With Master Ding setting an example, Ling Ziyuan smiled and said, "Master Ding is a man of high moral character, worthy of being the Master of Chengyang County."

Rest assured, I will report this matter to the Emperor after it is over.

"You'll definitely be listed near the top of the merit monument in Chengyang County."

After hearing this, Master Ding thanked Magistrate Ling with great joy.

He'll donate these things sooner or later anyway, so donating them now will at least give him a good reputation.

Not only did Master Ding figure this out, but everyone else quickly came to the same conclusion as well.

So things went much more smoothly after that.

Some donated grain, some donated silver, and others donated cloth and medicine.

Although they didn't donate as much as Yan Qingqing and Master Ding, they all did what they could.

Many people even donated a significant portion of their personal wealth.

It's not that Yan Qingqing and Ling Ziyuan are forcing anyone, but the entire Great Yan Dynasty can't get through this crisis without doing this.

Steward Ling and the county clerk were also extremely busy, quickly writing down each item reported by these people.

This is no small amount; they'll be coming to collect the debt later. Making sure they remember this will prevent them from defaulting on their payments.

The banquet lasted for a full hour before it ended.

They were told it was a banquet, but none of them even got to eat a meal, and in the end, they lost all the savings they had accumulated over the years.

However, they all had smiles on their faces and looked very happy.

Ling Ziyuan breathed a sigh of relief after seeing these people off; he was really afraid they wouldn't give him a penny.

Although he was the county magistrate, he couldn't force people to donate.

Ling Ziyuan looked at Yan Qingqing with a smile and said, "Ming Zhaoshuo is indeed clever; he can even come up with such a trick."

This is the first time I've ever seen anyone so happy to have paid money.

Yan Qingqing felt a little ashamed after hearing this; in fact, she felt quite embarrassed.

It's their freedom to donate or not the wealth they've worked so hard to build.

However, she used vanity and moral pressure to coerce others into making donations, but this was a critical moment and she had no choice.

Actually, it's quite simple. It's similar to charitable organizations in my previous life. At least doing good deeds allows them to leave their names.

This is all Yan Qingqing can do to help; she's done everything she could. The rest is up to Ling Ziyuan himself.

The Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and Yan Qingqing needs to go home and get some rest.

Although this year is somewhat special, the necessary preparations still need to be made.

Going out to prepare for the New Year is definitely not feasible, because all the shops on the streets are already closed.

Fortunately, every household in Canghe Village is quite wealthy and usually has plenty of supplies stored up, so even without buying any New Year's goods, they can still have a bountiful New Year.

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, many families in the village began to slaughter pigs for the New Year.

Since Yan Qingqing's family didn't raise pigs, they had already informed the villagers that anyone with extra pork could bring it to her home.

Yan Qingqing's family has a large number of members, and they also support a group of people on the mountain, which results in a high consumption of meat.

The family that slaughtered the pig kept enough pork for their own consumption, and sold the rest to villagers in need at market prices. Of course, most of the pork ended up in Yan Qingqing's home.

Yan Qingqing's family has an ice cellar, and given the freezing weather, the pork is easy to preserve; it won't spoil even if they don't finish it all at once.

Moreover, most of the villagers in Canghe Village have been busy all year, so it's a rare opportunity for them to have some free time and reunite with their families.

Therefore, the atmosphere in Canghe Village was exceptionally harmonious, as if the disaster victims and plague outside had nothing to do with them.

Yan Qingqing also had a rare few days of indulgence and relaxation. She stopped getting up early to exercise and slept until noon every day. Then she would play with Li Jinxiu and Li Xiangyang for a while and chat with Yuan Huiniang about everyday matters.

Chat with Li Xiangping and Li Xiangan, and dream about the future.

Of course, sometimes she would worry about Xiao Mochen, wondering if he had encountered any danger along the way, whether he had arrived safely at the Northern Border, and whether the wound on his arm had healed.

And Li Xiangjian, there has been no news of him for the past six months, and we don't know if he is doing well in the military camp.

However, Yan Qingqing knew that her worries were unnecessary. Even if something really happened to them, she couldn't help them much, since distant water can never quench immediate thirst.

At this moment, Li Xiangjian, who was far away on the border, was patrolling in the wind and snow.

The border region is bitterly cold, with freezing temperatures and strong ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Li Xiangjian's skin was not fair to begin with, and after spending more than a year at the border, it had turned completely bronze.

However, he appeared even more robust and tall, more sturdy than he did at home.

The soldier patrolling alongside Li Xiangjian muttered under his breath, "What the hell is this weather?"

Why is it so cold? My hands and feet are so cold I can't feel them anymore.

Moreover, the food prepared by the cooks is getting worse and worse; it's not just that it lacks oil and salt.

The rice water was so clear it was like water; you could see your reflection in it. It wasn't enough to fill our stomachs. How were we supposed to fight a war like that?

Let's not end up starving to death instead of dying at the enemy's hands.

Li Xiangjian glanced at the soldier but didn't say anything, because what he said was true.

The cooks have indeed been cooking very little rice lately, but this isn't because they're stingy; it's because the military camp is about to run out of food.

I wonder how many days this watery rice porridge can last.

However, this was a military secret, and not many people knew about it.

Because if this gets out, it will definitely shake the morale of the troops.

Li Xiangjian deduced this from the conversation between General Ling and the others.

Li Xiangjian was also deeply worried. If the food supply really ran out, these hundreds of thousands of troops would probably only face certain death.

Seeing that Li Xiangjian didn't speak, the soldier leaned closer to him and asked, "Boss, do you miss home? I haven't written home in a long time."

My mother has poor eyesight and can't see things clearly. I joined the army without telling her.

I heard that soldiers in the army receive a salary, and once I've saved enough money to send home, I can pay for my mother's eye treatment.

I've saved up eight taels of silver so far. The doctor said my mother's eyes will need at least thirty taels. I wonder when I'll be able to save enough.

Boss, your family must be very rich. Not only are you good at kung fu, but you can also read. How could an ordinary family raise such a capable son?

"Is your mother good to you?" "My mother is so good to me; she always saves the best food for me."

This soldier, named Xiao Wei, had only been here a few months. He was a chatterbox, constantly rambling on and on.

When Li Xiangjian heard Xiao Wei mention Yan Qingqing, a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

Not only was his mother good to him, but his brothers and sisters were also very good to him.

He's been away from home for over a year, how could he not miss home?

He hadn't received a letter from home for a long time.

They moved to a different location to guard the area after he wrote the last letter home.

He didn't even receive a reply from his mother.

During this time, the enemy has been making moves, and the military camp is under even tighter security. He hasn't gone home to send any messages, and his family must be worried about him.

Just as Li Xiangjian was thinking about this, the bugle call of the military camp sounded.

Li Xiangjian immediately snapped back to the main camp to assemble, fearing that the enemy had begun another attack on the city.