Su Xiaoqi felt a pang of heartache. She clutched her chest, finding it hard to breathe.
She was ultimately unable to shield them from this natural disaster; personal strength was far too insignificant.
"This drought may not last too long. As long as they have enough food, they can endure," Su Xiaoqi said.
At this point, she no longer cared if others suspected how she knew so much.
Saving people was the priority.
She couldn't bear to know what would happen next and pretend ignorance for self-preservation, merely watching events unfold.
"We have a lot of hoarded grain, but if we donate it all, it'll be like a drop in the ocean," He Qiulei said, though his heart ached for the grain they had spent three to four months accumulating. However, thinking of the tragic scenes he'd witnessed in the outer city,
he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
Though he was a merchant, profit was in his nature. Yet, the kindness ingrained in his bones made him unable to turn a blind eye to those tragic scenes.
"I have a way to get more grain," Su Xiaoqi said confidently.
If it was just a shortage of grain, that would be easy.
He Qiulei looked at Su Xiaoqi in surprise. He didn't pry but again said with some difficulty,
"The imperial court is already providing disaster relief. Currently, within and outside the city, any place with a grain shop is hoarding and selling at exorbitant prices.
We can't just give away our grain now.
Doing so would incite public anger and also be difficult to explain to the imperial court. It would be better to set up porridge stalls outside the city first."
Su Xiaoqi nodded. This was something she hadn't considered thoroughly.
She was primarily under immense psychological pressure.
She felt that the suffering they endured was related to her inaction.
Every time she heard news of the disaster victims, her heart grew heavier.
Shen Yun had already thought of this and immediately agreed, "Brother He is right. Giving away rice for free is a good deed, but do we have enough rice to feed them for a month, or even several months?
There are hundreds of thousands of disaster-stricken people outside the city, with corpses strewn everywhere. We can't save everyone.
And even if we were willing to forgo huge profits and give away all the grain from our grain shops,
as the saying goes, 'a handful of rice brings gratitude, a bucketful brings enmity.'
Human nature is complex.
"Setting up porridge stalls is acceptable and won't attract too much attention." In the Great Liang Dynasty, when disasters struck, many wealthy families would choose to set up porridge stalls and offer porridge to the disaster victims to gain a reputation for benevolence.
Giving rice or giving porridge made no difference to Su Xiaoqi.
She thought of it and immediately instructed He Qiulei to act.
He Qiulei responded and said that he could set up a porridge stall near Zhou Bridge in the outer city by tomorrow at the latest.
But Su Xiaoqi added, "No, no. This vast capital needs more than one. Set up ten or eight. Let me know when they are ready, and I'll have people deliver rice and grain."
He Qiulei responded blankly.
But Shen Yun quickly intervened, "Wait a moment. My wife's compassion is excellent, but why not invite the ladies from the Duke of Yu's mansion, the Grand Princess's mansion, and the Hanlin Academy to join in this good deed?"
A word from Shen Yun enlightened Su Xiaoqi. She nodded and threw herself into Shen Yun's arms, her previous displeasure towards him and Mei Xin almost entirely gone.
She even pecked him on the corner of his mouth, "Thank you, husband, I understand."
He Qiulei stood there dumbly, completely ignored like a giant light bulb.
Shen Yun waved at him, signaling him to hurry and set up the porridge stalls.
The sooner the disaster victims were saved, the better.
Otherwise, it would lead to unrest.
Su Xiaoqi went out for a trip. From the Duke of Yu's mansion to the Grand Princess's mansion, she initially went alone. After visiting the two households, Du Yiyi and Princess Huian joined her.
With these two noble individuals accompanying her, Su Xiaoqi practically knocked on the doors of influential families throughout the Imperial City and inner city.
She returned home at dusk after a busy day.
Her efforts had not been in vain.
She had sent invitations to thirty-five households, and all had agreed to set up porridge stalls together.
Su Xiaoqi was very pleased and shared the good news with Shen Yun upon her return.
However, she was slightly troubled about how to let the disaster victims know to go to the outer city for porridge.
This was not like modern times where news could be spread online.
Shen Yun suggested that she have people copy some announcements and post them in conspicuous places along the roads. Then, those who could read would inform others.
Su Xiaoqi agreed and immediately made arrangements.
The next morning, several disaster-stricken gathering points within a hundred-mile radius of the capital's outskirts buzzed with excitement.
"Ah, there's food."
"That's right. I just heard from the private tutor in the next village that they've been set up in the southern and northern suburbs of the capital and along the outer city and the main roads."
"It's more than twenty miles from here. Let's hurry."
"Alas, I need to go home and call my wife and children."
For these porridge distributions, one couldn't take away food, so the entire family had to go.
As soon as the sky brightened and the city gates opened, Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun arrived at one of the porridge stall locations: Zhou Bridge.
This place used to have a night market and was very lively.
But now, with continuous disasters, the street vendors had no supply of goods, and the night market had become deserted.
Su Xiaoqi saw that it was still early, but a large crowd of disaster victims had already gathered.
She immediately had pots set up to cook porridge.
"Cook it thick, and add some fatty meat. It'll be more filling."
If the rice porridge was too thin, it would be quickly digested, and they would be hungry again.
These requirements were not only for her own porridge stalls but were also conveyed to the other porridge stalls.
Everyone thought that since they were already doing a good deed, they wouldn't refuse such a small request.
Thus, the disaster victims, who hadn't eaten a grain of rice for more than half a month, finally had a filling meal.
They were all deeply grateful to Su Xiaoqi and her companions.
They called them living Bodhisattvas who had saved their lives.
Seeing their sincere faces, Su Xiaoqi's eyes also welled up with tears.
This scene was unfolding in many places in the capital and its outskirts.
The benevolent acts of those who set up porridge stalls deeply touched the disaster victims, who kowtowed repeatedly.
Many of the matriarchs of prominent families, upon hearing or seeing this, were moved.
Especially Xiao Xique, who was in charge of the porridge stall at Liuyuan, cried uncontrollably.
She told everyone that she had once been a beggar and survived by begging, but she had encountered kind people who helped her reach where she was today. She hoped they, too, could persevere.
Xiao Xique's words deeply resonated with everyone.
Some who had lost hope were suddenly filled with strength.
By noon, the number of disaster victims coming to collect porridge reached its peak.
As far as the eye could see, it was a dense mass of people.
Fortunately, the number of households Su Xiaoqi had mobilized for the porridge distribution was sufficient to meet the demand.
However, Shen Yun, standing beside her, told her that there would undoubtedly be even more people tomorrow.
And this would continue until the imperial court's disaster relief grain was distributed.
Su Xiaoqi asked him when the Ministry of Revenue's disaster relief would be implemented.
"The Emperor has already ordered disaster relief. Based on past experience, the Tongzhou granary will be opened within five days.
It usually stores one million shi, which should be enough for a while."
Despite saying this, Shen Yun did not entirely agree in his heart.