Starting from 1618 of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 15 Refugee Camp Project

South of Jinan city, a rocky hill.

Lu Ji Carriage and Horse Company's campsite was already taking shape.

After half a month of construction, three neat rows of shacks have been erected on the once barren saline-alkali land, with a wide firebreak in the middle. To the east of the camp is a supply depot, to the west are livestock sheds, to the north is Zhao Tie's blacksmith workshop, and to the south are newly dug dry toilets and deep garbage pits.

Everything was in perfect order, like a finely functioning machine.

But Lu Yan knew that the machine was missing a few key parts.

"Master, another group of refugees arrived today."

Zhao Changying walked into the tent, looking somewhat tired.

How many people?

"More than three hundred," Zhao Changying said. "More than yesterday. I heard they fled from Liaoyang; they traveled for more than two months, and most of them died."

Lu Yan put down his charcoal pencil and stood up.

"Let's go take a look."

……

A large, dark mass of people had already gathered at the entrance of the camp.

These people were ragged, emaciated, and their eyes held a numb despair. Some were wounded, some were holding dying children, and some were all alone, without a single relative by their side.

This is the aftermath of the Battle of Sarhu.

Three out of the four armies were utterly defeated, the Liaodong defense line collapsed, and countless civilians were displaced, fleeing south. Most of them died along the way. Those who made it to Jinan alive were considered lucky.

Lu Yan stood on the high platform at the camp gate, coldly surveying the group of people.

In his eyes, this was not a group of refugees, but a mine waiting to be exploited.

There's waste rock and gold in the mine. The key is how to sift through it.

"Listen up, everyone!"

Zhao Changying stood beside Lu Yan and shouted at the top of her lungs.

"This is Lu's Carriage and Horse Shop, not a government-run soup kitchen! If you want food, work first! If you want soup, register first!"

"Register for what?" someone in the crowd asked.

"Name, place of origin, age, and skills!" Zhao Changying said. "Those who can forge iron, carpent, bricklayer, drive carts, are literate, or have served in the military, step forward! These people will be given priority for hiring, and will be provided with three meals a day, one of which will be dry!"

The crowd began to stir.

"I can forge iron! I worked in Shenyangwei!"

"I can read! I attended private school for three years!"

"I served in the army! I was a member of the Liaodong Iron Cavalry!"

Various voices rose and fell, and a glimmer of hope began to flicker in their previously numb eyes.

Lu Yan watched this scene with a slight smile on his lips.

That's human nature. Give them a glimmer of hope, and they'll cling to it desperately.

"Fan Fu."

"I'm here." Fan Fu stepped forward.

"Take some men to register them," Lu Yan said. "Focus on selecting three types of people: first, artisans, especially those skilled in blacksmithing, cart making, and ship repair; second, literate people who can write and do arithmetic; and third, veterans, especially old soldiers from the Liaodong border army."

"yes."

Fan Fu accepted the order and left.

Lu Yan remained standing on the high platform, his gaze slowly sweeping across the crowd.

Suddenly, his gaze fell on one person.

He was a middle-aged man, about thirty-five or thirty-six years old. He wore a worn-out blue cloth long gown, which, though filthy, still hinted at his former respectability. He had a thin face, a goatee, and a shrewdness in his eyes that was quite different from those around him.

What caught Lu Yan's attention most was this person's posture.

The refugees around him were either squatting or slumped on the ground, but this person stood straight with his hands behind his back, as if waiting for something.

"That man," Lu Yan pointed to the middle-aged man, "bring him here."

Zhao Changying nodded, stepped down from the platform, pushed through the crowd, and brought the middle-aged man over.

"What's your name?" Lu Yan asked.

"My name is Hu Jingshui, courtesy name Runzhi." The middle-aged man cupped his hands in greeting, his voice hoarse but clear. "I am from Shexian County, Huizhou."

"A Huizhou native?" Lu Yan raised an eyebrow. "How did you end up in Liaodong?"

Hu Jingshui gave a bitter smile: "I used to be the manager of 'Wanshenghao' in Huizhou, dealing in furs in Liaodong. Last year, my boss went bankrupt and pinned all the losses on me, accusing me of embezzling three thousand taels of silver. I had no way to defend myself and could only run for my life."

"Escaped to Liaodong?"

"I originally intended to go to North Korea to avoid the turmoil," Hu Jingshui said. "Unexpectedly, I encountered the great defeat at Sarhu and the chaos in Liaodong, so I had no choice but to flee south with the refugees."

Lu Yan stared into Hu Jingshui's eyes for a long time.

This person's gaze was steady, without any evasiveness or fawning. This composure is characteristic of someone who has seen the world.

What can you do?

"I've worked as an accountant for fifteen years," Hu Jingshui said. "I'm proficient in everything—calculation, bookkeeping, inventory, and verification. I can even do the Huizhou-style cash flow accounts, the four-pillar ledgers, and the Longmen ledgers."

Lu Yan's eyes lit up.

The Longmen Account was the most complex accounting method in the Ming Dynasty, equivalent to the double-entry bookkeeping system of later generations. Those who were proficient in the Longmen Account were undoubtedly top-tier financial professionals.

"Alright." Lu Yan nodded. "From today onwards, you will be Lu's accountant. First, familiarize yourself with the situation under Fan Fu's guidance. I need to see a complete set of accounts in three days."

Hu Jingshui was stunned for a moment, then her eyes reddened slightly, and she bowed deeply.

"I could never repay even a fraction of the kindness and favor my employer has shown me."

Lu Yan waved his hand: "Don't rush to pledge your loyalty. Let's see results first."

He turned around, his eyes continuing to search the crowd.

Just then, he noticed another person.

He was a young man, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, of medium build and slightly thin, with an ordinary face, inconspicuous in a crowd. He was wearing a worn-out gray short-sleeved shirt, squatting at the edge of the crowd, head down, as if dozing off.

But Lu Yan's gaze lingered on him for a long time.

Because this person's location was too convenient.

He squatted at the very edge of the crowd, with his back against a large rock, offering a wide view of everything happening at the camp gate. Moreover, although his posture appeared casual, his legs were actually slightly bent, ready to spring up at any moment.

This is a posture indicating readiness to flee or fight at any moment.

Lu Yan had seen too many people like this in the war-torn regions of his previous life. Those veterans who had experienced the baptism of war would maintain this vigilance even when they were sleeping.

"That person," Lu Yan pointed to the young man, "bring him along too."

Zhao Changying walked over and patted the young man on the shoulder.

"Hey, the boss is calling you."

The young man looked up and met Zhao Changying's gaze for a moment.

In that instant, Zhao Changying's pupils contracted slightly.

This person has such sharp eyes.

That wasn't the look of an ordinary refugee, but rather... the look of a killer.

The young man stood up and followed Zhao Changying to Lu Yan.

"What's your name?" Lu Yan asked.

"Shen Qing." The young man's voice was low and flat, without any inflection.

Where are you from?

Liaodong.

"What are you doing?"

"Farmers."

Lu Yan stared into Shen Qing's eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Farming?"

He reached out, grabbed Shen Qing's right hand, and turned it over to examine his palm.

Shen Qing had calluses on his palms, but not the kind of calluses a farmer would have. A farmer's calluses are on the palms and the base of the fingers, caused by holding a hoe. Shen Qing's calluses, however, were on the web between his thumb and index finger and the second joint of his index finger.

Those are calluses from holding a knife.

"Your hands don't look like they're from farming," Lu Yan said.

Shen Qing's eyes flickered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.

"I used to work in the garrison, helping to guard the warehouse."

"Guarding a warehouse?" Lu Yan chuckled. "Would someone guarding a warehouse walk this quietly?"

Shen Qing fell silent.

Lu Yan released his hand, took a step back, and looked him up and down.

"Your gait is very light, almost making no sound when you land. Your stance is very stable, with your weight always centered between your legs. Your eyes are very alert; you've already scanned your surroundings three times since then."

Lu Yan's voice was very soft, and only the two of them could hear it.

"This isn't the kind of skill a warehouse guard should have."

Shen Qing's expression finally changed.

He stared at Lu Yan, a hint of surprise, a hint of wariness, and a hint of... relief flashing in his eyes.

"The employer has a good eye."

His voice was still low, but his tone had changed.

"I'm certainly not cut out for farming."

"So what do you do for a living?"

Shen Qing remained silent for a moment, seemingly making some kind of decision.

"I used to...do some things in Liaodong," he said, "but it's not convenient to go into details."

Lu Yan nodded and did not ask any further questions.

He knew this person had a secret. But in this chaotic world, who doesn't have secrets?

The important thing is that this person is capable.

"I don't care what you did before," Lu Yan said. "I'll only ask you one question: Do you want to live?"

Shen Qing raised her head and met Lu Yan's gaze.

"think."

"That's good," Lu Yan said. "From today onwards, you'll work under Zhao Changying. Do whatever he tells you to do. If you do well, you'll have food and money. If you don't..."

He paused, a cold smile appearing on his lips.

"You should know the consequences."

Shen Qing remained silent for a moment, then lowered his head slightly.

"yes."

Lu Yan turned around and walked back to the tent.

Zhao Changying followed behind him, lowering her voice to ask, "Brother, this person... is not simple."

"I know," Lu Yan said.

"Then why did you take him in?"

"That's precisely why we should take him in," Lu Yan said. "This man has a story, but his eyes tell me he's not a bad person."

He paused, then added, "Moreover, we can use his skills."

Zhao Changying frowned: "What skills do you have?"

"Didn't you notice?" Lu Yan said, "From just now until now, he's been observing our camp layout, personnel deployment, and patrol routes. That kind of observational ability isn't something ordinary people possess."

Zhao Changying suddenly realized: "What you mean, brother, is..."

"Let's observe him for a few days," Lu Yan said. "If I'm not mistaken, this person will be a valuable asset to us."

He went into the tent and wrote a line in the logbook:

"On the third day of the fourth month, refugees were screened. Hu Jingshui (accountant) and Shen Qing (to be observed) were selected."

Putting down his charcoal pencil, Lu Yan looked at the setting sun outside the tent, a smile appearing on his lips.

The chess pieces are being placed one by one on the chessboard.

But this game of chess has only just begun.