinking the hot soup, a flush suddenly appeared on the old man's pale face, and tears flowed down his wrinkled face.
"Alive----alive----"
Qin Geng Looking at this scene, his thoughts were suddenly pulled back to a few years ago.
It was such a cold day at that time.
He was like a wild dog, huddled in the corner that smelled of swill.
Xu Chun When he picked him up, he was so hungry that he couldn't even open his eyes.
That night, there were several big steamed buns.
He was ignorant at that time and was so hungry that he thought it was the most delicious thing in the world.
One, two, three----
He ate five in one go.
After drinking, it felt like there was a ball of fire in his stomach, which made him roll on the ground and scream in pain.
If Xu Chun hadn't given him a vomiting-inducing medicinal soup and rubbed his belly all night long, his Qin Geng life would have been taken away by those five bowls of porridge that night.
"Xiao Wu----Xiao Wu----"
At that time, everyone called him that because of those five bowls of porridge that almost killed him.
"Fifth Master, what are you thinking about?"
Li Gou's voice brought Qin Geng back to reality.
Qin Geng shook his head and shook the old things out of his mind. "Nothing. Let the brothers keep an eye on it, especially those children, and skim more oil."
While he was busy working, there was suddenly a rush of horse hooves in the distance.
"Da da da"
The sound of the horse's hooves was so heavy that every sound on the Bluestone boardwalk was like a knock on one's heart.
There was a commotion in the crowd, and many refugees were so frightened that they ran to the boat with their bowls in hand, thinking that the officers and soldiers were coming to arrest them.
"Don't even move!"
Qin Geng shouted in a low voice, not loud, but with the penetrating power of Transforming Force Grandmaster, which stabilized the scene.
He turned around and looked towards the street.
I saw a group of knights wearing Brocade Uniform and riding tall horses galloping towards them.
The first one is Dragon-Guard Office Deputy Office Director, Zhao Jinglie.
The young marquis had a stern face today, holding a riding crop in his hand, followed by dozens of fully armed Wave-Quelling Bureau elites.
"Appeal
Zhao Jinglie reined in the horse in front of the trestle. The maroon war horse stood up and neighed.
Abacus Song was so frightened that his legs weakened and he almost knelt down.
It's over, no matter what happens, the government officials are here.
Zhao Jinglie was condescending, his eyes like lightning, sweeping over the rows of large iron pots and the refugees who were eating porridge, and finally fell on Qin Geng.
"Qin Geng."
Zhao Jinglie turned over and dismounted, tapping the riding crop gently in his hand. "Did you cause this movement?"
"My lord, this is a humble position."
Qin Geng took a step forward, clasped his fists in salute, and stood up straight. "In emergencies, you must obey the authority. These thousands of people are blocked at the dock. If they starve to death or make a fuss, Tianjin will be restless. I took the decision without authorization and asked the dealer to make some rice soup first."
"Making the decision without permission?"
Zhao Jinglie sneered, but it was a superficial smile, "You are so brave. Do you know that among these thousands of people, if Wicked Cultivator from Shandong got mixed up, or brought with them the plague, if this pot of porridge goes down, the entire Tianjin will be buried with you?"
Abacus Song was sweating coldly while listening, and winked at Qin Geng desperately.
Qin Geng, however, remained calm. "Bizhi knew it. So I didn't let them go ashore, but only set up a checkpoint on the trestle. And----"
Qin Geng paused and looked directly into Zhao Jinglie's eyes. "Sir, both Lord Jia and Lord Shen entered Yin Mountain, now in this Jinmen City, you are the backbone. If you say you don't want to save these thousands of lives, you will ruin your humble position and let them go back where they came from."
"However, I can't bear the consequences of this. I'm afraid you, my lord, will have to think about it."
"Presumptuous!"
Zhao Jinglie One of the guards behind him shouted sternly, pressing his hand on the handle of the knife.
Zhao Jinglie raised his hand and stopped the bodyguard.
He looked at Qin Geng, the coldness in his eyes slowly dissipated, replaced by a kind of appreciation and helplessness.
"You kid, are you trying to bully me with your words?"
Zhao Jinglie sighed and put the riding crop away from his waist.
"Okay, don't pretend to be a wolf here. You also know that Lord Jia and Lord Shen are not here, and this mess now falls on me."
Zhao Jinglie looked at the refugees and frowned. "You did the right thing, but you also did it badly."
"It's just enough to eat? It's freezing cold here. If the wind blows from the river at night, half of us will freeze to death."
"Besides, preventing the plague is the most important thing."
Zhao Jinglie turned around and shouted orders to the guards behind him.
"Send my order!"
"First, keep giving this porridge, don't save me rice. As much as the dealer puts in, Revenue Office will make up for it later. This is a business matter and cannot be paid by private individuals."
"Second, from now on, requisition all the idle tents and quilts in the city. Go tell the Merchants' Association gang of misers not to just focus on the profit. If this Refugee Camp cannot be built, there will be a plague, and none of them will survive!"
"The big families in the city provide money and goods. Who dares to cry out for poverty at this time, I will ask Demon-Suppression Bureau to check the Feng Shui of their ancestral tombs!"
He said this with murderous intent, Zhao Jinglie is a true hawk, and never sloppily handles matters.
"Third."
Zhao Jinglie pointed in the direction of Origin Mountain outside the city.
"We can't stay at this pier, it's too windy, and it's too close to the city."
"Pull all the people to Cold Mountain Temple at the foot of Origin Mountain. The terrain there is high, there are ready-made houses and open space, and below
The wind outlet, if you are really sick, you won't be able to blow it into the city."
"Fourth and most important."
Zhao Jinglie turned to look at Qin Geng: "I have asked Zheng Tonghe to take all the doctors from the Hundred Herb Hall to Cold Mountain Temple. Qin Geng, take your people and escort these refugees there now."
"Remember, everyone needs to be checked. Anyone with a fever, rash, or red eyes must be isolated and dealt with."
"Yes!"
Qin Geng takes the order.
Origin Mountain, Cold Mountain Temple.
This ancient temple is not very popular on weekdays and is very quiet.
But tonight, the place is brightly lit and full of people.
Thousands of refugees were resettled in batches in the open space in front of the temple and in several side halls.
Simple tents were set up one after another, and bonfires were burning in the open space, dispelling the cold air in the mountains.
Zheng Tonghe is leading dozens of Physician, all with their faces covered with thick gauze and intestine gloves on their hands.
Intense investigation.
Qin Geng is also among them.
He sat in front of a makeshift clinic, with a long queue in front of him.
"Tongue sticking out."
Qin Geng's voice is a little hoarse.
In front of him was a woman in her thirties, holding a child in her arms.
Qin Geng looked at her tongue coating. It was white and thick, but there was no erythema.
Then hold the pulse gate and feel it carefully.
A weak pulse indicates hunger and loss of both qi and blood, but it does not have the characteristic hotness and frenzy of epidemic poison.
"It's okay, I'm just hungry."
Qin Geng drew a circle on a wooden sign with a pen and handed it to the woman. "Take this, go over there to get cotton clothes, and then go to the tent on the left to rest. Feed the child some sugar water."
"Thank you, doctor----Thank you, doctor----"
The woman left with great gratitude.
"Next."
This busy work lasted several hours.
Qin Geng felt like his fingers could hardly feel the beating of his pulse, it was all mechanical movements.
Fortunately, we have checked hundreds of people, and although most of them are sick, with quite a few cases of dysentery and typhoid fever, the kind of severe plague or cholera that can kill an entire city has not yet been found.
This is a blessing in misfortune.
"Amitabha."
A soft Buddhist chant sounded in my ears.
Qin Geng raised his head.
I saw a group of Buddhist Nuns wearing blue-grey monk robes, carrying wooden buckets and baskets, walking among the refugees, distributing hot water and clean cloth.
The one in the lead looked to be in his early thirties, with handsome features, but he showed an indifference that could see through the world of mortals.
She held a roll of bandages in her hand and was squatting next to an old man, carefully cleaning the sores on his feet.
That's Qin Xiu.
Qin Geng's biological aunt.
The woman who once fell into disgrace and was sold, suffered a lot, and finally became a monk in Cold Mountain Temple.
Qin Geng The pen in his hand paused.
The aunt Qin Xiu in my memory always had her eyes hanging up, never said a good word in her mouth, she could scold him for a few dollars, and finally gave him the ocean.
But this person in front of me----
Her movements were so gentle, even though the sores on the old man's feet oozed yellow water and exuded a foul odor, she didn't even frown, and there was only calm compassion in her eyes.
It's like he's become a different person.
It's like this is how she should have been.
After treating the old man's wounds, Qin Xiu stood up and met Qin Geng's gaze.
Eyes facing each other.
There is no excitement of meeting again after a long separation, and no embarrassment of the past.
Qin Xiu was just slightly startled, then put his hands together and saluted Qin Geng.
"Almsgiver Qin."
This sound of donation gently cut away the tears from the corners of Qin Geng's eyes.
Qin Geng stood up, straightened his clothes, and returned the gift.
"Master Tai."
The two of them didn't say another word.
Qin Xiu turned around and continued to take care of the other refugees. The figure from behind looked a little frail, but unusually firm.
Qin Geng Looking at that figure from behind, I felt a little confused but also a little relieved.
"This troubled world can turn people into ghosts, and it can also turn people into Buddhas."
"Old Shi, what are you looking at?"
Zheng Tonghe came over and took off the veil on his face, revealing a tired face.
He held a wine flask in his hand, and regardless of the fact that he was in a temple, he raised his head and took a sip. It was medicinal wine used to refresh himself and ward off the cold.
"Nothing, I saw my aunt."
Qin Geng sat down again and rubbed his sore eyebrows.
"Second Senior Brother, how is the situation?"
"It's okay, better than expected."
Zheng Tonghe handed the jug to Qin Geng: "We haven't found any signs of a major epidemic. But if the dysentery cannot be controlled, it will be very troublesome.
I've already sent people to the city to prepare Coptis chinensis and Pulsatilla chinensis."
Qin Geng took the flask and took a sip. The spicy wine went down his throat, dispelling the chill on his body.
The two sat side by side on the steps, looking at the continuous tents and bonfires below.
The refugees had eaten porridge, had clothes, and most of them had gone to sleep.
Occasionally, a few children's cries could be heard, which seemed particularly clear in this silent mountain night.
"This world is really in chaos."
Zheng Tonghe sighed and looked at the dark mountains in the distance, which was the direction of Yin Mountain.
"In the past, when we treated diseases, we treated diseases in people. There was a prescription for wind, cold, heat, dampness, seven emotions and six desires."
"But now, the world is sick."
"Dragon Vein is broken. When Demons comes out, people's hearts are also broken."
"Foreigners hoarded food, Demons cannibalized people, ruined the lives of people, and forced the people to leave their homes."
Zheng Tonghe smiled bitterly and patted Qin Geng on the shoulder, "Old Shi, tell me, is there any prescription that can cure this world's diseases?"
Qin Geng was silent for a long time.
He looked at the piles of bonfires and the tents shivering in the cold wind.
"Physician cannot be cured."
Qin Geng returned the jug to Zheng Tonghe with a low voice.
"Physician can only save people, but not the world."
"If you want to cure the ills of this world, you have to use strong medicine."
"You have to use a knife, you have to use a gun, you have to kill."
"Put out all those things that create the root of the disease, whether it is Foreigners or Demons."
"It's like picking out a sore."
Zheng Tonghe was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Qin Geng.
Under the firelight, Qin Geng's profile was as determined as a knife or an axe.
Although the murderous aura in him had been restrained, at this moment, Zheng Tonghe still felt a heart-stopping edge.
That's Concealing the Edge.
It's the moment when the tiger opens his eyes.
"Maybe you're right."
Zheng Tonghe raised his head and drank the remaining medicinal wine in one gulp.
The night wind blew by, and the bell Cold Mountain Temple rang.
"When it is far away and desolate.