Chapter 131: Bearing Heaven's Decree

Under the simple and crude thatched porridge shed, officials had set up brick stove platforms. Eight large pots were boiling fiercely, emitting a faint aroma of rice. Wang Dao Sheng patiently explained to the officials, saying, "In years of great disaster, even if it hasn't reached the point of exchanging children for food, there will definitely be brothels coming to buy female children. Rest assured, I won't make things difficult for you. Just mention my name to Master Zhang. He and I are old acquaintances."

Just when Chen Ji thought the officials were still going to argue, he saw them lower their flags and drums, their expressions embarrassed. They said, "So it's Master Wang! This humble official has eyes but doesn't recognize Mount Tai!"

Chen Ji carefully asked, "County Master, is Master Wang very famous?"

Bai Li glanced at him in surprise and leaned over gently to say in a low voice, "You haven't heard of Master Wang's name? Years ago, he came in second place in the palace examination and is already famous throughout the world."

Chen Ji said, "Hmm." He really didn't know his new teacher had such a great reputation that simply reporting his name could make the prefectural yamen officials so polite and respectful.

At this time, the officials looked at Wang Dao Sheng and said somewhat awkwardly, "Master Wang, we can go and register and make a roster, but as you can see, there are only about ten officials here at the porridge shed. Later, when distributing porridge, we'll be too busy. Perhaps wait until we transfer some more people?"

Wang Dao Sheng glanced at the porridge shed, then at the number of officials. "You all go and register and make a roster. We'll handle the porridge shed."

The officials were startled. "Master, ladling and distributing several thousand portions of porridge is strenuous work. How can we let you do the labor?"

Wang Dao Sheng didn't answer him, but looked towards Chen Ji and the others. "You all have no problem?"

Chen Ji replied, "Mister, rest assured, I have no problem!"

Bai Li also smilingly rolled up his sleeves. "Mister, I have no problem either."

Seeing the situation, Zhang Xia immediately tied the reins of Zaozao next to the porridge shed, and also rolled up his sleeves and walked over. "Mister, we have no problems."

At this time, Shizi said, "Not enough people."

On the ox cart outside the porridge shed, Chen Wenzong silently looked at this scene for a long time without speaking. Just as Shizi's gaze swept over, he immediately wanted to stand up, but was pulled back by Chen Wenxiao who grabbed his arm. "Brother, what are you doing? We are here for a study tour. Not to do manual labor. I've seen those officials distributing porridge, ladling several thousand ladles of porridge until their arms are swollen. Generally, they are unfavored officials from the prefectural yamen, who are only sent to do this difficult duty in the cold winter."

Chen Wenzong's expression was solemn. "No need for many words. You and I have read sage books for over ten years. How can we not distinguish this point of right and wrong clearly? I didn't get off the cart earlier because Chen Ji himself did something wrong, and others shouldn't suffer because of him. But now we are doing things for the common people. How can you and I shrink back? Let go!"

He shook off Chen Wenxiao's hand, jumped down from the ox cart, and rolled up his sleeves. "Mister, I also come to help."

Chen Wenxiao sat on the cart alone, hesitated for a while, and finally lowered his head and jumped down from the ox cart, standing together with Chen Wenzong.

Wang Dao Sheng lifted the lid of a pot and saw steam rise up like clouds. After the white gas dispersed somewhat, everyone frowned. "The rice soup is thin and weak. You can see the rice grains at the bottom of the pot at a glance."

Chen Wenzong looked at the officials with a serious face. "Why is the porridge so thin? According to our dynasty's iron law, chopsticks should not fall when inserted into the porridge. How dare you cook such thin porridge?"

The officials were so scared their faces turned pale. "It's not that we want to cook such thin porridge. It's Master Zhang's instructions."

"Master Zhang?"

"Yes!" The officials explained, "Master Zhang said there isn't enough grain. To help the common people in the west and south of the city get through the winter, we absolutely cannot cook thick porridge. If we distribute porridge strictly according to the court's rules, the grain at the porridge shed will run out in just fifteen days!"

"Is there no grain in the Luocheng granary?" Chen Wenzong was doubtful. "I remember the autumn grain was just transported to Luocheng last month."

The officials hurriedly replied, "Master Zhang said that the grain in the official granary cannot be moved anymore. If a military order comes to transfer grain, and the granary doesn't have enough, that means losing one's head."

"Is there truly no other way? Where is Master Zhang?"

"Master Zhang said he went to think of ways."

Zhang Xia asked curiously, "What about Master Chen? I remember Master Chen is the most principled. He definitely wouldn't sit by and do nothing."

The officials hesitated.

Zhang Xia impatiently pressed, "Speak!"

The officials stammered, "Master Zhang found a group of litigators and old bachelors to file a lawsuit at the yamen. He dragged Master Chen into the prefectural yamen."

Zhang Xia was startled. "Ah this..."

Wang Dao Sheng raised his hand to stop the conversation. "Officials, go and register and make a roster. We will distribute the porridge here."

Saying so, he opened his mouth to the disaster victims and said, "Come forward to receive porridge, the old, weak, women, and children first." That voice floated outwards, clearly not loud, yet it powerfully transmitted hundreds of meters.

Chen Ji was shocked. He saw the disaster victims slowly stand up, and they actually truly let the old, weak, women, and children go to the front of the line one by one. He had seen porridge distributed in front of the west city gate before, and he knew what kind of people the disaster victims were. Everyone was so hungry they were skin and bones. Who still cared about respecting the old and loving the young? But Mister Wang's single sentence had an effect. Could it be that Mister Wang was also an official walker?

Chen Ji silently looked towards Shizi and Bai Li. "Mister Wang just now..."

Bai Li said in a low voice, "My father said that Mister's path is the way of the sage, his mouth contains heavenly constitution, and he can educate all living beings. But he also said that there are still some things Mister hasn't thought clearly, so he cannot be considered a true sage."

Chen Ji glanced at Mister Wang, silently picked up the huge wooden ladle, and one by one scooped rice porridge for the lined-up disaster victims. That wooden ladle was too heavy for girls. Bai Li's arm was so sore after swinging it only a few dozen times that he could barely lift it. He could only grit his teeth and persevere. "It would be great if Cat Brother were here. His strength is inexhaustible."

And Chen Ji suddenly discovered that as he scooped rice porridge for the disaster victims ladle by ladle, the color of the twenty-six lamp furnace fire inside his body actually changed somewhat. Although it was very slight and very slow, every bit of this change was real. Just like the temperature of an inverted flame kiln, at 600 degrees it's cherry red, at 900 degrees it's orange-yellow, and above 1300 degrees it will turn white. The initial burning of the twenty-six lamp furnace fire was cherry red, and now that red was just fading away bit by bit. Following closely, there was a more majestic vitality. Chen Ji remembered that when he was in the Qing Shan dream realm, there was a moment when all the furnace fire in his body burned up, and the furnace fire at that time was precisely white.

Strange! Why did the furnace fire change? Could it be because he was helping the disaster victims? But hadn't he also helped the disaster victims at the west city gate earlier?

Wait! The only difference between that time and this time was that he was covering his face at that time.

Before Chen Ji could think clearly, the sound of creaking wooden wheels rang out outside the city gate. Dozens of carts loaded with bags of grain drove out of the city, followed by an official sedan chair. The grain on each cart was piled up like a small hill. Even the official sedan chair was lined up to the point of being inconspicuous.

The next moment, the sedan bearers put the sedan chair down, and Zhang Zhuo, dressed in a red official robe, stepped out of the sedan chair with ambition and satisfaction. He looked at the busy people under the porridge shed and said in surprise, "Eh, why are you all here?"

Zhang Xia rushed forward like a gust of wind and hugged his arm. "Dad, where did you find so much grain?"

Zhang Zhuo happily stroked his beard. "Your dad, I, changed it out with immortal techniques. Impressive, right?"

Zhang Xia gave a thumbs up. "Impressive."

Wang Dao Sheng walked to the edge of the carts, casually pinched a hemp bag, and had a number in his heart. "Compared to official grain, this is fresh autumn grain that merchants have just stockpiled this year. They were actually willing to donate it to you, no, you bought it."

Zhang Zhuo laughed. "You led troops for several years, and you can still tell whether the grain is fresh or not just by touching the hemp bag? I thought you had already read yourself into a bookworm!"

Wang Dao Sheng did not laugh. He frowned and looked at Zhang Zhuo. "During your term in Yangzhou, you did things that crossed the line because of this. After you left office, the impeachment memorials against you flew into the capital like snowflakes. If Elder Xu hadn't suppressed the matter of you buying and selling officials, you would probably be in prison by now. But you always do this. Sooner or later something will happen. At that time, if censors and remonstrators find clues, they only need to impeach you before the emperor once, and all your efforts will be wasted."

Zhang Zhuo's expression was arrogant and his spirit vigorous. "As long as Elder Xu is still the first assistant of the cabinet, no censor or remonstrator will dare to impeach me."

Wang Dao Sheng sighed. "What if Elder Xu is not the first assistant of the cabinet?"

Zhang Zhuo said proudly, "At that time, I will be the first assistant of the cabinet."

Wang Dao Sheng gently shook his head and said again, "Even a cabinet elder in a dynasty can hardly cover the sky with one hand. Dong Shi wrote to me saying that he has already been promoted to Supervising Country Remonstrating Censor and is about to investigate your matters during your term in Yangzhou. He and the Xu family have been at odds for a long time. If he..."

Zhang Zhuo impatiently waved his robe sleeve. Seeing that there were no officials or disaster victims around, he immediately said angrily, "Although you are several years older than me, don't always teach me. I take money from corrupt officials to do things for the common people, what's wrong with that? If I don't do this, what will these disaster victims eat and drink? Wait for the court's silver? How long will that take? The disaster victims will starve to death long ago."

Chen Ji heard these words, suddenly thought of the rumors about Zhang Zhuo and the account book of Shopkeeper Yuan, and finally realized where this batch of grain came from. Then he heard Zhang Zhuo continue to say to Wang Dao Sheng, "If you can't stand me, you can report and expose me to Dong Shi. I just ask you one sentence. Do you want these disaster victims to survive this winter?"

Zhang Zhuo and Wang Dao Sheng stood facing each other. One wore a bright red official robe with a vivid white crane embroidered on his chest, the other wore a blue cloth scholar's robe that was washed to a faded color from starching. It was as if people who were not meant to walk on the same path in fate had accidentally met and were confronting each other. Everyone held their breath, as if facing these two great mountains pressing down, not daring to even breathe.

Finally, Wang Dao Sheng said in a low voice, "I am familiar with Dong Shi. In a few days, when the study tour is over, I will send him a letter asking him not to investigate the matters in Yangzhou."

Zhang Zhuo laughed heartily and patted Wang Dao Sheng's shoulder. "I knew it. After so many years, you are still different from those corrupt scholars. Dong Shi admires your learning and holds a disciple's 礼. If you are willing to speak, he will definitely stop. When you return from your study tour, I will come find you for a drink."

Wang Dao Sheng casually patted Zhang Zhuo's hand down. "Sooner or later, you will take a big tumble in this matter."

Zhang Zhuo's face changed. "You can't speak nonsense with that mouth. Quickly, bah, bah, bah."

Wang Dao Sheng was too lazy to pay attention to him, turned around and walked to the porridge shed, continuing to scoop porridge for the disaster victims. "Rest assured, I am not that powerful."