Chapter 100

The on-site command was to highlight Wei Zhixian's efforts in building terraced fields, while the distribution of relief grain was to establish a good reputation among the disaster victims. In the future, when these people returned to their hometowns, they would also spread his good name far and wide. For Wei Zhixian, this was even more satisfying than a promotion.

Seeing Wang Xian busy with planning and still not forgetting to enhance his own reputation, Wei Zhixian was deeply moved, "Zhongde, you have done too much for your teacher. I don't know how to thank you."

"Teacher, you are too kind," Wang Xian humbly replied, "This is all part of my duty as a student."

"Zhongde, I will not let you down!" Wei Zhixian said, gripping his hand gratefully.

"Teacher..." Wang Xian subtly withdrew his hand.

Thus, the emotional bond between the teacher and student deepened. They spent several sleepless nights finalizing the plan to house the disaster victims, provide relief through work, and have the victims pay rent by working on bridge and road construction and terraced field building. They refined and repeatedly reviewed the plan to ensure its perfection...

However, what left both of them heartbroken was that the three circuit intendants showed no interest in the plan. Sun Intendant even seemed to be waiting to see a show... Even more tragically, to implement the plan, Wei Zhixian went to Hangzhou to report to Governor Zheng and Prefect Yu, who also did not approve...

Governor Zheng was more polite, "Wei Zhixian's ability to address past problems and reform disaster relief methods is commendable. However, the purpose of disaster relief is to maintain stability. Your new method is untested, and if there are any oversights, could it lead to chaos?"

Prefect Yu questioned from another angle, "Let's set aside whether this method is feasible. Just the fact that you are charging rent to house disaster victims could invite criticism from the scholarly class."

"Your Excellency, the rent is paid directly to the landlords, and the county does not handle a single coin," Wei Zhixian defended. "Including the work-for-relief program, it is all to give the people of Fuyang a sense of responsibility. Moreover, making the disaster victims self-reliant also prevents them from causing trouble."

Only then did Prefect Yu stop speaking.

To put it mildly, all his superiors were unimpressed with his new disaster relief method. However, due to the urgency of time, there was no time to make changes, so they reluctantly agreed to let him try. The pressure on Wei Zhixian was immense, and the pressure on Wang Xian was equally significant...

To make a good start, Wei Zhixian personally led a team to board the boats, demonstrating sincerity and announcing the policies to the disaster victims, repeating the process for each boat without any compromise. Wang Xian, on the other hand, meticulously registered the disaster victims at the dock and assigned them housing. They worked day and night for three days to receive 30,000 disaster victims.

However, the 30,000 disaster victims could not be handled uniformly. Among them, 27,000 were successfully registered, received rations, and were assigned housing. The remaining nearly 3,000... were mainly elderly, sick, and orphaned individuals who had lost their families in the tsunami. These people had no labor capacity and no one was willing to take them in, so they needed special treatment, or they would face certain death.

This required the county's four major government-run charitable institutions.

Orphans and abandoned children were taken in by the Child Welfare Bureau, the elderly and disabled by the Almshouse, and those needing medical treatment by the Medical Relief Bureau. Those who could not be treated were buried by the Public Cemetery...

These four charitable institutions were run by the government, with responsible individuals appointed for their management, known for their good reputation and compassion. The county provided annual funding, and local gentry and officials also donated land to maintain the system of caring for the young, the elderly, and the dead.

After taking office, Wei Zhixian viewed these four institutions as a manifestation of benevolent governance, providing ample funding and showing great respect to their managers. As a result, these four individuals, though holding no official positions, were quite content in their roles and naturally tried to please Wang Xian, the financial benefactor.

However, at this moment, except for the manager of the Public Cemetery, the other three had faces as bitter as if they had eaten yellow翘 (a bitter herb).

"Sir, you can't do this..." Li Santai, the head of the Child Welfare Bureau, said with a pained expression, "The Child Welfare Bureau originally had fewer than thirty orphans. Now you're giving me six hundred, which is twenty times more. You might as well just kill me!"

"Yes, sir," Ke Shouye, the head of the Almshouse, also said with a pained face, "Even the Almshouse in Hangzhou can't take in seven hundred elderly people..."

"How can we find enough doctors to treat over a thousand injured people?" Zhang Maizhi, the manager of the Medical Relief Bureau, asked. He was the younger brother of Zhang Maixuan, the head of the Daoist Association in the county. The brothers had imperial certificates as Daoists but did not wear Daoist robes, drank alcohol, ate meat, and even married and had children, leading people to suspect that they had bought their certificates.

"You often say that doctors can only treat minor illnesses, and major illnesses need Daoists," Doctor Wu, passing by, said with a cold laugh, "Don't you have talisman water and incantations? Why do you need doctors?"

"There are too many people, and my powers are limited," Zhang Maizhi said with a dry laugh. "We still need your herbal medicine..."

"Even if I were made of iron, how many nails could I make?" Doctor Wu said with a cold laugh, continuing to examine patients and adding, "Moreover, many of the disaster victims may seem fine now, but they will fall ill in large numbers later. The county medical school has only a few people, and even with the help of private clinics, it's like a drop in the bucket..."

The county's medical resources were severely insufficient, and Wang Xian was powerless to help. He could only say to the first two, "You can work together. The Child Welfare Bureau and the Almshouse can operate jointly. Have the elderly help take care of the children, and the young help take care of the elderly. I will hire some women from the disaster victims to help. This should work, right?"

"Sir, you are resourceful," Li Santai and Ke Shouye said. "How will their clothing and food be provided?"

"The county will provide part of it," Wang Xian said, rubbing his temples, "But the grain in the official granary is reserved for the people of Fuyang and the disaster victims. You need to use your skills... fundraising."

"Fundraising?" The two immediately looked pitiful. "Do we have to go door-to-door again?"

"This is a good deed. Those who donate will gain merit. The local gentry are all great philanthropists and will be generous..." Wang Xian comforted them, then changed the subject, "In short, the county will only provide half the rations, but you must not let the elderly and children go hungry. I will check regularly. If anyone is not well-fed, you two will have to answer to the magistrate."

"Ah..." The two reluctantly agreed. Wang Xian then turned to Zhang Maizhi, "Find your brother and have him think of a solution. Also, talk to the monk Sanchi from the Buddhist Association. They have many monks and Daoists, and they must have some medical skills to survive."

"Ah..." Zhang Maizhi also reluctantly agreed.

After dismissing the officials, Wang Xian took the teapot Wu Wei handed him, drank it all, and asked, "Are the records all organized?"

"Yes," Wu Wei nodded. "In the end, over a thousand households chose to live in shacks by the river."

"Let them live there," Wang Xian said. "Tell the brothers that they need to work hard and not take anything. This is disaster relief, not a time to cause trouble." He paused and added, "Assure them that I will not treat them unfairly."

"Your words are enough, sir. The brothers will not disappoint you," Wu Wei said, then lowered his voice, "But I must remind you, the spending will be like a flood. The official granary is releasing 500 shi of grain per day. Even with some provincial support, it can only last a month at most." His voice became even lower, "The magistrate may not care, but you must be meticulous!"

"There's no way to be more meticulous. People need enough food to maintain order. If they are hungry, they won't follow the rules," Wang Xian sighed. "The magistrate has already ordered the planting of vegetables and mulberry trees in fields and courtyards. Women and children are to gather bamboo shoots, wild vegetables, and fish and crabs from the river. This will reduce the need for grain."

"That's still a drop in the bucket," Wu Wei sighed. "We need more grain!"

"Mr. Sima and Zhou Yang should have reached Changsha by now..." Wang Xian looked southwest, but could not see beyond the Fuchun River.

"Even if they do, it may be too little, too late," Wu Xiaopang, though looking cheerful, was an incurable pessimist.

"Hopefully, the first batch of grain will arrive on time," Wang Xian frowned, wishing he could go to Changsha to buy grain himself.

"Let's hope so, or it will be a big problem," Wu Wei sighed again. "Otherwise, it will be a big trouble."

Wang Xian nodded, "Let's hope so."

In the following days, Wang Xian closely monitored the operation of all aspects. The disaster victims were mostly settled and began working on the terraced fields under the organization of the workhouses. The people of Fuyang were also required to plant mulberry trees and vegetables to cope with the spring famine. The grain from the three grain stores was controlled by the county, with uniform prices and rationed sales. The government provided money to encourage people to fish in the river and hunt in the mountains...

Due to thorough preparation, at least for now, everything was proceeding smoothly and orderly. Except for the Child Welfare Bureau, the Almshouse, and the Medical Relief Bureau... These three institutions were already overburdened but still could not handle so many elderly and disabled individuals.

With no other choice, Wei Zhixian agreed to Li Santai's proposal to place some orphans and abandoned children in the homes of middle and upper-class families as adopted children. Orphans and abandoned children over twelve years old could also be hired as laborers or maids... However, in times of famine, who would want to add another mouth to feed? Only the wealthy families were selective, while ordinary middle and upper-class families were not interested.

On the contrary, some bachelors and ruffians tried to take advantage of the situation, but they could not pass the household registration office. Wang Xian did not allow unemployed families to adopt orphans!

Wei Zhixian then ordered the government to lead by example. He and the two magistrates, three officials, and four elders each adopted three children, the other officials two, and the clerks one. Wang Xian, as a household registration clerk, was also given the task of adopting one child. After discussing with Lin Qing'er, they decided to find someone who could cook, saving the need to hire a nanny...

On this day, after visiting the Public Cemetery and instructing that the graves must be dug deep, not shallow, he returned from outside the city. Passing by the Child Welfare Bureau, he remembered the matter and had the carriage stop, entering the courtyard of the Child Welfare Bureau.