Read Novel Full Chapter 285: Winter Disaster ( 8 )
Chapter 285: Winter Disaster ( 8 )
After she took her seat, Yao Zhi looked at her people and asked, "Did any of you know what happened recently? I notice that the number of beggars has increased compared to before."
Xi Yi took a step forward, curtsied, and said, "Replying to the Master, I heard that they are the villagers who live near the river."
"After the snowfall, their houses were buried by the landslide. While the snowfall just started here, it has been continuing for more than 10 days in the river area. To survive the winter, they could only come to this town."
"Did the government announce anything regarding this matter?"
"The Magistrate already ordered the town guard to set up the porridge stalls. But they will only start distributing the porridge on the day of the sacrificial ceremony."
The moment she heard this, Yao Zhi frowned. Until the sacrificial ceremony, there were 23 more days.
With the current situation, if they delayed the distribution of the disaster relief grains, not to mention that the people would end up rioting sooner or later, the number of people dying from starvation and cold would be too high.
"What about the General’s mansion? Is there any news from that side?" she asked.
"We didn’t hear anything from that side yet," Ling Yi said.
Yao Zhi could hire these people to work in her workshop and wasteland to avoid them becoming bandits or beggars. But the work would only start after the sacrificial ceremony month. Right now, she could only make sure that they wouldn’t starve to death or freeze to death.
Although part of her reasons to help them was due to her pity and sympathy toward these people, her main reason was still for herself.
She had spent a lot of merit points, and this was a good chance for her to earn more merit points.
With this thought, she made up her mind and said, "Ling Yi, you and the brothers will be responsible for building two porridge stalls outside. Xi Yi, you will help me cook porridge. We will distribute the porridge at noon."
"Understood."
Then, Yao Zhi turned to Ling Shi’er and said, "Shi’er, can you go back to Yang Village and bring Xi Si and Xi Qi over?"
"Yes, Master," Ling Shi’er nodded.
After she finished giving out instructions, Yao Zhi went to the underground cellar. Since the millet and sorghum needed to be soaked overnight before cooking, she couldn’t use the grains and had to opt for the flour.
As she stood inside the cellar, she opened the system’s shop and clicked the flour section. She browsed for a while and decided to buy 2,500 kilograms of millet flour and sorghum flour, totaling 5,000 kilograms of flour.
Each sack of flour weighed 25 kilograms and cost her 10 points. After she paid 2,000 points, she took out 200 sacks from her system’s storage.
When she finished, she came out of the underground cellar and called out, "Shiliu, Shiqi."
In the blink of an eye, two people appeared in front of her. Both of them were people from Jianghu and had a very high level of martial arts. It’s normal for them to disappear and appear like ghosts.
"Can both of you help me carry the millet and sorghum flour to the kitchen? Also, bring the rock sugar."
The two of them cupped their fists, lowered their heads, and replied in unison, "Yes, Master."
Yao Zhi nodded and went to the kitchen while they went to carry out their tasks. Even though they looked thin, their strength couldn’t be underestimated.
When she saw them walking into the kitchen carrying four sacks on their backs, she was taken aback. She watched them put down the sacks and went to carry more.
While they worked as coolies, Ling Jiu and Ling Shi were helping her clean the big pots and fill them with water. As for Xi Yi, she was lighting up the fire.
After half of the pot was filled with water, Yao Zhi opened the sack and said, "Xi Yi, we will make millet and sorghum porridge. The ratio is 1:1, then we will add some sugar later."
Hearing this, Xi Yi was taken aback and asked, "Master, sugar is expensive. Are we really adding sugar?"
Yao Zhi nodded and said, "People need to eat salt and sugar to survive. Without salt and sugar, they will get sick." After a moment of pause, she asked, "Xi Yi, can you make steamed buns?"
"I know how to make steamed pancakes."
Thinking about the so-called steamed pancakes Aunt Wang and her family ate, Yao Zhi frowned and shook her head. "That kind of food won’t do. I will make the steamed buns, and you help me with the porridge."
"Yes, Master," Xi Yi nodded.
Yao Zhi taught her how to cook the porridge first before she called Ling Shiyi over.
Hearing his Master calling him, the young man came in just a few minutes and asked, "Master, do you have any orders for me?"
"Go wash your hands and help cook the porridge."
Ling Shiyi was taken aback but still followed the order. After he washed his hands thoroughly, he followed Xi Yi’s method and stirred the pot.
While the two of them were busy cooking the porridge, Yao Zhi called Ling Jiu and Ling Shi over.
"Ah Jiu, Ah Shi, both of you come help me knead the dough."
Both of them became state slaves at a young age and had been following several masters before they met their current Master.
Due to their family background, their previous masters bought them only to humiliate them and took revenge against their grandpa. Therefore, they never stayed more than 2 years before they were sold again.
Because they often did rough and hard jobs, they were strong and had a good foundation.
Despite their rough hands, they were very good-looking. If they didn’t tell others about their identity, people would mistake them for young masters from a prestigious family.