The winter in the south was cold and damp. Layers of dark clouds hung overhead. The wind and frost cut the thinly clothed commoners, causing them to shrink their necks in the cold.
"It's almost New Year's Eve. Those wealthy families are gathered together to eat and drink. What about us? I'm afraid we won't survive this winter. "
One person lamented, causing everyone around him to wipe away their tears.
Yesterday, they still had some hope for their future. Even if they lived casually, at least they could eat a mouthful of hot food every day, so they wouldn't starve to death. Moreover, after eating their fill, they seemed to be more resistant to the cold.
But now, the porridge stall was empty. Their hope of living had been taken away.
"It's all Librarian Gao's fault! It's all those corrupt officials' fault! "
"They don't treat us as humans at all. Why would they care if we live or die?"
"I still have my mother at home. Without Philanthropist Qian's porridge, what will happen to my mother?"
…
The helpless commoners wiped away their tears, but the hot tears turned cold in the cold wind.
There were also those with bigger tempers who were already beyond angry.
"Let's go find Librarian Gao!"
"Yes, Librarian Gao must release the Philanthropist who did good deeds!"
"I didn't see him deal with the evildoers, but he's so thick-skinned as to arrest the good people who did good deeds? Does he want us to die? "
"Let's go, let's go together!"
The angry crowd was boiling. Some wanted to go to Librarian Gao's residence to ask for clarification, but there were also some who were afraid of Librarian Gao and didn't dare to go.
Some people shrank back in fear because they knew how powerful Librarian Gao was. But everyone else was going to Gao's residence. If they didn't go, what if others got benefits and they didn't get it?
However, the crowd only hesitated for a moment because most people were too angry to think. The crowd pushed and shoved in the direction of Librarian Gao's residence.
However, at this moment, the sound of horse hooves and wheels rolling came from the direction of the main street from the square. Some commoners nearby turned around and saw a few ox carts. The carts were filled with firewood, food, cooking utensils, and other items.
The person following the carts shouted, "We're here to give porridge. Everyone, don't rush. Don't push. Wait a moment!"
This person's voice wasn't loud, but when someone said that they were going to give out porridge, such a big piece of news still spread far and wide.
The people who were closer to them stopped in their tracks and looked at the ox-carts doubtfully. They watched as the servants dressed in khaki-colored robes went to the porridge stall and used the stove that had been built to start a fire. There were also people who washed the pots and washed the rice. Although it was coarse rice, the sound of the rice being poured into the pot was so beautiful that everyone could not help but swallow their saliva.
Everyone's stomach was filled with anger. Most of them had already made up their minds to get Librarian Gao to give them an explanation. However, the boiling anger could not be vented at this moment because of hunger.
If they walked away, they didn't know if the person giving out the porridge this time was a daily occurrence. They also didn't know when they would have the chance to eat their fill again.
"Let's go back. Let's eat first."
"That's right. We have to survive first before we can think about other things."
Everyone comforted each other and went back to the square to wait for the porridge to start.
However, the anger in everyone's hearts would not be extinguished just because they had food to eat. They would only become angrier and secretly blame themselves. After all, they were all selfish and could not risk it all for Philanthropist Qian.
The pot was steaming and the fragrance of the rice gradually spread out. Everyone took their bowls and lined up to get the porridge.
However, the porridge this time was much thinner than Philanthropist Qian's porridge.
When the workers helped to scoop the porridge, a steward explained, "Our family's young master's family has limited resources. They are not as rich as Philanthropist Qian's family. If everyone were to eat the thick porridge, the rations would not last long before they ran out. Everyone, please don't be offended. It is important to make do and survive. Please forgive us, please forgive us! "
The steward was in his early thirties and looked very honest. Everyone believed what he said.
A commoner said, "Your family is doing a good deed to let us survive this winter. How can we be offended?"
"That's right. Your family's young master is a very good person. May I ask his name?"
The steward waved his hand and said with a smile, "Young master has instructed that we are not to speak of his name. Everyone, just focus on eating the porridge."
The commoners did not ask for the other party's name, but they were still very grateful.
However, when they thought of the thick porridge, dry rations, and salted vegetables that Philanthropist Qian gave them, and then looked at this bowl of thin porridge, everyone could more or less compare.
They did not hate the person who gave the porridge. They hated Dianshi Gao.
If Dianshi Gao did not make trouble for no reason, they would still have dry rations to eat. They would not be in such a state where they did not even dare to finish the thin porridge in one go. They were afraid that after eating this meal, no one would come to give them porridge the next day. No one would care about them.
Qin Yining sat in the carriage and looked at the commoners in ragged clothes in the square. He felt indescribably sad.
He put down the curtain and turned to Master Zhong and said, "Our financial resources are enough. We have to help them survive this winter no matter what. We cannot stop giving the porridge. We have to persist until spring comes and everything recovers and they can find another way to survive. "
Master Zhong nodded and said, "Don't worry. Even though there was a disaster this year, our food supplies this porridge factory. If we use it sparingly, we can still survive. Even if we can't make thick porridge, we can still use thin porridge. It's fine as long as everyone can survive. "
"That's what I mean." Qin Yining nodded and said. "I have always been at ease with Master Zhong's work."
Master Zhong cupped his hands and said with a smile, "Wang fei is too kind. However, I am also a bit worried. Everyone can eat their fill and wear warm clothes. What if their resentment towards Dianshi Gao disappears bit by bit? What should we do then? "
Qin Yining smiled, "Originally, we had the opportunity to eat dry rations, but now we can only eat thin porridge because of Dianshi Gao. Who wouldn't hate him?"
"But whether it is dry rations or thin porridge, they did not get it themselves."
"That's human nature." Qin Yining said, "It's human nature to be greedy. I'm not belittling anyone. It's just that they already had a chance to get something better, but they were stopped by someone else. People who are angry will only remember this and won't think so much."
Master Zhong nodded thoughtfully. He had a new understanding of Qin Yining's ability to analyze people's minds.
In the next few days, the porridge factory gave out porridge on time. Even though it was only thin porridge, it was a life-saving food for many of the refugees.
Even though everyone could not eat their fill, at least they would not starve to death. They were all grateful to the new "great philanthropist."
However, everyone's hatred towards Dianshi Gao did not decrease at all, just as Qin Yining had predicted.
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