The villagers watched the large chest with great anticipation.
They assumed the imperial court's reward would surely be gold and jewels.
At the very least, they expected agate, jade, or necklaces.
However, when two servants opened the lid, the chest contained only two bolts of silk.
The villagers looked displeased.
What use was this?
What farmer had ever worn fine silk and brocade?
Old Man Yun also pursed his lips, his expression difficult to describe.
Still, it was good; with this fabric, he could make new clothes for his family.
And perhaps a satin cover for the bedding.
Prefect Chen looked at Old Man Yun and said with a smile, "The imperial treasury is tight. These two bolts of cloth were a special request I made, so I hope you won't find them wanting, elder brother!"
Old Man Yun repeatedly shook his head, "Prefect, you are too kind. This humble subject already has clothes to wear and a quilt to cover himself with, so he is already very content!"
He secretly thought that if he took these two bolts of cloth to the county town, he could at least exchange them for three or four taels of silver.
But after careful consideration, he abandoned the idea.
His wife and youngest daughter were both dressed in coarse homespun.
It was time for them to have new outfits.
Little Xi Tian tiptoed and peered into the large chest, "It's cloth!~"
The quality of the silk was not top-notch; some parts were already snagged.
Prefect Chen crouched down and gently patted Little Xi Tian's head, "Sweetie, do you like it?"
This little girl, how could she be so spirited?
Standing there, she looked like a mascot carved by a master craftsman.
Little Xi Tian nodded.
She liked it!
Prefect Chen smiled, "Then give your uncle a kiss, and Uncle will give you a bigger reward!~"
Little Xi Tian's big eyes flickered.
She didn't want to kiss him!
This baby had her principles.
She wouldn't randomly kiss people just for a reward!
However, when Prefect Chen pulled a silver ingot from his sleeve.
Little Xi Tian immediately abandoned her principles, hugged his face, and planted a kiss on him.
He was giving her too much!
"Oh, Sweetie, you're so good. Here, take this!~"
Prefect Chen, in a great mood, placed the silver ingot directly into Little Xi Tian's arms.
Old Man Yun stepped forward to pull her back, "Prefect, we are humble folk, how can we accept your silver!"
Prefect Chen tutted, "Elder brother, those two bolts of cloth were a gift from the court. I was merely helping to deliver them!"
"But this silver ingot is my personal reward to you. Please don't refuse it, elder brother!"
The Old Yun family had contributed a brick to his promotion and illustrious future. What was a mere silver ingot?
Old Man Yun hesitated for a moment, then looked at Little Xi Tian, "Daughter, thank the Prefect quickly?"
Little Xi Tian opened her small satchel, busy putting the silver into it.
Prefect Chen's silver ingot was worth three taels.
Adding the two taels Xiao Jin Heng had given her earlier, Little Xi Tian now had five taels of silver!~
She was practically a little rich lady!
"Uncle Prefect, thank you!~"
Sweetie lifted her small head to thank him, then lowered it to put away the silver.
And in her half-open satchel, Prefect Chen suddenly spotted something extraordinary.
He was so startled he broke out in a sweat, his legs trembled slightly, and his expression froze.
It was a shiny token.
Rectangular.
Engraved with intricate patterns.
Prefect Chen was utterly astonished.
How could this ordinary farm girl possess a royal token?
"Prefect, are you feeling unwell?" the village chief asked.
Why was he suddenly sweating all over his forehead?
Prefect Chen forced a dry smile, "No... it's nothing!"
If only it were nothing!
How come all the little babies in the countryside nowadays were hidden powerhouses?
"I have other matters to attend to, so I won't be staying any longer!"
Prefect Chen hurriedly left Dashui Village.
He didn't even have time to eat the food the village had prepared.
Heyang County, Prefect's Mansion.
After returning, Prefect Chen went straight to his study.
His wife, Madam Huang, followed him in.
Seeing his worried expression, Madam Huang asked in a low voice, "My lord, what's wrong? You seem unhappy!"
She heard that her husband had gone to Dashui Village.
Could it be that he had been wronged by the local ruffians?
She had heard that nine out of ten villages had suffered from a rat infestation.
Many villages had their crops destroyed, yielding nothing, and they were constantly causing trouble at the yamen.
Only Dashui Village had not suffered from the rat plague, and their wheat and corn were almost ripe.
Prefect Chen frowned, "What can be done about this! Alas!"
"My lord, you are worried about the matter of Dashui Village, aren't you?"
Madam Huang peeled an orange and offered it to Prefect Chen.
"My wife understands me best!"
Prefect Chen sighed, not even in the mood to eat the orange.
Madam Huang's eyes darted about, "If you ask me, since Dashui Village has a bumper harvest, why not let them help out the people in other villages?"
"They have enough food for themselves anyway, they won't starve!"
"Then, let every household in Dashui Village contribute their surplus grain to those disaster victims, and that will solve the problem!"
As long as no one starved, and they could endure until spring, the famine would pass.
Prefect Chen listened, not entirely in agreement.
"If so many people swarm into Dashui Village, won't it just lead to fights and brawls?"
They had also worked hard all year, from dawn till dusk, enduring wind and sun.
Why should they help others?
Nowadays, who didn't have elders above and children below?
No matter how much grain there was, it wouldn't be enough to go around.
Madam Huang smiled helplessly, "My lord, fights and brawls are for the county yamen and constables to handle. Your task is to prevent a large number of people from starving!"
As for villagers bickering or arguing, isn't that common?
Why make such a fuss?
Prefect Chen thought this was a terrible idea.
It wouldn't solve the problem and would only incite conflict.
But since there was no better solution at the moment, he began to write a notice and sent for the yamen runners to deliver it.
The sun set, painting the sky with red clouds.
Dashui Village was bathed in a golden glow.
Wisps of cooking smoke rose, chickens crowed, and dogs barked, creating a harmonious and peaceful scene.
The Old Yun Family.
"Daughter, you are too young to carry silver. It's dangerous!"
Madam Gu held Little Xi Tian, coaxing her to hand over the silver.
"Shall Mother keep it for you?"
Little Xi Tian: "......"
She looked vigilant.
She never wanted to hear the word 'keep' again in her life.
Every time she heard it, something would disappear.
Her golden walnuts, agarwood, gold lock, and now the silver, were all 'kept' away.
"Daughter, give it to your mother! Otherwise, you'll lose it!" Old Man Yun said with a smile.
Little Xi Tian: "......"
Could she refuse?
And so, the poor Sweetie watched her silver being 'plundered'.
Her heart grew cold.
The next morning, as Little Xi Tian was still dozing, she suddenly heard shouts from outside the door.
"It's bad, it's bad, the village is full of people!"
"Make sure all your doors are closed, don't let them squeeze in."
"Oh dear, Old Yun, why are you still going to the fields? Hurry and close the gate, those villagers are going crazy!"
"......"
Little Xi Tian sat up abruptly.
What was going on?