Chapter Seventy-Eight: Almsgiving

Chapter 78: Almsgiving

Lin Qiuran said gratefully, "Thank you, Second Young Master Xu."

Xu Yuanhang waved his hand, indicating that Lin Qiuran needn’t worry. "There’s no time to waste. Let’s go get them first."

Lin Qiuran asked Shopkeeper Shi to watch the shop and took Xu Yuanhang back to the Xiao family home. Sun Shi hadn’t gone out these past few days, staying at home all the time with the main gate tightly shut even during the day.

Now, the advantage of having a large estate became apparent. The backyard was spacious enough for growing vegetables, and Xiao Dashi had also planted the one back in their hometown. Not all twenty acres were used for grain, so the household had enough food to last for a while.

Sun Shi not only refrained from going out herself but also told Xiao Dashi not to go out either unless necessary. Seeing Lin Qiuran return at this hour, she thought something had happened. "What's wrong? What's Mr. Xu doing here...?"

Lin Qiuran said, "Mother, I heard that many refugees have arrived at the north gate. They’ve been starving for a long time and traveled a great distance to get here. I’m worried something might happen. You and Father should take Tangyuan and go with Mr. Xu to lie low for a bit."

As the saying goes, "harbor no ill intent, but remain vigilant." The refugees are indeed pitiable, displaced by war, but that doesn’t justify wrongdoing. However, if they're starving, you can't stop them from looting or smashing things. The best course is to avoid the situation.

Sun Shi was taken aback. Xiao Dashi also came out of the room and said, "What? Your mother and I take Tangyuan and leave? We can't do that! What about you?"

Lin Qiuran took a deep breath and said, "Lin Dong and the others are here, and the Golden Tripod Restaurant is also here. I can’t leave. The Second Young Master is someone we can trust. Once the situation calms down, he’ll bring you back. Besides, it probably won't come to that. It’s just that Tangyuan is young, and I’m worried the commotion outside might make him cry."

Lin Qiuran didn’t think anything major would happen, but it was still necessary to be cautious. She only had Tangyuan, and if conditions allowed, she wanted to protect him from even the slightest scare. Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi were older, so it made sense for them to leave together.

Xiao Dashi frowned and said, "If you’re not leaving, your mother and I won’t leave either."

There was no way they, the old ones, would go into hiding while leaving the younger generation to hold the fort. It would be better for them to guard the Golden Tripod Restaurant and let Lin Qiuran take Tangyuan away.

Lin Qiuran glanced anxiously at Sun Shi. "Mother."

Sun Shi came to her senses and pushed Xiao Dashi. "Go pack, now. We don't have time to waste. We’ll do as Qiu Ran says."

They shouldn’t cause chaos at home before any trouble breaks out outside. They didn't know the first thing about these matters, but they could take good care of Tangyuan. Staying behind would only add to Qiu Ran’s burdens.

The Golden Tripod Restaurant was such a large establishment, representing all their hard work. Even Sun Shi was reluctant to leave.

Lin Qiuran went into the room to hug Tangyuan. She wouldn’t see him for several days. Sun Shi packed nearby. Tangyuan was still young, unable to speak and unaware of what was happening, but he was happy to see Lin Qiuran at this hour.

Lin Qiuran carried him over to show him to Xu Yuanhang. "Does Tangyuan remember this uncle? He held you during your full moon celebration."

Xu Yuanhang gently took Tangyuan’s hand. Tangyuan smiled, revealing his dimples. Xu Yuanhang said, "Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him."

Lin Qiuran nodded.

Madam Xu also packed Tangyuan’s belongings. She seemed anxious. "Madam Lin, I really can’t go with you. I have my own children to look after at home."

Even if Lin Qiuran agreed to take her youngest son along, Madam Xu had other children to care for.

Lin Qiuran nodded and promptly paid her her wages for the month. Tangyuan could already eat solid food and drank less milk now. She could nurse him again when he got back.

Soon, Sun Shi took Tangyuan, and she and Xiao Dashi boarded the carriage. Xu Yuanhang lagged behind for a couple of steps and said to Lin Qiuran, "I’ll leave Steward Xu and a few guards with you. Look before you leap, and avoid trouble if possible. It’s fine if we do less business for a few days. No matter what happens, think of…"

Xu Yuanhang paused. "Just think of Tangyuan."

Lin Qiuran nodded. "I understand. Take care, Second Young Master."

Xu Yuanhang took the three of them south to safety. He had properties in many places, and with carriages readily available, travel was convenient. Lin Qiuran watched the carriage until it disappeared from sight. Liu Niang and the other servants were still at the residence. Madam Xu quickly packed and went home, leaving the house feeling empty.

Lin Xia felt a little panicked. It was still early, not yet the usual busy evening hours. With Tangyuan and Sun Shi gone and Madam Xu also absent, she couldn’t help but ask Lin Qiuran, "Madam, should we still operate the business? What should we do?"

Lin Qiuran said, "Stay home and don’t go out to join the crowds. If no one comes back, cook your own meals."

Xu Yuanhang was right; it was fine to close up for a few days. However, since the refugees were still outside the city, Lin Qiuran wanted to see if other places were still operating before making a decision.

Lin Qiuran didn't want to treat the refugees like some kind of plague, but she feared some might seize the opportunity to cause trouble. Yu’an was surrounded by mountains, and there were bandits in the area. The Golden Tripod Restaurant was such a prominent place…

She took Steward Xu and a few guards to the Golden Tripod Restaurant. Shopkeeper Shi was anxiously minding the shop, having already come out to look several times. He said, "The Golden Ruyi has already closed. All the valuable jewelry inside has been moved."

Since it was a place selling gold, silver, and jade—all expensive items—not doing business just meant not making money. If they remained open, someone might rush in and loot the place.

Closing was the logical choice.

Lin Qiuran entered the Golden Tripod Restaurant with her companions. She asked, "What about other shops? Are any still open?"

Shopkeeper Shi said, "It's impossible to say right now, but since the city gates are closed, it likely won't make much difference for now."

If the gates opened and the county yamen opened its granaries for disaster relief, giving the refugees something to eat and allowing them to settle in Yu’an, it was unlikely anyone would cause trouble. Honestly, if not for knowing about the conscription, the rising grain prices, the closed north gate, and the refugees outside, ordinary people wouldn’t even know there was a war in the northwest.

Not long ago, a group of men had left to join the army. They hadn't requisitioned grain, so some households were unaffected. However, since Lin Qiuran’s husband was in the Xuzhou military camp, he had likely gone to the northwest.

Shopkeeper Shi sighed inwardly. There was no helping it. Someone had to defend the country; otherwise, everyone would be fleeing.

Lin Qiuran said, "Let’s suspend business tonight. Take down the lanterns on the second floor."

When the second-floor lanterns were lit, the Golden Tripod Restaurant’s signboard became especially conspicuous, guaranteeing it was the first thing anyone saw when they came down the street.

Whether and when to let the refugees in depended on Prefect Zhao and County Magistrate Li. If they weren’t allowed in this afternoon, it was unlikely to happen tonight, so it would probably be tomorrow morning.

Lin Qiuran said to Shopkeeper Shi, "Depending on when the county yamen distributes relief, we’ll also give out porridge at the designated time. Stock up on more grain these days; it’s fine if it’s a bit expensive."

Steward Xu heard Lin Qiuran’s plan to buy grain for porridge but didn't say anything. He had asked her earlier if she wanted to buy grain, and she had declined. Regardless of her reasons, he was only to follow the Second Young Master's orders to protect Madam Lin.

Steward Xu felt somewhat indignant on Xu Yuanhang’s behalf. After all, Lin Qiuran was another man’s wife and another child’s mother. Why treat her so well?

Unaware of Steward Xu’s thoughts, Lin Qiuran told him he could leave if he had other matters, as long as the guards stayed. For now, those outside couldn’t get in, and those inside wouldn’t go out.

The night passed without incident. Fewer shops were open on the street, and there were fewer pedestrians. Before dark, Lin Qiuran left Lin Ming and one guard to watch the shop and returned home with Lin Dong and the others.

The next morning, Lin Qiuran woke up very early. The sky was still dark, and birds chirped outside. The street was quiet, with no sign of outside refugees. However, Shopkeeper Shi said many tents had appeared in the eastern and western parts of the city, likely prepared for the refugees.

The northern part of the city housed many of Yu’an’s wealthy residents. The area was spacious but unsuitable for settling refugees. The southern part was too crowded, so the eastern and western areas were chosen.

Seeing that no one would be allowed in today, the Golden Tripod Restaurant operated for another day.

Business was quite good, likely because the external commotion had unsettled Yu’an’s residents, who preferred gathering to eat and drink together.

Shopkeeper Shi was busy serving food and pouring wine when he overheard a customer at one table complain, "They’re setting up tents right next to my house. What bad luck."

"Ah, you can’t say that. Twenty years ago, during the Yu’an flood, we also sought refuge in neighboring counties. As long as they don’t cause trouble, it should be fine. Settling here gives them a home."

A larger population is better for a county town. Small towns attract no one.

"Sigh, the taxes we pay are all used to settle refugees. Who knows when the war will end? So many refugees—probably many cities have fallen…"

"Not necessarily. Perhaps they evacuated civilians early to avoid harm. Anyway, it’s not our money being spent." The man took a sip of wine, comforting his friend. "Think about it. The foreigners don’t care about the people of Great Yue, but our soldiers do."

"That’s true…"

The shop opened later than usual today. After the guests finished their meals, they left together. There were no customers on the second floor. Lin Qiuran estimated the tents would be set up within a day. She decided to suspend the restaurant’s operations at noon the next day and wait to see how things unfolded.

The next day, when Lin Qiuran woke up, she heard distant noises but couldn’t make them out clearly.

Rubbing her ears, she got up. Liu Niang called from outside, "Is the mistress awake? The city gate seems to be open."

Lin Qiuran felt uneasy. "Yes."

*

The city gate had opened early in the morning, and refugees streamed into Yu'an. County Magistrate Li had brought people to distribute porridge and grain in the eastern and western parts of the city early that day. These refugees would be settling temporarily in Yu'an; besides cooked porridge and steamed buns, each person was given a jin of raw rice so they could cook for themselves in the tents.

Even though they'd fled south, they carried their belongings and utensils with them. They might have spent their money along the way, but most of their possessions remained, allowing them to cook meals.

However, meat and vegetables weren't an option—the county coffers didn’t have that much silver. All County Magistrate Li could do was ensure these people didn’t starve.

The large crowd was quite bustling. Since the Xiao family lived nearby in the eastern part of the city, they could hear the commotion.

Liu Niang said, "From the sounds outside, things seem relatively peaceful."

At that moment, everyone was probably waiting for their meal, so no one was causing trouble. It was calm and orderly. Wouldn't it be better if they could help each other, settle down, find work, and live peacefully in the future?

Lin Qiuran nodded. "That’s good. I’ll go out and take a look later."

After washing up, Lin Qiuran changed into plain clothes, put on just a copper hairpin, removed her earrings, and brought two guards with her before feeling safe enough to go out.

The refugees’ tents were nearby. The day before yesterday, Lin Qiuran had only heard about the refugees outside the city but hadn’t seen what they looked like.

From afar, she saw that they were all very thin and stuck together as families. When eating, they didn’t all eat together; a few would eat first while one stayed behind to watch their belongings.

Noticing Lin Qiuran’s gaze, they showed wariness, then hurriedly finished the porridge in their bowls.

It was easy to see that their southward journey had been tough, and reaching this point had been quite an ordeal.

Lin Qiuran then went to South Street. The refugees were settled in the eastern and western parts of the city, so there were few outsiders in the southern part. The residents of Yu'an still rose early to set up stalls and go about their work, no different from usual.

Lin Qiuran went to the Golden Tripod Restaurant. From the second floor, the street looked orderly. She said to Lin Ming, "Go to the county office and find Scribe Wang. Ask how many times daily they distribute food and until when."

Lin Qiuran wanted to do her part as well. Every little bit counts—even one or two meals could help these refugees feel fuller. Moreover, since Xu Yuanhang had helped, she wanted to use this opportunity to distribute porridge in the Xu family’s name. Doing something would also set her mind at ease.

Lin Ming went to inquire and returned quickly. Scribe Wang said they planned to distribute food for three to five days and then stop. These people were able-bodied and should find work.

Otherwise, providing for hundreds of people two meals a day would deplete the county’s grain reserves quickly.

Besides, it was just after the autumn harvest, so the county office had surplus grain, but they couldn’t exhaust it entirely. If something else happened later, they'd have no recourse.

Moreover, with the war in the northwest, they had to prepare for potential shortages in army supplies. If that happened, County Magistrate Li would have nowhere to turn, even if he wept.

Lin Qiuran said, "Then we’ll wait three to five days before distributing porridge."

Two meals a day was quite good. After all, villagers and South Street residents typically ate only two meals a day, except during planting and harvest seasons.

If the county office stopped distributing porridge, she could step in. However, if they provided three meals a day and then stopped, it would surely lead to trouble. Lin Qiuran wanted to help, not cause trouble for Lord Li.

The Golden Ruyi was still closed. Lin Qiuran decided to suspend second-floor business for the time being and only operate on the first floor. Otherwise, giving away porridge without earning money wouldn’t be sustainable for long.

Lin Qiuran felt that Yu'an was relatively peaceful, but it was only superficial. At noon, Aunt Yu came to complain to Sun Shi, but unfortunately, Sun Shi wasn’t there. Lin Qiuran only said that the two had gone on a long trip, so Aunt Yu had to vent to Lin Qiuran instead.

Aunt Yu lamented, "These people have no respect for the law…"

Lin Qiuran handed her a cup of water.

Most businesses on South Street were still operating. Some refugees who hadn’t had enough to eat went to the street, grabbed steamed buns, and even took savory pancakes from Aunt Yu’s stall.

They would grab and run, their hands dirty, leaving the remaining food unsellable. Aunt Yu was furious but could hardly complain.

Da Hu was already married, and his new wife had a meek disposition. Aunt Yu had once thought this was good, but now she felt the whole family was being bullied.

The pancake left on the cutting board was inedible, so she saved it to feed the chickens later. After Aunt Yu cleaned the cutting board and other utensils, another person came trying to steal. This time, Aunt Yu covered the food, preventing the theft. But other stall owners couldn’t tolerate the humiliation and chased the offenders away with brooms, knives, and shovels.

As she spoke, Aunt Yu sighed. "County Magistrate Li opened the city gates to let these people in, and the county office is distributing porridge and rice to everyone. They’re all able-bodied—if they want to eat, they should find work and earn money to buy food. We small vendors work hard early in the morning to make a living. Why resort to stealing?"

Lin Qiuran sighed along with her. "Auntie, these next few days, let Uncle Li and Da Hu run the stall. It’s better for men to go out."

Aunt Yu nodded. "That’s what I thought. We still need to earn money—we can’t just hide at home. Has anyone caused trouble at the restaurant?"

Lin Qiuran said, "We didn’t open for lunch. We plan to try opening for business in the evening."

Aunt Yu advised, "Be careful. These people are rash and desperate—I’m really scared now."

Lin Qiuran’s expression turned serious. While a small number of troublemakers could be driven away, what if there were more? "It’s better to lay low. Money isn't everything; nothing is more important than life."

Aunt Yu stayed for a while longer before leaving. Lin Qiuran returned to the kitchen to prepare for the evening. Since the second floor wasn’t operating, no one had even asked about reservations lately—probably because people were reluctant to spend much money under the circumstances.

It was a trait of the Chinese people: they loved good food, but in times of crisis, they preferred to save their resources.

Lin Qiuran didn’t prepare much food that day, but even so, she hadn’t sold out by closing time, which was earlier than usual.

It wasn’t safe to return too late, so Lin Qiuran divided the leftover food among the staff, telling them to take it home to eat. Lin Ming stayed behind to watch the restaurant, with one guard and two large dogs for protection. Barricading the door with tables and chairs made it quite secure.

The guards Xu Yuanhang had provided came in handy; otherwise, she wouldn’t have dared to return home so late.

The night passed, and Lin Qiuran felt it was colder the next morning. Opening the door, she saw leaves falling in the courtyard and gloomy skies. She wondered how Tangyuan and the others were doing.

Lin Qiuran added an extra layer of clothing and went to the restaurant with her guards.

Lin Ming had already opened up and bought the day’s supplies. He said, "There was some noise during the night, but after Huang and Er Huang barked a few times, it stopped."

Lin Qiuran nodded. "How are things outside?"

It seemed fine to her—everyone was eating in their tents in the morning, some even cooking over fires.

Lin Ming said, "There was some trouble on South Street early this morning. The county office took the troublemakers away."

A little suppression had its benefits; otherwise, people would act without restraint. But it couldn’t be overdone—Lin Ming was worried.

Lin Qiuran said, "When Shopkeeper Shi arrives, tell him to inform Lu Fan and Zhao Xing to focus on their families. It’s fine if they can’t come to work."

Lin Ming nodded.

Lin Qiuran glanced at the sky and then went back into the kitchen to work. She hadn't let Wan Niang come these past few days, as taking Yingjie out was inconvenient, so it was better for them to stay at home.

By noon, business picked up, and the restaurant buzzed with activity.

Jiang Sijie came for a meal. Unable to return to Xu Zhou, she had been staying at an inn and came to the Golden Tripod Restaurant to eat whenever she could. She no longer rode in a carriage and dressed plainly.

Jiang Sijie also passed a message through Lin Ming to Lin Qiuran: on her way, she had seen several ragged individuals peering through the cracks of the door at the jewelry shop next door.

She was sure some were also watching the Golden Tripod Restaurant.

Lin Qiuran thought that with guards and Shopkeeper Shi and the others around, the restaurant would be fine.

But that evening, before closing time, two customers who had just left the restaurant stormed back in, shouting angrily, "We were robbed right after leaving your restaurant! Since it happened at your doorstep, you have to compensate us!"

This is purely an unexpected misfortune. Shopkeeper Shi wiped his sweat. If they compensated for this, tomorrow those refugees would come to the restaurant to start looting.

He said, "Sir, since your belongings were stolen, you should report it to the authorities now. There’s no reason for us to compensate you. Besides, although the meal was eaten at the restaurant, the purse wasn’t lost here. The area outside the door isn't Golden Tripod Restaurant's property either, so it doesn’t make sense for you to demand compensation from us."

Some customers stuck up for the restaurant, saying that whoever stole it should be the one to pay, and it made no sense to blame the Golden Tripod Restaurant.

After much persuasion, Shopkeeper Shi managed to get them to leave. He then addressed the other customers, "Recently, Yu'an has been pretty chaotic. Everyone should be careful when going out. If anything happens, the Golden Tripod Restaurant will do what we can to help. Please enjoy your meal."

The customers nodded and continued eating, but they learned their lesson and made sure to put away their purses securely after paying before leaving the restaurant.

The night was deep, hiding many prying eyes. The customers tightened their clothes and quickened their steps as they left.

After the restaurant closed, Lin Qiuran urged Shopkeeper Shi and the others to go home, instructed Lin Ming to keep an eye on the shop, and then headed back with her guards.

The next day was still overcast. In the morning, the county government distributed some rice and announced during the porridge distribution that it would stop in the evening, as the rice would be enough to feed the refugees for a few days.

Those who wanted to settle down in Yu'an couldn’t rely solely on the county government for food.

Lin Qiuran planned to distribute porridge and steamed buns in the east of the city that evening. The troublemakers were few, but most were elderly women and children, with their menfolk drafted into service.

They were also pitiable.

Lin Qiuran had Lin Dong and a few others cook porridge and make steamed buns, splitting them into two batches—one in the name of the Xu family and the other in the name of the Golden Tripod Restaurant.

When you do a good deed, you shouldn’t do it anonymously; she hoped that, out of thanks for the meal, they wouldn’t cause trouble here.

In the afternoon, the porridge and steamed buns were ready. Shopkeeper Shi and Lin Ming went separately to distribute them. Seeing that things weren’t too busy, Lin Qiuran also went out to take a look. She brought her guards; otherwise, she wouldn’t have dared to go.

The refugees had been in Yu'an for several days, but having only eaten porridge and steamed buns, their complexions and spirits hadn’t changed much—they were still thin and frail.

Lin Qiuran had asked Shopkeeper Shi to set up distribution stalls. When she arrived, Shopkeeper Shi was serving porridge—two scoops per person, along with a steamed bun, which was basically enough to fill their stomachs. Both sides distributed at the same time, so no one could collect from both.

There were many people, and they weren’t lining up properly. Shopkeeper Shi’s attempts to organize them were useless; it was simply chaotic.

Lin Qiuran couldn’t help but say, "Form a line and proceed in order. Otherwise, no one will get any porridge."

The women at the front had blank stares, and no one was willing to move. Those behind complained, "Can you hurry up? Even giving out porridge is so slow. Weren’t we told a big restaurant was distributing porridge? Why is it only porridge and steamed buns? How cheap."

"Yeah, how much money do you make in a day, and you only give us this?"

Two men in their thirties or forties shouted. As the saying goes, beggars can't be choosers. After starving for days, they didn’t care about right or wrong.

Shopkeeper Shi frowned. "What kind of logic is this? We’re giving out porridge, and we’re still in the wrong?"

No one was willing to listen. One of the shouting men threw his bowl toward Lin Qiuran. "We want meat!"

The man was only separated from Lin Qiuran by a counter and a few people. Her heart tightened, and even Shopkeeper Shi was too slow to react.

In a flash, someone pulled her arm, and she stumbled to the side. The earthen bowl fell to the ground, shattering into four or five pieces.

Xu Yuanhang steadied Lin Qiuran, his gaze sharp and fierce as he looked at the man. "You haven’t even put down your bowl, and you’re already biting the hand that feeds you?"