Chapter 691: The Rich Are Feasting and Drinking, but the Poor Are Freezing to Death on the Streets

The next day, at noon.

Ning Chen led fifty Ning'an soldiers to Qingzhou.

Originally, Pan Yucheng was not planned to go this time, but he still came with him.

Qingzhou is a long way away. Even if they galloped, it would take less than a month to get there.

Ning Chen and others took the official road, but they often had to brave the wind and snow, so they were not traveling fast.

More than 20 days later, Ning Chen entered Qingzhou.

Looking around, it was all white.

The snow on the roadside reached a height of one meter.

The horses were difficult to walk, so Ning Chen and others could only leave their horses at the nearby post station and go to Qingzhou with one foot deep and one foot shallow.

Many corpses were seen on the road, who died suddenly in the wind and snow.

The snow disaster in Qingzhou was more serious than expected.

When they arrived in Qingzhou, Ning Chen and others were frozen to stiff hands and feet.

The gate of Qingzhou was opened, and there was not even a guard.

After entering the city, the situation in the city was terrible, countless houses collapsed, and corpses were everywhere in the snow.

Only one road was cleared in the city, just enough for the carriage to pass.

Soldiers sent carts of corpses out of the city.

These soldiers were from the Southern Border Army, because Qingzhou bordered Gaoli State, and Tong Yuanzhou's Nanjing Army was closest to Qingzhou City.

Ning Chen led his men to the prefectural yamen.

The gate of the yamen was closed.

Pan Yucheng stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"I'm coming... Stop knocking, even those who go to the funeral are not as anxious as you..."

There was a cursing voice inside.

Immediately, the door slowly opened, and a yamen runner in uniform poked his head out.

When he saw Ning Chen and others, his face changed drastically, and then he smiled, "It turned out to be the general... I didn't know, I was foul-mouthed, please don't blame me, generals."

Pan Yucheng said: "The King of Zheng is here, why don't you open the door quickly."

King of Zheng?

The yamen runner looked at Ning Chen, his face changed drastically, and he knelt on the ground, "I pay my respects to the prince... I didn't know the prince was coming, and I offended the prince. Please forgive me!"

Ning Chen walked in and came to the lobby.

In the lobby, several yamen runners were warming themselves around the brazier.

Seeing Ning Chen and others, they were all a little confused.

The yamen runner who opened the door quickly reminded, "This is the King of Zhenguo, why don't you pay your respects to the prince."

The yamen runners were startled, their faces changed drastically, and they knelt down hurriedly.

"Greetings to the prince!"

"Everyone get up!"

Ning Chen raised his hand and asked casually, "Where is your prefect?"

The yamen runner who opened the door stammered, "Replying to the prince, the prefect is not in the government office."

"Where did he go?"

"Go, go... The prefect is leading people to distribute porridge to help the victims in the city."

Ning Chen saw through him at a glance, he was lying

"How dare you lie to me?"

The yamen runner knelt on the ground in fear, "I deserve to die, I deserve to die, please forgive me, Your Majesty..."

"I'll give you another chance, where is the prefect?"

The yamen runner's face was pale, sweat was dripping from his forehead in the cold weather, and he said tremblingly, "My Lord Prefect, My Lord Prefect is in Qingxiang Pavilion."

"What is Qingxiang Pavilion?"

"Yes, it's a brothel!"

Ning Chen's face sank, and he laughed in anger, "Your Lord Prefect is in good health visiting a brothel in broad daylight."

People are freezing to death outside at any time, and as the parent official of Qingzhou, he actually enjoys himself in a brothel in broad daylight.

It's true that the rich are drunk and feasting, but there are frozen bones on the road.

Feng Qizheng said, "I'll take people to catch this bastard back now."

Ning Chen waved his hand.

He looked at the yamen runner, "Where is Shen Min imprisoned?"

"Your Highness, in the prison of the government office!"

Ning Chen said, "Old Feng, take him and bring Shen Min here."

"Okay!"

Ning Chen walked to the brazier and stretched out his hand to warm himself... He was wearing a cotton coat and a cloak, but his hands and feet were frozen stiff. You can imagine how hard it was for the people of Qingzhou.

Ning Chen suddenly exclaimed.

Because he found that what was burning in the brazier was coal.

This surprised Ning Chen a little, because it was the first time he saw coal in this world. The beast gold charcoal used in the palace was firewood charcoal, that is, charcoal.

Ning Chen turned his head and looked at a yamen runner and asked, "Where does this coal come from?"

"Reply, reply Your Majesty... This coal was bought from merchants in Gaoli Country."

Pan Yucheng said, "Gaoli Country is rich in coal and has once paid tribute to the palace... But although this thing is durable, it produces too much smoke and has a strong smell, so no one in the palace is willing to use it."

Ning Chen raised his eyebrows slightly, "Gaoli Country is rich in this kind of coal?"

Pan Yucheng nodded.

"Is this thing expensive?"

Pan Yucheng said, "It is not expensive in Gaoli Country, but Gaoli Country and Daxuan do not have trade. These coals should be privately transported by merchants from the state, and the price is estimated to be not cheap."

Ning Chen looked at the yamen runner, "How much did you buy this coal?"

The yamen runner trembled and said, "Five cents a pound."

Ning Chen frowned. Five cents a pound is too expensive, and the people can't afford it at all.

Daxuan must also have coal mines, but they haven't been discovered yet.

Gaoli State borders Qingzhou. If a trade route can be opened and coal can be transported in large quantities, the people of Qingzhou should be able to survive this winter.

It is indeed a good idea to let the victims go to Xuanwu City, but the journey is long. If they walk, it will take several months, and who knows how many people will die on the way?

Ning Chen thought for a while and had an idea in mind.

He planned to get Gaoli State's coal for free.

Gaoli State was beaten by South Vietnam and screamed. If Gaoli State was willing to provide coal unconditionally, he was willing to send troops to help Gaoli State.

If Gao Liguo is not willing, he can only fight.

He didn't believe that Gao Liguo dared to start a war with South Vietnam and at the same time start a war with Daxuan.

With a large amount of coal shipped, the price will naturally drop, ensuring that the people of Qingzhou can afford it.

Ning Chen was thinking about it when footsteps sounded.

Feng Qizheng brought Shen Min.

Shen Min was thin, dressed in ragged clothes, and shivering from the cold.

"Caomin Shen Min, please see the prince!"

When Shen Min saw Ning Chen, her voice trembled with excitement.

Ning Chen quickly supported him, "Master Shen, there is no need to be polite!"

With that said, he pulled him to the brazier to warm himself up.

"Old Feng, go get Mr. Shen some thick clothes."

Shen Min looked at Ning Chen and burst into tears with excitement, "It's great, it's great... The prince is here, the people of Qingzhou can be saved!"

Ning Chen asked: "Old Shen, tell me about your situation."

Shen Min said slowly: "The heavy snow continues, and the people are suffering from the disaster...Zhu Qi, this bitch, is not in a hurry to provide disaster relief. Instead, he colludes with Qingzhou businessmen to drive up prices and make money."

"Now I have no official position and no right to submit a report. I can only ask someone to deliver a letter to you...Who knows, the news leaked out and I was falsely accused of colluding with the bandits. The letter was not delivered, but I ended up in jail."

Ning Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, "Zhu Qi, as the prefect of Qingzhou, should know your situation... In this situation, with victims everywhere, and you have no power or position, it is not difficult to kill you, and no one will hold you accountable afterwards. He Why should I report it to the court?”

"You can't be a fool to become the prefect of a state, right? You once served as an official in the capital. When His Majesty finds out, he will definitely order a thorough investigation. Not only will he not kill you, but he will be involved in it. He won't be unaware. This."

Shen Min's face was full of astonishment, "He...he reported to the court?"