What is this? And there is someone called by this name?
The defending general was a bit dazed. He thought he had misheard. He also thought the other party was scolding him.
No one knew where this nameless person was heading. They watched him leave into the distance.
Yu Qing did not know what kind of mood he was in when he left. In any case, he felt no attachment. He did not even want to turn his head. He did not want to take another look.
Not far out, as he walked into the turbid accumulated water again, he passed by a group of staggering disaster victims who seemed exhausted and were tottering along.
Outside the city gate, a group of people arrived while he left alone.
The newly arrived disaster victims paid him no attention at all.
He also did not stop for these disaster victims. He no longer had the ability to help anyone anyway.
Earlier he had the thought of causing a big disturbance inside the city for the disaster victims. However, the matter of confronting the imperial court directly, he had done it once when leaving the capital. The memory of being heavily surrounded and hunted was still fresh. He did not dare to act rashly again.
He also knew he could not help everyone.
True disaster relief involved a very wide scope. Treatment during the disaster period, basic living expenses, how to survive after the disaster, reconstruction of roads, farmland and houses, and control of epidemics. The required financial resources, materials and manpower were enormous. It was not something his investment of over a hundred thousand taels of silver could fill.
The money he had only ensured those disaster victims would not starve to death temporarily and had a place to stay for the time being.
The affected areas in Zhao Prefecture were not limited to just Shangwan Prefecture. There were far more than these thirty thousand plus disaster victims.
After passing the group of disaster victims, he felt around his body everywhere. He searched inside his clothes, hoping to find a forgotten silver note.
He was not completely without possessions. There was still that bottle of demon revealing dew, some pills for travelling the jianghu, and some personal items.
Apart from that, he was sure he had emptied himself out. He had not even left himself a single copper coin.
He did not know what medicine he had taken wrongly.
Slap! He suddenly gave himself a hard slap.
He just could not understand. He had come to work as a human trafficker to make money. How had he ended up losing everything?
Sixteen thousand taels of silver, just given away like that for nothing?
Slap! His left hand gave himself another hard slap.
Thinking of the over thirty thousand taels of silver he had borrowed in a roundabout way from Su Yingtao and the other three in the capital, which had now gone in, he had acted like a villain in vain.
Slap! His right hand gave himself another hard slap.
Thinking of the risks he took on the way to the capital to get some money, and the situation where he had nearly lost his life.
Slap! He gave himself another slap.
Thinking of how he had beaten his three senior brothers, and how the few hundred taels of silver taken from them had also been put in.
Slap! He gave himself yet another slap.
In the end, what hurt was not just his face, but also his chest. His heart ached unbearably.
With one hand covering his chest, he left in a panic. He kept sighing and groaning nonstop. He even felt like dying.
When he could not think straight, he suddenly jumped forward and thudded into the muddy water.
Water splashed everywhere.
Unfortunately the water was too shallow. It could not drown him. He swallowed a mouthful of dirty water instead. The taste was unpleasant. He climbed up, spitting and retching, then continued forward while drenched.
The panting Zhan Muchun had already run to the city gate. He still had to stop and lean against the wall to catch his breath first. His stamina was indeed very average.
After he caught his breath, he trotted straight out of the city. The city gate guards recognised him. After all, he was the top scholar, so they let him out.
The horizon had already shown a streak of white. Dawn was approaching.
Zhan Muchun who had left the city did not see Yu Qing. He only saw the raised drawbridge, and a group of refugees kneeling outside the moat begging.
“Oh, the top scholar has come so early.”
The defending general had not slept all night and was yawning. As soon as he turned around and saw Zhan Muchun, he greeted him cheerfully.
The two were familiar with each other. Recently Zhan Muchun had often been hoisted in and out of the city in a basket.
Panting heavily, Zhan Muchun pointed at the crying disaster victims outside. “Was there not someone distributing money and doing good deeds to help the disaster victims enter the city?”
The defending general sighed. “Alas, these disaster victims have just arrived. The previous thirty thousand plus disaster victims outside the city have all entered. Thirty thousand plus lives have been saved. That scene… have you seen ten thousand people kneeling without making a sound? It is truly unforgettable for a lifetime!”
Zhan Muchun immediately asked, “Where is the person doing the good deed? Has he entered the city?”
“He has not entered the city.” The defending general looked into the dim distance with an expression of infinite emotion. “After saving the people, he left. To save them, he scattered all the over ten thousand taels of silver on him. He ended up with no money to enter the city, so he departed.”
Zhan Muchun became agitated in an instant. He grabbed the collar of the general’s armour and said furiously, “He saved over thirty thousand refugees, yet you did not let him in because he had no money? Commander Cai, can your conscience be at ease?”
The defending general was higher in rank than him, so he did not blame him. He patted his hand. “Top scholar, you have misunderstood me. Even if I had no conscience, I could not be so heartless. He had no money, but I said I would guarantee his entry. However, he was stubborn and clear about right and wrong. He said he did not want to break the rules and make things difficult for me, so he turned and left. This is a true hero. Cai admires him!”
“How long ago did he leave?”
“Just a short while ago.”
Zhan Muchun released his hand and craned his neck to look outside the moat. “Which direction did he go? Lower the bridge. I want to find him.”
“Do not!” The defending general quickly pulled him back. “Top scholar, this is no joke. With so many disaster victims, if they swarm and force their way, tell me, should I kill them or not? Besides, he practises martial arts and has cultivation. With your skills, you cannot catch up to him.”
Zhan Muchun asked again, “What is his name?”
Idiot? The defending general muttered in his heart. He rolled his eyes, scratched his neck, and shook his head. “He refused to leave his real name and ran off. To do a good deed to this extent and not leave a name, one has to admire him!”
Zhan Muchun immediately gestured and asked, “Is it the one with a ponytail, a small moustache, and a sword hanging at his waist!”
Clap! The defending general slapped his hands together. “Yes! Exactly that appearance. It seems you know him. Quick, tell me, who is this person?”
As soon as Zhan Muchun heard it was indeed Brother Shiheng’s heroic act, his blood surged. He had no mood to chat further with him. He turned and ran.
“Hey, eh, top scholar, I…” The defending general reached out repeatedly to call him but failed to bring him back. He said puzzled, “What is going on? It seems he really knows him. An acquaintance? Who is it? To make this top scholar so excited.”
Zhan Muchun did not run elsewhere. After entering the city, he ran straight up to the city tower. He climbed high to look far, hoping to see if he could still spot Brother Shiheng’s figure.
He could not see it. The sky was getting brighter, but looking out, it was still a hazy flooded area with faint hills. The only thing missing was that lonely departing figure. Perhaps it was because that person was too insignificant between heaven and earth.
Thinking of everything Brother Shiheng had done, saving thousands of people yet not leaving his name, his emotions could not calm down for a long time.
He felt extremely regretful. He hated himself for avoiding and not meeting him. Even helping with odd jobs would have been good!
Inside the city, a group of scholars also arrived at the city wall one after another. They talked with the guards and inquired. After confirming Zhan Muchun was on the city tower, the group naturally asked about the outcome of last night’s disaster relief.
After roughly learning the situation and hearing that Zhan Muchun might know who the person doing good without leaving a name was, the group of scholars hurried to the city tower.
When they found Zhan Muchun, they saw the top scholar standing firmly in front of the battlements, facing the morning wind, bathed in the light of the white streak on the horizon, gazing into the distance without moving for a long time.
The group of scholars quickly gathered around him. Someone tried asking, “Sir, do you know that great philanthropist? Who is he?”
“Who?” Zhan Muchun murmured. He slowly turned his head to look at them, then turned back to the distance. With a bitter smile, he uttered three difficult words, “Ah Shiheng!”
“Ah Shiheng?”
“Ah?”
“Is it that Ah Shiheng who got full marks in all four subjects of the metropolitan examination?”
“Is it that Ah Shiheng who recently resigned from office in the capital and caused a huge stir?”
The group of scholars had already become a noisy mess, some in doubt, some in disbelief, some excited.
For scholars, getting full marks in all four subjects of the metropolitan examination was a god-like existence. In terms of real ability, it surpassed even the palace examination. That person had actually come here?
What could Zhan Muchun say? He could only nod slightly to confirm.
“Ah, it really is him. But why would he come to Shangwan City to provide disaster relief?”
“There is nothing to doubt. Lord Zhan and Ah Shiheng are fellow top-ranked jinshi from the same examination. They are very familiar. Since Lord Zhan says so, it must be correct.”
“I… alas, Ah Shiheng came to Shangwan City and I missed the chance to meet him.” Someone clutched the front of his robe, looking very regretful.
He was not the only one regretting. The whole group of scholars sighed and felt deep remorse.
Zhan Muchun also felt annoyed and regretful, even hating his own uselessness.
That Ah Shiheng, after resigning from office, could still save thousands from flood and fire, while he held his position yet achieved nothing. He could not help thinking of the fu essay Ah Shiheng wrote in the metropolitan examination. He murmured involuntarily, “The place where people gather is the country. When the people grieve, the country declines. Those who protect the people are true patriots of the nation! The place where people gather is the country…”
He murmured the words to himself over and over, his eyes dazed. Only now, repeatedly savouring the top essay from the metropolitan examination, did he truly grasp its real meaning.
The other person’s writing was not just written, but also put into practice.
He recalled the scene of that person who had resigned from office appearing in the disaster area, carrying big and small bags, leading the disaster victims through the mud to seek survival.
Thinking of how that person had stayed up all night yesterday, scattering all his wealth to save tens of thousands of disaster victims, yet ended up without a single coin and could not even enter the city.
The top scholar murmuring to himself could no longer control his emotions. Tears streamed down his face.
“The place where people gather is the country. When the people grieve, the country declines. Those who protect the people are true patriots of the nation…”
Those moved were not only Zhan Muchun, but also these scholars.
The essay of the top scholar who got full marks in four subjects, for scholars in this area not too far from the capital, how many had not read it? They all began reciting along.
“The place where people gather is the country. When the people grieve, the country declines. Those who protect the people are true patriots of the nation…”
The scattered recitations became more and more uniform. They echoed on the city wall again and again, becoming increasingly solemn.
Passers-by inside the city and guards on and below the wall all turned to look, surprised and somewhat inexplicably moved.
The guards were extinguishing torches and bonfires. Bursts of black smoke drifted over the people, but it could not stop the crowd from reciting passionately over and over.
A mysterious power seemed able to break the dawn, seemed able to tear open the darkness. The horizon bloomed with the first brilliant ray of morning light…