This year’s severe drought affected Lintong, Weinan, Lantian, Huxian, Xianyang, Jingyang, and Gaoling around Xi’an Prefecture to varying degrees. However, compared to the counties under Qing’an Prefecture and Gongchang Prefecture, the disaster was somewhat milder. Moreover, Lintong had salt wells, and Weinan was on the essential route from the northwest to the capital. Both counties had commercial traditions. Although there was a disaster this year, for the wealthy households in both counties, life continued as comfortably as usual.

At that time, respectable and upright families valued “passing down cultivation and scholarship through generations,” and Fu Tingyun’s uncle was no exception. When he made money in business, he would find ways to buy land and houses. Therefore, besides being the wealthiest man in Weinan, he was also the largest landowner in Fengyuan.

Seeing refugees gradually fleeing to the area, Fu Tingyun’s uncle not only donated grain and money to the county office along with several other wealthy households in Weinan but also established porridge kitchens in his hometown of Fengyuan to accommodate the refugees.

But not everyone would show gratitude.

Especially those who were already so hungry their eyes had turned green, knowing only that food meant survival.

This act of kindness became a sharp blade hanging over the heads of the Xie family—taking advantage of the darkness, a group of refugees rushed into the Xie household, killing everyone they saw, looting everything they could, and finally setting a fire… The towering flames reddened half the sky!

Fu Tingyun’s eyes were bloodshot, her smooth hands clenched into fists. She stared at the young man and demanded: “Then my uncle…”

Before she could finish speaking, Master Zhao Jiu pulled her behind him: “Young master, what happened to Master Xie?”

The massive fire from two nights ago seemed to be vividly imprinted in the memories of the two young men. One stood by with moist eyes listening, while the other choked up as he explained what had happened, neither noticing Fu Tingyun’s unusual reaction.

“The entire Xie household was burned to ashes.” The young man’s tears fell uncontrollably. He covered his face with his sleeve, as if unable to bear recalling the scene. “The Xie family had lived in Fengyuan for generations. Since the old master’s time, they had built bridges and roads, doing good deeds for the community. Who would have thought they would meet such a fate…”

A profound silence fell both inside and outside the wooden palisade, with only Fu Tingyun’s increasingly loud crying.

A-Sen, with reddened eyes, ran over and tugged at Fu Tingyun’s clothes: “Miss, Miss, please don’t cry…” He wanted to comfort her but didn’t know what to say, looking helplessly toward Master Zhao Jiu.

Master Zhao Jiu’s face grew even more somber as he stood with his hands on his hips, appearing full of anger yet restraining himself.

A-Sen was at an even greater loss about what to do!

There was a commotion inside the wooden palisade as seven or eight young men escorted a medium-built man in his thirties wearing a plain sapphire-blue silk robe, walking toward them.

“What’s happening here?” he called out loudly, his voice strong and his tone severe, carrying an air of authority.

The men patrolling in front of the wooden palisade all bowed respectfully, addressing him as “Seventh Master” and making way for him.

The two young men were already shouting “Seventh Uncle” across the wooden palisade.

The man honored as “Seventh Master” walked to the wooden palisade and, upon taking a closer look, immediately showed delight: “Abao, Aci, how is it you?” Then, seemingly remembering something, his expression darkened, “Where is Eleventh Sister? Who else from the family escaped?” His gaze fell on the weeping Fu Tingyun, and he signaled for the patrollers to open the wooden palisade.

The two young men bowed to the Seventh Master across the wooden palisade. One of them explained their family situation: “…These refugees are cruel and vicious. Even the Xie family suffered such an undeserved calamity. Grandmother feared the refugees would storm into our home, so she led us overnight to seek refuge with Uncle…”

As he spoke, two strong men had already worked together to push open the wooden palisade.

The Seventh Master walked out and instructed a goatee-bearded elder beside him to arrange carriages to receive people. Then he patted the shoulders of the two young men and said with satisfaction: “It’s been several years, and Abao and Aci have grown up, knowing how to share the family’s burdens.”

The two young men bowed bashfully. The one in dove-gray said, “I’ll go with Manager Cheng too—to help show the way.”

Seventh Master nodded with a smile, his satisfaction even more evident in his eyes.

Seeing this, the one in blue-lotus color also said, “I’ll go too!”

“That’s good!” Seventh Master smiled, his gaze falling once more on Fu Tingyun and the others. He pondered, “These people are…?”

The one in dove-gray quickly said, “We just met them. They say they’re relatives of Master Xie who came to seek refuge because their home was affected by the disaster.”

Seventh Master calmly sized up the three of them and said in a steady voice, “Master Xie and I were neighbors and had some business dealings. Where are you from?”

The Fu family of Huayin had some reputation in this area and throughout Shaanxi. Regardless of whether Seventh Master’s words were true or false, they certainly couldn’t say they were from Huayin. Otherwise, the Seventh Master would discover the truth with just a simple inquiry.

But how would Master Zhao Jiu know which relatives the Xie family had?

He glanced at Fu Tingyun.

Her uncle was dead, burned to death by those refugees who had received his kindness, without even leaving behind an intact body… And her aunt, who would happily embrace her each time she visited Fengyuan, continuously instructing the kitchen to prepare this and that, as if she hadn’t eaten anything on her journey… Her eldest sister-in-law was gentle and virtuous, raising her two sons well. They began learning at age three, and by five, they could recite the “Childreń’s Learning” fluently. Whenever her uncle mentioned this, his face would fill with pride, saying the Xie family was counting on these two grandsons to pass the examinations and bring glory to the Xie family… Her second sister-in-law was lively and cheerful, getting along best with her. Whether she had made malt candy after harvesting wheat or dried peaches after the peaches ripened, she never forgot to send some for her to taste. Unfortunately, after three years of marriage into the Xie family, she still had no children. Her aunt had specially gone to Mount Hua to pray to Buddha for this, and just recently, there had been good news… All gone now. With one fire, everything was gone…

Just for food, just to survive, they would harm others’ lives… How could those people be so selfish? So shameless?

She gritted her teeth in hatred, her heart aching unbearably. Leaning against the small cart, tears fell like rain, and no amount of grief could fill the emptiness in her heart.

Fu Tingyun wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her sleeve falling to reveal her fair, delicate jade-like hand.

Master Zhao Jiu silently sighed and bowed to the Seventh Master: “We come from Pingliang. This is our young lady. Our home was affected by the disaster, and we came to seek refuge with Master Xie. Who would have thought we would encounter bandits on the way? Only I managed to escape with our young lady. I don’t know what kind of relatives Master Xie and our master were. I only heard our mistress say that when Master Xie was starting his business, our master once lent him a sum of silver for cash flow. Although it was repaid later, without our master’s money, Master Xie’s business could never have grown to its current size!”

Such situations were common among business families. Moreover, when Master Xie was first establishing himself, his brother-in-law had not yet passed the imperial examinations. Although the Fu family had a reputation, such large, prestigious families observed strict protocols and would certainly not take money from the public funds to help a relative’s branch… The Seventh Master pondered silently and believed Master Zhao Jiu’s words to some extent. Looking at Fu Tingyun, who was crying inconsolably, it didn’t seem like an act. In such hot weather, her dress and demeanor still adhered to propriety. The exposed back of her hand was smooth and delicate, not the hand of someone who did rough work. This made him believe a bit more.

He comforted Fu Tingyun: “Young lady, please accept my condolences and adapt to the changes!”

Fu Tingyun forced herself to control her grief and bowed formally.

As she rose, she inadvertently lifted her head, revealing her snow-white face and eyes swollen from crying, like plum blossoms fallen on snow—elegant, delicate, beautiful, and pitiful.

Seventh Master’s heart skipped a beat.

He hadn’t expected this woman to be so beautiful. Unfortunately, in these chaotic times, being alone without support, once she left this place, she would likely face a fate of being crushed into mud in the mortal world!

Thinking of this, Seventh Master felt a sense of regret, like a cow chewing on a peony—outside were desperate, starving commoners who wouldn’t recognize the value of such a refined lady!

A strange melancholy surged in his chest, and the words “If the young lady doesn’t mind, why not stay in Li Family Hollow” slipped out.

Everyone was stunned, including Seventh Master himself.

How could he say such a frivolous thing?

He secretly regretted it.

He had been appointed by his family elders to manage affairs here. In normal times, taking in a few people wouldn’t matter at all. But now the drought was severe. With no harvest this year and uncertain prospects for next year, each household in Li Family Hollow had contributed all their stored grain for him to distribute according to household size. Eleventh Sister was a daughter of their own family. Taking some from the public granary to aid her might cause some dissatisfaction, but with blood relations there, it could be justified. These three people, however, had no connection to Li Family Hollow. How would he explain to the clan members then? But now that he had spoken, if he couldn’t follow through, what would that make him?

Or perhaps, he could use his own family’s grain to help them?

His gaze swept over Master Zhao Jiu and A-Sen.

These two would be easier to handle.

One, though lean, had a large frame. Once well-fed, he would surely be a strong laborer. The other, though young, had alert eyes and seemed quite sharp—good material for a personal servant. Moreover, these two men had managed to escort their young lady safely from Pingliang, hundreds of miles away, even after their master’s death. This showed they had some skills and were loyal and righteous. Such men, if helped through their current difficulties, would surely become capable servants in the future.

But the woman was problematic!

If her appearance were more ordinary, it would be easier. With such beauty, even if his intentions were pure and he only wanted to help out of compassion, he couldn’t prevent malicious gossip… Unfortunately, all the eligible nephews were already married. Otherwise, finding her a family to marry into would have been a way to help her!

Seventh Master’s head throbbed with pain.

Fu Tingyun, meanwhile, looked at Master Zhao Jiu in bewilderment.

Stay in Li Family Hollow?

She had no blood or marriage ties to the people of Li Family Hollow. On what basis would she stay there?

But her attempt to seek refuge with relatives had failed, and she couldn’t return to Huayin… She was a person without a name or identity who couldn’t withstand scrutiny. Though the world was vast, where could she find a place to belong?

Because of Master Zhao Jiu’s escort all the way, she hadn’t starved to death and had reached Weinan unharmed. Unknowingly, Master Zhao Jiu had become the most trustworthy and reliable person in her heart.

At this moment, she hoped he could advise her on what to do!