When Master Chen returned home, he discovered that people were selling grain, and because of the pandemic, many people were out of food, making the grain business very booming.

The magistrate's words had no real effect on these merchants. Some people were secretly selling grain, and the price of grain suddenly soared to more than ten coins per dou of rice. Many farmers did not have money to buy grain, and many people were begging on the streets. Some disaster victims even colluded to become refugees and robbed grain and silver in nearby villages.

In the city, some people were queuing up to receive porridge. Zhao Heng stood in front of the stove, serving porridge to these refugees.

Although he was extremely busy, seeing many of the refugees, mostly women with children, dressed in tattered clothes, he felt an inexplicable urge to make sure they had hot porridge to eat, no matter what.

A woman carrying a child walked over, holding a broken bowl in her hand, and tremblingly handed the broken bowl to Zhao Heng.

Zhao Heng glanced at the woman, carefully ladled out some hot porridge, and looked at the emaciated child with a pang of pity, then placed two small steamed buns in the woman's hands.

The woman was so excited she didn't know what to say. She glanced at the other woman gratefully, and the other woman quickly picked up the broken bowl and left.

However, those who came here to collect porridge were all poor people. A little girl was helping an old woman with a frail face. When she saw Zhao Heng, she knelt down on the ground and said with pity, "Big brother, could you give my grandma some food? My grandma is about to starve to death."

The old woman shook her head and said, "That's not how it is. I'm not hungry. I'm sick, terminally ill. If I die, I die. Please, young man, take good care of my grandson."

"You old geezer, I can sell your granddaughter for some silver." With that, a chubby man stepped forward and snatched the girl away, saying he was going to give her to a slave trader.

The little girl burst into tears, her thin little hand reaching out to the old woman. When the old woman saw her granddaughter being dragged away, she cried out anxiously, "You beast! How could you do this? Your mother and I used to be neighbors. How can you take my granddaughter away?"

She knew she was going to die, so how could she save her granddaughter? The reckless man rushed forward and kicked the old woman to the ground. The old woman was too weak to even scream, and looked helplessly at the man in front of her.

She could only struggle forward, tightly protecting her granddaughter: "Even if you kill me today, I... I won't let you take my granddaughter away!"

"You old codger, do you want to go to the Yellow Springs?"

Just then, the man kicked the old woman hard. Zhao Heng dropped the spoon in his hand, stepped forward, and grabbed the man's ankle. With a crack, the burly man rolled on the ground in pain.

"Ouch, my foot!"

His eyes were fixed coldly on the man: "This is a soup kitchen in Jing'an County. How dare you do such a thing? According to the current law, you should be arrested and given fifty lashes!"

Zhao Heng has been helping out in the tent these past few days. Many people know his identity, and his every move represents the county magistrate. Zhao Heng also knows what his words and actions will bring to his father, so he is particularly cautious in his actions.

The man frowned: "I know you are the son of the county magistrate, and I can't do anything to you. In this society, it's really forcing us to make a living. We're all just trying to get a little food, so I had no choice but to do this. Actually, we're all from the same village. I really shouldn't have done this to this young girl."

Zhao Heng looked at the old woman beside him, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Don't worry, who would dare to threaten you? I can stand up for you. The magistrate is an upright and honest man, and he will naturally stand up for you."

Upon hearing Zhao Heng's words, the old woman immediately knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly: "Thank you, Young Master Zhao. I never expected that the magistrate's son would personally be here to weigh the porridge. The people of Jing'an County are all blessed. Even I, an old woman, am fortunate to have been saved by Young Master Zhao. I thank you, Young Master Zhao, and I also thank Magistrate Zhao for having such a filial son."

Zhao Heng was overjoyed that his actions had earned his father so much face. He was eager to see the county magistrate and receive a great deal of praise from his father.

“You’re a grown man, yet you’re selling someone’s granddaughter for a living. How could there be such a despicable person as you in Jing’an County? Don’t think you can get away with just saying a few nice words here. You must come with me to see the magistrate.”

On the other side, the county magistrate, thinking his son was up to something, called Zhao Heng aside and sternly reprimanded him: "Zhao Heng, I am your father. Everything you do represents the county government and me, the county magistrate. What, are you abusing your power here?"

Zhao Heng originally thought his father would praise him, but to his surprise, the county magistrate scolded him with a stern face.

The woman from before came over with her granddaughter. When she saw the magistrate, she said, "Your Honor, you have wronged Young Master Zhao. If it weren't for Young Master Zhao, my granddaughter would have been kidnapped by this evil man and sold into slavery."

The magistrate looked surprised: "Oh, so you've wronged him?"

The old woman nodded repeatedly: "Yes, that's right. Young Master Zhao is a good man. He not only rescued people in the tent, but also served porridge to the disaster victims here. Sir, you can't blame him."

Several disaster victims in the group stepped forward and knelt on the ground in unison, saying, "Sir, the young master is a good man. He has saved so many of us. We don't want to see him punished!"

"My lord, the young master is a filial child. You are truly blessed and should reward him!"

·····

Everyone gathered around and knelt down before the magistrate, pleading for Zhao Heng's life. This scene left the magistrate somewhat incredulous.

Regardless, the magistrate stepped forward and helped the disaster victims up, saying politely, "No matter what, there are so many disaster victims. As the magistrate's son, it's only right that he actively participates in the rescue efforts. Everyone, please get up. I won't punish him!"

The disaster victims then got up from the ground and looked at the county magistrate with gratitude.

Zhao Heng, however, looked displeased: "Hmph, if I were the magistrate, I would definitely lock up that villain first, instead of disciplining my son, the magistrate!"