Heaven rewards diligence; he fought his way through chaos to become a saint.

"How did Senior Brother Jiang know?"

"My brother-in-law found out yesterday while drinking with Manager Feng Ji of Guangzhilin. They have some connections behind Guangzhilin, they're affiliated with some kind of chamber of commerce, I forget the name. Anyway, with your status, no one in the county will compete with you for a reservation."

Do you know where Guangzhilin Pharmacy is?

"I recognize it."

"Then let's go there."

"it is good."

******

The two left the Shen residence.

Driven by a coachman, we entered the old street paved with bluestone slabs. The carriage was not moving fast, and the bells under the horses' necks made a soft "ding-a-ling" sound.

Pedestrians quickly made way.

Huang Guoshu tugged at the carriage curtain, spitting out jujube pits, with a small bag of candied dates beside him.

Ye Ci sat on the soft couch in the carriage, quietly observing the street scene outside the window through the direction of Huangguoshu.

The streets and alleys of Songjiang County were bustling with noise and quite lively.

This scene has a distinct flavor reminiscent of period dramas from a bygone era.

On the street, there were peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders, shaking rattles and shouting as they went about their business. Their voices were loud and long. Several children with their hair in topknots were gathered around a sugar painting stall, their little faces looking on with longing eyes.

"Wait a minute, I'll buy two strings of sugar paintings."

Huangguoshu shouted loudly.

"Yes, Young Master Huang."

The coachman responded, stopped the carriage at the side of an alley, nimbly jumped off, and walked quickly toward the sugar painting stall not far away.

Huang Guoshu jumped out of the car on his own.

Suddenly, Ye Ci heard a series of soft coughs and low sobs.

Looking in the direction of the sound, one could see a dozen or so people lying haphazardly at the corner of the wall at the entrance of the alley. They were of all ages, dressed in tattered clothes with patches upon patches, some covered in mud and grass clippings, their faces sallow and their cheekbones high. They were clearly people who had been suffering from hunger for a long time.

Several young children nestled in the woman's arms, their lips chapped and their eyes vacant, occasionally letting out a weak cry. The woman could only hold the children tightly and weep silently.

In front of them were some broken bowls, but there wasn't a single copper coin in them.

Pedestrians hurried past on the roadside, most with indifferent expressions. Some frowned slightly, but only quickened their pace, as if they had long been accustomed to this scene, or perhaps they themselves were struggling and unable to help.

"Here you go..."

Huangguoshu throws money by the roadside, throwing out only small pieces of silver, without showing the slightest sign of heartache.

The people, young and old, were stunned, and then hurriedly kowtowed in the direction of Huangguoshu.

"Thank you, benefactor!"

They kowtowed to the carriage again, thinking it was a gift from the adults inside.

"Thank you, benefactor. Thank you, sir."

Before long, Huang Guoshu returned with two strings of sugar paintings. The sweet aroma of caramel wafted over. One string was in the shape of a soaring dragon, and the other was a mythical beast holding a peach. They were crystal clear and very beautiful.

"Brother Ye, have a taste."

He still retains some of his youthful habits.

Ye Ci accepted the sugar painting, took a small bite, and found it sweet but not cloying, soft and chewy with a lingering sweetness.

While eating the candy, the carriage continued on its way.

Ye Ci praised, "Fruit tree, you're quite kind."

Huang Guoshu broke the sugar painting, and a small piece fell into the carriage. Feeling sorry for it, he picked it up, blew on it, and put it in his mouth.

"Brother Ye, you don't usually go out. Actually, ever since Commander Qin took drastic measures, there are no more beggars from gangs in the county. The county magistrate is a kind man. He built the county government office and irrigation canals, which gave many poor people a way to make a living. These are all migrants from outside the county who have no means of livelihood for the time being."

Before he could finish speaking, the driver in front interjected:

"The county magistrate is his own local official, so he certainly can't govern people from other counties. Originally, Commandant Qin set up checkpoints along the way to prevent refugees from entering Songjiang County, and there were also yamen runners strictly checking people at the city gate."

"But Jiaozhou Prefecture in the south is in a terrible state of chaos. It is said that soldiers are looting grain, and many families have had their seed grain stolen. These people can no longer survive and have no choice but to flee north with their families in search of a way to make a living."

"Recently, the commander removed the checkpoints along the route, which allowed these people to escape to the vicinity of the county town. They were crammed together at the city gate, which was quite pitiful. The county magistrate was a kind man after all, and unable to bear it any longer, he ordered a group of them to be released into the city."

Why did Commander Qin remove the checkpoints along the route?

The key to city defense is not the strength of the city walls, but the ability to detect abnormalities in advance.

What does "都尉" mean?

However, Ye Ci thought that Qin Lie's thoughts were different from ordinary people, so she stopped considering it.

However, looking at the refugees huddled in the corner, he felt a heavy weight in his heart, and even his breathing became difficult.

From Jiaozhou Prefecture?

Last time I came from the direction of Jiaozhou Prefecture, those people were living a hard life, but they were still able to make ends meet. I never expected that they would end up fleeing north with their entire families.

He raised his hand and handed the unfinished sugar painting to Huang Guoshu beside him, his brows furrowing tightly, his voice deepening:

"Go back and tell my second aunt that the Ye family's grain should be distributed daily to those outsiders who can't afford to eat."

"Brother Ye, this... is unauthorized disaster relief."

"It's alright."

Ye Ci waved his hand, his tone firm: "Commander Qin won't make things difficult for me. Besides... I understand his meaning. The reason for setting up checkpoints along the way is twofold: first, to prevent refugees from fleeing, and second, to serve as outposts to prevent any rebellion. As an official appointed by the imperial court, he is simply fulfilling his duties and is not being unreasonable."

In recent days, even without going out, he had heard some things. The two officials in Songjiang County, one civil and one military, were not exactly top-notch, but they could at least manage to keep things in their own backyard.

"Okay, I'll talk to them later!"

Huangguoshu nodded.

In the past, he would also go to the Ye family's shop, sometimes to pass on messages for Ye Ci, and sometimes to take Yao Yao to play.

The carriage came to a sudden stop at a street corner, and the crisp sound of the copper bells abruptly ceased.

"Whoa—"

The driver's shouts were urgent, his gaze sweeping ahead, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Offerings, the road ahead is blocked!"

A large group of people came towards us from the street ahead, blocking the road completely. They were dressed in rags, looked emaciated, had dry and disheveled hair, and their faces were covered in dust and dirt.

"The Heavenly Mother descended to earth to save all living beings!"

"Those who believe in the Heavenly Mother will be spared from disaster and calamity; those who do not believe in the Heavenly Mother will be plagued by misfortune and die a terrible death!"

Among the crowd, a slightly tall man with a hoarse yet loud voice stood out. He was also dressed in tattered clothes, but his eyes were sharp.

This group of people was different from the refugees Ye Ci had encountered before; they all had fanatical expressions, raised their hands high, and repeated over and over again:

"The Heavenly Mother descended to earth to save all living beings!"

These people passed by the carriage, continuing to shout:

"Those who do not believe in the Heavenly Mother will surely be punished by Heaven!"

Ye Ci remembered this sect. When he went to Gaoliu County to escort goods, he heard that the Tianmu Sect had a large camp of refugees.

That celestial mother could enlighten a fierce tiger to deliver meat, and at the time I thought her teachings were just a hodgepodge of doctrines.

"What kind of people are these...?"

Huang Guoshu pulled back the carriage curtain and asked the driver, "What kind of nonsense do you believe in that you'll be punished by heaven?"