In the dead of night, everyone except those on night watch gathered together. Since Lin, the head镖师 (bodyguard), was the most seriously injured, the group formed a large circle around him.
Qu Huaiyuan unfolded the disaster relief documents for everyone present to see, and then asked, "I'm sure everyone is still shaken by yesterday's mutual slaughter. Does anyone know why such a thing happened?"
A young man with a missing arm raised his hand and asked, "I know, they want to take all the food for themselves! That's why they want to kill us."
These words were met with agreement from the majority of the villagers, who clearly shared the same sentiment. The villagers who had brought home several bags of grain that day lowered their heads, trying to minimize their presence, fearing that the grain, which hadn't even been properly stored, would be credited as a successor.
Qu Huaiyuan nodded and then shook his head, and everyone looked at him in confusion: "Mr. Qu, is there something else we don't know?"
This time, Qu Huaiyuan didn't keep them in suspense. He held up the disaster relief document above his head and explained seriously, "You guessed half right, but not entirely. What I have here is a document issued by the imperial court, which is about this batch of grain."
He scanned the faces of the crowd, noticing their confusion, bewilderment, or indifference, before dropping the bombshell: "These are the disaster relief grain documents issued by the imperial court two years ago!"
One villager curled his lip and said disdainfully, "In the first famine year in Xinyang Prefecture, the imperial court distributed grain to us, one jin of rice per person per month! What's so special about your document?"
Qu Huaiyuan smiled and wasn't angry. He tore open the page of the document and said to the villagers, "It's not surprising, but the amount of grain is far from what was expected. The document states that the imperial court allocated 200,000 shi of grain to Xinyang Prefecture, enough for us to eat and drink for two years. However, the actual amount of grain that we actually get to eat is only a few thousand shi!"
"The rest were all embezzled, but unexpectedly, this batch of grain ended up in the hands of mountain bandits. The grain we are moving now is the disaster relief grain from two years ago!"
Qu Huaiyuan spoke these words with a powerful and resounding voice, striving to ensure that everyone present could hear them. The effect was obvious: apart from those who already knew the truth, the rest of the villagers were stunned by the news.
"Is this...is this real or fake?"
After receiving a reply from their knowledgeable companions, the crowd erupted in chaos. Some people cursed angrily, some knelt down and prayed to heaven, while others darted around with their eyes darting about, seemingly plotting something wicked.
An hour later, after everyone present had calmed down, Qu Huaiyuan said again, "This grain was originally intended for disaster relief, so we have unanimously decided to offer it to General Xiao and let him decide where it goes."
"Naturally, the grain that has already been moved out will be distributed by us, and every household will be treated fairly."
The villagers who had already moved the grain objected, saying, "I disagree. We all found the grain, why should we give it away?"
The villagers who had previously tried to stop Qu Huaiyuan from rescuing people protested: "That's right, who would complain about having too much grain? Haven't we ever seen people give away large quantities of white rice?"
Wang said in a high-pitched voice, "Master Tongsheng is still too young. How could he understand how difficult it is for us to survive in this world?"
Why would she want to spit out the food that had already been fed to her? Naturally, she would actively resist the actions of Qu Huaiyuan and the others.
The others remained silent, but their expressions conveyed a similar message to those who had spoken. Only a very few echoed, "I think it's a good idea. As long as we set aside enough food, we can share it with others."
The elderly woman, who had experienced the riots last night, said with tears streaming down her face, "Food is the lifeblood of us ordinary people! We've encountered so many people who starved to death on the road. If we don't share it, we'll surely be punished by heaven!"
As if to echo this sentiment, the rain, which had finally stopped, began to fall sparsely again, accompanied by deafening thunder that struck the hearts of all the villagers.
If Zhen Wanwan were here, she would definitely give the old lady a thumbs up and bestow upon her the title of "Perfect Assist NPC"...
Upon hearing the thunder, the old woman knelt down with a thud, clasped her hands together, and kowtowed, praying, "Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, have great compassion and mercy, please save us suffering people!"
No sooner had she finished speaking than another loud clap of thunder sounded outside, and the Buddhist women present all followed the old woman's example and began to pray.
At this point, many villagers felt that this was a warning from heaven, and with the exception of a few individuals, the rest of them stopped objecting.
Wang was torn. On one hand, she didn't want to donate grain, and on the other hand, she was afraid of the gods' warning. She was so angry that she jumped up and down, but she could only watch helplessly as everyone made this decision.
The food issue has been resolved; all that's left is to settle the accounts.
Qu Huaiyuan pulled Zhang Laoliu out from the corner, pointed at him, and said, "This is the man who caused the riot yesterday!"
Zhang Laoliu slumped to the ground, his life hanging in the balance, just enough for all the villagers to see him clearly. Those who were close to him recognized him immediately: "Zhang Laoliu! How could it be him?"
Some people who didn't know him well asked curiously, "What's wrong with him?"
The man snorted coldly: "He used to be from our Zhangjia Village. He always loved to sow discord and make us fight each other. Zhang Laoliu took advantage of our fight to sneak into everyone's house and steal the grain and salt."
He added with a sigh, "By the time the villagers found out, he had already run away. Many people were eating tree bark to survive, and they probably died during the war."
"Then why didn't you arrest him? Instead, you wanted him to come with us."
Upon hearing this, the man explained guiltily and awkwardly, "I wasn't feeling well the day he stole, so I went home early. That's why he didn't steal my grain. I only saw him a few days ago, and then he secretly slipped me a few pounds of grain..."
Everyone then realized what was happening and looked at him with disgust. He had been an accomplice in this whole ordeal.
Hearing Zhang Laoliu's explanation, Qu Huaiyuan raised an eyebrow, his suspicion of him lessening somewhat. It seemed that Zhang had been watching their group for a long time but hadn't found an opportunity to strike.
During this time, he stirred up trouble among the villagers and formed an alliance to cause trouble. Unexpectedly, he discovered the grain cave and changed his mind about robbing and looting.
If this person isn't eliminated, he'll probably end up as a bandit. Thinking of this, Qu Huaiyuan's eyes darkened, and he silently made up his mind.
The night passed exceptionally slowly. After the discussion, everyone dispersed. Some went home and cursed the thieves, while others began to plan how to get more grain for their families.
Wang's eyes held a dark and ambiguous expression, but in reality, she had already made a plan. After returning home, the cave where her family lived was brightly lit, showing no sign of wanting to waste anything.
The house was neatly packed with bags and packages, and the grain was securely placed on the cart. Her beloved son, Li Guangzong, lay on the bed like a lord, watching them pack.
In the middle of the night, as everyone was asleep, the Li family pushed bags of grain out the door. Li Zhenzhen gritted her teeth and secretly regretted not making a move on Zhen Wanwan sooner, while Li Zhaodi gazed affectionately at the cave where the Qu family was resting.
Driven by Wang, the two men worked together like oxen and horses to pull away the cart piled high with grain.
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