Chapter 323: The Workhouse, a Place of Misery

Chapter 323: The Workhouse, a Place of Misery

Chapter 323: The Workhouse, a Place of Misery
The orphanage is located on Baishui Street in the southeast corner of Dali City.
Near the South Gate, Dali City is a place where good and bad people mix together, and even the government is too lazy to take care of it.

Today, Baishui Street is not as bustling as it used to be.

Just because a group of uninvited guests came,
Groups of soldiers swarmed in and quickly occupied the entire Baishui Street.
The idlers who used to wander around the streets,
Seeing this scene, his face changed drastically.

He quickly turned around and went back to the alley, as if he had seen a ghost.

"Husband, what are they?"

In the middle of the street, a carriage slowly passed by.
Mu Chuting looked through the opened curtain and saw people running around, and couldn't help but look surprised.

Lu Yunyi's expression turned gloomy after he entered Baishui Street.

He glanced over and spoke in a deep voice:
"Baishui Street is a mixed crowd, mostly a gathering place for natives and foreigners.
The government also turned a blind eye to the chaos here.

This also led to some shady activities taking root here.
For example, gambling houses and brothels were opened privately without the approval of the government.

Even some dirty business is carried out here, such as smuggling and other things."

Mu Chuting's fair cheeks became even paler, and she looked incredulous.

"Does the government not care?"

Lu Yunyi's expression returned to calmness, and his body shook slightly.

“If you want to control the rules, you must first adapt to them.

Each city has different rules, and there is room for change only if you play well.

If we catch all these people, where will they go? Will they disappear?"

Lu Yunyi asked and answered his own questions:
"It won't disappear, it will hide more secretly,
It would be better to expose it in the open so that it can be controlled."

Mu Chuting couldn't accept this answer, and her pupils shook slightly.

She quickly thought of a similar place in Kunming, with the same mixed crowd, but she had never been there.

Mu Chuting looked outside through the curtain.

I saw skinny children, old people begging on the street, and some foreigners struggling on the ground.

When they saw the tall carriage,
Fear is evident in his eyes.
But more than that, it is desire and longing.

The poorhouse is at the deepest part of Baishui Street.

There was a strange smell in the air as we walked along.

It smells like a rotting corpse, or like spoiled food.

Looking at the increasingly dilapidated houses on both sides of the street and the increasingly miserable people as the carriage went deeper,
Mu Chuting pursed her lips and grasped her white skirt tightly with her fair hands.

When she saw an old woman without legs crawling on the ground,

Her pupils shook violently and her heart felt like it was being cut by a knife.

Moving my eyes, I saw that the goal that the old woman was climbing hard to reach was a steamed bun that had grown green hair.

Mu Chuting's breathing suddenly became rapid.

She couldn't help but hold on to her husband's arm tighter and tighter.

Lu Yunyi looked over and saw the green-haired bun being kicked away by a one-armed child.
The air was filled with shrill laughter.

The steamed buns disappeared, and the old woman lost the strength to climb.

The head that was originally held high drooped heavily.

Her head was completely covered by messy hair, and she seemed to have exhausted all her strength and stopped moving.

"Husband."

Mu Chuting's voice was already trembling a little.

She couldn't imagine that there was such a chaotic place under the Meiji era.

Besides, isn’t there an orphanage in Dali City? It’s not far away.

Suddenly, Mu Chuting's pupils shrank slightly, and she suddenly realized,
Why did my husband look so solemn when he entered Baishui Street?

It is easy to imagine what the scene is like when the orphanage is arranged in such a place.

Lu Yunyi's face was calm. He watched the old woman disappear in the carriage window and spoke in a deep voice:
"The orphanage was established by order of Your Majesty in prefectures and counties across the country.
All widows, widowers, orphans, and those without relatives to rely on must be placed in poorhouses by the local government.

If an official finds someone who meets the adoption requirements but is not adopted, he will be punished with 60 strokes of the cane.

Not eligible but need the government to provide supplies on time,
Those who fail to provide the information or provide an incorrect amount will be charged with embezzlement."

As he spoke, Lu Yunyi's face became a little solemn, and his voice seemed a little hollow:
"Yunnan has been in a war for nearly 20 years, and it is not easy to have the current situation.
There are so many widows, widowers, orphans, and those without relatives to rely on.

After every war, there will be more.
There are only a dozen or so clerks in the orphanage, how can they take care of it?"

"In the Tang Dynasty, there was Beitianyuan, in the Song Dynasty, there was Futianyuan, and in the Yuan Dynasty, there was Jizhongyuan.
These were all established with the intention of saving the world and the people.
But without exception, they all eventually became deserted places with no one paying attention to them.

Your Majesty's majesty is still there, and the Ming Dynasty's orphanage is still okay now."

Mu Chuting is also well-read.
Naturally, we know why these places of adoption and relief have fallen into decline.
The political situation was turbulent, and there were endless wars around.
How can we take care of the soldiers when they can’t even get enough to eat?
Mu Chuting was in a very complicated mood. She stretched out her hand and wanted to pull down the curtain of the small window.
But when he got close to her, he retracted his hand, pursed his lips, and just stared at her in a daze.

“Why doesn’t the court care?”

"Ting'er can't do such self-deception.
Read more and be more sympathetic to the suffering of the people, but Ting'er doesn't know how to do it.

Husband, can you tell me?"

Lu Yunyi's expression was calm and he said calmly:
"If we quell the war and nurture the government, we can expect a prosperous country and a strong people."

"The Ming Dynasty was newly established, and all its energy was focused on external enemies. Only after the external enemies were eliminated could we have a chance to recuperate.

Otherwise, there will be a small fight every year and a big fight every three years.

Not only the imperial court couldn’t stand it, but the people couldn’t stand it either.”

Hearing this, Mu Chuting looked thoughtful:

"Can't you take it slow?"

"No." Lu Yunyi said firmly.

"Looking through history books, the easiest time to get things done is when a dynasty is newly established.
If it is not done now, it will be extremely difficult for the successor to accomplish it.

Just like the Emperor Xiaowu mentioned by my husband,

Emperor Gaozu failed to pacify the Xiongnu, so Emperor Wu had to exhaust the country's strength to fight the Xiongnu to the death.
He ended up with a warlike attitude.

In fact, these results couldn't be better.

Most of the time, they end in vain or fail miserably, and the external enemies remain and cannot be eradicated. "

At this point, Lu Yunyi sighed and spoke in a deep voice:
"Life in the poorhouse was not easy. It was just enough to survive.

Those women had such experiences. Their once happy families had now become like this.
It would be good if they were not crazy.

Finding a husband for them would be a good choice.”

Mu Chuting turned her head and stared at her husband in a daze.

The sadness in her eyes gradually turned into tenderness, and she slowly reached out and grasped his hand.

"My husband, you are so kind."

"Before, Ting'er didn't quite understand why my husband insisted on coming here, but now I understand."

"Ting'er will tell her elder brother and younger brother about this matter when she returns, and ask the soldiers in their army to do their best."

Lu Yunyi nodded slightly. This move was very suitable for confusing the audience and was an unexpected gain.

Soon, the carriage wobbled to a stop in front of the poorhouse.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Feng Yunfang poked his head in.
"Sir, here we are."

Lu Yunyi nodded gently, then stood up and walked down first.

When he got his feet on the ground, he extended his hand to greet Mu Chuting.

At the same time, he looked around.

The orphanage is located at the deepest part of Baishui Street. It is a large building complex.
The memorial archway at the entrance is somewhat dilapidated and desolate.
There are no buildings on either side of the street, making it look particularly desolate.

At this moment, a middle-aged clerk stood at the entrance of the orphanage.
Wearing a somewhat worn light blue robe,
He looked pale and thin, and seemed a little uneasy standing there.

Behind him were some officials who were similar in appearance.

After taking a look around, Lu Yunyi found that most of them were pale and thin, and he could not help but nodded slightly.

If they are all fat and big-eared, then he really needs to have a talk with Geng Junchang.

Seeing the two men standing still, the middle-aged official in charge stepped forward.
His legs and feet seemed to be a little stiff, and he bowed slightly before approaching:
"I am Yin Haoran, the head of the orphanage, and I am here to greet you, sir! May I know who you are?"

He seemed uneasy at the moment, and his raised hands were trembling.

He was at a loss as to the identity of the person before him.

But looking at the endless line of guards, one can tell that this man is a rare and important figure.

As he kowtowed, the officials behind him simply knelt down, lowered their heads and dared not look forward.

Lu Yunyi winked and Feng Yunfang took a step forward.
He handed over his identity document and official seal.

Yin Haoran took it with some surprise, and looked at the young man in the lead with a subtle look.
As far as he could remember, this was the first time he had seen an adult so polite.

In the past, when the masters came, they never showed any identity documents or seals.
He just scolded me and didn't look happy.

This scene also made Yin Haoran feel relieved.
At least judging from the look of it, he doesn't look like he's here to cause trouble.

After opening the document, Yin Haoran couldn't help but hold his breath again.
I stared at the words above, a little bit unbelieving.

A third-rank lord? So young?

He trembled as he handed the document and seal back. His legs and feet felt weak, and he asked in a trembling voice:
"I wonder what Lord Lu is here for?"

Lu Yunyi spoke in a deep voice:
"Did the Dali government place some women who had suffered disasters in the orphanage some time ago?"

As soon as these words came out, Yin Haoran's eyes widened slightly and he suddenly became nervous.

He carefully glanced at the soldiers occupying the entire street, and his voice was filled with tears:
"Sir, those women have suffered in the war, they must not suffer in the military camp again."

Feng Yunfang shouted from the side:
"Just answer whatever the adults ask you, whether you have it or not!"

Yin Haoran nodded heavily: "Yes!"

Lu Yunyi looked somewhat relieved and asked:

"Is there a woman named Chunniang?"

Yin Haoran was stunned. He seemed to remember something.
The head that had been drooping suddenly lifted up and stared at Lu Yunyi in a daze.
"Are you the General Lu?"

"Chun Niang talks about you all day long, saying that you want to find her husband."

Yin Haoran's voice was a little excited, and he spoke very quickly.
After he said this, many people behind him raised their heads.
Looking at Lu Yunyi, his eyes were full of disbelief.

In their view, the words at that time were just a way to avoid socializing.

I didn't expect that General Lu actually came?
Lu Yunyi nodded gently:
"Take me to see her. Is the woman who was sent back with her safe and sound?"

Yin Haoran said as he walked:

"Please rest assured, General. Thanks to you,

The officials in the government office took good care of these women.

A few days ago, he sent some rice and told me to feed them better."

Hearing this, Lu Yunyi showed a bit of satisfaction on his face and nodded slightly.

Following Yin Haoran, the group walked in the orphanage.

The overwhelming bleakness made almost everyone frown.

But everyone in the workhouse seemed used to it.

The poorhouse is not as big as it looks from the outside.
Entering, each courtyard is surrounded by high walls.

The main door was closed, leaving only a small side door for people to enter and exit.

The door hinges squeaked harshly due to age and disrepair.

As we walked, we saw several simple wooden houses swaying in the wind.

The thatch on the roof had been eroded by wind and rain until there was little left. It had been patched up again and again.

Even the walls of the enclosure were covered with thick moss.

Walking through a small courtyard, I could see a few ragged old men huddled in a corner through the cracks in the door.
Their eyes were empty and hopeless.
His body looked emaciated due to long-term malnutrition, and the skin on his hands was as dry and cracked as dead tree bark.

His face is full of traces of time.

When they noticed someone moving around, they just turned their eyes slightly.

Without any movement of the body, he curled up there quietly, enjoying the only corner of sunshine.

We passed another small courtyard, where several children aged five or six were sitting on a pile of hay.

His face was dirty and his hair was messy.
He was wearing tattered clothes, and it was hard to tell their original colors.

They may cling to each other,
The dark fingers gently fiddled with the stones on the ground, as if trying to find happiness in them.

As we go deeper,

There was an indescribable smell in the air, which was even stronger than outside Baishui Street.

Everyone's heart was heavy.

The guards frowned, unable to believe that there was such a place.

Mu Chuting didn't dare to look around anymore.
She held her husband's arm tightly, stared at the ground, and walked quickly.

Instead, Yin Haoran was happily talking about those women.

From where they came to how they lived,
He went into great detail about how to take on odd jobs outside to support himself.

This made Feng Yunfang, who was standing beside him with a frown on his face, frown even more.
He was from Gyeongju, and his family life was not very good before he joined the army.
But in any case it can't be this far.
Is this still a place for people to stay?
Feng Yunfang looked at Yin Haoran and asked softly:
"Master Yin, why are you still laughing in this situation?"

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere became obviously dull.

Yin Haoran, who was dancing with joy, also froze there, his eyes cast over.

He lowered his arms, his straight back seemed to become hunched, and he forced a smile:
"I'm used to it."

"We don't often see outsiders here.
I feel a little uncomfortable seeing so many strangers, please forgive me, sir."

Lu Yunyi's face was calm and he nodded slightly:

"Thank you for your hard work, Master Yin."

When these words came out, not only did many soldiers present look surprised,
Even Mu Chuting looked over, with a flash of surprise in her big eyes.

Everyone knows that my husband is a man with a heart of stone.

Yin Haoran was overjoyed and continued to speak with dancing and excitement.

Soon, they came to a much neater courtyard.
Only at this point did he finally stop, mumbling something and looking hesitant.

Lu Yunyi glanced at him and sighed:
"Master Yin, is there anything I can help you with?"

Yin Haoran's eyes suddenly widened, his face full of flattery.

But he did not hesitate, and immediately turned around, with a sincere look on his face:

"General, I would like to borrow three taels of silver from you."

Lu Yunyi's brows wrinkled instantly, and his eyelids blinked unconsciously.

What year is this eve?
The others also looked as if they had seen a ghost and stared at Yin Haoran in a daze.

Yin Haoran started to chatter again:
"General Lu, I wonder if you saw those thatched houses when you came here.

It was originally a place for widowers to stay and also served as a guard.

But since the strong wind blew a few days ago,
After the thatch was blown away, it became uninhabitable. I tried to plug it several times but it still leaked.

So I thought of borrowing three taels of silver from General Lu to buy some tiles at the market.
Buy some glutinous rice and mix it with yellow mud.
Repair it properly, and it will surely stop leaking!"

As if he was getting excited, Yin Haoran clenched his right fist tightly and raised it in front of him.
It seems like he is cheering himself up.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on that fist.
I felt something strange, but I didn't know what was wrong.

Lu Yunyi slightly exerted force on his neck and nodded imperceptibly:

"it is good."

(End of this chapter)