Chapter 102: The Anmin Plan

The porridge pot set up outside the Jia County town attracted a large number of people. Zhang He led 2,500 soldiers to maintain order outside the city, so no major riots occurred.

When Ma Chao led his personal soldiers to the group of refugees, he sighed from the bottom of his heart when he looked at the thin faces and his timid eyes.

"Friends, I am the Grand Tutor Ma Chao of the current dynasty. Don't be afraid, please wait and get in line. I promise you that from today on, as long as you follow me, Ma Chao, everyone has food to eat and every family has a house to live in..."

Ma Chao walked among the crowd, repeating his shouts constantly. His sonorous and powerful voice was deeply imprinted into the hearts of the people like a spell.

When a girl who was only 20 years old ran all the way to the porridge shed, staring at the white rice porridge in a hurry, licking her dry lips, but was so timid that she didn't dare to step forward, Ma Chao couldn't help feeling ache. This was just a child, but she had to endure such a war.

"Little sister, are you hungry?" Ma Chao tried his best to control his sadness, walked to the little girl and asked with a smile.

"My mother is sick, she wants to drink porridge." A trace of fear flashed in the little girl's eyes. She took a few steps back and pointed at the crowd and said.

Ma Chao followed the place she pointed and saw a woman who fell to the ground and ordered: "Go and carry that aunt here."

Two personal soldiers immediately ran out of the personal soldiers behind Ma Chao.

"You are bad guys, so don't bully my mother." The little girl yelled in shock when she saw the soldier running towards her mother.

"Little sister, don't be afraid. Uncle just wants to carry your mother here so that she can drink rice porridge quickly." Ma Chao smiled and touched her head, held her hand, came to the porridge pot, took a bowl of porridge from the soldiers who were distributing the porridge and delivered it to her.

"Auntie, drink it quickly, your life will definitely get better in the future." When the soldier carried the little girl's mother to the porridge shed, Ma Chao handed her a bowl of rice porridge and said kindly.

"Thank you, general, thank you..." When the people who were receiving the porridge felt Ma Chao's kindness, they all worshiped them.

"Group, all the villagers are up. These are what I, Ma Chao, should do. Get up quickly." Ma Chao looked at the people who were kneeling down and shouted loudly. The people of this era have not high requirements. As long as they can eat enough, they will be satisfied.

When Ma Chao returned to the city after the inspection, he specifically ordered his personal soldiers to give Yu the mother and daughter some care, and sincerely hoped that their lives would gradually improve.

At the end of the afternoon, Jia Xu and Zhang Rui led three thousand soldiers and horses to transport a batch of grain to Jia County.

"Ming Gong, what Xu saw along the way was that this radius of hundreds of miles was all refugees. It was obviously not enough to just gather the people in Jia County. Therefore, Xu made his own decision and asked General Gao Shun and Hu Chier to lead 10,000 troops and set up relief porridge sheds in all counties in Hongnong County." Ma Chao led Jia Xu and Zhang Rui, and as soon as he arrived at the lobby of the county government, Jia Xu made apologizing.

"Wenhe, you did a good job, Chao is just trying to do this, please sit down." How could Ma Chao care about this? He waved his hand and let them sit down.

"Zilong, how is Ling Ming's injury?" Ma Chao had not had time to see them since the two were injured.

"The medical officer said it was nothing serious. Just rest for ten days and half a month, and you will be fine." Jia Xu replied loudly.

Ma Chao nodded, remembering that he had been hesitating whether to send troops to occupy Luoyang, and then said: "Wenhe, I expect the Guandong coalition forces should have dispersed at this moment. Should I send troops to occupy the ground of Sizhou?"

"No." Jia Xu flatly rejected it and then said: "The million people near Sizhou are now here. After this chaos, Sizhou will find it difficult to resume production in a short time. In addition, the surrounding strong enemies will look around. If we take Luoyang, we will attract wind, which will be very unfavorable to us.

"In addition, our power has expanded too quickly over the past few months. The Sanfu of Yongzhou urgently needs a large amount of manpower and financial resources to maintain development. Our current forces, plus the troops we have incorporated these times, have a total strength of only more than 40,000. It is not difficult for these 40,000 troops to consolidate Yongzhou, but if we divide our troops to guard Sizhou, it will be too thin.

"Now Dong Zhuo crosses the Yellow River north, he will inevitably occupy the fertile counties of Henoi, Hedong and other counties. Hedong County is only separated by a water from Fengyi County. If we are not wary, Dong Zhuo will send troops to attack at any time. Therefore, at least 8,000 troops and horses must be arranged in Fengyi and a general will be sent to guard it, so that no mistakes can be made.

"Wu Pass in the southeast of Chang'an is connected with Nanyang. Now that the coalition of princes has dispersed, it is difficult to protect Nanyang's prefect Yuan Shu and will not peek at Chang'an. Therefore, we must send generals to guard immediately. In addition, Zhang Lu, Han Sui and other forces in the southwest, Han Sui and other forces will threaten us. Therefore, Xu thought that the best way to give up Sizhou for the time being, gather troops, gather the people, and consolidate Yongzhou for the first time."

When Ma Chao heard Jia Xu's words, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought. After weighing the interests, he finally nodded and said, "Wenhe is right, and he can't become a fat man in one breath. So, the matter of gathering people's retreat must be done immediately and strive to make these people settle down in Yongzhou as soon as possible and resume production."

"Wenhe, you plan a general order and order Zhao Yun to lead three thousand troops and horses to go to Wuguan immediately to assist in defense. You must not give Yuan Shu the chance to threaten Wuguan."

"Xu receives the order." Jia Xu nodded and answered, and then said, "Zhang Ji, the Changshi who is the only one who stays in Chang'an, will build houses and measure the fields in the plains along the Wei River. In this way, the people can settle down quickly when they retreat to Yongzhou."

"Okay, this idea is good, just do it." Ma Chao nodded happily and agreed.

"Young Master, although it is an urgent task to arrange the people to retreat, the more at this time, Rui thought that strict military discipline was also a major event, so Rui suggested that the young master lead his personal soldiers to inspect various places in Hongnong. As for the matter of gathering the people in Jia County, General Zhang He could be responsible for the matter of retreating to Yongzhou, and the matter of Junshi Jia was responsible for it. Rui would assist him from the side." On the way Zhang Rui remembered, he saw several riots and plunders, and was worried that such things might happen in his own army, so he spoke out.

"Wenhe, what do you think?" Ma Chao had already had an idea after thinking.

"The discipline of the newly formed army is inevitably relaxed, so it is good to use this to rectify it." Jia Xu saw that Ma Chao was a little moved, and thought about it and felt that this matter was related to the reputation of the army, so he naturally would not object.

"Okay, that's the matter." Ma Chao immediately decided on this matter.
Chapter completed!