Chapter 181 Give the world a bowl of rice!

Chapter 181 Give the world a bowl of rice!
The stoves and pans were set up, with firewood burning vigorously. Thirty big pots and thirty pots of boiling water were lined up, bubbling with white steam, confusing the important figures, soldiers, and their families from Dasanguan.
Everyone can't figure out what the hell this damn dog Hecanghai wants to do.
Hecanghai waved his hand and several soldiers carried up a small wooden frame. He stepped up on it, paused for a moment, and said loudly, "As we all know, I used to be a constable in the Weiyang County yamen, just a illiterate rascal."
"Now I am the Marquis of Zhenbei, the fortress commander of Da San Pass. Don't treat me as some official, just think of me as a, not very capable, little brother."
He Chang'an opened his mouth and immediately presented his attitude correctly. No pretense, no deception. Speaking face to face actually made it easier to gain the favor of these people who have long been in the northern desert and thrive on blood."
As expected, after a few words of decent small talk, everyone's opinion of him improved slightly.
"It seems that this kid has a bit of self-awareness, knowing that he's just a thug."
"He is not entirely a troublemaker, after all, last time he accompanied the Commander-in-Chief Zheng in battle and proved to be quite brave."
"But now that he has taken office, he is borrowing pots, fixing stoves, and lighting fires. What is he trying to do exactly?"
……
Listening to the discussions of the crowd, He Chang'an always had a gentle smile on his face.
Until everyone gradually stopped talking, he coughed lightly and said in a loud voice, "I left Chang'an City a while ago, and as soon as I crossed the river, I felt a chill in my heart;
Why? Because I am the Duke of Zhenbei.
Some of you may wonder, what is the Duke of Zhenbei? Let me tell you, the Duke of Zhenbei is not something or anything, but...
I can't really explain what I am, but I just feel that in the past, looking at the deserted Northland, thousands of miles without anyone, I thought it was just so-so, even if frozen bones were by the roadside, I only felt a slight sorrow;
However, things are different now.
Setting off from Chang'an City, along this road, hungry refugees with green eyes can be seen everywhere, especially in our northern territory, which is truly alarming!"
After thinking it through, He Chang'an realized that speaking in such a serious manner could easily give people a handle to use against him. Even if there was nothing wrong, it would be enough to disgust others.
So, he finished talking about business, and then he disappeared completely.
"I am the Marquis of Zhenbei, and I see people in my territory becoming bandits and others on the verge of starvation. Therefore, I am worried and can't sleep, thinking about how I can help them?"
Ahem, believe it or not, I have actually come up with a solution after thinking about it day and night – and that is disaster relief!
Everyone slowly realized that this town defender, who may look good but is actually a fool, has a decent conscience and cares about the common people.
It seems that borrowing pots, stoves, and boiling water from everyone is for disaster relief, right?
The problem is, plain boiled water can satisfy a person but it cannot provide nourishment.
What kind of medicine are they selling in this gourd?
What Chang'an He glanced at the crowd gathering around and said with a smile: "You guys might scold me for saying that plain water can quench thirst but doesn't nourish. What should we do?"
"Today, Chang'an He will make things clear. The reason why I made such a fuss is that I wanted to borrow something from all of you..."
With a buzzing sound, the crowd exploded.
Sure enough, this incompetent commander had malicious intentions from the beginning. It turns out he was trying to dig a pit for the people of Da Sanguan to fall into.
Since we are helping with disaster relief, do we still need to borrow things?
So, what kind of things would this guy borrow from everyone? Besides money and food, what else is there?
Sure enough, the next sentence from He Chang'an made everyone feel depressed: "Since we are helping with disaster relief, what else can we borrow from everyone? Besides money and food, I can't think of anything else that can feed so many refugees..."
"Lord Commander, do you want everyone to contribute money and supplies to relieve the disaster?"
Amidst the crowd, someone suddenly shouted, and immediately, the crowd began to murmur and make a commotion, becoming chaotic.
何长安始终微笑着，瞅着大家伙一边议论，一边心里腹诽不已的翻他何长安的十八代祖宗，心情却出奇的好。
当初，他曾在一本闲书上读到过，人心才是最有力的武器。
It seems that the ancients did not deceive me.
"Have you all finished discussing?" When everyone fell silent, He Changan smiled calmly and said, "You've guessed it right, I, He Changan, indeed want to borrow money and supplies from all of you to help the victims of the disaster."
"As for how much to borrow, I can only say, just a bag of rice!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted again.
"Just a bag of rice? What does that mean?"
"Is this idiot daydreaming? Only a bag of rice to aid the disaster victims? It's unbelievable that our esteemed town governor can come up with such a thought..."
……
He Changan laughed loudly, waved his hand, and a team of bodyguards came running in a neat formation, bowing and saluting.
"Pass my orders. Instruct the personal guard battalion to be responsible for collecting donations of money and food from everyone to help the disaster-stricken people."
"There is only one principle, at least one bag of rice, everyone should do what they can, not trying to please me, this useless Town Supervisor, the incompetent Lord of the North Town, just trying to come up with a few hundred or a thousand stones, it's meaningless, everyone."
What we want is a heart that helps the victims of disaster, and a heart of compassion from our soldiers on the northern border. It's too much to ask for, everyone has their own livelihood to take care of, after all, who doesn't have a family to support?"
"Now, starting from me, let's have a handful of rice."
He Changan quickly walked down the wooden rack and came to the first big pot. He lifted the lid, took a handful of fine millet from the storage bag, and solemnly sprinkled it into the boiling pot of water.
“大家一个一个来，不要拥挤，提前声明，不准往锅里多撒三把四把的。”
说完话，他转身走到一棵大柳树下，摆下一溜粗瓷大碗，从储物袋里不停的往出取酒。
One barrel followed by another, a total of fifty barrels of wine were neatly arranged.
This is his best inventory.
Today, it will be brought out and shared with the important figures and ordinary people of Da San Guan.
Everyone go back and gather rice. Those who have finished donating food, please come over here. I, He Chang'an, invite everyone to have a drink!
On behalf of the people who can survive, thank you all!
After speaking, he first picked up a bowl of wine and stretched his arm, waiting.
人们这才搞清楚，这狗日的何长安，说是借一把米，还真摆出只要大家一把米的样子？
先不说真假，这草包伸着酒碗，就这做派，咋就让人有点上头呢！
Everyone silently returned to the city.
About half an hour later, the first person to donate food appeared.
She was a widow, her husband died in battle, two out of three sons died in battle, and her youngest son is currently serving as an ordinary border soldier in He Chang'an's personal guard camp.
An old woman gently sprinkled a handful of rice into a big pot and tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.
The old lady walked slowly to the front of He Chang'an, picked up a bowl of wine from the ground, and said in a bitter voice, "My Lord, today I offer a handful of rice to repay the bowl of porridge someone gave me years ago."
"The old woman drank the wine that adults normally drink!"
"After speaking, the old man picked up the wine bowl, tilted his neck, and drank it all."
"Good wine! How refreshing, how refreshing!"
"He Chang'an, I am entrusting my only remaining son to you, please take good care of him and don't let him go and die in confusion."
An old woman left with a sentence, turned around and left, showing a hint of dramatic and heroic atmosphere.
Han Chang'an picked up the wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp, silently vowing in his heart, "Alright, Han Chang'an promises you!"
……
The second person to donate rice was an old soldier. He dragged one broken leg and, with the support of his wife, daughter-in-law, and grandson, came trembling to a big pot. Carefully, he sprinkled a handful of rice evenly into the boiling water.
He didn't say a word, but walked up to He Chang'an, picked up a bowl of wine, raised it above his head, with two turbid tears rolling in his eyes, murmuring:
"In my early years, when I was starving on the roadside, my master tore off half of his own bread and gave me a large piece, saving my life."
Today, I will offer this bowl of wine to pay tribute to my master."
After speaking, the old border soldier poured a big bowl of wine onto the clean soil and turned away.
The third person to donate rice was Mr. Wang Chan, who was responsible for disbursing relief funds.
He grabbed a large handful of rice and hurried over, afraid that any grain might fall to the ground. He held it gently with both hands, as if holding his precious baby or a priceless heirloom.
Handle with care, afraid of spreading.
He walked to a big pot, silently scattered a handful of rice into the water, walked in front of He Chang'an, knelt down on one knee, and loudly reported, "Reporting to the General, subordinate Wang Chan has obeyed the orders and completed the rice donation task!"
Han Chang'an nodded slightly, glanced at the wine bowl on the ground, and gestured, "Come, have a bowl."
Wang Chan loudly said, "I will obey the order!"
Picking up a bowl of wine, he came to Han Chang'an, stopped two steps away, extended the wine bowl, and lightly touched it.
"Done!"
After downing a bowl of wine, the seemingly clean and chubby man suddenly changed his demeanor and said, arching his hand, "My lord, if there are any tasks that need to be completed, please give your direct command. I am Wang Chuan, and I am willing to die for you!"
何长安温和的笑了笑，道：“不要一开口就活啊死啊的，能活着，咱们就尽量活着，而且，要好好活下去。”
“对了，王大人，咱们这又是借锅，又是盘灶，又是捐米的，还有一件最重要的大事，还没去办理呢。”
Huanchang An smiled.
Wang Chan was slightly surprised, then burst into laughter and bowed, saying, "I will handle it right away!"
Wang Chan walked up to a cavalryman in the personal guard unit and whispered a few words. The soldier mounted his horse and galloped towards Dashanguan.
Within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, teams of cavalry, including even wartime scouts, mounted their horses and rode out of the city in several directions, kicking up clouds of dust as they sped away. The sight was quite spectacular.
Originally, what He Chang'an referred to as the 'most important matter' was the destitute.
Previously, all this fuss was just for the purpose of aiding the disaster-stricken. Now that the stove is lit, the pot is borrowed, the water is boiling, and the millet is cooking, without any destitute, it's like empty talk...
After all, there has been a severe drought in the Northern Territory, covering thousands of square miles, with almost no harvest at all. Even though the area is sparsely populated, the overall number of victims is enough to make one's heart skip a beat.
Seeing people donating rice one after another, forming long queues that seem to have no end, He Chang’an always holds up his wine bowl, waiting to have a drink with these donors.
However, the majority of people who come over just respectfully bow to this powerful town guardian, without picking up the wine bowl.
明眼人都看出来了，狗日的何长安，一下子拿出五十坛酒，可也扛不住千人万人喝的，意思意思得了。
反正，大家看着你何长安挺顺眼的，上前拱拱手，见见礼，意思表达到就行了。
……
Just as everyone was enthusiastically 'donating rice' and sprinkling their own handful of rice into the big iron pot, a team of people and horses came galloping, raising dust that reached the sky.
He Chang'an had long noticed something was amiss, because when hundreds of iron riders galloped, the slight trembling of the earth could be sensed by him even from dozens of miles away.
He remained calm and composed.
In the northern region, there are only two people who can command hundreds of iron riders. One is He Chang'an, the town garrison commander, who is considered a fool.
The other one is the North King, Li Cunmao.
"Isn't the Prince of the North residing in Chang'an City? How did he arrive in the Northern Territory so quickly?" He Chang'an pondered, contemplating silently. It seemed that the Emperor with the surname Li in Chang'an City really didn't trust him, He Chang'an.
However, since we have come, we can only accept it.
As the prince of the northern region, Li Cunmao, regardless of any unusual behavior, it is not the job of He Chang'an to meddle with him.
After about half an hour, the cavalry finally emerged in the sight of the crowd. Accompanied by thunderous hoofbeats, He Chang'an carefully observed the leader of the troops, a man named Deng You, who wore white armor and a silver robe, with a face as round as a full moon. He is likely the top general under the Northern Town King.
The people who were donating rice turned their heads in astonishment as a group of armored riders approached at high speed, but their faces showed little surprise.
These people were not like those who mingled in the glitzy places of Chang'an City, as they had all seen a few warhorses before.
However, General Deng You's presence was too conspicuous, making everyone unable to help but want to take a few more glances. As a result, the line of people donating rice became somewhat chaotic for a while, and several people accidentally dropped their handfuls of rice onto the ground, causing great anguish.
So, it turns out that everyone is somewhat dissatisfied with this fierce team of iron riders.
Isn't it just the number one general under the Duke of Zhenbei, and a few hundred iron riders? Can't they see that people are donating rice and providing relief to the disaster victims? Coming here with all this noise, it's intentional chaos!
He Changan stood still, still stretching out his hand, holding that bowl of wine.
General Deng You's equestrian skills were amazing. He galloped all the way, and when he was about ten steps away from the row of thirty large pots, he suddenly pulled the reins, and the horse neighed loudly, with its front hooves raised high, then heavily landing.
This is just the sound of the male horse, and it treads with small steps.
Other cavalry are more or less the same.
For a while, the horses neighed, the dust rose, but the cavalry remained calm and composed. It was clear that they were the elite among the cavalry of the Northern Region.
It's really the personal guards of the King of the North!
"He Chang'an, the Marquis of the North?" General Deng You did not dismount, sitting upright on his horse, staring at He Chang'an coldly, and asked.
He remained silent, not saying a word.
He looked up at the sky, with dust and dirt swirling up hundreds of feet high, almost obscuring the sun.
Then, he glanced at the thirty large pots, the influx of refugees, and the people from Da San Guan who were donating rice, all enveloped in a cloud of dust brought by the iron cavalry.
His face gradually turned dark.