Chapter 48: My Master Made a Decision Against His Ancestors
Maple City.
Before the disaster relief tents, people were already lined up before dawn.
"I can't wait!"
"They say Steward He's father died and he's treating the whole city to a feast today—there'll be white rice, big steamed buns, and pork stew with vermicelli!"
"Tsk tsk, Old Master He was stingy his whole life, but his son is generous—such style!"
"Good son, I'm going to eat my fill this time!"
"Daughter, when we get there, bat your eyelashes at the guy serving food—maybe he'll give us extra pork!"
...
The crowd buzzed with happy anticipation, all looking toward the big tent. This didn't look like disaster relief—it looked like a wedding feast.
Of course.
There were also refugees who were truly starving, trembling as they stood at the end of the line, hoping to receive some relief grain to keep living.
But covered in filth and stench as they were, they couldn't get close to the line—the locals drove them away with disdain.
Even if they managed to reach the end, they were repeatedly cut in line.
Some were even beaten and kicked by city thugs.
One could only say.
Xenophobia and bullying the weak existed everywhere.
And was especially common at disaster relief events.
After all.
What kind of decent person would shamelessly fight with refugees for relief grain? Most were local ruffians and scoundrels.
Bullying outsiders came with no moral burden to them.
"Stinking beggars, stay away from me!"
"You outsiders probably have plague!"
"Get lost, get lost! If you keep hovering behind me, I'll punch you straight to the afterlife!"
"Look, look, look!"
"It's the He family's caravan—the He steward's men are here!"
...
Under the expectant eyes of the crowd, a convoy appeared on the street, with guards on both sides wearing He family servant uniforms, looking impressive.
However.
When the guards placed heavy wooden buckets in the tents and lifted the lids.
Everyone was stunned.
Inside the buckets was no white rice, no big steamed buns, and certainly no pork stew with vermicelli.
Instead, there was sticky, grayish-brown thick porridge, containing vegetables, radishes, brown rice, and also...
A lot of bran—something only livestock would eat.
Suddenly.
Everyone in line exploded!
"What the hell!"
"They said there'd be white rice, big steamed buns, and pork stew with vermicelli!"
"It's one thing to change pork stew to brown rice porridge, but adding bran? That's treating people like animals! You He family goes too far!"
"If you don't explain yourselves today, we'll surround your He residence!"
"Yes! Surround the He residence!"
...
The crowd grew increasingly agitated, seemingly about to rush forward and start a riot.
A He family servant pulled a yellow talisman from his chest, tore it up, and threw it into the sky. Suddenly, thunder cracked from the clear sky, making everyone's eardrums ring.
Ka-chak~
The might of heavenly thunder was absolutely intimidating to common folk.
In an instant, all the unruly people covered their ears and retreated, no longer daring to surround the disaster relief tent. Even the noise temporarily ceased.
"Everyone quiet down!"
The servant looked at the crowd and said calmly: "Using brown rice porridge for disaster relief was ordered by a true transmission disciple of the Three Pure Immortal Sect, and prior approval was obtained from the Immortal Sect."
"If any of you have objections, you may go to the Three Pure Immortal Sect headquarters to protest."
As soon as the words fell.
All the surrounding commoners, though still looking resentful, didn't dare act up further.
After all.
This world had no imperial court. Various cultivation forces ruled their own regions. The city lord and law enforcement were all appointed by the Immortal Sect.
In other words, the Immortal Sect was the master of Maple City. Orders approved by the Immortal Sect were not theirs to defy.
Of course.
A riot was out of the question, but muttered complaints were inevitable.
"What a letdown!"
"Promised pork stew and got bran brown rice porridge instead—that He is even stingier than his father!"
"Using bran for disaster relief—what a disgrace. I'll never buy He family pork again."
"Someone like that will get what he deserves!"
...
Seeing the crowd murmuring, the He family servant said: "Furthermore, to repay our neighbors for their support over the years."
"Our master has made a decision that goes against his ancestors."
"From today, the He family will slaughter three thousand pigs and offer them at a super-low 20% discount."
"And we won't accept money—only brown rice of equivalent value."
"All the brown rice traded for pork will be used to cook porridge for disaster relief for Maple City's refugees. Our He family won't keep a single grain."
"However, only three thousand pigs' worth of pork can be traded for brown rice—only three thousand!"
"First come, first served—no more after that!"
"Those who want to trade, better hurry. If you're late, you'll miss out."
"Buying discounted pork while helping charity and accumulating merit—who wouldn't want such a deal?"
"Brothers, let's go!"
Twenty percent off!
Twenty percent off!
Twenty percent off!
Hearing the servant's words, many commoners' eyes lit up with interest.
Consider this.
In this era when animal husbandry wasn't particularly developed, pork was absolutely a premium food.
A true hard commodity.
When ordinary families arranged matchmaking meetings, bringing a slab of pork would give maximum face.
Trading brown rice for pork at 20% off?
By calculation.
You'd save quite a lot!
What a deal!
With that thought, everyone who had been complaining scattered and rushed home to get their brown rice.
As they walked, they praised the decision.
"I knew it!"
"This young Steward He is a capable master—much better than his father."
"Twenty percent off! When Old Master He celebrated his fiftieth birthday, pork was only 5% off!"
"I haven't had pork in months—I'm going to treat myself while it's cheap!"
...
In just moments, the commoners who had been surrounding the disaster relief tent all vanished.
Only a few ragged refugees remained, standing at a distance, staring longingly at the gray porridge in the pots, swallowing hard.
"Why are you still standing there? Come get your porridge!"
The He family servants smiled and handed out bowls of steaming hot porridge.
Hiss~
Looking at the steaming hot, thick brown rice bran porridge—though it didn't smell great—these starving refugees felt like they were seeing a gourmet feast.
After tentatively glancing at the He family servants, they all wolfed it down, tears streaming down their faces as they ate.
Soon.
Bowl after bowl of brown rice bran porridge was emptied. Seeing their pleading looks, the servants smiled: "I know you're not full yet."
"But don't worry—you've been starving too long. If you eat too much too quickly, your stomach might burst."
"From now on, no locals will compete with you for porridge."
"For the next two weeks, our He family will serve relief porridge here every day. Remember to come."
Refugee A: (ಥ﹏ಥ)
Refugee B: (╥﹏╥)
Refugee C: (ಥ﹏ಥ)
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