Chapter Seventy-Nine: Calm Down

Chapter 79: A Moment of Calm

Xu Yuanhang’s gaze swept over the crowd. Those who had been speaking, jostling, or demanding meat now stood motionless, heads bowed. In the eyes of a few, a flicker of shame appeared.

Some glanced at Lin Qiuran, then at the shattered bowl on the ground, lowering their heads in guilt. Their lips trembled, but no words emerged.

The one who had thrown the bowl, seeing this, instinctively shrank back, trying to melt into the crowd.

Though he had just thrown the bowl, he was still desperate for this meal—who would refuse free food? Yet, his thoughts weren't entirely unfounded. A grand restaurant like this earned so much in a day. To offer only porridge and steamed buns, despite their wealth, felt like an insult.

Did the owner himself eat such fare? Probably wouldn't even spare it a glance. Meat would be ideal, but if not, porridge would suffice. He had to try his luck—what if the owner was soft-hearted and easily swayed?

While they were left with porridge and plain buns, the people of Yu’an were enjoying prosperity, frequenting restaurants and even indulging in meat buns for breakfast. The sight filled him with simmering resentment.

Why hadn't the war affected Yu’an? Why was his family displaced while these people lived comfortably? Heaven was truly unjust. Forced from their homes, the court offered only meager grain. Was a little meat too much to ask? Why wouldn't they satisfy them?

The man thought darkly: they weren't asking for rare delicacies. Since they were willing to offer porridge, why not go all the way and be truly generous? And that man—dressed so finely, yet so stingy.

He wished the bowl had struck him dead.

Xu Yuanhang’s gaze was chilling. The man kept glancing at him, muttering under his breath, "He dresses so well, what’s wrong with us asking for a little meat? Don’t you all agree…"

The bold thrive while the timid starve—they should have just taken it by force. It was a pity these people were too cowardly; otherwise, they would have had meat long ago.

There were even bandits on the road here—they robbed people, so why did no one intervene?

In a noisy place, Xu Yuanhang might not have heard him, but at that moment, the refugees were as silent as quails. Not only did Xu Yuanhang hear him, but he also saw the man's greedy and hostile expression clearly.

Xu Yuanhang commanded, "Guards, take away the man who threw the bowl."

The man, who had been cowering, looked up in surprise. "Why? I didn’t even hit anyone!"

A wave of panic washed over him. He tried to retreat further into the crowd, pleading, "Why are you driving me away? I won’t ask for meat anymore, alright?"

Xu Yuanhang calmly stated, "You may not get meat, but you will learn a lesson. Today, the Golden Tripod Restaurant is offering porridge and one steamed bun. Those who wish to partake may do so. No one is forcing you to eat if you don’t want to. However, if anyone causes trouble, they will be barred from receiving food. If trouble occurs more than three times, the Golden Tripod Restaurant will cease all distributions. Remember clearly why the charity stops."

As Xu Yuanhang finished speaking, the refugees' expressions shifted instantly. They still felt the injustice—their own displacement and hardship contrasted with Yu’an residents’ unaffected lives, enjoying good food and warm clothes, while they themselves relied on charity. The people of Yu’an had homes and provisions.

But if a few troublemakers caused the distribution to stop, they would gain nothing and lose two meals. Who would they complain to then?

The man still refused to leave, tugging at the arms of those around him. "Are we just going to accept this bullying? Who was I doing this for anyway?"

Xu Yuanhang watched impassively. The distribution would resume only when this man left. It was a test of who had more patience.

The crowd fell silent. Someone finally said, "Just leave already."

The man tried to push deeper into the crowd, angrily accusing those who had previously supported him but now remained silent. Soon, he was pushed out, and the refugees began to line up orderly.

Since everyone received the same thing, what difference did it make whether they ate earlier or later? Once the line was formed, Shopkeeper Shi looked at Lin Qiuran. "Madam Lin?"

Lin Qiuran nodded. "Continue the distribution. Each person may receive only one portion. If anyone attempts to take more, the Golden Tripod Restaurant will cease all charity. Don’t let the selfish actions of a few deprive everyone of food."

After speaking, Lin Qiuran lowered her gaze to Xu Yuanhang’s hand, which was still supporting her. Xu Yuanhang withdrew his hand, saying, "It was an emergency. I hope you don’t mind."

Lin Qiuran shook her head. Xu Yuanhang had helped her, and there had been layers of clothing between them. Why would she mind?

She hadn't expected that even with guards and the distribution point being watched, a refugee would throw something at her. Fortunately, it missed.

To throw away a bowl meant for eating—such a person didn't deserve to be fed again. She had money, but she wouldn't waste it on ingrates. No one wanted to spend money only to nurture ungratefulness.

With Shopkeeper Shi and the others handling the distribution, Lin Qiuran left with Xu Yuanhang.

It was the sixth day of the month, four days since Xu Yuanhang had departed.

He had returned alone. Lin Qiuran couldn’t help but ask, "Why have you returned, Mr. Xu? What about Tangyuan…"

Xu Yuanhang had anticipated her question. "Tangyuan is well, and your parents are safe. I returned for business. I came back after settling them."

Lin Qiuran nodded. The Xu family had business in Yu’an, and Xu Yuanhang had stockpiled grain a few months earlier. It was no surprise he had returned to sell it.

Xu Yuanhang offered no further advice. Human nature was unpredictable. Things weren't too chaotic yet—most people were following the county government’s instructions, settling down and relying on relief grain to get by. Only a few were causing trouble, stealing or scheming.

Having endured hardship on their journey, they now harbored resentment and wished everyone shared their misery. Even staying indoors wasn’t entirely safe, let alone venturing out.

From what Xu Yuanhang knew, some families had lost children to starvation on the road south. Seeing others living comfortably, even if those families kept to themselves, couldn’t stop malicious thoughts.

He didn't blame Lin Qiuran.

Against such people, even vigilance might not be enough. It wasn't yet a critical situation, but one couldn't simply stay indoors forever.

Xu Yuanhang escorted Lin Qiuran back to the Golden Tripod Restaurant. "I have other matters to attend to. Be careful when you go out in the future."

Lin Qiuran nodded. "Mr. Xu, you should also consider changing your clothes when you go out. It might not help much, but it’s better than being stared at by a crowd."

Xu Yuanhang always had guards with him, but even the best fighter could be overwhelmed.

Xu Yuanhang looked down at his clothes, then at Lin Qiuran’s, and smiled. "I hadn’t thought of that. Thanks for the reminder."

Lin Qiuran replied, "If anyone should be thanking, it’s me thanking you, Second Young Master."

Xu Yuanhang’s smile deepened, and he relaxed noticeably. "Let’s not keep thanking each other. If you need anything, come find me at the Xu residence."

Lin Qiuran nodded, watching as Xu Yuanhang departed.

Tangyuan was safe, and that was a relief. Lin Qiuran felt glad she had sent Tangyuan away—who knew what might have happened otherwise?

Shopkeeper Shi returned half an hour later, just as the restaurant was about to open for business. Lin Ming had also finished his duties without incident, though it had been chaotic with so many people.

Lin Qiuran instructed, "From now on, before each distribution, make it clear: anyone who causes trouble or tries to take extra portions will be denied. If trouble happens more than three times, we stop distributing altogether."

Xu Yuanhang’s idea was a good one. These refugees had been hungry for too long and were now living in makeshift shelters, harboring deep resentment toward the people of Yu’an. Over time, this resentment would only grow. It was better to redirect their frustration toward those who were causing trouble.

They were providing porridge and grain, yet these people weren’t grateful—instead, they demanded more. Did they not consider how much it would cost to feed so many people meat?

Lin Qiuran’s distribution that day had used 150 jin of rice and 100 jin of flour for steamed buns. At current grain prices, that was four taels of silver.

Fortunately, they had stockpiled earlier, so it didn’t cost that much, but it was still equivalent to the restaurant’s earnings for a day.

Moreover, Lin Qiuran felt this couldn’t last long. With so many people, the restaurant could only manage three or four days. If no one continued the distributions, these people would have nothing to eat.

The Golden Tripod Restaurant announced it would stop distributions on the evening of the ninth. It was only in the past two days that Xu Yuanhang learned Lin Qiuran had been using his name to distribute food to refugees in the west of the city.

Steward Xu was the one who told him. He hadn’t expected Lin Qiuran to do this—not buying grain from the Xu family yet doing good deeds in Xu Yuanhang’s name. If she had bought grain from the Xu family at cost and then distributed it, Steward Xu would have thought she had too much time on her hands. But she had used her own money without seeking credit.

They had been in business long enough to not overthink it. It was no surprise the Second Young Master was intrigued by someone like Madam Lin.

Steward Xu asked, "Shall we also distribute?"

Xu Yuanhang was lost in thought for a moment, then shook his head.

Xu Yuanhang was now managing the Xu family. This time, they had stockpiled grain in advance and taken the opportunity to make a huge profit. With refugees as numerous as the hairs on a cow, he had never considered providing porridge for the people.

Not only had Xu Yuanhang not done so, but the wealthier families of Yu'an hadn't either. Instead, they had all packed up early and fled south to escape the disaster. Only Xu Yuanhang remained in the Xu household; his father, elder brother, and their wives and concubines had long since left.

The richer they were, the more they valued their lives—why would they care about anyone else?

Xu Yuanhang pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Sell the stockpiled grain quickly."

The price of grain had already reached sixteen wen per jin, which was quite high, and other goods were becoming more expensive too.

Meat and vegetables sold out immediately. If prices stayed high, people wouldn't be able to afford them anymore.

The court intended to calm the refugees and would certainly not let them starve. As soon as the war situation eased, they would inevitably order price adjustments for grain and meat.

Items like salt and sugar were still controlled by the court and remained at their original prices, but they weren't very useful, as they weren't enough to fill people up.

Xu Yuanhang had stockpiled the grain when it was seven or eight wen per jin, so he needed to sell it quickly.

Steward Xu nodded and carried out Xu Yuanhang's instructions. The Xu family had stockpiled grain not only in Yu'an but in other places as well. This time, they stood to make a lot of silver.

As for Lin Qiuran's help, the refugees in Yu'an might be grateful, but such goodwill wasn't as valuable as real silver. Who would remember the kindness of one meal? It would be better to wait for the court to request grain, "lend" some, and get a plaque in return.

The ninth day of the ninth month was the Double Ninth Festival, but Yu'an showed no signs of festive spirit. On the tenth, it rained, and the weather grew colder. Leaves swirled in puddles as the drizzle continued all day without stopping.

With no sun in the sky and water everywhere on the ground, few people went out.

Lin Qiuran couldn't help but put on more clothes. During the hot summer, she had been eager for autumn to come, but now this rain made the refugees suffer.

Forced to leave the northwest, some had brought clothes with them. Since the northwest was bitterly cold, they had brought thick cotton garments, which were too warm for now but better than nothing.

Others, thinking of heading south and since it was only May or June and not yet cold, had chosen to bring more valuable items instead of clothes.

However, the journey south incurred many expenses. Those with some money left could buy clothes, but the unlucky ones who had been robbed now had nothing to protect them from the cold.

With the temperature dropping today and no one distributing porridge, they hid in their tents, utterly unsure of what to do. The tents were makeshift and provided no protection against the cold. It was still daytime; who knew how much colder it would get at night?

Coughs could already be heard from the tents. County Magistrate Li could do nothing but send some firewood and rice. He wanted to send blankets, but where would the county government get the money for that?

Lin Qiuran brewed red date and ginger tea in the Golden Tripod Restaurant's kitchen. It didn't cost much silver but could help the refugees ward off the cold.

If these people caught colds, the residents of Yu’an would also be infected. As long as they were in Yu’an, only by pacifying them could they prevent unrest and ensure the local people could live peacefully.

Lin Qiuran knew these people were pitiable. Most had come as families, with only one or two men in each household. But they couldn't wait for food handouts every day; to survive, they had to find work themselves.

The rice provided by the county government might last a few more days, but at times like this, Lin Qiuran couldn't help feeling anxious.

At noon today, the Golden Tripod Restaurant had only two tables of guests. With rain outside, one table ordered braised pork, Poached Sliced Pork, Spicy Diced Rabbit, and a few vegetable dishes. Five people sat together eating.

They hadn't been here for several days. After the food was served, they ate voraciously for a while before starting to talk. Their conversation also turned to the recent refugee situation—one moment complaining about the stench, the next about children snatching things and running away.

"Don't underestimate them—even after starving for so long, they run fast. Next time I catch one, I'll beat him to death."

"Exactly. No matter how poor you are, you shouldn't steal. You all should be careful when going out at night. I've seen a lot of people lurking around suspiciously."

"The city gates still aren't open, huh? They say there are more people outside the city. It's already chaotic enough; if more come, how are we supposed to live?"

"Sigh, who knows when the war will end? My second uncle went to the northwest too."

At this, the group fell silent, burying their heads in their meals. Even if their own family members hadn't joined the army, they had relatives who had, and whether they would return was uncertain.

After finishing their meal and settling the bill, the group left, and Shopkeeper Shi escorted them out, watching until they were out of sight before returning, to avoid a repeat of that incident where someone had their money pouch snatched right at the restaurant entrance. Fortunately, the area around Golden Tripod Restaurant had been relatively calm these past few days, likely due to the free meals, so no one had caused trouble there.

Golden Tripod Restaurant remained quiet through the night, but the largest restaurant in Yu'an, Drunken Spring Breeze, had an incident.

Drunken Spring Breeze had stayed open these past few days as well. One evening, a child saw the brightly lit restaurant and dashed inside, grabbed a roast chicken leg from one of the tables, and fled.

With several staff on duty, they’d slipped up by letting him in, but they couldn’t just watch him escape. They caught him immediately.

Frustrated by the recent spate of disturbances, the server, angered by the child’s actions, yanked the chicken leg from his mouth and kicked him.

Just then, a woman rushed over, crying out, "If you want to hit someone, hit me! If you want to kill someone, kill me! Why take it out on a child?"

The child, emaciated from prolonged hunger, collapsed to the ground after the kick, curled up, crying out in pain.

Outside, refugees pointed and muttered, while customers, incensed, stood up and accused the boy of stealing.

The server felt wronged—after all, the boy had taken something without asking, which was theft. With such dirty hands, customers would likely not want to eat.

The manager emerged from the back, carrying a plate of roast chicken. Apologizing, he said, "I’m sorry for the disturbance today. Your meal is on us today."

He handed the roast chicken to the mother and child, saying, "Our staff acted too harshly. Take this chicken home. There’s work available at the docks and construction sites—don’t let the child resort to stealing again."

The manager also gave them a tael of silver. "Take the child to see a doctor. Don’t delay."

The woman wiped her tears, and the child scrambled to his feet. Clutching the chicken and the silver, they left.

As the crowd dispersed, the manager signaled to the staff member, who hurried to the backyard.

"It was my fault for not stopping him. Deduct the cost from my wages," the staff member said.

The manager shook his head. "Even if they took it, they might not live to spend it. With so many refugees around, it’s unlikely they’ll manage to use that silver. Thinking they can get something for nothing—wishful thinking. Learn from this incident. Next time, post a few people at the door."

The manager intended to teach a lesson, but the next morning, the boy turned up dead.

His body was carried to the entrance of Drunken Spring Breeze, where the woman wailed, her eyes swollen and red. Surrounding her were many refugees, demanding that the staff member who kicked the boy come out and pay with his life.

"Life for a life! Life for a life!"

The woman sobbed uncontrollably, while her husband glared furiously. "A life for a life! Your kick killed my son!"

People in the crowd shouted, "This is outrageous! Killing someone—is there no law anymore?"

Some brandished sticks; others had kitchen knives, crowding around the entrance of Drunken Spring Breeze.

It wasn’t yet opening time, but people were inside—they had staff on night duty to protect the kitchen and storerooms, fearing refugees might break in and loot.

With such a crowd outside, those inside were too afraid to make a sound, afraid any misstep could bring disaster.

One quick-thinking person slipped out through the back door to alert the authorities.

Officials from the county yamen arrived and took the crowd away. The cause of the boy’s death needed investigation.

This incident was just the beginning. The unrest continued—some threw stones into private courtyards, doors were kicked and battered loudly, and those who ventured out were met with hostile glares.

Though Yu'an’s residents outnumbered the refugees, the latter were desperate and unrestrained.

Cloth merchants and grain shops got looted at night. Lin Qiuran didn’t know what had happened at Golden Tripod Restaurant.

She didn’t go to the shop that day, but even at home, she felt uneasy—she often heard voices outside her courtyard.

Xu Yuanhang gave her four guards: one stayed at the Golden Tripod Restaurant, and three were stationed at home. Although there was no shortage of food at home, sudden noises from outside still made people jump.

Lin Xia and the others at home were afraid to go alone to the front or back courtyards, afraid that stones might be thrown in. Even if it was just a few hundred refugees, no one dared to confront them directly.

With elderly and children at home and the family living in harmony, they figured it was best to avoid trouble and ride out this period rather than provoke any incidents.

Fortunately, the family had stocked up on food, so staying indoors for a few days wouldn’t lead to starvation. Still, they couldn’t help but complain—the county government had been providing porridge and firewood, yet these refugees were being pretty ungrateful.

Even the boy who died the previous night had been kicked for trying to steal from the restaurant. It didn't happen for no reason, and it would be unjust if the waiter were punished for it.

Moreover, the boy had seemed fine after returning home yesterday. Since money was given for medical treatment, he should have been alright. What they were really worried about was that the money might not have reached them, and the refugees were using this as an excuse to cause trouble.

Lin Qiuran had once seen from afar the tents where the refugees lived—wooden frames covered with canvas and straw, crowded with people.

Lin Qiuran glanced at the overcast sky outside, praying that the Golden Tripod Restaurant was safe.

It wasn’t until the afternoon of September 13th that yamen officers went street by street, striking gongs to reassure the people and encourage them to go outside. Only then did the Xiao family open their gate.

Lin Qiuran offered a cup of hot water to an officer and asked, "How was this matter resolved?"

The officer, familiar with Lin Qiuran and aware of her connections with County Magistrate Li and Scribe Wang, took a short break to complain a bit.

"Ah, that mother and son returned to their tent that night with half a roasted chicken and a tael of silver, only to be robbed. The boy refused to let go of the items, was beaten several times, and eventually fell to the ground, where he died."

The woman was unwilling to allow an autopsy and wept incessantly. County Magistrate Li persuaded her for a long time before she finally revealed the truth.

The instigators were arrested. The boy died from injuries from the scuffle, and while the robbers’ crimes did not warrant the death penalty, according to the law, they were to receive a hundred cane strikes and three years of hard labor.

They could pay a fine to redeem their punishment, but these refugees had no money, so they were imprisoned in the county jail.

Fortunately, with the troublemakers captured, the refugees calmed down considerably. This served as a warning to others—anyone thinking of causing trouble would now think twice.

After finishing the hot water, the officer said, "I must go now—there’s still work to be done."