RPAGF Chapter 470 Diaomin
Chapter 470 Diaomin
Chapter 470
If he were to risk his dignity and ask for help from these nobles, he wondered—would they be willing to offer his fellow villagers a way out? He was old and his days were numbered, but these young children and fellow villagers still needed to survive. Now forced to leave their homeland, with no land or shelter in this vast world, where could they turn?
Everyone quickly finished their soup, but it was clear they weren't full. They were starving, and how could such a small amount of food fill their stomachs? They put away their bamboo tubes and sat obediently, their eyes occasionally glancing at the bag of stale rice. Despite their efforts to control themselves, they couldn't help but lick their lips.
Seeing this, Old Man Wang looked at Luo Shuiyao and the others with shame on his face. He did not blame these children. They had suffered too much. Now that they finally had food and a chance to fill their stomachs, how could they not be looking forward to it?
Luo Shuiyao took in everyone's expressions and noticed that Old Man Wang seemed hesitant to speak. A smile played on her lips as she spoke gently, "Thank you for your hospitality, Old Man. It's just that we've been traveling for half a day and haven't eaten yet. Could you ladies please make some more porridge to fill our stomachs?"
Not only Mr. Wang, but also the people behind him and even the half-grown children understood what was said - this girl saw through their thoughts and was accommodating them.
Everyone felt embarrassed, but in their hearts they were even more grateful to her. They kept saying, "It's not a bother, it's not a bother."
The ladies all turned their eyes to Uncle Wang, and when they saw him nod slightly, they all stood up and started to move excitedly. They had finally filled their stomachs, and there was no sign of fatigue at all.
Some people were rinsing the pot, some were adding firewood, and some were boiling water, and soon the stove was set up again.
Luo Shuiyao and Chun Xing wanted to help, but were politely declined by everyone: "Young lady, you are so delicate, how can you do such rough work? Go and rest, we will be done soon!"
Seeing that they really didn't need help and that her presence would only make them feel uncomfortable, Luo Shuiyao had no choice but to agree. When she sat back down, she happened to see Ye Yunzhou talking to Old Man Wang.
Obviously, Ye Yunzhou was trying to inquire about the situation indirectly: "According to what the old man said, your Wangjia Village has been completely destroyed. Have you gone to find the local leader?"
Old Man Wang's bony fingers gripped the broken log tightly, his knuckles turning pale from the strain. Turbid tears streamed down his face, flowing along the crisscrossing wrinkles. A trembling sigh escaped his throat. "Why didn't you go look for it? When the flood just overflowed the ridges, I led the young men in the village to run to the town."
The old man sobbed, his eyes vacantly looking forward, as if the scene of that day were replaying before his eyes. A hint of despair lingered in his voice, "But the soldiers at the gate of the town capital were like wolves and tigers, with their spears drawn, they blocked us from more than ten feet away. We knelt down and kowtowed, begging them to show mercy and send someone to rescue us."
Having said this, he seemed extremely sad and suddenly started coughing violently.
The man who had been silent before raised his hand and patted his back, whispering comforting words, but he could not hide the sobs in his throat.
"My poor son..."
After finally catching his breath, Old Man Wang continued, "When he saw the yamen runners pushing me, he got so angry that he went up to argue with me, and the result was..."
The old man could not continue speaking. He just covered his face with his calloused hands, suppressing sobs between his fingers.
The man comforting Old Man Wang was the same man who had warned him to be careful of Luo Shuiyao and the others. Seeing this, he sighed deeply, patting Old Man Wang's back to comfort him. Turning to Luo Shuiyao, Ye Yunzhou gave a wry smile, "I'm so sorry. My second uncle has had a very difficult life. He lost his wife in middle age and his only son in old age. Now he's all alone. I'm sorry for being so rude just now. I hope you two gentlemen won't blame me."
Ye Yunzhou shook his head slightly, and said sincerely: "We shouldn't have mentioned this matter. It made the old man sad for no reason."
"No, my second uncle is also feeling miserable."
The man clutched the corner of his clothes, his eyes fixed on Old Man Wang, who was curled up and sobbing. His throat felt hard, "He's been holding on these days, pretending nothing happened for the sake of all of us. Now that he can cry, it's a good thing."
He had acted unreasonable before, but now he had completely lost his edge. Not only did he not blame Luo Shuiyao and the others, but he took the initiative to speak to them, his voice full of fatigue and gratitude.
Luo Shuiyao struggled to piece together the original owner's remaining memories, but only managed to capture fragments. While in Qingshui Town, the original owner lived a secluded life: firstly, she had been spoiled by the Luo family, and, relying on her father's prominent position around her, she held herself in high esteem, disdaining to interact with commoners. Secondly, the Luo family was concerned about her beauty. Even with her father's impressive military status, she feared someone might covet her, and so she deliberately confined her to her home.
Being kept in seclusion like this, the original owner knew very little about what was happening in the town, and didn't even know who the mayor of Qingshui Town was.
Seeing that the man seemed to be ready to talk, Luo Shuiyao's heart moved, and she finally couldn't help but speak: "The town chief is so lawless, why don't you go to the county to file a complaint and ask the county magistrate to seek justice?"
Hearing this, the man's bitter smile grew even more bitter. He looked at Luo Shuiyao and shook his head and sighed, "Girl, do you think we haven't tried?"
His Adam's apple rolled, and his voice seemed to be squeezed from deep within his chest. "The night the flood receded, almost all our houses and fields were washed away. Seeing that there was no way to seek help, my second uncle asked the whole village to pool their dry food and rush to the county town overnight with torches. When we arrived at the county magistrate's mansion, we knelt in the mud and water, shouting until our voices were hoarse, just to see the county magistrate."
"What happened next?" Luo Shuiyao clutched the hem of her skirt. Seeing that he spoke slowly, she raised her voice unconsciously and asked.
The man's Adam's apple rolled, his nails digging deep into his palms. He closed his eyes, then opened them abruptly, the hatred swirling in them almost tangible. "At first, the bailiff greeted us with a smile, saying they'd send for our immediate arrival and asking us to wait in the side hall. Before our tea had even cooled, over twenty bailiffs suddenly burst in, holding clubs wrapped in iron spikes."
He ripped open his collar, revealing a hideous scar on his collarbone. "This scar was caused by them beating me with sticks."
After hearing his words, a hush fell over the surroundings. The previously noisy crowd gradually fell silent. Even the children playing around stopped making any noise, and all fell silent. Everyone just stared at him in amazement, many of them silently tearing up at the scar on his chest.
The man continued nonchalantly. "I was in great pain then," he said, "and then I heard the bailiff say, 'My Cao County... is peaceful and prosperous under the magistrate's rule. How dare you, these unruly people, throw mud at us!'"
"Look, isn't it funny?"
The man raised his red eyes and looked over, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Wangjia Village was clearly completely destroyed, many of us lost our lives, and those who remain have no land or houses to live in. How come they've labeled us 'troublemakers'?"