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The refugees cried out loudly to Li Zheng, pleading to let them stay. Some, in their excitement, began to push forward. The crowd swayed like water, threatening to surge forward at any moment. Combined with their cries, it was truly unsettling.
“What are you all doing? Stop right there!”
Upon seeing this commotion, villagers from Riverside Village grew anxious. Some sturdy men stepped forward, forming a barrier around Li Zheng. They stared sternly at the refugees, shouting loudly for them to stay back. Though they didn’t explicitly threaten violence, their tone and demeanor made their intentions clear. Several held sticks, while others gripped tools from their fields, all looking unfriendly, as if they were ready to act if anyone dared to approach.
The refugees immediately stopped and even took a step back, fear evident on their faces. Yet, some also looked defiant. To them, the villagers of Riverside Village were too overbearing. How could they treat them like this? If not for this drought, they would be equals.
The young man spoke up, “Li Zheng, can’t you see what’s happening? We’re all villagers here, facing hardship together. Normally, we’d greet each other with smiles. Now, we just want a place to rest for a while. We haven’t said we won’t leave. Please don’t treat us like wolves. It’s really upsetting.”
Li Zheng thought to himself, “Treating them like wolves might be necessary. When people are desperate, they’re not much different from wolves.” Yet, he also felt that the villagers had been a bit too forceful just now. After all, the refugees hadn’t even tried to enter the village yet.
“Young man, you see it too,” Li Zheng replied. “None of us here want you to enter our village. It’s small and simply can’t accommodate you all. It would be best for you to move on. Ours is the poorest village around here. Other villages are better off; perhaps you’ll find help there. We can barely feed ourselves, let alone help you.”
After finishing his words, Li Zheng continued, “But we’re all country folk here, not separated by more than a few hundred miles. Your journey hasn’t been easy either. We can’t keep you, nor can we offer much food. However, I’m willing to gather what the village can spare for you to take and move on.”
Li Zheng sympathized with their plight. They had fled a long way seeking refuge, and if it weren’t for the welfare of the villagers, he would have liked to help more. Sadly, his capabilities were limited, so rallying everyone to contribute some grain would have to suffice as the cost of sending them away.
Turning to the villagers, he said, “Neighbors, let’s each contribute a bit of grain to give to these fellow villagers. It’s a gesture of goodwill. What do you all think?”
Though reluctant, the villagers of Riverside Village understood. Their food supplies were already dwindling, some families down to just two meager meals a day. Grain was now as precious as gold to them, yet they couldn’t bear to turn these people away outright after Li Zheng had spoken. Reluctantly, they agreed to give what little they could spare, knowing it was the only humane choice.
Everyone agreed in unison.
Su Zhi watched from the sidelines, acknowledging that Li Zheng’s decision was right. Though it seemed cruel to send these people away, it was necessary to protect the villagers. She understood that desperate people could resort to anything. Moreover, their village truly had little food left. Keeping these refugees would only escalate tensions without solving the underlying issues. It was better to give them some food now and let them find a way forward. Her only concern was whether they would actually leave.
Su Zhi’s worry wasn’t unfounded. Despite the distance, she could clearly see the expressions on the young man and the middle-aged person’s faces. From her angle, she could discern that neither seemed particularly grateful or willing to compromise. They both appeared calculating, not easily appeased.
Li Zheng sent a few young and strong villagers to gather food while he and the others remained, resolute in their stance. It was clear he intended to stay put and ensure the refugees did not enter the village.
During this time, the short young man conversed with Li Zheng. He was articulate, speaking five sentences to which Li Zheng responded promptly. Shen Ziping engaged warmly with him, while Shen Zifu observed him closely, though Shen Ziping seemed oblivious. Shen Zifu eventually stopped paying attention.
After about an hour, several people returned. Since they had split up to search for food, their efforts were swift. They brought back around seven bags filled with grain and maize flour. Though the bags were not large, they contained enough for the refugees to cook several meals of porridge.
“This is our goodwill. Take it with you,” Li Zheng said as he directed his people to hand over the grain to the refugees. The refugees eagerly seized the bags as if they were treasures, clutching them tightly, afraid they might be taken back.
The young man thanked Li Zheng and bid him farewell, waving his hand and speaking loudly as they departed.
Watching them leave, the villagers of Riverside Village finally breathed a sigh of relief. They had been genuinely afraid of the refugees entering their village.
Su Zhi was relieved to see the refugees leave. She chuckled at her earlier worries, realizing she might have been overthinking things.
Chunlan and Chunxiang came out to play but felt uneasy seeing the refugees. Upon being scolded by Wang Shi, they obediently returned indoors to do chores.
Passing by the Shen household, Su Zhi hesitated to enter. She preferred not to interact much with the Shens unless necessary, and if she did visit, it would be with Shen Zi’an. So, she politely declined Wang Shi’s invitation to come inside, citing the need to return home and cook before it got dark.
Dazhu’s wife interjected, “Now that you’re so well-off, why bother cooking yourself? What’s the point of being so thrifty, Sister-in-law Zi’an? You should keep an eye on Brother Zi’an and make sure he doesn’t spend money on other women. Men with a bit of money always start thinking about other ‘flowers’ outside. You’ve got to be tough. Otherwise, you might end up with more sisters-in-law than you bargained for, and then there won’t be enough money left to go around.”
Su Zhi glanced at Dazhu’s wife, thinking how she seemed to provoke arguments between couples with her comments.
“Don’t worry, Zi’an won’t do that. He has a conscience, unlike some people who lose theirs as soon as they have a bit of money,” Su Zhi retorted coolly. “Such behaviors tend to repeat themselves. It’s rooted in character. You keep an eye on your husband so you don’t end up with unexpected sisters-in-law.”
With that said, Su Zhi took Liu Siniang’s arm and left.
Dazhu’s wife fumed, muttering, “What did you just say about my family being rooted in character?”
“Whose family are you talking about?” Su Zhi shot back.
Wang Shi, listening nearby, glared at Dazhu’s wife. She found their neighbor’s constant irritating remarks tiresome and was wary of anything she might overhear.
Dazhu’s wife, seeing Wang Shi’s expression, quickly smiled and said, “I didn’t say anything. I was just annoyed by your sister-in-law. I was trying to help, but she doesn’t appreciate it. Good deeds never go unpunished.”
“No one dares to accept your kind of ‘good deeds,'” Wang Shi retorted tersely, unwilling to engage further. She shot a glare and then returned to her courtyard.
Dazhu’s wife snorted, thinking, “If it weren’t for your family producing a scholar, you might not be able to act high and might.”
You shouldn’t have tried to cause trouble with the Shen’s in the first place. Our family can’t afford them”
Zhao Dazhu listened to his wife’s words and pondered. He knew Shen Zi’an had courage, having supposedly killed a tiger. Shen Ziju was expected to enter officialdom in the future, and Shen Zigui, though quiet, was physically strong. Shen Zifu, despite his quiet demeanor, was well-liked, which could draw unwanted attention. He didn’t want to antagonize the Shen family and felt his wife was unnecessarily troublesome.
“You’ve forgotten that our second brother and sister-in-law both agreed not to oppose the Shen’s. We need to maintain good relations with them,” Zhao Dazhu reminded his wife.
Zhao Daliang and Zhang Qingniang also recognized the Shen family’s potential for growth, especially with Shen Ziju poised to enter officialdom. They understood that crossing the Shen’s could lead to trouble in the future. Despite not being well-liked by the Shen family, they preferred to avoid unnecessary conflicts with them.
Dazhu’s wife glared at her husband and said, “I can’t stand seeing them live comfortably. Just talking about it isn’t enough. Now that your brother has money, why should we fear them? Don’t say I’m wrong. If it weren’t for your brother’s wrongdoing with Liu Siniang, would our family have a bad reputation in the village? They owe us that much. Let me tell you, if they move into the city in the future, their house will belong to us. Don’t think we have to beg them for anything.”
“I understand. Just calm down, lower your voice,” Zhao Dazhu hurriedly said, pulling his wife inside.
As she thought more about Su Zhi’s demeanor earlier, Dazhu’s wife grew angrier. She resented seeing Su Zhi living so well. While she used to try to profit from Su Zhi, now that Zhang Qingniang and the others were in the picture, she no longer relied on Su Zhi. She felt that she had money like Su Zhi now and naturally didn’t want to be bothered by her anymore.
Dazhu’s wife pondered how to cause trouble for Su Zhi without getting caught. She went through various ideas but discarded each one, realizing she needed a subtle revenge plan. However, she struggled to come up with a cunning strategy.
As she wrestled with her thoughts, her headache intensified, and she lost all interest in cooking. She considered taking her child and husband to eat by the riverbank in the east, hoping the change of scenery might spark an idea. It was during this outing that a plan began to form in her mind.