Wang Qintang knew very well in his heart that when these rich men were profitable, even if they broke their brains, they would fight, but when they saw that they were unprofitable, not only were they unprofitable, but when they had to take some out, they would all be like turtles with shrunken heads, eager to shrink their heads into the cavity. Therefore, without waiting for everyone to speak, Wang Qintang said again:

"As the governor of a county, I should take the lead in setting an example, and I am willing to donate two months' worth of silver to buy grain for the porridge farm."

Seeing that Wang Qintang took the lead in setting an example, the four rich men in the city, Shi Jincai, Wang Linsheng, Liu Dianrong, and Shi Jinzhong, could no longer sit still, and hurriedly pledged two stones of millet each, and then, Zhang Shuting pledged five stones of sorghum; Seeing that Zhang Shuting pledged five stones of sorghum, Zhang Lianqi was not far behind and also pledged five stones of sorghum.

When the other rich people saw it, they didn't dare to slack off anymore, and they all pledged to donate one after another. There are those who pledge millet, those who pledge sorghum, and those who pledge the ocean. Wang Qintang asked the secretary Xiao Zhang to write them down one by one.

But when everyone has pledged and summed up the amount, the amount pledged by everyone is only enough for the hungry people in the city for ten days. But now it's cold spring again, and it's still a long time before the spring is warm and things grow in the ground.

can mobilize everyone to pledge more, most of the rich people have embarrassed expressions on their faces, Wang Qintang saw it, and couldn't help shaking his head.

It was also helpless, and in the end, it was proposed by Wang Qintang, presided over by the county office, and set up porridge fields outside the south gate, in the south gate, in front of the county office, in the north gate, and outside the north gate. Outside the north gate is Zhang Lianqi, the north gate is Shi Jincai, the rich man in the city, inside the south gate is Zhang Shuting, and outside the south gate is Li Zhenzhi, the owner of the "Zhongxingheng" oil mill, and the porridge field outside the county office is directly responsible for the county governor Wang Qintang.

Subsequently, the county office sent people to build stoves and set up porridge fields everywhere.

Because of the disaster, people can't eat, and they don't have any money left to drink. Therefore, at this time, in front of the Runquanyong pot shop, the lively scene in the past has disappeared for many days, and it is much deserted. At this time, the liquor that was burned in the pot of Runquanyong was also more transported to the branches of the Daimyo Mansion, Hejian Mansion, Shunde Mansion, Beijing City, and Tianjin Wei that were not seriously affected or not affected by the disaster. In addition, there is a porridge field in the south gate, which is mainly in charge of Zhang Shuting, and the porridge field in the south gate is also located in front of the shop hall where Runquanyong burns pots.

Besides, those rich people who were assigned to a place with Zhang Shuting, except for Liu Ranzi, the shopkeeper of the "Xinyicheng" money village on Chengnan Street, who was a big rich man, the others were all small rich people. And this Liu Ranzi, everyone knows that although he runs a money bank, he is a notoriously stingy master, and everyone is unwilling to deal with him.

However, in the meeting hall of the county office, when he heard that Liu Chaozi was assigned to his own place, and the others were all small rich people, Zhang Shuting didn't say anything. On the day of the porridge, seeing Liu Ranzi, the shopkeeper of the "Xinyicheng" money bank, and some other small rich people were not present, Zhang Shuting didn't say a word. Let the big guy Lao Sun first carry a few buckets of flour sorghum from the mill where he baked the pot, and pour it into a few cauldrons set up in front of the store.

Fortunately, in the afternoon of the same day, the small rich people who were assigned to the porridge field in the south gate also arrived, and they seemed to have made an appointment, and they all brought the same amount of millet, Zhang Shuting didn't say anything, and saw that everyone got millet, so he asked Sun to get the same amount of millet, and let the public officials sent by the county office to supervise them register one by one, and the millet was temporarily stored in the shop hall of the Runquanyong pot, and how much was used every day was also recorded by the public from the county office.

Long story short, more than ten days have passed in the blink of an eye. More than ten days have passed, and the millet donated by Zhang Shuting and everyone has also been used up in the blink of an eye. Liu Chaozi never showed up. Everyone knew that Liu Lanzi was playing tricks, but seeing that Zhang Shuting didn't speak, everyone couldn't say anything. Seeing that Liu Chaozi should donate or not, Zhang Shuting didn't say anything, and other small rich people stopped donating outside.

But seeing that the millet donated by everyone was running out, and other small rich people no longer donated out, and the porridge farm had to continue to be run down, Zhang Shuting asked the big guy Lao Sun to bring floured sorghum from his own mill.

Speaking of which, the millet stored in the Runquanyong pot is limited, but there are still a few warehouses in the sorghum. Zhang Shuting also secretly thought about it, if everyone stopped donating millet, he was ready to use his own sorghum to resist for a while.

Saying that on this day, Zhang Shuting came to the pot shop again, and asked the old grandson to raise the sorghum at the mill, but the old grandson was annoyed, as if he didn't hear, and sat there without moving. Zhang Shuting had a premonition, so he didn't pay attention to Lao Bu anymore, and asked the other guys to mention it, but the other guys only looked at Lao Sun and didn't move.

Zhang Shuting stopped talking, turned his head and walked out. He was going to find the mill guy and just bring the sorghum directly. But as soon as he took two steps, he heard Lao Sun talking angrily behind him.

Lao Sun:

"Owner, please stay, you have something to say!"

Zhang Shuting couldn't help but stand and turned his head to look at Lao Sun.

Zhang Shuting:

"You have something to say!"

Lao Sun:

"The owner, it's not that I don't mention it, I think you're not doing it with kindness, you're cowardly and afraid of things, the owner!"

Zhang Shuting was stunned when he heard this,

Zhang Shuting:

"How timid am I, isn't it just a few buckets of sorghum?"

And again:

"Besides, you can't just watch the porridge field go out and let the hungry people here run to other porridge fields, right?"

Lao Sun waved his hand:

"I'm not talking about sorghum, I'm talking about Liu Ranzi!"

Zhang Shuting:

"You mean Liu Ranzi didn't donate food?"

Lao Sun nodded:

"Why didn't Liu Ranzi donate?"

When Zhang Shuting heard this, he smiled bitterly again:

"Liu Chaozi, you don't know, if he doesn't want to donate, even if I come to the door, I'm afraid he will have a thousand reasons not to donate there. I can't quarrel with him over this, can I? ”

And again:

"Besides, if the hungry people know, what will they think of me Zhang Shuting!"

Lao Sun:

"That's what annoys me, this porridge field in the south gate is not yours alone, you don't ask him to quarrel, and other rich people refuse to donate grain, and the food in the future can't let our family out!"

After speaking, as if remembering something, he said:

"You don't have to quarrel with Liu Ranzi, but you can go to the governor?"

When Zhang Shuting heard this, he shook his head again, looking embarrassed:

"Now that Governor Wang is worried enough about the disaster victims, how can I bear to trouble him again? Let's talk ...... again."

At this time, Qi Zhankui, the shopkeeper of the shop, had just come back from the river on the first day, and was sitting behind the counter turning over the accounts, Lao Sun and Zhang Shuting came and went, he actually heard it in his ears, and then he also understood the reason, seeing Zhang Shuting say this, he looked embarrassed, and couldn't help but close the account book, and said with a smile:

"I don't think there is any need to trouble Governor Wang about this matter, if the proprietor allows me to go to 'Xinyicheng', I promise not to quarrel with him, nor to make trouble with him, and I will ensure that Liu Chaozi obediently sends the grain to the porridge field."

Seeing Qi Zhankui's words, he didn't wait for Zhang Shuting to speak, and the big guy Lao Sun preemptively said:

"Can you really be the shopkeeper?"

Qi Zhankui looked at Zhang Shuting and nodded with confidence:

"Then it depends on whether the owner allows me to make this trip?"

It's Lao Sun again:

"What's wrong with this, you either don't know it, or you're too benevolent and righteous, so you will be bullied by people like Liu Chaozi."

After saying that, he said:

"It's not my grandson who sells the old, it's up to me to call the shots, shopkeeper Qi, you go quickly, so that Liu Chaozi can send the grain early!"

Qi Zhankui looked at Zhang Shuting and saw Zhang Shuting nodding.

Qi Zhankui didn't say much, stood up, and walked towards Liu Lanzi Qianzhuang not far away.