[BL] After Being Abducted by the General

chapter 168

Soon, porridge distribution points were set up in various places within Xiapi County.

The aroma of food spread throughout the city, and the refugees lined up to receive the grain. The remaining supplies were sent to the surrounding counties and prefectures from Xiapi as the center.

Yuan Le Jun ordered others to take care of the disaster relief, and he assigned Chu Hechao to handle the placement of the army. He then had a private conversation with Ouyang Ting in the Xuzhou Governor's residence. Shortly after, local influential families from Xuzhou came to request an audience with him.

Ouyang Ting looked at Yuan Le Jun, who casually placed his teacup on the table, and asked, "How many people have come?"

"They all came and are waiting outside the residence to meet you," one of the servants said boldly. "Among them, many are from families who had previously refused to give our lord grain."

"Enough, don't say more," Ouyang Ting scolded the servant and then asked Yuan Le Jun, "Le Jun, do you want to meet these people?"

Yuan Le Jun gave a cold smile and replied, "No."

Ouyang Ting knew that his disciple was angry on his behalf and felt understanding and a bit of persuasion. "By coming to pay their respects to you, they are trying to show goodwill. If you refuse to meet them, they may have trouble sleeping and eating."

"Let them have trouble sleeping and eating," Yuan Le Jun remained unmoved and said indifferently, "Since I arrived in Xuzhou, they rushed to see me. It shows that they know their previous actions have offended me. Teacher, people are like this, always taking chances and bullying the weak. The local influential families in Xuzhou have been acting recklessly for a long time. It's time for them to be afraid."

Ouyang Ting looked deeply at his disciple and felt that Yuan Le Jun had changed greatly compared to a few years ago in Luoyang. He had become more resolute, cunning, and imposing.

Without saying much more, Ouyang Ting sent the servants to reject the visits from those influential families who wanted to meet Yuan Le Jun.

Among the families that were turned away was the Liu Family. The head of the Liu Family's legs stiffened when he heard the words "not seeing guests," and he felt both fearful and angry. But he dared not show a hint of anger on his face, hastily leaving the gifts and departing.

The other families were the same. They not only brought gifts for Yuan Le Jun and Chu Hechao but also grain and silver, which Ouyang Ting had tried to borrow but was refused. After receiving the news, Ouyang Ting's mood was complicated and full of emotions.

Human nature is like this, nothing surprising.

However, Yuan Le Jun did not accept the gifts from these families. He returned all the grain, silver, and gifts.

Ouyang Ting hesitated to speak but finally asked in a low voice, "Le Jun, although you have brought back a lot of relief grain, in the face of this disaster, there's no such thing as too much food, only too little. Since these influential families have sent grain, why did you return it?"

Yuan Le Jun shook his head and said, "Teacher, I can't accept their things. Once I do, it will be difficult for me to hold them accountable."

Hold them accountable?

Ouyang Ting's eyes lit up, and he asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"In the letters exchanged with me over the years, you mentioned the order to allocate funds for cleaning river channels and building embankments in each county every year. Since maintenance is carried out annually, the river embankments should not be so weak as to cause such severe flooding. Even in the case of a flood, it should not cause such serious damage to most of Xuzhou," Yuan Le Jun had long had suspicions. "Moreover, Xuzhou is suffering such a severe flood, but Yangzhou and Qingzhou have no issues. Could it be that the rain only falls in Xuzhou and the water only flows there?"