Chapter 257: This Guy

Chapter 257: Chapter 257: This Guy

In the days that followed, the Ling Family focused on filling in the gaps in their knowledge. They took the time to deeply understand the villagers in the settlement, as well as the situations and notable figures within the town.

During this period, they had yet to see the local County Magistrate. However, they heard that he was getting on in years and had long since stopped concerning himself with official matters. He had no interest in seeking promotions and merely wanted to enjoy a peaceful old age. They did, however, run into his eldest grandson at the teahouse.

Inside the teahouse, the County Magistrate’s eldest grandson, Yang Wentao, sat dressed in a long brocade robe, gently waving a folding fan. He was gathered with several other young Scholars, engaged in loud, spirited conversation.

Their topic revolved around this year’s drought, and their expressions revealed deep concern and anxiety.

"This year’s drought is incredibly fierce. The commoners are having a tough time!" Yang Wentao said with great animation, though a trace of pity flickered in his eyes.

Another Scholar picked up the thread. "Indeed. The crops in the fields are nearly dried up. I’m afraid the harvest will be far less than in previous years." Worry was written all over his face.

Frowning, a third Scholar said, "What should we do? If we don’t find a way to alleviate this soon, I’m afraid it will trigger a famine."

Yang Wentao pondered for a moment before replying, "As the County Magistrate, my grandfather will definitely do everything in his power to aid the people. As Scholars, we should also do our part and offer strategies for drought relief."

The others nodded in unison, expressing their agreement. They began a heated discussion on various potential solutions, such as digging wells, building water conservancy projects, and organizing disaster relief.

Right at that moment, a sudden clamor erupted outside. Yang Wentao and the others paused their discussion and looked out, only to see a crowd of commoners gathered at the teahouse entrance, excitedly discussing something.

Yang Wentao’s heart tightened, realizing that something important might have occurred. He stood up and told his peers, "Come, let’s go see what’s happening."

The group followed him out of the teahouse and waded into the crowd. After asking around, they learned that the Lord County Magistrate had just issued a public notice. It announced a series of measures to combat the drought, including tax exemptions and the distribution of relief grain.

Hearing this news, the commoners cheered in jubilation, deeply grateful for the Lord County Magistrate’s benevolent act. The Scholars were also greatly heartened, though they well knew this was only the beginning and that much more work needed to be done.

Deep down, Yang Wentao felt a surge of joy. He had only brought these matters up with his grandfather recently, yet the older man had already ordered people to set them in motion. It seemed his grandfather really took his words to heart after all!

In truth, their county hadn’t been widely impacted by the drought. Only a small minority of people in the area closer to the north were affected; the vast majority of victims were from other regions further up north. Yang Wentao had simply wanted to do something for those people, which was why he had raised the issue. At the time, his grandfather hadn’t agreed immediately, leading him to believe it was a lost cause. He never expected the old man to quietly set things in motion behind the scenes. Perhaps he had wanted to give him a surprise?

At the thought of this, the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curl upward. However, he wouldn’t breathe a word of this to anyone else. He would act just like the others—as if he had been completely in the dark.

In the days that followed, Yang Wentao and his friends actively participated in the drought relief efforts. They organized teams to help the commoners dig wells and irrigate farmlands, and ran around raising funds and collecting supplies to provide assistance to the disaster-stricken population.