TFWYH – Chapter 384 Distributing Food

“Gasp…” Shen Dahan and the others who had followed along were startled when they heard this, their eyes lighting up as they stared at the two carts.

The village head was also stunned. “Ah? Th-this is all of it? The officials are really this kind?”

Shen Xiaozi said, “They are! The newly appointed Magistrate Su is a very good man. Not just our Huanshan Village — he’s sent food to several nearby villages too. But Wan-niang deserves the most credit. She grew a kind of edible sprout — short growing cycle, high yield. Come take a look — all of this is…”

Shen Xiaozi quickly went through Tang Wan’s achievements, praising Su Yuan again and again, and also mentioned that Ling Yu was now working at the yamen as an adviser.

Listening to all this, the villagers felt extremely conflicted.

How long had it even been since they last met?

Ling Yu had already become an adviser!

And Tang Wan — how on earth had she managed to grow sprouts with such high yield and such a short cycle?

More importantly, they hadn’t treated the second branch of the family very well in the past.

After that branch prospered, they had even made plenty of snide remarks behind their backs.

Yet now, at their most difficult moment, it was that very family who was willing to lend them a hand.

They all thought: since when did officials ever care about the life and death of common people?

If the magistrate was sending them grain, it must be because Ling Yu had spoken up for them.

They felt ashamed.

Their faces grew hot.

Many villagers didn’t even dare look directly at Tang Wan.

In truth, they were overthinking it — Ling Yu was simply doing his duty for various reasons. It had nothing to do with them, and he certainly wasn’t acting out of personal sympathy.

“Wan-niang, I really… feel ashamed, deeply ashamed!” The village head said gratefully, his eyes reddening again.

Tang Wan waved her hand. “It’s from Magistrate Su. You don’t need to feel ashamed.”

“Yes, yes!” The village head clearly believed, like the others, that Ling Yu had repaid resentment with kindness.

“Hey, old man, why are you still standing there? Hurry and invite Wan-niang inside!” Aunt Liu quickly opened the courtyard gate.

The village head made an inviting gesture. Tang Wan nodded and instructed Ling Sheng to find a few people to help unload everything.

At this point the villagers eagerly volunteered and were extremely cooperative.

The contents of the two large carts were soon piled up in the village head’s courtyard.

No one wanted to leave. Everyone stared longingly at the big burlap sacks.

Tang Wan took out her small notebook and flipped through it. “Huanshan Village has… hmm… sixty-six people total. We’ll distribute by headcount: ten jin of bean sprouts per person, one jin of coarse rice, and half a jin of mung beans. Village head, call everyone over to collect their shares!”

“I’ll go!” Before the village head could respond, a villager already ran off.

Of course, some villagers were dissatisfied.

“Wan-niang, this really isn’t enough to eat, is it?”

“Yeah — we’re not being greedy, but no one knows how long this disaster will last. This year’s crops have all been eaten by insects. Even if we ration this carefully, it won’t last long!”

“Wan-niang, will the magistrate send more grain later?”

“And you say you’re not greedy? The magistrate doesn’t owe you anything!”

“Exactly — if it’s not enough, go catch those bugs and eat them!”

“The magistrate is being kind — don’t be ungrateful!”

…

Soon the courtyard became noisy, clearly split into two arguing sides.

“Quiet!” Tang Wan said sharply. Everyone instantly fell silent and looked at her expectantly.

“First — locusts are toxic. You can’t eat them; you’ll get sick. Second — the court has already sent disaster relief teams. They should arrive in about half a month. If you ration this grain, it will be enough. And even if it isn’t, it’s fine — I brought mung beans and will teach you how to sprout them. All you need is water. One jin of mung beans can produce ten jin of sprouts, and they mature in four to seven days.”