Chapter 15: Beishan County

Chapter 15: Beishan County

Two soldiers lifted the heavy wooden bar on the city gate.

A gust of cold wind, laced with a sour stench, rushed through the gap in the gates and into the carriage.

Meng Changqing had already changed into her official robes. She folded her overly long sleeves inward, jumped down from the carriage, and called out toward the rear, "Laicai, lead my horse over."

The crowd blocking the entrance tried to surge forward during the momentary opening, but the soldiers were prepared, forming a line with their long spears held ready.

No one had the courage to charge into the sharp weapons. They had come this far to beg for food, simply to survive.

"Official, please let my father in this time, he..."

Before the man could finish, his voice was drowned out by a chorus of pleas.

"Please, official, let me in..."

"Have mercy on me, my toes have frozen off..."

"Fall back!"

Instead of selectively letting people through as they had in the past, the gate guards used their spears and blades to force everyone back.

"All of you, fall back! Otherwise, we will kill on sight!"

Meng Changqing mounted her horse and rode to the very front of the formation.

By this time, the gate guards had already split the refugees apart, clearing a path through the middle.

Her horse passed through the gatehouse and emerged from the city walls, coming to a halt in the clearing carved out by the guards.

"My name is Meng Changqing. I have been appointed by the Imperial Court to serve as your County Magistrate. From this day forward, you will work for me, and I will provide for your food and drink. If I find anyone shirking their duties or attempting to commit crimes, the punishment will range from having a hand severed to being beheaded. Do you understand?"

The cavalry and the Imperial Guards behind her drew their blades, and the refugees immediately fell to their knees, kowtowing.

Meng Changqing continued to issue orders, "Everyone, line up against the wall."

The refugees looked at her, bewildered and lost.

"Stand against the wall, one by one!" Meng Changqing raised her voice. "Do not make me repeat myself. Those who do not obey will get nothing to eat."

Hearing there was food, the refugees decisively lined up against the wall; those unable to stand crawled over to sit in line.

As the last carriage of the convoy passed through the gate, the guards retreated behind the entrance.

The city gates slowly closed.

Several carriages covered in oilcloth were parked not far from the refugees. Some speculated there was grain inside, and those who heard the rumors began to stir with anticipation.

However, standing before them were soldiers on horseback, staring them down with fierce blades in hand.

Who would dare risk their neck against a weapon?

Aside from the Imperial Guards, everyone accompanying Meng Changqing knew their specific tasks.

A group of thirty men, led by Yang Zheng, was divided into three units: the cavalry unit maintained order among the refugees, while the remaining men were split into two groups—one to set up tents and the other to prepare the refugees' dinner.

As for the Imperial Guards, Meng Changqing did not dare put them to manual labor.

Meng Changqing's family members helped in the middle, lending a hand wherever needed.

Only Xi Bei and Bafang followed Meng Changqing step for step.

"Young Master, are you starting to feel like there aren't enough people now? That day, Master complained to Madam, saying you were being falsely polite by only asking for thirty men."

"You brat, you're asking for a beating!" Xi Bei delivered a kick toward Bafang's backside.

Bafang leaped forward, absorbing the force of the kick. "Hey, missed me!"

"More people would be more convenient," Meng Changqing said, "but we cannot afford to feed them right now. Those who do not follow me voluntarily will inevitably harbor resentment if I cannot provide them with better treatment. If they practice passive resistance when I give orders, they will only ruin my grand plans."

Xi Bei nodded. "You certainly think more thoroughly than most."

Seeing that the refugees were no longer staring around, Meng Changqing instructed Bafang, "Go to the carriage and bring down the bundles I prepared."

Soon, Bafang ran over carrying the bundles. "Young Master, what's in here?"

He didn't need an answer; the moment Meng Changqing opened the bundle, he knew.

Writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, along with the official seal, carving knives, and a large stack of identity tokens.

"Where did these come from? Did we bring these when we left the capital?" Bafang asked.

"Mother prepared them on the day we headed to the military camp," Meng Changqing said, briefly checking the tokens. The people against the wall should be enough.

"Is dinner ready?" Meng Changqing called out.

Laicai, who was helping with dinner, replied, "We just finished pounding the rice; it will be a little while longer."

"Don't remove the rice husks too thoroughly," Meng Changqing said, feeling uneasy. She went over to inspect it personally, instructing them to add more water; the relief porridge shouldn't be too thick.

She only had thirty *dan* of grain; she had to make it last.

Once the porridge began to cook, Meng Changqing moved a table and sat down in front of the refugees, laying out the items from the bundle.

"Starting from those by the gate, come to me one by one."

A tall, thin man by the gate heard her and approached Meng Changqing with a hunched back.

When he was still two meters away, Yang Zheng blocked him. "Kneel and answer the Magistrate."

The man immediately knelt.

Meng Changqing asked, "What is your name? How old are you? Do you have family in this area?"

"Reporting to the Magistrate, my name is Ma Lifu. I am twenty-three years old. I originally had an elderly mother, but..." He lowered his head, clutching his clothes. "A month ago... she froze to death."

As he spoke, Meng Changqing's records were already being completed.

Seeing that he spoke with clarity and logic, Meng Changqing suspected Ma Lifu was likely a servant from a wealthy household. "Why did you come to Beishan County?"

"Reporting to the Magistrate, I was originally a servant of the Ma family in the Central Plains. Five years ago, the Ma family was convicted of colluding with the enemy, and we were exiled here."

Five years ago, the Ma family of the Central Plains was convicted of collusion. Meng Changqing remembered this case.

It was a rare instance of merchants being convicted of treason.

At the time, the Grand Tutor had brought up the case in the Eastern Palace and even asked the Crown Prince for his thoughts.

"Take your identity token." After verifying his information, Meng Changqing handed the token to Xi Bei.

Xi Bei then handed it to Ma Lifu.

Xi Bei said, "Keep your token safe. You will need it for food from now on. Go to the large pot to eat your dinner."

Ma Lifu clutched the token and kowtowed in gratitude.

When he reached the large pot and presented his token, the fierce-looking soldier actually gave him a bowl of hot porridge.

"Do not wander off. Eat here, and wash your own bowl when you are finished."

Ma Lifu nodded repeatedly in agreement.

The refugees standing against the wall craned their necks to watch. Seeing that one only had to kneel over there to get food, some immediately tried to cut in line.

"Do not move!" A cavalryman maintaining order stepped forward with his blade. "Anyone who moves will have their head cut off."

The would-be line-cutters were indeed terrified.

The cavalryman continued, "Everyone will get to eat in order. If there is crowding or noise that disturbs the Magistrate, none of you will live."

A mix of promises and threats worked. Meng Changqing looked toward the cavalryman who had spoken, thinking to herself that he was a good man.

"Captain Yang, what is that man's name?"

"He is a squad leader under my command, named Zuo Datou."

"Very good." Meng Changqing picked up her brush. "Call the next person."

Under the watchful eyes of the cavalry, the refugees approached Meng Changqing timidly to register one by one.

Some did not know their ages, and some claimed they had no names.

The primary purpose of issuing the identity tokens was to count the population for easier management; names and ages were secondary. What mattered most was the number on the back of the token.