Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

At daybreak, the soldiers began to set up tents outside the city. The rice porridge they cooked was so thick that it was not even enough to hold a chopstick. Gao Jiong even had someone put some salt in the porridge. Everything he did was quite thoughtful.

More than a hundred bags of rice were barely enough for the people outside the city to have a meal. Providing porridge was the government's job. Gao Jiong didn't quite understand why his boss was so concerned about it.

Zhang Jingwei said with a look of shame on his face, "Zhao Xuan, what happened last night was indeed my fault. I was impulsive in the moment. I hope you will forgive me. I apologize to you here."

Gao Jiong smiled slightly and said soothingly, "Brother Jingwei, don't blame yourself so much. You are also eager to save the people. This is human nature, and Zhaoxuan can understand."

Zhang Jingwei felt even more guilty upon hearing this. He shook his head and sighed, "Brother Zhaoxuan is so magnanimous! In comparison, I am truly ashamed of myself!"

Gao Jiong waved his hand and said slowly, "Brother Jingwei, please don't belittle yourself like this. To be honest, I am also responsible for what happened last night. I failed to explain the whole story clearly. In this time of danger for the people, as a soldier, I can't help but take extraordinary measures, and sometimes I even have to make expedient plans."

Zhang Jingwei nodded hurriedly and said, "Brother Zhaoxuan is absolutely right."

Gao Jiong frowned slightly and said thoughtfully, "Although the people have been temporarily resettled, it is ultimately not a long-term solution. I wonder if Brother Jingwei has any good suggestions for this?"

Zhang Jingwei was silent for a moment, then replied with a wry smile, "To be honest, Brother Zhaoxuan, this happened suddenly. At the time, I was only focused on relieving the people's urgent needs and didn't think deeply about it. I can only take it one step at a time."

Gao Jiong nodded slightly and then suggested, "In my opinion, why don't we try to persuade the government to allocate some money and relocate these people back to Hebei? After all, the Rong people haven't yet launched an invasion. For these displaced people, returning home is surely their greatest desire."

However, Zhang Jingwei shook his head and retorted solemnly, "No, a war in Wuzhou is inevitable. When the flames of war rage, the people will continue to suffer. Therefore, the most urgent task right now should be to find a way to ensure the people's safety, rather than driving them away."

Gao Jiong quickly bowed and said, "Brother Jingwei, you've misunderstood me again! What I meant wasn't to expel these people, but to find them a place to live. Given Yunzhou's current situation, it's difficult to accommodate such a large population." He paused briefly, then continued, "Unless..."

Zhang Jingwei, who had been listening quietly, interrupted and said, "Unless the camp is expanded."

Gao Jiong smiled and nodded, responding, "That's exactly what I mean, Master! North City is quite spacious, but the population is relatively sparse. Therefore, we can first introduce some of the people to settle here. Furthermore, the expansion of the three military bases outside Yunzhou City should also begin as soon as possible. As long as the previous plan is implemented, these three military bases will be fully capable of accommodating all the people from Wuzhou."

Zhang Jingwei nodded slightly in agreement, then looked at Gao Jiong and said solemnly, "I'll leave this matter to you. You also need to establish a certain level of prestige within the military. This matter is undoubtedly a great opportunity for you."

Gao Jiong's expression grew serious, he straightened up, and replied with a salutation, "Zhao Xuan understands."

……

At noon, several businessmen from other places found Zhang Jingwei, and their implication was that they wanted to invest. Zhang Jingwei was no longer as confused as before, and agreed decisively, even offering to use rice as investment capital, and at the price of Yunzhou.

When Gao Jiong heard this, his face tightened and he hurriedly tried to dissuade them, "Wouldn't it be too easy for them to do this?" He frowned slightly and stared at the other party, seeming to be quite dissatisfied with this decision.

Zhang Jingwei, however, was unconcerned. He shook his head slightly and said, "The most pressing matter at the moment is to properly solve the problem of food and clothing for those refugees. As for other matters, we can put them aside for now and discuss them in the long run."

Gao Jiong laughed and said, "Now I finally see that you have weaknesses too!"

However, Zhang Jingwei was not angered by these words. Instead, he smiled and replied, "The people are not my weakness. The only thing that truly moves me is 'civilization'. I have studied diligently for years, and what I pursue is to establish a life for the people!"

Gao Jiong couldn't help but be moved. After a moment's silence, he slowly began to praise: "I have only been in Yunzhou City for a few days, but I have benefited a lot from what I have seen and heard here. I am afraid that you, Zhang Jingwei, are the only one who has millions of wealth but still cares about the people!" His words were sincere and full of admiration.

Zhang Jingwei humbly waved his hand and smiled, "Thank you for your compliments, brother. Let's get to work. You'll be busy over the next few days! Not only will you need to accept investments from all sides, but you'll also have to deal with the expansion of the camp."

Gao Jiong looked puzzled and asked, "You've entrusted all these matters to me, so what are you going to do?"

Zhang Jingwei replied calmly, "As long as I'm here, the situation will remain stable. This way, your work can proceed smoothly."

Gao Jiong suddenly understood and bowed gratefully, "Thank you, Brother Jingwei!"

Since ancient times, refugees have been unrestrained, robbing food and property, and even worse, using riots to bully men and women and commit all kinds of evil. In the end, refugees became rioters.

Zhang Jingwei treated the people of Wuzhou by personally setting up a large tent outside the city. The garrison officers and soldiers personally maintained order, and men and women were separated in an orderly manner. Huangfu Ling also provided full assistance in this regard.

Another busy day.

evening.

Zhang Jingwei, brow furrowed, sat at his desk, carefully calculating the amount of relief grain needed for the next day. His pen scribbled on the paper, his expression focused and solemn. Beside him, the chief clerk busily flipped through accounts and documents, assisting Zhang Jingwei in procuring food.

The chief clerk said worriedly, "The refugees arriving in Yunzhou have been endless and numerous lately. I'm afraid the food reserves in the city won't last much longer."

Zhang Jingwei paused, looked up at the chief clerk, and replied, "To address the food shortage, we can collect grain and fodder from other counties. As for raising funds, the military will be responsible for providing them, but I hope to waive the relevant tariffs to reduce the burden."

The chief clerk nodded in agreement. "This is only natural. The prefect and the deputy governor have already issued orders, demanding the full cooperation and assistance from the government offices of Yunzhou and its subordinate counties. Furthermore, you have already reported the situation to the court. I believe that disaster relief funds and food will be allocated soon!"

However, Zhang Jingwei shook his head and said gravely, "Master Zhubu is overly optimistic. The Wuzhou Rebellion has been going on for over half a month now, and the court has done nothing. Not only that, some local officials have even absconded with public funds. Rather than pinning our hopes on the court, we should rely on our own strength."

The chief clerk hurriedly explained, "Zhang Xiaolian is wrong. As far as I know, Taiyuan Prefecture has already begun taking action, and the officers and soldiers in the Hebei area are also continuously strengthening their defenses. The situation should be under control and pacified soon."

After a moment of silence, Zhang Jingwei slowly said, "I hope it will be as the Lord Chief Clerk said..." After that, he lowered his head again and continued to devote himself to the intense work of raising grain.