“Xiaochun, it’s not that I’m heartless, but these times don’t permit me to be soft-hearted. Do you understand?” Bai Nianqing said.
“Why is that, Miss?” Xiaochun didn’t quite understand.
Seeing that Xiaochun still didn’t comprehend – and not just Xiaochun, even Shen Wenhe was looking at her curiously – Bai Nianqing had to explain more clearly.
“Sigh, it’s not that I don’t want to help them, but in this current world, there are too many people like this. I can’t help them all, nor do I have the capacity to.
This is just the beginning. There will be more and more situations like this in the future. When things get really bad, there might even be trading children for food.
Tell me, how many people can we actually help? In times like these, we’re doing well enough just to take care of ourselves.
Besides, they’re only seven and five years old. What could they possibly do if we kept them? Especially during famine fleeing, we might end up having to take care of them.
Life will definitely become increasingly difficult. Children are naturally weak and prone to illness.
Even in normal times, many children die young, let alone on the road fleeing famine.
If it really comes to that, taking care of Nianchen alone will be exhausting enough. We definitely can’t take on additional people to care for.
Also, from now on when we see beggars, we can’t just give to them randomly.
You need to understand that sometimes foolish kindness can bring trouble. If handled poorly, it might even lead to fatal disaster.” Bai Nianqing spoke with a serious expression.
“How could it lead to fatal disaster?” Xiaochun was stunned by Bai Nianqing’s words.
Shen Wenhe didn’t say anything but wore a thoughtful expression.
“Why couldn’t it? Think about it – everyone has no food, everyone is starving to death, except you who are well-fed. And you can even spare food to give to others. Don’t you think that would make people target you? Moreover, if you give to the first person, will you give to the second? What about the third and fourth? By then, no matter how much supplies you have, they won’t be enough to give away. If you’ve given to the people in front but not to those behind, won’t the latter resent you? If it were just resentment, that would be one thing, but I’m afraid someone might develop malicious intentions. Do you understand what I’m saying?” Bai Nianqing broke it down and explained thoroughly.
“I understand, wife. You’re so clever. If you hadn’t said this, I would never have thought of these things.” Shen Wenhe imagined what would happen if he took pity on someone and gave them food, only to be surrounded by a crowd demanding the same. The thought alone was terrifying.
“Miss, I understand too. I won’t be foolishly kind from now on.” Xiaochun also promised.
Little did Bai Nianqing know that because she had forewarned Shen Wenhe and Xiaochun in advance and explained the consequences of being soft-hearted, they would avoid a not-insignificant disaster in the future.
Of course, they didn’t know this yet.
Bai Nianqing and the others returned to their room, where Xiaochun busied herself pouring tea for them.
“Miss, Young Master, please have some tea first. I’ll go prepare a meal for you.”
“Xiaochun, don’t bother with anything complicated. Just cook two bowls of noodles to fill our stomachs for now.” Bai Nianqing didn’t want any lavish dishes either – she just wanted to quickly have a bite and then rest properly.
“Alright, I’ll go right away,” Xiaochun replied and went out.
“Wife, I don’t think this place is safe anymore. Should we move to the mountains as soon as possible?” Shen Wenhe suggested, his heart heavy from the scenes he had witnessed on their way back.
“Let’s wait a few more days and see. We’ll go up the mountain only if absolutely necessary.”
“Let’s go into town tomorrow to check current grain prices.”
“I expect everything’s going up. Our salt supply still seems insufficient – we should buy more.”
“We also need more oilcloth. The drought isn’t so bad now, but I’ve heard great droughts are always followed by heavy floods and cold waves.”
“At the very least, we should cover our wooden cabin with oilcloth. We should also make a cotton door curtain with oilcloth for the cave’s wooden door to block wind and rain.”
“And we need to buy several sets of bamboo hats and straw raincoats. Otherwise we won’t be able to go out when it really rains.” Bai Nianqing contemplated what their household lacked.
“Alright, we’ll go check the town. I wonder if they’ve left yet.” Shen Wenhe said.
After all, Master Shen was his biological father, so Shen Wenhe’s concern was natural.
“Should we go check on them tomorrow?” Bai Nianqing tentatively suggested.
It wasn’t that she didn’t care about people – she was concerned about the Shen family’s possessions.
They must have taken all the valuables, but some things like furniture couldn’t be moved. Those were all made of good wood.
With their whole family gone, she worried fleeing famine migrants might damage everything.
“Alright, let’s go see tomorrow. Who knows if we’ll ever meet again in these times.” Shen Wenhe’s mood turned somber.
Bai Nianqing understood. Despite any conflicts, they had lived together for many years.
Moreover, ancient people valued family above all else, considering it most important.
Now that Shen Wenhe’s father was taking the whole family to live in the capital, in this era when travel meant walking on foot,
This separation might truly last a lifetime.
As they spoke, Xiaochun brought in noodles along with two plates of side dishes she had prepared.
While they were eating, Chang’an returned from town.
“Xiaochun, Xiaochun, come out quickly!” Chang’an shouted as soon as he entered the courtyard.
“Brother Chang’an, don’t make so much noise! The young lady and young master have returned.”
“Brother Chang’an, what happened to you? Are you injured?” Xiaochun belatedly noticed Chang’an limping.
“The young master is back? Where is he? I need to see him.” Upon hearing Shen Wenhe had returned, Chang’an didn’t even register Xiaochun’s later words.
“They’re inside eating. They just returned not long ago.” Xiaochun said.
Chang’an had no patience to listen further – he urgently needed to report the town’s situation to the young master.
“Young master, young master…!”
“I hear you! What’s all the shouting about? What happened to your leg?” Shen Wenhe had heard Chang’an’s voice and emerged after quickly finishing his noodles.
“Young master, you’re back! My leg’s fine – I just encountered some migrants on the road who were chasing people for food.”
“Especially those traveling alone – they’d surround them and not let them leave.”
“I sprained my ankle while trying to avoid them.” Chang’an explained.
“What’s the situation in town? Are there many migrants? Has the yamen taken any measures?” Shen Wenhe asked with a frown.
“People without local household registration aren’t allowed into town now. Many migrants have gathered outside the city walls.”
“And many migrants have scattered into the countryside begging.” Chang’an reported.
“Do the town wells still have water? What about the Shen residence?” Shen Wenhe asked again.
“Water is scarce there too. Only three or four wells in town still have water now.”
“There have been multiple fights over water already.”
“Since the day before yesterday, the officials have posted guards at the wells.”
Each household is only allowed to fetch one bucket of water per day. Anyone wanting more must pay for it.
Grain prices have also risen. Coarse grains that used to cost just three coins per jin now cost over a dozen coins.
I’ve noticed some families are nearly out of food and close to going hungry.