Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 414 - 411: All Are Welcome

This hurricane made landfall directly in Mao County. Although everyone had already rushed to harvest any grain that could be collected, overall, the economic loss to Mao County was still extremely significant.

Fortunately, due to Xiao Chong’s early evacuation of the people from dangerous areas, there were not many casualties in terms of personnel.

Compared to Mao County’s thorough preparations, losses suffered by other states and counties on Jiangnan Road affected by the same hurricane were much greater.

Many low-lying villages were even directly submerged by floods, and those who didn’t evacuate in time perished in the water. The lucky ones who escaped became homeless wanderers.

When a home is flooded and the water recedes, one can still return. But when crops are all ruined by soaking, it’s truly fatal!

Without income from the fields, what do they have to pay taxes, fill their stomachs, or sustain themselves?

In ancient times, displaced people after major disasters were always a headache for officials. Disaster relief was never an easy task.

It’s also their county magistrate’s fault for not taking Xiao Chong’s alerts about the hurricane seriously, and now it’s too late for regrets!

In the early Tang Dynasty, household registrations capable of paying taxes were highly valued, and the number of people under a magistrate’s jurisdiction was directly linked to their performance evaluations!

In this world, some people grieve while others rejoice—human sadness and joy are never interconnected.

As for the influx of displaced people into Mao County, Xiao Chong felt rather happy, welcoming all comers without rejection!

He didn’t face the food shortage dilemma encountered by other magistrates. Before the hurricane arrived, he had already "pressed" the affluent, raising a batch. Right now, he could use these resources to support those displaced from other counties.

Of course, purely distributing food for disaster relief with nothing in return wasn’t Xiao Chong’s way.

He preferred to turn bad situations into good ones, mining the benefits of good deeds to the fullest—killing multiple birds with one stone!

For Xiao Chong, displaced people were akin to naturally available laborers—better not wasted!

He was actively developing hydraulic projects in Mao County; both the Ta Mountain Dam and Sun Lake required manpower.

So this time, however many displaced people came, he accepted them all.

However, while Mao County opened its arms wide to welcome the displaced people from all around, they hesitated to come. There were rumors that going to Mao County meant being dragged by the County Government to do hard labor, which was entirely different from their expectations of surviving the hardships with free food before being sent back to their original place.

Lin Wanwan went to Xiaoxi Town after the hurricane to check on her business and, while inquiring about the town’s recent developments, heard about the County Government’s recent actions, and immediately thought of four words—work relief!

Not bad, Xiao Zifang truly worthy of Xiao Zifang, living up to those two eternally famous words "Zifang."

The idea of work-for-relief germinated in the Spring and Autumn period, flourished in the Song Dynasty, and still exists in impoverished areas up to modern times.

In the ancient agricultural feudal society, whenever a disaster struck, farmlands couldn’t be cultivated, and people were displaced. Rulers had to aid the disaster victims to maintain population and stability.

Otherwise, 80% of the wealth in society was in the hands of 20% of noble lords, and they weren’t generous about giving much away.

If the court didn’t open granaries for relief, local governors could only resort to work-for-relief.

"Work relief?" Xiao Chong, upon hearing Lin Wanwan’s words, pondered over this term for a while before smiling and exclaiming, "My cousin is truly my confidant."

Dugu Di snipped the wick to make the candlelight brighter and said, "Le’an Village Lady is indeed different from ordinary women; no wonder you like her. To associate with such an extraordinary woman, one need not be bound by family status."

By the evening, Lin Wanwan had already left the County Government. If she were present to hear two truly clever individuals praising her like this behind her back, she’d certainly be a bit pleased.

Ever since Lin Wanwan gifted Dugu Di an extraordinary glass piece to magnify the world the other day, his good impression of her skyrocketed; this gift hit right at the recipient’s heart.

Who wouldn’t want to see the world clearly, instead of being half-blind!

But Dugu Di still couldn’t use his eyes for long periods due to past poisoning and considerable eye damage, even though he could see better now, he mustn’t overuse them.

Post-disaster, County Government tasks were endless, and Xiao Chong was busy every day, yet he often took leisure breaks despite his busyness. Every night, no matter how busy or tired, he made time to drink and chat with his staff and his cousin Dugu Di and rode his horse through the streets to eat street food.

Early one morning, Xiao Chong emerged from the back door of the County Government, mounted his horse, followed by his close guard, Shu Qi.

Xiao Chong let his Divine Steed roam aimlessly through the streets of Xiaoxi Town at dawn, gazing up at the especially bright sky—today was another day of autumn heat rampaging!

As he walked, the scent of sesame flatbread tickled his nose. Xiao Chong lowered his head, looked at the mobile flatbread stand on the roadside, and his stomach growled, salivating.

Leaving home early meant he hadn’t eaten breakfast in the mansion, deciding instead to buy from the street. Still, he didn’t dismount the tall horse; he directly took out six copper coins from his pocket, accurately tossed them into the copper coin bowl placed at the vendor’s hand, "Give me six sesame flatbreads, full of sesame, divided into two portions."

"Alright!" The young man responded cheerfully, raising a hopeful face, deftly sprinkling sesame seeds over the flatbreads before wrapping four each in oiled paper, handing them to Xiao Chong.

Xiao Chong accepted the two bags of oiled paper, tossed one to Shu Qi, then threw out two copper coins, laughing heartily, "As a county’s head, how could I take advantage of you a bit?"

"Hehehe, it’s not Xiao Mingfu taking advantage of me, but I owe you an amount of kindness. If not for you asking us to move, the hurricane would’ve pinned both me and my wife to death under a collapsed house." The flatbread selling man chuckled sincerely at Xiao Chong.

Xiao Chong casually took a big bite of flatbread in the street, nodding contentedly, "Not bad, this is the flavor; keep up that craftsmanship."

After speaking, he didn’t wait for the man’s response but waved and rode away from there.

As soon as Xiao Chong moved away, the face full of simplicity on that man suddenly flashed a touch of cunning. He rubbed the chest that Xiao Chong had tossed the copper coins to, pulled out a copper coin, wiped it on his chest, and chuckled.

Behind him, a young lady hustling to make someone else’s sound hit him: "You, playing tricks with Xiao Mingfu is like wielding the Great Blade at Guan Yu’s door; you think he didn’t notice!"

To sell two more flatbreads, he deliberately gave extras as a gift—this was the man’s cleverness.

If Xiao Chong was willing to accept, then he accepted his gift (though little, it still was a gift, wasn’t it?); if Xiao Chong insisted on paying, he earned a little more money, all without losing.