The winter in the south was damp and cold. Layers upon layers of dark clouds pressed overhead, and the frost-sharp wind cut at the thinly dressed common people, making everyone shrink their necks from the cold.

“New Year’s Eve is approaching. Those wealthy families gather together to eat deliciously and drink heartily, but what about us? We probably won’t survive this winter.”

One person’s lament moved everyone around him to wipe away tears in sorrow.

Yesterday their future still held some hope. Even if they lived roughly, at least they could eat a hot meal every day and wouldn’t starve to death. Moreover, when full, people seemed more resistant to the cold.

But now, the soup shelter was completely empty, and their hope of survival had been stripped away.

“It’s all Registrar Gao! It’s all those corrupt officials!”

“They don’t consider us human at all, so why would they care whether we live or die?”

“I still have my old mother at home. Without the great benefactor Qian’s porridge, what will my mother do?”

…

The helpless common people wiped away tears, and the hot tears immediately turned cold in the frigid wind.

Those with more fiery tempers were already beside themselves with rage.

“Let’s go find Registrar Gao and demand justice!”

“Right, Registrar Gao must release the great benefactor who was doing good deeds!”

“We never saw him deal with villains who rob and plunder, yet he has the audacity to arrest good people doing charitable works? Does he want us to die?”

“Come on, let’s all go together!”

The angry crowd was seething. Some wanted to go to Registrar Gao’s residence to demand answers, but others feared Registrar Gao and dared not go.

Some cowered backward in fear because they knew Registrar Gao’s ruthlessness, but since everyone else was going to the Gao residence, what if they didn’t go and others obtained benefits while they got nothing?

However, everyone’s hesitation lasted only a moment, because most people were already beside themselves with rage, having no time to think. The crowd pushed and surged toward Registrar Gao’s home.

But just then, the sound of horse hooves and rolling wheels suddenly came from the direction leading from the square to the main street. Those common people nearby turned to look and saw several ox carts approaching, loaded with firewood, grain, cooking utensils and other supplies.

The people accompanying the carts called out loudly: “We’re here to distribute porridge! Everyone don’t be anxious, don’t push, wait just a moment!”

This person’s voice wasn’t particularly loud, but the news that someone was distributing porridge was so momentous that it still spread from person to person over a great distance.

Those closer stopped in their tracks, looking at the several ox carts with half-belief and half-doubt. Watching as servants dressed in earth-yellow jackets arrived at the soup shelter, lighting fires with the previously built stoves, while others washed pots and rinsed rice – though it was coarse rice, the sound of grain being poured into the pot was truly beautiful, and everyone couldn’t help but swallow.

Everyone had pent-up anger in their bellies. Most of them had already made up their minds to demand an explanation from Registrar Gao. However, their boiling rage couldn’t be vented at this moment because of hunger.

If they left, they didn’t know whether this porridge distribution would happen every day, nor did they know when they would next have a chance to eat their fill.

“Let’s go back. Let’s eat our fill first before anything else.”

“Yes, we must first survive before we can consider other matters.”

Everyone comforted and advised each other, returning to the square to wait for the porridge distribution to begin.

But the anger smoldering in everyone’s hearts wouldn’t be extinguished just because they had food to eat. They would only become angrier and secretly blame themselves – after all, they were all selfish and couldn’t risk everything for the great benefactor Qian.

Steam rose from the large pot, and the aroma of grain gradually spread. Everyone lined up with their bowls to receive porridge.

But this time’s porridge was much thinner compared to the great benefactor Qian’s porridge.

As the helpers ladled out porridge, a steward explained: “Our young master’s family has limited means, unlike the great benefactor Qian’s family with such abundant wealth. If we let everyone eat thick porridge, the grain probably wouldn’t last very long before being consumed. Please don’t take offense, everyone. The important thing is to somehow survive – please be understanding!”

The steward was in his thirties and looked very honest. Everyone believed what he said.

A commoner said: “Your household is doing good deeds to help us survive this winter. How could we take offense?”

“Yes, your young master is a truly good person. May I ask his honored name?”

The steward waved his hands and smiled: “The young master has instructed that his name must not be spoken carelessly outside. Everyone just focus on eating the porridge.”

The common people didn’t learn the other party’s name, but their gratitude remained undiminished.

However, thinking of the thick porridge, dry rations, and pickled vegetables that the great benefactor Qian had provided them, and then looking at this bowl of thin porridge, everyone inevitably made comparisons.

They didn’t hate the person distributing porridge – they hated Registrar Gao.

If not for Registrar Gao’s unreasonable troublemaking, they would still have dry rations to eat now. They wouldn’t have fallen to the point where they dared not finish even thin porridge in one go, afraid that after eating this meal, no one would come to distribute porridge tomorrow, no one would care about them anymore.

Sitting in her carriage, Qin Yining watched the raggedly dressed common people in the square, feeling indescribable sadness in her heart.

She lowered the carriage curtain and turned to Steward Zhong: “Our finances are still sufficient. We must help them survive this winter no matter what. The porridge distribution cannot stop. We’ll persist until spring returns and all things revive, when they can find other ways to make a living.”

Steward Zhong nodded: “Rest assured. Although we suffered disasters this year, our grain supply for this soup kitchen can still sustain things if we’re frugal. If we can’t cook thick porridge, we can still provide thin porridge. The important thing is that everyone survives.”

“Exactly.” Qin Yining nodded. “I’ve always been at ease with Steward Zhong handling affairs.”

Steward Zhong bowed with cupped hands and smiled: “The Princess gives me too much credit. I’m just somewhat worried – if everyone can eat their fill and stay warm, what if their resentment toward Registrar Gao gradually disappears bit by bit?”

Qin Yining smiled: “They originally had the opportunity to eat dry rations, but now thanks to Registrar Gao’s interference they can only eat thin porridge. Who wouldn’t hate him?”

“But whether dry rations or thin porridge, none of this is something they obtained themselves.”

“This is human nature,” Qin Yining said. “Human greed is instinctive. This isn’t disparaging anyone, but when people have had the chance to obtain something better but were obstructed by someone, those in anger will only remember this point and won’t think about much else.”

Steward Zhong nodded thoughtfully, gaining new appreciation for Qin Yining’s ability to analyze human psychology.

Over the following days, the soup kitchen continued distributing porridge punctually. Although it was only thin porridge, it was truly life-saving sustenance for many refugees.

Though everyone couldn’t eat their fill, at least they wouldn’t starve to death, and they all felt grateful to the new “great benefactor.”

However, everyone’s hatred toward Registrar Gao, just as Qin Yining had predicted, absolutely had not diminished by even half.

At the same time, news that Registrar Gao had previously arrested and imprisoned a woman who wanted to do good deeds was already spreading like wildfire.