My Sims of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

The following morning, in Qu County.

Xiao Heng felt a headache coming on as he looked at the bamboo slips that Lao Wei had brought back overnight.

"Two thousand Xianbei cavalrymen plundered, Yuzhou bandits looted twice, Sun Yigong died, and Lu Ming took it upon himself to take in over a thousand refugees, who are now being escorted here!"

With thousands of mouths to feed, and his own few thousand men barely having enough food to eat, how could he possibly have the capacity to feed so many destitute refugees out of thin air?

Previously, they had taken in a maximum of a dozen or so displaced people along the way, which was manageable.

These thousands of people...

Suppressing his frustration, he knew that Lu Ming's actions were out of kindness and righteousness, and it was difficult to scold him.

He took a deep breath, placed the bamboo slips on the wooden table, and addressed the guards standing beside him.

"Go and invite Young Master Xu!"

While waiting for Xu Xianzhi, Xiao Heng conducted a routine simulation.

[Start Historical Simulation]

[Simulation attempts consumed: 1]

[Current number of attempts remaining: 25]

The words unfolded like flowing water.

Two days later, Lu Ming arrived outside Qu County with over a thousand refugees.

You ordered the designation of a temporary area outside the city for resettlement, the construction of makeshift shelters, and the allocation of extremely limited rations (mainly thin porridge and a small amount of dried fish) for emergency distribution.

[You and Xu Xianzhi secretly dispatched a southward trade team (composed of three experienced veterans and two guides familiar with the coastal area, carrying a small number of high-quality sea salt samples) which quietly departed by fast ship.]

The city's food reserves are dwindling at a visible rate. In an effort to conserve resources, the rations for your soldiers have been secretly reduced, causing some discontent and discussion.

[The condition of critically poisoned patients like Lu Da has been maintained by local medical staff, and there have been no large-scale deaths for the time being, but there are no signs of improvement, and the already strained medical resources continue to be consumed.]

On the fifth day, a minor conflict broke out among the refugees outside the city, stemming from a slight injustice in the distribution of food.

On the seventh day, pirates from Yuzhou Island began to frequently appear in the nearby waters. Small groups of pirates attempted to approach the coast to conduct reconnaissance but were driven away by patrol boats.

On the tenth day, the trade team still hadn't sent back any news.

On the twelfth day, suspected symptoms of an epidemic appeared in the refugee area outside the city. Although not confirmed, it caused panic.

【...】

On the twentieth day, you were forced to withdraw your troops back to Sikou.

[Simulation Ended]

Survival time: six hours

[Historical Participation Rate: 25%]

[Historical Points Gained: 17]

[Comment: As the governor, the problems you face are just a small part of the most common ones in the long river of ancient history. The hardships of the people and the responsibility of defending the land are all contained within these issues. Please continue your efforts.]

Xiao Heng was somewhat bewildered by the various problems that appeared on the simulation.

Taking in this wave of refugees has led to so many problems, including an outbreak of plague, which is quite unusual in ancient times.

At this moment, Xu Xianzhi strode in, and Xiao Heng also regained his composure.

"Fu-kun!"

Xiao Heng handed him the bamboo slips.

"Wen Yuan, take a look at this first. Lu Ming has given us a huge problem in Ganyu County!"

Xu Xianzhi quickly finished reading, and his expression immediately became extremely grave. In particular, when he read about the Xianbei massacre and the bandits of Yuzhou taking advantage of the chaos, the usually gentle Xu Xianzhi couldn't help but curse.

"Murong Yan's men have actually committed such beastly acts! And those bandits from Yuzhou, fellow Jin people, instead of resisting the invaders, they aid and abet the tyrant, plundering their own compatriots—truly beasts in human clothing!"

After he finished hurling his insults, his rationality returned, and he immediately realized the weight of the words "more than a thousand refugees."

Looking up at Xiao Heng, she saw that he was frowning, clearly in a very difficult situation.

"My lord, although Captain Lu's actions were somewhat rash, they stemmed from compassion. However, the sudden influx of over a thousand people has strained the grain reserves of Qu County..."

"I know."

Xiao Heng interrupted him, stood up and looked at Xu Xianzhi.

"That's why I'm discussing this with you. Now that Lu Ming has brought the people back, we can't just ignore them, but we really can't manage them all. Could we temporarily divert some of them from Magistrate Xu's side? I know this is an unreasonable request, but we really are in a difficult situation right now..."

Xu Xianzhi shook his head with a wry smile.

"The journey involves both land and sea, and the migration of thousands of people is far too long. Even if we choose the sea route, the necessary ships and supplies along the way are beyond our current means!"

Xiao Heng didn't ask any further questions after hearing this; he had only wanted to test the waters.

My gaze fell on a corner of the desk, where the salt inventory list that Xu Xianzhi had calculated yesterday was placed.

"Wenyuan, if we expedite the sale of our salt, could we exchange it for a batch of grain as soon as possible? That would help us get through the current period?"

Xu Xianzhi understood Xiao Heng's meaning.

"In times of peace, with the current reserves, it wouldn't be difficult to obtain enough food to support several thousand people for over a month, but now..."

"Due to the war in Huaibei, salt and iron controls are extremely strict. Large-scale smuggled salt trade is very risky, and the channels for exchanging salt for grain and transportation are major problems. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

Xiao Heng pressed for an answer.

"Unless we can find a large, well-funded buyer with a special background who is in dire need of salt right now, and conduct a quick and discreet transaction."

Xu Xianzhi said, but he also felt that the hope was slim.

Xiao Heng's eyes flickered, as if he had seen a glimmer of light.

In the simulation, I organized a group of people, but I haven't heard anything from them. They went south.

What if I were to head north to Qingzhou this time?

Thinking of this, Xiao Heng hurriedly looked at the map and muttered to himself.

"Going south is a long and risky journey, and there's not enough time. So... what about going north?"

"Heading north?"

Xu Xianzhi was taken aback; Qingzhou was still under the control of the Di-Qin.

"Does 'Prefect' refer to Qingzhou?"

"Yes, Qingzhou!"

Xu Xianzhi instantly understood Xiao Heng's intention. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by rapid thought.

Conducting large-scale smuggling trade with enemy-controlled territories?

This idea is incredibly audacious! But upon closer examination, it's not entirely impossible.

"Your Excellency's plan is extremely risky! If it is leaked, not only will the transaction fail, but it will also arouse the vigilance and retaliation of the Qin army in Qingzhou. Furthermore, if news of trading with the enemy is relayed back to Jiangdong, it will give them a handle to use against us."

"Risks and opportunities coexist."

Xiao Heng turned around, his gaze intense.

"Wen Yuan, we have no choice. Lu Da and the others can't wait, nor can the thousands of refugees. Being trapped in this predicament is a dead end. Taking a gamble might offer a chance of survival. As for the opinions of Jiangdong..."

"There's also a group of salt bandits on Yuzhou Island. Who do they sell their salt to?"

Xu Xianzhi roughly understood, and got up to look at the map on the table.

"It's a pity about Chen Jiao, but his status at Lu Xun University isn't bad either!"

Xu Xianzhi nodded in response.

"Chen Jiao's men know this place!"

"First, send someone to assess the situation on the island. The choice of personnel must be careful. Thorough arrangements must be made to ensure the safety of the surrounding sea routes and landing sites!"

Xiao Heng paused for a moment, then added.

"Furthermore, send someone to meet Lu Ming, and another person to set up shelters outside the city. Only those who have undergone rigorous screening by doctors should be allowed into the city! We should also get those fishermen moving; the seafood can sustain us for a while. And also, we've heard that Han Yong and Liu Dan—those scoundrels need to be dealt with!"

"promise!"

Xu Xianzhi accepted the order and left in a hurry.

On that day, several notices were posted in Qu County.

Firstly, salt producers and salt workers were summoned to resume work immediately. Those who wished to return to the salt fields to resume their old business would receive additional wages based on their daily output, in addition to their basic food rations. These wages could be exchanged for rice or cash. Salt stoves and tools that had been seized or damaged by the Xianbei or bandits would be repaired or replaced by the government.

Secondly, the government recruited fishermen and boatmen to go out to sea to fish or engage in coastal transportation. The government provided certain protection and purchased the catch and transported goods at market prices or provided subsidies to help restore livelihoods and increase the city's expenses.

Thirdly, starting immediately, recruit able-bodied men from the training grounds outside the city and designated coastal areas to form a new army. Anyone with a clean household registration and strong physique, whether a refugee or a local youth, is eligible to apply.

A crowd quickly gathered in front of the notice.

The literate read aloud in hushed tones, while the illiterate asked anxiously. Having experienced war and exile, most people still wore expressions of bewilderment and numbness.

Salt producers and fishermen gathered together, discussing in hushed tones. Resuming work? Of course they were willing; it was a survival skill passed down through generations.

However, it remains to be seen how much of the government's promises can be fulfilled.

Despite their many doubts, some bold individuals, or those who had no other options, began to move toward the salt fields and the port.

......