章節 66: Chapter 23 The starving aren't fussy over their food
Jī bù zé shí The starving aren't fussy over their food - take whatever is available
Beggars can't be choosers
Cai army were still camped in front of the city wall borders but they had not made any attacks.
What General Murong planned was to start recruitment and train the city youths, and install proper a border military to protect the country. However, before he could do so, he wanted the city to recover from the epidemic, and food for everyone first.
His current challenge was what and how to send food aid to the far reaching villages during the upcoming winter when he overheard sounds outside his tent.
"What is this? Is this even edible? It looks more like a shield."
"Hahaha a shield. Hear, it even makes loud hollow sounds when being knocked."
"This smells good but doesn't taste that good."
"Don't be so picky at these times. Young master had said this is nutritious and can last for Long time. Just keep it with you. Be glad to have food in your tummy especially in this godawful place and weather!"
"It taste dry like bark"
"It is called bark bread...young master had showed us how to make it. You make the dough by adding oil, egg, salt and grounded peppercorn tree leaves, then cut into shapes. Bring small smooth stones and clean them before brushing on some oil and tossing into a deep pan until they become very hot.
Roll out the small dough pieces and place them on top of a layer of hot stones, then cover the top with another layer and cook them for 3 minutes.
The bread is thin with an uneven surface which is the result of the small stones. Young master also said this will keep for awhile and will not go bad so fast."
"Uhh...why are you telling us the recipe and how to make? We are all going to survive this and you are designated by the young master to make this bread for us."
"Just in case, if we don't pass this winter... one of you have to bear the responsibility..."
"Hey, don't say such morose and unlucky thing in the morning!"
"Give me one to try," A firm voice came from behind the soldiers, which made all of them stand at attention and greeted, "General Murong".
"You are right soldier, this bread could be a shield. You there. Try to shoot your arrow to this," General Murong held up the bread to a tree and instructed a soldier to shoot it.
'Thud!' The metal arrow tip pierced into the bread but did not go through it smoothly.
"Tell the kitchen staff to make two holes on this hard bread so the soldiers can hang the bread on the front and back of their bodies. Since we are also short of armors, this would serve until the capital send the armors with the other supplies. Also, we will distribute these bread to the other villagers."
"General, the soldiers are singing the heir's ingenuity. Aren't you worried that word will travel to the capital?" HeiYing asked the general wryly when General Murong walked back to his tent.
"It's just a bread. But how would the heir know much about edible barks?" General Murong looked at HeiYing pointedly before he called the other officers to discuss other matters.
HeiYing was not regretful telling Murong LiWang about his knowledge of barks. Most bark is inedible, only barks from deciduous trees such as elm, ash, aspen, Rowan and birch can be eaten. And only the special part of the bark - the inner bark, soft enough to be eaten, and provide sustenance. That was how he and others had survived harsh conditions in the past.
Murong LiWang listened to HeiYing, and she came up with the idea of baking it into bread, since their food supplies was very limited. They also could not make big fires so she came up with baking the bread on hot stones. And now thanks to the heir, she had helped the General to solve the food issue. One down, many to go.
As Murong LiWang came to the camp, she and her escorts saw an armored soldier being carried in and HeiYing knelt to check the person's head and eyes, "Send him into quarantine,"
"Group leader, I'm fine. I'm just tired, once after food and rest, I can pick up my sword and fight again." He knew going into the quarantine was a dead end, awaiting death.
"You have high fever, lots of eye discharge, and I'm sure your stools are abnormal alike bloody diarrhea. It's dysentery. If you are not quarantined, then I'm risking the others. Is your life above the rest thousands of people?"
"Burn what this man had touched" HeiYing instructed resolutely, glancing at the soldiers behind him.
"Stop your actions! See my house insignia medallion! Do you know who I am? You are just a dog from the General's manor. I'm the son from the branch of house of Li concubine, don't touch me!" The man tried to struggle up and was flustered when the soldier pushed him down back on the stretcher. His eyes grew wide in recognition when he saw Murong LiWang nearing the camp but before he could say anything...
"Take him away," HeiYing waved off with a stone weighing his heart.
"Heir! General! Tell them! You can do this to...mmmftt!!" The man cries of pleas turned to threats then to curses, before he was muffled.
Murong LiWang creased her brows, "why is he so scared of the quarantine? The doctors are working non stop to heal and find solutions, and the plague is already stabilized, but why is the quarantine such a bad place to rest?"
"Answering to young master, the plague maybe considered at the last stages but due to poor hygiene and the unclean water, now there is dysentery.
Dysentery spread fast during rainy seasons, and is contagious. The quarantine is necessary to place those who are infected here, separating from the others who are healthy and recovering.
Hopefully the physicians can produce more medications and dysentery victims can get their medications in time. Meanwhile, we could only take measures, control the infectious spread and prevent more tragedies to happen in this sad place."
HeiYing saw Murong LiWang's eyes looking at the direction where the quarantine was and quickly tried to distract her, "Young master, you are expected by the General. Please enter."
"HeiYing, being a soldier really suits you better than a shadow guard. It's wasteful for a man of your talents to stay in shadows. Look, your nice face can also see the sun, and not as pale as before," Murong LiWang appreciated HeiYing's face then she opened the flap of the General's tent, while HeiYing unconsciously touched his face full of beard stubbles.
'Did young master just release him from his day job? Better confirm with the General...'
Since back in the army days, HeiYing had already risen ranks to that of a deputy commander so it was natural for him to fall back to habits to lead and make decisions for the lower rank troops. He was about to walk away when a small hand appeared from the tent and pulled him into the tent.
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