Chapter 337： plague

When I got home, I told my father and Mr. Wu about the price increase at the grain store.

Mr. Wu stroked his beard and said, "I told the local magistrate about this matter last time. It seems that he didn't care about it."

Not only did he not take care of it, he seemed to be helping the evildoers.

Mr. Wu shook his head and sighed in his heart.

It’s not just my own fault, there are several officials in this dynasty who can serve the people as wholeheartedly as their own sons.

When you first become an official, you may be able to stick to your heart, but as time goes by, you will be influenced by the left and right, and you will just focus on making money. Who will take the people seriously?

Jiang Sanlang related this matter to the dream of his little girl and frowned.

He is now eager to return to his hometown.

Don’t sell your own food. If something happens in the future, you won’t be able to buy food even if you have money.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Quan and Jiang Cheng hurried over the next day.

“Third uncle, it’s not good, there’s a flood over there, and several villages are flooded!” Jiang Quan wanted to go back to his hometown to pick fruits, but he was stopped by the water halfway and had to turn back to the county seat.

Jiang Sanlang was anxious: "What? Flooded?" What the little girl said came true.

Last year, my daughter told them that there would be a big flood this year, and it really happened.

No wonder the rivers in the county town have swollen to the banks, and low-lying areas have also accumulated water. It turns out that several villages downstream have been flooded.

"How can this be good?" Before Jiang Sanlang took his son to Fucheng, he told his wife, parents and brothers that there would be heavy rains this year and there might be floods like before.

My parents and brothers also responded and said they must pay attention, but it turned out that they really got wet.

Jiang Quan said: "Third uncle, that area is full of water. I saw that in the lower villages there are only roofs left. I met many villagers on the way to the county town."

Jiang Sanlang was stunned for a while, then immediately rushed out of the house and ran to the grain store.

 I don't have much food stored in the county, and I estimate that it will be gone in five or six days. If I don't buy some rice and grain, the whole family will suffer from the northwest wind.

Jiang Cheng also ran out with his third uncle and came to the grain store.

At this time, the grain shop was crowded with people. The price of grain had increased from 60 cents per dou yesterday to 70 cents. Brown rice had also increased from 100 cents per dou to 120 cents. It was almost catching up with the price of pork.

Jiang Sanlang wanted to buy two shi of rice without saying a word, but the waiter told him that one person could only buy five dou at most.

“Five dou is five dou!” Jiang Sanlang and his eldest nephew each bought five dou of rice.

When he got home, Jiang Sanlang immediately pulled his little girl aside and asked quietly: "Bao'er, tell dad what you were dreaming about?"

Yingbao had no choice but to tell her dream that day again.

Finally, I comforted my father: "Dad, we are still far away from the Jurchens, and our small place is not a major traffic thoroughfare, and thieves don't like it either."

This is true. This county is located in a remote area, and half of it is low-lying. It is particularly prone to floods.

But because of the river, the flood quickly flowed along the river. As long as the people were alert, there would not be many casualties, but the people's property could not be guaranteed.

Where could Jiang Sanlang feel at ease? He said worriedly: "Bao'er, even if the Jurchens can't attack here, the bandits don't care about that. They kill wherever they go. As long as they can get money and food, they will dig their horns again."

Yingbao was silent.

Two days later, the rain was still falling, and more and more villagers were dragging their families into the county town.

Soon several grain stores sold out of grain and were forced to close their doors.

During this period, Yingbao went to the medical office to visit her master Zhou Wuchang. As a result, her master and senior brother were not there, and no one knew where they had gone.

After another two days, the rain finally stopped.

Jiang Sanlang couldn't wait to get home, so he quietly drove the carriage out of the city with his second nephew. As a result, he couldn't walk far before he could walk any further. There was a vast expanse in front of us, and even the official road was flooded, making it impossible to get through.

Having no other choice, the two of them drove the carriage back to the city.

On the way into the city, there were many people taking refuge in the county town.

They had no place to go, so they sat on the roadside, eating and drinking muddy rainwater from the river.

Jiang Quan also saw that these people defecated everywhere and polluted the streets.

Back home, Jiang Sanlang was a little depressed.

He was very worried about his family's situation but could not go back.

Yingbao didn't know that her father had left the city and came back, and asked about the price of food outside.

Jiang Sanlang shook his head: "It's still high." He goes out to buy five buckets of rice every day, and there is no shortage of food at home.

Of course there is no shortage of vegetables. The little girl can buy a basket of fresh vegetables every day, as well as some fresh fruits.

A few days later, a large-scale outbreak of disease suddenly broke out in the county. Many people were vomiting and having diarrhea, and their high fevers persisted.

Ying Bao realized something was wrong when she went out, so she hurried home, called everyone, and told them not to go out recently.

"There is an epidemic outside. You should not take it lightly. Don't go out easily in the future." After Yingbao said this, she turned back to the room and took out some pills and distributed them to everyone: "If you have fever, vomiting or diarrhea, take one quickly."

Mr. Wu also looked solemn and couldn't help cursing: "This county magistrate really deserves to die."

Once a plague breaks out in a county, it is not a trivial matter. Tens of thousands of people may lose their lives.

At this time, the water outside has not receded, so it is impossible to get some medicine for treatment.

Ying Bao is also very confused. Although there are some medicines in his cave, there are not many, barely enough for his family.

But it was really scary outside, and many people just fell to the ground, not knowing whether they were alive or dead.

Happy! Benedict! Benedict!

Someone was beating on the courtyard door.

Jiang Quan ran out and opened the door, and saw his aunt Jiang Yunniang standing outside. "Aunt, why are you here?"

Jiang Yunniang asked anxiously: "Where is Erquan and Yingbao?"

"In the house, come in." Jiang Quan let his aunt in.

Ying Bao walked out of the room and asked, "Aunt, what's wrong?"

Jiang Yunniang grabbed Yingbao and cried: "Yingbao, go and see Yuying. He and Xiaolang are suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, and they are almost dying."

Yingbao said without thinking, "Just wait, I'll get the medicine box."

Hurrying back to the house and carrying the medicine box, Jiang Sanlang and Jiang Quan wanted to go together, but she refused: "Dad, don't wander around. I still have a few baskets of vegetables and fruits in the house. Just eat that. Don't go out to buy vegetables." ”

Jiang Sanlang looked at his daughter worriedly: "Bao'er, just give the medicine to your aunt. Why do you have to run away?"

Yingbao didn't want to run away either, but Yuying and Xiaolang were both sick, and her aunt could not be saved and was also attacked, as well as Hongxiao, and her cousin's family of three, so it would be wrong for her not to go.

Jiang Yunniang said to her third brother apologetically: "It's all my fault for not being careful. I didn't notice that Yuying and Xiaolang went out to fish, and they fell ill that night."

They cooked a pot of fish soup in the evening, and even though they carefully cooked the fish thoroughly, they still got infected and fell ill.

“Let’s go.” Yingbao put on a homemade mask and took the lead out of the yard.

 She and her aunt walked all the way to the shop. They encountered several groups of homeless people lying down on the road, and she almost stepped on excrement several times.

When I returned to the shop, I saw that the door of the shop had been closed and Dahei was squatting helplessly at the door. Lao Yuan saw Yingbao and rushed over barking.