When Zhang Kai returned before the villagers with the stronghold master’s order to distribute grain, he looked at the familiar faces shivering in the cold wind, opened his mouth, yet no words came out.

He truly did not know what his stronghold master was planning, so he had no idea how to explain it to the elders and villagers.

“You brat, what are you spacing out for? Didn’t you hear the chief’s order?”

Only when Yang Ba beside him shoved him, unable to watch any longer, did Zhang Kai snap out of it.

He gave Yang Ba an awkward glance, then turned to the villagers and relayed the chief’s instructions.

“Uncles and aunties, everyone, please don’t be afraid. This time we came down the mountain to borrow grain and disturbed you all. The chief feels very sorry about that, so he is giving every household ten shi of grain. Everyone, please follow me to the village head’s house to move the grain.”

He might not understand the chief’s decision, but it did not stop him from conveying it accurately.

Even so, although he spoke clearly, the villagers only looked at one another, and no one dared move.

Finally, an old man with white hair and beard, leaning on a wooden stick like a walking cane, stepped forward.

He looked at Zhang Kai and asked in a trembling voice.

“Tiger Lad, you’re not just teasing everyone, are you?”

Seeing the old man step out, Zhang Kai hurried to support him and said with a bitter smile.

“Great-Grandpa, how would I dare tease you? It’s all real. The stronghold master, my big brother, told me to inform the villagers that each household will get ten shi of grain.”

“Hmph. You wouldn’t dare fool your great-grandpa. I’ll believe you this once.”

The old man looked at Zhang Kai, stabbed his cane onto the ground, then said to the other villagers.

“Since the big chieftain has said so, everyone go get the grain.”

Hearing this, the villagers half-believing and half-doubting, followed the bandits into the village head’s house to move grain.

Before long, exclamations sounded from within the house.

Soon after, villagers came out one after another, carrying sacks of grain home with overjoyed faces.

At this moment, everyone who had received grain was looking toward the stronghold chieftain standing on the threshing ground with grateful eyes.

If their shoulders had not been weighed down with grain, many of them would probably have knelt on the spot.

This was ten shi of grain.

None of them had ever owned this much in their lives.

Every year after harvest, once they handed over the rent to that dog of a village head, it was already good if they were left with five shi.

Now this so-called chieftain from Liangshan was giving them ten shi of grain in one go.

Mixed with wild vegetables and such, it was enough to feed a family of ten for a whole year.

How could they not feel deeply grateful for such a favor?

Seeing everyone staggering under the weight of the sacks, Wang Wen, who had followed Yang Ba over, narrowed his eyes.

Being a shrewd man, he had more or less guessed that the chief wanted to win over the villagers.

He immediately whispered a few words to Yang Ba.

Yang Ba listened and nodded repeatedly.

Soon, Yang Ba ordered the bandits to help the villagers carry grain and deliver it to each home, which drew even more grateful looks from the villagers.

With so many strong men helping, and with the villagers pushing out one-wheeled carts from their homes, it took only a short while before every household had received their ten shi of grain.

After that, the villagers gathered of their own accord once more in front of the threshing ground and all knelt before Ning Qingtian to thank him for the favour of distributing grain.

Ning Qingtian quickly had his attendants help them up.

Only when everyone had been pulled to their feet did he breathe a sigh of relief and say with a smile.

“Everyone, there is no need to do this. It is only ten shi of grain, and besides, you were the ones who planted it in the first place. It is simply returning things to their rightful owners.”

At these words, many villagers could no longer hold back their tears, and a heavy silence fell over the crowd.

Watching this scene, Ning Qingtian also fell silent, his heart weighed down.

Behind him, Wu Qianlan, who had originally been furious that he had dared to kill an official and distribute grain without permission, also quieted down.

Faced with such a situation, she did not know whether this “bandit husband” was right or wrong to do what he had done.

“Chief, Chief…”

Suddenly, a loud shout rang out.

Ning Qingtian looked up in surprise and saw Zhang Kai supporting an old man with white hair as they slowly made their way over.

A young man followed behind them.

Under the firelight, Ning Qingtian glanced at the old man and judged he must be around eighty years old.

Even in the world he came from, that age was rare.

People like this usually possessed great prestige in a village.

Most likely, whenever disputes arose, the villagers would ask him to judge right and wrong.

Ning Qingtian did not dare to be careless and quickly jumped down from the stone grain roller, pushed aside his attendants and went up to support the old man himself.

Feeling the bony arm under the thin cotton-padded jacket, he could not help thinking of his own grandfather and gently tugged the old man’s sleeve up to cover him better, then asked softly.

“Elder, it is such a cold night. What brings you out here?”

The old man shook off Zhang Kai’s supporting hand on the other side and waved his arm in the air.

“I may be old, but this bit of cold wind is nothing. Even a fifty-jin sack of grain, this old man could still carry a few li.”

Ning Qingtian smiled to himself, realising this was the stubborn kind of old man who refused to admit his age.

He had plenty of experience with such elders and knew he had to go along with them.

So he smiled and said, “Haha, Elder, you are truly hale and hearty. May I ask what advice you have for me today? I, Ning, am all ears.”

The old man chuckled.

“Chief, you are too polite. Since you have been so righteous to us common folk, I am not so heartless. I came here to bring you some news.”

Hearing this, Ning Qingtian smiled again and helped the old man along.

“Please, Elder, have a seat and speak slowly.”

He glanced around, then led the old man to a mound of raised earth and helped him sit down.

Once the old man was seated, Ning Qingtian sat beside him and said, “My humble surname is Ning and my given name is Qingtian. You may simply call me Little Ning.”

The old man nodded, then laughed.

“Qingtian… clear sky. You truly live up to your name. Chief, you are even more upright than those ‘Lord Qingtian’ magistrates. You must stay upright like this in the future.”

Ning Qingtian felt both embarrassed and amused, and could only nod repeatedly.