Chapter 19 - Deserved Scolding

The bag of foodstuff was left with the beggars. Lin Yuan sees them directly eating the old grains hungrily and could not explain the feeling he got. Sometimes he thinks that the collapse of Yuan dynasty is heaven’s will. The later stage of Yuan is too miserable with drought, famine, and plague. It would be unreasonable if it does not collapse with so many years of natural disasters.

The beggars who had been only able to see food before finally became clearheaded with a few bites to relieve their hunger. They would not be able to win in a fight against Lin Yuan’s people but they are still covetuous, following the procession for several miles before leaving when it is clear Lin Yuan is not willing to take them in.

No one knows what will wait for them when they leave.

Lin Yuan also doesn’t know.

Lin Yuan only knows that his ability has limits. If he can help he will, but it would be impossible to help this many.

Zhu Zhongba is a young man and is quite familiar with pulling the cart, putting his energy into it causing Lin Yuan to become absentminded. The future emperor is pulling the cart for him, who will even believe it?

After all, he is a newcomer, at his side someone asks him:”Zhongba where are you from?”

Zhu Zhongba:”Zhongli, Hao Province.”

The person at his side sighs:”That is quite far.”

Zhu Zhongba smiles:”Not too far.”

“How old are you?” The person asks.

Zhu Zhongba:”How old do I look?”

Lin Yuan suddenly answered:”19.”

Zhu Zhongba paused, then he rsised a thumb:”What a correct guess.”

Isn’t it? Lin Yuan looks at the road ahead. He is considerably aware of Zhu Yuanzhang’s historical facts and knows that he joined Guo Zixing’s Red Turbans when he was 25 years old. And then married Guo Zixing’s adopted daughter Ma shi. Ma shi can be considered Zhu Yuanzhang’s lucky star.

Everytime Zhu Yuanzhang was framed by others and locked up by Guo Zixing it was all thanks to Ma shi who had to contend with the situation. After gaining military power, all the documents and accounts were managed by Ma shi. There was also a legend that during a lost battle, Ma shi relied on her big feet to carry Zhu Yuanzhang as they fled from the enemy army.

Lin Yuan sighs, ai, such a good woman is Zhu Yuanzhang’s wife, he dare not even think of stealing.

Considerate, gentle and cultured and can even provide support for her husband’s career. Able to face hardships as well as share wealth together.

Lin Yuan envied Zhu Yuanzhang a bit in his heart.

Besides, big feet is not much of a flaw. In the modern times, his office has two female coworkers who wears size 42 shoes (TN: 42 EU size, 11 US), and it doesn’t look all that strange.

Lin Yuan sighs again, this kind of woman, in these sorts of times, you can only meet by chance and not by request.

Just being cultured is something that can filter out a lot of people.

“My dad died from starvation, my oldest brother and oldest nephew as well.” Zhu Zhongba recalls his past and his eyes flickered with dark unclear emotions, “my sister married and my third oldest brother married and lives with his wife’s family.”

The people near him did not continue to ask, who doesn’t have a painful past?

Dying from starvation, it is too normal an occurrence.

The money for disaster relief provided by the imperial court is exploited at every government level. In the end, the actual sum received by the common people is not even one percent of what they should have got.

The stench of vermillion doors meat and wine, the bones of the frozen dead on the streets (TN: a line from Tang dynasty poet Du Fu’s poem that mocks how the scent of wine and meat drifts from behind the vermillion doors of the rich while just outside the poor are dying from the cold and starvation). It describes what is reality on earth, occurring everyday.

“It will be better.” Lin Yuan says suddenly, “it will become better.”

It will just take a long time.

Zhu Zhongba smiles:”Us poor people, being able to eat fully is enough.”

The common people does not want much. To be able to eat fully and dress warmly, no worry of taking a beating, and having a family is enough to satisfy them. Once such things are not possible then their requests will decrease to just having something to eat so long as they don’t die from starvation. Once the lowest condition cannot be met, then they will stand up and shout out the ancient saying: Are the lives of aristocracy, officials, and generals naturally more precious and noble than ours? (TN: first said by Chen Sheng and then later used as a slogan for rebellion)

The Zhu Yuanzhang of now perhaps has already learned to hide his hate and anger at the imperial court deep in his heart. He can calmly speak of his past, as if he has no emotions, but Lin Yuan is clear, this kind of hate is burrowed deep in your bones and can never be dug out.

“Right, brother Lin.” Zhu Zhongba says as he pulls the cart, “how come you have so much foodstuff?”

The surrounding people also perked their ears, they all want to know!

Lin Yuan:”I have a farmstead with a population of about 100. Now that the times are hard, the harvested grains are not enough so I left to buy some from outside. I cannot let the people following me suffer hunger.”

Zhu Zhongba looks at Lin Yuan with different eyes, strange emotions roiling in them. In the end, he sighs:”Brother Lin, I have never seen a boss like you.”

His previous boss would not even let him bury his family’s bodies. Without the landowner’s permission, he could not find any land to give them a burial.

It was only another landowner who gave him a piece of land to bury them under, but even then it was without any proper coffins.

What landowner would be concerned whether their tenant farmers are able to eat fully? If it was possible they would have them be animals who can be used for physical labor and don’t need to eat at all.

Zhu Zhongba suddenly comes across a peculiarly different landowner that his expression when looking at Lin Yuan became more respectful and solemn.

“It is almost winter.” Lin Yuan tucked in his neck, having felt the lowering temperature. These times there are no electrical heaters, only cotten blankets which not everyone can afford.

Zhu Zhongba does not say anything, no one says anything.

Jiang Gui sneezes:”Fourth brother, do you want to add on another coat.”

Lin Yuan only then remembers he had packed another two thin cotten coats. He had the two coats given to two women who are carrying children. The women themselves are thin and yet they are trying to block the wind from their children.

A mother’s nature….

“Thank you boss, thank you boss!”

“Boss is kindhearted, I will give boss kowtow!”

The two women wrapped their children in the coats and immediately kneeled, kowtowing three times with sincereness.

Lin Yuan looks at the other people who watched with longing and says:”If you gave birth to children then I would have the coats given to you as well.”

The men paused, then all laughed out loud.

“How can we have such ability.”

“Hahaha, maybe if you find a man to do it it might just happen.”

“Why are you looking at my behind?”

“I see your behind is big, able to bear children.”

With the group of men telling each other vulgar jokes, the depressed atmosphere from before warmed up.

Zhu Zhongba is also smiling. He pulls the cart but does not feel it to be too heavy since three other men are also pulling it with him. In the back there is also the families of these men pushing at the cart. The cart is ladened with foodstuff, no matter how heavy they would not complain.

Jiang Gui leads the ox cart, saying to Lin Yuan:”Don’t let brother Dao see this fellow.”

Lin Yuan confused:”Why? Brother Dao would not be against…..”

“Ai, what are you thinking!” Jiang Gui says lowly, “I see this fellow may have an ordinary appearance but his eyes are clear and body strong. I’m afraid once brother Dao catches sight of him he will want to become sworn brothers with him.”

Jiang Gui:”Then you will become fifth brother.”

Lin Yuan:”……”

I actually forgot something like this.

A cold breeze blows past and brother Dao who is currently tending to the fields sneezes. Rubbing his nose:”Who, who is scolding me?”

Yang Zi’an chewed on a piece of grass on the side, expressionless but with a disdainful look in his eyes when he glanced towards Li Congrong.

If not for his prevention, Li Congrong almost became sworn brothers with another two strong men. The fellow truly does deserve a scolding.

AN: Li Congrong:”Not swearing brotherhood is not possible, relying on swearing brotherhood as a means of livelihood.” (TN: In Chinese this is written like a tongue twister but it loses its tongue twister qualities when translated into English ¯_(ツ)_/¯ )