The Leisurely Life of a Peasant Woman in the Tang Dynasty

Sun Mazi's figure quickly disappeared into the night, and Tang Youyou followed closely behind him, all the way to a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the town. She walked lightly and approached quietly. Through the dilapidated window, she saw Sun Mazi and the strange man counting several bags of food.

"Brother, we're rich this time! So much good rice, enough for us to eat for several months!" Sun Mazi rubbed his hands excitedly, his face full of greed.

"Don't be too happy!" the strange man scolded. "This food is just the first batch. Wait a few days and we'll find a way to get a bigger batch!"

Tang Youyou sneered in her heart. It seemed that these two people were planning to do this kind of sneaky business for a long time. She decided to go back first and find a chance to expose their true colors tomorrow.

The next morning, Tang Youyou called Tang Jin and Tang Wan and told them what happened last night. "Mom, what should we do? Should we report to the police?" Tang Jin said indignantly.

"Report to the police? That won't work!" Tang Youyou shook her head. "We have no evidence, so we can't catch them even if we report to the police. Besides, I suspect there's a bigger conspiracy behind this. We have to find a way to catch them all in one fell swoop!"

"Mom, do you have any good ideas?" Tang Wan asked.

Tang Youyou pondered for a moment, a sly smile curling up at the corner of his mouth. "We can use their trick against us..."

That night, Tang Youyou deliberately spread the news that she was going to transport a batch of grain to the neighboring village. When the news reached Sun Mazi's ears, he really took the bait and immediately led his men to the designated location to ambush.

As night fell, several carriages slowly drove in, loaded with heavy sacks. Sun Mazi and his accomplices hid in the shadows, their eyes gleaming with greed.

"Do it!"

Following Sun Mazi's order, a group of people rushed out from the darkness, waving sticks and rushing towards the carriage aggressively.

"Get 'em!"

Suddenly, a delicate cry was heard, and Tang Youyou, Tang Jin, and Tang Wan came out from the back of the carriage. It turned out that they had anticipated Sun Mazi's robbery, so they had made preparations in advance. The sacks were not filled with food at all, but with stones and wood.

"You...you dare to play tricks on me!" Sun Mazi was stunned and roared in frustration.

"Humph, a thief like you is not worthy of fighting me!" Tang Youyou sneered and waved his hand, "Catch them for me!"

Tang Jin and Tang Wan could no longer suppress their anger and rushed forward to tie up Sun Mazi and his accomplices.

Looking at this scene, Tang Youyou didn't feel any joy in her heart, but felt even heavier. She knew that this was just the beginning, and there were even greater challenges waiting for her.

"Xiao Ya is still waiting for us in the temple, let's go."

When Tang Youyou brought Tang Jin and Tang Wan to the temple, Tang Xiaoya was sitting on a cushion, her hands clasped together, her eyes closed, and her little mouth muttering something softly. The setting sun shone through the window lattice onto her delicate face, casting a golden glow on her, making her look particularly pious and lovely.

"Xiao Ya is praying for those in need!" Tang Wan explained with a smile.

Tang Youyou looked at her daughter's innocent face, her heart filled with emotion. She walked over, gently stroked Tang Xiaoya's hair, and said softly, "Xiaoya is such a kind and good child."

At this time, an old monk in a gray robe came over and looked at them with a kind look. "Amitabha, benefactors, I am Huiren, the abbot of this temple."

"Hello, Master Huiren." Tang Youyou clasped her hands together and saluted Monk Huiren.

"Don't be so polite, benefactor." Monk Huiren smiled slightly. "Your young benefactor has a kind heart. You understand compassion at such a young age. It's truly rare."

Tang Youyou spoke modestly for a few moments before telling Monk Huiren what happened last night and expressing his concerns. "Master, I suspect this incident is just the tip of the iceberg. I'm afraid there are many more people using the name of charity to enrich themselves."

Upon hearing this, Monk Huiren frowned slightly. "Amitabha, well done, well done! It seems this charity isn't easy," he pondered for a moment before continuing, "Donor, I'm willing to do my best to help you improve the distribution process for your charitable donations, ensuring that every act of kindness truly reaches those in need."

Tang Youyou was overjoyed when he heard this, and hurriedly thanked Monk Huiren.

With the help of Monk Huiren, Tang Youyou reformed the charitable distribution process. First, she registered the information of all families receiving aid and regularly verified it to prevent fraudulent claims. Second, she established a dedicated monitoring team to oversee the distribution process and ensure fairness. Finally, she encouraged everyone to actively report violations and offered rewards for valid reports.

After a series of reform measures, the distribution of charitable materials is carried out in an orderly manner, and every donation and every grain of food is delivered to those who really need it.

"Mom, you are so amazing!" Tang Wan looked at the busy Tang Youyou, her eyes full of admiration.

"Yes, Mom, you are simply our idol!" Tang Jin also echoed.

Tang Youyou looked at the children's innocent smiles, her heart filled with relief. She knew that everything she had done was worth it.

"Amitabha, good deeds will be rewarded with good, and evil deeds will be punished with evil. It's not that there will be no retribution, it's just that the time has not come yet." Monk Huiren looked at Tang Youyou and said meaningfully, "As for Donor Sun..."

Tang Youyou was slightly stunned, and Sun Mazi's rough face appeared in her mind.

Monk Huiren's words were like a stone, rippling the tranquil lake of Tang Youyou's heart. What would be the fate of Sun Mazi, the poor man who took such a risk to cure his child?

"Master, Sun Mazi was just confused for a moment, his crime does not deserve the death penalty, you see..." Tang Youyou hesitated to speak, her heart filled with sympathy for Sun Mazi.

Monk Huiren clasped his hands together and said compassionately, "Amitabha, the sea of ​​suffering is boundless; turning back is the shore. I have already sent someone to notify the authorities, but I will ask for leniency. As for Mr. Sun, whether he can turn back from his mistakes depends on his own luck."

A few days later, Sun Mazi was released. He went to the temple, found Tang Youyou, and fell to his knees. "Madam Tang, I'm sorry for you and everyone! I was bewildered and did something wrong. Please be magnanimous and forgive me this time!"

Tang Youyou looked at the remorseful man in front of her, feeling a mixture of emotions. She helped Sun Mazi up and said earnestly, "Brother Sun, knowing your mistakes is the best way to improve. You're doing this for the child. I believe you're not a bad person. As long as you truly repent and turn over a new leaf, everyone will forgive you."

Sun Mazi was so moved by Tang Youyou's words that tears welled up in his eyes. "Madam Tang, you truly have a kind heart! I will definitely turn over a new leaf and be a good person to repay your kindness!"

To make up for his mistake, Sun Mazi volunteered to join the charity team, helping to carry supplies and distribute food. He worked diligently and willingly, and soon won everyone's recognition.

Tang Youyou's philanthropy was like a spark, igniting the love in the hearts of more people. More and more wealthy locals generously donated money and materials; more and more ordinary people took the initiative to join the charity team and contribute their own strength. Tang Youyou's charity work received unprecedented support and response, and its scale was growing.

"Mom, look, so many people have come to help!" Tang Wan said excitedly, pointing to the bustling crowd in the distance.

Tang Youyou looked at the lively scene in front of her, a relieved smile on her face. She knew that this was just the beginning. She had a more important plan, which was...

"Mom, when can we build the orphanage?" Tang Xiaoya tugged at Tang Youyou's sleeve, raised her head, and asked with her big eyes blinking.

"It's almost done. Once we have arranged everything, we'll start working." Tang Youyou gently stroked Tang Xiaoya's head, her tone gentle but firm.

Sun Mazi's incident was just an episode, but it made Tang Youyou realize that relying solely on the temple's relief was far from enough. She needed a more long-term and stable way to help these homeless children. The idea of ​​building an orphanage to provide them with a warm home where they could grow up healthy and happy became stronger and stronger in Tang Youyou's heart.

So, Tang Youyou began to prepare for the construction of the orphanage. First, she needed a large enough piece of land. Tang Youyou thought of the wasteland east of the village. It was flat, with convenient transportation and close to water sources. It was an ideal place to build an orphanage.

The next step was to raise funds and supplies. Tang Youyou took out her own savings and sold some jewelry, but it was still a drop in the bucket for building an orphanage. Tang Youyou decided to seek help from more people.

She shared her idea with the villagers, who responded enthusiastically. They expressed their willingness to contribute, some donating money, some donating materials, and some even volunteering to join the orphanage construction team.

"Youyou, you are doing a good deed, we all support you! Just do it boldly!" The village chief, Old Man Li, shook Tang Youyou's hand and said excitedly.

"Yes, Youyou, we all believe in you! You can definitely run the orphanage well!" The villagers also expressed their support.

Looking at the simple and enthusiastic faces, Tang Youyou's heart was filled with emotion. She knew that the road to building the orphanage would not be smooth, but she was not alone because she had the support and help of so many people.

"Thank you, everyone. Thank you, everyone!" Tang Youyou bowed deeply with tears in her eyes.

However, building an orphanage is not an easy task, and there are still many problems that need to be solved. Tang Youyou took a deep breath and looked into the distance with a firm gaze.