Chapter 162: That Is Life‑Saving Money

The court really does nothing, she shook her head and walked over to the nearby refugees.

When they saw someone approach, the refugees' eyes were all green; Qiao Mai understood that they were hoping for a star, hoping for a moon, hoping that someone would reach out and pull them up.

"Miss, do you have anything to eat? Please be kind, we're starving."

"Isn't there porridge given out every day?"

"There are many wolves and little meat; it's never enough—just one pot of porridge, and after it's given out, they leave."

Qiao Mai looked at their gaunt, skeletal figures, sighed, "Relying solely on the court's relief isn't a solution; they have to figure something out themselves."

"But you still need silver in hand. When you settle in a village, don't you need to build a dwelling? Acquire two mu of land? First make a family fully fed?"

"Can't we find work in the city?"

"There aren't that many jobs; we've sold everything we could sell. We've been holding on here for two months, but the court still won't arrange anything for us; we can barely live."

Qiao Mai sighed, took two steamed buns from her backpack, and gave them to the person.

"Eat, I'm the granddaughter of Madam Pang of Bichun Garden in Jingcheng; she sent me to provide relief. Don't panic; soon you'll line up for aid, everyone gets a share."

"Aye, aye, after we have a full meal, we'll go look around the nearby villages."

She shouted loudly, fearing a riot or something that might cause the court to misunderstand and bring disaster upon these refugees.

These Twenty Taels of Silver, for the rich, are just enough for a snack or a meal, but for the poor, it's life‑saving money.

Tomorrow is North City; there aren't many refugees there, a few carts will suffice, because Jingcheng doesn't allow refugees in unless they have silver, then they'll let them pass. Some refugees want to go to Beifang, so they'll exit through the North Gate.

One cart carries a thousand jin of grain; ten carts make ten thousand jin. She practically bought up all the white flour and cornmeal from that grain shop.

She hauled another ten carts of grain from the grain shop; both city and outside families get fifty jin of grain for Twenty Taels of Silver.

"For those who want to survive, each household should send one person to the city gate in a moment; no looting, no chaos, every family gets a share. Listen up, every family gets a share; if anyone dares to take extra, they won't receive any aid next time."

Those who bought hair ornaments felt a bit regretful; it turned out Madam Pang staged this to raise silver.

"I don't know; we settle accounts cart by cart—cornmeal, white flour, hauled dozens of carts of grain. I gave each family Twenty Taels of Silver. With this, I hope they can make arrangements soon; winter is only a month away."

"Sir, the Shopkeeper asked me to deliver this: twenty bags of fifty jin of corn flour, ten Wen per jin, Ten Taels of Silver."

"The court won't even spend this much; those people would rather spend tens of thousands of taels on useless hair ornaments than aid these disaster‑stricken refugees, sigh~"

Qiao Mai nodded, "Indeed, in a moment the clerk of the grain shop will arrive."

Madam Pang of the Wang Family's relief efforts spread rapidly throughout Jingcheng.

Today is much easier than yesterday, but the north side of the city houses many impoverished, fallen families; this place is called the Slum. I heard that refugees in North City were aided by nobles, and they came with a try‑it‑out attitude.

"Ah, I originally wanted to give more, but I feared giving too much would attract thieves, so each family got Twenty Taels of Silver, plus grain; today that's about it."

"How much grain did you buy?"

They began cooking on the spot, the smoke curling; seeing this, Qiao Mai smiled with satisfaction.

The elderly lady, after she finished drinking, asked, "Have you been outside the city all day?"

Qiao Mai gritted her teeth, first went to North City to survey, counted roughly a hundred families of disaster‑stricken people, bought six carts of cornmeal from another grain shop, distributed it to the refugees, each family still receiving Twenty Taels of Silver.

"Ha ha, you!"

"Do you plan to spend everything from yesterday?"

All day long, Qiao Mai lingered outside the South Gate of Jingcheng; as each cart of grain arrived, she settled the account for that cart, watched refugees take the grain, and then disbursed a set amount of relief funds.

Seeing how pitiful these people looked, Qiao Mai thought that if she could help those outside, she might as well help those in North City too.

Back home, Qiao Mai hugged her teapot and drank gurgling after gurgling.

Because of her massive purchases yesterday, grain prices in Jingcheng rose today; cornmeal is fifteen Wen per jin, white flour forty Wen per jin.

"Yesterday I made a good amount, and my hands are itching to spend it."

"My Grandmother cannot stand seeing anyone suffer. She's grown old and can't come, so she sent me. You all, while you have grain and silver now, arrange your lives quickly; don't keep lingering at the city gate."

This contrast makes how indifferent these people are stand out.

"Not much, maybe a few tens of thousands of taels; compared to what I earned, that's just a drizzle."

"Really?"

"Then will you go tomorrow?"

She emitted a breath of internal energy; the refugees heard it clearly and all shouted.

"Mm‑mm!"

Before nightfall, the people outside South City each received fifty jin of grain for Ten Taels of Silver; no one missed out, everyone got it.

"You stay home and rest; with so many refugees it's chaotic, you can't handle that."

The kitchen sent over a meal; the elderly lady felt so sorry she kept pinching vegetables for her on the side.

Thus Qiao Mai rested for a night; the next day she went back to the grain shop, found it empty, and went to another grain shop.

Qiao Mai glanced back at the city gate; a cart loaded with grain drove toward her.

"You spent quite a bit today, didn't you?"

"Which Madam Pang?"

The refugees lined up, each taking grain; each family received a bag of fifty jin of corn flour, and Qiao Mai also gave each family two ingots of Ten Taels of Silver.

They all watched, waiting to see if the court would make arrangements, so some stayed at the city gate.

They originally thought there was only grain, but didn't expect each household also received Twenty Taels of Silver; tears streamed down their faces in excitement.

"Go to North City and see; there are still some disaster‑stricken people there, far fewer than in South City."

"Should I follow you?"

"Hmm, the disasters in South City are the most, and the court doesn't arrange anything."

One cart holds twenty bags, enough for twenty families, yet outside the city gate there are over a thousand families of refugees.

"Thank you, miss, and thank you, Madam Pang!"

Mr. Wang also came over to see her, "Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl, you did well; when you have money, think of the people, unlike those who are rich and heartless."

We just need to do our own part.

The man ate a mantou while kneeling to him, and this commotion quickly caught the other refugees' attention; when they learned it was time to distribute the relief Jingjie, they all happily knelt before Qiao Mai.

Yes, guest!

As long as we all get a share, we line up—no grabbing, no grabbing!

Qiao Mai stood before the carriage, "Come, take them one by one; after you've taken yours, go home and hurry to cook."

Miss, please go back and thank Wang Jiaru's Old Servant for us, thank you!

And so the carriage kept transporting food out of the city; the refugees, seeing that every household truly got a share, stopped causing a fuss and obediently queued to receive theirs.

It's actually the sister of the current Grand Preceptor Pang; she just returned to Jingcheng, and upon hearing that you were suffering, she immediately sold jewelry and sent me to provide relief to everyone.

Qiao Mai flipped a silver ingot into the laborer's hand, "Send back several more carts for delivery."

One sells jewelry to rescue disaster victims; another pays a high price for jewelry for personal beauty. Those who bought the jewelry now dare not leave home; this is shameful.

Even the one from the Imperial Palace learned of this; why is it the Wang Family again? The Wang Family runs a Zuofang, collects sweet potatoes, collects sesame, giving the people extra income—a good thing. Now they also provide relief to disaster victims, making this emperor appear utterly incompetent.

In fact, even without providing relief, the emperor has his own reasons; when Nanfang suffered a disaster, he allocated grain funds, but it was far insufficient.

Now the treasury is empty, just waiting for the autumn harvest grain taxes.

(End of chapter)