Chapter 385: Greed Provokes Trouble, Xiao Hua Injures Someone (Part 1)
Chapter 385: Greed Provokes Trouble, Xiao Hua Injures Someone (Part 1)
Mo Yan naturally understood that most families in the village were struggling, but no matter how difficult things were, they couldn't target Xiao Hua and the dozen or so mutts. Especially in this harsh weather, if anything were to happen that caused harm to the villagers, who would bear the responsibility?
Thinking of this, she looked at Yang Bao, who appeared troubled, and said seriously, "Uncle Yang, let's not even discuss whether taking dogs into the mountains can find game. Just in this heavy snow, the road isn't clear, and one misstep could lead to danger. Moreover, there are many wild animals in the mountains. They came down not long ago. What if we encounter them by chance?"
Yang Bao was taken aback. He had only been calculating how much benefit hunting in the mountains could bring to the village and hadn't considered the risks. Thinking of the possible consequences, he couldn't help but feel afraid. "At my age, I've actually been fooled by such trivial gains. Thanks to Yan Girl's reminder, otherwise I wouldn't know how big a mess I might have caused."
"Uncle Yang was just eager to help the villagers in their difficult times, and he didn't think it through for a moment!"
Mo Yan smiled understandingly. She didn't blame the villagers for being greedy. If they had extra money at home, who would risk their lives for such an idea? It was just that seeing those mutts bring back rabbits made their heads hot for a moment.
Seeing Yang Bao wavering, she felt relieved and continued, "Since it's for the safety of the villagers, Uncle Yang, you don't need to feel conflicted. Just explain the pros and cons clearly, and the villagers will understand."
"Yan Girl, Uncle understands, Uncle understands!" Yang Bao relaxed his expression. Compared to life itself, that bit of money was indeed trivial. If some villagers didn't know what was good for them, he would have to exercise his authority as village head to suppress it.
Not long after, Xiao Hua returned with the thirteen mutts in a flurry. They were covered in snowflakes and shivered as they shook off the snow at the door before joyfully wagging their tails at Mo Yan. They sat obediently around the warm fire, one by one, quietly warming themselves.
Yang Bao looked amused. "Your family truly is a scholarly one. Even these rowdy fellows have picked up a scent of scholarly elegance and become well-behaved."
Mo Yan chuckled and pinched Xiao Hua's ice-cold ears. "It's all thanks to this troublemaker. Otherwise, these mutts would definitely be scrambling for the best spots."
Looking through the crack in the door at the heavy snowfall outside, Yang Bao's smile faded, and he said with a heavy expression, "This snow seems worse than the last time. If it continues, many more houses might collapse."
Mo Yan wasn't knowledgeable about weather patterns and furrowed her brows. "Uncle Yang, how long do you think this snow will last?"
"The situation at the northern border is intense, and the price of rice has risen again in the past few days, reaching eight wen per jin, doubling from before. Many poor families can't afford rice, and quite a few people are already lining up at the shop for a pot of free rice. Now, with this heavy snow, if it continues, the price of rice will rise again in a few days."
Yang Bao stood up and walked to the door to glance at the sky outside, saying, "It won't stop for three to five days. We can only wait a few more days to see when it might stop."
Mo Yan felt a bit choked up. She worried not only about the poor families unable to afford food but also about the worsening situation at the northern border. It had been snowing there too these past few days, and the temperature was colder than in the capital. Yet, the conflict hadn't ceased. She wondered how the soldiers and civilians at the border were faring.
Every time she asked about the situation in letters, the replies never mentioned such things. The news circulated in the academy was relatively outdated, and by the time it reached her father's ears, it was either a long time past or distorted beyond recognition, leaving her clueless about the true situation.
(End of Chapter)
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