TKTWC 09

Chapter 09

The First Person to Support Her**

Liu Yi was not disappointed. She knew very well that at this moment, the fact that no one was cursing or opposing her was already a good sign.

Over ninety percent of ancient commoners were illiterate. They spent every day just struggling to have enough to eat and wear—they couldn’t grasp the sense of national duty that scholars had.

“Of course, your grain won’t be donated for nothing,” Liu Yi continued. “On behalf of Yuyang Commandery, I promise—”

Before she could finish, the crowd suddenly erupted in commotion—

“What are you shoving for?!” Amid the cursing and grumbling, a person carrying a hemp sack half as tall as a person pushed to the very front of the crowd.

With a smack, she slammed the sack at Liu Yi’s feet!

“I have some! I’m here to donate!” The woman planted her hands on her hips and shouted.

“Sister Sun!” Liu Yi recognized her—tall, sturdy, fond of wearing floral-patterned cloth—it was Sister Sun from west of the river, who raised fish.

She had received guidance from Liu Yi, going from barely scraping by to supporting her entire family through fish farming, and she was especially grateful to Liu Yi.

Every time Liu Yi went to check on her fish cages, Sister Sun would chase after her with fish to give her, to the point where Liu Yi eventually felt too embarrassed to go. Yet even when she didn’t go, Sister Sun would still send fish to the governor’s residence every few days.

Unexpectedly, the first person to step forward and support her was also Sister Sun.

Someone in the crowd grumbled: “Master Yi hasn’t even finished speaking yet. You don’t even know what benefits we’ll get for donating grain, and you’re already rushing to give—think you’re so special!”

“This is grain I just happened to buy!” Sister Sun spat back at the man. “Besides, Master Yi has done great kindness for my family. Even without any benefits, I’d still donate!”

She turned to Liu Yi and gave an apologetic smile: “Sorry for interrupting. Please go on.”

Whether the news was good or bad, regardless of the cost, the person willing to be the first to step forward deserves respect.

“Thank you.” Liu Yi bowed deeply to her.

This stunned the crowd again… Liu Yi might not hold an official position, but she was still the governor’s young son—a noble! Since when did nobles bow to commoners?

“On behalf of Yuyang Commandery, I promise that once the war subsides and the economy recovers, the government will fully repay all the grain donated,” Liu Yi said, looking at the crowd. “Also, when conditions are right, the government will establish schools. As long as you donate grain for this cause—regardless of the amount—each household may send one person to attend school for free.”

“Really? We can study too?”

“And free of charge?!”

Another wave of commotion—no one could believe it!

Did ancient people not want to study? In ancient times, society was ordered as scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Scholars held the highest status, followed by farmers and craftsmen, while merchants were at the bottom because their values conflicted with Confucian ideals.

Who wouldn’t want to be a respected scholar? But government schools were inaccessible, and private schools were too expensive. A family working the land from dawn to dusk for a whole year might not even afford a single set of books. For ordinary people to study was simply a fantasy.

Now Master Yi was saying they could attend for free?

Everyone was tempted. A few hot-headed ones were already preparing to go home and carry grain to donate.

“Please hear me out,” Liu Yi said, once again calming the restless crowd.

“I, Liu Yi, will not break my word. But when war will begin and when it will end is unpredictable—no one can control that.”

“The grain you donate today might be returned in a year or two, or it might take ten years. Establishing schools will take even longer.”

“It’s even possible that we’ll be completely defeated—houses burned, farmland trampled, wives and daughters violated—with no turning back.”

“So if you have surplus grain at home, I hope you can give some of it to the soldiers fighting at the front, to help us all get through this crisis together!”

Liu Yi could have easily promised extravagant returns to coax them into donating.

But if she did that, how would she be any different from Liu He?

The crowd fell into confusion once again…

Repayment was far off and uncertain. And if war really came, wasn’t it more important to keep their own grain reserves?

“Will the war really reach us?” a faint voice asked. “If we all surrender, will they still burn our houses?”

“Yes.” Someone answered, but it wasn’t Liu Yi.

A middle-aged man in grey cloth walked up onto the stage, gave Liu Yi a brief salute, and said softly: “Forgive my presumption, Master Yi.”

Liu Yi recognized him—the owner of the largest grain shop in Yuyang, Xianyu Lang.

She immediately realized he was here to help her and nodded in acknowledgment: “Please, go ahead.”

Although merchants ranked last among the four classes, anyone who could run the most important grain business was certainly no ordinary person.

The Xianyu clan was a prominent family in You Province. The clan leader, Xianyu Fu, was a high-ranking official under Liu Yu, the Inspector of You Province. Xianyu Lang’s ability to do business in grain was undoubtedly tied to his family’s backing.

“Because of my business, I frequently travel between Yuyang, Guangyang, Shanggu, and other commanderies. I can confirm that what Master Yi says is true,” Xianyu Lang said in a resonant voice. “Currently, apart from Shanggu, Yuyang, and Zhuo commanderies, which haven’t been affected by the war, everywhere else—including Guangyang—is embroiled in conflict. Countless people have died of starvation and disease.”

“Once the rebels break through, the first thing they’ll do is burn, kill, and loot.”

“The reason Yuyang Commandery has remained peaceful and prosperous is twofold: first, Guangyang Commandery has shielded us from the rebels, and second, Governor Liu and Master Yi have protected us all these years.”

“I am but a common merchant dealing in grain. I once received guidance from Master Yi and made a small profit,” he continued. “Today, with Yuyang in trouble, Master Yi has come to us for help. I will donate all my worldly wealth—about two thousand hu of grain—to repay Master Yi’s past kindness!”

All of it?! The crowd was shocked.

“You…” Even Liu Yi was incredulous. Two thousand hu was no small amount for an ordinary person!

“A humble contribution—I hope it will not be refused.” Xianyu Lang turned to her, a hint of hesitation and anxiety flickering across his face, and lowered his voice. “…If war comes, I beg your protection for my family, young and old.”

Liu Yi quickly understood and gave a solemn promise: “I will do my utmost.”

She bowed deeply once again.

Xianyu Lang was a merchant who traveled widely. He had seen the brutality of the outside world and the peace of Yuyang. He knew that in the future, he might not be able to stay safe on his own, so he donated all his grain in exchange for Liu Yi’s protection.

In truth, even if he hadn’t donated, Liu Yi, as the governor’s daughter, wouldn’t have stood by and watched the people suffer. Now that he had given everything he had to seek her help, she could not betray his trust.

“Doing her utmost”—that was her promise as well.